Fonds A77 - Jean (Harvey) Scott Fonds

Jean Annie Adams Harvey was born on April 24, 1923 to James and Winifred Harvey. She was born on her family’s farm in the Hillside District, which is located southwest of Millet. Soon after on August 16, 1924 Jean’s sister, Phyllis Harvey, was born. Jean’s mother played the piano and taught Jean and Phyllis to play as they were growing up. Jean began her education at Hillside School in 1930.

Following elementary Jean moved onto Millet High School. Once she had completed grade twelve she attended Edmonton Normal School. During WWII there was a shortage of teachers and Jean became a student teacher. She went to Worsley Alberta, which was one hundred miles northwest of Peace River. She taught in a little log schoolhouse with nineteen students in nine different grades. Jean taught in Worsley for five months and enjoyed her time there. After receiving her interim certificate from her teacher training she then moved onto Sparling School. It was while teaching at Sparling that Jean learned that the war had finally ended. After two years of teaching there and receiving two inspector’s reports, she attended summer school and evening classes at the University of Alberta. These classes were equivalent to one year of schooling. After receiving her permanent teaching certificate, Jean moved to the Millet School where she taught for three years. After the war ended Jerry Scott, whom Jean would soon marry, returned from overseas to Millet. Along with some of Jerry’s family and other Millet residents, Jean and Jerry played in a band called the Silver Tones. During the week they would practice, and on the weekend they would perform. They often played at the Saturday night dances at the Moose Hall in Wetaskiwin. They also played at many wedding dances in the Millet and Calmar area. Jerry would play the violin, saxophone, or guitar and Jean would play the piano. She could read some music, and the rest she played by ear.

On August 1, 1947, Jean married Jerry Scott. They were married at Jean parents’ home at Hillside. They moved into their new home in Millet on 52nd street. Jean recalls having electricity but having to drill a well for water. Sewer lines came in 1955 and natural gas came a few years after that. When they were first married, Jean and Jerry continued to play in the Silver Tones band but they soon became very busy with their children. Their first daughter Janet Marie Scott was born in the summer of 1948. Three years later their son Ronald Harvey Scott was born. Two and a half years after that their daughter Cheryl Jean Scott was born. For twelve years during the time that Jean was raising her children, she took a break from teaching. Besides taking care of her children, Jean was an active member of the Rebekah Lodge. Her husband was also a member and belonged to the Odd Fellows. During this time, Jean was also a Sunday school teacher for three years at the Millet United Church. When her youngest daughter Cheryl began school in 1959, Jean resumed teaching and continued for another twenty-two years. Because of Jean’s dedication of a total of twenty-seven years to teaching, Griffiths-Scott School is named in honour of her and Mr. Percy Griffiths another dedicated teacher of Millet who was principle for twenty-four years.

In 1965, Jerry and Jean purchased the Harvey farm southwest of Millet at Hillside. In 1968, they moved from their Millet home of twenty-one years out to the farm. Jean retired from teaching in 1981. She continued at the Lodge and became involved in the beginnings of the Millet Museum; the Historical Society had begun in 1977. The first project of the Historical Society was writing the book the “Tales and Trails of Millet”. Jean was an editor of the book along with Norman Ertman. They also worked to build the museum. At this time, the Town of Millet was building a new office. With the help of government grants and fundraising, they had the finances to begin. After completing the museum building, they started to display traveling exhibits and eventually their own exhibits. Jean was very involved in collecting materials and designing the exhibits. Jean’s husband Jerry was a carpenter and he built the display cases for the exhibits. The museum has continued progress and has an archives room dedicated to Jean who is the volunteer archivist. In the mid 1980’s Jean also wrote the “Museum Memo”, which could be found every two weeks in the local paper for a number of years. In 1987, Jean helped to incorporate the Visitor Information Centre into the museum.

Jean was married to Jerry for forty-nine years when he passed away in 1996. Jean moved off the farm and back into Millet in 1999. She continued to be busy by her involvement within the community. Jean and Jerry’s oldest daughter Janet married David Hoyt. Janet is very musically inclined and is a piano professor at the University of Alberta. Janet and David have two daughters Sarah and Elizabeth. Jean and Jerry’s son Ron is married to Rhonda. They live on the family farm and Ron restores vintage cars. They have two daughters, Erin who works for a graphic design company and Laurel who is a teacher. Jean and Jerry’s youngest daughter Cheryl married Allan Deckert. Cheryl is a nurse. They have two daughters as well, Jessica and Rebecca. Rebecca works for an architectural firm. Jessica is married and has one son, Jean’s great grandson, Findlay. Today in her spare time, Jean enjoyed playing the piano, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.

Jean passed away May 29, 2016.

Jean was recognized as a dedicated member of her community through many awards, including:
• 7th Honorary Lifetime Member of the Millet and District Historical Society (2010).
• Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award (2010).
• Excellence Award for the Millet Visual Arts Committee (2007).
• Millet and District Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award (2001).
• Alberta 2005 Centennial Medal (1905-2005).
• Millet and District Chamber of Commerce Life Time Community Contribution Award (2006).