50 years ago, McLurg High School celebrates 60th anniversary

50 years ago

McLurg High School celebrated its 60th anniversary with many alumni returning to Wilkie for the festivities. During the reunion, the gym was dedicated as the Neville Robson gymnasium in honour of Mr. Neville Robson, who was a teacher and principal at the school from 1940 to 1971.

Racehorse Senga Jane, owned by Howard and Agnes Simpson of Unity, and raised by Don and Gloria Haight, won her second harness race in Edmonton, Alta.

Wilkie welcomed a new doctor, Dr. Cyril Press, who took over the practice of Dr. Dubianeski.

Frying chicken was selling for 55¢ a pound at Superior Foods Shop-Rite.

20 years ago

Delegates from the Luseland Garden Club toured their community and awarded “green thumb” stakes, designed and painted by April Honeker, to Frank and Rita Beausoleil, Val and Bob Finley and Clementine Fischer.

Troy Winterhalt was invited to Calgary by the WHL to attend a refereeing development camp.

The McCrea cattle farm in Baldwinton was officially declared free of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy).

Almost 300 people attended the field day at Scott Research Farm.

In The Northwest Herald, a letter to the editor and Dan Feser’s editorial both supported the new concept of a “safe grad” wherein drinking alcohol was allowed but the activities were supervised by parents. The 2003 safe grad was held in the Unity Community Centre, but when a member of the public complained to police about underage drinking, RCMP had to respond. Feser and the letter writer implored residents to think of the alternative – unsupervised bush parties and all their attendant risks.