’Ihe Ea gm, mgsaazI April 6, 1978,. page 8’

MORALI’TY oNcm

'Ihe main project of this St. Patricks Day activities

was an exibition of artifacts

orginating with the Irish settlers of P.E.I. 'lhe Irish Heritage Society had only two days to col— lect artifacts for the display, but the response was excellent, and over eighty—five items were lent to the society by over thirty individuals.

The display was offic- r ially opened on St. Pat— ricks Day, but it was set- up on the rIhursday, so t that CBCI‘ could videotape it. The exhibition re- mained open in the Robert- son Library for three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and, despite the poor weather, over four hundred people arrived at the library to View it. Many more saw flue display on " Afternoon Deligh " on CBCI‘.

Professor Brenden O'Grady of the Irish Her— itage Society insured that the exibition and the soc— iety was well publicized by sending letters to is- land newspapers, and

”

FACULTY DIVIDED

DAL

speaking on open line radio programs. As a result,

there were visitors from Iennox Island and from

. Souris, as well as other

Island communities .

(he of the most inter— esting objects in the ex- hibit, was a letter written by Daniel O'Connel, who is considered one of Irelands great emancipators, and that countries most pre— dominate politicans.

This letter, which has never before been publicly displayed, was a letter of recommention concerning

a Mr. Stevens, the great great grandfather of Barb, Jean, and Clair MacDonald, all U.P.E.I. students.

It is surprizing that a such a rare treasure of Irish history could be found in P.E.I., when such a letter would probably be difficult to find even in Ireland.

As well, there was on

display a piece of a "mass rock". Proffesor O'Grady tells us that it is from one of the bolders used by

priests for alters dummg there secret masses, back in the penal days of oppre-

sion of Catholian in Ireland.

Other intresting objects were a large harp, and a very old brass kettle brought over by Irish set- tlers around eighteen twenty.

Professor O'Grady says that the best part of such artifacts as the kettle is that they have-been kept in the homes of the de- scendants over the years.

It says that the Irish Heritage Society encourages everyone to retain the ol possesions they have in their home, which respresent their heritage. 'Ihese pos- sesions have a much greater value in their heritage than they have in there monetary value. Artifacts, the society says,should be kept in the hone, preserved, and perhaps occasionally displayed. The society does not suggest the art— icles be put in museems.

01 St. Patricks Day,

0“. UNION‘IZATION.

HALIFAX (CIJP) -- 'Ihe Dalhousie faculty association's bid for certification as the bargaining agent for the university's teaching staff is facing stiff opposition from some senior faculty members.

Cpponents of unioniz— ation circulated a 15— page document saying that if faculty choose to unionize, they accept "the responsibility for rurming the university." The dowrent, signed by 18 senior fadulty, links unionization with the imposition of "deadly uniform criteria. . .the loss of real freedom and professional rights."

'Iheir view surfaced at a Mard1 14 information on certification, which drew more than 200 faculty members, university admin— istrators and a lawyer from the Canadian Associ— ation of University

Teachers (CAUT) . The faculty association, which has 670 dues-paying ‘ members among 850 eligible faculty, voted over— ' whelmingly last month to direct its executive to seek certification.

Senior economics professor John Graham, the main spokesman for the anti—union faction, said he represented "those that recognize trade unions as necessary in some areas of society but who see them as inimical and unsuitable to an academic community."-

Faculty association president Philip Welch said that voluntary contracts, which cannot be enforced in a court of law, remain based on the mutual trust and faith that both parties to an agreement will continue to observe it, He pointed out that in some situations, such as in conflicts at the University

of 'Ibronto, trust and faith

. had proved to be inadequate

guarantees .

The meeting and certification bid followed a mid—January breakdown in negotiations between faculty and the adminis— tration.

Classics professor J .A. Doull said "the under— lying assumption in the existence of a union at Dalhousie would result in

a kind of civil war within the university with two governments constantly . n engaged in bitter conflict.

Another View came from education professor Edgar Friedenberg: "There exists at Dalhousie an 'old—bcy' oligardiy of senior

faculty that is impossible to distinguish from the administration and I want protection from that."

Pl! 8

A

the society also arranged a one half hour radio

” program of Irish'misic and

heritage. Anne Keane, wife of U.P.E.I.‘s Kéaanne, read in, and u'ans'ulated Gaelic.

The Irish Heritage Society of P.E.I. is rapidly growing in member- ship. In a ten day period around St. Patricks Day, the orginal thirteen person membership of the society grew to 135 persons.

The Irish Heritage Society encourages every- me to try to trace their family tree. The tracing of family ancestry is be-

comin' g a major pass time' , the third most popular hobby in the U.S.,' after stamp and coin collecting.

'Ihe society is trying to spread this intrest around, because as Professor 9’- O'Grady says,"the Island is behin” d in this respect."

He also says that, as the tracing of family trees continue on the Isalnd,‘ one finds that most all

Islanders are related through blood or marriage.

'Ihe society hopes to facilitate the tracing of family ancestry by con- ducting a survey of some Irish cemetarries on the Island, _. and catologuing the names and dates found. rIthis project will be in cmjuncflm with the V surveys already carried out by the Island Heritage Foundation.

Right now, the Irish

i Heritage Society is at—

temting to find out the in- trests of its members. Comittiees may be set—up in order to collect Irish settlers reciepes, folk songs, and to research the- histories of communities through oral and written evidence. A future pro- .ject for the society after the collection has he been cotpleted, may be publication of materials. In the meantime, the

Irish Heritage Society

definatly plan to continue the observences of St. Patricks Day through ex—V hibitions and other events at U.P.E.I. . ‘ * / This story . was written

by Rick Webber-