John Frederic Herbin
First AAAA President Promotes Acadian Culture
Writer, advocate for the Acadian culture, businessman and optician, John Herbin was a participant in and a builder of sport in Wolfville during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Herbin entered Acadia University in 1885 while working full time as a jeweller. He soon became involved in sport, notably cricket, running and swimming. He was reported to be “particularly gifted as both a cricket player and coach.” He was also a champion swimmer, winning prizes for “long swimming, fast swimming, fancy swimming and diving” at meets in Halifax and Dartmouth, and enjoyed running and walking. In 1895, he was on a Wolfville cricket team that lost three games and when the cricket club was reorganized in 1908, Herbin was not only the secretary-treasurer, but stored the club’s equipment in his store.
Soon after entering Acadia, Herbin recognized the need for proper athletic facilities, particularly a gymnasium, on campus. He also saw the need for an association to promote and govern sport at Acadia. In the fall of 1889, Herbin was elected president of the newly formed Acadia Amateur Athletic Association. Spearheaded by Herbin, the organization worked with the Acadia Board of Governors to finance, then construct Acadia’s first gym. It opened in November 1890, cost $1500, and was considered to be the best equipped gym in the Maritimes. After graduation in 1890, Herbin continued to press for better facilities. He set his sights on a playing field, organizing university students and towns people to create what is now Raymond Field on the Acadia campus.
Herbin was descended from the Acadians who had been driven out of Grand Pre over 100 years before his birth, and devoted much effort to promoting the Acadian culture. His poetry, including “History of Grand Pre” and “The Land of Evangeline” were admired by poets such as Bliss Carman. Herbin was also instrumental in the creation of Grand Pre National Park. He served on Wolfville’s town council and was mayor from 1902-03. The jewellery store he established is still in existence, still run by members of the Herbin family.
(Acadia Sports Hall of Fame citation; Shepherd, Historic Wolfville, 193)
