Naming the West : Stories Melrose Community

Melrose Community Student Story 3

Good morning. This is Chelsey Way on location interviewing George Hermie and Lillie Rain at the dairy farm in Melrose.  It is wonderful having you here with us this morning.

Where did your family come from and when did you settle here?  Everyone is dying to know.
We came from Scotland it was a great place to live.  Our community was in Melrose in Edinburg, Scotland.  We named this district we settled in in Okotoks Melrose to remind us of our Scottish background.
How much did it cost for an acre of land back then?
It didn’t cost much. It was only $4.26.  That was very little compared to what land costs today.  We also paid $2.00 per day to build an outhouse. 
Did you actually bring your teacher home every night?
Yes, and there was no excuse for late homework.  I learned a lot from that teacher living with us.
Wow that must have been great living with your teacher. Is it true that there was some sort of confusion going on in the Martin family?
Yes, it is true.  The confusion part is that my grandmother was in the first class at the Melrose school.  I was in the last class of that same school in 1955 when the school closed.
Did the school have a lot of facilities for the kids and their transportation?
Yes, the school had a barn for the horses.  For the older kids it was like helping out a little brother and sister when they had to help the kids up and down off the horses.  It was important to help so they didn’t fall or get hurt.
Wow, I wonder what a tall horse would be like for a little kid. Did the Martin kids have any chores on the farm?
There were many chores the children had to do on the farm but one of the most specific ones were keeping weeds out of the garden and putting coal in the stove to heat the house.  It was hard work and we loved our playtime once our chores were finished.
Did your family have a barn?
Mr. Martin lived at the red barn that his family settled on 100 years or more ago.  He lived there all his life.
What did the kids do for fun?  Were there any dances?
No, I don’t recall them having any dances.  But I know that the kids had horses that they could ride whenever and a little toy horse and wagon.
Thank you for the historical insight from Melrose.