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looking back a good yew 1934 bymarkniblett 1934 was an in teresting year it was the deepest and darkest of the depression years soup kitchens were a common sight in canadian cities in 1934 the whole world was excited over the birth of the dionne quintuplets mackenzie king was prime minister of canada and ramsay macdonald headed the k british government it was in 1934 that adolf hitler became fuhrer of germany and- benito mussolini started to build up to a war with ethiopia the queen mary was n launched bruno hauptmann was arrested for the lind bergh kidnapping john diuinger was killed in chicago i it was the year of the morro castle disaster the year that soviet russia was admitted to the league of nations these were the big events the memorable of a blue ribbon or two maybe their wives would be hard at work in the kit chens- baking pies and cakes preserves would be turned out amid clouds of steam destined to represent the family in the food exhibition death takes a holiday with frederic march and evelyn venable to us perhaps the food prices advertised in this issue are the most poignant of all c leadbetter son offered round steak at 17 cents a pound porter house roast was the same price while shoulder veal went for 13 cents a pound and blade roast for twelve mountains of- food ham devilled eggs loaves of bread vegetables would be packed into baskets for the great adventure the by the time that issue partylines would buzz was on the streets people with gossip and plans for- would already be pouring the fair the men would take a shrewd look at their animals the hog now fine fat animal he is well worth putting him in the show that pony might do well in the horse show lets gef him curried and exercised on the eve of the great day the markham economist sun would whip enthusiasm to a new pitch great black all- capital headlines in the october 4 issue- proclaimed markhams into town the modelts and chevrolets would be parked along main street families from outlying farms would be staying with friends- or relatives or finding accommodation in a hotel or boardinghouse those who came latei or were reluctant to v pay for lodging might spend a night in the car or find a bed on the straw in the grounds historymaking things in j that happened in 1934 friday morning just as important to preparation day reveals thousands of people though was a local event the 79th annual markham fair many very innovations the preparations p must have been going on for weeks perhaps months the fair board members would be arranging all the details of the event prizelists had to be printed the buildings and grounds made ready invitations had to be sent to special guests village v merchants would have been busy too grocery stores and restaurants would order extra food gas stations would make sure there was plenty of fuel on hand hotels would brace to receive the influx of fair visitors the town and township police forces would make ready in their own- ways the great day alas did not dawn sunny and clear rather the skies were dark and heavy clouds threatened rain all morning the t weatherman was not in important me best of numor was the way the economist smaller headline sun p il soon mou smaller headline me douds roued away e or as the florid jour nalism of those days said old sol came to the rescue in all the brightness of his smiling countenance remember the grandstand at markham several years ago fair condemned demolished assured readers show off to good start tcday and promised that the fair would be the best yet many new features that have been introduced this year would be seen the story predicted and event habitues of the event would s find something new they can no longer say its the same old thing over again for all that the story lamented the changes and said that the fair is in an entirely new age now and regretted the good old days those whoknew it even twenty years ago will see many changes and think of the good old times when the people came by wagon loads and train loads and for miles on foot and stayed for two or three the weatherman was apparently not the only one who wouldnt- co operate a firm of con cessionaires had been granted privileges to run the midway that year but they backed out on short notice the fair board members had to scramble to find a sub stitute but in the end everything came off well in what might represent a deepseat distrust of certain food the newspaper report stated that there was no lack of hot dogs or other games of chance vacations would day while the old town probablybe deferred in g jtself lip to a real order to have the full strength of the force available for traffic duty patrolling the grounds good holiday and everybody was happy and performing other days the economist tasks related to the fall sun said people have it event all through sep tember the preparations would gather intensity at the schools the students still not reconciled to classroom confinement after a summer of freedom wouldjexcitedly discuss the fair teachers might assign s special projects in pen manship or art with a view j0 displaying something at the fair on the farms it would be harvest season a farmer might pause in his labours to consider his entries in the forthcoming competitions this sheaf- of wheat that squash these potatoes they should go in the fair a fine healthy crop this year with the prospects the expected crowds of people showed up at the fair iri such numbers that the parking lot and- in these soft modern groundsoverflowedonto the surrounding streets some things it appears never change easier people step into their luxurious cars and in a few minutes arrive at the grounds where they spend a few hours instead of days and thus the pleasure becomes short lived and is soon forgotten this article con cluded with a ringing exhortation to do your best to boost the fair another story promised untold delights to be found in the junior farmers annual grain show guests of honor was to be colonel deacon president of the cne f the fair had to compete with other forms of entertainment even then the stanley theatre was showing judging by the report the visitors were in a jolly mood as well certainly there were enough events to keep them amused judging of the various exhibitsmust have been a popular if nervewrecking event the judges would examine test confer and award the ribbon then one presumes beat a hasty retreat on saturday alone there were 19 different horse events ranging from a pony race to a competition for draft horses i the junior farmers must have put on a good show as the chronicler notes the exhibits in most classes were quite up to the average while the junior farmers display of grains etc surpassed anything heretofore undertaken by the club saturday night must have seen a mass exodus of visitors as thefair closed its doors the issue of the economist sun for october scarries a frontpage report a full column long concerning traffic accidents that evening whether or not there is any connection between the traffic and the fair is not stated under a headline reading motor accidents numerous here on saturday last an anonymous reporter the scribe detailed the disasters two men seriously injured four more bat tered gashed scratched and bruised three cars arid a truck wrecked beyond redemption and another car and truck damaged was the sum total in the accident arena saturday evening continuing in a style which would get him fired instantly from any newspaper in the world today ithe scribe went on todetail the accidents his prose is jstudded with unlikely comparatives the car looked as if someone had planted a stick of dynamite in each corner and set them all off at once if you get the idea that one though escaped relatively un scathed compared to a of other un- fortunate individuals two more cars looked as if they had been dropped off the empire state building and then struck by a locomotive while the occupants at least two of them looked asif they had come off second best in a brawl with a buzzsaw by car and train the weary fairgoers wended their way home already making plans for next years markham fair now its time for the 120th markham fair and the event has lost none of its popularity anything that can draw en thusiastic crowds year after year in good times or bad should have little to fear in the future welcome to the fair and while you are in markham dont forget to drop into jll pharmacy tw71 where couhis are a markham shopping centre