HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 90444
Section 1, Page 2 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
Finally managed a way
Where there's a will, there's a
way
For the past two months, the
writer has been doing everything
possible to get Janet Ecker to
include his picture in our cen-
tennial issue.
We suggested that some of the
WOSSA championship teams
from out high school basketball
and volleyball days should be
included in the issue, but she
replied that one had to be an
Ontario champion to earn such
recognition.
It was then pointed out to her
that the present editor was the
only one in the newspaper's 100-
year history who had held the
position on two separate oc-
casions. Not to mention our stint
as sports editor.
Again, no dice!
We presented a picture in a Cub
uniform, but she said she was
reserving a spot in hopes of
finding a picture of a Queen
Scout.
Then we found an old photo of
the editor receiving an Ontario
Weekly Newspaper award, but
she pointed out the whole staff
really earned the honor and the
editor didn't qualify because he
was merely acting on their behalf
when he accepted it.
How about the fact the editor
has worn a beard for the past six
or seven years. Would that be a
modern day record worthy of
publication?
Nope! We already had several
bearded gentlemen included in
the issue and they looked much
more distinguished.
How about that photo of the
editor in a SHDHS cadet uniform
holding open the foor for Premier
Leslie Frost when he opened the
high school? She took one look at
the "little soldier" and pointed
out it was not a comic book being
printed.
What about that one when
Batten won a door prize at the
teen town dance in 1950? Here's
one in his old Pinpopper bowling
uniform after he and Cliff
Quance and the boys won the
consolation trophy in 1957?
So the story went. Each page
out of the family album was
quickly set aside by Janet and it
became evident that two months
of pleading was falling upon deaf
ears.
Then the answer came.
Displaying the ingenuity and
instincts that were required by
the ancestors of the community
100 years ago, we decided to have
our column included in the issue,
and of course, it carries a photo of
the editor with it.
For the rest of you who aren't
included in this issue . . . our
sympathies.
Actually, this special
publication deserves some words
of explanation and that is the
main reason for the inclusion of
these words.
It's the biggest issue ever
published by this newspaper in its
100-year history and a number of
people deserve a great deal of
credit.
Not the least of these is Janet,
who undertook the task of
arranging for the many articles
and pictures featured. We think
you will agree with us that she's
done a tremendous job.
It's no simple chore attempting
to record the history of 100 years.
In fact, it's an impossiblity to do
it in even 100 pages.
There will be items included
that you may question, and
others not included that you will
think should have been printed.
While Janet has tried her best
to pick out some of the highlights,
we did ask for contibutions and
most of those have been included.
Everyohe was given a chance
and if you didn't avail yourself of
that opportunity . . well, there'll
be another 'similar paper in 100
years.
+ +
You will note in reading
through the pages that a great
deal of the material is reprinted
from the "Jottings by JMS".
That's J.M. Southcott, of course,
who worked on and published this
newspaper for more than 60 of the
town's 100 years.
His vivid recollections of the
early days of the community
were a natural source of in-
formation to us. We know you'll
enjoy looking back with the late
Mr. Southcott.
All organizations in the com-
munity were invited to submit
histories and only a couple failed
to accept our invitation. For
those contributions we are indeed
grateful, for you will note that the
history of our churches and other
organizations is an important
part of the story of Exeter.
Many other residents an-
swered our request for pictures
and stories and their names are
included at the bottom of this
column.
Their efforts are most ap-
preciated because some of them
turned up photos that no one else
knew existed. Some of them are
tremendous and we thank the
local citizens who have loaned
them to us.
Others, such as Gordon
Heywood, have been of im-
measurable assistance in
providing early historical details
or putting names on some of the
people in the early photos.
Out thanks too go to Jack
Doerr, who has contributed
several fine pictures, to our
edition, along with those of his
two predecessors, the late Joe
and Charles Senior.
It is indeed unfortunate that
many of the photos taken by the
Seniors have not been stored by
someone for posterity. Jack tells
us that many of them on glass
plates have been used in
greenhouses, etc, and have been
lost for all times.
These three photographers,
along with those on the T-A staff
through the years, have recorded
most of the history of the com-
munity on film and perhaps we
should be considering some way
of preserving those which are
irreplaceable so they can be
viewed by the generations who
will follow.
We could go on at great length
thanking those who have assisted
in this special centennial issue,
and unfortunately there may
even be some who will not be
included in our list who have
helped. To them, we say sorry for
our negligence.
However, one group who
deserve more recognition than
any others are the advertisers.
Without their generous
assistance, there would be no
centennial issue, or it would
indeed be much smaller and
many items would have had to be
dele ted.
Their advertisements also tell
some historical highlights, and
we've found it interesting getting
information from them for their
ads.
The history of a couple of local
businesses stretch back over 100
years and there's one that tells
of having served for four
genera tions.
Many record years of service
over 50, while some of the "new"
ones display the type of business
leadership to indicate they'll be
in existence to make the next
birthday.
Throughout the history of
Exeter, the men and women of
the business community have
played an important role, if not
JANET
STRIKES
AGAIN
the most important.
They have kept the town
modern and progressive and are
often the leaders of the municipal
and service groups which provide
the leadership for the com-
munity. They have been the ones
who have made it possible to
publish a newspaper for 100
years.
To each of them, we say a
sincere thank you, as well as the
following list of contributors:
CONTRIBUTORS
John Miller, Tom Walker, Asa
N. Penhale, Gerald Prout, C.V.
Pickard, Mrs. E. Dow, Mrs.
Thomas Dinney, Mrs. Gary
Balsdon, Mike Sanders, Mrs. Bob
Turnbull, Howard Holtzmann,
Mrs. R.M. Berry, Mrs. Norman
Norry, Mrs. Etta Young, Mr. Wilf
Hodgson, Mrs. Len Harvey, Mrs.
Milton Pfaff, Gordon Heywood.
Bev Morgan, Mrs. W. Craig,
Harry De Vries, Massey
Ferguson, Reg McDonald, Rev.
George Anderson, Mrs. Victor
Heywood, Ed Dorey, Joyce
Monteith, Jeanette Rudolph,
Richard Ottewell, Rev. Duncan
McTavish, Mrs. Wilson Morley,
Mrs. G.C. Koch, Debbie Hillman,
Derry Boyle , Warren May, Miss
Belle Campbell.
Ruth Snider, Mr. Gordon
Bender, Mrs. S. Link, W.G.
Birney, Ben • Hoogenboom, Mrs.
Norah Taylor, Dr. M.C. Fletcher,
Gertrude Hamilton, Clarence
Down, Mrs. Garnet Hicks, Jean
Creech, Bill McAllister, Mrs.
David Sangster, Don Jolly, Bell
Telephone, Louis Day, Mrs.
George Lawson, Bob Dinney.
Lee Dobbs, Mrs. Norm
Whiting, Inez Dickie, Mrs. Percy
McFalls, Grace Merner, Bill
Stephen, London Free Press,
Earl Russell, Mrs. William
Sillery, Earl Campbell, Mrs. Alex
Wilding, Mrs. Elmer Reeder, C.
Van Laughton, Marion Fletcher,
Clinton News-Record, Sandy
Eliot, Marion Bissett, Krug
Bros.
T-A January 17, 1935
The municipal council are
considering the purchase of
several acres of bush for the
purpose of giving employment to
those who are in need of some.
The wood will be cut and disposed
of locally. It is hoped in this way
to help take care of some of the
families requiring relief.
T-A January, 1934
Foul' days after the death of her
husband, the late Robert
Pickard, Mrs. Pickard, the
former Elizabeth Verity died.
OLD POST OFFICE - The building above now houses Lindenfield's
Hardware, but until 1931 it was the Exeter Post Office. This picture was
taken in 1940 nine years after the Post Office moved to its present site,
More than merely
'a one horse town'
By D.A. FINKBEINER
The forming of the Saddle Club
in Exeter may have been from
the influence of the Agricultural
Society or some of the people who
owned light horses during the
years of 1945 and 1946.
Up to this time the main at-
traction at the fair was draft,
roadster and carriage horses.
When the number of draft horses
started to decrease because of
farm mechanization, the direc-
tors of the fair decided to in-
troduce classes for riding horses.
The first meeting for this
purpose was held at the home of
G.K. Crocker, who had just
purchased a Palomino stallion
from California.
The persons present at this
meeting to the best of my
knowledge was Wm. Allison,
Harry Beavers, Ed Brady, Andy
Snelgrove, G.K. Crocker and
D.A. Finkbeiner. J.L. Grosche, a
prominent judge of Stratford was
invited to assist in setting up
classes. However this was not
accomplished until the following
year.
During that time, the Saddle
Club was set up and the Fair was
featuring both jumping and
saddle classes by 1948 and 1949.
Jack Parsons was the winner in
the first jumping class. He had a
chestnut mare who would jump
most anything you asked her to.
Another person who made the
ribbons that day was Lorna
Taylor (Russell) on a mare
named Felicity.
As the interest continued to
grow, trail rides were organized
and the shows became more
numerous. By this time many
Quarter Horses had come to
Ontario so classes and games
suited to their ability began to
appear in all show and Fair prize
lists.
Another class which was
becoming popular was the
Palomino parade horse with its
silver trappings and costumed
rider. These golden animals
always drew applause from the
audience.
The demand for riding horses
had increased so much that in
1958, Ron Swartz, Wilmer
Preszca tor and D.A. Finkbeiner
purchased a carload of horses in
Calgary. These horses were then
sold here in Ontario from L.
Stanlake's farm.
The Saddle Club continued to #
grow until now its members own
several different breeds.
In 1966, the Club sponsored the
first Exeter Quarter Horse Show.
This show has grown to be one of
Ontario's finest outdoor Quarter
Horse events. It is now being
sponsored by the Exeter Kin-
smen.s A
well as local shows for club
members, 1973 was the third
annual Pinto and Appaloosa
Show, also sponsored by the
Saddle Club.
Presidents have been; G.K.
Crocker, Ron Swartz, D.A. Fink-
beiner, Andy Snelgrove, Ed
Brady, Jim Taylor, A.E. Bouge,
A.J. Darling, Len Veri, John
Burke, D.A. Ecker and Brian
Smillie. The present president is
Jim Scott.
EARLY ADVOCATE ADVOCATE OFFICE — Long before the present newspaper started to publish in Exeter, the town
was served by the Reflector, and then the Advocate. On the left (the west side of Main St.) a horse and buggy
sits in front of the Advocate Printing Office. In 1924 the Advocate amalgamated with the Times, and this of-
fice was shut down. The street in the middle right is James St.