French Language Struggle
editThe French language is a symbol of Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan.[1] It remains a spoken language of the Métis, francophones[2] and various Caucasian peoples who live there today.[3] However, French was not always a priority in the town’s schools.[4]
Before Willow Bunch became situated in its current location in the early 20th century, it was known as Bonneauville.[5] Bonneauville was the location of the town’s first school, which opened in 1886 and had no formal name.[6] It was, however, known as a “Free Catholic School.”[6]
At the time, Bonneauville was governed by the North-West Territories, as the province of Saskatchewan had yet to be created.[6] There was no legislative act regulating education in the area.[6] Consequently, the school was dependent on ratepayers for funding.[7] Having this burden enabled the residents of Bonneauville, under the North-West Territories Act of 1875, to choose which language the school would teach their children in.[7] Because records were vague during the school's first two years of operation, it is difficult to ascertain which language they learned in.[5] However, it is likely that they learned in French because the majority of residents were francophones in 1888.[8]
On November 28, 1888, the school was formally established as Sitkala Roman Catholic Public (R.C.P.) # 23 by Proclamation of Lieutenant Governor Joseph Royal.[9] Jean-Louis Legaré, Prudent Lapointe, Narcisse Lacerte and Isidore Ouellette were trustees for Sitkala R.C.P.[9] Lapointe’s brother, Joseph Lapointe was the school’s only teacher[6] until Antonia Granger was hired in 1889.[5]
Twenty-six students[9] from 20 families[8] attended the school in its first term, which ended on March 31, 1889.[9] They were taught reading, dictation, writing, arithmetic, drill, grammar, and geography, all in French.[9] They also learned English as a second language.[9]
In 1907, Sitkala R.C.P. relocated to what would be known as Willow Bunch.[5] The Sister’s of the Cross Convent, a private, French-English school, was built there seven years later in 1914.[6]
Since Saskatchewan had been formed in 1905, both schools fell under the province's jurisdiction.[10] In turn, they had to abide by the Saskatchewan Act.[10] Under the Act, their right to French education was protected.[10] Just over 25 years later, this right no longer existed.[4]
In 1931, the School Act prohibited French as the sole language of instruction in schools.[4] However, it allowed students to be taught solely in French from Kindergarten to Grade 1.[4] Students in higher grades were able to learn in French for one hour each day.[4]
Six years later, in 1937, Sitkala R.C.P. joined the public school system.[6] Increasing enrolment rates lead the Convent to follow suite, but 12 years later in 1949.[6] The Willow Bunch School was built that same year.[6]
With three schools in the town, minimal French education remained a part of the curriculum.[4]Despite this, students got to sing French songs in celebration of Saskatchewan’s Diamond Jubilee in 1965.[11] They also sang Polish, Irish, Czech, English and Aboriginal songs.[11] Nonetheless, their francophone parents were not content with the curriculum being taught.[12]
In May 1969, a Willow Bunch advisory board responded to their concern and began campaigning for equal instruction in French at the Willow Bunch School.[12] The Department of Education supported their inquiry, and proposed it to the Borderland School Unit # 4, who administered the school at the time.[13] However, the Unit rejected their proposal for several months.[14] After meetings October[15] through November,[14] the Unit’s position changed.[16]
On November 21, the Willow Bunch School officially became bilingual, making it the fifth school in the province to acquire that status.[16] Grade 1 students received equal instruction in French or English.[16] For higher grades, time allotments for French instruction were implemented one year at a time, over six years, until bilingual instruction was offered in all grades.[17] Reading, writing, and mathematics were taught in English, while language instruction, social studies, health education and religious education were offered in both languages.[17] Parents had the option of enrolling their children in the English or French program.[17]
French-instructed classes, like social studies, provided students with a holistic understanding of the history of other peoples in the area.[18] Students learned about the clothing, spiritual beliefs, dwellings, nutrition, languages and recreational activities of First Nations peoples.[18] The MétisMétis were also included in these teachings, but only regarding their participation in the 1885 North-West Rebellion[18]
The provincial government promised to help with the school's increased costs attributed to it being bilingual.[16] However, in 1977, the French program only had four full-time teachers.[19] The English program had 30.[19]
By then, French had already been less-spoken in peoples' homes.[20][21] In 1961, 631 people most often spoke it at home.[20] By 1976, there were only 235.[21]
Since the Willow Bunch School closed in 2007,[22] this number has dropped to 15.[3]
--AdamKGamble (talk) 22:51, 12 November 2013 (UTC)
References
edit- ^ L'Institut français. Métis-Francophone Roundtable, Willow Bunch, 2008 (01). Gabriel Dumont Institute, 2009. Web. 28 September 2013.
- ^ Kallies, Flora. Case Study Report: Willow Bunch Healing Project. Willow Bunch: Willow Bunch Métis Local #17, 2002. Web. 1 October 2013.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada. Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan (Code 4703028) (table). 2011 Community Profiles. Web. 12 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f School Act, RSS 1930, c 131, s 196 (1-4). Web. 15 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d Bonneau, G.A. Saskatchewan's 100th Anniversary 1905-2005, Willow Bunch's 135th Anniversary 1870-2005. 3rd. ed. Willow Bunch: Saskatchewan Centennial Committee, 2004. Print.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i “WILLOW BUNCH SCHOOL DISTRICT # 4910.” Poplar Poles and Wagon Trails, A Mosaic of Willow Bunch R.M. # 42. Vol. 1. 1998. Print.
- ^ a b North-West Territories Act, RSNWT 1875, c 49, s 11. Web. 16 October 2013.
- ^ a b North-West Territories. Sitkala S.D. no. 23 Ratepayers Map. (Saskatchewan Archives Reference Code 18464)."1888. Print.
- ^ a b c d e f Thomas, L.H. "Letter to Sister Andre-Joseph." Regina: Legislative Library, 8 June 1951. Print.
- ^ a b c Saskatchewan Act, RSS 1905, 4-5 Edward VII, c 42, s 17. Web. 14 October 2013.
- ^ a b Province of Saskatchewan Department of Education. Saskatchewan Sings, Volume Two, Diamond Jubilee 1905-1965. Toronto: Canadian Music Sale Corp. Ltd, 1964. Print.
- ^ a b Star-Phoenix. “Govt. to enter language dispute.” Star-Phoenix 25 Sept. 1969: p. 3. Print.
- ^ Leader-Post. “Willow Bunch to get language proposal. Leader-Post 17 Oct. 1969: p. 4. Print.
- ^ a b Leader-Post. “School board rejects proposed language plan.” Leader-Post 14 Nov. 1969: LX266. Print.
- ^ Canadian Press. “Prairie meet set on language fight.” Montreal Gazette 26 Sept. 1969: p. 5. Print.
- ^ a b c d Fitzgerald, M.A. “Willow Bunch dispute ends as school declared bilingual.” Leader-Post 21 Nov. 1969: LX272. Print.
- ^ a b c Ready, L.M. Dr. qtd. in Fitzgerald, M.A. “Willow Bunch dispute ends as school declared bilingual.” Leader-Post 21 Nov. 1969: LX272. Print.
- ^ a b c Landry, Rita, soeur. La Saskatchewan Un Peuple Une Province. Saskatoon: L’Univeristé de la Saskatchewan, 1958-74. Microfilm.
- ^ a b John Phillipon qtd. in Guay, Marcel. “Willow Bunch French School has its problems.” Leader-Post 9 June 1977: sec. 3, p. 27. Print.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada. Population - Mother Tongue, Counties and Subdivisions Language in Canada, 1961 Census. Catalogue no. 92-529, p. 69. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 1970. Print.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada. Population - Demographic Characteristics, Specified Mother Tongue, 1976 Census. Catalogue no. 92-822, Vol: II, Table 9. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 1978. Print.
- ^ Walter, Ron. “Prairie South axes five schools.” Times Herald 23 May 2007. Web. 31 October 2013.