Category: Archives

Now Hiring: Archivist

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The South Peace Regional Archives in Grande Prairie Alberta is looking for a skilled, driven, and adventurous Archivist to join our team. Being part of a small non-profit organization you will not only gain direct experience in a range of archival activities, but take a leadership role in the heritage preservation of our region. You will be able to help guide our work, and have a direct impact on the organization. This has never been more true than now, as we prepare to design, set up, and relocate to our new home. If you want to be part of a small, dynamic, archives team, and help to build and grow your own workspace, we encourage you to apply. Visit our Careers page for the full job description and information about how to apply.

Position Type: Full time; permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta

Salary Range: $52,000 – $62,000

Position Closing Date: July 3, 2022

Tentative Start Date: August 1, 2022

Doris (Sims)Thompson Art Auction in Support of the South Peace Regional Archives

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We are very excited to announce that the Doris (Sims) Thompson Art Auction goes live today! Doris (Sims) Thompson was a local award winning wildlife artist whose work was featured in galleries across Canada and the United States. Her family is auctioning off all of her remaining original oil on canvas works, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the South Peace Regional Archives Building Fund to support our move to Centre 2000. This is a chance for you to not only get some amazing art, but to support the building of a permanent home for our regions history.

Bidding on the auction is now open at https://app.galabid.com/doristhompsonart/items so check it out today. The auction will run online until March 27, 2022 so don’t miss out!

The auction items are also available to view in person this weekend at the Grande Prairie Mall! Stop by for your chance to win a signed print of one of Doris’ award winning pieces!

And finally, be sure to check out the Fundraising mugs featuring Doris’ art for sale now in the Archives Store!

The Archives Re-Opening to the Public

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We are thrilled to announce that after two long years the South Peace Regional Archives is re-opening to the public. As of Tuesday March 1, 2022 the Archives will be open by appointment Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. The appointment system will help us to manage the capacity of the reading room, ensuring that every researcher has the space to work in comfort and privacy, and that staff are available to assist them. Appointments can be booked online or by phone at 780-830-5105.

In addition to opening the reading room, staff continue to be available via phone and email during our regular business hours to provide remote research assistance.

Thank you for your patience and support during our extended closure, and we hope to welcome you back to the Archives very soon. If you have any questions regarding re-opening plans or policies please contact us at 780-830-5105 or at Director@SouthPeaceArchives.org.

From the Vault Friday: Wanted Poster

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Image: SPRA 002.04.06.02

Todays “From the Vault Friday” features a poster from the Beth Sheehan fonds (fonds 002).

The poster is advertising the Stage Door Theatre production of The Balled of Knobby Clarke, on April 21, 1976. The artist is Tim Heimdal.

Read more about the Beth Sheehan fonds (fonds 002) here.

From the Vault Friday is a social media campaign that highlights interesting materials from the collections of the South Peace Regional Archives. This project was made possible by an Access to Holdings Grant from the Archives Society of Alberta.

Farewell SPRA! A Reflection on my Student Work Term

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Above: Archives Assistant (Student), Kaydence Redding, processing an album from the Hines-Sutherland Family fonds.

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to return to the South Peace Regional Archives (SPRA) in my former role of Archives Assistant (Student). Once again, my summer spent at SPRA has been incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. I have learned more about the important role archives play in preserving our history, and I am proud to have played a part in this through my various processing projects. Over the last four months I completed the processing of two new fonds, the Bezanson Community Blooms fonds (645) and the Hines-Sutherland Family fonds (679). I also processed an accrual to the South Peace Regional Archives Sound Recording Collection (504) which consisted of 4 interviews of former Alberta Provincial Police Officers. Additionally, I worked on a newspaper inventory and rehousing project, during which I was able to inventory and rehouse over 2.5 meters of newspapers!

While processing was among my favorite activities this summer, I was thankful to work on projects such as the #ThrowbackThursday Facebook campaign, hosting an online education session with the Grande Prairie Public Library, and writing Telling Our Stories articles. All of these activities focused on public outreach and helped me build connections to the communities and people of the South Peace throughout my work term.

For me, one of the more important aspects of my role this summer was the work I did on projects related to Reconciliation. This included working on the Library and Archives Canada funded project “Reclaiming the Past, Reclaiming Their Stories: Indigenous Records”, presenting a virtual session with the Grande Prairie Public Library on our findings from the Indigenous Records project, and writing articles about Indigenous-related content to be featured in future Telling Our Stories magazines. An additional resource I worked on, that I hope will have long lasting impact, was the Indigenous Records Research Guide that can be found on the SPRA website. The vast amount of material available on our website may make it hard to know where to start when researching Indigenous history. In order to help with this, the research guide compiles lists of the fonds, library books, reference files, and Telling Our Stories articles within the archives collections that have Indigenous-related content in order to make this content more easily accessible for everyone.

After my first work term at SPRA last summer, I was inspired to switch my field of study into something that would allow me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Archival Studies in my future. After spending a second summer immersed in the archival world, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. These past four months have taught me so much about the possible obstacles and victories that come along with working in the archival field. Every piece of information that I gained throughout the last two summers has left me immensely excited to learn more in the future, and reinforced my desire to become an archivist one day. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to have worked at SPRA once again, I will greatly miss getting to collaborate with SPRA’s amazing staff, Stephanie and Teresa, and the ability to immerse myself in the history of the South Peace on a daily basis.

This post was contributed by Kaydence Redding, the Archives Assistant (Student). This position is made possible thanks to funding from Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations.

Soldier Spotlight: Margaret Schadeck

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Image: Margaret’s discharge certificate, cropped (Fonds 131)

Margaret Alma Stevens (Regtl. No. W3225) was born July 8, 1907, in Easton’s Corners, Ontario. She attended school there until Grade 9, later taking a course in Business College in Ottawa. Her parents, Mr. & Mrs. William Stevens, lived at Kemptville, ON when she enlisted at Kingston, ON. in 1942. Margaret joined the Canadian Women Army Corps (CWAC), No. 7 Company, and trained at Barriefield, ON in 1943, where she met Eddie Schadeck. She served as a clerk at Fort Frontenac, Kingston until her discharge in 1946. Her interests included riding horses and writing poetry and songs. Margaret started army correspondence courses while at Barriefield and continued them in Brockville, ON after she was discharged, and in Wembley after she married Eddie in 1946. Their farm was located south of Huallen in the Wembley area. In the 1950s, they moved to Salmon Arm, where they lived until Margaret passed away in 1999.

Margaret Stevens, Canadian Women’s Army Corps, 1942 c. (SPRA 131.02.01)

 

Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.

From the Vault Friday: South Peace Horticultural Society

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Image: SPRA Fonds 021

Today’s “From the Vault Friday” features a program for the South Peace Horticultural Society’s 9th Annual Flower Show in June 1977.  The South Peace Horticultural Society was formed in 1969. The society was a member of the Alberta Horticultural Association and its major projects each year were the Spring and Fall flower shows. This was later downsized to one annual flower show. In 1975, the Society adopted the pansy as its symbol, after the Grande Prairie City Council rejected it as the flower emblem of the city. The Society then had a 9 month long artwork competition, open to the public, to design a crest. The winner, Irene Pearcy, won a cash prize of $10 and a copy of the embroidered crest.

Image: Photo of the crest, SPRA Fonds 021

In addition to the Flower Shows, the Society worked on a variety of projects, from co-sponsored landscaping classes to a vegetable project in conjunction with John G.N. Davidson, Ph. D. from the Beaverlodge Research Station.

The club disbanded in 1987.

Read more about the South Peace Horticultural Society fonds (Fonds 021) here and and in the June 2019 edition of Telling Our Stories here

From the Vault Friday is a social media campaign that highlights interesting materials from the collections of the South Peace Regional Archives. This project was made possible by an Access to Holdings Grant from the Archives Society of Alberta.

Cooking With Betty: Jobs, Entertainment, and Cakes

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Cooking with Betty is a new limited-run blog series showcasing transcriptions from the Betty Welter Fonds. Each week, we will be sharing Betty’s recipes and her thoughts on raising children in Grande Prairie during the 1950’s. Each blog post will feature recipes from her handwritten recipe book and excerpts from her reflection piece Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s. This blog series is made possible by volunteer Suzanne Dunn, who transcribed the records, and practicum student Alec Moreau, who compiled the posts. We will try to keep things short, simple, and sweet!

 

All good things must come to an end, and today we bid goodbye to Cooking with Betty. To finish things off, this final excerpt from Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s includes employment and recreation opportunities Betty gave her children:

JOBS
Yes – they all had paper-routes and did errands for some neighbors. Fred was offered an after-school job at a bicycle shop on main street at 25 cents an hour, cleaning up on Saturday an after on assembling bikes. The older ones babysat a bit in the late 50’s at 25 cents an hour also.

 

ENTERTAINMENT
All in Sunday School and choirs. Red Cross swimming lessons at the outdoor pool in summer months. Girls in Guides and Brownies, boys in Cubs & Scouts. Girls in a 4H clothing club that I led for years and boys in hockey. All took piano lessons from the Sisters; $1.00 for a half hour as I recall.

For the final post in this series we’ve saved the best for last, it’s time for an extravaganza of cake recipes! (That Chocolate Cream Cake sure sounds tasty… I should really go eat lunch.)

Matrimonial Cake (M. Brown)

 

1 1/4 c w. sugar
1 1/4 c oatmeal
3/4 c b. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 “ soda

 

Rub all together & put half in bottom of pan.

 

Filling: 2 c chopped dates
1/2 c sugar

 

Nuts and raisins may be added, enough H2O to boil. Cook in slow oven.

Chocolate Cream Cake (Gerty Meyers)

 

2 tbsp. melted butter
1 c. w. sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. b. powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. cream

 

Method:
Cream butter & sugar. Add to cocoa sufficient boiling water to dissolve it & add soda. Combine with first mixture. Beat in eggs & add vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder & salt & add alternately with cream to rest of mixture. Bake in layer cake tins in moderate oven of 350oF for 25 min. May bake in long pan.

Spice Cake (M. Brown)

 

1/2 c butter
1 c b. sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. molasses
3 tsp. b. powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/2 “ nutmeg
2 c sifted flour
1 c sweet milk

 

Mix as usual & bake.

Dream Cake (M.B.)

 

1 c flour
1/2 c butter

 

Mix well , put in pan & bake a short time.

 

2 eggs
1 1/2 c. b. sugar
1 c. walnuts [sic]

1/2 c cocoanut [sic]
2 heaping tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. b. powder.
Pinch salt.

Thanks for joining us for Cooking with Betty! To learn more about Betty, and to read transcriptions of her records, be sure to visit the Betty Welter Fonds.

Image: A page from Betty’s handwritten cookbook (From SPRA 0129.07.01)

Cooking With Betty: Chores and Cream Puffs

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Cooking with Betty is a new limited-run blog series showcasing transcriptions from the Betty Welter Fonds. Each week, we will be sharing Betty’s recipes and her thoughts on raising children in Grande Prairie during the 1950’s. Each blog post will feature recipes from her handwritten recipe book and excerpts from her reflection piece Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s. This blog series is made possible by volunteer Suzanne Dunn, who transcribed the records, and practicum student Alec Moreau, who compiled the posts. We will try to keep things short, simple, and sweet!

 

This week, we are sharing Betty’s no-nonsense perspectives on transportation and household chores. Enjoy this latest excerpt from Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s:

TRANSPORTATION
Children walked everywhere. Older ones had bikes in the late 50’s.

 

CHORES
Children all helped with assigned chores, according to their age. Helped in the garden preparing fruit or vegetables for preserving. We had coal and wood stoves ’til mid-50’s so helped with splitting wood and kindling, carrying coal and ashes.

We are also bringing you an assortment of recipes for entertaining. The cream puffs sure sound good!

Apple Crisp

 

5 or 6 apples, peeled, sliced in a pudding dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon & 1/2 c. sugar
Add 3 tbsp. water
Blend for crumbs 2 tbsp butter
1 c sugar (brown)
2/3 c. flour

 

Sprinkle over apples & bake in a mod. oven until brown.

Curled Celery

 

1. Cut celery stalks in 2 1/2 “ sticks
2. Slash from each end of the strip to within 1/2″ from centre
3. Place in salted water to curl, about 1/2 hour.

Cream Puffs (Anna)

 

1 c si. flour
3 c. butter
1 c. boiling H2O
3 eggs unbeaten

 

Sift flour once. Melt shortening in water. Stir flour into rapidly boiling H2O. Cook & stir constantly until mixture leaves sides of pan in smooth compact mass. Remove + eggs one at a time beating only until smooth 20-40 sec. Shape on ungreased baking sheet, rounds or strips 5×1”. Bake in hot oven 450o 20 min. then reduce heat to moderate 350oF & bake 25 min. longer. With sharp knife make slit in one side insert Custard Cream Filling. Cover with Hungarian Choc. Frosting. Makes 12

Join us next week as we continue Cooking with Betty!

Image: A page from Betty’s handwritten cookbook (From SPRA 0129.07.01)

New Fonds Available!

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Image: Toddler Lucy Hines riding on the back of a zebra. Ca. 1908 (SPRA 0679.01.003)

We are pleased to announce that our Archives Assistant Student, Kaydence Redding, has completed processing a new collection, the Hines-Sutherland fonds! Although we have been closed to the public due to the ongoing pandemic, we have remained hard at work making records accessible for public use. Processing the Hines-Sutherland family fonds has been one of our many recent projects and we are thrilled to share the results with you!

Alfred Hines ran a game farm for Sir Anthony Wingfield in Ampthill Bedfordshire, England at the beginning of the twentieth century. The game farm was home to many exotic animals including camels, zebras, llamas, and ostriches. It was likely at the game farm that Alfred met his wife, Octavia Beeata Hines, who worked for the neighbors as a maid. Alfred and Octavia’s eldest children, Helen and Lucy, were raised on the game farm until the family immigrated to Canada in 1910. Helen Hines later married Seath Sutherland, the couple homesteaded in the South Peace Region along with their twelve children and were some of the earliest pioneers in the area. The photo album contains 124 pictures of the Hines family while living and working at the Wingfield estate game farm ran by Alfred Hines. A majority of the photographs are of various family members, and other farm employees, riding and walking the animals at the Ampthill game farm. There are also a number of portraits included in the album, and a handful of photographs of the Hines family from their time working at the Partridge farm in Saskatchewan after immigrating to Canada.

This fonds is available for consultation on our website using the finding aid: Fonds 679 Hines-Sutherland Family fonds, and through a selection of digitized photographs that are viewable on Alberta on Record.