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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-04-26, Page 7Wednesday,.April 26, 2017 • Signal Star 7 Commii The Goderich Temperance Hall The Temperance Hall was the town's fortress in the war against drink. For nearly 75 years, it was the rallying point for not just the plethora of Temper- ance societies but for the era's most noble social causes. The Temperance Hall was one of the town's most well used buildings and some of the most important events in local history occurred within its walls. In 1852, the Canada Com- pany deeded the property on the southeast corner of North and Nelson streets to William Story, a prominent tradesman, freemason and Sons of Temperance brother. On January 31, 1853, Story, in turn, turned the property over to the Sons of Temperance. The Sons of Temperance was the town's earliest temperance lodge established in July 1850. They erected a brick build- ing on the site to hold their lodge meetings. When their membership decreased, the Sons of Tem- perance, in 1861, deeded the building to the Mechanics Institute. The institutes served as a reading room and lecture hall where for a membership fee of $1.00 per year, young men could spend their time improving themselves through sound learning rather than in the alehouse. In November 1870, the Mechanics Insti- tute turned the property over to the town. In the meantime, the Sons of Temperance found an ally in the.Goderich Order of Good Templars established locally in 1866. The two tem- perance lodges met on dif- ferent nights in a hall over a store on West Street until June 1873 when the town sold the North street prop- erty back to the Sons of Temperance. When the Temperance societies returned to the hall, it had been used as the high school until the new school building on Waterloo Street was completed in 1874. The old building was extensively renovated and re -opened in October 1876. Huron History David Yates A description of the newly improved hall in the 'Huron Signal' detailed its dimen- sions as 24'x60' fronting on North Street with a wing along Nelson Street. The old roof was raised two feet and an auditorium with seating capacity for 400 people was added along the North street side facing a 'modern' stage with dress- ing rooms. Under the aus- pices of the local temper- ance societies, a gala opening complete with ser- mons, hymns, and speeches by local politicians launched the rejuvenated Goderich temperance movement. As the Temperance move- ment in Victorian Canada gathered strength, a host of Temperance bodies emerged and Goderich citi- zens enthusiastically embraced the Temperance cause. In addition to the Sons of Temperance and the Good Templars (not to be con- fused with the local branch of the Brjtish American Order of Good Templars established 1868); a dizzying array of other 'dry' societies like the Cadets of Temper- ance; Royal Templars of Temperance, the Gospel Temperance Society; the Goderich Prohibition League; St. Matthew's Tem- perance and Literary Soci- ety; the Young Men's Chris- tian Association; the Goderich Citizen's League for Moral Reform; and, per- haps, the most aggressive group, the Women's Chris- tian Temperance Union and their youth wing, all met at the hall. In 1872, a chapter of the Catholic Temperance Benevolent Society was formed in Goderich but they met at St. Peter's church. Contrary to the stereotyp- ical image of the Temper- ance unions as dour, humourless kill-joys, the Temperance l call opened its doors to community events and entertainments. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most utilized build- ings in the town for public functions. Not surprisingly, lectures on the evils of drink or the virtues of temperance formed the core of a typical evening's speaker series. I lowever, other whole- some entertainments like 'Penny Reading's, travelling choirs, May Day concerts, 'lime light exhibitions,' liter- ary contests, plays, revival meetings, magic lantern shows, rummage sales, instrumental quartets and orchestras were all held at the hall. Not all speakers received favourable reviews, the American pacifist clergy- man, Rev. George Bigelow of Chicago, delivered a lecture on 'Christian Socialism in February 1901. Bigelow 'spoke forcibly of the perils' of the `industrial system and advocated the adoption of socialism to do away with evils which beset society." The 'Signal' called Bigelow "a good speaker" but con- demned his remarks as • 'inconcisive. The poorly attended lecture, the 'Signal' concluded, was due to the "lack of interest on the part of our citizens" in such radi- cal ideas. In February 1885, the Sal- vation Army held 'crowded' nightly services in the Tem- perance Hall. However, not everyone was enamoured with the Army's presence. In May 1886, a letter to the 'Signal' complained that 'we are willing to put up with the beating of drums and tam- bourines on our streets on Sunday' but asked did they have to do it while other church services were going on? (In 1885, the Church of Scotland, St. George's, St. Peter's, and North Street Methodist churches were just a tambourine shake of the Temperance Hall). Famed Mohawk poetess, Pauline Johnson, gave one of her last poetry readings in the Temperance Hall in December 1908. "TIhe Huron Signal" hailed the event as "a rare treat" to have Miss Temperance poster circa 1900. Johnson perform a reading of "her own poems and leg- ends of the Red Indians." Indeed, it was a rare treat because ill -health forced her to give up touring in early 1909. On August 19, 1914, the Goderich Temperance Hall, hosted delegations from Wingham, Seaforth, and Clinton to present their townsmen going to the Great War with tokens of their town's appreciation. The Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire gave each volunteer a pipe and tobacco. The Seaforth mayor gave every man a card that read 'the people of Huron are proud of the brave boys who go to the front and they have no doubt but that they will dis- tinguish themselves and bring credit to their County.' Yet, the local temperance movement had achieved its most important success in January 1914 when voters endorsed the Canada Tem- perance Act, which brought prohibition to Huron County. Almost immediately, the Temperance movements reason for being dimin- ished. Its clout and influ- ence steadily diminished as attitudes towards prohibi- tion changed. After the war, the W.C.T.0 were the only temperance body still using the aging temperance building. In January l924,Goderich entrepreneur, Robert Contributed photo MacKay, offered to buy the 'very dilapidated' hall and "erect a good brick build- ing." Just as the temperance movement wished for, Mac- Kay envisioned that this building would "be owned by the people, to be used for any uplifting benefit" and open day and night under the supervision of any cler- gyman who wanted to use it. The town accepted MacK- ay's kind offer and the old Temperance Hall was demol- ished in 1926 to make way for the MacKay Hall which opened in February 1927. Although it is no longer a temperance bastion, the MacKay Hall continues to ful- fill its original mission as being a place open for 'uplift- ing' town events.