The Roseland Church was built in 1883 as a Presbyterian church, funded in large part by the Roseland Ladies Aid Society. In 1912, thirteen years before formal union between these two denominations took place, the Roseland Presbyterian Church was united with a local Methodist congregation. The Roseland Church was closed for a few years following the Second World War. However, the Church was revived and it continued to function until 1969, when it was officially closed. Subsequently, the building was sold and moved, and a cairn was placed where the church had been located.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains a minute book for the Roseland Church from 1882-1969, a summary of the organization and development of the Roseland Church, clippings dealing with the history of the community of Roseland, and a summary history of the Roseland Curling Rink.
Berbank Women's Aid was founded in 1919. It was, in large part, the Berbank Red Cross under a new name. The principal project of the original Berbank Ladies Aid was the construction of the Berbank Church, which was accomplished in 1919. In 1962, the organization was renamed the Berbank United Church Women. With the closing of the Berbank church in 1966, the Berbank United Church Women were dissolved.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of various minute books of the Berbank Ladies Aid, and its successor organization, dating from 1919 to 1965.
The Bertha School District, located south of Brandon in the Rural Municipality of Oakland, was established in 1896. It was integrated into the School Distict of Nesbitt in 1961. Subsequently, it became part of the Souris Valley School Division.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of annual registers (1910-1961), minute books (1896-1962), account books (1896-1911, 1924-1956), an award of a Board of Arbitration (1961), a petition for consolidation with the School District of Nesbitt (1961), a financial report (1961), a map of the Souris Valley School Division showing rural school districts, and one debenture certificate (1896).
The Fairfax/Elgin United Church was formed in 1921, combining the Methodist (founded in 1889), and Presbyterian (founded in 1887) congregations in these communities. In 1968, the Elgin and Souris congregations joined and, in 1969, the original Elgin United Church was sold to the Fairfax Community Club.
Custodial History
The fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains minute books (1922-1968), account books (1953-1970), account statements (1966-68), one annual report (1967), and documents of insurance and property transfer (1960-1970) concerning the Fairfax/Elgin United Church.
The name Berbank was created by combining the names of two local districts: Riverbank and Bertha. Both were located south of Brandon in the Rural Municipality of Oakland. The Berbank Church was built in 1919. Its construction grew out of the work of the Berbank Red Cross founded in 1917. The Berbank Church was a "union" church, constructed in anticipation of the formation of the United Church of Canada. In 1966, the Berbank congregation joined with the Nesbitt congregation to operate out of the Nesbitt United Church. The final service at the Berbank United Church was held in 1966.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains a document titled "Berbank Church History." This document is partially in a printed format with a portion handwritten. Fonds also contains minute books and legal documents pertaining to the ownership of the land upon which the Church was constructed.
The Chater Protestant School District was established in 1883, with the arrival of settlers in southwestern Manitoba. In 1890, it became the Chater School District following school reform in Manitoba. The original Protestant District school was a wooden structure constructed in the village of Chater a few miles east of Brandon, Manitoba. In 1906, funds were raised for the building of a cement structure to replace the original wooden one. The Chater School District was dissolved in 1966, but the school house continued to serve as a community center until 1973, when it was demolished.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds includes minutes of the School Trustees (1891-1931, 1940-1959), teaching contracts (1937-1957), financial records of the school (1939-1958), a booklet titled "The Public School Act, The Education Department Act, The School Attendance Act, The Teachers Retirement Allowances Act"(1954), and a collection of school registers (1912-13, 1915-49, 1954-55, 1957-58) from the Chater School District. Included within the minute books of the Chater School District are financial records for the "Chater Association of Patrons of Industry, charter # 3532" (1891-1895). Also included is an ink stamp reading "Chater Protestant School District, No. 181, Manitoba Canada."
The Blyth Protestant School District #471 was founded in 1886. It became the Blyth School District following the elimination of the denominational school system in Manitoba in 1890. The District was located south of Brandon in the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis. The District existed until the mid-1960s, when it was incorporated into the Rolling River School Division.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds includes the minute books, financial records (1886-1955), attendance registers (1887-1906), and related documents of the Blyth School District, Rural Municipality of Cornwallis. Aside from attendance records, the fonds contains documents relating to issues of teachers salaries, attendance policies, and holidays.
The Griswold Protestant School District was established on September 9, 1885, to provide schooling for children residents in the village of Griswold and the surrounding countryside. It became the Griswold School District following school reform in Manitoba in 1890. The District existed until the early 1960s, when it was incorporated first into Brandon School Division #40 and subsequently into Division #41 (La Bosse). The Griswold School was still in operation in 1967. The building is now used as a community center.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned in 1997 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
The single minute book in this fonds contains minutes on meetings held by the Griswold School District, in Griswold, Manitoba from 1907 to 1943. The minutes deal with questions related to teacher hiring and general administration in the school district.
In July 1928, Verna Althea Whitfield married William Arthur Gamey (b. 1892) in Winnipeg. For the first year of their marriage they both taught at Lockport, before moving to Winnipeg in 1929. Their only child, William Roy, was born there. In 1933, the Gameys moved to the Gamey family farm located at N1/2 12-16-22, near Strathclair. Verna's nephew Robert Kerr, from Kelowna, B.C. joined the family in 1949. Art and Verna left the farm in the spring of 1956, and moved into the house formerly owned by an aunt, Miss Bella Gamey. Art Gamey was a staunch supporter of the Co-operative movement and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). He died in January 1968.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custoridal history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains documents relating to the Manitoba Farmer's Union, including copies of its publication "The Voice of the Farmer" (1961); the United Church of Canada, primarily Strathclair (1960-1989); the Manitoba Women's Institute and the National Institute for the Blind (1959-1976); the Manitoba Federation of Agriculture (1945-1961); the Birtle Presbyterian Church (1986-1989); the Social Credit League in Manitoba and B.C. (1947, 1953); the Manitoba Provincial Council of Women (1958-1959); the Manitoba Centennial Corporation (1966-1968); and the Shoal Lake Fair and Hamiota Exhibition (1949-1981).
Fonds also contains diaries (1923-1926); various political publications, newspaper clippings, and correspondance, primarily concerning the CCF and the New Democrats (1945-1971); the Cooperative Union of Canada (1949-1964); and the Manitoba Farm Forum (1942-1963). Included as well, are clippings from the Brandon Sun dealing with a wide variety of topics (1970-1991); publications on home/farm/highway safety (1949-1975); and the Manitoba Pool Elevators (1950-1955).
Fonds also contains correspondence to and from both Verna and Art Gamey.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from "Our Story to 1970" published by the R.M. of Strathclair and compiled by The Centennial History Committee (pp. 255-257).
RG 4 Manitoba Pool Elevators; Women's Institute collections: Manitoba (8-2002), Strathclair (7-2002), Rathwell (6-2002), Minnedosa (2-2002), Cordova (4-2002), Clanwilliam (3-2002), Crocus (5-2002), Douglas (20-2006), Binscarth (12-1997), Southwest A Region (26-1997); and the Greenway Fair (35-2006).
The Birtle Indian Residential School was opened by the Presbyterian Mission on December 3, 1888. Prior to that date, there had been a school allocated within the Birtle district for the Bird-Tail Sioux within Treaty 4. The new boarding school was located within the town limits of Birtle along the Bird-Tail River. The school was made of stone, was three stories high (not counting the basement), and was designed to accommodate fifty students. Connected to the school was thirty acres of land. The main building consisted of the school room, refectory, kitchen, and boys and girls dormitory. Besides the main school building, there was a barn that could accommodate fifteen head of cattle, a root-house and a small shed in which the parents would keep their ponies in the winter when they would come to visit the children. In the front of the residence there was a square piece of ground fenced off which consisted of a lawn and flower garden. The back of the residence was graveled for twenty yards. A garden of four acres was also connected with the school where vegetables were grown for use at the school.
Upon the opening of the school, there was considerable opposition on behalf of the parents as to the children being lodged and boarded such a substantial distance away from the greater Native population. This dissipated as the school gained acceptance within the Native community and attendance gradually increased as a result.
The headmaster at the original Bird-Tail school at the time of its assimilation into the Birtle Indian Residential School was J.D. Burgess. The first principle of the Birtle Indian Residential School was Rev. G.G. McLaren. He held the position from 1888 until November 1894, when he was replaced by Neil Gilmour. William J. Small became principle in 1896, and remained in that position until 1901.
The principal studies at the school were reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling and drawing. Although there were no trades associated with the school, the students were instructed in basic industries. The students also received moral training at the boarding schools. Girls were instructed in the branches of housework (washing, ironing, scrubbing , baking, cooking, sewing, knitting, tailoring, dressmaking, milking and butter-making). Boys were instructed in gardening, caring for stock, sawing, chopping and splitting wood, and were expected to help with the carpentry needs around the building. Special attention was also given to ethics and speaking English in class. There was also extensive religious training. Students were expected to attend church at least once each Sabbath in addition to their morning and evening worship and the study of the Bible and catechism in class.
During the summer the students participated in an abundance of outdoor exercise and recreation. The boys played a variety of sports, including baseball and soccer. The girls were allowed to go on long walks in the country or were given free time outdoors to take part in whatever they desired. Certain students exhibited a musical flare by playing instruments such as the madolin or the harmonica. One student, Hugh McKay, even worked part time at the local printing press during his tenure at the school. In the winter, students participated in ice-skating twice a week and the boys were allowed to play football for an hour a day. The girls could go on their walks and two or three times a week were taken for a drive a few miles into the country. There were two large playrooms within the main building for use during bad weather or when it was too cold outside for recreation during the winter.
Custodial History
Fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one attendance register from the Birtle Indian Residential School for the years 1888-1898. The total number of students within the register is 133. The attendance record covers the student's name, the date of their admission , their age, "full or half blood" Native status, tribe (ie. Sioux), band (ie. Bird-Tail Sioux), parents' names and father's rank, whether the parents were living or dead, parents' religion, places and periods of previous education and educational level of the student at the time of their registration. The average annual attendance at the school was forty-five students.
Students include (listed in the order in which they appear in the register): Elizabeth Benjamin; Arthur Johnston; Hagar Bunntec; Susan Hunter; Julia Eastman; Dayar David; Charlie Hanchia; Louis Eastman; Andrew Ben; Irad Bunn; Cilas Bohha; Ellen Benjamin; Carolyn Simpson; Joseph Charles; Esau Thunder; Odes Thunder; Maggie Ben; Angus Bone; Duncan Burgess; Nobaire Bone; Susan Gambler; Hugh McKay; George Bird; Mary Boyer; Alice Matheson; William Bone; Jeremiah Bone; Thomas Blackbird; Ellen Bone; Dwight Gambler; Joseph Ben; Smauel Benjamin; Charlie Cote; James Cote; Elizabeth Bone; Peter Ondie Burgess; Gilbert Walker; Frances Enoch; Isabel McKay; Norman Brandon; Jessie Brandon; Rosie Morrisau; Alex Tanner; Francis Tanner; Charlie Tanner; Jane Bone; Willis Boyer; Joseph Tanner; Gilbert Boyer; Mary Jane Tanner; Archy McDonald; Katie Brown; Bessie Brown; Tina Siaton; John Hunter; Nora Best; Lexy Smith; Nannie Jandrew; Eva Hunter; Anne Ben; Marisha Thunder; Ralph Kerr; Maggie Cook; Frank Sealton; Louis Chisholm; Lydia Nakaloo; Agnes Minnie; John Assinnewasis; Lizzie Sunguish; Hattie Sunguish; Jim Takakowewewe; Horace Takakowewewe; Nillie Yellowbird; Elizabeth Nakatoo; Alexander Brandon; Fred Brandon; Susan Blackbird; Jacob Blackbird; Harry Menlick Manshuse; Ellen McKay; George Hunter; Herbert Menlick Oliver; Flora Bird; Lucy Takakowewewe; Amos Hui Naste; Younge Singus; Susette Blackbird; Nellie Bunn; Daisy Bunn; Victoria Brandon; Janet Ashlakeesie; Mary Nubris; Bertha Hanshnu; Laura Bone; John Desparles; Okerta Desparles; Emma Assissipenace; Maggie Bearbull; Lucy Eosisamuswa; Robert Bluebird; Willie Seaton; Cahrlie Singoosh; Seclonia Mekis; Fanny Singoosh; Birtha McWeg?; Jen Eescanigah; Ethel Messegnot; Patrick Bone; Joseph Mekas; Magie Kalropunace; Augris Mekas; Sarah Wawapenace; Walter Longelaw; Eva ShaManilo Wigwam; Elsie Blackbird; Jen Ercock; Alesi Flett; Fred Longclaws; Marie Macheantie; Annie Clare; Flossie Longclaws; Andrew Pewapucolenu; David Bunn; Elizabeth Penapeccolimee; and Peter Rattlesnake.
Notes
Description by Cory Anderson (1999). A copy of his finding aid and the essay he wrote on the Birtle Indian Residential School are located in the Birtle Industrial School fonds file (Finding aid drawer in the McKee Reading Room). The Sioux people who attended the Birtle Indian Industrial School originated in Minnesota and came to Canada following the Minnesota Sioux War of 1862. The history of the Dakota people in the Canadian Northwest is described in "The Dakota of the Canadian Northwest: Lessons for Survival" by Peter Douglas Elias (1988).
Storage Location
1997 accessions
Storage Range
1997 accessions
Related Material
Archival records RG10 from the Dept. of Indian Affairs / [microform] Issued by the Public Archives of Canada, Reference E78. C2P81 provides a link to records held in Library and Archives Canada for which microfilm copies exist in the John E. Robbins Library. The administrative records of the Birtle Indian Residential School may be found in this collection.
Administrative history for the Basswood School District is currently unavailable.
Custodial History
Accessioned in 2007 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of van driver contracts (1916-33), income tax forms (1919-38), school inspector's reports (1922-29), high school examination results (1926-34), correspondence with Western Seating Co. (1922), school censuses (1919-38), bus route plans (1916-34), caretaker agreemtns (1918-33), transportation expenditure forms (1917-38), equalizaton of taxes forms (1916-34), annual meeting reports (1924, 1927), Department of Education reports (1921-38), secondary school taxes notice to council forms (1926-33), Manitoba income tax employers' returns (1923-32), library reports (1929-34), requisitions for library books (1916-30), assessments (1919-34), teacher's annual reports (1937-38) and a miscellaneous file including records related to pupil promotions, teacher's retirement fund, religious teaching, a hectograph recipe, by-laws and insurance (1922-38).
Notes
Receipts from 1938-1939 were culled. Description by Christy Henry.
Bankburn School was located 1/2 mile west and about three miles north of Oak River, Manitoba. The Bankburn School Literary Society was formed in 1906.
Custodial History
Records were donated to the McKee Archives by Anne Pettapieces in March 1978.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the minutes of the Literary Society of the Bankburn School (1906-1907) and a copy of Vol.1, No.1 of The Bankburn Star, which includes some information on and two photos of the school.
