Metis Outpost: Memoirs of the First Schoolmaster at the Metis Settlement of Kelly Lake, BC, 1923-1925

Gerry Meek was a librarian in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

In the early fall of 1923, a young schoolmaster arrived in the remote Metis settlement at Kelly Lake, British Columbia, to open its first school. What he found when he reached his destination was no school, no classroom, no supplies, and students who spoke only Cree. This memoir describes how the author overcame these initial difficulties and provides a fascinating account of the two years he spent there. This is an informative and interesting look back to an earlier time and to a way of life that has all but disappeared.

The painstakingly assembled study is a detailed account of the author’s experiences during this brief two-year period and their lasting impact on his subsequent life. If there is one minor criticism to be made, it lies in the author’s efforts to be as complete as possible, which has resulted in the inclusion of some minor extraneous detail. All in all, this is an enjoyable book that should appeal to local history readers and to those interested in the history of western Canada.

The author is a former Surveyor General and Boundaries Commissioner for British Columbia.