Epsom & Utica News

by Faye Ashton

The June full moon (flower) on Tuesday the 29th will light up the evening sky, adding greater brightness to our Canada Day fireworks celebration on July 1st. This week is predicted to be quite warm, giving the corn an extra jump to be all knee-high by the first of July.

As I think of Epsom Church celebrating 155 years, we know the public school also has 1876 as its birth year. So many young lives have been challenged to go out into the world, become excellent workers for the good of this community and well beyond.

My history of Epsom school begins with my great-grandfather, Chester Asling, as schoolmaster here in Epsom in the late 1800s, and his family (two daughters and two sons) attended Epsom, one of whom was my Grandfather. Both my Grandmother and Grandfather Asling were students at Epsom Public School, then came my father, Don, who learned in this little country school. My sister, brother, and I called Epsom school home, as did my husband, Keith, and our four children. Our grandchildren were all educated here, but when the rumour of its closure for many years came to fruition in 2017,, our great-grandchildren are now transported to Prince Albert for their education. The little Epsom School saw many additions as students from Bethesda attended after their school closed in the 50s. Epsom had a larger school added to the property in 1966, and students from Utica Public School and Chalk Lake School were bused to Epsom. The sadness of all these community schools closing meant we didn’t get to know our neighbours, as they were places where we could introduce ourselves to one another. We’re blessed that the little school at Epsom still sits on the corner of Marsh Hill and Reach Road, and if it could talk, it would have far more stories to enlighten us about its history.

The little church at Glen Major will again hold its Summer Sunday evening worship services during July and August, starting on July 5th with Rev John McNeil at 7 p.m.

There will be no worship service at Epsom United Church during July.