WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1977, PAGE 7 Brian Winter's Historical Whitby DRUMHEAD SERVICE Sunday's Silver Jubilee 'service of rededication and allegiance to the Queen, ta be held at Iroquois Park, brings to mind the first great Legion drumhead service, held in Centennial Park on Oct. 24, 1937. Branch I12 acted as host to the Ontario Provincial Comnand's annual service that year, which brought about 2,000 veterans from across the province to Whitby. Many important dignitaries attended the service, the most prominent being Dr. Herbert A. Bruce, the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, who was the principal speaker. Prior to the service in the park, a long parade of veterans of the First World War marched through Whitby and passed by a reviewing stand where Dr. Bruce took the salute. The provincial president of the Legion, Lieut-Col. H. R. Alley, led a party of veterans to the Whitby cenotaph for for the laying of wreaths, and the l9th Battaîlion of Toronto attended a service in All Saints' Anglicah Church in the morning. The 16 Dominion Standards carried in the parade were the same standards that were carried for the first time at the unveiling of Canada's war memorial at Vimy Ridge in 1936. At 2:45 p.n. the Lieutenant-Governor and his party arrived at the park and Dr. Bruce inspected the guard of honor. Dr. Bruce was accompanied by Mrs. Bruce, John A. Gunn, honorary vice-president of the Dominion Command, and Col. B. . Hooper, former honorary treasurer of the Dominion Command. Other dignitaries on the platform included Ontario's Attorney General Gordon Conant; Judge D. B. Coleman; Whitby's Mayor Albert Jackson; W. H. Moore, MP for Ontario Riding; and W. M. Letcher, Warden of Ontario County. The scripture lesson was read by the attorney general, and Dr. Bruce delivered an address to the veterans. His address was broadcast over CFRB radio, and was probably the first radio speech ever made in the Town of Whitby. A sound system was also set up in the park to enable the 3,000 spectators to hear Dr. Bruce's address. The Lieutenant-Governor paid tribute to the veterans and the Legion for their service to their country and recalled the dark days of war in 1914-18. He also congratulated the local newspaper the Gazette and Chronicle for its suggestion of naming a park after Viscount Greenwood, Whitby's most famous native son at that time. However, the park was never created. Most of Dr. Bruce's address was devoted to the role of the Legion in peacetime, and his memories of many friends of wartime days who were in attendance at the park. "Here in Canada, the Canadian Legion stands for the maintenance of the democratic way of life, the democratic principles of government that have been so dearly won", said Dr. Bruce. "The Legion is a constant reminder that blood and sacrifice have been the prices paid by democracies for the priceless possessions of freely elected government and political liberty", he said. At this time the world was only two years away from having to fight again for the priceless possessions which the Lieutenant-Governor mentioned. Following Dr. Bruce's address came the Last Post, two minutes of silence, Reveille and the National Anthem. followed by the Hymn, "Fight the Good Fight". The major planning and organization for the drumhead service was carried out by Rev. Ralph Adye, Rector of All Saints' Anglican Church in Whitby, and chairman of the Ontario Provincial PooyvComrittee for the Legion. Corridor Capers September is with us again, and the beautiful lázy, hazy days of summer will soon melt into a colourful autumn. The fiscal year for students and parents now begins. A twofold telephone call came froni the Free Press Community Editor summarizing his recent vacation in England and also providing a gentle reminder that it's Column time again. So here goes. Whitby Curling Club News Open House - Friday September 30, at 8 p.m. Several special ovents are planned for the opening of the new season. An Open House is scheduled for Friday, September 30 at 8 p.m. The Whitby Curling Club invites you to an informal evening of curling films, speakers and a question and answer period. The ice will be ready for practice during the second week of October with a Curling Clinic offered on Saturday, October 15. Free instruction will be provided fromii 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Home of the Sun Life Invitational Bonspiel invites you to drop in and see the club. You'Il enjoy the friendly atmosphere, good facilities and varied activities the club has to offer. The Curling Club is located at 815 Brock Street N., Whitby. Telephone 668-6013. For more information about Business Girls, contact Lorna Solly at 668-6013 /SOFFIT PANEL Continously vented. Fits any soff it width. Apply directly to framing or over old soff it. Soffit Facm and Evestrughs In 1970 he provided the Whitby Historical Society Archives with all the correspondence regarding the organiza- tion of the drumhead service, and numerous pictures of this historic event. after 4:30 p.m. Jovial Paradise Subdivision At the request of the Jovial Paradise developpr, a meeting was scheduled in July to discuss the area residents' input. The developer has tried to incorporate as many of the suggestions as possible. A new draft .plan of subdivision was then viewed by the adjacent residents and the result was very encouraging. The plan will no doubt be discussed at the Administrative Committee sometime this fall. More details later. Ratepayers Association The next executive meeting of the Corridor Area Ratepayers Association will be on Wednesday, September 7 at 125 Northview Avenue. The Annual Meeting and election of Officers will be in early November. No date has yet been set. At this time I would like to express our sincere sympathy to the Preston family and the Sytnyk family. Welcome home to Wilma Van Berkyl who has for the past 2 months, been working with and teaching African natives. We will all be anxious to hear of your experiences. That is all for the first week after a long, beautiful holiday. Call 725-8967 with news items. Have a good week. M. McEachern. Cheetahs Unique Knock It Off Unlike lions, monkeys and Mold which may devel- many other animals, op on natural cheese is not cheetahs don't live in family harmful and is easily groups. Males leave the scraped or cut from the sur- females after mating, and face. mother cheetahs raise their cubs alone. We build warehOUses your way. 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