1999 – 10 YEARS AGO
• The summer reading program at Stettler’s library is running successfully with 70 children attending story time, puppet shows, demonstrations, field trips and nature walks to name a few.
• Sunday’s severe lightning storm knocked out the power in about 150 Stettler residences for about five hours. Six transformers and a cross-arm on a main power line were damaged by lightning strikes and five additional staff had to be called out to deal with the crisis, says Fred Kerschbaumer, ATCO district supervisor.
1989 – 20 YEARS AGO
The 14 Japanese participants in a three-week intensive English language school left Stettler after a tearful farewell. Some strong friendships were formed between host young people and their Japanese guests.
• Following a disastrous fire earlier this year that destroyed the lodge at the Valley Ski club north of Castor, work on a new structure is set to get underway.
1979 – 30 YEARS AGO
• The theme ‘Year of the Child’ inspired many good floats in the Stettler County Fair’s opening parade, making it one of the best in recent years. Organized by parade marshall Jack Armstrong and his assistant Ken Ince, the procession was watched by a crowd of 6,000.
• The Alix Flower Show is always an event of beauty and fragrance, and has continued that tradition this year. Mrs. Marian Ordon captured the grand aggregate prize with Mrs. Joan Moore placing second.
1969 – 40 YEARS AGO
• Karen Strach has returned from the 1969 Canadian National Swimming Championships held at Pointe Claire, Que. She started swimming seriously last September, so her rise to the top has been quite rapid.
• “There are no new girls, no new women. Your great-grandmother was a devil of a clip half a century before you were born. You only knew her when she was wrinkled and hobbling, saying she didn’t know what the world was coming to.” – Stephen Leacock.
1959 – 50 YEARS AGO
• Two young ladies of the Big Valley district, Beverly and Karen Fridulin, were passengers on the transcontinental, which crashed head on into another train. Luckily they received only minor injuries. The girls were on their way to Alaska.
• Dr. Donald McKay, medical officer of health, urges the public at large to get Salk vaccine shots. He is worried about the people between 20 and 40 years – the group considered to be the most susceptible to polio.
1949 – 60 YEARS AGO
• The farmer, who deals directly with the solid, has become an increasingly important and vital citizen. No young man with any aptitude for agriculture could undertake a more fascinating or more profitable career that farming, or one in which he could do more for the welfare of mankind.
• Ed Kelly has a fine collection of old Canadian coins including an 1854 penny and an 1857 half-penny from Bank of Upper Canada. There is also a Province of Nova Scotia coin dated 1856 and a Province of Prince Edward Island penny dated 1871.
1939 – 70 YEARS AGO
•The colt show held at the farm home of Dave Brown of Erskine, was well attended. Of the 29 entries Gordie Anderson’s colt was judged as best, followed by the colts of Joe Anderson and Fred Clark.
• Main Street in Stettler has had transients during the last week. While they do no harm, they are not an asset to the town, and it would be just as well if they were asked to move on.
1929 – 80 YEARS AGO
• The saddest drowning fatality that ever occurred in Buffalo Lake took place at Botha Beach when Edna Payne, 14, daughter of Mrs. George Payne of Botha and Francis and Mary Horton 14 and 15 year old daughters of Mr. and Mrs. H.O. Horton of Botha lost their lives while bathing with a group of friends. .
• George McFadzean has returned home to Stettler after taking part in the provincial tennis tournament in Calgary. He was successful in winning the junior men’s singles championship for the province.
1919 – 90 YEARS AGO
• For rent: A strong, roomy hammock will be rented by the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Full moon also supplied, but occupants must supply their own chaperon. Special bargain of $1 per hour (10 cent discount to school teachers) apply to Carl Hult, Rochon Sands.
• Some of the businessmen of Stettler are forming a company and taking out a franchise to make a start in sewerage. It is expected that the utilities commission will not give the tow much headway on sewer age for some time, and this is about the only way to make a beginning.
1909 - 100 YEARS AGO
• Mr. Tracy from north of Liberal has sold his place for $2,200. A fool and his money soon part and a man that will soon dispose of a claim in Alberta for less that $4,000 is one of them.
• New buildings are jumping up all around in Gadsby, including a huge livery barn being built by Mr. Norrish. Well drilling has started, to give the town water right away, thanks to Messrs, Skinner and MacLeod.