Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

JACKET, FUR

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

FUR

No. Pieces

1

Length

123

Width

66

Description

BROWN MUSKRAT FUR COAT HAS PIECES OF FUR THAT ARE PLACED TOGETHER IN A ZIG-ZAG HORIZONTAL FASHION. COLLAR IS VERY WIDE AND IN A "V" SHAPE. SLEEVES ARE LONG WITH WIDELY TURNED UP CUFFS THAT ARE SLIGHTLY WIDER ON THE TOP OF THE ARM THAN ON THE UNDERSIDE. COAT FASTENS UP THE CENTRE WITH THREE BUTTONS AND CORDED BUTTON LOOPS. BOTTOM TWO BUTTONS ARE BROWN MARBLED BAKELITE WITH THE TOP BUTTON BEING BROKE OFF AND HAVING A RED CIRCLE WITH A BLACK CIRCLE UNDERNEATH TIED TO A BLACK STRING INSTEAD. THE COLLAR FLIPS UP TO FORM A HOOD THAT FASTENS WITH ONE BLACK BUTTON AND LOOP, AND BELOW WITH A BUTTON THAT HAS A BROWN CROCHETED COVER AND A LOOP. THE YOKE LINE IS SCALLOPED AND ABOVE IT THE FUR IS LIGHTER AND FITS TOGETHER DIFFERENTLY THAN BELOW. THE BACK IS IDENTICAL TO THE FRONT WITHOUT THE OPENING. FRONT SHOWS THE PATTERN OF THE LIGHTER TOP FUR AND HOW IT FITS TOGETHER WELL (INNER SECTION OF COLLAR IS ALSO LIGHTER). INSIDE IS LINED WITH A BROWN MATERIAL. HAS HERRINGBONE STITCHES AROUND ARM HOLES. BACK OF NECK HAS TRIANGLE PIECE OF MATERIAL WITH DIRTY LABEL THAT READS IN YELLOW EMBROIDERY "HIGH CLASS FURRIER THOS PAIN 811 FIRST ST. EAST CALGARY, ALTA.". HAS A PATCH POCKET ON THE RIGHT FRONT INSIDE AREA. HAS TWO BROWN TIES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ARM HOLE. LINING IS BADLY RIPPED IN PLACES AND QUITE DIRTY. BOTTOM HOOD BUTTON LOOP IS BROKEN. FUR IS WORN AND CREASED IN MANY AREAS. TOP BUTTON IN MIDDLE FRONT IS BROKEN. HAS MANY LOOSE THREADS.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

History

COAT GIVEN TO DONOR BY HER MOTHER WHEN SHE GRADUATED FROM CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL IN THE 1930'S. NEEDED A WARM COAT TO WEAR IN THE COUNTRY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF WOLLERSHEIM. SHE WAS MARRIED IN 1936 TO NEIL HERBST AND HAD TO QUIT TEACHING AFTER GRADE FOUR DUE TO THE ABERHART POLICY REGARDING NO MARRIED TEACHERS AT EHNES SCHOOL (NOW HAPEN). DONOR TAUGHT AT ASSUMPTION SCHOOL FOR TEN YEARS AND RETIRED AT SIXTY-FIVE IN 1977. SEE SEECHEEN HISTORY BOOK-EPSICOMB. DONOR WAS BORN IN HOMESTEAD SHACK ON FARM, WAS ONE OF SIXTEEN CHILDREN. HER HUSBAND IS BURIED SOUTH OF FOREMOST IN FOURTH DISTRICT. *UPDATE* IN 2016 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT RUTHANN LABLANCE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF CLOTHING, INCLUDING A COAT AND DRESS DONATED BY LENA HERBST . THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WAS COMPILED USING ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND “ETZIKOM: PRAIRIE & PEOPLE”. LENA HERBST (NEE WOLLERSHEIM) WAS BORN ON JANUARY 11, 1913, THE FIFTEENTH CHILD OF PHILIP AND THERESA WOLLERSHEIM. SHE ATTENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT SEXTON CREEK AND KNEW FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A TEACHER. SHE COMPLETED GRADE NINE AT ST. PATRICK’S IN LETHBRIDGE, TOOK GRADES TEN AND ELEVEN AT ST. MARY’S IN CALGARY, AND FOR GRADE TWELVE LENA RETURNED TO ST. PATRICK’S. SHE THEN ATTENDED CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL FOR EIGHT MONTHS. LENA WAS HIRED TO TEACH AT EHNES SCHOOL ON JULY 6, 1933 AND SHE BEGAN TEACHING ON SEPTEMBER 5 OF THAT YEAR. SHE LOVED TEACHING AND CONTINUED TO DO SO AFTER HER MARRIAGE TO NICKODEMUS “NICK” HERBST. HER ANNUAL SALARY WAS $750.00 WHICH SHE CALLED “A REAL GOLDMINE IN THOSE DEPRESSION DAYS.” UNFORTUNATELY LENA’S TEACHING CAREER WAS ENDED WHEN PREMIER ABERHART DECLARED THAT NO WOMAN MARRIED TO AN ABLE BODIED MAN COULD BE A TEACHER. NICK AND LENA WERE MARRIED ON JULY 3, 1936 AND WELCOMED THEIR FIRST CHILD IN JANUARY 1942. THEY REMAINED ON THE FARM UNTIL 1968 WHEN THEY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE. AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM, LENA WAS ABLE TO RESUME TEACHING AND DID SO UNTIL RETIREMENT AT AGE 65. LENA PASSED AWAY AT AGE 85 ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1998. NICK DIED AT 92 ON JANUARY 27, 2001. HE WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 26, 1908 IN SEVASTOPOL, RUSSIA, TO MATHIAS AND MAGDELENA HERBST, AND THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED TO THE FAITH DISTRICT TO 1909. PHILIP WOLLERSHEIM PASSED AWAY IN MAY 1932 AND THERESA (MAIDEN NAME UNKNOWN) PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 12, 1949. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARD COPIES OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES AND “ETZIKOM: PRAIRIE & PEOPLE”.

Catalogue Number

P19940043001

Acquisition Date

1994-06

Collection

Museum

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