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Researching
the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
Volume 6: Number 10
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITES
OF CAPE BRETON
LIEUX HISTORIQUES NATIONAUX DU CAPE-BRETON
Vol. 6,
No.10
October 2004 -octobre 2004
Special Visitor
Museum Anthropologist, Dr. Stephen Loring, of the Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural History, Washington, DC made a special detour to the Fortress of
Louisbourg to view the archaeology collection and database and compare some 18th
century artifacts he found this summer while working on an Arctic Inuit Site.
Mr. Loring spent the
day researching artifacts located in the archaeology collection and on exhibit
before continuing his journey home.
Atlantic Canada
Workshop
On October 15 and 16, 2004, the Fortress of Louisbourg co-hosted with the
University College of Cape Breton the Atlantic Canada Workshop 2004: Making
Contact.
Anne Marie Lane Jonah
coordinated the Louisbourg part of the conference. In the afternoon Sandy Balcom
and Ken Donovan and visiting scholars conducted a session on the 18th century at
Bigot Theatre.
Afterward, with Parks Canada's generous support, participants enjoyed
specialized tours of the Fortress and an 18th century meal with entertainment at
the Grandchamps Inn.
Over 60 participants from the Maritimes, Ontario, Québec, the United States and
the
Netherlands
tremendously enjoyed their time at the Fortress. Many thanks to all who helped
make the day at Louisbourg a success.
Celtic Colours
International Festival
Once again this year the Fortress of Louisbourg hosted a concert "Step Into
the Past" in the
Chapel on Monday, October 11th. The visiting performers were Crasdant, David
Francey, Rona Lightfoot, and Dwayne Cote. Although the weather was bad, it was a
sellout crowd and everyone had an enjoyable evening.
Cape Breton
Community Economic Development Association Conference
On the 18th of October, CBCEDA sponsored conference was held in Sydney with
participants spending an afternoon in Louisbourg. Special tours and extra
animation was provided to enhance their visits. Participants were from Atlantic
Canada all of whom worked in the area of community development.
AGB News
Here is a glimpse into life on Cape Breton Island at Beinn Bhreagh in the autumn
of 1890 and is brought to you courtesy of Parks Canada archival holdings at
AGBNHSC:
Excerpt from a letter
from Mrs. Alexander Graham Bell to Mrs. Gardiner Greene Hubbard (her mother)
written at Beinn Bhreagh, Victoria County, Cape Breton, N.S. October 20th, 1890.
(Letter Book Binder # 85, page 20-21)
Thank you ever so much Mamma darling for the shoes and petticoat which arrived
this morning. It is so like you to think of my comfort far away as I am, and I
love you ever so much ... I have silk stockings on now, they feel about as warm
and much more comfortable than the woolen ones I have been wearing lately. The
shoes and petticoat will be very nice a little later, just now it is not at all
cold, in fact I do not think it can be very much warmer in Washington than it
has been today. The sun shone and the water was intensely blue without a white
cap and the air mild. I drove Miss True to the Point and then around to Crescent
Grove and rowed her home. It was such a glorious sunset that I could not bear to
go indoors, instead we rowed around the harbor and up it. Inside the sea lay
like glass, every tree, shrub and every color was perfectly reflected and it was
hard to say just where the land ended and water began.
... Delia had all the rhubarb cut down, today I notice a new crop fast reaching
maturity. We had very delicate new peas for dinner tonight with our own
cucumbers and stuffed tomatoes, and beautiful piece of haddock Mr. Mitchell
sent. We had fresh mackerel from our own nets this morning and some delicious
smelts are waiting us in the larder. I don't think we are starving for lack of
variety, do you?
... Alex has been measuring the flow of the spring, he says it takes just 17
seconds to fill a barrel of water, and calculates that it runs fifteen cubic
feet a minute.
... Alec is very much disgusted to find that his mountain farm fences only
enclose twenty acres, he thought he had about a hundred. His sheep houses are
going up and he is very much pleased.
Goodnight Mamma
darling, much love and many thanks.
Lovingly,
Mabel
Autumn Events
Like everyone we're amazed at how quickly this visitor season has come and now
is almost gone. September and October have been busy with many visitors
particularly from cruise ships and motorcoach land based tours.
Our Innovation Fund Project of evening presentations that took place Wednesdays
and Sundays after hours during July, August and September is over. These
programs were done in collaboration with the Gaelic College, Highland Village
and local Victoria County archivist Joan MacInnes. While providing more evening
opportunities for the visitors to our area, our staff was able to develop some
new AGB presentations in power point format.
October 31st is the last day of work for our guide staff and it is also the last
day of fee collection . As of October 16th we are on our winter hours of
operation which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. These hours are in effect until May
31st. Also from November 1st to April 30th site visits are by arrangement.
Liberated Learning
The afternoon of October 20th brought the launching of the "Baddeck
Liberated Learning Showcase" (BLLS) project here at AGBNHSC after the
morning launch at UCCB. This project is a co-operative venture between UCCB's
Bell Institute, IBM's Accessibility Services Research Unit and Parks Canada. Dr.
Sara Basson, IBM, demonstrated the ViaScribe software that converts the spoken
word with punctuation into text in real time creating instant captioning on a
screen for all to read. The software is already in use in some university
classrooms including some at UCCB.
However, the BLLS at
AGBNHSC museum will provide a new opportunity to apply the technology to further
the research and refinement of the program. It is expected that the technology
will be in place and staff will be trained to use the software during the 2005
visitor season to provide greater access to knowledge to our visitors especially
those who are hearing impaired. Hubs will be installed in the exhibit areas that
will connect the voice of the staff person who will be speaking into a wireless
microphone to the visitor who will have a hand held screen from which they can
read what is being said in real time. This technology links nicely with
Alexander Graham Bell's communication work especially his work teaching deaf
people to speak.
In her welcome, Carol Whitfield lauded the current status of the project and expressed the hope that as it develops it may lead to a day when the software will be capable of translating the spoken word in one language to the printed word in another simultaneously. Valerie Mason, who has worked in the Heritage Presentation Services at ABGNHSC for the past 11 years, has been hired by UCCB as a Research Assistant for the Showcase. To learn more about this exciting project visit www.liberatedlearning.com
Pictured L-R at the launch of the Baddeck Liberated Learning Showcase at AGBNHSC are Carol Whitfield, Parks Canada; Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky, IBM; Valerie Mason, UCCB; Sarah Conrod, UCCB; Ron MacNeil, Bell Institute; Dr. Sara Basson, IBM; David Leitch, St. Mary's University; Dr. Alex Faisman, IBM; and Hugh Muller, Bell descendant.
AND, DON'T FORGET to
cast your vote (many times, in many ways - by phone, by email ...) in THE
GREATEST CANADIAN CONTEST!!! Out of the top 200 nominees provided by the public
to CBC in the spring, Alexander Graham Bell made the shortlist of the "Top
Ten" with the likes of David Suzuki, Wayne Gretzky, Terry Fox and Tommy
Douglas, Don Cherry and Sir John A. Macdonald. Call 1-866-303-VOTE to vote (we
suggest you vote for AGB but of course that's up to you). Visit cbc.ca/greatestcanadians
for all the details on the nominees and for the scoop on how to vote. Alexander
Graham Bell gets his turn for an hour long profile on CBC TV at 8 p.m. on
November 15th with repeats on CBC Newsworld. A CBC crew who had AGB as their
nominee did a lot of filming recently at Beinn Bhreagh and on site of mostly
telephone and photophone related artifacts for his profile. Exercise your
franchise and VOTE!
Condolences
Our sincere condolences to Lorne MacLean and his children on the death of his
wife and their mother, Delores. Our prayers and support are with the whole
family.
Sincere condolences to Karl Bishop and his family on the death of their father,
Joseph Bishop on October 20, 2004.
A long time employee of Parks Canada and friend to many of us, Raymond Troke,
passed away this past month. Our sincere condolences to his family and many
friends here in the Louisbourg area and also to his many friends in
Newfoundland.
Did you know....
...Mark Sajatovich, Marketing Officer will be taking over the marketing duties
for Highlands Links due to the resignation of Irene Khattar. Congratulations,
Mark!
...The Heritage Presentation staff located in the Dugas House have finally been
hooked up to their new, fast and efficient computer modems. It took a while but
it was worth the wait!!
...Carole DesLauriers is a grandmother again to a beautiful baby girl, Jessalynn
Suzanne, born October 25th. Congratulations, Carole and we wish you a speedy
recovery from your recent appendectomy.
Happy Halloween
Anyone
wishing to submit an article to the Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Please forward to Donna
MacNeil at donna.macneil@pc.gc.ca
or telephone 733-3551.