Kathleen Brown is the author of a new book about pioneer schools in the Eastern Townships. A descendant of the region's early settlers, Brown grew up in Stanstead. After retiring from teaching at the University of Guelph, she focused her energies on a collection of old papers that had been handed down to her through four generations of her family. This veritable treasure trove had been stored inside an old family desk, itself an heirloom, and had scarcely seen the light of day for the better part of two centuries. A number of the documents had to do with schools. Pouring over these scraps of yellowed paper, some faded and barely legible, the author quickly became absorbed with what she found. The material so intrigued her, in fact, that it occupied more and more of her time. She soon began visiting archives and libraries to search for more clues. Eventually, after several years of meticulous primary research, Schooling in the Clearings emerged.

Schooling in the Clearings is the story of education in the pioneer days of the Eastern Townships, from the first voluntary schools until the rudiments of a public elementary school system were in place. It focuses on schools in Stanstead Township, but also examines events in neighbouring townships (Hatley, Barnston, and others).

To provide the most basic education for their children, settlers faced formidable obstacles: poverty, poorly trained teachers, a shortage of books, uncertain public funding, and ideological differences between the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Brown's narrative comes alive though excerpts from the diaries of early settlers, newspaper articles, school reports, and correspondence between township trustees and officials in Quebec City. Maps, drawings of early school buildings, and advertisements from contemporary newspapers provide valuable points of reference for the reader. Biographical sketches of community leaders, teachers, and politicians add a human face to the story.

A major component of this publication are the 100 pages of appendices that make up the book's second half. A superb genealogical tool, this section contains the names of more than 10,000 pupils, as well as those of teachers, trustees, and school sponsors in Stanstead Township, starting in 1809. Pupils' ages are given in some cases and occasionally their parents' names. Also included are summary histories for most of the county's early elementary and superior schools.

Whether the reader is interested in the Eastern Townships in general, schools and pioneer life in particular, or genealogy, this book will not be a disappointment.

Schooling in the Clearings (291 pages; softcover, illustrated) is published in English by the Stanstead Historical Society, 535 Dufferin, Stanstead, Quebec, J0B 3E0. The Historical Society can be reached by telephone at (819) 876-7322; by email at mccrip@interlinx.qc.ca; or by fax at (819) 876-7936. Visa accepted. Retail price: $25 or $30 by mail.