From the Smoky Lake Signal, Wednesday, July 9, 1980. Harry Kostash A Great Educator and Superintendent of Schools Harry Kostash was born March 21, 1899 in the village of Tuliw, Sniatyn Province, Western Ukraine. In 1900 he arrived in Canada with his parents who settled in the Vegreville, Alberta district. By 1907 the early Ukrainian settlers had built a school there which they called Kolomea. Harry Kostash began going to this school when he was eight years old. Harry went 5 years to this school and then transferred to the Vegreville School where he completed his Grade 12 in 1916 with distinction. in 1917 he entered the Normal School (Teacher Training School) in Camrose. After graduating at Camrose he taught at Kolomea, the school where he originally began studying at the age of 8. In 1918 he registered with the University of Alberta and after 3 years received his B.A. degree. He was the first Alberta Ukrainian to receive a university degree. It is worth mentioning that Harry was the oldest of 6 brothers, all of whom received university degrees. This was a record for all Canadian families in Alberta for a good number of years. He continued his educational career by teaching High School in Smoky Lake, Alberta, Hafford, Saskatchewan, and Willington, Alberta. In 1934 he was elected Vice-President of the Alberta Teachers Association. Automatically he was scheduled to become President of the A.T.A. for the following term. However, this was not to be, because in 1935 the Department of Education appointed him inspector for the Athabasca Inspectorate and later was transferred to the School Division in Smoky Lake. The late Harry Kostash remained a Superintendent of Schools for 30 years until he retired in 1964. When the Town of Smoky Lake built its now school complex, elementary, junior and high school, it honored Harry Kostash by naming it the H.A.Kostash School. He was presented an A.T.A. Honorary Life Membership. While teaching in Hafford, Saskatchewan, Harry married Josephine Syska (Chychka) of Edmonton. He was blessed with two children, Theodore (Ted) and Junenalia (June). After the death of his wife Josephine, he married Violet Syrotiuk and resided in White Rock, B.C. until his death in that city on March 22, 1980 at the age of 81. He leaves behind his wife Violet, his son Ted of Edmonton, and daughter June of Seattle, U.S.A, 5 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild, four brothers, Elias of Vegreville, William and Vladimir of Edmonton and Marshall of Coppelcliff, Ontario. His son Ted now teaches physics at N.A.I.T. after many years of teaching in Nigeria and Malaysia. His sister June is also a graduate of the University of Alberta. Funeral services for Harry Kostash were held in Edmonton on March 27, and March 28 with interment in St. Joachim cemetery. Harry Kostash endeared himself to the Ukrainian community with a natural gift of charm and tolerance of all with whom he came into contact. He was a great influence on his students and did everything he could to encourage them to complete their studies at the universities and colleges and to enter the ranks of Canadian professionals. Whenever asked to "speak or lecture" at conferences or meetings, he would always speak on the subject of education. When the Alberta Department of Education announced that Ukrainian languages courses would be offered wherever there was a demand, Harry Kostash encouraged the students and teachers of his school district to take advantage of this great opportunity for broadening their knowledge in the field of Ukrainian studies. Harry Kostash can be characterized as a highly intelligent human being. He never strove for honors or sought praise himself, or tried to reach out for personal advancement. he was well read and had a pleasant personality in meeting with others. He was extremely interested in the life of the Ukrainian people. He was not fond of quarrelling, but was always ready to defend his word, thought, or ideal, and to carefully explain it when necessary. It was also in his nature to defend those who suffered injustice. The late Harry Kostash is one of the finest examples of our Ukrainian pioneers who represented the Ukrainian immigration with dignity and a deep sense of worth. It was such as he who carried the standard of the Ukrainian pioneers of Canada so successfully. Return
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