1954 - Rosemary Gagnon, Graduation Yearbook from Westmount High School

Here are selected pages from 'The Voice of Leaders' Westmount High School yearbook from 1954.

Years later, LC Gagnon made notes in pencil in this book to hi-lite his sister's activities. He also marked individuals in the yearbook whom he remembered as her friends. I haven't included all the students in her class year - just those in Rosemary's Science stream.

In reading the typical yearbook student 'biographical' comments, there is quite a surprising contrast with similar text in a Lachine High School yearbook of the same decade. The LHS text seemed quite typical of the clever, classically literate and often cutting comments made about individuals in high school yearbooks. Westmount High generally seems to stop short of this sometimes scarring wit while bringing up personal interests or habits which will long be remembered. You'll notice that the final sentence of each entry often provides a complimentary summary.

'Chief of Reason'

Above: Possibly a Delaware & Hudson Railway passenger coach in the 200 series.

Fête Nationale 1956 - Souvenir Program of the SSJB, Part 2

Once again, here are some pages from one of the Fête Nationale programs my grandfather preserved. Dionne had a chain of supermarkets as the ad suggests. An essay on French Canada today follows. Then, a few of the parade floats are described. Advertisements and cards of support wind up this post.

Fête Nationale 1956 - Souvenir Program of the SSJB

My (anglophone) grandfather had a nice collection of these programs for Quebec and French America's celebration of 'the traditional feast day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist'. In 1977 it was made the national holiday of Quebec.

My grandfather would no doubt be interested to know (if he didn't already) that his patrilineal ancestors had already landed at Quebec by the time of the first recorded occurrence of this celebration on the banks of the St Lawrence.

Given the passage of time since their publication, there is a lot of interesting historical perspective offered by these booklets. I have only reproduced a portion of this particular edition. 

After a selection of a few of the most interesting floats from the parade, you will find the page listing the themes of the parades since 1924.

Rodger Family Reunion, East Settlement QC, July 4, 1959 - Part 2

From the family reunion, here is a newspaper account,
followed by two of the formal photos taken on the day of the reunion.

The photos below are reproduced with as much detail as possible.
In each case, you will need to scroll to the right to see the whole image.

The photo immediately below is of the entire group.
I have divided it into three sections (farther below) to display further detail.