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February 16, 2001
John Macfie's Parry Sound history
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The history books of John Macfie provide some of the best local history
in terms of quantity and quality in the Parry Sound district and beyond.
Northern Parry Sound includes the area south of Lake Nipissing and west
of Highway11 and includes a large section of the Community Voices area.
Much of Macfie's work on farming, logging and pioneer lifer in general
relates directly to the nearby Nipissing District.
Several of his eight books are compilations of the fascinating history
columns he has been writing in Parry Sound newspapers for over 20 years.
Some of his books, including his recently released Tales From Another
Time, are oral histories.
His Parry Sound Logging Days (1987), where old lumbermen tell their
stories of turn-of-the-century logging is a best- selling classic. It is
illustrated with many old photos and numerous drawings by the author. Several
of his books, including the latest (see below) have covers he painted.
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John Macfie's latest book - a fascinating look at pioneer
life in the north.
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There are two main forms of oral history. In one form, the words of
the people interviewed are woven into the storyline. In the second, the
author is "absent" except in an editorial role, and the words are exclusively
those of the speakers. John Macfie's work is in the latter category.
When you read these oral histories, you can visualize the characters
and pick up their unique perspectives on events. Since speech is different
than writing, some editing is required.
John has asked descendants of the people he has interviewed if they
wanted their grandparents words "prettied up" and they unanimously agreed
that they didn't.
He admits that the stories are often somewhere between the harsh truth
and the occasional downright fabrication. It is all great reading.
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John Macfie (left) interviewing Nelson Clelland, one of
the many people included in his new book.
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Oral history has a limited but well-established tradition. U.S. author
Studs Turkel has written a couple of dozen oral history books on a wide
variety of topics and has won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for his work.
Now eighty-eight years old he is preparing an oral history on death and
dying.
Canadian author Barry Broadfoot has written numerous oral history books
on a variety of topics, including the immigrant experience, the Second
World War, and his Canadian classic on the Depression, Ten Lost Years.
It was made into a successful stage play and appeared on television. Broadfoot's
book Pioneer Years 1895-1914, which looks at the settlement of the west,
is similar to Macfie's latest book.
In Tales From Another Time Macfie uses quotations from over 100 pioneers
he interviewed, going back before tape recorders.
Much of the logging material from his original interviews was put in
his Parry Sound Logging Days book. The new book touches on everything else
to do with the early days of life in the Parry Sound district. In a dozen
chapters, 300 pages, and over 125 well-chosen old photographs, he touches
on the joys and sorrows, and the struggles and successes of pioneer days.
Tales From Another Time includes, along with the oral history, quotes
from diaries letters and notes acquired over the years, all of which reinforce
the story.
The late Everett Kirton, author of History of Northern Parry Sound and
Logging in Northern Parry Sound District, is quoted several times.
In his epilogue Macfie talks about how when he began to work for the
Department of Lands and Forests he met Kirton, "a wise man with one foot
planted in today and one in yesterday" who became an inspiration to him.
John Macfie's work was recently recognized with an award from the Ontario
Heritage Foundation and in 1992 he received Canada's 125th Anniversary
of Confederation medal.
John is now working on his ninth book, which will be an oral history
of special interest to North Bay and Area residents, because it includes
several in-depth interviews with members of the Algonquin Regiment who
served in the Second World War.
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