The Stratford Normal School

When my wife realized we were looking at the Stratford Normal School, she exclaimed, "That's the school your mom attended, Ken!" My mother, born in the early years of the last century, was one of almost 14,000 students who went on to graduate from the Stratford Normal School. After graduating, my mother landed a position teaching in the far eastern end of the province where she met her future husband, my dad.

This is what the Ontario Heritage Trust has to say about the structure:

In the 1900s, concerns about the quality of rural education prompted the Ontario government to build four new Normal Schools to increase the supply of qualified teachers in the province. The Stratford Normal School prepared its students for conditions in the rural schools that employed most new teachers. It is the only one of the Normal Schools from its era to survive without substantial alteration.

For more pictures and a bit more information read the posting on Canada's Historic Places.

Backyards can make a personal statement

Homes encourage creativity, at least when ownership falls into the right, read creative, hands. I learned this early in life when some art school friends moved into a lovely old mansion in the Boston Edison District of Detroit. Now, I must admit that place was somewhat unique but all homes hold promise.

The other day I spent some time in the oh-so-small backyard of a friend and artist in Stratford. This person has spent a lot of time traveling, especially in Italy. Today she has a little bit of Italy behind her home.

What a wonderful space in which to chat and share a meal with friends. (As a former staff photographer for the local paper, I can tell you that surprising backyards are more common that you might think. The creative use of backyard space is not restricted to the backyards of artists.)

Canada Day!

Today, July 1st, is Canada Day. A good day to post the striking sculpture by Walter Allward created in remembrance of those who fought, many dying, in the First World War.

Allward is also the sculpture who did the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France. He completed the Stratford Cenotaph in 1922 before heading to Vimy to complete his most famous commission.

Stratford is but one of only two small Ontario towns with an Allward-designed war memorial. Often, such memorials feature a famous general. Today, it's clear depicting an historical figure can be fraught with cultural traps.

Allward sidestepped the danger of depicting a person no longer worthy of the honour. The figures on the Stratford cenotaph are symbolic, representing the forces of darkness and the forces of good.

There's a plaque to a long dead Canadian at the site but it's not there in memory of a soldier. The plaque honours Allward by providing details surrounding his life. The late sculptor has become a revered Canadian artist with a large and lasting body of respected work still to be found about the province.

Fountain may be new addition

Clearly, Stratford has a story to tell. Walking down residential streets in the core of the small, southwestern Ontario city, one comes across a lot of impressive, historical buildings. This one on Water Street is just one of a number. My friend told me the fountain wasn't all that old. I found this home on Streetviews and, sure enough, no fountain.

Is this place a single family home? A bed and breakfast? A small inn? I don't know. When I learn more I will update this post.

A delightful southwest Ontario town

I need to take a walk every day. Doctors orders. I'm bad. I often fail to take my stroll. But visiting Stratford, a small town to the northeast of London made walking easy. It is simply a delightful town, especially in the the core. The downtown business district, the residential area and the theatre and the parks all work together to make one fine, urban package.

I saw this home and had to grab a quick shot. What a wonderful looking home.

Expanded patio-dining is coming

Restaurants are in trouble. Cash flow is important for these small, independent businesses and for some months there has been, in some cases, absolutely no cash flow. This weekend the province announced the easing of covid-19 based restrictions on businesses like restaurants.

Late last week when my wife and I were in Stratford, there were signs everywhere that folk were preparing to open and to operate in the new coronavirus-tainted world. These two people in my photo were measuring the sidewalk in front of their restaurant. They were preparing to locate an umbrella-covered patio on the sidewalk in front of their place.

Stratford and its citizens openly fighting covid-19

Stratford, Ontario, is a fine little Southwestern Ontario town. One of the finest. For well over half a century it has been home to the Stratford Festival—a world class festival attracting theatre goers from both Canada and the States. The visitors arrive by the busload, or at least they did until covid-19.

Driving into downtown Stratford, a sign reminds drivers to stay aware of the danger presented by covid-19 and to react appropriately. People are being encouraged to keep a safe distance between themselves and others others when out on the street and most folk are wearing face masks.

With the festival theatres closed, the fine restaurants struggling to reopen and hotels, inns and B&Bs with many empty beds, the town and the people of Stratford are setting an example on how to fight the coronavirus. While other towns are waffling, Stratford and its citizens are in full fight mode.