ROLLAND JOSEPH FRANCOIS ALAIN
In the spring of 1928, at the age of 15, we moved to Hudson Bay. We shipped our belongings on the train. For every boxcar of "Settlers Effects", one family member was given a free pass to ride in the boxcar or the caboose. One cousin told me I was too young to look after the cattle and horses, so he took the pass. They made a little tunnel in the car for me to hide in each time we stopped at a station. My cousin and Smokey would go downtown at every station and I'd have to sweat it out in the tunnel!
When we reached Veillardville, I had to sleep with Dad and the Head Carpenter, both of whom were covered with lice!
I was made head cook by Dad. One day I decided to use dried peas for lunch (everything else was in tins). I didn't realize you had to soak the peas first - I put them on at 11:45 and called them in for dinner at noon. Bernier started to eat them and got a nosebleed!!
I had taken most of my schooling in French in Delmas; after moving to Veillardville I only went to school for 2 or 3 years and then quit to help Dad.
For about 4 or 5 falls, I would go back to Delmas to help thresh. When I was 17, I bought a pony and rode bareback to Veillardville.
I tried my hand at several jobs around Veillardville. During hard times the government bought sawdust for the grasshopper problem. Eddie Davidson and I loaded 20 railcars but ate up most of the payment in chocolate bars and Coke.
One winter Eddie and I cut wood but realized there wasn't a lot of money in it. I also worked for Dad in his sawmill.
One year Lester Turcotte offered me a job working on road construction at Denaire Beach (near Flin Flon). Dad let me take a team of horses which I shipped up. I worked on road construc-tion all fall, logged in the winter and then shipped the horses back in the spring.
I rode the freights and ended up in East Malartic, Quebec, where I worked at odd jobs and in a restaurant before getting a job at the mine. I worked for 3 years.
Because of my bad arm, I wasn't allowed to fight in the war. Instead, I went out to Vancouver to work in the shipyards. I then went west to work at Copper Mountain, B.C.
The Cockwills were a family from Regina who had 3 daughters. I took Verna Cockwill to a dance but, because I didn't know how to dance, Smokey took over. I learned how to dance shortly after that, from my sisters.
I went out with Elsie Cockwill for about 6 years but, when I went east, we forgot about each other. When I came back to Veillardville, I started going out with Yvonne Veillard. She had been born in The Pas but was raised in Veillardville. She was from quite a religious fam-ily.
I went out to work on a ranch in Clunie, Alberta, for a few months and when I returned, Yvonne and I got married. When we were first married, we farmed with Louis Veillard and worked on our homestead.
One year Yvonne cooked for the men who worked for Spruce Products. The next year Vic Murdoch took over this job and Yvonne and I started a cafe in Louis Veillard's store called Red's Bar.
We worked on our own farm in the spring when Simone was born. I also worked on the railroad for about 3 years and then I quit to farm full time. We farmed 6 quarters until our oldest son Mo (Maurice) went into the Navy, and then we sold some land.
ALAIN—VEILLARD St. Anthony's Church, Veillard-ville, was the scene of a lovely wed-ding when Marie Yvonne, daugh-ter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Veillard, became the bride of Mr. Rolland Alain. The ceremony was per-formed by Rev. Father Gerard Van Vynckt. The bride, who was lovely in a gown of white lace and net over taffeta, was given in marriage by her father. Her full length veil of net fell from a sweetheart halo. She carried a bouquet of roses and carnations. Miss Therese Veillard was maid of honor. She wore pink point d'esprit net over taffeta. Her hat was a sweetheart halo with match-ing chapel veil. She carried carna-tions and tulips. Miss Edithe Alain was bridesmaid. She wore pale green point d'esprit net over taf-feta with matching hat and chapel veil. She carried carnations and tulips. The two flower girls, Lor-raine Godin and Dawn Alain, were dressed alike in pale blue and pale yellow point d'esprit net over taf-feta. Mr. Paul Alain and Mr. Gene Lessard assisted the groom. Mrs. Pat Mondor rendered a beautiful solo accompanied by Mrs. M. C. Marcotte, who presided at the organ. A reception followed at the home of the bride's parents.
Starting in 1960, I drove the school bus for the next 22 years and then retired in 1982.
While we lived in Veillardville, we enjoyed taking advantage of Dad's good nature. One night after supper Dad sat down to read his newspaper. Without him seeing, I lit his paper on fire and then ran outside to watch through the window. What a sight!
Another time, I filled Dad's pipe alternately with tobacco and pepper. That night he smoked and sneezed and sneezed but never caught on.
We entertained ourselves by going to dances, playing ball and going on picnics.
Rolland and Yvonne's family is as follows:
Simone was born on May 5, 1944, to Rolland and Yvonne Alain. She has six brothers and sisters: Maurice, Roger, Denis, Rosanne, Jeannine and Lisa. Simone went to White Poplar for elementary school and to Zenon Park Convent for Grades 9, 10 and 11. She probably would have taken her Grade 12 there also, had it not been for the fact that her father, Rolland, began driving the school bus so Simone finished her schooling in Hudson Bay. After graduating in 1961, she moved to Moose Jaw where she lived with her uncle and aunt, Maurice and Maxine Veillard, and their family. She took a one-year secretarial course at Peacock Technical High School and, upon completion, found employment as a secretary at The Royal Bank of Canada in Moose Jaw. A few years later, she met Howie and they were married in 1966.
Howie Shouldice was born August 22, 1942, the oldest son of Elmer and Ruby Shouldice. He has a sister, Elsie, and a brother, Gordon. He has always lived in Moose Jaw and spent most of his summers as a young boy on his uncle's farm near Parkbeg, Saskatchewan.
In 1967 Howie and Simone had a daughter, Jody, and in 1975 another daughter, Karlee, was born. Howie has worked for C.P. Rail since 1970 and Simone has been with The Royal Bank since 1962 except for two years when Karlee was born.
Jody graduated from high school in June 1985 but didn't go to school in the fall because she was undecided as to what to take and where to go. She's working fulltime at Kentucky Fried Chicken (she's been there for nearly three years). She's applied to the University of Saskatchewan - St. Thomas More College - to take social work but hasn't heard yet if she's been accepted for the 1986 semester.
Karlee will be going into Grade 6 the fall of 1986.
Mo (Maurice does not exist anymore) is Rolland and Yvonne's number one son. His first three years of school were at White Poplar in Veillardville. Grades 4 to 12 were in Hudson Bay. He then joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1969, spending most of his five-year enlistment on HMCS Annapolis. In 1974, he returned to "civvy street." He took a seven-month pre-employment electrical course in Moose Jaw. He has been in Yellowknife since 1975. He is older now, still wise and, therefore, not single!
Mo and Gloria Stang (originally from Saskatoon) were married May 23, 1984, at Longitude 67°, 49' North, Latitude 94° 52' West near the Arctic Coast, N.W.T. They reside on the farm at Veillardville, Saskatchewan, and on May 14, 1986, they became the proud parents of a baby boy named Ben Stang.
Roger took over farming his father's land and lives in Veillardville during the farming season – the remainder of the year is spent working in the Far North. He considers himself a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Roger enjoys leather work and has made various articles of clothing. He repairs footwear when called upon, using the old equipment once belonging to Albert Bernier.
Denis, Rolland and Yvonne's youngest son, graduated from high school in 1973. He worked on the construction of Hudson Bay's plywood plant for a year prior to taking a seven-month pre-employment electrical course in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He moved up to Yellowknife, N.W.T., in the fall of 1975 where he is presently employed as an electrician. He enjoys combining family visits with annual B.C. ski trips! Denis married Donna Nash of Moose Jaw on January 24, 1984, at Gayndah, Queensland, Australia. On August 27, 1986, they had a girl, Tess Marie Nash, at Yellowknife, N.W.T., where they presently reside.
Rosanne is Rolland and Yvonne's second daughter, following Denis in order. After obtaining her degree at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, she has taught in St. Walburg, Turtleford and Yellowknife.
Rosanne married Larry Pavloff on April 11, 1985, at Crystal Gardens, Victoria, B.C. Larry's parents farm near Saskatoon.
Rosanne and Larry reside in Saskatoon, Sask. where she works for the Saskatoon School Board in a pilot project involving a day care centre.
Jeannine, the second youngest in Rolland and Yvonne's family, was born on July 28, 1958. She took all of her schooling in Hudson Bay and then went on to the University of Saskatchewan for a four-year Education degree. She moved to Yellowknife where she began her third year of teaching.
At the time of this writing, Jeannine is living in Inuvik, N.W.T. and is working in a travel agency. She married Ted Curtis of Inuvik on June 28, 1986, in Veillardville, Sask.
Lisa was born in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, on May 13, 1963, the youngest of Rolland and Yvonne's children. Upon completion of high school, Lisa attended Olds College in Alberta and received her Diploma of Horticulture. Lisa participated in an exchange program to Australia where she worked at a citrus nursery.
She has worked at the Forestry Farm Park in Saskatoon during her fourth year. At the present time, she is living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where she has found employment.
** Update: The summer of 1986 saw Rosanne and Larry Pavloff travelling to Tokyo, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong, Japan; and then back to Vancouver. At each place Larry played ball with the Saskatoon All-O-Matics. They played eleven games, won nine, and tied two. **
Then Rosanne and Larry, after taking a year's leave of absence will go to Wellington, on North Island, New Zealand where Larry will be playing fastball, likely coaching. Rosanne will look for work. After the year, Larry will return to Allan, Saskatchewan, to teach Physical Education in the school.
Ed. Note: Following a lengthy illness, Rolland passed away in Hudson Bay Union Hospital on Nov. 13, 1986.