ICE CREAM, YOU SCREAM

Ghosts of Toronto's Past | Carys Owen 

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With the first snow fall of the season in the last few weeks, it seems that toque and mitten season is finally upon us. While this weather warms my cold heart, I know that I am mostly alone in that feeling. Many of you long for an excruciating Toronto summer, so I thought I would give us all a history lesson that will remind us of the warmer months and our favourite cold treat. Today, I will take you back in time and introduce you to an iconic summer symbol, the ice cream truck.

City of Toronto Archives, Globe and Mail fonds, Fonds 1266, Item 14442.

 But of course, ice cream came before the truck. Ice cream got its start in Toronto in 1850 when Thomas Webb opened the first Canadian ice cream parlour. William Neilson followed shortly after by selling ice cream on a commercial scale from a shop on Gladstone Street in 1893. By the 1900’s everyone and their mom was talking about ice cream. Back then, an ice cream cone only cost 5 cents (a far cry from the amount we shell out for frozen dairy product today). However, ice cream trucks such as the commonly known white Grumman trucks didn’t come out until the 1950’s with advances in refrigeration technology. Back in the day, these trucks were independently owned, each with their own recipe and special process and by the 1960’s the ice cream truck business was booming.

 

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While the sight and sounds of an ice cream truck strikes joy into the hearts of us all, they do have several dark sides to their history. Let’s start with the heartwarming jingle that many ice cream trucks play. As it turns out, this song has an extremely racist origin. It was originally released in 1916 by Columbia Records, written by actor Harry C. Browne. The song describes highly offensive depictions of black people eating ice cream, and while not all ice cream trucks use this song, many still do. But I warn you not to look up the lyrics as this will definitely ruin memories of your childhood.

City of Toronto Archives, Globe and Mail fonds, Fonds 1266, Item 17693.

When ice cream trucks began to emerge on the streets of Toronto, they were met with mixed reviews. Many people (mainly parents) saw the trucks as a public safety hazard and a disturbance of the peace. Residents began to push to have the trucks removed from Toronto streets. But with the occurrence of several accidents resulting in injury or death of children, the boycott seemed legitimate. Mobile ice cream was so exciting to children that the trucks seemed to be having a Pied Piper effect. Some public officials and media outlets countered these concerns by claiming that mothers and children should be held responsible for the adverse affects of ice cream trucks. It seems no one could decide if the iconic ice cream truck was a Pennywise-style death machine or a idilic source of constant delight.

 

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Despite the debates, in the 1960’s several Toronto neighbourhoods including Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough implemented a ban on ice cream trucks. These bans actually remained for several decades but eventually blew over. In today’s world, ice cream trucks are welcomed across the city, but despite this, the ice cream truck business is a tough one. With the presence of several ice cream creations Toronto restaurants seem to pump out each summer and an increase in the number of trucks, there is more competition than ever before. The humble ice cream truck owner is struggling to sell a cone these days. The business used to be quite lucrative as an owner of an ice cream truck could once sell for six months and have enough to last until winter. Sadly times have changed and this is no longer the case with truck owners seeking further employment to supplement their income.

City of Toronto Archives, Globe and Mail fonds, Fonds 1266, Item 14843.

Hopefully, as frozen water continues to fall from the sky for the next couple of months, you’ll all be dreaming of your favourite frozen treat. But before you head to McDonald’s for that vanilla cone, consider going to an ice cream truck. While the tradition of the ice cream truck doesn’t have a squeaky clean record, I think it’s a tradition worth keeping alive.

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS: SIT DOWN, CHECK IN, AND CHAT

Letter From The Editor | Jordan Fee and Alexandra Forand

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Hello Musing readers! As summer is coming to an end we thought, as your editors-in-chief, that we would sit down, check in, and chat about the insightful writings by our amazing contributing editors this past summer.

Your trusty editors-in-chief, Jordan Fee (Top) and Ally Forand (bottom). Photographs curtesy of Jordan Fee and Ally Forand. 

Jordan: How was your summer, Ally?

Ally: It’s been really good! This summer I was working in the collections department at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon (SK), so I really enjoyed reading Defne’s Collections Corner, especially her latest article exploring how to identify objects that have spookily little information about them. I also did a brief stint setting up for an exhibition which required putting textiles on mannequins. I  didn't know how important mannequins were in exhibits until I read Enya's article. I also gained a lot of practical information from Samantha's latest article, in which she sits down with Tazim Hirji of the Aga Khan Museum. How was your internship?

Left: Image Courtesy of Defe Inceoglu // Right: Antique Decorations Inside a Historic Building in Shantytown (Source)

Jordan: My internship has been fantastic! I’ve been working in tandem with the publications department and the curatorial department at the Art Gallery of Ontario, helping to develop an exhibition that will open next year. However, I think I’ve gotten just as much enjoyment from reading about some of the other internships that Museum Studies students have been engaged in over the past three months - just knowing that one of our colleagues is in Naples helping to refine archival practices on an archaeological dig makes me very happy! In fact, it seems like road trips have been somewhat of an unexpected theme for Musings this summer. Michelle and Caroline stopped in for a special post about their road trip through Canada, and more recently, Amy wrote about the incredible experience that she had at Museum Queeries in Winnipeg! I can’t express in words how lucky we are to have such great colleagues and friends.

Members of Museum Queeries at the Manitoba Museum being shown pelts and animal remains. Photo courtesy of Lauren Bosc.

Centre of Canada, MB. Photo Courtesy of Michelle Wright.

Ally: The roles that are being filled by MMSt students and graduates are so varied and exciting. I felt Elizabeth’s Alumni Check-in really underscored the opportunities available. But besides your internship, how was your summer?

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happy lil emerging museum professional spotted in her natural habitat 🧐 #museumweek

A post shared by Joanna Sarah (@jswrks_) on May 14, 2019 at 7:47pm PDT

Jordan: I completely agree; it’s always so nice to read about Museum Studies alumni and the exciting projects that they’ve been working on. I have to say that this summer, for me, has been one of the best in recent memory. Aside from working at the AGO, I’ve cooked dinner for friends, travelled to some beautiful farms, and drank some great wine with my co-intern Erin Stodola, who was featured in the first of Joanna’s Internship Check-In’s. To finish it all off, I’ll be travelling to Berlin in August to see my friend get married. I couldn’t be more excited! How has your summer been, Ally?

Photograph courtesy of Jordan Fee

Ally: That all sounds so exciting, I especially liked reading about your trip to the farm where you explored the different types of pigs and the intangible heritage they represent! This summer I tried to get out of the city as much as possible and explore places I had not seen before. This explorational spirit also inspired some of my own articles, especially when I found material culture in the wilderness! Luckily, I was fully prepared after taking all three of Selin’s Cultural Heritage quizzes!

Jordan: I suppose that “exploration” could be another one of our running themes. My belief is that the best writing comes from experience, and it certainly shows in all of the articles that you’ve produced this summer. I found your most recent article to be extremely powerful, and I was also happy to see that you had written a second part of Bringing Back the Buffalo! Now I just can’t wait until school starts again so that we can once again have Musings running at full speed.

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Ally: All-in-all, it's been great summer! I’ll have to review Emma’s articles for tips and tricks for grad school to get focused for the Fall.

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Jordan: But not before a much needed break in August! To prepare for the Fall, Musings will be taking a short hiatus for the month of August. During this time, I encourage all of you to relax and unwind a little before the school year begins. You all deserve it!

BEING MINDFUL IN MAY

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: KELLY MANIKOTH

Welcome to the first What’s Happening Wednesday of Summer 2017! I am very excited to write this column for the Spring Term as there are so many exciting events, festivals, and parades that will take place over the warmer months. Upon completion of the first year of graduate school, I realized the importance of being mindful and observing our environment. This May, I wanted to highlight some fun events that support mindful practices by encouraging us to pause, examine, and appreciate our surroundings. This month’s column features events hosted at the Art Gallery of Ontario, where fellow student Tabitha Chan is currently interning; the Ontario Science Centre, where Emily Welsh and Hannah Monkman are completing their placements; the Law Society of Upper Canada, where Karley Staskus is interning; and the Royal Ontario Museum, where Napat Malathum is an intern!

1. Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival

Still from Swiss film, The Girl Down Loch Änzi. Source.

Learn about different cultures and explore new perspectives through watching documentary film! Check out the Hot Docs film festival, North America’s largest international film festival. This year is Hot Docs' 24th Anniversary, and over 200 films will be featured from filmmakers across the globe.

When: April 27th – May 7th, a schedule of the film screenings can be found here

Where: Various theatres across Toronto, including the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Scotiabank Theatre, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto Centre for the Arts, Innis Town Hall, Isabel Bader Theatre and Hart House Theatre.

Cost: Regular single tickets to screenings are $17, and $22-24 for premium tickets. Free tickets for all screenings before 5:00 p.m. are available for seniors (60+) and students with valid ID at the box offices on the day of the screening (subject to availability). Passes, packages and tickets can be purchased in person at the CraveTV Hot Docs Box Office or online at www.hotdocs.ca, by phone at 416-637-5150.

2.  Ontario College of Art and Design University's GradEx

PawPaw, 2017 by OCAD Painting and Drawing student Jessika Welch. Source. 

Support new and local talent this month by checking out OCAD's 102nd GradEx! The arts and design university opens its doors to the public to present the final thesis work of both undergrad and graduate students of the class of 2017. More than 900 art and design students will be exhibiting paintings, sculptures, new media and digital work. This year, GradEx will run for five days, spread across three buildings on the OCAD campus, including the iconic Sharp Centre for Design.

When: Opening Night Celebration Wednesday, May 3 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Thursday, May 4, 9:30 a.m.– 8 p.m.
Friday, May 5, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 6, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Where: OCAD University, 100 McCaul St.

Cost: Free!

3. Mother's Day Brunch and Georgia O'Keeffe Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario

Jimson Weed No. 1, 1932 by Georgia O'Keeffe. Source.

Looking for something creative to do on Mothers’ Day? Why not treat mom to a special day at the Art Gallery of Ontario! Enjoy the Mother's Day Brunch Menu at the AGO’s Frank Restaurant, which features items such as scones, oysters and celery root galette, all made from fresh and local ingredients. After brunch, check out the AGO’s retrospective on prolific American modernist artist, Georgia O'Keeffe. The exhibition, which runs from April 22nd – July 30th 2017, is a retrospective of O’Keefe’s career, including the prints from her first exhibition in NYC in 1916, to her distinctive paintings of New Mexico’s landscape. The evolution of O’Keeffe’s work served as a catalyst in the feminist art movement, as she created a unique style of painting amidst a discipline dominated by male artists.

When: Sunday, May 14th, 2017, 11am – 3pm

Where: The Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St W

Cost: $80 per person, $27 kids' menu

4. Untangling the Cosmos Talk at the Ontario Science Centre 

Learn about our mysterious universe at the Ontario Science Centre! Source.

It can be hard to observe the wonders of the night sky in a big city like Toronto. The Ontario Science Centre, however, can satisfy this astronomical curiosity with their symposium on current research of the Universe. The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, in partnership with Innovation 150, is hosting Untangling the Cosmos, a series of plenary talks and panel discussions on the properties and forces of the universe, the evolution of the stars, new technologies astronomers are using in their research, and major breakthroughs in astronomical discoveries. Moderated by Jay Ingram, the event is open to the public and audience participation is encouraged. 

When: May 17th, 2017, 9am - 4:30pm

Where: The Ontario Science Centre, Imperial Oil Auditorium, Level 1

Cost: $25 per ticket, students free with valid student ID

5. Doors Open Toronto

View the city in an entirely new way by taking a sneak peak into some of Toronto’s oldest and most architecturally interesting buildings! The 18th annual Doors Open Toronto program gives the public access to some of the cities most culturally significant buildings. Be sure to check out the beautiful Osgoode Hall, a nineteenth century building which is home to the Law Society of Upper Canada.

The stately Osgoode Hall, one of the many institutions participating in Doors Open Toronto. Source.

When: May 27th – 28nd, 2017, 10am – 5pm

Where: Check here for the entire list of buildings features, and here for a map of the locations to plan your route.

Cost: Free!

6. Celebrate National Museum Month at the Royal Ontario Museum with ROM Speaks 

Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story at the ROM. Source.

Listen to marine biologist and conservationist Dr. Asha de Vos discuss why the existence of blue whales is integral to our ecosystem and the current research conducted to protect the species from extinction. A reception will be held after the lecture with snacks and a cash bar.

When: Tuesday, May 30th, 2017, 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Where: The ROM, 100 Queens Park

Cost: $20 per ticket, $15 for students with valid student ID

Whether it be watching a new film, learning about a work of art, or exploring hidden buildings in the city, I hope these events will help you to be mindful and observant of our surroundings. If anything, get outside and enjoy the beautiful May flowers!

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If anyone has more exciting events to check out in May, please leave a comment below! Happy exploring, everybody!