| A REPORT ABOUT THE DEPENDENT SCHOOL FOR THE AIR FORCE CHILDREN STATIONED AT NARARSSUAK, GREENLAND - 1957 to 1958 |
| By Marian R. Paulsen |
| At the beginning of W.W. II, and after Germany had conquered Denmark, there was fear Greenland (than a territory of Denmark, but now a Danish province with equal status as other provinces) may be taken over by Germany. There was also fear the German planes would use Greenland as a "jumping -off" place for their planes to fly directly to desired places in North America, especially the United States. Consequently Greenland was placed under protection of the United States. This allowed the United States to build three air bases, one of which was Narsarssuak at the southern tip of Greenland. At this point in history, jets were not able to fly over the Polar route without fuel stopovers. It was also known the Polar route was a shorter route from North America to Europe so these bases were used for the purpose of refueling and watchfulness. At Narssarsuak housing for families were allowed, and this meant school was necessary for children in the families. Our school was in a barrack connected to other barracks by long hallways. The hospital, a dinning room for those working in that area, and living quarters for the nurses and teachers were also in these barracks. We could if we wished, walk these hallways to school without a coat although some type of wrap was best. The playground, such as it was, was rough. In fact, all of Greenland was rough ground and in no time your shoes showed this wear and tear and were worn out. If you had any activities at the clubs or the chapel, you would wear your old shoes and take your good shoes with you and put them on after arrival. Your outdoor games were limited by the rocks, roughness, and height of the ground. It wasn't easy playing. Our three classrooms also were old and rough. There were bars on the windows for it was said this school was, at one time, suppose to have been for those living on the base who had mental and or criminal problems and needed to be incarcerated. At least, that is what we were told. We joked about it and said we were still working on mental situations with our students but of a different style and nature. We had grades one through eight. There was only one high school student who also attended the school, but he had his courses through correspondence. I believe it was the University of Nebraska, but I am not sure of this. How he worked out science classes I do not know. For a short time there were two, I believe two, Danish high school students, and I think they had correspondent classes from Denmark. I am not too sure of this either. There was Danish lodging for the few Danes who worked on the base, but this did not include families as a rule. The desks in the classrooms were poor. The top of the desks were fair and usable, but some of the desks had very poor storage space for books and the students kept their books either under the desk or in a cupboard. The blackboard was rough and almost unusable. The floors were not in the best of condition either. Why this was allowed to happen is a mystery to me? Part of it, may well have been be - cause of the weather conditions as sand (yes, sand or fine dirt) would come through the cracks in windows, door frames, etc. There was wind, always wind, which would blow this fine material everywhere. You did not touch any window for fear it would crack because the windows had become so brittle due to the sand and dirt blowing against it. One time I was walking with another teacher down the hallway, and he accidentally touched one of the windows and it cracked. It did not fall into pieces so it was left this way. This was typical. At one time it had snowed and blown so hard I found I had about an inch of snow on my bed. It had blown through the cracks and sills in and around the window. All of us living in this barrack experienced the same. We joked that Abraham Lincoln had nothing on us, for he too, was suppose to have slept under covers and finding snow on them in the morning. You had to take this in good humor. I do remember I slept soundly that night how - ever. The restrooms for the school were not in the school proper but down the long hallway. My class - room had one small room for washing our hands. However, a water tank was needed in another part of the base, and they came an removed the small water tank from the school. So it meant the students had to bring their own water (as well as their lunch) to school each day. They could go to the restrooms down the hallway if they needed a drink, but as this hallway was cold and long, they chose to bring their own water with them. We had problems with cockroaches. They were everywhere and constantly there. They crept under the scotch tape we used to tape our pictures to the wall, but in doing so, they could not get out and died. One day I opened my cupboard to find cockroaches galore on one of my apron strings. That did it! I sent the kids out of doors with their lunches and books, etc., and sprayed like mad! Then I went out, and we stayed there several hours. It was a nice day, and it worked to our advantage. After the students went home I went in and swept the floor of the dead cock - roaches. (We had a fair amount of janitorial work by the way, as we had an airman come once a week to do general cleaning so sweeping was another part of the work load.) The cockroach population was lowered significantly. After this, if a student jumped out of his or her chair and stomped on the floor, we knew a strayed cockroach was dead. Too bad for them, but it didn't make me cry! |
| The children came to school on a military bus. As we had about 60 students they probably used two buses. I don't remember exactly. One thing though, as all students had to come and go with the bus, none could stay after school. So there were some advantages. All classes ate at the same time. If the weather was good the children would go out to play. No teacher had classroom duty for you went with them or watched them from your room. The children could not go very far because of the rough ground and hills, and everyone seemed to watch out for each other. I don't remember fights or quarrels, etc. They were good children with parents who cared for them. We taught all the subjects the best we could. I had taken a trunk full of school items, books for children as well as resource material for myself. We were not able to get supplies readily. The chalk would crumble in our hands as it had frozen (but I remember the chalk board was rough) and the paste had frozen also. So it crumbled as well. When that happened we resorted to using flour paste. It worked rather well if I remember correctly. We laughed at the packages of construction paper for all of them had a tag on the wrapper which said there would be a $1000 fine for removing the tag. How they thought we would be able to use the construction paper without removing the wrapper with the tag was beyond us. We played a game as to how to remove the wrapper without destroying the tag, but after a time we said, "To heck with it!" and ripped it off and tossed it away. I have no fear someone is going to come and fine us for destroying the tags at this time in my life (2008). We got paid every other week, and it was in cash. An airman, maybe an officer, would come with our money, and it was up to us to get it in a money order or something similar to it and send it to our bank in the states. We were paid on a nine- month basis, and I knew I had to save for the three months of non - teaching. I was working on my master's degree through the University of Oregon and had plans to go to school each summer until I got the degree. However, there really wasn't too much to buy except your daily needs. I don't remember much about the PX but it wasn't stocked with articles from around the world. There was a tiny gift shop in the Danish lodging area, but it was not large or well supplied either. At Christmas time the other female teacher, whose name was Louisa, and I made arrangements to go to St. John's, New - foundland to get away from the base for a short trip. I think we envisioned shopping, but we found the weather miserable. The wind and snow were worse, and it was colder and more uncomfortable than Greenland. After sliding around and falling we had enough of the place. When we got back to Greenland, people asked us why we returned so early, and we said we wanted to go to a warmer climate. We did entertain however. Upon arrival during the first time in Greenland, we found our living quarters bleak and dismal so we (Louisa and I) decided to change that. We were issued paint and brushes, and we got busy. I think we did a good job, and we were proud of ourselves and rightfully so. So, this meant we could entertain some of the people we had met. That we did, it was fun. We held nice dinner parties, and it made time go quickly. Louisa was quite compatible. She was from Philadelphia and a Catholic. I was from Oregon (formerly Nebraska) and a Lutheran but who cared? We worked well together. There was a television station on base, but the programs were very very limited. So you learn to do other things. We could walk to the Ice Cap if you had made arrangements by getting Arctic gear and letting the air police know when you would be leaving and approximate time you would be returning. There was a theater and a small library. The clubs also had entertainment from air personnel who performed various skits, plays, activities, etc. Some were good and some --well --not!! The school put on a Christmas play which was presented on the stage of the base theater. It was well - attended by everyone who was free on the evening we gave the performance. I don't remember what the theme of the program was, but I do know we worked hard on it for we knew every one possible would be in attendance, and we wanted them to have a worth - while evening. So time went quickly. The news finally came that the base would be closing. Jets were now able to travel without refuel - ing; the war had been over for some time, and the base was not needed. It was unsettling for these children and their families. Some of these students had been together for so long they knew no other playmates, and now everyone would be going away from each other. As teachers we tried to talk about new positive adventures which would be coming and getting reacquainted with their grandparents and other family members. As teachers we had to be thinking of new assignments and where to go if we wished to continue teaching in the independent school system. We did not stay until the very end of the closure of the base. What happened to the worn-out desks and the chalkboard is unknown to me. I was assigned to a base in Japan and was looking forward to that in the fall. This phase in my life was now past, but it is one I will always cherish. When I tell people I have taught in Greenland, they say, "Greenland? You have got to be kidding?" No folks, I am not! I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Marian R. Paulsen |
| View of one end of the base hospital where Marian taught the dependent children. Photograph taken in April, 1953. |
 |
| _____________________ |
