Type-a Specialist

A few days later, before my letter of standing had arrived, I had a visitor to my classroom. He came in unannounced and sat at the back. As the French School was a private school and most teachers were inexperienced young people from France, many of whom were seeking to avoid military service at home by working in Canada, some parents considered it their right, or duty, to check up on what was being taught to their sons and daughters. The teachers would not object for fear of being returned to France; however, I had no such fear. So, assuming this was an uninvited parent I stopped the lesson I was teaching, gave the students work to continue, and approached the visitor. He apologized for entering without invitation but had assumed I was aware of his coming. He was not a parent he admitted with a chuckle, but rather an inspector from the Ministry of Education. Again, I told him that as I had not been informed of his coming, I was not prepared to teach for him. He laughed and said, “Mr. Evans, I have not come to examine you, but to see that the Ontario curriculum is being faithfully taught in this school.” I relaxed and we were soon chatting amicably as he looked over a student’s notebook. We talked about ‘home’ since he had emigrated some years before from Scotland.

“Have you applied for a letter of standing, yet?” he asked. I informed him that I had.

“When it arrives,” he said, “give me a call and I will come and assess you so that you can receive a Type-B teachers’ certificate.” He hesitated. “Better still, when your letter of standing arrives, send a copy to my office and I’ll forward your certificate to you.” It's obvious by the way you handle this class that you’re a competent teacher!”

As the school year came to an end Anne prepared to take our girls on the trip to Manitoba to see the Wiebes, but I was considering another option for myself; I had seen a six- week summer course advertised for those interested and qualified to receive a Type-A Specialist teaching certificate.

All those who desire to be Head of Department in an Ontario secondary school should have this certificate, though many do not.

I had a friend at that time who had done summer courses for several years just to qualify for this course. Prof. Carlisle had indicated that I would be eligible for this certificate, so I wrote asking for an application. Once it arrived, I filled out the required details and gathered together all the necessary papers - with one exception. My Type-B certificate had not yet arrived though the inspector assured me it was “in the computer.” On the deadline day for applications, I telephoned the university explaining that my Type-B certificate was due to arrive “any day now,” and asked if my application could be delayed a little while.

The secretary listened sympathetically, and said she was sorry but, “deadlines are deadlines.” As I was about to put the phone down, saddened at being so near to obtaining the Type-A within one year of arriving in Canada, she spoke again. “Excuse me, sir. Is it possible that your name is Mr. Evans?” I remembered hearing that before from another secretary! Deja Vue? She then told me my name was already down to attend the course! I said that that could not be as I had not yet applied. She told me that Prof. Carlisle had entered my name! (Perhaps he was embarrassed since years before he caused me much disappointment.)

I was now really beginning to understand just why the Lord had closed that door in Germany, so many years before.

I enjoyed that summer of work very much, graduating as a Type-A Specialist in physics. That was when Anne returned home from four wonderful weeks in Dauphin, Manitoba with the Wiebes. She and the three girls had travelled over 2,000 miles, and had bought their fair share of the groceries, and yet we found that our bank account at month’s end was no different than if they had never gone!

Again, the Lord must have provided!