"Meet Kaden and Kaylee, students who are researching a forgotten piece of history. Andrew is a town one hour northeast of Edmonton. The town is named after a prominent Métis settler named Andrew Whitford. However, over time, the town’s Métis roots have been forgotten and most people know Andrew for having the world’s largest mallard and being home to many Ukrainian homesteaders.
Kaylee and Kaden’s Grade 7 Social Studies class heard about a Métis cemetery in the middle of a farmer’s field just south of town. This got them curious about Andrew’s Métis past and why the cemetery was forgotten. After working with researchers from the University of Alberta, the Métis Nation of Alberta, and Elk Island Public Schools, there were still a few pieces missing to complete the story of Andrew’s Métis history. Kaylee and Kaden’s class headed off to the Provincial Archives of Alberta where the archivists had pulled documents to help fill in the gaps. Using original surveyors’ maps and journals, Kaylee and Kaden were able to re-create a large map of the Andrew area with the location and names of many of Andrew’s Métis families.
With the research skills taught to them by the staff at the Provincial Archives of Alberta, the class researched and collected as many scrip applications, homestead patents, and pictures of Andrew’s Métis residents based on the names found in the cemetery list. These documents were all compiled together and are now safely stored in the Andrew Museum, along with maps and photos for public display.
This is just one of many ways that the Provincial Archives of Alberta can help students find answers to curious questions, and teach skills to the next generation of archivists and researchers.
Reflecting on the student experience, Greg Cruickshank, principal and teacher at Andrew School, said:
"It was great to have the students see primary source research materials and get a hands on look at valuable documents. In today's digital world, many students are disconnected from the physical items that are part of telling the research story. The Archives visit energized our students and really drew them into seeing the importance of preserving records and artifacts.” "
(From Provincial Archives of Alberta promotional material 2021)
Note that Andrew Whitford is the namesake of both the Town of Andrew and the nearby hamlet of Whitford.
Andrew Whitford for a time worked a small pioneer farm in today's Cloverdale in Edmonton before relocating to the Andrew-Whitford area. He served as a scout on the government forces' side in the suppression of the 1885 Riel Rebellion.
See my book Old Strathcona Edmonton's Southside Roots for more information on this man.
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