Remembering our roots – Margaret Schmidt

John Godsman

Times Contributor

 

Margaret Schmidt was born in Goderich, Ontario in 1922, and her husband John, was born in Ontario in 1923. Margaret moved to Vancouver Island to pursue a teaching career and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. and B.Ed.  

She travelled extensively following her graduation, teaching in B.C., the Yukon, Australia, England, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. As she says, this way she was able to visit many different parts of the world! In the 1950’s she met John at a farm party, and they were married in 1963, and had no children. John was the Agriculture Reporter for The Calgary Herald. They lived in Calgary for 20 years from the early 50’s to the early 70’s. Around this time, Margaret obtained a teaching job in Standard, and they purchased land in Chancellor, from United Grain Growers for $25, with the intention of placing a trailer on it, for weekend use.  But, the county refused permission for placing a trailer there, so they spent the next four years building the house that is still in use today. It started as a one room cabin, but is now a 1,200 square foot, two bedroom bungalow. They moved into the house in 1975, where Margaret continued her teaching tenure in Standard, and John travelled to the Calgary Herald offices in downtown as required. No mean feat in those days!

Sadly, John passed away in 2005, but Margaret has stayed on, in the Hamlet of Chancellor. She has a huge garden where she grows abundant flowers and vegetables. She advised me that this part of Wheatland County has a very short growing season, as there is always an early frost in August. 

When they moved to Chancellor, there was a CP Rail line used to haul grain from the five elevators but, about 18 months ago, the tracks were removed and the elevators were destroyed. Now farmers have to haul their grain by road, to Gleichen or Indus!