Why Choose Nellie

Looking back on my days as a Nellie, listening to No Doubt, working on my science fair project, adjusting my tie on the city bus in the mornings, it’s hard to believe that 23 years later I’m the proud parent of a Nellie McClung student. But truth be told, I always hoped I would be.

My parents & I discovered the Nellie Program just weeks before my gr. 8 year was about to begin & after suffering through most of the usual teenage drama of gr. 7 in a regular jr. high, I was more than thrilled to join a program focusing on female empowerment, science & a sense of community. Over the next 2 years I made some of the greatest memories of my life, & some of the closest friends that to this day I call my very nearest & dearest people.

Fast forward to last year, as my own daughter was in the midst of her gr. 6 year, I contacted my ‘alma mater’.  The principal kindly offered up information, as well as an invitation to the Power of Women (POW) event held in early 2020 which we decided to attend. Within 10 min. of arriving at the school  several gr. 7,8 & 9 students introduced themselves & got to know my daughter. By the end of the opening speech my shy, introverted 11 yr. old was off making new friends with girls who were happy to show her the school & walk her to her next speaker. By 3pm I received a text saying that she would be a few minutes late as she helped her “new friends put chairs away”. I knew in that moment; the school was just as special as it was during my time there so long before & it would be a great 3 yrs. for my daughter.

Only a month after the POW event, the world completely changed with the threat of Covid 19 shutting schools & businesses down. We didn’t know what the school year would bring, but we ordered the uniform & made the decision to enroll for in-person learning at Nellie for 2020/2021. From the very start of this school year, the staff have gone above & beyond to not only make the most of a challenging situation but to give the kids the safest learning environment possible. Between the small class sizes & experienced staff I feel extremely lucky to have chosen in person learning for my daughter, & don’t think I would have under any other circumstances.

One of the noticeable features of the program is the uniform. Quite frankly, this was not very appealing for my daughter, but after talking with the girls at POW she was sold. The freedom it offers to parents & students is amazing! I love that getting ready in the morning is a simple & easy process; & it allows the girls to feel connected to one another in a unique way. The freedom to mix & match pieces or appropriately express yourself through your hair, make up or jewelry gives just the right amount of creativity while not distracting from the learning & relationships being built.

I am thankful for my experience at Nellie, & I truly know this program is SPECIAL. The fear of going to a jr. high without all the same friends can be overwhelming.  I’m sure it's a big reason for many girls & parents to not enroll in a different school, but knowing the amazing experiences & new friends to be made, the decision was easy for us. And I hope by sharing our experience it will help make it easier for anyone else considering this program for their daughter.

Holly Baker, Nellie class of 1999

Posted Feb 2021

Nellie McClung: A Complex Legacy

Nellie McClung was a suffragist, a politician, an author and a social justice advocate. For these reasons, the founding members of the Nellie L. McClung Educational Society chose her as the namesake for a program that empowers girls to lead, challenge, and change the world.

Nellie L. McClung was also an advocate for the Alberta Sexual Sterilization Act, which legalized involuntary sterilization of Albertans deemed “mentally deficient” from 1928 to 1972. The Nellie L. McClung Educational Society in no way endorses or represents the ideology behind that legislation. 

Like many prominent historical Canadians, Nellie L. McClung has a complex legacy, and we encourage everyone to consider those complexities – both her transformational achievements and her unacceptable actions. As a Society, we have committed ourselves to participating in the conversation around her legacy.

Profile

Nellie McClung, a member of the Famous Five, is celebrated in Alberta and across Canada as a women’s right activist. In 1927, Nellie McClung and the four other members of the Famous Five launched the "Persons Case." The case contended that women should be recognized as persons and should, therefore, be eligible to sit in the Senate. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled against the case, but the case was eventually won in an appeal to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council. Women are now persons in Canada. 

Suffragist 

In 1914 and 1915, Nellie McClung campaigned in Manitoba on the issue of women having the vote. In January 1916, women were granted the right to vote in that province. Part of the campaign included participating in a mock parliament (Nellie McClung played the role of the Premier) which exposed the absurdity of resistance to women’s suffrage. In 1916, Alberta followed suit in giving women the right to vote.

Politician 

Nellie L. McClung was an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1921-1926. During that time, she fought for women’s suffrage, dower rights for women and factory safety legislation, amongst other reforms.

Author

Nellie McClung was a prolific, nationally best-selling author, writing fiction and non-fiction books including “Sowing Seeds in Danny” a picture of small-town life in Manitoba and “In Times Like These” which reflected her maternal feminist beliefs.

Champion of Human Rights

Nellie McClung fought for many causes in her life. In addition to her advocacy for women and labourers in Alberta, she championed enfranchisement of Japanese Canadians, and opening the border to Jewish refugees. 

Maternal Feminist

Like many suffragists from her time, Nellie L. McClung was an adherent of maternal feminism. The maternal feminism movement posited that women had the responsibility to carry and raise the future members of “the race.” For some, this meant increasing the proportion of people in future generations with desirable genetic traits and decreasing the persistence of traits that they deemed undesirable. For others it meant maintaining the numbers of British-Canadians. 

In order to succeed as “guardians of the race,” maternal feminists argued that women must be able to vote and hold office. Women needed to be able to drive changes to legislation in order to build a better future for mothers and babies. for example, advocating for access to medical care.

As an adherent to that belief system, Nellie L. McClung accepted the principles of the eugenics movement. Along with her friend Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung advocated for Alberta's Sexual Sterilization Act. From 1928 to 1972, the Act legalized the involuntary sterilization of thousands of people considered “mentally deficient” and disproportionately affected Indigenous peoples and immigrants. A quote from “In Times Like These” encapsulates the beliefs that led to her support for involuntary sterilization:

…to bring children into the world, suffering from the handicaps caused by ignorance, poverty, or criminality of the parents, is an appalling crime against the innocent and hopeless, and yet one about which practically nothing is said. Marriage, homemaking, and the rearing of children are left entirely to chance, and so it is no wonder that humanity produces so many specimens who, if they were silk stockings or boots, would be marked “seconds.” 

Our Commitment

The Nellie L. McClung Educational Society in no way endorses or represents the ideology of maternal feminism or eugenics. We recognize the injustices and suffering that arose out of this legislation and aim as an organization to empower a generation to women who speak out and act in situations of injustice.

Read More

There are many internet resources with information about Nellie L. McClung. Here are a few to get you started:

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_McClung

• The Canadian Encyclopedia: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nellie-letitia-mcclung

• Women, Suffrage and Beyond: https://womensuffrage.org

Please provide us with your feedback at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5PX2C9G  

2020 Scholarship Recipients

The 2020 grade nine graduates of Nellie were as successful as any in the 25 year history of the program. Like in years past, this year at each of the campuses, scholarship winners were chosen by the administration for each of the 2 available monetary scholarships, The Nellie L. McClung Award Scholarship and the Founders Award Scholarship, each valued at $500.00.

The Nellie L. McClung award is presented to a grade 9 student who best exemplifies the qualities promoted by the Nellie L. McClung program. The student must demonstrate academic achievement, responsible citizenship, leadership and a value for life-long learning, fitness and nutrition.

The 2020 recipients of the $500.00 Nellie L. McClung Award Scholarship are Ashley Aguinaldo from Avonmore and Rebecca Boroditsky from Oliver.

The Founders Award is donated by the NLMES to honour the 4 founders: Kathleen McCalla, Julia Nelson, John Mason and Bob Hopchin. This is presented to one grade 9 student who throughout her three years in the program, consistently demonstrated vision, initiative, determination, commitment, and growth; making those around her the best they can be. 

The 2020 recipients of the $500.00 Founders Award Scholarship are Ketsara Sungnhoung from Avonmore and Mia Rowand from Oliver.

I had the opportunity to chat with this year’s scholarship recipients.

Q. Why did you choose Nellie?

A. I was looking for a different experience than my elementary friends were going to have. I wanted to step outside my comfort zone.

Q. What is your favorite memory of your years at Nellie?

A. It is hard to choose just one memory. The Drumheller trip in grade 8 would have to be it though. The whole experience was fun and we just really bonded as a class.

Q. What is one piece of advice you would give to a Nellie student?

A. Have fun. Volunteer, just say yes. You will get so many experiences here that you cannot get in other places. Don’t take everything so seriously, and make many memories.

This year, each scholarship winner must enroll in any post-secondary education within one year of their high school graduation. Both of these scholarships are funded by the Nellie L. McClung Educational Society (NLMES) and we wish each winner much success.