Reminiscences
by Winnifred Alexander“My Year at White Cloud”
In writing about the year at White Cloud School, where I taught one year while the second world war was on, I am going to take it season by season. When the superintendent asked me to teach in this school, it was to be for only one month. By that time he was sure that he could find a permanent teacher to take over. Because of the war, he was finding it hard to keep all of the schools open in his division. So many teachers had answered the call of their country and gone overseas that teachers were hard to find. Many schools had already been closed. Because it was to be for only a short time, I agreed to help him out.
The distance from our farm to the school was about twelve miles by the road. I was going to have to ride my horse, as the only vehicle we had was a large grain truck which would be needed every day on the farm. I found out that by taking another route, I could cut the distance to seven miles. To do this, I followed another road for about a mile. I then cut through a farmer’s pasture, followed a path through the woods, and galloped over open prairie to the top of the river hill. I then wended my way down through trees and shrubs, until I emerged near the river’s edge. Here the river was shallow and my horse could wade right across to the other side. Then we wound our way up the hill, following a cow path through the trees growing on this steep river bank. Up on top we had open prairie again for a good run to Mr. Babb’s pasture. Crossing the pasture we arrived at the school.
That autumn the ride was really beautiful. The trees were golden with their coloured leaves, which crackled underfoot as we rode over the fallen ones. Wild geese and cranes were honking their way south to warmer climes. Other birds were gathering into flocks for their long migration. It was a lonely ride, as no one lived between our place and the school. As I did not follow a regular road, I saw no one, from when I left home, until I reached the school. The only building I saw was an old tumbledown shack, overgrown with trees, near the river’s edge. Someone had lived there long ago.
The school had one classroom. An entryway and cloakroom was on the front. There was a storage cupboard here for extra supplies. A large stove stood in a back corner of the classroom to supply heat when the weather grew cold. Some children had the job of coming early on cold days and starting the fire. Another family brought clean drinking water. There was a large playground for the children and a barn for the horses. Playground equipment was a softball, some bats and a couple of larger balls. There was no running water, no telephone, and two outhouses served as toilets.
There were twenty-two children in the school, with all grades from two to eight. The number of students didn’t seem too many to me, as I had been teaching a class of forty plus for some years but there were more grades here, which offered a challenge. It was my first experience in a country school and I was looking forward to this new adventure. At recess all the children, big and little, played softball. Other games such as kick the can, run sheep run, and red light were popular games. I remember that someone donated us an old mattress and I taught the children pyramid building.
Some of the children rode to school but most of them walked. They gathered the autumn flowers and collected leaves as they walked along. They always had interesting things to report – seen – heard or found on their way to school and back. I was getting the work organized – the work was going well. Everything was going nicely and soon the permanent teacher would be here to take over. It didn’t work out that way. One night the superintendent phoned me to say that he had not been able to find a teacher and could I possibly stay another month. I said that I would stay.
Thanksgiving came with turkeys and pilgrims decorating the walls. The days were chillier now and frost was on the ground some mornings. The children had a Red Cross Club going. Every afternoon, knitting needles were taken out. The children worked busily knitting wool into scarves for the soldiers. Some of the children had older brothers in the forces. Whenever a letter came to their family from these brothers, the news was all relayed to school. The whole school looked on these young soldiers, from their district, as their own heroes and the young brothers, who brought the news, basked in reflected glory. Armistice Day was celebrated with poppies and crosses. This day had a very real meaning to these children this year with the world at war. Soon November was over and December was here and I was still the teacher.
The days were getting very short. One little seven year old girl who walked with her sister nearly four miles said to me one day, “It is dark when I leave in the morning and it is dark when I get home.” I could have said the same thing except that I was not just seven years old and I did not walk. One morning when I reached the river, my horse put his foot forward into what he thought was the water but his foot just clattered down on the ice. The river had frozen over. It startled him and he reared up on his hind legs. I was afraid to try to urge him on in case he would rear up again so I just sat there trying to decide what to do. My horse just stood there looking at the river and I guess he was also trying to make up his mind for suddenly he picked up one front foot and brought it down with a mighty crash, breaking the ice into the water. He then did the same with the other foot and we crossed the river breaking the ice as we went. We did this every day until one morning it wouldn’t break and we were able to cross on the ice. My horse was well shod and he did not slip on the ice.
A CHRISTMAS CONCERT
One day, early in December, the children surrounded me with the information, “We always have a Christmas Concert. Since you are still here, we can have one.” I was quite taken aback, as I looked at these eager, starry-eyed children. I had never really thought that I would still be here for Christmas and concert had not entered my mind. They informed me that it was a yearly event and very important and an event that the whole district looked forward to. How could I refuse? “We will have a concert,” I said. The children all cheered. From then on preparations went ahead. Plays were picked out, Christmas music learned and the children were turned into little actors and actresses. The parents held a meeting to decide about lunch, treats and gifts. Costumes were made and the great day drew near.
Then the day really was there and we were ready. The stage had been built, curtains put up and the children let out at noon so they could go home and get ready. Excitement reigned high. When evening came all was in readiness. The curtain went up on schedule – the children did their best. Parents clapped and even one boy who had absolutely refused to learn a recitation about Christmas elves and fairies, and had been talked into a compromise, stalked onto the stage, doing himself proud, dressed as a terrible pirate and recited the Pirate Don Dirk of Dundee. Then Santa arrived with gifts and candy bags for everyone. Lunch and treats were served and the evening ended with a dance.
THE LOST WATCH
January arrived and a teacher had not been found. It was either close the school or I should go on teaching. I just couldn’t let those children lose out. I stayed. The world had changed over the Christmas holidays. The snow was much deeper and the winds colder. The trees and shrubs were covered with hoarfrost and snow. The prairie chickens had decided to roost in the trees in the woods that I rode through. The first morning I entered, they all flew down and away. After a few mornings they decided that I was not a threat to them after all and they didn’t bother to fly away. I quite looked forward to seeing them every morning as they turned their little heads to watch me pass through. Coming home at night the owls started to hoot. First, one, on one side of the river, would hoot. The owls on the other side would answer. Back and forth, back and forth, they called to each other, their hoots ringing over the valley. One morning the temperature dropped to forty below zero and a wind was blowing. My husband refused to let me go. The next morning was only thirty degrees below and the wind had gone down so I donned my husband’s mackinaw, fur hat, gloves and my felts and went. I could hardly move but I made the trip all right. That night I rode over the fields to Treffry’s home, which was not far and stayed all night. The weather warmed up over night so I rode home again the next night. One day when I got to school, I found that I didn’t have my watch. I didn’t know whether I had forgotten to put it on or if I had lost it. If it was lost I had no idea just where, as I didn’t stick to the same trails everyday – just let my horse pick whatever path suited him. That day I just guessed at the time – had lunch when we were hungry – had recess when we thought it was time and let school out when we finished our lessons for the day. There was a clock in the school but it had never worked since I had been there. That night I looked in the house and barn, at home over and over but could not find my watch. It must be somewhere on the way to White Cloud but it had snowed that day. I had little hope of ever finding it. By the end of January we had completed a lot of the year’s work. When the superintendent told me again that he had not found a teacher I told him that I would finish the year out. After all the weather would be getting warmer wouldn’t it? I also decided that if a teacher did happen to be found at this late date it would just cause a lot of adjustment for the children and since I had got through the worst part of the winter I would finish the year out.
February came and went with a Valentine’s party. The weather wasn’t too cold and we were getting well along with our work. With February coming to an end everybody was on the lookout for signs of spring. We still had some pretty snowy days but we knew it would soon get better. Sometimes the roads were quite icy, particularly one that went past the school. One day I had just arrived at school when I saw a little girl coming down the hill on this road, some distance from the school. Suddenly her pony slipped and she was thrown headlong off her horse. The pony took off as fast as she could run, down the road and then over a field and out of sight. I rode quickly up the road to help the child who was crying and frightened but didn’t seem to be badly hurt. I took her down to the school and leaving her with some other children, went to look for her pony. I found her on the other side of the bush where her bridle had caught on a tree and this had stopped her from going any farther. I led her back and put her in the barn so the little girl would have her to ride home on.
In April, sunnier days and soft snow underfoot caused my horse’s feet to clog up with snow. I had to stop at the top of the river hill and clean them out one day. The next day and every day until the snow was finally gone, he just stopped and waited for me to do the same thing. One day on my way home from school, I had just reached the top of the hill before going down when he lost a shoe. I got off and picked it up. I then took him very carefully down the hill. Across the river I was going quite carefully when he lost a second shoe. I picked it up too and then I just let him trot gently along as he seemed to be coping quite well. As I was going down the trail I saw something flash right under the horse’s stomach. I checked him quickly to prevent him stepping on it. There, lying just where some snow had melted off it, was my watch! I couldn’t believe it. I wound it up and it went. I still have it today. It is fifty years old.
A COUGAR IN THE DISTRICT
March was here now and spring was really on its way. About this time a rumour went around the country. Some cattle had been missing and some killed. A cougar had been sighted in the river valley and he was blamed for the killing. This made me very nervous about crossing the valley every day. I kept a sharp look-out but I never saw any signs of a cougar. I started crossing the river valley in record time from then on. One morning I had just crossed the river and was just about to start up the other side when I heard a real commotion and realized that whole herd of cattle was tearing down the hill, through the bushes, as if being chased by something. I immediately thought, “COUGAR.” I pulled my horse into the trees out of sight. I watched as the cattle plunged down the hill, out of the trees and toward the river. Then to my intense relief, came a large German Shepherd running behind them and chasing them for all he was worth. Suddenly, he caught sight of me and turned and headed off down the valley and out of sight. He was just out having fun I guess, as there was no one with him.
The days were definitely longer now. The snow was starting to melt on the hills. One morning a crow flew, cawing, across the valley, proclaiming that spring was really just around the corner. More snow came, on and off, but everything was a little warmer and we all knew it was just a matter of time until we could put winter behind us for another year. St. Patrick’s Day was observed with Irish hats, pipes and shamrocks being painted and displayed on the walls. The children were always on the lookout for signs of spring and sightings of gophers, and early returning birds were daily reported. As the snow melted, little patches of grass appeared between the patches and this led to an exciting event.
A PRAIRIE FIRE
One breezy day, school had been let out and the children sent on their way home. I was still, luckily, in the school, doing some work, when the door flew open and Elmo, eight years old, came rushing in shouting “The prairie’s on fire – the prairie’s on fire and we can’t get it out, no matter how hard we try.” He was as white as a sheet! I ran outside with him and sure enough the smoke was pouring up into the sky over in some pasture land. I sent Elmo back into the school and told him to stay there while I went to see what had to be done. As I rode closer to the fire, I saw Elmo’s twin brother running back and forth, to a little puddle, with an old tomato can full of water, trying to put the fire out. Taking stock of the situation, I sent Ernie back to the school and told him to stay with his brother until I came back to the school later. The boys, it seems, had been lighting those little patches of grass, every day, for some time, and the fire just ran a little way before going out when it reached wetter grass or some snow. Today, however, the warm, brisk winds had dried the grass and the boys had a full scale fire going.
Taking stock of the situation, I saw that the fire was heading right toward the Babb home and I knew that they were away in Edmonton and the fire could also get to the school. I rode, as fast as I could, to the Vegso farm and prayed that they would be home. They were. Mr. Vegso put barrels of water on a stone boat and came hurrying to the fire. He and I fought fire and we finally got it out. Mr. Vegso then told me to go on home and he would watch it in case it started up again. I went back to the school to send two frightened, repentant little boys home with a lecture on fire safety and to confiscate a pocket full of matches from them.
A FAITHFUL FRIEND
About now, the same little girl that fell off her pony, on the icy road earlier, had another problem. Her German shepherd dog started following her to school every day. He was very protective of her, and the other children could not go near her on the playground without him threatening to bite them. This was bad enough but soon decided to come right into the classroom and sit right beside her. He would not let me near her to help her or mark her work. We were all afraid of him. I asked the parents to tie him up until the girl got to school. As soon as he was turned loose, he just arrived at school again and the problem was still there. It was finally solved when the parents kept the dog in until the child would be on her way home. He just hurried to meet her.
A SHORT CUT TO SCHOOL
Easter was here and a week’s holiday, after which I had a new little pupil in Grade One. We were into our last term. I was pleased with the progress the children had made. The ice on the river was beginning to melt. There was some water on top of the ice but so far the ice was firm underneath. One day on reaching the bank, I found that the river ice had gone out. Blocks of ice were floating downstream. The river had risen and seemed to be flowing very fast. I stopped at the river’s edge and just sat there wondering if it was too deep to cross and if I should just go around the twelve miles by road. Just then my horse made up his mind what to do. He plunged right in and ahead – deeper and deeper the water came. About the middle he lost his tooting and he was swimming – but only for a few strokes and he touched bottom again and we were wading toward the shore and dry ground. That night I had nightmares of surging rivers and blocks of ice tearing along. The next day I rode the long way around and after school I rode over to Mrs. Treffry’s house and stayed with her until the river went down and I could wade through it again. This took about three weeks.
A HAIR RAISER
One day after school that spring, a little girl came running back and into the school. She announced that a little boy was down the road with a gun and was going to shoot her. I was sure that this couldn’t be and I told her to go along home. She said she was afraid to go home alone as there was a boy with a gun and he was really going to shoot her. I finally decided to go part way home with her and see for myself what was going on. I got my horse and we started down the road. We went quite a way but we didn’t see any boy. Then she suddenly pointed over to some trees and sure enough there was the boy! He had the gun! As he came running over, he was crying, “I wasn’t really going to shoot her. I was just trying to scare her.” I took the gun from him. It was a twenty-two and it was loaded. I told him to go home as fast as he could and that I would be there to see his parents as soon as I took the little girl home. When I reached the boy’s home and told the mother what had happened she said that she had no idea that he had taken the gun to school. She assured me that he would not get it again. She then insisted that I come in for a cup of tea. She got out some cake and seemed awfully glad to have company. I think she had rather a lonely life. She got out pictures of her family. I finally persuaded her that I really had to leave and be on my way home. When I did get back to the river, it was to find my husband sitting on the other side waiting. He had been worried when I hadn’t arrived home on time.
AN OLD FRIEND
The last month was finally here. Exams were prepared for and written. One day the superintendent paid us a visit. He thanked me for keeping the school running. I assured him that it had turned out to be a very interesting year for me, one that I am very glad I had. As I look back at that year at White Cloud, I feel it was a really great experience. The children were wonderful. They are all grown up long ago and some have remained my good friends through the years. Years afterwards, when my own children were older, I went back teaching – this time in the Wainwright School. There was a little boy in a classroom down the hall from my room. I kept looking at him as he passed down the hall each day, for he reminded me of someone – but I couldn’t think just whom. One day he came running over and said, “My daddy asked me, to ask you, if you remember the day he set the prairie on fire?” “Now, I know who you are,” I said. “You are Ernie Myer’s little boy. You tell your daddy that I certainly do remember the day he set the prairie on fire. You look just like him.”
My Year at White Cloud
Submitted by M. Winnifred Alexander
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