There’s nothing like old school

Editor’s Introduction

Jack Pallo is a ‘blueblood’ amongst Alberta’s pioneer descendants. His mother was Selma

(Kingsep) Pallo, the second oldest daughter of Hendrik and Emilie Kingsep who in 1899 established the first Estonian settlement in Alberta. Also amongst the first pioneer families in the Medicine Valley were August and Miili Posti. Jack’s father was Miili’s brother, Hendrik Pallo who arrived from Estonia in 1908 to join his sister. The wedding of Selma and Hendrik Pallo in 1922 was a special occasion as it was the first wedding to be celebrated at the recently completed Gilby Hall. Selma Pallo kept a diary and had a gift for expressing herself in recording family and community events. In 1967 she wrote a Kingsep family history for the Red Deer Advocate Centennial series ‘pioneers of central Alberta.’ Drawn from her diary, she described as seen through the eyes of a child, the moving, simple funeral for her grandfather Horma Ott who passed away in 1905 while visiting from Estonia. This evocative account was read on the recently-produced DVD “ Alberta’s Estonians.” Jack continues the Kingsep family’s strong support of reunions and applies his accounting background as keeper of family records. In recognition of his long and accomplished career, the City of Red Deer named a scenic, handsome street in North Red Deer in his honor: ‘Pallo Close.’

During his 43 years working for the City of Red Deer — a record that still stands 12 years after his retirement — Jack Pallo constantly improved his qualifications.

It seems some habits are hard to quit.

At 77, Pallo recently earned his Associate in Arts in General Studies degree from Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills.

He began his program of studies immediately upon retirement and says he has thoroughly enjoyed the process.

He did the entire program by correspondence he says, completing an average of a little more than one course annually.

Pallo, by the way, does not own a computer.

Pallo pays tribute to two friends for their part in his success. One acted as proctor for the exams required and the other faithfully typed up his essays and submissions and also helped with research.

“The course work I enjoyed very much, because I can take my time and put in, hopefully, a lot of thought,” he says. Exams, however, were another matter as they are for many. They seem to conjure up a fear that knows no age limit.

“The exam is a pressure situation I don’t respond to very well,” says Pallo.

On top of that, Pallo can only write slowly, so would often find himself simply writing answers in point form just to show he knew his stuff within the time allotted.

The exam portion of a course is only part of the final mark, and clearly between all the components, Pallo had the right stuff.

Taking the program by correspondence was an obvious choice for Pallo, who stands about a metre tall.

He has mobility issues and while he can and does walk, he says, though as he ages balance is increasingly becoming a problem. He has a car but in recent months has used a combination of the Action Bus and a wheelchair to get around.

As to why he embarked on the degree, Pallo says he can trace that back a long way, to when he had a very hard time landing a job after graduating from high school in Red Deer. He found many employers didn’t think that was enough.

Of course, he eventually went to work for the City of Red Deer as a utility clerk. He had been earning 41 cents an hour before that, but the city job paid a handsome 85 cents an hour.

“I was on easy street,” says Pallo, with a smile.

When he retired, after working in such positions as accountant and internal auditor, he was the city’s grants administrator.

The several accounting designations that he earned during his career are framed and displayed with pride on the wall of his office at his sunny south Red Deer apartment.

But even those concrete symbols of his academic achievements weren’t enough for Pallo. Even before he retired, he planned to pursue higher learning once he’d finished work.

Deeply religious and with an abiding interest in theology, Prairie Bible Institute’s courses filled the bill.

“It keeps me off the street at night,” he jokes, about the benefits of studying.

On a more serious vein, he says the course work has been good mental exercise.

Pallo recently got an affirmation right out of the blue that he’s doing the right thing.

He is of Estonian descent, and over the years his family has kept in touch with relatives in the old country.

Recently, two Estonian cousins came to visit and brought with them a framed copy of his great-grandfather’s will, translated into English.

One portion of it caught Pallo’s eye.

“He gives a charge to his children to keep their minds active, and get an education, because nobody can rob you of those things.”

Besides pursuing his education, Pallo attends church regularly, for which he uses the Action Bus, and thoroughly appreciates and he also enjoys attending concerts.

He also has season tickets to Rosebud Theatre and gets there along with friends by renting the Action Bus.

During his lifetime, Pallo has undertaken dozens of volunteer roles, often ones that made use of his accounting background.

But for the foreseeable future he is going to be busy.

Pallo has already enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree, again with the Prairie Bible Institute. He is a little unsure as to whether he will be able to fulfill the practicum portions of the program because of his physical limitations, but not too worried.

“I think by the time I finish the course I have enrolled in I will either be dead or senile,” he says, with typical mischievious humor.

“My goal is to become an enlightened layman,” he says, on a more serious note.

Asked if he has any advice for other seniors who may be contemplating higher education, Pallo is quick to respond.

“You’re never too old,” he says.

Source: Penny Caster, Red Deer Advocate, October 15, 2008.