OUT OF THIN AIR

twenties they were an important part of every child’s school desk.

The first Santa Claus voice belonged to Bill Fitzgerald and was heard on the Home Forum Program run by his mother, “Flo” Fitzgerald during the noon hours. When I started writing in the part of Santa Claus, I asked Jim Crockett, a tall, solidly built man with a very deep voice to do it. He was an executive of Holman’s, the department store that was my sponsor. He was a compulsive worker and soon was writing his own material. He became completely wrapped up in the program—so much so that he kept a scratch pad beside his bed to mark down any inspirational material he might think of during the night. I believe there was also one beside his tub. He lost sleep and regretfully he had to give it up. Ruby Houle, an experienced actress with the Charlottetown Little Theatre, played “Mrs. Santa” and she suggested J. Austin Trainor for the role of Santa.

Mr. Trainor was a short, bouncy man, rotund with twinkly blue eyes. He was perfect for the part. He was also an experienced actor and had known many famous people while travelling on the Keith Vaudeville circuit as a member of the Dochsteeder Minstrel Show. After coming back home, he directed plays for the League of the Cross Drama Society and produced the yearly St. Patrick’s Day Play as well as the Easter Monday Play and the annual Minstrel Show for the Holy Redeemer Parish. His daughter, Leona Sinclair remembers past St. Patrick’s Days:

My father would always send my mother, Patricia, a bunch of Shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day and we children, two boys and three girls, had to dress in green that morning when we went

to school.

In the afternoon, we would attend the St. Patrick’s Day play produced by my father. It was the biggest day of the year. They practiced at our house and I remember one play where they used a big sheet of tin to make thunder. That was exciting.”

By 1938, Austie Trainor had produced his 547th entertainment, “The Sunshine Girl” in aid of the Charlottetown Hospital. He was one of the first to receive the Canadian Drama Award but he always thought of the children first. He would never tell anyone that he was playing

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