8

Publisher's Message
To Gasilegar District

This special Centennial cd-
ition of the Castlegar News cli-
maxs six weeks of hard intense
‘work by the staff of the Castle-
gar News; but this has more
than been offset by the know-

ined. The preparation of

this issue, has afforded us with
mn opportunity of looking at the
District from its early begin-
nings to its present stature as a
growing industrial area,

It is my hope that this Cen-
tennial edition of the Castlegar
News will give that same sense
of appreciation and understand-
ing of our area to those who
read it.

As publisher of the Castlegar
News I would like to thank al!
those individuals and organiza-
tions who helped make this spec-
ial edition as comprehensive as

HERE AND THERE —

By ARLEE ANDERSON
1 suppose, if I stick to just

one column every Centennial}.

year, I might be safe in putting
one in this special issue. There
was a time when I was writing
one every week, but as the col-
umn was usually about happen-
ings at the Ranch, my family
got so they were afraid to open
the paper. It .was bad enough
getting into predicaments without
having to read about it later.
Favorite predicaments at the
Ranch lately are broken bones —|
shoulder bones, collar bones,

CASTLEGAR NEWS, Thursday, Sept. 11, 1958

s
. With Arlee
ankles — take your pick, we got
‘em,
I feel like the dentist friend
of my Dad's who was always
competing with a fellow prac-
titioner as to who could make
‘the most extractions. Each time
they met they would compare
notes and no matter how many
the friend had pulled, his col-
league had been just a little bet-
ter. : ’

One day he got wise and
said “You tell me first how many
you pulled.” But what really
closed the competition was his
final “Thad one in the

I would ‘like to sincerely]
thank all those who have contri-

4;| buted in a literary way, in the
3 advertising columns, and to all

who have given assistance with
information and pictures,

It would be foolish to say
that with the publication of this
special edition the full history’ of
the Castlegar District has now
been told, It has not.

It has been necessary to keep
a relationship between advert-
ising and editorial content con-
current with the additional ex-
penses entailed in the publication
of a large special edition.

This has meant some mater-
ial has had to be forgotten — for
the present. But as the District
grows and prospers it-is hoped
the Castlegar News will have
another opportunity to present
the history of the area in yet
more detail.

L. V. Campbell,
Publisher,

it is.

Castlegar News.

air all the time!”

I've decided ‘to. make Sep-
tember “Safety Month” at the
‘Ranch. It was going to be Aug-
ust but that was changed after
Lindsay came hobbling in the
other day. What happened? Well,
the horse stepped,on the calf of
his leg.

All Lindsay was trying to do
was jump into the saddle from
the ground. “Look, Ma, no stir-
rups!” What horse was he prac-
ticing on? Why, his own horse
of course, a three-year old colt-

Project number ONE around
here right now is a play house
for Heather, but I’d better not
mention any more about that or
I might let it slip about the roof-
ing job — that is just what it
was — a slip.

Of course, the roof isn’t very 4

high — no more than eight feet
‘and he really wasn't hurt, but it
spoiled entirely the effect of the
‘bawling out Gordon was going

© Health Checked by

The history of education in
the Castlegar District begins after
Robson's first buom ended.

_. With the building of the CPR
‘bridge and the extension of. the
rails, it was unnecessary to use
the lakes as the main avenue of
transportation,

This ended the prosperity of
Robson for a time and scattered
the mining and shipping com-
munity. In a few months the
town was deserted until it was
destroyed by fire a few years
later.

With the coming of new set-
tlers who were interested in
- By 1908, population in Cas-
tlegar and Kinnaird slowly ac-
quired industries such as lum-

to get for throwing that sharp
knife into the good. lumber.
Somehow a scolding just isn't 1
scolding when you are looking
the culprit square in the belt
‘buckle,

Schools Open in Cas
© 10 Pupils in Gastlegar, £0 in Robson
@ School Was Main Community Centra

Nakusp Doctor. ° :

@ Schools Consolidated in 1932 .

tering and brick making..

By 1908 the population Cas-
tlegar was enough for a school
‘to be built — it opened with 10
pupils, Ten more pupils began
school in Robson the same year.

The Castlegar school was
very small and was located in
an uncleared valley so it. didn’t
have much room for playgrounds.
This was made up for by the
tennis courts at the station that
served also for basketball, and
by the hall over Farmer's store
where plays. and concerts were
held.

It is sald that the most fear-
ed punishment in those days
was exclustun from these re-
creational arcas for a period of
time,

The isolation may have been
hard to endure, but it had the
effect of throwing people to-
gether on their own

1

CLASS OF 1930 in Kinnaird.with teacher, Mrs. J. F. Killough.
This picture was taken about. the time of consolidation when
students travelled to different schools in Castlegar:and Kin-
naird for the different grades, The first schoo! was opened in
Kinnaird in February, 1918. Some of the students shown in
this photo ‘are Thelma_and. Alice. Thomas, Jim Killough and

Jack, George and Lois Cowles,

made it desirable
Castlegar. 2

This created a steady grow-.
th which necessitated the expan-
sion of the schools,

In 1932 the Castlegar school
“was consolidated with the Kin-
naird school that opened-in 1917,
The first school bus transported
students both ways,

In 1942 Robson entered the
consolidation and high school pu-

live | in

The early settlers had anything
but a slow time when ‘they could
get together and forget their hard
work for a while at the school
that served as the main

pils were to Robson.
It soon became necessary to open.
classes in halls until every avail-
able place was occupied.

The high school became so
was

ity centre,

in Ci are
ewonderful. So are. Springs, Falls
‘and Winters. We are really en-
joying this summer. Enough vis-
itors to keep it from being lone-
ly and’ spaced nicely so we can
get a deep breath in between.
Two lovely weddings which wil
‘be as high lights of

SHOE STORE

Phone 3641 — Castlegar, B.C., — P. Oo. Box 430

_ "THE MOST WALKED ABOUT
SHOES IN THE DISTRICT”

“We take this opportunity to extend greetings to. the

Pioneers of the District on this, British Columbia’s 100th

Anniversary”

WE HAVE SERVED THE DISTRICT FOR 6 YEARS

the summer — not to mention
the, showers acompanying them.
Lots of swimming and riding for
the family and their guests, En-
joying all our friend’s trips via
post cards enroute and glowing
reports on their return How nice
to be alive and able to celebrate
this Centennial year.

Disrict’s First Paper
‘Brooklyn News

The Castlegar District’s first
jmewspaper was the Brooklyn
News, a weekly printed in Trail
‘and distributed at Brooklyn on
ithe Arrow Lakes opposite Deer
Park. .

also seemed to mak.

2
‘the people free of

to
transport the high school stu-
dents to Raspberry school and

(to construct an annex. Mean-
while, ‘negotiations: and plan-
ning of the present high school
was rushed ahead .

The first plans called for a
six-room high school, but they
had to be changed for the present
school that was enlarged in 1056.

The schools that started in
1908 with 10 pupils in Robson
and 10 in Castlegar have. grown
to 14 schools with a staff of 63
teachers and an enrolment of
1,522 pupils,

The school properties val-
ued at $200 in Robson and about
$500 in Castlegar are now valued
at $1,750,000, School buses bring
650 pupils to school daily and re-
turn them at night.

epidemics. ’

, The health of the school
children was adequately served
by the annual visit of Dr. Yeld
of Nakusp who came ‘and Iook-
ed at everyone’s eyes and ton-
‘sils. .

Any fear of the doctor was
dispelled: by candies dispensed
‘by his good wife. These candies
were a rare treat for most of
the pupils in those days.

Then too, due to the small-
ness of the school and the dec-
tor’s need of ‘some privacy
during his examinations, clas-
ses were let out during his
visit, est

Floods came and. receded.
Years of big and little snows
‘came and went. But ‘Castlegar
changed very little — very little
until the construction of high-
‘ways and the growth of Trail
and the great expansion of in-
dustry there creating overcrowd-
ing and a smoke problem that

LAKEVIEW ‘STORE

AND AUTO CAMP

“As one of the oldest business premises in the

District, we salute-the pioneérs who worked so
hard in the development of this area.”

OPEN FROM 9 A.M, TO 9 P.M.
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

TENT and TRAILER SPACE
CABINS FOR RENT °

GROCERJES.and ‘COOKED MEATS © -
B. A. PRODUCTS

— PHONE 2721 —

BUILDING

KINNAIRD, B.C.

SUPPLIES

J. W. LAZAREFF —

SERVING THE
KINNAIRD
DISTRICT FOR 8
YEARS
e
LUMBER
LATH
PAINT
VENEER
PLUMBING
.GYPROC

Pe mi

: “On this, British

Columbia's 100th

anniversary, we express a .grateful
‘thanks to the oldtimers of.the district
for their untiring efforts in developing.

this wonderful section of the prov-

: ”
imce

WHERE LOCAL
PATRONAGE IS

ALWAYS

APPRECIATED

HARDWARE
SHINGLES
. ROOFING
TILE
LINOLEUM
PAINT
°

CENTENNIAL
EDITION —

Ces ee a
CENTENARY —_ Section Three

@ First Castlegar Fair Held in 1947.
@ Baby Show Popular, but Done Away With
@ Last Year: 1,200 exhibits, 100 Exhibitors

The 12th Annual Castlegar) on such a big responsibility be-
and District Fall Fair will be cause of personal reasons. i

held September 19 and 20. The
years have gone by quickly and
sith each passing year the Fair
has grown and improved tremen-
dously since that first Fall Fair|
held in the Coronation Hall in
Castlegar on August 29, 1947.
It was in the spring of 1947

that Mrs, Ralph Kerr, a member}

‘of the Ladies’ Auxiliary to

the
Canadi: Legion Castl Rob:

son Branch No. 170, suggested
that a Fair might be an excel-
lent way in which to carry out
one of the alms ami objects of
the Canadian Legion and the L.A.
— Community service,

A Fair committee was im-
mediately formed and without
any previous experience in Fair
‘work they proved to themselves
and to the public that it was ‘a
‘very. worthwhile community
- project.

For six years a baby show,
‘was held in conjunction with the:
Fair. However, as the. Fair grew!
larger and better, so did the
baby show and in 1952 it got to
the point where it was difficult
to competently handle it and
it was discontinued.

The Legion was quite inade-
quate to take care of the many)
babies and the ‘crowds of spec-

» tators who came ‘to see the prize
‘winners,

Also, it was almost impos-
Sible to procure a judge from
outside the District and of course
our local doctors, although quite

qualified, were reluctant to take

While the Baby Show lasted
the public got a glimpse of the
many beautiful and healthy
babies there were in this District.
The Harvest Queen was also
‘eliminated that year.

In 1950 the Legion Ladies

came to the ‘ that

CAS

TLEGAR NEWS

Published Every Thursday at “The Crossroads of the. Kootenays”™

VOL. 11, No. 37

CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA,

20 CENTS PER COPY

ed prizes, Now exhibits aré
all so perfect the Judges have
a very difflcutt tlme deciding
on the 1, 2, and 3 prize win-
ners.

After the 1955 Fall Fair it
was evident that it was more
‘than the Legion and LA could
stage successfully and at the
next general mecting an invi-
tation was extended to all ser-
vice clubs in the District to join
the Fair Association,

‘The result’ was that each
section is now convened by a
local ion and ‘this has

the Fair was too big an under-
taking for them so the Legion
came to thelr rescue and be-
gan taking a more active part.

Members from both organ-
izations then formed the Cast-
legar and District Fall Fair As-
sociation and it was definitely
decided that a two-day Fair was
a must,

By this time experience had
taught those woking on the com-
mittees the easier and better
ways to stage the Fair and the
general public learned that
horticultural,’ domestic science
and handicraft exhibits had to
have special attention to make
them. attractive and worthy for
competition.

For, instance, in ‘the vege-
table section, some ibi

proved most satisfactory.

Officers are appointed at
the general meeting and meet-
ings are held once a month in
the Legion Hall.

Mrs. A, Millar was the first
president, followed by Mrs. R.
Kerr, Mrs. H. Foxlee, A. R. Mc-
Gorman (2 years), A. , Weir
(3 years) and J, T, Webster who
thas held that important office
for the last four years.

Secretaries have been Mrs.

L, Watson (2 years), Mrs. E.
A. McDonald (3 years), Mrs. A.
J. Weir (3 years), Mrs. M,
Moonle, Mrs. R. Wadey, Mrs.|
A. B. Hill (2 years), and the
present secretary is Mrs. P.
Oglow.

Mrs." E. A. McDonald has
been tré: P fi for

thought it was only necessary
to go out into the garden and
pull up the bects and carrots,
it really didn’t matter whether
they. -were’ of ‘uniform size or
what they.-looked ike.
Perhaps five of each.-would
be enough instead of six as
stated in the prize list. Then
after the: judging was done
they couldn’t understand why
their entries were. not award-

the 12 years,

The Fair Association is a

profit making izati
—expenses are, as a rule, as
much or more than the income.
Each ‘year the sections are en-
Jarged and the: children’s section
this year. was given a great deal
of consideration in the hope it
would be more attractive to the
younger people and 33 new clas:

es were added, i *

Legion Ladies Starfed Fair; Now Everyone Has a Part

ri

FIRST ROBSON FRUIT FAIR
HOTEL, 1913

HELD AT THE OLD ROBSON

The Fair Board anticipates
that at least $750 will be requir-
ed for prizes. The Kinnaird-
Robson-Castlegar Welfare. and
Recreational Society very kindly|
makes a substantial yearly grant.
The Corporations of the Villages
of Kinnaird and Castlegar are'
generous supporters and dona-.
tions of either cash or merchan-
dise are received from a num-
ber of local and outside compan-
jes and organizations.

\ Without the assistance of
all these good people it would
not be possible to carry on,

Many others contribute time

and work, such as the judges

who come from out of town.

Since the Castlegar and Dis-

trict Falt Fair is affiliated

with ‘the B.C, .Fair’s Associa-
tion and The Robson: Farm-
er’s Institute, the department

Board.

Every year the same ques-
tion arises “Where will the Fair
be held?” It.outgrew the Legion
Hall, the old Coronation Hall
was condemned ond torn down,
and ‘even by using both the
Doukhobor Hall and the Legion
Hall, as was ‘done in 1955, there
was still not enough space and
having part in one hall and part
in another was not good.

* It was hoped that this year
it could be put on in the new
arena but facilities there are
not yet adequate. Therefore the
Castlegar school board is again
permitting the use of the high
school activity room.

In the 1957 Fair there were
over 1,200 exhibits and more
than 100 exhibitors and the Fair
Association is expecting an even
| greater number in ‘this the 1958

of one
judge for the — horticultural

sections, All the other judges|es the setting but it is the gen-

must be obtained by the Fair

for Fall Fair.
‘The Fair Association prepar-

eral public who makes the Fai;

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1958

Chamber of

Commerce

Community Cross-Section

-That Pushes

ere
@ Ghamber Got Distri

a a ® Ht
@ Business Cendition
By W. T.- WALDIE

The Castlegar and District
Chamber of Commerce was or-

ganized. in 1946. by.a group~of
local community-minded men

District Hard
ct its First Bank

s of Prime Importance

airport. Members of the chamber
went to the present airport loc2~
tion on at least two occassions
with trucks and picked up rocks
and other objectionable litter
before the of trans~

with one
in view—to make our communi-
ty a better community.

During its early years the
organization was known as the
Castlegar and District Board
of Trade. The name was changed
to Chamber of Commerce in
1951 when a nation-wide effort
was made to standardize the
name of these organizations
throughout Canada,

In the years since its Incep-
tion the chamber has worked
on projects too numerous to
list, but all of which have made
this area a more . desireable
place in which to live.

I will mention only a few

that come to mind,

The securing of a bank to
be “of service to local residents
was one of our early projects.
That: the chamber hastened the

port or CPA were aware suitable
ground existed.

To the chamber must 29
credit for pointing out the pos~
sibilities of the location which
has since been developed az the
major West Kootenay airport.

In 1951 a group of chamber

members treked with members
of the Grand Forks and Green-
wood chambers along the route
since selected by the depart-
ment of highways as the luca~
tion for this purtioa of the
Southern Tring - Pruvinciol
Highway No. 3.

While progress on this sex-
tion of the highway is slawer
than we had expected in 131,
our service in assisting’ in the
selection of the route: hay expu~
diated the completion ot the
Southern Trans-Provincial Eizh-
way.

establishment of such an insti-

tution is beyond question.
Another carly project we

helped with. was the Castlegar

We Doff Our Centennial Hat!

to our many Kootenoy pionecrs, those who are with us ‘today, and these who have gore before.
They came first and Iaid the foundotion for the life we enjoy.-The prospectors, the miners,
the community builders, the Ieggers, the farmers, the

woad men, the teachers:; . . we must remember

«accomplishments.

the -ch

the rail-
their hard work, their spirit and their

..« to the hundreds of peopfe in the Kootenays who are giving time ond effort in the cities,
* towns and villages .. . to make the Centennial Celebration a success. They are boosting their

the Ke

ond oll of B.C. with their public-spirited endeavors.

Cominco is proud that many who hare worked for the Compeony in the Kootanays, in the post
and in the present, have eamed their Fiace os well in this Centennial Salute.

THE SONSOLIBATED MINING. ‘AND SMELTING

In recent. years our mem~
bership has been about 4i) and

(continued cn page twaj