Jessie McQueen
Jessie McQueen
Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives: Jessie McQueen at Normal School in Truro, Nova Scotia, 1885.
Jessie McQueen is one of the many noteworthy women from Rossland’s history. Born on December 24, 1860, in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Jessie McQueen travelled to British Columbia in March 1888. Her sister, Annie, had previously travelled to B.C. in 1887 and had encouraged Jessie to join her in the province. As teachers, Jessie and Annie were attracted to B.C. as the salaries of teachers were significantly higher than in other provinces, particularly Nova Scotia. Annie received a teaching position at Nicola Lake in 1887 and shortly after, Jessie received a position at Lower Nicola in 1888. Annie married a man named Jim Gordon in 1889 and as such, could no longer work as a teacher. Jessie, on the other hand, went on to teach at Nicola Lake from 1891-1893, Campbell Creek from 1893-1894, and Salmon Arm from May to September 1896.
In September 1896, Jessie left Salmon Arm and accepted a teaching position in Rossland. The town’s population was soaring and there was an urgent need for qualified teachers. Rossland’s first public school opened in 1895 in the Methodist church and the minister, David Birks, acted as the teacher and principal. During this period, wooden boards were hinged to the back of the pews to create makeshift desks and a large sheet was hung from the ceiling to allow for two divided classrooms. Eventually, due to the growing influx of students, a second teacher, Maud Moffat, was hired and a proper schoolhouse was built. By the time Jessie arrived, however, the schoolhouse was already at capacity and Jessie had to teach out of the church.
2276.0458: Rossland Central School, circa 1902.
The Central School was destroyed by fire in 1917. It was located on the corner of St. Paul Street and 4th Avenue.
Jessie was Rossland’s third public school teacher. She was the eldest of both David Birks and Maud Moffat and was far more experienced as a teacher. Despite this, however, her position was demanding and consisted of long hours and janitorial duties. Initially, Jessie had approximately fifty students ranging in age from six to twelve. As for her salary, she was paid $50.00 per month. By 1897, Jessie had approximately seventy students in her classroom and by the end of the year, Rossland’s total student population was approximately five hundred. Jessie’s workload was slightly lightened in May 1898 with the completion of the Rossland Central School. At the start of the school year in September 1898, Jessie was promoted to first assistant to the principal with a new salary of $60.00 per month.
Activities in Rossland
MS 69. Jessie McQueen’s receipt from Campbell Bros. Dated October 14, 1896.
Uncommon for women at the time, Jessie bought her own land and built her own home. She constructed her own version of a Rossland ‘shack,’ consisting of rough boards and one bedroom. Jessie wanted something a little more cozy and in the construction of her home, she included a small study, an indoor bath, and water heating. Her home was completed by October 1896 and as a final touch, she bought herself a variety of items from Campbell Bros. In order to afford the land, building materials, and furniture, Jessie used money she received from the repayment of a loan she had given to Annie’s husband, Jim Gordon. After building her home, Jessie accepted renters. One was fellow teacher, Maud Moffat, and the other was a woman named Miss Mackay, an employee of Bennison and Co. According to letters written by Jessie, the women got along well together and their home became a centre for social gatherings. The home was located on the corner of Kootenay Avenue and Cliff Street. In 1899, the value of Jessie’s land was $300.00 and the value of her home was $600.00, a significant amount at the time.
Jessie is also regarded as one of Rossland’s first female bicyclists. Her interest in bicycling reportedly occurred while working at Nicola Lake and saw a man riding a bicycle. At some point in the spring of 1899, Jessie began bicycling around Rossland. For Jessie, it was an excellent form of exercise, but most importantly, transportation. Her bicycle gave her the freedom to travel around Rossland unaccompanied, primarily allowing her to get to and from work. Jessie's interest in cycling was concurrent with the bicycle’s rise in prominence amongst women. At the time, the bicycle was a growing symbol of feminism, providing greater independence to women in the form of transportation and less restrictive clothing.
“Don’t be afraid about me & my wheel, mother. I’ll never be a reckless rider - have only had it out once as yet, but I see dozens of them about town now - the streets are improved so much.”
In 1899, Jessie was given the opportunity to vote for the first time in Rossland’s municipal election. Women in Canada were not allowed to vote in provincial elections until April 1917 and in federal elections until May 1918. By 1899, however, women who owned property were able to vote in municipal elections. In January 1899, Jessie proudly went to vote for Rossland’s next mayor and aldermen and to her pleasure, the candidates she voted for won. Jessie voted for Mayor Arthur Goodeve, who was a member of her church, and whose two children she taught.
All in all, Jessie was a woman well ahead of her time. In an era where women’s decisions were largely controlled, Jessie’s achievements stand out. She remained a beloved teacher in Rossland until her move back to Nova Scotia in 1900. Although Jessie had intended to remain in BC, her mother’s health was declining and Jessie felt obligated to return to Nova Scotia and help her.
Written by Tyler Bignell
Sources:
Assessment Roll, 1889. Collection of the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre.
Barman, Jean. Sojourning Sisters: The Lives and Letters of Jessie and Annie McQueen. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2003.
Fire Insurance Maps. Collection of the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre.
Jessie McQueen Fonds, MS 69. Collection of the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre.
Rossland School Boards Fonds, MS 38. Collection of the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre.
Rossland Miner. Collection of the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre.
The Canadian Encyclopedia. Bicycling.
The Canadian Encyclopedia. Municipal Government in Canada.
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