The following morning, November 9th, 1879, I left Emerson for London,
Ontario. Arriving in London I repaired to the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson, the parents of Mrs. Thomas Hooper, whom I rescued from
drowning in the Red River, and was invited to make my home with them
while in London. I was also invited to visit the Sunday School, Pall
Mall Church, in which Mrs. Hooper had been a teacher, and tell them how
Mrs. Hooper fell into the river and how I saved her from drowning. I
received a hearty vote of thanks, and all were delighted that their
dear teacher was well and happy.
The following spring I went East, visiting my friends and relatives in
the township of Reach and Durham County. While visiting Port Hope I met
the late Colonel Williams, who subsequently became a sincere friend of
mine, and in 1882 I was appointed drill instructor at Trinity College
school. Having no gymnasium, my work was confined to military drill.
There was a well-equipped cadet corps officered by the teachers. A very
sad accident occurred during the summer holidays. Mr. Selby Allen, son
of Chancellor Allen, Toronto, a student at the school, was drowned near
Brockville. Mr. Allen was a splendid athlete and a fine cricketer.
In 1887 I was appointed gymnastic and drill instructor to the
Collegiate Institute, Peterboro'. I held this office for eleven years.
Nothing gives me greater pleasure in writing this book than to relate
the pleasant and profitable eleven years I spent in the physical
education of the students of the Collegiate Institute and Central
Public School, and also the convent. I say _profitably_ because the
majority of those who obtained the several courses of instruction are
to-day pursuing their professions and vocations able to meet the
physical endurance of their calling, and all I have met since my
retirement nine years ago I found to be specimens of the highest type
of physical maturity and invariably athletes. There are at present
three doctors practising in this city (Toronto), three teachers in the
public schools, and one in Trinity University, and all are of the same
type.
I am pleased to say that the physique of the ladies also whom I have
met is all that could be desired. Neither have they forgotten the
graceful bearing they were taught. I also had large private classes,
both ladies and gentlemen, who were thoroughly trained by the system I
introduced.
When my appointment was made in the fall, 1887, there was no gymnasium,
and the Board of Education the following summer built a very fine one.
It was equipped the same as the Oxford University gymnasium, and the
system was that used by Professor McLaren. The High School Inspectors,
Messrs. Seath and Hodgson, agreed with me that it was the best. Their
reports were always satisfactory, and often special mention was made of
the progress and development of the pupils.
I was always an enthusiastic lover of physical training, and it was
good to me to meet or see my pupils on the street, in the parks or
public places of the city, not forgetting their dignity, graceful
bearing, elastic and uniform step and perfect carriage, which was
always noticeable then. I don't think they will ever forget it. The
Board was always willing to do anything in its power for this
department. At the age of sixty, through ill health, I was obliged to
resign.
In the same year (1887), I was appointed sergeant-major of the 57th
Peterboro' Rangers, and for several years performed the duties of
instructor; but in consequence of increasing classes at the school
and private engagements, was obliged to resign. There are some of
my old pupils holding commissions in the regiment at present.
Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, the present commanding officer, is very
popular among all ranks. The reputation of this fine corps is of the
very best; in fact, it is a model regiment, and I was delighted in
reading the last report to see the Rangers leading the so-called crack
regiments of the Dominion. It cannot be otherwise, because the
energetic and painstaking Adjutant-Captain Duncan Walker, and the
whole of the officers and N.C.O. are splendid workers, and they never
fail in keeping that military enthusiasm and _esprit de corps_ among
the men, whose physique is second to none, and which, I may add, is a
very important factor in the Dominion army. I hope some day to see the
battalion on parade again.
In 1902, with my family, I moved to Toronto, and Mr. James L. Hughes,
Inspector of Public Schools, who was my pupil in the Military School
forty years ago, introduced me to the general manager of the T. Eaton
Co., and I was given employment in the stock room of the whitewear
department in the factory. Following this my three sons were taken into
the factory and learned their trades; the two eldest are machinists and
the third a cutter. The latter in his twentieth year was stricken with
tuberculosis and died, April 19th, 1907, and I take this opportunity of
again thanking and expressing my gratitude to the Company and the
department for the solicitous interest taken in my dear boy while he
was sick, and at his funeral.
During my lifetime I have been in touch and associated with ladies and
gentlemen, boys and girls, where refinement and culture was an
important factor in their present and future lives. In the Imperial
Army, where I spent so many years as an instructor, the first thing we
would look for from the incoming recruit was his deportment. If he
lacked courtesy, willingness, obedience and other graces that go to
make a good soldier and also a gentleman, he would be placed in a
position to be taught this character building. Again, in my physical
culture work I always impressed upon my pupils the necessity of being
courteous and polite at all times and under all difficulties and
circumstances.
When I entered upon my duties in the stock room I began to feel my way
through this great department and to learn whom I had to meet in my
daily business, but it was not long before I found myself amongst the
ideal of my life, from the manager and his assistants, Messrs. Allward
and Kirby, and from the employees, numbering 350--300 of whom were
ladies. The beautiful, capacious and well-ventilated work rooms,
together with their cheerful environment, made it one of the most
desirable places to work in I have ever seen or heard of. Among the
best friends I made in this great establishment were Messrs. W. Hall,
Johnston, F. Howard, McWaters, Durno and William Day. Of the latter I
learned the following characteristic incident which he would be too
modest to mention: One night during the winter of 1905-1906, which was
extremely cold, Mr. Day, on his way home, was overtaken by a stranger,
a young man, who told him he had not had anything to eat for
twenty-four hours. He had walked from Belleville to Toronto looking for
work; he was poorly clad, not sufficiently to keep the cold from his
shivering body. My friend did not ask who he was or anything regarding
his antecedents. He saw before him a poor destitute young man,
suffering with cold and hunger; he took him to a store and bought him
comfortable underwear, boots and other warm garments, and then to a
restaurant and ordered the best meal they could give, handed the
stranger a dollar and continued his journey home.
I remained in the factory four years, but in consequence of my age and
ill health was obliged to resign in May, 1906.
[Illustration: SERGT.-MAJOR EDWIN G. RUNDLE. Age, 71 Years.]