Mabel R. Knelsen Memorial

Mabel R Knelsen, daughter of Norwegian immigrants, was born on a farm near Shamrock, Sask in 1916. Because of her ethnicity, Mabel was raised in an environment that promoted and encouraged equal opportunities for men and women, especially when it came to education. It was a result of this
forward thinking, which enabled Mabel to achieve not only her grade twelve but also her post-secondary Business Management training at Moose Jaw’s post-secondary school (now known as Saskatchewan Polytechnic) in times when very few women in rural settings ever did. With this training, Mabel was able to obtain employment at the RM office in Chaplin while others, women and men alike, struggled to find any sort of work during the “Dirty Thirties”.

Mabel always felt fortunate that her parents had given her the opportunity to obtain a higher education which enabled her to be successful in obtaining whatever position she chose to apply. At the time of her retirement, Mabel was employed at the Moose Jaw Union Hospital as their Electrocardiogram (ECG) Technician.

Mabel was a ’woman’s libber’ before that was even coined as a term. She worked full-time inside and outside of her home. She instilled in her children the legacy of her ancestry’s belief that everyone had the right to higher education, especially women. When questioned why this was so important to her, Mable would explain that life’s circumstances were always changing and at any moment a woman could find herself being the sole bread winner and care giver in the family. And for a woman with little to no education that meant she would often be employed in jobs that were physical demanding that paid very low wages. Therefore, every girl should obtain some type of post-secondary education.

During her marriage to a supportive husband of sixty years, Mabel observed society’s changes; the increasing number of single women raising a family, and non-changes; the inequity of wages between men and women, especially when there was a lack of education. Mabel appreciated the efforts of
those dealing with life’s obstacles while pursuing a higher education. She understood that someone having the highest marks did not necessarily mean the best or most skilled person, but someone achieving average marks while overcoming personal and financial hurdles could actually be the most
qualified to handle whatever came with the job.

The Mabel R. Knelsen award was started to honour a very special woman, my mother.

Dr. Gina Schall, PhD