Tuesday, August 27, 2024
My condolences to the Spence family and the community of LaFleche who have lost a person who made such an impression on their lives.
She made an impression on my life as well. She was my French and History teacher when I attended LCH (1960-1965), and both of those subjects became life long passions for me. I remember in particular one lesson where Mrs. Spence fired my imagination about “the defenestration of Prague, 1630” and from that moment on, visiting Prague became an important part of my bucket list. In 2016, seeing the actual window from which ambassadors were thrown because they had delivered an unpopular message, I was thinking of Mrs. Spence and her history class! They actually landed on a dung heap so weren't killed in the process.
Even now, my favorite movies and books are historical fiction which lead me to google how close the storyline stays true to actual historical events.
Under Mrs. Spence’s tutelage , I learned enough French to be able to pursue further studies at university and end up in France for a year, eventually becoming a high school French teacher in Regina for 30 years, seven of those teaching French Immersion. Whenever I returned home, my mother would tell me that Mrs. Spence had inquired after me, always so interested in my path. I saw her for the last time in 2013, when at 94 years of age, she was still more interested in hearing about me, as sharp as ever in her conversation. I wondered how many other students she had cared about and upon whom had left an impression such as myself. What a grand lady!
Assiniboia Chapel