Keeping time, checking atmospheric conditions. Lucky horseshoe magnet on the post?

RASC Hamilton Centre—1932 Eclipse
Scanned by Colin Haig
 
These slides are from the August 31st, 1932 solar eclipse expedition in Acton Vale, Quebec. There was an 8mm film that somebody (no idea who) transferred key frames to 35mm slides. I am not sure when actually that transfer was done or when the slides were developed. I scanned these (2006-02-11 through 2006-04-06) using a NIKON Coolscan V ED at highest resolution.