CEMETERY ADVENTURE
At a Sperling Homecoming 2005 planning committee meeting in late 2004, former Sperling resident Glenn Peckover conceived the idea of writing a play about Sperling’s history, and staging it in the cemetery. Searching for items to put on the homecoming program, recognizing that the event hoped to raise funds for the cemetery, recalling his recent attendance at a play done in the St. Boniface Basilica Cemetery about the pioneers buried there, and adding his interest in history and genealogy, the idea just popped out of his mouth. His committee mates thought it sounded like an interesting activity for the Homecoming weekend, and so it was agreed.
The result was a history play, written by Glenn, produced and self-directed by a cast of (mostly) Sperling natives. The cast of twenty portrayed a total of fifty-six characters in the twenty-eight vignettes of the play.
The play was performed twice: on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 & 24, 2005. A good-sized audience turned up both days, and enjoyed the simulated history class led by teacher Belle, with her sidekick and cemetery caretaker William providing some light moments. Vignettes spanned the years from about 1878 to the present day, and involved historical figures, most of whom are buried in the cemetery, illustrating elements of the community’s history. Some of the vignettes featured earliest settler Adam Waddell; the founders of the cemetery in 1905 and its first “residents” in 1906; the coming of the American, Swiss, and Danish immigrants; entertainment; sports; the churches; and present day Sperling.
If anyone is interested in a hard copy of the script, it is available from Suzanne Schroeder at the Sperling Post Office, or directly from Glenn (email him). The cost is $10.00 to cover duplicating and binding.
The play was videotaped, and a DVD is being produced. More information will be available soon.
Following is a copy of the program handed out at the performances:
A Cemetery Adventure - 2005
History Class: The Community of Sperling, Manitoba written by Glenn Peckover3:00pm Saturday, July 23 & 1:00pm Sunday, July 24
The setting: Outdoors in the Sperling Community Cemetery – 2 miles north-west of the village.The Vignettes:
1. Introduction to today’s history class: Teacher Isabelle Wilson Peckover (1890-1974) and cemetery caretaker William Sessions (1881-1968) start off our class.
2. Earliest settlers: Adam Waddell (1822-1891) and his wife Margaret Hamilton Waddell (1832-1884) at their home near Mount Forest, Egremont Township, Ontario. The date: about 1878.
3. Ontario pioneers: Isabelle and William comment on other early settlers from Ontario.
4. Establishing the first school: Charles Peckover (1860-1948) and William H. Waddell (1858-1919), brothers-in-law (married to Galbraith sisters), talk outside of Fred Dracass’s home on 31-6-2W. The date: spring of 1898.
5. The first post office - Mariposa: Allison (Ellie) Waddell Bennett (1872-1945) and her husband Tom Bennett (1866-1901) plan their post office and store. The date: 1899.
6. “The Father of Sperling”: “Developer” Robert H. Waddell (1856-1938) reveals his plans to his wife, Mary Hunter Waddell (1853-1926). The date: Summer of 1901.
7. The naming of Sperling: Allison (Ellie) Waddell Bennett (1872-1945), Robert.H. Waddell (1856-1938), and a manager of the Canadian Northern Railway meet at the station in the fall of 1901.
8. The founding of the Sperling Community Cemetery: George Dracass (1865-1907) and George Peckover (1870-1938) speak to a general meeting in the village. The date: 1905.
9. The first people to lie in the new cemetery: George Peckover (1870-1938) and his wife Mary Waddell Peckover (1875-1906) at their farm home on 5-7-2W, 2 miles north of Sperling.. The date: May 21, 1906.
10. The burning of the first Sperling School: An emergency meeting of the school board with Chairman Fred Gehring (1884-1975), board member Jack Wilson (1881-1956), and Secretary-Treasurer John “Doc” Martin (1890-1941). The date: Saturday, May 24, 1924.
11. Remembering World War 1: Three WW1 veterans reminisce - Ormie Waddell (1900-1978), Dick Burnett (1885-1957), and Al Wilson (1897-1980). The date: the 1930's.
12. Sperling’s only resident doctor: Dr. Maxwell Bowman (1896-1956) with his wife, Marjorie Forrester Bowman (1898-1985). The date: 1928.
13. Trees around the cemetery: A conversation between John “Doc” Martin (1890-1941), Sperling’s veterinarian, and his friend Matt Latham. The date: 1935.
14. The US immigrants: Jake Tjaden (1878-1957), Harry “Yankee” Brown (1866-1938), and Richard Rance (1867-1935) reminiscing about “the old days” The date: early 1930s.
15. The French-Swiss immigrants: Winnie Duvenaud (1915- ), Fern Rose (1917-1994), and Mrs. Angeline Ribordy (c1890-1967) discuss their families’ history at Sperling. The date: the 1940's .
16. The Danish Immigrants: Pete Nicolajsen Sr.(1900-1981), Trier Anderson (1893-1977), and Harry Ortman (1882-1969) converse outside the post office in about 1950.
17. Artists in Sperling: Grace Woodman Davison and Thelma Rance Nicolajsen Shields (1931-2001) in an art class. The date: about 1951.
18. A Pioneer’s Journal: John Robert (Jack) Waddell (1880-1951) reads from the diary of his father, Robert Bruce Waddell (1848-1913). The date: about 1951.
19. Remembering World War 2: Two WW2 veterans - Don Waddell (1916-2003) and John Dales (1919-1999) - chat with a thirsty traveler in the Sperling Hotel. The date: 1960s.
20. Grain elevators – the cornerstones and principal raison d’etre of Sperling: A fictional conversation between two long-service grain buyers - Jack Hamilton (1877-1956) and Harold Bell (1905-1987).
21. Store Wars - Sperling’s storekeepers: Mae Skeavington Davidson (1896-1965) and Margaret Rose Rodgers Wurmnest (1920-2001) meet at Mae’s store one evening in about 1960.
22. Entertainment in Sperling: Fern Martin Rose (1917-1994) and Violet Skeavington Phelps (1901-1992) reflect on dances, concerts and plays in the community. The date: the 1960s.
23. The Rink - centre of the winter universe in Sperling: Charlie Holmes (1913-1967), long-time caretaker, talks with Ken Tjaden (1943-2000), a frequent user of the rink. The date: about 1962.
24. Sports in Sperling: Bill Peckover (1910-1993), Ralph Mogk (1916-1989), and Curt Jenkins (1914-1964) debate which sports were most significant in the community. The date: about 1963.
25. Soap and Eggs and Visiting: Anna Tjaden (1907-1987) and Fern Rose (1917-1994) have coffee at Fern’s home one Saturday morning. The date: early 1960s.
26. Histories of the churches: Margaret Young Hooper (1912-1998), Ruby Russell Waddell Ralston (1911-1998), Alice Delaloye Bilodeau Bell (1912-2002) reflect on our churches. The date: 1993.
27. Modern-day Sperling: A chat in the post office with Suzanne Schroeder, Russ Nicolajsen, and Ken Potter. The time: 2005.
28. The future of the Sperling Community Cemetery: Committee members Wendal Fewster and Russ Nicolajsen comment on the cemetery. The time: today.
The Cast:
Carole Peckover Anderson Ed Leask
Joanne Hamilton Acthim Bill McEachern
Bonnie Rose Grabowski Jeff Nicolajsen
Sherryl Hamilton Puchlik Charles Peckover
Mary Elliott Rance Don Peckover
Suzanne Bilodeau Schroeder Glenn Peckover
Marlene Duvenaud Tjaden Leonard Rance
May Rance Winters Brian Waddell
and
Jim Anderson
Wendal Fewster
Russ Nicolajsen
Dennis Peckover
The author would like to thank: the Catholic Parish of St. Boniface and their play “In Riel’s Footsteps” for the inspiration for the Sperling history play; the contributors and editors of the history books of Morris, Dufferin, and Egremont for the historical information; many Sperling people for their stories and encouragement; and the members of the cast for their production efforts and performances in our “Cemetery Adventure”.
