Notes
Note N10038 Index
In his family history, Raymond Lee Scribner speaks lovingly of his sister, Bessie, who "was quite tall, and a nice looking girl. At about 5'9", she was taller than me (Jim and I were the shortest of the boys). This did not sit too well with me-I sure wished that I was taller. However, I made 5'8" and had to settle for that
"Bessie worked in the kitchen at the 'San', and they all liked her. She married Dick Hunt, a strong, outdoors man. He operated a bulldozer, but he too received little wages. They lived in the little town of Neetin, Manitoba.
"They had just come to Neetin when their first child, a son, was born. The baby was on a formula which required water. Not knowing the town water was bad, Bessie used it and the baby became violently ill. Dick was away in the area bulldozing. Some neighbor took my sister and the one month old baby to Brandon, 60 miles away. The baby was dead on arrival, and Bessie was frantic. She phoned us to come get her in Brandon. The day before the baby got so ill, our own Dad died very suddenly of a massive heart attack. It was July 8, 1950, eight years after Mother died. On the day of the funeral, there were two caskets, one large, and one tiny for little Kenny. That was quite a day for all of us.
"Bessie and Dick moved to Selkirk, Manitoba, where Dick got work at the steel rolling mill. They had five other children: Ken, Dan, George, Janice, and Maralyn. George died in his youth. The others are married with families, some in Selkirk, some in Alberta.
"Bessie also died early, in 1988, at 62 years. Dick, still in Selkirk, died a number of years later. Bessie and I did a lot together in our youth and had a lot of fun, being close in age."
Notes
Note N10039 Index
In his 1996 family history, Raymond tells about growing up in Ninette, Manitoba:
"Ninette is situated 50 miles south of the City of Brandon. It is a farming community and little else since the 'San' [a sanatorium where persons with various illnesses were treated] is no more. There is just a sprinkling of tourism because it is a 'pretty place', and because of the Lakes. Pelican Lake is the biggest; Square Lake; Bone Lake; and small Grass Lake which is grassy.
"Now, we were 11 Scribners around the Town of Ninette, with a population of about 1,000. There were a number of big families in those days, so there was lots of scrapping and petty fights. We had 'the Chink's Cafe' which was run by two Chinese brothers, 'Lew and Charlie Chung'....I remember splitting a pile of wood for them that took me two days, for 35 cents and a couple of pieces of apple pie and ice-cream. I was 13 years of age at the time, and thought I was well-paid It was a real 'hang-out' for us, and a lot of incidents occurred in and around that place
"With the 'San' one mile away, Ninette was a boom town in the 1920's and 1930's. The town did a good business: two stores, two cafes, and a bake shop. However, in the 1930's 'money' went out of circulation and it was hard to find either 'work or money.'
"From our school we could see the trains come into town, the 'box-cars' loaded with the unemployed, called 'railroad bums', riding on top, underneath, or anywhere to get a free ride to ... their next stop to look for work. The town's people often took someone of these poor lads home for a meal. We could see, from our big four-classroom school, the men sitting 'back to back' on the 'catwalk' with no 'spaces' left
"I used to know everyone in town when I was 12 years. We had to be tough in those days to survive winters and poverty. I used to run with my buddies Frank (Mouse), Frits Clisby, and Jim Mogey. My Mother used to call me 'Clisby' as I seemed to be there so much.
"The 24th of May was always Ninette's Fair Day, and very exciting for us, with foot races and ball games, competing with other towns, etc. I remember one 24th of May, I found 15 cents and I thought I was rich I wanted to treat all my pals to jawbreakers. One Penny would buy 'three', and they lasted for hours. I was popular for a couple of hours.
"We did have some fun in the winter too, sliding downhill or digging tunnels in the big snowbanks. Sometimes it was so cold that we could walk over snow covered fences and not even know the fence was there. At times, Dad sat up all night to keep the old tin heater going. It was 40 degrees below. One winter, it never got above 25 degrees below for six weeks We even got used to it
"My first job away from home was at the Kelly's, doing chores and herding cattle in the summer. After that, I went to brother Jim's place as he had just taken over the Hone's farm, and was alone and batching. Our Dear Mother was sick in bed at the time, and it was hard for all of us.
"When I was 18 years, I became interested in the way that our brother Jim had chosen, that we refer to as God's way. After a few years walking in this way, a big change took place in my life. I had been a little thief and could lie my way out of nearly any situation, and was just going generally bad After six years walking in a new life and feeling I'd found the answer to life, I presented myself to one of our ministers of the gospel and said that I wanted to be a preacher like the Bible preachers, and I could hardly believe my own words I thought this older minister (worker is the word we used for them) would just tell me you're not preacher material, or something like that. Instead, he told me to keep the thought in mind and felt sure there would be a place for me among the homeless preachers of the Gospel. The next year, 1952 was the year that I was called by our ministers to take my place as a young disciple of Christ, and began to learn by experience to preach the Gospel, and away I went, pretty much afraid, but kept on for 15 years. I volunteered to go to Africa to preach, and was there 2 and a half years. I somehow contracted malaria (fever), became run down, and was forced to leave Africa. The malaria hung on for a number of years after I returned to Canada. I decided to leave the ministry. 'It was the best years of my life' no reflection on our married life and I feel very happy and thankful to be walking in God's way, and want to continue always.
"I met my wife 'Alice' in Ottawa, where we worked at the same place-Carlton University. She was in Food Services, and I was in Maintenance. We were married there in 1967. Alice was a widow with five children, Claude, Lise, Michelline, Richard, and Monique, who were all grown when I came along. Some still live in the Ottawa area, and two are in this area. They are very good to us. We lived in Ottawa for ten years, and then moved to B.C. in 1978, settling in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, for 15 more years. We then moved here to the Lower Mainland where we retired and now live in a seniors' block in New Westminster. Our ministers and friends with whom we have fellowship are everywhere-a few in each place-right around the world. Jesus said, go into 'all the world' with this Gospel. That is why we have at least 'a few friends everywhere.' We all believe the same. We worship 'in the home' as the Bible teaches, as anyone would know that reads the Bible.
It has been a pleasure to write this-about the Scribner Family. I hope it will mean a little something to all the Family."
Love to All,
Raymond and Alice
December 1996