KREW KUTS: A Crossroads Museum Story

By Bernie Krewski

Why do we bother having museums? They require thousands of hours of volunteer labour, and their funding is often precarious. When was the last time you were in one or donated an item that would be of interest to others?

The internationally accepted definition of a museum, as documented in The Canadian Encyclopedia, is a “non-profiting permanent institution in the service of society, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits for the purpose of study and enjoyment.” There are many kinds of museums, but to be a museum, it must have organized collections. From these, visitors can learn about various cultures and their evolution from earlier times. Most museums are operated by groups of dedicated citizens interested in preserving and making available evidence of the past.

Wedding dress sash, bride's shoes, headpiece and invitation.

All Saints Anglican Church when it was located on Main Street, Oyen.

Museums, I find, also tell interesting stories!

Pat Siferd, my esteemed research-partner whose studies includes the function of museums, describes the differences between “objects,” “things,” and “artifacts.” An “object” is something made by humans and used as it is intended – a hammer is an example. A “thing” is an object that no longer serves for which it was designed, like a book acting as a doorstop. An “artifact” can be an object or a thing but for various reasons is given special meaning or perceived as historically significant.

This museum story began with the question: “Who was the magistrate in Oyen about 1920? He was also the Anglican minister.”  

It arose recently when Lorraine Guckert and her volunteer colleagues at the Crossroads Museum and Archives received a donation of objects from a family in Alberta illustrated in this photo. It consisted of a wedding dress sash, bride’s shoes, headpiece and invitation. The latter was from Mr. & Mrs. Gerard S. Peck inviting guests to attend a wedding dance April 11 at the Masonic Hall in honour of David and Edith Peck. The donors believed the wedding occurred about 1920 and involved an Anglican priest who was also a police magistrate.

What would be notable, historically, about such a wedding a century ago? There were at least fifteen weddings reported in The Oyen News in 1919 involving residents of this district!

Here is “evidence from the past” that sheds a few lights on this momentous wedding.

It occurred on April 11, 1929, not 1920 or thereabouts, as reported in The Oyen News April 17 - “Wedding: Peck - Balaam.”  

The wedding of Miss Edith Balaam, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Balaam of Oyen, and Mr. David A. Peck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard S. Peck of Oyen, was solemnized in All Saints Church on Thursday afternoon, April 11, at 2 o’clock, Rev. F.S. Smith officiating.

The bride, given away by her father, was attended by her cousin, Miss Dorothy Fisher of Calgary, while the groom was supported by his brother, Mr. Oswald Peck.

Following the wedding ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. George Balaam, the bride’s parents, were hosts at a reception held in honour of the bridal couple at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard S. Peck on Second Avenue. Here, the many beautiful wedding gifts were viewed by about sixty guests who were present to offer congratulations.

In the evening, Mr. and Mrs. G.S. Peck were hosts at a dance held in the Masonic Hall, about one hundred and thirty guests being present at the function which was a delightful affair.

During the supper interval, the groom made a neat response to the toast “To the Bride and Groom,” proposed by Mr. Ray C. Anderson.

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Peck left the following morning on a motor trip to Calgary, Banff and other mountain resorts.

The good wishes of the entire community go with this popular young couple for their future happiness.

All Saints Church, as older folks will remember, was then located at the south end of Main Street now the parking lot on the south side of Lijdsman Insurance.

There is no history of the Peck family in Many Trails Crossed Here. The only reference is in the “Raddatz and Balaam” histories (vol. 1, pp. 117-118) indicating “Edith Ballaam (Mrs. David Peck) is on a farm near Lacombe.”

That gap in the history of Oyen will be addressed in the next issue of The Echo as well as other historical trails stemming from this wedding.