Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

GREAT CANADIAN OIL SANDS

Date

1975

Materials

PLASTIC, BRASS, PAPER

No. Pieces

4

Length

22.2

Width

10

Description

PLASTIC LAMINATED CASE WITH MEDALLION & CARD HOLDER WHICH IDENTIFIES THE PURPOSE & ISSUER OF THE MEDALLION. 2 MEDALLIONS & CASES.

Subjects

DOCUMENTARY ARTIFACT

Historical Association

COMMEMORATIVE

History

GIVEN TO FIRST 100,000 ALBERTANS WHO PURCHASED DEBENTURES WHICH HELPED FINANCE THE FIRST TAR SANDS, OIL EXTRACTION PROCESS IN ALBERTA, BEGUN IN 1965. BOTH DONOR & HIS MOTHER, MARION S. SKELTON PURCHASED SHARES IN THE ALBERTA OILSANDS PROJECT. WILLIAM HERBERT SCORESBY SKELTON WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE ON 6 APRIL 1920. HIS PARENTS WERE MARION SCORESBY SKELTON AND HERBERT SCORESBY SKELTON. EDUCATED LOCALLY, MR. SKELTON WORKED AT THE DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARM (NOW THE LETHBRIDGE RESEARCH CENTRE) FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A REPORTER WITH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD IN 1943. AFTER FIVE YEARS AT THE NEWSPAPER, HE BECAME NEWS DIRECTOR AT RADIO STATION CJOC ON 15 FEBRUARY 1948. DURING HIS FIRST TWO YEARS AT THE RADIO STATION, MR. SKELTON WAS THE ONLY EMPLOYEE IN THE NEWS DEPARTMENT. MR. SKELTON ORGANIZED THE FIRST FULL-TIME NEWS DEPARTMENT AT THE RADIO STATION AND WAS NEWS DIRECTOR FOR THE JOINT RADIO – TELEVISION OPERATIONS OF SELKIRK COMMUNICATIONS IN LETHBRIDGE AND SOUTHERN ALBERTA. BY THE TIME OF HIS RETIREMENT IN APRIL 1978, CJOC HAD EIGHT EMPLOYEES IN THE NEWS DEPARTMENT. WILLIAM SKELTON MARRIED MARY THERESA FRANCIS IN SOUTHMINSTER UNITED CHURCH, LETHBRIDGE ON 3 AUGUST 1957. THE COUPLE DID NOT HAVE CHILDREN. DURING HIS LIFE MR. SKELTON WAS VERY ACTIVE AS A VOLUNTEER WITH MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: THE SOUTHERN ALBERTA BOY SCOUT COUNCIL, WINSTON CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION, LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, YWCA BUILDING FUND DRIVE, 1975 CANADA WINTER GAMES PROTOCOL COMMITTEE, LETHBRIDGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 1981 ALBERTA SUMMER GAMES, PUBLIC RELATIONS ADVISOR FOR THE SIR ALEXANDER GALT MUSEUM, A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE LETHBRIDGE JAYCEES, SOUTHERN ALBERTA COUNCIL ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND THE LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT UNITED WAY, AMONG OTHERS. HE ALSO VOLUNTEERED HIS SERVICES WITH LETHBRIDGE OVERTURE CONCERTS, THE ALBERTA MOTOR ASSOCIATION, LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT JAPANESE GARDEN SOCIETY AND THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AN INDEPENDENT CANADA. WILLIAM SKELTON DIED ON 13 JULY 1998, AGE 78, AND IS BURIED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY IN LETHBRIDGE. MARY THERESA SKELTON (NEE FRANCIS) WAS THE DAUGHTER OF DR. AND MRS. JAMES R. FRANCIS AND THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF REVEREND JAMES ROBERTSON D.D., A FORMER MODERATOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA. A TEACHER AT LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE FROM 1945 UNTIL HER RETIREMENT, MARY SKELTON WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. MRS. SKELTON WAS A MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN; THE SENIOR HIGH NOVELS, NON-FICTION AND DRAMA AD HOC CURRICULUM COMMITTEE OF ALBERTA EDUCATION; THE LETHBRIDGE SENIOR CITIZENS ORGANIZATION; AND A DRIVER FOR LETHBRIDGE MEALS ON WHEELS. MRS. SKELTON WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE SIR ALEXANDER GALT MUSEUM DURING THE TIME OF THE MUSEUM’S FIRST RENOVATION AND EXPANSION IN 1983-1985. MARY SKELTON DIED ON 23 AUGUST 2000, AGE 80, AND IS BURIED BESIDE HER HUSBAND IN MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY. [SOURCES: THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, VARIOUS ISSUES; WHO’S WHO IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA 1988-1989 (HISTORICAL RESEARCH CENTRE, 1989) PAGES 739-740]

Catalogue Number

P19900007023

Acquisition Date

1991-02

Collection

Museum

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