Times-Advocate, 1996-06-12, Page 3Times -Advocate, June 12, 1996 Page 3
By Brenda Burke
T -A Rrter
iceHAY TOWNSHIP - All copies of
ay Township Highlights have
n sold.
I Compiled by a committee of 14
Hay natives, the book was original-
ly to contain 450 pages and 500
otos. But due to the over-
helming amount of historical me-
dal submitted, the publication
ly doubled in size to 740 pages
!ear
1,497 photos.
"The thing was getting bigger
and bigger," said Ian McAllister,
chair of the History Book Com-
mittec. "At one point we called a
Meeting and had to decide whether
to do two (volumes)."
l
But the committee had made up
its mind; only one volume on Hay
Township was to be created. The
idea for the publication began four
},ears ago at a meeting called by the
township to discuss how to cel-
ebrate its 150th birthday in 1996.
At that point the original steering
committee was formed for the his-
tory book project. •
flAfter six months, ideas began to
ow. Members talked to neigh-
tloring townships, visited archives
ih Toronto and did research at the
9 oderich Library and Registry Of-
�ce'in addition to checking out ge-
nealogy records and regional col-
lections in London.
Some took on the task of reading
back issues of local newspapers. In
preparation for one chapter, Donna
Thiel, in charge of the book's sales,
read the township's council min-
utes dating as far back as 1846.
"It was mainly about two years of
researching," said McAllister.
Part of this research involved
gathering information and photo-
graphs from people both in and out-
side of the community.
According to McAllister, in the
summer of 1994, a bus tour was
also taken along township side
roads "to identify the hamlets that
have disappeared."
Following press releases,
calls and word-of-
mouth advertising
in an effort to
gather material, in-
formation began to
pour in and was
compiled at McAI-
lister's home.
The original
steering committee
expanded to 14 members by the
end of 1993 and a new committee
named the Hay Township Book
Committee was formed.
When the group realized how
much information they were work-
ing with, they hired Alice Gibb, an
editor from London who contrib-
uted a chapter to the book.
Format ideas were suggested by
Guy St. Verbs, of the University of
Western Ontario. Gamet Leitch, a
former veterinarian in Zurich,
phone
created the book's sketches and de-
signed its cover. Photos were re-
produced by Hensel! photographer
Dan Holm.
As well as figuring out how to
put the book together, challenges
committee members faced included
condensing information and en-
suring its contents did not duplicate
other historical publications.
Hay Township Highlights in-
cludes three main maps of the
township along with lists of the
first lease holders or purchasers of
properties. Other maps locate
schools, churches and oil drillings.
The book opens
with an outline of
the origins of the
township, after
which its contents
are separated into
subject categories
with the largest
section containing
700 family pro-
"The
re
"The thing was getting
bigger and bigger...At
one point we called a
meeting and had to de-
cide whether to do two
(volumes)."
files.
As well as providing history
about Marcisse Cantin, the father of
the St. Lawrence Seaway, chapters
describe the area's geography, set-
tlement, council, agriculture, busi-
ness, churches, cemeteries, educa-
tion, military and township life.
In April 1994, a $ 14,000 New
Horizons Program grant from Can-
ada Health and Welfare was ob-
tained by the committee towards
publishing the book that presold
869 of its 1,500 copies at $45 per
copy. Atter that, its price changed
to $55.
Originally expected by Christ-
mas, the first copies were printed
for the Hay Days New Year's Lev-
ee in January and remaining copies
arrived at the township office the
following month.
Although the books, which were
printed in Aylmer, were sold out
across Canada and the United
States by the end of April, two cop-
ies are to be auctioned following
the Hay Days parade on June 29.
As well, information not used for
publication will be included in Hay
Days historical displays.
At the township council meeting
on May 6, McAllister said the com-
mittee has not planned a second
printing of the book and indicated
council may decide whether or not
to continue the task. According to
the meeting's minutes, counCii de-
cided to "leave things as they are."
The committee suggested do-
nating a small surplus of book rev-
enue to the construction of an his-
torical display bookcase at the
municipal office.
"We achieved our goal," said
Thiel.
'"Tho revenue has met all of our
costs," added McAllister. "It oper-
ated in the black, which was our
objective."
Both Thiel and McAllister credit
the book's success to the focused,
amiable mood of the committee
that remained dedicated to the pro-
ject.
"Because of that, the book turned
out very well," said McAllister.
As a bonus, Thiel noted, com-
mittee members happened to repre-
sent French, German and British
culture of the township.
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lan McAllister, chair of the Hay Township Highlights History
Or
BoaN rbttU biiand Donnh lThIel,.rid clI Of the 0000k,s •
selesC sinograph, lthe last = tWb' copies; 'rl>hlch Will be'qua
tinned following the Hay Days parade on June 29. Other
original steering committee members to autograph the
books include Heather Klopp, Margaret Deichert, Val Can -
tin, Shirley McAllister, Elaine CoxOn, Claire Deichert, Glen
Thiel and Nap Cantin. Members of the Hay Township Book
Committee include Mary Jacobe, Donna Thiel, Phylis
Deichert, Grace Adkins, Laurabelle Reichert, Gladys Ginge-
rich, Margaret Deichert, Victor Brisson, Ian McAllister and
Nap Cantin.
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