This story was written by Paul Perreault, from Kelowna, B.C. Paul brings a lifetime of knowledge and interesting experiences to his lessons. He has improved his reading so that he can now read the many books he owns, but could not previously enjoy. He has also felt more capable in being able to put his memories into actual written form. Paul is retired after a life of working in mining. He now finds himself with the time to devote to his life-long dream of learning to read and write. Paul deeply desires to write about his life and read to extend his interests. He is active and his soap stone carving hobby provides him with much satisfaction.

I can write my name now. My dad said, “If you can write your name, that’s all you need to know on the farm. That’s more than the farmers know out here.” But that was in 1939. I was just a little boy at that time. I was eight years coming on nine. I left home and went to work. It was a sad day for me; February 20, 1939. At that time I knew all the farm work. All I got was $15.00 a month, but that was big money in those days. I was getting the same as the men who were working there.

I worked there for seven more years until 1946 and I got a job on the C.P.R. It paid 65 cents an hour. It was all bull work. I was 15 years old, but I said I was 16 and got the job in my home town called Sintaluta, Saskatchewan. There was not much to do there. The people were French, English, German, and Indian. On Saturday, there was all hell to pay because everyone would go wild. On Sunday, everyone would be in church like nothing happened.

On the weekend, we would play cars with the little boys sometimes. It was to have something to do and they loved it. Also, I think it was because we didn’t have time to play when we were young. We had three pool tables at the local Pool Hall and they went from 7a.m. to 12:30 at night. The only way my dad would come out of there was if the Pool Hall men would put the lights out. Sometimes the men would play with Dad until 3 a.m.

It was always nice to get home to the old log cabin and get some hot food into you... I remember the love for the family and Mum and Dad. There are times I would like to be a little boy again. The hard work played you right out. You didn’t have to do any exercise or go for walks. No one had to tell you to go to bed — you were ready.

[This story was taken with permission, from a collection of stories and poems written by learners at Project Literacy Kelowna, entitled Our Words III, p. 79.]

The battle for world literacy is too often a story of unsung heroes. That’s one reason the NALD newsletter will bring to you on a regular basis a list of those individuals, programs and organizations honoured with international, national and provincial recognition for outstanding work in the global literacy initiative.

National

Isabel Mackey Award
In 1998, Frontier College awarded eleven scholarships in two categories. The recipients were:
Organizers: Andrew McCann, Bishops University; Benjamin Berger, University of Alberta; Robert Kennedy, Memorial University, Peter Jun, University of Toronto; Nancy Houle, University of Sherbrooke; Kim Bradley, Carleton University
Tutors/Reading Buddies: Grace Yung, University of Toronto; Amanda Holland, Saint Thomas University; Jason Ashbaugh, McMaster University; Robin Vaughan, Memorial University; Karen Wong, University of Calgary

Honourable Joyce Fairbairn, P.C. Literacy Public Awareness Award 1998
Recipient: Honda Canada

Provincial

New Brunswick
Premier's Youth Initiative Awards - 1998 Recipients: Dimensions, an interactive theatre group; Garth Wade, a teacher from Fredericton