Fleming School, located at 2320 Louise Avenue, Brandon, MB, was a part of the Brandon School Division from its creation in 1914 until its closure in 2005. The school was named to commemorate the life of pioneer Dr. Alexander Fleming. Fleming, who was a Scottish born immigrant, came to Brandon in 1881, where he worked as Brandon's first medical doctor and pharmacist. He also held the role of chairman for the Brandon School Board. Fleming died in Brandon on November 26, 1897.
Rapid population growth in the City of Brandon in the early part of the 20th century resulted in a need for additional school buildings; Fleming School was among the schools established during this period. Designed by W.H. Shillinglaw, the structure was constructed out of concrete, wood and brick, and included a basement. When the school first opened, it was composed of six classrooms; after two renovations in 1953 and 1962, the school expanded with more classrooms and a gymnasium. At the time of its closure, Fleming School could accommodate seven classes, covering grades kindergarten to grade six.
Around 2004, the Brandon School Division decided to close Fleming Elementary School. Prior to the closure a celebration was held on January 14, 2005, to honour the school's 90th Anniversary. Following the school's official closing, students were reallocated to Earl Oxford Elementary School (540 18th Street). Some of the former staff found work in other schools within the Division, while Craig Manson, the last principal of Fleming School, became principle of Green Acres Elementary School.
The building formerly used as Fleming Elementary School became a high school for the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in late 2006. The Band bought the building in late 2010.
Custodial History
Records were collected and created by Fleming School staff and administration, many for the 90th anniversary and closing of the school. Craig Manson, the last principal of Fleming School, gave the records to David Wilson, who donated them to the S.J. McKee Archives in 2015.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records that document the history of Fleming School. Many of the records were created and gathered specifically by Craig Manson and others for the school's 90th anniversary; on November 19, 2006 an ad written by Grant Hamilton was placed in the Brandon Sun with Jean Pickard asking for potential archives from Fleming School to be donated by contacting Keith Heide at the Brandon School Division. The archives were to be used in a display on education in Brandon to be located in the Town Centre in June 2007. Other records were collected and created by the school's staff and administration to document the activities and student of their school.
Textual records include newspaper clippings, staff and administration lists (1914-2005), programs, calendars, correspondence, anecdotes, as well as records related to the events surrounding the 90th anniversary and the closure of the school. The 90th anniversary celebration materials include Craig Manson's speech and agenda, the lyrics to the school song, and a list of people in attendance. The newspaper clippings, with capture the experiences of Fleming students, are evidence of the staff's interest in the lives of their current and former students.
Also included in the textual records is in depth genealogical research for the Fleming family. The research includes birth and death dates, photographs of grave sites and residences of Fleming family members, as well as some correspondence around the school's 90th anniversary. The photographs in the album include both originals and photocopies.
Photographs in the collection, like the newspaper clippings, document the activities and events of Fleming School, its students and staff. They include candid's from the classroom, various ceremonies (including the 90th anniversary), and the celebration of holidays (especially Halloween). There are also a number of class and staff portraits.
The collection also includes audio visual materials. The VHS recording entitled "Fleming School 90th Birthday Tea," runs approximately 75 minutes and was videoed by Ian Carkener. The DVD, which runs 42 minutes, was created by the staff and students for the 90th anniversary celebration. It has three components: "Through the Decades" shows students re-enacting school scenes from earlier decades; "Students at Work and Play," shows the 2004-2005 students in their classroom environment during holiday celebrations, school ceremonies and working on assignments; and "Reflections," which includes a slide show of photographs of Fleming School throughout the years set to music.
Finally, the collection includes four artifacts: one 90th anniversary celebration balloon with an image of the school building and the its years of operation printed on it; a school magnet with the school phone number and an image of the brick school building; and two pins. The first pin is circular with a black background and gold details including the school's name, three silhouettes and three maple leaves. The second pin appears to have a hornet or bee emblem with the number 72.
Notes
History/bio information was taken from the records, as well as the Manitoba Historical Society's website (Alexander Fleming, Fleming School - accessed on September 30, 2016), the Brandon School Division website (Fleming School - accessed on September 30, 2016) and Grant Hamilton's article "Gathering school archives while they can" (Brandon Sun, November 19, 2006). Description by Megan Treloar (September 2016) and Christy Henry.
Most of the photos are in peel and stick albums and the albums have a number of condition issues
History / Biographical
Valleyview Leisure Club (VLC) began in April 1978 as a senior's activity group in conjunction with Valleyview Community Centre. The impetus for the creation of the group was a meeting between John Svenson, Regional Director for Westman Seniors, and seniors in the Valleyview area who met to discuss the organization of a seniors club. At the time the club was established, space was limited at the Community Centre because some school classes were held there during the construction of Riverheights School. However, a New Horizons grant enabled the VLC to remodel and furnish the basement area of the Valleyview Community Centre for the Leisure Club. A Grand Opening of the space was held in May of 1980; there was a special luncheon and the offical ribbon was cut by Hon. Ed McGill.
The Valleyview Leisure Club was run by a board and its associated committees and governed by a constitution. Members were charged an annual membership fee, as well as user fees for the various activities. In the early years, the CLub had monthly membership business meetings in conjunction with an evening meal and entertainment. The use of the basement area was varied and included: cards; shuffleboard and other games; craft activities; fundraisers; raffles; dances; and luncheons, dinners and potlucks. The space was also rented out for private functions, particularly special birthdays and anniversary's of community members. The Club made annual contibutions to the parent Community Centre, as well as helping the Community Centre functions (winter carnival etc.)
In the course of time, the activities of the VLC became more focused on cribbage and bridge, with several regular groups scheduled at regular weekly time slots. At the time of the organization's disbanding, the following groups were active: Friday afternoon contract bridge - the "original" bridge group at the Centre; Tuesday afternoon cribbage; Thursday afternoon "Retired Educators" contract bridge - this group had played in vacant space at Neelin School up until around 1989. Its membership was eventually opened up to anyone who wanted to play in that time slot; Wheat City Duplicate Bridge Club - formed in the City as a sanctioned club and had a number of locations around town. When it moved to the Leisure Club, it came as a renter only, but chose in 2012 to join as VLC members; and Monday afternoon duplicate bridge - in an effort to increase the number of duplicate bridge plays, a "beginners" duplicate group was established with lessons, which proved to be a popular decision. The group thrived and most of the Thursday evening playser began to paly at this time also/or instead.
The VLC hosted a Spring and a Fall Bridge Tournament each year, open to anyone, with invitations going to surrounding areas. As well as cash prizes, a cash donation was given to a local charity. In latter years these donations were $500 per tournament. An annual Christmas Dinner was another popular event. It was a catered event, at least in the later years, and was offered at a subsidized price to members. The club also made a donation to Christmas Cheer at this time.
At some point in the organization's history the VLC came to be seen as a tenant of the Valleyview Community Centre, paying a rent of $3000 per year for its use of the basement space, as well as some maintenance expenses. When the Valleyview Community Centre voted to raise the rent to $12,000 per year within two years, the VLC sought other options.
The VLC settled on Prairie Oasis Senior Centre for a nubmer of reasons. First, it offered to provide space for each of the club's existing card groups at the same time slots with no membership fees. Second, the move would also eliminate the increasingly difficult task of fielding a board of directors to run the club. Finally, the Prairie Oasis location offered the advantage of level access; the basement location of the VLC had excluded several of the club's former members with mobility issues.
Effective September 1, 2014, the Valleyview Leisure Club was dissolved. The club disposed of equipment either by donating it to Prairie Oasis or to Valleyview Community Centre. Once all debts were cleared the Board voted to distribute the cash assets to the following local charities: Big Brothers and Sisters; Food For Thought; Humane Society; Prairie Oasis Senior Centre/Meals on Wheels; Salvation Army; Samaritan House; Seniors For Seniors Co-op Inc.; The Soup Kitchen; Westman Regional Hospital; Westman Hospice; and Y Kids.
Custodial History
Records were created and collected by Valleyview Leisure Club and donated to the S.J. McKee Archives by Barry Reilly following the disbandment of the club in 2015.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created and maintained by the Valleyview Leisure Club to document their activities and membership. The records detail club events, finances, insurance and meetings.
Records include meeting minutes, agendas, posters, correspondence, budget plans, grants, constitutions, newspaper clippings, membership lists, phone directories, membership rosters, financial statements, secretarial records, photo albums and other miscelleanous records.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by the Valleyview Leisure Club. Description by Amanda Gramchuk (October 2016) and Christy Henry.
Some of the pages and photographs in the scrapbooks have become loose
History / Biographical
Southwest B "Region" Women's Institute is a regional board within Manitoba Women's Institute.
According to their website, Manitoba Women’s Institute (MWI) operates under an umbrella structure of a provincial board and regional boards as directed in the Constitution and Bylaws. The provincial board serves to co-ordinate the activities of the organization on a provincial scale and link with other provincial, national, and international organizations. Regional boards are responsible for activities within their regions and for assisting with communication between the provincial board and the membership. Local institutes serve members in local communities or local geographic areas.
The Southwest B "Region" Women's Institute covers the area south of the Trans Canada Highway and from Killarney west to the Saskatchewan border. Historically it has encompassed locals from the follwing areas: Bardal, Boissevain, Broomhill, Dand, Deloraine, Dublin, Ebor, Elgin, Elva, Hartney, Kemnay, Lauder, Lyleton, Medora, Melita, Napinka, Pierson, Regent, Souris, Springvale, Tilston, Wakada and Whitewater.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of the Southwest B Region Women's Institute until thier donation to the McKee Archives in 2014.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created by the Southwest B Region Women's Institute during the course of their activities and operations.
Records include: eight minute books (1926-1997); a small scribbler listing Convention and some Board meeting attendance (2001-2013); and two Treasurer's/cash record books (1940-1944 and 1951-1992). The photographs are portraits of the Women's Institute Leadership Class (1961 and 1962), attendees on stage at the F.W.E.C Convention, Wolfville NS (July 1964) and the Manitoba delegation to Wolfville NS (July 1964).
Notes
History/Bio information was taken from the records and from the Manitoba Women's Instutite webpage (http://www.mbwi.ca/about-mwi/local-institutes/. Accessed January 2017). Description by Christy Henry.
Finding Aid
A detailed list of meeting dates for the minute books was provided by the donor. It is located in the donation file.
Storage Location
2016 accessions
photographs in RG 5 photograph drawer by accession number
Some warping. Small hole in background on middle left
Custodial History
Photo was donated to the McKee Archives by Bernice La Buick in 2012. She bought it that summer at a yard sale as part of a box of miscellaneous items.
Scope and Content
Composite portrait of the Brandon Collegiate 3B class of 1920.
Top Row (L to R): M. Harris; Daisy Patmore; H. Warren, Secretary Treasurer; R. McDorman; M. Abey; K. Cantelon
Second Row (L to R): R. Baldwin; D. McDougall, Principal; J. Gibson
Third Row (L to R): C. Anderson; M. Muller; G. Coristine, Class President; E. Grentham; M. Dorrett; A. Hepinstall
Fourth Row (L to R): M. Skene; M. Davidson; F. Merrell; V. Fielding
Fifth Row (L to R): E. Dorrett; L. Mummery; F. Adolph; M. Maxwell; H. White; E. Kennedy
Sixth Row (L to R): I. Powell; M. Price; F. Green; E. Chalmers
Bottom Row (L to R): J. Mazer; H. Waluk; L. Harper; Miss MacMorine, Class Teacher; Marjorie McKenzie; J. Campell; J. Bolton
Photo was donated to the McKee Archives by Thelma Fisher in May 2015.
Scope and Content
Composite portrait of the Brandon Normal School class of 1940.
Top Row (L to R): H. Hannah; W. Coulthard; E. Holditch; H. tennant; F. Williams; J. Pettifpher; H. Peterson; A. Embury; I. Campbell; J. Hainsworth; I. Vig; M. Townson
Second Row (L to R): L. Thornton; W. Lochhead; M. Ardron; D. Archibald; Miss M.A. Yeomans, Physical Culture; Mr. C. Moore, Principal; K. Watson; J.S. Caldwell; S. Bradley; J. Christie
Third Row (L to R): M. Witt; H. Mikkelsen; O. Scott; M. Scharff; D. Duncan; Miss B.A. Pilling, Primary Art; I. Duchesneau; E. Hawson; M. Simpson; D. Strath; B. Wiggins
Fourth Row (L to R): E. Henderson; C. Smithson; M. Nelin; J. Campbell; M. Young; V. Brown; G. Wenman; I. Turcotte
Fifth Row (L to R): E. Sommerville; M. Reid; I. Henderson; M. Lychacz; E. Duncan; M. Taylor; J. McPhail; D. Irwin; T.V. Cole; J. Regner; M. Skuce; P. Osman
Bottom Row (L to R): G. Pue; A. Berkhold; D. Pue; B. McLean; E. Nash; J. McFarland; J. Bonner; D. Cousins; E. Pratt; N. Boake; K. Middleton; I. Goldie
Fair. Matting has various pieces missing, tears and stains. Large stain encroaches on the top of the image. Other small stains around the edges for the most part.
Custodial History
Photo was donated to the McKee Archives by Audrey and Duncan Wadell in 2011.
Scope and Content
Composite portrait of the Brandon Normal School class of 1903.
William Currie was born on February 28, 1834 in Lanark County, ON. In 1860, he moved to St. Mary's, where he worked in mercantile and grain businesses until 1879, when he emigrated to Manitoba. The following year, he took up homesteading along the Assiniboine River, at a site known as Currie's Landing. He received and forwarded frieght from steamboats travelling the river. From 1893-1902, he served as baliff for the Brandon District, before resigning and moving to Brandon where he engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business.
Currie married Ellen Creighton of Blanchard, ON in 1861. Together they had six chrildren: Robert Wilson Currie, Margaret Anne Currie, Harriet Ellen Currie, William James Currie, James Weldon Currie, and Lottie Louise Currie.
William Currie died on March 30, 1931 in Brandon, MB.
Scope and Content
Item is a studio portrait of William Currie.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/currie_w.shtml)
Very poor. Item has been broken in half on a diagonal from top to botton. Upper right corner is missing. Various tape stains and some tape residue on the bottom left.
History / Biographical
Lottie Louisa Currie was born on September 9, 1876 in St. Mary's, Perth, ON, to William and Eleanor Currie. She came to the Brandon area with her family in the 1880s. Currie worked as a bookkeeper and stenographer for Smith & Burton, from at least 1906 until the business ceased operations in 1917.
Currie continued working in bookkeeping and accounts, first for Brandon Gas & Power Co., then for the Manitoba Power Commission. She appears to have retired around 1942. She is not listed as living in Brandon between 1943-1945, but was once again a resident by 1947. Currie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a charter member of the Brandon Business and Professional Women's Club and in 1916, she passed her examinations for the St. John's Ambulance Association.
Lottie Louisa Currie died on November 25, 1972 in Brandon, MB.
Smith & Burton, a grocery store that also had mail order and china departments, was founded by E.B. Smith and John Burton in the 1886. It was housed at a few locations in downtown Brandon; their location at 829 Rosser Avenue is the one that mostly likely appears in the photograph.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of office employees at Smith & Burton, grocers. Lottie Currie, daughter of William Currie, is shown standing on the left.
Located south of Stanley Park along the 1400 block of Lorne Avenue, Park School was constructed in 1904. Designed by W.A. Elliot and built by the Brandon Construction Company the structure measured 71 x 107 feet and cost approximately $38,000.
The school featured a principal’s office, reception room, staff rooms, an assembly hall for eight hundred, and ten class rooms. The interior walls were lined with mahogany while the floors were made of western pine. The interior of the basement was constructed from Tyndall stone, while Crookston brick trimmed with Bedford stone made up the exterior.
The building was razed in September 1978. Hobbes Manor was built on the location.
Scope and Content
Item is a postcard showing Park School in Brandon, MB.
Gustave Bellegro “Gus” Yaeger was born on July 10, 1878 at Genoa, Italy. The son of Swiss parents, he immigrated to the United States, working in West Virginia then North Dakota before arriving in Brandon, MB in 1910. He worked at various jobs before opening Yaeger's Furs, a fur-coat factory and retail store at 602 Rosser Avenue, in 1919.
Yaeger married Sarah Ellen Williams (1883-1966) of Big Rock, Idaho in 1907. They had two children: Karl Williams Yaeger (1908-1975) and Barbara Yaeger (m. H.H. Ricketts).
Gus Yaeger died on March 25, 1942 in Brandon, MB. His son carried on the business after his death before selling it to one of the managers in 1969.
The Dionne quintuplets, born May 28, 1934, were the first quintuplets known to have survived their infancy. They were born just outside Callandar, ON.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of the Yaeger's Furs Dionne quintuplets Christmas window display. The display features five dolls dressed in fur coats and bonnets, a framed photo of Gus Yaeger, a Christmas tree and a cardboard Santa.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/yaeger_gb.shtml)
Item is a photograph of the City of Brandon's "See you in '82" float advertising Brandon's upcoming Centennial in 1982. The float is a steamboat and features a number of posters.
Stephen Adolph Magnacca was born December 10, 1902 in Winnipeg, MB. He joined the Winnipeg Highland Cadets in 1914, and at the age of 15, he added two years to his age and joined the Winnipeg Light Infantry. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant on June 15, 1923. In 1933, he was promoted to the rank of Major. In 1956, he was made an honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 26th Field Artillery Regiment; he was made a Colonel in 1967.
Magnacca married Grace Rosina Jones in 1927 and together they had two children: Patricia and Allan. Grace Jones was born in Cardiff, Wales on November 22, 1901. She came to Winnipeg as a child. For a few years before her marriage she worked as the circulation manager of The Nor'West Farmer. Members of St. Matthew's Church, Grace Magnacca was active in the Anglican Church Women of Canada (ACW). Following her husband's death she moved to Winnipeg. Grace Magnacca died in Winnipeg, MB on December 20, 2004.
The Maganacca family lived in Winnipeg until Magnacca's military career took him to Brandon in 1940; his family followed in 1942. The Magnacca's ran an Officer's Kit Shop and then in 1947, opened a real estate business named Magnacca Agencies.
Magnacca served two terms as Mayor of Brandon (1961-1969). He was also President of the Assiniboine Historical Society. For meritorious community service, Magnacca was given a Manitoba Golden Boy Award (1969) and a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
Stephen Magnacca died on August 4, 1980 in Brandon, MB. He is commemmorated by Magnacca Crescent in Brandon and the Magnacca Research Centre at the Daly House Museum. He was elected a Life member of the Union of Manitoba Municipalities and in 1973, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Mayor Stephen Magnacca and his wife Grace Magnacca dressed in period costumes for Canada's Centennial in 1967.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/magnacca_sa.shtml) and the December 31, 1969 Brandon Sun article Experience of being the wife of the mayor has brought satisfaction to Mrs. Magnacca.
Item is a portrait of men from the Rivers area who attended a meeting or workshop facilitated by Reg Forbes, Principal of the Agricultural Extension Centre in Brandon, MB. Some of the men in the photo are John Dick, Tommy Seens, Roy Murrey, Reed Spearn and Reg Forbes.
Stuart Duncan Schultz was born on December 24, 1892 in Belmont, MB to Frank Albert Schultz and Margaret Maria MacPhail. He graduated from the Manitoba Medical College and then continued his studies with four years at the London Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Schultz served with the 226th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during World War I.
Schultz returned from England in 1925, at which point he joined the medical staff of the Brandon Hospital for Mental Diseases (later the BMHC). In 1942, he became Superintendent, and in 1959, he retired. During his time in Brandon, Schultz served fourteen years on city council and was Mayor from 1956-1957. He was also the director of the Brandon Schubert Choir for twenty-five years. Following his retirement Schultz moved to Winnipeg where he was the consulting psychiatrist for Stony Mountain Penitentiary.
Schultz married Jemima Meiklejohn Gibson on August 30, 1920, in Winnipeg, MB. They had one daughter: Sheilea Schultz Taylor.
Stuart Shultz died in Winnipeg, MB on August 10, 1974.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Dr. Stuart Schultz, mayor of the City of Brandon from 1956-1957.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/schultz_sd.shtml)
Princess Anne visited Brandon for seven hours on July 15, 1982. Her visit was covered in the July 16, 1982 issue of The Brandon Sun.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Princess Anne's welcome at City Hall. The event was attended by a crowd of 1500 and most of Brandon's dignitaries. The Princes is standing on a small platform on the west side of 9th Street facing spectators and the honor guard from CFB Shilo. A Canadian flag is in the foreground and Mayor Ken Burgess is standing to her right. A number of individuals are standing on the steps behind her.
Notes
The Brandon Sun includes a photograph of this same even taken from the opposite side of the street and from a wider angle.
The inaugural meeting of the Western Manitoba Home Economics Association (WMHEA) was held in September 1971, with 48 members. In 1973, the WMHEA members voted to affiliate with the Canadian Home Economics Association (CHEA).
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Margarite Hughes and other officers of the Western Manitoba Home Economic Association prior to their donation to the SJ McKee Archives on July 17, 2010.
Scope and Content
Fonds includes: minutes (September 1971 - May 2010); lists of executive members; membership lists; financial records; newsletters; scrapbooks; correspondence; records of special events; miscellaneous publications; and organizational banners.
The textual records and artefacts are in good condition. Many of the photographs are bent and the paper based photo albums have some tearing.
History / Biographical
Nadia Irene Lewis (nee Chernec) was born in Shoal Lake, MB on December 31, 1926. Shortly after her birth, Nadia was place in the care of a nurse in Brandon, BM while her parents were attempting to set up a home in the United States. Her mother was a teacher and her father was in training to become a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), but because they were unmarried and had a child out of wedlock, they both lost their jobs and felt they needed to start a new life in a different place. As they were driving up the Brandon Hill, they were tragically involved in a three car collision, which killed them both.
The nurse caring for the newborn baby girl and a social worker from the Children's Aid Society assigned to the case decided to palce Nadia in an orphange in Brandon. During her stay at the orphanage, the caretakers named her "Katy" after a popular song of the day and discovered that she really enjoyed music. Nicholas and Maria Chernec adopted "Katy" from the orphanage when she was 3 1/2 years old, and in her brief autobiography, Nadia wrote that she suspected that Nicholas Chernec was her biological uncle (her father's brother). In June 1929, baby "Katy" was christened "Nadia Irene Chernec."
According to Nadia's autobiography, Nicholas Chernec urged his wife Maria to adopt the baby for three years as she remained in the orphanage. Maria had suffered a fall from a ladder during their marriage and as a result, was unalbe to have children. Maria "was often quite ill" and id not want to raise another person's child, but eventually she agreed.
Both Nicholas and Maria were of Ukrainian descent, and therefore Nadia was raised with a knowledge of Ukrainian traditions and within the ukrainian community of Brandon, something that she embraced. Nadia grew up in Brandon's North End and graduated from the Normal School in 1945. She immediately began a teaching career that would last for 32 years, though she also worked in an office for three of those years. She married Alexander Mitchell Lewis on July 23, 1971 in Vancouver, BC. Alexander was a contractor and boat builder.
After Maria Chernec's death in September 1984, nadia began correspondence with Oseredok, the Ukranian Cultural and Educational Centre in Winnipeg, MB. She ultimately donated many traditional Ukrainian items to the Centre, including a painting much beloved by her father (who died in 1955) and garments handmade by her mother, thus preserving some of her family's cultural heritage.
As noted previously, Nadia loved music as a child and eventually learned to play the violin. She performed with several orchestras throughout her life, including the New Westminster Symphony and the Kitsilano Orchestra. in November 1998, she was diagnoed with trigeminal neuralgia, a neurological disorder that affects the nerves in the head. This disorder, which can cause unexpected and debilitating pain in the affected area, led to Nadia giving up driving, and ultimately, her violin playing. Through presecription drug experimentation under the supervision of her physican and neurologist, Nadia was eventually able to control the effects of the disease. Nadia Irene Lewis died on September 14, 2013 in Richemond, BC at the age of 86.
Custodial History
The collection was transferred to Ms. Lewis' lawyer after her death in 2013. The records were then given to Drew Mitchell, a distant cousing who had been named in her will. Mitchell donated the records to the McKee Archives in 2017.
Scope and Content
The collection was created by Nadia Chernec Lewis throughout the course of her adult life and chronicles her activities from her birth in Manitoba, and moves to British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, New Zealand and finally back to British Columbia where she died.
Collection consists of an autobiography, her parents' biographies (written by Nadia), vital records related to her family, correspondence with classmates from the Normal School and Oseredok and many photographs of Nadia, her friends and family. Some of the photograph depict Brandon and Brandon's North End. Also included in the collection is a set of wooden rosary beads and a doll dressed in traditional Ukrainian garments, handmade by Maria Chernec.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the records. Description by Megan Demarest (December 2018).
Language Note
English and Ukrainian
Finding Aid
A file list for the collection is available, as well as a photo inventory.
Storage Location
2018 accessions
Arrangement
Photographs 3-2017.5 through 3-2017.88 were in a card box labeled "Lewis Pictures (1956-'58, 1960's, 1970's)," which has been discarded.
Photographs 3-2017.89 through 3-2017.104 were in a candy box labeled "Pictures and Background Material in relation to Nicholas and Maria Chernec of Brandon, Manitoba . . . the Ukrainian Community in the 1930's-1940's mostly . . .," which has been discarded. An envelope in the box labeled "Ukrainian Shirt, History of . . ." contained a handwritten description of the shirt and its history along with photographs 3-2017.89 through 3-2017.94. The note is in Folder #6, Oseredok-Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre. Photographs 3-2017.95 through 3-2017.104 are Polaroids taken to document items that Ms. Lewis donated to Oseredok in 2000.
Photographs 3-2017.105 through 3-2017.152 were remeoved from a green self-adhesive photo album, which has been discarded.
Photographs 3-2017.153 thorough 3-2017.198 were removed from a self-adhesive photo album with a waterside lanscrape image on the front, which has been discarded.
Beverley Clare Hicks (nee Williams) was born in New Zealand in 1938. At the age of sixteen she began working as a nurse’s aide at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Auckland. From here, she began training at the same hospital and attained her Registered Nurse Diploma, after which she obtained her maternity nursing diploma from the National Women’s Hospital in Auckland.
Hicks came to Canada in 1962, and began to work at the Toronto General Hospital in the cardiac care unit. After returning to New Zealand to complete her midwifery training at St. Helens Hospital, she returned to Canada in 1964. She then completed Canadian university entrance equivalency courses in Vancouver while working at the Vancouver General Hospital emergency department. Because her nursing transcript included no psychiatric nursing, she travelled to Brandon in 1967 to participate in a six-month post-diploma course in psychiatric nursing.
Hicks’ passion was teaching, and after her six-month course was completed, she spent her time at the School of Nursing at the Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC), after which she was offered the opportunity to attend McGill University to obtain a Bachelor of Nursing degree with a psychiatric nursing specialty. Upon her return to Brandon, Hicks developed an in-service education program at the Brandon Mental Health Centre and began training psychiatric nurses to upgrade their skills, particularly in group therapy. She was also the first in Manitoba to train new community health workers. This community education sector of her career lasted nearly 20 years; she was responsible for travelling around Westman to deliver programs in suicide prevention, stress management along with other mental health topics.
As an educator, Hicks taught Family Life Education at Brandon University, Gerontology courses at Assiniboine Community College (ACC), and Counselling for the University of Manitoba Extension Department.
In the later part of her career, Hicks was responsible for resource and housing development for the final phase of the closure of the BMHC. While doing this, Hicks obtained a Masters Degree in Health Education in 1986 from the University of Manitoba.
The final stage of her education career consisted of being hired by Brandon University to teach in Canada’s first baccalaureate psychiatric nursing education program. Being in the education setting allowed Hicks to pursue further education at the doctorate level. Once she completed the required courses, Hicks retired from Brandon University to write her dissertation, "From Barnyards, to Bedsides to Books and Beyond: The Evolution and Professionalization of Psychiatric Nursing in Manitoba 1955-1980."
In 2020, with Lesley Peterson, Hicks published "Politics, Personalities, and Persistence: One Hundred Years of Psychiatric Nursing Education in Manitoba."
Beverley Hicks continues to live in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
These records were in the possession of Beverley Hicks until she donated them to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University in December 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of transcripts of interviews conducted by Hicks as part of the research for her PhD dissertation. The interviews were conducted with a variety of former psychiatric nurses, directors, educators and other ward staff regarding their experiences working at the Brandon Mental Health Centre and related groups and organizations. All of the interviews took place between March 2002 and October 2007, and all of the participants were over 65 years of age and had worked or trained between the 1940s and 1980s. The interviews conducted were not formal in nature, rather they were intended to be a casual conversation between Hicks and the interviewee. Each interview begins with a brief biography of the interviewee written by Hicks.
Each interviewee was interviewed once, except for Jack Holleman and Elinor Samuels. Hicks interviewed Hollman three times over the course of approximately a year. Samuels was interviewed twice.
Below is a brief account of specific topics and subjects discussed during each interview. This does not include the standard topics discussed in each interview (schooling, experiences, etc.):
Myrtle Barnett – Barnett was the wife of the first president of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba, Alf Barnett. During the interview, she discusses when the association began, and how Alf went to war from 1942 to 1945. It was during this time, Barnett claims, that her husband began to question why men could not be formally trained as psychiatric nurses. Barnett comments on how her husband treated the patients like human beings and discusses his relationship with the Association. She also talks about her husband’s time in World War II as well as their relationship.
Remi Beaudette – Beaudette was a long-time attendant/psychiatric nurse at the Brandon Mental Health Centre. His interview describes his participation in the association as well as what duties he conducted through his many years working at the centre. Beaudette goes into detail about the various wards he worked on and what his duties were on each specific ward.
Marlene Brichon – Brichon was one of the first psychiatric nurses to graduate under the first legislation of 1960. During her interview, she discusses the changes in medication and treatments during her time working as a psychiatric nurse, some of the incidents that occurred between nurses and patients, patients with schizophrenia (and what the nurses did to treat it), and her feelings towards the textbooks used in her schooling.
Jack Holleman – During Holleman’s interview, they discuss the association, his presidency, how he commissioned the Breen Report and how much he paid for it, as well as the report itself.
John Martyniw – During his interview he discussed his presidency of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba, the different locations he worked at (Selkirk Mental Hospital, Misericordia Hospital) as well as his teaching jobs (Selkirk as per the Province of Manitoba). Martyniw discussed his displeasure with how they treated him when he first came to Canada – as an attendant rather than a registered psychiatric nurse, as he was trained. They also discussed the textbooks used during his time as a teacher.
Annette Osted – During Osted’s interview, they discuss the Breen Report, a quote from Dr. Tavener, what patients should be called, Challenge and Change, The Task Force, and changes in legislation.
Shirley-Jo Paine – During Paine’s interview, they discuss her role in proposing the program for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses to Brandon University. They also discuss how supportive surrounding universities and colleges were of the new program at Brandon University.
Gerald Pronyk – Pronyk did not actively practice clinical psychiatric nursing, he focused his attention on the administrative and education side of nursing. The interview discusses his positions as the Director of Nursing Education in Selkirk, the Senior Nursing Administrative Officer, and a mental health program specialist in the mental health directorate in Winnipeg.
Janissa Read – During her interview, they discuss how she became interested in psychiatric nursing, how spirituality relates to psychiatric nursing, the distinction between a Registered Nurse and a Registered Psychiatric Nurse, and how others felt about the profession of a registered psychiatric nurse.
Elinor Samels – The interview begins with them discussing her achievements at the beginning of her career, after she finished school post-World War II. They follow up by discussing some of the patients she had to deal with, her participation in the Association, her coworkers and how they treated her, and how the new changes affected their day-to-day work.
Walter Tetzlaff – In addition to being a psychiatric nurse, Tetzlaff was also a vocational rehabilitation counselor. He discusses how much he got paid at the beginning of his career, how much his room and board cost during school, what school was like for him, the kinds of things he did after he got his degree, and the textbooks he needed for class. They also discussed what he did as a vocational counselor.
Tom Street – Street was the fifth president of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Manitoba and graduated from the Portage la Prairie School of Psychiatric Nursing in 1967. During his interview they talk about how he became interested into psychiatric nursing, where he did his schooling, how he was involved with the union and how he didn’t like it.
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Beverley Hicks. Description by Karmelle Tower (September 2018) and Christy Henry
Jack Stothard was born on February 16, 1932 in Brandon, MB. He attended public schools in the city (Central School, Park School, and Earl Oxford) and graduated from Brandon Collegiate Institute (BCI). Stothard married Velma Pollock in 1957 and together they had two daughters: Debra and Kimberly. Stothard was employed in the plumbing and heating business until 1960, when he joined Manitoba Hydro. In the course of his employment with Manitoba Hydro, he became Station Superintendent of the Brandon Generating Station. Stothard retired in 1995. Stothard was a member of the Canadian Numismatic Association, the Canadian Association of Token Collectors and the Toronto Postcard Club. Jack Stothard died on November 3, 2021 in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2003 was in the possession of Stothard until donated to the McKee Archives in 2003. Accession 12-2006 was acquired by Lawrence Stuckey at some point after the photograph was taken. Stuckey later sold a copy of the photograph. This copy was later acquired by Jack Stothard in the course of his collecting of Brandon postcards. Stothard donated the image to the McKee Archives in 2004. Accession 8-2007 was prepared by Jack Stothard in the course of 2007. He provided a copy to the Archives upon its completion. Accession 8-2008 was in the possession of Fred McGuinness until he gave jit to Jack Stothard in February 2008. Stothard donated the records to the McKee Archives on February 12, 2008. Accession 18-2008 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on August 18, 2008. Accession 11-2009 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on February 20, 2009. Accession 4-2012 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on August 24, 2011. Accession 4-2013 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard in March 2013. Accession 8-2016 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on January 21, 2015.
Scope and Content
Accession 1-2003 contains brief research reports prepared by Stothard on various topics concerning historical Brandon. These include: a listing of hotels, inns and motels that have operated in Brandon since the 1880s; reports dealing with the Café Aagard, Central United Church, the 1913 Dominion Exhibition, Brandon, the Empire Hotel, Brandon’s Central Steam Heating System, the Post Office and the Clement Block. It also contains one booklet: Facts About Brandon: An Industrial Survey of the City of Brandon. Winnipeg: Department of Industry and Commerce [n.d.]
Accession 12-2006 consists of one photograph of the Great Northern Engine 208, built by Rogers Locomotive Company 1887. Cylinders 18 x 24, Drivers 63". G.N. line Church's Ferry, N.D. to Brandon, Manitoba. Opened 1906, Closed 1936.
Accession 8-2007 consists of a brief typed report entitled "The Day the Lights Went Out in Brandon - Strike of 1919" by Jack Stothard. Document provides an account of the sources and delivery of hydro electric power to Brandon beginning in the early 1900s and the brief power outage at the beginning of the Brandon General Strike May 25, 1919.
Accession 8-2008 consists of "The Brandon Sun Challenge Cup" ledger, which contains two b/w photographs, newspaper clippings and information on the history and first race (1908) of the cup; 3 additional b/w photographs of different races; and the Brandon Old Timers Association record book (c. 1900).
Accession 18-2008 consists of a copy of Stothard's Brandon Postcards index. The index is divided into various sub-headings and consists of colored reproductions of postcards in Stothard's collection. The index contains pages that were discarded by Stothard as he updated his inventory, therefore the index is only up to date as of August 18, 2008.
Accession 11-2009 consists of a typed research report entitled "Brandon Police Department Stations and Locations" by Jack Stothard. The report outlines the location of the Brandon Police Department from 1882 - 2008, and also includes a section on "What the Future Holds."
Accession 4-2012 consists of pages for Stothard's Brandon Postcards index (18-2008) and a photocopy of a Brandon Municipal Railway ticket.
Accession 4-2013 consits of eight binders of handwritten notes/facts about Brandon compiled by Jack Stothard. The notes are a collection of names, places, things, events and items related mostly to the first 100 years of Brandon (1882-1982), although the notes continue into the 2000's. Some notes centre on the late 1930's to early 1950's during the period of Stothard's youth. The information in the binders was taken from a variety of publications, while some notes are Stothard's own comments. A list of sources, as well as a cross reference index for all eight binders, can be found in Book No. 1.
The accession includes: Book No. 1 - Notes of Brandon (A to B); Book No. 2 - Notes of Brandon (C to F); Book No. 3 - Notes of Brandon (G to O); Book No. 4 - Notes of Brandon (P to Z); Book No. 5 - Notes of Brandon: Churches, Hostpitals, Hotels; Book No. 6 - Notes of Brandon: Police Department, Fire Department; Book No. 7 - Notes of Brandon: Brandon City Council, City of Brandon etc.; Book No. 8 - Notes of Brandon: Brandon College/University, Brandon Schools, ACC, Brandon School Board. Accession also includes pages from Stothard's Brandon Postcards index (18-2008).
Accession 6-2016 consists of local history books, pamphlets, bakery tokens, local magazines, one binder containing handwritten notes/facts about Brandon compiled from the Brandon Sun's "Looking Back" column, and an accordian file box containing newspaper clippings about Brandon.
The accession includes the following local history books: Betty Watson's "One Day in Brandon Manitoba 9/9/99" (Brandon, Manitoba: Bart Art Books, 1999); P.N. Breton's "Popular Illustrated Guide to Canadian Coins, Medals, &. &.," (Winnipeg: Canadian Numismatic Publishing Institute, 1963 [reprint]); "Facts About Brandon: An Industrial Survey of the City of Brandon," (Province of Manitoba: Department of Industry and Commerce, [1946]); The Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol's "75th Anniversary: From the Past to the Future!" ([Brandon, Manitoba: Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol, 1988]); and Brandon Kinsmen Club's "'Together...Once Again': A History of the Kinsmen Club of Brandon, Manitoba, 1925-1975 (Brandon, Manitoba: The Historical Committee of the Kinsmen Club of Brandon, 1975).
Pamplets and magazines include: Brandon Generating Station (1957) and (1969), The Brandon Quota Club presents...A Century in Revue (1982), Canadian Rail No. 168/July-August 1965 [featuring Brandon Municipal Railway], Prairie City Issue No. 3/1994, and Prairion May/June 1997.
The binder is titled Book No. 9 - "Year by year: miscellaneous items from 1969 to 2000"; an asterik (*) indicates notes have been made on each subject or item in the other Books. Each section is housed in
The files in the accordian file box have been rehoused and include the following topics: banks, Brandon 125 beer, Behlen Industries, breweries, Brandon Shoppers' Mall, calendars, Canadian Motors Ltd., Canexus/Nexen, Canada Games - Summer and Winter, Canadian Tire, CKX Radio & TV/CKLQ, Corral Centre, flour mills, hospitals, Keystone, Maple Leaf, Fred McGuinness, miscellaneous, A.E. McKenzie, people, railways, Simplot, Westman Recycling (new facility), weather-storms-floods, and extra copies of postcards.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry. Accession 4-2013: Book No. 1 contains a photocopied photograph of Aagaard's Cafe, photographs of the Dominion Bank and Barney's Drive Inn and a photo reproduction of the Bass Building. Book No. 2 contains a photograph of the Provincial Goal. Book No. 3 contains photographs of T. Eaton Company (4 construction photos) and a photo reproduction of tents on the Exhibition grounds (c. 1940). Book No. 4 contains photoraphs of the Oak Theatre and Western Motors. There are also photopied photographs of The Fun Shop.
