Cape Breton's Magazine

With John J. and Sadie Theriault John J. Theriault. Smelt Brook: Well now, the only way--I've not got very good edu? cation, so you'll have to ask me anything you want to know. Then I can answer you. But I'm not much of a talker, so--you know what I mean? I never was to school in my life, but I could read and write all right. Stepfather. When I went in the navy I signed my name. The officer said to me, he said, "My golly, you must have good learning. That's wonderful writing." I said, "No, sir, I never went to school in my life." "You never went to school in your life, and you can write like that!" he said. He couldn't believe it. I never had any schooling at all. My step? father- -my father died when I was only 7 year old. I don't know what it feels to have a father. And my mother got married to a Macintosh--that was my stepfather. And he gave me all the learning. And he gave my sister, too, with me--me and this sister. And he gave us all the learning we ever got. I could read and write, or do anything I want to do, myself. I was a first-class carpenter. I worked in the quarry over here--gypsum quarry. I was a carpenter. Built the big conveyor that ran the gyp? sum, you know. Ran it in a big pile. It came over the conveyor and piled up. And then, it was a ton then; it went out to the ships. That's the way the ships got loaded. Big ships used to come into Ding? wall one time--(took) big loads--loaded with plaster. It was a great job while it lasted. But the pay was small at that time. I was born in South Harbour about 4 miles from here. I never went very far. The wife was born in South Harbour, too. We had 8 in the family--2 boys and 6 girls. We lost--one of our boys was killed. (What did your stepfather do?) He was a customhouse officer. (What would be coming through here?) Well, there were a lot of boats used to come into White Point at that time. The fishing vessels, you know, they had to go to customhouse officfer and get clearance. And the Aspy (a coastal ferry) used to come in--he had to get pa? pers from the Aspy. Any boat that came in had to make a clearance in the custom? house. Oh, White Point, 40 or 50 years ago, was a busy_spot. Now it's just the people that's living there, and just fish? ing- -that's all it is. No boats come in there. One time, yes. Newfoundland skips, we used to call them. There'd be maybe 30 or 40 tied up to the pier every night. Sadie; There were 3 lobster factories there. And there were 3 stores there at that time. It was a nice little village at that time. Busy, busy village. Used to call it White Point Village. 99