Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 2611
Friday, 16, 2018 Friday,March June 29, 2018
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Book waywater to preserve pass on From noarunning to asking Siri:and Juniper teacher Pat Pegus retiring after four decades teaching in the north memories of growing up in Churchill
pils, she still learned under her as a student teacher back Not many people can say in the mid-1990s. In this sense, Mayor that they became a school principal in their early considers Pegus to be an important mentor figure, twenties. However, this is just one not just for herself but for of many milestones recalled countless other rookie eduduring teacher Pat Pegus’s cators who were looking to retirement party June 22 at gain some valuable workplace experience. Juniper School. “I could always count Throughout the afternoon, many of the educator’s stu- on her as being a teacher dents and colleagues, both that would take on student past and present, dropped by teachers … from UCN or to celebrate her 45 years of Brandon or wherever they being a teacher in Northern came from,” said Mayor. “She was instrumental in Manitoba. Even though a large leading some of them, so chunk of that time was spent I’ve got big shoes to fill in at Juniper, Pegus began her terms of replacing her.” Outside of manning teaching career in Nelson House in 1973, when she her post in the classroom, Mayor said that Pegus has was only 20 years old. “I was in a one-room always excelled at spearclassroom the first year, heading extracurricular actually,” she said. “I had activities, like serving as a a bucket of water and milk judge in the school’s scipowder and a pile of bis- ence fair and organizing an cuits to give to the kids. And annual writers’ symposium there was a chemical toilet to showcase her students’ literary works. in the closet.” Additionally, Mayor said After several years of learning the ropes in this Pegus has gone to great environment, and eventu- lengths to make Juniper a ally becoming the principal calm and productive learnof Roland Lauze School, ing environment for all of Nickel Belt News photos by Kyle Darbyson Pegus said she started get- her students, working with Pat Pegus poses for a photo during her June 22 retirement party at Juniper School. ting “spring fever” and children who have emotiondecided to transfer to Juni- al and behavioural disorders per in 1979, where she re- for the last couple years. “I’ve learned a lot from mained until her final day her,” said Mayor. “She’s an on the job today. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham “Thompson was a good amazing lady, so hopefully Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. move,” she said. “It had she enjoys the next phase of life things in retirement.” everything to offer and I her BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say forout. Pegus she I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar made a lot of friends here.” to As EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET figure It’sherself, pretty clear Nickel Belt News I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it In fact, she’s Pegus haswritten been told Though now whenthe I get through.” that a lot has changed in the my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. such a consistent presence a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote had been viable she would becameina because they will be lost if they started throwing the at Juniper of her 45 ces growingthat up some in Churchill, heryears book,since titledshe Whispers “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchwith one offrom the bigformer students have even Addictions Foundation of teacher, the Wind: Stories the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. gest shifts being how techbecome colleagues in the Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I the Internet has as a storyteller herself. intervening years.said writ- nology Gisele deMeulles a coupleand of reasons. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the anofalternative is something the case she for emerged ingThis wasn’t “I just as sort thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though to strictly learning through Wapanohk Community always thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and School educator Loretta books. do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson “One I didn’t Boyes-MacMillan, who head, “In my youth I never it’sday going to beknow gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go how to spell a word and remembers Pegus’s “tough felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” sheI ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the asked the kids to bring me ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on but fair” teaching style back said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not godictionary from the shelf in the early 1980s she aing to Thompson to when get into to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an said to meI’ve ‘Why was in Grade the school of 7. social work, and and they it’s something al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so just ask didn’t like what don’t at “If thatshe point I had to write ways you wanted my Siri?’” mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” youuniversity were doing told do.However, for and she realized, My mom’sthe anone elderthing and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got remained a constant you,” Boyes-MacMil‘Holy, said I’m not bad at this, that’s she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, Pegus’s career lan, who also admitted that throughout right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try her she passion for tells the job, Pegus still managed to make is a lot of skill in university cause always her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. hasParks helped make learning combinaand camefun out in of there with which stories at Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in going to school a little bit stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. tion with this no-nonsense a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker forher, several generaapproach. writing and confidence in easier hounded ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personresidents. Pat Pegus’s “It retirement party was decorated with old photos four-plus-decade long al career in education, includcurrent Juniper myWhile writing. I write very tions put it of onnorthern tape, I will write it deMeulles. didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she from and her we’re going to displace growth and struggles. really couldn’t principal Lucy ingme thisuntil snapshot of her inaugural Pegus is wearing blue Maybe dress on bottom of clear and that’s it. It’sMayor there. for“Iyou because your think story on after. That was a says.year at Juniper School in 1979. you somewhere else anda all in the the next fiverow years any other she she’s said. very wasn’t one of Pegus’s this group picture. Some people say it’s kindpuof of is going to be life,” lost,’ and dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
blunt or direct. I don’t tend
never done it and I thought,
Being on a plane full of fuel
deMeulles finds it hard to
history is gone?’”
doing.”