The Nicholsons loved their newspapers; they subscribed to the Montreal Daily Witness and the Herald. The famous Nicholson trunk contained on mouse-nibbled section of a Daily Witness from January 12, 1897. I'm not sure why they kept this section, but it does contain some very interesting information that sheds light on certain Tighsolas themes.

For instance, the front page contains a report on the Provincial Board of Health's Annual Report.  "Issued this morning, contains information of great value from a sanitary and medical point of view." (Boy, they were fast in those days and they didn't even have the Internet J The reporter must have got an advanced copy.) Concerning new laws: No bodies of an infectious nature are to be taken into churches.  Future legislation: under pain of a penalty, the birth of a child be registered  with the secretary-treasurer of a municipality within three months of birth. (This includes with a church.) More: "There was but one case of smallpox reported in the year 1895-1896. There were 942 cases of scarlet fever, 850 of typhoid (AHA! Norman got typhoid in 1896, so this may be why they kept the section!)  642 of measles, 2,294 of diphtheria.  The report goes on to say these numbers are incorrect, that the true total of diseases is about 7,708 and not 4,720, the municipalities' fault, it is claimed, as they do not investigate all cases of disease in their areas. 
Drinking water: filtering through sand is considered the best form filtration.  The waterworks at Ste. Hyacinthe are condemned as a hazard to health. HMM. (In the letters, Norman admits he seldom drinks water, outside of Richmond. He hates the taste of it.

The population of Montreal is 253,418. The Province: 1, 492,099. Birthrate: in the counties occupied by French Canadians, the birthrate is very high, averaging 44 per thousand.  In 1895 there were 58,650 births registered in Quebec, an increase of 5, 135 over the year before.  Tuberculosis: the ever increasing deaths from tuberculosis, and above all, pulmonary tuberculosis: 2,791 persons died in 1895. "Tuberculosis is now recognized as a disease, contagious to the highest degree, and the laws prescribed by hygiene against this terrible disease cannot be too carefully observed.  . 

The back page a piece about the Gratifying Increase of Duly Qualified Teachers.   The caption underneath says that salaries are on the rise for teachers, particularly in the Protestant sector, where pay is better than in most American states! It also states: There is a marked increase in the reciprocity of study of the two languages, specially the French learning English. In sixty six counties and cities, half have no Protestant school, and fifteen more fewer than 3 Protestant Schools.

Some stats: Schools, 4,886 RC; 1, 002 Protestant.
Scholars: 265, 132 RC; 8,085 Inc (Private?) and 37, 061 Protestant.
Teachers: 8,284 RC. 1,371 Protestant
Teachers lay male: 297 RC; (*3,465 religious teachers in RC system) 130 Protestant
Teachers lay female: 4,522 RC; 1,241 Protestant.
Diplomas Normal: 296.00 RC; 385.00 Protestant.
Average Salaries, Male Teachers. Elementary with diploma (this is yearly): 213.00 RC.$600.00 Protestant.
Female elementary with diploma 104.00 RC; 182. 00Protestant (Yikes! What a discrepancy).
Model and Academy with diploma: Male: 491.00 RC;   835.00 Protestant. Women: 130. RC.. 302.00 Protestant.
In 1911, Marion was making 650 a year, with 6 years' experience but a boy out of school made 800.



The Editorial is a long and interesting one: Apparently the majority of schools in the US had taken to having students salute the flag. The Witness calls it 'the ritual for teaching patriotism in the public schools' and claims that Canadians are too much like Brits to make such an exhibition. An American proponent is quoted "if other lands would adopt the teaching of patriotism and loyalty there would be fewer of the red flags of anarchy flaunted to the breeze, less socialism and communism." The Witness replies: These are worthy aims certainly' so long as patriotism  is  taught with the idea of strengthening love of country  and not mistrust, or hatred, or puerile jealousy of other nations, it is well." Patriotism was taught in Canadian schools, how else would Margaret, born 1853 to Gaelic Scot parents, been so vocal about her feelings for the country?