Page 84 - Estwood Davidson: Travels with Beattie and Winston

ISSUE : Issue 54

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/6/1

watered down. And by and by, half of them didn't know what they were playing them? selves! Simple as that. It was my sister who gave me the first guitar I ever had. I didn't even know how to tune it! What little that I learned, I learned out of books. I'm a leftie, too, you know. And I had books of chords. And I used to have a mir? ror. And I'd put the mirror here, and I'd put the book here, and that would make it leftie. (Most people strum with their right hand.) That's right. And chords in the book are natural for them. But it was backwards for me. Well, I leaned the mir? ror against something. Then I'd put the book here and I'd look into the mirror. And that would make the chords, the way I wanted to play them. That's a scheme I worked out on my own.... Just more of a luck than good management, probably! (Were you learning the tunes or the chords?) The chords that went with the tunes. (Did you ever play the fiddle tune itself on the guitar?) Oh, no, no, I never picked out--no, no. Rhythm, right straight through. Cedar House Bakery ' and Restaurant 674-2929 OPEN DAILY FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER bread • scones • oatcakes • cooldes • pies TRANS-CANADA HWY NEAR SEAL ISLAND BRIDGE (What were you doing for a living?) In Halifax? Pumping gas on Robie Street. (And Winston?) The shipyards, you know, frig? ging around. Well, things were as tough in Cape North, I guess, as they were in New Brunswick. You know, that was really De? pression then, holy jumping. There was no money, no nothing, no work. Probably half enough to eat, and all that sort of thing. Fate brought us together, and fate seemed to keep us together all through our lives. I don't know why. I joined the Navy. I was sitting in the park one night--I was work? ing at night. And all my buddies were com? ing along. The war had broken out then, see. They said, "We're going to join the Navy." I thought for a minute. I said, "Wait for me. I'm going, too." So up I went to Stadacona, and that afternoon we were in uniform. And a few days after that, Winston joined the Army. And I can't figure that out. 'Cause he was at sea all his life-- swordfishing and all that sort of thing. It should have been the opposite way around--probably I should have been in the Army and him in the Navy. But anyway.... (You didn't say--or did you say?--"Oh, my, our career in music is going to fall apart.") No, no, I wasn't really in it that big or anything. Music was more or less then, well, just more or less some? thing to do in the evenings, and get around, probably meet people, or something like that. But I never could see it as a International Literacy Year 1990 International Literacy Year 1990 will be an opportunity for member countries of the United Nations to focus on literacy needs within their own boundaries and throughout the world. The achievement of literacy remains a primary aim of education in Nova Scotia. We also recognize that literacy, in Canadian terms, embraces a broad range of communication skills and abilities. For adults acquiring literacy and other skills through continuing education classes, the Department of Education has recently amended its regulations and funding base. In future, funding will be related to the adult population in the school district This will greatly assist school boards to offer more classes in basic skills where needed. Every avenue must be explored if we are to achieve our aim of a fully literate population. I welcome the expanded working relationships with other govemment departments and agencies that are being established by continuing education administrators in association with the Department of Education. These co-operative efforts will help serve the basic education needs of various sectors from correctional institutions to senior citizen centres. Last year, 4500 adult Nova Scotians were enrolled in adult basic education classes in the public schools. I wish them and their instructors every success as they work together to meet the challenge of International Literacy Year. rMova ocoiia Department of Education

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