I was in school in the fifties, I did not learn English. We concentrated on the catholic faith and hymns. That’s why you hear me sing since I learned to sing. And I really liked singing in the choir. That is one activity that I had a passion for. But as for the schooling in English, I wasn’t taught anything, only the catholic faith. There used to be a church here in residential school and on the island, and there was mass every morning at 7 o’clock. And I was older since I was finishing school, I always come across to church early in the morning. Sometimes I was afraid, coming with the priest, Father Lavoie, because it was still dark in the early morning. I became happier in the spring again because you can hear the geese, but when it’s dark it’s scary. The community was really empty in the winter as everyone was in their trap lines. All you saw was the community and darkness. There were no electric lights, just kerosene lamps, and also oil lamps to light the house. That is how things looked back then. My schooling was pretty basic, and I did not learn any additional skills from school. Today, I learned English on my own, and I am not shy to speak English to improve it. But I do understand someone speaking to me in English if they ask me questions. That is my experience with school.

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