The Port Hope Simpson Come Home 2002 town emblem

The Port Hope Simpson 19-27 July 2002 Come Home town emblem. The human figure represents the spirit of Port Hope Simpson and its enthusiastic fire; the Labrador flag represents our heritage; the house represents the importance of home and family that exists in our community and the Port Hope Simpson banner represents our town's pride and teamwork.
Stacy Russell
Journal intime et photographies gauches 1969-70 de Simpson d'espoir

Port дневник Simpson упования и фотоснимки 1969-70

Port дневник Simpson упования и фотоснимки 1969-70

Ημερολόγιο και φωτογραφίες 1969-70 Simpson ελπίδας λιμένων

Ημερολόγιο και φωτογραφίες 1969-70 Simpson ελπίδας λιμένων

De agenda en foto's 1969-70 van Port Hope Simpson

De agenda en foto's 1969-70 van Port Hope Simpson

港希望Simpson 日誌和相片1969-70

港希望Simpson 日誌和相片1969-70

港希望Simpson 日志和相片1969-70

港希望Simpson 日志和相片1969-70

희망Simpson운반 일기 및 사진1969-70년

희망Simpson운반 일기 및 사진1969-70년

Diario y fotograf�as portuarios 1969-70 de Simpson de la esperanza

Diario y fotograf�as portuarios 1969-70 de Simpson de la esperanza

Di�rio de Simpson da esperan�a e fotografias portu�rios 1969-70

Di�rio de Simpson da esperan�a e fotografias portu�rios 1969-70

Diario di Simpson di speranza e fotografie port 1969-70

Diario di Simpson di speranza e fotografie port 1969-70

Porthoffnung Simpson Tagebuch und Fotographien 1969-70

Porthoffnung Simpson Tagebuch und Fotographien 1969-70

Two unsolved deaths & links

Two deaths on 3 February 1940 in Port Hope Simpson, Labrador, Newfoundland, Canada are still unsolved. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Serious Crimes Unit, Gander, Newfoundland have opened up their own investigation about the deaths. The illustrated journal http://twounsolveddeaths.blogspot.com
from 15 July to 28 August, 2002 not only covers an invitation to the town's Coming Home celebrations but also includes a further attempt to establish the facts. If you know anything at all about what happened please do not hesitate in contacting your local RCMP detachment or the police force of jurisdiction in your area.If you live outside Canada, please contact your local police service and ask them to make a request for assistance from the appropriate Canadian law enforcement agency. The main RCMP website address is http://www.rcmp.ca or Email me!

"The Springdale", one of four coastal boats serving The Labrador in 1969-70. The others were "The Cabot Strait", "The Nonia" and "The Bonavista" 23 August 1969  

Taking stores and vsos to the Coastal Settlements aboard "The Cabot Strait" 23 August 1969 

Heading South along the Labrador Coast on board "The Cabot Strait" 27 August 1969 

An Inshore Fisherman coming out to "The Cabot Strait" to collect his stores, 27 August 1969 

Grenfell Nurse Margaret Harris from Mary's Harbour Mission Station and Weston-Super-Mare, England, in front of the Hospital Ship, "The Strathcona", berthed in Port Hope Simpson 30 October 1969 

My Beaver Skin Drying on a Woodpile, Port Hope Simpson 10 November 1969 

Pete Smart, the other vso with his gun near Port Hope Simpson 6 November 1969 

Ernie Pritchard Making a Brew in the Woods near Port Hope Simpson 6 November 1969 

In 1969 I believed this was the Tombstone of a J. O. Williams, the First Welsh Industrialist in Port Hope Simpson 15 November 1969. To read the Inscription please visit http://www.porthopesimpsonsdevelopment.blogspot.com 

Bowaters Company's discarded pulpwood and truck at The Depot, 15 November 1969 

The Anglican School plus Volleyball Court, Decorations and Oil Drums, Port Hope Simpson 15 November 1969 

A Few Students in My Class thinking about starting a Romp, The Anglican School, Port Hope Simpson 18 November 1969  

My Class, The Anglican School, Port Hope Simpson 18 November 1969 

Looking towards Port Hope Simpson and The Bay from the High Road, 18 November 1969 

Looking over towards Port Hope Simpson and The Bay from the Fire Break 19 November 1969 

Charlie Russell and his bike near Edgar Hicks' General Store, Main Road, Port Hope Simpson 23 November 1969 

Henry and Gary Russell laughing at having their photographs taken, Main Road, Port Hope Simpson 23 November 1969 

Sam Kippenhuck, facing camera and Claude Rumbolt, white armband who conducted The Graveside Service for Aunt Jesse 23 November 1969 

Mourners around Aunt Jesse's Final Resting Place, Port Hope Simpson 23 November 1969 

A view from Aunt Jesse's Final Resting Place, Port Hope Simpson 23 November 1969 

Aunt Jesse's Funeral Procession walking towards her final resting place 23 November 1969 

Aunt Jesse's Funeral Procession passing Alex Penney's house on the way to the graveyard 23 November 1969 

Aunt Jesse's Procession heading for the Funeral Service at The Anglican Church, Port Hope Simpson 23 November 1969  

Ice Hockey Match: Port Hope Simpson v Mary's Harbour near Blackwater Brook, Port Hope Simpson 9 December 1969 

Ice Hockey Match: Port Hope Simpson v Mary's Harbour played at Port Hope Simpson's new ice rink 9 December 1969  

Mailplane taking off from The Bay, Port Hope Simpson 19 Dec 69 

Mailplane on skis about to take off from The Bay, Port Hope Simpson 19 December 1969 

The Anglican School Christmas procession with James Butt following up the rear going towards the bridge over Blackwater Brook when disaster struck: The Russian Soyuz 5 nosecone fell off. Port Hope Simpson 21 December 1969
 

The Anglican School Christmas procession, Port Hope Simpson with Rusian Soyuz 5 Rocket nosecone still connected. 21 December 1969 

The Anglican School's Christmas Procession with Soyuz 5 nosecone connected. Port Hope Simpson 21 December 1969 

The Anglican School's Christmas Procession appearing over the hill. Port Hope Simpson 21 December 1969 

Two of Wince's nine dogs chained outside his home, Port Hope Simpson 28 December 1969 

Wince Clark tending to his chained dogs behind hs home. Taken from their Feed Table, Port Hope Simpson 28 December 1969 

Wince Clark with one of his dogs; Port Hope Simpson in the background; Power Station middle r.; 28 December 1969 

Prince: Lead Dog of Wince Clark chained outside Wince's home Port Hope Simpson 29 december 1969 

A closer view of Wince Clark as he guides his load of firewood up on to the Main Road, Port Hope Simpson 29 December 1969 

r.: Wince Clark (below the road) with his load of firewood on The Bay about to be pulled up by his huskies on to the Main Road, Port Hope Simpson. Ruins of old buildings in the background including what may have been the Company store. 29 December 1969 

Wince's Husky dogs pulling ahead of the komatik on the High Road, Port Hope Simpson 29 December 1969 

l. to r. (rear): Dick Rumbolt, Aunt Maude, Nath Burden and two daughters (l.) in front of Nath's home Port Hope Simpson; 1 January 1970 

Aunt Gerd Rumbolt with Alexis Bay, Port Hope Simpson and a building that might have been the old Company store in the background. Taken 24 January 1970 

Harry Ward, in front of the new house he was building in Port Hope Simpson; looking out towards The Bay, 24 January 1970 

The Wards, l. to r.: Harry, Charlie, Maim and Austin; in front of their home, Port Hope Simpson 24 January 1970 

Crowd Outside Uncle Bob and Aunt Edith's Home in Port Hope Simpson,
l. to r.: Uncle Bob, Scott Coish, Henry, Harold, Gary, Freeman and Gordon Russell, Aunt Edith, 24 January 1970
 

The Orange Day Parade on The Bay, Lodge Bay 11 January 1970 

Orange Day Parade, Lodge Bay 11 January 1970 

The Tractor of the Great Snow Cruiser I was loaned for my Trip to Mary's Harbour. 11 January 1970 

Sketch Map of Port Hope Simpson showing location of all families, roads and other features; finished 15 February 1970.. 

Ben Rowe and two other men doing repair work. Vic Penney's new skidoo in foreground; taken looking towards The Bay, Port Hope Simpson 25 February 1970 
URL.biz - Journals

A Cross-Section of the Woodburning Stove in Scott and Rita Coish's home and my Lodgings, 28 February 1970 

Fish Flakes for Spreading and Drying the Codfish, Lodge Bay 29 March 1970 

Faith and Paul Bradley, Lodge Bay 29 March 1970 

Reverend Ed Lewis in foreground watching the Big Skidoo Race in Mary's Harbour 30 March 1970 

Two days ago I read the obituary of Bertrand Russell. He lived until 97 years of age and in the prologue to his first autobiography, published in 1967, he claimed that three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong had governed his life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge and unbearable pity for the sufferings of mankind.
10 April 1970 

View inside Port Hope Simpson. Taken from Ron Notley's house. 17 May 1970 

The Pentecostal School is on the left, looking towards The Bay and Dick Rumbolt's home. 6 May 1970 

The Powerhouse (not yet operational) in Port Hope Simpson 26 December 1969 

Two Bell Telephone men, including Baxter Rumbolt wiring-up Port Hope Simpson. Vic Penney and Henry James Butt in attendance. 6 May 1970 

Looking over Belly Cadder ice in Alexis Bay towards Port Hope Simpson. 6 May 1970 

Two hand-crafted boats on Alexis Bay with the Anglican School in the background. 6 May 1970 

Si Strugnall's first Long Liner built in Port Hope Simpson 6 May 1970 

Breaking out From the Ice for Break-up. 6 May 1970 

The Tractor is needed. 6 May 1970 

Gill Burden with son, sawing firewood whilst held on komatik with Alexis Bay in the background. 6 May 1970 

Ed Osmond, Pastor and Teacher, The Pentecostal School, Port Hope Simpson taken on board ship 31 March 1970 

Stephen and Sandra Cook and Gillian Dawn, their baby daughter. Taken outside their home in Port Hope Simpson 12 May 1970. 

Harold Rumbolt (32 trout), Ron Notley (21 trout) and Sam Kippenhuck (26 trout) fishing through the bellycadder ice along the shore by The Depot. Sunday 17 May 1970  

The mailplane geting ready to take-off from The Bay, Port Hope Simpson, 14 June 1970 

A view looking towards Port Hope Simpson, taken from the Back Road. 4 June 1970 

The Eastern Provincial Aeroplane that brought in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to search for the body of Bill Penney banking about 200 metres over Port Hope Simpson as it headed out towards Mary's Harbour and on to Goose Bay. Sunday 14 June 1970.  

Saying goodbye to Port Hope Simpson 0430 hrs. from my passage on board "The Springdale", 19 June 1970 

Leaving Mary's Harbour on the return journey. Taken from on board "The Springdale" June 1970. 

Looking towards habitation of the land; taken from on board "The Springdale", June 1970 

Another coastal settlement taken from on board "The Springdale" on the journey south. June 1970 

Another coastal settlement taken whilst travelling south to Hare Bay from on board "The Springdale", June 1970.  

A house built from stone. June 1970 

A Sketch Map of the Settlements of the northern tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland 23 June 1970 

Key: a Sketch Map of the Settlements of the northern tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland 23 June 1970 

Fog! On the journey south along the coast for a possible ride home fingers crossed, on a woodship from Hare Bay, Newfoundland. Taken from on board "The Springdale." 19-22 June 1970. 

A mechanical Bull Elephant in action at Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970. 

Loading the de-barker and cutting machine, Burnt Point, Hare Point, Newfoundland 22 June 1970. 

Two men inspecting whirling, cutting teeth during the wood de-barking process, Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970 

The automated cutting and de-barking of sticks into pulpwood. Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970.  

An automated pulpwood preparation machine at Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970.  

Pulpwood being prepared for export, Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970. 

Three crane grabs used at the Bowaters' wood operation. Burnt Point, Hare Bay, Newfoundland 22 June 1970. 

A group of Bowaters' wood-loaders at Burnt Point, Hare Bay, northern peninsula of Newfoundland. The "Frans Gorthon" woodship is at anchor as it is being filled with pulpwood for export to the Bowaters paper mill in Kent, England, 22 June 1970. 

Two small icebergs taken from the stern of "The Springdale", July 1970. 

Travelling south along the Labrador and northern peninsula of Newfoundland coast with a lighthouse appearing through the fog to warn us of the possible dangers. Taken from on board "The Springdale", July 1970. 

Returning home on board the Swedish-owned "Frans Gorthon" Woodship, carrying pulpwood from Hare Bay, Newfoundland, Canada to Sittingbourne, Kent, England with Karl, the Captain, the Swedish wireless operator, and Dungeness Nuclear Power Station in the background.Taken on board ship in The English Channel, July 1970. 

Prologue

Here we are 34 years after first writing my diary and I wish to thank Margaret Burden and Bill Rompkey who made it possible for me to come over and meet my friends in Port Hope Simpson in 2002. I especially thank Margaret and Carol Burden for their kindness and generosity and all the staff at The Alexis Hotel for their wonderful hospitality. To Ben and Ursie Rowe, thank you for yet another scrumptious meal, Ben’s greenhouse full of vegetables is a sight to behold and to Ron Notley for your boat ride up The Bay. Is there anything better than contentedly whacking your boat flat-out, having a fag sitting next to your gas canister whilst looking over at Eldrid Penney lording it, or, resting his gammy legs in the back of his boat, as he failed to take you on for speed?
Regarding my old diary; after re-uniting with Scott and Rita Coish and Claude and Jean Rumbolt at The Town’s Great “Access North Coming Home 2002 Celebrations” and with Pete Smart at his home in Cardiff in 2003, I hope I have left them with a sense of fun about what I have written all those years ago. On reflection, there is no doubt in my mind that the mental hammering I was giving Scott, Claude and Pete in particular, is out-of-date and echoes my own immaturity at 18 years of age. For one thing, I have not given them sufficient credit for the way they were dealing with their own problems at the time. For that I apologize and I thank them for allowing this electronic journal into the public domain. Similarly, I apologize to anybody else who may feel offended by what I have written all those years ago as a young lad.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my Mum, Family, Voluntary Service Overseas and Bill Rompkey who enabled me to experience the most fantastic year of my life. I would also like to thank the people of Port Hope Simpson some of whom may come to read this diary one day. I would especially like to thank Elaine Furlong who corresponded with me and kept me going throughout the year. Thank you everybody.

Highlights

It was an experience I’ll never forget with those quite amazing seven huskies heaving away ahead of the komatik .Their sixth sense of danger is invaluable because they will not cross thin ice. They should be pure – blooded huskies because the dog and she were huskies from Cartwright and Goose Bay respectively. Their names are Prince, Flurt, Frisk, Jill, Busker, Trot and Happy. Vince’s 15’ dog-whip cracks to give the same noise as from a .303 rifle being fired. (December 1969)

We plummeted like a big bird of prey out of the sky onto the landing strip marked with tree tops to prevent the plane from landing on bad ice. The country below looked very beautiful with its many frozen ponds. (January 1970)

I dropped one and a half fathoms of line baited with pork fat through an old ice-hole into the freezing water. A ribbon of ice was forming on my fishing line. (February 1970)

The skidoo race at Mary’s Harbour was quite sensational. About 30 skidoos were lined – up ready for the ten mile race. (March 1970)

My snow cruiser doesn’t have a light, its spark plug blew out, there’s trouble with its forward cylinder and it doesn’t ride on the snow so well. The majority of the ride down the bay was O.K. except my heart missed a beat when, all of a sudden, traveling at what felt like 60 m.p.h. we were up to the skidoo’s running boards in slush and water! We desperately managed to scuttle closer to the shore where the ice was better. I really thought my last moment had arrived. In places on our journey the slush was at least a foot thick but all was safe because I learned, but only after reaching Mary’s Harbour that solid ice lay beneath the slush or “slob”. (April 1970)

I took my trout over to the open wood fire. Under Tom’s helpful directions I split it open and cut off its head. When Tom saw me do so he said, “Don’t do that it’s the best part!”
So I said, “O.K. you can have it.” He split it abroad, pulled out the gills and cooked it very lightly on the end of a stick. He ate the head just about raw, remarking,“ Look the eyeball’s busted open!” He sucked all the brains out with great relish!

The whole settlement over the past few weeks has been preparing for the “moving out”. The fisher folk move out to their smaller summer fishing settlements like George’s Cove, William’s Harbour, Sandy Hook, Occasional Harbour, Square Islands and Fishing Ship’s Harbour. (May 1970)

Mr. Dawe’s mother at Burnt Point showed me a signed photograph (dated April 21st, 1908) of Sir Wilfred Grenfell holding up two dog skins. Her husband and Mrs. Dawe’s father and grandfather rescued Dr. Grenfell when he was stranded on a pan of ice in Hare Bay after he had been on it on his first solo dog - team ride. He was making for Roddickton to nurse a sick boy. Whilst adrift he killed two of his dogs and used their skins to keep warm, as well as using his other dogs to give him added heat. He went in the water but managed to get out by using one of his dogs to haul himself up back onto the drifting ice. Mr. Dawe’s mother is 81 years of age and she can remember Dr. Grenfell very well. “He was just like any common man,”she said. “He was very friendly.” (June 1970)

Introduction

When I walked down those steps of the plane in Montreal little did I know then what I know now. I was about to embark on a personal journey that would lead to my dearest Mum saying on my return,
“You went away a boy and you came back a man!”
As we know, Mums always know best!
My personal diary chronicles an 18 year old lad who wrote down his thoughts to help him deal with different situations whilst living amongst some of the best people he has ever had the privilege to meet.
It is now 33 years since I went to Labrador so I think if I can safely invoke a 30 year rule to categorically state that much of my personal comments are now invalid and unreliable! I would also like to state that I bear absolutely no bad feelings whatsoever to any people I have “slagged off” in what follows and I hope they will have no ill feelings towards me by what they have read! After all it was a very long time ago and must be irrelevant to people’s lives today. On the contrary, I have the most outstanding and fondest memories about all the people I worked with. This diary was merely my own way of doing everything in my power to be on the very best of terms with everybody. In fact, everybody should know that I came away after only one year of V.S.O. knowing that I had benefited so much from my experience that I can thoroughly recommend it to anybody who would like it as a way of helping other people. I hope you will enjoy reading it and end up feeling a part of my experience in the most incredible year of my life.

Contents

Prologue
Acknowledgements
Highlights
Introduction

August
Montreal
Goose Bay
The boat journey to Port Hope Simpson
Poor fishing season
Arrival in Port Hope Simpson – first impressions

September
Getting ready for teaching
Bad tooth decay
Getting started
Progress
Eagerly looking forward to the mail boat and getting stuck in to life out here
Classified nobody works here on Sunday

October
Dealing with some problems
Winter’s approaching
Clive arrived last night
Reflecting about my teaching
The social life
I think …
The start of winter
Enjoying myself
Needs self-control…not to say anything to him
Winter’s arrived!

November
Off hunting at last!
He did the same for me.
The first combined school trip
“My room”
I must not forget the sleeping bag
More details about the combined trip
Recording some local expressions
Christmas planning and more time spent reflecting
Mind you, it has been good…
Off to a wedding
Trying to get something done
Money stolen!
Coping
Grade 3: Patsy Paul, Lester Penney and Gordon Ward;
Funeral today
Collecting firewood
The funeral I mustn’t forget
Timetable at school
Scott and work!
Pressure brought to bear
My mid-day meal today was this
A table at last!
Managing ourselves and the children we teach
Greta’s learning. I knows that.
Trying to keep warm
The ice rink
Intend to try and learn
Lights! …before Christmas

December
Thoughts about the food
Effects of the weather
Late
Cruising
Tidying up the place?
Supper
Morning walk to school
Typical lesson
Midnight
Fighting
Reading and having faith
There is a lot to meditate on in this book
Having fun in the snow
Putting up Christmas decorations in the school
Where I am staying is very cold
Walking on water!
It was slightly nerve racking…
Keeping warm
Parade
Boxing Day
“The Play", "The Tyme" and "The Show"
Trip on the dog - team
A poor New Year's Eve

January
Lots of cruising
Jannying
Settled - in at school
The mail plane arrived today.
Mail at long last!
Newfoundland's sinking!
Paid for what I like doing.
Riding the big bird
Relaxation
“Getting Lost” and getting back to Port Hope Simpson
Mary’s Harbour by Don Campbell and two others
Tackling problems along the Labrador coast
Contrasting Mary’s Harbour with Port Hope Simpson
Malicious gossip
The effect of Claude’s reprimand!
Seals
Destroyed by lice
Foot bitten by Peter, the pet husky dog
A day spent cruising
Scott’s house. There is a… quiet atmosphere…
School examinations
A little miracle, my nose almost dropping off and a frozen hot water bottle!
No school
Bullet put down
Having a ramp
Cruising again
A reminder from Sukey
Talking about work or doing something?
Uncle Bob’s happening
Be quite a bad complaint…the ‘flu
Having fun on Aubrey’s skidoo
Ice hockey result: Port Hope Simpson 8 Mary’s Harbour 4
Roll your own!
Welfare assistance
Self – knowledge and getting on with the people
A quiet sort of life here.
I’ve just had a scattered ride on a skidoo…
Teaching observation
The mountie is in about the theft of my money
Asked for $10 per day
The Cat ate my Toothpaste!

February
Sunday
Telephone Connection for Port Hope Simpson
Improved Diet
My Sealskin
Keeping Clean
My Beaver's Tail has gone!
Enjoying my Job
Medical Assistance Arrives for Port Hope Simpson
Was spent very nicely
Eyesight Affected
Some Forward Planning
Grow Your Own Food Crop
I hope she’ll be OK
The Amazing Husky Dogs
Trying to Prepare a Seed-Bed
Enjoying the Place
Losing that "Monday Morning Feeling"
More Sealskin Scraping
Naturally Inspired Thoughts
“The Daughters of Mercy" and Jim Penney's Wound
Out here
More and More Sealskin Scraping
Dance on Over at the School
In School
Many a Slip
Smelting
Claude Kippenhuck caught about one hundred and twenty.
Fed - Up with Sealskin Scraping
Sandra's Expectant
My Smelting Trip
I chopped a hole in the ice
Freezing Cold
Trying to Warm - Up Again
What Not to Do
Travelling at about 25 m.p.h.
Port Hope Simpson's Valentine Day's Custom
A Wonderful Test from Ursie
Drawing a Sketch Map of Port Hope Simpson
Snow is being drifted by a strong wind
How do you get a porcupine from its hole?
The 'Flu
Just finished my dinner of meat, turnip, potato and bread pudding with tea and biscuits for afters
A Marriage
Port Hope Simpson's Telephone Lines Improving?
Teaching Made Easier
wedding went off today
The Promise of a Whale's Tooth
Down to the Wedding
The Coldest Day Since I Arrived
Still Trying to get Warm
Seed Germination
In on Friday to wire the School
Loan Offer of a Skidoo!
It’s the first offer I’ve had made since I’ve been here. Loaning somebody your skidoo in Port Hope Simpson is almost the same as hiring out your wife!
Sealskin Mat
Frozen Hot Water Bottle
An Outstanding Memory
Working My Way Home on a Wood Boat?
Wiring up the School at Long Last
No Mail Today 64
A "White Coat"
Seeing - in St. David's Day
The Saga of the Sealskin
A Game of Football with the Boys
A Shout for Help from Guess Who?
Fixing the House's Stovepipe
The Promise of a Whale's Tooth Souvenir

March
Celebrating St. David’s Day
Scott on Boards
Great Fun on Scott’s Skidoo
Scott’s Slipped Disc, A New “Water and Wood Lugger” for the House and Having Fun on the Skidoo
Nurse Harris came in today
Final Preparations for Wiring
Feel
Getting the Wood Ready for the House
Actually Wiring – Up!
Tom Sawyer
Scott’s Off to Mary’s Harbour for treatment
With Rita
Wiring the School, No Mail Plane, People Coming and Going, A Big Skidoo Race is Planned and “On the Drunk”
Clive’s Thoughts about His Life out at Rexon’s Cove
I think it will be worthwhile noting…
Enough of Vague Abstractions…Back to Reality
Patience is a Virtue!
Taciturn people
Rita is taciturn
Stephen's Second Fire Scare in his House
And then clear again this evening
Reflections about the Theft of Money
The School is almost completely wired Up Now
The Next Latest, Little Adventure
Top of my wellingtons
Thinking About a View of God
Application of Abstract Thoughts
The Mail Plane Winging in from Charlottetown
So I dressed up with two sweaters and a parka
Sick as a Dog
The yellow "Wheeler Northland" plane takes off
Miss Cairns, Pentecostal Teacher Gassed!
“Well I’m off”
More Crowd Control
The nurse said…
Miss Cairns is Recovering
Looking Back
Also, she should have been taken back into Mary’s Harbour when she took sick coming out.
Back to More “Common and Garden Matter”
Registering the Cold
When I woke up this morning it was not as cold as last night.
"An Ugly Blot"
The Nurse, Doctor and Dentist are all coming in
Indoors all evening just taking it easy
Time's Whizzing By
The Future
Learning Difficulties and Teaching Organization
Suffering! Bowels Upheaval!
Morning.
Good 'ole English Food
Christy Brown
The extracts seem excellent stuff
Broken down Skidoo, Snowshoes and the Novelty of Hauling Water has Worn Off
Malnutrition
In bed
Port Hope Simpson – At Night:a poem
Some mail
The Mounties are in
Mounties
Scott's Back Home
Slightly clouded sky
It's Difficult
Ouch!!!
Widespread Tooth Decay in PHS
Only 12 people have been to see the Dentist
The Drunk and the Flying Plaster Cast
Planning for Ferryland
Refreshing Talk
It’s out in the Open Now!
Dealing with the Problem and Learning from the Mistake
Money had been “nicked”
Thank You Nurse, Margaret Harris
Teeth Hauled by Peter the Dentist
The weather today is “crooked”
Peter’s Plans for the Future
Dealing with the Freezing Cold Weather in My Room and Food Problems
“Wonderful fine”
A “Shower” for an Expected New Arrival and Ted Penney, Poor Bloke, is now blind in One Eye
Presents for the baby
Stepping From One World into Another
Very Hungry Again
Feed with vegetables
Multi-Vitamins to the Rescue
A Couple of Realizations
Struggle to get over to Uncle Bob’s after supper
How Many Children Can You Fit in the Same Bed?
And the Time is just Rolling By
Start of the Easter Break and Hoping to get Out to Mary’s Harbour
School went fine today
Feeling Lethargic
Pure-blooded Huskies
Mental Fatigue
Off to Mary’s Harbour on My Snow - Cruiser
The Holiday Begins
Having Fun
The Big Skidoo Race

April
Having a Great Time!
to Mary’s Harbour
“The Unknown Labrador"
huge hydro-electric development of Churchill Falls
some men still manage to catch 20,000lbs (of salmon)
still no roads
Benefiting from my Holiday
A Fresh View on Life out Here
International Grenfell Association
The Money Saga
Meeting to Organize "The Tyme"
Advertising "The Tyme"
Learning the Ropes about Teaching
Back into Life in PHS Again
Wish I could be more enthusiastic about Pete
An Extra Charge for the Skidoo!
Preparing for the Tyme
Managed to do some work over at the School
The Tyme is a Dud!
My Bearskin's a Cub's!
The Tyme should go ahead
Bertrand Russell, a Great Philosopher has died
Navel - Gazing 97
He had four different wives
The Tyme is on…
Saturday 11th…
The Tyme in More Detail
Rest and Relaxation
Pete wasn’t over at all…
Reading and Thinking
In Good Spirits
All ready
Charlie Ward: A True Man
Haircut Time for Pete
I am going to give Pete a haircut “the once”
Scott and Family are off to Mary's Harbour
Had to turn back because of freezing rain
A View of England from Labrador
Ready for Battle with the Labrador Night
Ready!
The Dangerous Furnace at the School
Living Alone at the House
The Mail Plane has arrived
Trying to Improve my Nutrition
The Sty on My Eye!
The weather can change incredibly fast
Politicians Take over My Classroom!
Thursday 16th…Scott and Family are back
Family Rivalries in PHS
The Northern Lights
Received all my mail today
Dealing with Trivialities
Scott's crashed his komatik
Some Very basic Carpentry for the School
A sawn plank of lumber
Redge Russell, Boat Builder
His speedboat…he took four or five days to build it
Cleaving as Good Exercise
Bruce Hiscock's Leg is on the mend
The Importance of Reading
More Reading, Clive's in from Rexon's Cove and Lonesome People
Dudley Moore…British comedians
Scott's Birding on the Outside
My Flaming Furnace
Wake up one morning to find
Showing Off and Applying to Extend My Stay in Newfoundland
Nothing Much Happens
Returned to Pete’s
Examination Tips
Off My Cat Food
"The Happening" at Charlottetown
Quite a few people have gone
Stomach Cramps
One Measly Letter
Encouragement for Claude’s proposed sawmill
Scott's Back with Ducks and white coats
Must be a "Hard Rig" Moving Out
Stephen's Wonderful Stereoscope
Getting in the Firewood Early
Snow and ice isn’t going to be around much longer
Keeping up my Spirits
The Saga of My Sty
Mr. Frank Roberts, our School Inspector pays a visit
Probably to do more harm than good to call a Parents’ Evening at this late stage
Important News about the Coming Year's Fishing
Arrival of the late-comers
It sounds Like a Much Fairer Scheme for the fishermen
The Watchdog of the Labrador
Keep in touch with matters that affect their lives
Recovering and planning to go out to Mary's Harbour
Asked Rube on the telephone yesterday morning
Cutting Hair, Supper and a Mountain Cat's paws
Which he’d caught in his trap around Skinney’s Water
The Mary's Harbour Trip is off
Morals burn and heat the house I suppose!
Mary's Harbour is on Again!
Hair - Rising: Our Skidoo Crashed through the Ice!
The Skidoo and I part company: Broken Tow Bar
Stephen was coming on behind
Through the Ice we go again!
Very Brief Stay at Mary's Harbour
Broken Skidoo Ski!
New Ski Fitted
We followed the same footing we made coming in
Broken komatik Tow Bar - a Temporary Repair
A Badly Cut Finger
Passed on all the news about the two patients
A Terrible Accident has happened

May
Echoes of Home
Winter is closing and spring is coming at Last
Going fishing with Ray Hiscock
Port Hope Simpson is preparing for its summer migration
Testing My Volunteer Spirit!
Won’t get anything more
Feeling Down in Spirit
Felt down
Final Exam Preparation
5th It’s All Change with the Weather
Fixing Broken Sunglasses
Taking Photographs and Writing Exams
Ed Osmond’s getting married
Maybe the “S.S. Springdale” is coming?
Writing More Exams and Taking More Photographs
Life Here is tied down So Much by the Weather
The ice will be too thin
Exams Duplicated, Living the Life and Preparing for the Future
Gone Fishing Through the Ice
Trout cooking Over an Open fire: from under Ice to Stomach in Under Ten Minutes
Sandra Burden, Kimie’s girlfriend stayed to supper
Mail Plane Lands on Floats
The Land is Reverting Back
Reflections on the Past Year
I’ll just have to come back sometime or other.
Sandra Cook’s had a Baby Girl!
Wednesday 13th The Bay Ice is Thawing
I don’t have any more news
Spectacular Movement of Bay Ice
“The Itinerant Artist”
“The Sociable Wood Cleaver with Bad Stomach Ache Who Gives Medical Advice”
Outside the house a very impressive woodpile
Food’s running Out in PHS
“Drawings, Drawings, Drawings…”
Sunday 17th getting organized for trout fishing
One “Pick”, a Wellington Full of Icy Water and a Very Wet Sock!
Sam’s trout that was jammed in the ice hole
Fishing Boats Now Floating on the Bay
“What Goes Around Comes Around”
Results Time
I’ve only kept…down a Grade promoting…
Messing About on the River
Fishing again
Vacating Pete’s Lodgings
The Warmth is back
Had beans for breakfast which was very nice
Tying Final Exam Dates in With Moving Out
Increased Class Size
I’ve caught something At Last!
Afternoon school went OK
Three Cheers for Claude!
Good Luck!
End of Term Arrangements
Making full use of the Flannel Board
Off for an Evening Walk
Maybe problems getting out?
Ray will be going out on Saturday
Caught a Real Fish at Last!
Fear of Ice Drifting Back In and Blocking Exit to the Outside
Shooting Rube’s Boat
After supper I will be going up to see Rube
Trying to Teach Very Young Children
The Art of Brushing Your Teeth
It’s the first time that anybody has ever told me that I have to brush my teeth up and down
What I’d Give Right Now For…
Got Quite Used to the Food
Planning for a New Road?
Trying my luck again
No Qualified Medical Treatment for Dean
Cheesed - Off
Moving – out and some families left behind
Royd Kippenhuck
Increased Classroom Efficiency!
The New Government – Set Fish Price and Dastardly Deeds Afloat
Completely Cut – Off George’s Cove
The “S.S. Springdale” Steams In to Port Hope Simpson
I heard today that the Springdale is in at about 8.00 p.m. today
School Work and Word – of – Mouth Historical Evidence about Port Hope Simpson
After supper of Bologna and baked beans
Just Passing the Time…
A lunch of partridge berry jam
Latest Bug – Sore Throat
Cheese, Egg and Chips!
Still Freezing and Damn “The Labrador Cold”
Gone Fishing Again
Drawings for Mat - Making
Amazed!
I hope this “cold” will soon clear up
Darwinian Expedition
What’s going on Out There?
Let Loose…
Looking Forward To…
And looking back
On Life Out Here

June
Well Done Claude!
Tidying Up
A Gift the First Salmon of the Year
The first salmon caught here this year
Sawing up Sticks and Cleaving Junks
New Telephone System by June 15th?
Brave Little David!
Wonderful easy cleaving the wood because its grain
Freezing Weather Again
Claude's New Motorboat
Went Over to Bart’s
A List of Foods Eaten
Keeping Busy
Swimming, sprained ankle and mosquitoes at “Civilization in the Wilderness”
Plenty of Mail
A Surprise Flying Visit from the School Board
Sign Painting
Complaining to the School Board
The Value of Saying "Thank You"
Light that is Unfit for a Mole to Work by
Claude's Meeting
Seeing is believing!
Just had supper of beans and pork and mandarin orange jelly
Difficult to Get to and Difficult to Get Away From
The Local Lingo
It is June Isn't It?
I’ll feel quite sad
Another Accidental Death by Drowning
I have had supper
He might actually be trying to walk somewhere right now
The Impact of the Tragedy
Self - Improvement through Work, the Mountie is in and his Plane Took -off
At a height of about 200 feet
The Body Still Isn't Found
Tidying up some Stock and Staff Rooms
All the Pieces of Paper that Accumulated Inside the Desks
Further Speculation about What Really Happened
Superstitious Talk
Everything that Bill said or did before he went missing has been…
I would find Wallace at Ron Notley’s
The Body was "Turning"
Route Planning without Really Knowing Where I was going
If she won’t stop there…
Deep Grief
Getting Ready to Leave
Although I still Didn’t Know for Sure Whether I would go out
My Passport's in and I'm off!
Goodbye Port Hope Simpson
Talking with Two German-Speaking Swiss Ladies
Food a Wonderful Luxury
A Real Bath at Last!
Off Again and My Luck's In!
I was awake by 5.30 a.m.
Fantastic "Barker and Slasher" Operations
What have I seen at Burnt Point?
Guess what Game?
First - Hand History about Sir Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, Labrador Explorer
Some Things I Really Appreciate
I have not had Breakfast yet
The Wood Ship is in!
The Captain Agrees Provided…
Gorthon Shipping Company to be contacted in Sweden
So Near Yet So Far…
In the Captain’s Cabin
No Luck yet…
Fingers Crossed
Maybe News I thought
This Was It…
News of the Very Best Kind!
Difficulty Boarding
The Owner's Cabin, Like Stepping from Harlem into Buckingham Palace
I should be paying at least $10.00 each day
Life aboard Ship
Dinner is at 5.00 p.m.
Lazy Days

July
A Wet Awakening
Preferential Treatment
The Ship Has Shrunk!
Maybe See Ireland?
I have had only a slight headache
Bye Bye Sty
Land Ahoy Jim Lad!
Our Pilot is on Board
We will reach the mooring by 11.30 p.m.
Phoned Home
I took him a Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich
Dropped Anchor
From Ship to Train to Home
A taxi from outside Exmouth railway station
Great Welcome
Wouldn't Have Missed It for The World

August

August 14th 1969
Sorry to start on a disappointing note but my “A” level results came out today. I only passed in Geography and English Lit. and failed in History. But since I fractured my skull in five places three months after starting my two-year course I mustn’t complain. I don’t think that will stop me going to Labrador. Only six days now. I think I am going to enjoy my year abroad .I completed my packing tonight on the 18th. Also had Gamma Globulin injection. Only got to fix up my journey to London. Said more goodbyes. I am feeling rather nervous – hope everything goes smoothly.

Montreal
I arrived safely in Montreal on the 21st – phew what a carry on! I am staying with a Mr. and Mrs. Franklin and everybody is very kind. All of the Voluntary Service Overseas volunteers have been invited by the City of Montreal to visit Expo with a free slap-up lunch today. We only spent one day in Montreal worst luck. Expo ’67 was a great showpiece and the free lunch was very formal. The plane for Goose Bay, Labrador leaves at 5.20a.m. Tomorrow morning- ugh!

Goose Bay
It was a very hospitable seven-day stay in Goose Bay by kind courtesy of the Perrys and the Eisons. Goose Bay from what I saw equals The American side and The Canadian side at Happy Valley.

The Boat Journey to Port Hope Simpson
The volunteers are now on our way to our allocated settlements along the Labrador coast on board the “SS Cabot Strait” with its closet cabin accommodation! The rest of the trip must be an anti-climax in the sense that facilities and hospitality can’t possibly approach our stay in Canada up to now. I must not expect too much in Port Hope Simpson.
Regarding the other volunteers: Pete Smart found out that he is to also teach near PHS, which gave me mixed feelings. Chris Humphries got off the boat at North West River. I wonder if he is really happy and contented out here? I mustn’t forget Alex’s accident when a drunken driver hit him, fractured his leg and won’t be back to work until Christmas. It is difficult to cater for those sorts of things but did he have to walk home alone? Nina, Kay, Peggy and Fiona have all been posted to Northern Labrador (too much temptation for young males!) but Jean Crichton has been posted to Cartwright with Clive, Chris, Pete, Tim and I – mismanagement on the part of V.S.O.? It’s beautiful country. I wonder what it will be like when the weather or winter breaks. I will not be bored if I find or rather make plenty to do.
This boat journey dropping off at our settlements is dragging on! However, it must cater for the fishermen. We will arrive in PHS tomorrow. I am looking forward to it. The weather has been great and we saw some icebergs not very far away. I spoke with a Newfoundlander fisherman who comes to the Labrador coast in May for the summer. He was on his way back with only 91 quintals of fish that apparently means a poor fishing season. The meals on this boat are great and I have had only very slight feelings of sea- sickness. Jean got off at Cartwright taking a letter to Mum for me.
This boat seems to be too small for the number of people on board or that what it seems to my inexperienced eye at least. I’ll be glad to be off it. My cold is definitely clearing-up now after a couple of aspirins last night. Wish it would hurry up and go.
The arrival of the boat at settlements along the coast is obviously a great occasion. The fishermen and some curious relations bring their dried salted codfish, oil drums, fishing nets and luggage out to the boat. I took some photographs of the fishermen’s gear being loaded. They try to catch their fish by using nets. These people are not so far above a subsistence level of living. I’ve made friends with the crew who are a nice enough bunch although coarse in speech. I have to listen very carefully to make out exactly what they are saying because their pronunciation of English is hard to understand. The fishermen are a tough bunch – My God they’ve got to be in this bleak landscape to survive. I watched two of them have a trial of strength in the lounge this afternoon but only arm to arm.

Arrival in Port Hope Simpson – First Impressions
I finally arrived in PHS on the 30th. It was an experience similar to alighting from a tube train in the middle of Dartmoor! After my unannounced arrival at 6.15 a.m. I met The Principal of The Anglican School where I was going to work. Pete has just left at 9.00a.m. for George’s Cove where one teacher is needed there, about twenty miles from here. I’ve been here for only three hours and this man jokes about sleeping with somebody’s girlfriend! It was true! There were two wanton girls outside my bedroom late night!
Hardly anybody here goes to work. I am staying with a Mr. and Mrs. Coish and their very young daughter Kimberley. He built the house himself. They seem to be a relatively well off family but still quite poor in material things. Sanitation and hygiene are very poor which is not helped by the fact that there is no running water. The water is an opaque brown in colour and tastes quite pleasant. The water in the streams is fit to drink, as it is – no dead sheep or cows. I bought my Parka today at $28.89 (about £11.00) – it’s fabulous. The men don’t seem to talk about anything else but women and sex. It looks like I will have to be very much on my guard against the “fair sex”!?!?!?!? In fact, I even wrote a postcard home asking for five bottles of multi-vitamins – maybe to help me desist!!! This house where I am staying is virtually one big room where everybody knows what everybody else is doing more or less.
I’ve written to Mum, V.S.O and Jane ref. Derby College. I am off to see Pete at 7.00 a.m. tomorrow.

September

Getting Ready for Teaching
Well, make that 10.30a.m. because it took two hours to get the speedboat going. I’ve traveled about twenty – two miles each way today. The weather was sunny and the views were magnificent. The people were very happy although the majority of them had Bad tooth decay! These settlements seem to be suspended above the water by nothing more than a few woodpiles. Everything looked so flimsy, tattered and well worn. There was only one pleasant looking house and “the business man” who had a tide-washed bog owned that. Pete had gone to William’s Harbour so Claude and I left four boxes of books for him with a sort of letter of instructions about what to do.
We had dinner and tea in George’s Cove, where everybody just walks in unannounced into anybody’s home and we were kindly offered meals on more than two occasions. I feel like I am continually on exhibition to the people, like a rare animal or something. It’s not everyday that they see somebody from England or any new faces for that matter.
Final preparations are being made in The Anglican School for its opening- sweeping and filling furnaces. Claude, the Principal and I erected a flagpole and set up a staffroom for us. Claude bought a rocking chair for $16.50 and I bought a chaise-de-lounge for $12.84 – SACRIFICIAL!

Getting Started
School started at nine o’clock, 3rd with a fast-read-Claude-sermon-style assembly. The children were very shy of me. I teach Kindergarten to Grade 6, that is ages 6 – 12 years in one classroom with language problems on both sides. There is lots of hard work ahead. By the next day the furnace still wasn’t going in my classroom. I’ve got to fix it with Claude. I met Mr. Cook, The Principal of the Pentecostal School from Stockton, Teeside. It was great to hear one’s own language again. My photographs should go out for developing tomorrow.

Progress!
Two days later my furnace is now going full blast. ”The Board” (responsible for governing the schools along the coast): Reverend Lewis, Bill Rompkey et.al. walked into my Art & Craft lesson. They couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The kids were enjoying it and so was I. I’m beginning to settle down now. I finished and displayed a technicolour alphabet for the children, helped Scott build his “bridge” (verandah) and helped him saw up his firewood. He used the power saw like a toy, which was rather nerve-racking. Pete and Clive arrived for the night and slept in my room. It was great to see them again. We toured PHS. The mail boat also came in last night. Pete and Clive were off at 2.45pm. I must remember to go and see them sometime. I wrote to Bill Rompkey (ref. Scott and work) and Mum yesterday and finished digging a well with Claude above the house, which was named “The Teachers’ Well”! Joyce Penny had toothache in class- God what a noise, the people round here have very bad tooth decay. Coffee is in our staffroom now using water boiled on the furnace. I’ve agreed to take Kindergarten to Grade 3 because Pete said he couldn’t teach those ages. I am getting more used to the toilets around here too. Looking forward to winter and the skidoos. It looks as if Pete and I will have the use of Claude’s snow cruiser which will be great. Work really is slack for the local populace. I went to George’s Cove last weekend and spent Saturday night at William’s Harbour.

Eagerly Looking forward to the Mail boat and Getting Stuck In to Life Out Here!
Been “Up the Depot” (a local wood dump, without the wood and “bulled” flat) with Scott, Rita and Kimberely. Scott accidentally jumped on a four-inch nail and acted like he didn’t feel it. I helped him rip up some boarding on his verandah. I think I am luckier than Pete and Clive being posted in this place. I almost said, “Stuck in this place.” Well, it is very isolated.
Received my six parcels from home yesterday. The weather is getting pretty cold now. I went fishing with Austen Penny and Hedley Sampson yesterday but didn’t catch anything. Austen gave me the only trout caught and I will be going “Up the Steady” with them after school today. Nothing special has happened. I just emptied Scott’s boatload of wood for him and drew out the nails. Apparently Scott said there is no work at Goose. I am waiting for a letter from Mum. The mail boat is due this Saturday .I caught a large trout in the Lower Steady just by dropping my unbaited hook in which wasn’t really fishing. The rivers seem to be overflowing with fish. But I only caught three - have to do better! Mr. Tom Burgess, an Irishman from Dublin arrived for a public meeting. He plans to have work brought to The Labrador. Gerry Hill is the local scapegoat. There is the dance tonight and Claude popped off to Mary’s Harbour on the Burgess floatplane. I found out today that best clothes are needed to walk down the road. Strict Sunday observance. It will be a hard winter unless work is brought to this community. No sign of the mail boat yet. Sorry it has just arrived at 5.00p.m.
I’ve started a School Stamp Album for the kids. It’s hard for the family I am staying with when Scott is out of work. I hope he finds some, as a janitor maybe? Reverend Lewis will decide when he comes in on Thursday. I think I will go beaver hunting with Graham Kippenhuck and Scott on Saturday but it’s not the beaver season yet. I saw a big moose swimming down and around The Bay just before school. I was amazed at how high it was in the water. The SS Nonia arrived last night, wonder if I have any mail? I took a couple of photographs of the moose and looked at it through binoculars – great! Harry Rumbolt has promised to take me hunting “Up the Road”. Poor food…my dinner today was potatoes as the main meal with custard and cake, tea and water. I asked for a lamp for a Christmas present from home. Just as I was posting letters to Chris Humphries and Chris Agnew (school friends) and Mum yesterday I met Reverend Lewis. He had come to see about the School Janitor’s job and if I was making out OK. He said the secret of teaching along the coast is to keep the parents happy by setting plenty of homework. I witnessed a baptism with Claude – “to stand up”! I’ve told him I don’t want to take Sunday school. I think Pete will take it OK. I hope the people will still respect me despite that. I went aboard Ed. Lewis’s houseboat – rather him than me; helped Claude take firewood off his motorboat and drove it for him. It was quite big in the dark. The decision about the janitor’s job has been passed by Ed Lewis on to Goose Bay. I don’t know if it will be Scott’s or Jim Sampson’s. I hope Scott gets it – partly selfish reasons on my part because I think my winter here is going to be difficult if he’s out of work. It’s Sunday today, which is a waste of day to me at least. Classified. Nobody works here on Sunday – well I’ve got marking and reading to do. I spent a good few hours with Ben Rowe yesterday. I felt real admiration for him because he’s built his own “long – liner ’67 mostly on his own; for fishing purposes mainly. He’s been on the boat for about four years now. He is quite intelligent. I enjoyed talking with him. Apparently Sheila and Verity (past volunteers) spent most of their time in his house. I must visit them soon.
Claude’s rhetorical speech makes him appear ridiculous at times to me. He is a good enough bloke though. I heard from Rev. Lewis that Alex is to be sent home by Christmas, which is very hard luck on him. I was down at Ben’s place last night from 10.30p.m. – 1.30a.m. He is a very sensible man. I liked him a lot. I said I’d help him with his long – liner, about sixty- footer. Amazing! Three Ward families arrived and my class expanded in size up to about thirty although it will still increase further. I spent time at Cliff Rumbolt’s, Charlie Sampson and Jim Sampson. I was impressed by Jim (father of Victor and Headley in my class.) I showed them my moon pictures and told them about the moon landing that I saw on TV until I’m sick in the face. The mail boat is due soon and little Vic in my class had a kitten.

October

Dealing with some Problems
Over half of these kids need to be taught how to work! Yesterday I received multi-vitamins, newspaper and biros from home.
I am finding discipline the biggest problem with the kids because it takes me too long to get round all the different Grades and I think I am too kind with them. Two more families came in today from their summer fishing settlement which means an even bigger class. Apparently the kids were really rough last year with one kid stabbing another. I don’t know how much I am going to like teaching here. I’ll be able to better judge at the end of the year. The environment, attitudes etc. are so different from Exmouth School.

Winter’s Approaching
It’s also remarkable how quickly the weather changes here. Winter’s setting in now. I am just back from Stephen and Sandra Cook’s house (Pentecostal Principal) after receiving an invitation for Sunday dinner and tea.
New toilets are going up near our School. Tide washed? Ice? Foul? I was freezing cold when I woke up again this morning after being down at Ben’s last night. There was quite a heavy snowfall yesterday morning. It’s cold but not snowing this morning. The mail boat is due this Saturday which probably means Sunday or Monday!
The “SS Bonavista” did arrive this Saturday morning at about 7.00a.m.after all. It had to wait for daylight before navigating the stretch of water known as “The Tickle”. I opened the local dance last night where fisticuffs was brewing but didn’t come to anything. Clive arrived last night but had to return at about midnight. I’ve been having some discipline problems with my Grade 5 who are also not doing their homework. There will be a parents meeting soon about that. Scott has just got a new Parka and a gas lamp from his home at Mary’s Harbour. It will be very nice to have a decent light in the house.

Reflecting About my Teaching
I enjoy teaching the younger children that is up to Grade 4, more than I do the Higher Grades. I think this is mainly due to the poor Grade 5 I have but not entirely so. Teaching is a very difficult job because you have to be so different from one minute to the next. However, it’s a job that I have enjoyed a great deal at times so far. At other times it has been very difficult which has needed great control and patience on my part. I have to take care with the formation of my letters when I am writing on the blackboard because I am teaching the “MacLean’s” style of handwriting. I think the style is too elaborate with flowing lines all over the place.
There is quite a bog, “muskeg” outside Scott’s house now that is difficult to navigate. Yesterday Scott put up a storm door, which sounds ominous. He pots about doing odd jobs like most able-bodied men in this community. Little do they know how much they suffer from their isolation? (Griff Thomas and Mike Vincent, two of my Welsh teachers have “teachers writing” by the way!)
Travel is much easier here in the winter on the skidoos and snow-cruisers. From what I can gather there is a lot of movement to and from Mary’s Harbour and suchlike communities. At the moment there are two wood trucks and a few cars to navigate the thriving Metropolis of PHS !
My list of things to buy for the winter is, pair of nylon, waterproof, insulated trousers; good pair of over-mitts (over the pair of gloves Rita is knitting for me); a pair of sealskin boots if I can possibly manage to get the sealskin (Mrs. Ward has said she will make me a pair); a pair of overboots and possibly a pair of mucklucks.
I had a Sunday chicken dinner and a good tea with Mr. And Mrs. Cook yesterday. A very fine pair; happily married with one child, Jonathan. Pete is due in this week. There has been a great commotion about him out at George’s Cove. It looks as if I will be taking Grades 4 – 6 now. Jo Ward has threatened to take his boy, Jo away from The Anglican and put him in The Pentecostal School in PHS if Pete teaches him!
Received a letter with my pay cheque of $122.90. It’s so great to hear from her. My post here is a very responsible one. Gerry Hill, politician, is due in tomorrow. I now teach Grades 4, 5 & 6 – intellectually semi-satisfied, puff puff – big words! I held the dance last night. Pete came in last Thursday and Clive came in for a brief visit last night.

The Social Life
I just came back from a fifteen-minute visit to the dance where Claude was looking like a corpse! Twelve bottles of beer?!?! I have been playing cards all evening with Rita, Scott and Pete. Apparently, last night, I had a hymn played for me on the radio thanks to Judy Rumbolt who has a crush on me – twit! The dance is great – very clever tap dancing by the men which was great to watch. I didn’t have a dance tonight which was the first no dance night since I have been here. I didn’t go down to the School until midnight, which was too late.
I think Scott resents an education in somebody, mainly because I think he is suspicious of “us” educated types. He’s a nice guy all the same. The men are just about continually talking about the women and me when they talk to me. About Gloria who is a slob and Judy Rumbolt who is I guess near enough a prostitute. This is the “hoary” reputation I’ve read about.
The other day I felt like I was in a western when I was walking down the road. The place has a definite Wild West atmosphere that I didn’t notice at first. I was given sealskin and bottoms from Dick Rumbolt yesterday. Today I gave them to Mrs. Jim Ward who is going to make a pair of boots out of them. Very few people wear them in winter around here now, preferring more modern shoes. None of the twenty-five kids in my class have seen an Eskimo and only one or two can swim, which isn’t surprising because it’s too cold. I bought three tins of seal today for $2.15. I will send Christmas presents off tomorrow. A fifteen year old in my class has great difficulty reading big words so I helped him for half an hour after school when he was staying behind for not doing his homework, poor kid. I have to keep the kids’ noses hard against the grindstone during my year out here, which is a real challenge particularly after my promotion to Vice- Principal. I must try to keep up strict discipline. I tend to let it drop too often by smiling or something similar!
I like Rita’s baked beans (haricot beans in molasses) and pork (that is pork fat!) That letter I received from Will, my brother, was rather cynical and mischievous I thought. I wrote to Alex, Chris (about his plans for entering the RAF), Will and Verity and must remember to send off those three tins of seal meat tomorrow as presents.

The start of winter
Today on the 19th has seen the beginning of the snow, which is quite deep. I wonder if this is the real start of winter.
Clive went back with Vic Penny today. I felt really proud yesterday because I was on the maiden voyage of “The Bella Rosetta”, Ben and George’s new boat. We came back from William’s Harbour in the dark! Phew. I was two feet from the engine.
The church here is taking money from the locals, as if they have money to spare. Mind you, the church plays a much bigger part in people’s lives out here. Well, I’ll go to church on Sunday evening just to keep the locals happy. I don’t feel like being connected with the church in any other sort of way.

Enjoying Myself
I am beginning to enjoy it immensely out here. The people are marvelous with too many to name, especially The Rowes. I hope to start my Geographical Project soon and I have started-up the School Library.
Pete is knuckling down to hard work now – about time and I had moose leftovers for dinner today.
Scott and I sawed up a big supply of wood yesterday. Boy! What a state of mind to be in –Scott that is! Just lazing around the place doing nothing except trying to sing and playing that damned accordion of his. It needs self-control on my part not to say anything to him. He is a nice enough bloke. Apparently he had a better chance than Claude to better himself. Claude took his chance whilst Scott didn’t and I think Scott resents Claude for that. They grew up together. I’m off to the mail boat after “dinner” plus multivitamins.

Winter’s arrived!
The kids were skating today near the School. The ice with running water beneath was only a couple of inches thick. Winter is really setting in now, 24th. Scott has finally fixed his gas lamp. Boy! It was hard working at one end of the table by the solitary oil lamp with cards being played at the other end. I have just written off for $37 worth of goods from the mail-order catalogue:
Two pairs of shoes (snow boots and moccasins) from “Simpson & Sears” and One belt,One thermometer for indoor and outdoor useOne walkie-talkie, One watchband…from the “Quality” mail – order catalogue.
Received letter from Dave and “The Montreal Star” and I have just been down at Mrs. Ward’s with cowboy hat and “singing.” I said I’d sell her my torch before I leave. I will give it to her instead. She was very impressed with it. Received newspaper cuttings from home.

31st…Received letters from Chris and Jane (re. Derby). Also had a belt sent from home? Well, what’s happened?
Pete and I “tailed” a trap up on the High Road. And last night the “SS Strathcona” was here with Mr. Bruce Colborne. He’s a nice, funny kind of bloke but unplaceable. I must remember to write to him.
My furnace was belching smoke a few days ago in my classroom. I had to rush outside and turn off the oil. What a mess!
Scott has just shot a weasel outside the house. A nice white one. It was covered with lice and we brought it into the house. I quickly sprayed my fly – spray all over the place. I hope I haven’t caught any of those lice.
I had beaver for dinner today with Redge and Charles Russell. They’ve promised me the beaver teeth-super-sharp chisels!

November

Off Hunting at Last!
We had a bonfire last night, 5th, for Kimberley, Pete and myself. I now have the beaver’s tail and teeth. Scott has gone to St. Anthony’s on Ben’s long liner. Pete and I are off hunting tomorrow and I went with Scott when I didn’t see a thing but it was great fun. We had to smash through some ice in the speedboat to reach shore. The porcupine was moving away apparently.

Claude burned an effigy of Gerry Hill.

It looks as if Scott and Ben didn’t go to St. Anthony after all. I cut Pete’s hair last night down at Mrs. Ward’s and he did the same for me. It was quite good fun. Mind you, hot work. Pete and I are hoping to go hunting this Saturday.
I’m writing this at one end of the only table in this house. The room is quite big, my bedroom adjoins it and the wood stove is in this room. The other stove is in Scott, Rita and Kimberley’s bedroom. There is one other stove in this house but unlit.

I was given a beaver’s tooth from Douglas Kippenhuck in my class today and apparently have some more on the way. Received letters “Free Film Service” (returning my film…undeveloped!), a postal order from Mum for $12, a newspaper from Chris, a letter from Alex and a returned, underpaid Skidoo package that was meant to be a present.

The First Combined School Trip
It’s the 11th and the last day of our school holidays. Yesterday I was up at “The Depot”. I was one of four teachers organizing a trip for the kids. I heard a few days ago that the Pentecostal School was running a trip for their kids and thought it would be a good idea if I could bring my class of twenty- five along. I think I left it too late to let it sink into the minds of those reactionary parents here. Anyway, I took six or seven of my class with about forty from the other school. It was a very nice day’s outing and so much for that “fierce rivalry” between “my school” and “the other”! It was the first time that it had been done and I think we will have to have some more combined trips later. Ed Osman (Pente teacher) and I have agreed on this.
I was up at Stephen Cook’s last night for supper where I had turkey! I grumbled to him about the apathy that is to be found in this place and especially about my landlord’s. Scott has gone “birding on the outside” (closer to the sea). Pete and I didn’t shoot anything the other day when we went hunting, we just wasted about fifty 2.2 shells. Austin Ward, from my class, caught a mink yesterday, which was quite an achievement. However, he had to shoot it through the head with an air gun because it was “saucy”!
I received a food parcel via the mission plane from Bruce Colborne, the Hospital Ship man. It was very welcome. At the moment I have bad diarrhoea and was up until 5.00 a.m. last night and outside as fast as I could go because of it! I seem to be susceptible to any catching absolutely any germ going. I have already had “the cold” and milder attacks of my present complaint.

“My Room”
At this moment I am sitting down on my bed in my room and I will describe what my room looks like: Behind my back is the only window in the 12’X12’ room. I am facing the door that leads into the “come- everything” room. On my right, hanging on nails and three coat hangers are my clothes. My suitcase is just to the right of the door and in that there is my food parcel, unpacked; underclothes, first aid kit, notes and a few other things. On the left-hand side of the door is the only piece of furniture – a dresser. I have a washing bowl on it and recently I was given a top drawer to put some more stuff in. the other three drawers are filled with the family’s odds and ends. Beside the end of the drawers and a couple of feet from my bed are “my” books piled on a cardboard box. Oh,I must not forget the sleeping bag at the bottom of my bed. I spread that over my bed just before I go to sleep. I don’t have a light in my room.
My beaver tail is still “drying” high up on the woodshed. I wonder how long it will be before it is completely OK? Clive came in a couple of days ago with The Rexon’s Cove crowd who are a nice bunch of people. The PHS people think they and the Russells in William’s Harbour are rather funny and odd. Rexon’s Cove thinks the Port Hope people are rather odd! I think the people here are marvelous. Oh yes, I wanted to say a bit more about the day yesterday.

More Details about the Combined Trip
It was quite difficult even getting the kids to stand in a straight line! It stands out a mile they haven’t been used to organized activities. The games they played were, field hockey, volleyball, football, tag, horseshoe throwing, target shooting and “hot rice”. I lit the fire for everybody and with Stephen collected the wood for it. The kids roasted (burnt) their marshmallows on the fire and drank their soft drinks. Only Stephen and I had a cup of tea from the kettle (an empty, rusty tin lunchbox).

Recording Some Local Expressions
“Some big” or, “some cold” or, “some hot” or some anything,
“I’m going down the store the once,” means any time in the future, it could be minutes, hours, or even days,
“I likes me gravy”, means to go to bed with someone,
“Sum powerful smell” – self-explanatory,
“The cold” means a common heavy cold.
“Ner pen” means no pen.
“My son” means something friendly I think.
Crowds of little boys and girls have suddenly just walked into this house! It’s very funny because they all just come in without knocking of course.The same happens all over this settlement.
I was out hunting all day yesterday, Saturday 15th with Pete. We saw a weasel in its white coat and three squirrels. I shot my first animal. Both Pete and I got a jay and took some photographs too! We went up past “The Depot” in Edgar’s truck (Edgar runs the local general store), driven by George Rowe.

Christmas Planning and More Time Spent Reflecting
Christmas plans are evolving. Clive is here, sitting on the bed “tinking” and smoking. I’ve just got a light in my room. The biggest complaint about my lodgings is the food. Mind you, it has been good over the past couple of days, maybe because Clive is here or maybe because it’s a weekend. That’s what I miss is good food during the week, especially at dinnertime between morning and afternoon school. I think it’s because Rita and Scott have their own living standards and they aren’t used to having teachers in the house compared to Mrs. Ward’s. Pete gets superb food but he suffers from it being overweight.
I took three pictures today of Scott, Rita and Kimberley. They have just gone out on a “cruise” (visit) up to Charlie Burden’s house for supper. That’s left me here on my own. Pete has just gone back for his super and I’ve finished mine at 5.30p.m. I normally have supper at 6.00 o’clock. That reminds me…church tonight at 7.30p.m. What a singing drag!

Off to a Wedding
I went to the wedding of Andrew Strugnall and Laura Penney two days ago at the Pentecostal Church. Pastor Churchill married them. It was only a half-hour service with rice being thrown and four shots fired from Fred Hitchcock’s twelve gauge. Afterwards we went back to the Strugnall’s for a great feed. Stephen Cook sat on my left and Mrs. Jim Sampson sat on my right. I made sure I had plenty to eat. Oops, the fire is burning down so I must put some more wood in the stove.

Trying to get something done
It’s Sunday night now or rather Monday morning. I’ve just told Scott my complaints: no table in my room, food not so good, lack of privacy, freezing cold if my door is closed. He said there wasn’t any chance of a heater in my room but he would make a table for me. I wonder if I have done the right thing complaining. Oh well, I’ll see if I get a table and whether or not my standard of food goes up. Mrs. Butt and Mrs. Kippenhuck dropped in tonight. I was at a pile of workbooks. I’m sure they were in to check-up on my working conditions, which are not so hot. Maybe something will get done now I’ve complained? Scott isn’t going to get work this winter.

Money Stolen!
It’s Tuesday 18th and $40 has gone! I feel sure that it’s been stolen sometime between 7.15 – 8.30 p.m. last Sunday. I’ve called Rev. Lewis who O.K.’d me calling in the Mountie. I called him last night and I wonder how long it will be before he’s in?
I am glad I complained about the food because it’s improved in variety and quality already. Scott is busy banging up the cupboards above his kitchen unit that he’s made with only an axe and a saw. He’s right to be proud of it because he’s making a good job of it.
Well, I haven’t written much about my school. I think now is as good a time as any. These are the names of the children in my class prior to Pete coming in from George’s Cove:
Kindergarten: Alvin Paul, Pierce Penny, Denley Ford, and Ford Savory;
Grade 1: Brian Penney, Dale Penney, Vennis Savory, and Victor Sampson;
Grade 2: Naomi Ward, Susie Ward, Lawrence Ward, Bert Ward, and Elsie Russell;
Grade 3: Patsy Paul, Lester Penney and Gordon Ward;
Grade 4: Terry Penney, Ronald Penney, Sharon Penney, Edgar Russell and Josie Paul;
Grade 5: Austen Penney, Lemuel Penney, Roy Russell and Blanche Russell;
Grade 6: Pauline Penny and Hedley Sampson.

Coping with the Problem and Learning from the Mistake
Clive said that he’s come across the feeling that Scott and Rita are to blame for the loss of my money. I want them cleared and therefore the news has to be let out to the settlement at some time or other. I feel that time should be very close to my departure date to protect the reputation of VSO’s along the coast.
I am, as a volunteer, very much lumped together as an English teacher with those roundabouts. “One bad apple spoils the barrel” doesn’t apply in here. But I have found that one bad apple has made his cousin apple’s work rather difficult. For example, Pete and I had agreed that we’d pick the organ abroad over at the School to try and fix it. As soon as Rev Lewis went, Pete wouldn’t lift a finger to help me. It now looks like I’m going to have a bash at fixing it all on my own.
To give a clear, truthful picture of what life is really like out here for me I have included the above details about Pete. I feel that he has been punished enough by his own conscience. V. S. O. should have been a damned sight more careful about whom they sent out. The whole episode is partly my fault as well. I kept and still keep, all my money in my suitcase and Pete must have known this. I keep my case locked but that didn’t stop him because he has a case with an identical key. I knew that only Pete or Clive could possibly have taken that money because they were the only two in the whole settlement who could possibly have taken it. The house was guarded by Chip or Scott and Rita at all times except once on a Sunday afternoon. I remember Pete saying that he took the money “for a joke” to begin with. What sort of a joke is it, I ask myself; when somebody can take the money and post it off to the Bank in Goose Bay? It seems to me that the biggest reason why Pete went to Goose Bay over Christmas was to get the money. What a stupid thing to do, that’s all I can say. No…I can say more than that: Everybody in the whole settlement knew that my money had been stolen.

These are the names of the children in my class at the time of writing:
Grade 4: Terry Penney, Ronald Penney, Sharon Penney, Edgar Russell, Josie Paul, Paul Kippenhuck, Loreta Russell, Greta Ward, Harvey Russell;
Grade 5: Mary Russell, Roy Russell, Austen Penney, Austin Ward, James Butt, Josiah Ward, Douglas Kippenhuck, Lemuel Penney, Priscilla Ward, Blanche Russell;
Grade 6: Hedley Sampson, Pauline Penney, Neta Russell, Charles Russell, Evelyn Ward, and Wallace Kippenhuck.

19th…what’s happened recently? More enquiries about the loss of the money.
Pete has been very helpful tonight!!! He’s just left at 12.30a.m. for Mrs. Ward’s.
She gave me a great chicken leg and chips supper tonight. She was very upset about the loss of my money. More political machinations coming from Claude, Pete and myself which included the suggestion of Aid. “SS Springdale” came in today. I will get my mail tomorrow.
“A hard ticket” is a bad guy!
The kids were skating again today and the building of an ice rink is going ahead.
Pete wasn’t in School yesterday, Thursday 21st because he was sick. Mrs. Ward phoned me to see about Pete two nights ago. His temperature was apparently 109 degrees Fahrenheit. I shook the thermometer and retook it. It read 101 degrees! Pete and I have just come back from a “cruise” to Jim Rumbolt’s house and also to Wince Clark’s. Wince said he’d take me on his dog team up to Rexon’s Cove. – Fantastic! He has seven huskies, which were chained up, outside his house. I gave him a game of darts and he beat me.
I’ve just had a great lunch of bake-apples and pear. Scott made Rita open a bottle of raspberries for me tonight. He wanted them. He was being kind. I hated complaining about my food but it certainly paid off.
Aunt Jessie died last night and it is Claude’s twenty-first birthday today. I gave him a box of chocolates and a card. Claude will be taking the funeral service because Rev. Ed Lewis can’t get in.
Only three of my kids have ever seen a cow! I took two photographs of my class yesterday after school. Hedley gave me a pair of partridge claws!
I wrote to “The National Geographic Magazine” for information for my class. I had supper down at Ben and Ursie’s and I said I would take John, Bella and Rosie for a walk on Saturday. They are a marvellous family. It snowed today, 22nd quite heavily Funeral

November 23rd It is the funeral today, which should be yet another experience. Claude is doing the burying! Rev. Ed Lewis can’t get in. He is getting on to our School Board about the wiring of our School for the great “hook-up” with the generator house. Everything is much brighter and cleaner looking when the snow is down. I now know why everybody here prefers the winter.
Scott’s engine for his skidoo has come. I helped him lug the skidoo body up into the woodshed.

Collecting Firewood
We also sawed up some firewood. I am getting used to wielding an axe now because I have done quite a bit of “cleaving”. The wood for this house is collected in this way:Firstly, a trip by boat in summer or by skidoo in winter to a suitable place for firewood cutting which is often a burnt area.Secondly, the trees are felled with a power saw and brought back to the homes. Hence the woodpile near everybody’s home!
Thirdly, these “sticks”, as they are called, are then sawn into stove length pieces and cleaved in half.
This is now being written by torchlight in bed. I have just fixed up the radio with an aerial that has improved its performance a great deal. I will be able to listen to the radio and make, or “pick-out”, what’s being said by C.K.C.M. or whoever. Only two kids in my class have ever seen a television working in real life.
I think I am doing OK teaching-wise. Rev. Ed. Lewis was in and out. He is quite a young man with a progressive mind.

The Funeral
I mustn’t forget the funeral when I took some snaps. Rev Lewis did manage to get in after all to take the “in-house” Service over the corpse. The funeral procession went firstly to our School. There was another Service in our School cum Church cum dance Hall cum Meeting Hall followed by a long trek to the graveyard. It was great fun with practically nobody in the whole procession treating it as a funeral, including me I must admit! A “frolic in the mud” comes to mind.
I told Rev. Lewis about the loss of my money. Maybe he will turn up something.
I have written to Will (brother) and Anne; Nel (sister) and Des. I wonder what Nel and Des Junior is to be called, “Georgie” (after George Best I wonder?) Three Apollo 12 astronauts are down OK. It is a good job that the American withdrawal from Vietnam is still continuing.
Snow is still on the ground and The Bay was frozen over last night. One boy was riding his bike on the ice today. Only yesterday I watched the water run in and out with the tide! It was certainly cold last night with a heavy frost. All the snow was sparkling which looked very nice. The place definitely seems much cleaner when the snow is on the ground.

Timetable
School went OK today. Hard work as usual. I am thinking about Christmas decorations! This can be done in my solitary Art & Craft lesson last period in the afternoon. Below is my timetable, modeled on Baxter Rumbolt’s, the last Grade 4, 5 and 6 teacher with only slight modification:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
----------------------------------------------------------
Maths Maths Maths History Maths
9.30- 10.20a.m.
Geography Geography Geography Language Geography
10.20–
11.15a.m.
===========================================================
Literature & Literature & Literature & L & L&W 1
Workbook Workbook Workbook Workbook 11.30-
12.30p.m.
===========================================================
Spelling & Spelling & Spelling & Spelling & 2.00-
Writing Writing Writing Writing 4.00p.m.
-----------------------------------------------------------
History History History History
Language Language Language Language
Art & Craft
(approximate times
only)

A couple of weeks ago our starting time changed from 9.00a.m. to 9.30a.m. So we now finish at 4.00p.m.
There are poor torch batteries (“Berec”) in this place.
The boys’ toilets are very dirty outside our School. Mind you all the toilets are nothing more than open cess-pits.

Scott and Work!
I was trying to help Scott with the work situation. I know there is some work available in the woods but when I tried to help him he told me to mind my own business! Well, I suppose I shouldn’t have tried to be helpful. He is adamant about not going into the woods this winter. Instead he just potters about the house all day doing small odd jobs. Dear reader, please understand that everybody is still friendly but Scott is having pressure brought to bear on him from more than just my attempt to help him get work. From Rev. Lewis and others.
My mid-day meal today was this:One plate of rice and raisins,Half a bowl of berries and half a slice of bread;One cup of tea and two multivitamins.
I have already complained about the food and Rev. Lewis said I did the right thing. My supply of multivitamins is dwindling fast. Boy! It gets me down when I am not eating well. Mind you, I had chicken leg, carrots, turnips, potatoes and gravy with pears for second course on Sunday. Sunday is the big meal day.
Supper was good tonight, 25th. I had macaroni cheese with a few pieces of tinned tomatoes and very fatty meat which was almost bacon. No afters. Meals vary a great deal in quality.

A Table at Last!
It’s now past midnight and I’ve just climbed into bed after lugging my table over from the School. Claude, Pete and myself have just finished a good bit of work over there, setting up the staffroom, built a corner desk (my design and Claude and I made it), put up another shelf in the stockroom. Only had a rip saw and hammer to work with. I knocked over the gas lamp and broke the mantle by accident! My room in the house now has quite a large table at last. It’s an old one from the School that I’ve repaired as best as I can with wood end blocks and varnished top. When I brought it in, Scott said, ”That’s some hard table!” (“hard” means poor or rough). Well Scott, it’s better than nothing. I can’t hang around for you to make me a table like you said you would! Mind you, dear reader, I also volunteered to make myself a table whilst I think Scott still thought he was going to make it for me.

Managing Ourselves and the Children We Teach
I think Claude will make himself ill. His work – rate would almost compare with some top professional footballers back in England. He’s a very nice bloke. Pete was lazy and I told him so. His answer was,” Well, I don’t think there is any need to work when you haven’t got to do it.” He is quite right of course but….well, I let you decide. I think V.S.O. made a slip sending Pete out here. He only got on to V.S.O. in the last few days before departure. I’m off to sleep now. I feel very tired.

It’s Wednesday 26th and I have just finished quite a large parents’ meeting over at the School. Claude frightened parents by threatening to resign. It had the desired effect with reference to standards. The meeting went off just as we planned it about discipline. Mrs. Sampson was hurt about her son Aubrey who was suspended with Will Butt for five days. I felt very sorry for her. The children have been used to hardly any discipline in the past, particularly amongst the older kids and it shows up in their general attitude towards school. I received some very nice compliments about my teaching:Greta’s learning. I knows that.” (Mrs. Susie Ward) and “Hedley’s learning”.
Pete’s parental reactions were not so hot:
“Victor might just as well be at home.” (Mrs. Sampson)
I think Pete’s doing better now.
I filled my lamp with kerosene from Mr. Burden’s can who is the “next door neighbour” if you like.) Mr. Burden lives with Jean, Betty, Ray and their lodger Claude about twenty yards from my house. The Springdale is due in “the week” which cheers me. Three mail boats serve the Labrador coast: “The Springdale”,”The Bonavista” and “The Nonia”.
School is going quite smoothly. I had another talk with Roy Russell this morning with Claude. That kid would be in a Reform School by now anywhere else. I feel sure we have made him see sense now. The meeting tonight helped a lot in that respect. I think he now realizes he’s in school to work hard for his own good. Punishment is not the answer for kids like Roy, it only defeats my object. Mind you, punishment is effective at the right time with the right children. I tested mine on their three times table today. I kept nine behind for not knowing it to my satisfaction. I found out that they were the slower ones! I must watch my speaking speed and work rate. Both of which must fall within the ability ranges from Mary Russell (brightest kid) to Paul Kippenhuck (least bright kid).

Trying to Keep Warm
Scott said he’d one some work on the outside of my room today. There was solid ice on the inside of my bedroom window two mornings ago! I sleep fairly close to the window. I can’t really move my bed for lack of privacy and I am forced to leave my door open so I won’t freeze. Although I definitely don’t find it so cold here now as I did when I first came. The temperature is below freezing again tonight. It’s a dry cold which although still very cold is more bearable than a damp cold.

The Ice Rink
I was down at the rink, helping tonight 27th. Involving myself in a community project. Yes! We have actually got one! The ice rink is nearing completion.
I played volleyball at the Pentecostal School afterwards. Stephen Cook and Pete joined in later. Pete just came in at midnight with the family tree he is going to make of this settlement. Everybody seems related to everybody else. I almost had my first ride on Claude’s snow cruiser tonight but there was ice in the fuel tank and it wouldn’t go. I borrowed Edgar’s shovel to work at the rink where I did quite a bit of snow shoveling with the locals. I feel I am on very good terms with everybody here. I gave my knee one heck of a bang tonight when I fell, carrying a kettle partly filled with boiling water, on an ice-covered rock outside Scott’s house. I didn’t spill any but my knee feels “some tender” at the moment.I intend to try and learn to skate on the rink. It’s down beside Blackwater Brook, about thirty yards below the bridge. We’ve got some more water to pump into the rink tomorrow. The teachers involved are Ed Osman, Claude and myself. Someone’s volunteered to look after the pumping tomorrow. Ed is mainly responsible for this rink. He’s a nice bloke who organizes (a key word).The lack of organization in everything, games and otherwise shows up throughout the community.

Lights!
It looks like this place is going to get lights before Christmas. The men are in now installing generators for the community. Claude’s still struggling to get the lights in at our School. Goose Bay School Board has to send somebody in to do the wiring. Oh, I nearly forgot! We’ve had a bit of snow. It came down for approximately forty-eight hours! A forewarning of what’s to come.

28th…The Springdale is due tomorrow. I’ve just returned from Ben and Ursie’s with Pete. There was a money interrogation session just before I left which was hard with Pete there. I am taking John, Bella and Rosetta for a walk tomorrow. I asked Pete to come along and he accepted of course. I had “lunch” with Ursie, John, Bella, Rosie and Pete (“lunch” means a snack always before bed.) The Springdale will be the last boat this year. From then on the mail will come in by plane and by anything else I suppose.
Claude’s cruiser is now going. Scott fixed it at dinner time and he had a ride on it of course! Scott is jealous of Claude. The skidoos are out. The ground is still frozen hard like concrete with a couple of inches of snow covering. Knee still tender, bruising starting to come out.

Saturday 29th… I had a very nice day down the shore with John, Bella and Rosetta Rowe and Pete. I’ve just come back. Received letters from Elaine plus newspapers and present, Chris, Mum, Will and Anne (plus present), Mrs. Agnew, Bruce and E.P.A. (Eastern Provincial Airways) Snow is on the ground of course and hands freeze if not careful. Pete and I helped Ben lug his water barrel laden komatik (Eskimoan word for sledge).
Will (my brother) got his PhD which is great.
I’ve written to E.P.A., Jim Miller (Bowaters, Cornerbrook), Chris Humphries, and Mr. And Mrs. Eison, Graham Mills, Roy Smith, Mum, Will and Anne and I still haven’t finished. Been at it all day! I had beaver for dinner with carrots, pease pudding, gravy, potatoes with pudding and custard for afters. Very nice. I have also written to two of my teachers: Norm. Packer and Roy Hayward.

December

5th It’s very foggy outside. I can’t see the water from my lodgings, a distance of about one hundred yards. I wonder when my mail is going to get out. Pretty soon I hope. Wallace gave me a tassel today. I’m making Christmas decorations with the kid’s last lesson this afternoon. We are going to get a volleyball court marked out somewhere near the School tomorrow. The Pentecosts have volleyball around their School.
Pete and I were up at Ted Penney’s last night. Ted is seized by the Holy Spirit! He almost hates the Pentecostals. We had a very nice lunch up there of bread and cheese, pineapple chunks, fig biscuits, marshmallows and two cups of tea. The people around here like to bring out something special for “the teachers”.
Mr. Ted Penney has thirteen children living. Gus Penney has eighteen! This came out last night when Pete was extending the family tree he is making. Big families are the order of the day. Ted has his face washed by “his woman” Clara. Brian, Terry and Pauline are three of the schoolchildren in Ted’s family. I “kept mum” about religion whilst Ted spouted forth “the scriptures” (his quote). Pete’s here to go down the School. He calls in on his way down to the School.

Thoughts about the Food
It’s 9.30 p.m. now and I’m just wading through Grade 5 and Grade 6 workbooks. A part of the book said that many Canadians regard pork and beans as their favorite dish. It’s very nice. At first I thought it looks just like a lump of fat with some beans but it’s really very, very tasty. Rita cooks her haricot beans in molasses with the salt pork. The pork is just a lump of fat. Well, it’s just a lump of fat here anyway. My midday meal today was potatoes and tinned meat. Rita bought one small tin, enough for one person and it was spread between all of us here. Mind you, the other day I did have “fresh meat” – big deal! My mouth waters when I think of it! Well, anything is better than the “fish and bruse” I had up at William’s Harbour by kind (?!?!) courtesy of Charlie Larkum. The “bruse” was softish pulverized bread, absolutely unrecognizable as anything like bread of course.
It’s tiring work marking these workbooks. I’m having too many late nights lately. Regardless of kind mocking from Scott who thinks that three hours sleep is enough for anyone! That’s all he says he needs. Well, he sleeps most of the day anyway so it’s not really surprising!
It’s “raining cats and dogs” outside now. The weather changes so very, very quickly in Port Hope. I’ve been told it’s dangerous to go somewhere only wearing the clothes which suit the weather at the time of leaving. In the afternoon or evening a blizzard could easily be blowing and you could be frozen to death. “Unpredictable” is the best word to attach to the weather out here.

7th…Clive’s in. I put the notice board up in School. I’ve been down at Mary Ward’s most of the evening where I had “lunch”. I had my best mid-day meal on record yet: whole chicken with all the trimmings. It was fabulous.

Effects of the weather
Clive’s sleeping in my room tonight in the sleeping bag which I usually put on top of my bed. I put my clothes on my bed tonight, over my four or five sheets including one medium thick blanket. It’s going to be frosty tonight which isn’t surprising because it’s been snowing for most of the day. To be frosty the sky has to be cloud free. Hence when it’s finished snowing the sky often clears up very quickly to give quite a heavy frost. The heaviest frost we’ve had so far produced a three to four inch thickness of ice out on The Bay (seawater). Vic said he isn’t going to Goose. Tony’s coming down. No charter flight. Well…another week of school is coming up.

“Patience is a virtue”.
How very, very true that saying is. I needed it in School today with the kids. It’s all too easy to work oneself into a sweat about something. The Grade 6 kids just hadn’t done the amount of work that I wanted. Mind you, I suppose all kids are the same. I just felt like “Is it all worth it?” today and the answer now is “Yes!” I am pleased to say. There was a good bit of frost last night and today with about two inches or so around the shoreline. The brook that Pete and I have to cross every morning looks very picturesque with the icy water cascading over its icy banks.
Clive went out at about 2.00 p.m. today on Bob’s long liner. He is planning to be in around next weekend to get up to Goose for Christmas. I wonder if we are all going to be able to get on the mail plane. That would depend upon how much mail it’s carrying! There should be a mail plane in very soon now because the planes have taken over the mail service from the boats. So much depends on the weather out here that it cannot be stressed too much. The mail plane schedule is disrupted to an incredible amount by the weather. If The Bay freezes over with only a thin layer of ice then the planes won’t land. They will land, however, if there is an open enough stretch of water which is ice free. Christmas is a particularly difficult time for the planes to get in and out of this place. PHS appears to be cut of from the rest of the world whilst Rexon’s Cove (where Clive is based) can be cut off from PHS!
Oh! I do have some “news”, (please remember, dear reader, that everything is news out here!) Mumps are just beginning to go round the settlement. Jo Ward and Mary Russell were both absent from class today. I also had to send Austen Ward home because he was feeling sick – weak stomach or something. I’ll tell you one thing…it’s very easy for me to get an attack of diarrhoea. I think it must be due to the food I eat. Today, I had a very nice dinner with Clive of chicken, salt beef, carrots, potatoes and gravy with pie for afters. I had pork and beans for supper about an hour ago. The beans were boiled. Scott was in the woods today with George Penney looking for a spot where they can cut firewood. He’s planning to cut enough for winter and haul it out on skidoo.

I felt sorry on the way back from morning school today…9th…because as Claude, Pete and I were walking back here The Springdale came in on its last call. Last boat of the year. It’s a mail boat but it’s not carrying any mail because the mail planes have taken over. The mail plane had to turn back due to engine trouble on its first flight here. It calls at other settlements along the coast too.
Its late evening now and I’ve just come back from Uncle Bob’s and Aunt Edith’s and their son Vic. They are a very nice couple of old people. I’m taking my photographs round to show them tomorrow night. Before visiting, I was down at the ice rink watching a game between the locals. Pete was already there. We’re planning to go off somewhere to learn to skate on one of the ponds. It’s quite easy to get concussed if you fall heavily whilst learning I’ve been told. I’m just going to try to be careful! It was Ben’s birthday today but I didn’t call in without a present. Oh, I nearly forgot. We also called in on Billy Ward to see how he was doing. Apparently, Scott said, he had a stroke. He was complaining of a bad left leg. Psychological or otherwise? Who knows? He was closely related to Aunt Jessie I believe, maybe her son or something. That’s all for now dear reader, goodnight.

Cruising
10th December I’ve just returned from a “cruise” to Uncle Bob, Aunt Edith and Vic’s where I had a pile of bake apples after just mentioning that I loved them! Which is true. They’re scrumptious! Uncle Bob called them “The Labrador Fruit”. I showed them my pictures and left some leaflets with them. We talked about everything and I phoned up Pete from there and he came along at about 9.00 p.m. It came out that salmon had been sold for only three cents a pound! The merchants were the “baddies”. Everybody agreed. Uncle Bob’s family was one of two families who first colonized Rexon’s Cove. Uncle Bob (Russell) and Aunt Edith are two very nice old people, about sixty years of age I should think. Apparently, Sheila Hinchcliffe (ex- V.S.O.), spent a good bit of time with them when Nellie Stone used to lodge there. Nellie taught at the School at the same time that Sheila was out here. Nellie is now married to Bill Larkum and she has gone, or, very shortly is going to St. Anthony’s Hospital for maternal reasons. Ha!
I also went down to the rink because some of my kids were playing. They went down after I had kept some of them in for not knowing their tables well enough. I have just finished a week of testing them.
I’ve just returned from a “cruise” to Mrs. Jim Sampson’s where I stayed all evening. Pete was down at the rink. He said he was going to watch the hockey which was very rough apparently. I called in on Stephen and Sandra Cook at about 10.00 p.m. on my way back just when they were feeding their quiz team with hot dogs – an opportune moment! I had a nice snack there and then came down to bed. It then started snowing at about 10.45 p.m. I wonder how thick (“tick”) it will be in this morning. I battened myself down and walked home with my photographs and guide book of Exmouth. The people here seem to really like me coming into their homes and showing them my photographs and pictures. I call it “some good fun” too. It’s really very nice to just go into somebody’s house (whom you are already acquainted with beforehand of course) and spend an hour or two just talking and picking up lots of news about things.
Mrs. Sampson’s son, Aubrie, was recently suspended from School for five days and he didn’t return to see Claude. Mrs. Sampson is victimizing Claude who, from what I know of him, is doing a good, worthwhile job.

Tidying up the place?
We’ve just got a garbage can to put outside the School. Maybe it will be used. It’s ingrained into the people here to drop their litter anywhere. Maybe the garbage can will have some effect? Only time will tell.
There was no mail plane today and I’ve heard that there won’t be one tomorrow either!!! The mail service is “something shocking”. Pete said that he had heard on the radio that a hovercraft was going to operate along the coast starting in March next year. That probably means March 1971 knowing the speed at which things get down around here!

Supper
12th…I’m just waiting for it at 5.40 p.m. It looks as if we’ve got chips and salt fish. Good old fish and chips. Well, another week has gone by. It always seems to be Thursday or Friday out here! Time certainly flies by.
I think I forgot to mention that Scott put down some “canvas” (lino) two days ago. He wasn’t in the woods today because of the snow that is thawing which also makes it very difficult to stand upright. Pete slips all over the place in his $28 mountie boots (he was done!) and I find it very easy to land on my bum! I’ll describe my walk or slide to School in the mornings.

Morning Walk to School
I leave this house at about 9.15 a.m. or thereabouts depending upon whether or not Pete is early or late. We walk down and often meet Claude, Ed Osman and Stephen Cook. The latter two we pass going in the opposite direction to the Pentecost School. I navigate the frozen bog down by Edgar Hicks’s store and then get on to the icy road. After about thirty yards I come to a fairly steep part of the road with a drop of about six feet within twenty yards and manage to get down onto the level part of the road. So far I have also crossed one of the two bridges to get to School. The first bridge doesn’t have any water running under it. I walk along the road until I come to the second bridge, passed the generator house and turn off the road to School. The whole walk only takes about four to five minutes, that’s all.
School went well today. I find it great. Teaching is a job with a lot of ”ups and downs”, like any job I suppose. I don’t think that I could get a better teaching practice than I am getting out here. I ‘ll go through what the “typical lesson” is like, if you can ever have on that is!

Typical Lesson
First of all I give out the work for the lesson which involves a good deal of detailed explanation to the particular Grade I’m with. I have to tell the other two Grades to find some work to be getting on with whilst they are waiting for me. By rights, I think I should first give out the work to Grade 4 but very often it doesn’t work out like that. Grade 4 takes the longest time for explanation so I often start giving out work to Grade 5 who will otherwise get restless like any of them do. Anyways, I’ll work through the three Grades in that way, jumping back and forth from Grade to Grade when one of the children will say “I can’t do it teacher, sir!”
By the time I have given work to all three Grades the first Grade has very often almost finished and I still have the homework to mark and more homework to give out. I’ll go round and work over the homework with those children whom I feel need it more than the others. I check, or try very hard to check-up on every piece of homework I give out. By the time I have checked homework I still have the homework for the same night to explain and “give out”, in other words tell them where to find it in their books. The above “typical lesson” has evolved and gets mixed up quite a bit but I suppose that is the best description I can give of my “typical lesson”!
Midnight is right now and I have been cruising around with Pete and Clive. Clive came in today from Rexon’s Cove to catch the mail plane up to Goose for Christmas. He’s knocked off school a week earlier than “we”. Apparently he will make it up later on Saturdays.

Fighting
Bill Larkum was thrown out of the restaurant after he’d been in an ugly fight with Merv Kippenhuck. He was badly cut and bruised. Nellie Larkum (Stone) who is expecting a baby was worried about Bill. The people in PHS don’t like the people in Rexon’s Cove and vice versa. Bill had been drinking and so had the others I expect who had been involved in the fight. After drinking, too much fighting breaks out in this place – ignorant participants. I am steering well clear and so is Pete.
Tonight we cruised from Scott’s to Uncle Bob’s to Vic’s to Ben and Ursie’s. The latter was by far the nicest where Ursie gave us a smashing lunch. They are a wonderful family who are much more sensible than many people I have met her, very nice people who make this place so nice.

13th…It’s 12.55 p.m. and I am writing this by the light of my oil lamp that is on a chair by my bed. I’ve just returned from an all-evening cruise to Jesse Russell’s (wife of Hayward Russell, mother of Neta, Harvey, Joy and Marian.) She has promised me a bottle of bake apples to take home with me and a mat made from bit and pieces, called a “Raggymething” I think, or something like that. I enjoyed it up there a lot. I had a great feed of bake apples for my lunch and entertained the kids with ordinary tricks of the hand and others. They are another very nice family. The people here are marvellous. I feel so much at home here it’s unbelievable.
Clive’s mail plane wasn’t in today. The weather was dirty up at Goose and all flights were grounded. I scrapped old paint off the School sign and with Pete put the first coat of fresh paint on. We’ll do the letters later. I am closing for tonight. I should have been asleep hours ago. Oh well, a nice lie-in tomorrow, or rather today.

Reading and Having Faith
I’ve just finished reading “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck to Scott from page 101 to the beginning of Chapter Thirteen, page 112. This is a very good book and Scott enjoys it almost as much as myself:
“And here’s a story you can hardly believe, but it’s true, and it’s funny and beautiful. There was a family of twelve and they were forced off their land. They had no car. They built a trailer out of junk and loaded it with their possessions. They pulled it to the side of 66 and waited. And pretty soon a sedan picked them up. Five of them rode in the sedan and seven on the trailer, and a dog on the trailer. They got to California in two jumps. The man who pulled them fed them. And that’s true. But how can such courage be, and such faith in their own species? Very few things would teach such faith.
The people in flight from the terror behind – strange things happen to them, some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that the faith is refined forever.” P112
There is a lot to meditate on in this book. For example, Chapter 11, pages 106-107, my own translation poor or otherwise:
The man who has sold himself to work land is a poorer man, in moral and material terms, than the man who owns and works his own land.
I agree with that almost fundamental and nearly primitive ideology if you like. I think Will has read that book, whilst he was in America maybe? If you don’t believe or have faith in God then you force yourself to have faith in the goodness of people. You have to try and forget about “Man’s Inhumanity to Man”.

Back to earth dear reader…
It’s blowing a storm today. It wasn’t very pleasant getting over to Church either. There was a congregation of ten, with Claude, the lay preacher, preaching. I found it rather funny listening to and maybe helping with the singing. The organ doesn’t work which meant no music. I go to “Church” because I am sure the parents like to see “teacher” there. Pete and Clive didn’t come. There isn’t anymore news except there’s a meeting tomorrow about the shocking mail plane service.
I feel like another member of the family and I felt deeply, for the first time, that I’d like to come back here to Port Hope after Teacher’s Training. I wonder?

I went with Scott on his skidoo up to Harold Rumbolt’s tonight, 15th, to try and get a piston for his power saw. It was great fun. Over the past two days we’ve had about two feet of snow with drifting in places due to high winds. I was over at Mrs. Ward’s with Pete and Clive and I also went down to Ursie’s and read to John – a great family. There was a meeting tonight, which I didn’t go to, about the mail plane. I didn’t go because I am not out here long enough to worry about it. I wonder what was decided? Claude was asked by Edgar to call the meeting. Otherwise not much news. School went OK. With mumps going round there were only seventeen kids in. Signing off, I want to do some reading.

Having Fun in the Snow
16th…It’s still snowing outside like it’s been for the past three days. I wonder how much longer it can keep on snowing? It just seems like it will never stop. The wind is causing the snow to drift quite a bit. I’ve been up to my knees in the stuff on more than one occasion. The kids outside the School were just diving headlong into the snow mounds and Douglas was tunneling through it this morning. I’ve only just returned from the School where I had to keep some kids behind for talking and for copying each other’s work. School is going along fine.

Putting Christmas Decorations Up in the School
Damn it! I have to go back over to decorate it after supper. Well, I haven’t got to go but I will. At the meeting last night they decided to send a telegram of complaint to E.P.A. about the mail service. The phones are also “out” here. (The Bell Telephone plane will be in before too long, maybe I’ll go up to Goose on it.) Clive’s still in here feeling very self- conscious I fancy. I know I’d feel guilty if I was him. The floor in this house where I am staying is very cold. You can’t put your feet on the floor first thing in the morning – it’s that cold! My feet feel rather cold at the moment as I lie here on my bed.
It’s 10.00 p.m. and I’ve just come back from the School where I’ve been with Pete, Clive and Claude putting up Christmas decorations. Clive and I also had a game of football and rugby in Pete’s classroom after moving some of the desks over to one side. It was a good bit of exercise and great fun. I returned home and just finished “Grapes of Wrath” for the moment. Another quote worth noting I think is,
“the quality of owning freezes you for ever into “I” and, cuts you off for ever from the “we”.
In this settlement there is a community spirit which is marred by the business men here: Edgar Hicks, Bart Penney, Ray Hiscock, Billy Parr and Sam Penney. An actual example of what I mean is the dam that Bart and Ted Penney built on a brook near to the School. From what I can gather, a good many people on the plant get their water from this brook. Their supply would be cut off if the dam was built. This dam was pulled down one night last week by some of the people here. I call it a good job because Ted and Bart should have run a thorough survey of local opinion before trying to get running water just for their own houses. Bart and Ted had allowed for water to still come down the brook below the dam but in winter this diminished supply would freeze completely thus preventing a good many people from getting water for both drinking and washing.
When it’s cold here it’s really cold!
I have to be careful when I am walking because it’s very easy to go up to your knees in the snow. With the strong wind blowing the snow has drifted to three and four feet in places. Even across the road there are two foot drifts. In addition to the drifting, the skidoos have moulded the snow covering the road into a wave like motion. In those parts of the road that run parallel to the water’s edge it is quite difficult to move along.

17th…put the base of Santa’s sleigh together over at the School, finished about 10.00 p.m., no plane today.

18th…I’ve just returned from Mrs. Ward’s, where Pete stays, after chatting with Pete and Clive. Clive’s in a bad state about the mail plane that is supposed to come in tomorrow. We’ve been without a mail service since 28th November I believe. E.P.A. in Goose have given feeble excuses why they didn’t call at PHS. One of them being, “There’s too much mail for PHS!” To my mind it looks as if E.P.A. can do just about what they like with people here. I think there will be too much thin ice on the Bay for the plane to pitch here tomorrow. And Clive won’t be able to get out. If the plane comes in on Saturday I’ll be going up to Goose on it with Pete and Clive which should be a jolly escapade if it comes off. Nothing tried nothing ventured.

Walking on Water!
The weather has been much clearer for two days now and for the first time, Claude, Pete and me walked across the ice from the School to Edgar’s store. It was considerably quicker than walking the roundabout way along the road although, mind you, it was slightly nerve racking walking across the ice that was cracking and groaning as you moved. We got across safely. The ice was quite thick, about fourteen inches I should say but that’s only a guess going by the depth of the water I happen to know. The ice forms mounds in places where it has heaved up and buckled due to expansion.

Keeping Warm
I really have to button-up against the cold because it gets through small holes or openings very easily. For instance, when I was walking along the road last night with the top button of my Parka undone it felt as if I didn’t have anything on underneath. In fact I had my Shetland wool jumper, shirt and vest! By the way, I’m not wearing my long johns yet! I don’t think I’ll need to either with the over-trousers I have. When I have them and my parka on it’s like walking about in a sleeping bag, no worries. In really cold weather I need a couple of jumpers on under my Parka up to now. So far, that’s only been on one occasion.
Well we break-up for Christmas tomorrow, 19th. Today we were putting up the School’s decorations. It was quite enjoyable although the children and Claude didn’t realize that we were still in school. There would have been a riot on our hands if we had let the kids do what they wanted. I found it was just a case of making sure they had plenty of jobs to do…drawing, sticking things up, making paper chains or sleighs or lanterns or whatever. I’ve got a great bunch of kids when they are busy, like any children I suppose! A lot of work has to be put in to make Christmas decorations. It takes along time to do what apparently looks like a small amount of work. I think the School should look very nice by the time we’ve finished.

19th…Pete and Clive went out on the mail plane today. I’m very glad I didn’t miss the last day of school because there was a real Christmas spirit in the air. I’ve just come back from making the Christmas sleigh and it should look OK when it’s finished with the gift paper. Someone has to put in a lot of work into making Christmas decorations!
The mail plane brought a lovely pile of mail today with my pay-cheques (two together.)

20th…I was feeling rather “lonesome” today I think. After going down to Ben and Ursie’s late this evening I felt much better. I don’t know what it is. Anyway…today down at the School I finished the Santa sled and space ship for the parade that is coming off tomorrow, weather allowing. It’s been snowing today and still is at this moment. A “wet snow” is falling that is rather unpleasant. I drew a Santa Claus and painted it with “Red Fire” enamel paint. I’ve just stuck it on my bedroom wall.
Pete was unkind leaving the family he’s staying with because he is “somebody different” to them and he kept their evenings short. It’s very easy for time to drag by out here.

21st…I’ve just come back from Ben’s (at midnight) after having spent the evening cruising around. It’s very nice being welcomed everywhere I go. I hope to go up to Goose on Wednesday’s mail plane. To catch it, I just have to be ready for it at any time, that’s just how it is. Nobody here has much forewarning about its arrival. The Bay is frozen over past the pier now so I expect the plane will land on skis when it comes.

Parade
We had the school parade today at 2.30 p.m. and it went very well. The only mishap was that the top of the moon rocket fell off en route because I hadn’t fastened it on securely enough. Anyway, it was good fun and I took some photographs of the gay occasion. There should have been more children there than were present. The majority of my class were there but very few of Pete’s kids came along. Maybe they were too small because the snow was too deep in places. Tonight I went up to my waist in the stuff because I missed the path! One good thing about the snow is that it’s very soft to land on! The last piece of news is that “The Springdale” is due in tomorrow! This is its last trip. I wonder if it will get through the ice OK. I expect so because it’s only three or four inches in most places.

Boxing Day
Sorry about the gap in this diary but this book has been packed away in my overnight bag that is all ready to take to Goose. Well, what’s happened?

“The Play”, “The Time” and “The Show”
I gave up a chance of a free trip to Deer Lake with the Light and Power men because I didn’t think I would be able to get back in time for start of School. Actually, there are a good few houses in this settlement now with electricity but that doesn’t include our School! At The Play over at the School, I collected $40 at 50c. per head, 25c. per schoolchild. After the Play there was a “Time”, on Christmas Eve that was all good fun. I’ve given Christmas presents to people here. I’ve been given, three pairs of socks from Mary Russell, Ursie and Clan and Scott and Co. Two handkerchiefs from Uncle Bob and Aunt Edith and one tie from Mrs. Ward and Co. The mail plane is sadly overdue. When it comes it will land on the ice now. I cleared wood for Ben today and helped him get some water. Two days ago I cleared a pile of wood for this house. Scott and Claude have gone to Mary’s Harbour. I suppose I have had an enjoyable Christmas here. I am glad I didn’t miss it. The weather is intensely cold at –15 degrees Fahrenheit last night! Regular brass monkey weather I call it. The water froze on my Parka and over-trousers today as it splashed from Ben’s water barrel whilst I was transferring the drinking water from one barrel to the other!
I’m writing now up at Wince Clark’s. If the going is good we are off on his dog team tomorrow, 29th up the road. It should be great fun. I’ve just come down from Stephen Cook’s where I’ve been for most of the evening. Stan Penney, Mildred Russell, Wince and Doreen and the two kids are here. I’ve just had supper here including bake apples for second course and I had dinner at Stephen’s which was most definitely an English dinner! I think Sandra must cook it in a different way. Ivan Coish came in yesterday from Mary’s Harbour and Claude got his new skidoo. I believe they have gone out back today.
I was at my first “Show” last night, called “Gun Fury” with Rock Hudson as the hero. It was a good old – fashioned western. The whole affair was 1950’ish I should say. I think I can say it was the best Western I’ve been to because the theatre itself was just like the ones you see in the films. I was sitting with about fifty others on wooden benches and the film was shown against a white cloth strung up from one wall.

Trip on the Dog - Team
The names of Wince’s dogs are, Prince, Flurt, Frisk, Jill, Busker, Trot and Happy. 29th…It was a fabulous trip on the dog – team, with Wince, which lasted for about an hour or so. We went up the High Road as far as the “Drum Barker” (de- barker for the logs when Bowaters was here) and then came back. It was the best trip I have ever made in my life because it was great fun hanging on and it wasn’t unsafe even when we were careering down the “down grade” parts of the road. I took some photographs and Wince took one of me being dragged along by the dogs which happened when I slipped as I was holding them and off they went! We left Wince’s house at about 1.30 p.m., starting off with the dogs going under Sam’s house (Sam Kippenhuck’s house is nearby, about forty yards from Winston Clarke’s.) I put the harness on the last dog which Wince held after he’d done the six others. These seven dogs were put in their traces and were controlled just by word – of – mouth from Wince, their master. “Uk” is the word used to turn to the right and “Ada” is used to mean turn to the left. Wince didn’t even have to bawl at them because he is their master. Mind you, the team would have been much better with a leader and another two dogs. Wince said Happy (Charlie Ward’s dog now with Wince) was useless. Today’s ride was an experience I’ll never forget with those huskies heaving away ahead of the komatik and yours truly hanging on to the few ropes strung across the sledge. Lying on these ropes was a chain that Wince held in his hand whilst we were moving. He just jangled it to get harder work from his dogs. It worked too. Those huskies know whose boss and they like their master. I hope their will be more trips with the dogs to come. I was also cracking or trying to crack the dog – whip that, incidentally, Wince didn’t take with him. “Practice makes perfect” are the only words needed when I talk about using a fifteen foot dog – whip! When used properly by Wince it cracks to give just about the same noise as you get from a .303 rifle being fired. That would certainly give somebody “some big cut!” Wince gave me a small lighter as a souvenir and also today Aunt Maude Burden gave me a cushion cover to add to my collection of oddments.

A Poor New Year’s Eve
Just spent what I would call a poor New Year’s Eve. Well, I suppose it could have been worse. I was down at the restaurant. Just signed my December pay cheque over to Scott and Rita that will cover payment for November and December OK.

January

Lots of Cruising
1st…My itinerary of late has been cruise, cruise and yet more cruising. In the past week I’ve only had supper here once at Scott’s. I’ve been to Dick Rumbolt’s for New Year’s Dinner. To Aunt Maude Burden’s, Mrs. Butt, Mrs. Ward, The Strugnalls, Gordon Perry, Rube Burden’s, the Cooks’ and a few other places. I call it great fun and educational visiting the people in their homes. I am always welcome wherever I go.
I’ve been off my food here over the past week because I became “vexed” with Rita about not filling up my lamp. It took three days for it to be filled and take it from me reader; it could have been done in a few minutes. She just didn’t bother. “I’m not paying buttons to stay here put her in her place.” Oh well, I might as well stick it out here now since I have managed it so far.

Patience and tolerance is a virtue.
With a bit of luck I should be off porcupine hunting with Ron Notley, a local trapper. He is one of the few in this settlement, from what I can gather, who is fully engaged in fur trapping. He has a permanent camp situated five miles up from the lake. It should be great fun, snowshoes and all.

Jannying
Around Christmas time here there is a local custom called “jannying” when children dress up in any sort of disguise and go round the houses letting the people guess who they are. Two nights ago, five came in Uncle Bob’s and Aunt Edith’s when I was there. Four of them were from my class.

2nd…Been cruising from Scott’s to Post Office, to Vic’s, to Ben’s, to Ron Notley’s, to Mrs. Butt’s, to Cliff Rumbolt’s and finally to Jim Rumbolt’s. I have arranged a trip for tomorrow with Ron and bought a smashing sealskin from him for $5. He’d get about $15 for it on the island. I’ve got to clean it which won’t be too difficult. I’ve just come back from the “restaurant” which is a very poor sort of place. Nothing much happening. I gave my caribou drawing to Mrs. Elsie Butt so that she can work from it to make a mat. The drawing was OK I suppose. “Practice makes perfect” or so I’ve been told. The mail plane is expected any day now, as it has been for the past week. A dog team stationed at Goose Bay would run a more efficient service I’m sure. It was no luck with the hunt but great fun all the same. Pete Ackerman is sleeping here tonight; he’s in with a few fellahs from Mary’s Harbour. There was no mail plane today and its School tomorrow.

Monday 3rd…Pete and Clive are back in. Pete was very thoughtful towards me regarding his debt! They both missed the first day of School! I prepared lessons yesterday and the first day went quite smoothly except I only had sixteen pupils due to a misunderstanding about the opening day I believe! The School is to be wired as soon as possible. There is no mail yet. There isn’t much news. I feel too tired.

Settled – in at School
6th…School went OK today. There is a settled - in atmosphere about my classroom which is very pleasing. Clive went out tonight to Rexon’s Cove on the back of Claude’s machine which wasn’t very sensible; neither of them knew the way and there was “bad ice” on the trail. They made it OK I’m glad to say. I was out “jannying” with Scott tonight for an hour or so. We went from here, my lodgings, to Uncle Bob’s to Mrs. Ward’s to Lloyd Hicks’s (where we were refused entry because of the frightened children) and then to George Penney’s and finally to Uncle Jack Burden’s and home. It was quite enjoyable letting the people guess our identities. We were disguised in old clothes and a mask. If all goes well I should be off up to Mary’s Harbour with Scott, Rita and Kimberely and Dora Penney (Sam’s wife) on Friday afternoon. It will mean an afternoon away from School but there isn’t any harm in that. I’ll leave at about 2.00 p.m. Friday and return on Sunday evening. No mail plane yet – shocking service.

Mail at Long Last!
The mail plane arrived today 7th at long last. Of course, it had to be the holiday for Eldrid and Becky Penney who run the post Office! Oh well, I’ll get it tomorrow dinner time. Since the mail has been held up for so long another day won’t make that much difference.
In School today, I used the V.S.O. Slave Trade exercise that I did on my course. I’ve also had to explain “Why it rains”, the other topic I chose for my classroom piece on my course last April. I’ve just come back from Ben and Ursie’s where I helped Rosie with her Mathematics. John was showing me his skidoo that Baxter Rumbolt brought from Mary’s Harbour, It’s different from the ones I sent to Dave and Ed, my younger twin brothers, because it’s got an engine and actually moves although I think their yellow models are more attractive than John’s little one. Pete wouldn’t come out cruising to Ben’s. I’m sure, “When in Rome do as the Romans do” doesn’t apply to him. Oh well, he did give me a Christmas present as did Miss Verity Styche, last year’s volunteer.It’s always Thursday when I’m teaching!
Pete collected my mail for me after dinner today. Another mail plane is expected tomorrow because so much mail has been held up. It’s quite exciting going to get your mail and even more so when you hear the plane buzz low over the settlement to land on The Bay that is frozen over. The plane now lands on skis and there has to be a minimum thickness of nine inches before they will land.Tonight I saw The Northern Lights for the first time since I’ve been here. They were not at all spectacular tonight, only like a sheet of white cloud across the dark Northern sky. I expect to see better shows than that before the winter is out.
I was down at El. Penney’s, Sam Stone’s, Alec Penney’s, Maime Ward’s and Uncle Bob’s tonight. It’s now 1.00 a.m. and time for bed I suppose. I had a bake apple lunch at Uncle Bob’s and he asked me to write to them after I go back which I mustn’t forget to do.

Big Happening!
Scott is going to work tomorrow with a crowd of the boys who are cutting a trail to Charlottetown. From what I can gather that means tree – felling. So much for my long weekend in Mary’s Harbour. Oh well,I think I’ll go up with Claude and Baxter on Saturday after supper.It should be quite good fun; but rather short.

Newfoundland’s sinking!
It’s been put out on the radio that the island of Newfoundland is sinking and people are preparing to leave! To some of the people out here it seems to be quite disturbing. I explained the Theory of Isostasy to Uncle Bob, Aunt Edith and Vic as best I could and it set their minds at rest I think! Nellie Larkum is back from St. Anthony’s Hospital after successfully giving birth to 6lb.3oz. Tammy. Well done Nell!

9th…Another week of School has flown by. Exams will be on the 19th and I am building up to them with a series of revision exercises and tests. If anyone can show me a better job than teaching I will be very surprised. I think it’s great and best of all I get paid for what I like doing. I almost went out to Rexon’s Cove this evening with Nellie, baby, Claude and Dora but it was a false alarm. If all goes well tomorrow I should get a trip somewhere. It looks as if Mary’s Harbour trip is on after all. Miles Franklin, the Doctor and Nurse Skelley are in here now and they are off to Charlottetown tomorrow. They are both quite young. Tonight down at Ben’s I also met Raymond Rumbolt who is on The School Board. No more news.

Riding the Big Bird
13th…Well, I have a lot more news now because I spent a long weekend up in Mary’s Harbour and unfortunately missed School yesterday which isn’t the” be all and end all” of everything I don’t suppose. I went up to Mary’s Harbour on the mission plane. I left here Saturday afternoon on the Beaver Turbo – prop light aircraft after vainly trying to get to Mary’s Harbour on skidoo. Scott, Rita, Kimberley and Dora Penney left here before me whilst I got a smashing free ride to Rexon’s Cove, where Nellie and baby were put off and then on to Charlotteown where Doctor Miles Franklin and Nurse Skelley boarded. By plane is the best way to see Labrador. The country below looked very beautiful with its many ponds, all frozen over now of course. The trip to Mary’s Harbour took about an hour or so by plane whilst my return by skidoo took about three hours. It was great in the plane whenever we wheeled about and whenever we came into land. It was just like riding a big bird when I think of the way we almost plummeted out of the sky onto the landing strips marked by tree tops to prevent the plane landing on bad ice.

Relaxation
At Mary’s Harbour on Saturday afternoon I was met by Sue Munro. I stayed at the Nursing Station I. G. A (International Grenfell Association) in the Guest Room! It was “civilization” compared with what I have down in PHS. There was actually a carpet on the floor and…wait for it…electricity in all the rooms. I drank piles of fresh milk up there and it was great. I was made to feel really at home by the nurse and her secretary, Sue. Well, the milk was re-constituted but it’s the closest thing I’ve tested to fresh milk out here. It was fabulous. I also had a fresh salad with whole tomatoes in it!
On Saturday evening I drove Sue around the Harbour on Rev. Ed Lewis’s skidoo and it was great fun. I met Phyllis, Ed’s wife and their newly born daughter. They have a lovely home near the church with under - floor central heating but unfortunately I was told that they aren’t happily married.

“Getting Lost”
On Sunday morning I left with Sue to go up to Lodge Bay to visit Chris Haynes, the other V.S.O. there. We left with Pete Ackerman on his skidoo and komatik. After about fifteen minutes, Pete’s skidoo broke down and since the Lodge was only about five miles away Sue and I went on. Unfortunately we took one wrong skidoo track and ended up miles and miles away from Lodge Bay! We got to within a couple of miles of Hare’s Island instead! Anyway, we turned back after a couple of hours with a long walk home in front of us. After only a couple of miles we were given a lift back into Mary’s Harbour by Don Campbell and two others who had just returned from sealing. There were two skidoos with komatiks and I rode on the seal – laden one. A rear flipper was sticking in my back all the way as I was perched right on the front of the komatik, the worst place to be comfort – wise. I’m glad they came along because Sue was feeling rather tired, she’s not much used to going for long walks. We got back after failing to reach the Lodge and Chris. Not much happened on Sunday except just met Mr. and Mrs. Coish and failed to get a lift back to PHS for School on Monday. I’ll tell you a bit about Sue: aged eighteen, “A” Level passes in English, French, Geography “B”, and an “A” pass at scholarship level in Geography. She’s working for the I. G. A. out here as a nursing assistant on a one year contract.

Getting back to Port Hope Simpson
On Monday morning I was up very early in the hope of making morning School or at the worst, afternoon School. I got Ivan Coish, Scott’s brother to bring me back in. Unfortunately we didn’t get out until after dinner with Scott, Rita, Kimberley and Dora. The trip back was very bumpy but good fun. The skidoos seem to be able to go anywhere. They are quite light and they buzz along superbly. I arrived in PHS about supper time at five o’clock after only five breakdowns from Dora’s skidoo.

Tackling Problems along the Labrador Coast
Oh, I mustn’t forget the movie I went to up in Mary’s Harbour. It was put on by Tony Williamson with assistant and it was very good. This young bespectacled man is working with The memorial University, St. John’s and is closely associated with the Labrador Council which is attacking problems along the coast. Raymond Rumbolt is the secretary – treasurer of The Council. One of the biggest problems is the shockingly low price that fishermen have been given for their fish in the past. Next year, the Government is stepping in when it is giving the local fishermen a guaranteed price for each kettle of fish. One kettle of fish is roughly the size of a medium table. The fish is dried, salted and stacked.
Whilst I was up at Mary’s Harbour I also met a Mr. Lethbridge who is a Forest ranger. I had a good long talk with him and learnt a good bit about the exact nature of his work along the coast. His territory covers an area from around Cartwright right down to Fordeau in Southern Labrador. At a rough guess I should say that is an area half the size of England. One interesting thing he said was this: in a forest fire you should never get trapped in a valley because that’s where all the oxygen is used up. He said you should head for a mountain top or near water. Mr. Lethbridge is based at Cartwright (pop. 1000) from where he operates. If I remember correctly he said they have three water – bombers with which to fight fires in Labrador. I learnt from him that PHS is one of the poorer settlements on the Labrador.

Contrasting Mary’s Harbour with Port Hope Simpson
In Mary’s Harbour there seems to be a different atmosphere amongst the people. I don’t really know how to describe it. Maybe I’d find exactly the same atmosphere if I lived there. Throughout PHS people talk about other people behind their backs often quite maliciously. I’m sure everybody here doesn’t agree with everybody else! I’ve been told that PHS is unique along the coast. Maybe it’s because people here don’t live in harmony with one another. Mary’s Harbour is also a better planned settlement by the look of it as well. The houses seem to be nicer on the whole. I think I was in one of the best houses in the place mind you.

15th…I had a direct question from the kids today about my age! Successfully navigated. Austin Penney said that no English teachers would say how old they were!

16th…I’ve just come back from Mrs. Ward’s where I went after duplicating six examinations for the kids. I still have eleven to write out and get duplicated by next Monday when the first exam is due. There’s a lot of work involved in writing out exams.

The Effect of Claude’s Reprimand!
Oh, I mustn’t forget to mention the reprimand I had from Claude about missing one day’s School. I got rather vexed with the bloke because there was no need for him to say what he did. Like Scott said, “Claude’s too big for himself.” Scott knows Claude better than anybody in PHS. I can now see quite clearly what Verity said is true. She said that Claude was conceited. Absolutely true. Pete’s view on Claude which I’ve sort of adopted (partly to remain semi – friendly with the bloke) is that Claude is a little kid who doesn’t know any better. He’s only a year or two older than myself and he’s just like a kid trying to do a man’s job. He should think more carefully about things before he acts. Claude has definitely dropped very low in my estimation since first thing Tuesday morning. I know it was wrong to have missed a day of work and Claude should have known that. Claude is also having trouble from the Butts now. Serve him right! I don’t think much of him, his political letter – writing, nosiness and wood – scaling. Claude’s a git! I knew exactly what I was doing with that trip and that I could miss one day of School. I just needed that trip “sum bad”. It really re – vitalized me and it will be all that much easier to keep going after it.

Saturday 17th…All exams have been successfully duplicated today and I feel very pleased with myself! I’ve just come back from Stephen and Sandra’s at 12.30p.m. where I went with Pete after we went to see the films shown by Tony Williamson. It’s the second time I’ve seen them now by “The Coast of Labrador Regional Development Association”. Claude stood up and had his say about how he wanted to work for the people here. He was almost crying, poor kid. He’s too young. Even I can see that. About three planes flew overhead today but there was “ner” sign of a mail plane. It’s a shocking service alright but there is nothing much we can do about it from down here.
Seals
Scott brought back a seal from Pinsent’s Arm today that he bought for $3. He went out with George and Gordon Penney and came back about supper time. Apparently Stan Campbell had eighty – five seals in his net which is very good. The sealers just sink their nets to the bottom in a straight line from the shore and the seals get tangled – up and drown. The seals mustn’t be left in the nets for any length of time or their pelts are destroyed by lice. The nets have to be hauled in just about every day when they are out. So it looks like my meat for the next couple of weeks will be fresh seal which isn’t too bad. Oh, that reminds me of something I don’t think I have mentioned.

Foot Bitten by Peter, the Pet Husky Dog
When I returned from Mary’s Harbour last Monday I called in at Edgar’s just for a chat. I was told to sit down and have some seal that was on the table. I went up to one end of the table and saw there was a big husky dog, “Peter” by name, lying under it and chewing a bone. I moved the bone away from my chair with my left foot to sit down and the next thing I knew the dog was biting my foot and I was on the floor. Doug hauled Peter off because I couldn’t get handy to whack the dog because my chair and table – leg were in the way. My toes felt as if they had been dislocated but luckily the only damage was a tear in my over boot. As it so happened I was wearing four pairs of socks, moccasins and another pair of socks inside my over boots so no blood was shed. I was wearing all those socks because I had been on the skidoo trip. Mind you, I’m now finding that I need to wear three or four pairs of socks all the time. Well, it’s going to be a day of rest tomorrow. Whoopee!

A Day Spent Cruising
Sunday 18th…I’ve had a beautiful lie – in this morning and it’s now dinner time of fresh seal, cabbage, turnip and potato. I’ve been down to Edgar’s and then on to Mrs. Ward’s where I’ve left my loudspeaker. I might connect it up to their radio for them. I’m going to see Tony Williamson, Sam Kippenhuck and Wince this afternoon I hope. At the moment, it’s snowing lightly and the sky is overcast. The temperature is always slightly higher when it’s snowing. The term used by everybody roundabouts is “milder”, which is quite correct.
Just arrived home after a day’s cruising. After dinner I went down to Billy Parr’s where I had an interesting talk with Tony Williamson and Randy Larsen about the problems on the Labrador, for example, re- settlement program and poor fish prices. Pete and I hope to get a copy of one of the films shown last night. We are going to see if V. S. O. would be interested in a copy. I left Pete to go back to Mrs. Ward’s, where he stayed indoors all day, and went on up to Wince’s, calling in on the way to see Lester Powell’s light aircraft. Then on to Sam and Madeline’s (mother of Douglas and Wallace Kippenhuck). Then back to Wince’s, then to Mrs. Ward’s, then to Ben and Ursie’s (where Tony was interviewing Ben), then to El Penney’s and then back here. I had supper up at Sam’s and lunch at Mrs. Ward’s. Pete and I did some singing of hymns, or tried. Pete was playing the mouth organ. Claude has gone off to Mary’s Harbour with Baxter Rumbolt for the day. I expect he will see Rev. Lewis about his trouble with the Butts who are Roman Catholic. Claude’s been accused by Bill Butt of, religious persecution is the beast way of describing it. Nothing of the sort in reality. In this settlement there is a resentment against VSO’s coming purely from one individual as Tony pointed out last night. That person is our conceited Claude. I’ve found out that quite a number of people here think that Claude is “too big for his boots”. Here in Scott’s house there is an atmosphere which I particularly noticed when I walked in a few minutes ago. It is a quiet atmosphere, apart from the roaring of the gas lamp, compared with most other families who either have little kids running about or visitors coming and going, or both. I’m glad it’s relatively quiet here most of the time. That’s my lot for the night dear reader.

School Examinations
19th…School went well today with the children doing examinations. They have one exam in the morning and another in the afternoon. Today they had Mathematics and Spelling, tomorrow it will be Geography and Literature, Wednesday it will be Language and History.

A Little Miracle, My Nose Almost Dropping Off and a Frozen Hot Water Bottle!
Little miracles will never cease because the mail plane arrived today with greatly welcomed news. It’s very nice to get any mail out here and when the flying weather has been bad, as it has been of late, the Service suffers. Pete got a guitar today and also a letter from Eaton’s warning him that legal action will be taken against him if he doesn’t pay his odd $70 purchase from then! Pete’s badly in debt whilst I am pleased to say that I don’t owe anybody any money. I’m beginning to learn to play a scattered tune on the guitar whilst Pete is also learning but he’s much better than I am because he’s had a good musical training. Claude came back from Mary’s Harbour this morning with only half an hour before the start of morning School. Rev. Lewis has gone up to Goose Bay and Nurse Harris is back from England. Apparently she comes from Weston – Super – Mare which obviously means that I must meet her when she comes in. She could be in “the week” so I’ve heard. It’s been very cold today, one of the coldest, if not the coldest day since I’ve been out here. My nose was almost dropping off as I walked down to School with Pete this morning. Last night I found, much to my surprise, that my hot water bottle that I’d left on the floor of my room was full of ice. I think that explains quite well how cold it really is out here. There is also a good two feet of space between the floor of my room and the frozen ground. The cold just seems to get in everywhere. It really is penetrating. I think that’s the best way of describing it.

No School
Friday 23rd…I didn’t have any School yesterday because of troubles with my furnace and I won’t have any School for the whole of today. The mail plane has just arrived. I hope I get something. I’m now in Pete’s classroom writing this, next to the furnace I might add. Pete’s thermometer in his pocket fell below freezing as he came to School. It read –10 degrees Centigrade this morning although it didn’t feel that cold. The cold is a dry cold that is easily bearable except when the wind comes up it’s not so pleasant with the wind whipping around your legs like driving rain. I’ve just had ten or so kids around me and I have been entertaining them before the start of afternoon School. This week has been broken - up teaching wise due to examinations and now, in my classroom, this damned furnace trouble.

Bullet put down and preparing for the ice hockey match, Port Hope Simpson v Mary’s Harbour 24th…
I’m having a very nice day just cruising around from place to place. The Mary’s Harbour crowd are in for a hockey game at seven o’clock tonight which should be very good. “Bullet” was just killed because Scott accidentally broke his leg when he ran over him with his skidoo and komatik. Bullet was one of “Chip’s” dogs belonging to Ed Osmond. Chip is Scott’s dog. I saw all the killing by Uncle Jack. It wasn’t very nice, “that was a dandy pup.” Pete Ackerman is in from Mary’s Harbour for the game tonight with the Mary’s Harbour crowd. I was down at the rink late afternoon today shoveling off some snow for the game tonight. There is a good skating surface on the rink after they flooded it last night for today’s game. The rink looks very good but only a few people have done all the work for it. Boy! It certainly is difficult to get any number of people to work together in this place!

Having a Ramp
Pete has been indoors just about every second of the day. He’s got a different way of carrying on out here than I have. I call it great fun cruising around the place and having the occasional “ramps” with one of the boys. (“Ramps” is a general playful fight and “boys” means one of the blokes here.)

Cruising Again
Where have I been today? Wince’s, Sam’s, Ben’s, Mrs. Ward’s, Uncle Bob’s and down at Sam’s. I took some pictures today (24th) of the Wards and of the crowd Uncle Bob’s: Uncle Bob, Aunt Edith, Harold Russell, Gordon Russell, Freeman Russell, Henry and somebody else I think. I hope they both come out OK. I think they will.

A Reminder from Sukey
I also wrote to V.S.O. today after a gentle reminder from Sukey Goodwin, my V.S.O. correspondent, that it was about time I wrote again!

Talking About Work or Doing Something?
Scott always seems to be talking about how much wood he’s hauled or how much wood he’s going to haul. He makes out that hauling wood and water is big work whereas it should be treated, as it is by the workers here, merely as a household chore. It’s not surprising that it’s made out to be big work because the people here have to eke out their work. The people I most like here are those who keep quiet about how much wood and water they’ve hauled because that tells me they realize it’s only a chore.

Uncle Bob’s Happening
Oh, by the way, over at Uncle Bob’s a great happening is taking place – they are having their house wired by Baxter Rumbolt. After they are wired they will then be hooked-up to the mains supply here. Wait for it…they will be able to switch their lights on and off! Yes folks, switch them on and off!
Ben’s got the ‘flu, poor bloke he’s only just got over the mumps. I expect the ‘flu will be the next germ to go round this place. I certainly hope I don’t get it because it appears to be quite a bad complaint. I wonder how long it will be before everybody here will be down with the ‘flu. Not too long I suppose.
It’s been a lovely day today with the sun shining and the snow crunching under my boots as I walk along. I wear three pairs of socks, my moccasins and my over – boots! The over – boots come off and go on at every visit. I hope they last the year out OK. They have one patch already due to Peter the dog’s antics. I can see them being ripped further before my year’s out. I just mustn’t argue with Scott. Just keep quiet. Ignorance is a dangerous thing.

15th…Clive went back today after waiting for hours for the Russells to get ready. Both Pete and he are now broke!

Having Fun on Aubrey’s Skidoo
I had a great “randy” on Aubrey Russell’s skidoo. I went up the Back road and “whacked it right to her”, coming back down through the settlement. It’s very cold here today, the temperature must be a good few degrees below freezing point. It’s very good going for the skidoos mind you. When it’s frosty the going is very good because the frost hardens a crust onto the loosely compacted snow. It’s much better driving the skidoos than it is riding on the back of one.
I found it rather annoying today just waiting for the Russells to go. It takes ages and ages to get things going around these parts but once things are started then they really happen. That was the way with Clive’s trip today.

Ice Hockey Result: Port Hope Simpson 8 Mary’s Harbour 4
The Mary’s Harbour crowd was in yesterday for their hockey game. The result of the game was Port Hope Simpson 8: Mary’s Harbour 4. Mary’s Harbour had a good few of the Russells playing for them.

26th…It’s now five minutes past midnight and I’m writing this in bed. School went OK today. I gave out the majority of the Report Cards at four o’clock. The kids were very concerned about whether they had passed or failed. I just gave out Grades in each subject. Claude has taken the form of a nagging nuisance to Pete and me. A nuisance to be put up with. The light that I work by in my room is a pale yellow light that can’t be very good for the eyes. I’ve been down at Mrs. Ward’s all evening catching up on a lot of newspaper reading. Pete and I have a good bit of fun singing and making up verses for “You’ll Never Go to Heaven” at the expense of the locals. I can almost play “Oh Cinammon” proficiently on the guitar using the chords of D and E Major. It’s been a fine day weather – wise, although it’s been very cold all day. It was also very cold over in the classroom for the first couple of hours, warming – up when the sun shone through the windows. The sunsets out here are very beautiful. On a clear day all the stars are crystal – clear. They appear to be more clearly visible than back home.

Roll Your Own!
I’d just like to mention the name of the tobacco smoked here. It’s called “Target”. Practically every single man here rolls his own cigarettes from “Target”. It works out cheaper than buying ready – made ones.

Welfare Assistance
Incidentally, Mr. Decker, the Welfare officer, is in here from Mary’s Harbour. Sam Penney said that he’d be dishing out as much as $20 – 30,000 worth of welfare assistance in the settlement. I fancy that figure is a gross exaggeration but he must give the people a good bit of assistance or however would they survive? Madeline Kippenhuck asked me the other night if I knew when Mr. Decker would be in. She’s very interested which isn’t surprising when you realize she’s got a largish brood of kids. I think the people here get $90 per month for every kid or something like that. Hence it must be a livelihood in the real sense of the word to bring up children!

Self – Knowledge and Getting on with the People
28th…Nothing much has happened of late probably because I haven’t been looking for it. Junior Burden is off to Goose Bay tomorrow on the mail plane. Pete and I tried him to see if he would hire out his skidoo to us but with no luck. A Bowater’s plane came in today with the wood scaler. I had a very interesting chat with him about wood boat return journeys. I’ve met Mr. Decker the Welfare Officer. It’s difficult to describe what PHS is like to me. It “gets me down” on the odd occasion. I don’t think it’s the place itself but just some of the people here. Oh well, I keep myself happy by just thinking that it must be good character training. To know what to say, at the right time and who to say it to for example. Yes, it certainly is the best kind of character – training out here. I could very easily feel “right vexed” about so many things here but it must be good for me when I know I can keep quiet about things that perplex me. Like this skidoo business and the reaction I got from Scott a few minutes ago when I told him that Pete and I could only afford to hire it for $10 a week! I don’t think I should have told him how much we were prepared to offer. Scott is insensitive or maybe he just likes making me feel foolish. I dislike him more than I like him. Most of the people here are uneducated but Mr. Scott Coish comes way down my list of people whom I would like to meet. Not that I have a list of course, but you know what I mean. Scott’s skidoo has broken down again. His jobs are: hauling wood and water, sawing and cleaving wood, lighting the fire in the morning and mending the skidoo. I don’t suppose he makes it break down on purpose just to fix it! School is going OK. I find my big self – criticism about my teaching is that I tend to be too kind and friendly towards the kids. If “you give an inch, they take a mile.”I’ve almost completely finished all my exams except for a couple who were sick, Greta and Edgar. No more news so I’m off to bed.

A Quiet Sort of Life
29th…School went OK today as usual except for some relationship problems between Claude, Pete and myself which have been ironed out by Rev. Lewis who was in for Church today for 7.45 p.m. After that, Pete and I went over to Brian and Jim’s birthday party where we had a fine feed but unfortunately had to leave early because Rev. Lewis had finished the parents meeting. “Softly, Softly, Catchee, Monkee” is certainly the order of the day here. It’s all a case of growing – up I suppose. I had a letter from The School Board today. Nothing much else has happened in my life out here. I’ve just had a scattered ride on a skidoo that’s all. Boy, I feel dried – up for news. No. I lie. The weather: it’s just started snowing after being a very pleasant day, barring Claude’s antics. The snow is being compacted to a good depth now on the roads by the buzzing skidoos. I wonder how much will have fallen by the morning. It might be a couple of feet or it might be a couple of inches. You just can’t tell around these parts because the weather changes very, very quickly. My knee has been troubling me slightly over the past few days after that bang I gave it when Clive and were having a “randy” on Aubrey’s skidoo. At the moment I am trying to find transport up to Mary’s Harbour for “The Time” up there that commences on February 6th. It’s February already. Boy! The time is certainly flying. Before I know where I am it will be time to go back home again.

Teaching Observation
30th…Oh well, yet another day has finished. Rev Lewis was in School this afternoon as a Board member and he watched all three of us teach. I found it rather nerve - racking. Oh well, I suppose I am going to go through the same sort of thing in College. I got through it OK. Rev. Lewis just smiled and nodded as he walked from my classroom into Pete’s. Claude has also been inspected. I went to Church today and yesterday. It seems to keep the people here happy when teachers’ faces are seen in Church. I was down at Dick Rumbolt’s where I played my National Geographic moon landing record and showed my magazine with some excellent photos of the moon. I’ve just come back from Billy Parr’s where I failed to get Florence’s skidoo going for her. I went down there from Mrs. Ward’s where I’ve been playing “120” with Pete, Mrs. Ward, Austin and Evelyn. I did very well, winning all the games I played in. “120” is basically a game of luck. The weather today has been unpleasant with a brisk wind causing the snow to drift. I’m glad I have those over boots that buckle – up thereby preventing any snow from getting in. The wind was howling today and I could just imagine what Capt. Scott must have felt like on his way to the South Pole. Boy, it was a wild feeling when I felt the wind howling and whistling around me as I walked down the snow – drifted road. It’s 12.45 a.m. now so I’m off to bed with the weekend ahead. Great!

The Mountie is in about the Theft of my Money
31st The Mountie came in today. I spoke with him – a very nice man who cooperated. I had a good long lie – in this morning and made up on some lost hours of valuable sleep. I went down to Pete’s before dinner to get an appetite. In the afternoon the mission plane came in fleetingly. I also saw a small helicopter take off at close quarters down near the Post Office. I think it went to Mary’s Harbour. The pilot of the Bowater’s plane that came in a couple of days ago with the wood scaler was on it. I’ve been feeling rather down – hearted today for no good reason. Probably because I didn’t find myself much to do. I’ve just run down from Stephen and Sandra’s for a bit of exercise. I had a hot – dog lunch up there. Their big grumble was that Ted Penney had disconnected them. Bart Penney failed to hire out his cruiser to Pete and I tonight. He asked for $10 per day whereas we were going to offer $10 per week! Oh well, he’s a business man.

The Cat ate my Toothpaste!
I know why the cat in my house was meowing a lot today. It was I feel sure because he had a feed of my toothpaste. I found the tube punctured a few minutes before I brushed my teeth. It also had claw mark all over it – the unmistakable signs of a cat. Oh well, I can’t close the door of my room or the temperature very rapidly drops below freezing. I think I can put up with Kimberley’s vandalistic fingers and the cat’s claws OK when I think how cold I’d get if I could close the door of my room tightly. The lesser of two evils!!! Scott and I sawed and cleaved up a lot of wood before supper. After supper, with the aid of Chips, we hauled a barrel of water from the brook that is a stone’s throw from The Anglican School. There was a hole through the ice at the Brook. I could see the ice was about two feet thick I should say. My last bit of “news” for the night is that the nurse should be in on Monday and a big crowd of about thirty to forty skidoos went down to Charlottetown today.

February

Sunday 1st February
It’s been a slow and “nothing – much – doing “day today. I had a good lie-in until 11.00 a.m. I slept until that time after waking up at 8.00 a.m. and ordering myself to go back to sleep! I must have been tired. I went down to Pete’s this morning and both of us went down to have a look at the small helicopter that had landed.

Telephone Connection for Port Hope Simpson
It had brought in some Bell Telephone equipment and the Supervisor for the installation of the new telephone system. It should be ready in three weeks time when calls will be made via L’Anse Au Loup with an end to this “Over” business on the phones. Zero will reach the operator. I wonder when it will be ready. It was supposed to have been operational before Christmas but at the rate things happen around here we’ll be lucky if we get the new system before Easter!

Improved Diet
I had a very nice Sunday dinner of pork, beans, turnip and potatoes with fruit and creamed jelly for afters. Of course, it’s “Sunday”, the Special Day here. My food is definitely much better since I complained about it.

My Sealskin
This afternoon I washed my seal skin, an “old dota”, with hot soapy water and I’ve managed to get a good bit of the black, seal grease off it. The skin will look very nice when it’s clean on both sides. I don’t think I’ll bother having a pair of sealskin boots made. I’ve also cancelled my Rexon’s Cove order for a sealskin coat and boots. I told Pete that Ron Knotley had some skins up at his house for sale and Pete said that he would want,” At least one.” Scott said today that he could get at least $20 for the skin I had. I only paid $5 for it! I’ll be off for a weekend hunting trip with Ron in a few weeks time. I’ll be going with a pair of snowshoes on my feet this time. It was very hard – going last time we went because every step we took, put us knee – deep in soft snow. At the moment, 10.50 p.m., it is blowing very hard outside and there should be quite a few deep drifts in the morning. I found it rather unpleasant walking over from Pete’s, where I had lunch, but with my shoulder to the wind I battled home! I was down at Mrs. Ward’s from supper time where Pete and I had one of our many, many chats about anything that takes our fancy. We ended up with “Peter Edwyn Smart, Holiday Centre of the Labrador, Port Hope Simpson, Crapton – Water, Drags Bay”!

Keeping Clean
When I returned home I had a bath from my bowl! A regular spot on a Sunday evening! I give myself a thorough flannelling with hot, soapy water. Oh, I mustn’t forget to say that yesterday afternoon I cut Pete’s hair and he did mine. We managed the whole operation in a much shorter time than previously. The last time Pete had his hair cut was when I did it up in Goose Bay for him. Mine was a good inch over the top of my ears. My last haircut was on November 6th.

My Beaver’s Tail has gone!
In closing for the night at 11.05 p.m. I’d like to say that the beaver tail I nailed high up on the shed behind my lodgings has gone. I don’t know how, why or where it’s gone to and I’m not bothering finding out. Somebody must have taken it because I am almost certain it was too high for any animal to reach.
A government sponsored plane came today and took five or six locals up to Goose for trading purposes. Scott might go out on the next one. Another week ahead. I wonder what it will bring for me?

Enjoying My Job
2nd…I woke up this morning feeling really refreshed after a good night’s sleep. I’m sure that plenty of sleep is a good thing even when Scott said that three hours is enough for anybody – boy, is he stupid. School flew by today as it does every day out here. There just never seems enough time in School. The five hours seem to be very short on the majority of days. I really love teaching. Fancy getting paid for a job you love! I’m certainly lucky. I think I can say that I would be prepared to teach for almost nothing. That is my reason, I suppose for not being bothered about how low the teacher’s pay packet is back home. Maybe I will think differently when I really have to start looking after the pennies although I suppose I’m doing that out here. I’m hoping to come away from here with a good bit of money saved. I know very well that it goes against the volunteer spirit and “all that jazz” but I think I’ve done my bit to help people not as lucky as myself by coming out here. I’m also working hard both in and out of School teaching both youngsters and by my “cruising”, the adults, I believe. I’d be an absolute mug to throw away the chance to save some money before entering Derby College of Education. I feel slightly guilty about saving money but I’ve justified it to myself. I also keep quiet about it.
I had a lunch down at Mrs. Ward’s where I was busy cleaning my sealskin. It’s going to look “some nice” when I’ve finished with it. I’m thinking about buying another one from Ron whom I’ll be going to see tomorrow night. The Mission plane came today with Albert Hiscock. I think “The Grapes of Wrath” is a very good book and my final entry for the night is that it’s been very cold all day today even when the sun was out it’s a fairly safe bet to guess the temperature was minus five degrees Centigrade.

Medical Assistance Arrives for Port Hope Simpson
3rd…The Nurse, Doctor and Secretary came in today after a seven – hour dog trip from Mary’s Harbour. Nurse Margaret Harris is from Weston – Super – Mare, Doctor Miles Franklin from London and Sue Munro is from Sevenoaks, Kent. Very nice people. It’s gone mid – night now and since that was the only piece of news, except for having fixed – up the hunting trip with Ron for a week this Saturday its goodnight.

5th… School went OK yesterday. We showed Doctor Miles Franklin around at dinnertime and we went up to Ron Notley’s after supper. I’m going to buy a beaver skin from him. He went down the Post Office to get them stamped today. Last night was spent very nicely doing some baby – sitting for Lloyd and Lizzie Hicks. The lime – juice was very nice amongst other things.

Eyesight Affected
Some children are getting their eyes tested at 2.00 p.m. at the other (Pentecostal) School. I’ll be sending some of my kids down there. It’s now gone midnight and I did send Hedley, Sharon and Charles down to see the Doctor. Two of them, Hedley and Sharon have to see the eye specialist. The Doctor, Nurse and Secretary will be off tomorrow on dogs by the looks of things. Uncle Len, Bob and Graham Russell hauled them in on three teams.
I’ve paid $10 for my beaver skin and I’ll be off after porcupine a week on Saturday with Ron. His home brew was pretty strong. I left half of mine. Spring is coming very early! A great deal of snow and ice has melted. A storm will be coming pretty soon – I’m off to bed. I’ll just jot down where I’ve been since School finished: Mrs. Ward’s, Scott’s, Mrs. Ward’s, Billy Parr’s, Ron Notley’s, El’s, Sam’s, Billy’s and then home. Goodnight.

6th…Well, I’m going to have quite an early night at about 10.30 p.m. The mail plane came today with letters from home with seeds and a cheque. I’ve had to send off my order again to “Quality” because I had mistakenly ordered from an old catalogue. Pete and I still want the walkie – talkies and I’ve also re- ordered a watch strap.

Some Forward Planning
I also wrote regarding “Immigrations” and about the length of my stay. I want to stay until 31.8.70 as entered on my form. I also wrote to the bank at Goose about withdrawing funds. School went well today although I had to keep ten of my kids behind because they hadn’t done well enough in one of my periodic tests. I’ve also got my slides back with my class on them. They were expensive, about $10. Claude knocked off School today at 3.00 p.m. but only for his class so that he could go up to Mary’s Harbour with Rev Lewis whose in from Charlottetown. By the looks of things tonight they failed to make it having had to turn back because they couldn’t cross Beaver’s Brook. Maybe they’ll try again tomorrow. It’s very difficult to stay on your feet when you’re walking about the place now. All the surface snow has melted leaving sheet – ice all over the road. Even some of the ice has melted away exposing the gravel on the road. I think that before too long there’s going to be one heck of a storm because I haven’t seen much “dirty weather” since I’ve been here.

Grow Your Own Food Crop
I’m hoping to plant some of the seeds Mum sent me tomorrow. It should be quite interesting to see if they’ll grow. The only problem will be to keep them warm right through the night. Maybe putting them over at the School will be the answer?
Mrs. Mary Ward went out on the Mission plane today down to St. Anthony. She might have breast cancer. That wouldn’t be very nice because she is a really warm – hearted, kind, sympathetic, and generous old lady, about middle sixties I should say. I hope she’ll be OK. I was over there this evening and Harry, Charlie and Pete had their lunch (late, late supper) brought to them by Evelyn and Greta, two of my pupils. The place seemed empty without Mrs. Ward’s ebullient personality. She went out at 1.45 p.m. Nurse Harris went out this afternoon after the Doctor and Secretary left for Charlottetown.

The Amazing Husky Dogs
They went on dogs so they are just about guaranteed a safe ride. The dogs are quite amazing creatures. Their sixth sense of danger is invaluable on The Labrador. They will not cross thin ice and their drivers only have to guide them. They will pull their hearts out for their masters. Well, no more news except it’s Saturday tomorrow, a rest day, whoopee!

7th…Got up at about 10.00 a.m. which was quite early considering its Saturday. I went up to Stephen and Sandra’s where I chopped up their pile of wood for them. I had already promised to do it some day because I get quite a few feeds up there. I also visited Margaret and Rube Burden’s for a short while.

Trying to Prepare a Seed - Bed
I partially prepared the earth for my seed – bed. I had to chop the earth out from the frozen ground with an axe which didn’t do the axe any good. It was like chopping through rock – hard ice cream! The beds will need a good bit of preparation before I plant some of the seeds because the “soil” is just un - decomposed plant matter. I think I will grow my plants over at the School where the furnaces are kept alight all the time.
After dinner I passed my time doing nothing of importance. I was down at El’s quite a few times and I took some photographs of the mail plane that didn’t bring any mail, worst luck, only a Jesse Green from the Nursing Station at Mary’s Harbour. Oh, I cleared some wood for Dick who has a broken ligament in his right shoulder. Nothing more worth recording except that the weather is still mild, although it was frosty tonight.

Enjoying the Place
Sunday 8th…I was up at 10.00 a.m. and out for a walk after a breakfast of cornflakes, toast and coffee. The weather is very fine with a beautiful clear sky. It was the same yesterday. This place is very attractive to me now! I returned to the house for a nice dinner of chicken leg, turnip, potato and gravy with fruit for afters. I was out again soon after dinner because the weather is very nice. I also managed to drag Pete out also. He says he prefers to be doing something or nothing with “nothing” meaning just lying on his bed! He doesn’t go out enough. Clive came in from Mary’s Harbour on his way back to Rexon’s Cove. He collected the mail.I had “smelts” for supper and they were very nice, something like trout in flavour. Scott had caught nine of them up the lake. Don’t feel like writing much tonight. I mustn’t forget Mum’s birthday on 22nd I believe.

Losing that “Monday Morning Feeling”
9th…School was OK today except for that Monday – Morning feeling which went away quite quickly. I stayed behind after School for a good hour putting up a map of the U.S.S.R. and some other odds and ends. The Soviet Union isn’t on the syllabus but there isn’t any harm in putting the map up.

More Sealskin Scraping
After supper this evening of macaroni cheese and tinned tomato I went over to Pete’s where I was scraping my sealskin all evening. There’s a lot of work to remove all the mildew. It should look smashing when I’ve finished with it. I used boiling water on it on Saturday and found that the water was so hot that it had caused the skin to shrink –up a bit.
I’ve spent the whole evening over at Mrs. Ward’s after I’d cruised down to Aunt Maude Burden’s where Nathan, Ambrose Burden, John Burden, Hayward Burden and Muriel Burden were home. I was “tormented” by them, meaning to have “your leg pulled” about anything.

Naturally Inspired Thoughts
The weather is still very clear and the sun was shining down all day making it hot in my classroom. I wonder how long this beautiful weather will last, not more than a week I should say. When the weather’s fine it’s really fine. The sky is crystal clear. This is especially so at night when, like tonight, you can see all the stars very clearly. Without a cloud in the sky it’s surprisingly light at nighttime out here. It’s very, very beautiful. The sort of beauty, an immense beauty, that I can’t see myself ever experiencing again unless I come out to The Labrador. On Sunday, when I was out for a walk, I was thinking, mulling over in my mind, the fact that there is absolutely nothing for over a hundred miles except trees, trees and more trees as well as game. Life out here is much freer than back in England. A man can just build a house where he wants to and it’s wonderfully easy just to go off for a day’s trouting, smelting or hunting. The people are very, very friendly once you get to know them and very easy to get on with. Out here everybody just accepts people’s faults and lives with them. I suppose that’s what you have to do in any walk of life. Anyway, enough philosophy for the night. I’m off to bed. It’s 11.00 p.m. and I have School in the morning. I need plenty of sleep to enable me to “keep on my toes” with the kids. Boy, you do certainly have to be on your toes all the time when there’s a bunch of kids around!

“The Daughters of Mercy” and Jim Penney’s Wound
10th…School went OK today. I made some Maths’ models. We’ve had an electric duplicator donated to the School by “The Daughters of Mercy” which is a charity organization in – charge of helping out, “part – time schools” such as the one where I am teaching. The Mission plane came in to take Jim Penney out, who’s given himself a four inch long, one inch deep wound whilst he was in today cutting firewood with a buddy. It’s very easy to give yourself a nasty cut with an axe or a power – saw out here. I’m sticking to cleaving wood with Scott for the house and cleaving for a few friends.

More and More Sealskin Scraping
I’ve been over at Pete’s since supper, scraping and washing my sealskin. I’m going to use bread soda on it tomorrow. It’s hard work especially when the piece of mirrored glass I’m using keeps on breaking off in my hands. I’ve only had one small sliver of glass in my hand that I managed to extract with a sticky plaster.

Dance on Over at the School
There’s a dance on over at the School now, at mid-night. It’s the last one for a good time because tomorrow is the first Day of Lent. I wonder what sort of state my classroom will be in - in the morning. Chaotic I’m sure.
The weather has been very sunny all day although it might not be so good tomorrow because the sky isn’t completely free of cloud. Maybe we are going to see some snow which will be very welcome to the people here because it enables them to haul their firewood by skidoo. With no snow down, ”It’s wonderful hard on the skidoo!” They are robust little machines and deservedly very popular because they are efficient and great fun to drive.

11th…Well, what’s happened today? Nothing out of the ordinary like most days!

In School
School went OK. I kept four kids (Roy, Wallace, Douglas and Austin) behind because they hadn’t learnt their spelling homework. I have to keep on giving them tests because they tend to forget that they have to work, In School it’s a case of the teacher trying his best to educate the child against a non – academic background of life. Will’s maps of the U.S.S.R. look good, adding colour to the classroom and the “Mathematics Corner” I’ve started has solid geometric figures hanging – up in the corner. My stamp album is at the front of the class as well as my map of the U.S.A. I hope that the maps and aerial photographs I’ve ordered of this area come through soon.

Many a Slip
On the way to School this morning I slipped up on the ice. It must have looked comical if anybody was watching because I went down with both of my feet in the air. I slipped four yards from where I’d just said to Pete, “I’ll have to see if I can do better!” After he’d almost slipped. The road and everything around is just one sheet of ice which is now melting quite rapidly exposing the gravel in a number of places. People around here are saying this is very untypical weather for February. Apparently, it’s quite common to see three or four feet of snow on the ground at this time of year. Maybe I’ve brought some of my own weather with me.

Smelting
Many people now go up the lake “smelting” or, in other words, fishing through holes cut in the ice for fish called smelts. Scott and Rita were up today and they got four smelts, one trout and one rock cod. Henry “Hen” Rumbolt caught thirty- eight smelts up there the other day and three days ago, Claude Kippenhuck caught about one hundred and twenty. I’m going to go fishing before too long. The ice is at least three feet thick on The Bay.
I’ve been over at Pete’s cleaning my skin ever since my spaghetti supper and I have to take a letter down to El’s tomorrow morning to catch the mail plane that should be in here. Around here you never expect things to happen. You just wait until things do happen and then get in on whatever’s going on! I’ve finished “Grapes of Wrath” and my verdict is – an excellent book with a great deal of food for thought. My rough quote of what Casy the Preacher said to Tom Joad: “We’re all part of one great big soul.” I reckon that’s just about right.

Fed – up with Sealskin Scraping
12th…It’s now dinner time and the good weather has finished. It’s been very mild all day, most of the snow and ice on the road has disappeared and the wind is onshore. I was down at Pete’s after supper where I did as much as I’m going to do with my sealskin. I then went up to Ron’s where I bought a beaver skin and then on to Bill Butt’s and Hayward Russell’s. After short visits I spent the rest of the evening at Stephen and Sandra’s where I had a lunch before sliding back home. I whacked down once.

Sandra’s Expectant
Sandra’s expectant, possibly twins and she’s going to St. Anthony’s for a scan soon. Stephen’s sick and hasn’t been in School for the past two days. School went well today with no upsets. That’s just how I like it. But the weather wasn’t clear today so there wasn’t the mail plane. I hope we’ll see one tomorrow. I’m off to bed now at 11.30 p.m. because I dislike writing by my oil lamp that only gives off a dull yellow light that is definitely not good for the eyes.

13th…It’s snowing and the wind is offshore this morning. When it snows the temperature is rather milder. Mild weather is apparently a good forecaster of snow out here. It’s now 11.00 p. m. and nothing unlucky has happened. The mail plane came in and brought in four newspapers. School went OK with Austin Penney giving me “Alice in Wonderland” that I’ll give to the School. I haven’t been outside since I came back from School because I’ve been wading through the newspapers here. It’s a clear, starry night tonight and there has only been a light snowfall all day, leaving a film of snow on the ground. There isn’t any news except that Scott went to Church with Royden Kippenhuck and that Graham Kippenhuck called in. I might be off hunting with Ron tomorrow.

My Smelting Trip
It’s now 12.05 p.m. and I’ve just returned from my smelting trip up the lake. I left the house with Scott and Chip. Scott was going up the lake to look for some sticks (trees) from which clapboard will be cut (clapboard are planks of wood that cover the exterior of the house.) I had a fabulous cold ride up to a spot where George Penney, his two sons and Father were smelting. Scott went on up the lake whilst I returned to try my luck.I chopped a hole in the ice (actually I chopped through the covering ice over some old holes) and dropped one and a half fathoms of line into the freezing water. I’d baited the hooks with some pork, that is pork fat. To show how cold it was a ribbon of ice was forming on my fishing line that I had to jerk up and down to attract the smelts.

Freezing Cold
I didn’t have any luck and my fingers were very, very cold. Then a strong wind blew – up across the ice and I’ve never been so cold in all my life. The other people weren’t going to stay so I had a lift back with George. Very pleased I might add to be on my way home.

Trying to Warm – Up Again
Just before I was about to go to Tom Penney’s (George’s father), showed me how to get my hands warm. I “pounded” them like he said until they “scalded.” And what Tom did next flabbergasted me. To show me how to get my hands really warm he took off his gloves and shoved both hands through the eight inch diameter fishing hole! He then proceeded to rub them vigorously in the snow whilst my fingers were just about dropping off! On the way back, my feet felt cold sitting behind Tom on the komatik. I wasn’t so cold as on the way up because the wind was behind us and my parka and over – trousers kept me lovely and warm except for my hands and feet. When I went up with Scott I pulled my bobble hat right down over my face because I could feel my nose starting to freeze. Out here the time to get worried about the cold is when you feel your extremities going numb.

What Not to Do…
George invited me to warm – up in his house which I gratefully accepted. However, I made the mistake of putting my hands too close to the stove and the pain was excruciating. Anyhow I survived and got back to the house warmed – up. But even as I write now my feet are cold on the stone cold floor. That’s something I just can’t do, is keep my hands and feet warm all the time. I’ll just describe what I was wearing on my fishing trip: vest, shirt, jumper, Parka, pants, jeans, over – trousers, two pairs of thin socks, one pair of thick socks, my moccasins, over them my long pair of thick socks and finally my over-boots over that lot. On my hands I wore the woolen gloves that Rita knitted for me. Finally, I had my bobble hat on. Even with all that stuff on I still think I nearly had frost-burn. It’s very easy to become frozen sitting on a komatik behind the skidoo. On the trip up I sat with my back against some ropes strung between two of the four posts on the komatik. These posts were driven into two junks of wood secured across the komatik and so positioned as to prevent any sticks of wood from falling off when the laden komatik was being hauled. Scott gave me a fast ride up the lake with Chip running along with us. The lack of any snow on the ground caused the komatik to slide and slew along behind. It was great fun thudding along behind the skidoo. I hung on to the ropes. The only real problem was that my fingers became so cold because they were exposed to the blisteringly cold wind that rushed past as we were travelling at about twenty – five miles per hour. It’s all too easy to exaggerate the speed of the skidoo because it’s very close to the ground and you therefore always seem to be going so much faster than you really are. I feel sure we were doing about twenty – five miles per hour on The Bay although it was much slower along the trail from Mill Cove up to the graveyard and onto the ice. There the trail was very hummocky because it had been worn by so many skidoos. The time is 10.55 p.m. and I’m not going to write much because I’m off to bed.

Port Hope Simpson’s Valentine’s Day Custom
Today was Valentine’s Day and I received three or four. Around here the home – made valentine cord is wrapped around a stick of wood and secured. The stick is then hurled at the door of whoever’s the recipient of the cord. It’s a rather quaint and attractive way of delivering valentines.
Clive came in with Howard and Bob. We’ve been down at Pete’s most of the evening doing nothing in particular. After supper I cruised down to Lloyd Hicks’s where I showed my photographs and gave them some pictures. Then I was at Mrs. Ward’s for the rest of the evening. Oh, before supper I cruised down to Ben and Ursie’s where Rosie was sick. (Last night at 3.30 a.m. I had to take to the woods with a stomach complaint that I’ve almost completely recovered from today.)

A Wonderful Treat from Ursie
Ursie very kindly gave me what she called a “treat” – three pieces of cake and a glass of lemon juice. It was a wonderful treat from a wonderfully warm – hearted person. Well, today’s gone down in a good bit of detail. I’d like to finish for the night by saying that it is still very cold outside. Today’s temperature in Goose Bay was – 30 degrees Centigrade (by kind courtesy of Lizzie Hicks’s uncle.) Clive and Jean (both V.S.O. volunteers) are now engaged after their re – union over Christmas at Goose Bay. I’m seeing Clive as he really is now – childish. Mind you, I’m a fine one to talk like that. I know nothing about anything.

Sunday 15th…I’ve just written to John Conways in Exeter for Vic and also sent a reminder to Capt.Miller of Bowaters regarding my sea passage home.

Drawing a Sketch Map of Port Hope Simpson
I’ve been doing a lot of walking about today because I’ve managed to do a lot on my sketch map of the settlement. Boy, my fingers were cold, even with gloves on, just using my pencil outside. This morning’s temperature was –10 degrees C which I would never have believed unless I had seen it on a thermometer that Rita had recently bought.
The sun has been shining all day and the sky has been very clear. Clive didn’t go out today which means he’ll miss School tomorrow at Russell – inhabited Rexon’s Cove. I haven’t done very much. Only visited Ben and Ursie’s where John is now also sick as well as Rosie. I might as well get my lunch. Rita’s gone to Church, to be saved?

16th…It’s snowing today and The Bay is obscured by cloud. It’s now 12.23 p.m. and since my eyes are stinging due to the poor light I am not going to write very much. It’s been snowing all day and only stopped three hours ago. About five or six inches of snow is being drifted by a strong wind. I’ve been down at the restaurant where I had a very enjoyable chat with Am (Ambrose Burden), Alton (Sampson) and Ron (Notley) and a few others. Am and I are off hunting sometime in the future and I’m going to Mary’s Harbour with Alt at Easter.

How do you get a porcupine from its hole?
Am and Ron were “talking shop” a good bit of the time giving vivid descriptions of a porcupine. Am was saying that once they get in a hole the fire to smoke them out must be behind them or they’ll just cook in the hole! Apparently, porcupines have teeth like a beaver. Frazier and Ellis are fighting tonight (on the radio) and I’m off to bed. School again went OK today and the sketch map in this book is nearing completion. It’s looking OK I suppose.

The ‘Flu
17th…School went quite well today with sixteen kids. The ‘flu is going round now. Half of Pete’s class was out with it. The weather has been clear with sunshine most of the day. I’m going to have to watch my eyes because they were paining today – working under the poor light. I’ve just returned from Pete’s where I was chatting with Charlie and Harry about the Pentecostals. “Educational” to say the least! I’ve finished my sketch map and I’m off to bed.

18th…The day has gone well today with beautiful weather being mainly responsible for good feelings. I only had fourteen kids in my class. The rest were out with ‘flu. I had my first French lesson this afternoon which I think I enjoyed almost as much as the kids. Claude had a radio going on in his class because today was the opening of The House of Assembly in St. John’s. I’ve just finished putting my sealskin up on the roof of the house and Scott returned from his cutting with George up the lake. He is ignorant and will swear “the hind leg off a donkey” like he was doing last night about Bart Penney whose dammed off Humbie’s Brook so that he can have running water in his house. With a bloke like Scott if I feel annoyed I’ve just got to keep quiet about how I feel. He’s certainly hurt my feelings on more than one occasion. I think I must be very sensitive, or easily hurt, or something. Probably more of “the something” than anything else. Lizzie Hicks said that she thought English people were very sensitive. It’s now mid night and I’ve got over that little upset after being down reading at Pete’s and playing “120” with Pete, Harry and Bill (Kippenhuck). I’ve just had a squash - berry lunch here. Boy! Those berries are all pips. Each one is flat. I just ate the lot with some Carnation milk, bread and butter. The only news before I sign off for the night is that the Mission plane has to come twice tomorrow and the mail plane should be in. It depends on the weather because it might be snowing tomorrow because tonight is very mild. Last piece of diary information – Aunt Edith has the ‘flu and I also went up to Harold Russell’s. I must see Stephen or Ed about their kids who were bothering Uncle Bob (pensioner) and Harold’s stuff today.

Just finished my dinner of meat, turnip, potato and bread pudding with tea and biscuits for afters…19th. It’s snowing outside and I don’t think I’ll see any planes because the sky is heavily overcast to a dark grey by the snow clouds. I’ve been down to see Stephen regarding the tormenting boys and paid a visit to see how Pete was, because he didn’t come to School today, because he was sick. I think he has a touch of the ‘flu rampaging the settlement although he didn’t appear to be that bad when I saw him three – quarters of an hour ago. Scott is also complaining that he’s sick. He says he’s always got a headache. He went in this morning and hauled out a load of wood which didn’t do his skidoo any good because there isn’t enough snow down to cover the ice. The ice is very hard on the skidoos and some old stumps poking up through it are likely to damage their nylon tracks.

A Marriage
There is a marriage tomorrow. The bride-to-be is fourteen years of age!
The time is now 12.42 a.m. and I’ve just come back from playing cards over at Uncle Bob’s with Harold and Andrew. I went there after calling in on Mrs. Ward’s to see about Pete. He was still sick. After supper I was talking with Hayward Burden down at his house about the value of education and of other things. No planes came today because it’s still snowing. I hope it stops during the night.

Port Hope Simpson’s Telephone Lines Improving?
Ivan Coish is in from Mary’s Harbour with three Frenchmen who are in to fix-up the new, Bell Telephone two-way automatic system. It would be great to be able to use it because it’s a waste of money trying to phone using the present system because reception is so poor.
School went easily today with only fifteen kids in my classroom. I expect more tomorrow because it’s the marriage in the night which the kids will want to attend. I’m off to bed now after my tepid coffee, bread and jam – all by the light of my oil lamp. “Don’t put any more wood in the stove,” said Scott.

20th…Well, the end of another week. Next week will be the last week in February – the time is certainly flying out here. What’s happened today? I went down to School this morning on the back of Claude’s skidoo, like I’ve done since Pete’s been sick. The Bay was rather slobby in parts but it was OK on the skidoo though.

Teaching Made Easier
With only thirteen kids in my class it’s definitely makes teaching the three Grades a lot easier. It gives me the time to cover all the ground that I want to cover with each Grade. There are many less stoppages due to:
“Please Teacher I can’t do this!” or,
“Please Teacher Sir may I sharpen my pencil?” or,
“Please may I leave the room Sir?” or,
“Please may I pick up my pencil (or pen) Sir?”
Wedding went off today and I went back down to George Parr’s house for a lunch afterwards. Wince was “Bride’s Boy” and he said we’d probably go to Rexon’s Cove a week Saturday which will be great.

The Promise of a Whale’s Tooth
I also put in my request, which was promptly fulfilled I might add, for a whale’s tooth. The Turnbolts down at Charlottetown, (where the groom comes from), said they’d get one for me. That will be great. There is an old whaling factory at Hawke’s Harbour which Sam Turnbolt is especially familiar with. I daresay I should manage to get one before I leave.

Down to the Wedding
I had supper of tinned baked beans and veiners (spongy sausage – like things) at Scott’s and then I went down to Edgar’s where there was quite a big crowd of fellahs: Edgar, Doug, Sam Kippenhuck, Ray Burden, Alton, Charles Sampson, Claude and a couple of others. After chatting with them I moved on down to Pete’s from where I decided to go down to the wedding. Harry Ward asked me to get him a piece of wedding cake which I did by kind courtesy of Ursie who was one of the waitresses down there. I didn’t bother to go into the Church to see the wedding ceremony. Gerald Turnbull and Rosie Parr were married. After the half- an-hour ceremony the couple, with close relatives, goes back to the house where they entertain anybody who feels like going in to meet the happy couple. The place was teeming with children like just about every place around here of course. Everybody was smiling and looking very pleased with themselves.
Ivan is just getting ready to take the Bell telephone men back to Mary’s Harbour. It’s now 11.30 p.m. and outside it’s as bright as daylight with a full moon shining on a very clear night. The temperature is –10 degrees C which makes Ivan’s job of driving by skidoo to Mary’s Harbour an unenviable one. He’s just left as I write this. The weather has been cloudy for most of the day, clearing-up in the late afternoon to a starry night. We haven’t seen a mail plane or any other plane today. It will be nice to see a plane of any description come in.

The Coldest Day Since I Arrived
Saturday 21st…The mail plane came in today at about 2.00 p.m. and I received my mail at 4.00 p.m. The Mission plane also came this morning with Mrs. Ward who was down in St. Anthony having a check- up by Dr. Thomas. It’s nearly mid-night so I’m not going to write very much tonight. I’ve been busy doing nothing all day which I think I found quite enjoyable. I didn’t feel like going all over the place seeing different people, anyways it’s been bitterly cold all day today. The temperature this morning was –23 degrees C over at Bart Penney’s shop, that’s roughly 40 degrees of frost on the Fahrenheit scale. I’m sure today has been the coldest day since I’ve been here. For that reason I didn’t feel like going out much. I was down to the Post Office, Sam’s store, Pete’s and Uncle Bob’s today – that’s all. Oh, by the way, it was –30 degrees C in Goose Bay this morning. Pete, Ivan and Baxter are in and the lighting materials for the School are up at Mary’s Harbour. Claude’s gone up there today.

Still Trying to Get Warm
There’s been a thick frost (eighth of an inch) on the window of the main room of the house all day. Remember dear reader that there are two wood stoves going all the time and the thermometer close to the window has been registering in the middle 40s all day. That gives you an idea of how cold it really is outside today. Scott will stoke up the stove for the night. Also I have my water bottle handy but I don’t think I’ll get the sleeping bag tonight because Pete is in. That means only four or five thin blankets plus my sweaters and over trousers and anything else I fancy flinging on the bed.

Seed Germination
Before I go to bed I’d like to say that a good few of Mum’s seeds have come up. I’ve made some cardboard boxes for them. They must be kept warm!

22nd…Happy Birthday Mum! I expect you’ll have a much warmer one than today out here. It was –23 degrees C today which is cold enough to get frost burn without trying very hard. Well, what have I done on this Day of Rest? I woke up this morning at about 10.00 a.m. and promptly put my jumper because Pete Ackerman was using the sleeping bag on the floor of the main room. I wasn’t very warm last night and it’s been uncomfortably cold today. This morning I stayed in to do some letter writing. My sealskin blew down from the roof of the house because I‘d only put two nails in, I suppose. When a wind blows out here I’m sure the temperature must drop by at least 5 degrees C. Pete, Ivan and Baxter went out today.

In on Friday to Wire the School?
This afternoon, Baxter told me he will be in on Thursday or Friday to wire the School. The necessary materials are up at Mary’s Harbour at last! It will be dandy to have electricity in over there. I wonder if we’ll have it in before the next fortnight is out. Today, I’ve been to Ben’s, Sam Penney’s - where I had supper; El Penney’s where I asked about telephoning home – useless on the present system, Pete’s and Uncle Bob’s. Nothing of importance has happened today. It’s been wonderful cold all day. I suppose it’s been a Day of Rest for me today because I haven’t done anything much. I think I feel just as tired as I do after a day’s cruising all over. Oh well, I have my bath and lunch to have before bed so I’ll close for the night. Another week ahead. I wonder what it will bring for me.

23rd…School went smoothly today. Claude has found that the “March of Dimo” cards have gone from the staffroom! I wonder what’s happened to them. I only had four or five absentees from my class today whereas Pete had the majority of his way today whilst Claude only had one or two. The weather today has been overcast with the scattered snow shower falling. Scott said he was off to Mary’s Harbour today but didn’t go. I expect he’ll be off tomorrow with Rita.

Loan Offer of a Skidoo!
Wallace Ward has said that I can have a loan of his skidoo to go up to Mary’s Harbour on Saturday if I want to. That was very kind of him. It’s the first offer I’ve had made since I’ve been here. Loaning somebody your skidoo in PHS is almost the same as hiring out your wife!
I dropped in on Jim Ward’s on the way back from School. He’s Charlie Ward’s brother and his house is only a stone’s throw from here. I haven’t been out all evening which much be the first whole evening I’ve spent in here for a long time. I stayed in by the fire, keeping it in and reading my newspapers. I’ve also started reading “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy which promises to be a good book. It’s fun trying to say the Russian names to myself like “Shcherbalsky”.

Sealskin Mat
I’m using my sealskin as a mat in my room and it makes a very good one too.

Frozen Hot Water Bottle
If I leave my full hot water bottle on the floor for any length of time, for example, overnight, it’s a lump of ice in the morning! Mind you, I’ve only used it on a “thruple” of occasions since I’ve been here. “No news is good news!” I’m off to get an early night. It’s now 10.45 p.m. before I go, I’d like to close on rather a morbid note. I was reading an article from “The Listener” from England on Eskimos and it said that burial in the perma-frost makes decomposition difficult. I wonder how Aunt Jesse is getting along up at the graveyard? It would be rather interesting to dig her up and see if she’s perfectly preserved. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that was the case.

24th…The weather was dirty today and it was a hard job walking the short distance to School. I changed my cheque at Bart’s, posted mail and spent the evening in reading “Anna Karenina”. Rita is making or hooking a “raggy-d-mat”. Scott has just come back form the Pentecostal Church “saved”. I’ll put my Battle Harbour map in the School tomorrow. I’m off to bed now.

25th…School went OK today, on this fine day. I put up the battle Harbour map and covered it with plastic and spent this evening up to 9.00 p.m. playing cards with Scott and Rita. I then went down to Pete’s, then to the restaurant, then to Pete’s, then to Ray’s then back up here. I think I’ll go for a trip up to Mary’s Harbour for the weekend.

An Outstanding Memory
One of the outstanding memories that I’ll have from here is how quickly the weather changes, It’s a starry night tonight but good weather can change very quickly to a bad snowstorm. The Mission plane came and went and then returned today. Sandra is expecting one baby and not twins and Bruce Hiscock and Aunt Maude Burden have returned. Bruce had a fractured leg. The mail plane brought in passengers and took out El Penney up to Goose bay for a conference about something or other. It’s mail day tomorrow, providing and it’s a very big proviso, the weather permits.

Working my Way Home on a Wood Boat?
I had a phone call message passed on from Corner Brook today, 25th…regarding working home on the wood boats instead of V.S.O. having to pay for my flight out. I hope this will come about OK because it will give me a good chance to have a look around the island. No more news so I’m off to bed.

Wiring-up the School at Long Last
26th…School went OK today. I’ve just returned from there (11.00 p.m.). I was helping Baxter and Claude measure and cut holes for light fittings in the ceiling. It was hard work, balanced rather precariously up on two desks, one on top of the other. The only mishaps were a screw falling out from Claude’s saw and a socket that I dropped - breaking a piece from it. Altogether we cut ten holes. I cut two and they cut the rest. The sweat was pouring off me it was so hot! We managed to cut all the holes needed in the three classrooms.
Today I had “baloney”, bread and butter and tea with no milk or sugar up at Uncle Jack’s because Scott and Rita went up to Mary’s Harbour this morning, returning this evening at 8.00 p.m. Scott collected the skidoo track he was after O.K. The weather for most of the day has been overcast although visibility has been quite good.

No Mail Today
Since today was the scheduled mail day we didn’t see a mail plane of course! Oh well, it’s something to look forward to just like my promised dog team trip up to Rexon’s Cove. I was up at Wince’s and Dorothy’s before I went over to do my electrician’s apprenticeship at the School!
A “White Coat”
Wince is getting on with his boat in fine style and he also showed me a
“white coat”, (baby seal), that he has stuffed, unfortunately he didn’t have any eyes for it but it looked quite good all the same.
27th…The weather is clear and fine today. A mail plane came. I didn’t get much, just papers and magazines. At last, my mail has gotten out. Its mid night and I’ve just had a lunch after returning from the School where I’ve been helping Baxter and later on Claude, wire – up. Actually, we cut seven more ceiling holes. No more news. I was down at Jim Ward’s, Dick’s and Pete’s before supper. I might manage to go to Mary’s Harbour tomorrow.

Seeing-in St. David’s Day
28th…The time is now 1.00 p.m. on Sunday and I’ve just returned from Pete’s where we saw in St. David’s Day in grand style on cheese twists, wine gums, crisps, coke and apples. We’ll finish off all the delicacies we bought tomorrow. That includes a bottle of apple juice and a tin of strawberries. Pete has decorated his room with two balloons and some words in Welsh on his door. It’s the first St. David’s Day I can ever remember celebrating! Well, what’s happened today?

Saga of the Sealskin…
I didn’t get up until 10.00 a.m. and I scraped a bit more off my sealskin with a piece of confiscated mirror glass. Nothing of importance happened this morning. After dinner I went down to the School and helped Bax.

A Game of Football “With the Boys”
Then I left on his skidoo to change my shoes over at the house so that I could have a game of football “with the boys”. The game lasted two to three hours and I was on the same side as Ed whilst Stephen was on the other side. It was very hard to stay upright because we were playing on the snow-covered ice close to the School. Just below the bridge over Humbie’s Brook in fact. I scored a goal and I was in goal for the last few minutes.

A Shout for Help From Guess Who?
At about 6.15 p.m. whilst I was playing football I heard a shout for assistance from a fellow trying to get water from the brook. Who should it be but Scott! I didn’t know it was Scott until after Charlie Russell went up to give him a hand. Scott had been complaining of a bad back earlier in the week and I think he has now strained it badly by trying to lift the water barrel on his own. He was quite pathetic at supper time. A young man, twenty – four years of age, having to have water poured into his glass at the table and having to have Rita take off his shoes for him.

Fixing the House’s Stovepipe
Scott and Rita’s bedroom was lightly-filled with smoke so Scott asked me if I would go up on the ceiling and put the stovepipe back in place. This I did without any trouble, wearing Scott’s leather shucks (over mitts). After supper I did some register work and then I went over to Pete’s for the rest of the evening.
Claude, Jean and Harrison Ward went up to Charlottetown today. It’s been snowing all day and only in the past couple of hours has the snow turned to rain. Today I met Gordon Brown from Fox Harbour who was trying to go to Charlottetown but he had to turn back, I learnt later this evening, due to bad weather. I expect Claude got to Charlottetown O.K.

The Promise of a Whale’s Tooth Souvenir
I hope he manages to get that whale’s tooth for me because he said he would ask. I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow. I should say that two feet of snow has fallen today. It’s been snowing and blowing quite hard all of the day. I can’t think of anything else to put down in “My Memoirs” so I’m of for a wash and bed. I hope the water in the kettle is still warm because the fire isn’t in. Scott and Rita are in bed.

March

1st Celebrating St. David’s Day
Sunday Pete and I celebrated St. David’s Day at 3.00 p.m. this afternoon. We shared round all the goodies between Austin, the two Penney boys, Harry, Charlie, Jim Penney, Mrs. Ward and ourselves.

Scott on Boards
This morning I cut boards from some of Jim Ward’s planks to put Scott on. Claris Burden phoned up the nurse who said that Scott must lie still on boards. She’ll be in the week. Perhaps tomorrow.

Great Fun on Scott’s Skidoo
I’ve had the use of Scott’s skidoo today and I’ll haul a barrel of water on it tomorrow morning before School if the weather is fine enough for Rita to go washing. Great fun!
It’s now midnight and I’ve just returned from Stephen and Sandra’s where I had a lunch. I went up on skidoo of course. I only needed to haul the engine over twice before it started. Stephen had a good bit to say about God and all that stuff. I find it very interesting listening to other people’s views on religion out here. Pastor Churchill lives on the generosity of “his flock”. Some of the people give him a tithe of what they get. He seems to be one of the few affluent people around here! The weather today was overcast with scattered snow showers. I’ve just had my “bath” and off to bed to be ready refreshed for another day ahead! Huh! I wonder if I’ll be feeling refreshed tomorrow morning getting the komatik hooked- up behind the skidoo. I don’t think so.

2nd…It’s “Education Week” and we had an hour and three-quarters of an assembly to mark it. A lot has happened today.

Scott’s Slipped Disc, A New “Water and Wood Lugger” for the House and Having Fun on the Skidoo
Before School this morning I hauled a barrel of water for the house. It was great fun and I met Si Strugnall down at the water.
Nurse Harris came in today and just after dinner she was up here having a look at Scott. He’s got to go out on the Mission plane when it comes. It’s fairly certain he’s got a slipped disc and has to stay in bed for two weeks at least. Since Scott has been laid – up I’ve had a great burst of skidoo driving around and about the place. The skidoos are fabulous to drive. They are made for sport and it’s very tempting to go too fast on them. I’m very careful because it’s not my skidoo and Scott trusts me to drive it around. I’m the official wood and water – lugger for the house now. It’s great fun. I wonder if it will be great fun by the end of the week. The novelty will have worn off but not the sheer enjoyment of buzzing about on the machine. There are various “poses” I have tried! Standing up, kneeling down, kneeling on one knee and I’ve still got to try sitting down.

3rd…I’ve just returned from the School (12.30 p.m.) where I’ve been helping Bax. Claude was also helping in his own over – helpful way. “Canadian Molsen” was flowing afterwards. Before School today I gave Scott a haircut just in case the UKK plane came in. It didn’t. I expect to see it tomorrow because the overcast, snowy weather of today has cleared up a lot. I hauled a barrel of water, cleaved splits and lugged in wood before supper tonight. All great fun. The light is poor and I’ve got to have a lunch and then to bed. So I am closing for the night. (The Carnation Milk as a drink tastes quite O.K. to me now. I must be used to the stuff I suppose.) Final Preparations for Wiring 4th…I’ve just returned from the School (midnight) where we were cutting the last holes prior to the actual wiring. Claude broke the glass of the Vestry oil lamp as he was climbing down from the ceiling. Well, what else has happened today? School went O.K. with the poor Principal that Pete and I have! He’s got very little respect from his pupils which makes mine and Pete’s position all that much weaker. Oh well, we manage O.K. I feel. Pete and I walked over to the School this morning as it was trying to snow. It’s been snowing on and off all day with some quite heavy falls at times.

Getting the Wood Ready for the House
When I came home from School this afternoon I lugged in some wood for the house and cleaved some splits. I’ve got to cut them ready for the morning.
I’ve had the skidoo all evening ever since I took two birthday presents (wallet and hand-cream) up to Stephen and Sandra. It’s great fun to drive and there’s a good bit of power behind the 16 h. p. engine. I wish the road wasn’t so hummocky because all the mounds don’t do the skidoo any good, especially the track that Scott has stapled together. I’m off to bed now.

5th I’ve just returned from Ben’s where I had a lunch and tried some blood pudding (seal’s blood of course.) I went down there on Scott’s skidoo after finishing for the night over at the School with Bax. Actually Wiring – Up! We strung wires up for all the small rooms and also for the two outside lights. I was up above the ceiling after getting there rather precariously and dangerously via a hatch in “Pete’s porch” (the porch leading into Pete’s classroom.) I’m learning a lot from wiring the School with a qualified electrician. I think I did just as much work as he did tonight, if not slightly more. There was no plane today which was poor. Scott is due to go out to Mary’s Hbr. tomorrow on the Mission plane. The weather has “been down” outside PHS. A mail plane left for here but had to turn back. After School this afternoon, Claude left for Mary’s Hbr. To return before the start of School tomorrow morning I suppose. I collected a barrel of water, accompanied by Chip, and got wood in for the house. I’ve just finished “knifing” (shredding each split) ready to be lit tomorrow morning. Over at the School I was reading “Alice in Wonderland” to some of the kids up to 4.30 p.m. “Tom Sawyer” and recently “Robinson Crusoe” finished. They loved them both but I’m enjoying “Alice…” more. It’s a very clever book. I’m also reading “Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis after postponing the reading of “Anna Karenina” for it. I hope we get some planes tomorrow. I’m tired, so I’m off to get my sleep. Just about every night since I’ve been here has been a wonderful night with regards to sleeping. I sleep like a log with a “scattered” chat to anybody who’s listening!

6th…Oh well, that’s the end of another school week which is always received by me just like the end of any other day! It’s nice to think of the weekend ahead with the hope (albeit a faint one)
of a mail plane.

Scott’s off to Mary’s Harbour for Treatment
Today’s news goes as follows: School went O.K. and when I came home to dinner it was to be greeted with the news that the Mission plane would be here in five minutes. Doug and I put Scott on Bill Penney’s stretcher and carried him down on the new komatik that Scott’s father made for him. Claude drove the skidoo and we took the patent out to the plane, successfully putting him on board. Roy, Suzie and Jim Ward were all up the house to see him off. Kimberley hardly did any bawling at all. So Scott’s gone up to Mary’s Harbour and Rita and Betty are in the house at the moment. After afternoon School, I lugged in all the wood for the house and fetched a barrel of water. Scott told Rita to tell me that he didn’t want the skidoo used. Except for hauling water, I suppose! “Thanks Scott!” Why didn’t he tell me himself I wonder? I don’t call him much of a man. Anyways, after supper I went over to Mrs. Ward’s where I had a lunch. I didn’t bother going over to the School because the wiring is enough for two fellahs (Bax and Claude).I expect I’ll go over tomorrow at some time or another. Bax is here at the moment, (he’s Betty’s boyfriend), ready to spend the night with her which is more than likely. I think that Betty will be sleeping with Rita tonight. Hard luck “weak willed” Bax! I’m off in a few minutes to my own bed so good night.

Wiring the School, No Mail Plane, People Coming and Going, A Big Skidoo Race is Planned and “On the Drunk” Saturday 7th…
I had a long lie – in this morning and then went over to the School before and after dinner helping Bax. I was cutting insulation from the wires for him. The weather has been “down” today and there wasn’t “er” sign of a mail plane. I sure look forward to the coming of a plane around here. Clive’s in, also Israel Snook and Eugene Burden from Fox Harbour. Clive and I had an invitation to go there at Easter. We’ll be at Mary’s Harbour for our Easter holidays with a bit of luck. A big skidoo race (all horse - powers) is coming off there on Easter Monday which should be great fun to watch. Tony Coish and Andrew Crumble are in from Mary’s Harbour and they are both spending the night at the house. Drunk I should add – twits. I’ve been randying about with Clive on the skidoo since supper, going around the place. Clive has been thinking very seriously about “throwing things in” up at Rexon’s Cove. I’m sure he’ll stick it out with only another four months to go. This evening Pete, Clive and I were doing a bit of “singing” down at Mrs. Ward’s for Israel and ‘Gene. It seemed to go down rather well which I thought was rather surprising. Well, we were singing “our songs” which they had never heard before. A lot of fellahs are “on the drunk” tonight because it’s Saturday night. That includes Carl and Bob Russell who came in with Clive. I’m off to bed. I expect it’ll be cold because the boys have got the sleeping bag. Never mind, I’ll heave clothes over my few bedclothes. Sunday 8thI had a nice long lie – in this morning. Clive’s Thoughts about His Life out at Rexon’s Cove I expect Clive got out O.K. this morning because he was with Bob and Carl Russell. It was very interesting listening to Clive’s comments and complaints about life out at Rexon’s Cove. I think it will be worthwhile noting some of the things he said from memory: The comparison that Clive agreed with to describe life in Rexon’s Cove is you have to imagine yourself living in a room, with all its windows blacked, with your family and close relations. That describes life out there for him. He finds it a mental strain living with a people who are not on the same intellectual, cultural and social wavelength as himself. When he was in here on a cruise we spent a good bit of time knocking about with each other.

Enough of Vague Abstractions…Back to Reality
9th…Clive was here until 3.15 p.m. hence no writing has been done. I’ve just come back with him from Stephen and Sandra’s on the skidoo. We had a lunch up there. The skidoo ran out of gas but we got some from Ted Penney’s. The weather is very mild with lots of melting due to a moderately heavy fall of rain. It’s 1.30 a.m. and I’m tired and therefore not writing much because I’m off to bed.

12th No mail plane today. It’s now 10.55 p.m. and today we’ve seen a “Light and Power” plane but no mail plane. Oh well, it’s something to look forward to, I suppose. Boy, I hope we get one tomorrow. The weather has been clear and sunny most of the day with scattered snow showers. It was pretty around here after School with the sun shining on the snow – a glimpse of what it’s like around here in spring. School went well today and I didn’t finish until 4.30 p.m. because the kids wanted me to read “Alice in Wonderland” to them. I came home, lugged in the wood and later on Ray, helped by Claude, sawed off some sticks that I’d put outside the house ready for Alton who said he was coming down. I haven’t seen him all evening.

Patience is a Virtue!
I had my supper at about seven o’clock when Rita and Jean returned home after a fruitless afternoon smelting trip up The Bay. I didn’t like having to wait for my food (fish, potatoes and bake apples) but I suppose I’ve always been like that!

People
Rita is taciturn, likewise Betty and Jean with me anyways. Everybody says they’ve always been so. I don’t like it. It’s nice to have somebody to speak with you and ask you questions. After supper I went over to Pete’s where I left to buy soft drinks and chips (crisps) at Sam’s. When I was down at the store I also decided to buy a pair of leather shucks which will prolong the life of the gloves that Rita knitted for me. They cost $1.75 which wasn’t too bad, or doesn’t seem much to me when I’m working in Canadian currency. It does seem a lot when I convert it into £.s. d. I left Pete’s after a couple of card games and a general moan about taciturnity and called in at the Pentecost School to give Stephen “Mere Christianity”. I had a little chat with him about it. I was there with him for about an hour talking about school books and then walked part of the way home with him. He was on his wayhome also.

Stephen’s Second Fire Scare at His House
He told me about the second fire scare they had up at the house. It occurred a couple of days ago at three o’clock in the morning, when the wood stove (“Ashleigh” make) became so hot it set the wood smoldering around the stove pipe at the point where it enters the ceiling. They aren’t going to use it anymore because it is too dangerous; especially so when there is a strong wind blowing. I have “shavings to draw” and a wash to have before bed so I’m signing off for the night with the hope of seeing a mail plane tomorrow.
14th…The weather is clear this morning after two days of overcast skies. The winds are fairly high with drifting and a couple of feet of snow outside the door of the house. Clive and I were visiting Ted Penney last night and Mr. Fred Green from “The Power Commission” who knows the Island well – a traveling 40 year old bloke. I hope we see a mail plane today. Nothing much has happened during the week so far. It’s now 10.00 p.m. and the weather changed again, as usual out here – to snow for the day and then clear again this evening. I hope we will get a mail plane tomorrow because the weather is promising a good bit tonight. Out here, however, it could just as easily be snowing as it could be fine tomorrow. It can change dangerously quickly, especially for a visitor or on the coast.

Reflections about the Theft of Money
I told him a good bit about Pete which set a good bit to rights for him about Pete’s trip to Goose Bay at Christmas. After talking things over with Clive, I’ve decided to let Rev. Lewis “in on things.” At least that puts the whole nasty business out of my hands. I feel it’s my duty to let V.S.O. in Labrador (Rev. Lewis) in on the business that I’ve kept covered up for so long for Pete’s sake. Also for the sake of V.S.O.’s reputation out here. Scott and Rita “aren’t even in on it!” Anyways, over to more mundane matters now.

The School is almost completely wired – up now
I haven’t been over since Clive’s came in but Bax said that another day would see the job over. It only needs Lem Penney to “hook us up” and…Hey Presto! Our School has that fantastic discovery called Electricity! School is going O.K. teaching – wise with my weekly French lesson going down well.I came home today, lugged in the wood and got enough “clove-up” (past tense of the verb “to cleave” out here) for the ‘morrow. Next comes,

The Latest, Little Adventure
The next latest, little adventure came at about 6.00 p.m. when I’d got as far as Si Strugnall’s house hauling the water barrel. The water barrel was tied on to the komatik that was being hauled by the skidoo. The road conditions were atrocious with this mild, rainy weather we’ve had lately. I was driving along and I took what I thought was the easiest looking path to the left of the main track. I ended – up bogged down in running water up to the running – board of the skidoo! The water was very close top of my Wellingtons and, as I write this, my jeans are drying over the stove in the house. Luckily, Bob Strugnall came out and gave me a hand to heave the skidoo back onto the main track. I thanked him and managed to complete my water – carrying expedition with no more, rather worrying incidents. Humbie’s Brook was well above its usual height for this time of year and there was no need to dip the bucket (taken over in the barrel), into the water hole because the water was streaming over the top of it. The road below Edgar’s store, down to the Brook, has streams flowing across it and it was in one of those, just near the snow – covered bridge that I was bogged down. The road has been moulded into hummocks by the action of the skidoos upon the snow and there are pools of water, about one feet deep at rather regular intervals along its length. For about 40 yards the main skidoo track on the road is completely under water.

Thinking About a View of God
For the rest of the evening I had a game of 120 with Rita after supper for a short while and then went into my room to lie down and finish “Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis. Maude Russell (Gordon Russell’s wife) was up here talking with Rita who, at this moment is making a few dresses for some of the people here. I enjoyed C. S. Lewis’s book but I still can’t see myself accepting Christianity’s conception of God, or rather Lewis’s conception of God anyways. My views are changing all the time. Lewis hasn’t called it another dimension, I don’t think, but that’s the way the mental picture has come over to me. I recommend the book to anyone with an inquisitive mind. “Curioser and curioser” comes to mind when I’m thinking about what’s said in the book. I can see how Christianity can help a person in his life on earth. Christianity is a way of living which, if everybody could follow its doctrines perfectly would produce a truly Communist World. Here is Lewis’s conception of what God is, reduced to diagrammatic form by myself.

Application of abstract thoughts
There are two quotes which I think are true for me from my experience with (i) Clive and (ii) Pete:
(i) “…individual members, when they are together, do really develop particular ways of talking and behaving which they would not have if they were apart. It is as if some sort of communal personality came into existence.” P.148
(ii) “Good things as well as bad, you know, are caught by a kind of infection.” P.149
I think I’m immune to number (ii) with regards to Pete anyways. I’m going to have a lunch and a wash and get off to bed now. I close for the night with the hope of seeing a mail plane tomorrow.

The Mail Plane Winging In From Charlottetown Saturday 14th…
It’s now dinner time and I have a Day to Report. It was great yesterday afternoon because as we were in the staffroom just before the start of afternoon School we saw a mail plane winging in from Charlottetown. I had some very welcome mail. Pete and I collected our mail after School and the evening was spent very agreeably reading all the news. I think I will apply for that course at Luton. It sounds just what I’d like to do in between the time I take –up teaching as a full – time career. The course will be invaluable and will stand me in good stead for teaching, which I know I want to do. Anyways that was all the news yesterday. This morning I was up at 9.30 a.m. which must be a record for a Saturday morning. The weather has been very fine so far today and this morning I was out taking some pictures. Mrs. Una Green asked me to write away to “Jones’s Sewing Machines” in Manchester requesting some spare parts. I willingly obliged. That’s the second letter I’ve written for somebody else since I’ve been here. Last night I had stomach trouble again. I get them regularly out here it seems. I woke-up at 4.30 a.m. feeling sick. So I dressed up with two sweaters and Parka and off I went down to the tide –washed bog.

Sick as a Dog
I got there O.K. but on the return, up and out of me came those two pieces of fat that I gobbled up at supper last night! That’ll teach me to think that I can eat anything. Anyways, after that sickening episode I got back to sleep O.K. the temperature was –7 degrees C all through my escapade. Proper “brass monkey weather” I call it. I’ve got to take Alfreda Penney’s Grading Certificate up to Ted Penney’s now. Clive sent it in from Rexon’s Cove. A Pentecost crowd is off to Mary’s Harbour for a Service, led by Ed Osmond. It’s mid-day and I’ve just returned from Stephen and Sandra’s where I had a careful hamburger lunch. My stomach is still feeling the after – affects of last night. I talked over the course open at Luton which made me all the more convinced that I want to apply for it. Consequently, I filled in the application forms. It’s been a fine day today and it’s going to be a cold night tonight because the sky is clear and the frost was nipping at my face as I came across The Bay from Stephen and Sandra’s. They’re very nice people. Both only 26 years of age. Stephen was thinking about buying a pair of leather shucks like the ones I have. They make a vast difference to how warm my hands are feeling. I haven’t got much to say except all the wood is in and shavings are drawn for the morning. I think I’ll have to get a barrel of water tomorrow…on Sunday too!

The Yellow “Wheeler Northland” Plane Takes Off
Oh – I saw the “Wheeler Northland” plane take – off from the Bay for Goose Bay. I was only 20 feet away and it was great being so close to the yellow plane as she warmed – up ready for take – off. The snow thrown up by the propeller blast stung my face but the hood of my parka stopped that as I turned sideways on to the aircraft as she took off. I’m off to bed now.

Miss Cairns Pentecostal teacher gassed!
15th…I am writing this by flashlight so there’s not going to be much (12.05 a.m.) I’ve been in all day writing letters except for fetching a barrel of water, lugging the wood in and clove some up for tomorrow. There was a great happening and excitement after supper. I went down to Pete’s for a cruise and to write a letter and I heard that Miss Cairns (Pentecost teacher) was gassed. I went down to Billy Parr’s and after a great palaver, including phoning Nurse Harris, they took her out to Mary’s Harbour suffering from shock and possibly exposure with gassing (fumes from skidoo). Claude’s skidoo broke down and he came in today with Eric. He’d been to Fox Harbour. At 8.30 p.m. I went down to take Vic’s letter (from “John Conways” regarding clothes) and I was talking to Bob Rogers, from Bell Telephone, about his work. He’s a tester and he’s trying to find a fault in this new system. The latest date by which it will be operational is April 19th. I wonder how long after that date it will be ready! Ha! The people down at Mrs. Parr’s didn’t know much about First Aid but luckily myself and Mr. Rogers were able to help the patient with hot water bottles. Lizzie Hicks forgot to give them to her even though the Nurse had told her only about ten minutes before I enquired! I hope Miss Cairns will be O.K. and I go to bed feeling that I’ve put my Scout “First Aid Proficiency Badge” to practical work! I wonder what this week will bring. Boy that was a wonderful short weekend.

16th…I’ve just got up and I’d like to write a bit more about the episode yesterday. I went down to Pete’s after supper and it was there, at about 6.15 p.m., that I heard that Miss Cairns had just been taken into Billy Parr’s gassed. I asked Pete if he would come down with me and see if there was anything we could do. Of course, “Retarding Force Number 1” said,
“No, I’m not coming down, there’s nothing we can do.”
Huh, I thought to myself and because a life might be in danger (and it was) I said,
“Well, I’m off.”
As I was walking down Austin asked me to wait for him but because I didn’t think there was any time to waste I just carried on. Austin followed with Pete who was now completely contradicting what he had said a few minutes earlier in the house. When I got down there it was packed out with kids. I moved them all out because in a case of gassing the patient obviously needs as much air as possible. By this time the Nurse had been phoned and I helped by making sure the patient had hot water bottles. The patient was put head first, on her bed, facing the open door, following Nurse Harris’s instructions. I then left the room because I thought it to be the best thing. Pastor Churchill and Lizzie Hicks were at the bedside, limiting the amount of air that Miss Cairns was getting. Anyways, I had done my bit of crowd control. I went up to Mrs. Ward’s and stayed there for about ten minutes before returning to Mr. Parr’s.

More Crowd Control
Again I cleared kids out and told the grown – ups not to stand in the doorway. Boy were they stupid, just looking on and talking, sometimes even shouting whilst there was a woman in the room not all that far away from death through shock, slight gassing ( I guess) and exposure. I got a bit vexed with them, telling them to be quiet because Miss Cairns needed all the quiet she could get. They shut up. By this time, at least three- quarters of an hour after she was brought in by Eric and Claude ( yes the same) Rumbolt, I was glad to see that she was able to answer simple questions put to her by Mr. Bob Rogers, the French Canadian bell Telephone bloke.) Afterwards, Mr. Rogers showed me his “Ninth Label Qualification” in First Aid. He’s been doing it for 14 years. The Nurse, speaking to Lizzie over the telephone, said that Miss Cairns was to be brought out to Mary’s Harbour and she would be met by the Nurse half-way. The people around the bedside and the blokes with skidoos said they would not take Miss Cairns out. Nurse apparently said this was “uncooperative.” Lizzie Hicks, who played a major part in looking after Miss Cairns, asked Bob Rogers what he thought and he only tended away from the Nurse’s advice saying,
“The trail is very rough.”
I was the other person Lizzie asked and I said that we would be stupid not to do what somebody’s whose qualified to speak has told us to. She agreed and since nobody volunteered a coachbox to take Miss Cairns out I told Eric that Scott had one which he promptly went up and fetched. I was on the komatik holding the partly – lashed coachbox in place. Margaret Burden (Rub’s wife) went in the coachbox with Miss Cairns and with two more skidoos they went off to Mary’s Harbour. I haven’t heard anything more on Miss Cairns’s condition. I expect to hear today sometime. I’m sure she’ll be O.K. It will take her quite a while to get over it all. She was badly shook up.

Miss Cairns is Recovering
It’s now 10.30.p.m. and here’s all the news: I met Margaret and Eric just after they came in today and Margaret said that Miss Cairns was almost as good as new this morning! She said the first thing the Nurse gave her was an injection of sugar. (Fulfilled my prophecy! Bighead!) The Nurse said that she was suffering from a combination of things and that she wasn’t gassed. Overtired, lack of food, thin blood and the cold. All of which were probably aggravated by the fumes from the skidoo. Anyways, I’m pleased to say that Miss Cairns is making a good recovery and she’s up at Mary’s Harbour for two days so that the Nurse can do some more tests on her. Looking Back Reflecting on the episode now…I’m surprised that Miss Cairns (first name Sharon I think) didn’t have more sense. She shouldn’t have gone out to Mary’s Harbour in the first place because she was feeling not too well from what I’ve gathered from various sources. Also she should have been taken back into Mary’s Harbour when she took sick coming out. Eric Rumbolt brought her on to PHS. There is no blame attached because he didn’t know what state she was in. The Nurse said, again through Margaret, that Miss Cairns was in a semi – coma which didn’t sound too good.

Back to More “Common and Garden Matter”
This afternoon Rita and Betty fetched a barrel of water. Rita was too shy to ask me. At least, that’s what it looked like because I had to take some mail, including my Luton College application, down to the Post Office and I was slightly rushed for time. Anyways, Ray and Claude sawed up some sticks for me. (I’m not using a power saw because I think I’d be stupid lacking practice with the all – too dangerous machine!) I clove some “junks” (small logs) up and lugged in the wood. After supper I went down to John Penney’s (wife called Iris) and showed the middle – aged couple photographs and pictures of my home. I think I’d make a good publicity agent for Exmouth’s “Chamber of Trade and Commerce”. I finished “work” over there at 9.00 p.m. and went over to Mrs. Ward’s where I had an hour long chat with Charlie about life, school and education. Pete was out randying with Austin on the komatik. Harry had gone to “The Show” and Mrs. Ward had gone to a “shower” of Jake Russell’s woman; she’s married to somebody on the Island I believe. I’ve just had a lunch and I’m off to bed to get on with “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy. Rev Lewis and a School Inspector, Mr. Roberts are coming in pretty soon. I’d better get on with my register. No worries on my part. Goodnight.

17th…Yesterday’s entry in “this ‘ere diary” was just about the longest to date I should think. The length of the entry is determined by how early in the evening I start writing. It’s now 8.50 p.m. and I’ve just drawn shavings for tomorrow morning.

Registering the Cold.
When I woke up this morning I was not as cold as last night. My thermometer registered 40 degrees F. which appeared quite mild to me lying in bed.(I’ve bought myself a small thermometer that I hang in my room.)It registers 60 degrees F. when my door is wide open. If I closed my door it would plummet down to 40 degrees F. in about fifteen minutes. It’s been snowing all day with about four inches having fallen so far. It is much deeper than that in places because quite a strong wind is blowing, causing drifting.

“An Ugly Blot”
School went O.K. today but I’d like to mention “an ugly blot” on the characters of a good few of the kids in our School. They are continually arguing and nobody thinks twice about “clecking” on one of their friends. One boy, James Butt, an R.C., thinks I am continually picking on him. That idea has been put there by his ignorant father who came down to Claude’s and “swore blue murder” at him some time ago. James and Will Butt aren’t the best behaved of children because they just haven’t been shown how to behave at home. Our School provides a mirror - image of all the family bickering going on in this place. It isn’t very pleasant to see or listen to. One household or other is always at odds with at least one other family which is reflected in pupil relationships. It’s not very nice and I’m very glad that I don’t have to stay here any more than one year.

The Nurse, Doctor and Dentist are all coming in.
After School I fetched a barrel of water and then lugged in all the wood. I clove up a few junks and did some splits. It was nearly 6.00 p.m. so I hurriedly put the skidoo away and off I went down to El’s with the money for the newspapers. They were having supper so I waited and chatted with Mr. Rogers, El and Becky. Becky said that the Nurse, Doctor and Dentist are coming in here tomorrow. I posted my letter (eight posted yesterday!) and I came back to the house for my watery beans and fatty pork of a supper. It was snowing quite heavily as I walked back. I’ve been indoors all evening just taking it easy. I had two games of cards with Rita and then did some writing. Oh yes, I also copied some chapter headings for School, from one of our school library books.

Time’s whizzing By
18th…Weeks seem to whiz by out here because my day, for the most part, is broken up into 40 minute lessons. Before I know where I am, a morning or an afternoon is over and yet another day is finished. All of which must show that I’m enjoying it out here.

The Future
But I know I definitely don’t want to live here. After all, this place needs foreign aid. That fact alone puts PHS in some sort of perspective. The children who I’m teaching and most of the children in the School combined with the other adults - of – the – future will set this place to rights. Maybe they will be able to work happily together given the right kind of leadership.

Learning Difficulties and Teaching Organization
The children in my class, especially Grade Five, find Mathematics the most difficult to grasp, followed by Reading. My Geography lesson always gets squeezed into a half – an – hour period because it takes such a long time to explain the homework to them. I really have to “pick this Maths abroad” and follow my Guide books. The Mathematics syllabus, like all the syllabi for the subjects, would be O.K. in a one Grade classroom. The Courses fail to meet the real needs, for example, reading, of the children in my School. I cannot allow myself to spend too much time with one Grade because the other two Grades will suffer.

Suffering! Bowels Upheaval!
Talking about suffering – I suffered at seven o’clock this morning when I had to get dressed rather hurriedly and visit the toilet, that is over one hundred yards from my home! It was snowing all day yesterday and a good bit fell over-night. Anyways, I buttoned up my Parka, put on my over – boots and went out on a blustering morning. This wind has caused, at worst, five foot drift – banks but this didn’t deter me from my very necessary objective – the toilet! I completed the expedition successfully, the only mishap being a rather cold ass (excuse the crudity, dear reader, my only justification is that it’s used by the locals and Pete when it can be applied to the bottom part of anything. For example, “git the ass off the carburetor!”)
I got back to the house, into bed and managed another hour’s sleep before my alarm woke me at 8.40 a.m. I put my over – trousers on to go over to the School because it was still snowing and again visited the toilet! My bowels have regular upheavals out here it seems. I certainly will be glad to get back to,

Good ‘ole English Food
Bread, potatoes, fish (salted), pork fat and beans – you can keep it. I think I’d give anything to have a plateful of rump steak, sweet Brussels sprouts, new potatoes and peas. It makes my mouth water just to think about it. I don’t think I’ll ever touch “Carnation” tinned milk ever again after having had to substitute it for beautiful, clean, wholesome, refreshing bottled fresh milk for a whole year. It’s going to be quite a shock to my system, which has had enough "Carnation" for twenty people to date, when I pull a pinta from the fridge.I wonder if I’ll collapse from the shock.

Christy Brown
At dinner time of greased potato slivers and meatless sausages (synthetic veiners) my stomach had settled down a bit. My God! I’m giving a diary of my stomach troubles not of Life in Labrador! I read “The Sunday Times” article about Christy Brown who suffers from cerebral palsy and is nothing more than a gifted cabbage. He can only use his left foot to type on his electric typewriter and has written a book of literary genius on life from the point of view of a fly who is the hero in the story. I must read the book when it’s published in September. The extracts seem excellent stuff. I put the article in an air – mail envelope and sent it down by Gordon Churchill to Stephen. Stephen showed me the project he wrote about children who were victims of cerebral palsy whilst he was in Teacher’s Training College in York.

Broken down Skidoo, Snowshoes and the Novelty of Hauling Water has Worn Off
On the way down to afternoon School I met Pete and Austin just by Edgar’s with the skidoo inevitably broken down. Pete was getting a lift down to School and it made me feel how nice it would be to drive Scott’s machine through the snow. It was hard walking and I would have liked to have worn the “rackets” (snowshoes) that Scott said
he’d “turn” for me. He’d split the birch before he left for Mary’s Harbour. (Fast worker that fellow Scott?!?!?!) A good bit of snow had been trapped inside the track of Charlie’s skidoo and Pete managed to get down O.K. He was perspiring a good bit. (Ha! Ha! Ha!) Come four o’clock I sent Wallace up to Bart’s for two bottles of coke and two bars of chocolate. These were for Claude and me because, as usual, Pete had left the School bang on the dot of four o’clock. I very often don’t leave School until 4.30 p.m. with scattered energetic periods that take me up to 5 – 5.30 p.m. I was keeping Wallace, Hedley and Charles in for various reasons. Incidentally, I sent Wallace up to the store at 4.15 p.m. I came home, changed, lugged in the wood for the night and tomorrow and clove up some splits. I was pleased to see that the water barrel was three – quarters full. The novelty of getting water has worn off!

Malnutrition
My supper of corn beef hash and cake went down well and I’ve stayed indoors reading “Anna Karenina” and writing my diary ever since then. I wish that the lamp above my head didn’t make such a noise. I’m not reading by the oil lamp in my room because it will definitely harm my eyes. I use the torch if I want to have a read in bed. It will be very nice to get back to a house that has electricity and running water. I think that the sty on the lower eyelid of my left eye was caused by reading by the poor light by the bed. However, when I was up at Stephen and Sandra’s, Sandra said that I hadn’t been taken my pills (multivitamins). That was quite right and my sty has very nearly disappeared since I’ve been taking a couple a days for a week or so. I must keep taking them because my diet is not good enough. The way that Rita cooks the food makes it a foregone conclusion that all the goodness in the food will be destroyed. For instance, every Sunday the statutory chicken legs are put on the stove at about 9.30 a.m. and not taken off until gone mid – day. They are fried in a covered frying pan. They come out like lumps of leather. I’m off down to Pete’s now at 8.00 p.m. to get a breath of the clear, vitalizing Labrador air on the way. Come to think of it, Pete hasn’t been up here for eons, ever since my money was stolen I think!
I’ve just returned from Mrs. Ward’s at 10.45 p.m. where I had a nice lunch. Pete’s a queer fellah. I wouldn’t make friends with him elsewhere. There is no news except that a plane is due tomorrow. It’s a beautiful clear night. I’ve just seen The Northern Lights flashing over the northern sky but they weren’t spectacular.

A Poem
Here’s a bit of rubbish I’d like to pop in. I’ve just written it but I’ve spoilt it by being rather funny. The line “on Port Hope Simpson” should be I feel, to stop a laugh, “Through the darkness”. If I spent more time on the “poem” I could make a better job of it but it’s too late. I call it right strange because I just suddenly felt like writing – so I wrote five paragraphs after I’d stood outside the house for half an hour or so and then I decided to put it into verse. I didn’t really try and it’s not very good but I enjoy doing stuff like that. It’s a nice past – time which fills a spare moment here or there. Anyways it’s been good fun writing it.

Port Hope Simpson – At Night

Thoughts come flooding in on me.
Why do I ponder and word what I see?

Mountain blots ‘gainst starry sky,
Soft darkness and a beauty tried.

Then broken by dazzling shafts of light,
Winging their way into the frozen night.

She is a dazzling sight aloft,
Beating them back no more to cross.

Silence is torn abroad by the chugging roar
That gives man-made power and light galore.

How welcome the homes appear,
With laughing and crying and maybe beer?

People are here in all their starkness but
They cannot rival this sweet – smelling darkness.

I could ponder and gaze with sheer delight
On Port Hope Simpson on this fine frosty night.

How nice it must have been
When hours and minutes passed by unseen.
18th March 1970

19th… I’m not writing much tonight because it’s now 1.05 a.m. I collected wood and water O.K. The mail plane came and I only got some mail. After supper I went to Pete’s and then on down to the restaurant for three games of pool with Alt, Stan and Aubrey and two plates of chips (20 cents each). I then went up to Uncle Bob’s and had a fabulous strawberry, bake apple, bread and cheese lunch.

Wonderful ‘ole people.
Uncle Bob’s a great story teller. I’ve just drawn shavings and broken the blade of Scott’s old knife – hard luck. I’m off to bed. Oh! Wait! Austin Ward and James Butt have each had a letter from pupils in Exmouth School. I wrote away asking for 14 pen – pals for some of the kids in my class. I’ve got a damned painful right shin bone where I was kicked playing football a month ago. I just accidentally hit it just now and it “certainly pained.”

20th…A lot has happened today. Before I got down to School this morning, Rita said that Scott was coming in today on the mission plane. Off I went to School and all went O.K. today.

The Mounties are In
Two Mounties (Federal Canadian Police) came into School this morning and wrecked my Maths lesson incidentally. They’re in questioning people about the burning of Hayward Russell’s boat on bonfire night. They questioned the following schoolchildren: Will Butt, Stan Penney, Harrison Ward, Roy Ward, Kevin Penney, Roy Russell, Austin Penney, Hedley Sampson and Wallace Kippenhuck. In the afternoon they returned and gave a talk about various aspects of the R.C. M. P.’s work in Canada. I made a few brief notes which I’ll transcribe: In 1873, John A. MacDonald was the founder of the police force. To begin with, the police force was called “The North West Mounted Police” and the first members of the force came from The Maritime Provinces as well as from British subjects. Today the only Provinces with their own police force are Quebec and Ontario. The Federal R. C. M. P. have jurisdiction over the whole of Canada. Newfoundland / Labrador come under the “B” Division of the R. C. M. P. s in Canada. The country is divided into Divisions.

Mounties
There are approximately 360 in Newfoundland /Labrador with a total of between 8 – 9,000 for the whole of Canada. With a Grade XI qualification (equivalent to UK standard of somewhere between “O” and “A” Level) at 19 years of age a Mountie earns $6000 per annum that works out at roughly £42.00 per week which isn’t too bad for a starting off salary. The two Constables said they’d just received a $1000 pay rise. They pointed out that pay rises come regularly.
Wages out here are higher than back home. A qualified English teacher would get three times as much money teaching in Canada than he would in England. That’s not attractive to me. The Mounties didn’t speak for more than 10 minutes and the event disrupted the afternoon’s teaching. They had also been speaking over at the Pentecost School.

Scott’s Back Home
After School, I came back to the house to be greeted by Scott alone because Rita went off smelting and came back with a pile of shiny eyes. I heard all about his adventure. He had a slipped disc and has got to wear a strap for the rest of his life. I brought in the wood and water and sawed up some sticks with Ray. Claude, incidentally, has gone to Mary’s Harbour on the “Bell Telephone” plane to see to his broken skidoo. I’ve just had a poor supper of potatoes, bread pudding and turnip only with raspberries for afters. I’m off down to Pete’s “the once” which this time means in a few minutes! I’ve just come back from Aunt Maude’s where Minnie (her daughter) gave me six smelts. I’m going down tomorrow night to show pictures. I’ve given the six to Rita, who got four today. Before I went down to Aunt Maude’s I was at the restaurant having chips and playing pool with Pete. I was also down talking with and seeing the Nurse, Doctor and Dentist before I was at Pete’s.21st…I got up this morning at about 10.00 a.m. after doing some reading in bed. The weather today has been one of the finest since I’ve been here with a slightly clouded sky not dampening my good spirits. I clove up some wood first thing and then went out to get some of that clear, vitalizing Labrador air into my lungs.

It’s Difficult…
“Jesus Christ”, I feel bloody unhappy as I write this – as usual I am waiting for my “Godamn” supper. In this house, supper is not bothered about until Scott is bloody ready for it. The fact that I’m paying to stay here just doesn’t seem to come into their minds. My God! I would challenge any other person of my age from England to stay in this flipping place for longer than three weeks.
I’ve just seen the ugliest woman I’ve ever seen in my whole life. She’s Rita’ sister and Henry Turnbolt’s wife. Six of the Turnbolts came in from Charlottetown on Scott’s skidoo that was lent to him by Mr. Scott Bloody Coish himself. To think that I’m getting all the wood and water for this place and I wasn’t even allowed to have a ride on it. Anyways, I can console myself with the thought that there are plenty of people here, for example, Dick and Henry Rumbolt, Charlie Ward and Aubrey Sampson this morning who willingly lend me their machine to have a randy on. This afternoon I went out with Peter Mason for a while, taking him down to the restaurant. I’ll be going down with him at 6.30 p.m. for a game of pool. After that I’ve promised to go down to Aunt Maude’s and show them my photographs and general rubbish.

Ouch!!!
When I was down at Billy Parr’s, where the Dentist operates from, Mrs. Chamberlin Penney came out of Peter, the Dentist’s room. She was bleeding quite heavily after having had 13 teeth pulled. I heard she has to go back to have more out. Peter said that puss came out when he poked the teeth and he also said that he had a nasty taste in his mouth after he’d done the job.

Widespread Tooth Decay in PHS
The vast majority of this whole settlement, Peter actually quoted 100%, are in need of dental treatment. Only 12 people have been to see the Dentist since he started working this morning. People seem to be afraid of pushing themselves forward here. Maybe, it costs too much to have teeth pulled? By the way, Peter comes from Thurso which is 40 odd miles from John O’Groats, Scotland.
The time is now 12.20 a.m. and I’ve just returned from Mrs. Billy Parr’s where I’ve spent a very enjoyable evening. I was talking with the Doctor, Miles Franklin, the nurse and the Dentist. I was also down at Aunt Maude’s showing photographs.

The Drunk and the Flying Plaster Cast
A very funny incident happened at the Parrs when Clifford Paul came in drunk and complaining of a broken arm. The Doctor and Nurse put a plaster cast on his arm which was later torn off and hurled at Miles! Without causing injury I hasten to add. It narrowly missed his left ear from a distance of 10 yards. He hadn’t broken his arm I don’t think. The Doctor’s inexperience was shown up a good bit. Of the three, I find the Dentist the most interesting to listen to, Nurse Harris second and a rather boring Doctor third. All three of them are in their twenties and I know Peter is 27. He hopes to go to Mexico for the World Cup.
I had a lunch at Mrs. Parr’s and also met Ursie with her $120 set of dentures. They looked very good. My spirits have risen considerably since that downhearted feeling at suppertime and everything is “A” OK

Planning for Ferryland
Today I had a very encouraging letter from “Bowaters” regarding my working home on the wood boat. I will let V.S.O. know that I’m getting back under my own steam. I want to see a good bit of the Island and especially the pulp and paper mills at Corner Brook. All very exciting and I am off to bed with a trip to Mary’s Harbour looming up. I had no luck with my whale tooth from Charlottetown, said Henry Turnbolt this evening – “none available”.

22nd…It’s now 10.45 a.m., I’ve just got up and because I enjoy writing I’ve decided to put pen to paper. The door of my room is closed with two or three strangers out there- Henry Turnbolt and the two White Point operators. The latter two were down at Aunt Maude’s last night for their supper. I find it very wearing, irksome and tiresome talking continually about skidoos and idle chit – chat. “Busy – idle” talk is all the people are capable of.

Refreshing Talk
It was very nice to talk with the Dentist, Doctor and Nurse which I found relaxing and a welcome break from Pete and the locals.

It’s out in the Open Now!
Pete’s O.K. as far as thieves go. Well, there it is. It was Pete who stole the $40 from my suitcase. He returned the money with a written confession at a later date. I showed the confession to the Mountie when he came in and then went up the path above the house and burnt it. I told the Mountie that I didn’t want to press charges and he has hushed it up as well. I told Pete that the only person I would tell would be the Mountie. I’ve done that now and I feel sort of obliged to keep to what I said. However, having spoken to an unforgiving Clive I have decided to inform Reverend Lewis about it. I feel it’s my duty to pass this information on to V. S. O’s representative here. Let me explain further why I feel I’ve got to tell all:

Dealing with the Problem and Learning from the Mistake
Clive said that he’s come across the feeling that Scott and Rita are to blame for the loss of my money. I want them cleared and therefore the news has to be let out to the settlement at some time or other. I feel that time should be very close to my departure date to protect the reputation of VSO’s along the coast.
I am, as a volunteer, very much lumped together as an English teacher with those roundabouts. “One bad apple spoils the barrel” doesn’t apply in here. But I have found that one bad apple has made his cousin apple’s work rather difficult. For example, Pete and I had agreed that we’d pick the organ abroad over at the School to try and fix it. As soon as Rev Lewis went, Pete wouldn’t lift a finger to help me. It now looks like I’m going to have a bash at fixing it all on my own.
To give a clear, truthful picture of what life is really like out here for me I have included the above details about Pete. I feel that he has been punished enough by his own conscience. V. S. O. should have been a damned sight more careful about whom they sent out. The whole episode is partly my fault as well. I kept and still keep, all my money in my suitcase and Pete must have known this. I keep my case locked but that didn’t stop him because he has a case with an identical key. I knew that only Pete or Clive could possibly have taken that money because they were the only two in the whole settlement who could possibly have taken it. The house was guarded by Chip or Scott and Rita at all times except once on a Sunday afternoon. I remember Pete saying that he took the money “for a joke” to begin with. What sort of a joke is it, I ask myself; when somebody can take the money and post it off to the Bank in Goose Bay? It seems to me that the biggest reason why Pete went to Goose Bay over Christmas was to get the money. What a stupid thing to do, that’s all I can say. No…I can say more than that : Everybody in the whole settlement knew that my money had been “nicked” and consequently I’ve had to lie whenever anybody has asked me if I’ve got it back. Well, I’ll ask Rev Lewis about it and “put it in his lap” whether or not I should tell Scott and Rita – with the risk of the whole settlement being “educated” (From Rita to Betty to Jean to the whole place!)

Thank You Nurse, Margaret Harris
At least one foot of snow fell last night and it’s still snowing this morning. So much for the beautiful fine weather we’ve had of late! It’s now nearly 6.00 p.m. and I’ve just managed to get back from Billy’s and El’s where I’ve been chatting with Peter and Margaret. I felt very humbled when Margaret expressed her admiration for VSOs out here. It came out most strongly that the most difficult facet of life to come to grips with out here is home life. Margaret completely agreed with this which pleased me no end. It was very nice of her to lend a sympathetic ear. She said that Pete hasn’t thrown himself into the life of the settlement. Also, she knew what Scott really is underneath his agreeable exterior. However, I’ve just lugged the wood in and Scott made me realize, without actually saying anything, that he’s not happy with my doing all the work when he’s about. This was very nice to come across. This sty that I’ve had on my lower left eyelid for the past couple of weeks, at least, is a sign that I’m run – down according to Pete the dentist. I renewed my stock of multi – vitamins via Margaret who also threw in a “Kendal Mint Cake”. She wouldn’t take anything for it. The multi – vitamins, she said, were necessary out here and we should all take them. I went down to El’s, where the Nurse and Doctor have their clinic after an hour or so at Mrs. Parr’s.

40 Teeth Hauled by Peter the Dentist
The Dentist hauled 40 teeth this afternoon, making $200 in all during his stay. Ursie’s dentures make up most of that sum. That money goes towards “The Grenfell Mission” who run the hospital at Mary’s Harbour. The weather today is “crooked” and when I went from here to Pete’s, every step I took put me up to my waist in snow. I could certainly do with a pair of racquets now.

Peter’s Plans for the Future
Oh! By the way, the Dentist is getting married in July to a Swiss girl. The marriage takes place in Switzerland. He’s 27 years of age which seems to be a popular age to get married if Des (my brother – in – law) is anything to go by. It’s now 11.30 p.m. and I’m successfully in bed after a bath and lunch. All evening I’ve been down at Billy Parr’s talking with Peter for almost the whole time. He’s a very nice Scottish bloke who is off to Churchill Falls in May to take up a post there. It’s a “Company Town” and in it, apparently, the Company has a fantastic control over the individual. Pete said,
“It’s like a Police State.” The Company, “Churchill Falls Labrador Company”, is paying such phenomenally high wages that they are able to impose stringent rules successfully. Also this evening, Cliff Paul came back just after Miles and Margaret arrived. He thinks he has a broken cum dislocated wrist and he’s off to St. Anthony on the mission plane. I’m off to sleep now having spent another enjoyable evening down at Billy’s taking with Peter, The Scotsman with a stutter who graduated from Glasgow University. He said that the step on my scarred lip shows a poor job in the stitching Department of “The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital”! It was great fun listening to him talk about his work and the things he’s done. A very nice bloke – some wonderful difference from Pete the teacher. Oh well, last week before the Easter Hols. Whoopee!

Dealing with the Freezing Cold Weather in My Room and Food Problems
23rd…It was very cold last night. The water in my tooth glass and in my bowl was frozen over. The glass and the bowl are four feet off the ground on top of the dresser! The weather today is Wonderful fine and I’m just waiting for my dinner of smelts and something else. Luckily that earlier I had six smelts given to me because four wouldn’t have gone very far between Scott, Rita, Kimberley, myself and Terry Turnbolt who is staying for dinner. I expect the Turnbolts go out today once a trail has been cut. Grumble – bloody Scott, I’ll get my dinner when he decides to come down from the other house. He bloody well knows that I get back here by twenty minutes to one. My diary offers me the only outlet for my feelings. That doesn’t matter to the punk – he’s too insensitive for words. Actually, Nurse Harris said that she finds she does a lot of writing for herself. It’s so much safer for me to write down all the grumbles I have because I’ve just got to put up with them. Well, I haven’t actually; it’s just that I do. Nurse Harris said that she couldn’t do what V. S. Os do out here. Living at the level of the locals for a whole year. I’ve just finished dinner. I was right. I had a pile of potatoes and two smelts ( very small kippers). There were five of us for the meal. I asked for more and got a pile of greasy potatoes. $60 a bloody month - why the hell do I put up with it? Oh well, only another four months to go. The worst thing I find is continually trying to “put on a face” that I love it in this house. Thank God I have a sort of an outlet via this diary. It’s better than nothing I suppose.

A “Shower” for an Expected New Arrival and Ted Penney
It’s now 10.00 p.m. and I’m in bed having had a “Mars” bar, soft drink – lunch. Scott and Rita are lying down (as usual.) I went up to Alice Rumbolt’s and then on to Stephen’s where I was for an hour or so. Then Fred Hiscock brought in his electric guitar and Stephen played on it. After listening for a while I went. Stephen is teaching Fred how to play. Sandra wasn’t there to listen because she was over at Margaret Burden’s where a “Shower” is being held for the forthcoming Cook! All the women go taking presents for the baby. Before I went to Stephen’s from Mrs. Harold Rumbolt’ s, I called in at Ted Penney’s for a chat. Poor bloke, it won’t be long before he is completely blind. He’s completely lost his sight in one eye. He had a good old grumble about the Minister, Rev Lewis, Mr. Decker (Welfare Officer) and Jim Rumbolt called in here for an hour on their way to Rexon’s Cove. From there, they will go to Charlottetown and Pinsent’s Arm returning here, so it’s been said, on Wednesday evening. Timing often goes haywire out here mainly due to the very changeable weather, so they might be in Saturday. Mind you, it’s been fine all day today and I think I am in for another cold night tonight. I must make sure that I cover myself completely with my bedclothes. I woke up cold this morning. Before I close to do some Tolstoy reading, I’d just like to note down my impressions of going into Stephen’s house and also about chatting with Peter down at Billy’s:

Stepping From One World into Another
It was just like stepping from one world into another, going from a house where there are only locals to a house where there are people with a similar background to mine. I can speak with Stephen on the same intellectual wavelength if you like. My conversation isn’t simply limited to small words and local “happenings” like Cliff Paul’s or any other event.
I have the vitamins that pregnant mothers take! Food for thought! Very Hungry Again Tuesday 24th…It’s now just before dinner time and I’m back from Morning School which went O.K. For dinner, it looks like I have spaghetti and potatoes – fantastic. It’s a wonder I’m not incredibly fat considering the amount of bread and potatoes I eat in this house. It’s all cheap food. Rita and Scott, more or less, live a hand – to – mouth existence with meals spun out as far as possible. I mustn’t grumble too much because I get a scattered feed with vegetables as well as, yes, as well as meat and potatoes. They just don’t seem to care that I’m paying $60 per month to stay here. Scott hasn’t arrived yet so that means more waiting for my food. If there’s one thing I’ve never liked it’s having to wait for my food. Here I can’t express my annoyance. I can only grumble to myself via the medium of this diary.

Multi-Vitamins to the Rescue
Damned good job I have plenty of vitamin tablets that’s all I can say.
It’s now 5.30 p.m. and today has seen snow, snow and yet more snow. It’s coming down thickly and already today a couple of feet have fallen. If there’s a good frost then going about will be O.K. If not…help!
At the moment Claude is cleaving wood for his boarding house (he doesn’t pay anything to stay there), and he’s just broken an axe handle. He’s using the one that was stuck in the block outside my house. Today it struck me that Pete and I can’t talk to Claude about stuff we can talk to one another about. He is one of the Labrador people and although he’s above skidoo talk he’s not very far above it.

A Couple of Realizations:
Out here, life has made me realize the importance of getting a good education and how lucky I am in having one. And the vast difference a television makes in educating a person about the world. It will make quite an impact on the people when television comes here because they will be able to better see how their life compares with life elsewhere. It’s now 12.45 a.m. and I’ve just returned from Uncle Bob’s after playing cards with Uncle Bob, Harold and Gordon Russell and Andrew Strugnall the younger who was married. It was great fun even if it was a bit boring. I showed photographs and later had a fabulous bake apple lunch – no nicer people in Hope Simpson and I’d love it here if I’d be staying with them. It was a bit of a struggle to get over to Uncle Bob’s after supper because the snow was middle thigh deep and a path hadn’t been cut. I was the trailblazer! It was also raining later this evening and the snow is wet. I was fine in my over trousers, over boots and Parks – great snow gear. No more news so I’m off to bed.

Wednesday 25th…Yippee! Last day tomorrow!
It’s now 10.30 p.m. and I’ve just returned from Charles Sampson’s (Alt’s father) where I’ve been showing photographs and slides since supper. Charl is taking his dogs out to Mary’s Harbour and I might go with Alt on Friday.

How Many Children Can You Fit in the Same Bed?
Up at the house, five kids were put to bed in the same bed. They are a nice family. Ruth Kippenhuck and Charles’s daughter also saw my photographs and slides. They were much impressed by them. I gave Alt a “National Geographic” magazine as a present. The weather today has been mild and fine.

And the Time is just Rolling By
The “going “is slushy but not too bad. No news today just that time is rolling by. The weeks certainly fly past when I’m teaching. I’m sleepy and so I ‘m off to bed after I’ve had a lunch. I wonder if tomorrow will see a mail plane.

Start of the Easter Break and Hoping to get out to Mary’s Harbour.
Thursday 26th…Well, School’s over or a while. I’ve just come back from the restaurant where I went after Church. Rev Lewis is in and so Pete and I went to Church. I’m off to Mary’s Harbour on Sunday morning, weather permitting, which should be great. I hope to go to Fox Harbour to see the dog team races also over the holiday. The skidoo race is on Easter Monday at Mary’s Harbour. I hope I manage to get out O.K. It all depends on the weather that has been overclouded all day. It’s a,“Broad, brech, moonlit, nite ” will be very cold tonight. Tonight’s been mild, that is freezing!
School went fine today being the last day of Term. Pupils and teacher alike were very happy. I also got some mail today – just “common – a- garden stuff that included my air photograph Photostat. I’ve sent off for some air photos of this area. They should be back by the end of April. I also have newspapers to read. Really up – to – date stuff, February 18th! Come 4.00 p.m. today I felt a sense of anti – climax on the last day of term. That has worn off after doing things tonight. I had three games of pool at the restaurant and more than one plate of chips (at 20c) and soft drink. The place was crowded with the same old faces. I’ve been down there on a number of occasions and it’s…it’s…it’s…something to do! That’s “the long and the short” of it. No more news tonight except that I feel pleased there’s a week’s holiday ahead. No more School until April 6th – Whoopee!

Feeling Lethargic
27th… The weather today is sunny but still below freezing. It’s easily bearable. I’ve just had a lie – down (2.00 p.m.) and I feel very lethargic. I must drag myself outside where nothing much is happening. This morning I went over to Bart’s to change a cheque but it’s Good Friday and Port Hope Simpson has come to a stop. What a waste of a day. I spoke to Rev Lewis this morning and passed on what I knew about the loss of my money. He agreed with telling Scott and Rita which I’ll do tonight, I suppose. Boy, it’s wonderful easy to feel lethargic and a do-nothing feeling has come over me. In that case I’m off out somewhere to get rid of the feeling. But nothing much is happening outside – what a bloody drag. Oh well, must go. It’s clouded over now.

Pure-blooded Huskies
It’s now 11.30 p.m. and I’ve just returned from Stephen and Sandra’s where I’ve been since 3.00 p.m. I went there after going up to Wince’s and taking some photos of his dogs. He said they should be pure – blooded huskies because the dog and she were huskies from Cartwright and Goose Bay respectively.

Mental Fatigue
When I called in at the Cooks, Sandra remarked how tired I looked. I felt tired but I couldn’t account for it. I have good enough food and two multi – vitamins a day. I was mentally exhausted and felt wonderful when I finished the evening up at the Cooks. I made a mental recovery. It’s living with the locals that cause this type of mental fatigue which is very easily brought on. As a result of my non – action today I haven’t got any news except about the weather. It’s blowing hard out now with slight rain. I didn’t enjoy walking down from the Cooks because it is difficult to stay upright on parts of the “road”. The skidoos dig out the snow into a series of hollows interspersed with ridges. I must “go and see a man about a dog” now – bloody nuisance. It’s now bed – time and I’ve just told Scott that I know who took the money and that I’ve got it back. This is what Rev Lewis advised.

Off to Mary’s Harbour on My Snow - Cruiser
Saturday 28th…Alton and Henry went off to Mary’s Harbour this morning. I was left. Girls were favoured. I felt “crooked” this afternoon but I am now in high spirits because parked outside the house is my snow cruiser! I’m off to Mary’s Harbour tomorrow driving it. I went “all over” trying to get fixed – up to go out for the Easter but I was unlucky until Ron Penney said that I could have the old cruiser for $4! Fantastic! I just hope that it will get me safely to Mary’s Harbour and back again. I’m off tomorrow, all being well with some of the Sampsons and Cal Penney, whose old machine I’ve hired from Ron. A lot is happening in Mary’s Harbour “the week” and I hope to get to Fox Harbour for the dog – team races. I’m off to bed now with high hopes for the ‘morrow. I’ll believe I’m going to Mary’s Harbour only when I’m on my way. It’s been a hard job fixing my trip out. I also hope the weather is O.K. tomorrow. Goodnight!

Holiday Begins 29th…There are no better people on this earth than the Labrador people. That’s the impression I get as I lie writing this on the feather – filled mattress of Mr. And Mrs. Paul and Fate Bradley in Lodge Bay. I finally left PHS at 10.45 a.m. with Mrs. Jim Sampson, Aubrey and Hedley. Hedley was on my cruiser. After a wonderful ride on my “Tractor” I got to Mary’s Harbour by 1.00 p.m. and had dinner at The Nursing Station by kind permission of Nurse Skiley. At 5.00 p.m. I came over to the Lodge with Clive and some “Lodge women.” I’m spending the night here and going back to Mary’s Harbour tomorrow. Mrs. Bradley has been showing me her “hooked mats”. They are fabulous and it looks like I might be given one. These two people are very kind and Chris Haynes, the other V.S.O. here) got me fixed – up with them. They just took me to “The Show” – Gerry Lee Lewis in a comic western – very good. It would have been a lot funnier to me if I hadn’t been so tired. I’ve just shown all my photographs to these two very kind, middle – aged couple. They deserve more. I must close now. Action – packed day tomorrow. I’m having a fabulous holiday after all. The Nurse, Dentist and Secretary have all gone to Henley Harbour. I met Tim Acey from Henley for the first time since we left him in September of last year.

Having Fun
Monday 30th…It’s now 5.00 p.m. and I’m sitting in the living – room of Mr. And Mrs. Coish. This is a wealthy family – he’s a store owner. I’m shaking uncontrollably as I write this which is due to the skidoo driving. It’s hard work driving these machines. I left Paul and Fate Bradley’s house by 9.00 a.m. and after a good bit of trouble with the machine I went up to Mary’s Harbour with Guy Pie. Lodge bay is a very pretty place but I bet my impressions would change after living there. Chris seems to like it there O.K. He’s gone back on my cruiser this afternoon. I hope he gets back O.K.This afternoon has seen the skidoo race that was quite sensational. 30 odd skidoos were lined – up ready for the ten mile race. There were different prizes for the different horse-powers. Pete the Dentist was in the race after returning this morning from Henley Harbour. I’m off to “The Time” tonight which should be great fun.
It’s now gone 1.05 a.m. and I’ve just returned from “The Time” leaving Clive, Chris and Tim. I went up there at the old Mission School after I’d spent a couple of hours at The Nursing Station where I got a nice haircut. Hair was all over the recreational room. I took Tim for a mishap – filled ride on the snow cruiser in the dark. I managed to “prang it” against a supporting wire coming down from a telegraph pole and I turned it over and ripped my corduroy pants. I must have been very lucky because I only missed getting my leg ripped by a fraction of an inch. The starting procedure on my old cruiser is rather dangerous. She’s tuned lovely by Chris and goes very well. I’m off to White Point tomorrow, following Nurse Skiley with Chris and Tom. I’m certainly having an action – packed Easter holiday. It’s lovely to have an electric light in my room. I’m off to bed now. Too much to try to put down in my diary.

Tuesday 31st…I’ve had a very busy day going from Mary’s Harbour to White Point to Lodge bay to Mary’s Harbour. I saw The Meteorological Station (D. O. T.) at White Point.

April

Having a Great Time!
Wednesday, 1st…Great holiday! I didn’t go to Fox’s Harbour due to the weather. Had a good game of cards with Tim at the Nursing Station with other entertainments. I put a new throttle cable on the old cruiser. Great!

2nd…It’s now 10.45 a.m. and I’m lying in bed looking out towards the School in Mary’s Harbour. I’ll fill in on the details of the past few days:I went to White Point with Dan Campbell, Nurse Jean Skelly, Chris Haynes, Tim Acey, Pete Manson and Sue Munro. We arrived in White Point at about two o’clock and we all had a good look round whilst the Nurse, Dentist and Sue went about their work. It’s a Government Weather Station situated on an island which makes it like a prison for the 12 workers based there. I played a few games of snooker with Ed O’Brien and Grade 4 Kirby Ross Bradley. Kirby doesn’t have a teacher except for his sister who has a Grade XI. From White Point we went to The Lodge where Chris is the V.S.O. We all had supper at Frank Pye’s. After supper we came back to Mary’s Harbour. My cruiser doesn’t have a light but I managed O.K. by driving in the light between the other two skidoos. Yesterday was uneventful except that I didn’t go to Fox harbour. I didn’t mind that one little bit with great attractions elsewhere.

Friday 3rd…Last night I went over to Lodge Bay for “The Tyme”. We reached there at about 10.00 p.m. and I didn’t lay my weary head down to rest until 5.00 a.m. this morning. I was up at 7.30 a.m. taking Tim into Mary’s Harbour to collect his bag from Rev Lewis’s. I also took him back to reach The Lodge by 9. 30 a.m. only to find that he’d been left behind by the Henley Harbour crowd! He’s got to get down by Monday. I’ve also got to get back to PHS by Monday. It’s snowing heavily now and the fine weather has come to an end. Just as I was leaving Lodge Bay to come back here to Mary’s Harbour, my spark plug blew out and after a couple of hours of work I reached Mary’s Harbour having given Chris a lift out to Long Pond where he was going to do some wood – cutting for Reverend Lewis. When I got here I went and had a rest for an hour or so this afternoon after dinner at Fate and Paul Bradley’s at Lodge Bay. Due to odd sleeping hours I feel “fooled up” and before long I’m off to bed for the night. I plan to go home tomorrow with Ivan and Jesse Green. I certainly hope the weather clears up because it’s blowing a storm out now.

4th…After breakfast this morning I went down to the Nursing Station on my cruiser and stayed to a lovely dinner with Sue, Margaret and Jean. It consisted of liver, carrots, turnips, peas, potatoes, gravy, jelly and coffee. After dinner I said goodbye and left Mary’s Harbour with two other skidoos driven by Ivan (carrying Jesse) and Baxter (carrying Linda Russell.) After some trouble with my forward cylinder on the cruiser we got under headway. The going was fairly good but I managed to get bogged down on more than one occasion because the cruiser doesn’t ride on the snow so well as the skidoos. Having left Mary’s Harbour at 2.45 p.m. we all arrived here at about 7 o’clock. This long time was caused by the trouble with my old machine. Anyways, it got me here safely. I had supper of potatoes and gravy in the house and then went on the cruiser down to Pete’s. Believe it or not, the fellah has stayed here all week. He’s had attacks of sickness recently. Poor bloke. After a wonderful, wonderful week’s holiday I close for the night. Before I go, I’d like to mention how Kimberely greeted me,
“Wernie’s back!”

The following article was written by Tony Williamson, Field Worker for the Extension Service, Memorial University.
The Unknown Labrador
“When Labrador is mentioned in Newfoundland, most people have visions of the great new modern iron ore mining towns and the huge hydro-electric development of Churchill Falls. A few people also think of Goose Bay, of the military base there and the possibility of pulp cutting. Still fewer people think of the coast, and when they do it is a vision of Eskimos and Indians hunting and trapping in the time honoured tradition. Ferry and road connections are now placing the Straits section of the Labrador on the map and in the minds of a few tourists. That section of the Labrador Coast which stretches from Southern Gross Water Bay to Henley Harbour, however, remains an unknown entity save for the Newfoundland Stationers and Floaters who traditionally fish there. If thought of at all, it also is imagined as the homes of the Eskimos. Little wonder that the 3,000 people, scattered in ten winter communities and some 30 fishing settlements, have a feeling of frustration and neglect. Isolation, poorly developed communications, few community services, the exploitation of a feudal mercantile system combine to keep this region one of the least known and least developed sectors of the province. Yet this part of the southern coast of Labrador is not devoid of human and natural resources. The people who think of themselves simply as Labradorians and are usually called Livieres, come mainly from Scottish and English stock, with some Eskimo or Indian blood from three or four generations back. They are primarily fishermen, though agood many continue to excel as hunters and trappers. Many are excellent carpenters and boat builders. They are among the dying breed of people who can do nearly everything manual and mechanical more than reasonably well. Their resources, manly in the sea, include codfish, salmon, trout, herring and seals. On the land are fur bearing mammals and some of the last great stands of undeveloped timber. In a good year the average catch of codfish per fisherman is between 100 and 200 quintals and gill nets and long liners are augmenting cod trap fishing. The salmon stocks have been declining in recent years but some men still manage to catch 20,000 lbs. In a season. Sealing has not entirely disappeared. Last winter the Cape St. Charles people netted 350 seals with simple shoal nets. Trapping also had a revival due to the increase in prices of long haired furs. Some men earned up to $1500 with only casual trapping. Prices paid for these activities still remain well below those in Newfoundland, however. Last summer (1968) salt bulk fish brought on the average $8.50 per quintal while salmon brought only 32c per lb for large and 20c per lb for small.Also facilities are still lacking. There are no bait depots or fish plants on the coast. The fishermen have little or no choice in marketing their products.
One of the unique aspects of life on the southern Labrador coast is the continued seasonal migration of families from winter homes in forested bays to summer stations on the headlands and islands. Some families in Sandwich Bay still have three homes, their summer places are divided between salmon catching berths in the Bay and cod fishing berths on the outer islands. These migrations are a deeply entrenched part of their social lives as well as an economic necessity. In St. Michael’s Bay and Lodge Bay the school teachers move out in the spring with the families to conclude the school year. It is a dramatic sight: the spring convoy of skidoos (which have nearly entirely replaced dogs in southern Labrador) towing komatiks loaded with household goods, mothers, babies and puppies, nestled in a tent covered komatik coach box.But as major winter communities receive electricity, modern schools, and other services, there is pressure to discontinue the seasonal migrations of families. The smaller settlements of 20 families or less are also finding it difficult to survive. Only Cartwright and Mary’s Harbour of the 10 winter villages are served by electricity.Isolation and lack of education have muffled the voices of need and frustration. But as communications, transportation (there are still no roads), and education improves, the people are beginning to discover a unity in common problems and a common voice through co-operation. Through the assistance of The Extension Service of Memorial University, the southern Labradorians came together in two meetings, at Cartwright in November and Mary’s Harbour in April. In November problems were identified, in April solutions were sought. The people elected to seek ways of solving their own problems through cooperative effort in The Coastal Labrador Regional Development Association. There is cautious hope that southern Labrador will no longer be unknown and underdeveloped.”
“Decks Awash”, Volume 1, Number 4, February 1970

Sunday 5th, 9.30 a.m….I’m just waiting for my breakfast. Up at Mary’s Harbour, in the Coish’s home, I was treated like a guest with a good variety of food. For example, for breakfast yesterday I had two eggs, bacon, toast, marmalade, orange juice and coffee. Mind you, I did stay there without payment of any kind except for a promise of my “Polaroid” sunglasses to Mr. Bert Coish.

Benefiting From My Holiday
The weather from the time I left here on Sunday until yesterday has been glorious and I couldn’t possibly have got anything better. I’ve had a marvellous, super, tremendous, fabulous Easter holiday – one I’m going to remember for years to come. (Why did Pete stay here all Easter I wonder? I suspect it was to do with my money.)

A Fresh View on Life out Here
I think that the holiday has given me a fresh perspective on life here. It’s made me see, for certain, that Port Hope Simpson is one of the poorer settlements on the Labrador, especially when it’s compared with Mary’s Harbour. The Nursing Station (I. G. A.) has a profound effect on the whole of Mary’s Harbour because IGA owns all the land in The Harbour and it has set down rules of cleanliness for the Labradorians. I didn’t see any piles of tin cans outside anybody’s house like you see outside almost every house in Hope Simpson. All rubbish is piled on the ice in the harbour ready for the break – up when it will sink. The people here need education in so many different walks of life. I’m sure my holiday has left me ready to live here for another few months without too many complaints. I’m very pleased that I managed to get my holiday outside this place. I’m off to pay a visit to the shoreline and to return my cruiser.

I’m off to bed now (9.15 p.m.) having just returned from Stephen’s where I stayed for supper. ($35 for the cruiser which was very good.)

The Money Saga
Monday 6th…I’ve just had breakfast and Scott told me that Reverend Lewis was up here yesterday afternoon and told him about my money. Scott knows who took it although Reverend Lewis didn’t tell him in so many words. Anyways, enough of this badness in people.

Meeting to Organize “The Tyme”
The weather this morning is overcast with slight snow showers. This doesn’t dampen my spirits in the least and I can safely say that I’m quite ready to start School again. I can attribute this prepared state of mind to the wonderful holiday I had over Easter. Scott told me this morning that they plan to go to Mary’s Harbour on Saturday and I’ve offered to help him get his wood on Saturday and he accepted! Boy, I wish I had a pail in my room like I had up at Mary’s Harbour. A great comfort! It’s now 12.45 a.m. and I’ve just written a letter after returning from a meeting over at the School to organize “The Tyme” on Thursday. I’ve just finished six posters. Only six people were there. School went well. Pete was “sick” with “schoolitis”. It’s past my bedtime so I’ll close.

Advertising “The Tyme”!
7th…The weather today is sunny with a clear blue sky. Just like the weather I had over Easter. I’ve finished all my posters and distributed them to the stores where my handiwork will be on display. I’ve also made a poster for Claude to put on his skidoo since he’s going to Mary’s Harbour tonight to broadcast The Tyme which will mean Wednesday afternoon off School and also all day Thursday. That doesn’t bother me because it’s out of my control but it seems a loss to the kids. Oh well, I might as well enjoy myself. My dinner is just being served so I’ll close for the moment. It’s now 5.15 p.m. and that dinner I had was a proper Newfoundland one of fish, grease and potatoes. Cake for afters as usual. I enjoyed it as much as possible.

“Learning the Ropes” About Teaching
At the moment I feel rather upset because of a discipline problem with Charles Russell. Brazen young whippersnapper. That’s what I don’t like about teaching. That it’s sometimes a teacher – pupil battle. Some of the kids will continually challenge my authority and it’s as much as I can do to keep control. I intensely dislike getting angry in class. It is most definitely teaching me about controlling my temper.

Back into Life at PHS Again
I’ve just lugged in the wood because Scott has buzzed off to Mary’s Harbour with “the crowd” who went over for the wedding. He should be back tonight. Claude’s off to Mary’s Harbour after supper whilst I’ll be off up to Margaret and Rube’s to see about this bearskin they’ve got up there. Well, I’ve slipped back into the rut of life out here in only two days. It’s not really a rut because there’s The Tyme to look forward to on Thursday. Also I won’t be teaching tomorrow afternoon but I expect to be working harder getting games ready in the School. Pete and Austin have gone in the woods to cut some firewood. More a lark about than anything else I fancy. He’s O. K……I suppose. Boy, I wish I could be more enthusiastic about Pete. Scott said that the thief would have been sent home if it had happened earlier. Oh well, I’m glad Pete wasn’t sent home because of me, because I still feel that he didn’t deserve that punishment although at times since my money loss he’s made me wonder. Like today when he kicked up a fuss about me using a piece of his cardboard on which he’d drawn something. I’d used it for a poster for Claude’s skidoo. It’s 10.55 p.m. and I’ve just returned from Stephen’s where I left 20 odd diarrhoea tablets. Stephen’s sick.

An Extra Charge for the Skidoo!
After supper I changed my $157 and went up to Ron Penney and handed over an extra $48 for the skidoo belt that I’d worn thin! Then I went to Rube’s where I bought from Eldrid, Rube’s son, a small bearskin for $20. Rube’s gone to Occasional Harbour to cut wood for the summer. No more news. I’m dog – tired and off to bed now.

Preparing for the Tyme
8th…I’ve just had my seal, turnip, potato and prune dinner. There isn’t any School this afternoon because it has to be prepared for The Tyme. There’s a good bit of work ahead but I don’t intend “sweating my guts out” for the people. It’s very difficult to get anybody to do anything around here. Everybody just waits until somebody else takes the initiative. The weather today is overcast and at the moment (1.15 a.m.) I don’t feel like doing anything much.

The Local News…
One thing I’ve just realized about Scott, Rita and Betty is that they can just keep on talking about small things. There’s been an absolutely massive event in their eyes in this house because the cat has given birth to five kittens! That will be big news here for the next week at least. Another piece of “big news” is that Scott is now hauling firewood. I wonder how long it will be before he’s hauled all his wood out.
I managed to do some work over at the School after dinner – drawings etc. for the games. I’ve just had a brief read and a snack. Actually I bumped into Ed who was doing just the same as me in Edgar’s store – buying a lunch to have with a read. There are quite a few people in here tonight especially from Rexon’s Cove. There are more expected tomorrow if the weather clears up because it’s stormy outside tonight. After supper I went to El’s to Pete’s to Nath’s to Uncle Bob’s and then home. Quite enjoyable going cruising. I’m off to sleep now. Incidentally, Pete hasn’t lifted a finger to help with The Tyme – lazy slob.

The Tyme is a Dud!
Thursday 9th…It’s now 5.25 p.m. and I’ve just been having a read and a rest after returning from the School that’s been closed for the day. The weather has been very poor with wet snow and so The Tyme hasn’t come to much so far. I was over there this afternoon to hold a few games but it was pointless staying with only a few kids fooling around. I collected 75c on the Darts, Rings and Bean Bags! My jeans and socks were soaking wet so I didn’t stay there very long. Oh well, I’ve had a sort of a holiday and at least I’ve done some work for The Tyme as well.I’ve just done a “rubbing” from the front plate damper on the woodstove (see earlier diagram.) It’s done on a piece of Pete’s typewriter paper which I got from over at the School. It’s now 11.30 p.m. and I’m just going to bed. After supper and a chat with Jerry Wintzell from Charlottetown I went up to Stephen and Sandra’s.

My Bearskin’s a Cub’s!
I fetched a barrel of water from Rube’s for them and collected my bearskin. It looks some good hung beside my bed. Rube shot it 12 springs ago. It’s a cub. I showed it to Aunt Maude, Mrs. Wood and then came back here for bed. Today didn’t see a plane and tomorrow will see another day off School for The Tyme which should go ahead then. Races start at 9.30 a.m. provided the weather is good. Stephen is better now.

10th…I’ve just had breakfast and I don’t plan to do anything much today. The weather is overcast, mild and raining which means there won’t be a Tyme and races to speak of. Claude said last night that there wasn’t going to be any school today and the races were going to be held if the “weather was at all suitable.” Well, so much for that.

Bertrand Russell, a Great Philosopher, has Died
Two days ago I read Bertrand Russell’s obituary. This man was 97 years of age and in the prologue to his first autobiography, published in 1967, he claimed,
“Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge and unbearable pity for the sufferings of mankind.”
This man had the ability to psycho – analyze himself which is something I wish in a way I could do. His great liking and ability in Mathematics probably had a large part to play in accounting for this ability.

Navel - gazing
When I look at myself I see that I don’t particularly excel at anything except being friendly. I’m sure that I’ll be happy no matter what I do as long as I’m doing something which holds my interest whether it be drawing, writing, reading, making articles of furniture or playing rugby! I feel very confident that I will be leaving PHS in the knowledge that I’ll be leaving people who will think, ”Oh yes he was a very nice man.” I also feel I will have accomplished something indescribable by the time I will have returned to England.. No, it’s not indescribable. It’s a feeling of inner satisfaction that I will have helped these poor people even if it is in my infinitesimally small way! It makes me feel happy and contented with myself if not with things around me. One thing I’d like to note is that Bertrand Russell made a mess of his love–life having had four different wives. I wonder if that accounts for the rather estranged look on the man’s face in his picture. It’s wonderful easy to make a slip in the choice of your life – long partner. That’s all I’ve got to say here on the matter.

The Tyme is on…
It’s now 7.05 p.m. and at the moment Sam and Dora are up here chatting. Sam’s drinking (as usual). At about five o’clock I went down to the School “to lend a hand”. I was in charge of the log tossing and I collected $4.61. Hub Burden heaved the log the greatest distance. I’ll be “off down” to the School “the once”. Sam has just been sitting on my bed chatting with me and he said he’s never seen a sealskin like the shape of mine. He also said that he has skinned more seals than anybody in The Bay. He’s a nice fellah who sadly is without children. Both of them want kids. It’s now 1.30 a.m. and I’ve just returned from The Tyme over at our (for the first time) electrically lit School. I was helping Redge Russell collect money and give out the tickets (“big machines”) at 75c for adults and 35c for children. I had a supper over there and was very close to my first witnessing of a fight. It was between Guy Burden, Stan Penney, Stan Campbell and Bob Strugnall. Nothing more than a skirmish after Bob took a swing at Guy who had been put out mainly by Don Burden – quite exciting! There was a good bit of dancing going on over there and I helped make some ice – cream. Prizes for the day were given out by the Principal of the Anglican School who was certainly “feeling his drink” as Redge said to me. He’s got no right to be Principal sleeping with his girlfriend and drinking like a fish – stupid. Today has appeared to be “wonderful” long because I wasn’t teaching. I’ve been helping out with The Tyme whilst Pete has been sick – true or false? I’m off to bed now with a closing note about the weather. Today has been very mild with rain falling all day. It’s now stopped and it’s very wet and slushy underfoot. Well yet another holiday tomorrow.

Saturday 11th…
Living at the level of his/her indigenous colleagues – that is what a V.S.O. must do. Blast! A dash to the forest this morning meant me filling my Wellingtons with wet snow. Scott and Rita are having a lie – in after The Tyme last night. Its overcast this morning and I don’t suppose we’ll be lucky enough to see a mail plane but you never know what’s going to happen out here until it’s actually happening. I’d like to get some mail this morning. It seems like a long time since I heard anything from home. I hope it’s not my turn to write. Maybe their letters have gone via Australia and hence the huge delay. Well, I have absolutely nothing lined up for today which is quite nice although I expect to go out visiting somewhere. Maybe I will or maybe I won’t, as yet I haven’t decided. I think I’ll write some more about The Tyme.

The Tyme in More Detail
The closest English equivalent I can think of is a social where supper is served and dancing goes on. At 7.00 p.m. last night the women started serving suppers to anybody who wanted one. That cost was covered by the entrance fee. All the women had made soup, cakes and sandwiches which they brought down. Whilst suppers were being served in Pete’s end of the School the Fox Harbour crowd were doing most of the Morris dancing at my end. The partitioning boards had been taken down between Pete’s classroom and my own. The Fox Harbour crowd has got a reputation as good dancers around these parts and Lawrence Rumbolt in his stripped trousers looked as if he was enjoying every minute of it. I don’t think anything appears to be very good when a person has had a part to play in the organization of the event.

Rest and Relaxation
Yesterday I managed to score 400 pts. on the 2.2s with 500 pts. (five bulls) by Cliff Rumbolt being the highest score. I also managed to organize the log – throwing and two races. Pete wasn’t over at all for the whole event because he was “sick.” I’m glad that I helped out over there. It’s now 12.25 a.m. and I’ve just returned from the restaurant where Pete actually turned up to play pool with myself, Scott, Alt and later Austin Ward and Harvey Kippenhuck. I’ve had quite a good evening. After dinner I went out and cleared some wood with Scott and then I cruised to Stephen and Sandra’s where I fetched a bucket of water for them. When Stephen returned from the Post Office with Jonathan I had very interesting chats with him which ended with my staying to supper. After supper I went down to Pete’s where the inevitable “120” was in progress between Pete, Austin, Jim Penney and Harry. Harry didn’t have his cap on which brings him luck. I then went down to Bill Kippenhuck’s with Henry and then down to the restaurant where I had some chips fried by Albert Hiscock and bought some for others. I stayed there all evening playing pool, chatting and listening to Harry Hibbs amongst others on the juke box. Great fun!

Reading and Thinking
12th…It’s now almost dinnertime and I’ve been reading “Anna Karenina” all morning. I’d just like to put this quote down where I won’t lose it:
“Levin is a faithful reflection of Tolstoy himself.”
(Introduction)
Levin says, “This whole world of ours is nothing but a speck of mildew, which has grown up on a tiny planet.”
I just took a fancy to that sentence although I disagree when Tolstoy wrote that everything is of no consequence because death is the end of everything. Everybody’s life is everlasting because they live on in somebody’s memory. Even when the next generation perishes they pass on their attributes gained from their parents. So in that way life is everlasting.

In Good Spirits
I am all ready for bed having successfully accomplished my bath! I’ve been reading all day today. The only time I went out was with Scott for a game of pool, (which I won!) and to Mrs. Ward’s from where I’ve just returned after “lunching.”
Today has been relaxingly happy which is very nice. I’m just worried about the sty on my left eye that hasn’t disappeared yet. I wonder what’s causing it. I’ve been wonderfully happy since my return from Mary’s Harbour. Everything just seems to be so good to me. The weather has cleared tonight and it’s frosty at the moment. I wonder when the mail plane will come. I think I might take my film down to the Post Office tomorrow sometime. Possibly after School. Nothing has happened today except that I’ve progressed with “Anna Karenina”. It’s an enjoyable book but its style is circumlocutory I fancy.

13th…I’ve just been reading “A.K.” again and it’s more than just good to me now. School went O.K. except I kept Austin Penney and Douglas in ‘till 5.00 p.m. for not doing a punishment of not too long ago. Kids are little torments too much of the time but I still call teaching a very good career. Monday morning is never the best time during a school week. I’m sure that’s true for any teacher. I’ve just had a nice supper of soup, fruit and custard which was very tasty. Pete had spaghetti on three pieces of toast for his supper. When I came out from School I went to Pete’s after taking some film down to the Post Office.

Charlie Ward: A True Man
Charlie was knitting a net in the “kitchen” and he certainly is very skilled at it. He jokingly said, “The Lord made us fellahs to do jobs like that.” He’s a very nice man with half a grade of Kindergarten for an education. I‘ve had some very interesting chats with him on religion and he holds just the same sort of compromised views on God as myself. I feel that I can live just as good a life as anybody without forcing myself to believe in God.

Haircut Time for Pete
I am going to give Pete a haircut “the once”. I’ll put my very much admired wellies on because it’s still wet underfoot and overcast! It’s now bedtime again and I gave Pete quite a professional haircut. I had a long game of “120” at Pete’s with Harry, Henry and Pete. Hen and Pete “bait” (beat or won!) Then I had a relaxing rock by the fire and returned home to write a letter to Mr. O. Forsey in Main Brook enquiring about the wood boats.

Scott and Family off to Mary’s Harbour
It’s very cold out tonight and Scott and family are off to Mary’s Harbour tomorrow morning. I wonder if tomorrow will see a mail plane. I’ve got to get my letter down to the Post Office – blast, what a drag! No more “news” so I’ll close for the night.

Tuesday 14th…I awoke this morning to find Scott and Rita making preparations for their ride to Mary’s Harbour. They left with Becky Penney this morning and I came home to light the fire and get my dinner despite Scott telling me that I could go “up the other house” (Uncle Jack Burden’s). I had a “bean feast”. Washing – up successfully completed I returned to afternoon School and after keeping a few behind I went over to Pete’s. From there we went down to the Post Office on Charlie’s skidoo (unpaid for, according to Scott) where I handed in Mr. Forsey’s letter. After a short chat with El we returned and I stayed at Pete’s for my corn beef hash and peaches supper. It was very nice. From there I have just returned to keep an eye on the fire that I lit when I when I dropped in with Pete on leaving School. When I went to Edgar’s to buy a few things Doug said, ” You’re shacking it on your own.” That means I’m living on my own which I don’t mind a little bit either. I feel quite proud that Scott has left the care of his house in my hands. At the moment there is enough wood in and just about enough water.
Mrs. Cook said that the Nurse will be coming in on Thursday and she (Sandra) will be going out on the next plane. The mail plane was heading for Black Tickle today but had to turn back because of freezing rain. It’s quite mild out now and “the going is good” because a couple of nights of frost has dried up “the slush.” It’s quite easy walking about now with only a scattered slight snow shower falling from the overcast sky. The sky hasn’t been clear for quite a while now. I just fancy writing some general comments in “this ‘ere book.” It must spoil the reading of it as a whole but who cares?

A View of England from Labrador
I’m pretty sure that about three months of my year out here can be classed as a settling – in period. Really to do a good job of work as a VSO one year is too short a period of time. I don’t think I’ve done badly considering everything and I’m certain that I will have “done my bit” in helping some people who aren’t so lucky as myself. I know I will be leaving a lot of friends behind me in PHS when I leave and from that point of view I will be sad to leave this place. I don’t fancy spending more than one year out here because England appears to be such an attractive country when viewed from across the Atlantic. One of the many impressions that I have about England from here is that it is a very, very well – serviced country. It is well served by road, rail, water and air traffic and never again will I grumble about late buses or late trains because they are there and serving the people. Well to be perfectly truthful I expect I will grumble but I certainly won’t when I think of life out here.
All the institutions, government and otherwise are so much more accessible to the people in England than they are to the people out here. The crux of the matter I that England is a much smaller country than Canada and she has surmounted the problem of communications (to name only one problem of this new country) that Canada has not yet managed to do. At least that Newfoundland has not yet managed to do. This is a “New Country.”

Ready for Battle with the Labrador Night
I’m changing the subject yet again to note that this house is ready to “do battle” with the Labrador night. I’ve just cleaved and lugged in the wood after Claude “came down” and sawed up three sticks for me. He’s cleaving the wood for his lodging house as I write this. He ought to as well because as he admitted to me, he doesn’t pay anything to stay there. Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do tonight. I think I’ll just stay in and have a quiet read in my bed. At least I’ll have a white light to read by because I’ll put the gas lamp on the table in my room. I almost forgot I have a piece of news.

The Dangerous Furnace at School
At “Recess” today (10.30 a.m.) the furnace in my room decided to start leaking and spread burning oil under the School. It was very dangerous and Claude and I went up to Pete’s room to find something to smother it with. Claude got a mop and with the ice – cream freezer full of water he managed to successfully damp out the flames. That furnace is too dangerous for my liking.

Living Alone at the House
15th… Last night was the first night that I’ve slept alone in the house. I found it very nice and much, much more relaxing. I got up at 8.15 a.m. and lit the fire for the second time since I went to bed. The first time was at about 4.00 a.m. I don’t know why I bothered to light it then. Maybe I thought it would stay in until I had to get up. My own cooked breakfast was the nicest I’ve had since my last trip to Mary’s Harbour. I had orange juice, egg and beans, toast and marmalade and coffee. It went down very well. I did the washing – up before I went over to School. I’m really finding out what it’s like to live by myself. I expect the novelty will wear off. It’s great to feel so independent. As I write this (8.05 p.m.) I expect to spend another night alone here because the family isn’t yet back. Scott took my advice of taking a few days over the trip. It wouldn’t be much of a trip if he only spent one night up there.

The Mail Plane has arrived!
School went O.K. today in the knowledge that I can collect my mail tomorrow (40 bags arrived). Wednesday is the holiday for the Postmaster (Eldrid Penney).He will have sorted it today ready for collection tomorrow. I haven’t heard from home since before Easter. I wonder what Mum thought of Jennifer Jane (my sister’s daughter)? The mail plane was leaving this place just as I got out to light the fire at 8.15 a.m. It’s very easy to light because I use some of the white gas in the “Javex” bottle.

Trying to Improve My Nutrition
For dinner I had a mixture of beef stew and vegetable soup with only three pineapple cubes for afters. I ate too many last night! I came home at 4.20 p.m. to get supper, calling in at Edgar’s on the way to buy a tin of spaghetti, a tin of pineapple and a can of soft drink. My supper was a repeat of dinner with a full dish of pineapple this time! I’m also finding out what it’s like to “live out of cans.” It’s very convenient to just open a tin of something and heat it up. Before I washed up the supper dishes I had a quiet read on my bed, sawed then clove up three sticks. I used a “buck saw” which I found quite a strain for the first stick. The old – timers must have put up with a great many hardships in their life out here. A great many hardships are still put up with out here today. The Labrador has been called by V.S.O. the most pioneering area served by volunteers. The weather has been slightly overcast for most of the day clearing away to give a crisp, clear, frosty evening. The snow on the road has just about the same consistency as school semolina. It looks like semolina as well.

The Sty on My Eye!
The only thing that really bothers me is this blasted sty on my lower left eyelid. I think I’ll ask the Nurse about it if she comes in tomorrow. I expect to see them in because the weather is good at the moment. That’s not much to go by though because the weather can change incredibly fast. It’s going to be very cold tonight.

Politicians Take Over My Classroom!
Just before the start of afternoon School today my classroom had been taken over by the notables in this settlement. It was a meeting called by a smooth – talking man to get delegates to go to the Progressive Conservative (P.C.) Convention in St. John’s on May 3rd. The P. C. s is one of the two main political parties in this Province. The other one being the Liberals. Claude’s name was put forward by Bart to go as a delegate from here. It’s an expenses – paid holiday for the delegates. They get an allowance of $10 as well as having a place at a hotel in St. John’s. It all appears to be a very smoothly run political operation to get people in to cast their vote for one of the seven people trying to become the leader of the P. C. s. The May 3rd Convention is to choose a new leader for the party.

Thursday 16th…
Scott and Family are Back
The family came back at about ten o’clock last night. I was just having a lunch when they all came in. I greeted them all warmly. Scott now has a new “Power-lite” power saw ($135 marked on it) that he brought from Mary’s Harbour. Ivan is going to Churchill Falls today on the Power Commission plane. His wages will be a minimum of $2.60 per hour. It’s now 11.15 p.m. and bedtime. I’ve just had a lunch at Pete’s where I’ve been all evening after dropping off a map to Vic Russell at Uncle Bob’s.

Family Rivalries in PHS
School went O.K. with a discipline problem assembly at 10.30 a.m. the Butts (R. C. s) think they are being discriminated against but it’s the parents who are at fault. Family rivalries are shown up in School which is very sad.

The Northern Lights…
I received all my mail today from the two planes, one having called today as well. I’m off to bed on this clear, frosty night on which I’ve seen The Northern Lights again. They were white streaks of light across the Northern sky that was nowhere near as spectacular as I’d expected.

17th…I’ve just returned from morning School and dinner will be ready shortly. It’s a beautiful sunny day today with a hazy, white clear sky. I feel happy to think there is no School tomorrow. I certainly seem to get a lot of holidays out here. Not that I’m complaining I hasten to add.

Dealing with Trivialities
My life out here has now fallen back into the same sort of routine groove that I had before Easter. I don’t mind that. It’s just all too easy for me to get annoyed with trivialities. Well, I don’t suppose trivialities out here would be regarded as trivialities elsewhere.

Scott’s Crashed His Komatik
The Nurse, Mrs. Butt and Dan Campbell all went out at eight o’clock last night. I expect they had good going. Scott has been in to get a load of wood this morning but he had to leave the load in there because the skidoo and log – laden komatik were going too fast he said. The skidoo crashed into a “big old tree”. When you’re not sensible things can easily become dangerous on the skidoos. It’s now five to seven and Scott has just left to fetch his crashed komatik. I’m off into the woods with him tomorrow to fetch some logs for lumber. I’ll have to be on – guard against his recklessness. I’ve just had supper after some extra – curricular work over in my classroom.

Some Very Basic Carpentry for the School
The children in my class don’t know their own height. So come four o’clock today I decided to stay behind and put up a Height Measure near the School’s Porch door, next to the map of the Battle Harbour District. I managed to get Redge to give me a sawn plank of lumber and with the loan of his plane and two saws (a Rip and a Cross-cut) the plank looked quite respectable. I went into the broom cupboard and with six three inch nails proceeded to attach the plank to the wall. I had to pull off a piece of moulding at the bottom of the wall by using the snow spade so that the foot of the plank would be exactly on floor level. I “doctored” the piece of moulding and replaced it on each side of the plank. Then, using my three foot classroom ruler,(which is a handy thing to have close at hand), I marked off the plank in feet and inches. Its highest point is 6’ 10” and I can’t help but say that the whole job looks rather professional with “FEET” and “INCHES” printed at the top capping the whole job off quite nicely. I just decided to do the job and before I knew where I was, after one and three quarter hours I’d done it! I’m very happy when I’m doing any job with wood! So much for my mammoth undertaking. The Pharaohs had nothing on me! I’ll tell you something dear reader: putting up that measuring board gave me a great feeling of self – satisfaction because it was something I didn’t have to do. Mr. Bighead. Just like last night when I took Vic Russell’s map (which was a present from me) over to him and Aunt Edith asked me to read this very poorly punctuated, poorly written letter to them. I accomplished that feat with honours needless to say. The person who wrote the letter didn’t have the foggiest idea about where to put full stops or “periods” as they are called out here. An ambiguous word folks, for an Englishman.

Redge Russell, Boat Builder
I was just glancing at the Tony Williamson article that I put in the diary and he said that,
“Many…(Labradorians)…are excellent carpenters and boat builders.”
Just before I came over from the School this evening I was chatting with Redge for a few minutes about his speedboat. I could hardly believe my ears when he told me that he took four or five days to build it. He started it when he returned from Mary’s Harbour over Easter. It’s a superbly built boat that he’ll be using this summer “on the outside”. He asked me how much he would get for a boat like that and I said about $500 – $600 which is a conservative estimate on my part based on the knowledge of glass - fibre speedboats. Redge said that he’d sell it for about $150 which showed me that he had no idea whatsoever of its value. I’d feel very, very proud if I could say that I’d built a boat like Redge’s. I suppose he doesn’t think that way because boat – building is so common in these parts. With very few tools and no written plans I should add. These men just don’t need the plans because they build their boats “by eye”.

Cleaving as Good Exercise
Saturday 16th…
After my egg and toast breakfast this morning I went outside and started cleaving. I also clove up a massive pile after dinner for a couple of hours. Scott sawed it up with his $135 saw (price confirmed!) and I did the chopping. I broke one old axe handle but “that was no odds”. After I’d finished cleaving this afternoon I got on with my newspaper reading which I enjoy a great deal.
By supper time I’d decided that I’d done enough reading and went down to Pete’s. He asked me if I was going down the restaurant and I said, “In a short while.” I went up to Jim Penney’s where the house was filled with kids, about a year apart in age I should say, up to nine years old. They are only a young couple and she must have been damned young when she had her first. They are very nice people. Jim’s a great tormentor. I returned to Pete’s to go on to the Ray Hiscock run restaurant only to be told that he would be coming down “the once”. He was busy sitting on Austin’s bed letting the boy play with his hair as I could see through the open door. He acts with Austin just as if they are of comparable ages. What I saw, not for
the first time, nauseated me. I went on down to the restaurant on my own.

Bruce Hiscock’s Leg is on the Mend
I had three games of pool with Bruce Hiscock whose broken leg is on the way to a complete recovery. He won one game to my two. It costs a quarter (25c) for each game. I also bought some soft drink and then returned home where I haven’t felt like going out again. It’s now 10.15 p.m. which is quite late enough to go to bed. I’ve had a good bit of exercise today. I make sure I fit in enough manual work to keep me feeling happy.

The Importance of Reading
I’m off to bed now to read “Anna Karenina” by my “neon light”. (It’s been like any day back home today with the temperature around the lower 40s degrees F. I should say.) Pleasantly mild which enabled me to sit out on the bridge and read for a while this afternoon. Reading keeps me sane out here I think. Nope, that’s an exaggeration. Or is it?

More Reading, Clive’s in from Rexon’s Cove and Lonesome People
Sunday 19th…I’ve just had breakfast of puffs, toast and coffee and the whole day is ahead of me. What am I going to do? Read, read and yet more reading interspersed with a period of wood cleaving. Pete Ackerman slept here overnight on a mattress put out for him in one corner of the cum – everything – room. He’s a nice fellah, about the same age as myself I believe. There’s a stiff breeze blowing at the moment with the sky overcast in the higher altitudes. Alto – cumulus being the order of the day. It’s now 12.30 a.m. and I’m almost in bed. I’ve just returned from Stephen’s where I went with Clive who’s in from The Cove. He’s got Searle’s skidoo and it was great fun going up to Stephen’s and back in the dark because his lights aren’t working. He’s going out tomorrow and he said Rexon’s Cove is moving back to William’s Harbour on Tuesday.
After supper this evening I trooped down to Pete’s with some “”Pete and Dud” (Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, British comedians) scripts to show him. On arrival I was greeted with the news that Clive was up at Uncle Bob’s. Also Mrs. Ward wants to see the map I drew. That’s the map in this ‘ere book. Also Pete wanted to take a photograph of it the other night with his new $104 Reflex camera. I left Mrs. Ward’s having seen Pete and Austin boxing on Austin’s bed and went to Uncle Bob’s where I met Lonesome Clive from Rexon’s Cove. I had a bite to eat there and after a while we went up to see Stephen who is another lonesome because Sandra has gone to St. Anthony’s to have her baby. It’s expected on the 29th of this month. Best of luck Missus! I’ve only been reading today and I haven’t got any more news. So it’s bedtime for our Ern. Oh yes, that stiff breeze is even stiffer tonight.

Scott’s off Birding on the Outside
20th…I’ve just had a very salty salmon diner and Scott’s off birding for ducks at George’s Cove this afternoon. That fellah “takes the biscuit”. He’s off to have a great bit of sport when he could find plenty to do at home if he had a mind to. He’s going outside with Royd and Graham Kippenhuck. I expect he’ll manage to get some ducks. They are Eider ducks which are very tasty although I don’t fancy eating the head and claws like Rita did on Saturday when we had a feed of duck.

My Flaming Furnace
My furnace was burning O.K. this morning when I went over to open School. (Claude left me his keys on Friday.) When Claude arrived he saw that the ground was burning outside the furnace and below the School. He put it out but I left the furnace turned down low for fear of fire. The kids were also complaining about the cold. Claude showed himself up by bawling across the classroom that it wasn’t any wonder my room was cold with the furnace turned down. I told him that I thought it was unsafe to turn it up but that’s what he did. It’s leaking oil and it’s blasted dangerous. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to wake up one morning to find that the School had burned down. It’s the Principal’s responsibility not mine. At least I’ve made him aware of my views on the matter. Also there are absolutely no fire precautions taken, for example, no fire extinguishers available.

Showing Off and Applying to Extend My Stay in Newfoundland
It’s now 4.25 p.m. and I’m writing this in Mrs. Ward’s after bringing my diary over to show Mrs. Ward my sketch map of this place. She was very impressed by it. School went O.K. this afternoon. Just the same old routine stuff. Nothing special. I’m off back up to the house now because I’ve got to write that letter applying for an extension to my stay in Canada. I’m due to leave Canada on June 20th which is too early if I’m to see Newfoundland Island. It’s now 8.45 p.m. and I returned from Pete’s to find Mrs. Hiscock and daughter here. Kimberley was just being put off to bed – late as per usual. Neither Rita nor Scott has any idea what time a two year old should go to bed. Betty and Jean, the taciturn twins, were also in. I went down to Pete’s after my seal and seal flipper supper which was very nice. There I had three enjoyable games of “120” with Jim, Pete and Harry. Pete opted out to let “big buddy” Austin play which marred the game I thought. I had a lunch down there and I’m all ready to get off to bed. I certainly sleep well out here and I feel very healthy if slightly overweight. Clive went out after dinner today. I’ve got my mail ready and I’m sending off for an extension to my stay until August 20th. I think everything will work out O.K.

Nothing Much Happens
Tuesday 21st…It’s now 5.50 p.m. and yet another day has been “clocked in” without anything of significance having happened. After School this afternoon I collected my mail, including my passport letter, and took it down to the Post Office. Dora asked me to come in and have some pineapple ice cream which I thoroughly enjoyed. (Dora is Sam Penney’s wife and they live next door to Eldrid’s.) After chatting there for a while I returned to Pete’s and then on back here after been given a cup of soup by Mrs. Ward and being asked many times to stay for supper. I wonder what’s for supper here? At dinner today with Rita and Betty they didn’t say a blasted word to me. Not that I care that much but it really makes me feel at home when they won’t come out with something to say to me at anytime. Oh I forgot to mention that I got up this morning to light the fire.

22nd…It’s now 8.35 a.m. and I’ve just made a successfully accomplished “dash to the woods.” Boy ! What a drag! Last night after supper I had a read and then went to Pete’s where I had one game of “120” with Harry, Henry and Pete. They “bait.” Pete and I then went down to the restaurant for a game of pool and then back up to Pete’s Pad.

Examination Tips
From there I went down to Aunt Maude Burden’s where I gave John some examination tips because he’s studying for his Grade 10 over at the Pentecostal School. I’ve given him some advice before I might add. My “A” Level passes are equivalent to one or two years university out here and so even the magical Grade 11 is within my capabilities except in those subjects I’ve never studied.

Off My Cat Food
Breakfast is laid. Rita won’t say a word. So I’d better go out and try to eat it. I had slight cramping pains this morning – OUCH! It’s now 5.00 p.m. and this afternoon has seen three planes – “Bell Telephone”, “R. C. M. P.” and a mail plane. The latter with no mail Rita said. I expect it brought somebody into this place. I had a dinner today of, one glass of diluted Carnation milk and “Nesquick” and two sulphaguanadine tablets. The thought of food revolted me and the thought still doesn’t have much appeal as I write this. I expect we’ll have seal, part of which the cat ate after hopping up on to the sideboard. Oh well, it’s been cooked well but I still don’t feel like eating anything much.

“The Happening” at Charlottetown
Quite a few people have gone off to Charlottetown because of “The Happening” – a wedding. Claude only had four of his class present. He doesn’t seem to mind that they’ve just buzzed off, breaking the School Attendance Act. Compared with his counterpart, Stephen, Claude is not at all conscientious. How can a Principal, who lives with his girlfriend, be setting a good example for the children he teaches? He also drinks anything he can get his hands on which shows he’s not very sensible.

23rd…I’ll just fill in from after supper yesterday. It wasn’t seal it but hamburgers that I had for supper. I had one hamburger with potato and one and a half bowls of jelly for afters. After supper I took a pile of newspapers down to Aunt Maude’s where only John and Muriel were at home. From there I went up to Pete’s and after one game of “120” I just sat around for a while. Hedley, Wallace, Clyde, Clifford and Will Butt came in and after Clyde and Will had smoked their adult cigarettes they went on. They hadn’t come from Church although that’s where most people were last night. I returned home (at about 10.00 p.m. ) last night I nearly forgot to mention that I finished “Anna Karenina” which left me with a good bit to think about. I went to bed with a lunch of a chocolate flavoured drink of Carnation milk. Today I’ve been on mini – rations ; breakfast of half a bowl full of puffs, quarter piece of toast and coffee; diner of macaroni cheese; supper of mashed potato.

Stomach Cramps
I’ve been having stomach cramps all day with frequent visits “to see Mrs. Jones.” The sulphaguanadine tablets have helped my bowels fight the latest attack of this PHS bug. I’m certainly suffering.

One Measly Letter!
School went O.K. today, apart from the regular excursions! Two visitors came to see Claude after Recess. They were Mr. Lethbridge and his 6’10” Mr. Chalk. They gave Claude quite a bit of encouragement for his proposed sawmill. The mail plane came today with 35 bags of mail. One measly letter and two newspapers for me. Pete had three letters about his badges. He’s bought with Austin, a power - saw for Charlie which is a good point in his favour. I wonder if he’s going to accept Mrs. Ward’s offer of free board from now on.

Scott’s back with Ducks and White coats
It’s been beautifully clear and sunny today with a good bit of melting. All the ice will be gone in another month or so opening this place to water borne transport again. Scott came back before dinner with two ducks and two white coats. He took them from inside the carcass of their mother which Bill Butt had killed.

Must be a “Hard Rig” Moving Back Out
Graham Russell, father of the family that Clive lives with was moving out to William’s Harbour today. Partly by skidoo and partly by speedboat. It must have been a “hard rig” moving out like that.

Stephen’s Wonderful Stereoscope
24th last night from supper until 11.00 p.m. I was up at Stephen’s. The only other visitor was Eric Rumbolt with a loaf of bread brought from Rube’s. Stephen showed me his stereoscope and Stereograms which I used. By looking through the stereoscope at overlapping air photographs, had a superb three dimensional picture of what I was looking at. It was just the same as being in the aeroplane that took the pictures. No wonder I thought that the spy satellites can tell their country about a foreign power’s missile bases so easily.

Getting in the Firewood Early
It’s another beautifully clear sunny day and as I got out of bed at about eight o’clock this morning Scott came up to the house with his second load of wood. He’s just gone off again. A lot of people are getting their wood home this morning because all of the snow and ice isn’t going to be around much longer. The snow and ice makes wood – hauling a lot easier. The people here try to bring home enough firewood for the Summer and for The Fall. Come next winter they start again to haul firewood. This morning Scott has to haul his wood early before the sun melts the top few inches of snow and ice. Last night I was amazed to see how quickly everything froze as soon as the sun went down. Out here the warmth of the sun is certainly felt on a clear day like today.

Keeping Up My Spirits
I wish I felt in good spirits on this fine day but I don’t. My stomach is still causing me quite a bit of pain. Every now and then cramping me up slightly. Although I think I’m better today than I was yesterday. I’ve just got to eat little and keep on the tablets. I wouldn’t even like to eat anything much so I can’t be quite right. It’s a sure gauge with me, when I’m off my food I’m not 100% health - wise. The idea of greasy seal flipper for supper yesterday sickened me and all I’ve had since that meal was a warm lemon drink, apiece of fruit cake at Stephen’s and half a piece of toast and an egg with a coffee for breakfast this morning.

The Saga of My Sty
I was pleased to see that the sty on my eyelid is going at last. It’s still quite big but definitely smaller. It’s just taking a long time to go that’s all. I’ve written a lot before today even starts for me. (It started three hours ago for most people here.) Nine o’clock is mid – morning! I just find that I like to write in “me diary”. It’s become a habit with me since I came out. Well, it’s certainly going to be a very full chronicle about my year on voluntary service.

Mr. Frank Roberts, Our School Inspector Pays Us a Visit
It’s now 1.25 p.m. and it’s been a full morning. Mr. Frank Roberts, our School Inspector, came in after Recess. About time that he was in here as well! Also the Mission plane has come and gone this morning. Mr. Roberts is going to chat with the children this afternoon after he and Claude decided that it would probably do more harm than good to call a Parent’s Meeting at this late stage in the School year. Mr. Roberts had a good look over our School and amongst other problems that of my furnace was passed on to him.
It’s now 4.15 p.m. and yet another week is at a close. We started five minutes early with a submissive style lecture by Mr. Roberts to the kids. He went off on a plane as if he was only too glad to get away from this place. He wasn’t here for any length of time although I expect he will get something done for our School.

Important News about the Coming Year’s Fishing
Tony Williamson is in from Rexon’s Cove with important news about the coming year’s fishing. There’s a meeting over at our School at 7.30 p.m. when Tony will be telling the fishermen here about the Government controlled fish prices that will be coming into force this summer. The Government will be fixing the price for the fish and the merchants will be acting as their agents in buying it. Claude will be over at the meeting and after it he may go on to the head of Lewis’s Bay to look at the site for his sawmill. I can go along with him if I want to. I might. I haven’t’ decided yet. I think I will just for a “change of air”. I expect it will freeze tonight and in that case we’ll go out. I’ll be on the komatik.
It’s now 11.35 p.m. and I’m not going out. After my meager supper of duck, potato, bread pudding, gravy and apricots – baby portions only – I took a few papers down to Mrs. Ward’s and also asked Pete if he was coming to the meeting. He didn’t want to go and asked me to stay and have a game of “120”. I went down to the School with Harry and George. When I arrived, Tony had set up his videotape equipment that included a television set! It was nice to see a telly