For many years the major social event of a Bell Island summer was Sports Day, which was held on August 15. Though a community event, it was, in typical outport fashion, church led. For a long time the driving force behind this and many other sporting events in the town was Msgr. G.F. Bartlett, who worked continuously on the Island for more than thirty-two years. As time passed, the problems faced by the churches in providing social leadership on Bell Island were greatly compounded by the growth of the local population. On the other hand the expectation of clerical leadership meant that the churches were able to draw upon the wealth that the mining industry produced. A unique feature of Island life beginning in the late 1930's was a two percent check-off from the wages of the workers on a denominational basis for use by the churches. This was an "opt in" scheme but the social pressure to contribute by this means was very strong. The cash economy of the new industrial era may in fact have initially strengthened the Newfoundland churches in their traditional secular roles. Certainly the clergy rivalled the managerial elite and union and political leaders for social prominence on Bell Island.
