March 31, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
March 31, 1921
Photographs were still new to The Leader in 1921 so the March 31st issue is unusual in that it has two pictures on its front page, both of St. Andrew’s Church, Cowichan Station. At the top of the page is a close-up of the just unveiled memorial window honouring the church’s 13 war dead.
On the farm scene, the Cowichan Fruit Growers had joined with the B.C. Growers’ Association., an encouraging sign that local berry farmers were looking to market their products beyond the Valley borders.
Thanks in part to glorious spring weather, Cowichan churches celebrating Easter services had been well attended and the “ladies” were commended for their efforts in decorating the various churches with seasonal flowers and greenery.
The fundraising drive for a war memorial in downtown Duncan and on Mount Prevost continued with an appeal for more volunteer canvassers.
The Great War Veterans Assoc. had a new cause of its own, the Ontario government having deleted the book Flag and Fleet from its school libraries because it supposedly didn’t give enough credit to the United States’ contribution to the war effort. Local vets were enraged and demanded that B.C. officials make sure that it was required reading in public schools.
Miss Jessie Forrest, youngest daughter of Mr. And Mrs. E.H. Forrest, Hillbank, had won three of six medals awarded for proficiency to the graduating 1921 class of nurses at St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver. One of the medals was for her having had the highest marks in all her subjects.
The Cowichan Agricultural Society was working on its Fall Fair program; a new feature this year would be 12 entry categories for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. Apples were to be restricted to Gravensteins and Wealthys for the simple fact that they showed best at that time of year. A list of vegetables and fruits recommended for show was to be published in The Leader as a guide to prospective exhibitors.
In the Agriculture Hall itself, seating had been greatly expanded with additions bringing the total number of benches to 300 and chairs to 100. With six people to a bench this would accommodate 1900 at a time.
For want of adequate promotion a presentation by government agriculturalists suffered a low turnout. J.A. Grant, who’d conducted a flying tour of orchards from Cobble Hill to Westholme, said he thought the Valley’s small fruits growing potential was excellent. (He was right; few of us today realize that between the world wars the Cowichan Valley was a major grower and exporter of apples.)
St. John’s Church had provided an excellent Easter concert. A particular highlight was an instrumental selection from “Country Girl” by Mrs. H.C. Martin and Mrs. H.N. Watson, first violins, Miss Geoghegan and Mr. F. Monk, second violins, Mr. Monk, drums, and Miss Monk, piano. There were numbers by the church choir, followed by dinner and dance with Mrs. Martin’s orchestra.
At Crofton the Rev. R.D. Porter conducted a children’s service in the school house and logging operations were said to be progressing favourably.
It was also reported that a recent storm had done less than expected damage to west coast forests. This positive conclusion was the result of an aerial survey carried out from the air base at Jericho Beach. D.D. Dove had sold his 10-acre property on McKinnon Road to T.W. McGeregor of Mortlach, Sask. through the Leather & Bevan Agency in Duncan.
Walter E. Blythe, son of Mr. And Mrs. E. Blythe, Quamichan Lake, had been transferred by the Bank of Montreal to its Chilliwack branch. B.D. Pearce Sunderland was coming from Vancouver to take his place as savings account ledger keeper.
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