Alvin Hillhouse with Violet Williams, son Bill, and his wife Faye
Alvin Hillhouse, July 2010, Interview by Adele Wick and Cathy Eaton
Alvin Hillhouse lived near Thinkers Lodge. Alvin came to Nova Scotia 1959 around 14:
He attended school in Florida for two years during high school, then returned to Canada before attending teacher’s college and universitywhere he majored in Canadian history. His professor said he was interested in psychology of times/history not the specific dates; he taught Canadian history and other subjects a bit.
He remembers meeting Cyrus when Yuri Gargarian came in 1961. He also met Martha shepherd from United National
He recalls that the Canadian press was perturbed because another reporter got an exclusive. Alvin witnessed Lenin Peace prize presentation. He remembers getting the Russian ambassador to sign a one-dollar bill on July 1, 1960 on Canada Day when Cyrus Eatonreceived Lenin Peace prize
Alvin’s step-father lived until 101; he had his license until 100Alvin worked at IBM for 30 YEARS. He believes that history repeats itself.
Alvin Hillhouse lived near Thinkers Lodge. Alvin came to Nova Scotia 1959 around 14:
He attended school in Florida for two years during high school, then returned to Canada before attending teacher’s college and universitywhere he majored in Canadian history. His professor said he was interested in psychology of times/history not the specific dates; he taught Canadian history and other subjects a bit.
He remembers meeting Cyrus when Yuri Gargarian came in 1961. He also met Martha shepherd from United National
He recalls that the Canadian press was perturbed because another reporter got an exclusive. Alvin witnessed Lenin Peace prize presentation. He remembers getting the Russian ambassador to sign a one-dollar bill on July 1, 1960 on Canada Day when Cyrus Eatonreceived Lenin Peace prize
Alvin’s step-father lived until 101; he had his license until 100Alvin worked at IBM for 30 YEARS. He believes that history repeats itself.
Alvin: What I remember of that was basically the speeches ah out here on the um oh Eaton Park
Faye: Eaton Park that’s the stage there
Cathy: We were wondering where those speeches were.
Alvin: That was there on the same platform that is basically there now.
Cathy: So okay right
Alvin: Mhm for the July 1st celebrations
Faye: Where the train used to come in?
Alvin: Yup
Faye: Yeah, that was a fun time wasn’t it?
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: So this is the anniversary year of this is 2010 and that happened in 1960 so this is the 50th anniversary of that
Faye: That’s right
Cathy: Uh and what was that like? What did I mean, I think it was on Canada Day it was on July 1st
Alvin: Yes and
Cathy: So there would be lots of parades with lots of people in the kilts and the girls dancing and then the bagpipes
Alvin: Mhm I remember specially some of the speeches which were good and then the other ones that said “But of course we will never accept relating to communism and this type of thing so there was that little bit of ingredient as well
Cathy: So there speeches that were going mmm this is a little iffy that this Russian award from the evil communists is being awarded to a uh native son of Cana Pugwash
Alvin: Of course, you’re going to get that anyway
Cathy: yeah
Alvin: I mean but uh I would be surprised if there hadn’t have been as a matter of fact at that time
Cathy: So they talked about that actually during the ceremony? That’s pretty funny. Must’ve made the rest of us feel nice
Alvin: Well you had different uh different people sort of up speaking at the same time that those processes were going on.
Cathy: Mhm so if I showed you some pictures of people who were on the platform you might know who some of them are?
Alvin: I was so young at the time
Faye: We might though
Alvin: We might, we might
Violet: I have a next door neighbor that hooked a mat with the Margaret King, it’s gorgeous.
Cathy: with the Margaret King School?
Violet: Yes
Cathy: Oh how beautiful
Faye: You’re having them up some day for tea remember
Cathy?: Pardon
Faye: They’re going to have those two up for tea someday and show all your stuff all your memorabilia you’ve got there
Cathy: well we hope to come back another time unfortunately we’re leaving very very early tomorrow morning
Faye: oh are ya?
Cathy: yeah, uh
Faye: oh well that’s too bad
Cathy: But I’ve actually been to your mom’s house, um and she invited me in and that’s when you showed me the picture on the wall
Violet: Yes
Cathy: and that’s when you gave me this picture which I didn’t think you should I thought you should have kept it for your children
Violet: No no I have lots of pictures I’ve got scrapbooks and photoalbums
Faye: she did scrapbooks up for each one of her children
Cathy: mhm
Adelle: of which there’s 13!
Adelle: 15, wait, 13, oh goodness (additional speaking about number of children?)
Cathy: so in the Lenin Peace Prize, um most people seem to remember Yuri Gagarian coming
Violet: Yes
Cathy: and some people sort of remember the Lenin Peace Prize
Violet: everybody would be able to be in to see that and take pictures
Bill: Well I remember when your grandfather got the uh Peace Prize it was lots in the paper and of him (cathy: mhm) because we sort of had that cold war thing going on at the time and that’s why there was (cathy: tension) so much propaganda and attention in the newspapers
Cathy: yeah
Alvin: yes, yes
Cathy: Well I just tracked down the, we didn’t know where it was and I’ve just found it so they’re hoping
Alvin: They’re definitely …?
Cathy: They’re hoping to bring it up and put it here they’re like to have the nobel peace prize and the Lenin peace prize
Faye: isn’t that wonderful
Cathy: both, here
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: that would be nice, but uh
Alvin: You know what would be nice, if it could be here and also depending on the ongoing utilization (cathy: mhm) of this place and what is _________?
Cathy: Well that that’s let’s turn to that that’s a great point Alvin because one of my questions to everybody is okay, it’s 2010 and the thinker’s lodge has lots of history and there’s certainly and grandpa had a history uh and the scientists um but now it’s 2010 and my brother john is one of the three park commissioners with colin dodd and Johnny brengilciaisiisgwoine ah um have been able to get grants ah from CREDA and both provincial and all of nova scotia and Canada ah to um restore the lodge
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: and they think they’re eventually going to raise about three million dollars to restore the lodge, turns out there’s quite a bit of work to be done, the ah dining room where there’s even more work to be done, and then the staff what I always call the staff house but they’re trying to call…?
Mandy: gate house
Cathy: the gate house
Faye: the gate house, that’s a good name for it
Alvin: oh I see
Cathy: it is a good name and then they’re gonna do land scaping and stuff and then there will be two furnaces in the basement so they’re trying to um I think I’m guessing I don’t know about this is instead of having it open kind of the two months of the year used to be three four five months
Bill: yes
Cathy: and then to start make using it more.
Alvin: I’d like to see it open year round
Faye: Yeah
Cathy: Well
Alvin: Eventually you can’t go into that situation
Cathy: it’s not winterized
Faye: it’s not wintererized
Cathy: but hopefully by December at least there will be heat in all the rooms, some heat but I don’t know if enough heat, you know, wear your winter jacket
Alvin: mhm, no I mean things, things can change over time
Cathy: right
Alvin: I think, I think the biggest thing is I don’t think it was the feeling I got, at least when I was young, wasn’t so much the notoriety but more of a vision. At least that’s what I felt. When I looked at things
Cathy: explain to me what you mean.
Alvin: mm?
Cathy: explain, it wasn’t the notoriety, it was the vision.
Adelle: the vision
Alvin: the vision
Cathy: can you explain that?
Alvin: because today we use newspapers and this type of thing to draw attention and get something across um, as a pulling point, okay? Where I think that came after in many instances in the fact that um, I think he had a vision for what he believed and he went after that vision.and I think the vision came first before the advertising or the promotion of that vision.
Cathy: so when you say he are you talking about grandpa? (Alvin in background, can’t make out)
Alvin: yes
Cathy: and what do you think his vision was?
Alvin: I think simply stated from what he told me when I was there was world peace through world trade and you cannot understand the other side until you know the other side.
Cathy: right, cause…
Alvin: so understanding is the key to the whole scenario
Cathy: I know that he um he traveled to Vietnam and he traveled to Russia and he gave gramp he gave _______? Two shorthorn bulls
Alvin: and he received some horses
Cathy: _______? Gave three stallions for ____? And I went with him to chile and we saw yende? Because he felt it wasn’t just world trade world peace but it was the exchange of farming ideas because raised the shorthorn cattle. I just learned that I guess they had the seaman of some of the bulls, you know, as a way to improve the breed and he raised the geese and the ducks um, so that through the exchange of farming ideas uh, exchange of art, you know I’ve interviewed a lot of people this week who’ve taught, I’ve been a teacher, Adelle’s been a teacher, Mandy’s going to be a teacher, um, so but the exchange of the ideas of education and so all of these once people talk to people and uh that that’s going to create the potential for cooperation and I think it was really having it in pugwash, having these conferences and and um gatherings in pugwash and which is you know incredibly beautiful incredibly peaceful
Faye: it’s on the water, nice and peaceful and that’s probably a lot of it?
Cathy: water’s magic you know just even when it’s raining coming in the windows um and and the fact that everybody walked all about town you know so you walked from the Masonic lodge or you walked from the high school back to here or the people who billeted houses and you walked you know back and forth and when you walk back and forth and you don’t have television and you don’t have movies and you don’t have bars you’re talking to each other you’re listening. I think grandpa probably was a good listener
Alvin: had to be
Faye: that’s how you learn isn’t it
Cathy: but so coming back to the question 2010 it’s gonna take a while to get you know as you can see we’ve got lots of interior damage everywhere wha how can this place be used that would be make a difference to people from pugwash or nova scotia or Canada the US the world you know, it’s a small place so what types of topics or conferences or educational things would any of you like to see happen here.
Bill: well I just wish my brother Sherman could be here and talk with you cause he would know what to do or say but maybe he can talk with you the next time you come.
Cathy: or I can give you my contact information and he can email me
Bill: oh sure
Violet: oh that would be
Faye: he would have a lot to say
Cathy: because one of the things john had a group of people, just people from the town you know and I said well here’s my email and if you’ve got ideas, I’m not involved with any of that, you know I’m ah when we go back from here we’re gonna go back to our, I’m a professor at a college and adele works in economics um so we’ll actually have to sort of shift gears and get back to real life and work but um I gave people my emails cause I’d be willing to just start collecting, just nothing that I would do anything with, but brainstormed ideas just lists of ideas
Faye: I always thought a museum, you know, like a for people to visit, like a tourist stop, you know but the only thing I have against that is then you might be defeating the peaceful quiet place where they’re from, you know
Alvin: I think the same things that made the situation such a success for people is the same thing that’s required today; as you were saying, it’s listening learning communication. How many kids even, if we look at the lower age group because they’re, they’re coming up, have really got the chance to say, have a retreat and think.
Bill: yeah
Cathy: that’s true. You’re going to be a teacher
Mandy: yeah, they don’t think, they have cell phones and they text
Cathy: oh no no they do think
Faye: they have all these little things, what are they called? Email and the ipods
Alvin: they do, they do
Mandy:they think through the phones and the texting and the instant messaging
Alvin: that’s a whole part of the new technology
Faye: it is
Alvin: but we’ve got to remember too at the same time
Faye: but they don’t talk
Alvin: the same time the communication relationship between those kids and the beauty that they can learn from each other and from other people in different parts of the world many miss out on, even if they go and visit some of those places because they are now trained for immediate and instant, okay emails
Cathy: right, one of the things that I think they decided is not to have internet reception in this house
Faye: that’s a good idea, who wants that, that’s right
Cathy: they don’t want everybody with their computers not looking at each other they want people taking. John said that there’s really three stages and the first stage is the restoration which is what he’s involved in as one of the park commissioners. He lives out in California. He was telling us about, he has a full time job out there and he’s also been doing volunteering 30 hours a week trying to work on this so I’m not quite sure how he’s even walking. Ah but anyway so first stage um, restoration, second stage, start developing what the conferences are going to be third stage, have some kind of low key interactive educational center that’s not gonna, you know, not having millions of people descend like locusts
Faye: that’s what I was thinking, about the school’s or children or whatever
Alvin: right
Cathy: with lots of cars, that’s not gonna happen in pugwash
Faye: and it’s not a good thing either
Cathy: but something you know, that you bring, you bring your 9th grade class to
Faye: that’s what I was thinking in my mind, show them a film or
Cathy: with colin dodd, one of the park commissioners and him being the head of, he’s president of a whole group of colleges um, you know, little things doable things
Faye: have someone here who can tell them a little something about each of the things
Cathy: right, I was thinking, what’s the word docent? Where somebody, I was thinking because I was thinking of terry smith wouldn’t he be great wouldn’t he be great taking people around, oh my god I could’ve listened to him for hours
Faye: terry’d be lovely, and he’s very knowledgeable, he’s so knowledgeable
Alvin: well, you know who would be great too, being in the Wallace museum
Mandy: we’re more the Wallace side, I know more of that
Alvin: no, no, but I mean
Mandy: david dewar?
Alvin: yes
Faye: david dewar, yup
Mandy: david nothings everything about Wallace and most about pugwash he’s
Cathy: david dewar, how do you spell his name
Faye: d-e-w-a-r
Violet: couple of my grandsons says that terry, terry uh…
Faye: smith
Violet: smith was the best teacher ever
Faye: and he knows a lot
Cathy: he knows everything
Violet?: he’s the best teacher ever
Alvin: he knows a lot
Violet: and I think cyrus just loved the territory of his childhood and he just wanted to keep it in the hearts of the people.
Cathy: say that again please
Violet: I think he loved the territory when he was a child and he just wanted to keep it in the hearts of people.
Cathy: keep it in the hearts of people
Violet: yes, not let them forget what a beautiful country we have
Cathy: oh, I know, nova scotia was totally the place of his heart
Violet: and the young people that are coming on are gonna be our future leaders and what better place for them to come here and get some
Cathy: get some what? What would you call that?
Alvin: an infusion
Faye: inspiration
Violet: I don’t know
Alvin: inspiration
Faye: knowledge, inspiration, yeah
Violet: well, no not inspiration exactly, something they’re gonna do for their country and how to lead it how to meet these world problems (faye: leadership?) facing, stuff like that.
Alvin: for that they sort of need a time for contemplation
Violet: we don’t consult the young people enough
Faye: she’s right on that
Violet: you know, to know what, their minds think different than older ones
Faye: they don’t give credit to the young people
Alvin: oh yes, generation change, yeah, that’s right, yes
Violet: I think they should ask what to answer some of their problems
What do they think is the answer to the things that is going on.
Alvin: yes I think I think a key is that the younger people be involved in whatever happens
Faye: cause they are the people of tomorrow aren’t they
Alvin: you know that I have visited through a lot of countries later on in my work and everything but it’s hard to explain, I guess the impact when he was here that it had on me.
Violet: yes if there’s anything that the young people could get here, it’s, I don’t know.
Cathy: do you think that young people would be interested to come here? Do you think that it could (Violet: oh yes) infuse them with energy and inspiration and help them become leaders and making decisions (Violet: yes)
Violet: yes and maybe that’s what cyrus had in mind when he wanted to keep it going, who knows and he picked this place as a
Faye: and they don’t know unless they’re showed or taught or know a little bit about it
Alvin: and just the example that he talked to me as a young kid
Faye: leaves an impact
Alvin: a lot
Cathy: and listened. He always was interested in kids he always wanted to know Adelle didn’t you say, what did he say, what was the questions he’d ask you?
Adelle: he’d say, what are you going to do with your life?
Violet: especially when he built the school. See he built a school for the young people, he had that in mind. He could’ve built something else, but he built a school.
Cathy: and I heard that he came to ask Margaret King if it was okay if he named it after her. And he didn’t just assume they could do that because she used to board at his, at the house. And I guess that would be the house where you lived. (violet: probably, yeah) that she would’ve boarded there at some point, I didn’t, I mean that’s just one of the millions of things that I hear
Violet: teachers boarded at houses in those days
Alvin: it’s something that this type of integrity you need in asking for permission okay? It’s something that’s more akin to the older generation. I remember when ah, when my father married my mother. Okay at that time, they had met at a funeral. He had come to Quebec where I was living at the time and one night there was a knock on my door yes he says “Alvin, can I talk to you?” and there was 17 years difference between mom and dad and ah, and I says “yes” and he says, “listen” he says “I don’t know how I’m going to say this,” but he said, “I love your mother and I want to marry her but it won’t happen unless you agree.” So that was the type of…
Cathy: did you agree right away?
Alvin: I says “well I think you’re gonna have to ask her first!”
Faye: Eaton Park that’s the stage there
Cathy: We were wondering where those speeches were.
Alvin: That was there on the same platform that is basically there now.
Cathy: So okay right
Alvin: Mhm for the July 1st celebrations
Faye: Where the train used to come in?
Alvin: Yup
Faye: Yeah, that was a fun time wasn’t it?
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: So this is the anniversary year of this is 2010 and that happened in 1960 so this is the 50th anniversary of that
Faye: That’s right
Cathy: Uh and what was that like? What did I mean, I think it was on Canada Day it was on July 1st
Alvin: Yes and
Cathy: So there would be lots of parades with lots of people in the kilts and the girls dancing and then the bagpipes
Alvin: Mhm I remember specially some of the speeches which were good and then the other ones that said “But of course we will never accept relating to communism and this type of thing so there was that little bit of ingredient as well
Cathy: So there speeches that were going mmm this is a little iffy that this Russian award from the evil communists is being awarded to a uh native son of Cana Pugwash
Alvin: Of course, you’re going to get that anyway
Cathy: yeah
Alvin: I mean but uh I would be surprised if there hadn’t have been as a matter of fact at that time
Cathy: So they talked about that actually during the ceremony? That’s pretty funny. Must’ve made the rest of us feel nice
Alvin: Well you had different uh different people sort of up speaking at the same time that those processes were going on.
Cathy: Mhm so if I showed you some pictures of people who were on the platform you might know who some of them are?
Alvin: I was so young at the time
Faye: We might though
Alvin: We might, we might
Violet: I have a next door neighbor that hooked a mat with the Margaret King, it’s gorgeous.
Cathy: with the Margaret King School?
Violet: Yes
Cathy: Oh how beautiful
Faye: You’re having them up some day for tea remember
Cathy?: Pardon
Faye: They’re going to have those two up for tea someday and show all your stuff all your memorabilia you’ve got there
Cathy: well we hope to come back another time unfortunately we’re leaving very very early tomorrow morning
Faye: oh are ya?
Cathy: yeah, uh
Faye: oh well that’s too bad
Cathy: But I’ve actually been to your mom’s house, um and she invited me in and that’s when you showed me the picture on the wall
Violet: Yes
Cathy: and that’s when you gave me this picture which I didn’t think you should I thought you should have kept it for your children
Violet: No no I have lots of pictures I’ve got scrapbooks and photoalbums
Faye: she did scrapbooks up for each one of her children
Cathy: mhm
Adelle: of which there’s 13!
Adelle: 15, wait, 13, oh goodness (additional speaking about number of children?)
Cathy: so in the Lenin Peace Prize, um most people seem to remember Yuri Gagarian coming
Violet: Yes
Cathy: and some people sort of remember the Lenin Peace Prize
Violet: everybody would be able to be in to see that and take pictures
Bill: Well I remember when your grandfather got the uh Peace Prize it was lots in the paper and of him (cathy: mhm) because we sort of had that cold war thing going on at the time and that’s why there was (cathy: tension) so much propaganda and attention in the newspapers
Cathy: yeah
Alvin: yes, yes
Cathy: Well I just tracked down the, we didn’t know where it was and I’ve just found it so they’re hoping
Alvin: They’re definitely …?
Cathy: They’re hoping to bring it up and put it here they’re like to have the nobel peace prize and the Lenin peace prize
Faye: isn’t that wonderful
Cathy: both, here
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: that would be nice, but uh
Alvin: You know what would be nice, if it could be here and also depending on the ongoing utilization (cathy: mhm) of this place and what is _________?
Cathy: Well that that’s let’s turn to that that’s a great point Alvin because one of my questions to everybody is okay, it’s 2010 and the thinker’s lodge has lots of history and there’s certainly and grandpa had a history uh and the scientists um but now it’s 2010 and my brother john is one of the three park commissioners with colin dodd and Johnny brengilciaisiisgwoine ah um have been able to get grants ah from CREDA and both provincial and all of nova scotia and Canada ah to um restore the lodge
Alvin: Yes
Cathy: and they think they’re eventually going to raise about three million dollars to restore the lodge, turns out there’s quite a bit of work to be done, the ah dining room where there’s even more work to be done, and then the staff what I always call the staff house but they’re trying to call…?
Mandy: gate house
Cathy: the gate house
Faye: the gate house, that’s a good name for it
Alvin: oh I see
Cathy: it is a good name and then they’re gonna do land scaping and stuff and then there will be two furnaces in the basement so they’re trying to um I think I’m guessing I don’t know about this is instead of having it open kind of the two months of the year used to be three four five months
Bill: yes
Cathy: and then to start make using it more.
Alvin: I’d like to see it open year round
Faye: Yeah
Cathy: Well
Alvin: Eventually you can’t go into that situation
Cathy: it’s not winterized
Faye: it’s not wintererized
Cathy: but hopefully by December at least there will be heat in all the rooms, some heat but I don’t know if enough heat, you know, wear your winter jacket
Alvin: mhm, no I mean things, things can change over time
Cathy: right
Alvin: I think, I think the biggest thing is I don’t think it was the feeling I got, at least when I was young, wasn’t so much the notoriety but more of a vision. At least that’s what I felt. When I looked at things
Cathy: explain to me what you mean.
Alvin: mm?
Cathy: explain, it wasn’t the notoriety, it was the vision.
Adelle: the vision
Alvin: the vision
Cathy: can you explain that?
Alvin: because today we use newspapers and this type of thing to draw attention and get something across um, as a pulling point, okay? Where I think that came after in many instances in the fact that um, I think he had a vision for what he believed and he went after that vision.and I think the vision came first before the advertising or the promotion of that vision.
Cathy: so when you say he are you talking about grandpa? (Alvin in background, can’t make out)
Alvin: yes
Cathy: and what do you think his vision was?
Alvin: I think simply stated from what he told me when I was there was world peace through world trade and you cannot understand the other side until you know the other side.
Cathy: right, cause…
Alvin: so understanding is the key to the whole scenario
Cathy: I know that he um he traveled to Vietnam and he traveled to Russia and he gave gramp he gave _______? Two shorthorn bulls
Alvin: and he received some horses
Cathy: _______? Gave three stallions for ____? And I went with him to chile and we saw yende? Because he felt it wasn’t just world trade world peace but it was the exchange of farming ideas because raised the shorthorn cattle. I just learned that I guess they had the seaman of some of the bulls, you know, as a way to improve the breed and he raised the geese and the ducks um, so that through the exchange of farming ideas uh, exchange of art, you know I’ve interviewed a lot of people this week who’ve taught, I’ve been a teacher, Adelle’s been a teacher, Mandy’s going to be a teacher, um, so but the exchange of the ideas of education and so all of these once people talk to people and uh that that’s going to create the potential for cooperation and I think it was really having it in pugwash, having these conferences and and um gatherings in pugwash and which is you know incredibly beautiful incredibly peaceful
Faye: it’s on the water, nice and peaceful and that’s probably a lot of it?
Cathy: water’s magic you know just even when it’s raining coming in the windows um and and the fact that everybody walked all about town you know so you walked from the Masonic lodge or you walked from the high school back to here or the people who billeted houses and you walked you know back and forth and when you walk back and forth and you don’t have television and you don’t have movies and you don’t have bars you’re talking to each other you’re listening. I think grandpa probably was a good listener
Alvin: had to be
Faye: that’s how you learn isn’t it
Cathy: but so coming back to the question 2010 it’s gonna take a while to get you know as you can see we’ve got lots of interior damage everywhere wha how can this place be used that would be make a difference to people from pugwash or nova scotia or Canada the US the world you know, it’s a small place so what types of topics or conferences or educational things would any of you like to see happen here.
Bill: well I just wish my brother Sherman could be here and talk with you cause he would know what to do or say but maybe he can talk with you the next time you come.
Cathy: or I can give you my contact information and he can email me
Bill: oh sure
Violet: oh that would be
Faye: he would have a lot to say
Cathy: because one of the things john had a group of people, just people from the town you know and I said well here’s my email and if you’ve got ideas, I’m not involved with any of that, you know I’m ah when we go back from here we’re gonna go back to our, I’m a professor at a college and adele works in economics um so we’ll actually have to sort of shift gears and get back to real life and work but um I gave people my emails cause I’d be willing to just start collecting, just nothing that I would do anything with, but brainstormed ideas just lists of ideas
Faye: I always thought a museum, you know, like a for people to visit, like a tourist stop, you know but the only thing I have against that is then you might be defeating the peaceful quiet place where they’re from, you know
Alvin: I think the same things that made the situation such a success for people is the same thing that’s required today; as you were saying, it’s listening learning communication. How many kids even, if we look at the lower age group because they’re, they’re coming up, have really got the chance to say, have a retreat and think.
Bill: yeah
Cathy: that’s true. You’re going to be a teacher
Mandy: yeah, they don’t think, they have cell phones and they text
Cathy: oh no no they do think
Faye: they have all these little things, what are they called? Email and the ipods
Alvin: they do, they do
Mandy:they think through the phones and the texting and the instant messaging
Alvin: that’s a whole part of the new technology
Faye: it is
Alvin: but we’ve got to remember too at the same time
Faye: but they don’t talk
Alvin: the same time the communication relationship between those kids and the beauty that they can learn from each other and from other people in different parts of the world many miss out on, even if they go and visit some of those places because they are now trained for immediate and instant, okay emails
Cathy: right, one of the things that I think they decided is not to have internet reception in this house
Faye: that’s a good idea, who wants that, that’s right
Cathy: they don’t want everybody with their computers not looking at each other they want people taking. John said that there’s really three stages and the first stage is the restoration which is what he’s involved in as one of the park commissioners. He lives out in California. He was telling us about, he has a full time job out there and he’s also been doing volunteering 30 hours a week trying to work on this so I’m not quite sure how he’s even walking. Ah but anyway so first stage um, restoration, second stage, start developing what the conferences are going to be third stage, have some kind of low key interactive educational center that’s not gonna, you know, not having millions of people descend like locusts
Faye: that’s what I was thinking, about the school’s or children or whatever
Alvin: right
Cathy: with lots of cars, that’s not gonna happen in pugwash
Faye: and it’s not a good thing either
Cathy: but something you know, that you bring, you bring your 9th grade class to
Faye: that’s what I was thinking in my mind, show them a film or
Cathy: with colin dodd, one of the park commissioners and him being the head of, he’s president of a whole group of colleges um, you know, little things doable things
Faye: have someone here who can tell them a little something about each of the things
Cathy: right, I was thinking, what’s the word docent? Where somebody, I was thinking because I was thinking of terry smith wouldn’t he be great wouldn’t he be great taking people around, oh my god I could’ve listened to him for hours
Faye: terry’d be lovely, and he’s very knowledgeable, he’s so knowledgeable
Alvin: well, you know who would be great too, being in the Wallace museum
Mandy: we’re more the Wallace side, I know more of that
Alvin: no, no, but I mean
Mandy: david dewar?
Alvin: yes
Faye: david dewar, yup
Mandy: david nothings everything about Wallace and most about pugwash he’s
Cathy: david dewar, how do you spell his name
Faye: d-e-w-a-r
Violet: couple of my grandsons says that terry, terry uh…
Faye: smith
Violet: smith was the best teacher ever
Faye: and he knows a lot
Cathy: he knows everything
Violet?: he’s the best teacher ever
Alvin: he knows a lot
Violet: and I think cyrus just loved the territory of his childhood and he just wanted to keep it in the hearts of the people.
Cathy: say that again please
Violet: I think he loved the territory when he was a child and he just wanted to keep it in the hearts of people.
Cathy: keep it in the hearts of people
Violet: yes, not let them forget what a beautiful country we have
Cathy: oh, I know, nova scotia was totally the place of his heart
Violet: and the young people that are coming on are gonna be our future leaders and what better place for them to come here and get some
Cathy: get some what? What would you call that?
Alvin: an infusion
Faye: inspiration
Violet: I don’t know
Alvin: inspiration
Faye: knowledge, inspiration, yeah
Violet: well, no not inspiration exactly, something they’re gonna do for their country and how to lead it how to meet these world problems (faye: leadership?) facing, stuff like that.
Alvin: for that they sort of need a time for contemplation
Violet: we don’t consult the young people enough
Faye: she’s right on that
Violet: you know, to know what, their minds think different than older ones
Faye: they don’t give credit to the young people
Alvin: oh yes, generation change, yeah, that’s right, yes
Violet: I think they should ask what to answer some of their problems
What do they think is the answer to the things that is going on.
Alvin: yes I think I think a key is that the younger people be involved in whatever happens
Faye: cause they are the people of tomorrow aren’t they
Alvin: you know that I have visited through a lot of countries later on in my work and everything but it’s hard to explain, I guess the impact when he was here that it had on me.
Violet: yes if there’s anything that the young people could get here, it’s, I don’t know.
Cathy: do you think that young people would be interested to come here? Do you think that it could (Violet: oh yes) infuse them with energy and inspiration and help them become leaders and making decisions (Violet: yes)
Violet: yes and maybe that’s what cyrus had in mind when he wanted to keep it going, who knows and he picked this place as a
Faye: and they don’t know unless they’re showed or taught or know a little bit about it
Alvin: and just the example that he talked to me as a young kid
Faye: leaves an impact
Alvin: a lot
Cathy: and listened. He always was interested in kids he always wanted to know Adelle didn’t you say, what did he say, what was the questions he’d ask you?
Adelle: he’d say, what are you going to do with your life?
Violet: especially when he built the school. See he built a school for the young people, he had that in mind. He could’ve built something else, but he built a school.
Cathy: and I heard that he came to ask Margaret King if it was okay if he named it after her. And he didn’t just assume they could do that because she used to board at his, at the house. And I guess that would be the house where you lived. (violet: probably, yeah) that she would’ve boarded there at some point, I didn’t, I mean that’s just one of the millions of things that I hear
Violet: teachers boarded at houses in those days
Alvin: it’s something that this type of integrity you need in asking for permission okay? It’s something that’s more akin to the older generation. I remember when ah, when my father married my mother. Okay at that time, they had met at a funeral. He had come to Quebec where I was living at the time and one night there was a knock on my door yes he says “Alvin, can I talk to you?” and there was 17 years difference between mom and dad and ah, and I says “yes” and he says, “listen” he says “I don’t know how I’m going to say this,” but he said, “I love your mother and I want to marry her but it won’t happen unless you agree.” So that was the type of…
Cathy: did you agree right away?
Alvin: I says “well I think you’re gonna have to ask her first!”