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Page 2 EARLY FACTS OF HISTORY OF BIG SPRINGS, BELLVIEW, BONARLAW Im the late eighties the twelfth line school was so erowded, the section had to be dévided and in 1896 the school, as it stands today, was built. Mr. William Brown was the first teacher. ‘A hall was also built and was a useful addition to the commumity for teas, meetings and entertainments, even church meetings were held there. In the course of time, the hall was moved to the opposite side of the road and it was equipped for a store with Mr. Donald Bell as owner. The 01d store was turned into an apartment and the hotel became an apartment house. Some of the names connected with the running of the hotel was Mr. and Mrs. George Wellman and Mr. Hewitt, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Neal and Mr. and Mrs. Ab. Blackburne, Mr. and Mrs. Abrams. In the course of time, Kr. W.J. Barlow was made a partner of Mr. Bell's in the store and on Mr. Bell's death Mr. Barlow took over the business. Agriculture and dairying were the main sources of income and employment and some of the names that have come down over the years are McComb, Stiles, Eastwood, McKeown, Webb, Matthew, Burkitt, Heath, Bateman, Devry, MeInroy, Meiklejohn and Barlow. The store served the community for a number of years under the proprietorship of Bell and Barlow, then in very recent years Mr. George Moore bought the business and continued until the store had to be tom down due to the widing of the highway and Mr. Moore built the new store which stands on the east of the road on the original site fo the old hall. The railway furnished work for section men, baggage men, operators, etc. For many years Mr. J.F. Baker wes agent and was active in community work. Thus life goes on but change is evident everywhere. The hotel is gone, the McCombs end Browns have the third generations running their farms and some of the farms have chenged hands entirely. Let us retum for a short time to the area of Mr. Jesse Neal's home, etc. The blacksmith shop is gone and in itS-place Mr. and Mrs. Bert McCoy have a cozy little home and garden. Where Mr. Tom Neal had his barn and stable and barnyard, is now a very imposing Ang- liiean church. ‘This was made possible through money left by Mr. and Mrs. Simpson Cook and through the ent and strenuous efforts of Canon G.W. Swayne. The old rectory has also gone and we are no longer a self supporting perish. It is hard to know what the future holds in this time of change. Submitted by Mrs. Arthur (Grace) Brom /74S Mrs. W.d. Barlow 196 eae spree