THE NEW SHINGWAUK HOME.
Our new Shingwauk Home was formally opened on the 2nd of August, 1875,
by the Bishop of Huron and the Bishop of Algoma. There was a large
attendance including several friends from other dioceses; the day was
very fine, and all passed off most auspiciously. After partaking of a
sumptuous repast in the dining-hall, which was beautifully decorated
for the occasion, the guests assembled in the school-room for the
opening ceremony. A Special Service, prepared for the occasion, was
conducted by the Bishop of Algoma, who then offered a few interesting
remarks relative to the object of the Institution and the manner in
which it had come into existence. He reminded the friends present how
the original building had been destroyed by fire six days after its
completion, and that the present one, in which they were assembled, had
been erected to take its place; that the object was to train young
Indians to a Christian and civilized life, and to offer them all the
advantages which their white brethren enjoyed. His Lordship then called
upon the Bishop of Huron to formally open the building. Bishop
Hellmuth, on rising, said that it gave him great pleasure to be present
at the opening of this Institution, in which he felt a deep interest.
He was persuaded that the true way to do any permanent good to the poor
aborigines of this country, was to take their young, and train them. If
this had been done forty years ago, he felt assured that there would be
many a man now from among them holding high official position in the
country. In his own diocese he had at the present time three native
Missionaries and a considerable number of native school teachers, male
and female, all of whom worked to his entire satisfaction, He trusted
that children leaving this building would become centres for the
increased spread of Christian truth, and he felt no doubt but that the
blessing of God would rest upon a work which had been undertaken in
faith and with earnestness of purpose.
The audience then rose, and the Bishop solemnly declared the building
open for its intended purpose as an Industrial Home for Indian
children, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost.
After the Doxology had been sung, short addresses were given by Mr.
Simpson (formerly Member for the district), and Mr. Dawson, our
Parliamentary Representative at Ottawa.
Then, at the Bishop's request, I added a few remarks relative to the
system upon which we proposed to carry on the work of the Home. Forty-
one children, I said, were at that time present, and we were expecting
several more. My experience thus far had been that it was a somewhat
difficult matter to train Indians to a civilized life, still I had
great hopes that our present undertaking would, under God's blessing,
prove successful. The first thing, I felt, was to draw the children
around me, and let them feel that I cared for them and really sought
their good. I regarded them all as my children. A good proof that I had
in some measure gained their affection and confidence was, that many of
those who had been with us the previous winter, and had been home
during the summer for their holidays, had of their own accord come back
again, some of them from a great distance, and all seemed anxious to
get on and learn all they could. We keep no servants, I said, but,
every child is appointed to his or her work, and, as the company might
see, wore badges on their arms, indicating their employment for the
week. In regard to funds, all was prosperous. Ever since the fire God's
blessing had, in a most marked manner, rested upon our work. People had
given liberally, without any of the means usually used for raising
funds being resorted to. All was paid for, and a little balance in hand.
At the conclusion of the speaking the clerical party retired to
disrobe, and then the Bishops, with a number of friends present, were
conducted over the various parts of the building. On arriving outside,
the Indian children were found drawn up in a line in front of the
building, each holding a flag; the National Anthem was sung, and then
all marched forward, two and two, in very tolerable order, singing the
hymn, "Onward, Christian soldiers." They were followed by the company,
and made a complete tour of the grounds. In the evening tea and coffee
were served to the assembled guests, and the day's entertainment
concluded with a display of fireworks and a bonfire on one of the
islands opposite the Institution.
The whole cost of the Institution, with land, cottages, &c., in round
numbers, came to L2325.
We soon got into regular working order. School hours were from 9 to 12
in the morning, and from 2.30 to 5 in the afternoon, every day except
Saturday. We had fifty pupils, twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls,
varying in age from six or seven years up to seventeen. Some of them
were very poorly clad when they came to us, and very dirty; and the
first thing was to give them a bath and burn all their clothes, and rig
them out afresh. It was of course a great change to them to commence
regular habits, to run when they heard the bell ring, and do all that
they were told; and some of them began to pine under a sense of
captivity. Some of them, when home-sick, seemed to lose all control
over themselves, and made an unearthly noise; others would watch their
opportunity and run away. In the next chapter we shall tell about three
run-away boys, and their capture after ten days' absence. On the whole,
however, the children seemed to be wonderfully contented and happy, and
all went merrily and cheerfully day after day. The fish-boys used to go
out after their nets each morning, and bring in plenty of fish; the
water-boys had their grey pony, which they called "Muhnedooshish"
(Little Evil Spirit), because it had such a bad temper and was always
backing up and upsetting the water, instead of going forward with its
load. The baker-boys made and baked the bread, in the brick oven. The
sailor-boys, in their blue serge suits, had charge of _The
Missionary_, and did all commissions by water. All were willing to
work, and seemed to enjoy their life, and on Saturdays we gave them a
few cents pocket-money as an encouragement to good conduct. True, the
matron was sometimes at her wit's end, with so many to provide for and
such raw young hands to do the work, and it was doubtless a task of
considerable difficulty to keep everything in order, and to have meals
in time and well cooked, with only these young girls as her assistants,
the greater number of whom could scarcely speak a word of English; and
great credit I felt was due to her for her patience with them. However,
they really did try to do their best, and were quick enough when they
could understand what was wanted of them.
On Sundays the children used all to walk to the Sault to church in the
morning, and in the evening we had service in the School-room. On
Sunday afternoons there was Sunday school, and on Wednesday and Friday
evenings Bible-class. Every morning at prayers the children would
repeat a verse of Scripture after me, so as to know it by heart at the
end of the week. This plan has been continued uninterruptedly, and the
children who have been with us have thus a good store of Scriptural
knowledge. They were also taught the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten
Commandments, the Catechism, and the Collects in English, their lessons
being of course varied according to their capacities. Our great desire
was that they might all prove themselves to be true Christians--
servants and soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The industries which we taught at the first outset were capentering,
boot-making, and farming.
It was of course a great object to make the children talk English.
Twice a week I had an English class, and taught them to repeat English
words and sentences, to point to their eyes, nose, ears, &c., and to
bring me things I specified. In order to induce them to keep a check
upon one another during play-time, I dealt out to each a certain number
of buttons of a particular pattern each Saturday, and if any of them
heard a companion speak Indian he was to demand a button, and the
following Saturday the buttons were exchanged for nuts. We certainly
have been very successful in teaching our pupils to talk English. It is
an understood thing in the Institution that they must do so, and no
Indian is allowed except for about an hour each day. Boys who come to
us unable to speak a word of English in September, by the following
June can generally manage to make themselves well understood.
For the support of our pupils we looked chiefly to the Canadian Sunday
Schools, many of which undertook each a _protege_ at L15 per
annum. This would cover the cost of food and clothing for an individual
child; and for the general expenses of the Home we depended on the
contributions of our friends in England and a grant from the Canadian
Government.