50 years ago today, on 26 June 1964, I received this diploma. I had just completed “Jardin d’Enfants” (Kindergarten) at Ecole St-Charles in Timmins, Ontario.
I don’t have any memories of this day, being only 5½ years old (I turned six the following month), but I have my diploma and some photos that Mom took to mark this special day in the school life of a kindergarten student.
The awards ceremony took place in the basement hall of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, which was the parish church for our Roman Catholic elementary school. I know my kindergarten class was present, based on photo evidence, but I don't know if other grades were present and if they too received awards.
The diploma measures 21.5 cm x 27.5 cm (approximately 8½” x 11”). It's light pink in colour. It feels slightly glossy, as if it’s not completely made of cotton and it’s not quite as heavy as today’s sheets of paper. There is a stain in the top right hand side and it is wrinkled throughout. There are also a few tiny tears along the edges.
It’s a simple piece of paper, but it means so much to me.
Copyright © 2014, Yvonne Demoskoff.
And it will mean so much to your descendents someday, take good care of it.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so, Ellie! Thanks for commenting!
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