THEY DON’T GRADUATE UKANIANS AND DOUKHOBORS THERE
September 1958 was perhaps the most significant time in my life to that time when I walked into the Coffee Shop in Pelly, Saskatchewan to buy a bus ticket to Saskatoon.
“Where are you going, today? “Questioned Charlie Filipowich, the Proprietor.
“Saskatoon,” I replied.
“What do you intend to do there”, his curiosity aroused.
“Well, I am going to register for Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan”, I nervously responded as I was not quite sure about my decision not having even been to that part of Saskatchewan before.
“You’re wasting your money,” Charlie quickly opinionated. “They don’t graduate Ukranians and Doukhobors there!”
I was not sure how to respond to that outburst from Charlie who I had patronized since 1947.
“I am going to find out why not”, I reacted without even thinking.
“Well you will find out I was right”, Charlie took my money and shoved the ticket to me in exchange.
After five years at the University and achieving a Degree in Engineering, I wanted to talk to Charlie and tell him the good news. I wanted to explain that they had even offered me a scholarship for a Masters Degree but unfortunately Charlie had died of a sudden heart attack a year before that.
I was going to tell him “Charlie that is not true. They do graduate Doukhobors there and there were at least three Ukranian Professors that taught me”
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Written January 02, 2011, 1300 hours