April Fools' Day

In honour of April Fools' Day, I have chosen to present a random assortment of headlines and stories from Lethbridge and southern Alberta's past. Decide for yourself if they're true or not.

  • 1907: Woodpecker to become a town

  • 1912: City council sits for record six hours

  • 1920: girls and boys must be with a guardian at public dances; it is the law

  • 1921: Lady dentist opens office in city; first woman in that profession in history of city (Dr. M.Barber)

  • 1921: marriage licenses to be dealt with at court house; jewellers no longer allowed to issue them

  • 1923: students go on strike at Hardieville; parents support children and complain of filthy conditions of school

  • 1924: "talked to death" given as cause of man's death

  • 1926: daily trains to Medicine Hat now to run only tri-weekly

  • 1931: traces of gold found in Livingstone Range

  • 1934: new door at city hall will be wide enough so that skirts and coats won't be caught and torn

  • 1942: film "In Which We Serve" banned because of cuss words -- "bloody" and "bastard" used by sailors while being dive bombed at sea

  • 1950: snowmobile used to take mail south of city

  • 1958: traffic lights will operate until midnight every day of the week

  • 1965: new classroom system tested; desks are arranged in groups, not in rows

Have fun!