HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1953-02-04, Page 2J
Do You Remember..
PAGE TWO
THE LUCKNOW SENTINEL, LUCKNOW, ONTARIO
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WEDNESDAY,FEB. 4th, 1953
At the January meeting of'the ’
Kairshea Women’s Institute, Mrs.
Walter MacKenzie, conlvener of
the Historical Research commit
tee, gave a most interesting and
memory-arousing paper on the
subject, “Do You Remember?”
The paper follows: .<
--Ourmeetingtodaycomesun-
der the heading of Historical Re
search. The dictionaryJ defines
“History” as^a narrative of past
sb historical research is
a careful search of events con
taining history.. When we think
of history, we look back and. re-
’ call past, events firdm-mqmory-or
/written records." In other words
“we remember”. Reminiscirig is
said to be a sure sign that we
• , are growing old. We all are whe-
• ... ther, we .wish ;it or not,,so for the
next twenty "minutes “let us re-.
.member’-’. ;■ ;. ' . ' ’
Some of our members can re
member many events of their
early youth, dating back to early
days in this community.’ Others
of us remember them only by
"hearing our parents' or, grand
parents speak of them, Today I
am, going to recall to your minds
past events and customs, mostly
those of this community, many
of which a goodly number of us
can recall from early childhood.
Do you remember^-the parent
or grandparent, who every mcfirri-
ing conducted family worship at
which all members Of the family
were present. The anxiety of the
school age group if Sprayers' were
a bit"long and left them so little
time they had to nm the two,
"^“ito^W^l^^toTsdrool" to a void
being tardy and having to stay
. after four.
Do you remember—how every-
~^he^had' hjs or" het~ta's^
form night and mornings before
• being, permitted to play or do
• as one wished to—wash dishes,
fill the woodbox, carry in num
erous pails of water, gather eggs,
feed chickens and rqck the cradle.
(How I hated rocking the cradle.)
As* one became older the tasks
became more heavy and more
numerous.
Do you , remember P- trudging ft^ to April from one
to, two and a half miles through
show packed; roads with seldom
a sleigh coming to pick us up. <.
Do you remember—the Norman
MacLeod family of 16 children
raised on 50 acres—well fed and
well clothed and the harmony
which preyail^ in that family
was something beautiful. The
authority of the one immediately
older was never questioned arid
the authority of the parents Was
never doubted. How eight of
those children trooped out the
galte to school every day. <
- ' Do you remember—the disci
pline in the old red school house,
Where one teachef taught fifty
or more pupils of all grades, ages
? and behaviour, for the huge sal-
ary of from $20.0’to $300 per year.
Where Harry Hudsdn, a very
✓ capable teacher; crippled, since he
was, four years old, and having
to use. crutches, wieldbd a yard
, ldrig oak pointer over the heads
and backs of the iboy pupils until
dn less than a year it was ap-
; proximately a foot iri jength; His
.fame as a disciplinarian won .him
■ the distinction of being traded to
Lucknow school to subdue a
roomful of third class boys who
had developed the gang , spirit to
such An extent they considered
, ’themselves infallable. I can re-
• . ‘ member hearing of them hitchr
ing a ri^e On a farmer’s sleigh,
and boasting to the farmer .what
they were going to do to this
lame teacher. A. week later when
they boarded; this same ■ sleigh,
, upon' inquiry as to how they were
1
J'..Ll" J.U..J....,■ I!-;..-, I.-!.. ......J....,...-"1!.!!,'1*1*
black horses, with tasseled black
nets on them, and followed by a
line of democrats and buggies
a mile or more in length, in their
glow procession fo-the cemetery
and with long streamers of black
crepe flying from the hats and
armbands of aB the» relatives
down to second and third cousins.
Do you reinember—Rev, FihdT
lay MacLennan, who for twenty-
five1 years was the honored pas
tor Of South Kinloss Church, and
whose long and no doubt deeply
thought-out sermons were deliv
ered under, eight headings/ name
ly, “firstly”, “secondly0, “third
ly”, “fourthly” and “lastly”, and
“once more” arid “yet again” and
“in conclusion”. And1 how young
and old were always present and
attentive and the majority re
mained to listen to the discourse
in Gaelic immediately following^
- Do you remember—John “San
dy” MacDonald, who for 61 years
through fair weather or foul, rode
or -walked to South Kinloss -to
two services every Sunday to
lead the Service of Praise in a
strong, true voice. No organ In
those days. He would no more
think of missing a service thari
he would dreairi of being’ on time*
Do you remember — Old Jock
Adams, a typical old Scot who
lived in this locality for years
arid years.; He lived in a room
somewhere in town, where -he
kept dozens and dozens of can-,
aries, which flew about at will
in this room in which there was
never a speck of heat. He would,
explain that “canaries could stand
morecoldnorsomepeoplewere
aware off”. And he went about
the country with an old cart arid
a neglected horse named “Bam-
ey”.I can’t remember whether
he sold tinware or notions, or
just arrived in time for a meal
and a bed for himself and Barn
ey. Ouir home was one of. his
overnight places and I can re
member my Dad saying—“Jock,
did you give Barney a drink this
morning?” and Jock would reply
—-“Oh, he doesna need one. There
Was a heavy dew last night”.
Money for a fine headstone was
subscribed after his death by
friends who adriiired him and
now marks his grave* in South
Kinloss Cemetery^
Do you remember—-when child
ren were seen and not heard?
Do you remember—-your first
sight of Lake Huron hnd the Pt.
^^k^TighthoU^^TKcFTdv^^f’
Babel Would not seem as won-
deful to the children of today
as that was to us whose contacts
with the outside world consisted
of going to church and Sunday
School every Sunday and to the
Fall Fair once a year. >
' Do you remember—the prepar
ations for the Fall Fair to which
the whole family, went for their
yearly Holiday. The preparations
for days before — grooming the
horses, cattle, or sheep, which
ever your father specialized in;
selecting arid cleaning the largest
and best fomied roots and vege
tables from the garden; the red
dest apples; the . plumpest grain
and the show white feather light
loaves of bread and layer cakfes,
and lovely jars of fruit and love
ly crocks ; of, butter. The whole
:family_was._on_?the... job_.at 1 day-:
break, the middle sized childreri
going bn the wagon with Dad at
8 am.-^-
exhibits
gay ribbons braided into their
manes and tails; the colts of Var-.
ious ages tied to the- team’s
bridles or to some part of the
wagon box. The mother arid bab^,
and the next in line came. around;
noon in the buggy, to which was,.
■the wagon loaded with
— the prize team with
year; the pipers dressed in the
grandest of clan tartans; the boys
and girls and teen age lads and
lasses who danced the Scottish
dances in competition all after
noon. The beautiful tartans—the
rows of medals' on their tunics
and the graceful dancing, were
memories for many months. The
handsome^young—pipers—in-their
clan tartans marching to the skirl
of their pipes and being awarded
medals or prizes. Dave MacKay
was. one of these. Then. the, tug
of war—twhere ,12 , strong men
each, from Huron and Bruce
Counties pulled to a tie for one
hour ; and . twenty minutes orie
year, with neither side gaining an
inch.
Do you remember — when an
unmarried girl of 25 years was
considered a hopeless old rnaid
and was doomed to a lite of
single blessedness unless some
kind hearted widower with six
children offered her the care of
himself and brood and all _ the
hardships that entailed. .
Do you remember — when a
,,woman, widowed at perhaps 30
years of age.donnedher widow’s
bonnet, made of layers of black
crepe, with a long pleated section
of crepe falling down the back
for two or three feet, and a black
dress, and wore that drab outfit
the rest of herlife, be it 30 years
or sixty. Our good Queen Vic-
itoria was, one of these widows.
Mrs. Douglas and Mrs. Lees were
others.
Do you remember the barn
raisings, where the whole male
communitywereinjVited..tohelp
raise the huge bents and-jpfit the
rafters in place. Captains were
named and two teams chosen and
.a coptest? followed to see, which
team could raise its side of the
frame and1: put the rafters in place
in the least time. Do you remem
ber the long tables made with
their girls. Our hostess today Was
the sixth bride to be given a huge
wedding from thnt farm, all with
150 or more guests. Imagine
the number of turkeys, geese and
ducks required to serve all these
people to unlimited quantities of
food at 7:00 o’clock dinner and
midnight lunch. And the wedr
ding cake of five or six, tiers
(imagine stoning all ‘those raisins
as seedless raisins weren’t even
heard, of In those days), And W
preparation of all the other in
gredients. The pies, cakes, ’ cook
ies and bread required. Everyv
thing was made by the mother
and daughters. And the bride’s
trousseau—a wonderful dress grid'
veil-T-a lovely silk - dress and a
siiit or Other good dress. Besides
that the bride would cany away
from that home trunks and chests
•full of homemade blanketsr-’the
preparation of. the wool, carding,
spinning ^arid. often the weaving
done 'at home. Dozens' of quilts,
sheets, pillow cases and towels,
nll7the”"work’ of the bride\ The
dance would start around 8.30
and continue till dawn—-^with the
bridal couple and numerous
others dancing the Highland fling,
Scotch reel and numerous other
Scotch numbers which required
both skill and endurance. A wed
ding in those days was surely
something.' . “■
Do you remember — the con
tribution the young men and
young women; of this Kairshea
district-—an area of 6?A miles on
each side of two concessions and
7% miles on another — twenty
miles of rural homes in all —
havemadetotheir-countryand
this community. Many of. the
young men of the earlier genera
tion asssited in the building of
the C.P.R.—that “Giant of the
North”, without which all ter
ritory west of the Great Lakes
would long ago have ceded to.
the United States, instead of bier
I
V
planksand covered with snowy! . „•*.< -Z-jcoming the largest tract of landlinen tablecloths, which were set
up in the orchard and contained
every delicacy a man could wish
for. The women of the commun
ity helped the-farmer’s, wife cater
to this crowd and the dance
which followed.
Do you remember — Kenriie
MacKenzie and Ben Hughes and
“Curly” Billy MacKenzie and,
others, who played the violin
from 8.30 pjtn. to 5.30 a.m. and
all for free? No $55.00 orchestra
for three hours’ music in those
-daysr~^~u--’“-~—-•—-——
Do you remember — when the
taxes on almost any hundred
acres were less than $45, as late
as 1913. In 1952 they were over
$200 and this year—just forty
years later, they will be' • very
much more. .
Do. you remember—when there
was no rural lriail delivery, no
telephone, no movies, no radio,
no television, no ’ motor cars, no
areoplanes, no rriechanized farm
machinery, no hydro and no el
ectrical appliances. When world
events took'so long to reach the
rural areas they had almost be
come history. Some of you will
remember the ‘“Dark Day” of
Sept.,. 1881. How-the sky. became
completely darkened at nooriday,
and those -God-fearing -Scottish
ancestors were "sure the end o.f
the; world had come. How.-when
ashes ibegah 'to fall in, late after
noon they weren’t so sure and
; it was days before they learned
that this dread occurrence was
caused by a huge . forest fire in
the State of Michigan. . ■
Do you ■ remember —; the first
motor/ cars around 1912 or 1913,
The1 high narrow Wheels, splashy
•brass trim,' acetylene .'lamps and
open top and ^unheard of speed
owned and governed by free peo
ple; with its- untold mineral
wealth, huge oil fields, rich grain
and cattle raising, .areas arid im.-
merise forests. Qther yourig men
and young^women from this area
helped to colonize the vast areas
of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Al
berta and British Columbia ■—
much as their, parents did in
Ontario. This Kairshea area gave
■to the world— , ’
Nearly fifty young men and
one young woman who answered
their country’s call iri World War
I and World War II. Many paid
the supreme sacrifice. ’
. One from/ this area became
Lieut.-Gov. of B. C; for a num
ber of years. I refer to Hon. Tom
Patterson. z
Three became members of the
Federal Government.
Seven became prominent doc-
torsi One clever medical Student
js at present completing his sec
ond year of a five-year, scholar
ship ait Oxford University in
England.
. r 1.
»
■ •*** vvr wiuwi wao,4vycu vvp. dim junnedra oi speed
hitched the • old’ brood. .•.mareTQfrof fifteen miles per hour The
■€ethng^_on—clfiamn.g^up-~on—the~;from-r4^ifteen--^Oi-^event0eH---sum-^-men-r--meteFists-u~wore;^lonff“4inerr
new teacher they -replied^ “He
darn near killed us°. Such disci-
pline although- very effective- if
' used, in this day andk age would'
insure the teacher a nice long
;» term in the penitentary. >
, Do you reihember^Biliy pavi-
son’s father driving the big black
‘. .hearse, with black or white fea-
L.-J........^.thered- plumes op each of the
four corners arid matching tas-
;selled curtains inside; 'the hearse
mers, whose well developed, ma
ternal instinct demanded that she
Would much prefer. to be home
with’ her Offspring, If you 'had
Reached the ripe .old age of ten
years, you were elected to drive
thi^ omey creature.
Do you remember ,—jthe Old
Caledonian Games, which were
really- - something - out“O^ *’this
world. The thousands of persons
seated on. the hills of Caledonian5* iieorbe seatea on* tne mils of Caleao: drawn by two beautiful shiny jet Park“-there.was oyer 12,000.
J
dusters and peak caps,- the wo?
men long dusters arid long flow
ing scarves to hold their hats on.
And how those cars and scarves
caused any . horse with a spark
of self-respect to. rise repeatedly
on his hind/legs, while the .car
went by. I’ve been pulled off my
feet many tithes- while I Btetfc
Tallyrhung^phtethe^^^
to keep it from running- away/
Do you remember — the Wed-
rone dings these, rural people gave ;
9
<v.
Sixty Years Ago
Referred tb as a “magnificent;
animal”, the death was reported*
of D. ’ Campbell’S mastiff “Juno”.
Masonic officers were Thomas
Lawrence, I.P.M.; John, Mathier-.
son, wStd John McPherson,
$,W.; H. G. McKid, J,W:; W. Tre-
leaven, Chap,; W. J. Lyons, treas.;
G. A. Siddall, sec.; S. Robertson,
S.D.; K. Campbell, J.D.; J. S,
Tennant, D. of C.; A. Shoebot-
Horn, LG.; W. Geddes, tyler.
—The^nnualT-^meeting^of-^theTi
Kinloss Branch Agricultural Soc
iety was held iri tlje Tpmperance
Hall with the annual dinner held
that - evening af .Moore’s Hotel; <
Officers Were Thomas Hunter,
pres.; Thomas Lawrence, vice
pres.; Win/Geddes, trqqs.; W. H.
Smith, sec. Directors were—Kin
loss, Peter Corrigan, Peter Tor
rance, Wm. Malcolm; Ashfield, D.
McIntyre, James Gardner, Thios.
Hunter; Lucknow, John Potcher;7
Thomas Lawrence; Weslt Wawa-
nosh, Wm. Thom, James Gaunt,
Malcolm MacDonald.
Sold 120 Head of’Cattle
Aubrey Toll of East Wawanosh
recently sold 120 head of two-
year-old cattle that averaged 920
lbs, each. He had the cattle iii
the barn for 120 days during
which time they showed a gain .
of 2 ¥2 lbs, per day?
Two became ministers. One
young couple dedicated their lives,
to the Mission Field where they
have served twenty-seven years.
/Three-became successfill dent
ists. ■ ' ■ ,y
One became a music supervisor,
one an accomplished violinist. ’
Twenty - seven ybunig women
=graduated- from various-hospitals—
and four at least are at present
holding positions high in their
profession.
Approximately . fifty (became
teachers—many using this as a
stepping stone to other profes-.
sions, and numerous others hold
positions high . in industry arid
finance. -
This resume shows that the
rigid discipline and rugged child
hood meted out to the earlier
generations did not produce the .
warped personalities so badly
feared toda^. Now the pendulum
has swung just as far in the op
posite direction and I doubt very
much if the rising generation/ ac
customed to being waited on arid
having the centre of the stage
arid being given, handouts and
bonuses froni the cradle to the
grave, will have the stamina to
Whd“”up""tblifeas^
decessors did, even with every
labor saving device; The recourse
to unemployment insurance,
strikes, collective bargaining, etc.
make their. demands a “must”
for shorter hours, -morepay, in
creased social security and ser
vices of every kind. How long
will the basic industries which
are the Creators of all real wealth
—farming, fishing, mining, lum
bering and manufacturing, be
able to carry the. load of taxation
and be abler to sell their pro
ducts in a world market?
Xou W^ht to be sure your heirs will benefit •
you intended. -To ensure this you should: '
. ’ ’ 2 ) Have a Will .,
2), Have a Will that clearly
expresses your wishes
A .
x . . ; . .
One of our experienced Trust Officers will be
- glad to advise and assist you to plan your
* Estate PrQgratn.. When these matters are
settled, coi^ult. a lawyer about your Will.
" ? it idkes; qurbrisingly hitle time and, expense .'
to ensure that today’s intentions become*
. tomorrow’s realities. ,
• >
* *■
♦7
. ’ K '■ . . ' ’ ■ * ■ .V - ' v • *
' ' - THE'".'
STERLING TRUSTS
: taAWH OWtCf'
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