An Urgent Message

The telephone was new to the Canmore RCMP Barracks. It was large and loud and was to be used only by his father for police work. The five Clarke children had been shown how to lift the earpiece and talk into the black mouth piece on the shiny wood if they were ever the only one to hear it ring —-short, long, long.

John was lying on his bunk reading his Tarzan picture book. Mother was in the back of the yard squeezing the day's laundry through the wringer.

Short, long, long ...he jumped to the ring so loud in the RCMP office across from the parlour.

The dispatcher from Calgary sounded shrill as she yelled out, “Constable Clarke is needed immediately in Exshaw. Send him as soon as possible.” And the line went dead.

John was a fast runner, and he knew "important" when he heard it. Out the front door, he jumped the two steps off the porch and headed south on Main Street towards the United Church.

Draw an icon for the Barracks in the first circle in the legend. Draw the icon on the map to show where the Barracks is located before going to the United Church.

  • <p>The Illustrated Tarzan Book No. 1, "Tarzan Of The Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.</p>
  • <p>Mrs. Clarke and the five Clarke children: Hap, Phyllis, Annie, Elanore, John. This photo was taken in 1917 before the addition to the Barracks was added.</p>
  • <p>Mrs. Clarke on the front porch of the Barracks, 1917. To the left, a makeshift bedroom was created for the Clarke's oldest child, Hap, to help accomodate the Clarke family's 5 children before a two-room addition was built.</p>

Find the United Church

The United Church is located near the Barracks on 8th Street; a blue and white house that now stands between the Barracks and the Church.

617 8 Street, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2B1, Canada