1963 Smallville Canada

On October 24, 1963 a small town newspaper the Bugle: the Voice of Western New Brunswick, carried these stories, cartoons, advertisements and commentaries.

On the front page, six high school students: Norma Wort, Herve Depow, Gary Stewart, Helen Culligan, Pauline Patterson and David Burhoe were asked about activities that Woodstock Composite High School should develop. While some students talked about more sports and parties, seventeen-year old David Burhoe thought the school could use a student council so students would have a democratic say in school affairs. Another front page article described an essay contest organized by the Kindness Club.

The students had been invited to offer their opinions by The Bugle, a new daily newspaper published by W. Bruce Groh with editor James (Jim) D. Morrison. A subscription cost $4.00/year. The editorial page included a quote from Heinrich Heine, "In these days we fight for ideas, and newspapers are our fortresses."

Page two included a number of reprinted articles such as Christian Science Monitor's "At Last a Policy for Vietnam," New York Herald Tribune's "Czechoslovakia Falls in LIne," the Toronto Telegram News Service reminiscing of WWII moment, La Presse's "Gordon of Reality" [claiming Donald Gordon was a disciple of C. D. Howe, autocratic by temperament not just a dictator who was too conscious of his own worth, blunt in his speech, an enemy of French Canadians, contemptuous of Parliament and a spendthrift with public money.] and La Nouvelliste's "Canada and the OAS" [criticized the Canadian federal government for extending credit for wheat sales to Red China and communist European countries. We should be actively involved in providing food and assistance to Latin American countries first.]

There were two editorials: one introducing the newspaper as a site for free exchange, an effort to broaden horizons and a second entitled, "Not Poor Man's Game." Morrison deplored the high cost of running federal political campaigns: Pearson spent $26,725 to get elected in Montreal while a PCP candidate paid $25, 638 and lost in an Ontario riding.

In the CSM article about Vietnam the main questions was, "How long before our boys can get out of there?" Secretary McNamara and General Taylor were sure that American soldiers would be home by 1965. CSM seem to commend President John F. Kennedy on his policy statement regarding South Vietnam. Diplomatic shrugs had a lot of political capital at the time. Was the US supported the emerging democratic government of South Viet Nam President Ngo Dinh Diem or was it simply supporting the 'people of South Viet Nam' and the American project to rid the region of communism? Would the US snub the sister-in-law of President Diem as the Pope had shunned another Diem relative, an archbishop?

Ottawa encouraged farmers were encouraged to consider using credit through organizations like the Farm Credit Corporation. Women's groups held separate meetings. So women journalists met to discuss the role of women in "radio, TV, Press and Magazine and creative work" discussing Harry Black and other novels and the work of Michael Francis, Micmac artist.

Stanfield, the statesman was battling it out with Deifenbaker the politician for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party.

According to the comics, getting so drunk you couldn't walk drunk was considered to be hilariously funny. It was also a joke that a (wealthy) woman wearing a fur was collecting money for charity towards animals and a father was stealing money from his offspring's piggy bank as a form of taxation.

In local theaters that week, Sean Connery introduced Woodstock youth and the youthful minded to the character James Bond in Dr. No in local theatres. Their parents probably preferred to listen to CBC's Bob Goulet Show playing at supper time three times a week. Mom would later hum "I'm Sitting on Top of the World." (Canadians claimed Goulet even though he lived in Hollywood.) The local Mason's hall was holding a show and dance. The Amazing hypnotist was in town and you could see his show for $1.00. But if you combed the hills around Woodstock and found a chunk of meteorite, Canada's Geological Survey would pay you $100! (Researchers were concerned with the impact of earth's environment on space craft as they returned home.) Country and western singer Patsy Cline had met an untimely death in an accident so her two newly released albums were even more sought after. The life story of Edith Piaf, the Parisian "sparrow" was told as a rags to riches romance. [After Kennedy's assassination, his regal widow Jacqueline, married Onassis who had been Piaf's partner. Piaf did not die rich and happy. She never sang again after losing him.]