THE OLD SUNDAY SCHOOL BUS
I was having lunch with Rod McMaster several weeks ago and as we talked Rod happened to mention the old Reo bus which the church operated during the 1950s to get the kids to and from
Sunday School. Rod along with a number of others – is an excellent source of information to me in my capacity as Church archivist. He came to Canberra when his father took up his appointment as Minister in October 1952 and he has a superb memory.
I subsequently undertook some research and spoke to a number of people to find out what I could about the old bus.
The bus was, in fact, purchased by the Home Missions Board from H N and V L Grace of Wellington, NSW, at a cost of one hundred and fifty pounds ($300). Rev Fred McMaster negotiated with the Board for use of the 1932 Reo 20-seater bus. The Church was required to pay registration fees and third party insurance, which amounted to thirteen pounds three shillings and sixpence ($26.35), and this cost was met by private donations.
In November 1953, Mr Bruce Balfour (now at Hughes Baptist), Mr Cec Love (now at Queanbeyan Baptist), Mr Don White and the late Mr Bill Lavender went to Wellington in Bruce’s 1934 Plymouth to collect the bus and bring it to Canberra. Mr Love was a mechanic and his skills were needed on the way back. The bus broke down at Orange when the crank handle put a hole in the bottom of the radiator and temporary repairs had to be made. As it was a Saturday afternoon and everything was closed, ingenuity was called for; chewing gum had to be purchased, passed around, chewed and then used periodically to plug the hole and get the bus to its new home.
During the 1950s the Sunday School was an important aspect of the Church’s mission, with around 200 students enrolled annually. To get the children to and from Sunday School a well organised transport system was necessary
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