Memories by Miss Robertson's Students

This summer, Isabel wrote another retired teacher friend about her experience of "Normal School", the training ground for teachers on the prairies for many years. Mum recounted memories of her Normal School instructors (school superintendents). The Math Superintendent said he would teach the young women to do farmers’ income tax because most would marry farmers! The English instructors spent most of the time on plurals of words. One that Isabel remembers was gladioli!

They weren’t much help when these young teachers found themselves in country schools. Grades 1 to 8 or 10. Mum says that she learned more in two days at her home school at Bradwell when the teacher there invited her to listen in for those 2 days before she began teaching at a country school.

Mum went on to teach for a number of years. This fall we invited the students with who she is still in touch to write their memories of those school days. The stories rolled in by email and Canada Post and now make up a three-ring binder. One former pupil sent copies of his report cards from 60 years ago with Isabel's signature.

Just last week, another of Mum's former Abernethy students digitized 50 years of photos of former students, the old school, Mum's colleagues and large class photos into a coil bound book for easy reading. Thanks, Lynn! If you have anything to do with Abernethy, and show up in Isabel's room in the next while you are in for a five decade treat!