History is something that has interested me since the days when I got past the boring versions and tests that were given in my school days. Once I got past the demands to regurgitate dates and got to looking at the events, my interest was piqued. I have to credit this to my final history teacher, who had no use for tests that concentrated on when things happened, but preferred to concentrate on what happened.
I can still visualize him telling us that if we knew when it happened within an era rather than an exact date he wasn't overly concerned, but he really wanted to see if we understood why something happened and what effect it had on society and culture of the time and if it had an impact on who we are today. This was much more important. Since then, I have had a keen interest in world history and how the people lived and the machines they used, their art and political environment and how all of these progressed over time. Not only has my interest been in ancient culture but also of the short period Canada and our province has been around.
This is one reason I am often found talking with seniors at a coffee table or other gatherings and listening to the stories they have to tell about their past and the things they remember. Over the years, I have gleaned information that has led me to the discovery of sometimes obscure reading materials that were extremely interesting in shedding light on the past.
For a while, in the pages of this newspaper, there were articles published by a Saskatchewan historical author by the name of Paul Spasoff whose book, Back to the Past: Celebrating Saskatchewan's People and Places, is one of the best reads you could find. Along with this, there are a multitude of other such books from around the province that tell the stories of who we are and where we came from.
In Meota, at the local café, I have had the pleasure of listening to some of our community history as people sit around the coffee table and reminisce about people and happenings around the area. There, you not only find out about the wonderful and exceptional events but also about the colourful folks who have made an impact on local culture and those who have just been characters.
Just this week a little piece of trivia came to me in one of these sessions that has led me on a search to learn more about the paranoia of the cold war. I knew of the grand bunker that has become known as the Diefenbunker that was built by, of course, the right honourable John J. In case you don't know, this was built to protect the important folks of the government in the event of nuclear fall-out should the nuclear powers of the day go off the deep end and start firing missiles at one another. It consumed enormous amounts of taxpayers' funds at a time when the same government was selling our aerospace industry down the tubes and insuring the industry had no future Canada.
What I had not known was the extent of the number of smaller shelters that were built across the country by numerous communities in case of the same threats. One of our local historians not only told me about, but showed me, the bunker that was built in Meota. Yes, it is there and it still exists.
I have to thank Bob Colliar for taking me on this expedition into the past. If I had grown up here, a younger version of myself would no doubt have found this concrete structure and have spent many hours playing there oblivious to its original purpose, and I have no doubt that there are many young folks here in town who have done so and have no idea why it is there.
In researching these bunkers I have found that they were not uncommon across our great country. Most have long since been filled in or removed, so it was interesting to actually visit one that a person, who is more physically capable than I, can still go into.
This week around town the big news is that the Lions car sank sometime between 10 p.m. May 2 and 7 a.m. May 3. It seems that technology failed this year and the timer that was tied to it failed to work. To make the final decision on the winner they had to take all four tickets whose times fell into that time, put them in a hat and make a draw for the winner. This year the prize money of $425 went to Shayln Fedler. The Lions would like to thank everyone who bought tickets in this annual fundraiser. From the information I have, the ice also won this year and they will have to rebuild the car as it was slightly broken when they retrieved it.
April 30, at the shuffleboard tournament held at the Do Drop In, first place went to the team of Josephine Nedelec and Walter Ard, second was taken by Anna Tucker and Murray McCrimmon, Shirley Tebay and Linda Ard took third place and Georgina Humphrey and Ken Tucker followed in fourth spot. As usual, everyone had a great time and plans are in the works for another towards the end of May. We will keep you posted.
Quote: "History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives." Alba Elias.
