Books on the border land : a Mennonite woman's memoir of reading and remembering the sacred

This arts-based thesis, written from my perspective as a Manitoba Mennonite woman and English Language Arts educator, is a memoir of books and reading. As a voracious reader, I am dismayed by the general perception of literacy in public schools as being a set of measureable tasks, and I have found that reading, in particular, has become divorced from its traditional link to life-giving and sacred things. In this thesis, I used life writing to share some of my reading history to illustrate, in part, the degree to which books may enrich our lives by helping us understand the past, present, and future - but only if we allow them to do so.

Minute Books and Tyler’s Register of Plantagenet Preceptory No.8 Knights Templar

The Sovereign Great Priority of Canada is a national Masonic organization which consists of seventy-six preceptories that are organized within fifteen districts. The no.8 Plantagenet, St. Catharines is listed under the Hamilton District .The warrant (document issued to authorize formation of a lodge) was issued to this preceptory on November 14th, 1866. This preceptory is still active and meets on the first Monday of every month excepting June, July, August and September. with information from the website Sovereign Great Priory of Canada Meaning of the Tyler/Tiler’s Register: Historically speaking, medieval craft guilds guarded their trade secrets. They placed a guard outside their doors. This person would generally be a junior apprentice who was not entitled to attend trade discussions. The Masons continued this use of doorkeepers. In 1723 in The First Book of Constitutions Dr. James Anderson mentioned “another brother to look after the door, but shall not be a member of it” and in regulation XXVI charged the use of “doorkeepers”. In the minutes of June 8, 1732 this person’s specific title was referred to as “the Tyler”. The word “tyler” appeared in print in new regulation XXVI of the 1738 Second Book of Constitutions. The Masonic ritual of today calls him “a brother without the door”. The Tyler is usually a Past Master who is very knowledgeable in Masonic law and customs. He does not need to be a member of the lodge. He greets brethren and assures that they are “duly qualified”. He gives the first impression of the lodge and insures that visitors and members sign the Tyler’s Register. with information from www.masonicsites.org

Between the panels: How anti-Black racism has recycled myths of the Black body in comic books

Anti-Black racism continues to be a widespread problem, and as such deserves investigation and elimination. As Jackson (2006) says; “There is a hyperawareness…of the negative inscriptions associated with the Black masculine body as criminal, angry and incapacitated.” (2) To continue the study of the changing face of racism, the researcher must be well equipped with a contemporary methodology which is adaptable and exploratory. Due to the malleability of racism, research into its elimination must make inroads to areas that have heretofore been neglected and overlooked by traditional academic study. This project achieves a unique perspective by undertaking a theoretical exploration of racist stereotypes and motifs in the world of mass produced superhero comic books, a genre of comics which has neither yet been thoroughly investigated for the use of racist stereotypes nor been the focus of anti-racist scholarship.

Beyond the Books: Understanding Connections Between Teachers and Pupils From the Perspective of the Student

Using a narrative inquiry approach from the perspective of the researcher’s own experiences, this paper explores the connections that developed with several teachers that facilitated and impacted his own academic and cognitive, affective, and behavioural personal development. Viewed through the analytical lens of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, this narrative investigates the potential effectiveness of this model in understanding the lasting and life- altering changes that may be experienced by a student through his or her interactions with memorable teachers. Last, in educational environments today, character and value based curricula are experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to their theoretical applicability for helping students to optimally develop academically, socially, and culturally. With this in mind, a student-based perspective of memorable student–teacher connections may provide a framework for developing more effective means of effectively implementing a character development curriculum.

Mobile Books: Effect of Engagement on Students’ Motivation and Cognitive Strategy Use

This mixed methods research explores the role of reading engagement in 30 grade 1 students’ motivation to read mobile electronic storybooks (eBooks) and cognitive strategies used during eBook reading. Data collection comprised motivation and parent questionnaires, behavioural observation checklists, cognitive strategies rubric, and teacher interviews. Students’ emotional engagement with and enjoyment of mobile eBooks corresponded to 4 motivational aspects of intrinsic motivation: curiosity, control, choice, and challenge. Post-intervention results indicated that most student participants enjoyed answering eBook comprehension questions and preferred eBooks to print books; by the end of the study, all had access to a mobile device at home. A majority of participants were actively engaged during mobile eBook reading sessions and persisted in answering embedded eBook comprehension questions, which together reflected students’ behavioural engagement and time-on-task during mobile reading. Students’ off-task behaviours related to iPads’ accessibility features and inherent reader-friendliness. All participants successfully answered evaluative questions requiring them to activate prior knowledge, and experienced higher levels of difficulty with making personal connections. The study highlights the importance of making school-based literacy practices relevant to students’ outside worlds, and discusses implications for teacher educators, administrators, curriculum developers, and eBook and other digital developers concerning the need for greater collaboration in order to more closely align technology resources with national curriculum expectations.

Dorothy Rungeling fonds, 1887-2013, n.d.

Dorothy Rungeling was born in 1911 and raised in Fenwick, Ontario, by her adopted mother, Ethelwyn Wetherald. After graduating high school, she attended Fort Erie business College. She worked briefly in Toronto and then Hamilton, but eventually took a job with Brown Brothers’ Nursery in Pelham to be closer to home. Dorothy pursued many interests, learning to play the violin, saxophone and clarinet. She met her husband Charles at a local dance where she was playing. In 1939, they opened an automobile and farm machinery business in Welland. In their spare time, they were active in skeet and trap shooting, for which Dorothy won many trophies. In the early 1940s, Dorothy developed a passion for horses, training and showing them in addition to teaching riding at the Welland Riding Club, as well as judging at horse shows. By the late 1940s her interest in horses was waning, but she soon after discovered and pursued a new interest: flying. She joined the Welland Flying Club, obtained a flying licence, and in 1949 purchased her first plane. She proceeded to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence in 1951, an Instructor’s Licence in 1953, and a Senior Commercial Licence in 1954. She participated in many air races in the 1950s, including the All Women’s International Air Races, the Women’s Transcontinental Air Races, and the Canadian Governor-General’s Cup Air Race. Some of the most notable races were the 1954 International Air Race, where Dorothy met with President Batista of Cuba, and the Governor-General’s Cup Air Race, where she won 1st place in 1953 and 1956 (and was the only woman competing). In 1958, she was also the first Canadian woman to solo pilot a helicopter. That same year she obtained her Airline Transport Licence. She also wrote several articles on aviation, contributing to publications such as Canadian Aviation and Air Facts, a U.S. aviation magazine. In addition to these articles, Dorothy authored several books about her life, as well as a selection of poems and articles by Ethelwyn Wetherald. As planes became more expensive, Dorothy spent less time flying, instead pursuing an interest in sailing. She and her husband bought a sailboat and became members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club. In 2003, Dorothy was awarded the Order of Canada for her accomplishments. She also wrote a regular column for the Voice of Pelham in 2012-2013, called A Century in Pelham. Dorothy celebrated her 100th birthday in 2011, and remains an active member of the community.

100th Birthday Certificate, 2011

A certificate of congratulations of the occasion of Dorothy Rungeling's 100th birthday, 12 May 2011. There is a certificate of best wishes signed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a certificate from the House of Commons Canada signed by Dean Allison, Mp Niagara West-Glanbrook.

The Birthday Scripture Text Book

The Birthday Scripture Text book was published by the Book Society, Bristol. This book is signed by Jane Woodruff, St. Catharines, Ontario, 1872. There is also a label in the book which reads "Suite 1208 Chicago Savings Bank Building State and Madison Streets, Chicago". The book measures 10.5cm x 7cm and has a leather cover with metal trim. The clasp is no longer on the book. Some of the pages are stained and all of the pages are falling out. Many of the pages have handwritten birthday, births and death notices. The full text is available in the Brock University Special Collections and Archives.

Birthday Card to Margaret from her Father H.K. Woodruff

Birthday card and envelope to Margaret from her father H.K. Woodruff, April, 1916.

Letter to S.D. Woodruff from George H. Gillespie who says that Mackenzie has left many books and papers in the office

Letter to S.D. Woodruff from George H. Gillespie who says that Mackenzie has left many books and papers in the office. Mr. Gillespie makes inquiries about the purchase and license of Long Point. The letterhead on this document is “Gillespie and Powis, Commission Merchants, Brokers and Co., Hamilton, Ont.” (3 pages, handwritten), Apr. 30, 1878.

Receipt from M.Y. Keating, Books, Stationary and Newspapers, St. Catharines for books

Receipt from M.Y. Keating, Books, Stationary and Newspapers, St. Catharines for books, Dec. 23, 1887.