This ad from the October 1925 issue of The Scoop Shovel offered European farmers the chance to catch a vessel home for Christmas, with the last vessel leaving St. John, N.B. for Liverpool on Dec. 16.
In the December issue, editor J.T. Hull offered his own version of a Christmas story, but with a twist to extol the virtues of co-operative marketing.
A. Blanche Gibson, author of “The Pool Woman” column, also reflected on the joys of Christmas. Apparently, concerns over Christmas being too commercial have been around for some time.
Read Also
Steam engines alive and well in Manitoba
Next generation of Manitobans get hands-on history lesson at steam engine “Steam School”
“Frequently we hear the phrase, ‘Thank goodness, Christmas comes but once a year.’ But if it does mean loosening of our purse strings, and a healthy weariness from days of shopping and tying up parcels, we think it would be a sad old world if it were suddenly put a stop to.”
In other news, the shareholders of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company were considering an offer from Saskatchewan Wheat Pool to purchase their elevator system — at that time the Pools were only a marketing organization, not elevator companies.
In Manitoba, the push was still on to sign up farmers who would commit their entire production to the Pool for five years and the Scoop Shovel reported on several sign-up meetings — one at Virden had attracted 450 farmers.
“Very particular attention is being given to these meetings by the grain trade. In the majority of cases they have their men present taking notes, and they are required to send in their reports to head office.”
