The Early Days
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CAWTHORN
FAMILY MEMORIES
ROSSCARROCK
By Violet May Thorpe Cawthorn (Cross)
This story written by Violet Cawthorn is an accurate account of the life and times that a newly married couple faced in the 1920's to set out and build a farmstead and a community to raise a family. The 1929 economic crash, the drought of the thirty's, World War II then the death of her husband John Thubron in 1944 added to the hardships to raising her family.
My little Violet of Springbank my beloved was fond of saying to me. That was the name our district went by when we bought our five acres in 1927. Today, we say we live in Rosscarrock, a name bestowed on the district when the City of Calgary extended its Boundaries in 1957. We are bordered by 37 St. S.W. up to 45 St. and from 17th Ave, S. W. across to the Banff Coach Road.
In the early days a small one roomed school served the children the surrounding area. It was on the corner of what is now known as 17th Ave.& 45th St. S.W. and named West Calgary School. Mrs. I Kerr, nee Lillian Alder recalls; 'Her family came to the district in 1919, and their home was next door to this school. The first person to teach there was Miss Elsie Staples and she taught grades one to nine. Later, a Miss Doghart was in charge. I can recall the names of a few others who taught here and perhaps there were more than the following, Mr. Lessingham Shortt, who was the father of the well known violinist, Mary Shortt, Horman Kennedy, Cawthorn who sang with the choir at Central United Church., Ruth Rennie, May Jackson and Fern Edwards. Years later at the closing of this school, Mrs. Roy McPherson, nee Susan Mahood had the distinction of being the last one to teach here.
The Alder family was housekeepers of this school for eight years. Mr. Alder was a plasterer by trade. There were eight children in the family and Mrs. Alder died when the youngest was only two years of age. Their father’s work often took him out of town to the various construction sites. Lil Alder with the help of her sisters, Mabel and Dorothy took on the task of caring for their brothers while their father was absent. Four of the boys, Fred, Leonard, George and Bill followed in their father's footsteps and became plasterers, too. Their brother Dave joined The Royal Air Force and was killed in W.W.2. After the boys were on their own and their father had passed on , the girls married and had homes of their own to care for. People tried to persuade the School Trustees to keep this school from being closed.
A meeting was arranged, to be held in the school and the Trustees would be there to hear our side. We were all urged to attend by the Ratepayers and try to convince the Board that we needed this school. I took our three pre School children along, hoping their presence might melt the hearts of the Trustees. Mrs. Sally Cartwright spoke up and said, " If this school is closed my daughter, Joan will not go to the school that is being built farther out." "And why not? I asked one of the Trustees. " Because she has diabetes, that's why and she hasn't got the strength to trek back and forth to that school on the power line." Mr. and Mrs. Stan Steer being the parents of three children were concerned about the long distance to the proposed school. Bill, their youngest had been stricken with polio as an infant, and if he was to get there it meant depending on his classmates to pull him and his wagon across the prairie each day. You see Bill wasn't too steady on his legs. Nothing we said helped to sway the argument in our favor. Mr. W. Pennel a Trustee or was it Mr. R.F. Lawrence the treasurer of the Municipality of Spring bank repeatedly said, " we have to cut our pattern according to the cloth we have." But still the bottom line was NO! the school was to be closed, the building was put-up for sale and bought by Mr. & Mrs. Ted Buckley. They remodeled it and they and their six children called it their home for many years.
Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Cartwright and their children. Alec, Harry and Joan lived on the five acres next to our place. Mr. Cartwright had served in W.W.I, and the their family were already living on this site when we came here. There were only a few houses scattered around the prairie at that time. The Cartwright house had been brought in and set on the corner of 13Ave. & 39th St. S.W. where it still stands today. Ownership of it has changed hands several times and is presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. dark. Mr. Cartwright planted the tall poplar tree that grows in the front yard in 1927, after he had carried it home in his pocket. There used to be a well at the bottom of the garden which was fed by an artesian spring and such was the pressure of the flow that many water pails were carried away by its force. A new well closer to the house was dug and the old one filled in. I first met the Cartwrights in 1916 when their family and mine were next door neighbors, while living in the Glengarry district. We remained good friends throughout the years and in the hungry thirties. Sally Cartwright and I exchanged ideas on 'how to live on nothing or very little" Bread making for our families was a must, and those flour sacks which the 98 Lbs. of flour came in were highly prized. They would have to be washed, bleached and dyed before being made into useful clothing for us to wear. How pleased we were to hear someone comment about, "how nice a shirt or some garment looked."
The children would sit around the kitchen table in the long winter evenings, cutting out colored pictures, by lamp light, from Eaton’s catalog. Scissors were patiently passed back and forth as they worked up until bedtime. There were no shops closer than the two down on 17th Ave, & 26th St. S.W. Winter's Grocery Store, with the Post Office Sub. 13 and the Collin's butcher shop next door. These stores closed each Wednesday afternoon, but any other day in the week we might perhaps walk to the butchers and order the usual items, one soup bone @ 15 cents and ten cents worth of hamburger. We were always served it with a smile from Collins as he wrapped our purchase in several layers of stiff paper, before handing it to us.
It is sad for me to recall to memory the sorrow and grief that Mrs. Sally Cartwright had to bear. Her husband, who had suffered from the effects of battle in W.W.I, died. Later her daughter, Joan, a healthy looking, brown eyed girl of about ten years of age was found to be a diabetic and would have to have a daily injection of insulin. In fine weather Joan could be seen riding her shinny coated, brown horse around the fence line of their property. These two, became fast friends and even if Joan couldn't have any sugar in her diet, she made sure there was always a lump or two in her pocket for her horse. Joan passed away in her 12th year. There was now just Mrs. Cartwright and her sons, Alec and Harry living.
In 1936, when the Social Credit Party came into power my family and I sat in the Cartwright home and listened to the election results. We celebrated its victory, by munching on the tray of cream puffs I had brought. There was always plenty of cream at our house, if nothing else in the 'hungry thirties" It was Queen Anne who is purported to have said of the poor, "If they haven't any bread, let them eat cake".
We didn't see Alec and Harry quite so often now as they were working. When W.W. 2 broke out both boys enlisted. Alec was killed in Italy on Dec. 23, 1942, while serving with the Royal Canadian Engineers. His brother Harry, who served with the Seaforth High-Landers in Italy was to lose his life, too. Their sorrowing mother put her home up for sale and made a trip overseas to visit their graves. On her return she moved into an apartment and then eventually she went into a senior's Lodge and later passed on. I shall always remember this fine and loving family I was privileged to know and call my friends.
Our neighbors to the west, just across the fence from us were Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ramsden, who had come from Yorkshire, England. They lived in the house, which was later to become the Rosscarrock Grocery store. Their son Harry was a driver for Mitchell Fruit Co. Earlier Jack Ramsden had been employed as a caretaker at Glengarry School, but by 1928 he was working at his home repairing the many cars his friends needed some work done on. He had a car in back of the house called Chalmers, but he drove a ford sedan. It was in this car he drove his wife to the streetcar stop on 29th St. on the days she was working at the Noble Hotel.
Violet Cawthorn wanted this quote entered in this story:
Quote by Mr. Jack Ramsden: “We are praying for a particular person just by being concerned about them."
There was a chance we might be able to have electricity to light our homes back in 1929. The nine homeowners would have to each put their share of the cost of bringing a power line into the area. The following people: Jack Ramsden, A. Cartwright, J. Cawthorn, Stan Steer, S. Uptigrove, Bob Williams, Dec Loxam, R. Hauserman practically the whole district, met to sound each other out. Not all those there could afford to pay their share and the matter was dropped.
When Harry Ramsden married Nellie Proctor he brought her to his home where she kept house while her mother-in law worked. It was always so warm and bright in this house,. Jack Ramsden had obtained some gas lamps, which used to give off a little humming sound as the cloth covered burners cast their bright light around the room. I have many happy memories of the good times our families and theirs shared together. Nellie and Harry's daughters, June and May were born in this house. Harry's mother, Clara attended both births as she did when his son, Jimmie was born after Harry and Nellie had moved into their own home. Mr. Jack Ramsden died during the thirty’s and shortly after this his widow sold their house and went to live with her son, Harry and his wife Nellie.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sipes now owned the old Ramsden place. Mrs. Sipes was a daughter of a city alderman, of the same name. The Sipes's later had two children, Jimmie and David. Jean Loxam assisted Mrs. Sipes in caring for them when they were young. Bill Sipes was handy with a hammer and saw and he built several houses on the lots that came with the house they bought. Mrs. Sipes, in eyeing the economic market thought the time was ripe for to start a grocery store here. Bill put a partition across their dining room; about two meters back from the front door. This small area was now a store and they stocked it with six tins of jam in the 4 Lb size and a dozen loaf of bread. Mrs. Sipes said, "What have we got to lose? "If they sell, we will make a few cents profit on each item and if they don't, we can always eat them." Sell, they did and the money earned went to buy additional supplies and it wasn't long before Bill had to move that partition further back from the front door. It was a success right from the start. The store has changed hands many times since the Sipes sold out and moved back east.
The Ramsden children where still in school when their father died. Their mother went to work for a taxi firm and later on, sold her home. Her children had left home by that time and Nellie rented a suite in her daughter, June Cheeseman's, home. May had married a Mr. Head and Jimmie was married to a girl from the Herrmann family. Mrs. Nellie Ramsden passed away on March 3rd, 1968 and her son Jimmie, who had inherited the knack of repairing cars from his grandfather, lost his life while working on one in the 1980s The car he was working on was up on jacks and somehow slipped off and Jimmie was crushed beneath it.
N.B: Mrs. Ramsden Son, remarried soon after moving in with Harry and Nellie, She became the wife of Harry Beacom, a widower, who was a counselor or Springbank. They later settled in the Killarney district. Mrs. Beacom died on July 31, 1968 and a month later on August 23, Mr. Harry Becom passed on.
A Flying Club was in operation in 1929, just below the hill, east of Strathcona Heights. Here, people lined up to take a ride in a two-seat plane with Freddie McCall, paying $5.00 for a ten minute trip. Fred flew towards the south and down across Calgary, coming back in from the north. Lily Alder went up for a ride and says, "I will never forget that ride, in fact I have never been in a plane since." The members held an air-show and many spectators watched the performance. Soon after a new location was found elsewhere in Calgary as the downwind from the hill prevented smooth take offs of the aircraft.
We had bought our land in 1927 consisting of 43 lots in Block 14, Plan 368 L.V. from the Municipality of Springbank for $250.00 There was an option at this time for us to buy eight more lots at $5.00 each. We bought them and this made our five-acre spread complete and thereafter we paid a tax of $36.00 a year to the Municipality. My husband, John immediately planted carrigana hedges, lilac bushes and poplar trees around the site, many of which are still growing on the block east of the Rosscarrock Store. There were many roots of Rhubarb set out on this fertile land and we sold it when it was in season. We made up ten lb bundles and customers paid 25 cents for one. A carving knife, which was used by me to cut off the leaves form the rhubarb stalks, was accidentally wrapped in one of the bundles. If the person who got that bundle was surprised to find a knife in his order, I never heard about it. In those days giveaways were very common, nearly all the pots and pans we owned were obtained by saving Nabob coupons. These premiums were of a good quality and many of them are still in use by us today.
We owned milk cows and sold milk for 10 cents a quart, whipping cream fetched a $1.00 a quart and fresh churned butter sold for 20 cents a lb.
Our eldest son, Roy had a paper route and his earnings added greatly to the family income. The Albertan sent the papers by the early morning streetcar to 17th Ave. & 29th St. where the conductor tossed them off at 6:AM. for the paper boy. There were no pegged streets in the district in those days and Roy's order book read; customer in the house with the red roof or the first house after you cross Loxam's flat or that green coloured house in the hollow. He sometimes rode Old May our gentle buckskin mare and when the snow was knee deep he mushed through the drifts on foot. Our customers paid twenty-five cents a week for their paper. Jimmie Taylor and Roy worked out a system on collection day. Jimmie agreed to leave his 25 cents on the third fence post from the gate each week. Roy declared," his customers had hearts as big as buckets because if they were home when he called there was usually a steaming cup of cocoa or some equally good treat given to him.
A horse was to lose its life about this time, Mr. Felix Malloy, a neighbor saw three horses galloping across the prairie when all of a sudden there were only two horses. He couldn't believe his eyes, and then dismissed it from his mind, thinking he could have been mistaken. A few days later Mr. Dec. Loxam let it be known he had lost a horse. Mr. Malloy then told Dec. about seeing a horse vanish from view on a certain spot. They walked over to were it happened which would be across 37th St. opposite the Westbrooke Mall and found the boards used to cover an old well had caved in. The poor horse had fallen through them and was at the bottom of the 29ft. dry well and was alive. The local men tried to hoist it to the surface time and again and when they didn't succeed one of the men got a gun from home and shot the horse. The pulleys and rope's were recovered, but the horse lies at the bottom of the well to this day.
The home of Mr. Mrs. Rudolph Hauserman was across the road from our place, and they were already living in this house he had built before we came. It is the second house from the corner of 40th St. and 10th Ave S.W. kitty corner to the Rosscarrock Store. Prior to the family owning this site it had been used as a slaughter place to butcher animals for the market. A brown colored two-story house stood a little west of the Hauserman place and Charles Jackson owned it. The lower half was used by the Pentecostal people for their weekly church services. The upper part became a temporary home for the Loxam family after their home was destroyed by fire.
Violet Cawthorn wanted this quote added to this story about the Hauserman’s:
Hauserman write up: There is a Russian Lilac growing in many of the gardens today. The seed for this plant was brought here by the Hauserman family from Russia. To make sure it wouldn't die out Mrs. Hauserman distributed some of the seed to her neighbors, saying, "if some thing should happen to my plants I will know where to get some more."
The Loxam fire started in the house while Mrs. Loxam was alone and the rest of the family were out side doing the farm chores. When their neighbors saw smoke issuing from the house they raced across the prairie to do what they could to help the Loxam’s. It soon became apparent to the volunteers that propping up the windows to keep them open while they attempted to drag some of the contents out were useless. Since the house was on fire they then bashed in the windows and quickly pulled some of the furniture out. Mrs. Loxam had already got out and there were no casualties other than the loss of the house. Before the morning was out, Mrs. Long and a neighbor, I am not sure who the other lady was, went around to the local homes for a donation of food to replenish Mrs. Loxam's cupboard, which would now be in the tall brown house. The neighbors later rallied round and with Mr. R. Houseman’s guidance built a new house for Mr. & Mrs. D. Loxam on the same site as the old one.
Surprise parties were often held in the homes. The unsuspecting family at whose house a party was going to be held were told a little white lie such as, somebody’s mother would like to visit with them for a chat and a cup of tea that night. The occupants of the house took it all in good fun when they saw a dozen or more people on the doorstep. We all trooped gaily in, bearing our gift of home baked goodies. No one ever thought of bringing liquor to these parties, we had never heard about B.Y.O.B. in those days. The night we gathered at Sally Cartwright's house she had a good laugh while telling us, “I made some apple sauce to serve to the one visitor we expected." The Hauserman's house was large and it had a big front room and we held quite a few parties there. Mr. & Mrs. Hauserman usually went upstairs to bed and left their two daughters Marie and Clara to host the party. We played charades and danced to records on a windup gramophone, until it was time to enjoy the lunch we had brought from home.
We were now into the hungry thirties and money was scarce. Meetings were held in our homes and we invited speakers to come and tell us about Mr. Aberhart's Social Credit. The only refreshment we were able to provide was a cup of tea and a cookie to our visitor.
Marie Glaus was now keeping house for her father and her two daughters. Tiny and Sissy, her mother, Mrs. Hauserman had passed on.
Blue Monday or washday blues affected us a little differently in those days. I owned a galvanized laundry tub, of course a whole new washing unit consisting of tub, washboard, wringer and stand could be bought for $8.50, but that was a lot of money in those days. This washtub of mine traveled back and forth between my house and that of Marie's more times than I can remember. If Marie was going to do some washing she came over to borrow the tub and when I was going to have a washday I would go over to fetch it back so that I could use it. It was the same thing with a 29 cent can opener that Mrs. Bob Nelson owned. They lived across the street west of us and if I needed a can opener to open, say a can of tomato soup and you could buy ten cans for $1.00 then, I would send my son Joe over to borrow Isabelle Nelson's. When their family needed it, they would have their son, Bob come over to our place and borrow it back. Neighbors were very supportive of each other and we got along very well for to have a friend you must be a friend.
One-gallon crocks, the stoneware kind, were often on sale in the downtown stores for 10 cents each, including the lids too. We valued them and stored butter, bean pickle or sauerkraut and anything that would be better tasting if kept in a cool dug-out while in these containers. How many people today would be willing to lug these heavy crocks across the prairie, after getting off the streetcar? Not many, not even if we could still get four rides for a quarter as we used to then.
But; acres of diamonds were in our own backyards if we cared to look for them. There were literally pounds and pounds of wool on the backs of Mr. Loxam's sheep. Why were we going short of warm bed coverings? A Ladies Sewing Circle was already going full swing, and Marie Glaus offered to set up a quilting frame in her front room, Mr. Loxam was willing to sell them pure unwashed wool at two dollars for eight pounds. The women washed and dried it before combing it into bats. The project went ahead fast as the members worked and talked as they all sat around the quilting frame. Their goal was to make a quilt for each one of their group.
We moved out of the district for a short while in the winter of 1942 - 43 and went to live in a house near Twin Bridges seven miles further west. It was while we were there that my husband died and in 1944, my six children, Wilda, Roy, Ben, John, Rhoda and Joe and I moved back onto our five acres. Eventually I had this land subdivided into lots. We were still outside the city at this time and land wasn't priced very high; a 50 by 126 ft lot sold for $200.00, and the taxes on it were just $1.35. We lived in the old house for another twenty years until my son Ben built the one I now call home, it is a new house, but on the same site.
In 1957, all the residents here became citizens of Calgary and more than a few feathers were ruffled when the city took over. As the Mayor of Calgary, Don McKay said," you didn't come in, they made you come in!" This we couldn't dispute, but just to educate them I felt a letter to the Herald was in order and after the paper published it they sent cameramen out here to discover this (Frontier Town) as they dubbed it, to take some pictures.
The letter reads: RESPECT PLEASE... Calgary, be respectful to your elders now that you have come to make your home in Rosscarrock. Our parents and we came to live here in 1910 when the land was pastures, sloughs, coulees and rolling hills. Calgary was in the midst of an oil boom and all spare cash was going to buy oil shares. Oh yes, Calgary was expanding fast, would soon be built right out to these districts.
Now forty-five years later, you come marching in. But we expect you to treat us with respect, not take our suggestions and views lightly, laughing at our out-dated toilet facilities, namely four rooms and a path. Our home fires have been kept burning during two wars, while caring for our community and establishing schools and a country store. We bought supplies from you, accepted bread deliveries, fruit deliveries from the Chinese who brought their wares to us in horse-drawn carts, used your ambulances that were pulled by four husky horses to take our sick to your hospital. We cooperated by walking to the bottom of 14th St. and 17th Ave. hill to ride the streetcar into town, Langston's corner it was called.
The fort was held from early days so that some day things would be a little easier for us. We have heard the coyotes howling at night; the weasels robbing the hen houses. The Indian, in trouble on his way home to the reserve was never turned from our door. We have, I think, been good to man. We welcome Calgary coming to our territories here, but we do not want you to feel you can belittle us. When the district ask for utilities we so long have deserved, you should be our strong help in our need, not be amused.
Remember also, the nostalgia felt by us for the old pastures, coulees and meadows we have come to love, so tread lightly please.
Violet Cawthorn
End
WEST CALGARY SCHOOL NO. 2
If we had thought it was quite a hike to the first little school that was nothing compared to the distance our children would now have to travel. It was built by Mr. Abraham Bullas in 1930, on the power-line, with just a narrow dirt road leading to it. Today this road is a major expressway called Sarcee Trail. The lucky ones were those that had a horse to ride to and from this school, which had one room for Grades 1 and 2, two rooms for Grades 3 to 9
The outside buildings consisted of a pump house, garage, stable and his and hers outhouse. Children were attending from a much larger area and a few of the teachers of the now larger staff were. Miss Jean McPherson, Mrs. Mary Campbell, Miss Nellie Loxam, Miss Margery Irwin and Mr. Robert Hood. Mr. W. Folkard was its Principal.
My Uncle, the welshman was the caretaker and he also instructed a class in wood craft. The boys made broom sand small brushes, which proved to be useful articles to have in the home. Mrs. Owen Sawyer showed me one of the floor brooms that was made by them over 40 years ago and is still in use. The real horsehair used in them came from the manes and tails of the ponies stabled on the school grounds. Their young owners had ridden them to school in the early morning, and stabled them until going home time.
Children were never bussed to school and winter weather was especially hard on girls. Many a one had their legs frozen while trekking across the prairie; it wasn't considered lady like to wear trousers in the 1930s. But something would have to be done about the problem. The matter was discussed at a meeting and a plan that was acceptable to both parents and Trustees was put into effect. Girls could wear pants while out-doors, but they must be removed in the cloakroom before entering the classroom.
In the spring Jackson's Coulee was always full of water. It made a wonderful swimming hole in a district devoid of such luxuries as indoor pools. The boys from West Calgary School made use of it as soon as weather permitted. Sadly, a son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Hauserman fell off a raft there and drowned. The Glendale Community Tennis Court occupies this site now.
A Home and School Association was formed and Mrs. Martha Wilson was the president. The meetings were conducted in a business like way and Mrs. Wilma Hanson and Mrs. Boach who were members of a city group came out to instruct us in the rules. We learned what the Federation and per capita and charters were; there was even a monthly newsletter to help keep us abreast of happenings. There was some form of entertainment at each meeting it could be a spelling match for the grown-ups and how proud we were to be able to spell the words one of the teachers called out. Other times we would invite a guest speaker to address our group and this would be followed by a social hour. Tea and light refreshments were enjoyed while parents mingled with each other and the speaker. This was also a chance to get to know their children’s teachers better. To get our visitors there we depended on a taxi service. Bill Hilton and his former wife, Gwen owned the stand near the end of the streetcar line. It was here they would transfer from the streetcar at 29th St. to ride the taxi to the school. The cost per trip was 50 cents and it could be shared by three or four riders. Mrs. W. Colpitts often helped by making a round trip to pick up anyone wanting to get to and from the school. At the end of Mrs. Wilson's two-year term she was presented with a Home and School pin by Mr. Folkard who said. "I have admired Mrs. Wilson’s untiring devotion to her job."
OUR OWN SCHOOL
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Williams supplied the following information: In 1943 the people living in Rosscarrock as it is known today, decided to ask the Municipality of Springbank for a school closer to their homes. A delegation of three, Mr. Bert Williams, Mr. Brian Obray and Mr. Albert Butcher were picked to go and talk with those on the board. They were told, there must be two hundred souls, counting men, women and children and maybe it would have to be two hundred and fifty living in the district, before they would even think of building a school for us. Make a survey and let us know the results.
These three men then visited every home in the district and counted noses and were able to report to the board , that there were enough people to make up the number required. "Good. But where is the land to come from for this proposed building the board asked. You come and see us after you find the answer to that."
Mr. Hammil of Hammil Motors happened to own an acreage and he consented to part with five acres, four to go for the sum of $200.00 and he would donate the fifth acre to us. Here was the land if we could manage a down payment on it. Back to the residents again went these three determined men. They asked for a donation of money, no matter how small from each family and if they couldn’t afford to give anything, well they understood, it was all right. The sum of $100.00 was collected and used as a down payment on the property.
A one-room school was built and Miss VanAmburgh was installed as teacher. Mrs. Stan Steer became its first housekeeper. Water was carried by the pail from the pump in the yard. Scuttles of coal were brought in to feed the fat, round heater that stood in the middle of the floor.
On winter nights when we met for the regular Home and School meetings this balky heater wouldn’t throw enough heat off until it was time for us to go home. When we broke away from the parent group there were a lot of hard feelings, but it was only because it was more convenient to go to meetings closer to home. When it became clear to the Federation that we wanted our own Charter they decided to grant us one.
Mrs. Mark Tremblay chose the name Rocky View for our group; after all we did have a view of the Rockies. I was installed as the President, Mrs. Barbara Anderberg as Vice President and Mrs. Betty Hilton was the Treasurer. We were all willing and able, but as Barb Anderberg said "It was a case of the blind leading the blind." Unfortunately the Charter was lost; I called for the mail at General Delivery and the clerk handed me a sheaf of Home and School papers; the paper was about the size of The Mirror, which is delivered to our homes today but, not quite as thick. I was often taken for a Jehovah witness as I carried these papers around town while doing errands. But I had another mission, that of getting the envelope with the document in safely home. I didn't succeed. I had placed it on a counter momentarily and when I turned to pick it up it was gone. I'll never know what happened to it. The higher ups in the Federation were very disturbed on learning about this. In due time they sent us a duplicate of the first one.
It wasn't long after that we were in their bad graces again. The executive filled out the progress forms, which the Federation required us to do. Mrs. Marie Glaus gave the envelope that they were in to her husband Art, to mail on his way to work; he was a cook in some down town eatery. A month or two went by and the Federation was demanding that our executive return those forms immediately to them. Marie Glaus was told to ask Art where he had posted our letter... he had forgot to mail it, it was still in his coat pocket.
Our group put on some very successful teas and we undertook to buy a treat for any child who was unable to be at school on account of illness, someone from the 'sick and visiting officer would purchase fruit or some equally good food and take it to the shut in. The treat fund was suddenly depleted when we learned from the teacher. Miss VanAmberg that half her class was out with the measles. She gleefully handed us a list of their names; we kept our end of the bargain and took each child a banana and a chocolate bar. Some unexpected cash came our way, a man's wedding ring was found at the bottom of the shopping bag we kept our Home and School papers in. After much asking around if anyone knew whose it was, and nobody did, I took it into Birk's Jewelry Store. They were advertising for old gold and they bought the ring and the money credited to our group. Money earned from the teas and bazaars was used to purchase a projector and other luxuries the School Board wouldn't supply.
One year we obtained the use of Wellington Hall, later known as Cooper Hall, to hold a Christmas concert. A car-pool was arranged to take us there and no one went short of a ride. We could always be sure that one of the Hilton boys would show up in one of the large farm trucks to take a couple of dozen people to whatever social was being held. Every school child in the district must have taken part in the concert; it was after midnight when the stage curtain was drawn and parents could claim their tired, but happy offspring. The yawning dads and moms helped them into their coats and led them to the door, where on the way out each child was handed a bag of Christmas candy and an orange, which the Home and School members had thoughtfully provided.
Link to the Facebook Group "West Calgary School" containing a few items, memories and pictures.
by John Cawthorne
ACROSS THE WIDE BLUE SEA
By Violet May Thorpe Cawthorn (Cross)
A story written by Violet Cawthorn a number of years ago recounting her life in the Calgary area, typed by her own hands. The story starts just prior to her Mother and Father coming across the Atlantic to make a new life in Canada.
Violet named the story "Across the Wide Blue Sea" it was found in her personal papers and I'm sure it was written for her family, so they all could better understand the way of life in the early times. I hope you enjoy Violet's writing as there are sad times as well as some happy times that are told in her own words.
My mother Margaret Cross was a miss Clubbe before her marriage to my father Thomas Percy Cross. The Clubbe's were a very respected family and lived in Wales for generations back. Grandfather Edwin Clubbe was a bricklayer by trade and he married Eliza Harrington. They had twelve children including twins. When mother was quite young the family moved away from Wales into Chester on the Duke of Westminister estate. There they kept the Post Office which my aunts looked after and this was combined with the general store. My grandmother died at the age of 45. Granddad lived on until his eighties and he never remarried.
My mother later worked in a shop in Chester and as it was pointed out to me when I visited England in 1971 - Uncle John said: "There's the shop where your mother worked, she was a cook there." We think it was there she first met my father, Thomas P. Cross. His mother was Emma Thomkinson before she married his father, Alfed Bowen Cross. My father was one of seven children and lived in Cheshire near Manchester.
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I like to believe the spirit that motivated my parents to cross a perilous sea that took ten days to complete a crossing has not died but is still marching on. My father and mother must have had a very venturesome nature when they decided to come to Canada in 1907. It must have been quite a change from their native England. I feel sorry they never had an opportunity to go back for a visit to see family, friends and old familiar places again. Canada was to be their home for the rest of their days. They landed in Quebec and the following year their first born arrived. They named their daughter Violet May Horpe Cross, the Horpe was the first name of my father's grandmother. It was so hot in Verdun, Quebec that summer and the new baby was taken daily down to the banks of the St. Lawrence river to be kept comfortable. In 1910 when I was two years old we came to Alberta to live. My father was a compositor by trade and he had an office at 27144-21 Avenue S.W. He made handbills on his printing press and special announcement cards for weddings. These would be sprinkled with gold dust. All type was set up by hand.
The morning of my fifth birthday was like any other one. Mother had finished making the beds and tidied the rooms. When she came back into the kitchen she said to me; "Violet you go and see what is in the bedroom for you." Well I knew what was in there, I had seen what was in there to see dozens of times. I sauntered in there. But wait, what was this pretty frilly lace trimmed object laying on the bed? As I came closer to look I saw it was a dolls cradle with a doll dressed in the most cheerful red color you would want to see. It was for me, sure it was because I was the only girl in our family. I gathered it up in my arms and ran to my mother to give a loving hug. I can still remember how pleased and thrilled I was at discovering my present.
I was now six years old and started school in that district. I learned each letter in the alphabet had two names, the grown up one and the little soft one. We were told the letter "h" was a chair. One teacher drew the letter P on the board to show us how to make it and said when you go home tell your Papa you can write his name.
There were three children in the family now, my brother Ronald who was three years old and a baby sister named Florence. Dad had moved us to Bridgeland while mother was in the General Hospital.
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Later in 1915 my family moved to the Glengarry district, there were only a few homes in this place of wide open prairie. A cottage school was more than large enough to accommodate children of school age. The teacher, Miss Mary Beth Rath was a wonderful person. She taught us from grade two through grade six; pupils and teacher moving up together. We were fortunate to have such a dedicated teacher; she shaped our lives for better with high ideals.
My family was among the founders of St. Martin's Anglican Church. That being in 1912 and their attendance book reads, the congregation numbered five. I received my Christian education in this church and still attend as a member to this day. My faith was sorely tried. It was bedtime and as I knelt in my night-dress by the side of the bed my long brown hair hanging down my back. Eyes closed and my head bobbing up and down as I beseeched my maker to bless Daddy and Mommy and make me a good girl. I was startled by something that landed on the top of my head. I felt sharp claws digging into my scalp. I raised my hands to lift nine pound weight off and they closed in on a bundle of fur. It was the family cat. She must have been attracted to my moving hair and pounced on it. I wasn't a very good girl because I got off my knees and spanked her. She had scared the daylights out of me.
When the church held it's annual picnic it was always at some nearby coulée or grove of trees within walking distance. Our minister The Rev. H. Wilford owned a car and would bring along the ice cream. It was in a gallon sized tin which was placed in a large barrel and ice packed around it. He also brought fresh water for the important cup of tea. (I can't ever remember coffee being used by anyone in the early days) A fire was built within a circle of rocks, the water heated in a tin lard pail to make tea.
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Mr. and Mrs. Wilford were childless. It was their dearest wish to have a child to comfort them in their old age. The Rev. Mr. Wilford looked after member of St. Martin's and her sister parish St. Marks. So well behaved were this couple that both clergy and the laity, also children of the Sunday school decided ask God to bless their home with a child.
Our prayers were answered, twins were born about 1922 and when they were two weeks old they were baptized. They were given their parents names Mary and Horace Wilford. The service was held in St. Marks Church and I was asked to present two silver porridge dishes to them on behalf of the people of St. Martins. I handed one to Mr. Wilford and one to his wife as they each held a baby in their arms. They later took their children home to England to be educated. There a statue stands on the lawn of the Rev. H Wilford in front of a church in England.
One summer day I was over at a neighbor’s, they lived about a mile away. It was the home of Dorothy Alders parents; she later married my cousin and became Mrs. E. Roberts. We children were romping about indoors and bouncing on beds. (Something I never let my own children do, when they came along) One bed stood by the window and lost my balance and went crashing through the pane of glass.
Children were in the habit of playing on beds more often in the old days, because the floors were very cold, drafty places in winter time. It wasn't very nice of me causing the window to break but it was an accident.
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I wasn't too badly cut, only a bit stunned from hitting my head against the window frame. It netted me a few days off school while my head cleared and a scar I will have for the rest of my days.
Dad decided we could live better if we owned a milk cow; this idea would be short lived as we soon parted with her. We bought her right off the range. A cowboy roped her and handed her to me to hold. I guess I didn't hold her hard enough because she broke away. The whole performance had to be gone through again. We then started out for home on foot, Dad and I tugged and pulled this frightened animal all the way. She was very reluctant to go to the Glengarry District or any other strange place for that matter.
We named her Bluei because she was a blue color. She never did take kindly to being tethered on a picket chain and liked it less when a fire hall was built on 26th St. S.W. a mere stones throw from our house. It was the clanging of the fire bell from pump no. 8 as it came careening out of the station, pulled by two jet black horses that caused poor Bluei to panic.
Dad decided to sell her to Mr. Dec Loxam who farmed in West Calgary a part of Springbank. There, she was free to roam the prairie again and over the years she helped populate the herd with many blue eared calves.
In 1918 there was a flu epidemic and any person who had a reason to go out among others was required to wear a mask. It consisted of several layers of cheesecloth and there were tapes attached to the sides to hook over the ears. Mother sent me on an errand down to the city hall to pay the light bill for her. When she put a mask on me I felt so silly. When I got downtown and saw everyone else with one on I didn't feel so foolish.
About this time I was saddened by the awareness of death. Irene Nevard a daughter of friends of ours took sick and I visited her in the hospital. I took her some peanut brittle candy which mother had broken into bite sized pieces because she said; "Irene could manage them better, since she was sick." I didn't realize how sick she was and never expected her to die.
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When next I saw her she was lying in a coffin in a funeral home. Her long blond curls were draped over her white dress and she was so still. I wondered, why were we dressed in our Sunday best and why the people were crying, then I realized Irene had died. I sobbed and cried and only then did the truth sink in; that there was sorrow in the world.
Soon after this a girl who had often been refered to as my twin, as we were together so much calling on each other to go to school. We were real buddies. We planned on going to the movies after school one day, we were given money for car fare and 25 cents each, 15 cents for the movies and 10 cents for candy.
When school let out at four we rode the streetcar into town then went to Woolworths store to select candy to eat while watching the movie. Lillian and I finally decided to spend our dimes on Jelly Beans, that would leave enough money to get into the theater.
Imagine our disappointment on reaching the wicket to find the girl putting up the card with the evening prices on it. We no longer had 25 cents each since we had bought the Jelly Beans and there was nothing we could do about it, so we went back home. I have never cared for Jelly Beans since.
The economy was slowing down and Lillians parents Mr. and Mrs. J McKenzie decided to go to the U.S.A. to live. The night they left I went to the C.P.R. station to see Lillian off. Lillian and I tearfully promised to keep in touch by letter and we did even though the family later settled in Vancouver. She later married and we sent letters back and forth for 47 years until her death in 1972.
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My school days were coming to an end; my ambition was to be a writer, to learn all I could about the craft and to be able to use the typewriter. Instead I become interested in horses and married the owner of those I used to borrow for riding. I say used to, as I no longer had time by the tail; was no longer the master of my destiny. I was to become the mother of seven children. Yes, I rose while it was yet night, but didn’t prepare meat for my hand maidens. There was no maids, no one to help. And my slogan was; “That you should have done and not have left undone the other.”Making ends meet was a daily struggle, living from hand to mouth. This was to be a way of life, one long battle to keep the wolf from the door. Flour bags were as valued as the flour they held. When empty these bags were washed and dyed then made into clothing for the family. The word Purity was very hard to wash out of these bags.
If the right side of the garment was faded after many months wear, it was unpicked and made up again with the wrong side out. Then I found the great coats that had been worn by soldiers in World War I, could, if I was lucky enough to have one; be made over into children’s moccasins. The heavy blanket cloth was ideal for this. They would have stood up much better if a low rubber had been worn over them. These I could not afford to buy as I did not have fifty cents to spend on each pair.
We had two or three milk cows and I could sometimes sell milk to a paying customer at ten cents a quart. I would ask twenty cents for a pound of fresh butter on churning day. This small amount of cash was sometime more than a customer had.
In 1936 the day the Aberhart Social Credit came into power, we were all gathered around the radio in the kitchen of the Sally Cartwright family. It was there we heard the results of the Provincial election. We were enjoying Cream Puffs I had made and taken there.
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When our farm site of five acres was purchased in 1927 there were very few homes in Springbank at this time. Our house was one that stood just about where Gibson’s bowling alley is now, that is by the Westbrooke Theater. It had gone back to the city for the taxes had not been paid on it. We bought it as a temporary home. My husband and his brother Ben with the aid of a couple of teams of horses moved it onto our five acres. This was during the time I was in the General Hospital giving birth to my third child a son Edwin.
I came home to find the house set down on the prairie but still on skids. I placed a parcel of pork chops under the house to use the next day, during the night we were awakened by cats howling and fighting over what was to have been our next days dinner. Our water supply was an eight-gallon milk can outside the back door.
Everything was in a chaotic confusion; my oldest child had not yet turned three and me in a weakened condition having to rough it. I shudder to think of it now. My husband trying to be helpful while I was in hospital said; “ We had taken the pillow slips off the pillows to keep the slips clean.” I am still trying to ponder that one.
Some how I kept my sanity and lived for better days, because he promised me (I was nineteen then) I would have a new house for my 21st birthday. Instead that was the start of the Dirty Thirties. We ended up adding a couple of rooms onto the same house. I have a new house now but it came forty years later. My son Ben and his brothers combined their talent and built it for me. It is a cozy bungalow with a stucco finish put on by my brother Ron who was assisted by his son Wayne and Ben. The old house was torn down in sections to clear the site and make room for the new one. A huge poplar tree planted in 1927 the same year I brought the baby Edwin home, still stands and is in front of the new house. It has weathered the years.
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Our son Edwin passed away May 13, 1934 five days before his sixth birthday. There was a tumor in the region of the kidneys. He was taken to the General Hospital for tests. I had a foreboding even before his Dr. told me that there was nothing they could do for him. We were allowed to take him home and told to keep him happy for the six months left for him to live. Memories of my beloved child are ever with me.
Ten years passed and on Oct 2, 1944 my life style was suddenly changed. We awakened to a lovely fall day; our crop was to be cut and the oat sheaves stacked.
I had prepared the noonday meal for the helpers who had come to get the harvest in. I was not to get a bite of food for myself until late that night. The school bus pulled into our yard and the driver said our son John had been hurt. He had fallen against a desk and has blood coming from his ear, his teacher had dismissed the whole class and the bus driver was told to take them all to their homes. He would now be free to take me and John to our family Doctor.
I hurriedly put my coat on and left everything just as it was and climbed into the school bus to go along with John. The driver said “I’m sure your son will be put in the hospital, so I will not wait for you.
John was given anesthetic when it was found there was a rip inside his ear that must be stitched. Dressing was applied and after John came out of the ether I was allowed to leave with him, but his Dr. wanted to see him in the morning.
This meant I would have to stay in town over night, it was getting late and John and I were weary and hungry as we rode the Street Car to my mother’s home where I planned to spend the night.
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She was surprised to see us and wanted to know why her Grandson had a bandage around his head, then in the same breath, asked if we had had our tea yet?
I said; “No we haven’t eaten since breakfast time.”
In a few minutes she placed food before us, and after we had eaten I went next door to use the phone as I new my husband would be anxious to her how John was. I said he is doing all right and we were staying at Grandma’s to night.
We cleared the tea dishes away and went to bed. It seemed to me, I had just gone to bed when there was a loud knock on the door. My brother Ron who was sleeping down stairs got up to answer the door. He then called to me that some lady wanted me.
I came out of my bedroom and saw my neighbor Mrs. Percy Watts standing in the doorway and then saw my son Ben to. He had come with her to show her where I could be reached. I saw the drawn look on her face and the scared hurt look in Ben’s eyes. The news they brought, my husband had dropped dead. The long history of heart trouble he had, claimed his life as the Doctor said it would.
What a day that had been. Such a change in my life style, there was no insurance as companies said people with heart trouble were high risk, there was no will.
My lawyer said; “There must be a waiting period of six weeks before any steps can be taken to settle the estate.
He gave me permission to sell a baby buggy, crib and a few other pieces of furniture immediately, but the 15 milk cows could not be put up for sale right then. My daughter Wilda and brother Roy just in their teens volunteered to tend them. At first I tried to be of some help with the milking to, I was not much help.
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I bundled the three children up and took them to the barn; sat them down in a corner out of harms way. They were too young to be left alone in the house. Then with much shaking and trembling decided to try to milk one of the cows. I placed the milking stool beside one of them and sat down with the pail between my knees. I reached up to her udder and she suddenly let fly the pail and knocked it and me onto the barn floor. Wilda, who was milking close by quickly came and helped me up. A bandage was applied to my sprained wrist. We then decided I should for my own good attend to the house keeping chores and not outside work. This proved to be the best plan and Wilda managed the milking very well until the time we could have an auction sale.
The day picked for the auction sale turned out to be one of the coldest ones in January. The posters advertised cows, horses and farm implements all have to be sold. Despite the weather, we went ahead with it. The local Red Cross set up canteen in our kitchen selling steaming hot coffee and doughnuts. The buyers seemed to spend most of their time going to their trucks and cars to start them to keep the battery from freezing up and then going indoors to drink hot coffee. This resulted in very poor bidding. The auctioneer declared, he was so disgusted with the poor returns that he felt like giving up auctioneering.
The Model Dairies had given one of their milk suppliers permission to buy five head of cattle. When I received the cheque from Mr. Cruickshank at the dairies he asked what kind of cows are these that sold for $35.00 a piece. I explained there was nothing wrong with them, that it was the weather that had been against us.
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This encounter had a silver lining; Mr. Cruickshank asked Wilda if she was thinking of getting a job now she wouldn’t have to work at home. He said if she was looking for work he could place her. She started there with a regular paychecks and was able to help us all. Her younger sister and brothers would watch for her as she came across the prairie, especially on payday when she always brought two bricks of ice cream home.
Wilda started keeping company with tall, curly haired John Wylie. He was employed by the dairy to and drove a milk truck, later he become a supervisor. They were married a year later and both continued to work. Wilda later left to raise a family of six.
Son Roy was then the oldest at home. He took a course in watch making and said; I will be able to give you $5.00 a week Mom from my $9.00 I was paid while taking the course.
Soon he was earning wages and wore three clean white shirts a week. It was now time for us to have a washing machine and Roy gave me $35.00 to put towards buying one. Roy now owns his own Jewelry Store. They have a family of two girls.
Son Ben was next to help, he started to work at Weston’s Biscuit Co. and later on a boat on the triangle run from Victoria down to Seattle. Money sent home from Ben’s wages was gratefully received. Ben then came home and apprenticed to the plastering trade. The year it rained all summer forced Ben to get other work. He joined the Calgary Fire Dept. and is a Captain. Ben and Mona had four children.
John started work for Eaton’s Dept. Store and a Welsh man from the Electrical Engineering dept. persuaded John to apprentice to the trade. He did and stayed with Eaton’s for ten years.
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He is presently in Drayton Valley and manager of TM Electric Co. His wife Isabelle operates a bookstore and is helped by his three children.
We kept in touch with St. Martins Church all through the years. Often Peggy and Allan Gale would call and give us a ride to church. Alan, now Rev. Mr. Gale owned a Buick and they and their six children and us four made quite a load.
Rev. Mr. Bill Askew the minister in charge would be scanning plains of a Sunday morning to see if we were coming. Peggy Gale was in the choir and would need a few minutes to put her gown on. With Allan’s expert driving we usually got there in time.
Rev. Mr. Askew was given two weeks leave to go to Vancouver to get married. Allan Peggy and Violet met the train when he returned with his bride. I don’t know how we managed to keep straight faces while Bill introduced his bride Irene to us. For we each had a fist full of confetti ready to toss on the smiling couple. They were well liked over the years they stayed. When they moved on tears were shed by us and them.
My Mother came to stay with us; she needed me to look after her. The children loved her and were pleased to a Grandma staying with us. She insisted on paying her share of household expenses. The times mother was to sick to attend church Rev. Mr. Arthur Peach would give her Holy Communion in my home, he was now the rector of St. Marin. I would be invited to partake to.
Mother later had a fall and broke her hip, she never recovered and died at the age of eighty one. Mr. Peach said; “when I get to be that age I only hope my mind will be as clear as Mrs. Cross’s.
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Her funeral was to be at St. Martins Anglican Church and while details were being completed I remarked to Rev. Peach that I was glad it was being held in a church. On that day as I and my sister Florence, brother Ron and our family mournfully walked down the aisle to take our seat, Rev. Mr. Peach commenced to read psalm 122 in a loud voice, saying; “ I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” We were greatly comforted by hearing those words.
The Peach’s Arthur and Marion and their four children lived here for ten years. They then moved to Ontario and we look forward each Christmas to a newsletter they send us; called the Peach Preserves.
Our doctors must have been very patient people. Their bills sent to us were paid off very slowly. We paid one dollar a month and on a rare occasion spared two towards them. I still have that stack of paid receipts and as I look over them from time to time; I can remember how I scrimped and saved to pay each one.
My children and I lived very meagerly; I was not able to go out to work with young children at home. Living in a rural district as we were created extra work. Water was carried in from the pump. If it froze up in winter and the water pail was empty, snow must be brought in and melted and heated. Then the resulting hot water was taken out and poured on the frozen pump to thaw the ice in it. There is a saying “He who saws his own wood warms himself twice” In below zero weather we would bring a fence post into the kitchen and my son John would lay it across an upturned bench or form. He would then saw the post into five logs. These would keep the fire going in the kitchen stove.
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We had moved into a tall wood framed house in 1942, it stood at the top of a hill by a road that led to the Twin Bridges. The road was a way to Bragg Creek. This house was owned by a Mr. Wright and was seven miles from Calgary. Our herd of cattle was increasing in numbers; this is why we moved to a place that had more pasture space. It was here on this farm that my husband died. By the year 1945 my children and I had moved back to our old house on the five acres. The taxes were very low, just thirty-six dollars a year. This changed when a few years later and Roy had reached manhood. I wanted to give him a piece of this land.
Our lawyer arranged to have the five acres subdivided and marked out into lots. This cost me about $169.00 and because it was now in lots the taxes immediately climbed. I decided to put some up for sale. The price was to be $200.00 per lot, we had some queer reaction from some would be buyers. They declared, why they would expect a house to be on it for that price. These were 126 foot by 50 foot, today $42000,00 wouldn’t buy one.
There was soon a rush on buying but I found out the Government took $30.00 off me claiming it was an unearned increment tax on each $200.00 lot I sold. I was in for another surprise; seeing that there was no will a lawyer must divide this between six children and myself. A trustee must be appointed to hold the younger children’s share until they reached twenty-one years of age. I was free to use my share to clothe the children and myself. I had no quarrel with the way the estate was administered but all this legal work was costly. I can only say all things work together for good for those that love God and trust Him.
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Those mouth watering Saskatoon berries were always ready the week after Stampede was over. (We called it the Fair in those days) Each summer the older children would get a three pound lard empty lard pail from home and set off for Shaganappi Golf Course. We said we were going to the golf links in those days. We were always quite sure our pails would not hold all the berries we would find. Our intentions were certainly of the best As we tramped along down the gully, we always went and peered over the edge of the ravine. Down there was a form of a baby colt was embedded in the ground among the shale. It’s stretched out form had become petrified and we could only gaze in wonder at the tiny thing laying down in the deep ravine. No one knew why it was there. After looking at it we went right down to the railroad tracks, crossed over to the Bow River along by Lowery’s Gardens. We thought it would be nice to bathe our feet to refresh us before picking berries. It happened so many times that we first stopped down by the river there was no berries picked that day. The hours just seemed to fly past and the day was drawing to a close. Tired and hungry we would start for home with our empty pails having nothing to show for our berry picking outing. We promised ourselves the next time we wouldn’t play in the river but instead use our time to pick Saskatoons.
There was another delightful place to wile the pleasant summer days away. The old quarry, north of 17th Ave. and 21st ST, S.W. There a spring of fresh water flowed from the rocks; high on the west side. A pool formed beneath this and children with their clothes tucked around their waist floated a raft on it. There were snails for those that were not too squeamish about gathering them. The day usually ended with an angry parent coming to look for us. We were then threatened with frightening sequences if we ever went near that water hole again.
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Mr. Harry Beacomb who was a counselor on the board at Springbank urged me to apply for a Mother's Allowance. I did and was told to wait until I was down to my last $2.00 before applying for assistance. Then I was given $50.00 a month. (Small amount I thought it was) I don't know what we would have done without it. Even then our supper was often boiled potatoes and dandelion greens ready for the children upon their arrival from school. Daughter Rhoda would say; "Gee Mom, that sure was good." One evening Ben came home from school with a sick headache. He didn't feel like eating and laid down until 10:00. I had saved a bowl of potato soup for him. He came out into the kitchen and feeling much better enjoyed his soup. "My that soup sure tastes good" he said.
The years went by and Rhoda finished school and commenced work at the Toronto Dominion Bank. She bought me a typewriter and helped me take a course in typing. Rhoda is now married to Willard James and though the mother of seven children she is a career woman too. She is a licensed Realtor and secretary to Century 21 office.
Then came the day my youngest one Joe was ready to fly the nest. He was very concerned about my welfare. How was Mom going to manage?
Joe had apprenticed to Refrigeration and Air-conditioning trade. He and his girl would like to marry. They did but not before my future was assured because a week before the wedding I got a call from the Calgary School Board. Joe and Leslie are the parents of two children. He is part owner of Startec a refrigeration business.
Now I had forgotten I had applied for work as a Housekeeper with the School Board a year before.
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I answered the phone to hear the caller say "this is the Calgary School Board office". "Are you still interested in coming to work for us?" the voice said. "Oh yes, I certainly am" I said. "My son is getting married next week and I won't have anything to do at home." The voice on the phone laughed at this bit of news and said "you come in and see me and ask for Mr. Layng". That is how I came to go out to work and I stayed with the board until retirement age.I really enjoyed getting out and meeting people and teachers are such a nice class of people, in fact all the staff are great. I have a wealth of happy memories stored away and look back now and then to think of the many friends I made while working at Westgate Elementary School.
Looking back through the years it seemed as if there was a roll of carpet laid down. As it unrolled we stepped on it and trod the straight and narrow path with loved ones.
In the early days Mrs. Fannie Gardiner came to visit us and she brought a cream colored flannel coat for the youngest child. She said "my dear I know the struggle you are having to raise your family but mark my words, God will make something of your children."
Although at times I didn't think they had much to look forward to I was wrong. They are all self supporting and have turned out well.
Today my children lay their special talents at my feet whatever they may be. I lack for no good thing.
In 1957 the city extended its boundaries and our district was given the name Rosscarrock. We had quite a job learning to spell that name right. School aged children just assumed we now lived in “Rosscarrot” The name was thought to have been brought from Scotland by the Hilton family. Mr. and Mrs. J Hilton owned a diary farm which was where the Royal Bank, across from Bow Trail is now. They and their children, Nettie, Bill, Jordie, Agness and Jimmie lived in a very large house which had been the former home of the Tregellis family. There was a spacious ballroom in this big house and Mr. and Mrs. Hilton kindly allowed the Ratepayers to hold occasional socials and dances here. This diary farm was still in operation in 1942.
THE QUONSET school
During the forties a prefabricated metal building was erected along side the cottage school. This new Quonset School had two rooms in it and Rhoda and Joe Cawthorn can remember Mr. Frank Kennedy teaching there, also Mrs. Mary Campbell and Miss Noonan. It was necessary for the teachers to remain after school on the night of a Home and School Meeting, and we arranged to have them eat supper at the homes of some of our members. How pleased a child was to be able to say, "teacher had supper at our house last night".
Quite often, Larry McCool, whose mother was on the executive entertained us with selections on the piano and his young sister, Beth delighted in singing the tunes he played. Many socials and dances were held in this roomy school and there was also a telephone in the building. A Mrs. Lottie Williams or was it Millar of the St. John’s Ambulance Society offered to teach a course in first aid, providing someone could meet and return her to the street car stop each week. It was agreed by those wanting to take the course that they would take turns meeting our instructor. That was in the spring of 1952 and the melting snow from the hills covered the roads with water. Car owners questioned whether or not they could make it to the car stop, let alone get her back to it. Mr. Wilcocks wondered if it wouldn't be better to cancel the meetings so we could get on with the job of bailing the water out of our basements. But in spite of the spring thaw not one class was cancelled during the ten week course. The Doctor who came to the final class to give us the test was pleased when Mrs. Steer showed him were the phone was so that he could check with his answering service. Mrs. Mary Wilson, Corps Superintendent of St. John’s Ambulance presented certificates to Home & School members who completed the course.
The winds of progress were in the air and I had our five acres subdivided into lots, which gave the city a right to claim footage all around the former acreage and also to run an alley down the centre of our property. When the tax bills on the now subdivided property came to me I knew what the words “land poor” meant, we could no longer afford to keep it. I put the lots up for sale and the fifty ft. lots sold for $200.00 a piece. And since our old house had commenced to fall apart my son Ben with the help of the rest of the family built a new modern Bungalow on our last remaining lot.
In 1958 our two schools were closed, the buildings dismantled and the students were sent to Vincent Massey School while a new one was being built. It was ready for use by 1961 and was named Rosscarrock.
The early Home and School presidents of our former schools were; Mrs. Martha Wilson, Mrs. Violet Cawthorn, Mrs. Mary Hogg and Mrs. Alma Stone.
The end
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A footnote to the story has been included above
N.B. The two following quotes should appear in the forgone stories:
Mr. Jack Ramsden page 7. Quote by Mr. Jack Ramsden: We are praying for a particular person just by being concerned about them."
Page 12.
Hauserman write up: There is a Russian Lilac growing in many of the gardens today. The seed for this plant was brought here by the Hauserman family from Russia. To make sure it wouldn't die out Mrs. Hauserman distributed some of the seed to her neighbors, saying, "if some thing should happen to my plants I will know where to get some more."