Item

Armistice 1938

St. Croix Courier
Nov 10/1938
Shire town Items—Twenty Years After. On Friday of this week twenty years will have passed since the signing of the Armistice to end the World War. To those of the generation which lived through the trying years of the war without active participation in it, perhaps the outstanding memory is that of the sense of joy and relief experienced when news came that the Armistice had been signed. To the men who fought and survived there will be a thousand poignant memories. But the younger generation growing up can recall nothing of those years. On this Day of Remembrance what may these young people be taught to remember? First of all that war to end war is a fallacy, that conflict is most easily avoided by tolerance and sympathetic understanding, and difficulties overcome by op-operation and unwavering determination. Let them be taught to remember forever the story of the Great War with its contrasts of folly and wisdom, its moments of black grief and exultant joy, its greed and self-denial, its extremes of degradation and glory, but that most particularly this story should be recalled to memory when men and women and boys and girls stand with heads bowed in silence on the day we now name Remembrance Day.

St. Croix Courier
May 17, 1945
Shiretown Items
Celebrating Victory
St. Andrews took two days off from regular labours to celebrate the victory in Europe. On Monday afternoon flags and streamers began to appear all over town as a signal of public rrejoicing. All through the night the old town bell rang out its joyful notes at frequent intervals and the fire siren sounded is mournful wails. Exurberant youths and oldsters with no less enthusiasm succeeded in keeping the twnspeople awake most of the night. On Tuesday morning a service of Thanksgiving held in the Anglican church was largely attended. In he afternoon a parade headd by tracy Johnston, our local comedian, in costume and with an effigy of Hitler dragging by the neck, made a circuit of the town. Tracy was followed by a band made up of represenatatives of at least three generations of bandsmen—boys in the vigor of youth, men in the prime of life, and old fellows with their bald heads and false teeth were in there blowing their heads off, mostly local talent, but one from Deer Island, one from St. Stepen and one from as far away as Boston. They made a big noise and besides the regular selectiosn of band music played “jam sessions” including everting from “Tipperary” to “How Dry I Am.” The band was followed by the veterans of the first World War—after them came the High School Cadets in uniform, next the girl Cuides and stringou tfor miles behind were gaily decorated cars containing civilians. After circualting about the town for an houre a halt wa made at the public square where hundred of people were assembled. The band played a few more selctions and Tracy after a suitably vitupertive address touched a match to the already much hanged Hitelr, and whetehr from the quality of oil which the assasin had used in saturating the body or from the vile and stinking life the victim had led, the fume arising from the effigy stank in a manner capable of affending the most hardened nostrils. After this exhibition a couple of hours were spent in holding foot races for the children. In the evening anoehr band concert and fireworks were enjhoyed, and then a dance lasting well beyond midnight. Wednesday was spent mostly in recuperating but in the evening the same conglomerate band played again for an hour, their program being interspersed with songs by the childrne. Altogether it was “a great two days” and long to be remembered.