INDIANS - PART 2

OSNABURGH HOUSE

 



In My Prime!

It took about an hour to drive south from Central Patricia to the Hydro Depot at"Rats Rapids" and then a 30 minute canoe ride across the lake, there to land on the dock of Osnaburgh House and the lone standing Hudson Bay Post. There were only three of us at the Post: the manager and his wife who lived at the post and myself. They generously constructed a tent for me on the slope of property which fell from the chapel to the Lake. It came complete with a single iron bed, a small table and chair and a coleman stove. Water was carried from the lake. Limited food supplies could be purchased from the Post although Kraft Dinner was in great supply. I had access for fish from the many catches in the Lake but no TV of course. (lots of candles)
 My school was to be the chapel although I was not supplied with any curriculum material i.e. no pencils, paper, books, etc. The Cree Indians came from the reserve across the lake.

My job was to pick the pupils up each morning around the lake reserve and return them at 4:00 pm using a motorized canoe which I got from the Post (no life preservers). The age of the pupils was far-raging from age 7 to age 21 and  I had about 15. My task was to teach reading and writing and mathematics and, of course to show good moral leadership through our association with the church.

On Sundays, families of Crees arrived for morning service (Anglican). The service was carried out in Cree (by a native) and I played the organ for the hymns. We gathered on the lawn after service, and  I saw them then to the Lake where they headed for home.

I can report that I read a lot of books that summer and corresponded with my fair one as often as I could. The natives were busy shipping fish out of the area by plane. The planes also served as emergency vehicles for the sickly Indians and their children.

I was not unhappy when my unique northern experience ended. I proudly secreted the many passionate letters that I received from Marion as a worthwhile reminder.

 

Postscript - Osnaburgh House of this tale does not exist any longer. The chapel is in ruins and the Hudson Bay Post has been abandoned. I assume the Cree Indians still live on the reserves although many of my pupils went on to residentials schools. A secondary highway has now been constructed from Hornpayne north and past Pickle Lake but it eventually dead ends in the wilderness A "new" Osnaburgh House has been constructed about 5 miles from the old one.