It sounds like you were sort of a cross between a social worker and a community developer, you were trying to get spirit into the community.

Yes, I would say now looking back... that Mr. Fitzpatrick's ideas were far advanced for that day... He was trying to bring the pleasant things in life to the people, to the community, because they had their long winters and radios at that time were few and far between...

Frontier College didn't send men into that type of job at the time.

Oh no, most of the men were working in the camps and things and were paid and they did their teaching at night. Which, of course, was a little different. I do think I wrote a few letters for people and things like that

Would that mean that some of the women couldn't write?

Well the English would be a little difficult.

[Note: The next summer Isabel Mackey worked in Nova Scotia]

I boarded at a house with a man and his wife... I worked in the canning factory whenever the fish were available. I worked with the women.

Would any of the women in the factory have been supporting themselves?

Well, there might have been some because if there husbands were gone, the welfare wasn't the same as it is today. People had to look after themselves pretty much.

Were you also supposed to teach in this community?

I think nowadays it would come under social welfare. No, I didn't do any teaching. There was attempts at games and things like that and Mr. MacLean [another Frontier College worker] did more than I did. I let him take the initiative in it and I did what I could to help out with the games and things of that nature, but no, I don't think there was anyone there that couldn't read and write.

Did you get close to any of the ladies and did the ladies have any problems with the company or personal problems?

We talked about cooking and home conditions and that sort of thing. Just general conversation, what they were interested in and their homes and everything.

Was there a difference between these women and the women in Saskatchewan who were isolated more?

Oh yes... The women of the West - they felt isolated. They didn't have anyone to talk to like these women in the villages.

What about Mr. Fitzpatrick's attitude to women?

They were more or less on a pedestal. I think he had a great deal of respect for them.

He thought that they would be a very good influence on the men of the community in the outlying communities. didn't he?

Yes, he said if they went out to work he would think of their influence... they would have a gentling effect on where he sent them, on the canneries and places of that sort.