The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Eleanor started off her story by saying, "I was born in Winnipeg and my parents were James and Ellen Cassels, and I also had three elder brothers, Jim, Don and Ron. Our family lived on a farm situated between Warren and Stonewall, Manitoba. I loved the outdoors, nature, music and reading and we developed strong family ties. "In 1940 our family moved into the town of Warren, when my father retired from farming and became the postmaster. I attended school in Warren for 11 years and then went to United College in Winnipeg to finish schooling. Ironically, the residence I stayed in was called Sparling Hall. "Since it was wartime, there was a shortage of teachers and I took a crash course at a six week summer school and went to Edrans, Manitoba with a permit to teach for one year. I received a salary of $800 for the year and had 22 pupils in a one room schoolhouse with grades 1-9. That was such a great learning experience for me. I learned more from the children than they learned from me! "The following year I returned to Winnipeg and enrolled in Normal School, graduating in June 1945. I accepted a position in Flin Flon and in late August along with two friends, Evelyn Burnett and Daphne Brynelson, boarded a train and headed north. See 'On' P.# Con't from P.# "We arrived in Flin Flon after two nights and one day on the train, tired, hungry, excited and a bit scared!" Eleanor went on to say that they were met at the station by Ivan Hamilton who was the superintendent of schools, who gave them a list of boarding places that were available in the town at that time. "We spent the afternoon going up and down the First Avenue and Callinan Sreet areas but having no luck in finding rooms. Coming from the Red River Valley, we felt as though we had landed on the moon and the air was blue with smelter smoke!" said Eleanor. "We met with Mr. Hamilton again that day about 4 p.m. ready to get back on the train." Luckily for the girls he had found one room where Eleanor and Daphne could board in the teacherage that was ran by Mr. and Mrs. Jim May at 26 Church Street. Evelyn was able to get a room right next door, boarding with Bill and Adele Windjack. Eleanor's first teaching job was in the annex at the old Hapnot School (where Ruth Betts School is now). The building later became Kinsmen School and was moved to Green Street. Eleanor taught grade 2 with 39 students in her class. Among them were: Mel Pearson, Bob Saul, Reno Persson, Leo Hanson and Larry Guymer. Eleanor's second year of teaching found her at the Labour Temple for about five months while Terrace School was being built. Terrace opened in February, 1947 and Ruth Betts was its principal. During those years there were many basketball teams (remember that television hadn't come in yet to take over people's lives). The teachers had a team called the Doodle Bugs, the business women had a team, as did the HBMS girls who had two teams. Altogether there were six women's teams. Murray Smith was one of the referees. Stewart McDermott, Jack Honeyman and Jim Goodman were just some of the coaches. In 1947, the Doodle Bugs won the championship! During that time Eleanor learned how to ski and she danced most Fridays at the Elks and Saturday nights at the Jubilee. The group of young people she was with often walked to Phantom Lake for a wiener roast. In 1946, Eleanor's life was about to change. She met Ted Sparling who was just out of the Air Force. Ted got a job at HBMS working in the warehouse, later transferring to the pay office. Ted and Eleanor would often go fishing and spend their time at the Sparling cabin at Beaver Lake. Eleanor, undecided about her future, left Flin Flon for a year in 1947 and taught in Winnipeg, but Ted wasn't far from her thoughts. The couple were married in 1948 in Winnipeg and they returned to Flin Flon that same year. The school Superintendent Ivan Hamilton approached Eleanor at Christmas asking her to take over the grade 2 and 3 class at Birchview School for a year-and-a-half. In 1950-51 Eleanor went to Main School (which was local where the addition to the General Hospital is today) to teach. By this time her friend Evelyn had married Eli Ross and Daphne had moved on, but Eleanor kept in touch with her. Eleanor stopped teaching for awhile when her daughter Janet was born in 1953, and then her son Jim was born in 1955 and another son Chris was born in 1958. Eleanor happily became a stay-at-home mom and a Brownie leader for about four years. However, she was very active socially. Ted was a member of the Kinsmen and Eleanor was in the Kinettes. There were about 40 members. They were very active especially in the fundraising side of things and their fundraising events were only as limited as a person's imagination! They held cabarets and one was called Bamboo Hai. It was held in 1961 and to quote Jean Young (who was a writer for The Daily Reminder in those days): "Colourful murals in Oriental themes, small and big papier-maché trout, butterflies, cherry trees in full bloom, gay sparkly mobiles, enhanced with softly glowing lights, transformed the steel and concrete of the Community Hall auditorium into a bower of beauty, with a pleasant, dreamlike atmosphere for the Bamboo H'ai dance". Every woman who entered the hall was presented with a miniature parasol topped with a Kabuki doll. The coolies escorted the guests to their tables. Noreen Watson made and painted the kimonos. The coolies were Jamie Wardle, Karen and Davlyn Dembinsky, Cheryl Watson, Ronel Ferg and Kathy Price. Jim Wardle ? attired in a black mandarin outfit ? was the master of ceremonies while Jean Price was the accompanist. Singing were the double trio of Eleanor Sparling, Dot Liss and Muriel Noton, along with Evelyn Ross, Jean Ferchette and Mary Olench. Wes Vickery's orchestra supplied the music for the dancing. The general convener was Jean Smithen while other members of the committee being: Beth Hiscox, Louise Ferg, Dodie Wardle, Jean Price, Mary Reid, Dolores Baird, Ross Lennox and John Mathews. See 'A' P.# Con't from P.# Then in 1962, "they" decided to get a little fancier and dreamed up Gai Paree and even sent an invitation to the French Consulate in Winnipeg, never dreaming he'd accept. Well, you guessed it! He accepted the invitation. Can you just imagine the excitement? Then they had to prepare a reception as well as everything else! But these Kinsmen/ Kinettes were up to the task. A reception for Msieu Damien Giordani, French Consul in Winnipeg, was held at Bud and Kay Simpson's home. The dinner and dance cabaret was again a hit. The description again I shall borrow from Jean Young: "The annual supper dance cabaret held at the Community Hall was the third in succession of gala affairs" (the first being a Spanish theme) sponsored by this Club. The stage setting of Maxim's Night Club had authentic décor, murals in French themes decked the hall and from the ceiling, monster balloons and mobiles effectively screened the steel beams and basketball hoops, forming a colourful ceiling. That is for anyone who could take their eyes off the gaily dancing assemblage? the presence of a distinguished guest Msieu Damien Giordani attested to the authenticity of the entire setting." The musical director was Jean Price with Lesia Sachkiw as choreographer and Mary Olench the liason. The cast included Ron Price, Earl Watson, Jim Goodman, Muriel Noton, Ernie Bucher, Harold Vance, Eli Ross, Jean Ferchette, Eleanor Sparling, Dorothy Liss, Evelyn Ross, Muriel Noton, Mary Olench, Lesia Sachkiw, Ruth Berthiaume, Alice Ferg, Topsy Ford, Betty Opheim, Josie Donaldson, Gladys Lennox, Bev Stevenson, Lois Johnson, Rena Brothers and Bev Dougall. Ushers were: Jamie Wardle, Karen Dembinsky, Cheryl Watson, Kathy Price, Davlyn Dembinsky and Ronel Ferg. Even their program and their dinner menu was in French. Many of the Kinettes that Eleanor fondly remembers include: Babe McCallum, Rose Maluta, Kay Mahoney, Noreen Watson, Zander Wright, Mary Black, Marian Davidson, Josie Donaldson, Rena Coulter, Ruth Berthiaume, Beth Hiscox, Alice Ferg, Jean Ferchette, Bev Steventon, Louise Ferg, Mary Olench, Greta Dembinsky and Jean Kies. Eleanor stated, "We formed such close friendships that when they come back to town it is just like your sister has come back! And for the many that have passed away, we still remember them." The Kinettes were involved in many other fundraising cabarets such as the Minstrel Show. They held a huge bazaar with much of the money that was raised going to the Pediatric Ward at the hospital. And they were a big help to the Kinsmen during their District Convention that was held in Flin Flon. See 'Summers' P.# Con't from P.# Other forms of entertainment included Halloween costume parties that they'd have at the Lobstick with friends, also the AD dances (absolutely different) which were formal dances held at the Jubilee Hall once a month with Wes Vickery's orchestra playing. Eleanor went back to teaching in 1970 teaching at Parkdale School for 19 years till her retirement in 1989. Eleanor smiles, "Our summers were always spent at Beaver Lake at the cabin with our family, boating, swimming and picnicking." (Even still, Eleanor spends about three months every summer out there, gardening and enjoying visits from her family and friends.) "The winters were busy with curling and time for friends along with a trip to Winnipeg at Christmas." However, now, since the children have grown up and the grandchildren are located in the West, Eleanor spends Christmases out there. Eleanor still keeps busy and still loves to sing. She recalls her Glee Club days in such productions as My Fair Lady, Music Man and Pirates of Penzance, and singing with John Vickers, Mary Burrows, Dorothy Liss, Cec Allen, Joyce Bongfeldt, Kit Cole, Edna Leper, Roy Coulter and many others. Today she still sings in her church choir at the United Church and has done so, since 1945. She also enjoys playing bridge. Eleanor's husband Ted passed away in 1997. Her daughter Janet (Wayne) lives in Medicine Hat. Her eldest son Jim lives in Vancouver with his son Tanner. Her youngest son Chris (Sue) and four children Jamie, Jeff, Katie and Ellen, live in Calgary. Eleanor has no plans of leaving here? and laughs, "But if my kids had their way!" Eleanor wanted to add, "We have been so fortunate in Flin Flon to have had such talented musical directors, such as Doris Bell, Jean Price, Lois Calendar and Jim Goodman. There was a lull in Flon Flon for awhile and now we are fortunate to have Mark and Crystal Kolt who are so willing to give of their time and talent for our community." What a delightful interview, so energized with such a positive person! Thanks for sharing Eleanor, I am sure many people will love the memories you have created!
