Update 59

[Alastair]

The Significance of Community Past and Present


It is the right time to return to our roots, the origin and inspiration of the Fallbrook campaign and the Ballinafad Oral Project. The possible destruction of the little Celt McKay farmhouse which preserved the McClure log cabin exemplified a profound lack of appreciation of the contribution of the pioneer community which continued the work of the Iroquois people in opening this land to human occupation. Through the opinions of heritage experts and historians, we have demonstrated here on www.electricscotland.com the significance of that contribution. With the courage and determination typical of pioneer communities, the families of Ballinafad created a synergetic force based on cooperation, concern for your neighbour and a sharing of human and material resources which ensured the survival of their common endeavour.

You can read the test of this update at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...allbrook59.htm

[Alastair]

Re: Update 59

Beatrice Hilts

This is an email I got in and am sharing it with you...

HI all,

After reading Sandy's very eloquent update 59, I was inspired to remember Beatrice Hilts who was my Sunday School teacher when I was in my early teens or maybe earlier. She truly was a disciple. I was willing to believe she had been displaced in time and space.

I wish I could find the lovely letter she wrote to some of her former pupils on Canada's centennial. She herself shared the house on a Centennial Farm, with her brother Henry.

She was firmly opposed to strong drink as she put it and I'm sure Ballinfad Church was firmly in the corner of the Temperance movement. In fact in some of those years we were presented with lurid and almost pornographic descriptions of some of strong drink's effects in some of the literature. Then there was the oath. The temperance movement is maybe more than a sidebar but it was a big element in Protestant North America. at one time.

If I ever do dome across the letter I will pass it on. Maybe she wrote one also to her nieces and nephews.

Janice

[fallbrook]

Re: Update 59

Thanks Janice for your comments on the campaign and Beatrice Hilts.She certainly merits the title of ``great little person``as devoted teacher but also as a tireless historian who provided much of the material of the pioneer history.Obviously, many others qualify for this merit and we welcome all suggestions and accompanying articles.Through the miracle of meticulous recording as accomplished by the Women,s Institutes combined with digital archiving as done by amateurs and professionals alike,oral history is now fulfilling a prominent role in preserving our collective history.
For the information of our readers,Janice,was raised in the Fad and is an oral historian in her own merit. she has contributed to the preservation of the Scotsdale Farm,as well as supporting the Fallbrook campaign. She has developed a website concerning Scotsdale which is described in a preceeding update.
Encouraging to use the forum. Thanks, Janice for much appreciated input and dedication. Sandy