Comments on: Black History Month: Valerie Jerome

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 15:19:07 +0000

I knew her as Mrs. Parker, she was my grade 5 teacher at Simon Fraser Elementary in 1981. I have always remembered her with a great deal of respect and admiration. As I recall, she took our entire class to the grocery store to choose foods for a meal and teach us math and price comparison. We each had a drawing book and could free draw while she read aloud to us – one memorable book was The Hobbit. She would choose a student to go and get a cup of tea for her from the staff room – and it felt like the greatest privilege and responsibility. She taught current events so well – I hadn’t ever paid any attention to the news before. I remember being in awe of her but so thankful to have her for a teacher. She was by far the most creative and talented elementary teacher I had. Thank you, Valerie. It was a difficult time in my young life and your classroom was a magical place to be.

By: Terry-Anne Flynn

Terry-Anne Flynn — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 01:57:29 +0000

Valerie was my grade 5 teacher at Quilchena PS and my track and field coach. She was a great teacher and coach. When I moved back to Ontario we corresponded for a few years but lost contact. She is an awesome person and I have never forgotten the values she instilled in me.

By: Robyn Hall

Robyn Hall — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 19:36:02 +0000

Valerie was my track and field coach when I was in elementary school. She and her then husband ran a track club in Kerrisdale. Her wonderful coaching led me to continue with track through high school and I got a track scholarship to SFU and went on to become an elementary school teacher. I coached track at my school and helped organize our annual Chilliwack Track meet for 25 years! I enjoyed reading her story, I had no idea they experienced such discrimination! Thank you Valerie for your years of dedication to children, it changed my life!!
Robyn Hall ( Cochrane) nee Munn
My mother, Betty Munn, who was good friends with Val’s friend Janet Wood, also says hi !

By: Carol Gordon

Carol Gordon — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 16:52:15 +0000

Emotion wells up in me when I read about the racist experiences of the Jeromes. I suspect her grandparents, like mine took advantage of the Homestead Act wherein many Black Americans fled the racism faced in their homeland. Before leaving Wildwood, Alberta I had few experiences with overt racism but upon moving to B.C. life became a freak show. My older brother & sister attended Fleetwood School and he, Ronnie Gordon sang Galway Bay at their Christmas Concert and his 9-year old performance brought tears to the audience. I envisioned I would have a grand time; I didn’t! First day of school two hateful boys confronted me and said, in a threatening way, “you’re Niggers and Jehovah’s Witnesses” Every day thereafter, I was called a Nigger by someone. I wished I was dead, and could not understand why everyone hated me. Of course it was never everyone, it felt that way and destroyed every ounce of self-esteem/confidence I once had. I could go on and on, for I know well, our parallel experience’s though no one burned down our home. I fell in love with Harry & Valerie when I saw their picture in the Vancouver Sun that announced their representation of Canada in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. I could not have felt more pride.

By: Harry Jerome track naming revives tough, crucial conversation on race | South Green Blog

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 12:44:50 +0000

[…] Valerie does frequent school visits and presentations on racism and explains how they’re “exhausting, because they’re emotionally painful … racism was an acid eating away at our family.” […]

By: Jan Makortoff (nee Slater)

Jan Makortoff (nee Slater) — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 05:26:31 +0000

I went to school with Harry, Carolyn and Valerie. Carolyn and I were friends for years from Sutherland right through NVHS. A few years later, I met her brother Barton while doing volunteer work at Tranquille in Kamloops. I’ve always considered our friendship special and I hope wherever she is now, she is happy.

By: Terrence McRann

Terrence McRann — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 03:41:20 +0000

Hello. I have just read the article about Valerie Jerome. In Cardiff, Wales in 1960 The Welsh Games took place. Whilst the events were taking place, I noticed Harry sitting on the running track looking slightly dejected. Possibly he was thinking about not being able to run because of his injury he suffered in Rome. With friends we approached Harry and talked.

Following the event in the evening, the usual dance took place at Sophia Gardens Pavilion for the athletes. My girlfriend and I attended the dance, after which we escorted Harry and Valerie back to their hotel. I walked arm in arm with Valerie, my girlfriend alongside Harry.
Valerie went to her room and we all went to Harry’s room to spend some time.

I again met Harry in London at a Great Britain versus USA meet. Shortly afterwards I migrated to Australia.

I send best wishes to Valerie, I have fond memories of that day.

Thank you.
Terrence (Terry) McRann

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 23:43:23 +0000

What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it.

By: Derek Andrew B.A., M.P.P.

Derek Andrew B.A., M.P.P. — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:50:43 +0000

My class at Southlands Elementary was lucky to have Valerie two years in a row during her political activism. We learned so much more than reading, writing and arithmetic-we had to memorise poetry! She was by far the best teacher I ever had because she reminded us: When the going gets tough-the tough get going.

Whenever, I feel sorry for myself reading law in Edinburgh, I think of that simple line.

By: George North

George North — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:21:46 +0000

I think of Valerie Parker (her name when I knew her) every time I face an “uphill” battle in sport and in life. She was my P.E. teacher in elementary school in Vancouver, and I will always remember her words of wisdom; “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”, meaning when we were running cross country on various terrains, the uphill segments of the race were when most people would falter, but she instilled in us that this was the time to give extra effort in order to gain ground in the race.
I have told my kids about her and her words of wisdom, and encouraged them to give extra effort when facing adversity. I also fondly remember racing her in front of my classmates, and keeping pace for about five strides until she left me in the dust! After reading your article, I was saddened to hear about her and her family’s own adversity just because of the colour of their skin, but I’m sure that the same words she said to me helped to make her a stronger person, just as they did for me.

By: Laurie Mae Kidd

Laurie Mae Kidd — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 17:47:59 +0000

i grew up in North Vancouver in the early 60’s . This article made me weep. I am glad things turned around for her, thank God! We had one boy of color in our class in grade 3, he was treated very well by everyone as I recall. Maybe it depended on where you were in North Vancouver or maybe it was
the time period. I am hoping things have changed a lot for the better.

By: Heather Lapierre

Heather Lapierre — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 20:26:05 +0000

Thank you for a wonderful story! I certainly have heard of Valerie Jerome – I went to school with her a long time ago. We were at Sutherland and used to compare our height because we were the tallest girls in the school. Loved watching her and Harry at the high school track meets. I was Heather Virtue back then. Good memories.

By: karen tsang

karen tsang — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 05:53:17 +0000

My daughter is working on a project for Heritage Fair, about the erasure of the stories of the Black Communities in Vancouver. One of the vignettes she’s writing is about Carolyn Jerome and the Militant Moms of Raymur. I’m wondering if the sibling mentioned in this story is the very same? (In which case, what a family!)

Anyway, very interesting to read this story, I will pass it along to my kid.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 06:20:30 +0000

Hi I’m a former student of hers and I can say the sole teacher I remember in my Elementary years. She was an inspiration in my life and still am. Without her I wouldn’t be where I am today. Ms Jerome would be the only elementary teacher whom I’d want to reconnect.

By: Everest Springer

Everest Springer — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 12:55:03 +0000

I had never heard of Ms. Jerome until just yesterday. I am an immigrant from Barbados and have family in BC. I used to tease them about not having any black people in BC. It seems to me that she is very much royalty and I think it is a real tragedy people like these are not celebrated much more.

By: margaret

margaret — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 17:29:42 +0000

I remember Valerie at Ridgeway Elementary School in N Van. we were in the same grade. we ran track and field, I remember she always came first and I came third. When at Sutherland Junior High, I remember running hurdles. I heard her story last evening on CBC and wanted to get in touch, somehow. I am the former Margaret Manley and did the opposite. moved from BC Winnipeg. so good to hear her voice. god bless

By: David Lang

David Lang — Tue, 17 May 2016 23:36:41 +0000

In reply to Rhonda Legge. I was in Valerie's first class she taught. In grade 5, I was 10 years old. She was the most amazing teacher I ever had. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be in her classroom. She inspired so many people and she inspired me to be the best I can be David Lang

By: Rhonda Legge

Rhonda Legge — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:54:15 +0000

Valerie Jerome was my grade 4 teacher. She is the one I think of when asked who was the most influential teacher in your life. I am grateful for having met her a 9 years old, as a great deal of my self confidence and pride in accomplishments came from her early nurturing.

By: Roy Crabb

Roy Crabb — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 08:23:02 +0000

Harry’s mother was my cub leader. She encouraged me to run, increased my faith, love one another for what we are not our colour. I knew the family well and used to visit often. I witnessed occasions where the family would receive racial slurs and harassment. Fortunately the family had an inner strength to persevere the insanity of racism. Harry, Valerie , Caroline and of course Mrs. Jerome were wonderful people and I’m very fortunate to have known them.

By: Rob Cardinal

Rob Cardinal — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 00:36:36 +0000

It was eye opening to read this account of a life in North Vancouver, in the 1950’s……People point with superiority to the Deep South, when they want to discuss where the ” real Bigots” live……They lived RIGHT HERE, in the guise of the Jerome’s good God Fearing, white, Protestant and Methodist neighbour’s, who would not lift a finger when their house burnt to the ground!……The Jeromes deserved far better, and rose above it.