HomeMy WebLinkAbout345"Article copied from the News Advertiser, October 13, 1976, page 5, written by Paul Jacot.
PICKERING - Walking through the grounds of the Claremont Conservation area's Field Centre,
one gets the feeling that there never has been a downtown core complete with black smoke and
choked traffic ridden streets.
The air clears the nostrils, the walking pumps your heart and the fall scenery makes the pupils
water. Quite an environment for the weekend sightseer but even more so for the hundreds of
students each year who get to stay for a week at the picturesque site.
Such as the 40 Pickering High school students who bunked down at the centre last week under
the direction of their geography teacher Harvey Derrington.
""This is an ideal situation for the students to learn,"" said Derrington, ""you wouldn't believe the
change in them here at the centre as opposed to the usual four walls of the day-to-day
classroom.""
""Students are inhibited by the classroom atmosphere most often but in this setting, they learn
about the natural surroundings and they learn to get along with each other in a group.
But we get unbelievable help from the people here, especially from the supervisor,
Jean Wansbrough"".
In the field of conservation, there aren't many people who know as much about nature as
Mrs. Jean Wansbrough. For many years, she has been involved in Conservation and her
expertise has produced happy faces when the students leave the centre after a week's stay.
""The great satisfaction in this job is seeing the enthusiasm of these students while working in
the area. ""They really have a lot of fun and learn so much about their environment,"" said
Mrs. Wansbrough.
All the teaching at the centre is done outdoors and the sessions run from September through to
June. Many schools in the Durham area make use of the field centre but many downtown
Toronto and suburban schools also make use of the outstanding facilities.
""The conditions here are ideal,"" said Pickering teacher Derrington, ""the students have good
living quarters, the food is nutritious and the people here are most helpful"".
However, the Durham Board of Education has decided to discontinue the program after this
winter session and have opted to begin their own centre.
""It's alright for the board to want their own facilities but the one they have planned can only
accomodate day visits and so the students take the week in an almost holiday atmosphere,""
said Mrs. Wansbrough.
""Whereas here, the students really get involved with the surroundings, giving them a better
and more intense learning experience than a day operation"".
In the Claremont program, the students pay a fee of $10.00 for the week and the Board of
Education subsidizes the balance of the cost. With the staff situation as it stands,
the teacher-pupil ratio at the field centre usually ends up one staff member per four students.
""Land formations here provide the students with every kind of vegetation you could imagine a
nd really makes them aware of the relationship between plant, animal and man,"" said
Mrs. Wansbrough.
The situations during the week tend to be unique as well.
""Last night, in the pouring rain and almost total darkness we went into the woods to
experience what was happening. It was a situation that these kids will probably never have
again and that's important,"" said teacher Derrington.
With the fun and enthusiasm seen at the centre, it really does make you aware of your place in
the universe and especially on this planet, earth.
"
TOP: THE CLAREMONT FIELD CENTRE can accommodate 40 students each week staying
overnight to learn about the many facets of the environment;
MIDDLE LEFT: Pickering teacher-Harvey Derrington informs students about rock formations:
BOTTOM LEFT: Students Paul Johnson, Achim Maurer, Paul Marjoram,
Danny LeRiche chop wood and
BOTTOM RIGHT: Claremont Field Centre supervisor Jean Wansbrough hears about historical
points of Greenwood from Mike Stoewner and Tim Brown.