Transcript of interview with Gerald Wight, conducted by Michelle Tapp.

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1 Transcript of interview with Gerald Wight, conducted by Michelle Tapp. MichelleTapp: Interview with Gerald Wight on July 20, When did your family arrive in Pasadena? Gerald Wight: I was twelve years old when I came here, so about 70 years ago. Michelle: I understand that what is now the Town of Pasadena used to be broken up into South Brook, Pasadena and Midland. Which of these communities did you identify with growing up? Gerald: Midland. Michelle: Which street did you live on when you first arrived here? Gerald: Midland Row. Michelle: Oh, so the community of Midland just consisted of the one street that is now known as Midland Row? Gerald: Yes, none of the surrounding streets were there at the time. Michelle: One of the areas that the committee is investigating is the history behind the street names. Do you happen to know anything about the naming of the streets? Did the names have anything to do with your family? Gerald: The later streets are all names of people that lived here and came here first. The other ones like the avenues and drives were named when we were incorporated as a community. Michelle: Did your family influence the naming of any of the streets? Was there anything in the area named after your family? Gerald: No, there wasn t. My father was on the community council at the time though. Michelle: How would you describe the interactions between the three communities? You said you lived in Midland, so did you often interact with those from Pasadena or South Brook? Gerald: I spent time everywhere. As I grew older, I even had girlfriends in Pasadena. Michelle: I also understand that schooling used to be separated based on religious denomination. Would you say that who you were friends with had more to do with which denomination you were a part of? Or would you say that it had more to do with which of the three communities you lived in? Gerald: It didn t make any difference. I went to a Catholic school, an Anglican school and a United school. Michelle: How would you say that community has changed since you first moved here? Gerald: It changed big time. Michelle: Are there any changes in particular that stand out in your memory? Gerald: All of it, this area (Earle Drive) was all farm land. All the new houses that are here now, were just farm land and woods. When we came here, there were very few streets. The streets that were here, most of the time you were up to your knees in mud. I can remember the first car that was ever here. There were no cars, street lights or phones. My father came here to work when they built Cormack. He cut and sawed the logs in on the hill. Michelle: What sorts of businesses can you remember there being in the area? Restaurants, stores, etc.?

2 Gerald: I do not recall any restaurants here. For stores, there was AJ Martin s in South Brook, the Co-op store in Midland, and Art Norman had a store in Pasadena in on Church Street. Farther out there was A. Watton and Sons, which was a grocery store. Michelle: What did you do to pass the time growing up? What sorts of games did you play? Gerald: Street hockey, and ice hockey sometimes. I didn t play a lot of games, because it didn t take long before I was old enough to work in the mill. My father had a sawmill, we had one set up by our house. I was twelve when I came, so it wasn t long before I was old enough to work. There were twelve of us in the family, so it meant I worked a lot. I got up in the morning and worked, went to school at quarter to nine, came home around three or three thirty or so, and then worked again until dark. Michelle: I understand that you were a big part of the fire department in Pasadena. Were you a member of any other organizations over the years? Gerald: The Rod and Gun, I was also a charter member of the Lion s Club. Michelle: How would you say that religion/church and school were connected when you were growing up? For example, you go to church during school? Gerald: We were a protestant family. We went to a Catholic school, so we had the privilege of staying out in the porch and having the choice if we wanted to attend the service. But sometimes we did (decide to attend). As time went on and we began to get to know each other, religion didn t mean a thing. Michelle: Which sorts of traditions or holidays were celebrated in your family? Gerald: All of them. My parents were religious, but that didn t stop me from having the best of friends who were Catholic. If I was to their house at supper time, they always said the rosary, and I said it too. Michelle: Would you say that holidays are celebrated differently now than they were back then? Gerald: Yes. I don t know if it s because the community has grown, but there isn t as much movement in places and around Pasadena. When I was very young, religion didn t have much to do with it. If someone didn t visit another during Christmas, they wouldn t like it very much. After I was older, I went to work with the town, got married and had children, people were so good to me. I was only an employee then, during Christmastime I had more things given to me than anyone else in the town. When I was working with the town, if it was dinner hour, the person working close to me would bring me out a glass of milk or a piece of pie to enjoy while I was finishing up my job. That s just the type of people who was here then. Michelle: Is there anything that you miss about the way Pasadena used to be when you were younger? Gerald: No, I don t think so; I m older now. As the people started to come in, I miss the friendliness. There have been a lot of people that have came in the town just the same, but when there were only a few people here, I knew everyone. People would help me in every way they could, you miss that sort of stuff. It was the older people who would come out and ask if you wanted to come in for a cup of tea while you were working on the road fixing a ditch or whatever. Michelle: What were some community events that took place? Garden parties, festivals, etc. Gerald: We didn t have any festivals that I knew of, but the churches had garden parties. There was a bunkhouse in Midland that they had suppers, dances, shows, and everything into. As we got older, we went to Deer Lake.

3 Michelle: That s it for the general list of questions I have for you, so now I m going to ask some questions about the Fire Department. So, what duration of time were you a member of the organization? Gerald: I was a member from 1960 to 1990, thirty years. Michelle: When did the organization begin in Pasadena? When was it first established? Gerald: Pasadena-Midland was incorporated in1955, so I d say within a couple years of incorporation. Michelle: What position did you have within the organization? Gerald: Almost from the time I started, I was fire chief. Michelle: When the organization first began, what was its formal name? I understand that it is now called the Pasadena Fire Rescue. Gerald: It was called Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department. Michelle: Which types of services did the organization provide for the community? Gerald: We provided mostly firefighting at the beginning, or anything else we could help out with. There wasn t very many of us at the beginning, and in order to get enough members to get insurance status, I had to get some of the town council members to join. Michelle: In a past interview, we learned that the original fire department burnt down. Would you be able to provide any information on this event? Gerald: I m not completely sure the date that it occurred. The fire started sometime during the night, and nobody knew about it until it was discovered when someone was coming home in the morning. We lost everything, everything that we had. We didn t have a lot, but we lost it. We had to start again from scratch. Michelle: So where was this department located, the one that burned down? Gerald: Where the current one is now, it s the same building as now. Except in more recent years, a new part was built on, the part of the hall meant for recreation.the part that they had for recreation and seminars, which is a new part. Where the trucks are, that s the older part. Michelle: Other than the fire, were there any other significant events that happened within the organization over the years? Gerald: It was a big thing when we had a real fire truck. Before the fire, we were using a handmade one. The new one was a 1952 International Fire Truck. So many years later, we got a brand new pumper; that was a big deal. It was a hundred and thirty thousand dollar truck, when we were used to basically nothing. Michelle: Who were some of the founding members of the organization? Gerald: Ed Huxter, Bill Hounsell, Woody Eldridge, Cyril Rose, Dave Neville, Wayne Wight, Derrick Mercer, Jim Wagg, Bill Bonnell, George Short, and others that I cannot recall. We were up to thirty members then (at the time of the photograph). Michelle: I understand that the fire department is heavily involved in raising money for Muscular Dystrophy. Would you be able to tell me anything about the department s involvement with this charity?

4 Gerald: I was approached by the association. I did a lot of work for muscular dystrophy. The fire department was involved in gathering donations, and we did so well with it with everyone helping. Somebody came to visit me, and asked if I would become the first honorary fire chief of Newfoundland. When I became honorary chairman, all their letters that went out to other departments were signed by myself. I went to conventions, and participated in telethons with my wife. Michelle: Would you be able to tell me anything about the events that the fire department would put off? For example, the fireman s ball? Gerald: The fireman s ball started because everyone else (other organizations) had one. We wanted to have a big celebration for our organization. We hired a band, and used the auditorium of what was the Catholic School. We were all over the place in terms of where they were held, we had some at the rec centre. We also formed a softball team that played in the league in Corner Brook, and one year we won. Michelle: Is there anything else you would like to add in regards to the fire department? Gerald: We continued to play softball, until a lot of us were too old. We did a lot of stuff for other people. We had two muscular dystrophy patients in Pasadena. We would always take those in the Santa Claus Parade. We would give them one of our hats, and let them ride in a truck. Michelle: I understand you were also an active member of the Lion s Club. These next few questions will be concerning your involvement in the organization. So, what is the formal name of the organization? Gerald: The Pasadena Lions Club. Michelle: When did The Pasadena Lions Club first began in the community? Gerald: I m not completely sure, but probably just as long as the fire department. Michelle: Who were some of the original members? Gerald: Nelson Bennett, Gilbert Taylor, myself, Victor White, Gordon Wagg, Russell Pike, Frank Bonnell. Michelle: What was your position within the organization? Gerald: I was a tail twister! That s the person who looks after all the paraphernalia, the person who takes the flags and brings them back. Myself and another member (Gordon Wagg) used to go door to door selling mops. Michelle: What would you say was/is the purpose or the mission of The Pasadena Lions Club? What did the organization provide for the community? Gerald: The purpose of the Lion s Club is to help other people. If someone was diagnosed with something serious, and had to go away for treatments, they would likely get a donation from the Lion s Club. There were no women in it when I joined, just all men. Now there are female members as well. Michelle: So the Lion s Club is basically a community organization that functions to help out those in need? Gerald: Yes, and for people who want to be a lion. Michelle: What were some significant events that happened in the organization? Gerald: The Lions Club does a little bit of everything, and a lot of everything. Sometimes they have events for just senior citizens, they run the Santa Claus Parade, which the fire department did at one time until it was passed over to the Lion s Club. The Lion s Club would sometimes do fireworks. They have bingos and card games, that s where they get their funds.

5 Michelle: Who are some of the current members of The Pasadena Lions Club? Gerald: I don t know who the King Lion is currently. But some of the members currently are Frank Bonnell, Gordon Wagg, Gary Eldridge, and others that I don t know. Michelle: That brings us to the end of my list of questions. Is there anything else that you would like to add in regards to your memories of growing up in the community, the fire department or the Pasadena Lion s Club? Gerald: No, I think we covered everything. Michelle: Thank you for your time! You can contact me if you remember anything else, or find any other artefacts or photos you would like to share with us.

Michelle: I m here with Diane Parsons on July 14, So when did your family arrive in Pasadena?

Michelle: I m here with Diane Parsons on July 14, 2016. So when did your family arrive in Pasadena? Diane: In 1959. My family had been here previously, moved, and then came back again. But 1959 was when