1

Country Trail
14 April 2003
Melfort district, Saskatchewan, Canada

2

Getting to and from school was an adventure at the best of times but there were occasions when the trip was a real struggle. Roads did exist, but they were often impassible due to flooding or snow cover. More times than not the trip to school involved the path of least resistance - cross country.

3

Rural Telephone Lines
14 April 2003
Melfort district, Saskatchewan, Canada

4

When the snow got deep or drifted high after a wind, there were few landmarks to help find your way. Telephone lines and granaries were guides for the rural traveller.

5

Snow Blocked Road
7 April 1948
Melfort district, Saskatchewan, Canada

6

"That winter we had a lot of snow and the roads were nearly impassable. I remember one afternoon as I was finishing up my correcting and getting lessons ready for the next day, I looked out and saw something coming down one of the ruts in the road. At first I thought it was a dog and then when I looked closer I realized it was a child. I ran out to meet it and saw that it was one of my grade one students. One of the neighbours had taken her home. They had dropped her off in the yard not realizing that her parents had not arrived home from town yet. I guess she was frightened to go into the empty house and her one thought was to go back to the school. She was very cold and after I had her warmed up I phoned her parents as they were home by then. It would have been a different story if there hadn't been someone at the school that day."

7

Measuring Snow
1956
Melfort district, Saskatchewan, Canada

8

Toboggan Ride to School
1957
Melfort View district

9

"Getting to and from school for eight years.... In winter we first used a toboggan (complete with side arm wooden brakes). We then graduated to a cutter (we covered ourselves with blankets and a cow hide to break the wind) and then near the end we went more luxurious moving up to a van and stove. I know we didn't get a van at first because dad was scared we might tip it some day and with fire in it, burn ourselves up. I also remember how we mixed ashes and coal oil together in a tobacco can to use to light the fire in the stove - it worked really well. I think through all the years we used one horse called Mini - a big Clydesdale who would pull us through anything. There really was no driving; she basically went on auto pilot."

10

Horse and Cutter
1948
Pathlow district, Saskatchewan

11

Van and Horses
1930
Beatty district, Saskatchewan

12

Winter Innovation
1947
Dover district, Saskatchewan

13

Where there's a will, there's a way!

14

Toboggan Travel
1940
Argus district, Saskatchewan