Passages editor Monica Stark
In the early 1950s, researchers from the Stirling County Study spent years living and working throughout Digby Neck and the Islands. They interviewed hundreds of local residents, photographed daily life, and documented our communities in what would become one of the world’s longest-running mental health studies.
I’m currently researching the history of the study and, while there is a great deal of information about the researchers themselves, I’m especially interested in the Islanders’ perspective. Did you, your parents, or your grandparents ever meet the researchers? Do you remember them visiting your home, taking photographs (what is now known as the John Collier Jr. Collection), conducting interviews, or simply being part of the community? Did your family ever talk about the study, either at the time or in later years?
Even small memories can help build a fuller picture of this remarkable chapter in our local history. If you have a story to share, or know someone who might, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me through the Passages Facebook page, by Messenger, or by email at passageseditor@gmail.com.
Photo by John Collier Jr., courtesy of the Nova Scotia Archives (Alexander H. Leighton Fonds, Accession 1988-413 negative number 1412-d). Used with permission.