Ahead of Queen ElizabethB次元官网网址檚 coronation in 1953, Kenneth MunroB次元官网网址檚 Grade 2 class studied the history of the monarchy, staged a play about the Royal Family and all 700 students at his northern Ontario school listened live on radio as she took her oath.

But with King Charles set to be formally crowned on May 6, school boards across the country contacted by The Canadian Press said they had no special plans or dedicated curriculum to mark the occasion B次元官网网址� yet another indication of widening apathy towards the monarchy.

Munro, a retired former history professor at the University of Alberta, recalled the crepe paper robe B次元官网网址� complete with cotton balls and bunting B次元官网网址� that he wore as a seven-year-old when cast as the incoming queenB次元官网网址檚 husband, Prince Philip, for the performance at his school in Longlac, Ont.

B次元官网网址淭he whole community was really geared toward this event, and certainly at school, so that you couldnB次元官网网址檛 get away from it,B次元官网网址� Munro, 77, said.

B次元官网网址淲e were really steeped in coronation lore. It was very much as if we were part of this great celebration.B次元官网网址�

Observers say that, beyond the apparent lack of pomp, there is a larger issue with Canadian schoolsB次元官网网址� muted approach to the upcoming coronation.

While feelings about the monarchyB次元官网网址檚 rightful place in Canadian society and governance have grown increasingly mixed, the coronation offers an occasion to inform residents about the institution, said Nathan Tidridge, vice-president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada.

ItB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渁n important moment,B次元官网网址� that Canadian schools are not taking advantage of, said Tidridge, who is also a Grade 10 civics teacher in the Hamilton area

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a chance to talk about all kinds of things, like colonial structures, Crown-Indigenous relationships, what the Crown does here in this country,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲e could be talking, having those conversations, and unfortunately, itB次元官网网址檚 not happening.B次元官网网址�

Munro said 70 years ago, students would have been hard-pressed to avoid talking about the monarchy.

B次元官网网址淲e had a picture of the queen, Prince Philip, and actually Prince Charles and Princess Anne as well, in the classroom,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e would sing O Canada in the morning, but in the evening, God Save the Queen.B次元官网网址�

As the 1953 coronation approached, everyone at school was given a coin adorned with the queenB次元官网网址檚 image.

After listening to the ceremony on the radio, B次元官网网址渨e went over to the schoolyard where the ceremony was taking place, and we sang and danced and had speeches from local dignitaries,B次元官网网址� he said.

The celebratory atmosphere existed in other school districts as well, according to archival material and officials.

The curator of the York Region District School BoardB次元官网网址檚 heritage schoolhouse museum and archives, Rebekah Mitchell, said the board had special programming for Queen ElizabethB次元官网网址檚 coronation as well as for her father King GeorgeB次元官网网址檚 assumption of the throne, in 1937.

She said the boardB次元官网网址檚 records indicate B次元官网网址渟chool closures were a tradition in York County for the coronation of a British monarch,B次元官网网址� throughout the 20th Century. Students B次元官网网址渨ere expected to participateB次元官网网址� in the festivities, Mitchell said.

B次元官网网址淧arades, choirs, drill demonstrations are consistently shown in records of student activities,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he Girl Guides and Scouts organizations are also often mentioned as marching in the parades.B次元官网网址�

Tidridge said the contrast for CharlesB次元官网网址� coronation is stark.

That is a problem, he argued, because B次元官网网址渢he coronation and just the Crown in general is something that is, whether people like it or not, intrinsically important to the federation.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hat I fear is weB次元官网网址檙e gonna have this (coronation) and a lot of people watching it and not having any connection to it, not understanding it, even though it actually very much does touch on the political life, the treaty life, the very foundations of our federation,B次元官网网址� said Tidridge.

He questioned the usefulness of surveys asking people if they would like to remain part of the Commonwealth, arguing the public isnB次元官网网址檛 well informed about the monarchyB次元官网网址檚 function in Canadian public life, or what transitioning to a republic entails.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important for our federation to understand what it is that weB次元官网网址檙e tinkering with and what it is that we have,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd then we can have that conversation, and itB次元官网网址檚 an important conversation to have.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩essica Smith, The Canadian Press

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