When students at Edith McDermott Elementary head to their school assembly for Remembrance Day on Friday, Nov. 7, the haunting sounds of the bagpipes will be reverberating down the hallways.
Tori Killoran, a learning support teacher at the school, who plays with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, will be playing for the students, bringing an air of solemnity to the assembly, and teaching them about the history of the instrument in military history.
Killoran has been playing the bagpipes for 17 years and competes in Scotland every year with the SFU Pipe Band.
The pipe band plays at many events throughout the year, including the Port Moody Remembrance Day ceremony, said Killoran.
But, she goes the extra mile, playing at school Remembrance Day ceremonies in SD42 and SD43. This year she is playing at Edith McDermott Elementary and Dr. Charles Best Secondary in Coquitlam.
“I love to play for the school ceremonies because I think bagpipes have always been such an important tradition in wars and in the military. So, it’s really great to be able to share the bagpipes which bring, kind of a seriousness to school assemblies,” she said, noting that students can experience more of an authentic ceremony.
At the Edith McDermott assembly, Killoran will be playing a variety of the laments including “Flowers of the Forest”, “Highland Cathedral”, and “Amazing Grace”.
Bagpipes have been used throughout military history on the battlefield. Sometimes bagpipes would signify the battle was about to start, explained Killoran, noting for the Scottish, it would be a moral boost.
“I think it’s important for kids to recognize the seriousness and they can kind of equate like, oh, bagpipes were actually used in wars themselves, and now they are being used in our school assembly to like remember and honour the people who fought for us as a country,” she said.
Students like Yujoo and Linden in Grade 7, and Brandon in Grade 5, who are still only learning about the past wars and why Remembrance Day is so important.
Yujoo said her great, great grandpa fought in the Second World War, and, she said, it is important to remember those who passed away in the world wars.
Linden’s great grandfather fought in the Second World War, and, he said, it’s important to take a day to remember those who found and died.
For Brandon, Remembrance Day is about reflecting on his family’s history of service in the military.
He knows about how the British – (along with Canadian, American, and Free French forces) – landed on the beaches of Normandy and how the Germans kept driving the troops back until the allies won.
His own great, great grandpa was a pilot in the Second World War, who survived a plane crash, he explained.
“I just think how was he able to survive WW2,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure he won a purple heart, maybe, I think.”
Brandon’s grandfather was in the United Nations and sat in parades.
He said he is proud of both of them when he thinks of their service.
The students hope that reflecting on the past, will bring peace in the future.
Brandon hopes the Russian-Ukraine war comes to an end.
Linden would like to see world peace.
“I don’t know, like why can’t everyone just get along,” he asked.