Category Archives: Celebrations

Old Home Week Promotions 1925

Old Home Week advertising went beyond the usual ad in the local paper or the placement of ads in the souvenir book. A special full page advertisement was placed in the Toronto Globe for the 1925 OHW in a format that resembled those of other towns. It consisted of stories and pictures as well as more obvious advertisment of the event. The Globe made a specialty of these special pages and even sent a representative to North Bay to discuss it. The cost was was $220 for a half page ad.

Special promotions were also organized in which expensive items were given away in a raffle-like promotion. The OHW organizers themselves gave away a Studebaker Six. It was given away free to the person who became president of the OHW Association. Members of the association paid a dollar to join and the President was chosen based on a draw from the names of all members. A total of 1200 people entered the draw to become Honorary President of Old Home Week and 5000 people were there to watch the final draw. Tickets were loaded into a washing machine for mixing and the winning ticket was selected by Ms M. Baxter. Mr A. Smith announced the winner, Mrs P. Moriarty, the wife on a T&NO employee, who was presented with the keys to the vehicle. Since such a car cost about $2,000 at that time, this promotion definitely made money for the OHW organizers, and even more so if the car was provided at cost.

Cochrane Hardware gave away two large ticket items during the 1925 OHW. The first contest required guessing the number of tools on display and offered the winner a Findley Tortoise Cook Range as its prize. The second offered a Brantford Electric Washing Machine valued at $145 to the person with the most votes. Votes were based on the value of purchases made during OHW but could be transferred to someone else. Both contests required persons to be in the store.

Eric W. Ross gave away both a man’s and a woman’s Mars Swiss wrist watch during OHW. He advertised the give-away in advance but the actual contest rules were not published until July 31st. “Watch for It” his ad read.

John Ferguson who owned property throughout the city promoted sales through OHW by giving away a lot free. It would go the person who purchased a lot closest to the lot he had picked to give away. The person who won it, however, could choose one in another location instead if they so wished.

Travel to OHW was also subject to a special promotion. The Railroad Transportation Committee was in charge of making arrangements with the railway companies and ensuring that tourists would have the best rates possible when the came. This was arranged with the Canadian Passenger Association in Montreal. The arrangement for reduced fares which was negotiated was a ‘Certificate Plan’ by which the traveller who purchased a First-Class Single ticket to North Bay and obtained a “Canadian Passenger Association Standard Certificate” from the ticket agent at the same time could, when returning, present this certificate and pay only one-half of the First Class fare, plus a twenty-five cent validation fee. As the programme further explained, however, these special fares applied only to travellers from Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes and to fares over seventy-five cents. “Summer Tourist Fares” would be in effect from Vancouver to Winnipeg. The Certificate had to be presented to the Secretary of Old Home Week at the Registration Bureau to be filled out, as well as to the ticket agent, and only if more than 150 such certificates were handed in would the special rate apply. ( “Come Back – Old Pal!” brochure; “Official Programme.”)

Old Home Week Parades, 1935

August 5th Monday. A Glorious hot August Day. Perfect for the first Big Day.
Went to work early and got the parade arranged at least our part of it. Jack Fischer had our float to finish and we had the “Gutter Service Ambulance” to decorate. Had to get a car for the last Old Home Week Babies. I did all the lettering on the old cars and trucks. The first and opening parade was at 9:30 and we did some tall old hustling to get up there.
The parade was splendid and the crowd was good too. Brought Marg, the kids down to see it. Took a bunch of pictures of the floats. PM. I was too busy to go down and see any of the sports. There was a full day of entertainment and everybody was in good spirits. At night everything was hilarity personified.

Diary of Hartley Trussler, Courtesy of Paul Trussler

Jacques Cartier. Photo by Hartley Trussler.

HMS Traveller. Photo by Harlty Trussler

The Old 1908 Auto Car. Photo by Hartley Trussler.

The grand opening parade of Old Home Week 1935 formed at the old Arena Rink on Main Street West and made its way to Amelia Park where Mayor Bullbrook with the help of several other dignitaries, declared OHW opened. Six bands participated. The grand parade on Monday was the most important event of the 1935 celebrations. It was viewed by an estimated 20,000 people and reported to be “one of the greatest in the history of the city.” A mile and a half in length, it took twenty minutes to pass a given point and included floats, veterans, dignitaries, comedians, and oddities. The veteran’s float reproduced a dugout with sandbags and a battle scene. The city’s float consisted of a historical panorama built on the firemen’s ladder truck which showed surveyors arriving in 1882 and a hunting and fishing scene. It also carried Miss North Bay, 1935, and the two children born during the 1925 Old Home Week. First prize for the floats went to the Cercle Canadien Français for a “tableau depicting the landing of Jacques Cartier on Canadian soil, planting of the cross, and welcome by the Indians.” The Travellers’ battleship float of “H.M.S. Traveller” directed by Pilot Paddy Petch looked so genuine it took second prize. (The Nugget, 5 Aug 1935)

— Motor Club Day —- August 6th Tuesday. A beautiful hot day Just Perfect.
Went to work early – I was busy as could be all forenoon getting things ready for the big Motor Club Parade It was at 1:30 PM. It was very good too but not nearly as large as yesterday’s. We had our float and two new cars in it. There was an interesting drill of the Copper Cliff Cadets down at the Park and then a couple baseball games and softball games. In the parade today was the old 1915 Buick Touring car which belonged to Harry Pedder when new and in which I had my first wonderful automobile ride. In those days it was a real adventure and something to talk about for the rest of the year. The Old car is still running good and I guess could make the same trip now in 12 hours which took us 21/2 days to make then. Margaret and I went down after dinner to see some of the sports and it was so uninteresting we went back home. Came back to see the Swim. Mar[vin] Nelson was here and swam in a relay race against four North Bay Boys. It was about as interesting as a stroll of ten year olds. We didn’t stay to see the finish.
Worked until late.

Diary of Hartley Trussler, Courtesy of Paul Trussler

The Turgeon Family.

On Wednesday, French Canadian day, the parade themes were historical and allegorical. Floats were entered by the many French Canadian communities from the surrounding area that participated and featured figures from French Canada’s past such as Jacques Cartier, Champlain, and Louis Hebert as well more allegorical figures such as Evangeline, “The Angelus”, and a tableau of the “‘slaying of the Canadian Martyrs”. The most unusual float was that from Astorville and consisted of Mr. and Mrs. David Turgeon and their 21 children. The Nugget featured their photo under the headline: “ALL OF ONE ASTORVILLE HOUSEHOLD.” (The Nugget, 12 August 1935.)

Jacques Cartier Monument

In the afternoon the parade went to McMurchy Park where a monument to mark the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s arrival in Canada (1534) took place. Like French Canadian Day, the monument was sponsored by the FFCF and Le Cercle Canadien-Français. Judge J.A. Valin and E.M. Regimbal, the president of the Cercle presided. The monument was blessed by Very Rev. Dean J.A. Chapleau of St. Vincent de Paul Church, North Bay’s French parish. Speeches were made by Dr. J.R. Hurtubise of Sudbury, M.P. for Nipissing, and J. Harry Marceau, M.L.A. for Nipissing. According to the French program, Senator G. Lacasse was to have given the major speech, but he was unable to attend. Mayor Bullbrook spoke saying French Canadian “were carrying out the old French traditions inaugurated in Canada with the early settlement of their country by Jacques Cartier.” (The Nugget, 7 August 1935; The Globe, 8 August 1935.)

Thursday morning, a children’s parade made its way to Amelia Park where there were activities planned for the children. It included a lot of clowns. Thursday evening featured a “Monster Carnival Parade” with prizes for best costumes in several categories. Young and old were asked to join the Shredded Wheat Band from Niagara Falls, New York, to the carnival and street dance area and to enjoy the Old Home Week spirit.

Two parades featuring the Toronto Shriner’s 70-piece band were planned for Friday, Shriners’ Day.

Saturday, organized by the Associated Canadian Travellers, a monster street parade ended at Amelia Park where the Travellers’ softball team competed against National Hockey League players, one of the entertainment highlights of the week The week closed with a “shirt-tail” parade at 11:30 that night.

View more of Hartley Trussler’s 1935 OHW Parade images below:

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Old Home Week Programs, 1925 and 1935

1925

A full page ad in the Nugget highligted the main events of the week.

In 1925 each day of the OHW celebration had a theme.

Monday – ‘Civic Day’ – granting of the city’s charter after the pageant parade, sports
Tuesday – ‘Soldiers’ Day’ – parade of the Returned Soldier, sports, regatta
Wednesday – ‘New Ontario Day’ – pageant parade, sports
Thursday – ‘Children’s Day’ – children’s sports tournaments and fireworks
Friday – ‘Pioneer Day’ – old-timers sports, horse racing
Saturday – ‘Railroad Day’ – open house at the railyards, sports, and fireworks

A six-page “Official Programme” with the complete details on every event was printed once all of these were finalized. There were parades, sports, and dancing every day as well as many special events.

A four-page advertising brochure entitled “Come Back Old Pal” provided the highlights of the event and information as to who to contact for billeting, on special rail rates, on parking for motorists, and on the major promotional device of the week. This brochure was designed to answer questions that people might have before coming and to encourage locals to send the names of any former residents to the secretary so that an invitation could be sent to them.

The prizes to be awarded for each events were listed in the programme. These were suited to the age group and gender specific. Boys would receive a baseball glove and a knife; girls would receive an eversharp pencil. Gramophone records were the only item that went to both.

1935

In 1935, each day of OHW was sponsored by one or more community organization and the days of the program were named for their sponsors.

Sunday and Monday – 159th Battalion Reunion Days
Tuesday – Motor Club Day
Wednesday – French Canadian Day (Cercle Canadien Français, Fédération des Femmes Canadiennes-Françaises (FFCF)
Thursday – Knights of Columbus Day
Friday – Shriners Day
Saturday – Associated Canadian Travellers Day

The Motor Club put the emphasis on swimming and water sports. The Knights of Columbus prepared a program that was much like Children’s Day in 1925. French-Canadian day was like a Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration and differed from any of the days in 1925 in that sourrounding communities were invited to join in the celebrations. The unveiling of a monument to Jacques Cartier at McMurchy Park was the highlight of the day and warranted attention in the Globe. Sports and parades were featured every day.

The 1935 program was published in the Nugget.

French Canadian Day activities were printed in their program.

The Old Home Week Pageant Parade of 1925

In 1925 the grand opening parade of OHW on Monday August 3rd was billed as a pageant parade. At the time, pageants were all the rage. Quebec City had put on a huge pageant to celebrate its 300th anniversary in 1908. In Ontario, many of the Old Home Week celebrations of the 1920s included a pageant but these required a large outdoor space to stage them and hundreds of volunteers to act in them and North Bay settled for a less ambitious pageant parade instead. Still, like pageants, this would allow the town to highlight its history as well as its recent progress for the visitors. The key pageant floats were designed by an “expert” and the costumes were also specially prepared for them.

Samuel de Champlain Pageant Float 1925. Photo by Hartley Trussler.

The organizers worked from the point of view that North Bay’s history began with Champlain’s travel through the area in 1615. A float portraying Champlain was therefore one of the key pageant floats. It created a stirring image of “Samuel de Champlain and his dauntless followers, bearing hard on their paddles, with their faces eagerly set forth in the direction of the new lands they were to explore…” This float was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Champlain, played by Chas. St. Germain, was portrayed as “the first of the party and was shown as gazing from the top of a hill over the surrounding country while his companions were landing the rest of the flotilla….”

Other pageants floats represented Jean Nicolet, the first white man to set foot in North Bay, Father Claude Pijart, the first priest to the Nipissing Indians, a band of coureurs de bois and fur traders, and the Rev. Father Le Caron and a band of frenchmen. The three railways present in North Bay, put considerable effort into their floats as well.

The Lucy Dalton. Photo by Hartley Trussler.

“The C.P.R. was represented by the Lucy Dalton, the first railway engine in Northern Ontario, drawing a miniature caboose with the conductor and the brakie in uniform on the steps. The engine was driven by a gasoline motor but nothing was lost to the realistic appearance as the engineer and firemen were in the cab, smoke issued forth and a whistle tooted incessantly.” “…Lottie Britton and Alex Gillie, employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the early days, piloted Lucy Dalton, the replica of the first engine used in the service along the streets. Wm. Dreany and Harry Hughes looked out from the tail end of the caboose as they did when North Bay was only a water tank and a few surrounding shacks.” [The Nugget, Aug 4 1925.]

T & N O Float. Photo by Harley Trussler.

The T. & N.O., in three sections, depicted Northern Ontario with the themes of farming, mining, and sport life. Designed by Russel Huntington, it was built in the railway shops in only two weeks. “The third section of the float pictured a sportmen’s camp with great realism. The Indian guide was not other than Frank Commando, chief of the Nipissing tribe, while the fish were brought fresh from the water of Lake Temagami.” [The Nugget, Aug. 7, 1925]

The parade included clowns, bands, soldiers, policemen and many floats by North Bay businesses. Few of them were described but pictures of the parade show some of them. Below: A.B. Gordon & Co. Ltd., a major lumber company in the area, the float from Beamish Stores and a float showing a model of the original post office.

3_PageantRoute The pageant parade formed at the west end of Main Street. Getting it going took some time as the parade streched for six city blocks and the marshals had to place each one. It marched down Main to Fisher before turning North and making its way to Memorial Park where a large crowd was waiting and the city of North Bay was granted its charter.

Hartley Trussler was working that day but he had his camera with him and took time to take pictures of several floats as they went by the North Bay Garage. For more photos from Trussler’s album see below.

“The parade was about eleven and say it was great. It was really a wonderful spectacle and very much better than I ever thought possible. It was a fitting start to the week it ushered in and everything seemed to be on the move and in good spirits. There are about five times as many people on the street as generally and everybody is dressed up and in holiday mood. The town is full of flags and bunting and it is really pretty.” [Hartley Trussler’s Diary, 3 Aug. 1925. Courtesy of Paul Trussler.]

Hartley Trussler’s Photo Album of 1925 Old Home Week Parade

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Old Home Week Organization 1935

In 1935, the city of North Bay decided that it could not afford to spend money on an OHW celebration. Initial plans had already been made to hold a second OHW the first week of August. The promoters turned to local groups and organizations to see if any of them might be able to sponsor a day. In the end, enough groups came forward that OHW went ahead. The organizers were aware from the beginning that the Dionne quintuplets would be generating tourism to the area and they hoped to capitalize on this.

2_Barker 2_Palmer The central committee of OHW in 1935 was chaired by Dan Barker and the secretary was Alderman G.E. Palmer. The remainder of the committee was made up of two or three representatives from each of the community groups sponsoring a day. The Central Committee coordinated their efforts and dealth with the city on general matters relating to the event while the individual groups focussed on their parades and program.

The organizing groups were: the 159th Battalion, the North Bay Motor Club, the Cercle Canadien Français and the North Bay branch of the Fédération des Femmes Canadiennes-Françaises (FFCF), the Knights of Columbus, the Rorab Shrine Club, and the Associated Canadian Travellers.

It is worth noting that although French Canadian Day was organized by both a men’s and a women’s group, only the men’s group (Cercle Canadien-Français) had representatives on the Central Committee. The women’s group (Fédération des Femmes Canadiennes-Françaises) was responsible primarily for the banquet on the evening of French Canadian Day, although they were also involved in fundraising for the Jacques Cartier Monument. The French souvenir book, however, lists the full executive of both groups.

Articles in the Nugget on the organization of OHW in 1935 are listed and summarized in the attached pdf file.

Old Home Week Organization 1925

The Officers and Executive Committee

Old Home in 1925 emerged out of plans for an Old Boy Reunion. When word came that city status would be granted around the same time, the celebration planned became more elaborate and over a period of several months was transformed from an Old Boy Reunion to an Old Home Week. The town of North Bay was involved in the organization and provided funds for the celebration. The work, however, was done by the many OHW committees which oversaw every aspect of the operation.

The overall organization was in the hands of the Executive which consisted of a President, four vice-presidents, a secretary, treasurer and an executive committee of eleven persons. They were all male. The president was John Ferguson, the “founder” of North Bay. Dr. J.B. MacDougall, who was probably the author of much of the souvenir book, is well known as the first principal of the North Bay high school. He was later appointed superintendant of schools for a vast area of the north and has left a fascinating account of his work called, Building the North. The other members were also prominent members of North Bay’s business and professional community including J.W. Richardson, who was mayor for several years and the founder the Richardson hardware store. A.C. Rorabeck was the first pharmacist and he also ran the Bell exchange. More information on some of these men is available in Anson Gard’s study of North Bay, The Gateway to Silverland.

Committees and Their Members

As well as the executive there were numerous working committees (see below) which supervised all aspects of the organization from sending invitations to the Old Timers to arranging billeting for them and well as all aspects of the program. A list of all the committees follows. Most of the members of these committes were well known members of the English elite of North Bay. Several of them had been or would become mayors or were on city council at some point in this period. Women were placed only on a few committees, particularly those dealing with the Old Timers. The wife of Harry Marceau (who was the local M.L.A. in 1935) sat on the the Ladies’ Old Timers Committee; she was one of the few French Canadians involved. The complete list is available here as a pdf.

List of Nugget Articles

Articles in the Nugget on the organization of OHW in 1925 are listed and summarized in the attached pdf file.

Old Home Week Invitations and Ephemera 1935

The Dionne Quintuplets and Old Home Week

If it had not been for the the birth and survival of the Dionne quintuplets in nearby Corbeil in May of 1934, the 1935 OHW celebrations would not have been organized. North Bay, like the rest of the country was in the throes of the Great Depression and unemployment caused great hardships not just for many families and individuals but for the city. It could not afford to pay for such a celebration. The promoters of OHW, however, were banking on the fact that the “Quints” would be one year old in 1935 and that tourists would be arriving to see them.

Old Home Week invitations and stationery in 1935 came with a Quint theme

The envelope for the Old Home Week invitations and stationery in 1935 used an image of the Dionne quintuplet babies and the slogan “Five Reasons Why You Should Come to North Bay.”

An invitation was sent out to as many people associated with North Bay as possible. It showed the five girls with their names and the slogan “Five reasons to visit North Bay – Gateway to the Land of Gold .” Stationery with this image sold at one cents a page and earned $150 indicating that up to 15,000 sheets may have been in circulation. (The Nugget, May 8, 1935.)

Official Song

Courtesy of the North Bay and Area Museum

This “Official Song” written by Ernie Mills with music by Bill Davis is one of the few items of ephemera produced during Old Home Week.

List of Visitors from the Nugget Personals

Approximately 20,000 people attended the OHW celebrations of 1935, many of them visitors. The 159th Battalion reunion brought many veterans together again. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen also chose to have their 50th anniversary reunion during OHW thereby bringing many of the original railroaders to town. Many other Old Timers were present and the Nugget featured some of them in its pages. Locals also called the paper with the names of those who were visiting and these were published in the personals, as they were year-round. Of those listed, more came from Toronto and Sudbury than anywhere else.

List of OHW Visitors Listed in Nugget Personal Ads in 1935

Old Home Week Invitations and Ephemera 1925

The Invitation

The 1925 invitation was in Old English and took the form of a proclamation from George V. It was addressed to all “Olden Boyes and Girles, far and nygh” asking them to assemble in North Bay on August 2nd through 8th for the celebration of Old Home Week. It was signed by John Ferguson as President of OHW. Produced on thick cream paper with decked edges and with a red seal affixed to it, the invitation looked very official. Music, parades, sports and dancing in the street was promised. Everyone who knew anyone who had lived in Norrth Bay in the past was therefore asked to help by providing names and addresses so those people could be personally invited and over 5000 invitations were sent out. If you are a collector, note that a facsimile of this invitation on thin paper and somewhat smaller was printed at a later date.

R.S. Huntingdon’s Logo for the Envelope

1_1925Logo

The envelope that was used to send ot the invitations and the letterhead paper that was used by the committee was totally different. The logo on it, a drawing by local artist R.S. Huntingdon, shows two men, explorers, emerging from a thick forest, one of them portaging a canoe. They are approaching a lake with a sunset which proclaims “Prosperity for all”. The trunks of two tall trees are crossed by a banner to form the shape of a gateway. The banner proclaims: “The Gateway to the North .” In the corner is the text ” Back to ‘the Bay ‘ Aug. 2nd. to 8th. -1925.” The image is inviting and bids you to walk into the light and the promised prosperity along with the travelers.

Poetry Competition Winner

“Come back to the lake where you fished and swam,/ And rolled on the sun-drenched sand,…”

(Oneita McEwan)

The Women’s Canadian Club held a competition in 1925 for the best poem on the history of North Bay, Old Home Week, or the incorporation of the city. The winning poem by Miss Oneita McEwan was in the “Call to Old Home Week” category.

List of Old Timers

A large number of Old Timers attended OHW and helped to shape the nature of the celebrations. Veterans were remembered on Soldier’s Day. Old Timers played lacrosse and other sports. Mostly, they must have met old friends and reminisced. Unfortunately these stories were never recorded and the guest books that carefully recorded the names of all the guests that registered were lost with the rest of the Board of Trade records in a fire. The names of those who registered with the OHW committee, however, were published in the paper and a full list of these names could be compiled, although in some cases the microfilm is light and hard to read. The names of Old Timers (with the place they came from) published on August 7th, 1925 have been transcribed. Even from these names alone, one can see that people did come from great distances, but more came from Toronto than anywhere else. For anyone interested in these Old Timers from a genealogical purposes, the list is somewhat limited as women are often referred to only as Mrs. John Smith.

List of Old Timers published in The Nugget August 7 1925

Old Home Week Celebrations in North Bay

History of Old Home Week Celebrations

Old Home Week celebrations began around the turn of the last century and took place throughout the Eastern United States and Canada. They were similar to Old Boy Reunions and slowly began to repace them. In Ontario they were particularly popular in the 1920s. Older cities and towns had them to celebrate important anniversaries. Owen Sound used it to celebrate Canada’s Diamond Jubilee in 1927.

Overview 1925

North Bay, Ontario had its first Old Home Week to celebrate becomming a city in 1925. It was held through the first week of August, the Monday being a civic holiday. Provincial government officials were present to hand over the charter of the new city. The week was filled with parades, sporting events, promotions, music, dancing, and entertainment. Invitations were sent out to all the “Old Boys” who, with their ladies, came back from all over Canada and the United States to celebrate and reminisce. The local newspaper, the Nugget, was filled with stories of the week’s events as well stories about the history of the town. Long lists of visiting Old Timers were published in the local paper as well. A special pageant parade was held on Civic Day to commemorate the history of the place since 1615, the year of Samuel de Champlain’s travels through the area. His image adorned the cover of the souvenir book and was a key figure in the pageant parade.

Overview 1935

The second Old Home Week held in North Bay was ostensibly to celebrate North Bay’s tenth anniversary, but really, it was an opportunity to highlight the city as a tourist destination as thousands of visitors began their summer trek north to seek out the Dionne quintuplets, born only twelve miles away, in May 1934. The summer of 1935 they were displayed to the public several times a day. Despite the depression, the week was a success and virtually paid for itself. It had to be organized by local clubs and organizations, however, because the city did not have money to spare for such an event. The cost of providing relief was taking its toll on public funds. The week-long celebrations were very similar to those in 1925 with sports and entertainment of various kinds. There was also a commemorative ceremony unveiling the monument erected by two French Canadian groups in honour of the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s arrival in Canada.

Later Old Home Weeks

North Bay had several other Old Home Week celebrations in the period after World War II. The North Bay public library has a copy of a souvenir book published for the one in 1948, but the exact dates of the others have not been verified. They do not appear to have left a mark in the same way as the first two. From a historical perspective, the 1925 and 1935 Old Home Week celebrations were particularly important because of the records they left as to the early history of North Bay.

For more history, images, and links to documents relating to North Bay’s Old Home Week Celebrations click on the link to the “Old Home Week” tag below.

“Citizens Pay Tribute to Newly Crowned Ontario Softball Champions,” The Nugget, 29 October 1929, 12.

[Transcribed with permission by F. Noël.]

CITIZENS PAY TRIBUTE TO NEWLY CROWNED ONTARIO SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS. THOUSANDS WITNESS PARADE IN HONOR OF ONTARIO CHAMPS.

Events Recalls Stirring Scenes of Old Home Week

Moving Pictures Were Taken of the Entire Demonstration

Memories of Old Home Week were revived on Saturday afternoon when the city was decorated in true celebration fashion and the citizens turned out in large numbers to participate in the civic tribute to the Rinkey Dinks in recognition of their spectacular achievement of winning the Intermediate girls softball title to bring the city its first provincial soft ball title.
It was one of the greatest spectacles seen in the city in years and second only to the displays of Old Home Week in colour and magnitude. As early as one oʼclock an hour before the time the festivities were schedules to commence, Main street was thronged by a gleeful and expectant crowd. In the vicinity of St. Maryʼs Cathedral where the parade formed decorated cars were assembled on all the main and connecting streets anxiously awaiting the call into line. Promptly at 2 p.m. Parade Marshal James A Smith with three bands interspersed in a mile string of floats and decorated cars started the long and colourful file towards Main street. Fire Chief Brady led off with the fire truck second in line and followed by decorated cars bearing Mayor Banner and the city aldermen, city officials, executive members of the various softball organizations, officers of the various civic and service clubs, and others prominent in civic activities.
Next came a string of floats conveying the members of the various city softball teams prominent in the line being the members of the Rinkey Dink team high up on a float […] in the team club colours of purple and white. Following came the Capitol T and N.O. and Kiltie bands at intervals in the parade and with these were a large number of decorated floats […] among which was an elaborate display bearing the name of the Board of Trade. Back of this spectacular array came an almost endless stream of decorated cars to stretch the parade to more than a mile in length. Following down Main street to Sherbrooke the Rinkey Dinks were heralded from all sides and this continued while the parade passed down Sherbrooke street to First avenue west to Ferguson street and on to Wallace Park where the ceremonies of the day took place. Accompanying the parade over the entire length were two motion picture cameras operated by representatives of the Associated Screen News under the direction of John H. Nelson, manager of the capitol theatre.
Arriving at the park the members of the Rinkey Dink club players, coaches, manager and officials were paraded with the Collegiate and Sudbury rugby teams, the Collegiate Cadets, the Girl Guides, and three bands for the purpose of taking motion pictures.

Decorated Stand

Following this the members of the victorious team were escorted to a decorated stand in the middle of the field where they were received by Mayor Banner, members of the city council, officials of the various civic organizations, and officers of the committee in charge of the reception.

Mayorʼs Address

In paying testimony to the guests of the day on behalf of the citizens, Mayor Banner said in part. “This gathering and wonderful demonstration is to convey in some manner our appreciation to the Rinkey Dink Ladies Softball Club of the honor they have conferred on our city by bringing home the intermediate softball championship of the province and to congratulate them on their great victory over the Owen Sound team.
This club composed entirely of North Bay girls has always been a factor in the championship race, having won both the local and Northern titles a number of times and last year were only beaten in the provincial championship by a lucky turn for their opponents. To say that any member of the team was directly responsible for the wonderful achievement of this year would be a mistake. The team play and co-ordination throughout the seasonʼs play is necessary to achieve victory. I hope this will be an inspiration to all other sports organizations of our city.
“The victory of our girls over the Owen Sound representatives has in a great measure compensated the fans of North Bay for the defeat the Trappers sustained at the hands of the Owen Sound team in 1924. Evidently the girls took this very much to heart and when the opportunity came to retaliate they went out to win.
“Again I thank the Rinkey Dinks for the great honor brought to the city and desire to assure them that the citizens are behind clean sport in all its branches. I hope this team, will remain intact and next year go out for the Dominion title.
Acknowledging the tributes paid by Mayor Banner, D.J. Saya manager of the Rinkey Dink club said

Sayaʼs Address

“On behalf of the Rinkey Dinks I desire to express to you their most heartfelt thanks for the wonderful reception you have given them and the many nice things that have been said about them today on their notable achievement in bringing to North Bay itʼs first club provincial championship, and now that the girls have broken the ice I only hope that many more championships of the same nature will come to North Bay in the various other lines of sport.
The road to the championship has been no easy one for the Dinks for they have had to make many sacrifices during their quest for this coveted honor.
“In looking around I see before me many good friends of the Rinkey Dinks who I know have helped them out in many ways during the past few seasons and those of you who have helped along from time to time since the club was first organized right to the present moment, the girls deem this a fitting occasion to express to you their sincere appreciation your many kindnesses on their behalf for great good will shows by all the fans present here today to the girls in their hour of victory greater still has been the loyalty shown to them by those who helped them out and cheered them along when every thing was not sunshine and roses for you have proven yourselves to have been friends in need indeed.
To the Ontario Womenʼs Softball Association and to Miss Mabel Ray their secretary in particular the Rinkeys owe much and I am only sorry that Miss Ray could not be present with us today. This association generously gave the Rinkeys a bye last year so the Rinkeys could compete in the finals against the strong Oshawa and National teams and this year they gave Northern Ontario permission to form the Northern Ontario Ladies Softball Association of which our good friend Mrs. W. Larden is the first president. Miss Ray as some of you know was the first woman to put ladies softball in the province on an organized footing and from a small beginning ladies softball has increased by leaps and bounds until now hundreds of teams are affiliated with the parent body of the O W S A and right now ladies softball is on a very high plane.

Thanks Press

“The girls also desire to thank the press and particularly so The Nugget for the wonderful publicity they have so generously given in the interest of ladies softball.
“As one who has traveled around the province with the Rinkeys during the past two seasons I want to state that at all times the girls have conducted themselves like real sportsmen and always remembered that they were out there representing North Bay. On the diamond they have always played the game and off the diamond they have been perfect ladies. They have made many friends for North Bay during the course of their journey. “Everywhere the girls went in Orillia, Oshawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Cochrane, Owen Sound, and other centres, you could hear it said what a wonderful bunch of girls the North Bay Rinkeys were and I venture to say that North Bay could not have chosen a better bunch of good will ambassadors for the occasion than the same Rinkeys.
“In addition I just want in mention one incident that occurred that will show you the courageous make up of the player in question a makeup that is typical of every member of the team.
Shortly after “Jackie Fellmanʼs” accident at Chalk River the girls called at Jackieʼs home to see how she was progressing and although “Jackie” was suffering intense pain at the time they found her singing the following words of a popular song.
Happiness comes double after a little pain if you want the rainbow you must have the rain. And ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to know that the girls have found the rainbow!”

Presents Trophy

Representing the Ontario Womenʼs Softball Association Mrs W Larden president of the N O W A S presented the intermediate trophy to the team at the same time congratulating them on behalf of the provincial and Northern Ontario Associations. Mrs Larden took occasion to commend the various units of the N O W S A for their activities this season, particularly the North Bay city league and expressed the hope that next year would bring about greater achievements.
Individual awards of medals were then presented to the following by Mrs Larden. Mary Mckee, V. Wilson, M Fellman, Sybil Carr, Zita McManus, Frances Larden, Vada Lee, Eleanor Johnston, Greta Finlay, Gwen Edwards, Sadie Buckley, Flo Johnston, Dot Gore, and Margaret Johnston. Wib Harris Mort Fellman and Fred Ball who were associated in coaching the team were introduced to the gathering.
In accepting the trophy award Frances Larden, team captain said the members of the team, were grateful to the people for their support during the season and more particularly for the reception and tribute tendered them on the occasion of their winning the championship.

Other Addresses

Senator Gideon Robertson, J H McDonald president of the Board of Trade and H Morel also delivered addresses commending the girls on their worthy achievement.
Congratulatory messages and letters were read by Mayor Banner from the following, Freda McGill, captain of the Owen Sound team, Charles Robinson, coach of the Owen Sound ladies, Miss Mabel Ray, secretary of the Ontario Womenʼs Softball Association, Mayor Bibby, Sudbury, W J DʼAlesandro, Toronto, Mrs. W J DʼAlesandro, president of the Ontario Womenʼs Softball Association, and Miss Tony Conacher, captain of the Canadian Ladies Softball Club, Toronto.
Preceding the program the Capitol band rendered O Canada and at the conclusion the T and N O band played God Save the King.
During the course of the program motion pictures were taken of the entire proceedings by two cameramen. These pictures will be shown in the capitol centre at a midnight show Friday and again Saturday afternoon.

Françoise Noel – Nipissing University

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