Grant Proposal
Digitization of Oral Histories, Manuscripts and Photos of the
Sandy Point Heritage Development and Foundation Library Archives
Barbara Hall-King
INFO 520
Grant Proposal
March 19, 2007
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Sandy Point Heritage Development & Foundation Library/Archives,
(SPHD&F) of St. George’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, proposes to provide users with
significant recorded information of the province’s heritage by acquiring, preserving,
reformatting and making available historical documentation. This consists of 500
manuscripts, 500 oral histories, 10,000 photographs, 9,000 newspaper clippings, 500
maps and 1,400 artifacts in the archives along with 50 computers and some 25,500 books
in the library.
The collection dates back to the early 1500s depicting the lifestyle of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. A considerable amount of documents pertaining to
the settlement of Sandy Point is housed in both the museum and on the little island of
Sandy Point, across St. George’s Bay. This island on the west coast of Newfoundland is
about 12 miles from St. George’s which can be reached by tour boats. The island of
Sandy Point is steeped in history pertaining to the dominance of two religions. That is,
the Roman Catholics and Church of England religions who worked together to provide
services for the common good of this once thriving community.
In his book “Turbulent Tides”, Don Downer 1997 describes the forces of nature
that helped create the sandbar that was destined to become Sandy Point. He outlined how
this once bustling community was the hub of commerce for the all the west coast and he
provides an insight to the town’s folklore and culture (p. 1-25). It is said that people of all
nationalities lived there and consisted mostly of French, English, German, Mi’kmaq,
Irish, Scottish, and Spanish. At one point the highest population was 2,900. Uninhabited
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today, it is home to numerous birds, including the endangered Piping Plover and several
rare plants. In conjunction with the Newfoundland, “Come Home Year Celebrations”
2008, the library and archives of Sandy Point will host an exhibition of its unique
collection of artifacts and materials. The collection will be made available to researches,
students and scholars through digital format -- on the Internet. There will be a ‘grand
opening’ at which time, the unveiling of the book called, “A Legacy of Memories” will
be on display. Signing of signatures will also take place by the producers of the book,
namely, the Sandy Point Heritage Committee. A discussion forum will also take place to
hear any suggestions, comments or concerns of the public. The library and archives of
Sandy Point is seeking funding for $40,000 for one year. This time span runs from June
1, 2007 to July 30, 2008, for this project.
SETTING
The Sandy Point Heritage Development and Foundation Library/Archives
The Sandy Point Heritage Development & Foundation Library/Archives is
located in the Courthouse, which is one of the oldest historical buildings in town. Built in
1900, this building has seen its day until restoration took place in 2004 and didn’t get
completed until 2007. The overall plan is to use this building as a local museum,
genealogy room, library and archives facility. The Courthouse sits proudly in the heart of
the community of St. George’s, Newfoundland, a town of 3,500 people. St. George’s is
located in the Bay of St. George’s region of west coast of Newfoundland. Here, the
Courthouse receives visitors from all over the world and exhibits samples of Mi’kmaq
art, fine cuisine, hiking, biking and walking trails. Several Folklorists tell ghost stories
and tours to haunted houses and venture tourism from one end of the town to the next.
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The library host educational programs for all ages that include experiences with the
museum, archives and genealogy rooms. Once visitors are given a guided tour of the
Courthouse, they can take in the daily guided boat tours to Sandy Point just across the
bay from the Courthouse. This gives them the opportunity to experience the folklore of
the tiny island for themselves. A special telescope located at the roof tower of the
Courthouse gives visitors a bird’s eye view that captures the scenic landscape of the ghost
town of Sandy Point. Through this lens, it becomes clear how old homes were left vacant
and new ones rebuild on the opposite side of the bay. One can see the development of
newer towns and cities surrounding the coastline of Bay St. George. Every community
has a story to tell and the fate of Sandy Point came to an end due to the railway, airport,
and American Air Force Base. There is more to just telling the tales of this Island’s
folklore and history, which needs to be accessible in the library and archival records.
Venture this way during “Come Home Year” and unravel the mysteries to the past, or
seek out information to your genealogy and culture linkage. Help is available.
Library Mission and Program
The mission statement of the Sandy Point Heritage Development & Foundation
Library/Archives, in conjunction with our five-year strategic plan, represents the goals
and objectives of staff and trustees:
The Sandy Point Heritage Development & Foundation Library/Archives is a
historical center that depicts the history and stores of Sandy Pointers and included the
history of the Mi’kmaq, French, and English community providing the genealogy of the
Bay St. George population. It will solicit and collect materials that document the history
and folklore that best express the nature of Sandy Point and its surrounding areas both in
the educative and social aspects. It will obtain and make available for research those
materials that tend to illustrate the past stories of our community and ancestral Mi’Kmaq
status that is closely woven in with the French, English, Scottish, Irish and German lines.
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The library/archive’s goal is to consistently attract visitors from near and far by
close encounters and through Internet contact and though its home page website. The
annual exhibits of artifacts and Mi’kmaq art, basket weaving, books, fabrics and quilts
will usually take center stage in attracting tourists, researchers, scholars and students. Our
annual Mi’kmaq sculpture festival, held since 1995, has not captured local artists to
continue to contribute each year. Support groups within the Atlantic Provinces provide
their talent of art for display, sales and promotions. This showcasing promotes pride for
ones history while generating economic growth.
Library Facilities
The Sandy Point Heritage Development & Foundation Library/Archives was
founded in 2000 in connection with heritage plans to restore five old historical buildings
located in St. George’s that were build in 1900: the Courthouse, Magistrates House, Fire
Hall, Roman Catholic Parish Palace, Roman Catholic School. The Courthouse being the
largest of all the buildings was converted to a library/archives and museum facility to
house some 25,500 books and 12,950 items that were salvaged from the fires of the St.
George Library building that was completely destroyed in 1997.
Since new additions of books were upgraded, the annual circulation of 100,000
items was recorded and the library adult collection. This consists of 25,000 books, 12,000
children’s titles, 4,000 videos for adults and children with 1,000 of that for the vision
impaired, sound recordings, music CDs, books on tape, large print books, 10 work
stations with computers in the Archive for genealogy and historical research. The
museum section is in the upper level of the building and is designed with a room within a
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room to preserve the artifacts and exhibits with state of the arts architecture to support the
preservation and with qualified personal hired to care for the collection.
The final phase for completion to the Mi’Kmaq Sculpture and Art Gallary Room
on the south wall came to completion March 1, 2007 and is unique to Newfoundland and
Labrador as it is the only one of its kind. This room holds an excellent history dating back
to the Paleo Indians and is well preserved. In addition, the Sandy Point Heritage Room on
the west wing houses a huge amount of artifacts from the island with displays depicting
and exhibiting stories of boat builders, blacksmiths, carpenters, coffin builders, folklore
and culture. However a large portion of this collection is also on display on the island of
Sandy Point in some of the homes to project the setting and its original place where the
items were once used.
Library Staff
The library’s staff of 20 employees includes two professional librarians, one
archivist, and one genealogist. One librarian is director of the library, and another is
director of the museum. Each director has some experience in all areas of the museum,
which gives for a wide knowledge base among the professionals. Four library technicians
work with each of the about directors in these specific areas. Two conservation
technicians take care of the artifacts and two others preserve the records in the archives
while assisting the director in her work. There are two full-time staff security personal,
three full-time maintenance persons and three janitors. Three lawyers and four teachers
along with 10 prominent members of the community make up the Board of Trustees who
meet once a month.
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STATEMENT OF NEED
Ancestors of Sandy Pointers are proud to convey the long history of their island
and the many romantic figures that came out of that era. They have formed community
groups to foster the economic development of the existing towns while conserving and
spreading the history.
History reveals that several writers have given account of their visits to the island
in the mid 1700s. Father Mark Bronson writes in his memoirs, “Pioneer History of the St.
George’s Diocese”, of a French couple name L’Official, (p. 4). It is this name of the,
L’Official family that make up the long line of Bennetts and Benoits in the surrounding
areas whose links are deep within St. Malo, France. Thus, the collected genealogy of all
nations that once lived in this area is well documented to include family names from all
parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dr. Alderdice, a well know genetics researcher has
discovered a rare chromosome disease associated to the inhabitants of the island of Sandy
Point that she coined as the Alderdice Syndrome. Her research is well known all over the
world due to many of that island’s family members marrying the American Soldiers once
stationed in various communities in Newfoundland. Alderdice’s findings and case studies
is housed in the historical clinic on Sandy Point where professional assists for research is
provided.
The documented visits by Captain James Cook, world famous explorer, wrote
about his visits during 1766-1767 to the Sandy Point Island, where he often seen the
island settled by a tribe of Mi’kmaq Indians, (p. 4). Another historical figure has written
his piece concerning the island, W.E. Cormack who in 1822 notes, “20 European families
living there” (p. 4). People were attracted to this settlement and ended up making their
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homes on the island due to the excellent salmon fishery and the lucrative furring, and
access to the finest harbor on the west coast making it the major shipping trade center and
land base for warships of the Atlantic Division of the Royal Navy.
Today, many well preserved items remain on the island that show the works of
one of its well known Inventors, Solomon Butt, whose tools and crafts have been copied
to modern day farming and fishing equipment. One of the historical buildings, which is
the home of Artists, Percy Pieroway, contains numerous original oil paintings that he
produced. Several paintings reveal his love of birds, scenery, tides, homes and workers in
the fields or fishery depicting Sandy Point in its day. It is here that the visitor can also
take in the oral history of his parents describing Percy’s youth and the way of life for
these islanders.
Also, the works of Writer, Francis White, another native to Sandy Point, is a main
attraction as well for it gives people an insight to the way of life on Sandy Point. Ms.
White, portrays how people worked all week long at the fishery, furs, carpentry shops,
ship yard and schools only to unwind on Saturday night at the old school house. This is
where fun and games took place early day time for the children and at evening a step
dancing competition, fiddle playing and singing would unfold. The story of the island
would not be complete without pondering over the thousands of snapshots of birds and
wildlife that was captured by Audubon while on his travels to this province in search of
rare birds. This collection is yet another wonderful preserved collection and worthy to
take in. Another collection of photographs is that left by the island’s most impressive
photographers, Sir Neil O’Neil of Ireland. His work depicts thousands of pictures of men,
women and children in the latest fashions not only from the European world, but of the
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Mi’Kmaq Indians. The Mi’Kmaq’s true nature captured in time as to how they had work
harmoniously side by side with the Islanders yet in isolation doing their own ritual work.
O’Neil’s pictures also included the local shops, homes, schools, graveyards, pathways,
shipping yard and gardens. Last, but not least is the unique features of the buildings
which secures these collections. That is they are the last remaining 10 beautiful buildings
constructed in the early 1900 by the most talented architectures Peter and Ronald Chinn
of that island whose historical works still intrigue modern day architects today. There
building design and features tell a story and house many different exhibits that reveal to
visitors the way things use to be for families of that island. An old Dutch style house
contains the piano and many artifacts used by the Roman Catholic Nuns who first moved
on the island to teach and educate the people. Another English style house contains all the
artifacts of the local blacksmith, while the grand palace design house contains the royal
clothing of the priests.
The artifacts of old fashioned clothing, shoes, hats and purses, and soldiers
uniforms. The scenery on the island brings you back in time while the museum on the
other side of the island entice you to venture further on the guided tour to the island to
explore and experience the way things were.
PROPOSED PROGRAM
As an institution, our responsibility is to protect the collection:


to enhance the preservation and conservation quality of these heritage
resources
to preserve collection by use of emerging technologies-Internet,
digitization and reformatting
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
to foster an awareness and appreciation for the economic development
through tourism, product enhancement, professionalism and training,
conservation, curatorial and presentation.
The Sandy Point Heritage Development and Foundation Library/Archives
(SPHD&F) proposes to reformat the collect of manuscripts, oral histories, newspapers,
rare books, artifacts and photographs through digitization of its records where possible
and to microfilm and scan same on backup copies on CD-ROM (see Appendix A for an
inventory of holdings). During the “Come Home Year” celebrations, exhibits of the
various collections will be promoted and displayed throughout the seven day event. On
opening day, the youngest granddaughter of Percy Pieroway, Ms. Olive Pieroway, will
speak on behalf of the celebrations and will donate a spectacular gift to the SPHD&F
committee. This includes five of her grandfather’s last five paintings never before seen
by anyone which she has had in her position for some 30 years and wants these to be
hung her his art gallery home on Sandy Point. Olive will also donate some six other
pieces of his works that are in great need of restoration, conservation protection.
Conservation
To satisfy the conservation measures of protecting the town’s folkloric history—
manuscripts, oral histories, art, music, maps, and photographs, books, quilts, sculptures,
funding is required to do a number of challenging projects. The bulk of the project will
consist of a wide range of preservation measures involving digitization. This comes at the
time of The Canadian Council of Archives (CCA) and Library and Archives Canada
(LAC) announcement of new funds through the Archival Community Digitization
Program for 2007-2008, (taken from: http://www.cdncouncilarchives.ca/ACDP.html).
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Due to the $50,000 ceiling limit allotted on funding this year, a new eligibility criteria
has been outlined and all institutions requesting funds must be a member of the provincial
archives association for the past two years. The institution receiving funds are not to have
received any government funding for the past five years. Also, the institution must be
dedicated to heritage and development as the funding will be provided through the
Canadian Memory Fund, as part of the Heritage’s Canadian Culture Online Funding
Program. On all categories, our institution meets all new criteria specifications. The
digitizing process of artifacts, art, quilts, and sculptures will take seven months to
complete on site by trained professionals. One month of pilot testing will take place to
ensure performance.
Reformatting
The bulk of library and archives paper manuscripts, newspaper clipping, maps,
and photographs will be shipped to University of New Brunswick for high-quality
reformatting services. This will take five months to complete. Once items are returned to
SPHD&F, a new website will be created to include links to genealogy records, archival
holdings, oral histories and manuscripts, much like that of Utah’s link to vital statistics
and records. The website design will take three months to complete with searchable links
to the above sources. One month of pilot testing will ensure performance.
Exhibition
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PROPOSED BUDGET
CONCLUSION
Sorry, but I am not sure why, but this section is lost – perhaps due to my old computer,
which I retrieved the course work from.
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References
Downer, D. (1997). Turbulent tides.
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