From potential to realty ~ The Regina Normal School

From potential to realty

The Regina Normal School

With additional notes regarding the Regina College

University of Saskatchewan ~ Regina campus

University of Regina

“
History tells us where we come from and where we are going. Paradoxically, it is about the future as
much as it is about the past. Historical commemoration has always been about identity building, taking pride in past accomplishments and projecting forward a sense of purpose and mission. As individuals, we give our lives meaning by telling stories about ourselves and then living out the narratives. The same is true of institutions. “ ~James Pitsula ^{Realize. It starts with you}

…..
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas E. Perrett in reminiscing of the “early days” of the Normal School related tales of the very “early efforts to obtain an education act and this was given in 1883 but assented to in 1886. In 1890 in the training school then existing, six third-class teachers were trained. From that small beginning the figures rose to 1,162 teachers trained this year (1922)”^{Morning Leader 1922}

…..
During these early days Mr. Frederick William Gordon Haultain was the President of the Executive Council, or Premier of the North-West Territories, as well as Commissioner of Public Instruction and Commissioner of Education, with Mr. David James Goggin appointed first as Director of Normal Schools then as Chief Superintendent of Education. Both Goggin and Haultain did not support the denominalisation of the North West territories school system aiming instead towards a unified nondenominational school system.

“Education among the people is the best security of a good government and constitutional liberty; it yields a steady, unbending support to the former, and effectually protects the latter. An educated people are always a loyal people to good government; and the first object of a wise government should be the education of the people. An educated people are always enterprising in all kinds of general and local improvements.“ Egerton Ryerson ^{Putman 1912}

…..
Sir Frederick Haultain, “father of Saskatchewan’s Educational System” said that in 1888, there were 96 teachers for 90 schools and 2,409 pupils across the entire North West Territory.^{The Morning Leader Feb 26, 1920} The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan places early classes for teacher instruction beginning in 1890. Short training courses offered as set out by a School Ordinance of 1888 provided for Normal Departments with the objective of teacher training. Norman Fergus Black writes that Mr. A.H. Smith, B.A. principal of the Moosomin Union School offered the first classes informally between 1889 and 1890.

…..
“The first authorized Normal sessions were given by the Board at Regina and Moosomin schools beginning in the fall of 1890″ ^{Irene A Poelzer} Whenever there were ten pupils wishing Normal training, sessions to obtain a third class certificate were established at any Union School ie Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Moosomin, Moose Jaw, Weyburn and Estevan. H. W. Foght named the two teacher schools a farm community union school, whereas a three or more teacher school was termed a farm community consolidated school.

….. School Inspector John Hewgill taught at Moosomin in 1890 with six in attendance, and William Rothwell, B.A. offered teacher training classes through 1892 and 1893 in Regina. These inaugural classes were “invitational”. James Grassick, pupil of Regina’s first school presented the first teacher’s certificate issued, January 20, 1891 at the Regina school district No. 4 50th re-union in 1935. Ken Horsman relates that Dr. David J. Goggin, former principal of the Winnipeg Normal School in 1884 was the inaugural principal of the North-West Territories Normal School in the spring of 1893 operating out of Regina’s Union School.

…..Before the Normal School is formally established under Goggin, fifty five teachers were provided with teachers training by school inspectors in the North West Territories. “The Regina Normal School was initially housed in the Regina Union School at Hamilton Street and 11th Avenue, (also known as “The White School”). Later the teaching college relocated to South Railway Avenue in the “Second Glasgow House”.

By 1896, there were 258 students enrolled in the Normal School programme, necessitating a move to Alexandra School according to a report prepared by Allan Duddridge. Goggin, born in Ontario, studied under Egerton Ryerson, an advocate of public education for all.

” On the importance of education generally we may remark it is as necessary as the light – it should be as common as water and as free as air. “ Egerton Ryerson ^{Putman 1912}

…..Teaching certificates and teacher training was compulsory for teachers in the North West Territories as of 1893 school legislation. Teachers hired came from Eastern Canada with teaching certificates if they were not trained at the superintendent classes.

…..
Goggin was followed by D.P. McColl in 1903, the second principal of the Regina Normal School. According to the City of Regina archives, classes were held in the attic of the Union School on Hamilton Street and 11th Avenue as early as 1903. Erected in 1890, it was more commonly known as “The White School.” The Union School closed in 1905. It was torn down and replaced with Simpsons Department Store. Presently the Canada Trust Building is located on the old Union School site. Allan Duddridge states in his report, The Old Normal School: Heritage Assessment of Building and Site in Regina in comparison with Saskatoon and Moose Jaw that Normal School classes were held at Alexandra School on Hamilton Street in 1896 with an enrolment of 258 students, and the Union School was used before this time.

…..

Alexandra School 1909 Postcard 13097: Rice Lewis, Alexandra School, Regina, Sask. (c1911)
Credit: Postcard 13097: Rice Lewis, Alexandra School, Regina, Sask. (c1911) PeelD.P. McColl was soon appointed the Deputy Commissioner of Education under J.A. Calder Minister of Education who then called upon McColl to assume the role as registrar of the newly forming University of Saskatchewan. Lieutenant Thomas E. Perrett became the principal in 1905 having joined the teaching staff in 1904.

…..The year that Saskatchewan became a province, ” 1905 there were 1,011 teachers employed in Saskatchewan; when Mr. Scott retired 5,677 were engaged in the teaching profession and today (1923) the number is over 7,000. In teacher training work, the province has also shown remarkable growth. In the year in which the province was formed 187 teachers were trained in the normal schools; 911 received training 11 years later, and 1,574 last year. [1922]” reminisced Premier Dunning, “the number of pupils grew during Mr. Scott’s Premiership from 25,191 to 125,590, or multiplied five times during the period. The number of pupils enrolled today (1923) is 183,329.”^{The Morning Leader 1923}

…..
It was in 1906 that the controversy began regarding the location for the University of Saskatchewan. Moose Jaw, Indian Head, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Regina each brought forward their case before the University committee to have the provincial University located in their locale. The University Act of 1907 passed by the legislature enabled this body the right to confer degrees in Saskatchewan. The vote on April 7, 1909 was cast in favour of Saskatoon.

…..

The Regina Normal school was housed in Alexandra school / the Red School in 1909 when Perrett left to serve with the armed forces. Alexandra School, erected in 1896 was named the Red School, a moniker taken on from its red brick construction. The name changed to Alexandra School in 1906 according to the Regina Public Library. In 1914 it moved again as neighbours to the Regina College site at Broad Street and College Avenue, occupying the space now held by the Fine Arts Building of the University of Regina. Regina Heritage Walking Tours mention that the Regina Police Department was housed in the old Alexandra School in 1921.

Regina Normal School 1910 Post Card 2662 Normal School Valentine & Son's Publishing Co. Ltd. Normal School, Regina, Sask. (1910)
Credit Post Card 2662 Normal School Valentine & Son’s Publishing Co. Ltd. Normal School, Regina, Sask. (1910) Peel…..

The construction of the Regina College was completed before a permanent building was established for the Regina Normal School. Separate locations, scope and purposes were established for both of these institutions ~ the Regina College and the Regina Normal School ~ which grew and evolved next door to each other on College Avenue. Students at the Regina College who had received their high school matriculation there may choose to pursue teacher training courses at the Regina Normal School.

…..The Methodist Church applied for a provincial charter to establish the Regina College in 1911 with Reverend Dr. Wilbur Williams Andrews set up as the first president of the college. The Methodist Saskatchewan Conference did not have its own Theological College, being served by the Wesley College in Winnipeg.

“Public spiritedness and unselfish aims are demanded by the very conditions of our social and national life.” Reverend Wilbur W. Andrews. ^{Heritage and Hope}

…..
Until money could be raised for the Regina College, the city of Regina offered the use of the old Victoria Hospital built in 1901 on Hamilton Street as the new and larger Regina General Hospital was ready to open in 1911. The Regina College opened at 2240 Hamilton Street for classes September 5th 1911. The college buildings were located between Hamilton and Scarth streets and fourteenth and fifteenth avenues.

…..
The Regina College built as a residential school for 200 students offered a ladies college, commercial study courses, music academy, collegiate courses encompassing second year university classes, and adult general education classes. According to the “Committee on Education of the Saskatchewan Conference, Methodist Church”, the institute was intended as a residential school offering preparatory classes for Grade XII or first year university, music, business and classes to upgrade public school instruction for high school work.^{Mombourquette 1986.}

…..
Francis Nicholson Darke financier, alderman, MP, and Regina Mayor contributed $85,000 towards the Regina College, and was a leading force in raising the remainder of the money to buy land north of Wascana Lake and west of Broad Street for the college building. The Regina College administration building cost $275, 000.

…..The Methodist Church received a gift of $100,000 from the Massey estate of Toronto towards the Regina College in 1910. Construction began for the Regina College building on 16th Avenue in May of 1911, and the cornerstone was laid by Lieutenant Governor Brown in the fall of 1911. This building complete with piano practicing rooms, conservatory, dining room, kitchen and classrooms was designed by Brown and Vallance. The exterior was to feature two towers at each end of the building and was designed in the Queen Anne style of architecture.

Laying of the cornerstone for Regina College, October 25, 1911. (Photo # 80-2-1). credit University Regina Digital Collections
…..The Fairbanks – Morse Building (1911), Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Office (1913), University of Saskatchewan, College Building (1912 ), Canada Life Building in Regina in 1914 were all designed by prominent Montreal firm Brown and Vallance, followed by the
The Regina College featured a musical conservatory and provided preparatory and industrial work while serving as a residential college. The Regina College opened for classes September 5, 1911 with about 200 enrolled.

…..
On October 13, 1912, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught, the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of Canada, was present at the official grand opening of the Regina College. The college chose “Ut qui ministrat” Gospel of Luke Chapter 22 verse 27 as its motto, translated to “As One Who Serves”. Rev. Robert Milliken, B. D. succeeded Andrews as president of the Regina College in 1913.

“A posse ad esse” translated from Latin as “from potential to realty” became the motto of the Regina Normal School. A more literal translation would be from “being able to being” interpreted as “from possibility to actuality” or “from being possible to being actual”. For teachers and students at the Regina Normal School, they adopted this belief that any possibility could become a realty.

Official opening of Regina College building credit U of R Digital Collections

“We believe an intelligent citizenship with high moral and social ideals is the only true wealth and strength of any nation, the only assurance of prosperity and permanency. For the purpose of assisting to raise up such a citizenship we open the halls of Regina College without religious test to the young people of the Province of Saskatchewan.” D.J. Thom secretary of the Board^{Morning Leader Oct 14, 1912}

Official opening of Regina College building credit University Regina Digital Collections…..The provincial Normal School had an attendance of over 350 during the 1911 school year. The initial costs for the new Normal School for Regina were pegged at approximately $300,000.

…..The Regina Provincial Normal School was under construction in 1913 on College Avenue and Broad Street upon the old jail grounds. (As noted by the City of Regina archives 16th avenue was renamed College Avenue.) A small section of the school was completed in 1912 comprising administration offices, dining room, chapel, student residences, and library. Thusly, a permanent location for the Regina Normal School was established in 1914 serving the province as the sole teacher training institution until 1922.

…..The teacher training institution received its name as a “Normal School” from the French education system “Ecole normale superieure.” Designed in 1913 by the architects Storey and Van Egmond using a Collegiate Gothic style, the cornerstone was officially laid by Chief Justice F.W.G Haultain on March 30, 1913. This ceremony was chaired by Premier Scott. A notice dated November 28, 1913 was placed in the Morning Leader regarding the Alexandra school; “the Alexandra School, now occupied by the Normal School, will be to rent from January 1, 1914″. Classes opened for the winter session in the new Normal School building on January 5 of 1914 with 165 students enrolled. At this time a few classes were “still held” outside the building: Manual Training took place at Strathcona School and Domestic Science at Victoria School.

Regina Normal School City of Regina Archival Records Collection : CORA-A-2132
Credit: Regina Normal School under construction ca 1913 City of Regina Archival Records Collection : CORA-A-2132…..The first Regina Public library built in 1912 in Regina (demolished in 1961), Eddy Apartments (1914), Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator Building (1914), the Traveller’s Building (1929), Balfour Apartments (1929) were also designed by the prominent architects Storey and Van Egmond.

Regina Normal School 1914 Postcard credit Postcard 12856 Lovell & Co. New Normal School Regina (cca. 1911) Peel…..
Upon reviewing Wascana Centre Authority plans for the current Regina College building, the Conservatory Building and West Tower were constructed together between the years 1914 to 1916 after the main building was erected. The design plans of Brown and Vallance called for a symmetrical design with both east and west towers, however the east tower was never constructed. The College Building has a variety of styles, shapes and roof forms divided into the west Tower, Conservatory North Block, Conservatory South Block, and Gallery Building. Darke Hall was erected as a separate building adjacent to the College Building. The Regina Normal School was another separate building located near the intersection of College Avenue and Broad Street.

Regina Normal School / Darke Hall / Regina College
Regina Normal School / Regina College / Darke Hall
adapted from Wascana Centre Authority University of Regina (with permission)…..Dr. R.A. Wilson held the post of principal of the Regina Normal School while T.E. Perrett was serving in World War 1, and Perrett resumed his post in 1915 after being wounded and permanently blinded during his service of duty.

…..

Early advertisements announced that the residential school students at the Regina College were prepared for Grade VIII, Junior and Senior Matriculation, and offered classes in household science and dressmaking, business, art expression, music, and agriculture. [ Satisfactory completion of grade 12 was considered junior matriculation, and satisfactory completion of grade 13 was senior matriculation.] Whereas, the Regina Normal School provided teacher training courses.

…..
After eleven or twelve years of schooling, a junior matriculation exit examination could be taken indicating completion of high school work. Following twelve or thirteen years of school, a senior matriculation exit examination was written for completion of an additional year of study generally considered a college work. Matriculation examinations admitted graduates directly into university, normal schools or faculty of education. The high school department examinations encompassed Standard V, VI, VII (later referred to as grades 9 through 12) whereas the public school department included Standard I, II, III, IV, IV (later termed grades 1 through 8). Class I designated 66 per cent or higher grade achievement, Class II certificates were awarded for grade scores of 55 to 66 per cent, and class III below 50 per cent.^{The Leader Post 1894}

…..Due to the drastic shortage of teachers in Saskatchewan’s history provincial, and temporary teaching certificates were issued in order to prevent school closures. The salaries of teachers in English Canada, 1900-1940: a reappraisal states that a third class certificate was less than a complete high school education. Provisional certificates were those issued when requirements fell short of provincial regulations. In the early 1900s teachers could be hired with a first class, superior first class, second class, provisional, or third class (provincial) teaching certificate.

Regina College, Women’s residence is under construction, ca. 1914. (Ph…..oto # 80-2-5) credit U of R Digital Collections…..By 1918, there were 150 enrolled at the Regina Normal School. During the 1920s a “short course” lasting four months was offered by the Normal Schools whereby, a student could upgrade their third class certificate to second class. By 1920 there were 6,500 teachers, for 4,300 schools instructing 151,000 students. The schools operated under 13,000 school trustees and 46 inspectors. ^{The Morning Leader Feb 26, 1920} It was in 1924, that the Normal School system reached peak enrollment applications. 466 students in Regina, and 381 at Saskatoon were registered to attend. Applicants from out of the province had to be turned away.

…..F. M Quance served as principal of the Regina Normal School in 1926 followed by G.D. Ralston in 1927. In the province, at the end of 1926, there were 7,779 teachers hired. 1,724 had first class certificates, 3,907 with second class, 2,129 with third class and 19 with provisional certification.^{Leader Post 1957} Chas. E. Little, president of the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Association, spoke of the need to ensure that all teachers have a second class certificate as a minimum requirement for teaching, and to decrease third class and provisional teachers.^{Morning Leader 1926} By the start of the 1927 school season, there were three Normal Schools in the province, Regina and Saskatoon with a new one opening up in Moose Jaw.

…..With another sizeable donation in 1929 from F.N. Darke to the Regina College, the F.N. Darke Building was erected complete with pipe organ to provide music and art instruction. When the United Church of Canada was formed in 1925, amalgamating the Canadian Methodist Church, the Congregational Union of Canada, and Canadian Presbyterians, the Regina college therefore transferred to the United Church of Canada.

…..
Reverend Dr. Ernest W. Stapleford who was the President of the Regina College between 1915 to 1937, had a desire to enable the Regina College to become an independent University. This wish did not come to fruition during his tenure due to the stock market collapse and the drought of the 1930s.
In 1934, the Regina College came under the jurisdiction of the University of Saskatchewan as a second campus of the U of S. severing connections with the United Church of Canada. A gift of $50,000 from the Carnegie Foundation for Higher Education was applied to the accumulated debt of $72,000 against the Regina College.

“Great as was the operating loss of 1934-5, it is more than offset by the advantages resulting from the attainment of the University’s great objective – to be the one recipient of state aid for University purposes and the sole degree conferring power in the province.” ~ Walter Murray, president of the University of Saskatchewan, 1908-1937

…..G.N. Griffin was appointed principal of the Regina Normal School in 1938. Between 1906 and 1940 22,492 teaching certificates had been issued.

…..
The Regina Normal School along with the Regina College buildings served as a Royal Canadian Air Force training centre for the British Commonwealth Air Training Scheme during World War II. Initially Regina Normal School classes were re-located to the Regina Lakeview School, and then into the Regina Trading Company Building located five blocks away on Scarth Street and 12th Avenue between 1940-1944.

Steward Basterfield, Regina College dean 1940 to 1950, is quoted as saying, “we regret having to vacate our own delightful halls, but we are still a community of scholars, and can, in the ardent pursuit of knowledge, easily forget the small inconveniences imposed on us by the exigencies of war.”

The correspondence classes housed at Benson school were also asked to move. Due to declining enrollment, the Regina Normal School closed completely in 1944 and students were served from the Moose Jaw and Saskatoon Normal Schools.

Sherwood Department Store, Regina Trading Company Building - Regina Normal School 1940-1944, now the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool
Originally the Sherwood Department Store,
then the Regina Trading Company Building ~ and ~ Regina Normal School 1940-1944,
now the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool: credit RPL Photograph Collection

“An education is not complete unless it has breadth. Our plains have breadth. Education reaches out in all directions; it is not to be directed inwards. Our aim, to give a broad education, is well presented by the feature, the Plains.” Lee Greenberg. ^{Heritage and Hope}

…..
Following the second world war, students with a grade 10 or 11 matriculation were no longer accepted into the Normal School system for teacher training. Work done at the normal schools was recognized as first year course work towards a bachelor of education degree by the University of Saskatchewan in 1946. The salaries of teachers in English Canada, 1900-1940: a reappraisal states that generally the requirements for teaching certificates; “a second-class, grade XI or XII (equal to junior matriculation), and a first-class, grade XII or XIII (senior matriculation)”.

…..By the early 1950s a drastic shortage of qualified teachers discussions commenced regarding the re-opening of the Regina Normal School. The education system had come to rely on supervisors or “sitters” for classes in Saskatchewan. The name changed to “Teacher’s Colleges” from “Normal Schools” according to the University Act of 1953. In 1956 there were 7,624 teachers hired in the province of Saskatchewan, 1,028 were hired with professional certification, 1,474 with standard, 4,440 possessing interim standard, 298 holding second class certificates, 80 with special and 304 provisional certificates had been issued.^{Leader Post 1957.}

…..

When renovations were complete to the interior of the building and the necessary expansions made, the Regina Normal School building re-opened as the Regina’s Teacher’s College in January of 1960. In the fall of 1961, the Regina College opened as the “University of Saskatchewan – Regina Campus” on Wascana Parkway.

”Let there be information retrieval…let there also be value retrieval…Open the doors and let in all mankind who seek answers…Above all, let in youth. Help those to interpret the call of the trumpet notes that sound faint in their ears.” John Archer. ^{Heritage and Hope}

…..
The original Normal School building became part of the Regina College Avenue complex forming the beginnings of the University at Regina. James M. Pitsula, author of As One Who Serves: The Making of the University of Regina reports, the Normal School at College Avenue and Broad Street served for teacher training classes until the education building was opened on the University of Saskatchewan ~ Regina campus in 1969. The University of Regina achieved full status as an independent university on July 1, 1974.

“As we celebrate a century of education in 2011…it is crucial that as a community we celebrate our shared history of excellence in teaching, research and community service that began at Regina College. The University of Regina’s beginnings were humble. As more and more people walked the halls at Regina College, they saw the value of the education we provide and they contributed to the success of the University along the way. The brick buildings at College Avenue do not just represent our past. They are a strong reminder of the foundation that was laid a century ago – a foundation that we must continue to build on for the future of our students and our province.” University of Regina President and Vice Chancellor Vianne Timmons. ^{History (Alumni)}

Regina College building U of R July 2010 Masalai Wikimedia Commons
Credit: U of R July 2010 Masalai Wikimedia Commons

Article written by Julia Adamson

Bibliography

______________________________________________________________________________

Saskatchewan Normal School ~ the heritage of teacher training institutes.

Schools Close: Lack of Teachers in Saskatchewan’s History

Saskatchewan School Inspection of the One Room Schoolhouse

Saskatchewan Normal School

Moose Jaw Normal School

Regina Normal School

Regina Normal School (Regina 4)

Saskatchewan Normal Schools

She is Gone ~ Orchid Phalaenopsis by Julia Adamson

Reflected Vision ~ Glass Goblet by Julia Adamson

Landmarks and Geophysical Saskatchewan Placenames. Quiz Two. (aumkleem.wordpress.com)

Tags: Education, James Grassick, Normal School, North West Territories, Regina, Regina Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, State school

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Education

From potential to realty ~ The Regina Normal School

9 May

From potential to realty

The Regina Normal School

With additional notes regarding the Regina College

University of Saskatchewan ~ Regina campus

University of Regina

…..
Sir Frederick Haultain, “father of Saskatchewan’s Educational System” said that in 1888, there were 96 teachers for 90 schools and 2,409 pupils across the entire North West Territory.^{The Morning Leader Feb 26, 1920} The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan places early classes for teacher instruction began in 1890 with short training courses offered as set out by a School Ordinance of 1888 to provide for Normal Departments with the objective of teacher training. Norman Fergus Black writes that Mr. A.H. Smith, B.A. principal of the Moosomin Union School provided the first classes informally between 1889 and 1890.

” On the importance of education generally we may remark it is as necessary as the light – it should be as common as water and as free as air. “ Egerton Ryerson ^{Putman 1912}

…..

“Public spiritedness and unselfish aims are demanded by the very conditions of our social and national life.” Reverend Wilbur W. Andrews. ^{Heritage and Hope}

Official opening of Regina College building credit U of R Digital Collections

…..

…..G.N. Griffin was appointed principal of the Regina Normal School in 1938. Between 1906 and 1940 22,492 teaching certificates had been issued.

…..

Regina College building U of R July 2010 Masalai Wikimedia Commons
Credit: U of R July 2010 Masalai Wikimedia Commons

Article written by Julia Adamson

Bibliography

______________________________________________________________________________

Saskatchewan Normal School ~ the heritage of teacher training institutes.

Schools Close: Lack of Teachers in Saskatchewan’s History

Saskatchewan School Inspection of the One Room Schoolhouse

Saskatchewan Normal School

Moose Jaw Normal School

Regina Normal School

Regina Normal School (Regina 4)

Saskatchewan Normal Schools

She is Gone ~ Orchid Phalaenopsis by Julia Adamson

Reflected Vision ~ Glass Goblet by Julia Adamson

Landmarks and Geophysical Saskatchewan Placenames. Quiz Two. (aumkleem.wordpress.com)

Tags: Education, James Grassick, Normal School, North West Territories, Regina, Regina Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, State school

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Education

H.W. Balfour’s Truly Impressive Career. Recognized for Outstanding Civic Service and Meritorious Military Achievement.

7 Apr

Commander Harold Wilson

Balfour OBE VD RCNVR

Recognized for Outstanding Civic Service and Meritorious Military Achievement.

H.W. Balfour’s Truly Impressive Career.

Commander H.W. Balfour, OBE, V.D., RCNVR (1907-June 12, 1986) born in Balcarres, Saskatchewan and became a naval reservist in the Canadian “wavy Navy”. Being accepted into the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve R.C.N.V.R. as an ordinary seaman, he trained as an able seaman (the equivalent of an army private.) Balfour military of 21 years saw his starting out as a signalman while he was attending high school. Following high school, Balfour attended the University of Saskatchewan, College of Arts.

Balfour served as acting Paymaster Sub Lieutenant on February 6, 1929 and was demobilized December 18, 1945. Previous to his military service he held a position as civic auditor in the City of Saskatoon. Serving as Commanding Officer H.W. Balfour between 1934 and 1940 of HMCS Unicorn he later achieved the post of Captain. Balfour was among 15 top senior officers in the RCNVR. Balfour served in the HMCS Unicorn, a Saskatoon Half-Company with 3,0000 other “prairie sailors”, and was the commanding officer of Saskatoon Half Company as Lieutenant between 1934 and 1935, becoming Lieutenant Commander in 1938.

To earn the rank of Lieutenant Commander, it is necessary to work up from able seaman to leading seaman thereafter reaching a non commissioned rank of petty officer. Going further up the ranks he became warrant officer then an uncommissioned officer, followed by Sub-Lieutenant, lieutenant, lieutenant commander, and commander.

During his time in Saskatoon at the H.M.C.S. Unicorn, he looked toward the river to provide an opportunity to teach boat work. Balfour was allowed a leave of absence from his city accounting position when called for active service in World War II. During World War II, the HMCS Unicorn saw action in the Battle of the Atlantic, on the Murmansk Run, in the Caribbean, and on D-Day.

Before the Second World War broke out, Balfour was identified as a watchkeeper, or one who is qualified to operate a ship continuously. These watchkeepers keep watch on the ship’s bridge and over the running machinery.

Balfour was the Commander of the Port at St. John’s Newfoundland (HMCS Avalon II) between 1942 and 1944. The Ottawa Citizen newspaper announced that Harold Wilson Balfour was to be commander in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve on July 1, 1943. Balfour made the news in May of 1944 in a special report announcing that Balfour “is doing a key job as commander of the port and King’s harbormaster in this active Atlantic base.” During his service as commander, he “supervised the work of extended defence, examined vessels, harbor craft, supervised bomb disposal, and boom defence and other naval departments. ^{Saskatoon Star Phoenix 1944}

“In the 1920s hardly anyone ever gave a though to Canada’ little navy,” Commander Balfour related, “Today [1944] H.M.C.S. Unicorn in Saskatoon is quartered in a substantial new brick building and is considered on of the finest R.C.N.V.R. ‘ships’ in the West.”

This was followed by a promotion to Acting Captain in 1945 and Commanding Officer of RCNB Halifax. In January of 1945, along with 11 others from Saskatoon, Balfour was on the King’s honour list. Commander Harold Balfour, V.D. received the award of Officer in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

We shall now eagerly await the triumphant return of those who have fought the
fight of freedom on the sea, on land and in the air, and who have survived the
vicissitudes of war. What a welcome will be theirs! As long as they live, their
welfare should be our first concern. Especially must we look to the well-being of the
dependents of those who will never return. We must endeavour to see that no
service and no sacrifice is allowed to go unremembered.
~
The Right Honourable
William Lyon Mackenzie King
PC OM CMG PhD MA MA LLB BA Prime Minister of Canada October 23, 1935 – November 15, 1948, May 8, 1945, the day the war in Europe ended

On Friday January 24 of 1958, the Royal Navy unveiled a permanent memorial to the fourteen naval ships bearing the name of Unicorn at a special ceremony honouring Captain Harold W. Balfour, OBE, VRD, RCN (r) (retired). The memorial is on display in the showcase on the quarterdeck of HMCS Unicorn in Saskatoon. Balfour accepted a position in Burnaby, British Columbia as municipal manager and will be starting there in February of 1958. During his time with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, Balfour also served a past president of the Naval Officers Association of Canada.

In 1955 Balfour served as secretary-treasurer and vice president to the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association during his tenure as city commissioner in Saskatoon. It was a dream of Balfour to create a recreational complex in Holiday Park. The design of which was first initiated in January of 1955 coming to fruition in the summer of 1963 after Balfour retired. As a member of the City Amalgamation committee, Balfour negotiated the terms of the amalgamation between the railway town of Sutherland with the City of Saskatoon. Balfour was “known nationally for his able civic administration abilities,” and he was “principally involved in Saskatoon’s land bank – a program that survives to this day and still is an example for the rest of the nation.”^{Loran 1984} During his time with the city administration that the new city hall was erected and the civic administration moved out of the old King Edward School.

Balfour married Louise Seiban and made his residence at 720 Temperance Street. Balfour played guitar with a small Saskatoon band as well as with Art McEwing and his Wauker Oats Radio Orchestra. Balfour became active with the Naval Officers Association of B.C. following his move to Burnaby, and became a member of the hospital board as well as executive on the St. John Ambulance and trustee of the New Vista Society. He passed away in New Westminster, Vancouver, British Columbia at the age of 79.

Only the man who disciplines himself strictly can stand for long the terrific pace of modern war.

~The Right Honourable
William Lyon Mackenzie King
PC OM CMG PhD MA MA LLB BA Prime Minister of Canada October 23, 1935 – November 15, 1948

Commander Harold Wilson Balfour, V.D., RCNVR was awarded the 1939-1945 Star in World War II

H.W. Balfour Awards and Honours.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Balfour was one of 1,073 distinguished servicemen to receive this honour. This medal is an award engraved with his name upon it. On January 1, 1945 the London Gazette wrote “This Officer has served zealously with marked ability and enthusiasm over a period of five years, in various appointments and latterly as Commander of the Port, St. John’s Newfoundland. He has taken a consistently keen interest in the welfare of service personnel, and has given unsparingly of his time and energy in that connection. Under his chairmanship the past three successive Victory Loans in Newfoundland Command have been outstandingly successful, and he has played an important part in the organization and development of the Naval Central Canteen. “^{B – RCN} ^Paquette ^Houterman There are five ranks of medals in the “Order of the British Empire”
they are all national awards for chivalry. The motto of the Order of the British Empire is “ For God and the Empire. “
The 1939-1945 Star. Awards were given to those who served six months of active service in World War II during hostilities with Japan which initiated September 2, 1939 when World War 2 began to August 15, 1945 when hostilities against Japan desisted.
The Atlantic Star was given for six months of service afloat between September 3, 1945 and May 8, 1945. .
The Defence Medal was awarded for non-operational service in World War II.
The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, Complete with Overseas Bar awarded for eighteen months of volunteer service between September 3, 1939 and March 1, 1947. The silver bar or clasp was additionally awarded for service outside of Canada.
The War Medal 1939 – 1945 was nicknamed the “Victory Medal” and was awarded to those who had served 28 days in World War II.
The Jubilee Medal 1935 demarked the occasion of the 25th anniversary of King George V ascending to the throne. Only 1,154 medals were issued to those serving with the Canadian Forces recognising the contributions these citizens made to their country and community.
The Coronation Medal 1952 honoured the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II when she ascended the throne February 6, 1958. Celebrations commenced and commemorative medals were issued.
The Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (Officers) Decoration, George VI – GRI Version only 36 medals were issued, and these went to officers of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. These awards recognized long service as officer in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. For completion of 20 years of service, the officer could use V.D. after his name. This medal is engraved with the name on the reverse of the medallion.

Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world, and that God will preserve it always. - General Douglas Macarthur, Supreme Allied Commander of South-West Pacific (1945)

Author: Julia Adamson

Bibliography:

Atlantic Star – War Medals -(1939-1954) – Canadian Military Medals and Decorations – Veterans Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 2013-01-21. URL accessed April 6, 2013.

B – Royal Canadian Navy World War II Awards to the Royal Canadian Navy. [Alphabetical listing by Military Personnel name] URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Balcarres History Book Committee. Furrows in time : a history of Balcarres and district. 1987. ISBN 0919781373

Balcarres Homecoming 2005 Committee, Furrows in time update : Balcarres, pride of the prairies. 2005.
Battle Honours of 14 Unicorns Unveiled at Local Establishment Saskatoon Star Phoenix. January 27, 1958. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Canadian Campaign Stars and Medals (1939-1945) Canada at War Forums 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal – War Medals (1939-1945) – Canadian Military Medals and Decorations – Records and Collections – Veterans Affairs Canada Government of Canada.
2013-01-21 URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Civic Administrator’s Officers. The Leader Post. January 2, 1955. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Gimblett, Richard H. and Michael L. Hadley editors. Citizen Sailors: Chronicles of Canada’s Naval Reserve, 1910-2010. Edition illustrated. Publisher Dundurn, 2010.
ISBN 1459711602, 9781459711600. Digitised online by Google Books. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Defence Medal – War Medals (1939-1954) Canadian Military Medals and Decorations – Records and Collections – Veterans Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 2013-01-21 URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Houterman, J.N. and Jeroen Koppes. Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) Officers
1939-1945 World War II Unit Histories and Officers.

Image DB/Text Web Publisher: 19 Records. Saskatoon Public Library. In-House DB Menu. Harold Balfour. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Loran, Tom. Former City Commissioner Keeps Busy in Burnaby. The Phoenix. February 25, 1984. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Medals, campaigns, descriptions and eligibility – Detailed Guidance – GOV.UK URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Notable Military Records Set by Saskatchewan Men. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. May 16, 1955. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Number of Saskatoon and North Saskatchewan Men in the King’s Honor List. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. January 2, 1945. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Rare WW2 Canadian Naval Group of 9 to a RCNVR Captain. Worthopedia – Price Guide > Sports

Paquette, L.Cdr. Edward R. and Lt. C. G. Bainbridge, F.R.S.A. P. Honours and Awards, Canadian Naval Forces WWII Published 1986

Lawn Bowling Club Seeks more space in Buena Vista. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. October 23, 1957. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

List of Mid-Year Promotions for Canadian Naval Personnel. Ottawa Citizen. July 1, 1943. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

R.M. Tullymet History Book Committee. The Whispering aspens : a history of R.M. of Tullymet, No. 216, Saskatchewan Balcarres Region History. ISBN 0919781179

Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve LS & GC Awards Welcome to Ed’s Mess [dedicated to the men and women of Canada's Armed Forces and Merchant Navy,]. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Saskatoon Man Doing a Key Job in Navy. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. May 1, 1944. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Saskatoon Sends 51 Men to Naval Units at Coast. New Recruits Bring Local Division to Full Strength of 83. Training Centre to Be Continued Here. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. October 5, 1939. Page 3 and 5. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Second World War Medals – Canadian Orders, Medals and Decorations. Records and Collections – Veteran’s Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 2013-03-07. URL accessed April 6, 2013.

Smith, Betty. City Outstrips Growth Predictions. Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. August 19, 1961. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Watchstanding. Revision ID number 544032995 revised March 14, 2013. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

Terms of Amalgamation of City and Sutherland Released, Vote to come. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. May 30, 1955. Google News Archive. URL accessed April 5, 2013.

World War II and the University of Saskatchewan – COTC service records :: University of Saskatchewan Archives 26-Apr-2012 URL accessed April 5, 2013.

World War 2 Awards.com – Order of the British Empire 1939-1945 Star Defence Medal 1939-1945 STIWOT (Stichting Informatie Wereldoorlog Twee). 2013. URL accessed April 6, 2013.

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For More Information:

•Saskatchewan Gen Web Military Resources

•Canada In Flanders – The Official Story of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Volume I

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Why were Canadian “Last Best West” homesteads created?

Michelle Lang. Canadian Journalist. Jan 31, 1975-Dec 30, 2009. Afghanistan Casualty.

Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial Site Updated

How did pioneers travel to their prairie homesteads?

Where were Saskatchewan Homesteads Located?

How do I locate my ancestor’s home town in Saskatchewan?
Have you ever visited your ancestral home?

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Thank you for stopping by, your comments are much appreciated. All rights reserved. Copyright © Aum Kleem. All my images and text are protected under international authors copyright laws and Canadian photography laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. They may be licensed u Getty images. Peace and love be with you. Namaste.

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Follow me on Flickr, Word Press, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Tumblr, Live Journal, 500 px and Flickriver

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Tags: accountant, Balcarres, Balfour, British Columbia, Canada, Captain Balfour, Civic Commissioner, Commander Balfour, H.W. Balfour, HMCS Avalon II, HMCS Unicorn, Lieutenant, Louise Seiban, municipal manager, Naval Officers Association of B.C., New Vista Society, New Westminster, Newfoundland, OBE, Officer in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Order of the British Empire, prairie sailor, RCNB Halifax, RCNVR, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association Secretary-treasurer, Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association vice president, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Half Company, St John's, St. John's Ambulance, Vancouver, VD, wavy navy, World War II

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Categories Biography, Genealogy

Reno Hill School District 5158; Memories of When the Water Came or The price paid for electricity

8 Mar

Reno Hill School District 5158; Memories of When the Water Came

~or~

The price paid for electricity

Reminiscing

“They closed the school and flooded then,Folks had to change their living,

Sing praises to the Squaw Rapids dam

And power that its giving.

But all who lived at Mossy Vale,

Their lives have changed forever.

For things they knew and loved so much

Again they’ll see them never.

No more the kids will see their homes,

Though heart and soul be crying;

Gone are the haunts they loved so well,

‘Neath Tobin Lake they’re lying.
”^{By Edith (Young) Vereshagin

Written after and inspired by the 1978 reunion at Reno Hill (excerpt)}

“Change is the parent of progress.”^{Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free}

The E.B. Campbell Dam was first proposed as the “Squaw Rapids Dam” by the Saskatchewan Power Corporation and the Government of Saskatchewan. This hydroelectric dam was the province’s inaugural venture into providing electrical power. By the mid 1900s it was recognised that the province’s growing electrical energy demand was to soon surpass the existing facilities. In 1961, the province required 1,500,000,000 kilowatt-hours, by late 1964, the Squaw Rapids plant was constructed to produce 1,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours of energy from six 33,500-kilowatt hydraulic turbine generators. The building of the 110 foot (33.5 m) high dam commenced in the beginning of 1960 at an estimated cost of $46 million dollars. The dam is 2,370 feet (722 m) across between the banks of the river, and 620 feet (189 m) wide at the base of the dam, and allows for a two-lane highway across the deck of the dam. The Saskatchewan River was diverted in 1961, and by the fall of 1962, with the $57 million dollar dam completed, the river was closed, filling the dam reservoir. By June of 1963, Premier W.S. Lloyd opened the Squaw Rapids Dam in front of a crowd of approximately 3,000.

“The creation of huge reservoirs allows some control over the flow of the river itself. . . . But the [river] is not just a machine. It is an organic machine. . . . For no matter how much we have created many of its spaces and altered its behavior, it is still tied to larger organic cycles beyond our control.” ^{White p. 111-12}

The Squaw Rapids hydroelectric station, renamed in 1988, honours E.B. (Bruce) Campbell who was the assistant chief engineer during the construction project. Bruce Campbell was also SaskPower president and CEO between 1983 to 1987 The name “Petaigan” for the reservoir was brought forward to honour the former river now under the reservoir waters. Others suggested that Major E.E. Andrews, a nurse of the Second World War from Carrot River should be honoured with the reservoir naming. William Thorburn employee and trader of the Northwest Trading Company constructed a home and trading post in the area in 1791. Common usage of the name Tobin rather than Thorburn, easier to pronounce, became the name of the trading post and the nearby “Tobin Rapids“. (However, the 1924 Rand McNally Map refers to this location as the Tobin Rof??ls Rapids (see attached enlargement Image) Carrot River suggested the reservoir be named ““Tobin Lake” after much controversy. 174 years after the Tobin NW trading post was established on the rocky bend in the Saskatchewan River, Saskatchewan’s first hydro electric power station was erected, and just as Tobin Rapids was named after William Thorburn, so to Tobin Lake bore his name.

“Dams for hydroelectric power generation are located at a site
where the difference in elevations between the surface of the new reservoir and the outlet to the
downstream river is adequate to power electrical-generating turbines.”^{Cech [2003, p150-15}

"Squaw Rapids, in northern bush lands, was selected because of two sets of rapids on the site. Water plunges 105 feet (32 m) in huge penstocks which channel the water into giant turbines."^{CP June 15, 1963.}7,000,000 cubic yards (6,000,000 m³) of earth were excavated from the reservoir site and re-used creating embankments for the earth-filled dam and a 3,000 foot (900 m) long airstrip. The reservoir covers 75,000 acres (303.5 km³) of land, and when full, the water level rises to 1,013 feet (309 m). By the end of 1962, the water level had already reached 1008 feet (307 m) rising at about one foot (0.3 m) of water a day. Tobin Lake stores 1,780,000 acre-feet (21,965,000,000 cubic meters) of water or 271,322 gallons (about 1,000,000 liters). Plans for the reservoir included creating the reservoir at Squaw Rapids, encompassing Tobin Rapids and extending upstream to the town of Nipawin located 45 miles (72 km) from the dam site at Squaw Rapids. The Torch River Valley provides a natural floodway should the river exceed its highest known peak at spring thaw.

"Mr Schell always predicted that with the water power potential for cheap electricity and the abundance of natural resources, Nipawin would eventually grow into a city, and was very concerned when the townsite was laid out that the streets be kept wide, rather than the then popular narrow ones, and that as many pines as possible be left in and around the townsite." [Mr Winn Schell printed the first newspaper in Nipawin - The Monitor in 1907 later called The Recorder]^{Schaible p. 842}

The reservoir base 46 miles (74 km) by 11-12 miles (18-19 km) wide was prepared for the new lake, wells, dugouts, and basements were all filled in, sawdust piles removed, telephone and power poles, fences and buildings torn down or moved away. The Department of Natural Resources had the $817,000 assignment to clear the reservoir site, removing all useable lumber from crown lands, clearing the 40 by 10 mile (64 x 16 km) area. It was proposed to open the area to farmers who could take some two to three million feet (600,000 to 900,000 m) of spruce lumber from the area. Approximately 40 million feet (12,000,000 m) of white spruce timber, and four million feet (1,000,000 m) of jack pine timber, 17,000 cords (62,000 m³.) of jack pine or fence posts, and 50 million feet (15,000,000 m) of poplar timber needed to be cleared. Following the clearing, a forest fire was set deliberately, to reduce the site to ash, however this failed due to rains, but not before covering the dam construction site with thick smoke. Additionally the SPC put out another $50,000 on clearing and after the dam opened, another contract was needed to prevent logs jamming the dam. 50,000,000 board feet of pine and spruce were removed from the area.

“It was known from experience where stands of pine and spruce had been flooded during water control projects that trees were still standing after 20 to 30 years…this would have destroyed the recreational potential of Tobin Lake for many years, and would have reduced its usable surface area by two-thirds,” said Resources Minister Eiling Kramer.^{Leader-Post Oct 2, 1963.}

The steam-generating plants at Moose Jaw and Prince Albert were to be closed down in favour of the more economical hydroelectric station here. Water flow at the Squaw Rapids dam is regulated by remote control at the Queen Elizabeth Power Plant in Saskatoon and later from Regina. The hydro-electric project is located 150 miles from Prince Albert, 42 miles (68 km) from Nipawin, 30 miles (48 km) from Carrot River and 45 miles (72 km) upstream of Tobin Rapids.

“We should strive to welcome change and challenges, because they are what help us grow. With out them we grow weak like the Eloi in comfort and security. We need to constantly be challenging ourselves in order to strengthen our character and increase our intelligence. ”

120 farmers from the Petaigan, Mossey Vale, and Ravendale districts were estimated to be affected by the filling of the dam reservoir. The farmers who had lands expropriated for the project moved out before December 31, 1961. “SPC has purchased 134 quarter sections of their farm land…most of these farmers have relocated on similar farms in the same general area.“^{Longman 1961} Archdeacon Payton related that the Anglican Church was removed before the region was flooded. About 205 sections or 131,200 acres (531 km²) of land were needed for the Squaw Rapids Hydro Electric project, of which 55 sections (143 km² were owned by the Crown leaving 600 quarter sections (390 km²) of land in private hands. By October 24, 1962, SPC had only six quarter sections ( 4 km² ) left to negotiate. SPC also allowed homesteaders to have a lease on their the portion of the land which was above the water line, the Government not only bought the land that would be flooded, but they also paid for improvements done upon the land. After purchase, SPC put buildings up for tender on the condition of sale that the buildings be completely moved or dismantled before December 1961.

“In all, 100 families were affected, most of them already located in the same general area. They received an average of $55 an acre (4000 m² or .004 km² $35,200 a section or $8,800 a quarter section.)).”^{CP Oct 26, 1962}

Compensation packages first proposed considered 2-1/2 the value of the assessment with an additional percentage paid out based on individual needs. In 1924, the Canadian Pacific Railway was offering agricultural land for $11.66 per acre on average with irrigated land fetching $43.74 per acre reported The Financial Post. Whereas, in 1954 the Saskatoon Star Phoenix published that land selling in the Nipawin area was listed for approximately $100 per acre and prices across the provinces were down about 15 per cent from 1953 sales. Land elsewhere in the province was listed at $60 to $70 an acre, and lighter lands may only receive a listed sale price of $25 to 50 per acre. Farm lands for sale in the Rural Municipalities of Torch River, Nipawin and Moose Range, were listed at $50 to $100 per acre in 1966.

“When the water backs up after the 1962 spring breakup in the river ice, the Petaigan River will burst its banks and disappear, and a church, a school, a curling rink and a farmer’s union lodge, as well as scores of farm homes, will vanish in the Petaigan district.“^{Hooper March 1960}

As Daniel Baird relates, “maps present a picture of the complex relationship between water and land as they intersect with human life…driven by the politics of settlement and energy. [Tegan Smith's] exhibit gestures toward the depths of the lake, which we then have to imagine. The image of long abandoned, rotted out barns in the silty green murk of lake water, fish drifting through their open doors and windows, long spikes of light descending from the surface, everything in suspended animation, in slow motion, is haunting and even funereal. The sparsely settled Mossy Vale, with its isolated farms, traditional hunters and trappers, has become a place of memory.“

Having no electricity, we were fortunate to have an ice well; our milk and cream we hung down the well in cans. We canned everything we could; meat, game, chicken, turkey, and all kinds of fruit wild and cultivated – so we were rarely at a loss for a quick meal if somebody unexpected dropped in.^{Horn p. 260}

The Nipawin School Unit No. 61 school board advertised for teachers for the 1961 school term. 16 pupils between grades one and eight were enrolled at Reno Hill School District 21 miles out of Carrot River. The Labalm School District was another one room school district nestled in the hamlet of Moose Range serving 15 pupils in the primary grades as well. Squaw Rapids school was a newly established one room school operating out of a trailer for the approximately 20 children of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation Squaw Rapids Dam site area. By the fall of 1961, the Squaw Rapids hydroelectric development project saw a community population of 1,955 necessitating the construction of a two room school building for 61 children. Over the summer of 1961, 275 pioneers came together at the Mossy Vale school near Nipawin for a re-union. The Nipawin Public School saw a huge enrollment, jumping to 834 students in September of 1961. The school enrollment was expected yet to rise to 864 pupils. Five rural schools closed. Mossy Vale, Glen Horne SD 5048, Grassy Lake, Kirkwell (Kirkwall SD 4647) and Welland SD 4473 schools closed their doors. At Nipawin public school, grade seven students attended classes at the high school and at a separate building. The staff room, library, and electrical rooms have been converted to classrooms. The Nipawin ten room school expected to open in 1962 will alleviate some of the over-crowding. In grade one alone, there were 124 students at the beginning of the 1962 school year.

Miss Dengate began teaching at Inkster School, with an enrollment of some 37 children spanning ten grades. She hadn’t any experience with one-room schools, and so had to learn a lot in a short time. The school was far from luxurious, with its outdoor plumbing and water pail and dipper, quite a change for someone from England, used to having electricity and indoor plumbing. There was a big stove on which the children would leave their lunch pails to thaw, as it would freeze on the way to school and stay frozen if left on the floor.^{Haywood p. 681}

Cumberland House (“Waskahiganihk” ) settled in 1774 upon an island in the middle of the Saskatchewan River delta region surrounded by swamps, marshes and lakes. It is here that Father Ovide Charlebois erected The first log building schoolhouse in the 1890s inaugurating a system of instruction with both Catholics and Protestants teaching the curriculum. Cumberland House residents depended on a ferry crossing during the summer months, and an ice road in the winter. The dam is approximately 30 miles(48 km) upstream from the delta area.

In 1945, a new home was built, but still no plumbing or electricity.^{Pihowich p. 777}

The Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-41-G) which was launched on 5 October 1984 was able to photograph the Squaw Rapids Dam on October 9, 1984.

“Reshaping life! People who can say that have never understood a thing about life—they have never felt its breath, its heartbeat—however much they have seen or done. They look on it as a lump of raw material that needs to be processed by them, to be ennobled by their touch. But life is never a material, a substance to be molded. If you want to know, life is the principle of self-renewal, it is constantly renewing and remaking and changing and transfiguring itself, it is infinitely beyond your or my obtuse theories about it.”
^{Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago}

“With other companies pushing forward in potash production, in 10 years time provincial potash production should reach $100,000,000 a year,” said Premier Woodrow Stanley Lloyd, ”The estimated power production for 1963 is 2,000,000,000 kilowatts, five times the production of 10 years ago….This kind of development and announced intention will help keep our place as the fourth largest producer of minerals among Canadian provinces.“^{Leader-Post Jan 1963.} Lloyd was also quoted as saying, “there are good reasons for satisfaction in a review of developments in Saskatchewan during 1962. One of the highlights of the economic year has been the surge of activity in connection with our mineral resources. With the opening of the world’s largest potash production plant at Esterhazy, and with 15 other firms actively engaged in potash exploration or development Saskatchewan now has a claim to the title of “World Potash Capital.” Our farm electrification program has nearly reached completion this year and the total of farm homes electrified has been brought to nearly 63,000.”^{Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Dec 1962.}

“People who want a cure, provided they can have it without pain, are like those who favour progress, provided they can have it without change.”^{Anthony de Mello, Awareness: A de Mello Spirituality Conference in His Own Words}

When Bill and Clara Weighill reminisced on the Mossy Vale area, a quote popped to mind, “We’re all in favor of progress, providing we can have it without change.” For the settlers in the area, there were a lot of ups and downs, and lots of hard work. Homesteading in the area was challenging, there were swarms of bull flies, hordes of mosquitoes, horse flies by the dozens, deep snow, muskeg, swamps, mud holes, and as Kristan and Ellen Sogen relate, the pioneers took it all in stride. The farmers who moved left their homes with sentimental reluctance, regret and melancholy, and yet there was an overall feeling of congratulations towards the Saskatchewan Power Plant, which serves the electrical needs of northern Saskatchewan residents.

The area was filled with settlers who did not give up. The Ravendale Frienship club grew together as ladies of the community gathered for an afternoon outing. Well, as the Squaw Rapids Development commenced, the club dwindled as folks gave up their land, and moved away. But, there was no despair, there was no wailing, with steady faith, the club soon built up again, flourishing and able once again to help the community wherever they were able. They were open to love, light and laughter.

The rail finally came through over hill and dale, through swamp and over river, however it arrived four miles outside of the town of Nipawin. This did not mean the end of Nipawin, resilient, forward thinking and stalwart, the townspeople picked up their houses and their buildings and moved them north beside the rail. These were a people looking at the glass half full, not half empty.

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change… The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back…[It is] time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”^{Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym}

Settlers made a living the hard way, yet it was felt that it was a healthy life. Making success from the challenges in life, coming together with family and friends to meet the next opportunity allowed these pioneers to be truly grateful and able to celebrate the next step forward for the community when the hydro-electric construction began. Electricity, a much needed, and most desired service and life has changed forever.

Article written by Julia Adamson, Sask Gen Webmaster.

Squaw Rapids Reel

By Don Messer

Squaw Rapids dam a symbol of might,Brings steady power both day and night,

Through summer, winter, spring and fall

Steady power – now reverse all.

The SPC’s pledged to bring

Reliable power for everything.

To serve you well that is their aim

Now all get set, four ladies chain

Reno Hill School District 5158
South east section 18 township 53 range 11 west of the 2nd meridian

near Mossy Vale, SK, CA
Located at north west section 28 township 53 range 11 west of the 2 meridian
E.B. Campbell Hydroelectric Station, Squaw Rapids Dam, Tobin Lake
Located at Section 12 Township 54 range 10 west of the 2nd meridian

Other neighbouring school districts and placenames

Moose Range Rural Municipality 486

Glen Horne School District 5048 SE quarter of section 2 township 51 range 10 west of the 2 meridian.

Grassy Lake School District Unknown School District number and location. ^{Please E-mail if you know}

Kirkwell (Kirkwall) School District 4647 SE section ? township 52 range 16 west of the 2nd meridian

Wellands school district 4473 south west section 27 township 50 range 15 west of the 2 meridian (1922-1961)

Labalm School District 4573 unknown location. ^{Please E-mail if you know}

Squaw Rapids School District Unknown School District number Located near dam Section 12 Township 54 range 10 west of the 2nd meridian (temporary school)

Mossy Vale, SaskatchewanMossy Vale Saskatchewan: Mossy Vale/Reno Hill Get-Together: 50 years later!
Prepared site for the Mossy Vale cairn.

Neighbouring places

Petaigan post office had three locations:

north west quarter of section 33 township 51 range 11 west of the 2nd meridian 1953
NW quarter section 22, township 51, range 11, west of the 2 meridian
SE Section 4, Township 52, Range 11, west of the 2 meridian

Ravendale post office SW Section 3, Township 53, R.10, West of the 2nd Meridian

Moose Range post office North west quarter of section 16 township 49 range 12 west of the 2nd meridian

Petaigan River geographical feature (waterway)

Garrick hamlet Northwest section 17 township 52 range 16 west of the 2nd meridian

Beaver House post office north east quarter section 34 township 50 range 15 west of the 2 meridian

Ravine Bank (two locations) Section 14, Township 51, Range 14, west of the 2nd meridian

and Section 16, Township 50, Range 14, west of the 2nd meridian

Prince Albert township 38 range 26 west of the 2nd meridian

Carrot River section 17 township 49 range 11 west of the 2 meridian

Nipawin section 16 township 50 range 14 west of the 2 meridian

Pioneer Ways to Modern Days : history of the town of Carrot River and the Rural Municipality of Moose Range.
Carrot River & District History (Association). Carrot River, Saskatchewan: Carrot River & District History, 1985

Jess. Reno Hill School District 5158, south east section 18 township 53 range 11 west of the 2 meridian near Mossy Vale- Saskatchewan Gen Web – One room School Project March 8, 2013.

Bibliography

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For more information:

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Follow me on Word Press, Blogger, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Tumblr, Live Journal, Sask Gen Web Ancestry.com and Flickriver

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Delicate Beauty Phalaenopsis Orchid by Julia Adamson

Reservoir refilled after workers repair sinkhole damage (redding.com)
Commissioning of Kambarata-1 hydropower plant to provide guaranteed water supply to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (en.trend.az)

School, Reno Hill School District 5158, Mossy Vale School District 5159, Carrot River, Nipawin, Petaigan River, Garrick, Beaver House, RAvine Bank, Prince Albert, Ravendale, squaw Rapids Dam, Tobin Lake, E.B. Campbell Hydroelectric Power Plant, Sask Power, reminiscing, memories, wistful nostalgia, melancholy, regret, sentimenal reluctance, underwater, flooded, reservoir, man made lake

Tags: Aum Kleem, Beaver House, Canada, Carrot River, E.B. Campbell Hydroelectric Power Plant, family history, flooded, Garrick, man made lake, melancholy, memories, Mossy Vale School District 5159, Nipawin, Petaigan River, photograph, photography, Prince Albert, Ravendale, RAvine Bank, regret, reminiscing, Reno Hill School District 5158, reservoir, Sask Gen Web, Sask Power, Saskatchewan, school, sentimenal reluctance, squaw Rapids Dam, Tobin Lake, underwater, wistful nostalgia

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Categories Education

One Room Schoolhouse Naming

18 Feb

One Room Schoolhouse Naming

An article printed in the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper, The Potashville Miner-Journal, “From Bert’s Notebook” Place names, discusses the derivation of the names for schools in the Churchbridge / Langenburg area of Saskatchewan was submitted from the Esterhazy 1939 newspaper by Verna Brenner, which is intriguing and fascinating.

Web master note: Still awaiting permissions from the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper, The Miner-Journal and the family of Bert McKay for re-publication, a small paraphrasing of the article comes next. The following page takes the derivation for the name from the article written by Bert McKay, and further verification of these facts have been found in several other sources as noted in the bibliography.

Before we begin with these selected eleven one room school district names, just a note about the historical naming process of the one room school districts in the province of Saskatchewan. John C. Charyk noted in “Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails” that the naming of the school was left to the local residents in the community. “Today as a result of that policy, knowing how a school district derived its name often brings an insight into the very heart of local history and traditions.”^{Charyk 1984 p. 12} The procedure of determining the name was set before all the community ratepayers requesting a suitable name. The school District organisers would hold a meeting, and of these names, the committee would submit a list of four or five names. The Department of Education set before the community the request for a list, as very often if only one name were submitted, it may be in use already at another school site. So the final choice for the school district name lay with the Department of Education.

At this same time, a school district number was allotted to the school district by the Department of Education. The numbers began with Moose Jaw School District No. 1 of the North West Territories and kept incrementing to Bow Valley School District No. 1409, North West Territories. At this time, for provisional districts of the Northwest Territories were merged to form the twin provinces of Alberta, and Saskatchewan on September 1, 1905. The Department of Education then decided that to keep record keeping for the two provinces separate in these provincial fledgling years, the province of Alberta would continue numbering her schools from School District No. 1410 onwards, and new schools formed in the province of Saskatchewan would fill up the empty numbers between 1 and 1409 vacated by the province of Alberta and proceeding forward from there. And now to delve into the heritage of the naming of these school districts near Churchbridge and Langenburg, Saskatchewan. (Another note, the Department of Education is now termed the Ministry of Education in Saskatchewan.)

Chatsworth S.D. No. 1810, (1907) was named after not a place, but a road in the Clapton subdivision of London, England. McKay points out that the school district secretary suggested the name after his previous residential street. Chatsworth road is a market road serving people in the area with a diverse selection of shops and restaurants, including, African, Turkish, Asian and Caribbean produce alongside butchers, bakers and greengrocers according to Wikipedia.

Hohenlohe S.D. NO. 2705, (1910) received its appellation from Count Hohenlohe-Langenburg. According to Alan Anderson, the Count Hohenlohe-Langenburg was invited to the west as part of the great immigration scheme by Canadian immigration authorities. The Count, as president of the German Colonial Association was instrumental in encouraging large colonies, notably Colony Hohenlohe which later received the name Langenburg.

MacNutt S.D. No. 793, (1912) is next on the list. John Hawkes echoes the sentiments of Bert Mckay, writing of the Honourable Thomas MacNutt, that he was a farmer and stock raiser in the Saltcoats area, and also turned his attentions to the political arena serving the Saltcoats constituency as both Member of the Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament. MacNutt is renowned for being the first Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature.

Zorn S.D. No. 3697, (1916) received its calling from Phillip Zorn, a school district administrator actively promoting school district organisation during the formative year, 1916. From the Western Land Grants Records, it can be seen that Fillipp Zorn was successful at proving up a homestead land grant on the Northwest quarter of section 34 township 23 range 30 West of the 1st Meridian.

Landestrew S.D. No. 2698, (1916) was named after Landestreu, Galicia by the immigrant Galician German settlers who arrived in this new land. According to Manfred Prokop, Professor of German (emeritus), Modern Languages and Cultural Studies they established the large colony named Hoffnungstal near Langenburg and Landstrew in the late 1800s. The Landestrew post office opened in 1892, the school not until 1916.

Dressler S.D. No. 3732, (1916) located on the north east quarter of section 5, township 23, range 31, west of the first meridian was located amidst the Dressler homesteaders. Daniel DRESSLER and Anna BUSCH arrived to the Langenburg area about 1890. Daniel began proving up the land on the south east quarter of section 18 of the same township mentioned above. They had ten children and their sons Frederick, Andrew, John also homesteaded the area. Daniel DRESSLER immigrated with four siblings from Galicia, and this area was home to a number of DRESSLER homesteads. According to LAC Western Land Grants, Section 5 was Canadian Pacific Railway Land. A portion of this land was donated by Frederick DRESSLER to the community on which to build the Dressler Schoolhouse reported Bill Barry.

Churchbridge S.D. No. 124, (1887) honours the Anglican Church Colonization Land Company administered by Mr. Church and Reverend Bridges, who purchased land for settlement in the township 22 range 32, west of the 1st meridian. In Ruth Swanson’s compilation, The first hundred years : around Churchbridge, 1880-1980, settlers also remember a Mr. Eden belonging to this English Colonization Company as well, and a preliminary name being Edenbridge which was changed to Churchbridge due to a conflict with Edenbridge, Manitoba.

Rothbury S.D. No. 204 (1891) recognizes the town of Rothbury in Northumberland, England. Robert Athey suggested the title at a school district meeting. The land around the Rothbury school district is characterized by rolling and open prairie. Rothbury, Northumberland is nestled within the Simonside and Cheviot Hills.

Goehring S.D. 910, (1903) has as its namesake an early trustee, Ludwig Goehring a school district trustee. Goehring successfully proved up on three quarter sections in the area.

Kensington Lake S.D. No. 1083, (1904) assumed its name from the nearby physical feature, Kensington Lake. McKay mentions that Kensington Lake, in turn, assumed its name from E.D. Kensington who farmed near the lake.

Flower Valley S.D. No. 1098, (1904) derived its name from the German word “Blummenthal” which translated means Flower Valley. McKay points out that George Haas suggested the German term, and Niel McFadyen put forward the English translation. Mrs. Louise (George) Haas recalls that the school district was situated upon the old Pelly Trail

Webmaster note: The newspaper article recorded Chatsworth S.D. as number 1771, however other sources provide the school with the name of Homeland as School District No. 1771, and Chatsworth School District as No. 1810. The spelling was provided as Landstrew S.D. 2698 in the newspaper article, however other sources gave it as Landestrew S.D. No. 3698, And Budweis School District received the S.D. number of 2698. If anyone else has further information or clarification on any of these schools, school districts or Bert McKay, it would be a pleasure to add the same notes as provided. Kind Regards Julia Adamson.

Bibliography for this article

Bert McKay of Moosomin, SK (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan Normal School ~ the heritage of teacher training institutes.
Saskatchewan School Inspection of One Room Schoolhouses
The Era of Saskatchewan One Room School Houses
The little white one room school house, what is remembered about it?
Saskatchewan Normal Schools
Saskatchewan One Room Schoolhouses
Saskatchewan Census News Release (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan in 1921 and the 1921 Census. (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Landmarks and Geophysical Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s Archaeological Cemeteries (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Schoolhouses for Laura (preservationinpink.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan town on alert after cougars sighted near community’s school (timescolonist.com)
Breaking News: Rothbury sees heavy snow cause travel problems (journallive.co.uk)
Today’s News: Concrete barriers fitted on collapsing Rothbury road (journallive.co.uk)

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She is Gone ~ Orchid Phalaenopsis by Julia Adamson

Passionate Embrace ~ Pink Rose by Julia Adamson

Tags: Alberta, Bert McKay, Bredenbury, Chatsworth SD 1810, Churchbridge, Churchbridge SD 124, Dovedale, Dressler SD 3732, Flower Valley SD 1098, German, Goehring SD 910, Hohenlohe SD 2705, Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Kensington Lake SD 1083, Landestrew, Landstrew SD 2698, Langenburg, Logberg, MacNutt, MacNutt SD 793, Marchwell, Northumberland, Northwest territories, One room schoolhouse, Pennock, Rothbury SD 204, Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, school district names, school district naming, school districts, Thingvalla, Wroxton, Zorn SD 3697

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Categories Education, Landscapes, Winter

Bert McKay of Moosomin, SK

17 Feb

Bert McKay of Moosomin

“A healthy social life is found only, when in the mirror of each soul the whole community finds its reflection, and when in the whole community the virtue of each one is living”
Rudolf Steiner

Publishing a story in The Miner-Journal, Placenames, Bert McKay delves into the tale of the origins of eleven school districts of Saskatchewan in his column “From Bert’s Notebook” in the year 1939. Bert McKay, was very active in the publishing realm, being “editor and publisher of the Moosomin World-Spectator, The Wapella Post, Esterhazy Miner, Langenburg Journal and Maryfield News.” McKay served also as the president of the Prairie Publishers Co-operative in 1962.

“A newspaper is the center of a community, it’s one of the tent poles of the community, and that’s not going to be replaced by Web sites and blogs.”
Michael Connelly

It was in August of 1971, that McKay of Moosomin, president of McKay Publications, merged the Langenburg Journal with the Esterhazy Miner to develop a weekly newspaper known as the Potashville Miner serving Esterhazy, Langenburg and Churchbridge areas of Saskatchewan. Although The Esterhazy Miner had been sold in 1965, it had been acquired again by McKay publishing for the merger. It is interesting to note that the Esterhazy Miner began publication in 1907 under the name of the Esterhazy and Pheasant Hills Observer under Arthur Ford. It was under Bert McKay’s ownership in 1952, that the name of the weekly newspaper was changed from the Esterhazy Observer to the Esterhazy Miner.

“A world community can only exist with world communication, which means something more than extensive software facilities scattered about he globe. It means common understanding, a common tradition, common idea’s and common ideals.”
Robert M. Hutchins

McKay was the publisher of the Langenburg Journal since 1956, and in 1960 took over publication of the Wapella Post operating out of Moosomin, SK. The Moosomin World-Spectator, The Esterhazy Miner, The Wapella Post, The Langenburg Journal and The Maryfield News were weekly newspapers published by McKay Publications. In 1972, Mr. and Mrs. McKay sold The Moosomin World-Spectator to John C. Meen of Moosomin, the previous editor. McKay had been part owner of the Moosomin World-Spectator since 1936, and became the sole owner five years later. As well, The Potashville Miner-Journal was sold to Robert (Bob) Koskie of Fleming Saskatchewan.

It was in the Jubilee year, 1955. that Phil Flude of the Indian Head News and Bert McKay attested to being the province’s oldest newspaper. Both newspapers began publication in October of 1884. The Moosomin weekly newspaper first started publication in 1884, making it the oldest provincial newspaper in continuous publication.

“To me, the newspaper business was a way to learn about life and how things worked in the real world and how people spoke. You learn all the skills – you learn to listen, you learn to take notes – everything you use later as a novelist was valuable training in the newspaper world.”
Carl Hiaasen

The private library collection of McKay was consulted by Kenneth Bagnell when researching The Little Immigrants: The Orphans Who Came To Canada.Besides being consulted, McKay, in his own right, authored books himself; Tennyson at Moosomin 1883-1899 reached the book shelves in 1976; History of Moosomin United (Methodist) Church, 1889-1929, c1975; The “Peanut”
Reston-Wolseley C. P. R., 1906-1961 in 1976 Moosomin and the Mounted: A History of the Force at Moosomin 1882 to 1973 was published in 1974 researching through archival materials at the provincial archives, as well as the newspapers of McKay Publications.

McKay, active in community work was also president of the citizen’s organization, Keep Our Doctors, ; secretary Moosomin Agricultural Society; secretary of the Moosomin-Pipestone Lake Resort authority and director of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. McKay pointed out that the KOD committee was acting as a support group for information and inquiries regarding the dispute between the province and doctors in light of the proposed compulsory medical care plan of 1962. McKay felt that, “in a measure we have lost the battle,” as physicians were seeking practice outside of the province. McKay, was a proud supporter of the potash industry, Saskatchewan communities and local needs. In 1973 McKay was present at the dedication ceremony for the Rocanville 23 foot high oil can by the Chamber of Commerce who paid tribute to Ernie Symon’s efforts as “Rocanville’s Oil King.”

“A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself”.
Arthur Miller

The community newspapers represent the lifeblood of the community. McKay was known for saying that one may find flyers in the garbage pail, but not the community newspaper which was relevant, and always read.

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”
Cesar Chavez

Further Information:

One Room Schoolhouse Project

Newspaper and Magazine Resources. Saskatchewan Gen Web Project

Bibliography for this article

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Thank you for stopping by, your comments are much appreciated. All rights reserved. Images copyright © Aum Kleem; Article copyright © J Adamson. All my images and text are protected under international authors copyright laws and Canadian photography laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. They may be licensed through Getty images. Peace and love be with you. Namaste. All Rights Reserved

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Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Roof at Saskatchewan’s Mosaic potash mine collapses; no employees were hurt (macleans.ca)
Saskatchewan miners safe but spend day trapped underground by fire (macleans.ca)
Company says Sask. miners safe after hours trapped underground by fire (ctvnews.ca)
Saskatchewan warned about wicked winds (cbc.ca)
Weather turns nasty, again, in Saskatchewan (cbc.ca)
Icy road a factor in fatal crash near Wapella, Sask. (cbc.ca)

Tags: Arthur Ford, Canada, Carl Hiaasen, Chamber of Commerce, Esterhazy, Moosomin, Rudolf Steiner, Saskatchewan

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Categories Landscapes, Placenames

Saskatchewan in 1921 and the 1921 Census.

6 Feb

Saskatchewan in 1921 and the 1921 Census.

1921, an era of transition and change begins. Evolution of a community happens over the course of considerable years. It does not happen, no, that an entire province of people rush out on June 1, 1921 to all buy tractors all at once, and leave Daisy nibbling in the field. The transition from horse and plough to tractor began in a farm here and there, and slowly more and more farmers owned tractor, farm truck and automobile. The 1921 census tells a story of people, and their land, the successes and failures of immigration schemes and homesteading ventures and how life was changing.

History “conjures up feelings of what it was like in a day and age not our own,” speaks John C. Charyk. The first two decades of the 1900s brought with them a huge wave of people to the plains of Saskatchewan. By 1921, these pioneer settlers were proud to call Saskatchewan their home. The early pioneer had divested their time, energy and blood into the land because they had “faith in the possibilities of the country, stood by that faith, and made a success of their undertaking.^[1]“

“The unorganized territories of British North America had been ceded to the Dominion soon after Confederation, and the West had been tapped and traversed by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the eighties and nineties,” documented the Yearbook of Canada 1922/1923. The 1926 Financial Post reported that there were 6,268.72 miles of railway stretching across the province by 1922 serving “2,139 elevators, 896 loading platforms, 554 stockyards, in addition to depots, warehouses, etc.” The yearbook continues, “but though western population doubled with each of these decades, it was only with the launching of a large scale immigration movement after 1900 that western settlement and production became a first-rate economic factor.” In the two decades 1901-1911 and 1911-1921, the census returns showed over 1,800,000 immigrant arrivals to Canada in each of the decades, over 3,600,000 persons in twenty years.

As W.G. Cates, points out, “the 1921 census, as it shows a much lower rate of increase in population during the 1911-1921 period than that of 1901-1911, is naturally disappointing; but the returns must be considered in the light of the Great War…tens of thousands went overseas to their native land to fight; while other tens of thousands went to the United States in order to escape military service.” Some 60,000 militia gave the supreme sacrifice in the theatre of war, and 20,000 Canadians who served remained in the United Kingdom following their term of service. Of these 60,000 Canadians 6,428 were Saskatchewan boys according to the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial. The mass exodus of citizens, the loss of life, accompanied by the tens of thousands of Saskatchewan personnel serving in the armed forces overseas, might lead one to predict a drop in population, however the 1921 census still showed a population increase.

In the early days of the war we were much comforted by the fact that men and women were ready to make sacrifices for this, the greatest cause of all. In Canada, and I am sure elsewhere throughout the Empire, there has been manifest a spirit of co-operation, of mutual helpfulness, of a desire to assist, of self-sacrifice which is most comforting to those who have at heart the welfare of our Empire in years to come. So I am sure it will be in the future. The influence of a spirit of helpfulness and self-sacrifice, which we see everywhere throughout the world, and within our Empire, is one for which I give thanks and am most grateful.” ~ August 14, 1915. Right Honourable Sir Robert Laird Borden, G.C.M.G., M.P. eighth Prime Minister of Canada

The population of Canada was recorded at 7,206,643 in 1911, and according to the Canada Year book 1922-1923, it rose to 8,788,483 in 1921. (Saskatchewan was 757,510.)
If the trend of the first decade had continued, it was estimated that the population should have reached 10,100,000. There were at least a couple of factors at work towards the increase of population. “It should also be taken into account that the returns for the western provinces include about 25,000 returned men, who have been placed on farms through the Soldier Settlement Scheme” noted Cote in his census analysis. The 1921 census showed that not only is there immigration from Europe and the United States, but there is a definite migration from East to West.

70 per cent of the arable farm land was in farms by 1921, and the settlement pattern was established. Professor W.B. Baker chairman of the Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life looks at it this way, “in 1901, 96 per cent of our farmers were owners and 61 per cent of the 13,445 farms were under 200 acres in size. The average size of farm was 285 acres. In 1921, 76.7 per cent of 119,451 farms were owner-operated and 32.5 per cent were under 200 acres while the average size of farm had increased to 369 acres.” In Saskatchewan, 71 per cent of the population was rural, and the remainder urban. The Morning Leader relates that, “more people means more schools and better schools; more roads and better roads; better medical services; more enjoyable community life with all the advantages which must follow.”

However, James Thomas Milton Anderson speaks of the immigration “problem” in the book “The education of the new-Canadian: A treatise on Canada’s greatest educational problem.” He writes in 1918 following the war years “throughout the prairie provinces great stretches of land have been settled by immigrants from European countries. The language of the home is German, Ruthenian, Hungarian, Bohemian, or Polish, as the case may be. In the villages where they trade they have their own merchants, speaking their own language. In these settlements there is but one force at work to Canadianize their children—the public school.” Dr. Harold W. Foght Specialist in Rural School Practice, summed up the post war hysteria, “Are we to be a homogeneous people on these plains or are we to repeat the tragic sufferings of polyglot Austria” He goes on to discuss “the process of making one Canadian-speaking and thinking people” in A Survey of Education. In 1919, a new school act was passed permitting English as the only language of instruction.

The war had a devastating effect on the peace of mind of the community. Settlers looked at neighbours knowing now who had served for Canada during the Great War, who had deserted, those who chose not to serve, those who left to serve their ancestral lands and those who had lost sons and daughters overseas. Saskatchewan, the great melting pot of immigrants began to give rise to division looking at those who had served with the allies and which communities may have a different allegiance. Saskatchewan peoples along with the rest of Canada sought for a Canadian identity, what it meant to be truly Canadian.

In Western Canada there is to be seen to-day that most fascinating of all human phenomena, the making of a nation. Out of breeds diverse in traditions, in ideals, in speech, and in manner of life, Saxon and Slav, Teuton, Celt and Gaul, one people is being made. The blood strains of great races will mingle in the blood of a race greater than the greatest of them all.
It would be our wisdom to grip these peoples to us with living hooks of justice and charity till all lines of national cleavage disappear, and in the Entity of our Canadian national life, and in the Unity of our world-wide Empire, we fuse into a people whose strength will endure the slow shock of time for the honour of our name, for the good of mankind, and for the glory of Almighty God.” ~ Rev. Dr. Charles William Gordon

Anderson, beginning as inspector of schools around Yorkton between 1911-1918, was appointed director of Education 1918-1922. The Morning Leader reported that “the School Attendance Act was rigidly enforced…a larger percentage of pupils passed their examinations and a great percentage of children made better progress because of regular attendance.” It was to this end that school room classes were awarded $3 a day if an average of 15 pupils attended during the school year, and if the schools offered classes beyond grade 7. During the settlement era, 1901-1921, the Department of Education boasted that a new school district was organised every day of the year, however in 1921 only 100 school districts were formed. The department and community both recognised the benefits of consolidated school districts, however the cost of conveying rural children to a consolidated school placed such a transition on hold in 1921.

So what was life like in Saskatchewan in 1921? Saskatchewan men who had served with the military in the Great War (1914-1918) were beginning to return home. This marked great happiness for families with returned love ones, and a time of grief and sadness mourning those who would never come home. However, not only did the communities have the economic transition of the discharged soldiers entering the work place, but the Spanish influenza set in. About 5,000 lives were lost in Saskatchewan alone from this epidemic.

The war time population in 1916 of 647,835 had grown in five years to 757,510. The Model T automobile began to replace the horse and buggy across the prairies, by 1921 there were 34,085 cars. Dotting farms as well, tractors were commencing to replace horse and plough. In 1921, 19,243 tractors were counted in the census returns on 17,523 farms across the province.

With the increase in mechanized travel, the Department of Highways commenced a project in 1920 of laying better roads and bridges. These early roads followed the surveyed township roads, and travel could be done “on the square”, it was not until the 1950s and 1960s that highways were “straightened”.

Families would have no televisions, nor computers nor video games. “The school children are actively engaged in eliminating Mr. Gopher, and in some cases some ingenious methods of capturing and killing have been invented by the school boys of the province.”^Source” Children would receive two cents bounty or thrift stamps on delivery of gopher tails to their school teacher. By May 1 of 1917, 514,000 gophers had been taken care of by the “Junior Agricultural Service League of Saskatchewan” that spring alone.

1921 was the year before the first Saskatchewan radio station was established, there was no widespread electricity available. Rather than having a television agricultural forum or radio call in “talk show” to catch up on the latest news, farm families could just pick up the telephone and listen in to the “party line” which was often connected to about eight other neighbourly homes. Central exchanges connected various party lines, and in the coldest of winters, without roads, and snow blowers neighbours could catch up on the latest gossip, sales, funerals and chat back and forth.

The high influx of settlers, meant pasture land was being taken up by homesteaders, and the era of the great ranches drew to a close around 1921. The last round up for the Matador ranch was 1921 when 3,400 head of cattle would be taken from the ranch near Saskatchewan Landing (Moose Jaw area) to Waldeck and on to Chicago for sale. No longer would the spring cattle trek see yearlings and two year olds arrive from Texas to the Matador ranch. The ranchers would work long hours, before sun up and after sun down even during the months of long summer days, the treks gave the ranch hands and the settlers an event, and the cowboys had their “semi annual trip to town.”^Source Gone now were the days when “One arriving in town, the first thought was for a drink. In the old days the men would ride right into the building and up to the bar.”

Come alive you fellers,” hear the foreman shout .“Drop your books and banjos, fetch your saddles out…
Shake that squeaky fiddle, Red, go and get your hoss,

“Dutch, ain’t you got duties, as the chuck-wagon boss?

“Range is gettin’ grassy, winter draws its claws,

“Calved are fat an’ sassy, teasin’ of their maws,

“Loafin’ days are over, dreamin’ time is gone,

No more life in clover, for the round-up’s on.”

~ Folksong

1921 was a year of a severe economic depression, Saskatchewan farmers were still reeling from the drought of 1920. Prairie farmers were also hit by the international wheat market collapse of 1921. The growing season of 1921 looked promising showing 14 bushels to the acre as compared to 11 bushels of 1920. Farmers, and communities were very optimistic. The rains came during harvest season and No. 1 Northern Wheat was reduced to No. 4. Despite their threshing efforts, it cost more to take off the crop quickly, and the market price was low. The price for a bushel of wheat brought $1.50, compared to $0.76 in 1921, wheat fell a whopping 50 per cent. During the Great War, the Dominion government “controlled the sale and pricing of wheat” through the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) in 1917, “wheat prices rose to $2.21 a bushel and then $2.62 by 1919.” This same year (1919) that the CWB was dismantled.

The Soldier’s Settlement Act provided for land and loans set at 5% as assistance to erect buildings, purchase livestock, implements and equipment. Though the prices were excellent in 1918 when the soldiers returned home, the growing season was affected by drought, hail and grasshopper infestations. The year of 1919 proved challenging, grasshoppers remained prevalent, wheat was affected by a fungal disease called rust and some areas were hard hit by drought. Returning servicemen on their new Soldier’s Grants were tasked with clearing the land on their newly allocated quarter sections. However, these quarters were not the “best of the best” sections of land, those had already been taken for homestead settlement. The only land which was left were areas which had been already abandoned by homesteader or Indian reserve, forest reserves, and unused school lands.

The drought of 1920 affected the livestock industry of 1921, as there was a shortage of feed, and the market had taken a downward trend. During the “depression in 1921…thousands of farmers and ranchers were ruined….the average dept-ridden farmer of today cannot possibly pay taxes, interest and carry on farm operation on the proceeds of the present prices on farm products,” reported the Calgary Herald. The Minister of Agriculture, Honourable C.M. Hamilton testified “that the average Saskatchewan farm of a half-section worth $12,000, had a mortgage on it of $5,000.” Without tax payments, the school districts had no ability to pay their teachers, Austin F. Cross recalls months of despair and agony which culminated in a turning point in his life when the bank relented to loaning the school trustees money.

Saskatchewan, the land of snow,Where winds are always on the blow,

Where people sit with frozen toes–

And why we stay here, no one knows.

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan,

There’s no place like Saskatchewan.

We sit and gaze across the plains,

And wonder why it never rains,

Till Gabriel doth his trumpet sound,

And says the rain has gone around.

~ William W. Smith

The government under William Melville Martin, second premier of Saskatchewan The provincial government supported railway freight rate reductions, and rail branch line construction. Although the government coffers were drained from the wartime effort, Martin established $5 million available to farmers through a mortgage lending organization through the sale of government bonds.

As of June 1, 2013 92 years will have elapsed since 1921 when the census enumerators went out door to door on June 1, 1921. So, according to Library and Archives Canada, the census should be released from Statistics Canada and transferred over to Library and Archives Canada LAC for public usage. According to the LAC, “The 1921 Census was taken on June 1st, which means that it will be in the custody of Library and Archives Canada on June 1, 2013. Our intention is to make it available to researchers online, in the same format as previous censuses, as soon as possible after that date.^Source“//

The Canadian Century Research Infrastructure CCRI is currently creating a 4% sampling of the 1921 Census of Canada in conjunction with Statistics Canada. Currently the instructions to enumerators is available as a pdf file. The CCRI will also look towards establishing databases for the 1911, 1921, 1931, 1941 and 1951 census as well.

The lure of love and the west.If you’ve heard the wild goose honking, if you’ve seen the sunlit plain,
If you’ve breathed the smell of ripe grain, dewy, wet,

You may go away and leave it, say you will not come again,

But it’s in your blood, you never can forget.

~Nellie McClung

~ Article written by J. Adamson

Further Information:

Census Information

Saskatchewan History and Ethnic Roots

1919 Alberta, Saskatchewan Manitoba Waghorn’s Guide

1925 Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Waghorn’s Guide

Gazetteer of U.S. and Canadian Railroads 1922

Saskatchewan Highway Map 1925

Rand McNally 1924 Indexed Pocket Map

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Maps 1924

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Saskatchewan Census News Release

Why were Canadian “Last Best West” homesteads created?

The Era of Saskatchewan One Room Schoolhouses

How did pioneers travel to their prairie homesteads?

Where were Saskatchewan Homesteads Located?

How do I locate my ancstor’s home town in Saskatchewan? Have you ever visited your ancestral home?

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Follow me on Flickr, Word Press, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Tumblr, Live Journal, 500 px and Flickriver

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Saskatchewan Census News Release (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Electoral map causes dissent in Saskatchewan (metronews.ca)
Battle lines drawn over proposed changes to Saskatchewan’s electoral map (canada.com)
Fight brewing over Saskatchewan’s electoral map (cbc.ca)

Tags: 1921, Canada, Canadian Century Research Infrastructure, Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Wheat Board, cattle drive, CCRI, census, CPR, CWB, debt, drought, Education, farm, forgotten depression, genealogy, Great War, immigration, international wheat collapse, James Thomas Milton Anderson, LAC, language crisis, Library and Archives Canada, Matador Ranch, Model T, party line, pioneer, Premier Martin, railways, ranching, roads, Saskatchewan, school districts, schools, settlement, soldier settlement, Soldiers Settlement, tractor, truck, United States, what, William Melville Martin, World War I

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Categories Census

Saskatchewan Census News Release

6 Feb

Saskatchewan Census News Release

It is truly an exciting time for genealogists and historians researching roots in Canada, as public record keeping which began in pre-confederation times, and in the early years of Canada can now be released to the general public.

Census records provide invaluable information to the genealogical researcher. A primary source record when gives the family members in relation to the head of the family, the address. The agricultural census provides a look at land holdings and livestock to get an idea how a homesteader was faring proving up his land in the early twentieth century.

The census taken every ten years between 1851 to 1911 have been indexed and offered online at ancestry.com. Searchable as well is the census of western Canada taken in 1906 and 1916. This was part of a project initiated in 2008 when the Library and Archives Canada partnered up with Ancestry.ca Additionally the historical census are also searchable online via Ancestry.com covering the era between 1851-1916.

The original holdings of the census or the primary source records are at the Library and Archives Canada. To search for a particular family or surname, the census originals on the LAC web site are arranged by Federal enumeration district. To determine the district you can search for the land location through the homestead (land) records, by reading a local history / family biography book, the census records transcribed on automated genealogy, using a rural municipality or historical map to determine township, range and meridian, searchable database, finding the cemetery, birth, death or marriage (bmd) record which would record the place of residence

Ancestry.ca took it upon themselves to digitize and index the microfilm records in the LAC holdings. At some time the complete digitized records will be available free of charge to visitors of the LAC website. At this time, the Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906 is fully searchable on Library and Archives Canada by surname, given name, age and province.

When using the census for other years at Library and Archives Canada to locate an ancestral family, a knowledge of historical geography will be of assistance. Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, and before this the population was enumerated as part of the Northwest Territories. In 1882 the Northwest Territories were divided into provisional districts using distinct and different borders than the current provinces.

To determine other Saskatchewan census information and web sites online, a collection is assembled at the Saskatchewan Gen Web Census Information web page. This web page includes the Census for the Hamlet of Insinger, Saskatchewan taken in 1921, the Census for the Hamlet of Duff, Saskatchewan 1920, as well as the Census for the Hamlet of Duff, Saskatchewan 1920 which were compiled online by Sue (Kesiah).

Provincial archives additionally have a number of other village and town census records. These records done on the years when the National census was not being taken were compiled to determine the localities eligibility to incorporate as a town and the need to show the pre-requisite population of 500 or more residents. If a town, the locality may choose to incorporate as a city with a population of 5,000 or more persons, if the census count so warrants.

Public libraries have on file the census 1666-1916 available on microfilm or can obtain it via interlibrary loan if they have a microfilm reader. Along with the Census of Canada, the 1918 Census of Independent Doukhobors: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia compiled into a finding aid by Jonathon Kalmakoff is available through the provincial archives and libraries.

“Library and Archives Canada is pleased to be part of this collaborative agreement with Ancestry.ca, which” said Mr. Ian E. Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, “…will truly enhance Canadians’ ability to fully explore their documentary heritage and will also be of great interest to those around the world with ancestors who immigrated to or visited Canada.”

“This is a win-win relationship for Library and Archives Canada and Ancestry.ca as the partnership,” says Josh Hanna, Senior VP, Ancestry International reports, “…will create a seamless flow for digitizing and indexing vast Canadian records and will be a huge benefit to family history researchers in Canada who will soon have the opportunity to access more collections than ever before.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also partnered with Ancestry.com providing the expertise, experience and person hours in the indexing of the 1916 census. Family Search now provides the 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1916 census online . The
1911 census is in the Family History libraries.

First partnering with the LAC back in 2008 in regards to the census, now Ancestry.com is partnering with the Saskatchewan Genealogy Society. Look toward the addition of the Saskatchewan Genealogy Society Indexes in 2013 to the Ancestry.com Canadian collections.

The Library and Archives Canada has indeed become “your gateway to Canadian’s past.” It is with pleasure and inspiration to see the several diverse communities and organizations come together to share the information in the new digital age. Enjoy the new records being released which provide an insight into diverse peoples and settlers. The information reveals a fascinating insight into Saskatchewan’s rich agricultural history and multicultural heritage. ~ Article written by J. Adamson

Further Information:

Census Information

Saskatchewan History and Ethnic Roots

1919 Alberta, Saskatchewan Manitoba Waghorn’s Guide

1925 Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Waghorn’s Guide

Gazetteer of U.S. and Canadian Railroads 1922

Saskatchewan Highway Map 1925

Rand McNally 1924 Indexed Pocket Map

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Maps 1924

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Bibliography:

Archives Canada Directory of Selected Genealogical Resources.

Canadian Census Collection 1997-2013 Ancestry.com

Censuses of Canada 1851, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916. Library and Archives Canada.

The Historical Canadian Census Collection 1851-1916 ~ Ancestry.com 1997-2013 Ancestry.com

Library and Archives Canada Partners with Ancestry.ca ~ What’s New ~ Library and Archives Canada Partnership allows unprecedented online access to Canadian historical records.
2008-11-10

Saskatchewan Gen Web Project ~ Census

What to Search Topics: Genealogy and Family History ~ Library and Archives Canada 2011-08-22.

______________________________________________________________________________

Why were Canadian “Last Best West” homesteads created?

The Era of Saskatchewan One Room Schoolhouses

How did pioneers travel to their prairie homesteads?

Where were Saskatchewan Homesteads Located?

How do I locate my ancestor’s home town in Saskatchewan? Have you ever visited your ancestral home?

______________________________________________________________________________

Follow me on Flickr, Word Press, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Tumblr, Live Journal, 500 px and Flickriver

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Tags: ancestry, census, descendants, family history, family search, genealogy, heritage, history, LAC, Library and Archives Canada, pioneer, Sask Gen Web, Saskatchewan Genealogy Society, SGS

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Categories Census

Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History

4 Jan

Blossom by Blossom the spring begins Easter Crocus- Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Church ONline Parish Register History

Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has recently released online Saskatchewan Catholic Church Records which include baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials, and other records between 1846-1957. The following account is a brief history of the Roman Catholic churches, parishes, missions and their congregations in the localities which have released their pioneering church registers.

If priests could be formed, afire with zeal for men’s salvation, solidly grounded in virtue – in a word, apostolic men deeply conscious of the need to reform themselves, who would labor with all the resources at their command to convert others – then there would be ample reason to believe that in a short while people who had gone astray might be brought back to the long neglected duties of religion. We pledge ourselves to all the works of zeal that priestly charity can inspire… We must spare no effort to extend the Savior’s Empire and destroy the dominion of hell.– Saint Eugene de Mazenod (August 1, 1782 – May 21, 1861) founded the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

The Red River Settlement was the first western community establishing Christian missions and churches in western Canada (known as Rupert’s Land between May 6, 1670 and July 15, 1870). Two Roman Catholic priests, Father Joseph-Norbert Provencher (1787-1853) and Father Sévère-Joseph-Nicolas Dumoulin (1793-1853), arrived in 1818 at Red River and undertook missionary training. It wasn’t until 1840 that the Roman Catholic Church began expanding westward across the prairies to Fort Pitt, Fort Edmonton and to other Hudson Bay Company Forts in the plains under early missionary priests such as Father Jean-Baptiste Thibault (1810-1879) and Father Jean-Édouard Darveau (1816-1844).

Three main factors served the expansion of the Roman Catholic church. The “persons who eagerly left France to seek hardship of life in Canada were zealous priests and nuns who came to convert the Indians to Christianity.”~ Dorland p49 The French government was eager for an expansion of the fur trade, and the conversion and friendship of the Indians was deemed necessary. Father Le Caron began missionary work in Quebec as early as 1615. In 1818, a permanent mission arose in the Red River Settlement under Father Provencher. The Cathedral of St. Boniface was erected in 1844 by Bishop Provencher to serve the Apostolic Vicariate of North-West (established from the Archdiocese of Québec). From here, missionaries began traveling west, and Fathers Lafleche and Taché established the mission at Île-à-la-Crosse, Rupert’s Land in 1846 as a base for the Northern posts. The Diocese of St. Boniface was created in 1847 serving all of the northwestern areas of Canada. The pioneering works of early missionaries in Canada was published overseas, and these “Relations” were widely read, encouraging others in the church to serve as missionaries.

1867 marks the year when Canada formed as a nation, referred to as the Canadian confederation year. On March 20, 1869, Rupert’s Land was sold by The Hudson’s Bay Company to Canada. This great expanse of land became known as the North West Territories (NWT) (les Territoires du Nord-Ouest, TNO). By 1871, the Suffragan Sees of St. Boniface, St. Albert and British Columbia were formed.

The Dominion Lands Act of 1872 made homesteads available for a $10 filing fee. On December 16, 1878, Patrick Gammie Laurie of the Saskatchewan Herald the North West Territories first newspaper, wrote, “Within the last five years…the buffalo-hunter is rapidly giving way to the farmer, and the Indian trader to the merchant.”~Hardy pp300 In 1882 the NWT was divided into districts ~ Assiniboia, Alberta, Keewatin, Athabaska and Saskatchewan. In the late 1800s, L’abbé Jean Gaire, l’abbé Louis Pierre-Gravel, and l’abbé Moise Blais all had designation of “missionnaire-colonisateur” for the Diocese of Saint-Boniface, recruiting, colonizing and acting as land agents as well as missionaries for the diocese and its several missions. In 1890, the Vicariate-Apostolic body of the Saskatchewan was created The railway reached Regina in 1883, both Saskatoon, Yorkton, and Prince Albert in 1890 and Willow Bunch in 1926. Along the iron tracks, frontier towns, villages and communities were springing up.

John Archer, summarizes the second factor, as, “The church contributed to the spiritual and educational life of pioneer communities, bringing hope, comfort and social contacts to the lonely and frequently disheartened homesteading families”~Archer 78. By the end of the 1800s church work shifted from mission work with the First Nations to also establishing parishes in the early pioneer agricultural communities. European Catholics joined the French Catholic immigrants, soon priests were not only trained in English and First Nation languages, but also learned the language of their community. The work of the sisters creating convents, hospitals, and schools complemented the spiritual services of the Roman Catholic church. Religious bloc settlements even immigrated with their missionary priest such as the German Catholic settlers in St. Peter’s, St. Joseph’s (Josephtal) and St. Joseph’s Colonies. Early settlements would remain faithful, with services held in pioneer homes, tents, school houses, hotel dining rooms, railway stations or even barn haylofts until the congregation constructed a church.

Western Canada began with mission churches serving ethnic bloc communities. “The Catholics had missions for the Métis at St. Laurent near Fort Carlton, and at St. Labert, Lac la Biche and Lac St. Anne.” ~Hardy p300 Wauchope, Bellegarde, Wolseley, Lebret, Willow Bunch and Montmartre were all listed as French centres in the Archdiocese of Regina. Whereas, Balgonie, Mariahilf (Grayson), Regina, Holdfast and Claybank served German congregations. Cedoux, Candiac and Ituna were predominantly Polish Roman Catholic parishioners. Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Swift Current were diverse Roman Catholic churches listed in the Archdiocese of Regina.

The third factor which affected the expansion of the Roman Catholic church in Canada occured when the government in France passed the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and State (Loi du 9 décembre 1905 concernant la séparation des Églises et de l’État) caused an upheaval. No longer could religion be taught in public schools funded by the government of France. “As the clergy,” in France, “were in the main monarchist in their political sympathies this was a reason for fearing their influence on the educational system” said Alfred Cobban, Professor of French history. The teaching brothers and sisters were driven away by the government in France. The newspaper “La Croix” advertised teaching opportunities and freedoms of religion in Canada. Missionaries were needed by the Roman Catholic church in Western Canada for the rapidly growing population and villages which sprung up like wild fires along the rails. It was on September 1, of this same year, 1905, that the province of Saskatchewan formed from lands taken from the Districts of Athabaska, Assiniboia, and Saskatchewan North West Territories.

The early priest was often a homesteading farmer as well as postmaster, and school teacher. Appointments in the country side were met with long drives, and the missionary fathers “went their rounds by horse and buggy, on horseback, and sometimes on foot.” ~ MacDonald p.3 Priests would hitch a stoneboat to a team of horses to maneuver the winter snow drifts. “Sparsity of settlement meant long treks to church for many people and lengthy trips for the clergy when visiting parishioners.” ~ MacDonald p.69 At permanently established mission sites, the missionary now constructed chapel, home, established a garden and put in a crop for homestead duties.

In all matters one must act as if success depended on our skill and to put in God all our confidence as if all our efforts could produce nothing. ~(Saint Eugene de Mazenod founded the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. )

Index

______________________________________________________________________________

Why were Canadian “Last Best West” homesteads created?

The Era of Saskatchewan One Room Schoolhouses

How did pioneers travel to their prairie homesteads?

Where were Saskatchewan Homesteads Located?

How do I locate my ancstor’s home town in Saskatchewan?
Have you ever visited your ancestral home?

______________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for stopping by, your comments are much appreciated. All rights reserved. Copyright © Aum Kleem. All my images and text are protected under international authors copyright laws and Canadian photography laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. They may be licensed throgh Getty images. Peace and love be with you. Namaste.

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Follow me on Flickr, Word Press, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Tumblr, Live Journal, 500 px and Flickriver

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Table of Contents Church Parish Localities

Saskatchewan’s Archaeological Cemeteries (aumkleem.wordpress.com)

Tags: Archbishop, Arrat, Baptêmes et Sépultures, Battleford, Battleford Saskatchewan, Bishop, Canada, Catholic Church, church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, congregation, Diocese, Father, Green Lake, history, la-Crosse, LDS, Liber baptismorum, Manitoba, matrimoniorum pro ecclesia Catholica, meridian, mission, Mission de Brochet, Mission de la Visitation, Mission de Sainte-Gertrude, Mission de St Joseph, Mission St Florent, Missions Visitation, Mixed parishes, monseigneur, Notre Dame de l'Esperance, Notre Dame de la Salette, Notre Dame du Rosaire, Our Lady of Good Help, Our Lady of Victories, parish, Parish Register Records, priest, range, Registre des Mariages, Registres Paroissiaux, Roman Catholic Church, Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Saint Rapheal, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Sainte Delphine, Sask, Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sk, St Aloysius, St Andrew, St Anne, St Bernards, St Coeur de Marie, St Donatien, St Gerard, St Ignace, St Joseph, St Julien, St Mary, St Paschal, St Paul's, St Philip, St Philippe Neri, St Vital, township, Vincent Nichols

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Categories Flora, Religion

Cemetery Preservation: Preserving Landscapes of Memories

20 Dec

Cemetery Preservation: Preserving Landscapes of Memories

This is part 1 of a 7 part series

Cemeteries are revered as consecrated, sacred places in the community, a place of value to the residents in the community. The Saskatchewan Genealogy Society has launched the SCCMP “The Saskatchewan Cemetery Care and Maintenance Program”. The program guidelines, and application information are available online. Through this project, the SCCMP provides matching grants as assistance to restore, and care for cemeteries which are in need of assistance.

As a first step of assistance, please ensure that all cemeteries are registered with the Saskatchewan Cemeteries Registry as per The Cemeteries Act of 1999. The Saskatchewan Genealogy Society has placed a Saskatchewan Cemetery Index online which records the designated Rural

Municipality for the area. All cemeteries need to be registered to protect burial sites in order to maintain and preserved these unmarked sites. Contact the Municipality Clerk in the Rural Municipality office.

As genealogists, archaeologists and historians are aware, cemeteries and their tombstone markers face many hazards, from weathering, commercial expansion, neglect and abandonment. Cemeteries in jeopardy benefit greatly from record creation. Multiple agencies across the province of Saskatchewan are transcribing, video taping and photographing over 3,430 cemeteries. Additionally cemetery indexes area available through Amicus at the Library and Archives Canada. However, the Registrar of Cemeteries has 406 cemetery plans 12% of recorded cemeteries, and the Land Titles Registry notes 700 cemetery land locations, 20% of known cemeteries. In many cases the rural municipality office will have cemetery plot records, however old cemeteries or older cemetery sections may have no known plot records available.

“The common conception that the cemetery holds the memory of all who died and were buried before us is a false one,” writes Meredith G. Watkins. Cemeteries have undertaken Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to ascertain the completeness of their cemetery internment records. The town of Langham, for instance, undertook such a venture to identify burial sites which would correlate with existing cemetery plot records. Such GPR surveys also prevent disarticulation in an inactive cemetery or where cemetery plot records were lost due to office fire or calamity. The resulting cemetery sketches and survey maps are invaluable tools showing all landscape features, height and age of vegetation, terrain type, contour, slopes as well as all burial sites.

Additional Resources:

Links

Canada Gen Web Saskatchewan Cemeteries Project

Network Canadian Cemetery Management September 2010 Vol 24 No 10

Saskatchewan Gen Web Cemetery Resources and Organisations

Saskatchewan Genealogy Society Cemetery Index

Saskatchewan Historic Cemetery Manual

SCCMP “The Saskatchewan Cemetery Care and Maintenance Program”

Books

Victorian cemetery art by Edmund Vincent Gillon

Bibliography:

Links to sources are embedded in text above.

Additionally:

Redfield, Robert, Ralph Linton and Melville J. Herkovits

1936 Memorandum for the Study of Acculturation. American Anthropologist 38(1):149-
152.

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Moon Fleur ~ Luna Rose by Julia Adamson

Opening ceremony for Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery planned for Dec. 7 (al.com)
Law does not allow animal cemeteries (timesofmalta.com)
There’s a hippo near the cemetary! (andrewazzopardi.org)
Cranial deformation discovered in 1000 year old Mexican cemetery (sott.net)
Prescott wrestles with issues on family cemeteries (mysanantonio.com)
What you might find in the cemetery (examiner.com)
Legal action against appalling cemetery long overdue (mysanantonio.com)
Arlington Cemetery debuts new interactive map (wjla.com)

Tags: archaeology, Bone Yard, burial, burial ground, cemetery, cemetery history, Cemetery Preservation, cemetery tour, conservation, Death, graveyard, Ground Penetrating Radar, history, journey, National Park Service, preservation, Preserving Landscapes of Memories, rural municipality, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Genealogy Society, SCCMP, The Saskatchewan Cemetery Care and Maintenance Program, tombstone, travel, trip, vacation

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Categories Cemetery, Flora

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Commander Harold Wilson

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Recognized for Outstanding Civic Service and Meritorious Military Achievement.

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H.W. Balfour Awards and Honours.

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Reno Hill School District 5158; Memories of When the Water Came

The price paid for electricity

Squaw Rapids Reel

Reno Hill School District 5158 South east section 18 township 53 range 11 west of the 2nd meridian

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One Room Schoolhouse Naming

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Bert McKay of Moosomin

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Saskatchewan in 1921 and the 1921 Census.

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Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History

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Reno Hill School District 5158
South east section 18 township 53 range 11 west of the 2nd meridian