Everett Baker Award for Saskatchewan Heritage

Everett Baker. Photo courtesy of the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan.

This award is named for the SHFS’ first president, Everett Baker. Throughout his life, Everett Baker was a strong believer in the importance of understanding the past to build a better future, and as such, he worked tirelessly to preserve local history.

In that spirit, the Everett Baker Award for Saskatchewan Heritage recognizes individuals, groups or organizations who have gone “above and beyond” to preserve and promote heritage in Saskatchewan. The award also recognizes efforts to call public attention to aspects of little-known Saskatchewan history.

Do you know a person or organization who has gone "above and beyond" for Saskatchewan's heritage?

Nominations for the Everett Baker Award for Saskatchewan Heritage are open year-round. Any person, group or organization who has worked towards promoting and sharing heritage in Saskatchewan is eligible.

Yearly deadline: April 30

 

2024 Winner: REgina Mandolin Orchestra

Congratulations to the Regina Mandolin Orchestra (RMO) for raising public awareness of little-known aspects of Saskatchewan's history through "A Step Back in Time."

A black and white photo of several women and men seated in a portrait studio. They wear stylish 1920s clothing and are holding a variety of mandolins and banjos.

Grace Newman Mandolin Club, 1926-27.

For its 2023 season, the RMO worked on a program called "A Step Back in Time: The Music of Regina's Early Mandolin Clubs." It introduced the public to the little-known history of mandolin music in Regina in the 1920s.

"A Step Back in Time" brought this history to life through musical pieces, narration and visual displays, reaching the audience's minds and hearts. The program included a selection of musical pieces that formed part of the repertoire of the two mandolin clubs that called Regina home in the 1920s. Key elements of the story of the two clubs were also presented in serialized form through the Historic Regina and RMO Facebook pages.

"A Step Back in Time" was based on over four years of archival and historical research. In addition, descendants of members of the two clubs contributed anecdotes, pictures, and archival documents. While much research already exists regarding Regina's early choral groups, symphony orchestras, or jazz bands, the mandolin clubs' contribution to the city's musical scene had largely been overlooked prior to "A Step Back in Time."

The two mandolin clubs active in 1920s Regina were led by young women, Grace Newman and Dorothy Fletcher. In what was still a man's world, these clubs provided leadership opportunities for these forward-looking women. For Grace Newman, that opportunity led to her appointment as an instructor in the music conservatory in Regina.

The two clubs contributed to the rich musical scene in Regina during that era. They could even be described as early rock stars. They performed to sell-out crowds in venues across town. Newly founded CKCK Radio broadcast some performances. These were followed by phone calls and telegrams requesting a repeat of the entire program! Some of these requests came from the United States.

A frame award certificate for the Reginal Mandolin Orchestra.

Regina's clubs were not an isolated phenomenon. Mandolin clubs were popular across North America in the early 20th century. Through her involvement in mandolin ensemble music, Grace Newman twice spent extended periods in the United States to increase her mastery of the instrument. Her club was profiled in an international periodical devoted to plucked instruments, which increased the profile of Regina as a musical city.

As a community ensemble devoted to mandolin music, the RMO is an heir to the mandolin clubs of the 1920s. "A Step Back in Time" was a way to honour the legacy of Grace Newman and Dorothy Fletcher.

We are thrilled to recognize you for your efforts to highlight the rich history of Regina's early music scene, which weaves together music history, women's history, and the social and musical life of early Regina.

Thanks so much for your efforts to bring renewed attention to this unique aspect of Saskatchewan life!