The Handwritten Newspapers Project

Belmont AB Star (AB, 1889)

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Belmont School, Belmont, AB Canada

Frequency:  Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  Issues published in February 1889 to May 1890

Size and Format:  Variable

Editor/Publisher:  Albert Fraser, Simon Borwick, et al.

Title Changes and Continuation:  The Star

General Description and Notes:

According to an Edmonton city website, The Star was a handwritten newspaper put together by students of the Belmont School and teacher, James Bond Steele.  The Edmonton Archives have three editions of the newspaper, February 1889, March 1889 and May 1890.  Here is a scan and transcription of the introduction of the first edition:

The Belmont Star (AB, 1889)

The Belmont Star
Albert Fraser – Editor-in-Chief
Belmont, Alta., Feb’y, 1889

The Star

We present to-day the first number of the Belmont Star. It is started for the instruction [and]amusement of the pupils of Belmont[School]. All the news and other matter in the Star will be made up by the scholars. The school-house was put up in 1882, and the first teacher was Mr. Murphy. The old pupils generally leave in the spring, or at hay-making time, because there is more work then than any other time. Some of them stop a week or two in the autumn. New scholars generally begin in spring or summer. There were a few of the scholars sick for a while. Some didn’t go to school for two weeks; some for about a week. There were five examinations, one in 1885, one in 1886, one in 1887, and two in 1888.

And a transcription of the local news (pictured above):

Local News
Simon Borwick – – Editor

Robins were singing in town on March 2^nd.

Henry J. Fraser saw a band of ducks on March 1^st.

Rain fell on the 27^th of February.

Eggs are 33 1/3 ^c a dozen, and butter is 40 ^c a pound.

The weather was fine all the month, with the exception of one week.

There are cracks in the ground 4 5/8 inches wide, and three feet deep.

Prairie fires are raging and have done some damage. Mr. Stedman had his house burnt, and others have lost a good deal of hay.

This has been a very open winter. The coldest day was Friday, Feb’y 22^nd. It was 28 degrees below zero.

Some of the pupils were sick in school lately. Others were forced to make some sudden trips outside on account of their noses bleeding.

The ice is melting on the lakes.

Mr. William Rowland’s team ran away on the 26^th.

The air has been very smoky lately.

Harry Fulton left scho[ol] on the 1^st instant.

The Ducks

The ducks come early in the spring to lay their eggs. They lay them in a bush or by a lake. After she hatches her eggs she loses her feathers and can’t fly till in September. Then all the ducks begin to fly around the country. In the fall they go home to another country and stay till the next spring.

___ Henry J. Fraser

(City of Edmonton Archives volunteer Kathryn Merrett transcribed the Belmont Star stories above.)

Information Sources:

Bibliography: None

Link: http://www.transformingedmonton.ca/index.php/2011/04/20/belmont-school-newspaper-the-star-part-i/

Locations:  Edmonton Archives, Edmonton, AB, Canada