Titanic Era Canada

My Free E-book Threshold Girl is about Flora Nicholson’s 1911/12 year at Macdonald Teachers School (and has a child welfare theme). I am right now working on a parallel story about her sister Edith (a teacher at Westmount Methodist, who, in 1910, loses her great love in a Cornwall hotel fire). And then I’ll start working on sister Marion’s story. Marion is my husband’s grandmother, and she rose to be President of the Montreal Teachers Union, during the war. She’s second left from the picture above, a 1905 McGill Normal School portrait.

Blog posts are written off the top of the head (or at least mine are) but essays need time. I wrote the essay below for an education magazine. It is about Marion in 1912 and encapsulates what is happening in Canada in “the Titanic Era.”

At the end of Threshold Girl I have Flora, Marion and mother Margaret heading off to visit their friends, the McCoys on Hutchison to attend a party in celebration of Flo’s graduation. It’s around June 20. The fact was, Isabel McCoy, Marion’s friend, a 28 year old newly wed who was once a teacher, sailed for Europe around that time, just two months after the Titanic sank.  Here’s the article.

Originally in Fall 2007 Education Canada Magazine. All Rights Reserved by the author.

In 1912 Canada, an ambitious 26 year old career woman was invited to accompany family friends on a cruise to Europe.

She couldn’t go.

“Teachers,” she wrote in a letter home to her mother, “will have to make more money before I ever see Paris.”

Marion Nicholson, the woman in question, was pulling in a comparatively excellent salary teaching grade five at Royal Arthur School in southwest Montreal: 650 dollars year!

That’s a full 400 dollars more than her older sister, Edith, was earning at a missionary school in toney Westmount. And 150 dollars more than her younger sister, Flora, would earn as a first year teacher in September in Griffintown.

Somewhat more than a top notch cook (480 dollars a year) and somewhat less than a highly-skilled hat maker (1000 dollars a year). Yes, teaching in Canada had come a long way since 1900 when the McGill’s Carrie Derick had described the profession as low-paid, overcrowded and cheerless.

Still Europe wasn’t in the cards for her.

You see, ‘the demands on her purse’ (as Marion put it) were heavy. Over and above her personal expenses: 20 dollars a month for room and board; a new fashionable hat each year (7.50 at Ogilvy); 10 cents a day for the streetcar and an occasional play at His Majesty’s Theatre (50 cents for the cheap seats) there were her family obligations.

In 1912, The Nicholsons were ‘dead broke’, in danger of losing their Richmond, Quebec home, Tighsolas, (lighthouse in Scottish Gaelic) to creditors. Time and time again Marion was called upon to bail them out. “I am sending you the 50 dollars from my raise,” she writes in September of 1912. “I don’t need it for I am not getting married, and that’s what girls save for, isn’t it, a trousseau?”

Marion 1912 era

I know all this because I lately happened upon a trunk load of documents from the 1907-1913 era, letters, diaries and more. Although these papers reveal little about the classrooms of the day (darn!) they are a window on a truly pivotal era in world history.

I’ve become quite knowledgeable about the 1910 era – and what a time it was! Had Marion made it to Paris in 1912, she would have found herself at the very epicenter of a massive cultural upheaval, occasioned by new technologies. Had she wandered north, uphill, to the heart of Montmartre, she might have found herself outside Picasso’s cluttered studio, where he had unveiled, in 1907, Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, a painting set in a Barcelona brothel that sent shock waves through the art community.

Worlds apart, you say. Why juxtapose the image of a prim Presbyterian pedagogue, her curves squeezed into a corset and shrouded in a “school marmish” (her words) shirtwaist suit with some angular, glaring ladies of the evening?

Well, because Picasso created this iconic canvas in direct response to the changes happening around him in the world.

In Canada, we had the somewhat less sexy Royal Commission on Industrial Training and Technical Education, launched by Laurier in response to the economic challenges of the new Industrial Age. The final report, published in 1913, recommended, among many things, that education be compulsory for children 5 to 14 years of age. (Women’s groups, especially, applauded.)

Back in her austere classroom in that institutional brick school building in Little Burgundy, Marion, the humble instructress, was surely sensing these shockwaves, on some level, at least.

Today, we are experiencing a similar cultural upheaval. All of Cyberspace can be called the  epicenter, and some warehouse in Seattle or high rise in Singapore might be the 2007 version of Picasso’s studio. The best part: with digital technology, any teacher, any student in any classroom anywhere can potentially place him/herself, well, ah, plunk on Pablo’s lap…top.

Marion Nicholson quit teaching in 1913 to marry Hugh Blair. She had been depressed about work. “They have hired a mere boy out of school for the seventh form and given him 850 to start. It makes me sick.”

She returned to the profession only in 1928 after being widowed and cut out of her husband’s share of the family business. Not one to dwell on the past, she became a union activist and, eventually, President of the Provincial Association of Protestant Teachers during WWII.

When she died prematurely of a heart attack in 1948, the Montreal Gazette sang her praises on the OP-Ed page. “With the death of Marion A. N. Blair, education in Quebec, indeed, the whole Dominion has suffered a serious loss.”

The editorial told of her tireless efforts to win better salaries and pensions for teachers in Quebec and explained how she had represented the Canadian Teachers’ Federation at a UNESCO education conference the previous summer. Where was this conference held? In Sèvres, a suburb of the French capital. So, Marion Nicholson, my husband’s grandmother, did finally make it to Paris, and on a teacher’s salary at that.
Back to Dorothy Nixon Essays

Marion, as Master Teacher and Union Leader, 1940′s.

Easter 1912..Titanic Week

Norman Nicholson in his Masonic Regalia. In 1912, they were starting up a Chapter of the Eastern Star, a group for women. Norman was a Presbyterian and the Presbyterians frowned upon the Masons (for keeping secrets from their wives.) Still, he spend a lot on fees to remain a Mason. He needed it for social standing.

Well, it is Easter Sunday, 2012, the 8th of April. It seems that Easter was around the same time in 1912, because I have this letter from exactly 100 years ago.

Well, I checked. It was the 7th!

The letter is from Norman Nicholson of www.tighsolas.ca . He was writing to his wife in Richmond, Quebec, from his post on the Canadian Transcontinental Railway in Cochrane, or at least near Cochrane at “end of steel” as they called it.

Their daughters, Flora, Marion were at home for Easter.  Another daughter,Edith, had to stay in town I guess to watch over students at Westmount Methodist, a boarding school.

Flora was a student at Macdonald College, studying to be a teacher, Marion and Edith were already teachers in the Big City. Flora’s story is told here Threshold Girl in free e-book form.

Cochran Ont April 8^th, 1912

Dear Margaret,

I am writing you my usual weekly letter. Did not receive yours that I usually get Saturday? I suppose your are busy entertaining your girls. But I expect to get a long one from you when the girls leave. Trust you are well.

Well, I have nothing new to write about from here. Last Friday and Saturday we had a big thaw here. It took away half of our snow and in lots of places the ground is bare and where it is the mud is terrible would prefer snow to it.

  It turned cold last night and this morning everything is frozen solid with snow falling and a north wind blowing not a very good day for Easter Bonnets here.

Did not go to Church this morning, it was too cold. I had letter yesterday from DB McLennan of Scotstown wanting to know if I could get him a job here.

I think I forgot to tell you in my last letter that I had a post card from Sophia Nicholson in Edmonton wanting to know if I had received the epistle she wrote me at Xmas.

Said Gordon was sick with the measles. I haven’t heard from Herb since writing your last, nor any of the girls.

How is Han and the Hills getting on now? As I haven’t any news to write about I will close awaiting your letter. My eye is all right but not quite as clear of the red yet as the other. Cold is quite well now. Hoping you are enjoying the Easter Holidays with your girls. I will come later if spared.

Now, My sweet pet, I will say love to your own self. Trusting to hear from you soon, Your affectionate husband N. Nicholson

Here’s the letter wife Margaret wrote back: Her letter is peppered with references to the family problems, the largest of which was a large debt owed by her son, on an insurance policy. And the family is squabbling with Margaret’s brother over care of the aged mother. The last line of her letter reveals Margaret finds it ironic that people are asking them for help getting jobs.

Richmond Thursday April 11, 1912 Dear Norman, Yours of the 8th received Tuesday night – I look for them on that day. Marion returned to the city Tuesday afternoon, Flora returned Wednesday afternoon. They both had a nice long holiday which I enjoyed very much. E. did not come. We wrote to her every day and she wrote that Marion’s young man had been very kind took her, taking her to the theatre so she was not too lonesome. Grandma is feeling better. I was up this afternoon stayed three hours and had a talk of the will business. Bella said Mother made her will the other day but she does not know what is in it. Tom  Bushell and M. Cleveland are the witness and her money is in the bank. While we were talking Clayton came in. He said they did keep Mother for nothing and that it was not a lie, though I told him mother paid her board. I said I always understood she did. Well, I suppose you think you will get your pay now. They have it in for me. How I wish I did not have to go near them. Han is having her sale the 16th, then she is going up to the farm. Sis is with her and looks black when I go over. Still I go and Han comes up here. Marion wondered why you did not say anything about Herb’s insurance. George Alexander called me up to ask. Said you told him there was a letter from Herb for you. I said I did not think it was an answer to the one you had written. Marion thought of going to see George but did not like to tell you. Am glad your cold is better.  The ice is moving a little today. Still there is a cold wind. I have to make a fire in the furnace every day.  Crombie is busy with his chimney for the fire place. Mrs. Gawn has bought Fran Shaw’s house in upper Melbourne. The new notary is moving into the Sutherland’s house. Mr. Rothney is staying in the Kelly house. Mrs. Skinner has gone to Melbourne. I do not miss them so much.  The Dr. wrote her that he was offered 90 dollars a month for his house. I sat up with grandma two nights last week. Now she does not need any one after Han’s sale and if she keeps better I am really going out to Kingsbury for a few days.   As I now see things, Bella and Clayton have made most of the trouble for us among the friends just because they are jealous of us.  I have not heard anything about our lodge yet. It may take some time. What do you think of my office? Do you think I can manage it?   I paid water tax telephone and PO box rent and got a gal of maple syrup from Fowler when the girls were here. It is very nice I wish you could have some now when it is new however there will be some when you come. Now with much love Your wife Margaret Write me what to say about the insurance PS Write to W Keenan about your wagon. The very idea of McLennan writing you about a position. I wish you was a good as most people think.

Here’s the letter Marion wrote upon her return: Her lodgings were on Tower, which is near McGill off Sherbrooke.

Edith and Marion seated Circa 1912.

Tower Avenue,

April 13, 1912

Dear Father,

You will see by the heading that I am again in Montreal and mother will have told you that I was at home Easter. Mother is busy but well. She had been with Grandma quite a lot and now I hear Florence Pepler is not well  and she has been there. Everything is much the same only the Skinners have left their house.  Flora came back the day after I did. She is well but not quite as fat as she was at Xmas. Edith has, I suppose, told you that she was thinking of taking a summer school out West somewhere, that is if she can get one and there is a  slight possibility  that I might do the same if I can find a place for the two months.

Was in at Dr. Cleveland’s yesterday having a tooth filled. He was enquiring for you.

There was nothing doing at home except the talk of Uncle Dan’s will but mother has told you all about that I suppose. Aunt Han gave them a great old calling down and does not want to have anything more to do with them. I saw Aunt Sarah and Florence. They left the day after I got home. There is not any more news so I will stop now and write later. Rec’d your check all right and Flora is all right for this month.  What about Herb’s insurance?  I was going to speak to Geo Alexander when at home but thought perhaps I had better not as I had not heard back from you. Let me know: I  can take it over all right without burdening myself. Now, I think this is all for now,

Lovingly

Marion

PS Am enclosing the take on the Liberals but think it should apply to the Cons don’t you.

Marion.

Here’s a letter Flora wrote to her Dad upon returning to school for the final push before graduation.

She mentions the Titanic – but also the death of  a girl at school. In those days, someone could get sick one week and be dead the next. Pneumonia. The King of Death. Charles Hays, President of the Grand Trunk Railway, was the most prominent Montrealer to go down with the Titanic. (He was American.) He had visited Richmond in 1911,  because the railway station there burnt down. This was a significant event, as Richmond was an important railway hub.

Flora 1908, on the beach at Nantucket. The Nicholsons had many relations in Boston. During this visit she took a car ride (in a Stanely Steamer) to Wellesley College. She thought Macdonald College resembled Wellesley.

A page from her  Spring 1912 Nature Diary.

Macdonald College.

April 19, 1912

Dear Father,No doubt you will be thinking it is about time you were hearing from me. I intended answering your letter long before this but it seemed as if I never could get around to it.

I suppose mother has told you I was home for Easter holidays. We had a week, from Wednesday to Wednesday.  It seemed good to get home, although I was in the house all the time with a cold. Still, Marion and I helped out with Mother’s day at home. She had 10 visitors, so we all got the local news.

 Apparently, they are thinking of setting up a chapter of the Eastern Star in Richmond.  Something else for mother to do.

One day Mother Marion went out the cemetery to see Uncle Dan’s grave.

Ever since I have got back I have been quite busy. Our exams commence about the middle of May and it won’t be long before they are here.

I applied for a school in the city but have not heard yet anything about it. I won’t know until June whether I will be accepted. I supposed they have to wait until they see what we will do in our exams, that is, if we manage to carry off a model diploma.  Mabel is going to Valleyfield  next year. She is to have first and second model.

I don’t think there is any danger about not getting a school. The commissioners of schools are really at our mercy. There are so few qualified teachers and so many new students. I hope I will be accepted in the city as I think I will like it fine with Edith and Marion there too.

Next week I have to assist in the Kindergarten from 9 to 10.20. am  in the day school and next week in the upper grades. So you see, I will be pretty busy but it will be good practice for me…. I suppose you have not heard about the death of Edith Storke, one of the girls attending the college. She was in the Elementary class. She took cold and it developed into pneumonia and died in a few days. She did not live in residence as Dr. Lynde, one of the professors, is her brother-in- law.

This is the second death of a student this year.

The Titanic is all everyone can talk about. Mother saw Mr. Hays, the President of the GTR , at the Train Station last summer. Edith says she is going to the American Presbyterian church to hear the eulogy for him.

They are having a service here, too. But for all the dead.

Your Loving Daughter, Flora

Edith sends Norman a letter later in the month:

1095 Greene Ave Westmount Quebec April 19, 1912 Dear Father, I suppose you heard that I was unable to go home for the holidays. I got through the time very well, considering  Marion and Flora both had a very nice little holiday  and it did them good. I just got a letter from Mother this morning. What a time she is having between Florance and Grandma. If there is any work to be done they, of course ,will  have to have Mother. I think they are perfectly dreadful, the things they have said and done. And all for the sake of a little money. I hope we shall never have to be so mean. Only 5 weeks until we close. This year has gone by very quickly after all. What a dreadful accident to the Titanic and such a great loss of life. It seems to have cast a gloom over every one. People can talk of nothing else.  Mr. Hays will be a great loss to the Grand Trunk. There are to be memorial services in all the churches on Sunday morning. A special one for Mr. Hays in the American Presbyterian. I think I shall go out to Macdonald tomorrow and see Flora. Later Sunday Afternoon. I went out to Macdonald on the 1.30 train and spent a pleasant afternoon. She is looking splendid and is to beautifully dug out there. It is an ideal spot. The ice has moved out of the Ottawa a little but not yet from the St. Lawrence. I went to the memorial service in the American Presbyterian this morning. The front was draped with black. The pulpit with the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes. The service was very impressive . He is certainly well spoken of. Today is anniversary service in St. Andrew’s. Dr. Barcley is preaching.  It has been a beautiful Sunday, the warmest yet and getting so nice and dry.  How are things up North? What do you think of the coming elections in the province? Do you think Peter will have a hard run. Saw by the Record that Charlie Campbell started on a business trip to Winnipeg. M. Got your letter the other day. Your loving Edith In my story, Threshold Girl  I have Edith come home for the 1912 Easter Holidays.  Creative License.

Dear Margaret: Don’t let the Preacher Bore You

The Nicholsons were at the peak of their problems in 1912, the year the Titanic Sank. Here are some quotes from Norman’s Letters to Margaret:

“I note what you said about the terrible boat accident. It is one of the worst I ever heard. With such a lot of important men to go down with it; Now that the country cannot afford to loose in a way but, I suppose, their places will be filled and in a short time and they will not be missed. I read of one pathetic case. Of man and wife from Montreal. She would not leave her husband: would rather perish with him than leave him on the boat. “

“Edith thinks its fine out there said the grounds and walks were nice and dry she was giving the news of the service held in the American Presbyterian Church eulogizing Hays loss to the Church and City. I have seen so much about the accident n the papers that I got sick reading it – there are so many conflicting statements that it’s hard to believe any of them.”

“The Nickelodeon’s were reaching critical mass in popularity in 1912, but Norman was ‘old school’ and got his entertainment from the pulpit. Woe betide a preacher who was boring. The Nicholsons were also feuding with a Dr. Kelloch, Richmond’s former preacher, over what I am not sure. But they ‘stung’ him by criticizing his boring sermons.”

“Did you hear the Kingsbury Minister? If so, is he as good a preacher as Mr. Sutherland. I received the papers you sent and in one of them I see that Rd has given a call to a Mr. McWilliam and in another place he is called McMillan. Have you heard him?. Is he a star preacher and is he an old man? So you have Dr. Kellock to fill in at present. I am glad I am not there to hear him, as really I would have to stay away from church if he preached “

Amazing, the mail in those days, considering.

“I have forgotten whether I answered your question about how far the Steel is laid West of Cochran. It is laid 200 miles West and 150 east at present. They expect to make the connection with the steel by Christmas west at Superior Junction. But I am doubtful if they can. I haven’t heard from any of the children since writing you last. The trains that carry the mail from here go through to Cochran in the night. Now, so they won’t interfere with the work trains through the day. So you may get my letters quicker then before. Your letter took four days to reach me “

They were feuding with their relations:

“These MacDonalds are a peculiar sort, self conceited lot of Highlanders.. Hard to make much of them. You seem to be the one they all have so much to say about, but I wouldn’t mind it. Just let them whistle it. Will come that they will all have to come to you in the end. I am with you so you don’t need to care. Do not let these things bother you if you can, they are second considerations “

Norman had had typhoid in 1896, the year he built Tighsolas.

“Now I wish you would be careful not to be around Florance’s too much. If it’s typhoid fever she has you know what a dreadful thing it is and catching. I think as catching as any disease altho some of the Drs. claim it is not. See you get sleep and rest enough and that you take plenty of nourishment to keep well, Keep out as much as you can in the fresh air. Do not try to do too much work running between the both places. You know what it would mean to us all should anything like that take you ”

And You Think You Have Problems Now?

Eaton’s coats. 1913 catalogue. In the Nicholson girls’ price range..

Hmm. I decided to post a letter from the http://www.tighsolas.ca/ collection and annotate it. Look at the date. November 11, 1912. Armistice Day before there was a need for such a day. As I’ve explained in earlier installments, in 1912-13 Flora and Marion and cousin Marion Watters did a very bold thing: they moved into their own flat (with one other teacher, the daughter of an MNA.) It was hard to find a landlord who would rent to a group of girls, however respectable the would be tenants, however pristine their references, because of that ‘keeping a bawdy house’ business, an issue that is more than ever in the news today. Still controversial. But Marion Nicolson was one determined woman.

2401 Hutchison

November 11, 1912

Dear Norman,

You see by the heading that I am still in the city. Your letter did not reach me until Friday pm, as Edith sent it–so I felt a little worried as I always got them Thursday. I am so sorry about your coat. I gave the right add (address)to Lann McMorine. You better make some enquiries there about it. Might be at Cochran.(Margaret is worried for her husband out on the railroad, as usual. He moved from Cochrane to Hearst in Northern Ontario.) Edith said she told them it had not reached you. I am sure you will feel the cold without it and your flannels too. Marion and Flora won’t hear to me going home and E writes for me to stay as she is getting on all right – has one of the Pepplers (cousins living across the street) when she stays in the house. I will not stay more than another week. (It was impossible in those days for a group of working girls to run a home. You needed someone to cook at least and to wash up.) I do wish Edith was here and that we could be together for the winter as they ought to have someone here. Edith writes that Mr. Dyson said he bought thirty cords of wood and would supply our winter’s wood and would bring a cord any time and to let him know so don’t worry any more about wood. (Norman worried about his family keeping warm in Richmond.)She also sent me notice that taxes were due. (Hmm. Yesterday, I was in Richmond and saw that the car dealership was Dyson-Armstrong. A Peppler girl would marry an Armstrong.)

Now I am very sorry that Herb seems to be so careless, debt seems to be no worry to him. (Son Herbert was causing the family all kinds of problems in 1912. He was out West.) I hope you have just let him know how hard it is for you to be away from your family and that he might try and do better. He has not written me for several weeks . I really cannot understand how he can do it. Well, the weeks are going by and Xmas will soon be here I don’t know what the girls can do with the flat; or if they will be able to get someone to keep fires if they want to go home. They will have two weeks holidays. They were talking it over but said they would decide when you came. The weather has been quite nice since I came in here. I have not bought a coat. Takes more than I had. Marion got a long navy blue one that will be very comfortable this winter. Paid 16.50 and Flora got a brown the same price. They really needed them. (The pics above are from the Eaton’s catalogue for the next year. The first pages of the fall/winter catalogue feature Persian lamb coats, costing over 300. dollars! Marion makes a good salary of 600 a year.)I have not gone anywhere not been up to Cleveland’s yet. I have been having trouble with my teeth and as Marion was having work done at Cleveland’s Friday, I had him look at mine. (Dr. Cleveland is a Montreal dentist and likely related to the Nicholsons by marriage. The Clevelands are a founding family in Shipton County Quebec. Yesterday, I noticed a Cleveland is still a notary in Richmond, as is a Rowatt. Herb was in debt to to a notary named Rowatt back in 1910.) He said he would do an hours work for me Monday so I am to go at three o’clock, Too bad yours are giving you trouble. I think it is caused from cold, my front teeth at least one of them felt loose, but he said he did not think it was but found cavities in others. M. had five filled. Did I tell you that the Adams are moving in across where Dr. Astna was. This week E said the Haggarts were having a sale on the 16. Aunt Han has rented her house to a GTR man.

Marion said she was going to write you and tell you about Mr. Hugh Blair. (My husband’s grandfather.)He seems very nice. Went home Saturday to Three Rivers. (The CBC had a documentary about The Blairs of Quebec, anglos in the city. Hugh’s mom was French Canadian. His grandmother was Cree.)There are a good many things that he can do such as fixing window blinds, but Marion won’t let me ask him much. (Marion was fiercely independent, but she would be married to Blair in twelve month’s time.)We are trying to put the double windows on here. I want to see them on before I go, although so far they are not needed. I don’t think there is any danger of them getting behind: the four girls pay 25 dollars each. (That’s per month.)They would rather do it than board. They say it amounted to about that at Mrs. Ellis’s. (Where the girls sometimes boarded. Marion hated the way Mrs. Ellis “lorded it over her.” Again, its all abour preserving young women’s virtue.)Now don’t worry about Herb. We cannot help it now. If the work stops there you must just take a trip out west. See why he does not at least keep himself. He must know that Marion paid Aunt Han’s note. (Marion helped her family out financially in a big way.)He never wrote her or mentioned it to me. (Herb took no responsiblity for his actions.) Write when you get this and add to Richmond. They say I will be here two weeks more but I don’t like to leave Edith alone. (Edith has quit her Montreal teaching job in the spring. She would be in Montreal in May and attend the Canadian Council of Women’s Suffrage Night and hear Mrs. Snowdon, of England, speak. ) She said she would go to Kingsbury for a visit but she thought it was too cold and just stayed at home.

Your loving Wife
Margaret

Flora is always saying she is going to write but there is so much going on they don’t have time and when I write often they think I tell all. M>