Reprinted from The Packet, June 29, 2015
by Lester Green
The first annual Southwest Arm Heritage Fair was held at the Hodge’s Cove-Caplin Cove Lion’s Club this past Saturday.
On another table, Elaine Spurrell’s display featured a collection of textbook used in the school education system, prompting lots of discussion among visitors about their days in the local one and two-room schools
A model of the old red school house at Hodge’s Cove had a removable roof to allow a view of the seating arrangement inside the school.
Over 100 visitors visited the display during the afternoon, and some stayed for the soup and sandwiches at 5 p.m. for an opportunity to socialize and “yarn” about adventures of the past and growing up in the Southwest Arm region.
The meal was followed by an old fashion square dance. For the participants, it was a time for physical activity and fun in performing a dance that was very popular in the region during their youth.
This dance, however, slowly disappeared by the mid-1960s. Some in the crowd were seeing the dance for the first time and remarked that to participate required good physical conditioning.
Those watching the dancers were entertained for about two hours by the dancers and the music performed by Don Smith and Pearl Spurrell. The musicians were later joined by Ricky Baker, Garfield Stringer and Johnny Spurrell.
Everyone had a great time and all are looking forward to this event next year.
The Southwest Arm Historical Society committee is hoping to plan a similar event to be held in the Hillview region later this Fall.
