By Derek Cornet

Archives Day at Air Ronge library offers never before seen photos

Feb 7, 2018 | 11:00 AM

Newly digitized images of northern Saskatchewan from negatives, slides and prints are available for viewing today at Air Ronge’s Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library.

As part of Saskatchewan Archives Week, an open house is hosted by archivist Graham Guest, who has three brand new displays which will be open to the public between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. He said attendees are in for a treat because most of the images were digitized during the last 12 months.

“These haven’t been seen by the public for many years, if they were ever seen at all,” Guest said.

One display Guest described as a “real find” is a collection of photos he obtained from the granddaughter (Evadne Merz) of Rev. Harry Hives, who served as an Anglican minister in La Ronge from 1929-1938. Hives took hundreds of photos of La Ronge and Stanley Mission during that time, Guest said, and Merz will be in attendance today to view the work.

“I went to visit her [in Saskatoon] and she lent me all these rolls of negatives and I’ve been digitizing them,” he said. “I’ve digitized about 270 of the pictures and I have about 36 up for display.”

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The other two new exhibits are photos from aircraft rescuer John Finch, as well as northern art and photography by Lois Dalby. Guest said Finch, who was based in La Ronge, was known for rescuing downed aircrafts which he would later rebuild and fly again. The photos on display are from the 1950s and 1960s.

“He got them out from where they crashed, and they were taken back to Prince Albert where they were repaired and reused,” Guest said of the downed aircraft.

Dalby’s drawings and photography are from the 1970s and Guest noted they portray seasonal life of the Woodlands Cree. Guest said Dalby moved to Stanley Mission in 1957 as a teacher and she’s been living in the north ever since. Dalby would use her drawing to help her teach in the classroom.

Guest went on to say researcher and writer James Winkel will make a presentation at 5:15 p.m. about Saskatchewan Government Airways. Also, John Irving will be available to answer questions about local history and genealogy. 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @saskjourno