B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 15, 1999 Sisters fondly recall the good old days By YVONNE MOEN EARLIER this summer, I had the privilege of meeting with Hilda Smaha and her sister Norma Shel- ley, - Hilda and Norma are the daughters of the late Emil and Paula Gildner, who became residents of Kitselas in 1932. Emil and his wife Paula came from Poland, They had a family of six child- ren, four who were born in the old country. Son Willie died when he was only seven years old from diph- theria and baby Emil died of pneumonia at only one month old. Hilda (Smaha), who we all know, was born June 29, 1920 in Poland. Her sister Gertrude, who was two and a half years older than Hilda, died in. the Smithers hospital some years aga. Their father Emil Gild- ner was a carpenter who made window sashes and doors. Their mother Paula worked in a textile factory threading spools when she was just 10 years old. In 1929, Emil Gildner emigrated to Canada. He was sponsored here by Leo Belmont, who was the husband of their mother’s younger sisier. The Belmonts were al- ready settled in Hazelton, where they were farming. So Mr. Gildner worked on theix farm for the first year, plus he did other odd jobs to make some _ extra maney. The following year he went to CN as a labourer. Then in 1931, Mrs Gild- ner and the two remaining children, daughters Ger- trude and Hilda, travelled by boat from France to Halifax and then boarded the train to Winnipeg, where they were held by immigration. From Winnipeg they travelled the rest’ of; ‘the ; way across Canada to Beamount, a small CN station 15 miles east of Hazelton. Here they lived in a house belonging to Frenchie (Fred) Labelle, a bachelor who offered the Gildner family the upstairs of his house to live in. Already living at Bea- mount were the Schultziks {Charles and Sophia and their four children Henry, Ida, Clara (Turner) and Joe. Mr. Schultzik was the section foreman for CN and he, loo, had come from Poland. Here the Gildners grew a large garden, cleared more land, picked lots of wild mushrooms and all kinds of wild berries from the woods. They had a cow, some chickens and ‘they raised rabbils as well. They had lots to eat, and lived off what they grew, only having to buy the basic essentials, like flour and sugar. In 1932, Mr. and Mrs. . Gildner, and the two girls moved to Kitselas. They rented a place from Bill Shannon. It was in this house thal their daughter Elsie was born. At the time of Elsic’s birth, Hilda was 12 years old. She was the only one al home with her mother when the baby was born. So Hilda helped bring her sister into the warld. While they lived at Kit- selas, Mr. Gildner kept busy with odd jobs. Later he bought three and a half acres from Dobbie’s at Copper City. He cleared the land, all done the hard way by hand, and dug a 35 ‘foot well. Mrs. Gildner helped - her job was to pull the dirt up while her CORRECTION NOTICE WE WISH TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING IN OUR CURRENT “GREAT GIFT SALE" FLYER Page 30 - BASIC REMOTE STARTER, 4-0654-4 Copy raads: $89.93 Should read: $90.97. WE SINCERELY REGAET ANY INCONVENIENCE WE MAY HAVE CAUSED YOU, cote 420 - All Zones Lacal Terrace resident Hilda Smaha spent time this summer with her sister Norma Shelley. They are the daughters of the late Emil and Paula Gildner, who settled in Kitselas in 1932. husband dug. One must remember, compared with today’s standards, life in . those pioneer days’ was quite harsh. By 1936, the’ year of the’ big flood, they had built a house, and were somewhat seltled al Cop- per City when another daughter came along. On November 8, 1936, the youngest of the four Gild- ner girls, Norma, was born at home. When Mrs Gildner went into labour, Mr. Gildner and Hilda’s boyfriend, John Smaha, quickly rode the speeder to Terrace to get Dr. Mills to come out to Copper City. But unfor- tunately, Dr. Mills couldn’t make it. He was busy helping his son Parker find his tricycle, which had gone missing, Many have said that Dr. Mills was a gem of a man who did wonderful. things for the people of Terrace. When Dr. Mills couldn’t be found, Mrs. Dobbie came over as the midwife to help deliver Norma. Apparently Norma was a very small baby. Her mother kept her warm by keeping her close to the oven door, Hilda first attended school in Canada at Cop- per City, which she called the little red school house, on Dobbie’s property. Also atlending the school at this time were: George Thayer, Nick and George Dobbie, Gerald Clark, John Olsen and the Popovich kids. Their teacher was Rita McLean from Prince Ru- pert. Eventually the children grew up and the parents moved back to Hazelton. When they left Copper City, they loaded every- thing onto a box car, cow and all, and they lived in the box car for a few days with the cow, until they moved in with Tony Greco at Hagwilget. Later they moved back to Hazelton to share a home with their daughter Gertrude. They lived here for 12 years and ran a dairy farm. Apparently, Gertrude’s husband: Walter Cizek had been killed when riding the rails, the. whole. train engine had gone inte the Skeena. One year later, Walter Cizek’s body was found washed up on the sand bar under the Old Skeena Bridge. By this time, Hilda and John Smaha were married, and they took over the house at Copper City. Then in 1950, John and Hilda Smaha moved lo Terrace and started the Terrace Cleaners, the first cleaning business in the city. After Elsie and Norma graduated, they both went on for more schooling. They studied at the Royal Jubilee School of Nursing in Victoria and -both be- came registered nurses. Elsie later moved to Prince George and worked in public health for 36 years. While in P.G. Elsie was instrumental in the creation of UNBC, where she became the second president of the society. ta She saw ‘the need for ‘advanceil édtucation for the | north. On ‘her:retirement, Elsie moved to Armstrong, B.C. and became a town councillor, as well as the chairperson of the health board. Norma has practised nursing across Canada, ending up in Langley. For the last two years, she has been a gypsy, trying to find the right place to set- tle. Hilda Smaha is enjoy- ing her retirement years. She is living at the Twin River Estates. And one can see her walk to town al- most every day with her walker. Good health and Merry Christmas to them all. RADELET & COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors "eee | al ” _ ees Tax Law ® Trusts * Corporate & Commercial SOME a | MO: 3 1330 - 1075 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, 8.C, Vf 3C9 ER YONE! Phone: 604-689-0878 Fox: 604-689-1386 WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SELECTION OF GIFT ITEMS IN STOCK. + scarves + hats * gloves * Verrace Symphony ; a Orchestra - fur earmuffs & shawls ° “Axi with the Community Choir, - a large selection of glassware * Vox Polaris - exquisite teapots ' presents - gift boxed coffee mugs A Benefit Christmas;Concert for the Terrace Churches Food Bank - 4 Conductor - Jim Ryan Saturday December 18, 8:00pm Knox United Church (‘Join us for the spirit of Christmas! Program will include: Selections trom the Nutcracker Well known works from Handel's Messiah Congregational carol singing We wish you and yours health and happiness this holiday season. Thank you for your patronage this past year. From all of us at... HAIR GALLERY 4711D Keith Ave 635-3729 Admission is a monetary donation ior the food bank. £ f~-" AND MORE, MORE, MORE | Wy eet = 7 eRe eon eee tee eee ker ee eed ee ee ee ehh eh wee | 1 th Annual Terrace Christmas. Lights Decorating Contest Five Categories~ «Best Home Best Apartment/Mobile «Best Street «Best Commercial Display *Best Eon Overall “Sponsors ee eee oe ee aint @ Terrace Standard ENTRY FORM a @: Steve aoe ae “AME: e. A raisals Nort west | ‘PP: -, ADDRESS: Remax of Terrace -_ I CATEGORY: Totem Ford. titi Fax entries to the Terrace Standard office at 638-8432 STANDARD a * Cariboo: Real Estate Boord | 4 eenleyside Insurance... -¢ Home Hardware _ 3 PH TEL ESCO TH Ne rh Oe se Entry decdline Dec. 16/99. Judging Dec..17/99 6-9 pm. Betty Fraser Terrace Sight & Sound Patricia Davidson Images by Karlene Wanda Clayton Keenleyside Insurance Martha Thiessen SpeeDee Printers Lorne Haizimsque Gail Fell Northern Photo Donna Geier Totem Furniture Velma Adams Terrace & District Credit Union E NTE R H E RE : ve at the merchants listed below. Coast Inn of the West/White Spot Joanne Hall Jim Moare - Terrace Builders River Industries Glenn Beard Alex Patershuk A & W Restaurants (Keith Ave) ~ Gemma’s Boutiques Gordon Blakeburn Dorothy Sutherland Your Decor Terrace Subway Ellen Hepting Debbie Simpson Tymoschuk Agencies Lunchbox Deli Bill Graham Janet Reay Aqua Clear Bottlers Hairwaves Salon Leonard Hansen -Liane Busse Canadian Tire _Irly Bird-First Choice builders Kyla Campbell David Dusclt © Terrace Home Hardware Donna Spurr Misty River Books Scotia Bank Pendragon Computers Mr, Mike’s Grill Terry Feser Karen McDowell er... eee rm a a ee