Tag Archive: Education


Norm Hansen a local naturalist is presenting at the societies January meeting.

Did you know that, a few thousand years ago as the last ice-age was coming to an end, the Nicola Valley was deep under a series of huge lakes. Massive chunks of ice blocked valleys to create these lakes, and as the ice melted the water rushing out of the lakes carved deep gorges. Today you can still see the lake shores of these ice dams, high in the hills around the Nicola Valley, and travel along the gorges that they carved out. Norm Hansen, a long-time forester from Merritt and NNS director, has for many years researched the history of these ice dams and their remnants and will share this amazing story with us.

Norm had a career in forestry including the private sector as a consultant after securing a degree from the university of British Columbia, Norm was raised in Golden BC in the Rocky Mountains and has a good appreciation of natural process and the wonder of the natural environment. Norms talk will be on January 15th at the NVIT college lecture theater, starting at 7:pm the society says that all are welcome,and membership or donation requested. Membership applications are available on the groups site:http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/ The non-profit group takes responsibility for the winter bird count and are involved in scrutiny of frogs and other creatures here, they are members in good standing of the provincial naturalist organization.

Today in history: January 7th 1835 The HMS Beagle reaches the Chonos Archipelago  

School days

Graduation parade, school district 58  file photo KDG

Graduation parade, school district 58
file photo KDG

The school system seems back to normal today with young people walking to the local high school and noon hour parading for lunch across Coutlee Avenue and on.
School district 58 includes Merritt, Lower Nicola, the Nicola Valley, and Princeton a small community an hour to the west of Merritt. Richie Gage a trustee says that there are over 3000 students in the system here.

Today in history: September 26th 1969
Abby Road the last Beatles album is released.

There has been a real transition to self-governing among the First Nations people’s in the Nicola Valley.  Some real markers for the recapture of a near dead culture are here. NVIT is a first nations run public college, it has agreements with major universities for university transfer. They use the facility for traditional feasts and have a FN language dean.

Located behind the senior highschool is a mock-up pit house with architecture that models the original design and demonstrates the importance of circular dynamics of meetings. The Provincial park at Nicola lake also has ancient pit house remains as a topical interest.

The healing of local natives is in some ways apparent including a marked departure from excessive drinking and there is fewer tragic accidents in the last half decade.

The aboriginal mine training association posts employment goals in the near 1000 range and is well on its way to achieving.

There are catagory two, grade schools that are government certified including one at Douglas Lake, featuring kindergarten to grade twelve. nkwala@uppernicolaband.com

Kudos to visionaries like the late Grand Chief Gordon Antoine for his clear vision and patient resolve to create conditions for success.

Today in history: March 7th 1994

The United States Supreme court rules that parodies of an original work is  acceptable under the fair use provision.

Fossils and more

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The Nicola Naturalists are having their monthly public presentation this month on March 20th with Barbara Pryce. Titled the role of nature conservatories in the protection of ecosystems the event begins at 7 pm in the NVIT lecture theater.

April’s meeting is on the 17th and is by DR. Bruce Archibald from Simon Fraser University; Fossils of the BC Interior.

The Nicola Naturalists are an NPA, with an elected board headed by Dr. Alan Burger uvic, http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/2013/12/19/nicola-naturalist-evening-presentations-jan-apr-2014/

Free parking at the NVIT campus , 4155 Belshaw Avenue Merritt BC

Today in history: March 3rd 1875

The first organized indoor game of ice hockey is played in Montreal Canada

Powwow

This morning there is about three hundred people in the front field of Merritt Secondary School. Starting with a Grand procession a colorful procession of First Nations people are advancing about the field in the direction of a white teepee tent on the eastern side of the field. Flags , feathers and scarlet coated Mounties are followed up by children of first nations decent.

A young women getting into a jingle dancers dress to take part said it is a first annual and is linked to the school district.

The high school also has a pit house reconstruction at the rear of the school.

The Powwow goes to 1 PM today.

Today in history: May 29th 1954

The first of  the annual bilderburg conferences.

Plein air paint out

Today and tomorrow in Ashcroft BC is the second annual Plein Air Paint Out. Artist registration cost 20 dollars and there is  three hundred dollar in prizes.

The event has an artist choice award ,wet painting sale and a BBQ and potluck dinner nights. Billets are available. FMI ashcroftpleinair@gmail.com

Plein air is French for out door air, and natural light painting.

Today in history: May 22, 1826

The HMS Beagle departs for its first voyage.

The amazing 2by4 contest

Merit of Merritt

Its good that it is friday….

Again this year the local School District is having a contest for students to add value to a piece of  lumber.

Sponsored in part by The national forest week committee, Ardew wood products ,Home Hardware Building center and Community futures development.

Items will be judged for acknowledgement of creativity, ingenuity, and uniqueness.

Today in History: May 17, 1805

Mohammad Ali becomes the Wali of Egypt.

Tomorrow night at 7PM, April 23rd, at the local community college NVIT a film on the representation of women in the media will be presented. In the auditorium at 4155 Belshaw avenue Misrepresentation will be played.
doors open at 6:30 seating is limited to 145 and no food or drinks in the theater: admission 2 dollars ( proceeds to the local women’s shelter.)
A film by Jennifer Siebe Newsom.

Today in History: April 22 1977

Fiber optics is first used to carry phone calls.

Two laptops

The local library in Merritt has two laptops to use in the study carousels at the Garcia street facility. The laptops are two of ten that were dispersed from a program called literacy Merritt.

The librarian said it was a program to help seniors stay in contact with grand children that may be living elsewhere.

The lap tops are available for use without log in or a library card, the library has wi-fi service.

Today in history: April  17th 1897

The Aurora UFO incident.

Drumming and drum making

About a dozen people were in a traditional drum making class at room 069 today ant NVIT the first nations administrated public , community college at 4155 Belshaw Avenue here in Merritt , starting with a bannock lunch the process takes about 2 hours to stretch raw hide over wooden rings. Deer skin is also used to make rattles of raw hide to go with drummers.

A drum stick is also made from a willow stick , ” medicine” ” willow has healing ” and a sowed skin covered foam pad. A participant said also that sand was used  before balloons were available to stitch wet rawhide over for  the rattle.

When asked Amy Strayer said it was her first one and tradition holds that she give it away. Her drum was drying and she had not yet decided who to give it to.

First nations people often sing ad drum their introductions to a meeting.

Today in history: April 16th 1881

Bat Masterson fights his last gun battle in Dodge city.

Dance

Its spring break for kids and the local dance studio had blue wraps with red strips tied around the trees in the yard of the court-house gallery. ” We did to get attention ” said the Dance instructor ” we need more students”.

The Merritt Dance Society  has Ballet and movement classes for 3-5 year olds and is Presented by a ” Royal Academy of Dance” registered teacher.

A brochure also names the same teacher as offering a Dancing Divas dancing fun for women. With beginners courses  and Golden girls

( 60 +).

The dance society is in the Old Court House Gallery on Nicola Avenue  upstairs from the Art Gallery.

Today in history:March 28 1990

Jesse Owens posthumously, is awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Strong start

One of the local Elementary schools began a strong start program last year. the public School Merritt Central Elementary School, today is circulating posters saying that there is now a fee drop for both the children: birth – 5  years, and their caregivers. The poster also now includes two more of the 4 elementary schools here in Merritt.

The local school board has recently had to close a middle school for the lack of 48 students.

ph: 250-378-9931 for info.

Today in history: January 31 1950

The United States undertakes to develop the Hydrogen Bomb