In the 1980's our schools in Alberta got into fund raising in a serious way. Many schools had bought their own buses. This opened things up so that many field trips were available. At the same time the government was reducing funds to education so if schools wanted such things as bands it came out of student's pockets and fund raising.
Methods of fundraising were the usual activities...bake sales, raffles you name it. About that time bingos offered the opportunity for organizations to act as volunteers to run a bingo. The school had 12 bingos a year and I worked two.
Another fundraising opportunity came up when Coca Cola and Pepsi would put vending machines in the schools and schools shared some of the profits. Our Principal brought this idea up at a staff meeting. It was more or less a report as we didn't have votes on any issues. I expressed my disagreement on having pop machines in the school. This is ancient history you know the arguments against pop machines. Other teachers had that bored look on their faces which said, "Shut up so we can get out of here." We were also getting vending machines for candy bars and chips.
I didn't get very far expressing my opinion at the staff meeting. Since the Principal was a good friend, I paid him a visit in his office. I pushed my ideas. I wasn't going to give up without a good effort. It was the principle of the thing. Using vending machines to get kids to part with their money seemed somewhat unethical. Finally, my Principal said, "You and I will have to agree to disagree." And that was it. I know when it's over.
Vending machines were installed. Coke was the choice. Buckets of money were made for the school. They even sold me a coke a day.
Well now, twenty-five years later, what has happened? Vending machines have been taken out of schools. Many principals fought long and hard to keep the vending machines. Vending machines were finally removed from schools after a lengthy debate.
So I take note that it took twenty-five years but I was right all the time.
No vending machines in this school. This was my first year of teaching in a one room country school.
In this post I want to cover two things related to Mother's Day.
I wanted to ask a question about Mother's Day instead of posting about Mothers. I thought it wouldn't be cool to get off topic so I omitted this idea. So here it comes. When I was a child in the 1940's and 50's, I don't remember a major observance of Mother's Day. I knew about Mother's Day but we did nothing about it. I think we made cards in school for our mothers but that's all. So am I right that we put much more stress on Mother's Day today?
Now some comments in my previous post require some response. Some people commented that I am nice (thanks) and my mothers have been an influence. This is very true. My mother worked under extenuating circumstances to get some sense into our heads. I must admit that it took a long time for my mother's influence to emerge in my life. I was a little square peg. I didn't fit well. Sometimes I was very frustrated. The world of the 40's and 50's was very black and white. I didn't see a black and white world. I envisioned a society where all worked together. Again , frustration was added to my life.
I was rebellious , but I hope not in an offensive way. When I finished I high school I left home. I still didn't like to see extreme views that excluded others but I didn't know what to do about it..
It wasn't until my 40's that I got things together and realized that the square peg could lead a very satisfactory and successful life without bending to the extremes. My life changed.
In teaching, there were many little people with tears and the least I could do would be to not offend any more. So showing some empathy to those hurting got lots of practice. I learned that you couldn't ignore those who need comfort and support. Empathizing and supporting people carried over to my adult life. Personal growth took place. I was rewarded with the satisfaction of helping others. I was open to listening to people in a nonjudgmental way.
So I learned things from my Mom but it took a long time to sink in and practise in my daily life.
I'm one of those people who had two Moms , my Mom and my step Mom. My Mom passed away at age 59. I had my Mom for about 35 years. My step Mom passed away in 2005. I had her for 30 years.
Although both women were very different when it came to personality, they were both good Moms for the times they had us. My Mom was an influence, guide and support for my younger life. My step Mom was a very astute lady when it came to dealing with adult children.
So it's a time of remembrance when I look back and take time to appreciate what was done for me and how I was influenced to be what I am today.
Tomorrow, I will be celebrating with my wife and remembering the huge contribution she made to our children's lives.
I also thank and remember my grand children's mother.
So Happy Mother's Day to the active Mom's in my family and thanks for the good times and memories of my Mom and step Mom.
My Mom in 1964 with her first grandchild.
On Tuesday , May 5 the province of Alberta , Canada had a provincial election.
We have four major parties that come into play during an election and three fringe parties. The four major parties are Progressive Conservative(PC), Liberal, Wild Rose and NDP.
The Progressive Conservatives were the incumbents. They had been in government for forty-four years. They also had 73 out of 87 seats when the election was called. They looked too powerful to put out of office.
However, there were issues that made the voters very unhappy with the PCs
. The party seemed to think that they had the right to govern. As a result there were advantages taken of taxpayer money. Government airplanes were used for party business.
Alberta is an oil rich province . We have the ugly tar sands. We have all kinds of revenue from oil resources. However, the keep taxes down lobby has influenced the government. Resource revenues have been used for yearly operations. Taxes have been kept low. So when resource revenues dry up we don't have money to pay for operating the government.
Alberta has a cycle of boom and busts. These are deep lows and very high ups. These are frustrating patterns for taxpayers and businesses. So as a result, for the present year we have a deficit of 7 billion dollars.
So on Tuesday the wildest thing happened. The PCs with 73 seats were reduced to ten seats and the NDP which had 4 sets was elected with 53 seats.
I was happy to see the bums thrown out. People were unhappy with the bums and voted with their anger.
I know that this is a local story and that people who do not live in Canada will not be able to understand some of the issues.
But I just had to tell somebody. When we're unhappy with politicians we can do something about it.
I am already in the loop for elderly drivers. When I turned 75 I had to pass a medical before I could renew my license. The medical was fairly superficial and easy to pass. Eyes were checked. Blood pressure taken. A few questions were asked and check marks placed where applicable. I have epilepsy and it is controlled by medication so I can drive. With that I was given a driver's license until I turn 80.
When I turn 80 I will only get a one year license and have to pass a medical each year to get it.
Okay that's the ticket to keep a license when your elderly. I would like regulations to be more stringent and have a driver's road test. In fact, I think drivers of all ages should have a road test.
So I can see down the road that someday I may lose my driving privileges.
But wait a minute! Technology may be riding to my rescue.
The technology is here to have cars move in traffic without a human driver. They've been tested.
When computer technology can successfully be applied to drive cars, the blind will be able to drive their own cars. We know that GPS is highly accurate. The GPS could easily be voice activated and controlled. Now GPS can give you voice instructions.Cars nowadays are really just one big sensor. What's the problem with a few more sensors which will steer the car in the right direction, read and obey all traffic signs? These cars would stay in the right lanes and sense all objects around them. These cars could even be programmed not to go over the speed limit. Drunks could get home as they wouldn't be driving the car.
.. and little old guys could still drive their cars long after they've lost their licenses. So once I lose my license the computer can take over for me and take me from place to place. Hey, I could even go on a long road trip. Come to think about it , they should include a sensor that indicates that the driver is still living!
Readers will be thinking that I'm on a roll as far as posts on war is concerned.
A number of things have come together at the same time to make this post more meaningful. I was born in October of 1939 so it was a few days after the war started. I remember small bits of the war from the experience of a young child. We saw many soldiers. Our farm was near a training airport so planes flew over all day. As a child I was very interested in planes so I stopped to watch each plane. Some of our uncles were overseas so Mom sent many parcels and I remember watching the packing of the parcels. I remember news reports and it seemed like all they said was German, German, German. We did not get what the message was.
After the war many people came back and the war was a common topic. Some things about the war were taught in school. There were ceremonies to mark some of the points of the war.
As an adult I've read a few books on the Second World War. I've read a couple of biographies about Hitler.
Right now I'm reading a biography of Matthew Halton, who was a major war correspondent. He was also carried by the United States news. This biography covers the period before the war and some of the things that lead to the war. The major battles were covered. Halton moved across North Africa and then up Italy. Later he was there for the liberation of Paris and Holland. This has brought back many parts of the war.
So when remembrances are made on the end of the war I just happened to be reading about it's history. Major remembrances were made in Holland as Canadian forces were key in liberating Holland. Canadian veterans always remember the kindness of the Dutch people.
So I had to take a few moments and post about a major historical event as I was reading about it when the remembrances took place.
Dispatches from the Front is a very good read. It's written by David Halton, who is the son of Matthew Halton.
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I have been listening to a CBC radio series on The Current about Vietnamese people who escaped Vietnam after the war was over. We all saw the miserable little overloaded boats that carried people to other countries where they were held in camps. Slowly the world organized and these people were taken by countries around the world. Countries were uneasy about taking the boat people as they thought they would be an expense. They turned out to be anything but an expense and contributed to the local economies. Many communities have very active Vietnamese communities.
Today I was reminded that the Vietnamese war ended 40 years ago today. I will never forget the chaos shown on TV of the last Americans leaving Saigon as fighting continued all around them. I looked on with horror as I saw people try to escape by hanging onto the helicopter as it lifted off.
The country was left in ruins and with it's own civil war.
I also thought back to what a very terrible war this was in so many ways. Many troops and civilians were lost. Many troops came back and suffered horribly for the rest of their lives.
The war ended and Vietnam was left with many problems and a very harsh ruling government. The two sides were still very angry with each other. After Ho Chi Minh died things slowly began to change.
When I think back I have a hard time to think about the cause of the war. It's difficult to remember why the Americans entered the war.
Since I was a little news junkie nerd, I remember the French in Vietnam. Vietnam was a French colony. The French were booted out of Vietnam in the 50's. That was also a long drawn out and brutal conflict.
One can only look back with sadness at the horror that took place in Vietnam. Have we learned any lessons from Vietnam?
