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.