Learning from History; Orange Shirt Day

Today, Sept. 30th is Orange Shirt Day. I am sharing these 3 articles from the Edmonton Bulletin. They speak for themselves and you can draw your own conclusions in these lesson from history. The first article is from 1894, and the next two from 1897. They are transcribed and the language is that of the time.

WARNING: May be triggering for some.

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May 24, 1894

J.H. Picard, of Larue & Picard, left [Edmonton] on Wednesday for Lesser Slave Lake, accompanying the party of Bishop Clut.

HIs Lordship Bishop Clut, of Mackenzie River, and six Sisters of Providence left on Wednesday for Athabasca Landing and Lesser Slave Lake, where the rev. sisters will establish a school.

(The school was St. Bernard's Mission in the area we now know as Grouard, Alberta)

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(From the Bulletin on January 21, 1897)

St. Bernard Mission, Jan. 6, ‘97

EDITOR BULLETIN:

SIR, Let me tell you a few words about this Far North country where I have been for a few months past. A sketch of the manner in which Christmas and the feasts following were celebrated will show how the mission has succeeded so far.

As the merry bells of Christmas peal forth the midnight hour we enter the little chapel. Its usual sombre aspect has given way to a blaze of light, and we might say a garden of flowers. The joyous sounds of “Entonnou un joyeux Noel,” greet our ears as we come in. The imitation of the infant Saviour reposing in a rocky cave is really very good. His Lordship, Bishop Clut, sings the Pontifical high mass, and is assisted by the fathers of the missions. The singing executed by the children of the convent under the direction of the Sisters of Providence was really splendid. “The Mass in C” by Alys Wuerth, the Annunciation by Sanbilotte, the “Hodie Christus” by J.L. Battman and many other hymns in French and Cree.

On New Year’s Eve, I had the pleasure of assisting an entertainment given by the pupils of the convent in the building which from want of funds cannot be completed at present. The pupils who number up to 74 are either half-breeds or pure savages. Here we see such a change in them, in clothing and new ways that the parents themselves can hardly recognize their own children. The programme was executed in perfect English and French before a large audience, among whom we distinguished His Lordship Bishop Clut, Rev. Fathers Demarais, Husson, Faller [Falher] and Laferier and the Messrs. Harvey, Betteson, Gregory, Hamilton, Gaudet of the Hudson’s Bay Company, also Beauchamp, of Larue & Picard’s employ. The surprise and admiration of those latter gentlemen knew no bounds. We could hardly believe the savage children could act their parts so well and with such assurance in languages, which two or three years ago were entirely unknown to them. The evening closed by the distribution of presents furnished by kind benefactors of Montreal and Edmonton. As you can see, this Far North country is growing fast in civilization and Christianity.

Written by N. Brissette

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(From the Bulletin June 28, 1897)

A public examination given by the pupils of the convent of St. Bernard’s mission, Lesser Slave Lake, took place on Friday, 11th June, in one of the rooms of the new convent. Sixty pupils were present, and surprised and interested the audience by their ready answers to the questions made them both in English and French, and by the execution of a long and interesting programme which consisted of songs, recitations, dialogues and addresses, given both on English and French and followed by a distribution of prizes among the successful contestants.

Rev. Father Falher presided over this little test as His Lordship Bishop [Clut] and Rev. Father Desmarais had left for Edmonton a few days previous. He addressed a few words in French to the pupils and in Cree to the parents of the children.

Mr. Picard, of Larue & Picard, Edmonton, then made a few remarks in English, saying that three years ago on his way from Edmonton to Lesser Slave Lake, a voyage which he had made with the Rev. Sisters, these latter had picked up 13 children, one might say on the shores of the lakes, and recognizing some of them among the ranks he could hardly believe them to be the same children now able to read, write and speak English and French. He also told the children the Rev. Sisters were real mothers to them and they should obey and respect them and by doing so they would acquire happiness during their school days as also in later years.

There were present at the examination the Rev. Fathers Falher and Laferriere, the brothers of the mission, Messrs. Picard, Hamilton, Gunn, MacDermot, [Brissette], Tate and Provost, besides a large number of natives.

Written by A Subscriber.

Lesser Slave Lake

June 14th, ‘97

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