KREW KUTS: The Town “Effect”
By Bernie Krewski
In her book “The Village Effect,” Susan Pinker illustrates how face-to-face contact can make us healthier and happier. Villages that grow into towns lead to significant improvements in the quality of life is the theme of an academic paper published in 2013.
Oyen became a town on September 1st, 1965!
CARNIVAL
The Kinsmen annual ice carnival was held on March 4. A major feature was the contest determining who would be the carnival queen for 1965. The contestants were: Violet Austin, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce; Yvonne Mills, Assumption School; Wendy Wood, South Central High School; and Sharon Kroker, New Brigden High School.
John Lijdsman was the master of ceremonies. Harry Crace, Kinsmen president, gave the welcoming address. Chris Bespflug, Deputy Mayor, brought greetings to the very large audience. Miss Wendy Wood was chosen as Queen, crowned by Miss Sandra Ball, carnival queen of the previous year. Wendy, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wood, received a beautifully decorated two-tiered cake donated by the Oyen Bakery, among other gifts.
FASHION SHOW
Two fashion shows highlighted the coming of spring in this district, a collaborative effort of the Oyen United Church Women, the Women’s Auxiliary of the RCAF base at Alsask, and Carol’s Apparel in Oyen. The event in Oyen on April 2nd was preceded by a similar show in Alsask on March 31. The setting for the Oyen show was a spring theme while the Alsask stage was elaborately decorated in a rose arbour effect.
While about 250 tickets were sold for the Oyen show, attendance was reduced by fifty percent due to adverse road conditions.
The models were Sandra Ball, Kay Clark, Carroll Currie, Janet Dickenson, Evelyn Ferguson, Rose McDonald, Julie Smigelski, Vi Stewart, Ann Sugden, Joyce Wilson, and Helen Zilinsky. Carroll Currie, a professional model, spent many hours preparing the models for this gala event.
The fashion convener for the Oyen show was Mrs. Ella Connors. Commentators were Mrs. Jocelyn Kunert and Mrs. Carol Schaefer. Music was arranged by Mrs. Beth Fenske and Mrs. Jane Barnum. Janet Gripp, accompanied by Georgia Sullivan, sang the melody “Alice Blue Gown.”
The smooth functioning of the event resulted from the efforts of Alys Rae, Val de Vry, Mrs. Dalpe, Mrs. Inglis, Faye Ball, Mrs. A McCrae, Doris Byler and the promoters, Mrs. W. Palmer and Mrs. C. Bespflug.
Pat Siferd, my “fashion consultant,” in reviewing the news summary of the fashions displayed, says the “shifts from Boussas cotton, a fabric recently shown by Paris models in Edmonton” would likely have been the highlight of the wide-ranging apparel that was modelled.
SCHOOL GRADUATIONS
The South-Central High School held its graduation exercise for nineteen students on May 14. The processional march played by Mrs. Jane Barnum started the proceedings, followed by brief remarks by Tom Sugden, principal and master of ceremonies. Exercises opened with a salutary address by Rupert Snell followed by a “Tribute to Parents” by Cheryl Carroll. The parents’ response was given by Mr. W.B. Palmer. Dixie McMullen was the valedictorian. The class history was read by Brian Vanstone. Velma Thurston and Diana Ball delivered the “Class Prophecy.” Mel Fenske, superintendent of schools, presented the class pins. A vocal selection during the ceremony was sung by Mrs. M. Wichlinski. Entertainment after the lunch was provided by the Hamlet singers.
These were the graduates: Sandra Ball, Sally Bedwell, Ricky Brodie, Cheryl Carroll, Paddy Conway, July Helm, Shirley Jaques, George Love, Jim McCracken, Dixie McMullen, Don Palmer, Doug Palmer, Clifford Qually, Judy Qually, Williard Schmidt, Leigh Schroeder, Reg Siegel, Rupert Snell, and Helen Zilinsky.
Graduation ceremonies were held in New Brigden on May 7 for Gloria Ness, Marilyn Symes, Barry Blair, Clayton Foot, Darwin Kraft, and Walter Kroker.
In Youngstown the graduation list consisted of Ronald White, Bill Paetz, Gary Turnbull, Clarence Stilling, John Laughlin, Gloria Armstrong, Margaret Bergen, and Beverly Golby.
The graduates In Cereal were Carole Johnston, Linda Barrack, Gail Marr, Linda Halpenny, Diane McCallum, Bill Davis, Joe Diakow, and Paul Caskey.
SWIMMING POOL/KINSMEN
The work of the Kinsmen and Kinette Club, building the swimming pool the year before, remained newsworthy on several occasions during 1965.
At the Kinsmen district meeting held in Edmonton May 28-29, the Oyen Club received the Provincial Tom Shandro Award “for their untiring efforts in promoting the swimming pool project in Oyen” which officially opened in August 1964 (MTCH, v. 2, 326-328). The news article noted the club’s small membership (26) and the various methods of fundraising – bingo games, turkey shoots, and auction sales - supplemented by many hours of labour by members. The Kinettes also contributed through various projects – raffles, teas, and rummage sales. The Oyen project was selected by the fifty-two Kinsmen clubs in Alberta. The provincial body recommended that the Oyen Kinsmen project be considered for the Hal Rogers National Service Shield in September. That recommendation was accepted and in October thirteen members from Oyen travelled to the zone meeting in Calgary where they received the award.
RODEO AND RIDING
The Oyen correspondent for the Hanna Herald, Merle Berg, extended congratulations to Miss Diana Ball who won over six contestants in the rodeo queen contest at Lancer SK on May 23. Diana is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ball of Oyen. She also won third in the ladies’ barrel race. Jim Ball, her father, placed second in the barrel race for men. Fred Walker of Oyen won third prize in the bareback event.
RODEO AND RIDING: Miss Diana Ball.
In early August “Oyen Riders” were once again prize winners at Clearwater SK. Fred Walker won second money in the bull riding event. Diana Ball won second in the ladies’ barrel race. Jim Ball won fourth in the men’s barrel race. Then at the Empress Rodeo, Fred Walker won first prize in the saddle bronc and fourth in the bareback event.
In July the East Central Riding and Roping Club moved from their regular spot on the sports grounds north of town to an area one-half mile south of Oyen. This became necessary due to the construction of the new cleaning plant occupying part of the racetrack. The customary trail ride tentatively scheduled for early August was cancelled due to the large crop of mosquitoes and late farming operations.
BULGING SCHOOLS
The closing of the Greenmound School due to a teacher shortage in addition to the grade ten classroom at the Separate School left Oyen schools in every grade “Bulging at the Seams” in September.
The teaching staff for the 1965-66 school year consisted of the following: Mrs. R. MacDonald (grade 1); Miss Ordog (gr. 2); Sharon Lockhart (gr. 3); Miss J. Willms (gr. 4); Mrs. D. Kalancha (gr. 5); Vi Stewart (gr. 6); Don Bamber (gr. 7); Walter Kalancha (gr. 8); Marshall Dzurko (gr. 9 & vice-principal).
These were the High School teachers: Mr. T. Sugden, principal; Mrs. J. Barnum, Mr. Rae, Mr. R. Kopan; and half-time teachers Mrs. G. Sullivan and Miss R. Baker. Other teachers included Mrs. J. Aikens – Home Economics; Mr. J. MacDonald – industrial arts; Mr. H. Kroeker - Helmsdale school; Mrs. Olive Sutherland - Acadia Hutterite colony.
THE ARTS
Artistic expression in various forms is integral to the soul of community life. In this regard, teachers and students at the high school took a major theatrical step by creating a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta “HMS Pinafore” in Oyen on December 16 & 17, Cereal December 19, and later in Medicine Hat on CHAT-TV Hat. This comic opera was first performed in London England in 1878 and ran for 571 performances.
THE ARTS: From left, front row: Clark Huston, Mary-Ellen Levick (Wiechnik), Tom Thayer, Velma Thurston (Pearen), Willard Schmidt, Judy Schmidt, Brian Vanstone, Dianne Colley (Colley-Urguhart), Allan Berg, Lorraine Warwick (Weller), Terry Pearen. On stairs, from left, bottom to top: Judy McKenzie, Linda McRae (Rider), Stephanie Dumanowski, Connie Skappak (Conway), Val Brookman (Johnson), Jo Ann Norris (Smigelski). Beside the stairs: Charles Pederson and Eric Astell. At back, on right, front: Diane Gummo (West), Judy Norris (Love), Darlene Snell. Behind them: Gerry Pearen, Lyle Huston.
In a front page story in the Hanna Herald, L. Liehr thanked Mrs. Barnum, the director, Miss R. Baker, the producer, and Mrs. Georgia Sullivan, the choreographer, for their leadership. She added: “For all students it was a new and rewarding experience which will be cherished for years to come.”
The original creators of this comic opera instilled their creation with humour and absurdity – imagine a pinafore, a garment for women, symbolizing a warship? That theme held true in Oyen high school’s production. The “make-up kit” was forgotten in the Cereal production and “one of the high school boys made a dashing return to Oyen to retrieve it.” When the cast arrived at the TV studio in Medicine Hat, “the boys’ costumes were left behind in Oyen,” requiring another emergency rescue trip!
Minor details. As the news accounts reported, H.M.S. Pinafore brought “fame, fortune, and fraternity” to this community.