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School Patron
1913 - 2003 On
July 2, 2003, Maria Chrzanowska, our school’s patron,
passed away. Past the first anniversary of her death, we
continue to mourn her absence. At the 2003-04 year-end
celebration, a minute of silence was observed in memory
of her and of her husband Jan, who died shortly after
his wife. Sadly, no longer will we see them in church,
sitting in the front most pews, proudly watching the
fruitfulness of their lives’ work: children, many of
whom were born in Canada, learning the Polish language,
culture, and history. Maria Chrzanowska will live on in
the hearts and memories of her students and the school,
who loved her and recognized her tireless efforts
throughout the Polish community in Edmonton.
School
Patron 1913-2003
Mrs. Maria Chrzanowska was born on August 16, 1913 in
Kuty, in Poland’s former eastern territories. Her early
childhood coincided with the First World War. As a young
woman, she attended the Adam Asnyk Seminary in Lvov and
graduated in 1932. She worked several years in the
teaching profession before marrying Mr. Jan Chrzanowski,
also a teacher.
Shortly
before the outbreak of the Second World War, the couple
was blessed with a son, Zbigniew. Called to serve in the
army in 1939, Mr. Chrzanowski was forced to leave Kuty,
and eventually, Poland. For seven long years, while he
fought for the British, he remained separated from his
family. In 1946, however, Mrs. Maria Chrzanowska and her
young son left Poland to rejoin her husband in Germany.
From there they moved to England, and soon thereafter
decided to immigrate to Canada.
On May 4,
1948, the Chrzanowskis arrived in Edmonton. Within a
couple of years, Maria and Jan welcomed another child
into the family: a daughter, Teresa.
Almost from
the very beginning of their new life in Canada, Maria
and Jan Chrzanowski were involved in Edmonton’s budding
Polish community. For over three impressive decades,
Mrs. Maria Chrzanowska worked as a teacher and
administrator at the Henryk Sienkiewicz Polish Saturday
School. In addition to teaching at the school, she
directed the organization of the local Scouts. She also
performed various volunteer functions with the Polish
Canadian Congress. Then, in 1962, she joined the team
who operated the Polish radio broadcasts in Edmonton.
For thirty-three years, Mrs. Chrzanowska managed the
Polish language program on CKUR.
To this day,
Mrs. Maria Chrzanowska remains active in the Polish
community and is always generous in sharing her advice
and experience. She eagerly participates in school
activities and pays frequent visits.
School program
Maria Chrzanowska Polish Saturday School offers
programs for children as young as four-years-old and to
those aged up to eighteen years.
There are two preschool classes, one for the younger
children and the other for slightly older children. Both
participate in group activities such as games, learning
and singing songs, reciting short poems, listening to
music, drawing, and discussions.
In Kindergarten, we introduce our students to the
alphabet.
In Grade One, the children learn to read and begin
writing. We import all the textbooks from Poland.
Grade Two places an emphasis on reading comprehension
as well as copying and writing texts that are more
complex. Polish grammar, spelling, and new vocabulary
form integral aspects of the lessons.
In Grade Three, the focus shifts toward familiarizing
the students with Polish culture: we discuss Polish
legends and basic history.
Grade Four students become knowledgeable in the
fields of Polish geography, Poland’s current boundaries,
Polish medieval history, and the roles of Poland and of
Canada in the contemporary world (and their
relationship).
By Grade Five, students demonstrate an understanding
of the Polish language’s complex grammar. In addition,
they are familiar with Poland’s most outstanding writers
and intellectuals and their works, as well as the
history of our nation’s Golden Age.
In Grade Six, we work to refine students’ skills in
speaking and in articulating their thoughts, writing,
reading, and to expand knowledge of literature and
history of the Baroque and Enlightenment epochs.
By Grade Seven, the aforementioned skills are
perfected. Students continue to learn about the
development of Polish thought, art, literature, and
history throughout the seventeenth century.
Grade Eight students study the literary works of the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They discuss the
state of Poland during the two World Wars, the current
political and economic situation in Poland, and the
propagation of Polish culture outside of Poland.
High school students have the option of taking a
credit course in Polish. Material covered includes an
overview of the rise of Poland as a nation: a complete
analysis of history; an in-depth look at the maturation
of Polish literature throughout the epochs; its
relationship with the general development of culture,
and finally, a concise breakdown of grammar.
All the classes participate in school festivities and
functions. These range from celebrations of Polish
holidays (such as Independence Day or May 3) to writing
contests to events involving the entire Polish community
in Edmonton, such as concerts of re-known musicians.
Various rewards motivate the students to dedicate
themselves to learning. Mr. J. Chrzanowski and Mr. J.
Balzerowski fund prizes that are awarded to the students
with the highest accomplishments.
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