Saskatchewan Lifestyles

History in the Medstead Community

By F. Grant

I grew up in this district with my parents, Jim and Jessie Grant, attending Hyde Park School until grade nine was attained in 1941. In 1942, I took grade ten with correspondence courses at Canyon School, (west of Park Bluff School) where my mother was teaching. My only sister also stayed with her, so my father was left alone to batch.
My grades eleven and twelve were taken at Battleford Collegiate Institute. Mr. J.C. Rebchook, Round Hill municipal secretary, played some part in convincing my father that grade twelve would be important for me. B.C.I., was chosen because it had a reputation as a good high school.
While at B.C.I., I was in the Air cadets but when I graduated in 1944, World War 2 was subsiding and R.C.A.F. was taking no more recruits. Army constription had also ceased so I came home to the farm to help my father, after attending the Air Cadet camp at Penhold, Alberta.
I worked for some time for Roland Marsh in the general store he had recently acquired from Harold Mason in Sandwith.
An agricultural six week course at the University convinced me to go for more. I enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan School of Agriculture during the winters of 47 and 48 and recieved the diploma. I enjoyed nearly every aspect of the two winters, including bowling and an evening wood working course at the Saskatoon Technical Collegiate, but not the mumps. The highlight of my School of Agricultural days was being the Voc-Ag who won the Agro Field day aggregate award in 1949. THe contest was a variety of competitions in judging or grading such things as chickens, cream, sheep, bacon, hogs, and Thatcher wheat.
My first aeroplane ride came as a result of a late bus from Saskatoon. My sister Lil was returning from Saskatoon Normal School on the same bus. We had missed the Friday night train to Sandwith. Facing the alternate prospect of Christmas in North Battleford, we came up with the idea of flying home. We hired a pilot named Grant Linblad. The smallski-equipped plane could carry only one passenger so we made two trips the next morning, landing near our yard and causing quite a stir.
I spent three months before Christmas 1949, working as a helper in the St.Walburg Pool elevator.
My school of Agriculture and 4-H experiences got me involved in judging a few 4-H beef club achievement days around the area.
In 1953, I decided to improve my lot by marrying a fine young lady, Olga (Holly) Drieschner, second daughter of Max and Clara Drieschner of Medstead, on August 11th.
My fathers small farm wasn't going to support him and Mother plus a new family, so Holly and I decided that I should apply for Teachers College, and we moved to Saskatoon in September. Holly found a job in a grocery store which greatly helped our meagre resources. The 1954-55 winter was also spent in Saskatoon as I took one year of university classes toward the B.Ed. not attained until 1968.
I taught first in Glenbush from 1955-57, in Hyde Park from 1957 to 1958, then in Medstead from 1968 to 1975.
Those twenty years of teaching were eventful and memorable. There were those of many groups of young people in the classes, with good times, and not so good, I suppose, for both them and their teacher. It was a privilege to work with so many fine young persons and to watch them developing into respected citizens.
I gave what help I could to my father on the farm and eventually bought the place from him. In 1963 Holly and I had a new house built on the farm for our family of three, and to make it easier for my father to live with us in summer. It was complete with modern conveniences and a big step up from our attic apartment in Saskatoon, or the shack we stayed in at Glenbush.
Our first addition to the family was Dale Frederick, who was born September 19, 1955, during my first month of teaching at Glenbush. Dale attended Hyde Park and Medstead schools, graduating in 1973. He has become involved in farming with me and in auto body repair, taking a course at Kelsey Institute in 77-78, and working in Saskatoon toward his journeyman ticket.
Carol Shirley arrived on November 5, 1957, and graduated from Medstead Central in 1975. She took three years of university in the College of Education before marrying Alvin Wiebe, son of George and Erna Wiebe of the Bournmouth district, on August 11, 1978. That day, being Holly and my twenty-fifth anniversary, was a big day for everyone. Carol and Alvin went to Loon Lake for the 78 79 school year, were Carol had accepted a grade six teaching position and where Alvin worked out. For the 79- 80 year they were at Mayfair where Carol had the grade five room. Alvin helped me for two years with farm work and hoped to get himself established farming some day.
Laurie Anne becam the third or our family of three, on June 13, 1961. She graduated from Medstead Central in 1979 and has since then worked at the North Battleford Co-op Home Center. She planned on continuing her education that fall.
A long awaited family trip to Britain and Europe was realized in 1974. Besides visiting relatives of mine in England and those of Holly in Germany, we toured in a rented camper-van from Scotland to Italy and enjoyed many wonderful sights and experiences and the hospitality of many people.
Since leaving teaching full-time I have done a little substitute work which keeps me in touch, but my efforts have become mostly directed at trying to make farming the pleasant and rewarding life I have always held that it should be. Holly has done a great deal to make our home yard attractive. We are hoping for many years of enjoyable living in the community we appreciate and respect.