Education in the Cariboo: From 150 Mile School to Victoria High School

Life at 153 Mile House offered many opportunites, but higher education was not one of them. The Crosina children attended a one-room school at nearby 150 miles, but to continue their education they had to travel hundres of kilometers to Victoria for their high school Education.

Among the teachers that shaped the lives and education of the Crosina children was Harold A. Ede who we believe taught at the 150 Mile School before leaving Canada to serve overseas in the First World War. Throughout the war, Harold corresponded with the Crosina family through thoughtful letters where he encouraged William and Lil to continue with their education. He also reflected on the value of education in scientific agriculture and how it can benefit the farmers.

Through these letters we gain a glimps into education available to rural British Columbia families as well as the lasting friendships that connected the Cariboo with the battlefields of Europe.

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About Harold A. Ede 313879

Harold Ede was a teacher at the Victoria High School for a year and the working theory is he also taught at the Crosina children there or possibly at. His connection to the Crosina is through education. We also know that both his family and Clara Crosina’s family lived in Victoria. Harold only taught for a year before enlisting in 1915 at the age of 22 to fight in the First World War. He enlisted as a private with the 67th Battalion and by the time of his discharge he was a lance-corporal in the 10th Field Artillery Brigade in England.

The 67th Battalion – Canadian Expeditionary Force

Before they went overseas to fight in the First World War, the 67th Battalion (Western Scots) trained in Victoria during a routine march. Harold Ede was amongst them. I was lucky enough to find that the BC Archives has quite a collection of photographs of the 67th Battalion digitally available online. Get ready for a photograph-heavy post. In one photograph, I believe I spot Harold! Let me know if you think he looks like the photograph of Harold in the newspaper.

Is this Harold A. Ede?

In the above photograph, I see a man that could be Harold. What do you think? Does he look like Harold as a young teacher? Harold must be somewhere on that ship.

Harold’s Casualty Form

The form is a “Casualty Form” but as you can see from the newspaper article above, Harold Ede survives the war. His whole service record is available online.

Education in the Cariboo

The first school in 150 Mile House was built and funded for the 1880-1881 school year. Imagine running a school with a budget of less than $800 dollars a year. The teacher’s salary was $60 dollars a month which took up most of the budget. After a few years enrollment increased a bigger school was built. Known as a state of the art school it could house 40 students. This school house operated until 1958. By the need for a bigger school meant that a new four room school was built. Ten years after that it doubled in size.

The Crosina Children Leave for Victoria

Education was important to the Crosina family. It began with Clara Crosina being a teacher herself. When her and Louis moved to 153 Mile House and built their store and lodgings, it meant she didn’t have time to be a teacher anymore. Clara’s family lived in Victoria, British Columbia so knowing her children would receive an education and be with her family, helped make the hard decision to send her children away from home for schooling.

Victoria High School

There have been multiple iterations of Victoria High School by the time the Crosina children arrived in Victoria. The children would have attended the fourth Victoria High School. With Clara’s family living in Victoria, it would have made the decision to send her children away to school a little bit easier.

Francis Rattenbury

For additional reading and entertainment, I highly suggest you read about Francis Rattenbury who was a famous architect who designed the third Victoria High School, the Parliament buildings, and the Empress Hotels.

The Outrages Life and Death of Francis Rattenbury

This is what happens when research, you go down rabbit holes of interesting subjects!

Credit: Crosina and Patenaude Families

Harold A. Ede’s Letter to Lil Crosina

France  
Apr 22/18 

Dear Lillie;

Your letter of March 5^th arrived a few days ago! Was pleased to know you like the souvenir I sent. Yes the Victoria High School is indeed a fine building and I am sure you like both the building and the teachers and pupils there. Personally I shall never forget the dandy times I spent within its walls and I am sure that in years to come you will look back on the days you spent in the V.H.S. as some of the most pleasant days of your life.  Are you a member of the “Portia Club” and have you done any debating yet? 

Do they still publish the “Camosun”? To- nights mail brought me a very pretty valentine remembrance from you. I thank you very much for same. It is indeed a beautiful one and as beautiful things of that nature are very rare in theses parts I shall treasure it all the moor and try and keep it amongst the few keepsakes it is possible to carry around with me. 

We are in splendid quarters here. Everything is so clean and comfortable. I am writing this while sitting on my bed (an army issue) behind the gun all ready for action. There is quite a bombardment going on near here and the noise and near of the guns are continual and terrible to hear. The fighting in France is becoming more and more intense until soon fighting will be going on along the whole length of the line. 

Have not seen Mr. Whitaker of late but have heard he is O.K.. 

Will close wishing you and Dolly the best of success in your studies. 

Your sincere friend, 
31387 Harold A. Ede (over) 

Credit: Crosina and Patenaude Families

Harold Ede’s Letter to Alice “Lil” Crosina- July 22, 1918

Douglas Hotel, 
Stirling. 
Edinburgh 
Scotland, 

July 22/18 

Dear Alice: 

Am on fourteen days leave now and enjoying it immensely. Arrived in England last Saturday week and after visiting friends for a few days near London I took train for Scotland. My first stop was at the Trossachs of which you no doubt remember was mentioned in the Lady of the Lake. The scenery around there is grand indeed. Saw lochs Ackray, Venachar and Katrine. The latter is much the prettiest loch of the three. There is a steamer called Sir Walter Scott makes a trip from Trossachs to the other end of loch Katrine every afternoon. It is so quite a nice trip and one gets a good view of the hills from the steamer. 

I climbed to the top of Ben Ann and really the view from there was delightful. One could see all the three Locks, Achray waters, the Trossachs and the surrounding hills.  The hills look very pretty just now as the purple heather is in bloom. I picked some of the heather from the top of Ben Ann and am en-closing some with some picture cards to give you a better idea of the district. 

This morning I was at Stirling Castle and was shown all over the historical old place. It was most interesting to hear the guide tell us about all the places of interest. Saw the fields where the Battle of Bannockburn and the Battle of Stirling Bridge were fought. 

Reached here this evening and will be staying here some days looking around. When leave is over I will be taking out a commission in the artillery. Whittaker was well when I left but look for a letter from you folks. Please remember me to the rest. 

Good by for now 
Yours sincerely 

Harold A. Ede 

Credit: Crosina and Patenaude Families

Stay tuned next week for more letters from Harold to the 153 Mile Store. Subscribe to the news letter so you don’t miss a post.