Page 2, Wednesday, July 20th, 19/i, WHITE3Y FREE PRESS THE GOOD OLD TIMES ARE GONE.. MOST TIMES WHEN OLD - - - - OLD TYMER~ This historical County Town will again this civic holiday weekend, con- tinue to follow an aId tradition which began in the early days of the last cen- tury, years before the arrival of the automotive age and the development of our roads and super highways when distant travel by horse and carriage was limi ted, thus compel1 ing our small1 population to remain close to home. .-.. i was seven years of age in the year 1900. My most vivid memories go back to that period and the years fol- lowing. I realize now, just how for-' tunate my family was to be the proud possessors of one horse named "'Maud" and a carriage with the "fringe on top". Ouronlyfamilypleasure outings by horse and carriage were in the summer, which seemed to start on the Queen's Birthday, May 24th. That day, I re- cal1, seemed to be reserved for the nearest feature attraction, that being the memorable "Brooklin Fair " held in 3rooki1in's n i c e i y wooded park, im- media t ely west of the Sebert House Labor Day in September was a quiet day in Whitby as hundreds of our res- idents visited Toronto via Grand Trunk Railway, leaving here early morning to witness the great Labor Day parade and the Exhibition in the afternoon, to return late evening, same-day. This coming weekend, Whitby will again entertain its visitors and res- idents with an elaborate entertainment Hotel on the main village street. Crowds ofpeople from ail surrounding farms and villages patronized that ear- lyannual event. Whitby residents and points North to Manilla had the advan- tage of rail passenger service daily. Our County Town of Whitby summer ce 1 lebr at ions were held annually on July Ist and Civic Holiday (always on the first Monday in August). t h r e e day po g ram, from the giant street parade opening to carnival fun and sporting events in the various town parks. Detailed programs, including one in this newspaper, are available for direction. Tempus Fugit Was it the iyricsof a song that s a i d, "Turn back t h e universe and gi\'e me yesterday ? Well, let our Free Prèss readers turn back their clocks just seventy-four short years to wit- ness one of our most historical cele- brations. ARE GOOD T h e street p a r ade pictured here be gan on Brock Street North at the Royal Hotel on July lst, 1897 to honour QueenVictoria on her Diamond Jubi lee or sixtiethyearreign over the British Empire. Observe closely the dress style of that period worn by the women side- walk spectators as well as the pro- cession participants, the long dresses and skirts, the open parasols held high over the fancy mill inery on their heads, all in their Sunday best. In that early period most people had week day clothes and "Sunday clothes", which were worn only on Sundays and speci al occasions to church, funerals, music hall concerts and to other more formal events. Upon arrival of the automotive age, things began to cha.nge slowly. . . first the replacemen t of the plank s i dewalks. Later, paved roads, complete extinc- tionof theliverystables; coal oil lamps to steam generated electricity, then hydro power replacing steam, rural hydro for power and lighting on sur- round ing farms, rural telephones, town water pumps and wellIs to water- works system, el imination of al i septic tanks to sanitary sewers, connecting all buildings. Whitby was one of the f i r st towns in Ont a r io to install the most modern sewage disposal plants in 1913 for the prevention of lake pol- lution. Then came the elimination of coal andwood for gasoil and elec- tricity. What towns in this country with a population under 5, 000 can match these facilities in preparation dating back to 1913, awaiting not installation but e x p a n s i on, to a system almost debt free, ready to welcome growth through commerce and industry, andstill on the the way, restore much of the quality we lost during our post world war 2 growth to 24, 000 inhabitants?