BCHF member Trelle A. Morrow has “stepped up” to suggest that Federation members question local candidates about their parties’ plans to support the incorporation of subjects relevant to BC history into provincial education curricula.
“I have mulled over several queries regarding this history theme and have consolidated them into one overall question, which over the years has gained insufficient attention,” writes Morrow, who poses the following question to party leaders and candidates:
Question: In order to alleviate the historical awareness void affecting our community, how will you become involved with incorporating subject material relevant to British Columbia history and community heritage values into both the education degree programs at universities and the Grade 1-12 education curriculum in our province?
“My grandson is now teaching elementary [school] in Kamloops,” writes Morrow. “He says there is no BC history content in the education degree program that he followed at Thompson Rivers University. [There is] a little bit of American history, and some of Europe, apparently. So, he is basically ignorant of BC history.
“I documented and published [the historical significance of] St. Peter’s Church at Monte Creek last year for the local parish, and my grandson was not aware of the historic Monte Creek community, let alone the church. [Monte Creek is located approximately 30 kilometres west of Kamloops.]
“I feel the education problem is fundamental to it all, and needs to be addressed.”
Trelle A. Morrow, B.Arch, BA, MA, is a retired architect and author of ten local history books on transportation, architecture and industry in the Prince George region. Morrow is an active member of the Prince George Heritage Commission and has documented the heritage value of several local and regional buildings.
