April 1999 West Vancouver Historical Society Page 7 AND THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS By: Barbara Johnson, Contributions Editor The Memories of West Vancouver High School encouraged several of you to write in recalling bygone years. The History-Onics team is always delighted to hear from you and to know that you enjoy reminiscing. Here are some memories which were sent in to us by Andrew Reid who now lives in Victoria. THE EARLY 1920'S: Remember When - * The West Vancouver Municipal Police force (circa 1922) consisted of two men - Chief Squires and Constable Shephard * The Municipal bus ran to Dundarave and had hard rubber tyres in the rear * Shields Shingle Mill occupied the site of Inglewood School * The shingle bolts for operating the mill were floated down a "V" shaped flume or brought down from Hollybum Ridge on a narrow gauge railway line which ran parallel to the flume * The only paved roads in the Municipality were Marine Drive and 14th Street from Marine to the Ferry wharf * In 1925 the Municipality raised a loan of $52,500.00 to pave 16 main roads. Can you name them for us? * The only mechanised equipment used on the road project was an old coal-fired "Steam Roller". The other equipment was "Man Power" or "Horse Power" * "Alsops" was the only house on Baby Mountain (called Sentinel Hill today) * The only illumination was by coal oil lamp or candles - before electricity came to West Vancouver in 1923 * One of the first radio receiving sets (a crystal set) was installed in "Gemmills Drug Store" at 14th and Argyle and we used to line up for our turn at the head phones to listen to Vancouver (circa 1922-23) (Cont'd. next column) * Prior to Pauline Johnson School being built when Grade 6 was housed in the "Bam" in the field just East of 17th and North of Bellevue, and Grade 7 was on the top floor of the "Masonic Hall" near 18th and Bellevue * The "Ambleside Hall" at the Ferry Wharf was the Community Centre - site of political meetings, lantern shows, plays, basketball, etc. We held our Christmas parties and concerts there too * Mr and Mrs Fletcher built the Hollybum Theatre (long before the talkies!) - the piano player keeping time to the action! * The "Wharton Block" was built - the first multi-storey commercial block in the Municipality. (It was on the comer of 14th and Marine Drive) * The first Upper Levels "bus" was a large touring car, with a maximum capacity of 8, including the driver * "Jeffries Meat Market" used to deliver meat orders in a small 2-wheel horse-drawn cart * Mr Barrington was Hollybum's only barber and a hair cut cost 35 cents * Dick Williamson owned the Hollybum Pavillion and featured wonderful Saturday night dances and when times got tough he converted it into a "Roller rink" * Pauline Johnson School opened with 3 classrooms, Grades 6,7 and 8. The teachers were Miss Crewson (Gr 8), Mr Davidson (Gr 7) and Mr Burbidge (Gr 6)