96 A Bridge To The Past 
     
    
   
   
    
     WILMOT VALLEY HALL 
     
    
   
   
    
     The early history of Wilmot Valley Hall is uncertain but it is thought 
     
     to be in use in 1865. George A. Leard in his book “Historic Bedeque”, on 
     
     page 83 makes references to Wilmot church and Sunday School services 
     
     (Methodist) being conducted in Wilmot Hall in that year. It is known that 
     
     the Excelsior Division of the Sons of Temperance were meeting here about 
     
     1880. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Wilmot Valley Hall Company was incorporated in 1894 with 29 
     
     shareholders most of whom held one share each, the exception being John 
     
     W. Hogg and George Clark who held six shares each. Value of shares not 
     
     stated. At the first annual meeting of which there is record, the officers 
     
     elected were: Edward Clark, President; Gordon Huestis, Secretary; also a 
     
     board of directors. A bid for the contract of lighting fires; the contractor to 
     
     supply coal and oil and keep hall in good order, was sold to E.W. Clark for 
     
     21¢ each opening. The contract for banking the hall and removal of same 
     
     was sold to Frank Curtis for 27¢. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The janitor’s pay reached an all time low of 19¢ in 1898 and since then 
     
     increased yearly, until in 1958 the pay was $1.30 each opening. 
     
    
   
   
    
     During the years the Hall was used for Farmers’ and Dairymen’s 
     
     meetings, Sunday School, Singing Class, Pie and Basket Socials, Lectures, 
     
     Mission Band, Patriotic Club, Sunday Services by various ministers, Bean 
     
     Socials, Suppers and Ice Cream Socials. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In 1902 a contract was sold to Edward Clark for “cleaning flue, taking 
     
     down pipes, cleaning them and getting new as required and “leaving hall 
     
     not too dusty” all for the sum of $2.00. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In 1905 the hall was opened twenty-four times at a total cost of $6.96; 
     
     the janitor, Harry Waugh, being paid 29¢ for services already outlined. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The annual meeting of the Hall Company was always held in early 
     
     November and if there was a small debt from the year’s expenditure, it was 
     
     wiped off the books by taking up a collection. On one occasion the hat had 
     
     to be passed the second time. One never failing entry in the minutes of the 
     
     meeting was “examined the stove pipe to see if it was in satisfactory condi- 
     
     tion”. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In 1945 it was decided to buy two gas lamps at a cost of $15 and in 
     
     1946 the cost of having the hall wired for electricity was discussed and the 
     
     following year the sum of $140 was paid to RT. Morrison for wiring the 
     
     hall. Other expenses were incurred due to repairs and renovations and the 
     
     community worked together in putting on suppers, social evenings and 
     
    
   
   
    
     plays.