These are the years from 1930 on. I remember the bad
winter storms when we young people could not make our
horses go against the west wind towards home. Many a
time the fathers would take turns walking or riding to
school and then string our horses out behind and
head into the storm.

We rode our horses with felt blankets and often no saddles due
to parents' fears of a child being dragged as their foot might
get caughts in a stirrup.

One winter's day when I was late for school, I was galloping my
horse too fast and took an inside corner and the horse's feet
hit a frozen ice spot and fell with me. Neighbors came in a
buggy and took me to school. I had a gorgeous black eye
when I got home. My folks couldn't understand why I didn't
come back home, because I was less than a quarter mile from
the house. I had never ridden in a buggy.

At noon on spring days, saw us eating under the carragana
trees, often hurrying Evelyn Poole so that she could pitch
on our softball team, often playing against Diamond City,
Readymade, etc.

Remember the girls trying to beat the boys to the irrigation
check to the west of school, so we didn't have to walk to
the next one for swimming at noon? Many of us learned to
to swim in the irrigation ditches - some by hanging onto
our dog's tails and others behind their horses. Many of
us swam during school picnics on the Blood Reserve
river and had friends from the Blackfoot and Blood
Indian Reserves. In fact, a Blood Indian friend, "Two
Guns" is a well known painter.

Hallowe'en nights - riding our horses and singing, "Apples
or cake or off comes your gate." Had a lot of fun, but
never destroyed or damaged anything - much.

The school fairs with our vegetables and the cooking we
did. I recall the fun we had in the Beef Cattle Club, the
Dairy calf club, and then there were the lamb and swine
clubs. Our days at the rodeos - relay racing, trick-riding
and the gymkhana events, watching our friends compete.

In the hot days of spring or summer our teachers would take
a class outside to study. I remember one such day being told
to lie down on our stomachs and try to discover all the
creatures that were crawling or flying between our extended
arms. Amazing the world of insects. And oh, the days of just
being out on the prairies riding horses or just visiting with
schoolmates!

The beauty of combined classes was that, should you have
finished your lesson - you always listened and watched the
next class up. Thus you were never bored and always were
trying to learn the next class's lessons.

Remember when a teacher got a new strap and made you
hold out your hand so they could try it out.

Miss Maisie McPheat taught us to sing songs from around
the world. Can still remember some. Because I was a
monotone, she let me sing in the chorus - at the back
and very softly. Have appreciated music all my life thanks
to Maisie's thoughtfulness.

As kids we didn't think of the politics of school and the
Superintendent's report, but think back. Remember that
whenever School Superintendent Owen Williams came
into our classroom, no matter what the scheduled class
should have been, our next class was always music! Mr.
Williams was a Welshman who loved music.

Remember your Christmas Concerts, i.e. stumbling
over our feet, costumes not fitting right and slipping
down most unexpectedly, but oh, the fun behind the
curtains.

The War Years 1939 - 1945. Many of our young women
and men fibbed about their age and served with distinction.
Many a heart was broken as they shipped out.

Kate Andrews used to come in during the last period of the
day on Fridays and read to us for an hour as hats, scarves,
helmet liners, sweaters, sox, mitts and gloves, were knit,
by boys and girls alike. Some could read a book and turn
the heel of a sock while reading and not miss a stitch. I
think that's how some of us managed to understand enough
of the Tale of Two Cities, etc., to pass our Literature tests.

The wonderful Hallowe'en costumes and the Box socials
that were so much fun.

Fond memories of the marvelous dances that were held in
the schools, when we were young and the "old folks" danced.
Charlie Parry playing the banjo - Kate Andrews on the piano.
Then came the younger bands with Ella Bishop, Bert Parry,
Herbie and Lewellyn Bishop and Layne Harvey. Doing the
Lambeth Walk. quadrilles, square dancing, etc. until 2 a.m.,
left you too tired to get into much mischief after that. Besides,
most had quite a few miles to drive or ride horseback before
hitting the hay.

During May, 1942 more than 24,000 Japanese were moved
from British Columbia. They started out as our beetworkers
and ended up as friends as the time rolled on. As we grew
up we learned to schedule our dances and free time around
the duties of the many national cultures of our friends. My
isn't it nice to see the nations we knew return to the map
and hopefully manage peace among themselves.

During the time when the music festivals were held in
Lethbridge apparently two young ladies from White School
walked to Lethbridge to hear the festival unknown to
the teachers or parents. Got back in time to ride home
with the rest of the students. Would have gotten
away with it - but the Society page Editor wrote about
the students walking the five miles and their mud
splattered hose. A sharp eyed Grandmother spotted
the article. Don't remember getting a spanking.

A recycled school building joined White School in 1941.
When it was moved to its site the weather was rainy
and muddy. Roads being what they were, when the
classroom arrived it was dubbed,"The Mud Hut".

In 1948 Rural Elctrification came to the area. The
first installed in the Province of Alberta. Now we live
in an electronic era. But those were the fun filled days
at White. Who remembers the bad days?

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