April 9, 1941 was an extraordinary day at Birch Cliff Public School as the students helped present an ambulance to the Canadian Armed Forces fighting World War II in Europe.
It was the culmination of a remarkable fundraising drive.
The idea to raise $1,500 for an ambulance to be shipped overseas came from Birch Cliff’s first principal, Mrs. Ellen Reece, who also served as chair of the fundraising committee.
She organized a campaign involving 5,500 students at 32 mostly “rural” schools in Scarboro and North York townships as well as Leaside, Forest Hill and Weston, known collectively as “York 6 Inspectorate”.
Detailed plans for the ambulance purchase are described in the Birch Cliff scrapbook, in which Mrs. Reece wrote the following in Dec.1940:
“In York Inspectorate there are about 165 teachers. When the idea was first introduced it was suggested that each teacher and class should endeavor to raise $10.00. This made the allotment for Birchcliff School $150.00 and our wiling workers brought in $274.68.”
From the Birch Cliff Scrapbook: “Presentation of the ambulance and a cheque for $200 took place at Leaside School on Thursday, April 10, 1941. Chief Inspector W.K. Green (left) presented the ambulance to Lieutenant-Colonel Drury (right) and Mrs. Reece (centre) presented the cheque to the British War Victims Fund.”
From the Birch Cliff Scrapbook: “Inspector Johnson travelled throughout the Inspectorate of York 6 for two days with the ambulance so that every child should see what he had worked.”
Ambulance just a small part of fundraising effort
Buying the ambulance was a grand gesture but in reality it was just a small part of the impressive fundraising efforts that Birch Cliff students engaged in throughout World War II. It was a high priority because everyone knew someone fighting overseas and many had a father, grandfather, brother or uncle engaged in the battle.
Selling donuts to raise money during World War II.
For five straight years the children raised enormous sums of money by selling Victory pins, baked goods, candy, ice cream, apple marmalade, used comic books, novelties, bookmarks, hair bows, bird houses, shampoo, Christmas cards and calendars.
The children held afternoon teas and garden parties and ran “stunts” like shoe shine parlours.
There were also voluntary contributions. All of the classes donated pennies, which were often collected in bottles but sometimes the pennies were gathered by covering maps of Britain, and images of Victory signs and maple leaves
The charities that were supported by the children’s efforts included the Canadian Red Cross, Navy League, Junior Red Cross, Canadian Legion and the Toronto Evening Telegram British War Victims Fund
Mrs. Reece kept meticulous records of the children’s efforts. The Birch Cliff scrapbook is full of photographs of girls who knitted many hundreds of items for soldiers and refugees including sweaters, socks, mitts, wristlets for soldiers, balaclavas, wash cloths, coats, baby bonnets and baby bootees.
The children also collected scrap iron and newspaper and salvage contributions were approximately $80 per month. (By March 1942 it was mostly newspaper as scrap metal had been depleted from the area for quite some time.) From Sept. 1940 until June 1943, 163 tons of salvage were brought to the school with a total value of $1,675.92.
In October 1940 Mrs. Reece wrote about the salvage drive in the Birch Cliff Journal:
“Willing little arms carried over 7,000 lbs. of paper to school, which quantity netted $28.10. How wonderful to the childish minds and what a lesson! I overheard a little girl saying one day “Just fancy, $28.00 all for nothing, and we did it.” Nothing, but the thing this war-torn world needs more than anything else – joyful, willing service for others.”
Supporting the war effort was a cause that was also close to the hearts of the teachers at Birch Cliff.
Mrs. I. Moore wrote in the January 1944 issue of newsletter “The School” that they hoped the war effort would help foster good citizenship among the students, with children learning lessons of thrift, cooperation, perseverance and unselfishness.
“We hope for something even better – that the children of to-day will become not only good citizens of their own country, but, through their present experiences, will also be better world citizens with a more intelligent and sympathetic understanding of other people’s problems and ways of life,” Mrs. Moore said.
While the school’s goals were altruistic, Mrs. Reece also showed an early flair for public relations by ensuring that the Toronto newspapers were well aware of the contributions to the war effort by the children of Birch Cliff.
The children’s efforts were regularly featured in the newspaper and they were praised in the Dec. 19, 1940 edition of the Toronto Telegram as “the great little war workers, the boys and girls of Birch Cliff Public School”.
The Oct. 16, 1942 edition of the Telegram featured this photo of Birch Cliff Public School children.
“Great little war workers” of Birch Cliff Public School. Back: Shirley Bryant, Lillian Heise, Lorraine Hopkins, Jacqueline Everts, Ronald Barton, Bill Price, David Howson, Margaret Brown, Bill Stoddart, Kenton Sutherland, Donald Kearns, Ross Wallace, Alan Trimble Front: Bill Smthe, Jack Worling, Gerald Timmins, Edward Byberg, Norma Tibbles, Joe Williamson, Paul Forsyth, Ann Wood, Bernice Luke, Bruce Aitchison, Tim Williamson, George Pawlett, David Baird, Sidney Milnes, Mary West
Mrs. Reece carried on after retirement
Mrs.Reece’s last day as Birch Cliff principal was in June 1941 and when she retired she carried on as chairman of the “School War Group”.
In March 1942, Mrs. Reece’s successor, Principal William J. Taylor summarized the school’s efforts to date.
“Since the war began, 15 teachers and 500 children in the Birch Cliff PS have raised over $5,000 for various war purposes. Half of this amount represents donations to war charities; the balance of this sum, pupil’s investments in War Stamps and Certificates.
“If the co-operation of this average Canadian community is a criterion of British purpose, we cannot fail,” Taylor added.
As we all know, the Allied Forces didn’t fail. And even though they were just children at the time, former Birch Cliff students should be proud to know that they did more than their part.
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This is article is part of a “Today in History” series commemorating the upcoming 100th anniversary celebration of Birch Cliff Public School, which is taking place on Sept. 23/24, 2016. To see other articles click here: 1927, 1929, 1935, 1935, 1951, 1993.
You can scroll down for more photos.
Miss Mackenzie’s class looking at the ambulance on April 9, 1941.
Birch Cliff Principal Mrs.Ellen Reece examines the knitting of 11-year old Valerie Ball (left) and another student.
Birch Cliff student shows off knitting for the war effort.
Mr. J. Hunter receiving cheque for $50 from Gwen Hachieon for war effort.
Absolutely fascinating, and inspiring. A thousand thanks for publishing this.
Regarding the picture above of the two students with Mrs. Reece, it turns out that the girl on the left is my mother, Valerie Ripley, then 11 year old Valerie Ball. She is now 86 years old and was thrilled to see this picture. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, that’s very cool. Is it the picture captioned “Birch Cliff Principal Mrs.Ellen Reece examines the knitting of two students?” I will identify her if you can confirm.
yes that is the correct picture
I am glad that your mother enjoyed the photo.I lived down the street from your mother at that time. We are all lucky that Mrs Reese was so thorough in keeping records
I attended Birch Cliff from Sept,1945 til graduation inJune 1953.Once a month on a Friday afternoon, each senior class would have entertainment time. Some children would dance, some would sing, others recite a poem. Every child would donate 5 cents and the money went to the Red Cross. Does anyone remember this?