History changes perception

Jim Blanchard’s novel, Winnipeg’s Great War: A City Comes of Age, tells the story of Winnipeg during WWI. 

When I was a teenager I read many novels about the war. The stories always gave the impression that normal life was temporarily halted because everything revolved around the war.

Blanchard’s book tells a different story. Women fought for the right to vote. There were arguments about how schools should be run. An election took place. The war deeply affected Winnipeg, but normal life did continue.

While Blanchard’s book gave a more well-rounded picture of life during war than the other books I have read, the organization made it difficult to follow. The book is split into sections based on the year, but some information, such how racism played a role in who went to war when, didn’t make sense to split up. Some made more sense, such as what people such as Minnie Campbell were doing at different times. It would have been easier to follow had the book been split up into sections based on subjects rather than dates. This also would have made for smaller chapters which would have been easier to read.

I look at the city differently now. I’ve always admired many of the old buildings in Winnipeg, but never thought much about the history. Now that I know some of the history I am interested in learning more.

Blanchard came to speak to my class. He talked about letters written by a young man named Alec Waugh who went to war shortly after high school. He said you can tell the man changed over the course of the war from the tone of the letters, which are available in the provincial archives. I would love to read these. It makes me wonder what other fascinating documents are stored in archives. I would like to go explore them. 

On page 193 Blanchard writes about Deer Lodge Hospital. It is now Deer Lodge Centre. This place has history for me. I’ve had a Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas meal and gift exchange there. The cafeteria menu is well known to me. I know that if you want good coffee you should stop at Joe Black before heading in. I’ve left the building many times thinking I may have said goodbye to my grandma for the last time and then a few years ago I did. 

The main building is modern with glass and metal. But on the south-east corner is a small stone building with the words “Women’s Tribute Memorial Lodge”. It was built in 1931 with funds raised by Manitoba women to commemorate those who went to war. There was an auditorium and games room. The building is closed and you can no longer go inside.

Driving past it I’ve always thought about my grandma. Now I will also think about the soldiers that stayed there before her and I had our afternoon visits.