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happiness

Grandma’s Account of the Great Fire of 1936

I was so incredibly happy to discover that I have Grandma’s story of the fire. I heard her tell this story often when I was a kid and it always fascinated me. How brave she was!!! And as I read this account I had to ask myself “was this were Grandma’s intense need for a cup of tea in a crisis came from??” At Christmastime I was sharing stories with my cousin about all the times Grandma needed to stop and have a cup of tea when things went wrong. My story was from when she broke her arm. The doctor was trying to get an X-ray done and was having trouble. Grandma also was having trouble as 4pm had come and gone without her mandatory cup of tea. She began very clearly explaining to the doctor that it was going to be necessary to stop what they were doing so she could have a cup of tea. She was feeling a bit faint you see. I ran out to the cafeteria and got her some tea – while it wasn’t up to par because it came in a disposable cup and tea belongs in a teacup- it worked it’s magic and even the doctor was impressed at the change in Grandma. X-rays were done, cast was put on, and we were on our way.

I’ve given you the first chapter of my life. Now as I’ve told you, I married Percy Copithorne in 1931 – really in the midst of the depression, the early beginning of the dirty thirties. I was fortunate to marry a man of such integrity and his knowledge of the country and cattle industry gave him and advantage in those terribly dry years. I think it was in 1904 Percy’s father got two CL brands for his cattle, CL on the right hip for his own, and CL on the right ribs for Percy.

They built us a lovely little cottage near the established ranch home. The neighbours and half of Cochrane shivaried us and later the community put on a dance in the hall and presented us with a lovely silver carving set and several other matching pieces of silver. They are a close knit community and I loved them and still do. Percy helped build that hall in 1926 and to get it started he rode horseback after supper after doing a hard day’s work and sold shares to people in all the neighbouring districts. He later was secretary-treasurer for it for many, many years. The ladies in the district had a committee and took turns making all the sandwiches and cakes for the dances. We also scrubbed that huge floor by hand, carrying water up the in cream cans. Then waxed and polished it by hand. No electricity, we used those frightening gas lamps for light. In those days the hall was famous for its good coffee made in big copper boilers and for it’s good lunches. If you were thirsty for stronger drinks there was no bar but many had a flask out in their car.

Our home always had natural gas to heat it but there was no power nor running water for the first five or six years. Then we had a dealcoe engine then a wind charger to get electricity. It was a happy day when the Calgary Power hooked up to our place.

While my father-in-law lived I had no hired men to cook for, but he died in 1936. My first child Sheila, was born in 1935 and in 1936 our part of the country south of the Bow River experienced the worst prairie fire in its history. Late in the evening of November 18, we saw a very small puff of smoke up west in the part we now call Sibbald Flats. Next day the fire stopped at Bowness – a stretch of about 30 miles. Percy and Jack Copithorne left home on horseback about 4am the morning of November 19 and met the fire at Frank Sibbald’s. They spent a very busy day with many other neighbours trying to save homes and cattle. At times the wind was 90 miles an hour and the air was full of dust as well as smoke because it was the driest year our country has ever seen. The fence posts burnt, the cattle were blinded and burnt and lost. The telephone poles burnt and Ernie Crowe (?) our operator in Cochrane kept everyone on our party line (17 of us) in touch with conditions for as long as he could. I remember the last thing he told us was to go down and stand in the creek to save our lives. I was quite stout, expecting Marshall in March and I was advised to get int he car and try and drive to Cochrane. You jut couldn’t see where you were driving but when we turned north to drive to Cochrane, the Messer’s newly renovated house was all in flames, and a half mile further the Brushy Ridge school was all in flames and no sign of children. Also, Calaway’s dairy barn nearby was in flames. We turned east there to get to Calgary, knowing by then that the fire had swept across between us and Cochrane. Heading east down past Taylor’s their barn was on fire and rabbits and cattle etc were travelling with us, many were balls of fire bouncing along and the fence posts were on fire. We turned south on the first road allowance heading south, hoping to get on the Coach Road to Calgary. But down near Wallace’s the wind had blown a big hay stacker through the fence and it stuck on the middle of the road. We couldn’t even see it, the dust and cinders were so thick and we crashed right into the centre of it and had to stay put. As the boards on it caught fire, the young man who was driving for me would get out and rip the board off and it would sail away in the the wind all on fire. The cinders were so thick we kept choking. Fortunately i had a big jar of milk with me for poor little Sheila, and we used that to wipe our eyes and nose and mouth so we could breathe. I expected the car to explode any minute. There was a pail full of tools and loose hay hanging on the side of the stacker right beside me. Suddenly my side of the car was a wall of flames outside but it soon burnt out.

Early afternoon when the air was clearing a bit, Uncle Sam Copithrone drove down that road and was surprised to find us. He took Sheila and I into Vera Wallace’s for a cup of tea, then on home. Percy didn’t get home until evening. Imagine my worry for him, and of course he thought I was safe at home all that time. The fire jumped the creek, about a mile jump from one hill top to another and just north of our home. Our buildings were saved, but many of our neighbours’ buildings and livestock were lost. We had to shoot about 20 head of freshly weened calves, they were blind.

We didn’t harvest enough feed that fall but anyways it all got burnt in that fire. Ken Koppock, manager of the Western Stock Growers visited us right after the fire and he and Percy figured if they could get the cattle to the Olds district where there were lots of old and new straw stacks, they could save them. The government was shipping cattle by train from all over the dried out Southern Alberta, so we got them shipped up there but there were many losses.

As I said, I didn’t have the hired men to cook for while Percy’s Dad was alive. He died in 1936 and then I found myself cooking and feeding a gang of men in my tiny little house with two babies to care for as well. I had a very good girl to help me. When haying time came, they cut about a thousand acres of prairie land and would cover an average of a quarter section a week with a crew of nine or more men. I’m happy to say Percy’s young brother Clarence lived with us much of the time after his father’s death. He was only fourteen years old when his father died and he was like a big brother to my family. We began building bits and pieces onto our house when we could afford it and we were a happy family until Polio struck down my youngest daughter Margie in 1952 but she has lived through it gallantly. My children rode horseback to school up to grade nine. Then Sheila and Marshall went to Mount Royal College and from there on into their careers and managed to graduate from Stanford and then law school in spite of her handicap.

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Cochrane in Grandma’s Childhood (early 1900s) part II

Cochrane had a very famous race track a mile and half west of town. A turn track which means it was grass and easy for the horses to run on. And it was a mile around it, and it was very level. The big ranches all over the country brought their fastest horses to race on it and the big horse ranches brought in horse from all over Canada and England. The Cochrane races would last two or more weeks. Special trains came in loaded with people for the races and the trains parked down near the track.

The Indians camped all around the hills near Cochrane and they had special Indian horse races too. It was all very exciting. They had a big grandstand down there and long fancy barns for the valuable horses. Friends of mine had a home near there and they had a brick yard – a big hole in the ground where you dug out clay and sand and baked in in huge ovens and made bricks to build houses with. Many of the houses in Cochrane today and the Kerfoot and Downs Hardware store is made out of those bricks, they are very strong. But these friends had a lovely little stream of water running through their yard, and it was such fun to play in and catch minnows. And near the stream was a little log building – no windows, dark inside and cool – where they kept their milk and cream and butter. And the roof was made of earth with lots of grass and flowers growing on it. I loved to go in there on a hot day and drink buttermilk.

While I was a small child, one autumn, night when the grass was tall and dry, a man was riding up out of Cochrane where the Catholic is now (*this is now the Anglican Church as the Catholic Church has moved), and he was drunk and he threw his lighted cigar down to the ground. Can you guess what happened? The west wind picked it up and in a flash, all of the hill was a roaring big fire. Everyone was terrified the whole town would be burnt.

Do you know what a gunny sack is? Grain bags. The men raced up the hill with buckets of water and “gunny sacks” which they dipped into their buckets of water and they beat the edge of the fire near town. Our well was one of the few wells that wasn’t pumped dry. The women tried to pump the pumps all night. Everyone was afraid to go to sleep. Little wild rabbits were running down into town, some of them on fire. Next morning the whole big hill was black and dead looking but no one was hurt.

When I was a little older, we moved out to the ranch and I rode horseback to school in Cochrane. It was a lonely ride, there were no other kids with me. I rode down the steep hill into the Big HIll Creek and up into Cochrane. One morning it was so foggy you couldn’t see your way, but my good horse just knew where to go anyway. And I heard a coyote howling out in the fog, and the howl got closer and closer, it was awfully eerie, and suddenly I rode over the hill and there was the coyote sitting with his back to me and lifting his head and letting out that awful long- drawn howl. But suddenly he got a glimpse of me and jumped straight up in the air in the middle of a howl and disappeared into the fog.

Sometimes in the winter when it was very cold I drove my lively horse in a nice little sleigh something like Santa Claus drives. And once a kind neighbour gave me a lovely string of bells to put on the horses. I didn’t have time to put them on in the morning, so strapped them on before I drove home. Well! You should have seen my horse take off. She was just terrified of those bells and after standing idle all day in a cold barn, I just couldn’t hold her. All I could do was hold on and it was lucky for me there were no cops with speeding tickets in those days.

Out on the ranch, my Dad had to dig a new well for more water. There were machines to do the digging. You just got a shovel and dug down until you couldn’t dig any more because it was almost all rocks. Do you know what dynamite is? It’s very, very dangerous. It’s just like a stick about this long and this round but it’s not a stick, it’s a bomb that will blow up everything when it’s lit. It would blow the rocks 20 feet up the well and into the air. Then the men would go down the well and dig up the broken rock and haul it up until they had to put more dynamite down and they did that until suddenly they hit a nice stream of water running along way down deep. Now one of the men who helped dig the well was a man from England who knew all about rocks, he had been trained where to hit the rock with a special start hammer and the rock would split open. The rocks from that well were so interesting beau they were full of seashells, and petrified fish etc. I’m sorry to say that after those rocks were lying around in the air they just crumbled to shale or clay. But I sure wish I could get one of those nice round rocks, we call field rocks, and knew where to hit it and make it split open. I have here two pieces of frock from up in the mountains and just look at how interesting they are inside. I’ll pass them around to you to look at. Be careful they don’t drop on your toe. (I wonder where those rocks are – surely in this house where no one has ever thrown anything away they are here somewhere).

Christmas was lovely as it is now. In our home in Cochrane when I was a small child we had what was called a Winnipeg Couch. It could be folded p and put away, but when unexpected visitors came we would make that into a single bed or a double bed. Try and think what it was like to live with no telephone and no electric light. Our friends 15 of 20.miles out in the country would come to Cochrane for Christmas supplies. My dad always had room in the barn for their horses and plenty of feed for them too. And they would stay a few days and we sure enjoyed having them. Sometimes they would chop down a nice Christmas tree and bring it in for us but often we hitched our team to a big sleigh with hay in it and rugs on top. We would put big rocks in the oven to get them hot and warp them in gunny sacks to keep warm and we would drive out and pick our own Christmas tree. After it was set up in the house, we old pop corn and more corn and decorate the tree with that coloured paper. And Eaton’s catalogue had some fun toys too. We would mail an order away for our warm clothes too. For us girls, the Eaton Beauty Doll was the most marvellous thing. It’s eyes would move and it had beautiful golden curls on it’s head. But the sad part is they broke when dropped.

Eaton Beauty Doll

Killing and plucking the turkey was a chore too. The turkey gobblers were beautiful birds when they strutted. They’d put on quite a colourful show – you caught them with a long wire that had a hook on it, you just hooked that wire around one leg and caught the other leg quick. Then hung them up by the feet on a nail on the barn wall and pierced their head quick with a sharp knife so they would’ve feel any pain. The you started plucking the feathers out by the handful until it looked like the ones you see in the store today. You first carefully cut a big hole in its neck to pull out the crop. The crop is a little leather bag full of grain the turkey has eaten but not digested. Then you cut a hole in the other end below the tail bug enough to get your hand in – all the way to the neck and pull everyone out onto the table. You just pick up the gizzard, cut it free, and cut it open and drop out all the sharp Little Rock’s the turkey had eaten to grind up its food. Many people enjoy eating the heart, liver and gizzard. Then the whole turkey washed and washed and stuffed with good bread stuffing and sewn up ready for the oven. When I was a small child living in Cochrane the Indians used to bring in washtubs full of wild cranberries to sell. They sure go good with turkey.

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Cochrane in Grandma’s Childhood (early 1900’s)

I was done. I was certain I was done. As I’ve mentioned I don’t go looking for this stuff, it seems to find me. Today I was unpacking a couple of trunks that had moved back with us from Virginia. I honestly don’t remember even opening them in the almost 8 years since we’ve moved back – but today I decided to dump everything so I could use the storage space. Ohhhh the treasures I found. Included was a book “Grandmother Remembers” that apparently I gave Grandma, and is very similar to another book I gave her called “Grandma Remembers”. It seems I really, really wanted Grandma to write down history. This book is brand spanking new – although it certainly is over 30 years old, maybe older. But inside she left some handwritten stories. I’m sharing the first one today – it seems she was presenting this to a group of school kids. Unfortunately it’s not dated, but it was before her memory and eyesight began to go so I’m guessing it’s about 30ish years old – making her 70 year recollections more like 100 year old recollections of Cochrane back in her childhood.

Gosh, I can hear Grandma’s voice as she’s telling these stories – her tone – how it would rise and fall as she emphasized something or got excited. When I was a teen I worked for a summer at Mackay’s. Grandma’s memory and eyesight was still sound and often she’d walk into town to get a scoop of ice cream and have a visit. On other days, I’d grab my lunch and head to the lodge on my break to visit with her. She told me story after story – and unfortunately in my teenage arrogance I thought I’d remember it all forever. I didn’t. But I feel like some of these stories are being brought back to life as I’m discovering these treasures.

I had to break this one into two parts, I’ll post the second half tomorrow. Enjoy!!

Girls and Boys- your teacher Mrs. Davis has invited me to tell you what Cochrane was like 75 years ago. Thank you very much of asking me to do that. There is nothing older people like better than to talk about their childhood. And believe me Cochrane was a very exciting place to live in 70 years ago.

There were no cars then, but some would famous horses came from Cochrane. Also just about every home in town had a barn with a milk cow in it and a few chickens.

These lovely high hills were just made for exciting hikes in summer and sleigh rides in winter. Every home had it’s own pump for drinking water, and a woodpile where you chopped firewood to heart the homes. For the winter time we had our favourite hill to sleigh ride down. I suppose everyone thought they had the fastest sleigh. I thought mine was the best. I would start at the top of Cochrane Heights and it was such a well packed trail down, it was almost ice, sometimes, I would be on main street before the sleight stopped. Just too bad if there was a team of horses coming down the road at the time. The horses would be terrified and run out of my way.

The poor Indians would camp off where the houses now stand on Cochrane Heights, and in those days they were really poor, and their kids were afraid of us and we were a bit afraid of them too. They were quite wild in those days and poorly clothed and hungry. Sometimes we would take gifts of food up to them and they would snatch it from us and run into their tent without saying thank you. You could hear the poor little babies crying in the tents, likely cold and hungry.

Everyone went to Calgary or Banff on the train when they needed to buy things you couldn’t get in Cochrane. Cochrane had a nice train station then, with a big platform on it and lots of people went over to the station just to see who got on or off the train because the train always stopped here. before you got on the train, the conductor, the man who took your tickets, would ring a little bell and shout or sing out “all aboard, all aboard”. That meant we would scramble on and get a good seat by a window before the train started, because it started with a terrible sharp chug and clatter and whistle. On the 12th of July nearly all of the people of Cochrane would go to Banff for the day. That was really fun. A big band would meet us at the Banff station and we would march down into the town of Banff. The zoo wasn’t in Calgary in those days, it was in Banff and I remember hearing the coyotes howl and the lions roar in their cages and the sound would echo up the mountains with an eerie sound. Going up to Banff, us kids could play up and down the aisle of the train and usually saw lots of deer and moose near the train tracks.

In the summer time, just about every kid had a horse to ride and had horses to drive in buggies or carriages. There was two big livery barns in Cochrane where they kept lovely horses you could rent to drive or ride. The Cochrane Lakes 6 miles north of here were full of water in those days and in the spring and autumn day or night there would be huge big flocks of wild geese fly over Cochrane town quite low, honking all the way because they were tired and they would land on Cochrane Lakes for a rest. The wild geese fly south in the autumn and spend winter in a warmer country, then fly north in the spring – far, far up north where there is often wild country full of lakes to swim on and where they make their nests and raise their young geese. They made such a noise when flying over Cochrane and the sky would be almost black with them there were so many. And everyone who could shoot a gun would drive out to Cochrane Lakes and bring back dozens of big fat geese to eat.

I had an older sister and she had a horse of her own a few years before my parents thought I should have one. This pony was what they called an Indian Cayuse and when we bought it it was terribly thin and quiet but my Dad soon fed it well and it got fat and mean. I guess while my sister was at school I would get it by the fence and jump on it’s back and ride it around the yard. We had a big yard with a big long clothesline in the yard because there were not electric dryers in those days. After this horse got fat it got meaner and I think it just hated me. As soon as I got on it, it would run to the clothesline and the wire sometimes caught me around the neck – it hurt – it always pulled me off and made me cry but in a few days time I’d try it again. I think it was the only horse I ever really, really hated. We called him Spider.

There were so many bachelors (men who had no wives) living in Cochrane and around the country years ago so there was always a Chinese Laundry in Cochrane. The Chinese gentleman who washed the clothes wore a long black braid of hair hanging down his back. Some of the wild cowboys would ride into Cochrane on Saturday night and thought it was smart to cut off the laundry man’s braid which they called a pig tail. But the policeman fined them plenty of money for doing that and even locked them in jail for a day or two. In the early spring there was a very nice Chinese gentleman who drove out to Cochrane from Calgary. He had a small thin team of old horses pulling a sort of van or house on a wagon. And he would stop and unhitch his horses and feed them in the centre of town. Then he would get two huge straw baskets out of the back of the van and they were full to the top with fresh green onions, lettuce, radish, and other things he had town in his glass house in Calgary. He had a long pole shaped so that it fitted his shoulders with a heavy basket on each end and he would trot around the streets singing – I never knew what – but us kids ran home to tell our mothers and to get some money to buy fresh green vegetables. OH MY, did they ever taste good! You never saw things like that in the stores when I was a kid, no refrigerators in those days.

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Marshall was right (FGK 268)

Mom was funny! I sometimes feel that I missed out on her sense of humour. Maybe our senses of humour were just different. But I get a real kick out of some of these letters. And while she hardly ever sent me letters while I was away, she would send the kids little tokens all the time – little souvenir type things or bookmarks – so that they knew she was thinking of them. And they loved it, they would get so excited when there was mail from Grandpa and Nana.

Also, it figures her phone number had a CL in it….

618 N. Halifax Ave

Daytona Beach

Oct 17, 1956

Hi!!

You’re probably wondering if I’m still alive or not it’s so long since I wrote to you! I’m beginning to think you’ll just have to be satisfied with two letters a week.

I’m glad you got my telegram Sheila, but i”m sorry I got you out of bed. What time did it come? You see i had to get it off before school so I did it quite early and forgot about the time difference! If I know you, you probably needed something to get you up!!!!

We’ve been having rather rough weather here as you’ve probably read so actually I haven’t been going out very much. Yesterday I went to Mrs Frank’s and she thought that I was doing just fine. Some Saturday she’s going to drive Jetty and I over to Florida State University in Gainesville because she thinks I’d be able to go there. I’m writing for a catalogue first. She’s sure nice isn’t she?!

Jetty’s father arrived last night and she’s leaving at noon tomorrow. He rented a car and after I had physio we went for a drive down the beach. We went further than I ever had before and farther down there is quite a bit of wild life (animals you own – maybe people too!!)

Marshall was right – he said everyone would write a lot at first and then drop off – well so far everyone else has been pretty faithful but I would like to hear from my family once in a while. Yesterday I got a little note from Sheila – first word in a week! So – get to work. If you stop so will I!!

School’s going fine. You’ll get a report card around the first of November. It’ll probably make you rather ill but they say it happens to the best of us so maybe you’ll recover!!

I just got my last letter sealed up when I remembered you wanted my phone number so I wrote it on the outside. If you missed it it’s CL2-8072.

Oh yes, the man at the laundry and the man who runs the National Airlines both said to say “hello” to you mom!! You sure must have made a hit down here! I’d keep my eye on her if I were you Dad!!

I’ve only spent $10 since you left two weeks ago and that’s not bad considering I bought some clothes and all sorts of extras kept cropping up. I pay my rent again this Saturday. I hate writing cheques!!

The basketball team is starting up at school now! Just wait and see we’re going to beat all the others – that’s if our star players don’t get kicked out of school first!!

Well, I just go do some French – just homework I’ve done in it compared to Latin it’s a snap.

Love Margie xxxx

WRITE

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Who is the one (FGK 267)

I love this letter – such a typical teenage letter. I like Janet. And although we don’t get to hear about who “the one” was at that moment for 16 year old mom – I’m glad she had a great social life, and even gladder that she waited and found “the actual one” later on in life.

1230 5th Ave South

Lethbridge, Alta

March 23/57

Dear Margie:

At last you’re hearing from that long lost pal of yours way up in the North – that foreign land of Canada!

Gee, it’s so long since “I’ve writ” that I don’t know what to say! I’ve really been living a very dull life of late- nothing but study and more study! This weekend I’m staying at Lana Culhan’s, a girlfriend’s here in Lethbridge. Mom has gone to Vancouver at last (with Grandpa Bishop) and Auntie Flo is staying at home with them, so Marge went home this weekend and I stayed ‘cause both of us would be wasting our time. OH dear, dinner’s ready and you know my weakness where food is concerned.

Well, Monday is almost over thank heaven! We had a simply ghastly French exam – would turn a horse’s stomach!

How are your folks Marg? I do wish I could see them – and you again but not at present I guess.

Am glad to hear you are having a wonderful tho’ busy time this year. Isn’t it odd though? It seems that the harder you work and the busier you are, the more fun you have.

I have recently had to settle down and work this year but I haven’t found it too much of a grind really. Although it’s practically unheard of, I actually find the work interesting! Of course, I get really down and out at themes but I suppose that’s natural too eh?

Who is “the one” or is he at all anymore? Tell me his age, height, looks, and everything!!! You’re sure getting non-committal in your old age! I’ve been curious to find out whether you go steady or just go out ‘steadily’ with half a dozen different ones! Gee, I envy you with such a choice. PIncher and all small towns are absolutely destitute for more of the male species. Lethbridge, though somewhat of an improvement is still a far cry from being plentiful as far as boys are concerned. Now with MEN – well that’s an entirely different story.

The weather has been so beautiful lately! I changed to my summer coat and immediately we have a little rain, then a violent hailstorm and finally enough snow to cover the ground- all in the course of about an hour! Oh, for that Florida sunshine! It’s cleared up again now and is as nice as the middle of summer – if it only lasts! I despise overshoes!

Did I tell you Charlotte was married? I guess that’s another reason I haven’t written, we’ve been so busy!

Last July she produced an engagement ring to everyone’s shock and amazement! She’s only 3 mo older than I am you know (17). Well she took grade 12 until aboutFebruary when she decided she wanted to quit school and get married. Of course Char has never had a great deal of ambition to do anything else so for her I can finally see the point. I’ll send you the clipping from the Herald – and you can read about the wedding. It was really very lovely. I’ll try to get a picture of myself in the dress I wore as a bridesmaid and send it to you. The other bridesmaid was dressed the same, only in pink.

Well, I could ramble on for ages and still not say much, so I’ll get down to the everlasting homework!!! Will try to write a little sooner next time.

Send me a picture of yourself- and your roommate too if you can. I’d love to have one as I only have those Glastonbury ones Hamers took – remember?

Don’t work (or play) too hard eh?

All my love

Janet

Janet enclosed a clipping of the newspaper article written about the wedding. I love how small towns used to describe social events.

<handwriting at top> You should have seen the “loot” they got in presents. It’s unbelievable really, but they need every bit of it. Am going home to their wedding dance this fri – Mar 29

Dwyer-Hammond Rites Performed in United Church

PINCHER CREEK – A wedding of wide interest was solemnized on March 9 when Miss Charlotte Edna Hammond, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Henry Hammond, became the bride of Ian Larry Dwyer, son of Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Dwyer, all of Pincher Creek, at an afternoon ceremony held in the United Church with Rev. RM Moriatey officiating. For the occasion the church was decorated with ferns, baskets of pink and white tulips, and daffodils.

Wears White Gown

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a floor length white gown featuring a strapless lace top with rhinestone trim and full net skirt worn with matching jacket. Her lace and net veil was caught to a rhinestone studded tiara. She carried a bouquet of red roses, white carnations, and stephanotis.

Miss Janet Hammond as maid of honour and Miss Patsy Dwyer as bridesmaid wore identical long gowns of brocade net in blue and pink. The Junior bridesmaid, Miss Rosemary Hammond chose a ballerina nylon sheer of powder blue. Each carried colonial bouquets of pink and white carnations.

The groom’s attendants were Bruce Hammond and Thomas Ferguson. During the ceremony, Donald Lancaster sang The Lord’s Prayer and O Perfect Love, accompanied on the organ by Mrs. AL Freebairn. Ushering the many guests were Garth Upton and Murray Hammond.

Following the ceremony, the recreation hall, prettily decorated with bouquets of spring flowers, was the setting for a reception attended by 140 guests. The toast to the bride was given by Rev. RM Moriatey. Assisting at the receptions were members of the WA.

For her daughter’s marriage, the bride’s mother chose an afternoon gown in toast shade, flecked with sliver and matching accessories, with corsage of pink carnations. The groom’s mother wore a black and white wool dress with white accessories and corsage of red roses and white carnations. For trailing to points in the States and at Pacific Coast the bride donned a flecked brown wool suit with red accessories, complemented with a corsage of red roses. On their return the young couple will live in Pincher Creek.

Out of town guests included Mr and Mrs W Cleland of Taber, Mr Donald Jensen, Edmonton, Mr and Mrs Orrin Dwyer, Mr and Mrs Willard Dwyer, and Mary and Charles Dwyer all of Lundbreck. Mr and Mrs Emery Groningen of Cardston, Mr Gordon Chrighton, Camrose, Mr. And Mrs R Mensaghi and Mr and Mrs FW Butcher and Cheryl of Fort Macleod. Mr Jack Sandeman, Crowley, Mr LE Diamond, Calgary, Mr and Mrs Jack Langton of Cranbrook, and Mr Robert Hedderick and Miss Helen Coleman of Red Deer.

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March 7, 1956 (FGK 266)

Most of these letters are a lot of fun for me to share, as I’ve said some of them make me a bit more emotional than others, but in general this has been such a great experience for me as I’ve been learning more about who mom was – and as a fortunate and unexpected byproduct more about my grandparents, extended family and community (not to mention more about myself). The last newspaper clipping here though was really hard for me to post. As I’ve said, I typically just reach my hand in and grab a letter and share it, reading it for the first time as I type it out. That clipping, however, which is mixed in with the letters and a ton of other clippings, keeps placing itself in my hand. It hurts my heart to look at it and so I’ve continued to shove it down to the bottom of the box because I don’t want to look at it. Today I decided that’s exactly why I do need to acknowledge it. That’s how my mom lived in the hospital. In wards like that. Rows and rows of children who were sick and fighting for their health and in some cases their lives. It’s humbling.

These non-hospital related articles were just left around the two that had relevance, but I found them kind of interesting – it’s cool to see what was important in 1956. Turkeys apparently.

If you don’t know who Eric Harvie is he’s worth learning about. I learned about how he was part of the group of business men in Alberta in the early 1900s who put money into beautifying the faces of small towns in Alberta. His legacy lives on in the Glenbow Ranch – the provincial park that is just east of Cochrane. I remember his son Neil (who was older than my parents) coming to see my dad for legal advice- never would you imagine his net worth as he was such a humble and down to earth person every time I met him.

Eric Harvie Gives Cash to the City

Mayor D.H. Mackay said today the city is trying to place building sites to the west of River Park on sale as soon as possible. This followed the signing of an agreement Thursday between the city and Glenbow Investments Ltd handling the donation of 2 1/2 acres of land and $100,000 from Eric L. Harvie QC.

Mayor Surprised

The mayor was surprised when the large cheque was handed to him Tuesday. He had expected only to sign the agreement.

The signing and handing over of the cheque marks the end of a four year controversy over Mr. Harvie’s contributions.

Because, seriously, who doesn’t want to read an article about a turkey thief?? I’d so much rather read about this than the headlines of today.

Turkey Thief Goes to Jail

A 29 year old Calgary man, Douglas Shaben, Tuesday in Supreme Court was sentenced to 12 months at hard labour in Lethbridge jail after being found guilty of obtaining 17 turkeys form a local food wholesaler last Christmas by false pretences.

The stay of proceedings was granted by Chief Justice C.C. McLaurin on a second similar charge.

The sentence was handed down after evidence disclosed Shaben had posed as a buyer for Shell Oil Co and in return sold the turkeys for $241.89 to the Calgary Electric Light Department.

Character Witness:

A character witness, Robert Leslie Howell, a minister of the Christian Church testified Shaben was “a sincere fellow willing to help people at all times.” The minister also stated Shaben had been generous in his donation to the community fund.

Shaben was represented by J.S. Palmer. Earnest S. Watkins was crown prosecutor.

You know me, any opportunity to drive home the importance of wearing a helmet. My life was saved in my “rushed unplanned dismount” a few years ago because I had my helmet on.

Safety Helmet Saves Worker

And employee of Mannix Construction Ltd was saved from serious injury by his safety helmet about 9:30 am today when a piece of pipe fell on him at 9th ave and 1st St. W.

Bill McLean was taken to General Hospital by Starr’s Ambulance. He suffered head cuts but his condition was considered satisfactory.

Witnesses said the man’s safety helmet was flattened when the piece of pipe tumbled down on him.

Plaster Casts, Wheel Chairs and crutches have not dampened the spirits of the girl guides shown above. They are members of a company in the Red Cross Crippled Children’s Hospital, and are pictured during a lesson in know tying at their meeting Tuesday night. Smiling happily form left to right are: Muriel, Brenda, Emily, Patsy, who is yet a Brownie, and Lillian.

This is the photo – it sure brings a lot of feelings for me. Also though, how cool that Gene Autry came to visit. I remember when I was teaching in Airdrie years ago the kids talked about how Paul Brant would go to the Children’s Hospital and visit them – and this was when his songs like “My Heart Has a History” were topping the charts. It meant so much to them and I’ve had a lot of respect for him since then.

Cowboy Star Visits Hospital

Young patients at the Red Cross Crippled Children’s Hospital Thursday morning got a real thrill when cowboy movie star Gene Autry paid them a visit. Autry is shown above talking to a ward full of bed-ridden youngsters. He was in Calgary for a show at the Corral Thursday night.

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Do you know what silver fish are?(FGK 265)

This girl’s dream reminds me of a really funny/weird encounter I had while grocery shopping at Kroger while we were living in Roanoke. This older woman – I had never seen her before and never saw here again- walked up to me and said: “let me tell you about a dream I had last night. I was standing inside a weird building and I was getting so hot. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing until suddenly I realized that I was watching my own cremation. I didn’t know what to think of that.” I also didn’t know what to think of that. I can’t remember what I said in response – but it certainly was one of the oddest grocery store conversations I’ve ever had.

I am fortunate never to have had to deal with silver fish, but we did have stink bugs all over the place when we lived in Roanoke. They used to drive me nuts, but interestingly enough I got used to them and didn’t pay them much mind after a while.

I assume that Walden is Thoreau’s Walden. I was about 18 the first time I was introduced to that book. I fell madly in love with it – it was assigned reading for an English class I took at MRC (now MRU) and I became obsessed with living in the woods for a year to understand myself better. I was so thrilled when – decades later – I lived within driving distance of Walden Pond and we were able to drive up and spend the day there. It’s funny what life brings you.

April 15, 1958

Dear Margaret

Hi! How’s life? How is vacation? Bet you’re having fun you lucky thing.

Have you seen Mr. B recently? The night I came back, I dreamed he was dead, it was perfectly awful.

Do you know what silver fish are? We have tons of them in our room. It’s perfectly dreadful. I hate them.

A brown and white, sliver fish found on the wall. Squashed with a “suitable container”. They are all over our room in all different sizes. Ranging from ___ to ___ (see the photos I included). I just HATE them. They come in different colours. White, brown, and two tone (white and brown stripes).

Above and below you can see her drawings of the dreadful silver fish.

Walden (the book I was reading) is due Monday and I have read fifty pages (there are over 200). I don’t even understand what I”m supposed to write about him let alone how to do it. I”m just plain stupid, I guess.

I left my lovely Latin letter in my pocket åbook with a check for $41 on the bus to school. I only just got it back. Bright girl.

I have to read Walden now.

Write soon

Love Joanie

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A woman of exemplary character (FGK 264)

I know this letter was written for mom, and damn it must have made her happy to read this man’s description of her, but as a mom myself – I can imagine how humbly proud Grandma must have been. This man managed to complement the whole family, and even the entire community in his letter. How fantastic to have such wonderful things written about you! Sometimes the more sentimental letters from people I knew and loved leave me a bit teary eyed, but this one had big ole fat tears running down my face. I would feel so incredibly happy if someone spoke of my family this way. Grandma and Grandpa were remarkable people.

Copy for Mrs. Percy Copithorne

March 26, 1958

San Diego College for Women

Alcala Pk

San Diego, California

USA

Gentlemen:

I have been asked to write you with reference to Miss Margaret Copithorne, of Calgary, Alberta, who is making application to enter your college as a student.

I can heartily recommend this young woman as being of exemplary character and very attractive personality, and I am quite convinced that she could profit very greatly from attendance at your institution.

I have known her and different members of her family for several years. In fact, her brother and sister attended Mount Royal College and were exceptionally fine students. Her father and mother are very respected people in their community, and she is a fortunate young woman who has been raised in a Christian home of good ideals.

With every good wish,

Yours sincerely,

John H. Garden

Principal

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Mom’s Valedictorian Speech (FGK 263)

As far as I can tell this is mom’s valedictorian speech when she graduated from high school in Florida. Personally, I found it really interesting to hear her perspective on private schools since, as I’ve mentioned, I always thought I was sent to one because they just didn’t want me around. One thing I found extremely stressful about that school was the fact that we were divided into “sets” – it was either 1-4 or 1-5 I can’t remember which. Set 1 was the “smart kids” and we got progressively stupider as the sets went down. This wasn’t something that was hidden or suspected – it was just a fact. Then all of our grades were publicly posted outside the classroom. So it would be Melissa, Math 10, set 2 (I actually was in set 2 for math it stressed the hell out of me- pretty sure I belonged in set 4), grade 62 or whatever. And I would be there ranked in order along with the rest of the class so we all knew each others’ business. That said I got a remarkably impressive education that year that I was there – it’s only been recent years that I’ve really appreciated that and sometimes wondered what my life would have been like had I completed school there. Either way – it makes me very happy to read and remember how much Mom loved her time in Florida.

Faculty, fellow students, friends, needless to say tonight is full of expectations for the future and , yet, we cannot help looking back over our past school days. As we do we are grateful for the many advantages that we have received. We have been a little more fortunate than others perhaps, in that we have had the extra benefits available in a private school.

Our opportunity for this additional education dates back to the early schools in America. These schools were based on the English Grammar School, using their textbooks, teachers, and methods. “Dame schools” were established and small children were sent to the homes of the village women to learn their alphabet and a few words. Since the government, at that time, was reluctant to undertake the education of the masses, all these schools were independent. In later years, the sure place of private schools was established by Supreme Court decisions which stated that everyone has the right to go on and try to obtain a higher education, if it is possible.

The growth of the private school since the early days has been phenomenal. Today, in the continental United States 13.9% of the total school population attend independent schools. Most of these schools strive to avoid becoming overcrowded, but at the time of the report they are filled to capacity.

We feel there will always be a continued need for independent schools as they are particularly suited for the rigours instruction of the ablest students and have the opportunity to find, guide, and educate adequately these students. This overcomes one of the serious drawbacks in mass education – the fact that since the average high school is geared for the overall student, there is no real program for the advanced student. By tradition, equality in education has been used to develop the rising generations, but contrary to general practice, the private schools do not equalize their students. They do not limit their exceptional students to the requirements of the average. Each is given work according to his abilities and those who can go on ahead are not kept back. Students are developed to the full extent of their capacities because each is considered as an individual – not merely the member of a group. It has been truthfully said that a student goes through a large school, but a small school goes through the student.

As some 92% of private school graduates enter college, emphasis is placed on the scholastic side of the curriculum. the student spends more time on his studies which are not the “snap” elective courses, but the heavier courses essential for success in college. The University of Kansas reported that of a survey made of 300 freshmen, two-thirds had not taken the necessary literature courses required for college. Private schools try to overcome this defect by giving the student as much preparation as ossicle for their freshman term. Because of the small classes instructors can give the prospective college students the work and advice required more easily.

We have found an independent school can better fulfill the needs of the student. It is free from political control, hence it is in an advantageous position in that it can carry out methods that cannot be tried in the larger, more complex systems until proven. This means that it is able to adapt its curriculum to the changing needs of today. A well balanced program can be planned to fit the total personality of the student, developing him to be independent intellectually and socially. He is not only guided in his classes, but is taught how to appreciate his leisure time. He is encouraged to do extra reading, attend dramatic performances, and be active in his community. We feel, that under the present pressure in education today that the private school is preparing its student more for society and his obligation to society.

The fourteen of us who have stepped across another threshold of our lives here tonight maintain that we are here for two purposes. One, to be honoured: honoured by you, our parents, our instructors, our friends, upon the completion of a task begun 12 years ago. But, more important, is the second reason we are here- to proclaim to you our belief in the future and our promise to take our places in that future. Being now a part of the young adult world, we are aware of the uncertainty of the future but with the guidance you have given us during our formative years, we strive forward with the strength and faith you have nurtured in us. For this we are grateful.

There is a beautiful Ingenious saying which said “A man once said to a lump of clay ‘What art thou?’ The reply was ‘I am a lump of clay, but I was placed beside a rose and I caught its fragrance.’ We have been placed in your hands for these years and we have caught your strength and faith – your fragrance. With your continuing guidance the future is bright in an age of uncertainty.

Thank you.

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The Doodads Keep Coming Apart (FGK 262)

32 Dix Ave

Ormond Beach

Oct 13, 1957

Hi y’all!

We’re spending a “quiet Sunday at home”. For some reason I didn’t want to do anything but stay at home and rest. However, as it turned out I’ve spent nearly all my time doing homework. That goes for the whole weekend.

We were supposed to have a party at Serge’s house this week but it has been cancelled because of the flu. We were also supposed to have a beach party on Friday I don’t know whether we’re going to have it or not. If we don’t I may go with Barb and some kids to a football game in Orlando.

Barbara Linkous is back from the North. It’ll be good to have one of the old gang back.

A visitor just dropped in on Webbs. As soon as she found out I go to Seabreeze Private she asked me if I knew “those “O’Bryne girls” as a matter of fact I do and really like them. I think they’re full of life and lots of fun, she thinks they’re wild, undisciplined brats. They’re full of Irish fun, laughter and goodwill but I”m afraid Mrs Webb thinks they may be too wild. – Don’t worry I’m not “wild”.

We went to see Elvis Presley’s picture Friday night. Very lovely movie.

I’m going to Mrs Franks for my exercises on Tuesday. We are going to decide whether to go every week or every month. She sent me a birthday card and wants me to go to Gordon’s for a shrimp dinner sometime.

I was down to the beach last week but didn’t see anyone I know.

The typewriter arrived in fine condition. We had a bit of trouble getting it unpacked but it’s ok now except for the “a” and “d” keys have to be ganged to kingdom come before they’ll print. It sure is cute and I really like it. Thanks so much.

Barbara is historian of the DCT now. They had an article about it in the paper today.

Nancy has been calling quite often lately, usually right at supper time. They are all fine and send their regards.

Larry is doing fine, he’s about as poor at writing home as I am.

We’re playing some tapes on the tape recorder right now. There are some old ones Larry made before he left. There’s one where he is interviewing which is quite funny.

The school car took me to school the other morning as they happened to be going by our house. Webb’s car is getting quite run down the doodads keep coming apart but we keep praying that it will stay together for a while longer.

I wore my green suit when I went out last week and all the kids really liked it. I wore my reversible shirt today.

School is doing ok – I guess.

Must go now

Love to all

Margie

ps say “hi” to Anne and everyone.

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