July 1, 1920
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
July 1, 1920
Under the headline “Laugh At Rain,” an account of the Cowichan chapter of the IODE who’d gamely held held their annual fete at the Grange, the baronial home of their regent, Mrs. Tisdall. Indoors, of course, but anyone who’s visited the Grange on Drinkwater Road knows there’s plenty of room for guests. Tea, bakery stalls and a fortune teller kept everyone’s mind off the weather outside.
Duncan Council declared war on Canadian thistles (as opposed to Scottish and Russian thistles?) encroaching on city roadways and sidewalks and passed third reading of a new bylaw requiring vendors of beverages containing malt and hops to purchase a $200 license and observe strict hours of sales.
Upcoming was a bylaw regulating the parking of cars (some people still used horse and buggy) on city streets. The Duncan Volunteer Fire Department’s surplus chemical fire extinguisher
Members of the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department pose with the mobile chemical fire extinguisher which the City of Duncan donated to the King's Daughters Hospital.
would be donated to the hospital. The 1st Cowichan Company of Girl Guides held a “splendid entertainment” at the Opera House complete with supper and orchestra. Duncan Boy Scouts attended by invitation and took up a collection amongst themselves of $1.80 for the girls.
The Cowichan branch of the Red Cross heard a lecture on pre-natal care over tea and the King’s Daughters, blessed with sunshine, staged a successful Rose Show. Fair weather added to the success of the Cowichan Bay Regatta which had no fewer than 35 participants from the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Dinghy races were particularly popular with both participants and spectators.
Fifteen of 19 Duncan high school students had passed their junior matriculation exams and parents declared themselves to be impressed with the handiwork of the Manual Training class.
The Leader appealed for any merchants wishing to participate in the forthcoming Dollar Day to have their advertising copy in by the coming Monday.
The rest of the front page, almost two full columns, was a list of promotions and Rolls of Honour at the Duncan Consolidated School which had closed for the summer holidays.