Fonds F2924 - Stan Gibson fonds

Stan Gibson, 1921-2007, was born in Montreal, Quebec and was educated at McGill University. He married Patricia Howard and began his teaching career at Catholic High Boys School and the University of Montreal. The Gibsons had four children, Dawn, David, Peter and Mary Pat. In 1952, Stan and Pat moved with their children to Alberta, where Stan taught at St. Mary’s Residential School on the Blood Indian Reserve near Cardston. In 1956 the Gibsons moved to Okotoks where Stan was principal of the Okotoks School from 1957 - 1974. He then became principal of Cochrane High School until his retirement in 1979.

From 1983-1990, Stan was a part time sessional instructor for the University of Calgary English department. He became interested in Native studies and moved his office to The Native Centre at U of C, where he taught Native literature and was a volunteer English Tutor. Stan developed strong ties with The Native Centre and became an honorary member of the Blackfoot Nation. In 1992, he was the first recipient of the Rev. Dr. Chief John Snow Sr. (Eagle Feather) Award for his contributions to Aboriginal Culture. After his retirement from the U of C, Stan spent many years researching Blackfoot history, particularly the events surrounding the Marias (Baker) Massacre of 1870. Working with his colleague Jack Hayne of Montana, Stan published two accounts of the massacre on the Internet: “Witnesses to Carnage” and “An Uncelebrated Anniversary”.