g v m a - Vernon Museum and Archives

g v m a
A Tribute to
KEN ELLISON
It is with heavy hearts we announce Ken Ellison’s peaceful passing on June 21, 2016 at the age
of 90. Ken grew up in Oyama where he attended school through grade 12. During WWII, Ken
served with the Royal Canadian Navel Volunteer Reserve as a Seaman. In 1949, he received a
B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of British Columbia. He took on several agricultural opportunities prior to returning to Oyama in 1954 where he operated the family ranch and orchards. In the early years of the Oyama Fire Department, Ken volunteered as a firefighter.
Ken was very interested in the postal history of Canada and the history of British Columbia
and the North Okanagan. He was a life member of the Okanagan Historical Society. Ken was
involved in a variety of publications related to postal history and the history of the Okanagan.
Outside of the museum, Ken volunteered many hours with the British North America Philatelic
Society. In recognition of his many contributions to BNAPS, Ken was elected to the Order of
the Beaver in 1995.
We could go on and on but we’d need the whole newsletter, rather a whole book to just touch on all he accomplished in his 90
years. What we’d like to focus on here is his tireless dedication to the Greater Vernon Museum & Archives. Can you believe it?
Ken volunteered a remarkable 50 years with the museum!!! Volunteering six hours per day, Tuesday to Friday, for at least the
past 20 years, Ken graciously gave freely of his time to index and digitize newspapers, work with the photograph collection and
reference books, among many other archival duties. We often joked about asking the “boss” for his permission, knowledge or
opinion on various matters.
Over the years, Ken has donated countless artifacts and photographs of importance to the history of Vernon and the Okanagan, in addition to making very generous monetary donations to our museum. As Board Member, Francouis Arseneault said,
“his vast knowledge of the history of the Vernon area is legendary, as he was frequently called upon to assist researchers from
across the country.”
We cannot thank you enough Ken! You have left a huge void not only within the museum, but also in our hearts. We also apologize as we know you’d be most embarrassed by us “making such a fuss” over you.
3009-32nd Ave. Vernon, BC, V1T 2L8
www.vernonmuseum.ca
MUSEUM STAFF MEMBERS
DIRECTOR/CURATOR: Ken Mather
ARCHIVIST: Barbara Bell
REGISTRAR: June Mitchell
EDUCATION COORDINATOR: Gabriel Newman
GIFT SHOP MANAGER/SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR: Jean Manifold
ARCHIVES ASSISTANT/DATABASE MANAGER: Liz Ellison
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR: Denise Marsh
MUSEUM BOARD MEMBERS
CHAIR: Dan Stuart
NON-VOTING REP.—Tannis Nelson
NON-VOTING REP./CULTURAL PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE REP.—
Juliette Cunningham
FRIENDS OF THE VERNON MUSEUM REP.—Alice Lee
MEMBERS:
Eldie Jamieson
Chad Soon
Gary Fisher
Gabriel Newman
Francois Arseneault
Linda Wills
Joanne Georgeson
FRIENDS OF THE VERNON MUSEUM EXECUTIVE
PRESIDENT: Gilda Koenig
VICE-PRESIDENT: Marilyn Marcoux
SECRETERY: Colin Marzoff
TREASURER: Denise Marsh
DIRECTORS:
Jean Manifold
Liz Ellison
Barbara Bell
Joanne Georgeson
Vivian Elgie
DIRECTORS AT LARGE:
Alice Lee
Hylda Mayfield
OKANAGAN LANDING STATION HOUSE
MUSEUM COMMITTEE
Val Heuman
Barbara Bell
Eldie Jamieson
OKANAGAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME
COMMITTEE
Chad Soon
Kevin Mitchell
Roger Knox
Barbara Bell
VERNON CADET CAMP MUSEUM
COMMITTEE
Barbara Bell
Francois Arseneault
Scott Usher
Neil Scott
Lisa Devine
Cory Schulta
Maria Brunskill
Graham Brunskill
Mitch Steck
SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN MUSEUM
COMMITTEE
Linda Peterat
Patti Wild
Elaine Gruenwald
Bonny Junkins
Barbara Bell
MUSEUM HOURS
TUESDAY TO SATURDAY
10:00AM - 5:00PM
Ken Mather, Curator
Imagine my surprise when, as an aging retiree, I was approached to act as Interim Curator at the Greater
Vernon Museum & Archives. The thought of going back to work was not terribly appealing. But, as I gazed
wistfully at my travel account which had been depleted by my recent trip to New Zealand, I concluded
that re-joining the work force had certain attractions. So I agreed to take on the responsibility of the position that had as its prime objective the search for someone to replace me as soon as possible. The position was especially attractive given the fact that I knew all of the staff at the museum, some of them for
decades, and was well-aware that they were a group of dedicated and committed people. The job turned
out to be exactly as hoped for. I was immediately comfortable with the staff and found that my 43 years
in museums and heritage sites had actually taught me a few things. So I have settled comfortably into the
manager’s chair, even if I am aware that there are big shoes to fill after Ron Candy’s departure.
I am happy to announce that we have found an excellent new Director/Curator for the Greater Vernon
Museum & Archives. We had 21 applications from all across Canada, but Tracy Satin stood well above all
of the 20 other applicants for the position. She has worked in the museum since 1993 and has been in the
Kelowna area for the past 12 years. Tracy has a strong background in conservation and was the Conservator at the Kelowna Museum for two years before becoming the Associate Director, Collections and Conservation, of the Kelowna Museum and its five satellite museums. In 2013, she became the Heritage
Officer/Curator for the Westbank First Nations Museum and was responsible for the administration and
daily operations for the museum. Tracy will start at the Greater Vernon Museum & Archives in August
and we are excited about the beginning of this new era for the museum.
We are also encouraged by the Greater Vernon Cultural Plan Implementation Advisory Committee (IAT),
to which I have been appointed. Its first order of business has been to establish an Action Team for the
development of a new Cultural Facility. It appears that there is a political will for this new facility that will
house the Greater Vernon Museum & Archives and the Vernon Public Art Gallery and our involvement on
this Action Team is crucial. Given the fact that any recommendation to proceed with this new facility will
have to go to a public referendum, it is also important for the museum to increase its visibility in the community. We are considering the development of new exhibits and special events to demonstrate to the
people of the area that we are a vital part of the community.
These are exciting times! With a new Director/Curator starting on August 15 and a new building on the
horizon, the future of the Greater Vernon Museum & Archives looks bright.
Barbara Bell, Archivist
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to attend a private school?
Recently the archives acquired an old photograph album belonging to a ‘St. Michael’s School for Girls’ student in
the 1920’s. The private school operated in Vernon from 1914 to 1937, and the album covers the years from
1926 to 1928. Browsing through it you can see uniform clad girls having tea on the lawn, gardening, picnicking,
at Miss Jessie Topham Brown’s ‘Drawing Camp’, and poring over their school work.
St. Michael’s School for Girls was founded by Miss Maud Le Gallais in 1914. Beginning in two houses on the east
hill in Vernon, the school moved to a new building in 1921, built on five acres of land on the present corner 23 rd
Street and 23rd Avenue. The school grounds featured tennis courts, a netball court, and gardens. The building
itself contained dormitories on the upper floor, and classrooms, library/music room, chapel, gymnasium /
auditorium, dining hall, kitchen, and a tuck shop on the lower floor. The education offered was along the lines of
an English finishing school.
Excerpts from St. Michael’s Magazine of the summer term of 1926 give an interesting account of some of the
activities students were involved in outside the classroom.
GUIDE PICNIC. “One Saturday in April, Miss Trenowath, the company captain, and Miss Lowis, the
Brown Owl, took the entire 2nd Vernon Guide Company, together with the Brownies, out to Miss Brown’s
for a picnic.
We marched there in company formation, singing songs on the way… after an excellent tea supplied by
Miss Brown, which went towards restoring the footsore and weary to their habitually cheerful outlook
on life, we donned hats and belts, gave three cheers for Miss Brown, and after much climbing of fences
and running through corrals, we fell into marching order and wended our way home…”
Photos from recent
photo album donation
VERNON PREPARATORY
SCHOOL VISIT.
“One of the most delightful
outings we have had this year
was when the entire boarding school, staff and all, went
to the Vernon Preparatory
School for cricket, tennis and
badminton matches… we
thoroughly enjoyed all the
games, even though we did
not win much. Then we all
sat down on the lawn and
had a real feast, including
ices and the first strawberries
and cream of the season…”
THE GARDEN. “A large new building stood on a hill. It
looked very bare and lonely, for there were no trees
near to shade it, nor flowers to brighten it… five years
later---and what a change! Broad green lawns, and borders gay with flowers, surround the house, while young
trees give the promise of comfortable shade bye and
bye. The actual garden is fenced off by trellis work,
which later in the summer will be partly covered with
creepers…Beyond the trellis are two hard tennis courts,
and two badminton courts, and outside our own
grounds, our cricket-pitch…”
The intellectual and religious instruction received by St. Michael’s students, and the cultural, physical and social
activities in which they were involved, were designed to produce women who would go out into the world and
make a difference. Miss Le Gallais’ hopes for her students were recorded in the first issue of the St. Michael’s
School Magazine. She wrote “I have visions of reading in future magazines of old St. Michaelites taking high places in all the learned professions: above all in the Mission Field; and of their making the most of all the opportunities that have at last come to women, to make the world a better place for their use of those opportunities.” “I
Serve” was the school motto. Miss LeGallais retired in 1928 and, with the coming of the depression the school
finally closed in 1937.
The St. Michael’s collection in the Vernon Museum archives includes legal documents, correspondence, financial
records, student records, school publications, scrapbooks, photo albums, and prospectuses.
FEATURE
PHOTOS
Nurse and nursing student residence
Tinted Photo by Gowen Sutton, circa 1930,
GVMA #16137
The building above opened April 17, 1913, several years after the Vernon Jubilee Hospital was erected. Used for
housing the nurses employed at the hospital, it also housed the School of Nursing students. Its life ended before
the 1949 Vernon Jubilee Hospital opened. Located in the vicinity of today’s hospital laundry, nothing remains of
it.
As a nurses home, probationers were put on the top floor for their first year. The following year, they were
moved down a floor and the third year they lived on the ground floor.
As mentioned in the April 17, 1913 Vernon News, “the site is a lovely one, with many big pines and a glorious
view on all sides. Downstairs are two sitting rooms, a demonstration room, a small kitchen and six bedrooms,
with a library and eight bedrooms upstairs...each nurse is to have a separate bedroom. The sitting rooms are finished in sea grass, with hangings and cushions of chintz. The bedrooms have white enameled beds and chairs
and gum wood dressing tables.”
Nurse and nursing student residence to
the left of Vernon Jubilee Hospital
Photo by Vernon Photo Company,
1915, GVMA #17962
NEW DISPLAYS
Barb has been busy designing
two new displays at the museum. To celebrate the Vernon
Fire Department’s 125th Anniversary, the Vernon Fire Brigade and the Fire Brigade Band
display features early firefighting gear, a fire brigade
band uniform, photos, stories,
and architectural plans for the
1903 and 1911 fire halls. Pull
up a chair and watch the home
movie of the daily routines of
the 1950’s Vernon Fire Department firefighters, on and off
duty, as recorded at the time.
Reminisce about your school
days or come see what the
classroom looked like when
your parents or grandparents
were in school, with the 1950’s
School Room display. Do you
remember learning to handwrite? Do you still handwrite? If
you need a refresher, we have
practice worksheets for you!
Gabriel Newman
Since joining the staff in late March I have been busy promoting our programs to local schools, non-profits, and
special interest groups. In the last couple months we have had over six hundred students alone through our
doors to learn about local history.
This summer we are partnering with the Downtown Vernon Association to present the Downtown Mural and
History Tours! Every Tuesday and Friday morning at 9:00 am from the front of the museum I will be leading
groups around downtown Vernon and presenting our local history and explaining our fantastic murals. No reservations are necessary and the tour is pay-what-you-can.
During the summer I will also be on the road and attending various famer’s markets and other events to promote the museum and to share information.
The entire educational curriculum is undergoing a large change which I believe will be a huge benefit to the
museum and to this position as there is a renewed focus on local history and practical hands on experience. I
am in the process of adjusting our programming to meet the new curriculum.
Finally, keep your eyes peeled as this fall I will be starting a “Field School” where we will take field trips to learn
traditional skills. More information to come soon.
So, as you can see, there is a lot going on and the future looks fun and interesting
SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN MUSEUM
Open: July - Sept. 5th
Everyday 10:00am - 2:00pm
Location: Snowsport School, Main Street of
Silver Star Mountain
OKANAGAN LANDING STATIONHOUSE MUSEUM
Open: July - Aug. 31st
Tuesday - Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm
Mondays 11:00am - 2:00pm
Location: Okanagan Landing Station House,
Paddlewheel Park
VERNON ARMY CADET CAMP MUSEUM
Open: July - August
Saturdays 12:00pm—3:00pm
Location: Vernon Army Cadet Camp
OKANAGAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME
Open: Yearound, during regular
Kal Tire Place hours
Location: Kal Tire Place
The
We now carry floating charm lockets! Fill these beautiful lockets with our mini gems, charms, and mini
rocks. Or, maybe add some treasures of your own,
such as a pressed flower, special coin, lucky charm or
memento! The lockets sell for $15, gems $1 each,
charms are just $0.50 each, and a vial of the mini
rocks is $2.25. You could create a thoughtful gift for
someone for around $20.
GIFT SHOP HOURS: Tues.-Sat. 10am-5pm
Crowds flocked to two sold out El Camino
presentations by Wayne Emde and Jack Greenhalgh (Jan. 23, 2016)
21st Annual Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale
(Feb. 26 & 27, 2016)
Silver Star Mountain Museum presented their second in a
series of storytelling events, entitled
“Part II More Stories of Silver Star 1980’s-1990’s The Good,
The Bad, And The Ugly” (March 3, 2016)
Volunteers Vivian Elgie and Gilda Koenig (3rd
and 4th from left) and friends get into the St.
Patrick’s Day spirit during the museum’s St.
Paddy’s Day Tea. (March 12, 2016)
Gabriel demonstrates
how to use a stereoscope view master
while others try out
their typing skills at
the Earth Day celebrations at Cenotaph
Park
(April 22, 2016)
Entertainment by Russel Haubrich and friends.
(March 3, 2016)
The energetic and charismatic duo of Molly Boyd
and Sally Evans perform an Irish show and singalong to the enthusiastic crowd. (March 12, 2016)
Garry Garbutt speaks to a packed room
about genius Nikola Tesla (April 9, 2016)
Museum volunteer, Lucas Anderson helps at
one of the craft stations at the Junior Firefighter Fun Day (May 7, 2016)
Daxon Taylor, two,
attacks the fire during the Junior Firefighter Fun Day
(May 7th, 2016)
Photo Credit:
Francois Arseneault
Debbie MacLeod speaks to a group of close to sixty
quilting enthusiasts at the Vintage Quilts Made New
Again talk and display. (May 28, 2016)
Fran Tupper chats with a family at the Sunshine Festival
(June 18, 2016)
Stuart Brown shares his gecko with the near capacity crowd at the recent Reptiles Presentation. (July
23, 2016)
upcoming
events
Guided Mural & History Tours
Partnering with the Downtown Vernon Association, Gabriel Newman will
offer guided mural and history tours this summer, every Tuesday and Friday until Sept 9th (no tours Aug. 26th and 30th.) Reservations are not
necessary, just meet on the steps of the museum by 9am for this 90 minute history packed tour. The tour is pay-what-you-want, with your support greatly appreciated.
Come learn all
about the scaly,
cold blooded
vertebrates this
summer with
Stuart Brown!
Saturday August
20th, 10:30am12:00pm. Tickets
$5/person.
Photo Credit: Pete Solymosi
Please save us your used Canadian postage
stamps/envelopes and drop them off at the
museum. We will be sorting and selling the
stamps to a collector. All money raised will go
to the archives.
Learn a little history, get some exercise and fresh air, and have a bite to
eat, all for just $20/person! The remaining two Cemetery Tours of the season take place Saturday August 13th and Saturday September 10th,
starting at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery at 9:30am. Following the approximately 2 hour long walking tour, drop by the museum to enjoy the light
lunch, included in your ticket price. Tickets only available prior to the tour
dates at the museum.