 Historians Corner Vol. 1 | No. 5 In my first column in this space several months ago I said that it would often be “frustratingly short” because I may try to present a significant story but be forced by the limits of reasonable length to leave out many details. Well – this will be a perfect example of that.
In March of 2021, as Mission Centre President, I had the task of cleaning out the Porcupine Plain, SK, church building before it was turned over to the purchaser. As a natural “hoarder” of sorts, I had a very difficult day (or two, as the case may be) of throwing things in the dumpster that, if there had been any option, I might have tried to retain. But there was no option. I did retain as many historical documents and books as I could identify. One of those things was a file box full of issues of “The District Leader,” dating from 1961 and continuing into the early 2000’s. I recently reached into the box and brought a handful of early issues home with me, hoping that I could find a thing or two to share with you. Well – there are considerably more than “a thing or two” that I would like to share with you. Having taken so many words to set this up, I now have even less space to share with you. I need a “part 2” to do this justice. The earliest issue of “The District Leader” in the box is dated January 1961. It is noted as “Volume 15, Number 10” suggesting that the newsletter’s origins may go back to 1946. If anyone has any earlier issues in their homes or their congregations, I would be delighted to have a look at them! Please let me know. The front cover states its purpose as: “Published monthly in the interest of all members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan.” Then “page 1” says: “Published by the Districts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.” The names of contributors and their home congregations suggest a far greater influence than those three districts. Here is that list: the Editor, Mrs. M.A. Hanna of Calgary; the Children’s Corner Editor, Mrs. K. Fisher, Torrington, Wyoming; Women’s Page Editor, Mrs. Robt. Allish, Vancouver, B.C.; Business Manager, Mrs. C.B. Gibson, Calgary; District President Column (AB) by Seventy David K. Larmour; Editorial by Lottie C. Diggle (Saskatoon); articles by Elder E. Roy Glomstead; John Lucas; Evangelist Wm. Osler of Edmonton; J.W. Mountenay; Howard and Virginia Fisher, of Covina, California; Calgary Branch report by Vida L. Diaper; Mrs. M. Cornish of Senlac, SK; Roger Yarrington, Pastor, Courtney Rd. Congregation (city?); Ken and Isabella Fisher and family, Torrington, Wyoming; Elder Newton Ward, Pastor, East Alton Congregation, Independence, MO; C.V. Graham, Stake President (Seattle?); Saskatoon Branch News by Lottie Diggle; Fort William (Ontario) Branch Report, Lorena Henderson (for those too young to remember, Fort William was a twin city of Port Arthur and they amalgamated in 1970 to become Thunder Bay). With that I have exceeded my length. I will come back with a Part 2 next month (or the month after) to share some of the interesting content of this 62-year-old newsletter. Comments are closed.
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