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Between 1895 and 1936 the one-room school house at Kinghorn in King Township, Ontario was run by one individual, a no-nonsense teacher named Walter Rolling.
Walter and his family offer us a chance to explore how people adapt to communities, and communities grow around people, especially special people.
Walter was the son of Benjamin Rolling, one of the first African Canadians to serve as a Postmaster in Canada, Benjamin’s postal outlet located in his general store in Laskay, Ontario, a store Benjamin ran for 30 years.
Laskay had been the destination chosen by Walter’s grandfather and grandmother when they, and their six children, including Benjamin Jr., immigrated from the United States in 1835.
Walter was the second son of Benjamin Jr. and his wife, Sarah H. Britton. Born in 1873, Walter spent his entire life in King. An outstanding student, Walter also starred on the Newmarket District Football team. After graduating from high school in Aurora and studying teaching at Newmarket Model School, Walter practiced his craft for many years and in January, 1895 was named principal of Kinghorn School, a position he held until 1936. As a teacher and a community leader, Walter Rolling shaped the minds of three generations of King Township young people.
