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f C 4i;l, HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF (( xmr^m. ALBERTA WHOOP-UP COUNTRY. CHAPTER Number 1 NEWSLETTER February, 1974 Membership in the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, including a sub­ scription to the quarterly Alherta Histoviaal Review, newsletters, and'notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership fees to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta TIJ 4A2 SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1973-1974 President Al&x Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past President Frank A Russell. Box 326 Vice President Carlton R Stewart, 1005-23rd St N Secretary Dr R A Lacey, 1912 - 14 St So Treasurer Mrs Lucille Dalke, 638-9th St So Council Member (1976) - Clarence Geiger, 1265-5th Av A So Council Member (1976) - Ray Schuler, 2630-22nd Av So Council Member (1975) - Andrew Staysko, 1404-9th St A So Council Member (1975) - R I Baker, Box 14, Coaldale Council Member (1974) - A H L Somerville, 1312-15th St So Council Member (1974) - Vacant Social Convener Mrs Nora Everson, 507 Balmoral Hse Social Convenor Mrs Wyn Myers, 1236 - 5th Av A So MARCH MEETING The March meeting of the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, will be held in the Assembly Room of the Sir Alexander Gait Museum on Tuesday, March 26th, at 8:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Judge L. S. Turcotte who will speak on "The History of the Chinook Club, Lethbridge." Born in Quebec, Judge Turcotte came with his parents to Lethbridge in 1912 and attended St, Basil's School and Bowman High School here. In 1921 he received his BA from the University of Alberta and in 1924 was awarded his bachelor of laws degree at the University. He articled in Edmonton and was admitted to the bar in 1925. He practiced law for several years at Vegreville, then at Cardston until 1936 when he moved to Lethbridge. He served in the Reserve Army during the war becoming a captain in 1945. In 1944 he was elected alderman on the Lethbridge city council and served as both alderman and mayor until 1955 when he was appointed district court judge. He ran as a Liberal candidate in federal elections in 1945 and 1949. He has been active in a number of provincial and southern Alberta councils. Including the water conser­ vation council, and has been appointed to several provincial enquiry commissions. In 1968 Judge Turcotte was elected the first (Chancellor of the University of Lethbridge, an office he held until 1971. In 1969 he was appointed Chief Judge of the District Court of the district of Southern Alberta, succeeding Judge E. B. Felr. The district of southern Alberta extends from Red Deer south and has nine district Judges. New OrRanizatlon Formed "Whoop-up Country", in Indian Battle Park, has been taken_over from the Kinsman Club by a new organization, the Whoop-up Country Historical Society. /We may say in passing that there has already been some confusion of the Whoop-up Country Historical Society and the Whoop-up Country Chapter of the Historical Society of Alberta, with members of the latter thinking that a meeting of the former was of interest to them_^/ "Wl»oop-up Country" operates a mine railroad, the replica of Fort Whoop-up, and various concessions in the riverbottom area. If interested in the recreational and historical aspects of our riverbottom area you can become a member of the new organization upon the payment of $2.00 annual dues. Send to: Whoop-up Country Historical Society, P. 0. Box 1074, Lethbridge, Alberta. Dr. Arnie Locatelll was elected President of the new organlzationj Mrs. M. Lynch-Staunton was elected Secretary, while Directors include Cleve Hill, Rick Patterson, Alex Johnston, and others. A meeting of the Society will be called sometime in March. Watch for notice of meeting in the Herald and over QlEC and CJOC. ******* Annual Meeting of Historical Society Poorly Attended Delegates from the Whoop-up Country Chapter to the Edmonton meeting of the Historical Society of Alberta included Alex Johnston, Carlton Stewart, Miss J, Melnychuk, and James H. Carpenter. The meeting, which was the provincial annual meeting of the Society, was poorly attended with only about 30 persons there. Fortunately, there was nothing of a controversial nature brought forth at the meeting. In fact, there was relatively little business of any sort although the meeting managed to expand to fill the time available for its completion. One never ceases to be amazed at the inane items that some speakers bring up on such occasions. The evening banquet was well attended, with 260 sitting down to an excellent meal. George McClellan, retiring Ombudsman, was the guest speaker and did his usual competent job. He received a well-deserved standing ovation at the completion of his speech. Next year's annual meeting will be held in Calgary. ^ ******* Andy den Otter to Speak at University Andy den Otter, Associate Professor of History, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, will speak at the University of Lethbridge on March 7th at 8:00 p.m. in C674. Members of the Historical Society have received a cordial invitation from the History Department to go and hear Mr. den Otter. We should explain that Mr. den Otter is a graduate of the History Department, University of Alberta, and only recently accepted the position in Newfoundland. He did his M.A. and Ph.D. theses on the Gait enterprises in southern Alberta and has become an authority on the subject. Since the history of the Gait enterprises and the history of Lethbridge are one and the same up to about 1910, his talk is a must for those interested in the subject. The title of his March 7th talk is "The Two Faces of Lethbridge in the 1880's", a discussion of the unsuccessful efforts by various merchants and mine officials to create a small Ontario town on the banks of the Belly River at Lethbridge. ******* Mounted Police Conference Part of Alberta's 1974 Salute to the Mountles is an historical conference to be held at the University of Lethbridge on May 12-15, 1974. It will be jointly sponsored by the University and the Historical Society of Alberta. Members of the Whoop-up Cpuntry Chapter are in charge of arranging for the conference and will act as the host chapter. Our planning is based on an anticipated attendence of 300-350. About 10 registrations have, already been received. With this newsletter you will receive a brochure, map of the university and Accommodation form. We hope you will look over the brochure carefully and decide to attend. The Program Subcommittee has arranged for a distinguished list of speakers, many of the nationally known historians. Also, Proceedings of the Conference will be made available in book form and you have the opportunity to pre-order these Proceedings at $7.50. The final version will sell for at least $10.00. The Registration Fee of $20.00 covers cost of a Reception, Banquet, and entitles the registrant to attend the various conference functions, including a showing of rare films. ******* Judge Turcotte was elected the first Honourary President of the newly-organized Whoop-up Country Historical Society on February 18th last. ******* From: The Calgary Herald, December 9, 1908; TWO HERALD MEN ON THEIR TRAVELS' How They Were Frozen Out of Lethbridge—A Fine City Whose Board of Trade Wears Skirts and Wants to Keep Them Clean. In the dawn of a wintery morning the Herald railway campaign missionaries pulled into Lethbridge. Have you ever been to Lethbridge? It is a town whose location is "west of the Hat" or "east of Macleod", according to which way you look at it.. Most of the trains pass there at night and they keep steam up while within the city. If a Lethbridge Board of Trade man were on the platform he would freeze the fire in the boiler. He's that, chilly. Indeed he is. Prosperous Town Lethbridge is a prosperous town and it is said there are lots of nice people in it. But they stay at home and let other people run it. Senator de Veber (not Weber who makes pianos or Faber who makes pencils—just_De Veber, an ordinary Sena_tor), he runs it somewhat, assisted by a gentleman named Simmons ^W. C. Simmons, Liberal MLA/. The latter is one of those whom the Herald spoke of the other day, who would rather be in the deadwood at Ottawa than an active three-spot at Edmonton. Now he is neither. He is just big enough to advise the Lethbridge Board of Trade how to "keep its skirts clean". Really, after Medicine Hat, Lethbridge gave one the shivery feeling that doctors tell about. The clerk at the hotel is more overbearing and prldeful than a governor-general. He can hardly interrupt his Intelligent occupation of counting the cigars in his big glass case long enough to take your money; he inspires in all who meet him that blessed virtue of that meekness which may Inherit the entire earth—^with the exception of Lethbridge. For him nothing exists outside his own counter. And in this he only copies the governors of the Board of Trade for whom exists no Interests outside their own town. Someone Smiles "Doesn't anyone ever smile in this place?" asked one frightened missionary of the other after living there for three long hours. "Not that I've seen," replied the other. "Let's try the hotelkeeper. He'll smile if we pay for it, anyhow." And he did. •, The Message to Garcia We took our message to the Secretary of the Beard of Trade—a very decent chap who' ought to be living among friends.

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