Telling tales out of school

Edmonton Catholic Schools wants to hear your stories to include in their archives

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Did you know that in 1957, the billiard room in the Drake Hotel in Beverly was broken into a classroom for Catholic education every day? While St. Bernadette School was being built, a large curtain was drawn across the parlour to separate the students from the patrons.

Retired Edmonton Catholic Schools teacher Richard Wray is part of a steering committee involved with creating an archive of Catholic education for the Edmonton Catholic School Board. Stories and artifacts, photographs and mementos are being collected for display in a museum currently being set up in the old St. Anthony School.

"Unfortunately there are some great people who have passed on that we missed, but there are many others we would like to contact," said Wray, 67, a former director of Providence Renewal Centre.

He has interviewed more than 60 former students, teachers and administration in a quest to set personal stories of Catholic education in the Edmonton area to digital audio and video.

Wray was approached by committee chair Rick Mooney to participate in the project. Two years ago, Mooney was tapped by ECSB to set up an archival system for Catholic schools in the region. Several community stakeholders were brought together and a plan was developed that identified four initiatives: history of the religious, artifact collection, archival standards and programs as well as oral histories.

Oral histories

A respected public speaker, Wray became interested in the oral aspect. He prepared a list of 130 names of people he thought could contribute interesting stories. He submitted the list to the steering committee that told Wray it was a great start, but there were many more beyond his list. His cut-off point is 200 interviews.

During each interview, "I always ask 'Who is a person who had a major impact on their career?'" Several people are mentioned who are already on the list but Wray said former assistant superintendent Pat Quinlan's name is offered repeatedly.

"I enjoyed all the years I spent with the Catholic schools. I met some wonderful teachers," said Quinlan, 86. "I had the privilege of being under Austin O'Brien when I began. I am very honoured to hear that people remember me."

Quinlan's career spanned more than 40 years as a teacher and administrator. He was Evergreen Catholic Schools' initial superintendent in Spruce Grove. Quinlan said the archival project is overdue and worthwhile.

Act now

"As time goes by, you lose a lot of things that are important. We must remember the faith component of our Catholic schools because it means so much. We hope that it holds us in good stead."

Mooney said a book depicting the history of religious orders inspiring the Catholic faith in schools is planned for release in September 2006.

"This is a neat project. Richard has done an incredible amount of work," Mooney said. "We're getting there. Richard is busy capturing oral histories because many of the people in our district are aging. This project has turned into a passion. We learn as we go and we are doing more than we ever intended. I'm working with wonderful people and the response has been terrific."

The committee plans to have an archive website operational in 2005. A computerized data retrieval system will be installed in the museum for information regarding an old teacher, school or period of time.

It is important that the district collect what it can from the past and develop guidelines for preserving the future, Mooney said.

"We hope it will be a living archive that reflects on our history at any given time. We are now setting up so we can keep a much better history of our schools."

Just in time

Several former teachers have told Wray they always tried to remember that they were teaching students, not subjects. He mentioned the late Elizabeth (Betty) McNamee, a teacher and administrator with Edmonton Catholic Schools from 1957 until her retirement in 1992. Wray interviewed her two days before her death last April.

"She said her first teaching assignment was at St. Bernadette's but it was under construction. They could not get into the school, so they moved the students to the Drake Hotel temporarily. They had a drape in the middle of the pool room."

A particular focus will be paid to the support and custodial staff because Wray says, "That's where you get the real stories."

"It will be interesting when I get hold of the support staff and have their stories about what they did, about the school's atmosphere and how they related to the children and teachers."

The museum and archive will not be completed for at least another year, but if anyone would like to share a personal story or would be willing to donate an artifact, call archivist Helen Scarlett at 439-7356. She can also be reached by email at scarletth@ecsd.net.

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