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©Keeseekoowenin 1998
Page 4
In the autumn of 1896, fire destroyed the old Mission House Flett had built close to the log school. Teacher McPherson was living in it at the time. This was an ordinary log house about 16 x 18, with a mud chimney and mud fireplace. [This school was abandoned when a new log structure covered with siding was built close to the new Mission House. After McPherson came Miss Jessie Ross, then Miss Maggie Murray who lived across the valley. She was in charge until the school was closed in 1912 for lack of pupils.]
An era ended with the death of the Rev. George Flett in 1897. His funeral was to be the last service ever held in the old church.
The Report of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs to the Governor General for 1898 reported the Keeseekoowenin Band had 27 men, 39 women, and 76 children for a total of 142 persons, 91 are Presbyterians, 42 Catholic, and 9 "pagans".
"There is a day school in operation on the reserve, besides which they have children at the Regina Industrial School and the Birtle Boarding School. It is under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. R.C. McPherson is both teacher and missionary, and he is untiring in his efforts to elevate the youth and aged into a higher sphere of living.
"The buildings that were used for a good many years for a church and for a manse were considerably dilapidated. They were abandoned during the year, and the new school-house was used for Sabbath and other services, and a neat comfortable and suitable manse costing over $1000 was erected within a short distance of the school buildings. This mission is known as 'Okanase'. I have been told that every man, woman, and child residing on the reserve attends the services fairly regularly....." (9)
By 5 Jun 1898 the Rev. D. Sutherland was providing services at Okanase. He remained until 1903.
The people of the Riding Mountain Reserve in the early 1900-1930 were quite independent. They kept their identity. They were Indians, and quite equal to their white neighbours and were respected by the white settlers. Their houses were very much the same as the settlers' hewn log house, lumber floors, and board and shingle roofs. They had large gardens and root houses for winter storage, and store houses for cured meats and fish. They had no need for the Indian Agent, and saw him at Treaty time when council elections were held. Jim Muir, the business man of Elphinstone, a general merchant and cattle buyer, would commonly have Sunday dinner at "the Red House", as the Burns' home was known. (10) (11)
In 1901, the Mission School at Okanase had 15 pupils, of which 4 were "non-treaty". Average attendance was 11. Two new students had enrolled, three had dropped from the previous year. 10 pupils were in the First Book, 1 in the Second, 4 in the Third, and none in any higher. Lay missionary R.C. McPherson reported to the Presbyterian Church Synod of Manitoba and the North West Territories that the pupils were taught singing and to memorize simple passages of Scripture. The school was opened with prayer, praise, and reading of the Scriptures, and closed with prayer. Students also learned knitting, crocheting, sewing, patching, all kinds of needlework, also gardening. The government sent $75 a quarter to support the school.
"The attendance and conduct of the children is very good. Six children from our reserve were sent to Regina School in September, these with those already attending. Regina School now has the number 13 and four at Birtle School. Three of these children only were on the Roll of our day school. On Sabbath, Services continue to be well attended. There is nothing of a special nature to Report -- Indians kept busy harvesting and haying."
David Ross was in charge of the Okanase Presbyterian Church in 1903/1904.
In 1909, the Indian Workers Association sent greetings to Mrs. Flett, noting that she and her husband had "devoted themselves to the great work of mission among the Indians", and ". . . they had the great satisfaction of seeing the several bands among whom they laboured abandon their nomadic life, lay aside their distinctive Indian garb, and make great progress both in Christianity and civilization." (12)
Rev. James M. Macalister was minister of the Okanase Presbyterian Church from July 1903-1907. He did not become ordained until 13 July 1904. [When he left, the mission was left vacant.(13)
Joe Boyer looked after the work and moved into the mission house from 1 October 1907-1909. Rev. J.A. Donaghy, a 1909 graduate of Manitoba College, was inducted in the Elphinstone Church on 3 November 1909. He remained missionary until the spring of 1917, during which time, in 1912, the Okanase People built their present church.](14)
In 1911, Elphinstone became the center of a consolidated school district. While the school was being built, the old school became an active spot again. It was renovated and fitted as a temporary school equipped with two vans to transport the scholars. The school was in charge of Miss Morrison. After a few more years, the new school was found to be too small, so a much larger one was built and the grain field became the school playground for 200 scholars. That meant the complete removal of the historic old church, and now it is impossible to even locate the exact spot where it stood.
Footnotes
9. Sessional Papers Nº14, 1899. Report of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs for the year ending 30 June 1898, pp. 119-120.(back)
10. Walter Scott.(back)
11. Muir was married to Gladys Johnstone, and was active in the Elphinstone Presbyterian Church.(back)
12. Association of Presbyterian Workers Among the Indians in the Synods of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Minutes, correspondence, and miscellaneous records, 1909-1915.(back)
13. Macalister's baptisms start on 17 July 1904 and ended on 25 April 1909. During that interval, his own son, Donald MacKinnon Macalister (b. 25 Jun 1904 Okanase) was baptised on 23 Nov 1904 by the Rev. D. Sutherland.(back)
14. Donaghy was married to Lottie Morton, Bob Morton's daughter. Morton was a local farmer.(back)
