Havergal College - Magazine Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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Havcrgal College Magazine faithful ones were left to fight the battle alone, and to them is due the honour of settling the country. This was in 1814, but a year later 100 more settlers arrived, giving heart to the few who had resisted Cameron ' s wiles. The Nor ' westers, finding that the colony still flourished in spite of their former seductive plans, adopted a new plan — they would try their power over them by arms. So on the 19th of June, 1816, they at- tacked the colony at a point near Main Street North. In this skirmish, called Seven Oaks, the loyal and highly respected governor of the settlement, Robert Semple, was killed. Lord Sel- kirk was, at this time, on his way to the West, and, hearing the .dreadful news, hastened on his journey. He had in his company a numbe r of German mercenaries of the war of 181 2. This war now being over, these men, known as the De Meurons, ' were anxious to find homes this side of the Atlantic. So, on Lord Sel- kirk ' s promising to grant them land, they were willing to follow him to the West. It was through these men that the Parish of St. Boniface was founded, and named after the German apostle and patron saint, Winnifred, or Boniface. In 1820, an agent of Lord Selkirk, Colonel May, was in Swit- zerland, and, thinking he saw in the people of that country the necessary qualities of colonists, he sent over a number of them to the Red River district. But he w r as mistaken, for these people, most of whom were clock-makers and pastry-cooks, were totally unfit for the agriculturist ' s life on the prairie. The most important feature of their advent is best described by an eye-witness : No sooner had the Swiss immigrants arrived, than many of the Germans, who had come to the settlement a few years ago from Canada, and had homes, presented themselves in search of a wife, and, having fixed their attachment with acceptance, they received those families in which was their choice into their habi- tations. Those who had no daughters to afford this introduction, were obliged to pitch their tents along the banks of the river and outside the stockades of the fort. But the De Meurons and Swiss, being unsuited to the country, soon showed signs of discontent, and as a result, removed to that district which at present is the State of Minnesota. In the year 1826, a disastrous thing happened. The Red River flooded its banks, and the inhabitants of the settlement were forced to flee for safety to the higher ground at Bird ' s Hill, Stony Moun- tain and Sturgeon Creek. But the flood soon subsided, and the colonists settled down anew to pursue their labours as farmers and fur-traders. Let us now turn, in conclusion, and compare the conditions under which they lived, and those under which we live. Let us imagine ourselves in 181 6, nearly a century back, standing at the gate of new Fort Garry, comparing the sights to be seen then with those which exist to-day. The walls of the fort are fresh and strong, and a military air pervades ; to-day nothing is left but the ruined gateway, overhung with vines. We look beyond us, and stretched 19

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Havergal College Magazine April 19. — Reception in new Assembly Hall. May 2. — Miss Maynard and Miss Gabrielle Maynard from Eng- land pay us a visit. May 6 -Death of His Majesty, King Edward VII. Accession of King George V. May 20 — Day of general mourning on the occasion of the funeral of King Edward VII. Canada mourns. May 2T — Lecture by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his Farthest South Expedition. Modest, manly, patriotic. May 24 — Empire Day. God Save King George. May 25 — Halley ' s Comet at last visible to Havergal star-gazers. General opinion in favour of Empire Day fireworks. May 26 — Queen ' s birthday. Twenty-one guns for Her Majesty, Queen Victoria Mary. Maisie Longbottom, Form V. Upper. THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT It was with a feeling of love and pity for humanity, and a desire to give an exiled people an open, unlimited home, that Lord Selkirk, in 181 1, bought a large tract of land from the Hudson ' s Bay Company. This territory lay along the Red River, and had as its central point the famous Fort Garry. So we see that the founding of this settlement was the establishing of the greatest city of the West. The Scottish Highlanders, at this time, were being cruelly turned from their homes to satisfy the whim of selfish land-owners. Lord Selkirk, understanding the circumstances, grasped this op- portunity of encouraging a distressed people to settle in a new country. In 1 81 2, the first shipload arrived. Besides seventy industrious Scotchmen, we find some twenty Irish immigrants. In this com- pany, landing in 1813, the newcomers consisted mostly of skilled workmen, who came for the purpose of helping the former settlers in the erection of their buildings. Some of these, again, were of Irish blood. During the next two years, 193 immigrants arrived, bringing the total amount of settlers up to 270. Besides the Hudson ' s Bay Company in Canada, there was an- other, which went under the name of The Northwestern. These Nor ' westers, as they were commonly called, considered it unfair that the Selkirk settlement should be s under the care of their rivals, and they therefore set about to entice some of the settlers from their newly-found homes. In 1814, a Nor ' western officer, Duncan Cameron, appeared at Fort Garry, and as a result of his vivid descriptions of life in Upper Canada, about 180 of me original settlers were persuaded to go with him to Ontario. Thus the 18

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Havergal College Magazine out to the north is a limitless prairie, and the crooked Indian trail, dotted on either side with a feu low houses, winds away and is lost. Lumbering along on this uneven pathway we see a pair of oxen drawing a rude cart. But now, instead of the Indian trail, is seen Main Street, with all its traffic and bustle ; instead of the oxen, a clanging street car or an automobile. We look westward, and a full view of the sinking- sun can be had, as it slowly slips into the morning of another hemisphere. But now its last segment cannot be seen from this point, for huge buildings and houses pre- vent this sight. And so everything is changed ; on all sides we see the advance of years— we see that the present generation has built its walls on the firm foundation of the past. It is clear that they lived for our benefit; for surely now, as residents of the city which they founded, we enjoy the many privileges for which the strong minds and bodies of these hardy settlers laboured. Ihe writer is greatly indebted for matter contained in these lines to the kindness of the Rev. R. C. Johnstone, secretary of the Historical and Scientific Society. Grace McGaw, Matric. I. ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE HAY RIVER MISSION In the rush of school work and amusement Havergal did not forget her little Indian girl, Madeline Etenaishi, at the Hay River Mission. Madeline is eleven years old, and is bright and active in her school work. Last year, June 18th, the Fifth Form gave a dra- matic entertainment to raise the money to support Madeline in the following year. Scenes from Twelfth Night were acted, and were very much appreciated. Norma Boynton played the part of Lady Olivia very well, while Grace McGaw made an excellent Malvolio. Clara Crispo as Maria, Gladys Soot as The Fool, Doris Al- dous as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Ruby Henderson as Sir Toby Belch, all did their parts well, entering into the spirit of the play they were acting. Every Form had decorated their class- room. The Shell did a roaring trade in the Gymnasium, and straw- berries and cream were served in the Fourth, and ice cream and cake in Matriculations One and Two. As the Assembly Hall has been built since then, it is probable that we shall provide another entertainment this year for Madeline, and try to raise a large amount of money for her. Mary Estlin, Lower IV. 20