SUMMER JOBS

My son suggested that people would be interested in hearing about where and what the kids my age did for summer jobs until school started in the fall. . .ummm. That gives me an idea. I recall him working at the ticket counter at Greyhound one summer before University started. He was even invited back to the counter for Christmas holidays. Another summer he worked for a University researcher exploring astronomy.
That's right, I am supposed to cover those in my age group. Since the closest high school was 65 miles away and with no bus service, we were able to take grade nine by correspondence. The teacher of the lower grades gave us the provincial exams and mailed them to the Department of Education while we waited breathlessly until August to get our grades. What a reliefwhen I found out I received an A certificate. During the wait, home duties kept us busy, with gardening and and canning. One summer my older sister and I (with Mother's help) canned 400 quarts of peas as well as other vegetables. My three older brothers helped with farm duties which included shovelling grain in August to load up the large truck box for delivery ten miles into the Orion elevators. Local neighbors hired them to shovel grain as well.
For grade ten my sister and I rented a room that had a hot plate for cooking and we batched in Medicine Hat to attend high school. The next winter my sister left for Toronto to take some nurse training while I worked for my board and room in the city and did baby sitting for the couple's small daughter. They were nice people, he a pharmacist and she a homemaker. Both were Jewish so I was able to learn new things about their cooking and city living. I walked home from the high school for the noon hour and scrubbed the kitchen floor each day after lunch. Their little girl was pleasant to care for.
During the harvest season Mother sometimes sent one of her girls, usually me, to help a neighbor cook for the harvest crew. One place was about fifteen miles south and I rode there by horseback. Our truck was needed for hauling our own grain during the busy harvest season.. After helping with cooking and clean up for an extra dozen men the days were very busy. No one expected money for doing this but sometimes sent a gift. One lady gave me a large bucket of cream for us to churn into butter. When Mother poured it into the churn she found a drowned mouse in it. The mouse was properly disposed of. The cream was never made into butter but Mother had a recipe for a cake that called for cream instead of butter, and no one but her and I ever knew about it. Her cakes were always delicious. Later, working for Carnation Research I learned that pasteurization occurs at 131-158 degrees F.
Farm families were glad to have someone teach Daily Vacation Bible School during the summer months. There was no pay offered for this volunteer work. The children loved it, especially the crafts and the singing, and happily walked back to school for these two week stretches. Parents were glad to have them away from home to keep them out of mischief around the farm equipment during this busy season. It was open for all ages. One time in a nearby community 30 children showed up with only me in charge. I was about fifteen years old at the time. Among them was a tall boy of fourteen and I wondered how I could handle them all. It was a pleasant surprise how much he helped, in small ways to keep things running smoothly. With his wonderful attitude I have a feeling he did well throughout his life.