NEWS RELEASE
OMAH HISTORY COMMITTEE
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The History Committee of Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) welcomed Dr. Frances Helyar, professor emerita of education at Lakehead University, Orillia, on Wednesday, April 17, via Zoom.
Dr. Helyar’s presentation on C.W. Jefferys truly brought together art and history, revealing the power of excellent illustrations in bringing history to life.
Jefferys was fascinated with Simcoe County history, specifically, events at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons during the time of the Jesuits in the 1600s.
He was a gifted artist who brought authenticity to textbooks through his careful rendering of illustrations based on his meticulous research. This was a needed improvement over earlier textbooks.
He knew the Group of Seven very well and was invited to join them, but his commitment to illustrating history was such that he declined.
Jefferys’s inclusion of Indigenous people, women’s points of view and the roles of ordinary people in history were a needed balance to the type of historical narrative that focused on the exploits of famous people, usually men.
C.W. Jefferys’s grandson joined the Zoom presentation, supplying biographical facts about his grandfather. It is well worth checking out the website Jefferys’s grandson has built at cwjefferys.ca.
I was inspired enough by Dr. Helyar’s presentation to go online, find and order volumes 1, 2 and 3 of The History of Canada in Pictures by C.W. Jefferys. Volumes 1 and 2 have already arrived, from a book dealer in Sudbury. I am still waiting for Volume 3, which was apparently available from a book dealer in Quebec. The illustrations are quite brilliant in the two volumes I have received. These are volumes worth searching out.
If you missed Dr. Helyar’s talk, click on the link to the recording on OMAH’S YouTube channel.
Next up — May 15, 2024 at 7 p.m. via Zoom
Dave Dawson — Evolution: Packet’s Death Spawns Birth of Digital Newspaper
Join OrilliaMatters editor Dave Dawson with his talk, Evolution: Packet’s Death Spawns Birth of Digital Newspaper. Dave will tell us about the relationship of the Packet to our community, its foundational importance to good journalism and the growth of OrilliaMatters.
Don’t miss it.
To register and receive a link to the talk visit www.orilliamuseum.org/project/5-24 or call Vanessa at 705-326-2159.
Admission is free. Donations to OMAH are appreciated.
— Submitted by Janet Houston
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