Digby descendent lays wreath at cairn

Digby was having summer celebrations of its own. Crowds lined the street to watch the Natal Day parade, which paused for a brief service as it reached the Seamen’s Memorial bell and cairn opposite the Federal Building. Joseph Digby of Pittsburgh, Pa laid a wreath at the cairn.

Digby, a descendent of Admiral Robert Digby, for whom the town was named, was vacationing here and staying at the Admiral Digby Inn, naturally.

At Church Point, College Sainte-Anne president Louis B. Comeau and Fisheries Minister Benoit Comeau officially opened two new women’s residences.

Brad Barton, a native of Acaciaville and one of Canada’s top volleyball officials, was invited to the North American zone playoffs in Mexico. He was working on his international rating, hoping to officiate at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

A nationwide ‘Save the Bluenose’ campaign raised $155,000 towards the quarter-million dollar refit needed by Nova Scotia’s famed schooner. A federal works program was expected to cover the remainder of the cost. The original brewery owners had sold the replica schooner to the province for one dollar four years earlier.

Terrence Hill was the star of ‘Trinity is Still My Name’, playing at the Little Cinema.

50 years ago

July 31, 1958 – A survey of Digby residents found three-quarters of the town’s adults would rather live here than anywhere else, and two-thirds believed the town would hold its own financially or even improve in the future. Three-quarters also reported they had enjoyed excellent health during the previous year.

The survey was conducted in the summer of 1957 by Cornell Community Agency, and was based on interviews of one adult from every four homes in Digby.

With his fast curve ball and good change-u, Dave Leonard led the Digby Ravens to a 3-0 shutout of the Bear River Blue Sox.

A funeral was held in Montreal for Frederick William Wallace, 71, author of ‘Wooden Ships and Iron Men’, and ‘A Camera on the Banks’ that photographed work on a schooner out of Digby. (The Wallace photos are on exhibit now at the Admiral Digby Museum.)

‘Tammy and the Bachelor’ was playing at the Capitol Theatre with stars Debbie Reynolds and Leslie Nielsen and Walter Brennan.

60 years ago

July 29, 1948 – Cornwallis Hospital, which had been slated for closure by Ottawa, seemed to have been given a reprieve. A Courier report said the former base’s hospital was becoming the TB hospital in Nova Scotia for veterans.

Town council held a special session to approve construction of a service station on Water Street over the objections of 13 downtown business owners.

Tom Farnham’s column, which recounted the history of Digby from the late 1800s, noted that Digby residents are called ‘Digbyites’. Good to know.

Bette Davis was the star of ‘Winter Meeting’, playing at the Capitol.