Homesteading the Citizen
Chicanot, E. L.
94 THE COMMONWEAL May 29 , ~929 state shall be represented by two senators and "no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate." After the late Senator...
...There would seem to be every possibility of the development of a people possessing the advantages of expansion on the North American continent, yet living an inner life that reflects the best in the tradition of all Europe...
...It is the dominion's melting-pot and no one can say with any definiteness what will come out of it...
...Other western provinces became actively interested in what such a movement seemed likely to effect, and offi- cially asked to have subsequent festivals staged within their confines...
...At the same time the festival had the effect of stimulating the British peoples in western Canada to emulation, which resulted in the resurrecting of the old national dances of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and in the imparting of a fresh interest to the more familiar ancient songs of these countries...
...HOMESTEADING THE CITIZEN By E. L. CHICANOT W ESTERN Canada is in certain respects unique on the North American continent...
...The great national problem there has been Canadianization--the assimilation of the many Euro- pean peoples into the best possible fusion...
...Neither Illinois nor Pennsyl- vania ever consented to these infringements upon their rights to equal suffrage...
...It was refreshing to learn that these simple people still appreciate the superior beauty and dignity of the old-time songs and dances, and turn naturally to them for recreation...
...The second festival in the very heart of the newer, developing West, had the support of the Saskatchewan government, the Canadian Pacific Railway and public bodies of all kinds, and was attended by a really rep- resentative section of western Canada's population...
...The beach and the fields Are fair as can be, But all the tall magic Has gone away for me...
...More than twenty racial groups were represented, and each was able to produce its own characteristic handicrafts and historic songs and dances to share with other citizens of the adopted country...
...It brought to light numerous unsuspected groups which had been organized throughout the country with the object of preserving national crafts and the lore of native lands where there seemed danger of these being lost...
...It revivified the cults and folk-songs brought to the coun- try by French Canadians from Quebec, and the varied crafts of the native Indians, both of which were in danger of passing into oblivion...
...Smith having already been elected to succeed Senator McKinley for the term beginning on that date...
...The huge green sea waves That I stood under Reared white heads high And fell in thunder...
...What has been termed Canada's Nordic complex produced a very apathetic attitude toward the festival at first...
...The maritime provinces and Ontario, from solid foundations of British stock, and Quebec, through more than a century of equitable British rule, are characteristically established and developing after the accepted Canadian pattern...
...94 THE COMMONWEAL May 29 , ~929 state shall be represented by two senators and "no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate...
...Vare shall be seated...
...The only guide the country had was the experience of the United States, where this lax procedure of letting the problem work itself out apparently produced fairly satisfactory results...
...Farewell the high waves, And farewell the bright shore...
...British people, with eyes still cast back across the ocean to homelands but recently left, were May 29, 1929 THE COMMONWEAL 95 induced to turn from absorption in material pursuits to recollect their own national cultural heritages and demand representation in festivals...
...In I927 also, the Senate refused to seat Senator-elect William S. Vare of Pennsylvania and has not to this day reached a final decision as to whether or not Mr...
...This is perfectly reasonable, but has never been appre- ciated or given any adequate consideration in forming the national attitude toward immigration...
...The climax was a petition to the city and province for assistance in the establishment of a museum to house the handicrafts and native lore of western Canada's new citizens...
...Since March 4, I927, when former Senator Pepper retired----for one entire Congress and part of another so far--Pennsylvania has had only one vote in the Senate...
...And oh, the beach Was white as the moon...
...But now I've come back Years and years after, And Carmel is gone As a child's swift laughter...
...It was a revelation in many ways...
...There was the keen- est of intei'est on the part of each group in the con-tributions of the others, and in the eagerness and pride exhibited by all nationalities in co6perating there seemed to be foreshadowed that complete and har-monious assimilation which is Canadianization in its highest and most desirable form...
...It was amazing to older Canadians to discover the cult of beauty, the craving for artistic expression, and the desire to sur-round their lives with loveliness in so many of these people they had regarded as mere hewers of wood and drawers of water...
...After the late Senator McKinley died in December, I926, the governor of Illinois appointed Frank L. Smith to fill Senator McKinley's unexpired term, ending March 4, I927, Mr...
...It had the desired effect of completing the awakening of the territory to a consciousness of the wealth of culture and beauty possessed by its new citizens...
...It is in point of development the youngest sector, just in the primary stages of the evolution through which all the others have passed...
...In the view of certain idealists, however, the proc- ess tended to rob the immigrant of anything he pos- sessed in the way of culture or spirituality, gave him a measure of material prosperity in exchange, and turned out citizens very much after a pattern...
...Never on earth was there Such a white dune...
...The museum to preserve the crafts and lore of the various racial groups is taking shape at Winnipeg in the erection of a collection of cottages, each of a national type...
...And they mean it too...
...As it proceeded, however, and word circu- lated of the unique entertainment provided, interest became keener and attendance swelled until the end came in a burst of enthusiasm...
...It was reasonable to expect they would be no worse in western Canada, and things were permitted to take this course...
...The Catholic clergy in particular, who are so well acquainted with the undercurrents of life among the foreign groups in western Canada, have long preached to unheeding ears the destructive effect upon the character of these simple newcomers of the removal by any means of religious or other refining influences...
...The little donkeys' hooves, So quick and neat, Went trot-trot-trot Down the warm, dusty street...
...When I was a little girl Going on seven, I thought Carmel was The gateway to heaven...
...The Senate refused to admit Mr...
...The fields were bright, Blue stars were flowers, And all day long Meadow-larks sang the hours...
...The constitution must be preserved and safeguarded at all costs, so senators and congressmen assure the world...
...From the west's towns and hamlets and from the many farm- ing colonies they came, to exhibit the work of their hands and to entertain with folk-songs and dances...
...DOROTHY BEN~r~.a'r...
...I've seen skies as deep, And the beach is just sand, And all the fierce waves Come licking my hand...
...Such festivals are now definitely established in the life of western Canada...
...To a very large extent this process has been left to take care of itself, with a sort of desperate hoping for the best...
...The enthusiasm carried far beyond the festival...
...The first experiment made along this line was a New Canadian Folk-song, Folk-dance and Handicrafts Festival held at Winnipeg, western Canada's metropo- lis, in I928...
...An enthusiastic co6peration proved how anxious were these people, still close to the homelands, to give of what they possessed to the common store...
...What western Canada is to be still remains a matter of some doubt...
...I'll never see the gateway To heaven any more...
...With a greater number of national constituents than any coun- try on earth, and with more varied spiritual qualities to work with, western Canada is moving before these become dimmed or are lost...
...They planned to turn out new Canadians of a more even balance through permitting their retention of a measure of individuality, by fostering instead of destroying whatever culture they brought with them from their European homes...
...These comparatively few individuals felt that the system, or lack of system, could be improved upon...
...It was enlightening in this modern age and country to find people devoting their spare time to intricate needlework, wood carving, rug making and such crafts and experiencing the utmost satisfaction in such diver- sion...
...they have all taken oaths to that effect...
...Smith because of scandals connected with his primary campaign in i926, and Illinois had only one vote in the Senate from the time of Senator McKinley's death in I926 until Sena- tor Glenn took his seat in December, I928...
...Their courses are fairly clear ahead of them...
...Men of every race, class, condition and creed are being drawn to it...
...This suggested a work of yet wider scope which would bring together all the races of the Canadian West in a cultural ex-change...
...When the next festival was planned for Regina, Saskatchewan, it was broadened out to include the representation of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, French Canada and the native Indians--all those peoples which are playing a part in the building up of a nation in western Canada...
...It is today keenly alive to the value of preserving this and weav- ing it into the fabric of the national life...
...It was a revelation to discover that homespun woolens and linens are still being made on the farms and native materials utilized in the fabrication of lovely pottery and basketware...
...Western Canada, newest of territories on the North American conti-nent, has never completely lost itself in materialism, which is the danger in countries being hewn out of the rough...
...This was a considerable undertaking, since it involved a revolution of the gen- eral Canadian regard of the foreign settler as an emotionless, unimaginative worker with no finer feelings or sensibilities...
...It has now reached the realization that the foundation of cultural life is in the common people, in the wealth of artistic tradition new Canadians have brought with them from their homelands...
Vol. 10 • May 1929 • No. 4
