Over the past few years several of the municipalities in Wellington County have staged reunions, usually in connection with a significant anniversary. The idea originated in the 1890s, and it peaked in the early years of the 20th century. In those days, the reunions were usually tagged “Old Boys Reunion” or “Old Home Week.”
One of the most successful took place in Arthur exactly 100 years ago. As was customary for those reunions, serious planning began at the beginning of the year. The unusual factor in the Arthur reunion was the Arthur Old Boys and Girls Association of Toronto. That group included almost 200 former residents of Arthur and area, and gathered in the Queen City regularly for banquets and other social activities. Indeed, the reunion may not have come off at all without their support and participation.
The other key factor was the Arthur Enterprise News. Publisher H.E. Bywater sat on the organizing committee, and gave it plenty of publicity. In the early 20th century, a good portion of a weekly newspaper’s circulation was to former residents. Bywater printed envelopes that he sold at the newspaper office and through Buschlen’s Drug Store, and encouraged residents to use them for all their correspondence. The dates, August 9 to 12, were printed in large type across the tops of the envelopes.
The final arrangements for the reunion were discussed in Toronto July 10. D.T. Small, H.E. Bywater, J.M. Kearns, and T.B. Farrell of the Arthur committee attended at Toronto’s Iroquois Hotel.
The Toronto group had chartered a train to leave Toronto Aug. 10 at 8am. Joining the Arthur natives on board would be the 48th Highlanders and the Toronto Musical Society. Small outlined the program, which included sporting events and music by bands from Harriston, Elora, and Hamilton. The committee agreed to adjust the plan to be more convenient to the Toronto contingent. One addition was highland dancing – the Toronto people had talked some Scottish dancers into coming. Bywater announced he planned a special souvenir newspaper issue. President Alex Goodall of the Toronto group said his group wanted 200 extra copies.
Also participating was a new group, the Arthur Old Girls Association. Everyone that night believed the reunion would be the biggest event in Arthur’s history. The committee spent much of July lining up accommodation. Residents prepared extra sleeping space. The hotels, especially M.J. Brown of the Arlington, made special preparations but they could only accommodate a small portion of the visitors.
Visitors began pouring into Arthur on Aug. 8, the vast majority on Canadian Pacific trains. The downtown was gaily decorated by a professional firm, J.J. Turner & Company, of Peterborough. There was bunting everywhere, flags of dozens of countries, and banners with messages such as “God Save the King,” “Arthur Welcomes All Her Daughters and Sons,” and “The Town is Yours, Paint It Red or Any Other Colour.”
The committee met every train that day. The people arriving exceeded estimates, but there were no hitches thanks to the careful planning. No formal events were planned that day, but there were personal reunions, as residents met chums they hadn’t seen in years, and sometimes, up to four decades.
The reunion events began officially Sunday. Most important were church services. Guest ministers, all formerly of Arthur, took charge of the services at the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches, and hundreds of guests filled the pews.
In the afternoon, Masonic Lodge 334 led a parade, supplemented by delegations of Masons from Toronto, Orangeville, Chicago, Drayton, Grand Valley, Mount Forest, Fergus, and Elora. Three former ministers led a Masonic service at the town hall, with music by the combined Protestant choirs.
Monday, was the real beginning of festivities. The Harriston band arrived early, and joined officials at the station awaiting the special train from Toronto, which pulled in a few minutes after 11. The locomotive carried a banner, “Home Sweet Home.” Following short speeches of welcome, everyone lined up and marched through the business section. The Toronto visitors wore white caps with distinctive ribbons. A short time later, the regular westbound morning train pulled in, with a carload of visitors from Chicago and area.
There was another parade in the afternoon, led by Captain Fair, and including the high school cadets and the visiting bands. The parade ended at the ball park, for a series of speeches and addresses. Particularly stirring was the address of Father Doherty, who stressed the brotherhood of Arthur residents and expatriates, noting local people of all faiths had done much to dispel the intense religious animosities that once characterized the village.
The main attraction of the afternoon was a baseball game between the old boys and the Arthur club. In keeping with the feeling of brotherhood, it ended in an 8-8 tie. Footraces followed, and then a lacrosse game, between the old boys and the Arthur Tigers, which degenerated into mayhem in its waning minutes. No one was quite sure who won.
Another parade, at 7pm, began the evening program, but had to be cancelled for rain, as was the tug-of-war between the old boys and Arthur. The concert, headlined by the 48th Highlanders band, along with the other visiting bands, was moved to the town hall.
Tuesday’s program began with a parade to the station to meet stragglers. Then it was an afternoon of sports. Those not interested in the ball game between Belwood and Palmerston watched foot races and field games, or simply chatted with old friends. A lacrosse game between Elora and Arthur ended the afternoon.
The evening program began with a football match between Kenilworth and Monck. Following that was a concert, put together entirely by the Toronto group. It included various musical performances, sword dancing, and a boxing match. Jimmie Fax, a popular entertainer of the era, was to be a feature, but he had to cancel at the last minute
Wednesday, Aug. 12 was the last day. To the frustration of the organizers, rain began early in the morning, and continued most of the day. Nevertheless, events proceeded as scheduled. The 13th Regimental Band from Hamilton arrived on the morning train, and led a parade to the fair grounds for an afternoon of horse racing. Attendance was low due to the rain, as the majority of visitors spent the afternoon with old friends. The reunion ended officially in the evening, with a band concert.
A number of the visitors, especially those from a great distance, decided to make a week of the reunion. A couple of hundred remained in town on Aug. 13, and the next day a number of them rented buggies for a picnic trip to the Elora Gorge and for a lacrosse game between Elora and Shelburne.
All in all, it seems that everyone involved was delighted with the success of the event.
Some of the Chicago people remained into the next week, and a couple of visitors augmented church choirs at the services on Aug. 16.
The 1908 Arthur reunion extended far beyond the four days originally planned.