Dear Editor and Friends: Letters from Rural Women of the North-West, 1900-1920

1906~Western Teacher: A Western Teacher's Advice

Dear Editor and Friends ~ 1906 give their lives and make home desolate for the purpose of worldly gain. And the agitators of cruel war should be out in the front ranks of battle to be a target for shot and shell, if this be done there would be less war. Furthermore, the workingman and the poor laborer are taxed and in most cases unjustly taxed to pay the cost of war. I say, there should be no children until such time as the mothers who have to suffer and rear them will have a voice in the making of our country's laws. I say, let there be no children until such time as our so called worthy governments discontinue the license and sale of liquor and places of vice. I would like to say much on the all important subject of race suicide , but time and space will not permit, but as a parting shot I will say that I do not admire a woman who does not love children, and to the faultfinder I will say, let men follow the laws of God and women will not continue the race suicide. So long as governments of so called Christian countries persist in passing unjust and oppressive laws, which directly and indirectly add to the misery of the thousands of half starved and badly neglected mothers and children just so long will race suicide go on. Now, men have the sole right to make laws. Why not extend the franchise so as to give equal rights to women. If women could use the ballot box to prevent some of the abuses that are now permitted by our present law makers, it would prove in the end a remedy for race suicide. I remain respectfully etc. Fernie, British Columbia, September 9, 1905 A MOTHER PRIM ROSE ATHOME, Family Herald and Weekly Star January 24, 1906 A WESTERN TEACHER'S ADVICE Dear Prim Rose: I should like to answer Fortune Seeker through your column. She asks if the difference between the pay in the east and in the west is worth the sacrifice of home and friends. I, in answering for British Columbia, say no. The new school system came into force on January 1, 1906. Bythis the government, which formerly paid the whole salary, and all expenses 44 1906 ~ Letters of the school, only pays forty dollars a month. Besides this, the government gives a dollar for every dollar raised by the people up to one hundred dollars. Many of the schools have already lowered the salary in their district. Many formerly paying fifty are only paying forty this year. The board is from twelve to twenty dollars a month. Railway fare is four cents a mile. No certificate other than one obtained in B.C. is valid. A teacher coming to the province may secure a temporary certificate, valid only in the school named in the certificate and until the next examination in June. A girl should not come west unless she has friends here and knows where she can begin teaching. In many of the neighborhoods there are only one or two white families. The rest are half-breeds. I know of a teacher, first class in the east, who did house work in Vancouver, while waiting for a school, last term. The country is overcrowded with teachers. I have been teaching for two years since coming to B.C. three years ago, and know something of the teacher's life here. As I expect to be teaching in a lonely place this year, I should like correspondents in Ontario and the Northwest. Prim Rose has my address. Wishing the club a happy New Year, I will sign myself, Vancouver WESTERN TEACHER PRIM ROSE AT HOME, Family Herald and Weekly Star March 7, 1906 A WORD FOR WIDOWERS Dear Prim Rose: I do not think your readers, who are teachers, feel any surprise at the number of their profession who are enquiring about employment in the West. The chances to marry, happily perhaps, ascinate [sic] their weary work-worn brains until it seems they would just marry anyone to escape the horrors of anywhere from 50 to 70 "young barbarians" turned loose on them daily. But let us teachers have a care. Every year I see numbers of teachers marrying men below their station or who they think can save them from 45 ~ Dear Editor and...