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CALL NUMBER: T3869:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Missionaries in B.C. : Father Alex Morris RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-07-30 SUMMARY: Father Alex Morris discusses: his early life -- born in Quebec in 1911 to a fisherman/stationary engineer; decision to go into the priesthood; always had this desire to go to sea, never realized this dream; wanted to be a missionary in Africa, but settled for a job working with the Natives in B.C.; came to Williams Lake, somewhat unhappily; going on a railroad trip through B.C. slightly changed his negative opinion of the province; in 1942, he began to go out on missions with Father Thomas from Williams Lake. Father Alex Morris on Father Thomas: first impressions; his warped use of the Durieu system, and Morris' rejection of it. Morris accompanied Father Thomas mainly to the Shuswap reserves. Problems he saw with Father Thomas' ways (Natives went right back to alcohol after Father Thomas left.) Discussion of native culture, the Durieu system. More on Father Alex Morris' experiences: on the missions until 1946; then he was asked to replace the principal of a Native school at Williams Lake; at this time, he was very dissatisfied with his job touring the reserves -- very close to quitting; complaints he heard from Native parents, before he took over at the school; school finances; understanding the ranch at the school; changes he made at the school -- ended the use of Native boys working at the ranch, ended half-days of school, implemented a more academic school program; parents just wanted children to learn enough English to read, write and be confirmed. CALL NUMBER: T3869:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Missionaries in B.C. : Father Alex Morris RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-07-30 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Father Alex Morris: trappers; parents drinking, but still want children to know Catholic religion; he stopped practice of staff speaking French in front of Native children; he had good relations with the sisters; introduced music to the school; implementation of the public school program to the residential school; once he was in charge, the number of runaways dropped substantially; tried to bring in Native music; began to let girls and boys mix socially; building a swimming pool even though the government disapproved; started a program for priests in the teaching field to get their bachelors of education if they did not have it; sent Native children to Kamloops for high school -- high percentage passed all exams; discussion of the Chilcotin people; starting a girls' pipe band. TRACK 2: Father Alex Morris: more on the girls' pipe band and a misunderstanding over it; discussion of native culture -- criticisms he has heard of his methods; no regrets about his teaching style; more on native culture, particularly the Shuswap culture; Durieu system -- opposition to it, misunderstanding of native culture; native impressions of the Durieu system; relations between Natives and whites; Father Thomas' use of the Durieu system; Father Thomas' relationship with the Natives. More on the Durieu system and its use in B.C.

CALL NUMBER: T3716:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Father John Hennessy RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-06-19 SUMMARY: In an interview with Margaret Whitehead, Father John Hennessy discusses: his background in Vancouver; why he went into the priesthood; going up to Williams Lake in 1935 to help Father Thomas; knew little about the Natives before he got up there; first impressions of Father Thomas; language problems; mixing with the Natives, being accepted by them; Natives both feared, and respected, Father Thomas; anecdote about the North Vancouver reserve; Father Thomas thought the big sins were drinking, gambling and eating meat on Friday; confessions; adultery; anecdote about Jimmy Tuleen (?); improvised court system used by Father Thomas and chief Charlie Boy; Father Thomas adopted the system to fit the needs of the Native people in this area; in 1936, Father Thomas and he divided the territory -- he got the north side of the Fraser; Father Thomas converted much of the Cariboo region; Father Thomas was always interested in morality of Natives; strong personality of Father Thomas- almost like a chief; examples of how Father Thomas would use psychology to convince Natives to convert (made them believe he had special powers); his feelings on sending the children to residential schools; Father Thomas' use of altar boys; difficult for him to go up to the Cariboo knowing nothing of Native traditions; Chilcotin refused to send their children to residential school for about 15 years; Father Thomas was not the biggest supporter of the Mission school; Father Thomas was always on the move; reason Father Thomas stayed in the area as priest for so long.;

CALL NUMBER: T3716:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Father John Hennessy RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-06-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Father Hennessy discusses: Father Thomas' policies and opinions -- appointed church-chiefs over elected chiefs to police morality, dislike of Shamans, viewed Natives as savages; story about Anaham Lake and the Natives there; traveling in the Chilcotin by horse and buggy; Father Thomas' views on the future of the Native people; Williams Lake became a regional centre and this hasten the development of 'civilization' to the Native communities; story of the 1948 earthquake; Father Thomas never rebuked him for not following in Thomas' footsteps; he always preached in Chinook, even though he talked to the Natives in English; differences between Father Thomas and himself; Native routines made it hard for them to go to church every Sunday, even if a priest had been on every reserve; goal of school was to convert the children because parents were nomadic; some Natives believed Father Thomas was very rich; Father Thomas had some medical supplies with him at times; few doctors in the area; Father Thomas' use of medicinal herbs. TRACK 2: More on Father Thomas' customs and routines. What angered Father Thomas. Anecdote about a chief wrestling with Father Thomas. Liked children. Discussion of the Oblates and the Catholic ladder system. Hennessy was in Cariboo from 1935 to 1948 and little changed during this time period. Alcohol problems. Hennessy lived on the Redstone Reserve and taught school for five years. Medicine men drumming in the night. Anecdote about getting some old coins of value. Father Thomas' relationship with the white ranchers- kept the peace between them and the Natives. Anecdote about Mr. Norman. Father Thomas' disapproval of white men living with Native women. More on Father Thomas' life and experiences. Natives provided traveling priests with supplies. Anecdote about an American.;

CALL NUMBER: T3716:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Father John Hennessy RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-06-19 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this tape.];

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980-11-14 SUMMARY: [No content summary or documentation available for this interview.];

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Father M. Coffin, O.M.I. RECORDED: [location unknown], [ca. 1979] SUMMARY: [No content summary or documentation available for this interview.];

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Father Patrick Joseph Collins, O.M.I. RECORDED: [location unknown], [ca. 1979] SUMMARY: [No content summary or documentation available for this interview.];

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Memories of Indian residential schools in B.C. RECORDED: [location unknown], 1979-07-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Sister Norma Jeffs' recollections of her experiences as a teacher: background -- born in Vancouver, serious illnesses as a youth, decision to enter convent; why she chose the Sisters of St. Ann; first missionary experience on Kuper [Island] -- getting to know the Natives, teaching school, staff at Kuper, isolation from the mainland, dreary winters, runaway children; question of whether it was wrong to force own culture and religion on to Natives; experiences in Mission and Kamloops; positive and negative responses from Natives who went to residential schools; teaching the Native children English; some very bright students -- many success stories; differences between Kuper and Mission -- she set up a home-economics class in Mission, Oblates in Mission (missionary men from France); initially many Native parents did not want to send their children to school; canning fruit at St. Mary's Mission; beginning the mixing of boys and girls at school social events. TRACK 2: Sister Norma Jeffs remembers her time in residential schools: complaints Natives have about the schools -- they lost their culture through the church; boys mean to some of the girls; mistreatment of some Native children once they left the residential schools and were integrated into the main system; residential schools sheltered Natives from discriminatory world; language -- Nanaimo Natives now trying to teach their language to youth; many children from residential schools married each other; T.B. was very prevalent among Natives at Mission; difficulties getting money from the government; Indian Agents -- some very helpful; parents did not have much to do with the residential schools; supervising the dormitory at Kamloops residential school -- few problems, the girls listened to her; integration of different Native groups. (End of interview)