The Beaton Institute
1250 Grand Lake Rd. B1P 6L2 Sydney, NS, Canada

Cape Breton University professor emeritus, Dr. Graham Reynolds holds the Viola Desmond Chair in Social Justice. As part of his research for the Chair, Dr. Reynolds wanted to explore archival content related to Black Nova Scotians. The Beaton Institute, assisted by Dr. Reynold's students, compiled a guide to these resources and digitized a number of archival records. Click here to view the guide to learn more about these valuable resources: http://beaton.cbu.ca/ATOM/guides/bnsguide.pdf The Beaton Institute also holds the Wanda Robson and Viola Desmond Collection which can be viewed on the Digital Archive here: https://bit.ly/2NenW5D #AfricanHeritageMonth Images: Viola Irene Desmond (née Davis), at left, with her mother, Gwendolin Davis, and Graeme Davis. Wanda Robson and Viola Desmond Collection. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

Immigrants have played a critical role in building Nova Scotia, including newcomers from Lebanon, who have made exceptional cultural, religious, economic, and p...olitical contributions to our province for more than 130 years. That is why Lt. Edward Francis Arab is being honoured on Heritage Day, Monday, Feb. 15. Edward Arab was born on Sept. 6, 1915 in Halifax. At the age of 16, he joined the Canadian Officer’s Training Corps, based at Dalhousie University, and earned a Bachelor of Arts before graduating from Dalhousie Law School in 1937. Edward opened his own law firm which had a reputation for accepting cases that addressed issues of prejudice and racism. In the summer of 1942, Edward joined the Canadian Infantry Corps and was deployed in Sept. 1944 to fight for Canada during the Second World War. He was killed along with members of his regiment in the Dutch town of Bergen op Zoom on Oct. 25, 1944. Lt. Arab was proud of his Lebanese heritage and helped establish the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax, serving as its first president in 1938. Today, the society continues to share and celebrate Lebanese heritage and culture. For more information about Heritage Day and Edward Arab, please visit https://heritageday.novascotia.ca.

Dr. Alvinus Calder was born on the Island of Grenada in the British West Indies in 1892. He met Annie Hinks in Kingston while studying at medical school at Queen's University and they married in 1919. Shortly after his graduation in 1920, Dr. Calder and Annie moved to Sydney and opened his medical practice. In 1938 he bought the property known as "Calderwood" on Kings Road. Dr. Calder continued to travel around the world completing professional development and post graduate work in Paris, Vienna, Boston, and Budapest. In 1938, he bought the property known as 'Calderwood' on King's Road. He died in Sydney in 1975. The archive holds the Dr. Alvinus Calder fonds which you can read more about here: https://bit.ly/2ZeM3U1 #AfricanHeritageMonth

The Beaton Institute will be marking African Heritage Month with a series of posts featuring stories of local African Nova Scotians from our collections. Tom Miller was a veteran, community leader, and champion of human rights. As Atlantic Canada’s first Black alderman, Tom successfully held his seat in Sydney's Ward 5 from 1955 until 1972. To honour Tom's legacy and life's work, the Tom Miller Human Rights Award was established. The award is presented annually to an individ...ual from the CBRM who has made a significant contribution to the community with respect to the encouragement, promotion, initiation or development of human rights within the local community. This years recipient is Harman Singh, CEO of Breton Ability Centre. Tom was married to the late Ethel Miller who was an extraordinary singer and performer. Ethel's story will be shared later in the month along with a recording showcasing her incredible talent. Visit the African Heritage Month hub on the CBU website for more resources and information: https://www.cbu.ca/africanheritagemonth/ Portrait of Tom Miller courtesy of Mr. Wayne Miller. City of Sydney, Annual Reports 1963. Beaton Institute

Throughout his lifetime, Len Stephenson served as Dominion's community historian through the publication of books, oral history projects as well as archival collecting. Recently, Len’s significant collection of oral history interviews have been digitized, allowing researchers to explore the contents of these cassettes, and to bring new life to these pieces of Dominion and Cape Breton Island history through transcription, data entry and contextual research. Varying in sound-qu...ality and content, these tapes feature a wide range of conversations on Dominion family history, architectural history and social history of the 19th and 20th centuries. Click on the link below to listen to an audio clip from 1980. It features Len Stephenson, and Gordon Munroe. Gordon, owner of a local burger and hotdog restaurant, recounts his experience on Fridays. Fridays were fish days for Catholics, and as they would enter the restaurant, Gordon made sure to have beer readily stocked for them to purchase. This is just one piece among many, illustrating the social histories captured within Len’s collection. Alex Kuchma is a 4th year History student at Cape Breton University. Additionally, Kuchma studies Canadian music culture and hip-hop studies and is writing a book on the development of hip-hop culture in Canada. Listen to the audio clip on Soundcloud here: https://bit.ly/3azKvZM

This photograph is one of 33 glass plate negatives donated to the Beaton Institute after they were found at the Carmel Centre in New Waterford. Following careful scanning, it was discovered that the images depict New Waterford during the late 1920s. The photographs show military officers, #12 Colliery and its coal miners, the 60th anniversary of Confederation, and various landmarks and events throughout New Waterford. The image featured today shows the Slovene National Benefi...t Society, with a sign in Croatian. Although the photographer remains a mystery, the glass plate negatives tell many stories of New Waterford in the 1920s. Shaundra McPherson has been completing collections research and will be adding more to the descriptions if anyone has additional information to share. You can preview images from the collection here: bit.ly/2YfJa4N Shaundra is finishing her honours major in history at Cape Breton University. She is currently writing a thesis on the 1973 New Waterford mine explosion. The glass plate negative collection connects with Shaundra's interest in industrial history and coal mining in Cape Breton, providing exciting research opportunities.

Due to the continued closure of the Cape Breton University campus, The Beaton Institute remains closed to the public, however online service and access is available. Service delivery delays can be expected. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding. For requests please email: [email protected]. Cape Breton University students, faculty, and staff who wish to book an in-person research appointment can do so here: https://cbu-ca.libcal.com/space/16822. Please note: appointments are available Tuesday through Friday, and are booked 48 hours in advance. Staff will contact you directly to discuss your visit and material requested prior to your appointment.

This Remembrance Day we're sharing the story of Lieutenant James A. "Jim" Murphy (1893-1972) of North East Margaree. His story, along with three others, is featured in an upcoming Virtual Museum of Canada exhibit entitled "Cape Breton and the First World War" to be released in 2021. The son of a rural farming family, Jim worked as a coal miner before attending St. Francis Xavier University, where he was selected to train at the Royal Military College of Canada. A member of th...e 46th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he served at the Somme and Vimy Ridge, where he was wounded in a trench raid in February of 1917. Jim was awarded the Military Cross for his actions as special company commander of this raid, part of a series of strategic operations leading up to the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9-12. Prevented from further service as a result of the wound to his left arm, Jim was returned to Canada for medical treatment in the summer of 1917. Following the war, he resumed his education in engineering, and worked in Sydney before moving to the United States in 1923. There, he worked various jobs, married, raised a family, and settled in Detroit where he retired in 1961. We hope you enjoy this first look at a Cape Bretoner's personal experience with war, shaped from the documented record of his life: youtu.be/OfX3NwyZS00

Wishing you all a safe and spooky Halloween weekend! Smart Shop Halloween Costumes, 1971. Photograph by Abbass Studios Ltd. C-5927.1

This map shows acreage of Cape Breton townships, parishes, and counties during the late 18th century. Many 18th century maps documented Indigenous hunting territories. The map identifies "Indian Hunting Country" based on an earlier survey completed by Samuel Holland. #mikmaqhistorymonth A chart of the Island of Cape Breton, 1767. Map by J.F.W. DesBarres. Map 667.

Wikewiku's (October) is Animal Fattening Month on the Mi'kmaq Calendar. The Beaton Institute holds a copy of a calendar produced by the Eskasoni School Board in 1990. Here is a scan of the calendar cover and the month of October which is #mikmaqhistorymonth.

Closure Update: The Beaton Institute remains closed to the public however staff are working remotely and reduced hours on campus. Online service and access is available however service delivery delays can be expected. A phased reopening is currently being planned and we will provide an update as soon as possible. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding. ... For requests please email: [email protected].

We were saddened to hear about the death of Mr. Harvey Lewis. Mr. Lewis was a champion for the town of Louisbourg and passionate about local Cape Breton history. He lived an extraordinary life and we send our condolences to his family and all that knew him. Over the coming months, we will be working to process and preserve the Harvey Lewis Collection. The collection features incredible photographs, maps, and textual records documenting the life and career of Mr. Lewis as wel...l as his home town of Louisbourg. This video is an interview with Harvey Lewis for the 2012 Voices of Heritage Project completed by the Heritage Cape Breton Connection. https://youtu.be/SZG0M8x44KQ

We wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you enjoy your long weekend, wherever you'll be! Commercial Street, Glace Bay, 1965. Photograph by Abbass Studios Ltd. B-3218.3.

Cape Breton University honours the legacy of Donald Marshall Jr. and supports the rights of the Sipekne'katik First Nation, and all Mi’kmaw nations, to earn a moderate livelihood through their treaty-defined fishing rights. This excellent video from Treaty Education Nova Scotia provides insight into the Peace and Friendship treaties as historical and living documents. To learn more about the life and legacy of Donald Marshall Jr. you can also explore the Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution fonds from Nova Scotia Archives here: https://archives.novascotia.ca/marshall/ #mikmaqhistorymonth

The 24th annual Celtic Colours International Festival begins tomorrow! This year's At Home festival features 9 nights of free concerts available via livestream. For more information and for a full schedule, please visit: bit.ly/3iL7e7o. Congratulations to the festival organizers and artists on presenting this wonderful event! In celebration we're sharing this throwback photo from the #CelticColours International Festival Collection of the 2003 Bards & Ballads finale, featuring Dave Gunning, Tommy Sands, Tim O'Brien, Gordie Sampson, Karine Polwert, and Siân James.

The Mi'kmaq History Month poster is an important part of History Month. It highlights a significant aspect of our culture, heritage, and language in a way that ...makes learning about the Mi'kmaq fun for all ages. The poster, is a unique tool that brings together communities, schools, organizations, and individuals in celebration of who we are and who we have always been. This year's poster emphasizes the important role plants play in our culture and livelihood. From harvesting plants for nourishment and healing to the gathering of plants to make art and for use in ceremony, plants are and have always been, an essential resource for the Mi’kmaq. We are proud to present the official reveal of the Mi'kmaq History Month 2020 Poster, titled Plant Knowledge and Use, in this video featuring Mi'kmaq artist, Gerald Gloade. The Committee would like to acknowledge funding from Support4Culture and the Province of Nova Scotia for the creation of this video. Nova Scotia Government For more information on Mi'kmaq History Month visit www.mikmaqhistorymonth.ca. Video by FPS (Filet Production Services Inc.) #mikmaqhistorymonth

Today is Treaty Day in Nova Scotia. It also marks the beginning of Mi'kmaq History Month. Please take some time to view and learn more about these important records available online via our friends at Nova Scotia Archives. For more information about Treaty Day, please visit: bit.ly/3jgfNrU

Treaty education is important. You can view and download digitized copies and transcriptions of many of the Peace and Friendship treaties between Mi'kmaq and colonial government in our Mi'kmaq holdings resource guide: https://archives.novascotia.ca/mikmaq/results/

At CBU, wearing orange isn't out of the ordinary. But today, we wear orange with added intention. September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a day on which we commemora...te the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. To learn more, visit orangeshirtday.org

It is the final few days of NS Polish Heritage Month, and there are still a few events to take in! There will be a screening of Memory is Our Homeland at 7pm at the Highland Arts Theatre this evening. As well, the Glace Bay Polish Heritage Project (chaired by Dr. Ed Michalik) and the St. Michael's Polish Benefit Society invite you to an outdoor unveiling of a permanent plaque to honour the Polish pioneers of Glace Bay. The ceremony will take place at 11am on Wednesday September 30th at Dawe Avenue Recreation Field across from Holy Cross Church, Glace Bay. Dr. Michalik has generously shared an image of his grandparents Joe Michalik and Catherine Ropek with extended family and guests at their wedding in 1926. Hope to see you there! #WitamyNS

Beaton Institute staff members Anna MacNeil and Jane Arnold are happy to help you with your research at a distance. You can learn more about accessing the Beaton Institute's online resources by watching these short videos about our services, and how to contact us for assistance. https://youtu.be/f5zdcSqFOUg https://youtu.be/c34h0-Az_-o

The Paruch Family Collection is an incredible donation of photographs, interviews, musical recordings, and printed ephemera. The Beaton Institute has been fortunate to work with the Paruch family and Dr. Gerald Pocius to learn more about local Polish history and traditions through this collection. Before she passed away in May, Dr. Pocius interviewed Stella Paruch about her late husband, well-known musician Johnny Paruch. However Stella's life after she migrated to Sydney fro...m Wolczuchy, Poland in 1936 became the focus of Dr. Pocius' research. The collection and interviews with Stella provide a glimpse into the daily life of a typical Polish family in Whitney Pier during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Most recently, Johnny and Stella's granddaughter Katrina Paruch has assisted with identification of some images in the collection, and provided more information for the records. We are very thankful, and with her assistance we will be adding more images online. Some individuals in the collection are still unidentified, and we welcome input from our followers to help improve our image descriptions. Please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] if you have any information to share. #WitamyNS Image credits: Stella and Johnny Paruch, ca. 1940. MG 21.26. 18-164-30809. Summer at the bungalow, ca. 1952. MG 21.16. 18-72-30717. Friends gathered, ca. 1937. MG 21.26. 18-59-30704.

The 2020 Lumière Cape Breton Arts Festival is in full swing and there are many wonderful installations and events to experience online and in person. For more information please visit: lumierecb.com/. Congratulations to this year's artists and dedicated organizers and volunteers on this exciting celebration of art and culture in our community!

A few months ago, Archivist Jane Arnold and Dr. Tom Urbaniak spoke with Wendy Bergfeldt about the importance of collecting and preserving memories and records (listen here: bit.ly/3iAbLdw). Reflecting about the past or writing about current events that affect our lives can help foster healthy communities and individuals. The archive would like to encourage students to spend some time documenting their thoughts and feelings during Covid 19, and explore how their university exp...erience has been unique this year. The Beaton Institute would appreciate receiving these writings as donations to the archive. We hope students may find the process of creating a diary of events a helpful activity, and future researchers will benefit from learning how CBU students studied and persevered through such unique and challenging times. During Staying Healthy Week Cape Breton University take some time to write and reflect. You can learn more about donating by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]. Dr. Robert Morgan happily working in the archive, ca. 1985. 98-264-29051.

Suzanne Durkacz MacNeil has kindly allowed the Beaton Institute to share records of her paternal grandmother from 1913. Frances Tynski Durkacz was sailing to be reunited with her husband who was already living in Sydney at the time. We appreciate you posting these incredible records Suzanne!#WitamyNS

In 1907, sixteen year old Roman Siwak completed a two week journey from Poland to Canada. He left Quebec to move to Cape Breton for work at the steel plant. He was one of the original members of the St. Michael's Polish Benefit Society, and helped build the first Polish Church in Whitney Pier. Rosalie Starzomski interviewed Mr. Siwak in 1970, and donated the recording to the Beaton Institute. We've recently had this recording digitized and would like to share this extraordinary interview for NS Polish Heritage Month. #WitamyNS You can listen to the recordings on SoundCloud here:

STUNNING NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY OF KRIS TYNSKI: Please drop by for our SPECIAL EXHIBIT at the Polish Village Hall Friday (any time between 4 and 7) or Saturday (any... time between 10:30 and 2:30). Beautiful Polish costumes and textiles will also be on display. Part of Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. Physical distancing and other public health precautions will be in place. #WitamyNS. See more