Linda

My name is Linda. My birthday is May 16, 1949. I lived with my mother and father. When I was 3 months old, I got very sick. It left me paralysed on my right side.

I have five brothers and four sisters. I was raised on the farm in the district of Bangor, Saskatchewan. I went to Pilchak School with my brothers and sisters. I could not walk, so we used to ride horses in the summer and used a sleigh in the winter. We lived five miles from school. I cried when I couldn't go to school. When I turned nine years old, the school bus picked me and my sister up every morning and returned us home at four o'clock every day.

Background Information

This story is about a woman who lives in Saskatchewan. What do you know about Saskatchewan? Have you ever lived or visited there? What do you think schools were like there in the 1950's and 60's?

Questions

1. When was Linda born?

2. Who did she live with?

3. What does paralysed mean?

4. How many children are in Linda's family?

5. How would they get to school in the summer and winter?

6. What is a sleigh?

7. How far did they live from school?

8. Why do you think Linda cried when she couldn't go to school?

9. What happened when Linda turned nine?

10. What time would she return home everyday?