Dora Cliff fonds

Custodial History: 

Material in accession 2010-024 was donated to the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre sometime between in 1999 by Dora Cliff.

Start Date: 
1938
GMD: 
multiple media
Geographic Access: 
Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)
Access Restriction: 

No restrictions on access.

Description Level: 
Fonds
Subject Access: 
Indigenous Peoples in North America--Canada--Residential schools
Name Access: 
Cliff, Dora, 1907-2006
Shingwauk Indian Residential School (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.)
Language: 
Material is in English
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
1938-1951
Repro Restriction: 

Reproductions are dependent on the fragility of the originals. Researchers must adhere to applicable copyright law and privacy legislation and permission of the copyright holder is required to publish from the fonds.

Conservation: 

Basic conservation performed during processing.

Physical Description: 

18 cm of textual record and graphic material.

18 photographs : 17 b&w, 1 col.

Arrangement: 
Thematically by item type
History Biographical: 

Dora L. Cliff of was born in Upper Derby, New Brunswick on June 2, 1907. She was the daughter of the late Thomas and Janet S. (Jardine) Cliff. Dora had a twin sister, Alexis Douglas, and two other sisters Florence Bennett and Hazel Cliff.

She was a member of St. George's Anglican Church in Moncton, a life member of the Women's Auxiliary of St. George's Church, St. George's A.C.W., a leader of the Girls Auxiliary, Member of the Canadian College of Teachers and the Greater Moncton Retired Teachers Association, also the I.O.D.E. Dora attended Provincial Normal School and Mount Allison University and taught in several schools in New Brunswick.

On the invitation of a friend Dora Cliff began helping at the St. John's Indian Residential School (Chapleau, Ont) during the summer months.  She was later asked to return as girl's supervisor. Dora also taught at Shingwauk Indian Residential School in Sault Ste. Marie from 1942-1949. Throughout the years she had given part of her holidays to work at the Columbia Coast Mission. Dora was employed at Moncton School Board office for many years. Dora L. Cliff passed away at her residence in Crescent, Moncton, New Brunswick on Wednesday July 12, 2006 in her 100th year.

Photograph on right shows Dora Cliff on the steps of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School in 1939.

Scope Content: 

Fonds comprises records that reflect the activities of Dora Cliff and the staff and students at Shingwauk Residential School. Fonds includes photographs, documents, letters and original student notebooks.

Notes: 

This fonds contains historical material which uses dated language and refers to Indigenous peoples using derogatory terms. Looking at this material might be triggering or distressing. A National Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support to former Residential School students and their families. This 24-Hour Crisis Line can be accessed at: 1-866-925-4419.

Repository: 
srsc

Cecil Thomas' social studies book

Geographic Access: 
Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)
Name Access: 
Shingwauk Indian Residential School (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.)
Language: 
All material in English.
Creator: 

Cecil Thomas

GMD: 
graphic material
textual record
Start Date: 
1945
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1945
Date Range: 
[ca. 1945]
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.3 cm of textual records.- 1 book

Notes: 

Notebook includes racist sketches depicting people of Chinese and Inuit heritage.

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Photographs of Shingwauk staff and students

GMD: 
graphic material
Start Date: 
1938
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
1938-1951
Image: 
Physical Description: 

.3 cm of graphic material. -15 photographs : 14 b&w, 1 col. ; 5.5 x 8.5 cm, 6 x 10 cm and 7.5 x 12 cm

Notes: 

Image includes residential school staff in pan-Indigenous clothing.

 

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Christine Pa's book on composition and verse

GMD: 
multiple media
Start Date: 
1940
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1940
Date Range: 
[ca. 1940]
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.5 cm of textual records.- 1 book

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Shingwauk school booklet

GMD: 
multiple media
Start Date: 
1942
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1948
Date Range: 
1942-1948
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.5 cm of textual records.- 1 booklet

Notes: 

Image includes residential school staff in pan-Indigenous clothing

 

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

A note to Don Jackson

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1999
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
2000
Date Range: 
1999 November 25 - 2000 May 30
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

A letter to Dora Rabie from Rello M. Boar

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1951
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
1951 November 15
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records.- 1 letter

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Letter from Fred to Miss Cliff

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1946
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1946
Date Range: 
1946 December 6
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual record.- 1 letter

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Correspondence from St. George's Indian Residential School

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1943
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1952
Date Range: 
1943, 1951, 1952
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.2 cm of textual records.- 3 letters

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Correspondence to Miss Dora Cliff from the Indian and Eskimo residential school commission of the missionary soceity of the Church of England in Canada

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1938
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1953
Date Range: 
1938, 1945-1947, 1953
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.3 cm of textual records.- 5 letters

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Indian and Eskimo residential school commission booklet

Geographic Access: 
Chapleau (Ont.)
Name Access: 
St. John's Indian Residential School (Chapleau, Ont.)
Language: 
All material in English.
Creator: 

The Bible House

GMD: 
graphic material
textual record
Start Date: 
1938
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
[between 1938-1951]
Image: 
Document: 
PDF icon 2010-024_001_010.pdf
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual record. - 1 booklet

Notes: 

Booklet focuses on St. John's Indian Residential School (Chapleau, Ontario).

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Summary of Shingwauk Residential School

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1942
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
[between 1942-1951]
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

News on residential schools

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1949
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
[between 1949-1951]
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual record

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Correspondence between Dora Cliff and St. John's Indian Residential School

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1938
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1946
Date Range: 
09 November 1938 - 09 August 1946
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.3 cm textual record.- 6 letters

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Columbia Coast Mission Vocation Schools correspondence

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1951
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
1951 May
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records.- 1 letter

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Columbia Coast Mission correspondence

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1951
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1952
Date Range: 
1951 December 13 - 1952 July 25
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records.- 2 letters

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Correspondence to Miss. Cliff from Shingwauk students

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1942
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1942
Date Range: 
1942 June
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.3 cm of textual records.- 12 letters

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

A letter from Charles Guy to Miss Dora Cliff

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1951
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1951
Date Range: 
1951 June 18
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records.- 1 letter

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Letter to Dora Cliff from the secretary of the commission and a letter from Dora Cliff to Don Jackson

GMD: 
textual record
Start Date: 
1942
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1999
Date Range: 
1942 April 4, 1999 January 6
Image: 
Physical Description: 

0.5 cm of textual record. - 2 letters. - 1 envelope

Notes: 

The secretary of the commission worked for the Indian and Eskimo Residential School Commission of the Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada.

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Sadie Oke's social studies notebook

Language: 
All material in English.
Creator: 

Sadie Oke

GMD: 
graphic material
textual record
Start Date: 
1945
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1945
Date Range: 
[ca. 1945]
Image: 
Physical Description: 

1 cm of textual record and graphic material. - 1 notebook

Notes: 

Grade 3

Notebook includes racist sketches depicting people of Chinese and Inuit heritage

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001

Correspondence from Dora Cliff to Don Jackson

Geographic Access: 
Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)
Publication: 
Name Access: 
Cliff, Dora, 1907-2006
Shingwauk Indian Residential School (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.)
Shingwauk Project
Subject Access: 
Indigenous Peoples in North America--Canada--Residential schools
Volume: 
Scan Resolution: 
Issue: 
Standard No: 
Scan Date: 
Scale: 
Language: 
English
Master scans folder location: 
Creator: 

Dora Cliff

GMD: 
textual record
Responsibility: 
Custodial History: 
Start Date: 
1999
Description Level: 
File
End Date: 
1999
Style or Pattern: 
Process: 
Date Range: 
1999 June 21, 1999 October 26
Marks: 
Language: 
Physical Description: 

0.1 cm of textual records.- 2 letters, 1 envelope (3 p.)

Notes: 

Letters sent to Don Jackson about the donation of artifacts to the Shingwauk Archives

rec_shelfloc: 
2010-024-001
Repository: 
Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
Accession No: 
Dora Cliff fonds
Container Number: 
001
Conclusions: 
Storage Method: