With the Fall Fair extravaganza, our weekly tea, and plenty of tours, the museum has been pretty busy as of late!
Our Tea at the Ranch House took place on the 17th. To those who decided to brave the heat wave were treated to stories, coffee, and various treats.
The Fall Fair took place from the 9th to the 11th. There were games set up and ran by the J. Charyk grad students, a bale contest and auction, lots of entries into the fair, and lots of other displays and vendors set up to see.
When people think of school in Hanna there is a certain name that comes to mind. This individual was prominent in education during his time as principal in Hanna, as well as when he started writing. If you have not already guessed whom we are talking about, it’s Mr. J.C. Charyk. John Constantine Charyk was born in Glenbow, AB in 1908. His first teaching post was in Bryant School, a one-room school north of Bindloss, Alberta. He taught in Delia and Chinook as well before moving to Hanna in 1954 and served as principal of Hanna’s High School until 1973 when he retired. He only had one career interruption in his teaching career, and that was during WWII where he served in RCAF. He was also a noted author. Some of his top books include Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails, and When the School Horse was King. Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails won an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History as well as the honour of being a Canadian best-seller. John Charyk passed away, after a long life of education on February 9, 1996, at the age of 86.
The museum is entering its last few weeks of being open, but that doesn’t mean all activities are coming to a halt. The next Tea at the Ranch House will be taking place on the 14th, and we are open every day of the week if you want to pop by for a look around! That sums up this article, until next time folks!
Ashlyn McCormick