David and Celestine Johnson interview
- AAAB3925
- Item
- 1979-06-07 [date recorded]
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)