The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Family’s teaching dynasty began in 1911

A five-generation Alberta teaching dynasty began in 1911 when Mary Mildred Linke immigrated to Canada from England.

Prior to arriving in Canada, Mary had been a class mistress, as school teachers were then known, for 19 years. An article in the Citizen Letchworth (September 22, 1911), noted that [in 1892], “the school was fortunate to secure the services of a teacher of exceptional ability and high reputation.  . . . [with] her unselfish devotion to her work, her quiet strength decision of character, her sanity and tact and above all her happy disposition, she was admirably fitted to produce an ideal school atmosphere. Letchworth is [now] losing an invaluable public servant.”

Because Mary had a young family when she arrived in Canada, she did not resume teaching until 1919. From 1919 to 1934, she taught at numerous one-room schools in rural Alberta (Myroslav School Division (SD), Willow SD, Wostock SD, Redwater, Altario and Warwick). She taught in Fort Smith, NWT, from 1939 to 1946, in Abbottsford, BC, in 1946/47, and Prince George from 1948 to 1950). By the time of her retirement at the age of 79 years, Mary had spent 40 years in the classroom.

Mary passed along her dedication to education to her daughters, Marjorie and Barbara, both of whom became teachers. Marjorie graduated from Edmonton’s Normal School in 1922. She taught in rural schools in north central Alberta and continued teaching until 1927, when she married Jim Witney. Once her children were old enough to attend school, Marjorie returned to teaching in 1940, mostly in one-room rural schools, often taking her daughters with her. She retired in 1969 after more than 25 years in the classroom. Marjorie was always interested in upgrading her skills; in 1963, after many sessions of summer school at the University of Alberta, Marjorie was awarded a BEd.

Mary’s younger daughter, Barbara, completed Normal School at the age of 18 and taught for a few years in British Columbia. Her main interest was languages—especially French—in which she tutored many university students.

Like her mother before her, Marjorie passed her commitment to education on to her children; her three daughters became teachers. The oldest, Mildred Margaret (Peggy), completed Normal School in Edmonton in 1948 and taught in rural one-room schools in north central Alberta. In 1955, she married Gordon Orlick, another teacher cum school principal. After her two sons started school, Peggy resumed teaching full-time with Edmonton Public schools—first in Rio Terrace and then at Lynnwood Elementary School, where she taught for 23 years. As did her mother, Peggy continued her own education while teaching; she attended summer school in the faculty of education at the University of Alberta and received an education diploma in 1955 and a BEd in 1967. In total, Peggy taught in Alberta for 29 years.

Marjorie`s second daughter, Gwyneth, completed degrees in agriculture, psychology and education. She taught part-time for five years at Simon Fraser University, in BC, and for 11 years at Haldane Elementary School, in Chase, BC. Although Gwyneth spent almost 16 years in the classroom, none of her teaching career took place in Alberta.

The youngest daughter, Edith, completed degrees at the University of Alberta in home economics (1958) and education (1967). During her teaching career, she taught home economics and fashion production at Olds College (1959/60, 1973 to 96), home economics and other courses at Innisfail High School (1972/73) and Louis St. Laurent School, in Edmonton (1967 to 1972). Edith obtained a diploma in fibre arts with honours from the Banff School of Fine Arts, an MSc in clothing and textiles from Oregon State University and a diploma in adult education. In total, Edith taught full-time for 29 years and part-time for 4 years.

Edith’s daughter, Dorine, followed in her footsteps and completed a BEd with a major in fine arts and a minor in math from the University of Alberta, in 1982. From 1982 to 1996, she was employed part-time or in substitute teaching, as a result of the many moves necessitated by her husband’s employment. Since 1996, she has been employed full-time in teaching, first at Boyle School, Boyle, and then Dr. Swift Middle School, in Lac La Biche, where she is both teacher and assistant principal. To date, Edith has spent more than 16 years in the classroom and has taught at every level—playschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. She also taught university-level math for two years at Muskwachees College, in Hobbema.

And in 2010, Dorine’s daughter, Sarah, completed a BEd in elementary education at the University of Alberta. She teaches part-time at Whispering Hills Primary School, in Athabasca.

Over the past 99 years, ever since Mary Linke immigrated to Canada, she and all her female descendents have become teachers, and between them, they have taught for more than 150 years, 125 of those years in Alberta.

Wilbur Collin, who is married to Edith Collin, is also a teacher and an administrator at the college level.