As the Second World War moves further and further into the past, it’s important to teach the next generation the significance of war.
That’s one of the reasons why Helmer Umpherville, a teacher at Nipawin’s Wagner Elementary, organized their Remembrance Day ceremony, held Nov. 10.
The teacher said it’s important to let his students know what happened in the wars because not only are the veterans of the Second World War getting older, but so are their children and even their grandchildren.
“As they grow old and pass away, who’s going to be left? It’s going to be the youngest ones that are alive now, so we have to instil in them a sense of what they have now came at a cost, so even when [the veterans] are gone, there’s things that they still know.”
The event, held annually by the school, featured a visit from the Nipawin Legion and a colour party from the Nipawin Air Cadets. The students took part, reciting poems related to the World Wars. Parents came in to watch.
“I feel that if the students are part of it, then they have a better understanding because we’re going through what it’s about, what we’re doing,” Umpherville said. “Every time we practice, we go through why we are doing this, what is it for, who is it about, so they realize it’s not about them, it’s about someone else.”
James Withrow gave a message to the children. He had some of the teachers pick up candy from a box labeled ‘free.’ He then told the students that the candy wasn’t free – he bought it and got a receipt. It was the same for our freedom – while we’ve received it for free, it was the sacrifices of the soldiers an ocean away that paid for it.
“The memorials that we have around the nation are in essence receipts of the costs of our freedom,” he said.
“That idea came to me and I thought: this is something the kids can connect with, understanding that this is something that they need to know.”
Like Umpherville, Withrow said there were fewer veterans from the Second World War to pass on stories about the horrors of war.
“We haven’t experienced war – which is a good thing – but it’s important that we remember how valuable our freedom is.”
Withrow said he hopes the students will look at the word free, they’ll look at it differently. He also hopes that people stop by local cenotaphs, look at the names and reflect on how precious freedom really is.
Umpherville said the ceremony was about honouring the veterans and helping the students understand what they did for them.
We want to instil in them a sense of appreciation, of gratitude, that somebody did something for them before they even knew them.”
