The Georgetown Boys at Work and Play

The Georgetown Boys at Work and Play. . The story of the Georgetown Boys is one that celebrates the generosity and humanitarian nature of Canadians. With an overwhelming number of Armenians left in dire conditions after the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), relief efforts emerged around the world to provide aid to refugees. 1916 saw the birth of the Armenian Relief Association of Canada. This association, and, later, the United Church of Canada, petitioned the government of Canada to allow the entry of orphaned Armenian children. During 1923-1930, 110 boys were settled here, in Georgetown, Ontario, at what was then called Cedar Vale Farm, or the Armenian Boys Farm., Upon their arrival, the Georgetown Boys faced culture shock, since many things were new to them. Among these new discoveries were porridge, sandwiches, and the English language. With the help of a bilingual teacher, however, they began to overcome communication barriers and to learn the ways of the farm., Providing the orphans with access to education was crucial for facilitating their development and integration into Canadian society. Having had important years of their childhood interrupted, the boys were already at a disadvantage. Classes were supervised by Ministry of Education-trained staff and followed the Ontario public school curriculum. The boys experienced rapid progress and, as early as winter 1924, they were able to present a Christmas concert in English. To help them retain some of their native heritage, lessons in Armenian were also taught., Work training was a key part of the program at the farm home. It was aimed at helping the orphans find agricultural jobs and become self-sufficient as adults. The boys therefore spent much of their time planting vegetables, caring for orchards, raising livestock, and so on. They were split up into groups of 6 and took turns doing daily chores starting at 5:30 AM. These chores included milking cows at the barn, housework, and cleaning., One of the biggest projects the boys worked on was draining a low-lying field that would later be used for playing and planting. This was the first task taken on by the boys that resulted in monetary payment. Each received a little over two dollars for his work. They turned their work into a sport and often had competitions to see who could get more done. After the field was completely drained, each was given his own small plot as a personal garden. This became a huge source of pride for the boys., Under the guidance of Aris Alexanian, their Armenian teacher and older-brother figure, the boys published the first ever Canadian-Armenian periodical, called Ararat Monthly. In its pages were included stories about their day-to-day experiences. It served as a medium through which sponsors were able to follow their progress as they grew up., The boys took much pleasure from participating in a variety. of activities. One of the most exciting was the Friday night movie. They enjoyed various silent movies provided by the National Film Board, including cartoons, educational films, and adventure films. They also enjoyed collecting stamps, which eventually took the form of currency for trading items between each other. Although forbidden by the staff, the boys created their own miniature deck of cards from thick paper. They would hide their cards wherever they could, and their most favourite game was sixty-six., The boys took the most pleasure from playing outdoor games. From sledding and snowball fights in the winter to softball and marbles in the summer, the boys enjoyed the competitive nature of sports. Sports allowed for an escape from the strict work schedule they usually had to follow., Sixty years later, when asked about his time at the farm, Georgetown Boy Paul Adourian reflected quite simply, 'Canada took care of me.’