Noel's Account of Crossing Canada in 1931 - Audio

When I first wrote about Noel's crossing through Canada on his way to the YMCA conferences in Toronto and Cleveland, I didn't remember that I had more first-person information about the trip to share.

In 1982, when I was only 12, I made an audio tape of my grandfather, Noel, recounting some family history, including a story about his trip through Canada with the Hawaiian delegation on the way to the YMCA conferences.

It's been a learning process for me to get the recording off the cassette tape and into a digitized format that I can share, but I'm finally finished with it.

So, below is a YouTube video link of Noel telling the story, plus a transcript of the recording. I hope you find it interesting.

Noel: "In 1931 when I came over to America, when we arrived in Honolulu, about 30 young Hawaiian boys got on the boat. They were going to the World Conferences of YMCAs in Toronto and Cleveland. And so, I being by myself, I joined them. And, they were singing Hawaiian songs and everything on the boat from Hawaii to Vancouver.

"And, when we got to Vancouver, I stayed at the same hotels they stayed at. We were invited to a basket-- a baseball game and we sang at intermission -- at half time we sang Hawaiian songs in the stands.

"And then, we traveled on the same train, the Canadian Pacific into the Rockies, and I traveled with them. And we sang in the First Class section to amuse the First Class people on the train. And we got into the observation cars, you know, with the glass roofs.

"And then, when we got to the station for Lake Louise, we got off there as guests of the management, and we stayed one night at the Chalet at Lake Louise. In return for that, we sang on the terrace at sunset."

Haley: "And by then, you knew all the Hawaiian songs."

Noel: "That's right. And then the next day, we all piled into a bus, and they took us the 40 miles to the Banff Springs Hotel. And we stayed overnight there and in return for that we sang on the terrace of the Banff Springs Hotel.

"And when we continued, then, we had a special car on the train for us all the way to Toronto."

No. 29 -- 2 March 1932

Mr. N.A. Hughes,
C/o Y.M.C.A. College,
5315 Drexel Avenue,
CHICAGO. Ill. U.S.A.

My dear Noel,

Your letter of January 26th with its supplementary material dated 30th January, came to hand by the last mail. It was read with a great deal of interest. We were all delighted to know that you are still managing to pull along quite satisfactorily.

I was interested in your acknowledgment of my letters!!! I have not checked back the list, but I imagine it must be fairly correct.

This long paragraph devoted to Noel's
involvement in the "playground movement"
had me intrigued, so I did more research.
I don't know Noel's specific involvement,
but the movement to create playgrounds
to keep kids off the street started
in the 1890s and seems to have
still been going in the 1930s in Chicago.
It was a movement championed by
progressives and social reformers,
and with Noel attending a social-
service centered college and his
involvement in the YMCA, it seems a
natural fit for him. My interpretation of
this paragraph is that Noel might have
had a job running some of the
playground programs, and George is worried
about the loss of income, so is urging
Noel to keep in contact with the parent
members so they don't drop the program.
For more about the playground
movement in Chicago, see this article.
Do you know anything about the Playground
Movement in Chicago during the 1930s?
Or the YMCA's involvement in it?
I'd love to hear about it.

I am sorry to hear that your playground movement is not being maintained at the old levels. I quite imagined that there would be a dropping off as unemployment increased and conditions became harder. It is unfortunate that you are not able to make more definite contacts with the parents, so that you may be able to keep your members. While you may have sufficient coming in to carry your incidental expenses, you must not forget the fact that you have a long period of vacation when your living expenses will be required. I know it is difficult to maintain your college schedule and do everything that is necessary to maintain your grades, and at the same time do interviewing work of this type, but it seems to me if it is at all possible for you to squeeze in occasional visits to the parents, it would pay you in the long run. I know that immediately the vacation period comes round, and the college closes, you will be faced with the problem of maintaining yourself, and I would urge that you give very careful thought to this matter well ahead of the time so that your plans may be in hand for your maintenance during that long period.

In my last letter I mentioned how necessary it would be to think in terms of the amount you will require to start your next year's College work, with text books and other incidental expenses. Quite a few pounds must be in hand to start the year with.

I hope you will satisfactorily carry out all the tests required when "hell week" comes round, so that your initiation into the Fraternity may be in order.

All this talk about money had me curious
so I did some searching. I thought
about inserting images of currency from
the 1930s, but instead opted for this video.
It's very catchy, plus explains the system
of pounds, shillings and pence used in
Australia at this time. Enjoy!

The dollar bill you sent, came safely to hand, although it was quite unnecessary for you to send it. We are only too happy to forward the material you asked for. I will retain the bill as it may be of some value in paying accounts a little later on when I shall require to send money to America. I will give the kids 1/- a piece so that they will feel that we have not taken something from them about which you wrote.

I am greatly encouraged by the fact that you are getting into your stride in your studies and that you are able to cover the work. Don't forget that it doesn't pay to do without sleep for too long. You can maintain that for awhile, but nature after a time asserts itself and when the testing time comes, such as examinations, etc., the mind refuses to work in the normal way.

We note your request for a snap of the family. We will endeavour to send something along, better than the one forwarded in the last mail.

Too bad the diary has been lost over the years,
but this did remind me that I have other
treasure related to Noel's crossing of
Canada. This post was my initial piece
about that crossing, but there is also an
updated post with an audio recording I made in
1982of Noel recounting his Canadian crossing.
It was originally recorded to cassette tape,
but I've digitized it.

We were very glad also to get a further consignment of your diary. It helped us to understand just exactly what you have done on the trip across Canada. You certainly had a wonderfully good time. We shall look forward to receiving the balance of the diary.

Ruth is keeping quite well apart from a cold which has now practically gone. No ill effects came from the accident, worth talking about. Edith is getting along quite well at school and also in her music and elocution. She is expecting  to have a test in music shortly, so as to find out whether she will be fit to take her first examination in May. Joyce has started music again. We felt it wise to leave her to make her own decision in this matter. Whether she will continue it or not remains to be seen.

I am rather amused at your reference to "make them study". I wish to goodness I could have drummed the same thing into your head when you were here! I tried hard to get you to realise that you were taking things far to easily, and trusting to pot luck to get through on the American end. Now you realise how essential it is to have adequate preparation so as to get advanced standing.

All the family read the letter and I also passed on your regards to those mentioned in your letter. Joy is enclosing a letter with this.

Mother is keeping in excellent health and so is Keith. He had a good deal of trouble with his teeth, but that seems to have straightened out alright. Rex Baker left on Sunday for Sydney, where  he expects to remain for about three weeks installing some talkie apparatus.

Under separate cover I am sending you a letter which arrived here just about the time the last mail left, and which unfortunately, I forgot to forward at that time. It is from one of your friends, a Czechoslovakian who met you at the conferences. I will acknowledge the letter and will send him a little material on Australia. You should answer it at your first opportunity and thank him for the snapshots, etc. It will be a good thing for you to maintain your contact with him.

You will be glad to learn that we had a very successful weekend for our Business Men's classes at Camp Manyung. Forty-five of them attended and they had a thoroughly happy time. We plan to hold a weekend camp every month during the year. This month we shall have one on the weekend 12th, 13th and 14th March and then the Easter Camp, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th March. Ivor is featuring this in his Physical Department programme throughout the year. Incidentally he is making money which will be turned into new equipment at the camp.

We had a Rotary weekend at Camp Somers last Saturday and Sunday. About 50 Rotarians attended the camp and we had a really happy time together. Next Saturday I am organising a picnic for 40 of the Montague Club boys who will be motored to Eltham by the Rotarians, given refreshments and a good time. This is part of our policy in connection with the Boys' Work Committee of which I am Chairman.

I am enclosing a copy of the Educational Department folder, which will help you to see the new classes we are organising this year. There are others we have in mind for later in the year.

Y.M.C.A. (1932, February 27).
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: 1848-1956), p. 25.
Retrieved January 22, 2013, from
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4414073

The Annual Meeting was held on Feb. 25th and went off quite well. A copy of the Annual Report has been sent to you. Three new Directors, Messrs. F.W. Bond (Magistrate), A.E. Pascoe and Fred. Walker, both Rotarians, have been added to the Board. They will strengthen us a good deal.

Matron is away on holiday in Sydney. Miss Ray is carrying on. The Boys' Department programme commences this week, and we are now getting into our stride for the winter's work.

I have not heard a great deal from America recently, apart from a letter or two from Harry Holmes and Ned Brownell. Mrs. John W. Cook wrote to Mother and gave news concerning Mr. Cook and herself.

For more about Noel's grades, there will
be a future post looking at Noel's
transcript from the YMCA College
in Chicago. I'll put a link here when I have one.

By the time this letter reaches you you will know the results of your second term's work. We shall all be delighted to hear how you got on.

Alf. Hines goes on holiday immediately after the Board meeting. Most of the others have had their holiday, so that we shall soon be settling down for the year's work. There will be considerable addition to our Boys' Department membership, especially from the Working Men's college. If we could take them they would be able to send us 300 boys, but on account of the difficulties of fitting that number in on the same day as we have the high school boys present, we cannot take more than half that number.

I must close now. We all unite in warmest love. Kind regards to Clive and his wife.

Yours affectionately,
Dad

No. 6 -- 23 June 1931

Mr. Noel A. Hughes, (of Melbourne, Australia)
C/o Mr. Fred. J. Smith,
Executive Secretary,
Y.M.C.A.
College Street,
TORONTO. Canada

My dear Noel,

Well, I suppose you have had a remarkably interesting journey so far. I know the run through the Canadian Rockies will remain a vivid memories for years to come.

Then your contacts with the beauties of Lake Louise and Banff will also please you.

I hope it was possible for you to meet Mr. Archie Kirkpatrick at Winnipeg. He is a New Zealander who did particularly well at Chicago Y College. He would be delighted to talk over Australian conditions with you.

Fred. Smith, the Executive Secretary oat Toronto Central is one of my old friends of the war days. Fred. and I were very intimate in London. He was heading up the Canadian Y.M.C.A. and I the New Zealand, and we frequently met each other on the business of the Association and in a personal way. I am sure you will find him a warm friend and that he will do all he possibly can to be of assistance to you while you are in his centre.

Another good friend of mine is Mr. Ernie Best; you might ask Fred. Smith where he is and perhaps the opportunity may come for you to meet him also.

If you get the opportunity I would suggest that you visit Toronto University and look over Hart House which was the centre where A. J. Edmonds was Physical Director. This might serve as an introduction for you to get permission to go through  the buildings.

I suppose you will have met the boys from Springfield and also Ern. Saunders. Please convey to them all my warmest regards.

Noel's certificate that he is a delegate to
the 1931 World's Conferences of YMCAs.
(click photo to enlarge or view on Flickr)

Now, I hope you will enter into the Conference with the desire to get out of it the absolute limit in the way of help and inspiration. It will be a wonderful chance to meet many of the great leaders of our Movement from practically all countries of the World. You will be glad to make these contacts as they may mean a great deal to you in the future and I would suggest that you cultivate every opportunity in that direction.

Some of the fellows will be attending the Boys' Work Conference, but I suggest that in view of your desire to take up Secretarial work, that the Younger Men's  problems would probably be of more help to you than the Boys' Conference discussions.

Letter from F.D. Trainor of the
National Committee of YMCAs of Australia
certifying Noel is an official delegate.
(click photo to enlarge or view on Flickr)

Seek out the men who were on the New York Headquarters staff, such men as Arthur N. Cotton, Abel Gregg and C.C. Robinson. Don't forget our old friend, E.M. Robinson, who visited Australia in 1925. He is now on the professorial staff of the Springfield College. It is possible that Professor Hartley Cross (an Australian) also on the Faculty at Springfield, will be present.

When you visit Buffalo, look up A.H. Witford, 45 West Mohawk St., who has retired from association service, but is still regarded as one of the great leaders in our Movement.

Ask Mr. Spaeth of Buffalo Y to make the contact for you. Don't forget to pay your registration fee of 15 dollars promptly on arrival.

By this time you may have received one or two suggestions regarding work in between Cleveland and Chicago. Consult Alec. Moodie and Fred. Smith on any offers you may receive. I have written Fred. Smith asking him to see if anything can be done for you. His advice will be sound.

When you go through to Cleveland, don't forget to make contact with Clarence Deeter, Apartment Secretary of the Central Y building. Give him my greetings. Please do not think that I am full of instructions in my letters, I simply desire to remind you of certain things so that you may benefit by your contacts with men of note in our work. It is so easy, in the rush of a Conference with scores of group meetings in progress, to lose one of the big by-products of the Conference which is found in the fellowship with men who are leaders in our work.

This letter goes with you on the "Niagara" and should be awaiting your arrival at Toronto. Capitalise every opportunity.

With our united love,

Dad.


See related post: The YMCA conferences in Toronto and Cleveland

No. 5 -- 18 June 1931

Mr. N. A. Hughes,
Passenger, R.M.S. "Niagara",
C/o Young Men's Christian Association,
Cambie Street,
VANCOUVER. B.C. Canada.

My dear Noel,

Here is another letter sent ahead of you , so that it might be awaiting you on arrival.

I need hardly say how anxious I am that you should watch your expenditures, especially when you take the train journey across Canada. My experience in my two crossings, indicates that you will be badgered by attendants on the train, to buy  postcards, books, fruit, spectacles and all kinds of things which they have for sale. Be adamant in your refusal of the things which you do not want and make it unmistakably clear that you do not want them, or you will have the life worried out of you.

The Banff train station as Noel might have seen it
on his journey through Canada
on the Canadian Pacific Rail in 1931.
Courtesy of Lictio via Flickr

The Pullman attendants are generally decent enough fellows, but naturally they live on the tips which they receive from tourists. Keep your tipping within reason. This will also apply to the hotels you stop at at Lake Louise and Banff. Most of these hotel employees are students from the Universities and Colleges who are earning money over their College Vacation and they naturally expect some degree of help for attention they give, but in many cases very little attention is expected and given and consequently you must be very wise and judicious in what is done by you in the tipping line.

Always ask the price of the room at the hotel before you engage it. Tell them flatly that you want a cheap room. Then remember that you may find in most of the hotels a considerable section of people who live on the tourists. All kinds of confidence tricks are worked. You will discover how may friends there are who want to make your acquaintance because they imagine if you are travelling you have money to burn.

Watch the pretty girl who drops her handbag, or her handkerchief, or otherwise attracts your attention. There are scores of them who are doing the rounds at the tourists resorts, who are of no class. They are generally attractively dressed and have any amount of self possession and poise. They are looking for "suckers", especially the chaps who come from Australia with plenty of money!

I hope you will have a thoroughly happy time as you cross the Great Continent. Don't forget to look up Archie Kirkpatrick at the Winnipeg Y. He is a New Zealander who was at Chicago Y College, and you will find him full of information concerning college life. You should be able to gather a great deal of helpful advice from him when you make contact with him. I have written him telling him of your coming.

Well, Cheerio! Keep a stiff upper lip; face the future with optimism and trust.

What I said in my earlier letters I repeat -- the effectiveness of your future work will be largely dependent upon the sense of comradeship you cultivate with Christ. I know of no other incentive to successful service that is not based upon devotion to Him and His cause.

Again, our hearts follow you on your journeyings.

With love from us all,

Dad

See related posts: Crossing Canada on the CPR

Crossing Canada on the CPR

Approximation of the route Noel took across Canada: (A) Victoria, British Columbia;
(B) Vancouver (C) Banff, Alberta (D) Winnipeg, Manitoba (E) Toronto

The next letter was addressed to Noel in Vancouver. He would have received it right before starting his train journey on the Canadian Pacific Rail across Canada on his way to Toronto.

For more about Noel's crossing of Canada, see
this post from 26 January 2013:

Noel's Account of Crossing Canada in 1931 - Audio

The post contains an audio file from 1982 of Noel
recounting his trip across Canada.

Also, for more about the Canada crossing, click
the tag Canada, which will bring up posts about the
crossing.

It's a trip that George writes about in his letters with fond memories and a certain amount of wistfulness, although that doesn't come through that well in the Vancouver letter.

While he does end with the wish that Noel has a "thoroughly happy time as you cross the Great Continent," most of the letter is full of advice on how to save money and avoid being swindled. The advice makes me wonder what first-hand knowledge George had of the experience.

It is in the other letters that his fondness for the journey comes out.

A travel poster of the correct-looking
vintage found through AllPosters.com

"Well, I suppose you have had a remarkably interesting journey so far. I know the run through the Canadian Rockies will remain a vivid memories for years to come," he said in an upcoming letter addressed to Noel in Toronto."Then your contacts with the beauties of Lake Louise and Banff will also please you."

And in his Hawaii letter: "You will have a wonderful time going through the Rockies, and I envy you the trip as it is one of the most remarkable railway journeys to be had anywhere in the World."

That sentiment that it is a great train journey holds true today, as the trip is consistently listed in the travel literature as one of the best in the world.

The above video is for the Mountaineer, which is a train that makes the trip across the Canadian Rockies today. Much of the route, especially around Banff and Lake Louise, is in a national park, and I can only guess that it is very similar looking to what Noel saw in 1931 and George saw in 1917 and 1919.

A travel poster of the correct-looking
vintage found through AllPosters.com

On a personal note, my family did  the car trip across the Canadian Rockies twice, both in 1977 and 1979, when I was 8 then 10 years old. I remember it vividly, and I also fell in love with Banff and Lake Louise.


I remember seeing the rail lines carved into and through the mountains, and my parents telling me what an incredible engineering feat it was.

Someday, when my son is older, maybe we'll get back there. Maybe we'll even get to take the train.

No. 4 -- 18 June 1931

Mr. N. A. Hughes,
Passenger, R.M.S. "Niagara"
HONOLULU. Hawaiian Islands.

My dear Noel,

Only another week and you will be setting your foot on Canadian soil. I hope you had a thoroughly good time at Honolulu. My two visits to Honolulu were full of interest. No doubt you met the Association men, and I hope they were able to extend some courtesies to you.

Honolulu is a beautiful place, and I know you will feel as I did -- that you wish the boat would give you another few days, so that you might have longer time to enjoy its beauties.

I suppose you went to the Pali and also to the Waikiki Beach, the Japanese Gardens, the Aquarium and other points of interest. It is a great place to visit.

You will have shaken down to the routine of shipboard life. Usually at Honolulu, quite a number of Americans join the ship and you have a new set of passengers to become acquainted with. I am hoping that some of the Association fellows will be travelling on the ship to the Conference, although they may travel in another class. You may be able to establish some degree of contact with them. It would be fine to try and arrange an occasional group meeting, so that you may chew over with the Americans, any of the matters you have discussed together in preparation for the Conferences.

I found on my trips abroad, that it was a wonderful help to have regular group meeting to discuss mutual problems.

I suppose you have had a good programme of sports, entertainments, etc. On some of the ships very elaborate programs are arranged, and the interest culminates in the last week or so, just prior to arrival at the port of destination.

George's letter of introduction for Noel.
(click to enlarge or view on Flickr)

If the ship calls at Victoria, I would suggest, if you have time, that you visit the Association building and meet Mr. Wilson, the Secretary. I think he is still General Secretary at that centre. It is probable that at Victoria, the Agent of the C.P.R. may arrive on the ship. Establish contact with him as quickly as possible, so that all the details in connection with landing arrangements are attended to.

Mr. Stanley Brent, the Secretary at Vancouver Y, is a man I know personally, and I am sure he will be helpful in every way open to him. You might consult him with regard to where you should stay overnight. The little hotel that I stayed at was called the Dusnmuir, where the rates were very reasonable, and it was fairly close to the Y building.

You will, of course, do your utmost to conserve the little cash you have. Watch the multitude of small expenses. They soon run away with a lot of money in the end.

I mention these things simply because I am anxious that you should arrive at Chicago College with as much cash as you possibly can. You know how important it is, and I will trust your judgment to the right thing in this connection.

As all of these letters have been sent on ahead of you, naturally I have not been able to give you any home news, and you will not be able to receive any until you have arrived at Toronto or Cleveland. I may even be later than that before a mail can make contact with  you. I would suggest that you leave your address for forwarding mail at the Toronto Central Y.M.C.A., also at the Cleveland Central Y.M.C.A.

You will have a wonderful time going through the Rockies, and I envy you the trip as it is one of the most remarkable railway journeys to be had anywhere in the World.

Make all the contacts you can with delegates travelling to the Conference. You will find it well worth your while to keep a record of the names and addresses of people you meet in this way, because later on you will want to write to them.

I must close now. You know that all of us are thinking of you, and we pray God's richest blessing upon you in your journeyings.

With warm love,
Dad

See related post: Building Contacts and Religion