Members of the Order of PEI
2024 Recipients of the Medal of Merit
Kathryn Dau-Schmidt
Kathryn Dau-Schmidt's dedication to the teaching and preservation of traditional fiddling on the Island is not to be understated.
Born and raised in the midwest United States, Kathryn studied in Saskatchewan before moving to PEI in 1978, where she was drawn to the traditional fiddling music of the Island and became a member of the PEI Fiddler's Society and Queen's County Fiddlers within months of settling.
Having received classical violin training as a child the transition to fiddling wasn't easy, but Kathryn adapted and enjoyed the community aspect of the culture, which harkened back to a time when making your own entertainment was king and fiddling was part of every social occasion.
As an enthusiastic member of the fiddling community, Kathryn noticed that very few young people, even fewer women, and no children at all were playing fiddles and she knew change was needed in order to keep the fiddling tradition alive on PEI. Since 1979 in Queens Co. and 1980 in Kings Co., Kathryn has taught fiddling and music reading to anyone from age 6 to 60+ who is willing to learn, with her early students now enrolling their children in her classes to benefit from her deep knowledge of fiddle craft and her endlessly patient, cheerful enthusiasm.
Kathryn returned to her studies in 1992, completing three degrees over the next two decades while raising her family, teaching, studying, and working. She has a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education and a Masters of Science, and she won scholarships which enabled her to continue her education. Kathryn works with the UPEI Department of Biology to this day.
Her music students both present and past describe Kathryn as diligent, resourceful, encouraging, and fun, and credit her with deepening their love of music, instilling in them life-long skills that contributed to their successful careers in teaching and in the entertainment industry, including touring and Juno award-winning musicians.
Kathryn's philosophy is that by building a community of fiddlers who play for the love of the music, they then follow and support the gifted performers who keep creating the music. For her insightful action and her continuing commitment to reviving the at-risk tradition of fiddling culture on the Island, Kathryn Dau-Schmidt is a most deserving recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.
Dr. Edward MacDonald
Dr Edward MacDonald is an exceptional researcher of Island history whose work has significantly added to the understanding, preservation, and appreciation of Island culture.
Raised in Newport, PEI, Dr MacDonald attended Cardigan Consolidated and Montague High School before entering UPEI on a full-tuition scholarship at age 16. A Bachelor of Arts in History and English was followed by a Master of Arts and a PhD in Canadian History from Queen’s University, Ontario.
In 1985, through the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, Dr MacDonald served as editor of The Island Magazine and curator of history and collections, working diligently to make history relatable to Islanders by using the past to inform and enrich the present. In 1997, a secondment as Director of Research at UPEl's Institute of Island Studies led Dr MacDonald to embrace his love of teaching through a full professorship with the university.
Beginning in 1985 as editor of popular history publication The Island Magazine then, from 1987, as Curator of History, Dr MacDonald was employed at the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. There he worked diligently to make history relatable to Islanders by using the past to inform and enrich the present. In 1997, he was seconded as Director of Research to UPEI’s Institute of Island Studies. In 2000, he was appointed to the university’s Department of History, where he embraced his love of teaching.
A prolific producer of print, broadcast and podcast interviews, museum catalogues and exhibitions, conference papers, lectures, studies, poetry, articles, and books, Dr MacDonald is recognized as "the Island's historian", an expert source of information and advice for those both on-Island and away, and a valuable consultant who shares his deep knowledge with a number of advisory committees.
Known as "Dr Ed" to his students, Dr MacDonald has been accorded multiple teaching awards along with numerous awards for his accomplishments and contributions to public history and heritage throughout his career, the highest and most recent being the Order of Canada in 2023.
For his dedication in sharing the history of all those who lived on and came to the Island, and for passing on his curiosity and the skills of researching and communicating Island culture, Dr Ed MacDonald is a very worthy recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.
Reginald "Dutch" Thompson
Best known for his CBC Radio afternoon show, The Bygone Days, Reginald "Dutch" Thompson is an oral historian and broadcaster, specializing in the stories of Islanders born in the late 1800's through to the depression years of the 1930's.
Hailing from Bunbury, PEI, Dutch attended Charlottetown Rural High School before completing a Bachelor of Arts at Dalhousie University and moving on to graduate studies at St Francis Xavier University. A career as a respected theatre lighting technician and designer followed, which was overshadowed by his lifelong passion for oral history and his ability to bring the past to life as a storyteller.
His fascination with the daily life of Islanders in times gone by and his realization that this history could be lost led to his work in collecting first-hand accounts of the past from Islanders through audio recordings. 800 hours of audio were collected, with a further 100 on video, capturing the experiences of Island life and community from the people who lived it. In each and every interview Dutch's genuine interest in, and admiration for, each of his interviewees shines through.
Dutch's research has been referenced by scholars and amateur historians around the world and is currently undergoing digitization in order to ensure its preservation for future generations. Dutch has been a location scout and historical advisor for television and advised numerous heritage and historical societies. He has also donated his research, time and storytelling skills to a wide number of community organizations and published 2 books, Bygone Days and More Bygone Days.
Dutch has received many awards during his career including an honourary degree from UPEI earlier this year for his achievements in the areas of heritage and the preservation of history.
For his impassioned research and his efforts to preserve Island culture and oral history on the Island, Dutch Thompson is a most deserving recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.