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The Canadian Quaker History Journal No. 66 2001 Special issue celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Camp NeeKauNis and the Canadian Friends Service Committee The Canadian Quaker History Journal No. 66 2001 Contents Special Issue: 70th Anniversary of Camp NeeKauNis and the Canadian Friends Service Committee Meeting Place of Friends: A brief history of Camp NeeKauNis by Stirling Nelson 1 CFSC Support to Friends Rural Centre, Rasulia, Hoshangabad District, Madhya Pradesh, India by Peter and Rose Mae Harkness 5 The Grindstone Era: Looking Back, Looking Ahead by Murray Thomson 12 The Origins of the Canadian Quaker Committee on Native Concerns by Jo Vellacott 17 Fred Haslam (1897-1979): “Mr Canadian Friend” - A Personal View by Dorothy Muma 23 A Benevolent Alliance: The Canadian Save the Children Fund and the Canadian Friends Service Committee between the Two World Wars by Meghan Cameron 35 Trying to Serve God in the Spirit of Christ: The Canadian Friends Service Committee in the Vietnam War Era by Kathleen Herztberg 61 Rogers Family - Radio and Cable Communications by Sandra McCann Fuller 73 An Account of the Widdifield Family by Emma Knowles MacMillan 79 The Black Creek Meeting House: A description from 1876 by Christopher Densmore 96 Book Review: T.D. Seymour Bassett “The God’s of the Hills” by Robynne Rogers Healey 99 The Canadian Quaker History Journal is published annually by the Canadian Friends Historical Association (as part of the annual membership subscription to the Association). Applications for membership may be made to the address listed below. Membership fees for 2002 are: Libraries and Institutions $15.00 General Membership $10.00 Life Membership $200.00 Contents of the published articles are the responsibility of the authors. Copyright © 2001 Canadian Friends Historical Association. ISSN 1180-968X G.S.T. No. R118831593 Editors: Jane Zavitz-Bond Albert Schrauwers Production: Albert Schrauwers Jane Zavitz-Bond Sandra Fuller Ruth Jeffery-MacLean Letters and submissions from readers are always welcome. Subscriptions and Correspondence: Canadian Friends Historical Association Friends House 60 Lowther Ave., Toronto, Ont., M5R 1C7 WWW page: http://www.interhop.net/museum/ Meeting Place of Friends: A brief history of Camp NeeKauNis and the surrounding area Stirling Nelson, Niagara Falls, Ont. "On a hill far away overlooking the bay chosen as the whole area was once inhabit- A part of the Georgian expanse ed by the Huron Indian Tribe. The Indian There is a view that is grand capital for this area, Cahaigue, is assumed Both of lake and of land to be about six miles from NeeKauNis and A view that all souls must entrance." from the writings of the great French explorer, Champlain, we realize that he This view of the lake and the land had spent the winter of 1610 at this site. its beginnings in the ages long ago. The Although the Hurons and Iroquois had a glacial lakes of Algonquin and Nipissing blood relationship, the activities of covered this area. The beaches of these Champlain and the rivalry of the fur trade lakes remain as the slopes on the way to the between the French and British led to wars swimming area. between these nations. Some of this rivalry The NeeKauNis property has a long found expression in the area near association with the geological history of NeeKauNis. We know that the Jesuit mis- the area. This affords great opportunity for sionaries, Lalement and Brebeuf were the student of geology to explore the area. massacred at St. Ignace by the Iroquois. The name NeeKauNis comes from the This was an Indian village on the Sturgeon Huron Indian language and means "The River only a mile and a half from Meeting Place of Friends". This name was NeeKauNis. Camp NeeKaunis as seem coming from the Bay (photo by Ken Muma) 1 Canadian Quaker History Journal, No. 66, 2001 The Huron Indians for the most part Tannerville became the site of the most lived at peace with their neighbouring modern sawmill in the area. In the early tribes. Like all the North American Indians years of NeeKauNis many campers made they had no metal tools or utensils. They excursions to the "Old Mill". This was the were a stone age people. In spite of these site of the ruins of the stone mill that was handicaps the Hurons had managed to make the centre for lumber sawing from the years the difficult transition from nomad hunters 1870 to -1912. This mill was owned and to settled agriculturalists. Corn was their operated by the Tanner Bros. It was com- main crop and the mainstay of their diet. pletely remodelled in 1900 and booms of They also grew beans, squash, sunflowers logs filled the bay and piles of lumber and hemp. The fibre from the hemp made covered the shore. A fire in 1912 complete- their fish nets. Even before the French ly destroyed the mill and the sawmill opera- came, the Hurons had developed an exten- tion ceased. The property known as sive trade with the Algonquins. They NeeKauNis to us was the site of the houses exchanged corn for the furs and hides and used by the mill workers. These houses meat which were more plentiful in the were moved away and the land became idle thinly populated country to the north. until it was put up for sale in 1930. The The name Huron, by which this nation foresight of A. S. Rogers caused him to became called, was in reality a nickname. investigate this property for camping pur- The Indians wore their hair in a single high poses; ten acres being purchased in 1931 ridge, and the French referred to them as and made available to Canadian Friends for "boar heads". "Hure" in French meant boar- summer programmes, head. Their real name however was In 1932 the main building which has Wendats and their home land Wendake (the become known as Nelson Hall was erected island or the land apart). Where they came and contained six sleeping rooms, a dining from, why they came, we do not know. hall and a kitchen. Over the next four years Archeologists have found clay pots in this four cabins were added. In 1951 plans were area that indicate they were people living made for the erection of a cottage which here as much as 2500 years before the birth became known as Haslam. Since that time of Christ. the sleeping quarters have been converted We also know that in the days before in Nelson Hall, and a total of eleven sepa- railroads, travel was by stage coach and rate cabins have been erected for that steamship. There was a port on the shore of purpose. In addition a building has been put Sturgeon Bay known as the Tay Port and up at the beach as storage for boats and a this was the eastern terminus for Great Lake swimming change room. ships. Tay Port was on the point just to the The erection of the Meeting Centre west of the NeeKauNis property and with which began in the summer of 1968 gave a the advent of lumbering became known as closer association with the area historically. Tannerville. The present road which leads The lumber which was used came from down to the water's edge was built by the 'Edgehill'; a home that had been built in Hudson Bay Company and brought travell- Midland by the British Canadian Lumber ers by stage coach from Coldwater. This Company. Edgehill at one time was the road was built and Tayport was established home of James Playfair, a man whose name about 1845. One of the steamships was will always be associated with lumbering, known as "The Gore". ship building, flour milling and shipping on 2 Canadian Quaker History Journal, No. 66, 2001 the Great Lakes. James Playfair was liberal Canadian Friends Service Committee in in his charitable gifts and acts for the 1942. It was used by Young Friends for welfare of the community. This home was leadership training and conferences and given to the town of Midland and served as for adult camps as well as the Boys and the Huronia Museum for a number of years. Girls Clubs. It was torn down in 1967 and some of the material purchased to be used in the 4. On January 1, 1962 the operation of Meeting Centre. We realize this gives an Camp Neekaunis came under Canadian association related to the development and Yearly Meeting with a standing commit- growth of the area. tee responsible for its operation (Terms Although this article for the most part of Reference on page VI-65 of GYM has centered around the history on the Organization and Procedure). geology of the area, we realize this is not the most significant part of NeeKauNis, 5. Camp was enlarged by the purchase of which is rather in the lasting friendships and three acres from the neighbour on the the development of personalities that has East in 1940 (Mr. Albin) and by five gone on and will continue over the coming acres on the West which was years. bequeathed by Fred Haslam on his death in 1979. This brought the size to 18 "From this place we'll go forth realizing the acres. worth Of the spit-it of love which makes free, Facilities: And we'll join heart and hand Length and breadth of the land Made possible in large measure by the Forever united to be". labours of a great many volunteers. 1932 Nelson-Hall (six sleeping rooms, NeeKauNis 1931-1993 dining hall, kitchen) Historical Overview: 1934 White Feather, Amitie, Welcome 1935 Wetaskiwin 1. Around 1930 a member of Toronto 1952 Haslam cottage Monthly Meeting, Albert Rogers (son of 1955 Jordans Samuel Rogers), decided that there 1957 Green Oak, Green Garth should be a summer camping place for 1960 Rogers (relocated to become King in children who were members of the Boys 1988) and Girls Clubs that Toronto Friends 1961 Addition to kitchen supported.