Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.08.1980, Síða 5

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, IIÁTÍÐARBLAi) 1980
Picnics and Coffee
Cont from page .3
gatherings became a weekly diversion during the late
event at the home of my afternoon. Occasionally a
parents. People came from volunteer would insist on
distant areas up to 15 miles taking part, having reached
away. People were the summit of a joyful mood
becoming more mobile brought on by friendly
through the acquisition of participation in a distant
motor cars. wood, where the sins of
As World War I receded alcoholic consumption had
into the background the given him confidence,
approaching mid-twenties courage, and a feeling of
brought changes. Icelanders physical strength. The more
from the area were enthusiastic cheer leader
graduating from university, had probably shared in the
others attended the old delectable liquid of their
Normal School on William fellow compatriot.
Avenue, to become This was a combined
teachers, sometimes in the school picnic for children
area of their youth or in that attended the three
close proximity. Invariably schools. The competition
the schools in Icelandic was keen between in-
areas had teachers of their dividual children
own background. That gave culminating in events
the communities a greater between the top winners in
feeling of closeness to the each school, while the
schools. baseball teams battled it out
One of the pleasant oc- for top honours.
casions during summer People arrived on the
would be a school picnic. transport that was
One such annual picnic was available. Horse-drawn
the combined picnic of wagons, democrats,
Vestfold, North Star and buggies, bicycles, and the
Stoney Hill schools. It was famous old Model-T-Ford
held at the end of June or touring car. There were
early July as the schools other makes such as Gray-
closed during summer. The Dorts Chevrolets, Maxwells,
location would be central to McLaughlin-Buicks, but it
the schools that were about was the Model-T-Ford that
six to eight miles apart in a Jed in popularity.
straight line roughly north to During this period Lundar
south about 10 miles east of had an annual field day that
Lundar. The selected site included events for all age
would be a ha'y meadow groups from far and wide.
away from buildings in close The notice of the picnic
proximity to a' bush that listed all events including
afforded shelter and privacy prizes. This notice appeared
when required. The use of in printed form that was
the land would be distributed widely and
generousiy donated by the displayed in general stores
farm owner who obligingly beside other interesting
cut the grass with his horse- notices, such as, auction
drawn mower. Preparations sales, dances, haylands for
were made by volunteers rent, inquiries as to lost
who laid out a baseball cattle and occasionally a
diamond, sand pits for notice informing farmers as
jumping, distance markers to when the pure-bred
for foot races and a stand stallion would be in the
for the ladies to serve area.
drinks, chocolate bars, ice The events were a wide
cream, coffee and baked range of field and track
goodies. There the stove competitions. Baseball was
would be set up to heat one of the main attractions,
water for coffee or to wash attracting ball teams from
dishes. This shelter would distant points. The program
be made from green poplar had a number of novel
poles cut out of the bush on events. One was a slow car
the site, nailed together with race, in which the declared
a sunshade roof consisting winner would be the
of tree branches with automobile that came in last
leaves. while travelling in top gear.
The sporting events were Stalling on the race course
baseball, foot races, meant disqualification. The
jumping, with novelty events automobiles at that time had
such as three legged races, four cylinders, with
sack and wheelbarrow primitive electrical systems.
races. For the ladies there Generally they performed
would be such events as poorly at slow speeds but
running while carrying an improved at higher speeds
egg on the end of a spoon. of 10 miles per hour and
For the men there was the literally began to fly apart at
ever exciting tug-of-war 25 miles per hour with
humorously approached considerable risk to life and
with friendly fun poking limb.
remarks. It was a friendly Another interesting item
event that gave a happy was the greased pig event.
5
A young porker would be wore bell bottom trowsers,
thoroughly covered with smoked cigarettes, and
slippery black axle grease wore pompadour hair
used on wagons. The styles, combed straight back
participants would gather in held in place by an ap-
their Sunday clothes at a plication of vaseline, if you
designated spot. The were a modern Beau
squeeler would be released Brummel.
and run in all directions, Things were happening to
across prairie, through the Model-T-Ford. Younger
bush, fences, back yards men were beginning to strip
and mud with the surging off the car bodies, lower the
crowd making individual steering wheel and build a
tackles, only to lose the hold bug-style body. As all Fords
as the slippery swine slid had been black they adopted
out of his hands with a bright colours, red being a
screech, leaving the tackler favorite.
covered in grease and mud. These popular bugs had
The reward was ownership no fenders on top. The
of the pig, to the losers a wheels would envelope the
double barrelled un- vehicle in a cloud of dust on
pleasantry from a disgusted cross-country trails or roads
wife that frowned upon such that were not hard sur-
abuse of Sunday clothes faced. During and after rain
brought on by the staggering storms mud from the wheels
effects of alcohol. would fly into the air 20 to 40
The day culminated in a
dance which completed the
exhaustion of the younger
crowd, who reflected the
new trends. Girls had
adopted short hairstyles,
disgarding the long Vic-
torian style tresses of their
mothers. Bloomers were in
vogue for outdoor events.
They were large and b'aggy
blue or black serge with
wide pleats culminating at
the knees to be continued
down to the toes by mat-
ching cotton hose or
shocking bare legs. The boys
SPECIALIZED DRAPERY
CLEANING
fold finishing
CONGRATULATIONS . . .
to the Icelandic people on the occasion of the 91st
Anniversary of their Annual Celebration Day
at Gimli, August, 1980
TOV'N or
SELKIRK
feet. Regardless they were a
joyful pride to the owners.
During the latter part of
the twenties, Oak Point
came back into the fold with
a well attended annual field
day each July lst. The
events were the same, field
and track, baseball with
pony racing an added
feature. Oak Point was a
mixed ethnic community
largely Icelandic and Metis.
These were important
social events of childhood
and youthful years. The
nostalgia of the times
remain an ever recorded
memory, pleasant to recall
duriijg moments of leisure.
The dust, the heat, the
discomfort, the tired feeling-
fade away as memory brings
back those wonderful people
it was a privilege to know.
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