Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Santa Under the Stars Parade in Pictures: Back in Time, An Aurora Opinion

So, along with my pictures from the Santa Under The Stars Parade, I thought I’d add a little twist – a few newspaper clippings from the 1949-1950s.

Those old papers really carry hours and hours of good reading when they have been dug out of somebody’s cellar after about 50 years.” Back in 1950, this is what Ray Williams wrote once in his column of An Aurora Opinion in The Newmarket Era and Express.

Santa Under The Stars Parade, Aurora

Happy memories were one of the reasons that brought us back to a small town and there are many other reasons why we will stay. One is that we like the way a town looks on a crisp winter morning, and another is that we like to hear the friendly hello of the townsfolk who speak to you even if they don’t know you, and when they don’t, make it their business to find out who you are before too long.

Source: An Aurora Opinion by Ray Williams, Aurora Editor, The Newmarket Era and Express, Thursday, Dec 15, 1949, Page 5.

If the children of Aurora have one talent in common, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it is singing. For the past two weeks, young Aurora singers have thrilled everybody with their successs at the Kiwanis Music Festival. There was onlye one person who was not overjoyed with their performances, their conductor, Illtyd Harris. Mr. Harris pleaded humbly that the victories would have been more numerous, had the choirs and soloists been up to par.

Source: An Aurora Opinion by Ray WIlliams, Aurora Editor, The Newmarket Era and Express, Thursday, Mar 2nd, 1950, Page 5.


The Salvation Army

Stop.” Of all the traffic signs, the stop sign is the most important and the least respected. Too many motorists roll up to a through street, give a cursory glance first right, then left, and without even changing gears enter or cross the thoroughfare.’

Source: An Aurora Opinion by Dorothy Barker, Aurora Editor, The Newmarket Era and Express, Thursday, Apr 27th, 1950.

Several Aurora motorists were digging their cars from the drifts of snow and slush that had them held to the curb of Yonge St. in front of the post office. The group worked almost in unison and from a distance looked like members of a well drilled squad.

Source: An Aurora Opinion by Ray Williams, Aurora Editor, The Newmarket Era and Express, Thursday, Feb 23rd, 1950, Page 5.

Santa Under the Stars
Santa Under the Stars

We have seen a lot of winters,
And a lot of ice and snow.
But what kept the frost away so long,
Is something we don’t know.
These last four weeks left skaters
And skiers in a stew,
For the ground instead of snowy white
Was packed with mud and goo.

Source: An Aurora Opinion by Ray Williams, Aurora Editor, The Newmarket Era and Express, Thursday, Jan 12th, 1950, Page 5.

COMMENTS

Matt Maddocks said: November 27, 2011 at 12:27

Wonderful post Anna! The mix of the old editorials combined with your amazing photos of last night’s parade, really helps remind me of what a beautiful community Aurora has to offer. It’s a very invigorating thing to stop from time to time to remember our past and our heritage – and what better way to build on a bright future, than to build from tradition. Cheers!

Marvin said: November 29, 2011 at 01:01

Lovely pix! What fun! The newspaper clippings make me wistful for a time when “journalists” actually had writing skills.”

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