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OUR STORY KEEPERS
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Line drawing by Barrie Fraser created for MacDonald House Museum and its advertising. It shows the MacDonald House and its view of Lake Ainslie. 1989 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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From the beginning, the community of East Lake Ainslie has been preserving its stories. In the distant past, the oral tradition was to pass on our stories from family to family, from neighbors to friends. They sat around the fireplace in the candle light. They talked in the lamplight beside the kitchen stove. More recently, believing the stories were in danger of being lost, they gathered themselves more formaly. They organized the Lake Ainslie Historical Society in 1979. Others became well-versed and trained in genealogy, while others just seemed to have a natural interest and talent for remembering the past, preserving it and passing it on.
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Lake Ainslie Historical Society members honour local fiddler. Left to right : Charles MacDonald, Jessie MacDonald, Christie MacKinnon, Verna MacMillan, Karen MacLean Beaton, Florence Campbell, Peter MacMillan, Barrie Fraser. 1980 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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Today, methods of recording the past have progressed from speaking, to writing, to recording. The computer and the Internet have become recognized tools. The interest of governments through such programs as this one, The Virtual Museums of Canada, of which Community Museums is one part, is a positive step in the progression of our story keepers.
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Opening ceremonies for the Lake Ainslie Heritage Festival in 1988. 1988 East Lake Ainslie
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One of the goals of The Lake Ainslie Historical Society is " to support research and increase
members' knowledge, as well as that of the general public, toward local history." As well as our other goals of collecting and preserving artifacts, sharing information with the general public and preserving local history and the customs of the pioneers, we would share with you through this visual medium, some of those who stand out among us as our "Story Keepers".
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The dinner at the Heritage Festival. L to R: the late Archie Neil Chisholm and John Archie MacKenzie, both honourary members of the Lake Ainslie Historical Society. 1989 (?) Scotsville, Nova Scotia
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The community of East Lake Ainslie is indebted to those members of our society who finished
their stories. They have left us a rich legacy. These Story Keepers are Archie Neil Chisholm, John Angus Collins, Dolena Mac Innis, Edward A. Campbell, Patricia Spicer, Florence Campbell, Ida Mac Kinnon, John M. Mac Lean, and Peter Mac Millan.
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John and Marion MacLean, Lake Ainslie, Nova Scotia. 1990 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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Oral story tellers were among the first Story Keepers and one of the best was John M. Mac Lean.
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Peter MacMillan 1990 (?) unknown
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L to R: Edward Campbell, Margaret Anne Campbell, Cathy Campbell MacLean. 1988 East Lake Ainslie
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Peter Mac Millan and Edward Campbell have left us a rich written record of genealogy and story from which we draw much knowledge.
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A Heritage Festival at MacDonald House Museum, Lake Ainslie, Nova Scotia. L to R : the late Patricia Spicer and Florence Fraser in the Barn selling tickets. 1990 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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Story tellers of note were John Angus Collins, a well educated historian who had a huge library
of rare books, Dolena Mac Innis, Ida Mac Kinnon, Patty Spicer, and Florence Campbell had a collection of stories and artifacts which they shared in their time as Story Keepers.
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Stanley Collins 1989 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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One who told his story through song and left a great musical legacy was Stanley Collins. The
"Bard of Lake Ainslie", with his wife, Marjorie, sang of life at Lake Ainslie. The ballads he
composed will live on as they tell of the joys of marriage, the events of the community and the
beauty of Lake Ainslie.
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Hamilton School Reunion at MacDonald House Museum, Lake Ainslie, Nova Scotia. 1989 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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A group of children on the MacDonald House Museum site for a nature walk on the 'Bunny Trail'. The museum has placed wooden cutouts of animals, insects and objects for children to find and identify. 1988 (?) East Lake Ainslie
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Gatherings throughout the years celebrate our stories. The festivals, the ceilidhs, the frolics, the ecumenical church services, children's days, the one-room school re-enactment and the countless meetings and training sessions all tell of who we are.
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April MacLean 2002 Lake Ainslie
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We continue in the tradition of those who began our stories. Pauline Mac Lean is a genealogist
with the Nova Scotia Highland Village, Iona , Cape Breton Island, and as a member of our
society gives freely of her time and training in the furtherance of our goals. She, her daughter,
April and Cathy Mac Lean have been instrumental in gathering the stories together for this exhibit
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Barrie Fraser at the exhibit for his hockey art, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. 1999 (?) Antigonish, Nova Scotia
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Barrie Fraser has been associated with our society over the years. He has written and researched many facets of our community through words, art, music and story. Through his art, he has depicted the rural way of life, both past and present. He has researched the written word, blended it with his art, and so continues our story.
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