80 Years Ago
February 8, 1939
–Major T.H. Carter, a former member of the British Secret Service who had lived in most countries around the globe, offered three lectures in Napanee. He shared thrilling stories of being captured and tortured by Arabian Sheiks in Egypt, then escaping. Carter also spoke about a rapid increase in British armaments and predicted there was a great possibility of a general European war by the end of the year.
– The Napanee Board of Education received two letters advocating for the introduction of musical education in its schools. It was estimated the cost of the programming would be $360 per year. The board referred the matter to its management committee for consideration.
– The Canadian government announced plans to distribute 2,250,000 bronze medallions to school children to commemorate King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Canada that summer. The government also planned to issue silver and bronze medallions to be sold in post office as souvenirs of the tour, which would visit Kingston.
– Members of the Victorian Order of Nurses made 125 visits to Napanee’s two public schools in 1938. Some 121 children were given special physical inspection. Nurses found 150 defects and 100 of those were corrected, according to a report.
30 Years Ago
February 8, 1989
– In a recorded vote, Napanee council denied the privately operated Bingo Tyme from expanding its operations to host bingos on Monday nights to allow the Royal Canadian Legion to continue a monopoly it had on that night for over 20 years.
Ron Deremo, the owner of Bingo Tyme called the decision undemocratic, while Legion branch president George Magold said bingo was his organization’s only means of fundraising and giving back to the community. The Legion showed it gave $60,000 to 38 groups over a three-year period, while Deremo showed Bingo Tyme helped 17 groups raise $78,000 in just a one-year period.
– Despite trustee Ken Campbell’s protests it was neither cost effective or necessary, the Lennox and Addington County Board of Education added two resource teachers for 1989-1990 to identify potential drop-out candidates early to meet their special needs and help their transitions to high school.
– Lennox and Addington County hired a director of administrative services to serve as treasurer and personnel director. Stephen Fox was the successful candidate among five applicants. One of his first tasks would be purchasing and developing a computerized system for municipal operations.