Kingsland N.S. Assistant Teachers
Ellen Naughton
Kingsland N.S.
1903 - 1941
Mrs. Healy née Nester
Assistant Teacher in Kingsland N.S.
Mrs. Ellen Knott
Kingsland N.S. 1932
Where she taught for seven years, she returned to Kingsland N.S. until her retirement in 1956
Mrs. Morrissey and the Day I Kinda Learned Where Babies Came From, by Paul Harrington.
When I was about four or five, I was in Mrs. Morrissey’s classroom. It was nearing Christmas, and we were all excitedly as she was telling us the story for the nativity and Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, where Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable. She told us that Jesus came from Mary’s womb, which was inside her tummy. “Just like all of you,” she said, “you also came from your mothers’ wombs.”
This was fascinating news to my young mind. I had never heard anything like it before. As I tried to wrap my head around this new information, I thought to myself, “But Mammy never mentioned this!”
Naturally, when I got home that day, I couldn’t wait to share what I had learned. “Mammy, Mrs. Morrissey said that I came from your womb,” I announced. Mammy quickly replied, “You came from the hospital.” Confused, I insisted, “But Mammy, Mrs. Morrissey said that we all came from our mothers’ wombs, and she has to be right because she knows everything.” Mammy, with a stern voice, repeated, “We got you from the hospital. Now that’s enough.”
The next day at school, I was still puzzled. During class, I raised my hand to get Mrs. Morrissey’s attention. “Please, Miss,” I said. “Yes, Paul, what is it?” she asked in her soft, encouraging voice. Like an eejit, I stood up and said, “Please, Miss, you’ve got it wrong. I asked Mammy, and she told me that they got me from the hospital.” Mrs. Morrissey smiled and replied, “Yes, Paul, from your mother’s womb in the hospital.”
That day, I went home and told Mammy what Mrs. Morrissey had said. But again, Mammy insisted, “Paul, we got you from the hospital. Now let’s leave it at that. You’ll understand it all when you’re older.”
So, I remember thinking, “Well, some children must come from the womb, and some come from the hospital.”
Mary Morrissey, teacher at Kingsland N.S. 1956 - 1970
Caroline Pettit
Kingsland N.S. 1970 - 75
Cora McLoughlin
Kingsland N.S. 1978 - 1985
Helen Flynn Kingsland N.S. 1985 - 1991
Miss Mary Moore Kingsland N.S. 1991 - Present