The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1994, Blaðsíða 48

158
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SPRING, 1994
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^MARTHA’S METHODS
* © MARTHA CREIGHTON
As a young woman, Caroline trav-
elled to Winnipeg to study at business
college and also to take a milliner’s
course. The latter showed her
practical side — this was to be there
to fall back on in case she did not
land an office job. She made her “new
home” with the Bjomson family (Sam
and Ina) on Beverley Street. This
became her second home. Mrs.
Bjomson always treated Caroline as if
she were a daughter, and to this day
the friendship with the Bjornson
children remains steadfast.
Caroline was not happy with “office
work” and opted to join the Canadian
Women’s Army Corps (C.W.A.C.). Her
basic training took place in Quebec.
She then returned to Winnipeg where
she served as a stenographer in Dist-
rict Depot. She then found great
excitement in being transferred to
Ottawa, where she was the editor in
charge of a monthly magazine dis-
tributed to all the women’s divisions
of the forces. The monthly was an
official organ of the C.W.A.C. and
called the Newsletter.
Life in Ottawa was great! Here she
found herself in the company of
people from all over Canada who, like
her, were posted there. She found this
very stimulating. However, after four
years, the war came to an end and
Caroline returned to the West.
Following her discharge from the
service, Caroline accepted a steno-
graphic position with a legal office.
During this period of her life, she was
a member of the Valour Road Legion,
where she edited their little magazine,
Bronze Tablet. She also found time
to be a member of the Winnipeg
Dramatic Society. “For, although I
couldn’t act,” she says, with the
proper spirit of true service, “I could
be of use in various other ways.”
Caroline was a very active member of
the board of The Icelandic Canadian
as well.
In 1949 Caroline took on the
position of news editor with the
Shaunavon Standard, in a lovely little
town in south-western Saskat-
chewan, close to the Montana border.
Here Caroline was given a lot of
freedom to develop her trade. She
recalled the tough times the cattle
ranchers were experiencing with
poverty brought on by the drought.
Cowboys were everywhere! However,
just three years later, she left to