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Entertainment was simple and generally homemade in the then isolated community of Amesdale. Dances, Christmas concerts, and picnics relied entirely upon home-grown talent. Imported talent arrived direct, over the airwaves to Gordon Ames’ new battery operated radio. The radio was kept in the store, where it became the focal point of regular evening community entertainment. 
Phrases like, "Fibber McGee's closet" and "I gotta get that closet cleaned out one of these days", soon became part of the local vernacular as the community tapped into mainstream entertainment. These phrases were immortalised by McGee’s opening of “The Closet”, out of which would tumble an avalanche of clutter. Amid the despair and struggle of the 1930’s, such recurring gags, on the “Fibber McGee and Molly” comic drama, touched a nerve with the local audience, as blowhard McGee’s hare-brained get rich quick schemes were perennially frustrated. Perhaps, in a Depression weary world, McGee’s desperate strivings, and Molly’s loving patience, were a humorous parody on their own lives.
Another popular radio sitcom was the nightly Amos ‘N Andy show in which the then archetypes of African-Americans were humorously portrayed. Although, perhaps racially offensive to some by today's standards, beneath the dialect and racial imagery, the series humorously celebrated the virtues of friendship, persistence, hard work, and common sense, so fundamental in the audience’s daily life.
On June 22, 1938, together with an estimated audience of 70 million around the world, there in Gordon’s store, the men of Amesdale clustered around the radio to listen to “The Fight of the Century”. In a rematch, Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber faced the German Max Schmeling. Victorious over Louis in 1936 with his “right over the top”, Hitler touted Schmeling as perfect specimen of the Arian superiority, over an inherently inferior black race. In March 1938, German troops had entered Austria to enforce the Anschluss, or annexation of Austria. Keenly aware of the events in Europe, the men of Amesdale were riveted to radio as Louis and Schmeling met in what was as much “The Fight of the Century” between Heavyweights, as a match between political ideology and race. With a series of “one-two punches”, Joe Louis lifted the spirits of the Empire, defeating the German at the two minute four second mark of Round One. Imagine the scene in the store that night!
If not already enlisted, in a more sombre mood, before Gordon’s radio these same men again huddled about the radio to catch the news from “The Front”. Known as “The Voice of Doom”, chief CBC radio announcer Lorne Greene, read the news at the height of Canada's darkest days of World War II. Following the desperate evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of Dunkirk in May 1940, they would have been inspired by Churchill’s promise:
"We will not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight in the seas and the oceans…we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, was shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large port of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggles until, in God’s good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the old.”
And so they did. In total 15 boys from Amesdale enlisted to rescue and liberate the old world.
Together with that radio, through Depression and War their spirits were raised, and their burdens lightened by Kate Smith’s cheerful "Hello, everybody!" as she greeted audiences, and "Thanks for listenin'”, as she signed off the long running “Kate Smith Show”. With Kate they hummed or sang along with her theme song "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain", and would have been cheered by her singing of “Just Whistle and Blow Your Cares Away”:
Here’s how to make everything OK!
Just Whistle and Blow your Cares Away
You’ll swing along through the day.
If you Whistle and Blow your Cares Away
You’re bound to loose your troubles and every care.
Phrases like, "Fibber McGee's closet" and "I gotta get that closet cleaned out one of these days", soon became part of the local vernacular as the community tapped into mainstream entertainment. These phrases were immortalised by McGee’s opening of “The Closet”, out of which would tumble an avalanche of clutter. Amid the despair and struggle of the 1930’s, such recurring gags, on the “Fibber McGee and Molly” comic drama, touched a nerve with the local audience, as blowhard McGee’s hare-brained get rich quick schemes were perennially frustrated. Perhaps, in a Depression weary world, McGee’s desperate strivings, and Molly’s loving patience, were a humorous parody on their own lives.
Another popular radio sitcom was the nightly Amos ‘N Andy show in which the then archetypes of African-Americans were humorously portrayed. Although, perhaps racially offensive to some by today's standards, beneath the dialect and racial imagery, the series humorously celebrated the virtues of friendship, persistence, hard work, and common sense, so fundamental in the audience’s daily life.
On June 22, 1938, together with an estimated audience of 70 million around the world, there in Gordon’s store, the men of Amesdale clustered around the radio to listen to “The Fight of the Century”. In a rematch, Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber faced the German Max Schmeling. Victorious over Louis in 1936 with his “right over the top”, Hitler touted Schmeling as perfect specimen of the Arian superiority, over an inherently inferior black race. In March 1938, German troops had entered Austria to enforce the Anschluss, or annexation of Austria. Keenly aware of the events in Europe, the men of Amesdale were riveted to radio as Louis and Schmeling met in what was as much “The Fight of the Century” between Heavyweights, as a match between political ideology and race. With a series of “one-two punches”, Joe Louis lifted the spirits of the Empire, defeating the German at the two minute four second mark of Round One. Imagine the scene in the store that night!
If not already enlisted, in a more sombre mood, before Gordon’s radio these same men again huddled about the radio to catch the news from “The Front”. Known as “The Voice of Doom”, chief CBC radio announcer Lorne Greene, read the news at the height of Canada's darkest days of World War II. Following the desperate evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of Dunkirk in May 1940, they would have been inspired by Churchill’s promise:
"We will not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight in the seas and the oceans…we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, was shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large port of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggles until, in God’s good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the old.”
And so they did. In total 15 boys from Amesdale enlisted to rescue and liberate the old world.
Together with that radio, through Depression and War their spirits were raised, and their burdens lightened by Kate Smith’s cheerful "Hello, everybody!" as she greeted audiences, and "Thanks for listenin'”, as she signed off the long running “Kate Smith Show”. With Kate they hummed or sang along with her theme song "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain", and would have been cheered by her singing of “Just Whistle and Blow Your Cares Away”:
Here’s how to make everything OK!
Just Whistle and Blow your Cares Away
You’ll swing along through the day.
If you Whistle and Blow your Cares Away
You’re bound to loose your troubles and every care.
.
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