Remembrance at StFX

Every Canadian has a definition of what Remembrance Day means to them. No matter how someone views the day, it’s easy to recognize the increased significance in small communities, like Antigonish, where people have deep roots and have continued to tell the stories of their ancestors. A conversation with Dr. Barry MacKenzie, part-time professor in the history department and the curator of the Antigonish Heritage Museum, explained the impact that war has had at StFX in further detail.

When asked to consider the history of Remembrance Day, thoughts of the First and Second World Wars come to mind. In the case of World War One, Dr. MacKenzie shared that the school gave large contributions, despite it being a small university at the time. Not only did the school have “a great number of young men who left StFX” to join the forces, but it also played a role from the homefront. The war had begun in 1914, and by the next year, StFX had founded a Canadian Officer’s Training Corps (COTC) on campus. Although this decision was major in the encouragement and enlistment in the war, MacKenzie shared that the “most noticeable contribution from the university was the hospital unit that was raised.” Established in 1916, the hospital unit played a major role in the care of soldiers and was used to prove that StFX could “hold its own among the other universities of the nation who had provided hospital units.” Because StFX had no medical school or nursing program at the time, the hospital unit relied on alumni that had studied medicine after graduating. Women had been unable to enlist in the army, but MacKenzie recognized that they were present “in the capacity that they were permitted” in the war, including as nurses.

In the Second World War, StFX brought similar support to the war effort. The COTC was brought back to campus in 1938, leading to the enlistment of many students and even some faculty. StFX continued to hold a pro-war attitude, and the Xaverian Weekly was used to spread information about “casualties, promotions, and alumni working in the war effort”. In the aftermath of the war, a surge of people came to the university—due both to the return of those who went to fight, and the incoming class. This led to the expansion of lower campus. Most notable was the building of the Cameron and MacKinnon residences.

For approximately the past 20 years, interest in Remembrance Day has been decreasing. MacKenzie noted that, “after 50 years, it’s really easy to forget what war represents”. That being mentioned, it is worth noting that more recent events, such as the conflict in Afghanistan, have brought about a resurgence of understanding and interest. Despite this resurgence, the World Wars continue to “loom the largest” and mark their place in Remembrance Day ceremonies decades after their end.