Chapter
12
Growth and Change
How did Alberta change after 1905?
I’ve just started drawing grain elevators. They are the tall
buildings that were once commonly used to store grain alongside
the railway tracks. My teacher put one of my pictures of a grain
elevator on the bulletin board. She said it relates to what we are
learning about homesteading in Alberta. Homesteading means
settling on and farming land.
We talked in class about how the farmers got their land. The
planners who developed the Homestead Act in 1872 must have
really loved mathematics! They took a map of the North-West
Territories, and on top of the map they drew big squares. Each
square was 6 miles by 6 miles (about 9.7 kilometres by
9.7 kilometres). The lands inside these squares were called
townships.
The planners then divided each township into smaller squares.
Now each township had 36 sections. Each section was 1 mile by 1 mile.
Each section was further divided into quarters. A quarter section
equals 160 acres (about 65 hectares). The planners felt a
homesteader would have enough land on a quarter section to
support a family with mixed farming.
6 miles
6 miles
= 1 township
= 1 section
= 1 quarter section
258
NEL
What I Want to Know…
Somebody asked, could anybody claim the land, just like that?
Our teacher explained. Back then, the head of a family or 21-yearold males could apply for land. They had to be Canadian, and they
had to do certain things listed in Canada’s Homestead Act. Our
teacher used a web to explain how the Act worked.
Homestead Act, 1872
pay $10
to ask for a
homestead
(quarter
section)
clear
part of the
land
What did
homesteaders
have to do?
build a
home and live
there at least
six months of
the year
grow crops
within three
years
How did
homesteaders meet
their needs?
What can artifacts
and buildings teach
us about the past?
What changes
affected the quality
of life in Alberta?
In what ways did
immigrants who
came to Alberta after
1905 contribute to
the province?
Why did urban
communities grow?
NEL
259
People and Places
Plamondon
Joseph Plamondon
(centre) posed with his
sons. Isidore is shown
seated on the far left.
Pause
1. Why do you think
Joseph Plamondon
believed Alberta
would be a good
place to maintain
the French
language, Catholic
religion, and
Francophone
culture?
260
People came from across Canada, the United States, and the
world to homestead in Alberta. Joseph Plamondon, a Francophone
from Québec, moved with his family as a young boy to Michigan,
in the United States. He later married Matilda, and they had
15 children.
Land was available in Alberta. Francophone missionaries
encouraged the families in Michigan to move north. Joseph told his
sons about the opportunity. He believed Alberta would be a place
where they could keep their language, religion, and culture.
His 19-year-old
son, Isidore,
moved north. For
a time, he worked
in the area
between Lacombe
and Morinville.
He wrote letters
to his family,
urging them to
join him.
Père, j’ai trouvé le plus beau
pays qui soit! J’ai beaucoup
voyagé et il n’y a rien de
comparable à cette magnifique
province! Qu’est-ce qu’un jeune
homme peut faire dans une
petite ferme à Provemont? En
Alberta, on peut avoir une
nouvelle ferme de 160 acres
pour 10 dollars!
This is an English translation
of Isidore’s letter:
Father, I found the most
beautiful country! I travelled
a great deal and there is
nothing that can compare
with this wonderful province!
What can a young man do on
a little farm in Provemont
[Michigan]? In Alberta, one
can obtain a new farm of
160 acres for 10 dollars!
In July 1908, Isidore’s family and some friends arrived in
Morinville. For weeks, they prepared to move further north, to
settle and set up a farm. They bought horses and cattle. Later in
July, they reached the area now called Plamondon.
The Métis in the area taught the homesteaders many needed skills
such as hunting, trapping, and fishing. They showed them how to
use the natural resources that surrounded them in their new home.
NEL
Francophone Identity
Ever since Francophones came to Alberta, they have been working
to keep their identity. As we’ve studied Alberta, I have found out what
a challenge this has been. It means many people have worked hard to
gain and keep language and education rights. For me, it means that I
have always been able to attend a Francophone school because this
has been possible in Edmonton since 1984. Francophone schools help
make students proud of their Francophone identity.
What might Francophones have said about their education and
language rights and their identity over time?
“Since 1860,
Roman Catholic
schools have
provided
instruction in
French. In 1875,
the laws in the
North-West
Territories allowed Francophones living there
to use French as a language of instruction. We
are glad our rights are respected.”
(Francophone living in the North-West Territories)
1891
1987
“I’m going into grade four next
year. I’m glad I can continue to
learn in my first language—French.
Francophones have been working to get
this right back for nearly 100 years.”
(Francophone student)
2006
“Since 1994, Francophones have
had the right to make decisions
about their schools. We have 27 now,
in 5 regions! Because of all the work
done in the past, my children attend
excellent Francophone schools.”
(Francophone parent)
NEL
“In 1892, the Assembly made
1905 English the required language in
schools. One hour of instruction in
French is allowed. My children are
finding it very hard to be taught in a
language they barely understand.
What about our rights? Alberta is
celebrating becoming a province this
year. I wish we Francophones could
also celebrate being able to learn in
our own language.”
(Francophone parent)
1969
“This year, the Official Languages Act
came into effect. It is meant to make
sure services in French and English are
provided by the government of Canada. As
a Francophone, I am proud to be a part of
an official language group of Canada.”
(Alberta Francophone)
Pause
1. How have
Francophones in
Alberta kept their
language and
identity?
261
Starting a Homestead
How did homesteaders meet their needs?
Homesteaders often used what they had brought with them and
what was available in the land around them. They lived in a variety of
homes, depending on when they came and where they settled.
Wagons and Tents
Some settlers lived
under their wagons
while they improved
their land. Others lived
in tents during the
summer. Their winter
homes were often
cellars or hillside caves
dug by hand.
Soddies
In some areas of
southern Alberta, there
were few trees.
Homesteaders cut prairie
sod and stacked it for
walls. Sod was also
placed on top of boards
on the rooftop.
Cabins
Where there were trees,
homes were made of
logs. Houses had few,
if any, windows. Roofs
were made of sod,
bundles of straw called
thatch, logs, or planks
with tree bark attached.
262
NEL
Pre-Fabricated Homes
People who had more
money could purchase
a pre-fabricated
home. The materials
would be sent in
crates, already cut and
ready to assemble.
Absalom Bury, in Olds,
came west with the
NWMP. His house,
which is still standing,
was ordered out of an
Eaton’s catalogue.
Medical Care
Homesteaders had to pay for medical treatment themselves. Often,
people could not afford to pay for the medical help they needed. Some
country areas had no doctors, or medical supplies were far away.
An Aviation Hero
In the winter of 1928, diphtheria broke out in Little Red River,
80 kilometres from Fort Vermilion. Diphtheria is a disease caused
by a bacteria. The bacteria attacks the throat and causes difficulty
in breathing. The people in Little Red River radioed for help.
There was a supply of vaccines in Edmonton that could be
flown north to save the people. However, the weather was
–40 degrees Celsius.
Despite the weather, Wop May took the challenge. He flew to
Fort Vermilion in the uncovered cockpit of a biplane. The plane
flew at about 160 kilometres per hour. Imagine the biting cold
he must have felt!
When Wop
May arrived, his
fingers were frozen
to the controls of
the plane. Wop
May became one
of Alberta’s great
aviation heroes.
NEL
Pause
1. What things do you
think homesteading
parents worried
about for their
children? What
hopes did they
have for them?
2. Building a shelter
was a priority for
homesteaders.
What other things
might have been
important to them
as they set up their
homesteads?
263
Food
Mints were used
to make teas.
Homesteaders had a variety of foods. Their diet was based on
what the land offered and what they could produce themselves.
They picked wild berries, such as saskatoons, blueberries, and
strawberries. They learned which mushrooms were good to eat
and which were poisonous.
Many Aboriginal people shared their knowledge about how to
use plants. Hogweed, for example, could be boiled like spinach.
Dandelion leaves were made into salads and their roots could be
made into a drink.
Vegetables
Many homesteaders brought seeds and had vegetable gardens.
Some vegetables, such as beans and peas, were dried for winter use.
Root vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, carrots, and beets, were
stored in root cellars. Cabbage was often salted and turned into
sauerkraut.
Sometimes, vegetables were heated and
then put into jars to prevent spoiling. This
was called canning. When families could
afford it, they bought cases of fruit to can
and sugar to make berries into jam.
Meat
Hunting provided meat until homesteaders had animals that
could be butchered. Wild birds, rabbits, and fish were common meals.
In the fall, deer, moose, and elk provided meat for families if the
men could find time to go hunting.
Meat and fish were preserved by drying, smoking, or salting.
Food was kept frozen when the weather allowed it.
Chickens were kept for
their eggs, and cows
were kept for their milk.
264
NEL
A Homesteading Family
In 1928, Manya Oksukevich (ok soo ko vich) came to Alberta from
Ukraine when she was nine years old. Her mother, Julianna, stepfather,
Clem, and her 17-year-old brother, John, also made the journey.
They arrived by boat in Halifax and then crossed Canada by
train. Manya wrote to her oldest brother, Peter, who was still in
Ukraine. He was saving money to bring his family to Canada.
Sangudo, Alberta
September 18, 1929
Sangudo, Alberta
July 18, 1928
Hello from our new farm!
Dear Peter,
Peter, we are so lucky! Now, we are
homesteaders, and we have more land than
you can imagine! There is so much space
here and so many trees. When clearing
land, farmers can leave some trees and still
have enough room for planting and
buildings.
I wish I was in school, but right now there is
too much work to do here. We’ve got a huge
garden. I’ve been helping to get the root
vegetables dug up. I’m also helping Mrs. Liss at
the neighbouring farm. We are getting food ready
for the threshing crews. The men need three big
meals a day with sandwiches and pie snacks.
That’s six meals!
Johnnie and Stepfather have gone to
work at a sawmill so we have money for a
good horse team. Today, Mother’s gone to
the next farm. If she picks tree roots for a
day, she will earn a chicken. She wants to
get 12 to make a little flock. We need
chickens to get eggs to sell. Must go.
Love,
Manya
Mrs. Liss says the crews always prefer the
farms with the best meals. She says a lot depends
on her cooking. Thankfully, it is Sunday and we
have a day of rest.
My English is getting better. Now, I get to
go to town more often to translate for the rest
of the family! That’s good. Mind you, now
I understand the threshing crews when they
tease me. That’s bad!
Love from your sister,
Manya
Pause
On many farms, the whole family pitched in.
NEL
1. How has life
changed for nineyear-olds since
1929?
265
Forming Towns
Towns were almost always built on transportation routes. Many
towns were built along rivers. After the 1880s, new towns were built
alongside the railway.
This photo shows
Wetaskiwin in 1898.
From Stores and Catalogues
Small country stores had a variety of goods for sale. Homesteaders
depended on the stores for basic products, such as cloth, tea, salt,
sugar, and flour. Saturday was the typical day for going to town to
buy products. If families could afford it, a small bag of candy for
about five cents might be bought as a treat for the children.
In a box in the garage, I found an old catalogue from a
company called the T. Eaton Company. It showed all kinds of neat
items from the past.
Dad explained that in the late 1800s and through much of the
1900s, people studied the pages of the Eaton’s catalogue. For many
people, especially those living out in the country, it was their wish
book. Many boys wished for the hockey equipment and bikes.
Many girls wished for the clothes. Girls would also cut out the
figures to make paper dolls.
Pause
1. Which item do you
think each member
of a homesteading
family from the early
1900s would select
from a present-day
catalogue? Explain
your answer.
266
NEL
People and Places
A Town Begins: Sangudo
In 1910, the Albers family floated on a raft down the Pembina
River from Entwistle to Sangudo. A railway had just been built to
the Sangudo area and it would be bringing homesteaders. On the
raft were goods for starting a store.
The Albers General Store had long counters on both sides. One
side had food items. Tins were stacked on the shelves. Bags held
sugar, flour, rice, coffee, and beans. Eggs and farm-made butter were
also sold. As there was nothing to keep things cold, milk and meat
were not available.
There were dry goods, too. These included bolts of cloth,
clothing, boots and shoes, and household items. Hardware was
also sold.
A central coal stove kept the store heated and coal oil lamps
provided light. At the back of the store was the post office.
The Albers General
Store was like the
general stores in many
other towns. This photo
shows the general store
in Beiseker, Alberta,
in 1912.
Businesses, such as a bank, a creamery, lumber yards, butcher
and barber shops, and a drugstore, were opened in the 1920s. Soon,
a hotel and a school were added. A doctor arrived and a newspaper
started. An important feature of the town was the grain elevator
alongside the railway.
NAMES IN ALBERTA
Go to
www.nelson.com/
albertasocialstudies and
click on the link to see
a photo of Sangudo.
Today, it looks much
the same, except the
elevator is gone. Read
the many versions of
how Sangudo got its
name.
This is a view of Sangudo in 1922.
NEL
267
Challenges and Changes
What changes affected the quality of life in Alberta?
A number of things changed Alberta farming. New types of
equipment made farmers’ work easier and more efficient.
Two new types of wheat, Red Fife and Marquis, were developed.
Both grew more quickly than other types. There was less danger of
having crops ruined if winter lasted too long or came early. Also,
the new wheats had fewer diseases.
Equipment changed, too. New plows had several blades instead of
one. This meant plowing could be done faster. Seed drills were also
created. These cut lines into the soil and dropped the seeds. Drills
also covered the seeds with dirt to protect them from wind and birds.
Harvesting had once been done by hand, and grain was separated
from the stalk by plenty of hard labour. By the 1890s, threshing
machines were invented that would do this work. In the 1900s,
thousands of men and boys came to Alberta to work on threshing
machine crews. Grain would be loaded onto wagons, and horses
would pull them to the nearest elevator.
New machines were
made to cut the wheat
and form tied bundles
called sheaves.
268
NEL
Drought
Farming has always been affected by nature. In the 1930s, hail
and grasshoppers wiped out thousands of kilometres of crops. There
was also a severe drought. The soil became so dry, it blew away in
black dust storms. Many farmers gave up and walked away from
their farms to find work in towns and cities.
Dust storms like this
one in Lethbridge
blew through many
communities in the
1930s.
Unemployment
I
LL
S CE N
4
E
NEL
1. Work as a class to
make a chart on
the board. Show
changes and
challenges
experienced by
people in the
early 1900s.
TR
When they could not
afford to put fuel in
their cars in the 1930s,
people came up with
creative solutions.
Pause
SK
During the 1930s, business was bad both in Canada and the
United States. The name used for this period is The Great
Depression. People across Canada experienced difficult times.
In 1928, the average amount of money earned per person was
548 dollars per year. This dropped to 212 dollars per year in 1933.
People needed jobs. People from the cities moved to the
countryside, and people from the country moved to the cities.
There were very few jobs anywhere.
Some unemployed, single men were sent in railway cars to work
camps in British Columbia. Others worked in Alberta on projects
created by the government. For instance, in 1933, workers in the
Cooking Lake area loaded clay that would be used to build a
provincial highway.
A relief program was also started in Alberta. A Calgary family of
five, for example, would be given 60 dollars to help them pay
expenses for the month.
O rg a niz e
id eas
269
People and Places
Memories of a Lacombe
Childhood
“
My name is Scott Reed. I was
born in 1923 in Lacombe. Although
times were hard in the 1930s, life
could also be grand—especially for
some children.
Lacombe had no swimming hole,
so we learned to swim in Jackfish
Lake or Gull Lake. We all did lots of
sports. Baseball was another summer
favourite. We didn’t have league
teams, but somehow the word
would get around and pretty soon
we would get a game going.
Sometimes, for fun, we’d have a paper chase. I was a swift
runner, so I’d often be the one to get started. I’d have a bag of
small pieces of torn paper. I’d get a head start and toss small
handfuls out of the bag as I ran. The kids following chased after,
following the paper trail. They would try to catch me, but I’d try
and trick them by doubling back.
In the summer, Lacombe had a town fair. There were horse races
and food booths. Children saved the nickels they had earned from
collecting gopher tails and crow or magpie eggs. I remember when
the first bottles of cola were sold there.
In the summer, the Chataqua (shah ta kwa) came through. This
was a group of people who travelled with a tent. Their acts included
magicians, singers, comedians, and jugglers. The Chataqua always
started with a town parade.
”
270
NEL
“
There would be prizes for things like the best decorated bike
or the child who could keep a yo-yo going the longest. I remember
once hearing a comedian say, “You think Lacombe is a small, onehorse town? Well, you haven’t cleaned the streets yet!”
In the winter, Lacombe had great senior hockey because we had
great players—our male teachers. I think the town purposely hired
teachers who were also skilled hockey players!
It seemed like the boys always had a hockey game going, outside
of school time. The equipment was pretty basic. Some kids had
skates; some didn’t. We all used Eaton’s catalogues for shin pads.
Of course, in those days, helmets weren’t commonly used yet.
”
Some Lacombe boys
joined a hockey team.
“
I once made a bobsled out of wood slats and iron runners.
There wasn’t a bobsled hill in Lacombe, but there was in Red Deer.
I competed a lot with a girl called Jean. My sled was faster, but she
could really steer!
”
Children in many of
Alberta’s communities
enjoyed sledding in the
winter.
Pause
“
We had lots of games that didn’t need any equipment,
except perhaps a ball. We played ante-I-over, kick-the-can, tug-ofwar, and run-sheep-run. It was a great childhood!
NEL
”
1. How was childhood
different for Scott
Reed and Manya
Oksukevich? Why
might that be?
271
World War II (1939–1945)
In 1939, Canada joined other countries in declaring war on
Germany for its attack on countries in Europe. In 1941, Canada
again joined with other countries in declaring war against Japan for
its attack on countries in the Pacific Ocean region. People from
communities all over Canada, including Alberta, worked and
fought for Canada between 1939 and 1945.
Japanese Canadians
When the war started, most Japanese Canadians lived along the
British Columbia coast. Japanese men worked at logging camps, at
sawmills, in mines, on the railway, and as fishermen. Often, wives
and children moved from Japan to join them. Many families set up
shops or farmed.
Due to the fear caused by the war, these people were moved to
special camps during the war. About 2500 Japanese Canadians were
sent to Lethbridge to work on sugar beet farms. The camp houses
were poorly made and the winters were cold.
The homes, businesses, and farms of the Japanese Canadians
were taken away and sold. They were only allowed to keep a small
amount of their money and what could be held in two suitcases.
At the end of the war, many Japanese Canadians stayed in the
Lethbridge area. In 1988, the Canadian government apologized for
the way Japanese Canadians were treated during the war.
Pause
1. Why is it important
that the Canadian
government
apologized to
Japanese Canadians?
272
In 1967,
Lethbridge
opened the
Nikka Yuko
Japanese
Garden. The
name means
Japanese and
Canadian
friendship.
NEL
People and Places
Manya Oksukevich:
During Wartime
You were introduced to Manya Oksukevich on page 265. Her
letters told of some of her experiences when she first arrived in
Canada as a young girl. On this page are memories of her life as
a young woman during the war, as told to her daughter.
“
The war made a huge change in my life. We didn’t hear
anything from the Ukraine during the whole period of the war.
My stepfather got tuberculosis in 1941. He died in a hospital in
Edmonton. We didn’t have the money to pay for his care. Like many
people, I went to work at the hospital as a nurse’s aide to pay off the
debt.
I joined the Canadian Woman’s Army Corps when the debt was
paid. I was sent to Calgary where I trained as a secretary. Friends of
mine did jobs like refueling the airplanes used for training pilots.
Alberta was the centre for the British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan. Pilots and men who worked on the planes came to Alberta
from around the world. Some of my friends married these men.
Johnnie, my brother, had stayed behind to farm as his war
effort. At the farm, life was difficult. Certain items, like sugar, and
gasoline, were in short supply. They were rationed, which meant
people were only allowed to buy a small amount.
After the war, many officers stayed in Alberta. Shortly after the
war, I married a man named Scott Reed.
I don’t think life for Albertans was ever the same. Women had
become used to working outside the home. Many returning
servicemen moved their families to the cities.
This is Manya
Oksukevich in
1942 wearing
her Canadian
Woman’s Army
Corps uniform.
”
Many Alberta men
married overseas.
Their wives and
children arrived in
Canada on ships
and trains.
NEL
273
Chinese Canadians
The story of Chinese Canadians in Alberta has taken place over
many years. It is a story of sadness and joy.
I think that when we tell stories about people, we sometimes
need to tell the parts of stories that hurt. We need to know about
sorrows to learn from them and make changes.
These people worked
in the kitchen at a
hospital in Calgary.
Pause
1. What could you do
if discrimination
was being shown
to another person
or group?
274
From 1858 to the 1870s, many Chinese people immigrated to
Canada to work. They came to work as labourers, cooks, and wagon
drivers. From 1881 to 1885, over 15 000 Chinese men came to work
on the railway as labourers. When the railway was finished, many
went to southern Alberta to look for new jobs. Some people worried
there would not be enough jobs for everyone.
The government decided to limit the number of new Chinese
immigrants. Starting in 1885, Chinese immigrants were charged a tax
for entering Canada. This was called a head tax. At first, the tax was
50 dollars. In 1903, it was raised to 500 dollars.
Most Chinese immigrants could not
afford to buy land to farm or ranch.
Instead, they took jobs as cleaners, cooks,
laundry workers, and vegetable growers.
All of these were poorly paid jobs.
Although some people appreciated
the contributions of their Chinese
Canadian neighbours to Alberta’s
communities, not everyone treated them
with respect. Prejudice means to dislike
or distrust a person or a group without
knowing enough about them.
Discrimination means treating people
differently because of the group or
groups they are members of. Chinese
Canadians faced discrimintion in Alberta.
For example, during The Great Depression, people received relief
payments of $2.50 per week. Unemployed Chinese Canadians were
given only $1.12 per week.
Some people put pressure on the government to be fairer, and
Chinese Canadians were given $2.12 per week on relief. In 1923,
Chinese immigration to Canada was almost completely banned.
During World War II, China became one of Canada’s allies. Each
country needed the other. Finally, in 1947, the Canadian government
stopped its immigration ban.
NEL
Growth of Cities
Why did urban communities grow?
By the war years, gas and oil had already been discovered in Turner
Valley. Oil companies began to develop in Calgary. Following the war,
in 1947, oil was discovered at Leduc. With this discovery, Alberta’s
economy—its wealth and resources—had a big boost. Over the next
10 years, almost 100 000 people would immigrate to Alberta.
More development followed in the Pembina River area and
the Athabasca Oil Sands, for example. Houses were needed in
communities near the oil and gas industries. Services, such as
schools, hospitals, and libraries, were needed, too. Alberta was
gaining wealth from its oil and gas. Alberta could afford to develop
these services. Alberta’s oil resources became known as “black gold.”
Immigration continued. In 1951, half the people in Alberta lived
in rural areas. By 1961, only one-third of the population was rural.
Urban areas, or cities, were growing. The appearance of cities was
changing quickly as apartments and office towers were built.
These photos show
Calgary in the early
1950s and today.
Pause
This is Edmonton in the
early 1950s and today.
NEL
1. Look at the photos
on this page. What
changes can you
see in Edmonton
and Calgary since
the 1950s?
275
People and Places
The Ukrainian Cultural
Heritage Village
What can artifacts and buildings teach us
about the past?
In rural areas, some old houses built by settlers were abandoned
when they moved. As the buildings collapsed, artifacts were being
destroyed or lost.
A group of Ukrainian Canadians decided to preserve the
buildings from the east-central area of Alberta. Land near Elk Island
National Park was obtained. The site was designed to show rural
and town life between 1892 and 1930.
Buildings, including churches, heritage homes, a hotel, a general
store, and a working grain elevator, were moved to the site. People
also donated artifacts that were put into the buildings.
The Village enables
visitors to share and
learn about Ukrainian
culture, customs, and
ways of life both in the
past and in presentday.
My family went to
the Ukrainian Cultural
Heritage Village. At one of
the homesteads, we were
met by a lady playing the
role of a young housewife.
We could smell her bread
baking in the outside
oven. She invited us into
her house.
I loved seeing the
different buildings. The
past really came alive
for me that day!
276
NEL
Preserving Our Heritage
A class at the Prince of Wales Elementary School in Calgary
started an inquiry. They wondered what kinds of objects can tell us
about Alberta’s history. Their list included historical buildings.
The class was interested in grain elevators. They learned that Alberta’s
old wooden grain elevators were not being used anymore. Many had
been torn down. The students wanted to find out more. Their research
was hands-on and fun. They invited speakers to their classroom.
Inquiry
Mr. Danylak, from the
High River Historical
Society, came and
talked about plans for
building an elevator
museum.
The class found out some reasons why old grain elevators are no
longer used. The old wooden elevators caught fire easily. Fires were
caused by machinery, trains, and nearby grass fires.
Also, there were sometimes dust explosions. This happened
when a small spark or flame caused grain dust floating in the air to
catch fire. Larger buildings made out of fireproof materials, such as
concrete, replaced the wooden elevators.
The students felt the elevators were an important part of
Alberta’s heritage. They wanted to find a way to keep the story of
the grain elevators alive for future generations.
Their inquiry ended in action. They decided to write to the
premier of Alberta. They shared their suggestions about keeping
the stories of grain elevators alive.
Pause
1. Tell how the
students did each
part of the inquiry
model.
2. As a class,
brainstorm new
ideas for keeping
the story of
Alberta’s grain
elevators alive.
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What I think
and know
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What Have We Learned?
We learned why people came to Alberta to set up homesteads
and about their experiences as they set up their farms. The growth
of urban and rural communities was one part of our study of
change and challenge in Alberta.
We thought about what important stories, artifacts, objects, and
buildings of the past can tell us. This led to an inquiry on page 277
started by an Alberta elementary school. We explored ways to keep
grain elevators as a part of our Alberta heritage.
Inquiring
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Fin d
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Ask
q u e sti o n s
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Share
w it h o t h e rs
1. How did your community begin, grow, and change? Work as a
class to research the history of your community. Interview
adults about their history and the history they know. Use local
museums and their web sites, historical sites, photos, and print
resources.
Work as a class to make a bulletin board display. Include
pictures and captions to explain the parts. Everyone should
contribute information about at least one person, place, or
event in your community’s past. Invite another class to view
your bulletin board. Take turns explaining the parts of the
display. Invite and answer questions.
Developing Your Thinking
2. Look through this textbook or other books with historical
photos of Alberta. Choose a photo that surprised you or
showed you something new. Answer these questions to see
what you can learn by studying the parts of the photo:
• Are there people in the picture? If so, who are they or who
do you think they are?
• What buildings or surroundings can you see?
• What action is taking place?
• Who might have taken the photo?
• Is there a caption or text that gives more information?
Show the photo to others and share your discoveries.
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Appreciating Our Alberta
3. Write or draw your answers to this question:
How did Alberta change after 1905?
In what ways did immigrants who came to Alberta
after 1905 contribute to the province?
Reflecting
4. The students at the Prince of Wales Elementary School took
action to keep the stories of the grain elevators alive in Alberta.
Think about ways you have taken action. What are some steps
that have helped you take action in effective ways?
The Alberta Project
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Now, it is your turn to do an inquiry. Find out about a building or
an artifact in your community. Use the inquiry model to research the
building or artifact. Take action to make sure that its story is told and
not forgotten.
LL
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The children at Prince of Wales Elementary School did an inquiry.
Their inquiry ended in action. They wrote to the premier of Alberta
and shared ideas for keeping the stories of grain elevators alive.
Ta k e
a c ti o n
279