A special ceremony was held at a Barrie school on Thursday to honour soldiers from Barrie who died in World War I.
The school project at Eastview Secondary School was a little out of the ordinary – students spent weeks making the crosses to honour Barrie soldiers who died in the World War I. The final step of the class assignment, arrange them similar to a commonwealth war grave cemetery.
“We see the Highway of Heroes where our soldiers return, in those days they didn’t so we’ve sort of brought them back here in spirit 100 years later,” says Eastview teacher Clint Lovell.
Some students made the crosses in woodshop, while others researched each of the 80 local soldiers – some not much older than the students.
“I thought it was really humbling because you never really realized, when you think back to World War I and how many people really did die and how sad it was but now that we’re getting first-hand experience especially right where we live. I really do understand how bad it was,” said grade ten students James Dunlop.
Once the crosses were placed, a special ceremony was held as students read out the names of each soldier honoured.
“I feel like we were more connected to it, rather than just opening a book and just writing down, we actually go to do in-depth into our soldiers’ lives,” says Matt Youell.
As the ceremony was being held, Bill Bradford, the son of a World War I soldier, was driving by and had to stop.
“I think it’s fantastic. What the kids have done, it’s 100 years since it happened and for the teacher to be involved like this, it’s just fantastic as far as I’m concerned.”
The crosses will remain outside the school until the end of Remembrance Day and then they will be taken into the school and used as part of other history projects.
