OUR STORY KEEPERSFrom the beginning, the community of East Lake Ainslie has been preserving its stories. In thedistant past, the oral tradition was to pass on our stories from family to family, from neighbors tofriends. They sat around the fireplace in the candle light. They talked in the lamplight beside thekitchen stove. More recently, believing the stories were in danger of being lost, they gatheredthemselves more formerly. They organized the Lake Ainslie Historical Society in 1979. Othersbecame well-versed and trained in genealogy, while others just seemed to have a natural interestand talent for remembering the past, preserving it and passing it on.Today, methods of recording the past range from speaking ,writing, and recording. The computerand the Internet have become recognized tools. The interest of governments through suchprograms as this one, The virtual Museums of Canada, of which Community Museums is onepart is a positive step in the progression of out story keepers.One of the goals of The Lake Ainslie Historical Society is " to support research and increasemembers' knowledge, as well as that of the general public, toward local history." As well as ourother goals of collecting and preserving artifacts, sharing information with the general public andpreserving local history and the customs of the pioneers, we would share with you through thisvisual medium, some of those who stand out among us as our "Story Keepers".The community of East Lake Ainslie is indebted to those members of our society who finishedtheir stories. They have left us a rich legacy. These Story Keepers areArchie Neil Chisholm, John Angus Collins,Dolena Mac Innis, Edward A. Campbell, Patricia Spicer, Florence Campbell, Ida mac Kinnon,John M. Mac Lean, and Peter Mac Millan.. Peter Mac Millan and Edward Campbell have left us a rich written record of genealogy and storyform which we draw much knowledge.Story tellers of note were John Angus Collins, a well educated historian who had a huge libraryof rare books, Dolena Mac Innis, Ida Mac Kinnon, Patty Spicer, and Florence Campbell had acollection of stories and artifacts which they shared in their time as Story Keepers. Oral storytellers were among the first Story Keepers and one of the best was John M. Mac Lean.One who told his story through song and left a great musical legacy was Stanley Collins. The"Bard of Lake Ainslie", with his wife, Marjorie, sang of life at Lake Ainslie. The ballads hecomposed will live on as they tell of the joys of marriage, the events of the community and thebeauty of Lake Ainslie.Gatherings throughout the years celebrate our stories. The festivals, the ceilidhs, the frolics, theecumenical church services, children's days, the one-room school re-enactment and the countlessmeetings and training sessions all tell of who we are.We continue in the tradition of those who began our stories. Pauline Mac Lean is a genealogistwith the Nova Scotia Highland Village, Iona , Cape Breton Island, and as a member of oursociety gives freely of her time and training in the furtherance of our goals. She, her daughter,April and Cathy Mac Lean have been instrumental in gathering the stories together for thisexhibit.Barrie Fraser has been associated with our society over the years. He has written and researchedmany facets of our community through words, art, music and story. Through his art, he hasdepicted the rural way of life, both past and present. He has researched the written word, blendedit with his art, and so continues our story.Charles N. Mac Donald, along with his wife, Jessie, donated the family farm buildings of hisparents to our society, thereby giving us a most generous start in our efforts to maintain thehistory of Lake Ainslie. Mr. Mac Donald also remains a stalwart in his desire to tell the stories ofthe past. Chris Mac Gregor through his knowledge of life in Scotsville and Lake Ainslie continues toshare his stories, artifacts and knowledge. Wayne Campbell, and Cathy Mac Lean, have familyhistories and do research for others with respect to genealogy, all part of our story. Hugh Campbell and D. J. MacLean give their time to the site development of the Museum. They give of their time and talents to further the preservation of our story. We are story keepers through the preservation of our crafts and the continued production of them.Among those who brought back the skill of weaving, quilting and other crafts were DolenaMacInnis, Margaret Campbell, Margaret Ann Campbell, Christie Mac Kinnon, Mary Campbell,Lulu Mac Donald., Jessie Mac Donald, Florence Campbell, Eileen Mac Neil, Verna Mac MillanBea Tilisley, Janet Mac Innis and Mary Mac Millan..Among the Life Members of our society who have contributed greatly to our story are LauchenaMac Donald, Christy Mac Kinnon and Mary Campbell. They are a vital part of the story. Bob Marks, Halifax, has written an index to The History of Inverness County by John L. MacDougall, an early history of the county, the profit of which he donates to the society.. He alsoshares extensive family histories to persons who seek out their roots. He indexed the LakeAinslie Cemetery records as well.More recently Dr. Pieter de Vries and Georgi McNab de Vries have done extensive research andfield work in East Lake Ainslie and so have given us the anthropologist's view of Lake Ainslie.De. De Vries has written the Introduction to this exhibit. Throughout Inverness County and beyond, Dr. James St. Clair, Mull River, has given us hissupport and encouragement since the inception of our society. A noted historian, he also is theauthor of an article for this project. From the beginning, our stories were told. We are Story Keepers. In the words of novelist,Alistair Mac Leod, himself a native of Cape Breton, and from his book, NO GREATMISCHIEF, he writes, "Sometimes those gathered would merely watch the fire and its shadows,but at other times it seemed to move them to tell stories of real or imagined happenings from thenear or distant past".