Home-O-Gram
Your Radio Guide
When an Artifact Helps Tells a Story
By Allan Goddard
Often an artifact comes to the museum that helps tell more of a story about the community. A recent artifact which came to the museum is called a Home-O-Gram, and was published by Home-O- Gram Services Ltd. of Edmonton. It was a daily radio programming schedule for two of the larger radio stations, CJCA and CFRN, in Edmonton at the time. Other radio station’s call letters and radio frequency, from Alberta and the northwest United States, are also included. The Home O Gram was used to promote a community and advertise local businesses, as well as Edmonton businesses.
While there is no date when the Home O Gram was published, it does indicate that it is the first one and others would follow at six-month intervals. We can conclude that it predates Television as it focuses on the daily radio programs. Further research, by the museum, into the Breton businesses that advertised in the Home O Gram has led the museum to narrow the date of the publication to circa 1947-1950.
So, what does this artifact tells us about Breton in the late 1940s? Although only six businesses have an ad in the fold out, we learn that there are agents for three machinery companies in Breton. Fred Scott, who was a local blacksmith and welder, sold John Deere equipment. North End Hardware owned by C.O Johnson sold Massey-Harris machinery. The museum has found very little information on the North End Hardware or its owner. R. (Bob) Samardzic was an Esso/Imperial fuel dealer and also an agent for International Harvester.
The Breton Cash Store owned by Hanson Bros.& Co. and managed by Nick Raczuk carried hardware, in addition to groceries, dry goods and clothing. It is interesting to note that this business has a telephone. You know you live in a small town when… your telephone number is 3. To connect with the Breton Cash Store would require you go through the local switch board operator, Mrs. Eleanor Reid. The other merchant who advertised in the Home O Gram who has a telephone is Fred Scott at the Blacksmith Shop, his phone number is 6.
General merchant, Tim Sexton also sold Groceries, Dry Goods and carried Ogilivies flour along with Shur-Gain Feeds. Sexton’s store was located, at the west end of Main Street, where Family Foods is today. It is interesting to note, that since the founding of Breton, there has always been a grocery store at this location.
Walter Baynes, a business man in Breton, was a Notary Public along with selling insurance and operating a hardware store. His hardware store was located where the Provincial Court House is now located.
While there is no date when the Home O Gram was published, it does indicate that it is the first one and others would follow at six-month intervals. We can conclude that it predates Television as it focuses on the daily radio programs. Further research, by the museum, into the Breton businesses that advertised in the Home O Gram has led the museum to narrow the date of the publication to circa 1947-1950.
So, what does this artifact tells us about Breton in the late 1940s? Although only six businesses have an ad in the fold out, we learn that there are agents for three machinery companies in Breton. Fred Scott, who was a local blacksmith and welder, sold John Deere equipment. North End Hardware owned by C.O Johnson sold Massey-Harris machinery. The museum has found very little information on the North End Hardware or its owner. R. (Bob) Samardzic was an Esso/Imperial fuel dealer and also an agent for International Harvester.
The Breton Cash Store owned by Hanson Bros.& Co. and managed by Nick Raczuk carried hardware, in addition to groceries, dry goods and clothing. It is interesting to note that this business has a telephone. You know you live in a small town when… your telephone number is 3. To connect with the Breton Cash Store would require you go through the local switch board operator, Mrs. Eleanor Reid. The other merchant who advertised in the Home O Gram who has a telephone is Fred Scott at the Blacksmith Shop, his phone number is 6.
General merchant, Tim Sexton also sold Groceries, Dry Goods and carried Ogilivies flour along with Shur-Gain Feeds. Sexton’s store was located, at the west end of Main Street, where Family Foods is today. It is interesting to note, that since the founding of Breton, there has always been a grocery store at this location.
Walter Baynes, a business man in Breton, was a Notary Public along with selling insurance and operating a hardware store. His hardware store was located where the Provincial Court House is now located.
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