Monthly Archives: June 2015

BACK IN 1958, WE HAD A DIFFERENT STYLE OF HIGH SCHOOL GRAD

22 Monday Jun 2015

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My Granddaughter’s, Abby, graduation this year (2015) from J. Lloyd Crowe High School in Trail, B.C., stimulated this fond memory of her Grandfather’s grad from Pelly High School (1958). This was further reminded by the recent tragic fire that destroyed the two storey brick Pelly Museum which was the former high school for those graduates.

The pomp and ceremony for some 168 Grade 12 Class members in the Cominco Gym, the $500 plus beautiful gowns and even a chauffeur-driven Limo for some, was in sharp contrast to the drab Pelly Memorial Hall for 13 of equally starry-eyed potential “Movers and Shakers” who could only afford ill-fitting suits and the female class members showing off their best dress, purchased at Nadane’s in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, at a sale.

There was no parade, in Pelly, and my parents came in their best Sunday dress on a buckboard pulled by their faithful horses (my family was the only one who could not afford a car).

Lloyd Davidson (deceased) was a favorite candidate for Valedictorian, which was customary for a student with the top class marks. He allowed his A average to drop at Easter when he realized that he would need to make a speech at Grad. He was not even going to attend the Grad dinner because Tony Pryslak and him did not have a date and they heard that it was customary to have one.

Yes we took a group picture of Grads and parents as well as individual pictures of grad / escorts and grad / parents which we thought was a waste of time but now are treasures when they can be found.

I recall standing to recite a poem that I had written to myself “Give Me a Guiding Light” and then shared with my Principal Mr. Parks. He suggested that I read it as part of my remarks as Salutatorian (second class marks) custom.

“……..GIVE ME A GUIDING LIGHT
Who will give me a guiding light?
Who will show me the way?
Who will teach me to have sight?
So I do not go astray

I have come to the crossroads of time
One path I must take
I call on sense sublime
Mistakes, I must not make

Great men come and go
Their mistakes are easy to see
But it is not mine to know
The mistakes that may come from me

Give me power to go alone
To use my knowledge for gain
To make all intelligent thoughts come known
And let my plainest sense not wane

Give me men who are like me
So together we may go forth
Some day the guiding lights to be
To shine like the Star of the North

EW Verigin May ?, 1958, recited at the Grade 12 Graduation as a Salutatorian Speech (uncut)……”

My parents sat across from me at the banquet table. I noted that my Dad had tears in his eyes as it was unbelievable to him that one of his blood had achieved high school graduation. His educational journey was walking through a school for one day when he was obligated to plow the field before school convened in the morning and again in the evening. This became onerous for him and he opted to the “more important” function of family survival and stayed ungraduated.

Veregin High School had only a few grads and so my cousin Nora Trofemenkoff (now deceased) wrote me a letter asking if she could come to be my escort and enjoy a ceremony that she was unable to in Veregin. She arrived that afternoon on the STC bus, all decked out in her best dress. We made a “striking” couple and me in the white sports coat that I was able to purchase with my summer earnings from working, building houses, with my two brothers in British Columbia.

My friend Nick Strukoff was an undergrad and was able to get to use his Dad’s car so that we could drive around after the ceremonies. For whatever reason, I decided to buy two packages of wieners so we could roast them somewhere that evening to “celebrate”.

So later that evening the “special” party included my other friend Fred Konkin and his sister Sonia. We arrived at the Assiniboine River near the former site of Fort Pelly and built a campfire by the water’s edge. I need to note here that this group of friends did not imbibe in alcohol so it was soft drinks, roasted wieners and buns.

I managed to eat far too many wieners (I liked them very much). The story would likely result in grads drinking too much alcohol and “throwing up”. Well I did “throw up” but it was the wieners, which my body was not familiar with, for the same result.

Not that exciting in 1958 but still a story!

June 21, 2015 in my Office at 145 – 4200 Grandview Drive, Castlegar, B.C. 0820 hours

Do Not Erect a Construction Sign on the Grand Forks R.C.M.P. Building

04 Thursday Jun 2015

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There are many construction stories that did occur in my thirty years as a Building Contractor but this one still makes me smile.

Verigin Construction (1983) Ltd., was low tender on the Grand Forks R.C.M.P building in the early 1990s. As is the usual procedure with Public Works Canada (PWC), a project orientation meeting is called prior to construction on site. The meeting is usually called in the Federal Building in Vancouver, B.C., and since I had estimated it and also the company representative, I went to the meeting.

At the appointed meeting room on Alberni Street, I was met by the designated PWC Project Manager (PM) as well as a few other officials. The PM was friendly and in the time before the scheduled meeting time, we were able to establish that he was from Greenwood, B.C. just a short distance West of Grand Forks and I, of course, had lived in Castlegar prior to taking residence in Tswassassen. He also explained that his family had been relocated to Greenwood during the Second World War, as were many other ethnic Japanese-Canadians, forced to do at that time. Yes, he knew many Doukhobor families in the Grand Forks area, played ball with them and so we were looking forward to pleasant professional association on the construction project.

The meeting was called to order and the agenda presented. It included many questions to the Contractor which would determine his understanding of the intended project. As well it is customary to outline the regulatory requirements of PWC. I responded with a suggestion that I intended to ask questions of PWC as well and would that be acceptable?

“Oh yes” was the PM’s response and immediately started the meeting.

Most questions were already in the contract documents and required a simple “yes” answer. The process continued in a positive fashion, with the recording secretary making notes where required.

Suddenly, the door flung open and in swaggered this uniformed individual, all decorated with significant ornate pins and other hanging decals, that clearly identified a man of distinction. in “DR. Parkinson in Parkinson’s Law”, warns that a person, in authority and responsibility, usually can be rated by the minutes that they arrive after the scheduled event start time.

The PM, immediately interrupted the meeting by introducing the gentleman as the R.C.M.P. Commissioner for British Columbia and the Yukon. The man did not acknowledge anyone and seated himself as if he was just a bit late for dinner.

The next item on the agenda was to do with Project Signage and the PM went on to explain that no signage would be permitted on this project that could identify, the project, those contracting, nor any other phone numbers, names, etc.

I must inform the Reader that my General Manager had already set a policy whereby our company should not waste any money on signage for advertising as the only sure method to be a successful tenderer is to tender the low bid, plain and simple.

Despite our company philosophy on signage, I decided to ask “why not?”

Almost as if by rehearesment, the Commissioner rose to attention and proceeded to explain, “Grand Forks has many residents who belong to a religious sect named Doukhobors”, he explained. “These people are known for their terrorism acts and likely will be arrested from time to time for their actions.”

He went on with additional explanations, “having your name on a sign could result in these people taking action on you at a time when someone is incarcerated. This may cause construction information to be so elicited, to be used by them to free whosoever may be held in this facility” . With that closing remark, he seated himself.

The PM gave me an apologetic look and before he could say anything, I stood up and replied as follows:

“I am a Doukhobor and my company secured many competitive sub-trade and supplier tenders during the tendering period. I can assure the Commissioner that we took precautions in awarding as follows:

“The Excavating Contractor is a Doukhobor also, as is the Electrician, the Mechanical Contractor, Drywaller and Painter. The Superintendent is a Doukhobor and the three Tradesmen Carpenters on site are as well. The Masonry Contractor is from another town but we will keep an eye on him.”

I closed with “so you see sir, you might say we are in control of this project!”

The rustle of tunic brushing the table and chair was clearly audible as the embarrassed Commissioner hurriedly left the room.

The PM had a difficult time controlling his laughter and with a professional clearing of his throat, he went on with the next item on his agenda.

We never did have the honor of a visit by the Commissioner nor the R.C.M.P., throughout the construction period……………….

This chronicle was written by Elmer Verigin, from an actual event
June 04, 2015, EWV was inspired to make this first entry