Students from the six high schools in Elgin County met on Monday with four of the eighteen renowned Canadian authors who have written about twenty Canadians with their entries in the Extraordinary Canadians Biographies Series. Most of the students present had jumped at the chance to read one of the books which had been distributed earlier at their schools, and at the rare opportunity to hear and meet the author in person.
The Extraordinary Canadians event was made possible by funding from the estate of Dorothy Palmer. As executor of her estate, Andrew Gunn has looked for ways to offer opportunities for young people in Elgin County, in keeping with Dorothy Palmer’s life-long interest in education. To date, donations from the estate have also been announced for the introduction of a Renewable Energies Technician Program at Fanshawe College’s St. Thomas Campus and for bringing the first two years of Algoma’s Bachelor of Arts program to St. Thomas in the former Wellington Street Public School.
The County of Elgin also sponsored the event and facilitated getting students to the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club to hear and meet the authors.
The Extraordinary Canadians event was made possible by funding from the estate of Dorothy Palmer. As executor of her estate, Andrew Gunn has looked for ways to offer opportunities for young people in Elgin County, in keeping with Dorothy Palmer’s life-long interest in education. To date, donations from the estate have also been announced for the introduction of a Renewable Energies Technician Program at Fanshawe College’s St. Thomas Campus and for bringing the first two years of Algoma’s Bachelor of Arts program to St. Thomas in the former Wellington Street Public School.
The County of Elgin also sponsored the event and facilitated getting students to the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club to hear and meet the authors.
“The purpose of this event,” said Gunn, "is to get together to celebrate an extraordinary set of books published by Penguin Canada called Extraordinary Candians.” He noted that as students finish high school and go on to further education, work or travel, reading the books will help them to understand the connections between the Canadians profiled, and to appreciate and be part of the history of our country.
Extraordinary Canadians is a widely acclaimed series of 18 biographies telling the stories of 20 Canadians who have shaped the way we think. The Monday event was the first-ever meet and greet of some of the authors with a student group.
Series Editor and author John Ralston Saul (Louis Hippolyte-LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin), Charles Foran (Maurice Richard), Charlotte Gray (Nellie McClung), and Nino Ricci (Pierre Elliott Trudeau) presented thoughts on their subjects.
John R Saul noted that many of the extraordinary Canadians were, in their time, considered strange or rebellious and many made an impact when they were in their teens or early 20s.
Charlotte Gray, speaking of Nellie McClung, said “From about seven, you could tell she was going to take on the world and she was constantly asking ‘Why not?’.
Saul’s subjects, Louis Hippolyte-La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin laid the political foundations for our country long before confederation. Saul indicated that they resisted pressure to use violence and that the Canadian legacy of non-violent politics was invented by them. He also made note of help they received from the Governor General of the time, Lord Elgin, paying him tribute as “the only decent Governor General that Britain ever sent.”
Students were attentive during the presentations and lined up eagerly to get their books signed. Many appeared to share the sentiment expressed by CECI student Aaron DeJong, “It’s great the authors chose to talk to students for the first time in St. Thomas – it’s not often you get to do something like this at this age.”
See photos of the event and of some of the students below.
Extraordinary Canadians is a widely acclaimed series of 18 biographies telling the stories of 20 Canadians who have shaped the way we think. The Monday event was the first-ever meet and greet of some of the authors with a student group.
Series Editor and author John Ralston Saul (Louis Hippolyte-LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin), Charles Foran (Maurice Richard), Charlotte Gray (Nellie McClung), and Nino Ricci (Pierre Elliott Trudeau) presented thoughts on their subjects.
John R Saul noted that many of the extraordinary Canadians were, in their time, considered strange or rebellious and many made an impact when they were in their teens or early 20s.
Charlotte Gray, speaking of Nellie McClung, said “From about seven, you could tell she was going to take on the world and she was constantly asking ‘Why not?’.
Saul’s subjects, Louis Hippolyte-La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin laid the political foundations for our country long before confederation. Saul indicated that they resisted pressure to use violence and that the Canadian legacy of non-violent politics was invented by them. He also made note of help they received from the Governor General of the time, Lord Elgin, paying him tribute as “the only decent Governor General that Britain ever sent.”
Students were attentive during the presentations and lined up eagerly to get their books signed. Many appeared to share the sentiment expressed by CECI student Aaron DeJong, “It’s great the authors chose to talk to students for the first time in St. Thomas – it’s not often you get to do something like this at this age.”
See photos of the event and of some of the students below.
Photo #2: Beth Brandeau (left) and Rachael Lavoie (right), from Arthur Voaden. Beth was intrigued by the L.M. Montgomery cover and was interested to find the biography was in the style of an essay about the underlying story of Montgomery's life. Rachael read Pierre Elliott Trudeu, and was attracted to the subject as a St. Thomas school is named after him and she wanted to find out more about his life.
Photo #3: Aaron DeJong from C.E.C.I. Aaron knew Lester B. Pearson was a famous Prime Minister and was interested in discovering how he shaped our politics today. He found it to be a detailed account of his entire life.
Photo #4: Kelly, Rachel, isabella and Kevin (closest to furthest) from East Elgin Secondary School.
Photo #7: Author Charles Foran with Brandon De Cook from West Elgin Secondary School.
Photo #3: Aaron DeJong from C.E.C.I. Aaron knew Lester B. Pearson was a famous Prime Minister and was interested in discovering how he shaped our politics today. He found it to be a detailed account of his entire life.
Photo #4: Kelly, Rachel, isabella and Kevin (closest to furthest) from East Elgin Secondary School.
Photo #7: Author Charles Foran with Brandon De Cook from West Elgin Secondary School.
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