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Assiginack volunteers
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by Diana Smith
MANITOWANING ---The community showed the deep respect they have
for
two of its members, David Smith and Jean McClennan, who have
dedicated themselves to Assiginack History in a very real way.
Both had their work recognized with the naming of rooms in their
honor at the official opening of the new Museum Complex last
Sunday.
These dedications marked their long time involvement with the
Manitowaning Historical Society and Assiginack Museum Board.
The "Jean McClennan Communications Room" salutes the lady who
was one
of the founding members of the Historical Society in 1955 and
continues on in this capacity 47 years later.
During the dedication of Mrs. McClennan's room, Councilor Les
Fields
touched on the extent of her volunteerism over the years. Mrs.
Fields
listed some of the major things that had "the touch of Jean
McClennan" throughout the community. The list is impressive, a
church
hall, an arena, a curling rink, and a golf course and golf club
facility second to none in Northern Ontario.
"While most people say when confronting a project, 'I wonder if
or do
you suppose', Jean would say, 'How can we? Where can we find the
money? We can do that'." Mrs. Fields commented.
To this day, Mrs. McClennan describes Reeve George Bishop as the
initiator of the Historical Society. "He was the dreamer of it.
He
decided we needed a museum. He wanted to save the old jail built
in
1878."
Mrs. McClennan, along with Roy Fields, an original director,
took Mr.
Fields' old truck and scoured the countryside knocking on doors
in
the summers of 1955 and 1956 asking for artifacts to house in
the
museum.
Things just expanded from there according to Mrs. McClennan. "We
decided we needed to add a log house to the grounds, then a
school
house and then an implement shed. We never expanded beyond our
means,
just what we had money for."
Mrs. McClennan's favorite exhibit in the museum is the
collection of
old stone crocks. When asked if there were things of hers in the
museum she just laughs. She has about 150 of own personal items
on
display in the museum. "If it wasn't for the museum, I would
have had
a divorce from my late husband. I was always carting things home
and
"Happy" would ask me, 'What are you going to with that?' I would
say,
'Oh, I don't have any idea, but I'll find a place for it.' At
that
time people never had a sense of value for old things. They were
always carting them off to the dump."
The only thing that concerns Mrs. McClennan now is whether the
next
generation will take care of the museum. "We can't seem to find
young
people that want to commit the time and energy needed to do the
job.
It is the only way it will survive," she commented. "My dad
always
taught us it's not what you get out of a community it is what
you
give to it. We were all expected to volunteer because we had
that
bringing up."
The other honoree at the official opening of the Assiginack
Museum
Complex was David Smith, who had the new display room, named in
his
honour.
A teacher, Mr. Smith came to Manitowaning in 1965 for a two-year
stint to obtain his teaching certificate. He felt welcomed in
the
community, liked it and decided to stay. He met his wife,
Susanne,
who was teaching in Wikwemikong at the time and they married in
1969,
bought a house and raised a family.
Mr. Smith has been on the Museum Board almost 30 years and has
been
the chair for 25 of those years. He has been involved with all
the
major funding projects that the Museum Board has undertaken. In
the
early '80's, he directed the renovation of the Burns Wharf into
a
theatre and the major refurbishing of the S.S. Norisle car
ferry, a
project that came with a $500,000 price tag. With the completion
of
the million dollar, five year Assiginack Museum Complex Project
under
his belt, he is not done yet. The Norisle will undergo an ultra
sound
to its hull this summer, when she passes inspection. She has
been
awarded $39,000 in SuperBuild funding to replank her decks and
do
other refit work.
Both the honorees practice what they preach. To quote David
Smith,
"If it wasn't for volunteerism small communities wouldn't get
very
far." Jean McClennan and David Smith are fine examples of the
truth
of that adage.
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MSS
takes proactive approach to addressing violence |
by Neil Zacharjewicz
M'CHIGEENG - Manitoulin Secondary School is taking steps to
address
recent incidents of violence which have occurred in the vicinity
of
the school.
Over the last few weeks, reports of fights between groups of
students
in the neighbourhood of the school have surfaced, with
allegations of
the use of weapons.
"No child should have to come into our school afraid," stated
Principal Carolyn Lane-Rock.
Ms. Lane-Rock indicated in recent weeks there have been
incidents of
drug-related violence occurring off of, but in the neighbourhood
of,
the school property. She said not all of the students involved
in the
incidents were involved in drugs, and there are over aged
individuals
who have been a problem.
The problem, she explained, is that the incidents have been
occurring
off of the school property, which is outside of the school's
jurisdiction. She said what many parents do not realize is that
when
students head out to the smoking area, head off to the store, or
head
down to the beach, the minute they step off of school property,
they
are outside of the jurisdiction and are therefore considered to
be
"skipping."
"It is really beyond our legal control," she stated.
However, Ms. Lane-Rock said that as a person living in the
Manitoulin
community, she wants to ensure that children are safe everywhere
on
the Island.
"It takes a few bad apples to ruin the basket," she suggested.
"In my
mind, violence occurs as a result of someone not feeling a sense
of
place or pride in one's community."
Recently, Ms. Lane-Rock met with representatives of the United
Chiefs
and Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM) Tribal Police, the Ontario
Provincial Police (OPP), school board officials, the local
trustees
and M'Chigeeng Chief Glen Hare to address the issue. She said
the
school has received excellent support from M'Chigeeng in its
efforts
to address the problem.
"This is an Island problem," Ms. Lane-Rock noted. "My job is to
keep
this school safe."
She said she wants to talk to the leaders in the Island
communities
because it appears the suspension system is not working. She
indicated when students are suspended, they are not allowed on
school
property. They are sent home with school work, but many students
do
not work well independently. Therefore, there are students who
spend
up to 20 days a year in the community doing nothing.
Island trustee Larry Killens agreed.
"We are going to have to look at the suspension system because
it
does not seem to be working," he said. "We are being proactive
and
looking at what the solutions are."
"(MSS) is a sub-community of the Island, with people from all
parts
of the Island," stated First Nations trustee Robert Beaudin. "We
are
all an integral part of the problem and the solution."
"(These students) need community mentors," Ms. Lane-Rock
suggested.
She said this is a program the school is hoping to establish.
Other steps include the introduction of surveillance cameras at
the
school, and a request to the OPP to be more visible during the
lunch
hour, when problems tend to occur. The OPP have been patrolling
the
area around the school on a more frequent basis during the lunch
hour
as a result of the violence issue.
"I feel comfortable with where we are going," stated Ms.
Lane-Rock.
She said another thing she would like to see is for students to
get
more involved in the school. She suggested one thing she would
like
to put in place is having Senior students act as mentors to
Junior
students.
"It is a wonderful school. We probably have fewer incidents (of
problems) than other schools," she pointed out. She added there
is a
real attempt to get everyone, including the students, their
parents,
the staff and the Island communities, to take responsibility for
what
is happening in the local schools. She said as the principal of
the
school, it is her job to act as a liaison.
"The purpose of the principal and the vice-principal is not to
be
officers of the law. We are not a police force," Ms. Lane-Rock
stated. She said their role is to keep the school moving
forward.
"We have an open door policy. Anyone is welcome to drop by any
time,"
she indicated.
Constable Al Boyd of the OPP indicated the police are taking the
incidents at the high school seriously. He said there is a
protocol
between the OPP and all of the school boards in Northeastern
Ontario
which allows the police to investigate complaints of violence,
threatening, or any other criminal activity. Incidents will be
investigated if warranted and charges will be laid.
"We take it pretty seriously," he said. He pointed out the OPP
monitor for trends in incidents at the school, and students are
familiar with the OPPs efforts in the school. He indicated
presentations were made to the Grade 9s and 10s on bullying and
harassment earlier in the school year. If the police become
involved,
criminal charges can be laid, and the courts take these
incidents
seriously.
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Building for the future to preserve
the past |
by Diana Smith
MANITOWANING---One of the best days we've had this year so far
in
terms of weather was the backdrop for the very successful
official
opening of the Assiginack Museum Complex this past Sunday.
Crowds covered the entirety of the Museum grounds and spilled
out
into the streets, with shady spots at a premium.
The complex is located in several areas throughout the town of
Manitowaning. The crown jewel is the Museum, and its historical
outbuildings. Located in the centre of town, it was originally a
jail
and was built in 1878. The new addition to the main building
doubled
its size and provides 2,500 square feet of climatically
controlled
space to protect the many sensitive artifacts housed there. The
area
within also provides much needed research, office and storage
space.
The project not only involved the Museum site but also the two
historic buildings at the waterfront. The Roller Mill and the
Burns
Wharf Theatre, which along with the S.S. Norisle form the
Manitowaning Heritage Park, also underwent extensive renovations
and
restoration during the five-year time span needed for completion
of
this million dollar undertaking.
"The areas that form the Museum complex, St. Paul's Anglican
Church,
the oldest church in Northern Ontario which the Museum Board
sort of
adopts as their own, and the lighthouse that sits above the Bay
forms
a nice three fold historic triangle within the community," said
Museum Board Chair David Smith. "It is something of which we
should
all be very proud and should spend lots of time boasting about."
A project of this size depends on generous individuals,
government
agencies and others to fund it.
"We as citizens of this township have been very fortunate with
the
support of donations from individuals and businesses to help in
funding of this addition," Mr. Smith said. "We have also been
fortunate to have the support of all three levels of government.
At
the provincial level, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
Corporation
(NOHFC), represented today by Joyce Foster, were one of the
first
ones to lend their support. Esther Taylor from Northern Affairs
was
very instrumental in helping us get going on the project. At the
federal level, three individuals played important roles in the
success of the project, FedNor's Stig Puschel and Mauro DelFante,
as
well as HRDC's Glenn Budgell. Anita Brunet-LaMarche from the
Ministry
of Culture gave me great support, with knowing what to do,
anytime I
had a problem. The municipal council also showed strong support
and
was quick to pass a motion for initial funding. Thanks
especially
goes to the municipal staff who did a massive amount of work on
the
financial end of things."
Mr. Smith was also quick to praise the backing he received from
the
Museum Board and Historical Society with the endless volunteer
hours
they put into fundraising. The respective contractors that
worked on
the project were thanked for going the extra mile, especially
the
architect John Weinhart from Mitchell and Associates who Mr.
Smith
said made him feel he was building an addition to the Royal
Museum of
Ontario rather than a small Museum in Northern Ontario.
Individual volunteers were also congratulated, including the
Horticultural Society who has been looking after the Museum
grounds
since 1955. Last but not least, Mr. Smith gave great praise to
the
HRDC workers on the project and who gave a hundred and ten per
cent
of themselves to it.
Speeches abounded during the ceremony and all followed a similar
theme presented by Reeve Hugh Moggy, which was the important
role
this Museum Complex plays in attracting visitors to the area,
enhancing the beauty of the community, and bringing economic
prosperity to the district.
A letter from MP Brent St. Denis spoke of the Assiginack Museum
"representing a wonderful and unique opportunity to ensure that
local
history and heritage will not only be preserved, but promoted
and
shared. It provides visitors and locals alike a chance to come
closer to the true culture and history of Manitoulin Island. It
willalso
provide for the economic diversification of the area, which is
vital
to ensure growth and prosperity."
Dr. John Carter, Museum advisor for the Ministry of Culture,
also
sent greetings, referring to the Museum and its new addition as
a
community asset being regarded as various things by various
users.
"It will be a depository for local history, a centre for
learning, an
employer, a cultural heritage resource, a gallery and exhibit
space,
a public service institution and a tourist attraction. Community
Museums like yours no longer act as dusty store houses for
artifacts,
but act as a component in the cultural mosaic of your
community."
A number of presentations were made throughout the afternoon
including one to Jeanette Allan, curator for the Assiginack
Museum
Complex in Manitowaning, who received a replica of the original
1879
Expositor newspaper from Manitoulin Expositor's Publisher Rick
McCutcheon. This was a token to represent the files and archives
of
the Expositor newspaper that the publisher announced will be
housed
in the Assiginack Museum's new climatically controlled addition.
"The Expositor paper is the oldest continuously published
newspaper
flag in Northern Ontario and its roots grow deep in the soil of
Manitowaning, having been originally printed and published from
buildings occupied by Tinkis' Store and Commercial Hotel,
located in
the town," Mr. McCutcheon commented.
Jean McClennan, a founding member of the Assiginack Historical
Society since 1955, was presented with a plaque that will
commemorate
the communications room in her name.
The Levack family and its representative, daughter Lois Mood,
accepted a plaque marking the Levack Research Room Area. The
family,
a major supporter of the Museum Complex, moved to Manitowaning
in
1929. Wallace Levack, during his time in the community, served
as
Reeve, started the Manitoulin Municipal Association and chaired
the
building committee that built Manitowaning's first arena.
Another
daughter, Charlotte Dunlop, is a well known teacher from the
Sheguiandah/Little Current area.
Fittingly Reeve Moggy announced that the museum's new display
area t
would be named after David Smith for his on-going work.
Reverend Canon Bain Peever blessed the facility with a Prayer of
Dedication. He reminded people that history has power. He
pointed out
that the partnership of the First Nation and the second nation
traditions that make up the Assiginack History, leads the
community
in its sense of a vision for the future.
The day ended with the local Cub Scouts helping at a free
community
barbecue for the public. Many who attended dressed in period
costume.
Contests like nail driving, and historical treasure hunts were
popular among the guests. Pioneer demonstrations of crafts,
weaving,
quilting and broom making were a big part of the day and the
Museum
has never had as many visitors as it had on this very memorable
day.
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