Arlene Larsen:
CLASS OF 1960
King Edward High SchoolClass of 1960
Vancouver, BC
Arlene's Story
First, King Edward was a great school. Secondly, I would be considered a nerd in todays language. I was not popular. In fact I sat it out at "graduation". In truth I was short 15 credits for graduation. So, I managed to attain a job at the Georgia Hotel, as an elevator operator. A job I loved, so very interesting. Next, I began employment at Woodward's on Pender St. where I was an apprentsigning operator, next onto Sears working in Visual Display. I had a boss who made sexual advancements, talked myself out of that one! I had learned how to avoid being groped. After, that of course, I married a handsome man had four children and did the homemaker role. I considered myself an excellent mother and a great cook. However, I longed to be more than someones wife, mother, daughter et. al. It took a number of years of therapy at Victims Assistance from domestic violence to find out who I was. Today, I have a RSW degree, (expired) a BSW, a HSW diploma, a gerontology diploma, along with the fact I am still a great mom, great cook, a widow, and a social changer on the macro level. Although I am now considered elderly, that is only a number on paper. Loving the Creator, life, nature, and myself has brought me much satisfaction. King Edward was where I met my ...Expand for more
first love, someone I will always remember, as handsome and caring. I believe he has died. Of course I introduced him to someone of the same religion. At the time, I almost graduated, the "isms" were what the ideology was. John was RC, I was spiritual, but had no label. Today, that has changed. Thankfully. What I have learned is that I was not stupid or mentally challenged, but had been misunderstood., like so many others. My marks at King Edward and throughout elementary school were either "fail" or close to it. I believed I was a "dumb girl", who could only aspire to "hook a husband" to support her. Certainly I would love to have my dogwood diploma to say : "I graduated grade 12." The courses I need are Math 11, Home Ec, and typing. Those are the 15 credits I need. Oh, by the way, there was a math teacher, that today, would have been suspended for inappropriate behaviour directed towards the three females in his class. No one said anything. A "Me Too" movement? Not at that time! This teacher failed me in math. However I got a B+ in Stats. at university, many years later. "Wipe the blood off and back to the frontlines of life", that is my motto. Do what is possible to make the world a better place, no matter how insignificant you may think you are.
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