THE BUSY YEARS

When C. M. Hodgdon, known to everyone as" Hodge," assumed the Presidency for the year 1946/47, the war had been over for approximately one year. Most of the special war activity committees had been dissolved, with the possible exception of the Soldiers Reception Committee which continued to help the returning servicemen and their families re-establish themselves into civilian life. The bulk of the returning military personnel had already returned, but there was still the odd straggler. By mid-year, this committee too was dissolved.

The activities of each committee continued along the established patterns. Boys' Work was still involved with field days, camp visits, camperships, and various other programmes dealing with recreation and entertainment. The air cadet squadrons had not been abandoned and the committee continued its interest and support.

When the Boys' Club Federation changed its name to the Boys' Club of Canada, three members of our club were elected to serve on the Board of Directors with other representatives from across Canada. The three members were A. Wesley Mason, Frank Puffer, and Vern McAdam, the latter becoming Secretary of the organization. The Boys' Club of Canada's main interest was to assist the creation of boys' clubs across the country and to give the advice and guidance in all areas concerning Boys' Work.

Mention has been made of visits to the various camps. In addition to the usual prizes offered for sports, etc., the club became interested in promoting swimming. In cooperation with the camps, it organized a campaign to encourage the learning of swimming at all the camps. In order to encourage boys to become interested in healthy, sporting activities, it also arranged to have 150 boys attend junior hockey games at the Forum. The annual Christmas dinner for the boys emphasized sports by awarding sporting equipment as door prizes.

From the year 1939, the Boys' Public Speaking Contest had been under the auspices of the Boys' Work Committee. However, during the year 1947 /48, since the contest covered practically the entire province, the Boys' Public Speaking Committee was established. The amount of cash bursaries granted to contestants was increased in order to make the contest even more attractive.

Over the years, the club had done a great deal for the crippled child and it was still very much involved. For instance, during this period, X¬ray equipment was supplied to the Shriner's Hospital. Wheelchairs, braces, and crutches were made available to the various organizations concerned with crippled children such as the Quebec Society for Crippled Children. Fund-raising projects were organized and the proceeds enabled the club to purchase a fully-equipped bus for the Mackay Centre. In numerous other ways, both in the form of equipment and entertainment, crippled children were well cared for.

As many disabled soldiers returned from overseas, it became evident that the plight of disabled adults must be given greater attention. Early in the year 1946/47, the club began looking into this matter. It approached government departments, urging them to make more funds available to the civilian disabled, in the same way as help was being extended to ex¬military personnel. The name of the committee was changed from the Crippled Children Committee to the Crippled Children and Crippled Adults Committee.

During the year 1947/48, the committee decided to investigate the possibility of becoming involved with Easter Seals. For a number of years Easter Seals campaigns had been successfully conducted in the United States and the province of Ontario. Enquiries were made as to whether the Montreal club could become part of the Easter Seals movement. After study, arrangements were made that the club would sponsor Easter Seals for the 1949 year. The proceeds from this campaign would be proportioned out to the Quebec Society for Crippled Children, the School for Crippled Children, and the remainder retained by the club for its work with crippled children and crippled adults. For the first year, some $25,000 was realized and distributed.

While the club became conscious of the need for a greater effort among crippled adults, it also realized it could not assume the whole responsibility. It therefore contacted other organizations and suggested that a body known as "The Rehabilitation Society for iflripples" be established. A lengthy document was prepared, setting forth all the requirements. The response from the other organizations was favourable. Further development of this project will be outlined later.

While Boys' Work and Cripples Aid were busy with their various undertakings, Social Service was also kept extremely occupied. Although the " Rota-Revue" had been dissolved, the committee continued to arrange entertainment for various institutions: old folks' homes, hospitals, etc. Through its efforts, radio systems with under¬pillow speakers were installed in hospitals so patients could enjoy listening without disturbing others. In the 1948/49 years, the club presented a double bronchial spirometer to the Royal Edward Tubercular Sanatorium.

Camp Carowanis was provided with a new wharf and waterfront facility. At this time Camp Carowanis was a camp for orphan girls. The club undertook to clear and equip an area at the University Settlement Camp at Lake Hersey to serve as a play area for the children. As a memorial to Rotarian Fred Locker, a new cabin was built for the camp.

In March of 1948, during the Presidency of Campbell Budge, the club undertook to raise funds to erect a new building for the University Settlement. The old building which was situated on Dorchester and St. George streets was badly in need of repair. After a slow start, some $400,000 was collected and a new building erected on St. Urbain street. This new facility enabled University Settlement to extend much improved programmes for the citizens, particularly the youth living in the immediate area. This undertaking is yet another memorial of Rotary's interest in the welfare of the community.

The activities of the Social Service Committee included many other projects, such as providing dental equipment to Mackay Centre, supplying a swimming pool to Julius Richardson Convalescent Hospital, providing funds to establish a small children's library at the Montreal Day Nursery, and ifirnishing a recreation room for the Salvation Army, just to mention a few. In a brief history of the club's activities, it is impossible to mention everything. What is evident, however, is that the sphere of interest of the Social Service Committee was extremely broad and its influence was felt in many areas.

By and large, the work of the Social Service Committee followed along its usual lines. Equipment such as projectors, books, and magazines were given to various institutions and entertainment was supplied to others.

It is interesting to note that the Montreal club has always been concerned with obtaining the support of other organizations, especially ofthe Rotaty clubs, in matters ofpublic interest. During this period, the club contacted the other Quebec Rotary clubs. Together they presented a strongly worded resolution urging the government to pass legislation which would establish financial responsibility for motorists involved in traffic accidents. Members of the Montreal club, whose names were not specifically mentioned in the records, visited other clubs and presented talks on this subject. We conclude that the effort was successful and appropriate legislation was eventually enacted.

One interesting undertaking of the Public Affairs Committee was the recommendation to the Department of Tourism to establish tourist information booths. With booths strategically located, tourists heading into Montreal could be provided the proper information. The first such booth was set up on the approaches to the Mercier Bridge in Ville La Salle.

Following the success achieved with the traffic problem, the club became concerned about the many automobile accidents which occurred along the highway parallel to the Soulange Canal. A resolution recommending the construction of a new road between Dorion and Coteau was drafted and forwarded to the Provincial Minister of Roads. This road, to he constructed away from the canal, would make it safer and shorter for motorists. The Minister of Roads acknowledged receipt of the resolution and stated that the recommendation was being given consideration.

During the year 1947 /48, under the guiding hand of Dr. Baruch Silverman, a new committee known as Mental Hygiene was established. This particular group charged itself with promoting mental health in the City of Montreal. It worked with those institutions and organizations concerned with this subject. Drawing the attention of Rotary Inter¬national, the club was requested to supply information on this new committee so that it could be made available to Rotary clubs elsewhere.

With all the new programmes, the club had to look seriously at ways and means of raising the necessary funds. In 1946/47, it held its first Golden Glove Tournament, in cooperation with the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. To promote this event, in April 1947 Jack Dempsey was the guest speaker. For the next three years, as a result ofthe Golden Gloves Tournament, the club raised some $6,000 - $7,000 annually.

Another even which appears to have been very popular was the Fun Parade which was held in the Montreal Forum. This idea originated in Toronto and the Montreal club was given authority to organize a similar event. Two such events were organized, resulting in some $6,000 being raised. Other fund raising events were also sponsored, such as a matinee show at His Majesty's Theatre on Guy Street, and a Theatre Night, held in conjunction with the opening of the Avenue Theatre on Greene Avenue.

With the passage of years, the club had gradually become more involved with Rotary International movements. The Rotary Foundation claimed some of its attention. The year 1947/48, saw the appointment of our club's first Rotary Foundation Fellow, John Ross Kilpatrick McLennan. Also during this period, the club subscribed$5,000 towards the Paul Harris Rotary Foundation Fund.

The International Service Committee was established. The idea was to avoid duplication of effort and also to combine the efforts of all the Rotary clubs when a cause was too large for a single service club to manage alone.

Since the City of Montreal has several universities, it always has a large number of foreign students. The International Service Committee continued its interest in bringing the students together by arranging annual teas and other events.

There was a great deal of immigration from Europe to Canada during this period, no doubt an aftermath of the war years. The club assisted a number of immigrants to come to Canada by cutting through some red tape with the Federal Immigration Department. In addition, as a way of making Canada better known and understood, it supplied books and posters on Canada, particularly to the library in Southhampton, England.

Campbell Budge succeeded Hodge Hodgdon as President for the year 1947/48, and he was followed by Ed Whiting. The preceeding paragraphs indicate how busy the various committees were during the Presidencies of these three men. By the end of the 1948/49 year, membership stood at 387. The club was considered to be a prestigious body and many important people deemed it an honour to be asked to speak before the club. In the year 1947/48, a Speaker's Committee responsible for finding weekly speakers was established. It might be appropriate to state at this time that the club was now embarking on its most important years. Businessmen were anxious to become associated with Rotary. Other areas of the City showed an interest in forming new clubs and in 1947 the Verdun-LaSalle club was organized.
 
THE BUSY YEARS CONTINUED

From the years 1949/50 to 1953/54, the various committees were extremely occupied with their programmes and no major undertaking was embarked upon. The University Settlement project, which had been conceived earlier and for which the necessary funds had been raised, was still being completed. The sod-turning ceremonies and the laying of the cornerstone took place on November27, 1950, on St. Urbain Street. The Governor General Viscount Alexander was the honoured guest. This event generated a great deal of publicity. Exactly a year later, the official opening with the appropriate ceremonies occurred. The ladies of the Inner Wheel played an active part and.served tea on the occasion.

The University Settlement project was largely under the auspices of the Social Service Committee. The committee's other programmes continued as usual. Concert parties were organized with the assistance of welfare agencies and a large number of individuals.

From the club's founding in 1913, much of its energies had been directed in the area of Boys' Work. More attention now began to be focused on the problems of girls and young women. The Montreal Girls' Association received financial assistance to help with its programmes for indigent girls. The Girls' Cottage School in St. Bruno was given recreational equipment, as was a station wagon to transport the girls from St. Bruno to the Social Service Centre in Montreal during the 1953/54 year. Around this time, it was also provided with a movie projector.

The records of the Social Service Committee contain many requests for transportation assistance from numerous agencies. Those associated with social service organizations know that transportation is an ever present problem. Public transportation does not meet the needs. Among the many requests was one from the John Howard Society and another from the Victorian Order of Nurses. Both were eventually supplied with automobiles.

The war had brought about many changes in our society and had caused emphasis to be placed on certain areas which hitherto had been more or less neglected. The problems of elderly people were becoming recognized and measures were being taken to improve existing conditions. Senior citizens' groups were springing up everywhere and the service clubs were being turned to for financial assistance.

A Golden Age Club was organized at the University Settlement and the Montreal club, through its Social Service Committee, provided some of the financing. This senior citizens' group was one of the first of its kind in the city. The Montreal club, in conjunction with the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, used it as an experimental organization for six months. Because of its success, it became the model for other such groupings.

To enumerate a~l the actions of the Social Service Committee over this five year period would be far too lengthy. Numerous demands were made annually    some small, some large    but all were given consideration. Assistance was provided when deemed necessary, such as providing the Montreal Children's Hospital with an incubator, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind with much needed floor covering for its Crescent Street premises, a dental X-ray machine for the Heruel Clinic, playground equipment for the Girls' Cottage School, and two beds for the Royal Edward Hospital.

One interesting feature of these years was the committee's sponsoring of two nurses to attend special child care courses given in the United States. These nurses, in recognition of the service given, returned to Montreal and spent the minimum of one year with the organization which had requested the sponsorship

During this period, the Boys' Work Committee became known as Youth Services. This change was brought about by the growing interest in youth problems in general. The change in name, however, did not greatly vary its activities, it merely enlarged its field of interest. Camp visits remained an essential part of its programmes and its budget was mainly spent on providing equipment for summer camps or sponsoring field days and entertainment. Over the five years, boats and canoes were supplied to Camp Lewis, a dental chair and folding chairs provided to the Negro Community Centre, waterfront and other work was done at Camps Weredale and Hersey, and funds were provided to the Villeray Air Cadets. Numerous other projects of a miscellaneous nature were undertaken. Suffice it to say that throughout 12 months of every year the committee was kept occupied examining the many requests and determining if they should be supported.

As a general rule, the projects considered by the Public Affairs Committee required a great deal of discussion and study before action was taken. Many matters were scrutinized, but not all were accepted as areas in which Rotary should become involved. During the years from 1948 to 1954, several important matters were studied. Off-street parking, smoke abatement, the deplorably shoddy conditions at the Chalet on Mount Royal, and compulsory automobile insurance, all came under review. Appropriate action, in the form of letters of resolutions addressed to the proper provincial and municipal authorities, was taken.

Two principal projects became the concern of the Public Affairs Committee. One was the establishment of family or social welfare courts to deal with the many problems surrounding families; the other was the problem of juvenile delinquency and related matters.

Representation in the form of correspondence and resolutions were made to the Quebec Department of Justice.

The question of ambulance service in Montreal was mentioned earlier. The committee, during the presidency of Harold Pearson, revitalized this matter. A strongly worded resolution was forwarded to the City of Montreal. The city council responded by stating that careful study would be given. Eventually, a special committee was established to make a thorough investigation.

The Public Affairs Committee had a wide field of interest. Some of the items mentioned here were taken up by the appropriate government body over the ensuing years. To what extent Rotary' 5 action influenced the decisions is difficult to say, but we feel that Rotary's concern did cause authorities to take a longer and better look at the questions raised.

The Crippled Children and Crippled Adult Committee changed its name to Cripples Aid. The programme of the committee remained the same. It continued its activities in the area of entertainment and assisting the camps for disabled children. A new sleeping hut was donated to St. Alphonse~de Joliette Crippled Children's Camp; funds were donated to the Ayers Cliff Camp of the Mackay Centre and funds were made available to the Occupational Therapy Clinic. The Rehabilitation Society, which had been recently organized, continued to receive the attention of the committee. The Cripples Aid Committee had larger budgets due to the club's involvement with Easter Seals. This enabled it to extend greater assistance to the various organizations toward the purchase of specialized equipment, i.e., wheelchairs, crutches and orthopedic braces, etc., for both disabled children and adults. Most of the organizations concerned with disabled people looked to the committee for assistance and Rotary was regarded as a main source of funding for specialized items.

The new Mental Hygiene Committee became involved very quickly with the problems of mental he~tIi. It continued to sponsor the film library and to add new films from time to time. During the year 1953/ 54, when Robert Meagher was President, it, in conjunction with the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, organized a seminar to study "Human Problems in Industry." This was an all day affair beginning with closed sessions in the morning and afternoon, then opening to the public during the evening. The main speaker for this event was Mr. Richard Clendenen of the Chief Juvenile Delinquency Branch of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare of the U.S. government.

As soon as Rotary's involvement with mental health problems became known, requests for assistance began to be received. In response to those demands, the committee made funds available to the Vocational Guidance Clinic at the Occupational Therapy Centre. In addition, it undertook to carry out renovations at the speech clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Towards the closing months of 1953, because of the amount of work involved with the film library, a decision was made to hand the entire affair over to the Mental Health Institute. It was also about this time that the committee changed its name from Mental Hygiene to Mental Health.

The International Services Committee continued its usual programmes with foreign students and promoted the work of the Rotary International Foundation. One project which was extremely interesting was the joint work carried out by the committee and the International Refugee Organization. Many displaced persons in Europe were seeking the chance to immigrate to Canada, but were prevented from doing so by a great deal of immigration regulations. The aim of the Committee was to recruit potential employers for the would-be immigrants, especially those with recognized skills. Some sixty employers were approached and tentative promises were obtained to offer employment to immigrants if they succeeded in coming to Canada. The records do not show how successful the committee was in this endeavour, but the project definitely demonstrates Rotary's interest in people.

The 1950/51 year appears to have been a busy one for the club's Extension Committee, headed by Jean-Marie Lachance and James Wakem. Two new clubs were organized under the Montreal club's sponsorship, namely Cornwall and St. Laurent- Mount Royal. The charter night of the latter was held on April 9, 1951. On April 13, however, this new club held its first meeting atwhich259 Rotarians from 18 clubs in the District were present. The speakers on this occasion were Norman Fester of Ottawa and Ralph Wiber of Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Although the Montreal club was not directly involved, except as a member club of Rotary International, it was delighted to forward its congratulations to Arthur Lageux of the Quebec City club, who was elected International President for the year 1950/51.

A well known saying is" all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Apparently the Fellowship Committee believed in this proverb. Every second Friday this committee met, not to carry out heavy business, but merely to have fun. There were speeches at these meetings, but usually the subject matter was of a light nature. The Rotarian who undertook to chair this particular committee had, indeed, to be a courageous individual for as a rule pandemonium reigned on every occasion.

A yearly event sponsored by the Fellowship Committee was an outing to Luxiana Ranch. This ranch belonged to the Graul family. The event was always a highlight of the year and it included a field day, various contests with prizes, and a delicious meal. The outing usually terminated with a little friendly game of crap. Another event sponsored by this committee was the annual fellowship bridge, which at this time was confined to Rotarians only. From time to time other events were organized by the committee, such as the President's Ball. During these years events were usually well attended.

In earlier paragraphs we have mentioned the names of Harold Pearson and Robert Meagher, who served as President for the years1952/53, and 1953/54 respectively. For the other three years, 1949/50,1950/51, and 1951/52, Ian MacDonald, John Bancroft, and Earle T. Moore guided the destiny of the club.