Cape Breton's Magazine

A Visit with Winston Ruck, Steelworker I started at the steel plant in 1940. That's quite a story. December 27, 1940, I considered as the happiest day of my life. December the 27th is when I got a job at the steel plant. I will never forget that day as long as I live. Because at that time we had been living with my aunt. We had been living with my aunt from the time my father had passed on in 1936. And that was the height of the Depression. Very difficult. Not only for ourselves, but for everybody. Including the white community as well. Those were difficult times. As I indicated, we five boys--five broth? ers- -we were living with my aunt (Mrs. Vi? ola Calender) following the death of my father. Her husband was working on a part- time basis. You can imagine the load that they suddenly found themselves with, with the advent of five boys--hungry boys with appetites! But we were--like I said, we were re? sourceful because we were taught that way, from the time we were small, to look after yourself. And we used to help the best as we could, by going up to the old Marsh Dump and bringing home coal during the summer months to help. Because it was hard for them to find the money to buy a ton of coal. It didn't cost $5--a half a ton cost $2.50 in those days. That was hard to come Winston's father, George Ruck, holding Arthur; children left to right: Vernal Braithwaite (stepbrother), Winston, Calvin, Lionel