Vermilion School of Agriculture - Yearbook (Vermilion, Alberta Canada)

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VERMILION SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE □ visit to the School in November. During the course of his visit he addressed a large gathering of students and district people and was entertained at a reception in the girls’ wing at the conclusion of the evening. In connection with his address, a splendid pro¬ gramme of musical numbers was arranged and the programme was released over the air by members of the University Radio Broadcasting Station Staff. Listeners-in from many points in the province have since written in to tell of the enjoyment received from the broadcast. Dr. Robert Wallace and Dean E. A. Howes, of the University of Alberta, paid a visit to V.S.A. early in March and spoke to the students in the interests of the University. It is a matter of considerable satisfaction to know that a good many of our stu¬ dents plan on attendance at Varsity and it is expected that they will give a good account of themselves. The masquerade, stunt night and entertainments to the High School students featured the social enterprises of the year, all being much enjoyed. Large public dances, as we are usually familiar with them, were not often held during the session, owing to the unfortunate mumps epidemic which somewhat disturbed the life of the School in the early weeks of the term. THE MATRICULATION CLASS IN 1945 (Continued from Page 8) 1929-1930 HOCKEY TEAM Standing—T. Becket, R. Johnston (Capt.), C. Cranston, J. E. Edgar (Mgr.) R. Therrien, G. Ogston, A. Stanton. Seated—J. Sulima, H. Hamilton, L. Frederking. six hours, and, needless to say, tongues clicked merrily in rehash¬ ing the old days and their most notable occurrences. After the newcomers had greeted the former members of the class who had arrived by train, the suggestion of lunch caused a dash up the road toward the dormitory. Outside the main en¬ trance stood a dusty Ford and with some difficulty the driver was extricating himself from under a pile of bags, bales and parcels which appeared to contain something in the nature of plant life. Sure enough, the driver of the tired-looking bus was Ed. Barber, Weed Inspector for the Vermilion district, who, passing through Vermilion, had learned of the re- union and had decided to drop in and say “Hello” to the boys, and the girls, of the old brigade. Dinner being announced, there began a great tramping and surging towards the food emporium, when all were startled by the sound of an approaching aeroplane which was circling the grounds as if in search of a suitable landing-place. The foot¬ ball field being the best in sight, the ’plane swooped down with a roar and after taxi-ing across towards the new shops, came to a stop. Out popped Vince Durda, who had chartered the ’plane and the driver, Bill Campbell, to hurry from Clairmont to join in the get-together at old V.S.A. The crowd was now complete; joyously old doings and old sayings were brought up, discussed with much laughter and tossed aside for some new topic. Geometry, algebra, literature, the col¬ lege dances, the happenings of the years in between ... all re¬ ceived their share of comment ... as also did the most excellent repast that had been provided by the same old kitchen of fifteen years ago, Percy Cross still being the commander-in-chief. tendent of the Dominion Experimental Farm, had stopped long enough at Westlock to dig up the M.L.A. for the district, who was none other than Arnold Platt, of debating fame at V.S.A. The road from Westlock to Vermilion had been covered in less than HOUSE LEAGUE CAPTAINS—(Standing) E. W. Cormack, Staff Rep. on Committee; L. Murray, W. Durda, Miss O. Howe, H. Hamilton, B. Robertson, R. Bacon. (Seated) R. Bendixon, Miss A. Walker, C. Cranston, Misc E. Rowswell, C. Mitchell. (On Floor) Miss H. Triska, Miss E. Wilson. [ 23 ]

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□ VERMILION SCHOOL 0 F A G R I C U L T U R E □ STUDENTS’ COUNCIL Standing—E. Swindlehurst, T. Beckett. Seated—Miss M. Maire, A. Platt (Chairman), Miss E. Wilson. .ctiuities of the l]ear T HE winter term of 1929 and 1930 has been an eventful one, insofar as activities within the School are concerned. A tiny mumps germ decided to enter the School in November last and he rapidly made friends! ?) among the students and staff, with¬ out any very noticeable preference in proportion to their respec¬ tive numbers; so much so, in fact, that about one-third of the residents in the dormitory spent something like twenty-one days, each, in close association with him. The usual annual Sports Day was held in the grounds of the local Agricultural Society, early in the term, and some of the sprinters were given an opportunity to show their speed. The Hous.e League for Basketeers was organized early in the term, with the Gymnasium Committee in charge, and many interesting and exciting games have been played. Unfortunately the League has not been altogether completed at the time th Yearbook gos to press and we are, therefore, not in a position to give the final results. The Wiebe Hockey Trophy, won at considerable exercise of the hockey team during the last school year, has been defended during the year by the squad composed of Robt. Johnston (capt.) Frank Mead (goal), Tom Beckett and Gordon Ogston (defence), Harry Scraba (centre) with John Sulima, Len. Frederking, Clarence Cranston, Roland Therrien and Arc Stanton playing alternately on the forward line. Although the boys put up sev¬ eral merry scraps, they seemed to lack the punch to score very heavily and finally saw the silver cup slip through their fingers to the Town contestants. Inter-class hockey flourished to a greater extent than during the past year or two, but was interrupted by warm weather which spoiled the ice on the “College” rink. The Third Year, becoming more hungry than usual, chal¬ lenged the far-famed Staff hockey team to a game, with a turkey dinner, to be cooked by the losers, as the plum; on a warm Satur¬ day afternoon the opposing line-ups took their places, eager for the fray. Fifty-five minutes later the entire dozen men were taken from the ice in a state of utter exhaustion, after having played to a 3-3 draw. Numerous accidents occurred during the game, including the scoring of three goals by each team. Not one of the players being able to play again during the year, it was decided that the Staff members, who had not so contributed to the entertainment of the spectators, would meet the five unscathed gladiaors from the Third Year in the gymnasium for a game of basketball. The enthusiasm of the Matrics. seemed to have vanished, however, owing, it is said, to the shortness of the family purse, and the game has not been played. Notable among the events of the term was the bringing in of outside speakers, under the auspices of the Versatile Club, an organization formed two years ago, and which has done much to raise the standard of information that is given the students out¬ side their actual classes. The debate between the Vermilion High School and the School of Agriculture took place on the evening of March 7th, at which time Miss Netta Stephen and Mr. Cecil Warner upheld the negative of the resolution, “Resolved that Public Ownership of Utilities is of greater benefit to the consuming public than is Private Ownership,” losing to the High School team by a narrow margin. More than four hundred persons formed the audience, and thoroughly enjoyed the debate and the enjoyable programme- provided by the V.S.A. students. Looking back over the year, we recall with pleasure the visit of Hon. Dr. Egbert, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, who paid a EXECUTIVE OF VERSATILE CLUB C. Johnson, W. Ross, B. Kiernan, Mr. Baker, E. Swindlehurst, Mr. Edgar [ 22 1

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VERMILION SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE □ □ The Cattle Shou; By DEAN E. A. HOWES HILE there is no intention of writing at length about the genesis of the agricultural society, a few items of an histori¬ cal nature should prove of interest, and will also serve to lead up to the subject proper. If we consider the agricultural society in a rather broad general way, we shall have to confess that the story will lead back to a period about which history is rather silent. Following the general break-up of the manorial system in England, and the development of a system of enclosure, as it was called, people began to think in what might pass for scientific terms of the various problems of agriculture, and to discuss ways and means for the improvement of practice. We may be fairly sure that they met in groups for the purpose of these discussions, and that in all probability they formed clubs, or societies, in the interest of agricultural progress. This assumption is not wholly based upon conjecture, but is so far removed from the immediate purpose of our story that it is only mentioned by way of intro¬ duction. The history of formal agricultural societies in English-speak¬ ing countries begins with the incorporation of the Dublin Society in 1749, for the avowed purpose of “improving husbandry and other arts”; this society had the honor of being among the earliest in Europe. The Highland Society of Scotland was incorporated in 1787, while in England a Board of Agriculture was established in 1793. There were agricultural societies organized in some of the Atlantic states quite early in their history. Nova Scotia claims the first agricultural society for Canada, the one organized in 1789, but Quebec also registers a claim upon the same year, an old record being brought forward as evi¬ dence to show that a society was formed under the patronage of Lord Dorchester, on January 6th of that year. Ontario comes along shortly after with its earliest record of organization, in 1792. There is, however, no purpose here of preparing any blue- book of Canadian societies, it is enough to register the statement that these societies were the earliest manifestations of organized agriculture in Canada, and that to them we owe all that we have in the present system of technical agriculture in the Dominion, that is to say, we regard them as foundational. There is a great temptation to delve more deeply into the history of agricultural societies and to make comment thereon, but only one comment must be allowed; that the early societies stressed the need for newer and better agricultural implements and offered prizes for inventions. Times have changed it would appear, for in this day people are not lacking who would favor a closed season on new things, until they could consolidate their gains. The foregoing is offered as a sketchy story of what led up to our local exhibition as staged by the local agricultural society. The agricultural society for our county had been organized in 1844 and the first fair had been held the following year. A history of our county contains a full list of executives, and gives the names of the crop viewers, judges for plowing matches and judges for “horses, horned cattle, sheep and hogs, butter, cheese, and cloth.” This history contains the following note: “In 1874 only five classes of articles were exhibited in the ladies’ depart¬ ment; coverlets, woollen counterpanes, two pairs wool mitts, two pairs wool socks, and woollen shawl. In 1894, forty-five classes of articles were exhibited, and in the other classes there was a corresponding increase. In 1883 there were but 82 members; in 1894 there were 236.” It is doubtful is many of the farmers knew much about this history, even if they were interested in the fair, or, as we called it, the “Cattle Show.” This term, now almost obsolete in Canada, was brought over from the old land, it was quite patent as one looks back that while the county fair was always well patronized by exhibitors and visitors, little thought was given to the few directing minds that made the annual event possible. This con¬ dition is familiar in most undertakings that involve the enrolment of a fairly large membership; there is an unequal diwision o’ labor,” a cleavage that reminds us of the farmer’s willing team of horses—one willing to do the work, and the other willing to let him do it. There truly is something to be said for the import¬ ance of minorities in most events of public enterprise. Our fair-ground once occupied a piece of land well within the local town limits, and was by way of being surrounded by town dwellings, when it was decided to dispose of the property, and to move to a larger area at the outskirts of the town. The old fair-ground was no doubt looked upon as quite commodious and ambitious in conception, when the society staged its first fair. It once seemed sufficiently imposing and decidedly impressive to a country lad, who had looked forward longingly to the trip to the Cattle Show, and who wandered about somewhat dazed by the crowd, and by the accumulation of noises, familiar as to detail but not as to volume. Should this cryptic comment not be clear to those who are not initiate, it may be explained that while the boy was quite familiar with horses whinnying, cattle lowing, sheep bleating, hogs squealing and cocks crowing, having lived within reach of these sounds all his days, yet the grand chorus furnished by the large aggregation of farm animals at the show carried the thrill of the unfamiliar. The animals on exhibi¬ tion were ranged along the board fence that was built to keep out non-paying guests, and there they would remain during the day, with the exception of the horses that were called to judg¬ ment in a ring formed by a one-rail fence. According to a custom that still prevails, the soil products and the home exhibits were housed in what we called by the comprehensive name of the Main Building. Sometimes the poultry rose to exclusiveness by occupying a corner of this building, but if other exhibits re¬ quired more space, the birds were relegated to a corner of the grounds. Sometimes another corner of the grounds would be occupied by machinery, but this was not accorded the prominence it once held because of need, nor the prominence it now holds because of active business competition. At first the fair extended over but one day, the exhibits being brought along by the whole family in the morning, and taken home at the close of the crowded day. When the period was lengthened to two days, it was for the purpose of assembling a large proportion of the exhibits during the first day, even to the extent of bringing in some of the live stock, although this was not generally favored when shelter was lacking. The smaller exhibits were brought in the farm wagon, and along with butter, preserves, apples, and fancy work, might be included the company of a couple of sheep and a crate or two of poultry in the rear of the vehicle box; sheep and swine were always hauled to the grounds even if a second wagon had to be pressed into service, or a second trip made. The horses and cattle came on foot and while the former could be led behind the wagon or buggy, thp [ 24 1