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 Praise for Human Resource
Management: Optimizing
Organizational Performance

“This well-written compendium is a must on the shelves of all educational leaders who
work with human resource management. Easy to read, this book is chock-full of insights
that will be beneficial for all administrators.”

—Charles Russo, CJR, JD, EdD,

Joseph Panzer Chair in Education; research professor of law; director, PhD
program in educational leadership, University of Dayton, Ohio

“The role of human resources is critical to all school districts and companies and this book
is a practical and understandable resource. The authors present an excellent step-by-step
process for establishing and managing those elements essential to effective HR
management. I highly recommend this book.”

—Fred G. Parrish, president and CEO,

The Profit Experts

“The authors provide an excellent basis for understanding human resource management.
I’m confident that this book will provide a positive contribution to education.”
 —Susan Sosoo, EdD, AP, administration/organization,
New York City Department of Education, New York

“The authors provide an excellent basis for understanding human resource management. I
am confident that this book will provide a positive contribution to the field of education.”

—Dr. Bill Robertson, superintendent of schools,

Fremont School District 79

“Tomal and Schilling have done a brilliant job of writing a smart, practical book. This is
essential reading for educators who want to advance their knowledge of human resource
management.”

—Dr. Claudia Santin, dean and professor of leadership,

College of Business, Concordia University Chicago

“As a principal with a strong interest in human resource management, I found this book to
be extremely practical, well thought-out, and an excellent overall guide for anyone looking
to go into this field.”

—Jeff Knapp, principal, Rockland School,

Libertyville School District 70, Illinois

“A new, fresh, and engaging approach to human resource management with an emphasis
on true management skills and a long overdue guide that sets a new standard for the public
and private sector. This book is not only to a great consult to actually use, but is enriching,
engaging, and a relevant presentation of the key elements of successful human resource
management. Tomal and Schilling have captured the essence of resource management for
today. They set a new standard for others to follow—you won’t be disappointed.”

—Michael Harkins, professor of history,

William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois;
president of the Illinois conference of the AAUP

“The educational environment is consistently involved in a variety of change processes,

often with limited financial resources. This is an outstanding guidebook filled with
practical strategies and solutions for managing human capital and improving school district
operations—a must-read for all teachers and administrators.”

—George Zimmer, EdD, associate professor,

Concordia University Chicago

“The authors provide an excellent basis for understanding and applying human resource
management. I highly recommend this book to all educators and companies who want to
advance their knowledge and mastery. Most outstanding!”

—Robert N. L. Browning, founder and CEO,

Success Solutions International

“This is a thoughtful and comprehensive volume refining our understanding of school

human resources for student achievement and success. The practical strategies offered
make this a fascinating book that will provide new insights into school administration. It is
an invaluable resource for educators no matter their level of experience.”

—Dr. Robert Libka,

school central office administrator, retired

“I congratulate Drs. Tomal and Schilling on this sterling accomplishment. This is a good
read for those serious about school improvement and increasing the effectiveness and
efficiency of any school or schools.”

—R. E. Everett, PhD, executive director, retired,

Illinois Association of School Business Officials

“The authors have provided an outstanding book on understanding human resources with
clear, concise, and concrete examples that anyone can relate to.”

—Dr. Curtis A. Smith, professor;

former assistant to the deputy superintendent,
Chicago Public Schools

“Human resources play a pivotal role in the success of school improvement in detecting
and securing the best qualified teacher and leadership candidates. I highly recommend this
book to all educators who want to advance their knowledge in human resource
management. This book is outstanding!”

—Dr. Beverly A. Hives, school leadership intervention specialist/AU/MD K–

2/Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Ohio

“Dr. Tomal and Dr. Schilling have done it again. This is an excellent resource for students
of school human resources. It unpacks a myriad of topics and brings clarity to a complex
topic. A must-read for all aspiring and existing school leaders.”

—Jeffrey T. Brierton, PhD, author, professor, and school consultant; former

teacher, administrator, and high school principal

“This book provides both theoretically sound and practically valuable insights into human
resource management. It is an outstanding and instructive tool for school and business
leaders.”

—Dr. Brenda F. Graham, former school district superintendent; professor,

Department of Leadership,
Concordia University Chicago

“An exemplary book on managing human resources in the school organization. The critical
piece to a successful school district is how are people managed, supported, and treated,
legally and professionally. This well-presented book addresses these issues and more.
Required reading for anyone providing leadership to an organization.”

—Dr. A. Donald Hendricks,

former school superintendent, Illinois

“Human resource management employs an ideal theory-to-practice approach to provide

current and aspiring administrators with the necessary tools for effective leadership. This
comprehensive yet succinct content makes this essential reading for all school human
resource managers and school leaders.”

—Dr. Sandra Coyner, professor of education;

past ATEA editor, The University of Akron
“An excellent book on human resource management and collective bargaining for all
school administrators and graduate students in school leadership.”

—Dr. Robert Wilhite, dean, College of Graduate Studies, Concordia University

Chicago

“There is no more important job responsibility for school leaders than the proper
management of human resources. This book provides a framework for understanding the
basics of selection, development, compensation, and management. I recommend it as a tool
for training administrators and as a handy resource for HR professionals.”

—Dr. Robert F. Schultz, human resource trainer and consultant, Westerville,

Ohio
Human Resource
Management
 The Concordia University Chicago Leadership Series

An Educational Series from Rowman Littlefield

Education

Series Editor: Daniel R. Tomal, PhD

Education leaders have many titles and positions in American schools

today: professors, K–12 teachers, district and building administrators,
teacher coaches, teacher evaluators, directors, coordinators, staff specialists,
and so on. More than ever, educators need practical and proven educational
and leadership resources to stay current and advance the learning of
students.
The Concordia University Chicago Leadership Series is a unique
resource that addresses this need. The authors of this series are award-
winning authors and scholars who are both passionate theorists and
practitioners of this valuable collection of works. They give realistic and
real-life examples and strategies to help all educators inspire and make a
difference in school improvement and student learning that get results.
This Leadership Series consists of a variety of distinctive books on
subjects of school change, research, completing advanced degrees, school
administration, leadership and motivation, business finance and resources,
human resource management, challenging students to learn, action research
for practitioners, the teacher as a coach, school law and policies, ethics, and
many other topics that are critical to modern educators in meeting the
emerging and diverse students of today. These books also align with current
federal, state, and various association accreditation standards and elements.
Staying current and building the future require the knowledge and
strategies presented in these books. The Leadership Series originator Daniel
R. Tomal, PhD, an award-winning author who has published over 20 books
and 200 articles and studies, is a highly sought-after speaker and
educational researcher. He, along with his coauthors, provide a wealth of
educational experience, proven strategies that can help all educators aspire
to be the best they can be in meeting the demands of modern educational
leadership.
 Human Resource
Management

Optimizing Organizational
Performance

Second Edition

Daniel R. Tomal and Craig A. Schilling

 ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Published by Rowman & Littlefield
An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.rowman.com

6 Tinworth Street, London SE11 5AL, United Kingdom

Copyright © 2018 by Daniel R. Tomal and Craig A. Schilling

First edition published 2013 by Roman & Littlefield Education as Managing Human
Resources and Collective Bargaining

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available

ISBN: 978-1-4758-4404-7 (cloth : alk. paper)

ISBN: 978-1-4758-4405-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 978-1-4758-4406-1 (electronic)
 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992.

Printed in the United States of America

Other Books by Daniel R. Tomal and Craig A. Schilling

Resource Management for School Administrators: Optimizing Fiscal,

Facility, and Human Resources (2013)

Managing Human Resources and Collective Bargaining (2013)

Leading School Change: Maximizing Resources for School Improvement

(2013)

The Teacher Leader: Core Competencies and Strategies for Effective

Leadership (2014)

Leading with Resolve and Mastery: Competency-Based Strategies for

Superintendent Success (2017)

Forthcoming

Managing and Optimizing School Resources, 2nd Edition (2019)

 Contents

Foreword
R. E. Everett, PhD

Preface

Acknowledgments

1 Human Resource Planning

2 Recruitment and Selection

3 Mentoring, Professional Development, and Performance Evaluations

4 Leading and Motivating Employees

5 Building Collaboration and Disciplining Employees

6 Benefits and Compensation

7 Unions and Collective Bargaining

8 Managing Human Resources

Epilogue
Appendices

A Employee Rights

B Employer and Union Rights and Obligations

C Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor

D Laws Enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission

E Prohibited Employment Policies and Practices

Index

About the Authors

 Foreword

For many, many years the role of school business manager, regardless of its
plethora of other titles, has been perceived as one primarily dealing with
accounting and finance. This can be demonstrated by reviewing the job
descriptions and the available published literature of the 1960s and 1970s.
Unfortunately, the profession of school business management contributed to
this misperception.
Over the past thirty years the growth in the number of tasks and functions
assigned and performed by the school business manager has been
significant. Not only this growth in responsibilities but also the growing
understanding of the relationship between the use of resources and student
achievement has brought the position of school business manager into the
spotlight.
The need and opportunities for the incumbent and the new career seeker
in school business management for professional development has not
always kept pace with that of “what and how” the school business manager
is expected to perform at a high level. This is true at the university level and
at the association level and in the United States and abroad. Degree
programs specific to school business management and state certification
requirements have been narrow and/or nonexistent. In the past, there were
few universities that did offer graduate degrees in school business
management.
The major degree was basically a master’s degree in Educational
Administration (the usual principalship course offering), an additional
finance and accounting course, and in some instances a facility course. In
this day and age this is clearly inadequate for what society needs as far as
trained school business managers go.
Scholarly field-based research in the total domain of school business
management which could serve as the basis for a knowledge base reflected
through a body of literature has been lacking. Over the past several decades,
publications that treat in a comprehensive fashion all elements of school
business management have started to appear. This work by Professors
Daniel R. Tomal and Craig A. Schilling is a welcome addition to the
literature relating to school business management. What make this text such
a valuable addition to our literature?
First, both Dr. Tomal and Dr. Schilling are scholar-practitioners. Both
have followed career paths that many would find hard to duplicate. Both
have served in the profession with distinction, worked in the trenches, and
thereby gained an experience base that is clearly reflected in their work.
Both have served their profession in leadership positions at the local, state,
national, and international levels and made significant contributions at each
level.
Second, the overall organization of each chapter has been thoughtfully
laid out. All chapters have been written in a consistent format, and the
sequence of content has been consistent in scope and relevancy.
Third, the book has been written in a practical approach, offering
strategies that are straightforward and easy to apply. All the numerous
principles and strategies have been developed from a research/theoretical
base and then accompanied with a comprehensive summary of chapter
topics, case studies, exercises, and discussion questions that are well
thought out, clearly defined, and thought-provoking. The material is not
“busy-work” for the students who are serious about their study of school
business management or for incumbent school business managers seeking
to improve their own performance and enhance their value to their
employer.
Fourth, the reference section that follows each chapter provides a rich
starting point for the reader who wants to take a deeper journey into the
chapter topic. The references also demonstrate that the authors are current
and familiar with the field.
Fifth, each chapter begins with a set of objectives that are cross-
referenced to the standards of PSEL (Professional Standards for
Educational Leadership) and ELCC (Educational Leadership Constituent
Council). The content of each chapter then supports the objectives in a clear
and succinct manner.
Sixth, it is a book that can serve well those who work at all levels of
education such as universities and public, private, and charter school
systems. While reference and appendices reflect heavily on the standards,
laws, and practices in the United States, this book has utility beyond the
U.S. borders and in fact it can be a source of reflection and impact on any
school in positive ways. What may not be required in one setting may still
have use as a voluntary paradigm in another.
I congratulate Drs. Tomal and Schilling on this sterling accomplishment.
This is a good read for those serious about school improvement and
increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of any school or organization. It
is a welcome addition to our literature. It will serve as a great tool for those
who are shaping the minds of the next generation of school business
managers.

R. E. Everett, PhD
Professor of School Business Management—Retired,
Northern Illinois University;
Executive Director—Retired,
Illinois Association of School Business Officials
DeKalb, Illinois
 Preface

Human resource management is one of the most critical responsibilities of

all organizational leaders. This book has been written based upon years of
study, research, and consulting, in school administration and companies.
The strategies described in this book have been found successful in
operating at the school district, school building level, and companies and is
especially centered on providing information on the connecting human
resource management and organizational performance.
While primarily directed toward public schools, the strategies in this
book can also be effective for private elementary and secondary schools,
charter schools, and any organization. The information and strategies are
practical and useful techniques that can be used by any school administrator
or graduate of human resources and collective bargaining student, who
desire to optimize human resources.
Chapter 1 provides practical strategies for human resource planning.
Extensive examples are provided in developing strategic plans, succession
planning, and how to plan successors for incumbent positions. Lastly, a
comprehensive description of Federal Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission laws and executive orders are given with practical examples
on how they impact human resource management.
 Chapter 2 covers the recruiting and selecting applicants. Topics include
methods of recruiting, selecting the best candidates, and laws and policies.
Several examples and sample forms are also included in this chapter.
Chapter 3 includes the topic of the mentoring of new employees. Also,
professional development, learning and growth frameworks, establishing
and conducting performance appraisal system, and alternative evaluation
programs are included. Practical examples and forms are provided in this
chapter. A challenging and realistic case study is included at the end of the
chapter to test the comprehension of the material.
Chapter 4 covers the topic of leading and motivating employees.
Relevant topics, such as principles of leadership, are covered. Several
popular leadership theories such as situational leadership, the X and Y
model, the Leadership Grid, Expectancy Model, Two-factor Motivational
Theory, the Equity Motivation Model, Team Leadership, and Total Quality
Management are presented as they relate to school leadership.
The topics of building collaboration and disciplining employees are
covered in chapter 5. Other topics include managing conflict and
terminating employees. Several practical examples and forms are also
provided, and the chapter concludes with a comprehensive case study.
Chapter 6 includes the topics of benefits and compensation. Several areas
including establishing benefits and compensation programs, salary
structures, and types of compensation programs are discussed. Several
exhibits and examples of compensation programs are provided.
Chapter 7 covers the topic of unions and collective bargaining. This
chapter also includes the history of unions, negotiation strategies, and the
collective bargaining process. There are also case situations and practical
examples of collective bargaining in the chapter. There is a challenging,
concluding case study that can be helpful in understanding and applying the
principles and strategies in the chapter.
Chapter 8 includes the area of managing human resources, core
competencies of human resources professionals, conducting audits, creating
efficiencies, position control, and technology. Several process mapping and
technology checklists are included. Several illustrations and a
comprehensive case study are included at the end of the chapter.
 At the end of the book there are several helpful resources. Some of these
include employee rights, employer and union rights and obligations, a
summary of major laws, laws enforced by the United States Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), prohibited employment
policies, and practices of the EEOC. These reference materials can be very
useful in understanding governmental policies, laws, and executive orders
regulating human resources.

FEATURES OF THE BOOK

Nothing can be worse than reading a book that is boring, dry, and
impractical for educators. This book is unique in that it provides many
engaging examples that can be used by all educators. One feature of the
book is the correlation of the objectives of each chapter with professional
organizational standards of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council
(ELCC) and the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).
Another valuable feature of the book is the incorporation of many diverse
strategies related to school leadership; motivation, recruiting, and selecting
candidates; and disciplining, compensating and bargaining, and terminating
employees. They are provided in a straightforward and practical manner.
The topics in this book are useful for any administrator who desires to
optimize fiscal, facility, and human resources.
Other features of this book include:

• Practical examples of human resource management

• Examples of basic school compensation structures
• Strategies for leading and motivating employees in the school
environment
• Models of leadership and motivational theories that have been proven in
the business world as applied to the educational setting
• A comprehensive description of conducting strategic and succession
planning of up-to-date guidelines, EEOC laws, and legal considerations
• Practical strategies in giving employees feedback and taking action for
improvement
• Examples of discipline offenses and how to administer disciplinary
action
• A review of some of the major federal and state laws and guidelines
• Strategies in managing conflict and how to promote teamwork and
collaboration
• Strategies in collective bargaining

Lastly, this book also contains a rich source of educational and reference
materials so that educators can apply the concepts for school resource
management. Some materials include:

• Case illustrations and figures in applying leadership and human resource

strategies
• Examples of motivation strategies that can improve academic
performance
• A sample of field-based educational issues
• Actual examples of assessments and real-life case studies

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK

The organization of this book has been written in a straightforward manner

so educators can understand the critical school resource management. Each
chapter builds upon the other. However, each chapter is also distinct in itself
because it covers a specific topic that relates to the three topics. Lastly, each
chapter includes basic theories and examples of applying these theories, and
case studies and exercises and discussion.
 Acknowledgments

Appreciation is extended to the many people who have assisted and worked
with the authors. Special appreciation is given to the authors’ students,
colleagues, and former business associates in the corporate world. Lastly,
the authors would like to extend gratitude to the many people who endorsed
this book and provided insight for this project.
 Chapter 1

Human Resource Planning

Objectives

At the conclusion of this chapter you will be able to:

1. Understand the human resource planning process (ELCC 3.3, PSEL 1,

3).
2. Define the steps of strategic and succession planning (ELCC 3.3, PSEL
1, 3).
3. Understand critical team values necessary to collaboratively develop a
vision and effectively manage human resources (ELCC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
5.1, 5.2, 5. 3, PSEL 1, 2, 3, 5).
4. Define critical laws and executive orders of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC; ELCC 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, PSEL 3, 6).
5. Describe how EEOC laws and regulations impact human resource
planning (ELCC 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, PSEL 3, 6).

STRATEGIC PLANNING
Human resource management consists of a multiplicity of responsibilities
that are vital to all organizations. Key to the human resource function is
ensuring that there are adequate and qualified people in the best positions to
achieve a thriving and successful organization. One way to help meet this
objective is through effective human resource planning. There are three key
planning functions that are presented in this chapter, which are strategic
planning, forecasting, and succession planning (see figure 1.1).
Strategic planning is a common activity of most organizations and can
help to ensure that all resources are identified as required by the
organization. While there are many facets to managing human resources,
the foundation begins with good strategic planning. There is an old adage
which states, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Planning in human
resources involves assessing organizational needs, predicting the future,
establishing and communicating operational goals, conducting job analyses,
and identifying key positions needed by the organization.
Figure 1.1. Three key planning areas of human resources.

Human resource planning ensures that an organization has the correct

number of people in the right places at the right time who have the
necessary skills and performance to complete the institution’s objectives.
An organization cannot accomplish any goals without qualified people. In
education, it also means human resource planning is aligning staffing needs
with the needs of students to increase performance.
Proper planning allows administrators to ensure successful transitions
and ensure that people can accomplish the tasks needed of an organization
in a smooth and harmonious manner. While some school districts approach
human resource planning differently, all administrators need to be involved
in human resource forecasting to ensure that there are capable people
performing the necessary tasks of the organization.
Strategic planning is one of the most popular strategies utilized by
educators to prepare a comprehensive plan for meeting workforce needs for
the future (see figure 1.2). Essentially, strategic planning involves
answering the questions of “What is our situation today?” “Where do we
want to go?” “How can we best get there?” and “Who are the people who
are going to champion the strategies in getting us there?”

Figure 1.2. Three fundamental questions for strategic planning.

Strategic planning is a technique that originated in corporate America and

has become a popular tool in education. This process allows administrators
to identify critical issues that need addressed, establish an overall vision,
develop critical goals and key strategies to accomplish the vision, establish
metrics to measure performance, and plan resources.
 Some of the benefits of strategic planning include:

1. Builds upon collaboration and the expertise of people.

2. Allows for creativity in addressing major issues.
3. Stimulates visionary thinking to improve an organization.
4. Provides empowerment for people to accomplish goals.
5. Improves the performance of the organization and helps in predicting
financial budgets for a school district.

While strategic planning has many benefits, it needs to be undertaken in a

structured manner. If managed poorly, the costs of strategic planning can
exceed the benefits. Individuals may waste valuable time in brainstorming
ideas that are unproductive if the process is not facilitated well. Some
limitations include: people may concentrate on the most immediate needs
without regard for long-term needs, administrators may fail in successfully
implementing strategies, poor accountability, lack of resources, and lack of
follow-up to the strategic initiatives.
Therefore, when strategic planning is undertaken, proper resources are
needed to ensure success. Some of these resources include providing
sufficient time to develop the strategic plan, allowing for creativity,
selecting proper people who will participate and develop the plan, and
providing sufficient financial resources to implement the strategic plan.
Good preparations for the strategic planning activity and proper allocation
of resources are keys to the success of the overall effort.
The procedure for conducting strategic planning can vary from
organization to organization. Typically, strategic planning should begin at
the top level and then be facilitated throughout the entire organization. For
example, strategic planning may start at the district level, conducted at the
school building level, and then conducted at the department level. In this
way all organizational units are supporting the top district-level initiatives.
However, strategic planning can be independently conducted at the school
building level as long as the people understand the established goals of the
district.
 The process of conducting strategic planning involves several critical
steps:

1. Assemble the team. Select the members of the strategic planning team.
2. Determine resources and logistics. Agree on the logistics and
resources needed for completing the strategic plan.
3. Determine format. Agree on the final format and components of the
strategic plan.
4. Write values statement. Discuss critical values and behaviors and
formulate a values statement for the organization.
5. Write a vision statement. Write a vision statement, and if necessary, a
mission statement.
6. Complete a SWOT analysis. Complete a detailed SWOT analysis.
7. Write major goals. Write major goals for the strategic plan based upon
the SWOT items.
8. Prioritize major goals. Prioritize the major goals and determine time-
frames (1, 3, 5 years).
9. Write key strategies. Develop key strategies for each of the major
goals.
10. Include metrics. Include metrics (measurable score cards or
performance indicators) for each strategic goal and financial estimates
for funding key strategies.
11. Assign champions. Assign champions to major goals to be accountable
for them.
12. Write the strategic plan. Write the strategic plan and gain approval.
13. Integrate the strategic plan into the performance management system.
The goals and people who are accountable should be included into the
goal-setting and appraisal process.
14. Conduct awareness sessions. Inform people of the strategic plan their
roles. Get people involved into the process and implement the strategic
plan.
15. Monitor and assess progress. Establish a system of monitoring the
progress of the strategic plan and documenting results.
16. Conduct reviews of individuals’ performance. Conduct individual mid-
year and year-end reviews of people and the goals. Provide rewards
and incentives.
17. Evaluate the strategic planning process. Evaluate what went well and
not so well with the strategic planning process and improve the
process for next time.

The first step is to assemble the strategic planning team. Typically, this team
will consist of the top administrator (e.g., superintendent or principal) and
his or her administrators and selected teachers and staff members. This team
will not only be responsible for developing the final product but will also be
critical in driving the process and determining the resources that are needed
for completing the strategic plan, step two.
Typically this team will meet to plan all the resources needed and decide
whether an outside facilitator will be used for the process. The use of an
outside facilitator can be helpful in allowing the entire team to concentrate
on the content of the plan rather than needing to facilitate and record all the
information which can be done by the facilitator.
The facilitator can also conduct the process, reduce pressure from
superiors, and help keep the group on track. While there may be costs in
utilizing an outside facilitator, this person can be valuable in providing
input regarding his or her experience in conducting strategic planning with
other organizations as well as helping the team when they encounter
difficult interpersonal and process issues.
The strategic plan is a road map for the organization and should include
specific human resource initiatives that support the educational goals of the
district. The strategic plan should also be a comprehensive document which
supports all the units of the entire organization such as building facilities,
human resources, equipment and supplies, engineering, technology,
financial and budgeting resources, and educational programs and materials.
The School Improvement Plan (SIP) is similar to strategic planning, but
it generally centers on student learning such as curriculum and instruction,
student and faculty programs, and student behavior that impacts the school.
Therefore the strategic plan is the overall road map that includes all these
facets in operating a school district or school.
The third step necessitates the team agreeing upon an acceptable format
for the strategic plan document. There are many variations in the
components comprised in a strategic plan. For example, some schools may
not have both a vision and mission statement. Also depending upon the
complexity of a school district, the number of departmental or unit plans
can vary. There may also be a plan for all the essential units of an
organization such as academic departments, engineering department,
transportation, safety and security, custodial, and so forth. The components
of a strategic plan might consist of the following:

1. Executive summary
2. Table of contents
3. Core competencies
4. SWOT analysis
5. Critical success factors
6. Vision statement (and mission statement)
7. Major goals
8. Key strategies and financial needs
9. Metrics (performance indicators)
10. Department-level goals and strategies
11. Status summary spreadsheet
12. Appendix

It is important that the team determine the logistics in completing the

strategic plan such as how often they will meet, location, schedule, and
materials and resources. Some teams may schedule multiple sessions, which
range from two to four hours over an extended period of time such as six
weeks. However, other teams may conduct a retreat where they may spend
a couple concentrated days developing the plan. Each team must decide the
overall logistics that are best for them and least obtrusive to the operation of
the school.
 Step four involves the team constructing a values statement. It is
important to establish the key values that drive the behavior of people
within the organization. Establishing values is a prerequisite to writing a
vision statement. For example, if the school is a religious-based
organization, the values will be different than a public institution.
Establishing these values can help in crafting the ultimate vision and
mission statements. When examining the values, some of the questions that
can help guide the team include “What values are important to us?” “What
do we stand for?” “What specific behaviors do we value?” “How do we
desire to treat each other?” and “How do we want to be viewed by our
stakeholders?” Typically, by answering these questions, a team will arrive at
a values statement. In addition, team members can participate in values
exercises to establish common team values for the group.
Described next is a list of typical values that team members could review
and rank in order of importance for their team’s success in working together
in a group.

• Achievement (achieving and exceeding our school or organizational

goals)
• Altruism (giving of our time, passion, energy, and commitment)
• Collaboration (teamwork and working well with others)
• Creativity (being innovative, offering new ideas, change)
• Honesty and trust (being honest and trustworthy with each other)
• Justice (fairness and respect to each other)
• Knowledge (continued learning beyond what we already know)
• Commitment (total faithfulness to each other and school or company)
• Morality (doing the right thing, having good ethics)
• Power (ability to get what you want)

For example, in this exercise the team members might determine that a
value of individual power can be destructive to the overall cohesiveness of
the team. In other words, the team members may decide that seeking
individual power should be restrained, while other values such as honesty
and trust should be encouraged and reinforced for achieving team success
for the organization.
Step five, writing the vision statement, typically includes thoughtful
reflection regarding the desired culture of the organization. Some helpful
statements consist of “Striving for the highest quality learning within the
school,” “Striving to treat each other fairly through honesty, respect and
open communications,” “Providing an opportunity for everyone to grow
professionally,” or “Having a passion for innovation, originality, and
continued intellectual growth.”
Some teams may elect to write a mission statement in addition to a vision
statement. Either a vision statement or a mission statement, or both, can be
written. A mission statement tends to be a broad goal such as “To explore
the galaxies.” Many organizations have a mission statement and use it to
give general descriptive information regarding their purpose and as a
statement of expression.
A vision statement is typically much more concrete such as “To land a
person on the moon and watch him or her walk.” While the statements are
similar, the vision statement concentrates more on behaviors and is often
more concrete and measurable. For example, a school district may have a
mission statement such as “To allow all students to grow to their fullest
capacity,” versus a vision statement such as “All students will score in the
top 20 percent of the nation on standardized tests.” However all
organizations are unique organisms and need to determine what kind of
vision and mission statements best reflects the desires of the stakeholders.
Step six consists of completing the SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In this step, the team
identifies the strengths of the school. Examples include a good core
reputation, strong leadership, competent and experienced teachers, and high
employee morale and satisfaction.
Weaknesses might include lack of technology equipment and
competencies, inadequate facilities, poor safety, and inadequate
transportation for students. Opportunities are those situations that offer
potential additional support to the school district in achieving higher
performance levels that include establishing business relationships, utilizing
university expertise, writing grants, and increasing financial resources.
Threats are typically situations that might hinder the success of the
school district that could include an aging faculty, high employee attrition,
political unrest within the community, and potential high immigrant growth
that may require additional programs and resources. Establishing the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can become the basis
from which the strategic plan is developed.
Often, the strengths are recognized and sometimes improved, but the
weaknesses need to be addressed by establishing concrete goals and key
strategies. In addition, opportunities and threats need to be examined, and
strategic goals can be written based upon them. The opportunities often
emerge from the examination of the weaknesses. Also, the threats should be
identified as internal and external threats in achieving goals and
opportunities.
Step seven entails writing the major goals for the strategic plan. These
major goals should be written using SMART criteria. SMART goals consist
of being specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Once the
major goals are written, it is important to carefully examine the goals and
prioritize them, step eight. A team may write too many goals that cannot be
realistically achieved. The team members should decide which are the
highest priority goals and establish time frames for each of the goals such as
one-, three-, or five-year increments.
Step eight, prioritizing the major goals and establishing time frames for
goals, involves negotiation, collaboration, and resource management. Team
members need to be respectful of each other and establish ground rules in
how they conduct themselves in the meetings. Typical functional behaviors
include seeking and giving opinions, elaborating and encouraging people to
praise others, and being open to new ideas. Nonfunctional behaviors are
being too aggressive, self-confessing, playing politics, pushing self-interest
above the group, withdrawal, or clowning around and disrupting the group.
Once the major goals are written, key strategies must be developed, step
nine. “A goal cannot be done.” For example, if someone wants to become a
millionaire, the key strategy outlines the process in “how to get the
money?” If a major school goal is to advance the knowledge and technical
skills of the faculty, then one key strategy might be to hire a technology
consultant and to conduct technology training sessions.
Also, included within the strategy should be well-written metrics, step
ten. Metrics, sometimes called performance indicators, are the scorecards
upon which the level of performance is to be established. For example, if
the major goal is to improve technological knowledge and the key strategy
is to provide training for people, a metric might be to achieve 50 percent
competency within three months.
Step eleven requires assigning champions to the goals so that people can
be held accountable for accomplishing them. Champions act as crusaders in
promoting the goals, providing resources needed to accomplish the goals,
and measuring the results. Without passionate champions supporting the
goals, it is easy to lack the follow-through necessary to achieve them.
The champions for the goals may or may not include members of the
strategic planning team, and they should periodically meet to review their
progress. Champions should be selected based upon the criteria of high
credibility and strong desire for achieving results. They also should be
people who have good interpersonal skills and who can work
collaboratively with people to support their efforts in accomplishing the
goals.
Step twelve involves writing the strategic plan, which requires careful
review and editing by the members of the team to produce the final
document. Outside readers can be obtained to help critique the final
document and ensure that it is of acceptable quality and standards and that it
is in line with federal and state policies and guidelines. The final strategic
plan is often approved by the strategic planning team, superintendent, or
school board.
Step thirteen consists of integrating a strategic plan into the performance
management system. This entails selecting the key goals and people and to
hold them accountable through the goal setting and performance appraisal
process. This step is often overlooked in the strategic planning process. It is
important that there is linkage between the goals and individuals’ goals, so
people can be evaluated based upon the results. In some organizations
actual bonuses are established and given to individuals who exceed the
goals, which provide incentives for meeting and exceeding the goals.
Step fourteen involves making everyone aware of the strategic plan. The
plan is not going to be accepted or worthwhile if it is locked up in a cabinet
and no one knows about it. The strategic plan is a living document that
should be integrated within the entire organization and everyone should
become involved in implementing it. Therefore, conducting awareness
sessions for everyone within the organization and how they will be
involved in achieving them are critical.
Also, once the strategic plan is done, then a copy should be given to the
departmental chairs so that they can, in turn, develop department goals
based upon the overall school goals. The success of any strategic plan can
never be achieved without proper monitoring and assessing its progress,
step fifteen. Therefore, it is critical that a process for evaluating the goals is
established, which might consist of periodic review meetings and
conducting district-wide update sessions with everyone.
Step sixteen includes a review of the performance of individuals who are
responsible for achieving the goals. This can be done through the
performance appraisal process and periodic review meetings. Lastly, step
seventeen includes an evaluation of the strategic planning process through
extensive follow-up sessions by the original strategic plan members.
The evaluation might consist of what things went well, those things that
did not go well, and ideas for improving the process in the strategic plan.
Also, in monitoring the goals of a strategic plan, it can be helpful to develop
a spreadsheet listing each of the major goals, the key strategies for each
goal, who is responsible, target completion date, metrics, and status. In this
way the goals can easily be reviewed, and comments can be written in the
status section on the progress of each of the goals.

FORECASTING STUDENT ENROLLMENT

Human resource planning is an integral part of the strategic planning

process and involves forecasting student enrollment for the school district,
which helps administrators plan for future finances, and human resources.
Forecasting student enrollment is like looking into a crystal ball, but not
having 100 percent accuracy. It is an attempt to make the best educated
guess based on analysis and available data.
Administrators can use several methods to help predict student
enrollment, such as quantitative statistical analysis and qualitative
techniques. Quantitative statistics involve calculating the number of
children in an elementary school district and determining the number likely
to enroll in high school. Specific trends in elementary school enrollment
over two- to four-year periods of time can be used to help predict
enrollment trends. It involves using analytics based on specific census data.
In addition, feedback from local realtors and statistics from the planning
commissions of local municipalities can provide statistics on housing trends
and residency.
Qualitative measures consists of administrators using inductive analysis
to make conclusions based upon discussions with people through the local
chamber of commerce, identifying potential new businesses coming or
leaving the area, residential and commercial developments that are being
planned, the general economy in the area, and geographical potential for
expansion. It relies heavily on past enrollment and trends to make
judgments on future enrollments. For example, some school districts may
be within a community that is landlocked or has older residents with
decreasing numbers of children in school.
Also, new emerging communities that have high growth and new
residential and commercial developments can provide valuable clues as to
the direction of enrollment trends. However all this information must be
perceived with caution in that a community may be rapidly growing but
suddenly, due to economic reasons, the development can come to a halt,
leaving school buildings empty and future plans for school expansion
dormant.
The human resource planning strategy essentially involves matching the
school’s human resource needs with the projected student enrollment.
Administrators must make a good-faith effort in determining this match in
order to avoid shortages of teachers, overstaffing issues, or employing
teachers who are the wrong people with the wrong certifications needed for
the students. For example, if a community is experiencing a high growth in
foreign immigrants, the necessity for bilingual and ESL programs may be
more critical than other areas.
Likewise, nothing may be worse for an administrator than to overstaff a
district and then experience a drastic decline in enrollment. This may
necessitate a reduction in force. Recent legislation regarding desegregation
and affirmative action has supported other means than using seniority as the
basis whenever possible.

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Succession planning is a common practice in identifying and securing

internal and external people to fill key administrative leadership positions
within the organization. This process can be one of the most valuable ways
to ensure that human resource needs are met. Generally succession
planning, or sometimes called replacement planning, is used for identifying
successors for key administrative and staff positions.
Oliver Wendall Holmes once stated that “the great thing in this world is
not so much where we stand as in what direction we are going.” The whole
essence of succession planning is to be able to look into the future and
ascertain which key positions need to be replaced. The succession planning
process ensures that there is a successful transition of a candidate for a key
position for the eventual retirement or unexpected separation of the
incumbent from the position.
More simply stated, having a viable succession plan in place in the event
of an unfortunate or abrupt departure of a key person can help weather the
transition period, maintain operational continuity, and ensure the successful
selection of a replacement in a timely manner. Moreover, it is good business
sense to be well prepared for needed transitions in key management as well
as all human resources.
Generally it is important that the superintendent of the school district
establish a succession plan working with the school board. There needs to
be a culture of honesty, trust, and mutual respect among members, because
inherent conflicts and misunderstanding are natural during this process.
Therefore the necessity of self-examination, critical analysis of current
performance, spirited discussions, and candidness are hallmarks in
balancing the multiplicity of viewpoints that can commonly occur.
The succession plan should be an ongoing and dynamic process that is
regularly updated. It isn’t something that should be viewed as a one-time
exercise. The process can also serve as a useful process for self-
examination, assessment of organizational current and future needs, and
continuous improvement. It should be a thoughtful activity that serves the
organization and ensures continuous improvement.
The succession planning process often begins by identifying possible
candidates for selected positions to be filled. It is important to determine the
future needs of the organization and having the end in sight versus focusing
on past needs. Administrators who work collectively with an incumbent are
more likely to establish a successful plan that is right for the future needs of
the organization.
In other words, if a key person is replaced, the dynamics of the
administrative team may be impacted due to the varying skill sets that all
the team members and the incumbent have. Some typical questions for
thoughtful reflection include:

• Is there an up-to-date job description and set of core competencies for

the position?
• What are the mutual expectations of the school board and administrative
leadership team?
• What are the major responsibilities for an ideal person in this position
(versus the current job responsibilities of the position that might have
evolved based upon the skills and talents of the incumbent, existing
administrative team members, political dynamics, and organizational
needs)?
• Who could be an immediate interim leader, and has he or she been
notified in the event of an incumbent’s departure?
• Has a key administrator been identified who could manage the transition
during the time before replacing the incumbent?
• Has a developmental plan been initiated to help prepare the interim
leader for the position?
• Have all potential issues been identified that need to be stabilized during
the transition period upon an incumbent’s abrupt departure that will
ensure operational continuity?

Once there has been thoughtful analysis for the succession planning, the
activity should start with completing a thorough process. The steps for the
succession planning process are described as follows:

1. Develop a current job description for the incumbent position

• Organizational role
• Essential duties and responsibilities
• Qualifications and requirements
• Desired certificates, licenses, or registrations

2. Identify core competencies (skills, knowledge, and dispositions)

• Leadership and administrative skills

• Functional and technical skills

3. Determine board expectations

4. Identify and assess candidates for the incumbent’s position
5. Provide development plan for internal candidates
6. Identify promotability of internal candidates (determine anticipated time
frame)

The first step involves ensuring that a current job description is in place.
The job description should be updated to include the organizational role;
essential duties and responsibilities; qualifications and requirements; and
desired certificates, licenses or registrations needed for the position. For
example, a key position might be the business manager of a school district,
principal, assistant superintendent for research and instructional
development, or curriculum specialist.
The second step involves ensuring that the core competencies, which
include performance skills, knowledge, and dispositions, have been
developed for the key position. Generally these core competencies involve
leadership and management skills as well as the actual functional/technical
skills needed in the position. For example, if the core competencies for a
position of an assistant superintendent or corporate vice president for
research and instructional development were completed, there would be
specific leadership and management skills needed to work with people as
well as the technical expertise of understanding research and statistical
analysis.
Step three involves working with the board to ensure that there is an
agreed-upon expectation for the succession plan. Often a school board may
work with an outside consultant to help facilitate the process and provide
outside expertise and consultation.
Step four involves identifying and assessing internal and external
candidates for the incumbent’s position. Internal interim candidates should
also be identified. This will help to ensure a smooth transition in the event
of an abrupt departure of an incumbent.
Steps five includes identifying and providing a developmental plan for
internal candidates for the position. The promotability of the candidate, step
six, should be determined, along with an anticipated time frame from which
the candidate could be ready to assume the position.
There are several core competencies that can be identified for a key
administrative leadership position. While these core competencies may
vary, many of them can be common for any leadership position. Described
here is an example of a set of core competencies for an administrative
leadership position.

1. Strategic focus. Is action-oriented, a visionary, proactive, anticipates

the future, is innovative and energetic, and recognizes and seizes
opportunities.
 2. Financial management. Has good business acumen, competent
financial abilities, budget management, resource planning, and reviews
reports.
3. Leadership skills. Holds people accountable, delegates, mentors,
makes good decisions, has composure, motivates staff and students,
has courage, and is approachable.
4. Teamwork. Is collaborative, a motivator, trustworthy, fosters open
dialogue, builds spirit and commitment to staff and students, and
manages conflict.
5. Communications. Is a good listener; has good verbal, nonverbal, and
written communication skills; has good presentation skills and meeting
management skills.
6. Student focus. Has respect, understanding, and good sensitivity to all
students.
7. Ethics and integrity. Conducts self with high ethics and integrity;
adheres to school’s values, beliefs, and mission; and understands
essential school laws and policies.
8. Instruction and curriculum. Understands the critical aspects of
instruction and curriculum.
9. Problem-solving. Solves difficult problems with effective solutions,
has good analytical skills, forward thinker, and is a good decision-
maker.
10. Time management. Demonstrates effective planning and organizing
skills, can marshal resources (people, technology, materials) to get the
job done.
11. Technology expertise. Is proficient in information technology, has
experience with school software, and uses technology at a high rate of
proficiency.
12. Community resourcefulness. Understands value and works with
community and professional and business organizations in supporting
the school.

When the set of core competencies has been completed, it is then important
to identify potential candidates to replace the incumbent and to complete a
checklist that can be filed and used when necessary. The core competencies
can also serve as a basis of understanding the job responsibilities of a
position. The checklist might also include the following items:

• Promotability—Is the candidate ready to assume the position now or

how many years into the future?
• Gap analysis—The candidate should be evaluated based upon what
specific gaps and core competencies are deficient and need to be
developed.
• Career development plan—Once the gaps have been identified, then
specific developmental actions should be completed for the candidate.
• Assigned mentor—An assigned mentor within the organization should
also be responsible for completing the succession planning process and
working with the candidates.

The journey in establishing an effective succession plan can be rewarding in

many ways: promoting a robust discussion, building honesty and trust,
reexamining expectations, assessing performance, brainstorming
alternatives for organizational structure and initiatives, and identifying
suitable candidates who can lead the school organization in the future.
Ultimately, the end result should be a structured and viable succession plan
that ensures operational continuity and promotes a diverse workplace.

EMPLOYMENT LAWS

The basis of human resource legalities is rooted in the United States

Constitution. The Bill of Rights comprised the first set of amendments that
were adopted and ratified by the United States Congress in 1789 (United
States Bill of Rights, 2018). The purpose of this document was to
enumerate the freedom given to all Americans, guarantee certain rights for
citizens, and allow submission of grievances to the American government.
Among this list of ten amendments, five of them have particular relevance
to human resources.
 The first amendment is the one that probably has the biggest relevance to
human resources. This amendment states: “Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances” (United States Bill of Rights, 2018).
This amendment, in addition to allowing the right to practice religion,
essentially provides the right to exercise Freedom of Speech. Americans
have cherished this right of free expression. However, understanding
exactly the full extent of this privilege, especially when it harms others, has
been a subject of controversy. As a result, the extent and boundaries of free
speech have been taken up by the U.S. courts numerous times with varying
rulings.
There have been a myriad of questions surrounding the right of free
speech, what constitutes the limitations, and when free speech crosses the
line into criminal offenses against others. For example, some of these
associated criminal offenses include libel, defamation, slander, threats of
violence, harassment, obscenity, and hate crimes. For some people,
defaming others, under the guise of freedom of speech, can be a convenient
weapon to cause harm to other people.
The use of social media has served to test the legalities of free speech.
The courts continue to sort out when people have an inherent right to their
speech and when their speech and conduct violate others’ rights. For
example, should school teachers be allowed to voice their negative opinions
about their organization when they are employed by the organization?
Likewise, should students or employees have the right to use social media
to post defamatory statements about their teachers or employers?
Another constitutional amendment that has significance to human
resources is the fourth amendment. This amendment states: “The right of
the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against
unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants
shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to
be seized” (United States Bill of Rights, 2018).
Other documents randomly have
different content
 Ticket, No. 1, Trip No. 1, St. Boniface to St. Vincent. Passenger—
S. Orson Shorey, December 2, 1878. J. St. L. McGinn.
To add to its value as a souvenir, Jack had it pretty well covered,
front and back, with signatures, including: Frederick Hayward,
conductor; J. Vannaman, driver; R. R. McLennan, road master; R. S.
McGinn, master of stores. Big Rory McLennan was afterwards
member of Parliament for Cornwall in the House of Commons, and
the world’s champion for tossing the caber and throwing the
hammer.
The following summer the Pembina Branch was taken over by the
Government and was operated by T. J. Lynskey in charge until it
passed into the hands of the present Canadian Pacific Railway
Company. Mr. Shorey was very proud of his souvenir ticket which he
kept carefully framed. Jack McGinn was not only paymaster, but the
first superintendent of the C.P.R., then under the control of the
contractor.
 Lord Strathcona—and Profanity
In the general election of 1878, the then constituency of Lisgar,
which included Winnipeg and the country around it, was contested
by the then Hon. Donald A. Smith and the Hon. Alex. Morris, who
was previously Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba. It was a very
closely contested election and Donald A. (as the afterwards Lord
Strathcona was generally alluded to) won by the narrow majority of
9. For some hours on the night of the election, the result was in
grave doubt, owing to the returns from St. Charles not being
received. The general impression was that Mr. Morris was elected.
There was deep consternation in the Smith camp and while Mr.
Smith himself was not at all a profane man, circumstances caused
him to swear by proxy, so to speak. Bob Woods was his right hand
man, and when things looked decidedly sombre Bob gave vent to his
pent-up feelings and burst forth into language in which he did not
usually indulge. Trying to console his chief, he very forcibly
remarked:
“Oh, blank, the blank sons of guns, they’re a lot of low-down
dirty blankety, blank traitors and scoundrels.”
And the supposed defeated candidate, clasping his hands and
rubbing them as if washing them in invisible water—a peculiarity of
his—acquiescently replied:
“Are they not, Mr. Woods, are they not?”
“Yes, and they are a miserable black-livered lot of blankety, blank
pirates and political prostitutes.”
“Are they not, Mr. Woods, are they not?” Mr. Smith enquiringly
coincided.
“Judas Iscariot was a Simon Pure white angel, compared with
these blankety, blank blackguards and cut-throats.”
And Mr. Smith again agreed by:
“Was he not, Mr. Woods, was he not?”
“And they can all go to h——” (not heaven) hotly thundered Bob.
 “Can they not, Mr. Woods, can they not?” sympathetically came
Mr. Smith’s reply.
And this conversation unceasingly kept up, until the missing
returns came in, and showed that the expected defeat had been
turned into victory.
And that was the nearest that the future Lord Strathcona was
ever known to indulge in profanity.
 The Republic of Manitoba
A well-known if not very prominent resident of Winnipeg was Mr.
Thomas Spence, who arrived in the ’60’s. He was well educated and
possessed of the average amount of brains, but he was not by any
means in the first or second rank of statesmen, capitalists or
commercial magnates. And yet Tom, as he was familiarly called, was
the first and only president of a Canadian republic that ever existed.
When the authority of the Hudson’s Bay Company was nearing an
end, Tom hied himself to Portage la Prairie, then little more than a
hamlet, and founded the Republic of Manitoba, which was to be
altogether self-supporting and to be separate and distinct from the
Hudson’s Bay Company, in fact a government on its own hook. Tom
surrounded himself with a committee of five and immediately
proceeded to provide for the levying of taxes, the erection of public
buildings, the making of Indian treaties, the construction of roads
and other public works, all of which he set forth in a letter to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies. In a little over four months after
the dispatch of his letter, President Spence received a body blow in
the shape of an acknowledgement from the Duke of Buckingham
and Chandos, in which he was plainly told that his “so-called self-
supporting government had no force in law” and “no authority to
create or organize a government without reference to the Hudson’s
Bay Company or the Crown,” and he was officially warned that he
and his coadjutors were acting illegally and incurring grave
responsibilities. The republic then collapsed—long before it had
reached its first birthday. It was an inglorious ending, and Tom’s
roseate dreams of a proud presidential career were rudely shattered.
The ex-president returned to Winnipeg, and became satisfied with a
fairly good position in the local Government service, but he always
insisted that, if he had been given a chance, the Republic of
Manitoba would have been one of the greatest and most prosperous
countries in the universe—at any rate it would have been larger than
the Principality of Monaco, more fertile than Greenland, not so torrid
as Florida nor as mountainous as Mexico, and would have had as big
a navy as Switzerland.

HOW OUR EARLY SETTLERS ARRIVED IN WINNIPEG.

 The Plot to Secede
One of the most exciting of the episodes in which I figured was
the secession meeting held in the third storey of a big building
immediately opposite the city hall. Mack Howse, Charles Stewart and
some other disgruntled people called the meeting to pass resolutions
that Manitoba should secede from the Dominion. T. J. Lynskey, of the
Government Railway, learning this, resolved to head off the disloyal
gathering. Obtaining a card of admission, a few hundred imitation
ones were printed and distributed where they would do the most
good. When the meeting opened with Mr. Stewart in the chair, the
hall was packed—but not with faces familiar to many of the
organization. Mr. Stewart, who was an Englishman and perfectly
sincere in his views, seeing before him what might be a hostile
audience, discreetly gave a moderate address, and when the
secession resolution was read, there were calls for Mr. Wilson, father
of Charlie and Herb Wilson, the lawyers, and himself a barrister of
high standing. He was a staunch Liberal and also a staunch
Canadian, and the merciless tongue-lashing he gave the seceders in
a twenty minute speech would have done credit to Sir Richard
Cartwright himself. His peroration, if not grand, was effective.
Turning to the chairman, he shouted at him:
“And now, sir, if it were not for your gray hairs and your
advanced age I would——”
And he glanced significantly at the open window near him.
There were calls for me and I was trying to keep the young men
around me in leash. I simply told them that I had not come to
speak, but to listen, but if it would facilitate matters at all, I would
move that the chairman be a committee of one to secede. This fully
met the views of the great majority of the meeting and when Johnny
Gurn, who kept a restaurant which was not run altogether on
temperance principles, rose and said: “I seconds the motion,”
pandemonium broke loose and the meeting broke up. In descending
the long flights of stairs some attempts were made by too
enthusiastic individuals to interfere with the malcontents but there
were enough of us to safeguard them.
At four o’clock next morning my doorbell rang—I lived in Fort
Rouge then—and on going to the door who should be there but
Charlie Stewart. Inviting him in, and offering him and myself some
liquid refreshments, he began to explain about the meeting. What I
wanted to know was who were the real instigators of the affair, but
say what I would, he would not betray his friends. All I got out of
him as he left the house at daybreak was:
“But I’ll tell you one thing, Mr. Ham, there’ll be no more meetings
for me on a third storey. Ground floors for me every time after this.”
And thus ended an important chapter in the history of Manitoba,
for if the secession motion had found its way into the American and
European press, as it was intended it should, the results might have
been serious.
 CHAPTER IV
The Big Winnipeg Boom—Winnipeg the Wicked—A
Few Celebrated Cases—Some Prominent
Old-Timers—The Inside Story of a
Telegraph Deal—When Trouble
Arose and Other Incidents.
Then came the boom of 1881-2 and sealskin coats and cloaks
and diamond pins and diamond brooches and diamond rings were
greatly in evidence. The city was all ablaze with the excitement of
prospective riches. Champagne replaced Scotch and soda, and game
dinners were very common. Auction sales were held daily and
nightly, and in the auction rooms of Jim Coolican, Walter Dufour and
Joe Wolf people bought recklessly. Property changed hands quickly
at greatly enhanced values. Certainly a land-office business was
being done. The craze spread to the rural districts and land
surveyors and map artists worked overtime to fill orders. Lots in
Winnipeg were plotted for miles beyond the city limits. Some non-
existing “cities” were placed on the eastern market, and some
swamps were brazenly offered in Winnipeg. If there ever was a fool’s
paradise, it sure was located in Winnipeg. Men made fortunes—
mostly on paper—and life was one continuous joy-ride.
A lot of us boarded at the Queen’s Hotel, then run by Jim Ross,
at whose table a quiet coterie sat. Amongst the personnel of the
party was La Touche Tupper, as good a fellow as ever lived, but a
little inclined to vain boasting. He was a fairly good barometer of the
daily land values. Some days when he claimed to have made
$10,000 or $15,000 everything was lovely. The next day, when he
could only credit himself with $3,000 or $4,000 to the good, things
were not as well, and when the profits dropped, as some days they
did, to a paltry $500 or $600, the country was going to the dogs. We
faithfully kept count of La Touche’s earnings, and in the spring he
had accumulated nearly a million in his mind. There were others.
And all went as merry as a marriage bell, with wealth and wine on
every hand, until one day, when lots in Edmonton were placed on
the market, the craze ran higher than ever before. It was a frightful
frenzy. Without any knowledge of the locality of the property, people
invested their money in lots at fabulous prices. Many overbought,
some tried to unload and the next morning there was a slump, and
you couldn’t give away property as a gift. The boom had busted.
Where, the day previous, the immense throng had gathered in such
numbers that window panes were smashed, in their eagerness to
buy, only those who wanted to sell were seen. It was the morning
after the night before. And a mighty sad one it was.
And Winnipeg came down to earth again.
For some time after the big boom busted, there was a decided
sag in the finances of many a Winnipegger. Of course, I kept in the
procession, and managed to worry along pretty well, as I had a very
warm friend in the late Chief Justice Howell, then a partner in the
law firm of Archibald & Howell. We kept flying kites with a good
measure of success, for he had a high financial standing, and we
never had a misunderstanding but once. It was all over a similarity
of figures and a series of curious coincidences. We had a note for
$175 in the bank, and it was overdue. A renewed note was promptly
given—most of the promptness being due to the urgent request of
the bank manager. It so happened that Mr. Howell’s current account
had exactly $175 to his credit, and strange to say I was overdrawn
just a similar amount. The bank at once wiped out my indebtedness
with the note, and then took Mr. Howell’s $175 to pay it. When my
good friend gave a small cheque the next day, it was returned to him
with the ominous “N.S.F.” marked legibly upon it. My, but he was
wrathy, and in his anger came to me. We were both dumbfounded,
but finally it got through my wool how the thing was done, and we
both looked at each other like two lost babes in the wood. So we
went out and soundly cussed all financial institutions in existence,
and were only reconciled to our fate after a prolonged visit to
Clougher’s.
 Winnipeg the Wicked
In its early days, Winnipeg was reputed to be one of the two
wickedest places in Canada. The other was a small Ontario town—
Paris, if I remember aright. Winnipeggers didn’t object very much to
having the doubtful distinction attributed to it, but they kicked like
steers when linked with a small eastern village, where it would
naturally be supposed the only outward and visible sign of sin would
be the innocent little lambs gamboling on the green. If they were no
worse than the Canadian Parisians—well, it was confoundedly
humiliating—and they were somewhat ashamed of being put in the
amateur class. Probably Paris might have a few who were “a devil of
a fellow in his own home town,” but Winnipeg looked down in scorn
on that mush-and-milk brand of real sporty life. Of course the city
was pretty rapid, with lots to drink and plenty to gamble, and horse
racing galore and similar sports were the rage. With dances, operas,
swagger champagne suppers, and late hours, it was one continuous
merry round. But gay life in Winnipeg was grossly exaggerated,
because it was a comparatively small place, running speedily ahead
of other places of even larger size in its daily round of gaiety.
Hideous crime itself, as it is seen in the cities of its size to-day, was
totally unknown. There was scarcely even a murder or a shooting
scrap and very few scandals. The demi-mondaines were numerous
and hilarious as were their patrons, but the police regulations were
usually strictly enforced, and, while the bars were kept open until all
hours of the night, the liquor was of a good quality, and there were
fewer drunken people staggering on the streets than could be seen
in other places which made greater pretensions of a monopoly of all
the virtues. The police court records prove this. So while it was
called wicked, it held no real genuine carnival of crime. It was simply
a wide open frontier outpost of civilization.
Early in its infancy, it was invaded by a band of crooks from the
south, who started in on the bad man act, but Chief Justice Wood
soon put them where the dogs couldn’t bite them with long
sentences in jail or Stoney Mountain penitentiary. Those who didn’t
come up before the Judge made a mad dash for liberty across the
line. There were a couple of executions, but only one Winnipeg
murder, and the Gribben murder, where a whiskey peddler along the
line of railway construction shot a cabin boy of one of the river boats
to death. Taking it all in all, life in Winnipeg was as safe as it is in
Westmount to-day—but a dashed sight more exciting.
Down at Fisher’s Landing in Minnesota, immigrants who there
transferred from train to boat were unmercifully fleeced by Farmer
Brown, who, driving a sorry looking yoke of oxen and wearing a
bucolic make-up, victimized the immigrants with sad, sad tales of
sorrow and misfortune, and when their sympathies were aroused
through his unfailing flow of tears, he would trim them to a standstill
at three card monte, at which he was an adept. There were other
sharpers, of course, as there always are where there is a movement
of people, but they did nothing actually sensational.
 Interviewing a Murderer
Louis Thomas, an Indian, was found guilty of murdering a white
man down near Morris, and was sentenced to death. A few days
previous to the execution, a friend of mine who was a guard at the
jail, which was then located at the bend on Main Street, near the city
hall, tipped me off that the Indian wanted to see me. Although it
was against the regulations, I managed to smuggle myself into his
cell, and he told me the story of the crime. He had just got to the
point of saying that two French-Canadians had taken the victim by
the legs and thrown him into a well, when the sheriff appeared and
ordered me out of the place and demanded my notes. Of course, I
had to go, and backed out as dignified-like as I could, protesting
that I was willing to give up my notes, until I reached the street
door. Once outside the jail, I made a mad rush for the Free Press
office, wrote up my report of the day’s exciting event, and that
evening there was so much indignation expressed around town that
next morning the Government appointed Hon. D. M. Walker to
investigate the affair, and I was allowed to be present. The Indian
had given me a couple of pages of foolscap on which he said was
scribbled a confession in the Iroquois language, but it could easily be
seen that it was merely scribbling and nothing more. When Mr.
Walker confronted the prisoner he retracted every blessed word he
had told me, and when next I saw him on the scaffold, he looked at
me in a most careless, half-amused way, and, waving his hand
towards me, cheerily said with the greatest nonchalance: “Bon jour,
boy, bon jour.” Five minutes later, he dropped into eternity.
 Schofield’s Escapade
Another exciting incident was the Schofield affair. Schofield was a
trusted employee of the McMillan Bros.—D. H. and W. W.—who ran a
flour mill near the river bank. One morning the office was found to
be all topsy-turvy. Chairs were upset and other furniture scattered
around promiscuously, and a large dent in a wooden desk evidenced
that a club had been used. Drops of blood left a trail in the snow to
the river and on the ice. The next day and next night ice cutting
machines worked overtime making holes in the ice, and grappling
irons were unavailingly lowered to rescue the body. People were
aghast at the awful crime and Schofield’s pretty wife was the object
of everybody’s sympathy. The following day, Schofield’s remains
were found—down in Minneapolis, although the waters of the Red
River flowed the other way. An American customs officer at St.
Vincent, on the boundary, reported a man answering Schofield’s
description who had passed through on the St. Paul train the night
of the awful tragedy, and that he was dressed like an ordinary
working man but had forgotten to discard his white starched shirt,
whose cuffs with gold sleeve links had attracted his attention as
being a queer sort of a combination for a laboring man. Schofield’s
rooms were searched and in them was found a collection of dyes,
false moustaches, wigs, etc., with which he had disguised himself. As
his accounts were all right, it was puzzling to know why he had put
up such a job, until it was discovered that it was to secure a fairly
good insurance which he had on his life.
 An Express Robbery
Then there was Jim Van Rensaellaer’s case. Jim was a big, fat,
good-natured agent of the American Express Company at Winnipeg
and of the Winnipeg-Moorhead stage company for years, and was
liked by everybody. One day, it was discovered that from the vault in
the express office had been taken a package of money—said to be
$10,000 but really $15,000 (to save extra express charges) which a
bank was sending to Winnipeg. There was absolutely no clue to the
robbery. For years Van was shadowed by local and imported
detectives and every device resorted to in order to catch him. His
friends stood staunchly by him, but the money was gone, and who
could have taken it if not Van? Coming on the train from Devil’s
Lake, Dakota, to Grand Forks one day, I met Jack Noble, a detective,
whom I had known for years. He told me the express company
never let up in running down express robbers, and that he expected
to catch Van before long—and this was a couple of years after the
theft. In a friendly spirit I told Van all this when I reached home, but
Van seemed perfectly unconcerned, and said he was as much
interested in solving the mystery as the company was. Some years
later when in London, England, I spent an evening with H. G.
McMicken, who at the time of this robbery occupied part of the
express office as a railway and steamship ticket office. He was a sort
of amateur detective and could open a safe in first-class Raffles
style, and he had given a good deal of attention and thought to this
affair. The only solution he could offer—and it was probably the
correct one—was that on the eventful day a number of workmen
were employed in whitewashing the office. The vault door had been
left ajar, and one of the men, seizing the opportunity, had snatched
the package and secreted it in his whitewash pail, where it would
immediately be covered with the lime solution. He could then easily
leave for lunch with his booty in the pail, which he doubtless did.
This theory was afterwards corroborated by a contractor who told a
friend of mine that the culprit had confessed the crime to him—a
long time after it had been committed. And the express company
was out only $10,000 besides its expenses for detectives, and the
bank lost $5,000. But the latter’s reputation suffered more than
Van’s.
 The Case of Lord Gordon-Gordon
A remarkable case was that of Lord Gordon-Gordon, a presumed
nobleman, who in the early ’70’s cut a wide swath in Minnesota,
where he was royally entertained by leading people. He intimated
that he was acting for his sister, who desired to invest heavily in
western lands. He was “pie” for the Minnesotans, who were willing
to unload on her ladyship all the land she coveted. A fine looking
gentlemanly fellow, he quickly made hosts of friends. It was not long
before it was discovered that his lordship had previously got into
difficulties in New York with Jay Gould, the well-known railway
magnate, and was out on bail. He promptly immigrated to Manitoba,
and to secure his return to the United States an attempt was made
to kidnap him. He was forcibly seized at the residence of Hon. James
McKay, whose guest he was, and hurried towards the boundary line,
but the authorities interfered and brought back Lord Gordon-Gordon
and his kidnappers to Winnipeg, where the offenders and their
accomplices, who were prominent business men and politicians of
Minnesota, were lodged in jail. Amongst them was Loren Fletcher, of
St. Paul, who wired his friends a pithy telegram which has been
often quoted: “I am in a hell of a fix.” Lord Gordon-Gordon, who had
the sympathy of the people, went to a friend’s house in Headingly,
and when advised that he would have to be extradited, asked for
time to pack a few clothes, went into an adjoining room, from which
was heard the sharp report of a revolver, and when his friends
rushed in he was dead. Who and what he was has never been
revealed, but some years later Chambers’s Journal had a long and
interesting article about him, in which it was made to appear that he
was the illegitimate offspring of a Cornish family, whose ancestry
had accumulated great wealth through smuggling. His remarkable
career is now about forgotten, but he set the pace in New York and
through Minnesota and created more excitement in Winnipeg than
any other event of the early days, excepting perhaps the Riel
Rebellion.
 The Farr Case
Early in the morning of Saturday, April 13, 1895, the wife and
children of William Farr, a C.P.R. locomotive engineer, operating a
yard engine at Winnipeg, were awakened by the smell of smoke and
fire, and their cries aroused Mr. T. C. Jones, living in the adjoining
house, which was a double frame structure on the south-east corner
of Ross and Isabel Streets. The aid of neighbors speedily
extinguished the flames. On arrival of Chief Billy Code, of the fire
brigade, the smell of coal oil aroused his suspicions and he sent for
the police. On investigation, it was found that coal oil had been
sprinkled on the steps, both front and rear, of the stairways leading
upstairs, and also around the windows and doors leading outside.
The conduct of Farr while on his engine and following the period of
the midnight meal by asking if his mates had not heard a fire alarm,
and the conditions at his house, were sufficient to cause his arrest
by the police. Only circumstantial evidence was in possession of the
police and they could not discover a motive for the dastardly deed
by Farr. It was on information which James Hooper, city editor of the
Daily Nor’-Wester, of which I was then managing editor, furnished
Chief Code and Chief of Police McRae, that they traced his
connection with a young woman, whom he had promised to marry.
He had attended church and theatres with her and had made her
many costly presents of clothing and furs.
Farr escaped from the police station during the early hours of
Monday morning, April 15, by wrenching one of the iron bars out
and then spreading the others sufficiently to permit him getting his
body through, and opening the window, made his escape. He got
away and was not recaptured for a considerable period. It is
supposed he was concealed in the cab of a westbound locomotive.
On his recapture he was tried and convicted, and sentenced to five
years in the penitentiary. On his release, after serving his term, he
took up residence on the Pacific Coast. The young woman
subsequently married a farmer and lived for a number of years in
the vicinity of Glenella.
Well I remember the day she came half frightened into the
Nor-’Wester office to endeavor to have her name in connection with
the affair kept out of the paper. To me behind closed doors she
tearfully related her version of her companionship with Farr, whom
she said she had frequently seen in church with his family, but
which, she alleged, he told her was his dead brother’s widow and
children, whom he was supporting. Between her hysterics and
weeping, I said consoling words and showed her the futility of
suppressing her name, and finally convinced her that her story
would, if printed, be better for her. When she left she was, although
undoubtedly ill, comparatively in bettered condition, and, as it was
raining, I sent her home in a cab, with strict injunctions to take a hot
drink and go straight to bed, and to see no one, which she did. That
evening the Nor’-Wester had a two column story with startling
headings, and the other papers hadn’t a line.
 Some Prominent Old-Timers
Among the many outstanding figures of those days was W. F.
Luxton, founder of the Free Press. There were three other
newspapers published in the village of Winnipeg when Kenney &
Luxton issued the Manitoba Free Press, a weekly, in 1872. The Free
Press embodied and expressed Mr. Luxton’s views on public
questions and also his ideas as to what newspaper service to the
public should be. The paper grew from weekly to daily in due course
and secured a hold upon the respect and confidence of the people of
Manitoba which, under many changes of management and policy, it
keeps in a large measure to this day.

Among the clergy of the day, the Rev. George Young, pastor of
the Grace Church, may well be mentioned. He had arrived at Fort
Garry as Missionary of the Methodist Church, shortly before the
transfer to Canada. He was outspoken on behalf of Canadian
connection. When Riel assumed control, Mr. Young, because of his
office, was not arrested, but he was kept under threat and
surveillance. He administered the sacrament to Thomas Scott before
his execution by Riel’s partisans. He was not a pulpit orator, but he
was always leading in the right direction. Whether preaching to
immigrant congregations or Indian bands, administering the last
rites to the condemned Scott or helping to organize and cheer on
the handful of volunteers hastily gathered to resist the Fenian raid of
1870 at Pembina (his own son, George, in the ranks), or again
preaching for honesty and good government to peaceful Grace
Church congregations, Rev. Mr. Young was a strong force for right
and for Canada at the moment when the future course of events
was being set.
During the troublous times both before and after the transfer of
1869, St. John’s Mission Cathedral of the Church of England with its
boys’ college in connection held a quiet course and did its allotted
work. The fact that the Rev. Dr. Machray of St. John’s during the
’70’s was afterwards elected Metropolitan of Canada is sufficient
evidence that in that field also was large ability successfully applied.
Rev. Mr. Clarke was the pastor of Holy Trinity Church, succeeded by
Rev. Mr. Fortin, who did yeoman service, and Rev. Sam P. Matheson,
of St. John’s, became Primate of all Canada, an honor which he
deservedly gained. Dean Grisdale, Rev. Mr. Pinkham, afterwards
Bishop of Alberta, and Bishop Maclean, universally known as
Saskatchewan Jack, were prominent in church work. Canon McKay
was an early missionary of the Anglican Church. Rev. Mr. Ewing was
the first Congregational minister, and Rev. J. B. Silcox and Rev. Hugh
Pedley followed, and I think Rev. Mr. Macdonald was the first Baptist
—all earnest workers. Rev. John Semmens, who recently died, was
long a missionary amongst the Crees. Rev. Mr. Black, Rev. Dr.
Robertson, Rev. Prof. Hart, Rev. Dr. Duval, Rev. C. B. Pitblado, Rev.
Alex. Grant and Rev. John McNeil were pioneer Presbyterians of
great distinction, and across the river His Grace Archbishop Tache
with Fathers Cherrier and Cloutier aided in the great Christianizing
work, and were beloved by both Protestant and Catholic; while on
the plains the lamented Father Lacombe and others of the black
robe carried the Cross and taught the Word with beneficial results.
Speaking of present day industries, the Brown & Rutherford
planing mill and sash factory was an institution in 1873, and the
Vulcan Iron works were established by Mr. John McKechnie of
Dundas, Ont., shortly after. Following these there were the lumber
firms of Macauley & Jarvis, Dick Banning, D. E. Sprague, Smith &
Melville, and the business firms of A. G. B. Bannatyne, W. H. Lyons,
Kew & Stobart, afterwards Stobart & Eden, Andrew and Robert
Strang, Alex. McIntyre, Blair & Larmour, Alexander & Bryce, Higgins,
Young & Jackson, George Andrews, J. R. Cameron, Noel Chevrier,
Kenny Murchison, J. H. Brock, who inaugurated the Great Western
Life Assurance Co., the Blue Store, Snyder & Anderson, Scott &
Carson, Thomas Ryan, McLennagan & Mallock, J. F. Caldwell, D.
McArthur, banker, F. H. Brydges, Geo. R. Crowe, Willie Whitehead,
Charlie Enderton, Capt. Donaldson, Bishop & Shelton, Mulholland &
Taylor, Fred Ossenbrugge, Fred Brydges, Richard Waugh, and his
sons J. C., and Richard D., who became mayor of the city, and is
now settling affairs in Europe, Capt. Wm. Robinson, who did
effective service in the South African campaign, the Stovels, George
Clements, Robert Wyatt, Thos. W. Taylor, Charlie Radiger, who
started the first distillery in Winnipeg, and offered five-year-old on
the opening day, Trott & Melville, James Stewart, Conklin & Fortune,
Hugh and James Sutherland, William Dodd, Alloway & Champion,
bankers, Jos. Penrose, John Haffner, Alfred Pearson, W. D. Russell,
Dan Campbell, Parsons & Richardson, Geo. Murray, E. L. and Fred
Drewry, G. F. & J. Galt, George Wishart, J. W. Winnett, Alex. Calder,
W. D. Blackford, Joe Wolf, W. Dufour, Jim Coolican, Doc W. J.
Hinman, Stewart Mulvey, E. Brokovski, William Bryden, Geo.
Muttlebury, Geo. F. Carruthers, William Wellband, A. H. Bertrand,
Benson & Taylor, Scott & Leslie, Gold Seal Jones, Laney Hibbard and
his big dog, E. Boyce, who was a partner of Jimmy Steen, and made
a fortune publishing a weekly paper in Chicago, and goodness knows
how many more, but few of them are now in existence.
Tom Verner and Tom Persse were amongst the singers—saw Tom
in the movies recently—and Louis de Plainville, known as Louis
Nathal on the stage, was a fine artist. Harry Prince, Charlie
Armstrong, Jack McGinn, Bob Halloway, Frank I. Clarke, Graham
Boston, Jim Phillips, Goodwin Ford, Charlie Sharpe and many others,
were amongst the good fellows of those days.
There were also some real characters in town, notably Ginger
Snooks, Dick Burden, and Dublin Dan. Ed. McKeown was a pugilist of
more than local repute but he soon retired from the ring.
Amongst the press boys were, besides those already mentioned,
Jack Cameron, afterwards with the Hamilton Spectator, Charlie
Tuttle, Ned Farrer, Amos Rowe, T. H. Preston, now of Brantford, Billy
Dennis (Senator before his untimely passing away), Donald Beaton
and his two sons, Fred. C. Wade, Charlie Keeling, Billy Moss, Frank
McGuire, later of the San Francisco and New York press, Jimmy
Poole, now of Chicago, Col. Scoble, Charlie Handscombe, Walter
Payne, W. E. MacLellan, now in Halifax, R. L. Richardson, John
Moncrieff, Jim Hooper, Billy Perkins, Thos. E. Morden, Wm. Coldwell,
who with William Buckingham, started the first paper in the city,
George Brooks of Siftings, Bill Nagle, who started the Sun, The
Khan, still alive at his Ontario country house, enlivening the press of
Canada with his canticles, A. J. Magurn, Alex McQueen, Acton
Burrows, Molyneux St. John, Jim Fahey, who died in Toronto, John
Conklin, Robert Houston, W. S. Thompson, Ernie Blow, now publicity
agent of the C. N. R. in the West, Walter Nursey and John Lewis,
now press agent of the Liberal party. Papers were born and papers
were buried, and resurrections were frequent.
And the city hall and court house officials—well, amongst them
were A. M. Brown, the veteran city clerk, who was succeeded by his
son Charlie, who is still on the job; J. W. Harris, the assessor, and his
successor, E. Ward Smith, of Yukon fame, D. S. Curry, comptroller,
Tax Collector George Hadskis, T. H. Parr and H. H. Ruttan, city
engineers, Dave Marshall of the market, W. G. Scott, the treasurer,
and Harry Kirk, the janitor.
At the court house were W. E. Macara, Geoff. Walker, P. A.
Macdonald, L. Betourney, county court clerk, Ed. Marston and next
door, Pat Lawlor, the jailor, was a faithful official.
And Darby Taylor, too, dear old Darby, and Dr. Kerr gave us
another item. Coming in from Stoney Mountain one night, they were
overtaken by a blinding blizzard. There was nothing to do but
unhitch the horse, wrap themselves up in a buffalo robe as best they
could, and as uncomfortably as possible, and await the early dawn,
which isn’t very early during the winter months in northern latitudes.
Then they discovered that they were only a few yards away from a
farmhouse whose occupants would gladly have furnished them
shelter.
 The Inside Story of a Deal
It was in January, 1882, that Mr. Robert S. White, then, as now,
chief editor of the Montreal Gazette, whose casual acquaintance I
had previously made in the East, arrived one morning at Winnipeg,
on an interesting mission. He was accompanied by General J. S.
Williams of New York; or, as Mr. White took pains to tell me, he was
merely General Williams’ cicerone for the trip. Their object was to
purchase the charter of the Great Northwest Telegraph Company. It
came about in this way: the Union Mutual Telegraph Company had
been organized in New York a few months previously by Messrs.
Evans, Moore and other financial magnates as a competitor of the
Western Union. A considerable mileage of wire had been strung and
was in operation. It was important for the Union Mutual to obtain
connection with Montreal, Toronto and other principal eastern points
in Canada. Learning of the existence of the Great Northwest
Telegraph charter they decided to buy it if possible. General Williams
was deputed to proceed to Montreal to confer with Mr. Charles R.
Hosmer, now a leading figure in Canadian finance, railways, banking
and industry, who had then left the position of manager of the
Dominion Telegraph Company at Montreal to join the staff of the
Union Mutual. It was agreed that General Williams with Mr. White
should proceed to Winnipeg.
Time pressed. It had leaked out that the Western Union was hot
after the G.N.W. charter. The telegraph lines to Winnipeg being
under control of that company, the risk of a message to myself to
obtain options on the G.N.W. shares held in Winnipeg was deemed
too great. So the conspirators, Williams and White, proceeded by
rail. Fortune did not favor them, they arriving at Winnipeg about two
days after Erastus Wiman’s agent, acting for the Western Union, had
secured the plum. And it was a plum, the G.N.W. charter being of
the blanket variety; good for all kinds of telegraph construction and
operation from Dan to Beersheba within the Dominion of Canada,
but it only ran zig-zag from Winnipeg to nowhere in particular. My
recollection is that the price paid by the Western Union agent for the
whole capital stock of the G.N.W. was about $8,000. When Hon.
John Norquay and his associates, who had parted with their stock,
learned what General Williams was prepared to pay, what they said
was quite unfit for publication. However, we solaced our sorrows in
the club and took it out of Mr. Wiman in the manner customary to
such incidents. It may be of interest to learn how nearly the Great
Northwest Telegraph charter escaped the Western Union, which soon
after that date became perpetual lessee of the property linked up
under the former name, and in which the old Montreal Telegraph
Company was merged.
 Real Trouble Arises
When Fort Rouge was taken into the city I began to figure in
really troublesome times. Fort Rouge was created a ward of the city,
but given no representation in the city council, which its people
wouldn’t stand. What they lacked in numbers they made up in noise
and determination. A meeting of a score or so residents, nearly all
there were, was held, and three aldermen were selected (not
elected) to represent the ward in the city council. They were Mr.
Thomas Nixon, a well-known citizen, strong with the church-going
community, Mr. Stewart Mulvey, a prominent Orangeman and
brewer, and myself, without any particular pedigree. We three
attended the first council meeting held after our selection, and got a
mighty cool reception. Mayor McMicken, while sympathizing with us,
followed legal advice and would not recognize us any more than he
could help. In attempting to address the chair we were ordered to sit
down which we readily did, only to arise again, and receive the same
treatment. It was not until the other aldermen were threatened with
legal prosecution that we were at all acknowledged. The old
municipality of Fort Rouge had $1,700 in its coffers, but just before
its termination as a separate municipality, the funds were voted into
Mr. Nixon’s hands, as trustee, and we were going to fight the beasts
of Ephesus with that money. In fact we had engaged Fred McKenzie,
a bright young lawyer, and the city compromised—after an
indignation meeting had been held at which Charlie Wishart and
other non-residents of Fort Rouge vigorously denounced the council
for its disgraceful conduct. We were given our seats, and an act was
passed by the Legislature to legalize all that had been done. Then
the proceedings deteriorated into what one sagacious alderman
termed a “beer garden.” There was a feud between Ald. George
Wilson and Ald. Mark Fortune (who was a victim of the Titanic
disaster) and these two had no particular love for one another. One
night while Ald. Wilson, Mulvey and myself were going to a council
meeting, the question of the legality of a certain by-law was
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