A Major Donation by David Pope and Family

David Pope, an Islander who was born in Summerside and now lives in Utah, donated $10,000 USD to the Bedeque Area Historical Museum on behalf of his family.

David has long had an interest in Jacob Gould Schurman. In 2015, with the assistance of Paul H. Schurman, a past member of our Board, he lobbied to have the University of Prince Edward Island give special recognition to Schurman, who was a student at Prince of Wales College, a predecessor institution of UPEI.  However, the University did not respond to David’s proposal.

David also made contact with the Bedeque Museum and later, in the summer of 2019, he visited the Museum during the Pope Family Reunion. Through Paul H. Schurman, he passed on to the Museum information about Schurman. He also donated original press photographs showing Schurman, and original books written by Schurman. This information led to the creation in 2021 of a poster exhibit on Jacob Gould Schurman. 

In the spring of 2022, Doug Sobey, the President of the BAHS, approached David seeking a contribution towards the purchase of a cabinet to display Schurman items, David responded with his very generous gift, and for this, the Board is very grateful.

The J. G. Schurman exhibit has been expanded and now presents his progressive views, evidenced in the many contemporary newspaper clippings which David had collected and which he had passed on to us.  

Below: David Pope (left) with his brother Jim Pope (right) visiting the museum in 2019. The brothers were on the Island celebrating the Pope Family Reunion which marked the 200th anniversary of the arrival of their ancestor Joseph Pope at Bedeque.