In the 1900s, Raahe, with its wooden houses and footpaths between them, was a paradise for little boys, where little rascals were free to roam from one yard to another. Summers were spent swimming in the nearby waters.
The Brahenkatu 8 property was bought in 1917 by lecturer Iivari Reinilä (Rehnbäck). Iivari (1884-1975) and Ruth Anna (1890-1953) Reinilä's neighbours were the Sovio family, who lived at Brahenkatu 10.
Raahe, with its wooden houses and narrow footpaths between them, was a paradise for little boys, where little rascals were free to roam from one yard to another. The boys' summers were spent boating in Pikkulahti Bay and swimming in the waters between Fantti island and the mainland, recalled the family's firstborn, Yrjö Reinilä (1916-2010).
Doctor Iivari Reinilä taught calculus and natural science at Raahe Seminary from 1911 to 1948. Reinilä's son Yrjö spent a lot of time in the 1920s with teachers' children and the children of the caretaker who lived in the seminary area. In primary school he went straight to second grade, because he could already read and write.
Every summer, Dr Iivari Reinilä employed a group of schoolchildren in the strawberry, vegetable and potato fields. Eating strawberries was forbidden during working hours. If a pupil could not resist the temptation of indulging in the berries and was caught in the act, he was moved to weed the potato fields.
Additional Information (In Finnish)
Tuikkuja ja kynttilöitä – muistoja Raahen seminaarista vuosilta 1896-1971
Kirsti Vähäkangas: Tykövetua ja kiinnipitua
Naisten Ääni - Kerttu Haulos
Arkkitehtitoimisto Mattiveikko Salo Oy
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