School Days

The Player Piano
Basketball Uniforms in the 1950's


Fort Macleod Public School and High School
The School I attended in Grade 1 and 2 was the Orton Country School one mile from our home. I walked to School everyday by myself, through all kinds of storms, blizzards, rain, and snow. I was dressed very warm, only my eyes peeked out of my knit hat and scarf around my neck. I lived in Canada the frozen North. One teacher taught Grades 1 through 12 in this Country School. Just like Little House on the Prairie.I was the only one in Grade 1 and 2. There were two or three children in each Grade. We had a small Pot Belly Stove to heat the School.

The Teacher rang an old fashioned School Bell at recess to tell us to come back to class. Some of the children, who lived farther away, rode their Shetland Pony to School. We made an Ice rink at the School in the Winter to Skate on. I had boys skates that my Parents bought at the Thrift Store. One day I fell on the ice, and cut my chin badly and needed stitches. My Brother Ron went to School for the First Grade here too.

Then we rode the School Bus to the nearest seven miles from our home, to the Town of Fort Macleod, for the rest of our School days. We had the Basics, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.We had Physical Ed.Classes to keep us healthy and trim and Basketball Sports Program.
We had strict rules to obey, you weren't allowed to chew gum or talk in class. If you did, you were taken out in the Hall and given 3 hits on both hands with a 2 inch wide leather strap by your Teacher. The rest of the class could hear the punishment being given to each child. I was obedient and never got the strap. A lot of boys did get it. If you forgot to do your Homework you had to stay after School and write on the blackboard 100 times, "I will remember to do my homework." or "I will not fight on the playground."
One day I was late for the bus at school and fell on a broken bottle on the sidewalk, cutting a big gash in my knee through my brown cotton stockings. I arrived home and told Mother. Then my parents rushed me back to town to the Doctor, to get stitches in my knee. I was on crutches for awhile until it healed. I had a hard time climbing the stairs at School. Our School in Fort Macleod was brick with two separate entrances on each end of the School. There was a Boys entrance and a Girls entrance. Also they each had their own playground, No mixing boys and girls at recess on the playground. There were about 200 children at this School.

We took our paper bag lunch, which was usually a Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich and a apple or orange, maybe a cookie sometimes. No Junk food or drinks. We drank from the School's water fountain.

I was very shy and only had a couple of friends. During High School I learned how to play Basketball and loved it I was on the B team which travelled to the surrounding Towns. I played forward on the team. My Mother sewed my Basketball Uniform.

During the Noon Lunch Hour several Farm Students would gather around the Old Player Piano in the Hall and play the old songs, and sing along to them. My favorite was "Bye,Bye Blackbird". The Player Piano, could play my its self, you just put the music roll in and peddle it and it would play wonderful music. I also learned the game of Badminton at the Noon hour.

In High School I was in the Big Drama Production, I was a Mammy, a Black Lady and had my face blackened. We sang a lot of songs.I don't remember the names of them.It gaver me confidence to perform.

I Graduated from High School in 1956. Then I went into Nursing School for next three years.