Page 34 - Clara Buffett Remembers Hilda Wright

ISSUE : Issue 55

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/8/1

kind of a woman. There wasn't anything that she was not going to do because, if somebody could tell her how to do it.... So, between (her and) the community, they built this little church. I think it held 20 or 25--it might have been 50--kind of a cute little church. And she got the grave? yard all fixed up, and the monuments all fixed up, and all the rest of it. And she was there as the--she used to have the services. And the bishop would come, and the head of the synod--or whatever it is in the Anglican Church, I don't know. And high days and holy days. And so, it was within the church, but no? body was paying very much attention to it. You see? They were just slinking through. But, of course, sooner or later you're go? ing to get somebody who will say, "Well, this is not right (a woman acting as a min? ister) . This is not according to Hoyle! It may be working, but it's not going accord? ing to our rules and regulations." There's always one of those around somewhere. The Tole Shed ' Townsend Street & Sherrif Avenue Sydney, N. 8. ?? Telephone 564-4424 Large Selection of Tole Psdnting Folk Art & Paper Tole Crafts Books, Paint, Brushes, Sprays, Wood Pieces Door Harp Hardware, & many hard-to-find items A Complete Une of PAPER TOLE & TOLE PAINTING SUPPLIES Caii and register for our faii and winter classes! So, she--they let her go. But the Anglican Church, and it was--I don't know if you know Archbishop Scott--a very, very for? ward-thinker, man. And he remembered her, and what she had done in that small vil? lage. And how she had melded this group together. And how she had dealt with the alcoholism of these people, off chopping down trees all week and then roaring back into town--all this kind of thing. So, he always kept in touch with her. So then, when he became the archbishop of the Anglican Church in Canada, he got her to come here to Glace Bay, (along) with the United Church--both (churches) together-- to see what they could do about alcoholism. If she could make any headway. Because, you know, the thing was, the miners got out of the mine, and on Friday night they were paid, and you went to the barrooms and you got drunk. So Senator's Corner was that everybody went out and had a good big fight, and went home, and their wives more than likely fixed them up, and they got to church on Sunday morning, and so then it's all right. And then they went on the next week. And then a good time was had by all. And even in Prohibition. Of course, there were all sorts of bootlegging joints. There was never any shortage of rum. You could take your boat and row out 3 miles-- 3-mile limit--and get your rum if you wanted to. So she started here. But it was very dif? ficult, she said, because--being a woman-- LOOKING BACK OVER OUR HISTORY Generations of Cape Bretoners have worked at Sydney Steel and witnessed vast changes in how industry operates over the past hundred years. Part of that story is the SYDNEY TAR PONDS, how they were built up from 80 years of coke oven waste and how they will be cleaned up in this decade. You might be interested in learning more about this project and we'd be interested in hearing your impressions and in having you visit the site. Tar Ponds Information Centre Terminal Road (behind Acadian Bus Lines), Sydney, Nova Scotia Open: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. Until September 30th Or join our mailing list for brochures and information sheets plus any organized tours by contacting us at the following locations: Wilf Kaiser Nova Scotia Department of the Environment 295 Charlotte St. Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6H7 Ph: (902) 563-2100 John Gray Environment Canada Fifteenth Floor, Queen Square 45 Alderney Drive Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6 Ph: (902) 426-7990 34

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