Material Type

Recording

Date Range

[1988]

Physical Description

1 audio cassette tape Side A: 26 minutes, 22 seconds Side B: 36 minutes, 18 seconds

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

See attached for summary of the talks.

Acquisition Source

Sir Alexander Galt Museum

Scope and Content

Guest speakers appearing at the Sir Alexander Galt Museum and Archives Sunday series. Side A: Florence Senda speaking about Japanese Canadians. Side B: Ed Granger speaking about the history of the Lethbridge transit system. Side A Gait Museum Sunday series guest speaker Mrs Florence Senda (nee Hironaka) speaking about Japanese Canadians, circa 1988. Approx 25 minutes. - Early Japanese settlers were employed mostly in the sugar beet fields, for the CPR, or in hotels. - Most of the sugar beet workers worked and lived in the Raymond area. - There were a few Japanese families in the Hardieville and Coalhurst areas because the men worked in the mines. - Many single Japanese men, after establishing themselves, wrote to their families in Japan and asked them to find them a wife. Many Japanese women came to this area as picture brides. Eventually a school was established to teach the children traditional Japanese culture and language. By 1929 the old Mormon church in Raymond had been purchased and a Buddhist Church established. - The Japanese families in the Hardieville and Coalhurst areas would gather at the Higa home to worship or socialize. - Talks about the Mammoth area, located 10 miles south of Raymond. - Talks about recreation and entertainment in the 1930s. - Talks about Japanese loyalty to Canada during WWII and mentions some of the Raymond boys who served. - The Canada census showed there were 652 Japanese people in 1931, and 578 in 1941. - Mentions some of the early Reverends. - Talks about Japanese evacuees. - Talks about Helen Shimbasi applying to Gait School of Nursing in 1943 and being turned down because she was Japanese. Both Helen and her sister ended by taking their training in Medicine Hat. In 1948 the Gait School of Nursing opened its doors to Japanese students. Talks about other Japanese women who took nursing. - Japanese were not allowed to own property in the City of Lethbridge before 1946. - Names Japanese professionals - teachers, etc. - and her husband Yosh's Judo club. Talks about awards he has won. - Talks about the Japanese Garden. - Talks about Japanese Culture. SideB Gait Museum Sunday series guest speaker Ed Granger speaking about the history of the Transit System in Lethbridge. Circa 1988. Approx 30 minutes. - Gives a history of the street car system in Lethbridge including information about the routes, cars, employees, and service. - Talks about changing from street cars to buses and the types of buses purchased. -*Ed Granger is the City of Lethbridge Transit Director.

Notes

Two copies of this item on CD are available.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19971071001

Collection

Archive

Less detail