HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-05-07, Page 73J)
The birth of a new generation...
By Shelley McPhee-Haist
In part the Klompen Feest
celebrations help raise funds
for the Clinton Public Hospital
(CPH). This year CPH is em-
barking on a major fund raising
campaign to help finance a new
obstetrics wing and to upgrade
the present chronic care unit.
The fund raising goal has been
set at $350,000.
The Dutch -Canadian connec-
tion with the local hospital's
maternity ward began on Oc-
tober 21, 1948.
Klaas Harkema, son of Sam
and Tina Harkema, was the
first baby of Dutch immigrants
to be born at CPH.
It was a proud moment for
the new Canadian family, the
hospital staff and the old doctor
from Auburn who helped
deliver the baby boy.
Mrs. Harkema remembers
the day well, "My neighbor
called the doctor. The doctor
came and took me to the
hospital."
Communication between the
doctor and patient was limited
because of language barriers,
but as Mrs. Harkema recalls,
"He shook his head. I shook my
head and we understood each
other."
Klaas was Mrs. Harkema's
sixth child, her first to be born
in a hospital. She recalls that
the hospital care was excellent.
A Dutch woman was even call-
ed in to visit with the new
mother.
Three days after Klaas' birth
Mr. Harkema came to see his
new son. The father had been
unable to come to the hospital
any sooner because he had no
transportation.
The Harkema family lived
between Auburn and Blyth on
County Road 25.
Life was hard for the new
Klaas Harkema, son of Sam
and Tina Harkema was the
first baby of Dutch parentage
to be born at Clinton Public
Hospital on October 21, 1948
Canadian family. They had no
car, no telephone, no electricity
and no running water in their
home.
And money was scarce. Two
weeks before Klaas' birth Mr.
Harkema learned that his
employer, Major Youngblut,
had no more work for his hired
man.
Mr. Harkema lost his $75 a
month job as a farm hand,
however, he soon secured (work
with Frank Bainton at his Blyth
tannery.
"1 made a dollar an hour and
I thought that was pretty
good."
Still, the family suffered
Page 39
from the isolation and
loneliness of living in a new
land. They were one of the first
Dutch immigrant families to
settle in this area. At the time
the only other Dutch people liv-
ing in the area were the
Burumas in Goderich
Township.,
Mrs. Harkema remembers,
"Sometimes I had tears in my
eyes. I wanted someone to
come and see my new baby."
Mr. and Mrs. Harkema learn-
ed to speak English from their
children who attended the local
school.
At that time there was no
Dutch church in the community
as there is today in Clinton. The
Harkemas travelled with their
neighbors to -the Sunday morn-
ing services at the
Presbyterian church in Clinton.
Klaas was baptized there when
he was two months old.
Still, the loneliness plagued
the family and in 1951 they
moved to the United States.
"We were used to Canada
land we liked it here, but we had
relatives in the United States,"
Mrs. Harkema noted.
With savings of $1,200 they
bought a half ton pick-up truck.
The Harkemas and their six
children crowded into the small
truck cab to make the journey
to Michigan. All the family's
worldly possessions were_
stored in the back of the truck.
And Mrs. Harkema was preg-
nant again, six months.
Life in the new country was
difficult, beginning with a
frightening confrontation at the
border.
Mr. Harkema remembers
that he was very nervous at the
border. The language dif-
ferences between him and the
border guard led to a
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