Mercury staff recalls his glory days

With the recent 100th anniversary celebrations of Tofield Mercury, the weekly publication was made aware of a 1950s employee, Al Girard who had a brief but interesting stint under former owner and publisher, Cliff Patterson.

“I was a letter-type operator and was trained to feed the big press and the folding machine,” Girard said, recalling memories from the time.

Girard lived out of Ryley where his father owned a local business.

“I have no recollection about how I got the job, but I remember starting in 1956 and working there for more than three years approximately,” Girard added. “On Fridays, we’d print the Valley Echo, a BC paper, but because Cliff was a Seventh-day Adventist believer, in winter we had to get done by 3 p.m., ie, before sunset.”

Girard used to play the classical piano and got lessons since he was in Grade 4. Girard narrated how he got into playing in bands.

“One day I was walking by the National Music Centre, and I was intrigued by a set of drums, and so I learnt to play drums, from being a pianist, that was the beginning of my band career . . .”