The Community Picnic

(Credit: Come into our Heritage. R. M. of Argyle 1882-1982, p. 20)

The first picnic in the Grund and Bru district in the Municipality of Argyle took place in 1884 at Jones's Lake. A short account of the events of that day was printed in a special historical edition of The Baldur Gazette on March 14, 1940:

"Baldwin Benedicktson entertained at stilts Sigurjon Snydal shone in the ox race, and talk about swinging the ladies with their hoop skirts and peak-a-boo hats under the oak trees; Albert and George Cramer shone there, as well as Hossy and Joe Josephson. Albert Cramer, the popular ladies' man, came to this picnic in a brand new wagon. Bjorn Anderson remembers escorting this 'water-loo' home hand in hand along the prairie road picking and saying it with flowers. Other sports were baseball, a club had been formed in the Hecla School and bicycle riding was popular. The first bicycle road race was won by Siggi Sigmars" (Baldur Gazette, March 14 1940, p. 7)

Most of the characters named in this account are Icelandic apart from the Cramers. The Cramer family originally came from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania. From there one son, George Cramer, moved to Ontario where he married Mary Ann Raycroft. In 1880 whole family, which included 10 children, moved to the Argyle District. Albert (the ladies' man) and George were two of the eldest sons. 

A Picnic in the Country. Provincial Archives of Manitoba
New Iceland Collection 276. N11280.

W.J. Sisler wrote about various events in the 'typical' lives of the early pioneers and between his accounts on harvesting, haying and building bees, are his thoughts on the community picnic:

" In Manitoba in fact in all three western provinces it [the community picnic] was the meeting place for all sections of the community. The settler who had crossed the Atlantic did not at all times meet his neighbors from Eastern Canada on a basis of equality and unity. In one section that I knew it was English vs. E. Canadian in another Orange vs. R. Catholic., Lutheran vs. Baptist. 

[...] 

The crowd began to gather about 10:30. There were swings and sports to entertain the children, a baseball game or tournament, races, athletic contests, jumping, vaulting, shot put etc. In some cases there was a program of music, organ, violin, accordion or even a brass band.  At Squirrel Creek the usual thing was to have amusements for the children in the morning, general visiting of neighbors from adjoining settlements, a dinner spread out on long tables, free for all, a program of music and songs, sometimes speeches, then athletic sports and games, closing about six o’clock to give time for all to get home and do the chores before dark.

It was the great equalizer of all sections in the community. I have heard a story about a picnic at Souris Man. It was sponsored by the Orangemen and a R.C. priest who had newly arrived in the settlement was invited to give the main address. At some of these affairs top notch athletes were seen in action. 

[...] 

The great purpose of the Manitoba Picnic was to get friends and neighbors within a radius of 10 miles or more [together]. A 1/4 or 1/2  section of vacant land mostly prairie with some poplar bluff afforded an ideal site for such an event provided the weather. A slight shower of rain never dampened their enthusiasm but a heavy downpour occasionally did. The community picnic 50 years after the pioneer stage of Manitoba settlement has been replaced by the bigger events in the larger towns. In 1950 a trip of 100 miles is as easily as was one of 5 or 1 in the early days. " (Provincial Archives of Mantioba. MG14 C28 Box 10, Ledgerbook, p. 184-186)