Ellen Lorraine (Haugland) Eby

Ellen Lorraine Eby (nee Haugland) was born on April 23, 1933, in a log cabin in northern Saskatchewan. Her Norwegian immigrant father had filed on a homestead along the newly lain tracks of the C.P.R. railroad, halfway between Nipawin and Prince Albert. He had married a girl of Scottish descent (Mary Robertson) and Ellen was their first child. The family would eventually grow to include eight children, four boys and four girls.

Although money was always scarce, Ellen had a happy carefree childhood. The homestead became a farm, one mile south of the village of Smeaton. Ellen completed twelve years of schooling in Smeaton, graduating in 1951.

Ellen’s best friend had moved to B.C. with her family in 1949. She had written many letters encouraging Ellen to come out there. With this in mind, Ellen worked for a farmer’s wife in the summer of 1951, earning enough money for a bus ticket to Trail, B.C.

Little did Ellen realize it at the time, but this trip became a major turning point in her life. She was to spend the rest of her years in B.C. and later, the Yukon. The family farm back in Saskatchewan became a beloved place to visit on holidays.

Ellen had decided in her 17th year that she wanted to become a teacher. In B.C. she found that she needed to complete Grade 13 in order to qualify for acceptance into Normal School. Ellen’s best friend by this time was married and was expecting her first child. Ellen put an ad in the local paper offering light-housekeeping services and child-care in return for room and board. She received several offers and accepted the most appealing. This is how she supported herself through Grade13 in Trail, then again for the year at Normal School in Victoria, B.C.

Graduating in June 1953, with an Interim Teaching Certificate was exciting and rewarding. There were plenty of job openings, province wide. Ellen applied for jobs in three districts, and received three offers. Thus began her three years of teaching as a single woman (Miss Haugland)

1953-54—Bonnet Hill, just outside of Prince George B.C. Grades 1-6

1954-55---Lower Post B.C. Mile 620, Alaska Highway Grades 1-7

1955-56---Watson Lake, Yukon Mile 635 Alaska Highway Grades 1-7

Ellen could write a book about those years, and maybe someday she will. She could have easily found teaching positions in larger urban centers down south, but the north country was much more appealing to her. She had her younger sister Mary with her during these three years. Her companionship made these adventures in life so much more fun.

In August of 1956, Ellen married Roy Eby, an Albertan who was working at the airbase in Watson Lake. They had planned to stay on in Watson Lake, but a chance meeting changed the course of their futures. While in Whitehorse applying for their wedding license they met a man with an interesting proposition. He was looking to hire a couple that comprised of a teacher and a heavy equipment operator. The jobs were at a U.S. Army Pumping Station at 48 Mile on the Haines Road. They were definitely interested.

They got married in the Watson Lake Airbase Chapel on August 14, 1956. They cancelled plans for a honeymoon trip home to the prairies to meet their respective parents. Instead they went to Haines, Alaska, to check out these potential jobs, and to see if they were hired.

Thus began their thirteen-year residence at 48 Mile. It wouldn’t be for everyone, but they loved their time there. Their three children were born while residing there: Douglas James in 1957, Kenneth Roy in 1958, and Jayne Patricia in 1960.

The promised school did not materialize until 1961, and by then Ellen was busy with three young children. However, in 1964 Ellen took over the role of teacher at the one-room multi-graded classroom. The school existed for a total of eight years, 1961-1969. Ellen taught for the last five years of its existence. The B.C. curriculum was followed, and the school was included in the vast Stikine District #87. As well as her own three, Ellen taught around 12-15 students in various grades, with one or two older ones on B.C. correspondence courses.

The residents of 48 Mile found themselves in a very unique situation. They resided in the province of B.C., were employed by the U.S. Army, got their mail in Haines, Alaska, yet had Yukon drivers, and vehicle licenses.

The Eby family, along with all the others who lived there, have very fond memories of the years spent there. Ellen is working on a picture history book of those years. She’s hoping it will be a treasured reminder and souvenir of those wonderful years. When the pumping station closed down in 1969, the Ebys and many of the other families relocated to Whitehorse.

Ellen worked as a substitute teacher for the 1969-70 school year. In the fall of 1970 she was hired on as a Grade 6 teacher at Whitehorse Elementary School. She remained at that school for the next twelve years, switching to Grade 5, after a couple of years. She loved her years there. It was a well-established school, with a staff of long-term dedicated teachers.

After a year of sabbatical leave in 1981-82, she came home to find that she had been assigned to a Grade 4 position at Jack Hulland Elementary in Porter Creek. This was just fine, as her husband Roy had just built a new house in Porter Creek. Ellen loved teaching Grade 4, and remained in that position for twelve years, until retirement in 1994.

“Oh, yes,” Ellen adds, “I did finally earn my B.Ed. in 1971 through many years of summer schools, and by family support and sacrifice.” In her sabbatical year she took a 5th year Language Arts Program. She’s a charter member of the Y.T.A., having joined back in 1955, while teaching in Watson Lake. Now she enjoys the activities of the Y.R.T.A.

Ellen says that retirement has been great, too, except that the years whiz by much too quickly. She enjoys going to aquafit, and socializing with friends at coffees and luncheons. A writing group she joined has opened up a whole new field of interest. She has published a book on her mother’s life, and plans to do more. Most winters she goes somewhere warm for two weeks with her three sisters. She volunteers at the hospital as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary. There is certainly never time to be bored or feel time heavy on one’s hands.

Roy passed away in 2012, after 56 years of marriage. Ellen is thankful that their three children, their spouses and children all live nearby. She is a proud great-grandmother to two little girls, Aliya and Ashlynn.