Theresa Bonia was born in O'Donnell's. She moved to North Harbour where she taught school for 8 years and was postmistress for 40 years. Mrs. Bonia's excellent memory has provided very valuable information on not only North Harbour, but the entire St. Mary's Bay area.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

DOCTORS

In the 1930s the only doctor we had was in St. Mary's. He didn't do visits and people didn't go there to see him often because you couldn't afford to drive to St. Mary's. He would come if he was called. There was a Public Health Nurse named Nurse Woodrow in St. Joseph's, after a doctor came to there, they'd make monthly visits to the surrounding communities.

I remember one time Mom was having a baby. I really didn't know much about it. Those days you didn't know those things. I was eleven – that was 74 years ago. Something happened and I still remember seeing Dr. Hogan. He was a big, tall man. The baby was fine. Men wouldn't stay in the house when babies were being born. The midwife would turn the men away, but they'd stay within calling distance.

I came from OÕ'Donnell's and we had the road through, so a doctor could come by road; not like here in North Harbour. The doctor would have to come from St. Joseph's to North Harbour in a boat. Someone would go after him. There were no phones in North Harbour so you'd have to go to Mt. Carmel or St. Joseph's to call.

PRIESTS

The priests back when I was young had more duties than now. They were really involved with the schools and hiring the teachers. They also fired them if they weren't suitable. You could be teaching on Friday and by Monday you'd be gone. There were no unions for protection.