The nearest school to our home was five miles southeast, which was called Drifting River. The school had opened in 1899 in an English speaking community. It was rather difficult to get to as for the first two miles there was hardly any trail but further on there was an Indian road. I enjoyed tramping along it with bare feet as it was also used by the wild animals and their tracks made it much easier on my feet. I found schoolwork very easy as I had learned the English alphabet in the Old Country. Although I could not pronounce the English words correctly, I could read the sentences. Because almost all the children in the school were English I was forced to use the language. It did not take me long to learn to speak it.
Illustration: A barefoot boy on a bush trail.
Illustrated online edition. The memoir text follows the 2011 copy compiled by Rene Nicholas Bilodeau.
