Images of History: Twentieth Century British Columbia Through the Front Pages

David W. Leonard is the project historian (Northern Alberta) in the
Historic Sites and Archives Service, Alberta Community Development. He
is also the author of Delayed Frontier: The Peace River Country to 1909
and the co-author of The Lure of the Peace R

Now that the end of the 20th century is drawing near, many books are
appearing that attempt to place the last 100 years in perspective. This
book attempts to do so for British Columbians through reproduction of
front-page stories taken from the province’s newspapers. The subtitle
is somewhat misleading, for the subject matter includes the
international (“North Sea Closed: Germany Prepares to Invade
England,” The World, 10 August 1914) and the national (“Oh Nuts!
Ticats Win Grey Cup,” Sunday Sun, 30 November, 1963) as well as
regional (“Pattullo Rejects Pleas of Jobless: Damage by Riot Set at
$30,000,” Vancouver Daily Province, 20 June 1938). The stories range
widely, from politics and war to sports and entertainment. Dramatic
announcements (“Britain at War,” Vancouver Sun, 3 September 1939)
are followed by doses of Hollywood gossip (“Starlet Fails to Save
Errol Flynn,” Sun, 15 October 1959).

The author, who worked as a reporter, editor, and newspaper manager in
British Columbia for 34 years, supplements the stories with a running
narrative text on the history of the 20th century and a selection of
topical photographs. Included in the rather curious appendix section are
the author’s reflections on being a newspaperman, a list of the
premiers and lieutenant governors of British Columbia, provincial
election returns and population statistics over the years, lists of the
province’s newspapers and Victoria Cross recipients, a copy of the
Pacific Press Agreement, and an odd select bibliography on subjects
ranging from Kaiser Wilhelm to the Doukobors. Where the publication
falls down is in the quality of the photographically reproduced front
pages. The reduction of the these pages to book dimensions has resulted
in a serious legibility problem; the text is difficult to read and in
some cases indecipherable.