As published in The Erin Advocate
From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1914)
Militant suffragettes staged one of their most daring attacks yet in their campaign for women’s voting rights, detonating a bomb in Westminster Abbey. The explosion was heard in the nearby British House of Commons, where Reginald McKenna, Secretary of State for Home Affairs, was delivering an optimistic speech on the government’s strategy for dealing with the “wild women”.
From the Advocate – 45 years ago (1969)
The Cataract waterfall has claimed another victim. Gregory Gillett of Clarkson was swept over the 30-foot falls while swimming with fellow students. Less than two weeks earlier Walter Kurtz drowned at the same spot, and the day after that David Oliver broke his back after being swept over the falls. Police said people are getting too close out of curiosity about the earlier accidents.
Members of the Hilltop Golf Club competed in the first round of the 7th annual Club Championship. Ken Smith came in with the best score of 78, with Jim Irons close behind at 80, some eight strokes better than the closest contender.
Sue Maxwell provided her last column as correspondent for Erin District High School, telling of the final assembly. The trio of Donna Harnden, Judith Wong and Bob McFee did funny songs about teachers who are leaving, ending with This Land is Your Land, in which the whole school joined.
From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1979)
Erin had its first Children’s Festival. In the baking contest for 4-6-year-olds, the winners were Jeff McKay with sticky chocolate balls, Janet Hibbs with chocolate chips, Katherine Magrath with Katie’s snacks, and Roger Purton with peanut butter balls. Winners in the 7-12 age group were John King, Jane King, Dawn Barton and Laurie Young.
Corporal Ron Love said the OPP would step up its weekend patrols in Erin after a loud disturbance outside the Busholme Inn. A fight broke out on Church Street after a car accident involving two customers. Inn owner Barry Abbott said he would hire more staff to maintain order inside the hotel.
The fourth annual Hillsburgh Country Bluegrass Jamboree is coming soon, featuring Big Redd Ford, the Humber River Valley Boys, and Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers. Kent Tocher will present a full country show, featuring Hillsburgh native Bob McFee on guitar and a new band from Guelph called Diamond Reo.
From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1989)
Dr. Duncan Bull of the Optimist Club is promoting the Blue Bag Program, hoping to have the cleanable canvas bags replace plastic grocery bags at local stores. They are being sold at cost for $5.75 by EWAG.
Dancing to the tune of the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Jasmine Jeschke, Andrea MacKenzie and Stephanie Strahl performed their first dance recital with the Dance Revue club at Grand Valley Public School. Amber Dyce, Pam Fettes, Lisa Hall, Isaac Jov, Alicia Mogensen, Jennifer Rae, Lindsay Rawn and Melissa Thompson performed a Charleston. Jane Allen, Katrina Andrews, Carolyn Padfield, Jeannine Seager and Alice Shepperd performed Putting on the Ritz and The Entertainer in period costumes.
The Erin Sporties baseball team is still above 500 with a 9-2 win over Whitfield. Kevin Richardson went two for three with two RBI’s, Brian Goldstone was three for three scoring two runs, and Doug Thomas was two for three scoring one run and knocking in another. Russell Gordon threw a five-hitter with seven strikeouts, and centre fielder Michael Tyler made a couple of amazing plays.
