AKLAVIK - The community of Aklavik is mourning the death of a visionary community leader who changed the education system of the North.

Arnold "Moose" Kerr died of a heart attack in Ottawa on Sept. 17 at the age of 87. Kerr was a teacher and school administrator at what was then the Federal Day School in Aklavik during the 1950s and 60s. He left Aklavik in 1964. In 1969 the community's new school was named after Kerr.

Velma Illasiak is the current principal of Moose Kerr school. Born and raised in Aklavik, Illasiak was the first resident of the community to attain the school's top position. She contacted Kerr in 2000, not long after accepting the position. When Kerr learned his school had its first aboriginal principal he was overjoyed.

"He was so touched and his comment was, 'finally,'" said Illasiak.

Although originally from Ontario, Kerr had a profound respect for the North and he ran the school in a remarkably unorthodox way for the time. Kerr invited elders and community members into the school to help teach the students.

"At the time he tried to incorporate as much of the culture as he could in the context of the school," said Illasiak. "It was a challenge because it was not the flavour of the time."

School secretary Astrid McDonald was a student of Kerr's through Grade 7 and 8. She remembered him as a teacher who was kind, friendly, and always happy.

"He would have a program going on after school and he would teach us how to square dance," said McDonald.

Illasiak invited Kerr to return to Aklavik in 2000 but even then his health would not allow him to travel very far from his home. Instead, he sent his youngest daughter Mora Kablalik, who was then living in Rankin Inlet. Kablalik was born in Aklavik.

"She brought a lot of memorabilia and pictures from her father," said Illasiak.

Kerr's also wrote the school anthem called "We are Aklavik."

"It's based on a World War II tune, although I don't know what that tune is," said Illasiak.

The words to the song are posted at the school and there has been a recent move by staff to revive it.

The school has sent a letter to his family asking that it be read aloud at the reception after his funeral.

"We wrote, 'in the hills and in the lakes of the Mackenzie Delta, and along the rivers of Aklavik, his memory will forever stay with us,'" said Illasiak.

Aklavik held a memorial service for Kerr on Sept. 24.

Illasiak said Kerr made a difference in the education.

"He knew there is still a long way to go yet, but he was just pleased to know that the system is starting somewhere," she said.