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St. Joseph's Mission (Williams Lake, B.C.) Catholic Church--British Columbia
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David and Celestine Johnson interview

CALL NUMBER: T3532:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Memories of St. Joseph's Mission, Williams Lake, B.C. RECORDED: Alkali Lake (B.C.), 1979-06-07 SUMMARY:

TRACK 1: David and Celestine Johnson share reminiscences about their life at the Indian Residential School: going to school as young children (7 years old); learning English; older relatives helped younger ones to adjust; boys sawed wood; children slept in dormitories; Father Boening; clothing worn; boys and girls not allowed to mix; Father Thomas traveled all through area to advise Natives; pictures of ranch where David's father worked; wintertime difficult at the Mission school; older girls made clothes for all other children. TRACK 2: Celestine and David Johnson discuss: girls learned a lot about sewing, crocheting; boys learned how to fix shoes; playrooms for girls and boys; Shuswap language forbidden; illness at the Mission school; Williams Lake was basically non-existent at the time; David and Celestine were in school; burning of the school house, 1908 (?); Father Thomas' money stash; Mission had a lot of cattle; Father Thomas used to come to Alkali three times a year -- spoke some Shuswap.

CALL NUMBER: T3532:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Memories of St. Joseph's Mission, Williams Lake, B.C. RECORDED: Alkali Lake (B.C.), 1979-06-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: David and Celestine Johnson discuss: not being allowed to speak the Shuswap language at the Mission school; learning English; Sisters were mainly French, except for Sister Patricia who was Irish; some kids ran away (David did, but not Celestine); getting in trouble with teachers; Mission school was strict, but kids learned a lot; learning to cook and bake; food was different at school than home; sausages on Sundays; Chinook language. TRACK 2: The Johnsons discuss: David learned Chinook on his own; Father Thomas' buggy; their daughter went to Mission school, but it was different from the days when David and Celestine were there; Sister Patricia was nice; girls not allowed to see boys; story of Father Capani; Father Thomas anecdotes; visit from the Bishop; Native church. (End of interview)

Group of Alkali Lake Indians : interview

CALL NUMBER: T3531:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Informal discussion on the subject of St. Joseph's Mission School, Williams Lake, B.C. RECORDED: Alkali Lake (B.C.), 1979-06-05 SUMMARY: Interviewees discuss their life at the Mission Indian Residential School. Many voices are heard, making it difficult to follow dialogue. TRACK 1: In this discussion, topics touched upon include: experiences at the Mission school; Sisters teaching at Mission; running away from the Mission; Father Aurore -- intelligent man; loss of the Native language; learning English; hard for parents to visit; Sisters Laura and Patricia were at Mission for many years; girls sewed clothing for themselves and for the boys' school; description of typical day. TRACK 2: Discussion of: Brother Collins; boys had to look after livestock; learning to cook; anecdote about making a fire at 3 am; ironing, washing clothes; mass every morning; relations between boys and girls were limited; teasing by the boys; story about one woman's wedding; visit of Bishop, confirmations; changes in Mission school layout.

CALL NUMBER: T3531:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Informal discussion on the subject of St. Joseph's Mission School, Williams Lake, B.C. RECORDED: Alkali Lake (B.C.), 1979-06-05 SUMMARY: Interviewees discuss their life at the Mission Indian Residential School. Many voices are heard making it difficult to follow dialogue. TRACK 1: Discussion of: train station near the Mission school; Indian graveyard rumours; years spent at the school; working for the Sisters in the summer; graduating, activities after graduation; games played; stories about other Natives in the community who went to the Mission school; boys were dressed as girls if they ran away; differences between lifestyle of Natives in the pre-war years, and now. (End of interview)