Editor:
I am glad to see that the controversy over the renaming of the schools has not died.
I cannot understand why they required renaming.
I have included an attachment, which is a page from my 1972 year book, and I think you’ll see the name Columneetza meets all the criteria set out by the body wanting a new name.
The yearbook reads the following:
“The word ‘Columneetza’ stems from the original inhabitants of this area: The Athapaskans.
“They were a race of tall, fair people who migrated through Lytton, as far south as the Southern United States, to become the forefathers of the Navahoes and Apaches.
“Columneetza, the name for our school, was submitted by Gib Scott and chosen as the best of all others entered by the school student body at the request of the current school board.
“Actually, the old name for Williams lake was ‘Columetza,’ believe to be a garbled form of ‘Columneetza.’
“In Athapaskan, ‘Neetza’ means ‘princely people’ or ‘ruling house.’
“Since even then Williams Lake was the centre of the Cariboo district, it was the meeting place of the chiefs of all bands of the nation in this area.
“’Columneetza’ was close to ‘cum to neetza,’ or, ‘meeting of the princely people.’ Suitable for Williams Lake, this name is also fitting for our school.
“Built with concerted effort, Columneetza was the result of meticulous planning.
“In 1964, an education workshop was held under the chairmanship of the local school superintendent.
“Since the team teaching concept was coming to the fore in educational circles, a study was made of this new approach in education.
“A thesis was presented to school trustees and several committees were formed to visit new schools in the Pacific Northwest using the team teaching technique.
“Architects Carlberg, Jackson, Partners, of New Westminster, were charged with drawing up plans for Williams Lake’s new senior secondary school. Construction of Columneetza was started in the fall of 1966 and the school was officially opened in May of 1967.”
Alverna Morben
Williams Lake