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Provincial Archives of British Columbia audio interviews, 1974-1992 Education--British Columbia
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Robert Knight interview

CALL NUMBER: T4044:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1983-02-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discusses: family background; father's work as school inspector in India; Anglo-Indian upbringing in Calcutta and England; memories of prep school and schooldays at Oundle; recollections of Oundle School headmaster, F.W. Sanderson and assessment of Sanderson's international reputation as educator; studies at Cambridge University; decision to settle on Vancouver Island; chicken ranching at Errington; interlude as harvester on prairies, 1926; teaching experiences at Shawnigan Lake Boys' School (SLS), 1927-29; impressions of SLS founder, C.W. Lonsdale. TRACK 2: Discusses: recollections of SLS and Lonsdale (cont'd); reasons for continuing studies at Victoria College and UBC, 1931-33; anecdotes and reminiscences of Walter Gage, G.G. Sedgewick, Gordon Shrum, Freddy Wood, and other contrasts between UBC and Cambridge; decision to open private school at Qualicum Beach, 1935; early difficulties attendant upon building and locating school; philosophy and educational ideals of Qualicum College (QC) inspired by Oundle and Sanderson. Assistance received from brother, G.H. Knight, and A.D. Muskett, Victoria schoolmaster, in establishing QC. CALL NUMBER: T4044:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1983-02-11 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discusses: philosophy of Qualicum College (cont'd); first students and characteristics, family background of other students; attitudes of local community towards QC; recruiting campaigns to increase enrollment; curriculum of QC and daily routine; importance of organized games in school life; importance of discipline on boys and folly of modern permissive views of education; description of specially-made birch cane used in QC. TRACK 2: Discusses: origins and significance of school traditions, uniforms, school motto, song, prefectorial system, etc; value of school cadet corps; humorous; recollections of staff members and student pranks; contacts with Fairbridge Farm School, Duncan, and relations between QC and other private schools in B.C.; relationship with provincial Department of Education; hopes for science labs and other school facilities; reasons for closing school in 1970; reflections on career as scholar, sportsman and educationalist. (End of interview)

Donald Brothers interview

CALL NUMBER: T3235:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early life PERIOD COVERED: 1923-1952 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses his family background and his early years; copper smelters in B.C.; his first interests and involvement in Social Credit; his religious upbringing and beliefs; religion in the Social Credit Party; early influences upon his character; the Depression of the 1930s; WW II; his education; his law career; his first jobs; and his military service. TRACK 2: Brothers discusses his interests in enlisting in the RCAF; his first interests in the public service; his membership in various service organizations; his first law practice; his increasing interest in Social Credit; his opinions of other political parties in B.C.; his perception of the differences between socialism and communism; his first meeting with W.A.C. Bennett in 1952; and his first political aspirations in 1952. CALL NUMBER: T3235:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early political life PERIOD COVERED: 1957-1962 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses the government take-over of the B.C. Electric Company; his first nomination in the 1957 federal election; the federal Social Credit Party; the nature of Social Credit Membership and support; the 1958 by-election in Rossland-Trail; and the Sommers case. TRACK 2: Donald Brothers discusses the 1958 by-election in Rossland-Trail; highway construction in B.C.; the press coverage of the 1958 by-election; the part he played in Robert Sommers' election campaign in 1956; the Sommers case; his maiden speech in the Legislature; and the Doukhobor issue. CALL NUMBER: T3235:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early political life and first cabinet post PERIOD COVERED: 1960-1968 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses the provincial election of 1960; some financial consequences of the take-over of B.C. Electric Co.; the provincial election of 1963; progress and the physical environment; his appointment to the cabinet as Minister of Mines and Petroleum Resources in 1964; Robert Strachan as critic; his goals, priorities and accomplishments as minister; the relationships between provincial departments; and the offshore mineral rights issue. TRACK 2: Donald Brothers discusses the offshore mineral rights issue; private enterprise and crown corporations; the 1966 provincial election; the relative importance of mining in B.C.; efforts to promote the mining and forest industries; the creation of a new mining act; foreign investment in the mining industry; efforts to establish secondary industries in B.C.; and the Supreme Court decision on offshore mineral rights. CALL NUMBER: T3235:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Time as Minister of Education PERIOD COVERED: 1968-1972 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses: mining policies in B.C.; assuming the Education portfolio; his priorities as Education minister; the creation of regional colleges; the nature of the Education portfolio and its main difficulties; interdepartmental and intradepartmental rivalry in the government; the nature of bureaucracy within the Department of Education; his accomplishments as Minister of Education; his department's relationship with the Department of Health and Labour; problems between teachers and government; the financing of education; the concept of core curriculum; and his perceptions of the nature of education. TRACK 2: Donald Brothers discusses: the problems of finance in the Department of Education; the development of post-secondary education; the Perry committee report; policy objectives as Education minister; outside criticism of the Department of Education; the nature of problems in policy implementation; Robert Sommers' attempt to regain the Social Credit nomination in 1969; the 1969 provincial election; the value of educational conferences; the purpose of a university education; legislation affecting the BCTF; and his perceptions of teachers. CALL NUMBER: T3235:0005 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Education, government and B.C. politics PERIOD COVERED: 1968-1972 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses: government-organized group relations; policy-making power in the Department of Education; press criticism by the Vancouver Sun and other newspapers; the provincial election of 1972; efforts by members of BCTF to dislodge him from his seat; the possible reasons for the Social Credit loss in 1972; his decision to retire from politics; the relationship between W.A.C. Bennett and Brothers; his travels with Bennett; his and Bennett's reaction to the defeat of Social Credit in 1972; his perception of W.A.C. Bennett as a leader; internal relations within the Social Credit government; the nature of cabinet meetings. TRACK 2: Donald Brothers discusses: the nature of cabinet meetings; his assessment of W.A.C. Bennett as premier; questionable policy decisions; power development and homeowner grants; the relationship between government and bureaucracies; decision making in his ministries; coming before Treasury Board; all night sittings of the Legislature; federal-provincial relations; offshore mineral rights; comparison between federal and provincial Social Credit parties; and his relationship with the press. CALL NUMBER: T3235:0006 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Perceptions of Social Credit and politics in general PERIOD COVERED: 1952-1978 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Donald Brothers discusses: government-press relations; government-organized group relations; his perceptions of relations within other parties; his opinion of the NDP; his opinions of various; prominent Social Credit members; the Sommers affair; observations about the present Social Credit government; suggestions regarding education policy; his appointment as Queen's Council; his success as a politician; his present activities; the appeal of Social Credit to B.C. voters. TRACK 2: Donald Brothers discusses: the original appeal of Social Credit in B.C.; the nature of Social Credit and comparisons with other parties; reasons for the Social Credit loss in 1972; religion in the Social Credit Party; the role of the MLA; suggested amendments to legislative procedure; his general perceptions of government, government authority and government priorities; the government's role in society and in economic development. (End of interview)

Dora Kloss interview

The item is an audio recording of an interview with Dora Kloss in 1974.
T0539:0001 track 1: Dora Kloss describes Vancouver Island logging camp life and conditions, 1934-1974. She discusses: Nahmint Bay logging camp, ca. 1934; strike at Nahmint Bay, 1934; union activity of loggers, and the company's reaction, 1930s; life in the Salmon River logging camp; unemployed loggers, 1930s; logger transience and its effect on family life; the problem of schooling.
T0539:0001 track 2: Mrs. Kloss discusses B.C. coastal transportation and travel (Union Steamships), 1930s and 1940s; medical problems and illness in isolated logging camps, 1934-1945; loggers' vacations and recreation; moving to Englewood, 1946-1947; housing facilities in Englewood, 1947. Englewood camp life (continued): installation of electrical power, 1948; ordering groceries and mail order shopping, 1940s; steamship arrivals and freight rates; health care in Alert Bay, 1946. Social life for women: the Women's Institute.

T0539:0002 track 1: Mrs. Kloss discusses women's lives in logging camps, 1940s; homemaking and gardening in Sayward and Englewood, 1939-1948; move to Nimpkish, 1957; activities of the Women's Institute at Nimpkish, 1940s. Life in the Englewood area, 1946-1974.