A Scary Walk Home

War of the Worlds

It’s May of 1959, and Pat Fournier is attending a night-time screening of “The War of the Worlds” at Saint Raphael’s church hall. In the seventeenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, twelve year old Pat faces a frightening walk home after watching the scariest movie he’d ever seen.…

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The Outhouse

A tarpaper-covered outhouse very much like ours

It’s the Spring of 1959 and Pat Fournier’s older brother Johnny has an unfortunate run-in with the family outhouse in the sixteenth installment of Pat’s memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville. THE OUTHOUSE Written by Pat Fournier November 11, 1958 – eleven years old Our little sister Leslie is born.  Now there…

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Blackville School Hosts 2014 Senior Prom

Blackville High School hosted the 2014 senior Prom on Saturday, June 14, 2014 in the school gymnasium. Graduates and their dates arrived to prom in style: trucks, old cars and even on motorcycle. The parade of graduates was well attended, with people lining the school parking lot for a glimpse of their friends and family.…

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Summer’s Gong

A gong game similar to the one set up at the Blackville Church Picnic

It’s the summer of 1958 and the residents of the village of Blackville and outlying communities have gathered for the social event of the year: St. Raphael’s annual church picnic. In this fifteenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, Pat Fournier reflects on the day’s events and recalls some…

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A Special Birthday Present

My Sunday missal

It’s the Spring of 1958 and eleven year old Pat Fournier received the only gift he really wanted for his birthday, a Sunday Missal. In this fourteenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, Pat reflects on St. Raphael’s church and Father Nowlan’s uncomfortable reading of the Sunday collections. A…

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Burned Out

Standing in what is left of our home: Terrence Walls with his hand on Eric Underhill’s shoulder, Jim MacKenzie, Michael McLaughlin, and Dale MacKenzie. You can see our swing tree in the back yard, and a pile of firewood by the back fence.

In 1957, nine year old Pat Fournier witnessed his family home burn down. In this thirteenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, Pat shares his memories of that time and how the family of seven overcame a tragic loss to have one of their best Christmases ever. This installment…

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Got Ya Back!

It’s the fall of 1956 and nine year old Pat is in trouble for tripping Lana Garwood in Mrs. Stephens’ class. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the antic is actually payback for an incident that occurred three years prior. Got Ya Back! is the twelfth installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir, Memories of a Boy…

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The First TV On Our Hill

It’s the summer of 1956 and Pat Fournier’s uncle Stan has purchased the first television in his neighbourhood. In this eleventh installment of his memoir “Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville”, Pat recalls the Saturday afternoons spent at Stan and Greta’s house watching Roy Rogers and Rin Tin Tin. THE FIRST TV ON…

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Ninth Birthday Party

Blackville High School 1955-56 Grade 3 class Back row: Gail Underhill, Graham Parks, Jack MacDonald, Michael McLaughlin, Johnny Fournier, Gary Gillespie, Gordon Underhill, John Corney, Shirley Dunnett Middle row: Connie Walls, Gertrude Furlotte, Mitzie Delassio, Annie Stewart, Anna Moody, Joyce Morehouse, Sharon Gillespie, Helen Muck, Judy Ross Front row: Patty Fournier, Brian Stephens, Brian Mersereau, Graham Campbell, Walter Frenette, Herman Vickers. Teacher: Miss Marie Burns

In the tenth installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, the Fournier family welcomes a baby boy, Leonard, in the winter of 1955 and Pat celebrates his ninth birthday in the Spring of 1956. Written by Pat Fournier December 8, 1955 – eight years old My little brother Leonard…

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The Boy in the Casket

Doctor's Island and the Miramichi River

In this ninth installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir, “Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville”, eight year old Pat struggles with the concept of death after a young boy, Allie Davidson, drowns in the summer of 1955. THE BOY IN THE CASKET Written by Pat Fournier June 1955 – eight years old This is…

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Fire Claims Two Blackville Businesses

Blackville Auto Value and Car Wash

A fire that broke out at Blackville Auto Value this morning has claimed the local business as well as the attached Blackville Car Wash.  Life Radio CJFY, located next to the destroyed building, was first to break the news around noon Monday. Fire trucks were on the scene for hours containing the blaze. There were…

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