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Crowsnest Pass
Herald
Vol. 94 No. 47
December 11, 2024 $1.25
Serving our communities since 1930
Christmas in the Park
Nicholas L.M. Allen photos
Families and friends embraced the holiday spirit during Christmas in Coleman at Flumerfelt Park on December 8, enjoying festivities from 5 to 7 p.m.
8 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Chasing Clouds and Light The Photography of Thomas and Lena Gushul JOHN KINNEAR Crowsnest Pass Reporter I had the privilege recently to view the rough draft of a very special book that will be launched in January. It is a collaborative effort between the Crowsnest Museum and Vic Bergman and is destined to become the definitive work on the Gushul photographic legacy. And legacy it is. Much of the early history of the Crowsnest Pass was captured by these two amazing Ukrainian immigrants, who opened their first studio in East Coleman (Bushtown) in 1918 and a second in Blairmore in 1922. Right up until the early 1960’s they, along with their talented son Evan, continued to capture moments in time that provide an invaluable record of our blended communities. The concept for this book started taking shape as far back as 2015 when Bergman experimented with what he calls repeat photography. That is to say photographs of the same subject taken at the same location at different times. In his case he chose one of six men posing by a coal screener at the Mohawk Tipple that had been taken by Thomas Gushul in 1945. Vic decided to recreate the platform in the tipple that Gushul worked from in order to be able to match the photo positioning with a modern shot. He then blended both past and present photos into a lovely repeat. This journey more or less drew him deeper into the world of the Gushuls and the concept of a book on their remarkable story formed in his mind. It led him to write a sample chapter and approach the museum, who gave him the go ahead in 2017. Thus began seven years of researching their story and locating, scanning and cleaning up and restoring many of the 60,000 prints and negatives that make up their invaluable collection. Glass plates with scratches and a lot of what photographers refer to as “noise” was photographically repaired or removed. Vic chose to start the book’s photography story in the Pass with profiles of a myriad of early itinerant photographers that preceded the Gushuls and then weave his way through Thomas and Lena’s story of immigration and seizing opportunity. It was a daunting task, one that required designing chapters on different cultural captures and then filtering through the photos to pick the most iconic ones. This process went from 2500 to 1200 to eventually the final 275 that he felt spoke to each chapters exploration. Whether it was weddings, musicians, special events, iconic scenery or disasters, the Gushul camera masterfully captured, in high quality, their essence. If not for Thomas Gushul recognizing the huge significance of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster we would not have those oh so important images of Canada’s worst mining disaster as it unfolded. The stories in the book of how they applied their high standards to imagery are quite remarkable. Whether it was Evan sitting in a field with his paints making sure the colorized version of a scenery shot was accurate or Thomas driving to the same spot week after week to get that perfect blend of light and clouds, there was no compromise. As a mining historian I found that Thomas’s spectacular capture of the Greenhill entry to be an important shot, one that demonstrated the technique of light painting.
The Crowsnest Museum is located in downtown Coleman - 7701 18 Ave, Coleman, AB T0K 0M0 Open Monday to Saturday 10 am - 5 pm CLOSED Sundays
By all reports Lena was also an excellent photographer and as it turns out took the very last shot ever in their Blairmore studio, it being one of the Del Rays Band. Alas not one photo of hers has her signature on it but Vic has done his best to acknowledge how important she was to the family business. This compilation, that has taken thousands of hours to bring together, is definitely a labour of love. The museum is now taking preorders for this 9 by 12 beautifully bound, with dust jacket, must have book. All proceeds from the book go to the museum only. Author’s Note: I was given the honor of contributing the preface to Vic’s book and historian and author Ian McKenzie wrote the prologue. Last Monday, December 9th, was the one year anniversary of the loss of an amazing woman who was principle in editing Vic’s 245 pages of text for the book. She applied her meticulous talent and command of the English language to Vic’s work, making sure it was the best it could be. I know that Isabel Russell is looking down now and proud to have been a part of such an important work. The museum has posted a 4-minute video on YouTube on the book and Vic himself has a great write up on the book on his own website- vicbergman.com. This book would make a wonderful gift to friends or family, be they here or abroad.
Top photo: Greenhill entry using light painting Bottom photo: Gushul book front cover.
Photos courtesy Crowsnest Museum
Wednesday, December 11, 2023 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - 9
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10 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Christmas around the world It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas all over the world. Christmas celebrations include various time-honoured traditions that celebrants hold near and dear to their hearts. Depending on where someone lives, their Christmas traditions may look quite different from those in other parts of the globe. It can enjoyable to learn how Christmas is celebrated elsewhere and perhaps even incorporate a few new traditions into your celebrations. Take a peek at these customs near and far. · Seafood and beachside celebrations: Australia is located in the southern hemisphere, which means Aussies are enjoying the peak of their summer come December 25. A white Christmas is unlikely, unless the “white” refers to white, sandy beaches. Santa is probably swapping his thick coat for a pair of board shorts, and heavy, roast-laden meals are unlikely to make it on to the menu. Instead, Australians dine on seafood feasts and spend Christmas outdoors camping or at the beach. · Krampus parade: Some Christmas elves are not
Campaign so jolly. Just ask residents of the Austrian, German and Hungarian Alps. Each year in this region, a true “Bad Santa” is the talk of town. Villagers believed that Krampus, a half-man, half-goat creature with a legion of ill-tempered elves, roamed the mountains wreaking havoc. Krampus was said to abduct miscreants and set unruly youth or even intoxicated adults straight. Today, Krampus is more the “bad cop” to Santa’s “good cop” persona. Krampus is celebrated as an anti-hero at parades and other events. · Las Posadas: According to scripture, Joseph and Mary had to make an arduous journey from their hometown to Bethlehem for census purposes while Mary was pregnant. When the couple arrived, they found lodgings were non-existent, and Mary ended up giving birth to Jesus in a manger surrounded by animals. In celebration of that journey, people in Mexico and Guatemala celebrate Las Posadas, a procession representing Mary and Joseph’s journey and their struggle to find lodging. · La Befana: In Italian folklore, La Befana is a witch-like old woman who, like Santa, delivers gifts to children throughout Italy. Instead of this gift-giving taking place on Christmas, La Befana hands out gifts on the Epiphany Eve in a similar way to how the Three Magi brought presents to Baby Jesus. Le Befana also is believed to fly through the night sky to sweep away all the troubles of the old year and clear the way for a
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fresh start. · Move over reindeer: Although reindeer often garner fanfare this time of year, the Yule goat is a Christmas symbol and tradition in Scandinavia and northern Europe. Each year in towns throughout Sweden and other areas, large statues of Yule goats are built on the first day of Advent and stand throughout the holiday season. This tradition dates back to ancient Pagan festivals, and some believe the goat is connected to the Norse god Thor, who rode in the sky in a chariot pulled by two goats. Holiday traditions differ considerably in various regions of the world. Celebrants may want to consider incorporating foreign traditions into their own Christmas celebrations this year.
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Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - 11
How to shop on a budget The holiday season is filled with activities and steeped in tradition. The magic does not end when Thanksgiving, Christmas or Chanukah have come and gone. While people mark off the days until they can count down the hours on New Year’s Eve, another event between Christmas Day and December 31 merits attention as well. Boxing Day is celebrated in Great Britain, Canada and British Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand. The holiday originated in the United Kingdom but other European nations have since embraced it. Boxing Day coincides with the Christian holiday Saint Stephen’s Day, which is considered the second day of Christmas. St. Stephen was a deacon the Apostles ordained to take care of widows and the indigent. Boxing Day dates back to 1871, according to Love to Know, and came about as a custom for tradesmen and women to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas in exchange for good service throughout the year. Many workers, particularly household servants, had to work on Christmas Day, so Boxing Day provided an oppor-
Campaign tunity for them to visit with their own families. The workers took home boxes filled with foods and other gifts. In the U.K., Boxing Day is a government-mandated holiday. If it falls on a weekend, then the holiday will be observed on the following Monday. Schools and many organizations are closed on this day. Stores tend to be open, as Boxing Day sales are very popular. As with most events, Boxing Day features some notable customs. · Workers, especially those in service positions, are honored. It’s customary to give a financial gift to people who provide services throughout the year. This includes mail carriers, sanitation workers, hair stylists, and others. · Contribute to the less fortunate. People often donate food to local food banks and support charities. · Watch or attend sporting events. Boxing Day also is marked by sporting events like horse racing and football, with the U.K. often hosting a full day of Premier League games.
Head to the stores. Boxing Day is similar to Black Friday in the United States. Boxing Day is filled with slashed prices and bargains for shoppers who are eager to spend holiday gift cards. · Meet up with friends and families. On Boxing Day, friends frequently get together to socialize and go out for dinner or drinks. Boxing Day is celebrated the day after Christmas and provides a chance to continue the merriment of the holiday season.
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· Take a chilly swim. Some individuals enjoy participating in Polar Plunges to raise money for charities. One annual event features people jumping into the English Channel, and similar plunges are held elsewhere.
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12 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Decorative items to add to your Christmas home
It’s easy to recognize the holiday season has arrived. Holiday-centric sights and sounds abound this time of year. In fact, the arrival of decorations in stores seemingly comes earlier and earlier each year, perhaps to accommodate people’s undying enthusiasm for the holiday season. Decorating a home or business for the holidays involves some familiar items, but this is a time of year when people can truly make the holidays their own. With that in mind, here are some considerations for decorations and other trinkets that can add a lot of cheer to this already festive time of year. · Wreaths: Wreaths are one of the simplest ways to dress up windows, doors or other areas of a home. These decorative items can be made from various materials. Evergreen boughs are one of the more traditional, but there’s also colorful garlands, flowers or even ribbon that can be wrapped to make a wreath. · Lights: Lights are integral parts of both Christian and Jewish holiday celebrations. Lights adorn homes to represent Christ being the Light of the World. In Judaism, the lighting of eight candles for Chanukah represents how a small amount of Temple oil miraculously burned for eight days and nights. Filling a home with artificial lights or candles adds a festive touch to dark winter evenings. · Advent calendar: While it is called an advent calendar and traditionally ties into the time preceding Christmas, anyone can utilize an advent “countdown” calendar as they anticipate the arrival of Christmas Day. There are different iterations of advent calendars, from chocolate calendars to decorative ones featuring doors behind which there are whimsical figurines. Kids may even want to get involved in making homemade calendars. · Poinsettias: Poinsettias come in a variety of colors, but red is the hue of choice for
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Campaign holiday decorating. Perhaps surprisingly. poinsettias are tropical plants. The “flowers” you see on the plants aren’t flowers at all. They’re modified leaves called bracts. If you take good care of poinsettias, they even can be planted outdoors for the summer. · Boughs and branches: One of the easiest ways to add a festive touch to a home for the holidays is with items that likely can be scavenged from outdoors. Take a hike and gather some evergreen boughs, tree branches, pine cones, and holly sprigs, which can be turned into garlands, wreaths or centerpieces. With a little white speckle paint, you can give them a snow-covered look. Decorating for the holidays is a popular tradition and one that can make spaces even more festive to enjoy. Various items can enhance the ambiance and set the scene for the joyous weeks to come.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - 13
Livingstone Range School Division update FRANK MCTIGHE Contributor
SCHOOL DIVISION DEFICIT LOWER THAN BUDGETED Livingstone Range School Division finished its fiscal year with a smaller deficit than anticipated. A review of the audited financial statements last week revealed a $188,224 deficit as of Aug. 31, which is $266,274 lower than budgeted. Livingstone Range director of finance Jordan Gunderson presented a summary of the audited financial statements to trustees during their Nov. 26 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod. The school board’s audit committee, which includes chair Lori Hodges, trustee Carla Gimber and public member Martha Ratcliff and Gunderson, met with KPMG, the school division’s auditor. The audited financial statements were reviewed and a report prepared for the Nov. 26 board meeting. Gunderson began with a summary of the school division’s financial position. “Our statement of financial position gives us a snapshot of what the division looked like as of Aug. 31, 2024,” Gunderson said. The school division had net assets totalling $9.4-million on Aug. 31, compared to $9.59-million in 2023. Gunderson told trustees that difference of $188,224 is less than the budgeted amount of $454,498. “It’s in line with the deficit we had planned,” Gunderson said. Livingstone Range has $5,488,330 of its net assets tied up in capital. It has operating reserves totalling $1,710,432 and capital reserves of $2,203,883. Gunderson moved on to the statement of operations, which showed the school division budgeted for revenue totalling $55.8-million but received $57.2-million, a difference of $1,323,411. Expenses were budgeted to be $56,353,806 but were actually $57,410,943, a difference of $1,057,137. That left Livingstone Range with a deficit of $188,224, which is less than the budgeted deficit of $454,498 by $266,274. Livingstone Range spent $42,512,778 on instructions, $8,789,812 on maintenance and $3,478,207 on transportation. Trustees approved the audited financial statements.
SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES AND RECORD CHECKS Criminal record checks may be required for Livingstone Range School Board candidates. Trustees gave first reading last week to a by-law that would require candidates to provide a criminal record check. “I think it would be prudent for us to pass first reading and allow feedback from the public,” trustee Brad Toone said. Toone made the motion for first reading during the school board’s Nov. 26 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act changed local election rules and processes to require criminal record checks for local candidates. Anyone who wants to comment on the by-law can do so by e-mailing engage@ lrsd.ab.ca by Dec. 13. The by-law must be finalized before the end of the year, so trustees will consider second and third readings during their Dec. 17 meeting. Toone said since the school board represents children, it is important to require criminal record checks from candidates. “I really feel strongly this should be in place for our upcoming election,” Toone said. School board vice-chair Lacey Poytress asked for information about obtaining criminal record checks for the next meeting. Trustee Clara Yagos noted it is sometimes difficult to get people to run for school board. Yagos was concerned a criminal record check would be another barrier in getting candidates. Poytress agreed with Yagos that trustees don‘t work directly with children in their work on school board, and that the timing of getting a criminal record check done might be a barrier. “While I understand trustee Toone’s sentiment, I am not sure there are any benefits to this,” Poytress said. Trustee Kathy Charchun said someone who has a criminal record for a youthful or long-past in-discretion may not want that information to be public, and will not seek election as a result. Trustee Carla Gimber said there are many unanswered questions on how the information that a candidate has a criminal record will be disclosed. Gimber noted that if school division employees need criminal record checks, trustees should too. People have months to apply for a criminal record check in advance of a school board election.
“I think at this point in time I would be more inclined to say yes and vote in favour,” Gimber said. Deputy superintendent Richard Feller noted teachers are required to provide a new criminal record check every five years, and to let administration know if there is a change. In other election readiness business, associate superintendent of business services Jeff Perry presented a by-law to allow for additional locations to accept nomination papers. Perry said if additional nomination locations are not established, candidates will have to travel to central office in Fort Macleod. In a large geographical jurisdiction such as Livingstone Range, that can create hardship for potential candidates. “What we’ve done in the past is chosen one school in each of the communities,” Perry said. School administrative assistants are deputized by the returning officer so they can receive nominations. Trustees gave all three readings to the by-law.
TRUSTEES FINALIZE PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE POLICY Trustees last week finalized a new policy governing the use of personal devices and social media in schools. Trustees gave second and third reading to Policy 24 during their Nov. 26 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod. Policy 24 acknowledges there is a place for technology in schools and classrooms when used properly. “The board recognizes that limiting personal mobile devices in schools helps to maximize learning and supports educational outcomes for children, supports student mental health, reduces opportunities for cyberbullying and helps mitigate negative impacts of excessive exposure to social media among children and youth,” the policy states. “Digital citizenship is key to helping students learn to use available technology responsibly to enable them to reach their full potential as learners.” Trustees gave first reading to the policy on Aug. 22 and then circulated it to school councils and administrators for feedback. The new procedure has been implemented in Livingstone Range schools. “It’s working out well so I think we need to get this policy in place right away,” school board vice-chair Lacey Poytress said. Trustee Brad Toone favoured adopting the policy without any changes. “I’m looking forward to having a full year to get the information and the data to look at this again,” Toone said. Toone said it is important to keep the policy consistent since the procedures are in place at schools. “We know that implementing anything across the division is going to be a challenge,” Toone said. “I look forward to having more discussions about this in the future.” Trustee Kathy Charchun agreed with Toone that discussions she has had with people centre around the different rules for junior and senior high students. “In the end they say they like it, and to carry on,” Charchun said. “It’s just been a short period of time. The feedback is positive, let’s just carry on.” The policy gives school staff the “right and authority to temporarily confiscate, restrict and/or prohibit personal mobile device usage while individuals are on school property and/or in attendance at school sponsored activities.” Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 are not be in possession of a personal mobile device during the school day. Students are to store personal mobile devices in a locker where available or according to the school plan. The exceptions are when a diagnosed health or medical reason where a physician has confirmed the need for personal mobile device use in the school. Another exception is when an individualized educational support as approved by the administration or school learning support team in consultation with the legal guardian and where appropriate, the student. Students in Grade 9-12 are not to have a personal mobile device during class time. They are to store the device in their lockers. The same exceptions for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students are in place for Grade 9-12. Grade 9-12 students can also use their personal mobile device for a specific educational task or purpose when given permission by the teacher. The policy states that teachers are to serve as good role models for students when it comes to using a personal mobile device.
BUSING CHANGES CHALLENGING FOR DIVISION Picking up more students on bus routes made for a bumpy ride to start the new school year. But Livingstone Range School Division continues to safely bus 1,787 students daily to and from school. Transportation director Rick Visser and administrative assistant Michelle Hedley made a presentation to the school board during its Nov. 26 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod. Visser told trustees Livingstone Range implemented the government’s new distance qualifica-tions. “They actually come into effect next year but we went ahead because we had planned for them this year,” Visser said of the province delaying implementation for a year.
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