Tag: school
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Grades One and Two
Read More: Grades One and TwoSoon I entered grade one. A female teacher — although sometimes other young teachers, who couldn’t find a teaching position because of the Great Depression, would hone their skills on us. I remember especially a jolly young man, Mr. Zoutman. He taught us how to subtract. He would have five red, little balls in his…
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Kindergarten
Read More: KindergartenBut to kindergarten I went. In wintertime much too heavily dressed. I walked all by myself about 1 1/2 km. on a, for that time, quite heavily travelled road along the canal. I was to walk on the less busy road on the other side of the canal, but since I had to walk all…
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Toddler Years
Read More: Toddler YearsAs a toddler I lived in Vlagtwedde. My wife was also born there! I remember little from that period in my life. Grandfather Blokzyl lived with us after his wife died. This was the time when there were few, if any, old people homes where older people could live in peace. Opa went from family…
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My Father
Read More: My FatherMy father, Hendrik de Jong, assisted my mother during my birth, something I have been excluded from doing when I became the father of seven children. Since I was the third baby in the de Jong family, my father was by now somewhat used to the hectic activities surrounding a home birth. I’m told that…
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Aylmer, Canada, church, family, God, Jordan Station, London, music, organ, Sarnia, school, ship, Vennekerk
Occupations
Read More: OccupationsOpa Herman de Jong had the following occupations As you can see: a multi-checkered career. Of course, now these occupations were on a part-time basis, otherwise I would have had to live two lives. And now let’s start at the very beginning… Herman at work
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Aylmer, Bach, blessed, Canada, church, college, family, London, marriage, music, politics, religion, school, ship, Toronto, university, Winschoten
Immigrants – The First Two Years
Read More: Immigrants – The First Two YearsThe train ride to Toronto was a two-day affair, at first interesting, then tedious, as we had little priority and were sidetracked for scheduled passenger- and freight trains many times. We did get a feeling for Canada’s extent and for the distance we were putting between us and Holland, between me and my girl. In…
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Aylmer to Granton
Read More: Aylmer to GrantonThat summer (1954) our parents had started to look for a farm of our own. Dad was itching to be his own man again, had occasional differences with boss Jerry and disputes with colleague Albert. By late summer several places were visited and then one became a serious candidate. It was in Middlesex County, north…
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boat, Canada, Christmas, church, emigration, family, God, organ, Rotterdam, school, ship, Vlagtwedde, Winschoten
The Emigration Leap
Read More: The Emigration LeapMom and Dad involved us older children in the deliberations about the future. We agreed that if we were to emigrate, it would not be Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Brazil; the first two too far from Europe, the latter too different from us. The USA seemed too populous, too mighty and rich for…
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Searching
Read More: SearchingSearching for a farm, searching for a future If we were without a care, our parents were not. Seven years go by quickly when you have no prospects at their end. From 1950 onwards our next farm became the most frequent topic of dinner table conversation. It seemed that for Dad farming was very rewarding…
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Bible, boat, Canada, Christmas, church, college, family, Groningen, organ, politics, religion, school, ship, Winschoten
Wedderveer
Read More: WedderveerThe farm in Wedderveer. Note the fruit trees close to the barn, the orchard of the neighbour Begeman on the right, the tractor shed at the back, the vegetable garden this side the clothesline and the rows of potatoes between clothesline and shed. On the left the small barn of our immediate neighbour Van der…