Afternoon Tea at SEESA
David Boroditsky
On Fri Oct 18, 2019, NLMES (Nellie L McClung Educational Society) had some student representatives from the Nellie program help with a Persons Day tea hosted by South East Edmonton Seniors Association SEESA.
The Nellie students helped set the tables, & served tea/coffee & desserts for guests at the SEESA Persons Tea. These days it’s likely that not many students have experienced the age old British tradition of afternoon tea.
In honour of the milestone anniversary of Persons Day, a beautiful setting was laid out with fine china tea cups & saucers, silverware & tablecloths. There were cheesecakes to nibble on, & a display of period piece clothing (corset & blouses). One of the ladies was also dressed in a typical blouse, skirt, gloves & hat. The ladies also sang songs from the period & there were speeches about women’s rights. SEESA members crafted a beautiful quilt for a raffle & the winner was drawn during the tea.
It was a perfect opportunity for the young Nellie students to chat with the guests at the South East Edmonton Seniors Association. SEESA commented on how nice it was for seniors to have a chance to connect with the younger generation - it can be challenging to find the right occasion to have young students interacting with seniors. At NLMES, we hope that there'll be more chances to meet up, as students can learn from stories & memories that aren't necessarily always available online.
Linda Duncan also dropped by to visit before she “locked her office door” for the last time. The tenacious efforts of the Famous Five, has given Linda Duncan, & many other women the chance to take on active roles & leadership responsibilities in government.
Who knows, one day it might be your daughter or granddaughter that will be "opening" their constituency office doors to you.
“2019 is the 90th Anniversary of Persons Day that acknowledges the efforts of the Famous Five to have “women” included in the legal definition of “persons” in Canada. This decision not only allowed women to serve in the Senate, but also helped pave the way for women to participate equally in all aspects of life (public & political) in Canada. In 1929, this milestone victory was achieved by 5 women (from Alberta) who become known as the Famous Five – Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, and Henrietta Muir Edwards.”