Gwladys Cunningham fonds, 1933-1934, 1940, 1942-1968, n.d.

Gwladys Cunningham was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Lincoln N.D.P. Ladies Group as well as involved in the CCF [Co-operative Commonwealth Federation] branch in Thorold. Additional Cunningham family members may also have been involved in the activities of the Thorold Branch. The Thorold branch of the Ontario division of The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation held its first meeting on June 15, 1933 at the home of Mark Kriluck. The branch became an official unit of the CCF when it was granted a charter in August of that same year. Officers elected at the annual meeting in October were W.G. Campbell, President, Jane Griffiths, Vice-President, James Logan Secretary and Mark Kriluck Treasurer. In 1960 the CCF voted to officially change their name to The New Democratic Party. The branch later became known as the Lincoln and Welland Riding Association of The New Democratic Party. Rare publications directly related to the CCF and the NDP remain with the fonds. Some publications were removed and placed in the general stack collection. See below for a list of books that were removed from the fonds and placed in the general collection.

Scholfield-Galbraith family fonds, 1865-1924

The Scholfield and Galbraith families of Dunnville, Ont. were related by marriage. Thomas Jefferson Galbraith (1842-1921) worked as a collector of canal tolls at Port Maitland, a landing waiter and searcher and an acting preventive officer in Customs. He was married to Jane Ann [Jennie] Montieth and they had five children, Margaret, Minnie Montieth, Genevieve Marion, Edith Stuart and Thomas Percy Galbraith. Genevieve Marion Galbraith was married to Harry E. Scholfield, son of Frederick Scholfield (d.1908) and Georginna Galer (d. 1888), a dry goods merchant in Dunnville. Some extent records belong to a William Scholfield who operated a mill in Dunnville. Included are records related to land lease, mortgage and bargain and sale agreements between Scholfield and various individuals, including Richard Kirkpatrick, William Kohler, Alvin Drake, Robert Ban[u]d, Henry Beckett, Sr., Samuel Waltho, Nehemiah Niece.

Niagara-Welland Power Company Limited fonds, 1833, 1852, 1904-1906, 1909, n.d.

The Welland Power and Supply Canal Company Limited, established in 1893 and incorporated in 1894 with a capital stock of $500,000. The aim of the company was to harness the natural water supply of the Niagara and Welland Rivers. In 1898 the Canadian Electrical News published a report by Henry Symons, QC outlining the main project of the company. This project involves the construction of a canal from the Welland River to the brow of the mountain at Thorold, a distance of 8 miles; the construction at Thorold of a power house, and from Thorold to Lake Ontario, a raceway by which to carry water into the lake. The estimate for the machinery to generate 100,000 horse power is £125,000; for transmission line to Toronto at a voltage of 10,000….The total estimate therefore amounts to £2,452,162, or roughly speaking, $12,000,000. Source: Canadian Electrical News, August 1898, p. 172. In 1899 the company officers petitioned the federal government desiring a name change to the Niagara-Welland Power Company Limited. Officers of the company were Harry Symons, President; Charles A. Hesson, Vice-President; and M.R. O’Loughlin, James B. Sheehan, James S. Haydon, Frederick K. Foster, directors; John S. Campbell, secretary-treasurer. The company’s head offices were located in St. Catharines, with a New York (City) office on Broad Street. In 1905 and 1909 the company petitioned the federal government for additional time to construct its works, which was granted. The company had until May 16, 1915 to complete construction. John S. Campbell (1860-1950) was a graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall. During his university years John began his military career first in "K" Company, Queens Own rifles and then later as Commanding Officer of the 19th Lincoln Regiment, from 1906 to 1910. Upon his return to St. Catharines John Campbell served as secretary in the St. Catharines Garrison Club, a social club for military men begun in 1899. After being called to the Bar, he became a partner in the firm of Campbell and McCarron and was appointed to the bench in 1916, serving until retirement in 1934. Judge Campbell served as an alderman for several terms and was the mayor of St. Catharines in 1908 and 1909. He also served as the first chairman of the St. Catharines Public Utilities in 1914. John S. Campbell was married to Elizabeth Oille, daughter of Jerome B. and Charlotte (St. John) Oille. The family home "Cruachan" was located at 32 Church St.

The Welland Canals Foundation, Honourable William Hamilton Merritt and the St. Catharines Historical Society and Museum, 1971-1990, n.d.

‘The Father of Canadian Transportation’ is a term commonly associated with William Hamilton Merritt. Although he is most known for being one of the driving forces behind the building of the first Welland Canal, he was many things throughout his life; a soldier, merchant, promoter, entrepreneur and politician to name a few. Born on July 3, 1793 at Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y. to Thomas Merritt and Mary Hamilton, Merritt’s family relocated to Canada shortly after in 1796. The move came after Merritt’s father petitioned John Graves Simcoe for land in Upper Canada after serving under him in the Queen’s Rangers during the American Revolution. The family quickly settled into their life at Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines. Merritt’s father became sheriff of Lincoln County in 1803 while Merritt began his education in mathematics and surveying. After some brief travel and further education Merritt returned to Lincoln County, in 1809 to help farm his father’s land and open a general store. While a farmer and merchant, Merritt turned his attention to military endeavours. A short time after being commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Lincoln militia, the War of 1812 broke out. Fulfilling his duty, Merritt fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812, and numerous small battles until the Battle of Lundy’s Lane in July 1814. It was here that Merritt was captured and held in Cheshire, Massachusetts until the war ended. Arriving back in the St. Catharines area upon his release, Merritt returned to being a merchant, as well as becoming a surveyor and mill owner. Some historians hypothesize that the need to draw water to his mill was how the idea of the Welland Canals was born. Beginning with a plan to connect the Welland River with the Twelve mile creek quickly developed into a connection between the Lakes Erie and Ontario. Its main purpose was to improve the St. Lawrence transportation system and provide a convenient way to transport goods without having to go through the Niagara Falls portage. The plan was set in motion in 1818, but most living in Queenston and Niagara were not happy with it as it would drive business away from them. Along with the opposition came financial and political restraints. Despite these factors Merritt pushed on and the Welland Canal Company was chartered by the Upper Canadian Assembly on January 19, 1824. The first sod was turned on November 30, 1824 almost a year after the initial chartering. Many difficulties arose during the building of the canal including financial, physical, and geographic restrictions. Despite the difficulties two schooners passed through the canal on November 30, 1829. Throughout the next four years continual work was done on the canal as it expended and was modified to better accommodate large ships. After his canal was underway Merritt took a more active role in the political arena, where he served in various positions throughout Upper Canada. In 1851, Merritt withdrew from the Executive Council for numerous reasons, one of which being that pubic interest had diverted from the canals to railways. Merritt tried his hand at other public works outside transportation and trade. He looked into building a lunatic asylum, worked on behalf of War of 1812 veterans, aided in building Brock’s monument, established schools, aided refugee slaves from the U.S. and tried to establish a National Archives among many other feats. He was described by some as having “policy too liberal – conceptions too vast – views too comprehensive to be comprehensible by all”, but he still made a great difference in the society in which he lived. After his great contributions, Merritt died aboard a ship in the Cornwall canal on July 5, 1862. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=38719 retrieved October 2006 Today numerous groups carry on the legacy of Merritt and the canals both in the past and present. One such group is the Welland Canals Foundation. They describe themselves as: “. . . a volunteer organization which strives to promote the importance of the present and past Welland Canals, and to preserve their history and heritage. The Foundation began in 1980 and carries on events like William Hamilton Merritt Day. The group has strongly supported the Welland Canals Parkway initiative and numerous other activities”. The Welland Canals Foundation does not work alone. They have help from other local groups such as the St. Catharines Historical Society. The Society’s main objective is to increase knowledge and appreciation of the historical aspects of St. Catharines and vicinity, such as the Welland Canals. http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/dec2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006 http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/feb2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006

John W. Fisher Fonds, 1937-1961, 1964-1989, 1993, n.d.

Norah and Fred Fisher welcomed John Fisher into the world on November 29, 1912, not knowing what an influential role he would play in shaping Canada's history. John Fisher grew up as the middle child of five brothers and sisters in Frosty Hollow, New Brunswick, close to today’s town of Sackville. Sackville’s main industry was the Enterprise Foundry which the Fisher family owned and operated; however, Fisher had no plans of going into the family business. He was more inspired by his maternal grandfather, Dr. Cecil Wiggins, who lived with the family after retiring from the Anglican ministry. Wiggins encouraged all his grandchildren to be well read and to take part in discussions on current events. There were often visitors in the Fisher household taking part in discussions about politics, religion, and daily life. Fisher forced himself to take part in these conversations to help overcome his shyness in social settings. These conversations did help with his shyness and also in forming many opinions and observations about Canada. It put Fisher on the road to becoming Mr. Canada and delivering the many eloquent speeches for which he was known. Fisher did not venture far from home to complete his first degree. In 1934 he graduated from Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB with an Arts degree. The same year Fisher enrolled in Dalhousie’s law school. During his time at Dalhousie, Fisher discovered radio through Hugh Mills. Mills or “Uncle Mel” was on CHNS, Halifax’s only radio station at the time. Fisher began by making appearences on the radio drama show. By 1941 he had begun writing and broadcasting his own works and joined the staff as an announcer and continuity writer. In 1936 the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was formed, the first National radio station. Fisher joined the CBC shortly after it’s beginning and remained with them, as well as the Halifax Herald newspaper, even after his law school graduation in 1937. By 1943 Fisher’s talks became a part of the CBC’s programming for a group of maritime radio stations. Fisher once described his talks as follows “my talks weren’t meant to be objective. . . they were meant to be favourable. They were ‘pride builders’” He began his famed John Fisher Reports at CBC Toronto when he transfered there shortly after the war. This program brought emmence pride to the fellow Canadians he spoke about leading to approximately 3500 requests per year to speak at banquets and meeting throughout Canada and the United States. Fisher was a well travelled indivdual who would draw on personal experiences to connect with his audience. His stories were told in simple, straight forward language for anyone to enjoy. He became a smooth, dynamic and passionate speaker who sold Canada to Canadians. He became a renowned journalist, folk historian, writer and broadcaster. Fisher was able to reach a vast array of people through his radio work and build Canadian pride, but he did not stop there. Other ways Fisher has contributed to Canada and the Canadian people include: Honoured by five Canadian Universities. 1956, became the Director of the Canadian Tourist Association. 1961, was appointed Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Canada. 1963, Commissioner of the Centennial Commission (the Federal Agency Responsible for Canada’s 100th birthday) 1968, received the Service Medal , a coveted Order of Canada. President of John Fisher Enterprises Ltd., private consultant work, specializing in Centennial planning, broadcasts, lectures and promotion. John Fisher continued recording radio broadcasts even after his diagnosis with cancer. He would record 3 or 4 at a time so he was free to travel across Canada, the U.S., Europe and Mexico in search of treatments. Fisher passed away from the disease on February 15, 1981 and he is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Office of the City Clerk, St. Catharines Records, 1928-1974, n.d.

The site of present-day St. Catharines was settled by 3000 United Empire Loyalists at the end of the 18th century. From 1790, the settlement (then known as "The Twelve") grew as an agricultural community. St. Catharines was once referred to Shipman's Corners after Paul Shipman, owner of a tavern that was an important stagecoach transfer point. In 1815, leading businessman William Hamilton Merritt abandoned his wharf at Queenston and set up another at Shipman's Corners. He became involved in the construction and operation of several lumber and gristmills along Twelve Mile Creek. Shipman's Corners soon became the principal milling site of the eastern Niagara Peninsula. At about the same time, Merritt began to develop the salt springs that were discovered along the river which subsequently gave the village a reputation as a health resort. By this time St. Catharines was the official name of the village; the origin of the name remains obscure, but is thought to be named after Catharine Askin Robertson Hamilton, wife of the Hon. Robert Hamilton, a prominent businessman. Merritt devised a canal scheme from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario that would provide a more reliable water supply for the mills while at the same time function as a canal. He formed the Welland Canal Company, and construction took place from 1824 to 1829. The canal and the mills made St. Catharines the most important industrial centre in Niagara. By 1845, St. Catharines was incorporated as a town, with the town limits extending in 1854. Administrative and political functions were added to St. Catharines in 1862 when it became the county seat of Lincoln. In 1871, construction began on the third Welland Canal, which attracted additional population to the town. As a consequence of continual growth, the town limits were again extended. St. Catharines attained city status in 1876 with its larger population and area. Manufacturing became increasingly important in St. Catharines in the early 1900s with the abundance of hydro-electric power, and its location on important land and water routes. The large increase in population after the 1900s was mainly due to the continued industrialization and urbanization of the northern part of the city and the related expansion of business activity. The fourth Welland Canal was opened in 1932 as the third canal could no longer accommodate the larger ships. The post war years and the automobile brought great change to the urban form of St. Catharines. St. Catharines began to spread its boundaries in all directions with land being added five times during the 1950s. The Town of Merritton, Village of Port Dalhousie and Grantham Township were all incorporated as part of St. Catharines in 1961. In 1970 the Province of Ontario implemented a regional approach to deal with such issues as planning, pollution, transportation and services. As a result, Louth Township on the west side of the city was amalgamated, extending the city's boundary to Fifteen Mile Creek. With its current population of 131,989, St. Catharines has become the dominant centre of the Niagara region. Source: City of St. Catharines website http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/HistoryOfTheCity.asp (January 27, 2011)

Closing the summer learning gap for vulnerable junior kindergarten students

Under current academic calendars across North America, summer vacation creates a significant gap in the learning cycle. I t has been argued that this gap actually decreases student achievement levels over the course of the summer. In a synthesis of 39 studies Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, & Greathouse (1996) indicated that summer learning loss equaled at least one month of instruction as measured by grade level equivalents on standardized test scores whereby children's test scores were at least one month lower when they returned to school in the fall than scores were when students left in the summer. Specifically, Cooper et aI., (1996) found that the summer learning loss phenomena may be particularly troublesome for less advantaged children including those with speech and language delays, children at-risk for reading disabilities, children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and children learning English as a second language. In general, research illustrated clearly that the summer learning gap can be particularly problematic for vulnerable children and furthermore, that literacy skills may be the area of achievement that is most affected. A foundational pillar to this research project is including primary caregivers as authentic partners in a summer literacy program designed to support their children's literacy needs. This pillar led the research team to use the Learning Begins at Home: A Research-Based Family Literacy Program Curriculum designed by Antoinette Doyle, Kathleen Hipfner-Boucher, and Janette Pelletier from the Ontario Institute for the Studies of Education. The LBH program is designed to be flexibly adapted to suit the needs of each individual participating family. As indicated by Timmons (2008) literacy interventions are most powerful when they include authentic family involvement. Based on this research, a requirement for participating in the summer literacy program was involvement of a child and one of their primary caregivers. The participating caregiver was integrally involved in the program, participating in workshop activities prior to and following hands-on literacy work with their child. By including primary caregivers as authentic partners, the research team encouraged a paradigmatic shift in the family whereby literacy activities become routine within their household. 5 Participants in this study were 14 children from junior kindergarten classrooms within the Niagara Catholic District School Board. As children were referred to the program, they were assessed by a trained emergent literacy specialist (from Speech Services Niagara) to identify whether they met the eligibility requirements for participation in the summer program. To be eligible to participate, children demonstrated significant literacy needs (i.e. below 25%ile on the Test of Preschool Early Literacy described below). Children with low incidence disabilities (i.e. profound sensory impairments, severe intellectual impairments, developmental disabilities, etc) were excluded as participants. The research team used a standard pre- and posttest design whereby all participating children were assessed with the Test of Preschool Early Literacy (Lonigan et aI., 2007), and a standard measure of letter names and sounds. Pretests were administered two weeks prior to the commencement of the program and the first set of posttests was administered immediately following the program. A second set of posttests was administered in December 2009 to measure the sustainability of the program. As a result of the program, all children scored statistically significantly higher on their literacy scores at the post-program assessment point immediately following the program and also at the Dec-post-program assessment point. These results in general indicated that the summer family literacy program made an immediate impact on the emergent literacy skills of participating children. All participating children demonstrated significant increases in print and phonological awareness as well as their letter sound understanding.

William Van Every fonds, 1784, 1804-1806, 1815-1816, 1828, 1832, n.d.

William Van Every, son of McGregory and Mary Wilcox (Jaycocks) Van Every, was born in New York state in 1765. During the Revolutionary War he joined Butler’s Rangers and served under Captain John McDonnell. He was granted three lots of land in the Township of Niagara, with additional lands granted at later dates. William married Elizabeth, daughter of George Young. Elizabeth was the widow of Col. Frederick Dochstader and mother of Catherine Dochstader, b. 1781. William Van Every died in 1832, his wife Elizabeth in 1851. Both are buried in the Warner Cemetery, in present day Niagara Falls. The children of William Van Every and Elizabeth Young were Mary, Elizabeth, Phoebe, John, Peter, William, Rebecca, Samuel and Joseph. Source: Mary Blackadar Piersol, The Records of the Van Every Family, Toronto : Best Printing, 1947. And, Patricia M. Orr, Historic Woodend, sponsored by Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 1980?

Irish John Willson United Empire Loyalist Family Fonds

John Willson first came to Upper Canada along with his friend Nathaniel Pettit in the late 1700s. They both moved with their families from New Jersey where they had both been imprisioned for not siding with the rebels and maintaining Loyalist allegiences. Pettit arrived with his four daughters, leaving his son behind. Willson came with his wife and nine children. Willson received 1200 acres of land as well as 200 per child. He settled at the corner of Dorchester road and Thorold Stone Road, where he and his family did very well for themselves. Willson as well as his son Thomas ran ox-teams on the portage. His son John became the proprietor of the Exchange hotel at Niagara, and Charles operated at the Pavilion hotel at Falls View. Shortly after his arrival in Upper Canada John Willson changed his name to “Irish” John Willson, as there were 5 other “John Willsons” which appeared on the Loyalists lists. Irish John drowned in the Niagara River in 1798, and his family continued to thrive in Niagara after his death. His second son Thomas Willson, married Abigail Pettit, daughter of his Father’s friend Nathaniel. Thomas was awarded 250 acres of land as a Loyalist and 200 for Abigail, as she was the daughter of a loyalist. He became a blacksmith and also operated ox-teams along the portage. He was Assessor for Stamford Township for 1800, 1807, 1820 and 1829. During the years 1808, 1822, 1825, 1826 and 1831 he was a tax collector and overseer of Statute of Labour. Thomas and Abigail Willson had nine children together. Francis Bond Head Willson of Beaverdams (mentioned throughout the collection) was a great grandson of Thomas and Abigail. Thomas and his wife are both buried beside the Lundy’s Lane United Church. *for more information on the remaining Willson family please refer to box #1, folders 1-3. * Genealogical information from a paper prepared by Pearl Wilson and given before the Lundy’s Lane Historical Society, May 1945, by Hazel Culp Ferris. Box 1 Folder 1.

William Still's Boarding House advertisement [n.d.]

Original advertisement for William Still's Boarding House, No. 832 South Street, below 9th, south side Philad'a [sic]. Not dated. The advertisement includes handwritten marginalia, possibly by William Still, on the left-hand side referring to St. Catharines. There is a small embossed stamp on the upper left-hand corner of the advertisement. This item was in the possession of the Rick Bell Family of St. Catharines.Handwritten marginalia (original spelling and punctuation): "Do remember me very kindly to all my enquiring friends _ I but seldom hear of late from St. Catherines" The street number printed in the original advertisement (374) has been crossed out in black ink and a handwritten "832" has been inserted. William Still was an African-American abolitionist from Philadelphia and clerk of the Anti-Slavery Society who by his own account assisted 649 slaves receive freedom. He kept records on fugitive slaves so their relatives could find them later. In 1872, he published his records in a book entitled, The Underground Railroad. Source: William Still Underground Railroad Foundation: http://www.undergroundrr.com/foundation/about.htm

Cabinet Card by C. Arthur, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

An unidentified young woman is featured in this black and white cabinet card by photographer C. Arthur, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The address of Mr. Arthur's studio is printed along the bottom of the photograph. This photograph was among the family memorabilia owned by Iris Sloman Bell of St. Catharines. The Sloman - Bell families include relatives who were former African American slaves who settled in Canada.Charles A. Arthur is listed as a photographer in St. Catharines from 1880 - 1883 and Charles P. Arthur (possibly a son?) was a photographer in the same city in 1898. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Photograph of Unidentified Woman by C. Arthur, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

An unidentified young woman is featured in this undated black and white studio photograph by C. Arthur, Photographer, of St. Catharines, Ontario. This small cabinet card photograph was in the possession of the Iris Sloman Bell family of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell families include former African American slaves who settled in Canada.Two photographers by the name of Arthur are listed as working in St. Catharines, Ontario in the second half of the 19th century. Charles A. Arthur was a photographer from 1880 - 1883, while Charles P. Arthur (possibly a son?) is listed as a photographer in 1898. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Photograph of Girl by Edwin Poole, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

This unidentified girl is featured in a photograph taken by St. Catharines photographer Edwin Poole. This cabinet card was among the memorabilia in the possession of the Rick Bell family of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Bell family is descended from Black slaves from the United States who settled in southern Ontario.Edwin Poole was a photographer in St. Catharines from 1877 - 1900. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Photograph of Young Woman by R. F. Uren, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

Undated black and white cabinet card portrait of an unidentified young woman. This photograph was taken by R. F. Uren whose studio was located at 79 St. Paul St., St. Catharines, Ontario. This item was among the memorabilia in the possession of the Rick Bell family of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Bell family are descended from former Black slaves from the United States.Richard Frank (R.F.) Uren was a photographer in St. Catharines from 1886-1895. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Photograph of Two Girls by R. F. Uren, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

Two unidentified girls are featured in this black and white cabinet card style photograph by R. F. Uren, of St. Catharines. The photograph is not dated, however, the address of the photographer is printed at the bottom of the cabinet card. This photograph was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell family descendants include former African American slaves who settled in Canada.Richard Frank (R.F.) Uren was a photographer in St. Catharines from 1886-1895. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990. "Cabinet card photographs were first introduced in 1866. They were initially employed for landscapes rather than portraitures. Cabinet cards replaced Carte de visite photographs as the popular mode of photography. Cabinet cards became the standard for photographic portraits in 1870. Cabinet cards experienced their peak in popularity in the 1880's. Cabinet cards were still being produced in the United States until the early 1900's and continued to be produced in Europe even longer. The best way to describe a cabinet card is that it is a thin photograph that is mounted on a card that measures 4 1/4″ by 6 1/2″. Cabinet cards frequently have artistic logos and information on the bottom or the reverse of the card which advertised the photographer or the photography studio's services." Source: http://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/category/cabinet-card-history/