louise behm interview - Lloydminster Public Library

LOUISE BEHM INTERVIEW
WITH WES SAUNDERS
JUNE 9, 1998
Hello, my name is Wes Saunders. Today is June 9, 1998. Our guest at this time is long
time Lloydminster resident Louise Behm.
We will commence the inlerview in 5 seconds.
I hope you don't mind me calling you Louise.
No, I'm quite comfonable with that.
Alright. Thank you very much for allowing us to chat with you and get an idea of what
your early life was all about. First of all, what about your parents now? Can you tell rne
where they were born?
My dadwas born tn Appleby, England. That was in Cumbria England. And my mother
was born in Keswick, England.
Nowo when did your parents arrive in Canada?
My dad arrived in Lloydminster in 1906 and my mother came in 1910.
And where did they settle?
They settled...they were matried in the little log church which is at Weaver Park now on
July 19, I910 and they settled on the country on the homestead.
tlh huh. You
It was
say on the country. Where would that be?
six miles north on the Alberta side on
Hwy
17.
The original homestead?
Yes, this is right.
Now, you were born in what year?
I was born May
1i,, 1912.
May I I is my birthday, too.
Is that right? Well, congratulations.
Yes, right. And uh, how long did you stay on the homestead?
I
lTell, I was there till lJinished school. I took Grade 9 schooling at Westdene School.
took Grade 9 and then there was no tnore. And I wos the oldest of thefamily. No chance
going to high school in town so Iiust went out to work.
I see. Now
of
again your parents, uh, why did they settle on the outskirs of Lloydminster?
Well he wanted to be afarmer.
Wm he
a farmer?
My dadwas afarmer, absolutely
Before he came to Canada?
Well, he was what they called a...he workedfor the gentry in England
Uh huh
And he was gamekeeper who looked after the... whatever birds there was and he had an
idea offarming you see. He didn't farm actually himself but that is what he workBd at.
And he came to Canada because he heard about getting a homesteadfor $10 and be your
awn boss and there was nofuture of that where he was.
So that would be quite an attraction then.
Yes it was. That was sn
attractionfor a lot of those Barr Colonists that came to Canada.
Yes
So you say he arrived
in 1906. Well then the colonists, the Barr Colonists they were in
1903. So three years later he arrived. So he must have arrived right in the middle of a very
busy time.
it was I guess. I don't think there was no railway here when he came I'm sure. ln
1906, I don't think so.
Yes
And what were the important things that you learned from your parents?
well, they workcd very hard. We were brought up very strict and...but, and timer were
very hard but we never went to bed hungry. You lcnow what I mean? They worlced hard.
They gwe us good...They gave us the best they could under the circwnstances.
W
And certainly the conditions were very very trying.
Very trying.
My mother teft a job in Englandwhere she workedfor these gentrywho kept a staffof 14
servants and she was the head cook She came out and got married out to the country apd
she would never see
owomanfor
six months. There was nothing but bachelors.
It must have been quite a culture shock for her.
I don't ktrow how they kept their sanity. I really don't.
But what do you think were the important influences that your parents had on you?
Oh. Important influences...I just don't lmow how to answer that.
Were there some golden rules passed on?
Oh there was. There certainly was.
What did they expect you to do?
Well you had to helpwith theworkyou lvtow. And if I could get out to the barn and help
my Dad rother than wash dishes in the kitchen, I did it. But no we had to help and we had
to be around home all the time.
There was no gaddiftg around. And helpednqt dad stook and houl water.
You had to be a full participating member of the family.
Yes, that's right-
Did you thiril<the discipline of your parents was too harsh?
I
used to think it was owful harshwhen
I was younger but I think it was goodfor us. Yes I
think it was...no I think it was...
You never suffered for it.
No we didn't suffer andwe learned to respect our parents, you lvtow. What they saidwqs
it. Youwere no...
So they passed that on to you more or less.
Oh I guess. Yes yes.
Personal discipline really. What do you think your parents would have thought of today's
world?
I don't lcnow. I really don't lvtow because things have changed see my dad has been gone
for thirty one years and my mather thlrty and things every ten years: Things iust change
too much. No I really don't lvtow. I olways say they'd turn over in their graves.
What do you think was the best part of your childhood?
part of my childhood? Oh I thinkmy school days were. I loved school. I loved schogl
and I think that was the best. Yep.
Best
Best part of it.
Yes
And you took your schooling where, now?
In llestdene School. That was four miles north of town and Wo miles weqt.
How big of school was it?
Just a country school. There was grades one to nine with one teacher and maybe about
usually about twenty, twenty three pupils.
That would be considered a big class
Big school
Big school.
You mean the teacher taught all the grades one to nine?
And tfi..Do you recall a teacher that stands out in your mind? Was that teacher that stood
out in your mind the first one you had?
went to school, yes that teacher. And then in grade 9 we had
three teachers in one yesr. Just, things happened and that was that was hard.
Yes,
I remember
when
lfirst
Tried to adjust.
To me the teachers were all good.
I like the teachers and I liked as I say I liked going to
school
So you
didn't select one teacher over another really.
Not really no. No.
What benefit has schooling been to you?
l(ell,
One thing that
I was very happy that we learned to do our arithmetic and to use yoqr
head and not a calculator.
Do you still do that today?
4
Yes I do. I've never had a calculator in rny lifeAnd I loved reading andwritingyou know.
Readingwriting and arithmetic and spellingwere my subjects in schaql
All the basics.
Uh huh all the basics yeah.
So were there any other sources of education that were beneficial to you besides the three
you mentioned?
I thinkwell in grade 9 I passed...I didn't pass geometry but I passed Algebra but going
through school Iwas no good ot writing compositions no...um...what do you call it?
No.
Originality er you lotow.
Essays or things like that?
It
made the things
infront of me I could do it. That's right. No
esscys.
No essays.
Andwe never had any public speaking except the Christmas concert. That's the only time
we get up infront of people.-.
Once a year.
Once ayear, that's
So you really
right
didn't get a lot of practice.
We
didn't get any practice. Not like children now. Now a days.
So
it was all head work prettY well.
Yes.
What were the main source of activities for young people in those early years?
Well, at school we used to you lmow play ball and but really we didn't go to very much
activities. Whenwe were kids.
If you weren't in school you were working
on the farm,
I suppose.
ysh, and we got to the foir because my mom and dad used to exhibit at
We'd get to that.
But we would get to town once in a while but not very often'
the
fair you
lstow-
No
No.
What was the main from of transportation in those days?
until I was seven years old, my dad had oxen. And then he got horses. And I was
finished school before he got a car.
l4rell
Is that right? So once he got horses, then were you attracted to the horses in any way or?
Well we rode horseback to school you see. There were six of us andwhen all six of us
were going, well we then took the sleigh and the team in the winter and the democrat the
two wheeled buggt, the two seated bugg in the summer time.
And if dad needed the horses, we'd have to walk.
You'd have to use shanks pony.
Were there any other forms of recreation that you took part in?
Not really.
Any other sports at all?
No, I never played ball and I never...no not interest not really no.
I didn't get into hockey and that until after I got married.
Oh, then you took part?
Well I didn't take part no but we used to..-my husband...he liked to go and set sndwatch
the sports. He didn't takc part.
Spectator.
Spectator sport, yes that's right. Hockey and baseball.
Right, well, we have to have spectators.
Yes,
tltat's righL And
I still go to the Junior Blazer games
Good for you. Now what happened on the farm now? Did your father stay on the farm
indefinitely?
Myfather stryed on thefarm until my brother got married and then they moved...my mom
and dad moved to town and my brother took over the form. And that was fifty two years
ago when my brother took over the farm. But it was in the Whiting name for eighty, iust
obout 80, 79 years it was in the Whiting name.
Boy, that's a long record isn't it?
Uh huh and now it's in the family but my niece and her husband have the homestead now.
Close relationship anywpy.
Yesh yes yeah
That's an enviable record
It is quite a record.
Sure is. I don't lmow if there is others. I sttppose there are otherfarms
the some.
Sure.
Yes
yes
How difficult was it living on the farm as a young giql?
haul water for cattle and house and
everything and when I got old enough. Come home from school and change your
good...you had one dress for school and change that, get into something your older
clothes, hitch the team of horses to the wagonwithfour of those wooden barrows, go one
mile and a half pull the water out of the pail out of the well andfill those buckets and
come home andpitch in the tankfor cattle.
Very
dfficult. First of all we had no water.
We had to
Every day
Every day and then dad had to haul winter and summer
Boy that would take some doing.
That was one really draw back
LIh huh, that would be difiicult.
Yes
Were there any other risks involved in running a farm in those days?
frozen. They didn't get it in early like the
in
the
fall.
farmers do now and then it wouldfreeze
And I remember one yeor and dad had just gone around theJields once with the binder on
a bigfield ofwheat and q snow come the next morning. He never got it.
Yes, the crop were...in the early days, crops were
He lost it. So it would be a difficult yeqr?
Dfficult.
Very
dfficult.
Were there many diffrcult years like that?
Well, when they started they had to just have ten acres of land ready to seed and then eqch
yem they had to do a bit more you. You lvtow.
Aerible land I guess.
it was nearly oll bush then you Imow. There wos a lot more bush then there is
now. It wasn't big stuffbut it all had to be cleared and broke.
Yes, and
Sure.
And he had to break it with the oxen and I lcnow he used to sqt get a hot day in the summer
and the heelflies bad and the oxenwould go to a slough and they would stay thero til
night. You couldn't do anything aboa it....very aggrewting.
I would think so. What do you think was the
success that your father had?
Infarming?
Yes, why was he successful in farming?
Because he worked very very hard.
He put the time in.
He put the time in and they always grew a garden so we always hadyou lvtow. We lived
offthefarm in those days. And used to take the wheat in thefall to getflour made andyou
lcttow. They worked hard and didn't have much enioyment. Put it that wry.
No.
No, No.
No time for enjoymerlt,
No.
Because
it was all work.
This is right.
Becquse
tf you had cows to milkyou had to be there morning and night which he did.
Now what did you learn that would be important advice for, say, other people going into
farming?
Well, then you got to work hard and it's a big risk like weather has a g'eat deal to do with
farm whether you are successful on the farm or not no matter how good youfarm- If we
dan't get rain within a week or ten days there is going to be a lot offumers that are going
to be in bad shape.
Well we are here in June in 1998 and its very dry.
h
is.
Around Lloydminstep.
And it was an early spring and they got their crop in early and its up beautiful and if
doesn't get rain they will be bad. It'll be very disastrous for a lot of them.
i1
Well we'll certainly hope that picture will change very quickly.
And in the early days theywere mixedfarmers you know, not just grain or cat..Theywere
mixed farmers, you know, not just grain. On our farm there was cattle and there was gigs
and there was chickcns andyou know.
You had to diversi$
You had to diversify. This is right. There was no just.
No specialization.
No. Lilre the grainfarmers now or the ranchers, course the ranchers they have to have
some.-_
Of course the farms are a lot bigger today. Oh, much bigger.
Oh, my dad just had a quarter sectionfor years then he was able to get aother quarter but
he just had half section the whole time.
Well, lets move along Louise now to marriage and family. First of all, let's touch on your
fist marriage. And that was to...
Tony Hamlin
Tony Hamlin, the Hamlin name of course very well known in this area.
Yes he painted in Lloydminsterfrom 1928-1968. You know, houses and he used to do the
schools and everything. We were married in January 1934 snd he passed oway September
of 1968 at 34 years of marriage.
Wow, that was a long record for him.
It
was, yes. But he died very young at 67.
Yes, yes. And then you met your second husband.
Well after I was widowed. I was widowed for four years when I met Steve and we werQ
married. I had seven and a halfyears of married hopW life together when he passed aT a!
at 68.
Wow
Young menfor this time of the year you lotow the age.
That's right. Well I knew Steve quite well and we used to talk quite a bit.
Oh yes.
And he worked for Noyes as a mechanic and he was interested in sports a lot.
Oh he wos great. Interested in softball. He used to ump a lot of the games. His boys played
softball.
That's right.
And he liked hockey too.
Stre. Now if you don't mind me asking, Louise, what was the influence that Tony had on
your life? First of all.
Oh, well he worked hard but liked to go out and have a good time too. You lotow. Mind
you, it was really hard when we got married in the dirty thirties you lvtow and he was
workingfor twenty-five cents an hour and pouring cisterns.
Did you remember when they used to put these hole in the ground m*then they cement it
around the water and then they had the water running off the rooffor sort watur. Well they
used to mix the cement by hand and get twenty-five cents an hour.
Boy, when you think about that to day.
Think about that today the wages they get,
Amazing, isn't it?
l0
So we
didn't have any extra cash around in those
days.
No, that's for sure.
No,
pretty tight but we were hoppy.
That's the main thing.
Happily married.
Did he influence you in any ways or one special way?
Not really.
No
No
Now how about Steve now. Was he different?
He like to...
Tony, ofcourse.
I{ell
all day long too but Tony was on his feet all day long and maybe
on a scafold painting a ceiling or [...?J. Wos tired when he came at nigh snd was ready to
relax and stay home you see. With Steve he would come home and be ready to go out and
ptay cards or go to a dance or you lmow the dffirence.
Steve wqs on his feet
Sure
Yeah.
But it's a different era.
Yes
Right. Now, you had a family
myfirst marriage I had my son Ray and my daughter Jean. And Ray hos four
children and Jean has one. We were st...Jean's son got married in April and he is o
reporter for the paper. He wos here at the Booster for a while Ken Fisher?
Yes. To
Oh, yes.
He is at Williams Lake no workingfor the Wriiliams Lake paper in BC.
Oh is that right? Yes, I remember the name.
ll
Ray hasfour children. They are all in the states. There's uh, his oldest daughter is
manied in Milwaukee and this is the one who has had the new baby. And the second
daughter is in Chattanoogo, Tennessee and she has two little girls and the two youngest
are still in Atlanta, Georgia.
Well, so you aren't showing any favourites between Canada and the United States then.
No. ah, no. They arc qll Americon,
That's right.
But
Ray
is still Csnadian. He has never taken out...
Is thatright?
...never had to take out his American citizenship.
Good for him.
And he's been down there for...well he hadfour years of university and thirty-five years
working so he's been down there a long time but he's till a Canadian.
of
Well, that's great loyalty. Isn't it?
Yes.
You betcha.
Yes
What do you recall about the arrival of your children?
Well there was all hapry events you lvtow.
Ilhen Ray was bornwe were living in a little house out in the country just a mile north of
where my mom and dad's house was...And it was a little wooden house, boardfloors, no
storm windows.
Just the bare necessities.
The bare necessities, yes. IAe were there for four years after we got married
-for fqur
wars.
Yes
Then, we bought the little house in town and
I lived in thatfor
sixty years.
t2
In that same house?
Inthat same house.
Boy, that's a long time. That's a long time.
Moving to me is just no...
It's against your nature is it?
Yes.
And yet you travel?
I trattel yes but not to piek
up and..,
Not to uproot.
No.
That's too much.
No and
Iwill
never move crwayfrom Lloydminster...if I have anything to say about it,
Now what about your other...you had a daughter, did you say?
Yes, my daughter Jean. She's in Calgary right now...just sold her house and they're
moving backto Vancouver. They move...
All the time.
'Cause her husband has been transferred quite a.few times. My daughter
worlredfor Marlin Travel. Who bought Marlin travel? Cook? Yes.
I'm not too
Yes,
worl<s
for...she
sure.
I think that's
the name but she still works
for
them.
What do you remember about her arrival?
Oh, her arrival. Oh well yes, that was happy. We were in town then. We had a houqe
and...
More comfortable surroundings.
More comfortable sunoundings, yes,
yQS.
t3
They were both November babies so they were both winter babies you lmow.
Sure,
I see. What did you learn from being
a parent?
Oh, very trying at times but uh no it was hapW. Yes, but we were not infavor of big
families you lvrow. I like hove what you can afford to bring up.
Sure. Were you the disciplinarian that your parents were?
Yes
I had to do the disciplining at our
house.
Like a lot of the mothers did.
Not as strict as my parents were with
me. No, no thot's right
Uh huh.
But they are both good kids so done well.
What do you think are the most important things to teach your children?
Teach the children? Well I think one very important with children is to get their education.
Do not smoke. Do not drink...when you are children and just I think respect your parents
I-Jh
huh.
Respect
your elders. Yes, that is very important I think
Did you make any special arrangements for retirement?
No my husband used to soy...it was in the time when the pensian years were coming down
and he was going to get his pension in December and he passed away in September.
Oh, I see.
So he never had any retirement.
No no.
That was unfortunate.
Yes yes.
Now, you mentioned before we started recording here that you became involved it...yprl
did work ajob here in Lloydminster.
Yes,
I worked at the Robinson stores for
nine years.
l4
I finished in I969 so I must have started in I960. It was
Becarne
Yes, o
a
part
time
job you know just...
full time.
lot of it wasfull time but I enjoyed it yes I enjoyed it.
Certainly you've seen tremendous chqnges in the business sector since then.
Oh, yes thot's
right.
Yes.
Just amazing.
Yes.
But you have been involved in a lot of community work.
in later years I joined the awillary at the Dr. Cooke and another lady and I stortet
what we call the Shoppers Cart. ll/e used to buyfreshfruit in seoson and take cookies and
things thot the gaests would like to huy over there qndwe used to gofrom...tt was like a
cupboard on wheels and we used to go from room to room with that and I helped with that
for twenty one yeors til they built the new part and have a shop now ovet there andwe hgd
teas and bake sales and I belong to the awillary at the local hospital andwe hove a teo
once o yectr and s bake sale andwe raise money to buy things that they can't get otherwise
you lcnow whst we can help with.
Yes
Sure.
I belong to the...it used to be the Canadian Forestry. h's IOFforesters now. I've
member of thatfor oh, I'd sayfourty-five orfifty years now.
been a
That's a fratemal organization.
Fraternsl organization, yes, yes,
What kind of work do they do?
Well cancer research was our in the Canadian Foresters. That's what we raised money
that and in the IOF now its workingfor children. The children's hospitals and alsofor
what do you call children of...
fqr
Oh, of abuse.
Yes, yes.
Child abuse.
15
Child abuse, yes, yes. So thot's what our money is raisedfor with that.
Well, they are certainly needy causes aren't they?
They are, very needy. Yes.
Did you ever belong to a service club?
No, no I never. No, not a serviee club,
But you did belong to the CWL.
I did belong to the CWL at the Catholic Churoh, yes.
Still do?
I also belong to the Senior Citizens...Lloydminster Senior Citizens Association.
Yep and I do enjoy going over there and playing cards.
Yes, and
That's a busy place at the Lega...
Yes,
it is the Legacy Centre.
Yes
it
is. Yes.
Right. What were the benefits that resulted in belonging to these organizations?
Meet wonderful people and be out among people especially when you are widowed and
Wu are alone. It is so nice to be out among aII those nice people you know and.-.
Sharing a lot of things in common.
Yes, yes, yes.
And they are really goodfriends.
Sure
Yes, yes.
Well they do have quite a report among themselves over there don't they?
That's right, yes.
Again, what lessons from all these activities would you pass on to others?
for ladies who are widowed, I would say get out among people you lvtow and you
hqve to make your own life. You know you have to...and so marry of them just sit at horyte
and don't do too much and I think its well worth just going out like this afternoon. I've
been over and helped with the bridge at the legacy centre you see. Played bridge for an/
Well
t6
hour and a half or two hours then another lady and I, we make the tea and coffee and q bit
of lunch. Thenwe clesn up afterwards, then I come home.
Sure.
And then I am quite hapry.Then to stay in in the evenings and...
And just relax.
Relax. But to get out every day is very nice, yep.
Well, I guess really you know you have to keep your mind alert and healthy.
This is right. This is right.
That's the only way you can really don't.
That's right yes, yes. And I do envy people that can get out and do sports you lvtow but
I've never been that way inclined...you know I've never done it.
So what then do you believe are the most important values in life?
Important values in life well, How will I put it? You believe in looking after yourself in the
way of keeping healthy you lotow eotingwell and...
Ysu like to be independent.
Very Independent! I am very independent and the longer you are alone the more
independent you became. You get so independent that you don't lilce to ask anybodyfo, a
favour. You know what I mean?
Not even your own family?
Not if I can...well, they've alwoys been sofar oway...Myfamily have never been close to
me. You lcnow they hove always been away and I think that makes you more independent
too. Yes.
So realizing that, you decided to get involved?
That's right, that's right. Then to get involved and to keep yourself busy.
Louise, right now I want to switch to current events during your life. What were some
the primary political issues that either interested or effected you?
of
Well, political issues...I was never a politician. Well the senior citizens...(he old age
program is very important to Senior citizens. Yes, and politicol issues-..now.
t7
Do you remember the year of when medicare first cameJn?
Ohyes I do.
That must have been a big issue then.
That was a big issue yes. Yes, because my husband workingfor himself we had no...you
know like some Wople working at companies they have coverage but we hod nothing no.
That was o big issue and I am very disturbed to see being eroded.
Because
it was a God send for...
f
Oh absolutely andwhen they made it mandatory that was good because they hadn't
made it raondatary people thal didn't have...and to hnwfamilies that didnT have very
much money so we won't bother doing that and they were the ones who got sick and
needed the helpfrom it you lvtow.
Oh I see.
Yes yes so
moking it mandatory ulas very... it was a very...
Good move. So you consider medicare a major political issue then.
Very major issue. Used to go and listen to M J Csldwell-awonderful man-
Talking about important figures like that, who were some of the local, provincial or federal
world leaders that you admired or thought did something worthwhile?
Well as I said, I admired MJ Cal&yell and I admired Deifenbaker when he was in power
think he was a wonderful man and in England the
I
Churchill?
Churchill yes they were I think they were very good honest people. I think.
They certainly contributed to world welfare I guess.
Yes, yes.
Now this may be a tough question to answer but what was the most important event or
development during your lifetime?
Development, well there's lots of developments that were very interesting. When the
farmers got tractors and all that kind of machineryfor theirforms.
l8
Machanization
Mechanizction. Wen we had radio and televisiop.
Because you had no daily medium. You had no daily newspaper.
No. whenwefirst got married and lived out in the country, we would get to town maybe
once every ten days. There was no radio. There was no telephone. Telephone was a great
inven...helpfor the people in the country too.
Electricity.
Electricity. Ohyes, electricity. All that came later but you lvtow telephone was awonderful
thingfor them and electricity and mechanized transportation and yes the Jirst radio I heqrd
built John Skinner's dad made it.
They built it?
They built it and I went over to listen to it. I rode a horse two miles to go and listen to a
program on the radio.
What was the program? What kind of a program was it?
Welt it was lil@ sll the times when you went to listen to something special. It wasn't a gaod
night for tele...for radio. It was just crackly. I mean but we didn't hsve a radio at home f,or
a long, long time. And when we moved to town, we didn't have a radio-my husband and
I. He went uptown one Saturday night ond came homewith a little radio in his arms so that
he could listen to the hockey gsmes.
After that.
Yes, Yes.
You chose to live and work in Lloydminster and arop.
Yes
Lloydminster, particularly. Why?
Because I do not like moving and uh
aw ay fr om Ll oy dmins t er.
I
was almost 25 years of age before
I spent a night
By choioe?
By ehioice!
l9
Lloydminster must have done a real magnet for you.
I just don't like course in those early doys I didn't likB trqveling either you lotow but I haye
got used to it now. But us no, I lcnow thefirst time I went to Edmonton I said I never want
to go there again.
Well, looking back over these many many years how has Lloydminster changed in your...
Oh it just changed. Well as I say, I remember coming to town with my Dad with the oxen
and the slough in the wintertime and the wagon in the summer.
And then I was a teenager when he got the car and that was just a ordinary car to me and
uh...
Were you ever allowedto drive it?
No.
Never allowed to drive it
I took my driver training one year before myfirst husband passed awoy and so I've kcpt
driving. I don't go a long way but just do what I want to do around Lloydminster.
And that keeps you happy enough.
I've never driven away to another city. Not myself I mean-with other people.
Now we talk about changes in Lloydminster. Are they good or bad?
They are good but
I hope it doesn't get too
big.
What is too big?
h is big enough
now.
Well it might stay this way for quite a while yet.
It might, yes, yes. When I go to the hig cities
1...
It just bothers you. Too much activity?
Yeah, too much traffic you know of course now in the big cities, there's the malls you lvtow
where they don't have to go right downtownfor what they need you lcnow there's
malls...The trffic to me here is getting quite quite,..quite a lot.
...is busy enough.
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What do you think that Lloydminster has accomplished in the last 50 years?
Oh, well they have accomplished a lot. They have grown and there is everything here tlwt
person needs in Lloydmsnter. Maybe not the selection that there are in the bigger cities
but reatly there is I think there's everything that you need in Lloydminster.
A lot ofgood services.
A lot of good services and there's entertainment, you know andwhen they say children are
bored they have nothing to do, I don't lvtow.
They are not looking too hard I guess. Where do you think Lloydminster is going to be
fifty years from now?
I
have no idea Wes.
Do you think
it'll
double it's size?
It depends onthe economy. Ithinkit depends onthe oil abigpart of it depends onthe gil
andalso theformers and tlce ranchers yoa lmow but uh...
Agriculture is still number one.
yeah they talk about the oil but Agriculture I think...if thefarmers have
money the economy is good.
Agriculture
is,
That's right.
Because they
will
spend.
Now what do you have in the way of advice for Lloydminsterites of the future?
You are getting hard questions to answer oh dear
I do not lvtow.
Well if people were from, say, Ontario and walked up to you on the street corner and said
why should we come and live in Lloydminster?
Well, I would just say it's a very nice friendly city to live in. That's what I would tell them.
I think it is. And as I say...
Its future is good?
I think the future
is good depending on you lmow the economy but...
We've been preffy fortunate.
2t
We have been. We have been. Ilre had no
major...well the bigfire-
1929.
In 1929. I saw thatwholeJire.
Tell me about that.
Well, I workedfor Mr. qnd Mrs. Yates. They lived above the CPR station. We lived upstairs
and they had a deck and we just watched tlrat whole fire and there was 5 or 6 men on tlte
station roof putting out the cinders that were blowing and we just watched the whole thing
go down that night. l(e were up all night,
Any loss of life in that fire?
No, no. No, there was no loss of
It took out
a
lfe.
whole city block didn't it?
Oh it took out-..
More than that?
It took out--on
the Alberta side on
sfr Ave they saved that. But on the Saskntchewan
sif,e
alongwhere the Post Office is now and rightfrom the Co-op lumber yard up there and
olong the other side of the street where the fire started in the pool hqll. That all went.
Were the Medical hall was, that all went. Elevators curling ring went and-..
Soit really destroyed the core of the downtown.
city.
it did. The...that brick building straight southfrom where the post
ffice is now. That was the Royal Bank. That was the only ane saved all along that block on
that side and everythingwent on this side. Hotels and everything.
The core of the
Yes
How long did it take them to get that under control?
Oh it was I would say seven o'clock in the morning and it started about eleven at night.
think.
I
Oh at night.
And it wos avery...had been avery hot, humid day. And theyfigure it started in the poal
hall. And it was just cinder dry lumber.
The corner where the Co-op is now, that was HB Hall's store andfor days after you'd go
down the street andyou'd hear a pop-it was cans ofjam or something exploding.
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Is that right?
Yes, it was
really ba(.
Yes that was a...
...a distaster.
A tremendous loss, physical loss.
Pltysical yes because those merchants...you know they lost everything. Like Mn Messum.
Harvey Messum's store and...
HB'
HB Hall. OK economy store, the hotels. There was two hotels I think along there and oh
yes it was all the little businesses as well. Well, hopefully, we never hsve a repeat of that.
No, that's right, that's right and they didn't have the water, the...
Side B
Louise, continuing with the 1929 fire; I understand there was a lot of looting.
Yes, there was. Yes, there was a lot of looting and but you see everything was just. I don't
Imow how they got into some places to take stuff you know but there was jewelry stores
went and all that yes. That's what I was told thsrewas a lot of lootingyes ondpeople
trying to go through stuffafterwards. You lmow there wasn't much tofind I don't thjnk
after.
No
Because it
[..?]
How long did it take to rebuild and get the city back on it's feet again? Get the business
sector back on its feet again?
I just can't remember.
A year or two?
Oh, it would take that you see I was worHngfor Mn and Mrs Yates at that time and then of
I wasn't there too long and then I was back out in the country again and I just don'1
remember but it must hwe taken dffirent ones as they were able to build up you lmow.
Yes, it was bad.
course
So what do you look back now on your grandchildren and you are
thinking about that I
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imagine quite a bit. How do you feel about being a grandparent?
Ifeel great at being a grandparent but I sometimes worry about. I just wonder whery
all goingto end, you lvtow with grandchildren. Like they are living in such a diferent
era than we did. And if they me going p be able to cope with it all you lcnow its...I think
its very hardfor young people now a drys.
Oh,
its
It
seems to be that way very
Dfficult time to be gowing
thinh now.
diffreult.
up and it's a
dfficultfor young parents to be raising afamily
I
..know what kind of an occupation they are going to go after and how to get an
education. How to pay for it.
It's
a.
Even so many that go in and get an education then they can'tfind awork inwhat they,
they've been trained to da andthinkthat must be very disappainting. You lcnow if you take
four years of education and then can't get work in that type and nobody's job is secure
now.
No, a lot of unknowns
That's right.
So there's a big question mark there for a
Well,
lot of...
I heard o men talking one night on TV and he said the average young person would
jobs I3 times in their lifestyle. Well, that's frightening.
change
It's hard to imagine that
a person
would change jobs that many times.
They mrybe meantfrom one place to.another but they said change jobsand a person that
has work and workedfor a number of years in what they like and then their job not there it
must be very hardyou know to thinkwell what am I going to do now?
Right.
Try and/ind somethingespecially if they are middle agod
Yes.
But
for young people I think it's a trying time for
them.
Yes, I'm sure it is and they'll have to sort this all out and get the best advice they can,
I
guess.
24
Education is very expensive now and its going to get worse listening to everything...
Fewer and fewer students going to university.
And the ones that we need the doctors and the lawyers and the teachers and those you
lvtow its going to be...
So what advice or reflections are important for you to share
with your grandchildren?
Well, first of all I say get your education f you can you lvtow. I think especially grade
twelve I think is very important and most af them can afford to ga ta high school. And then
you have to just try to do the best you can and work. I thinkwork is goodfor children a4d
respect your parents and listen to them because they have good afuicefor you. You know.
That's right. And finally, what would you like to say to someone listening to this interview
one hundred years from now?
I don't know what they'd
be doing one hundred years
from now. It would be...What would
you say to anybody one hundred years from now?
Well that is a good question. I haven't really resolved that in my own mind yet.
No you hoven't,
I don't think thatfar ahead,
Wes.
I am inclined to think that the principles you mentioned just now should be applicable one
hundred years ftorn now.
They should be. Yes
f
they ore now.
If other things change...
But whot bothers me now is that so mony children are not disciptined andif they re not
disciplined when they are young, I don't lstow whether they are going to be...
Well, I guess what happens is...if society develops into that kind of a society then you
have anarchy. And anarchy is pretty bad.
Yes,
this is right.
So we hope
it doesn't get to that
stage.
Of course we are very veryfortunate to live in Canada.
I think most people agree with that.
I think so. We are compared a lot to the rest of the world.
25
We have our liule complaints here and there.
complaints but a lot of themwe complain that we really don't have a lot
We have lots of
1o
complain about.
Not really. No, I think we, as you say live very fortunate.
Well, Louise, thank you very much for having this vitir.
You're welcome
We'll take these things into consideration that you've
passed 4long to us and to the people
listening.
I'm not a Wrson to want a lot of pablkity you lvnw what I
mean.
No, they like to hear your thoughts.
But I am proud of being living in the one place all these years and I was very happy in my
little home but it just was too much workfor me and I couldn't keep it up-
You look like you're very comfortable where you are.
Yes, it's very comfortable.
Enjoying your community work and your friends...
...and I got a deck out there where I can sit out there in the evenings when it's nice and
watch the beautiful sunsets.
And you are in reasonably good health?
Very
goodfor my age,
yes.
Well, we wish you continued good health and thank you very much again.
Thankyou and
You do that.
I'll
I'll
try and be aroundfor 2003.
€xpect that. Thank you very muQh,
Okq), yau're welcome.
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