This was the front page photo of the January 25th, 1956 Free Press Herald, but as we continue to catalogue the Free Press negative collection we discover that many of the more important images are missing. Major events such as ship launches or Hurricane Hazel are gone, possibly loaned and never returned or just given away to those interested in them before the museum received them. This photograph, with added text and portrait inserted, was re-photoed from the May 8th, 1991 edition of “Perspectives”, an insert in the “Coldwater Canadian” printed by the Star Group of Newspapers Inc. It adds a little human interest to the original.                                                                                                       Also in the Perspectives” were editorials by Shirley Whittington, Allan Fotheringham, Stan Redman, Mark Bourrie.

As the men cut the ice it was being removed by a rail mounted bucket crane and piled on the shore. The bridge in the foreground carried the track around the shore where it joined to the tracks leading to the Simcoe Elevator. The Town House elevator had a fixed unloading leg unlike the other elevators in Midland and Port McNicoll where the leg or legs could be moved on rails to facilitate access to the entire length of a ship. At the Town House the ship had to be moved.                                                                                                                                              The shadowing on the left of this photo is common on many of the thousands of negatives in the Free Press collection, the result of up to sixty years of poor storage before we received them. Many are much worse than this and unable to be saved. With proper temperature and humidity black & white photographic film can be stored for several hundred years.

Nearly 350 guests attended at the United Church in Coldwater to honour the 50th wedding anniversary of Charles and Ethyle (Caswell) Eplett. It was likely the largest social event of its kind in Coldwater to that date. The bride and groom were born in Coldwater and have deep roots in the village. They both have a long history of community involvement including church, politics, service clubs, fall fair, WI, school board and business. Mr. Eplett’s business career included the livestock and produce business in Coldwater, operating auto agencies for R. A. Brown in Barrie, Midland and Orillia, he also owned and operated the grist mill in Coldwater until retiring last year. His son Argyle took over operation of the mill. 

Hockey isn’t just for the boys in Port McNicoll. Getting ready for a scrimmage with the boys at the community rink are; Nancy & Mary Calvert, Marilyn Newton, Sheila Armstrong and Diane Wilcox. 

Midland Marine School students attending engineering, navigation and masters classes at the Midland YMCA. Studying for Master’s ticket are Herb LeMaitre, Midland; Bernard Gravelle, Penetang; Bill Shields, Louis Girard and Dick Smith, all of Midland. Standing are course instructor Capt. E. J. Parrish and his assistant Gordon Glover. 

Midland Marine School is in its tenth year of operation and is a project of MPDHS, classes are held at the Midland YMCA. The men use simulated navigation situations and navigational markers. Seated, Don Heidman, Parry Sound; Ernie McKeown, Midland; Larry McClung, Wyebridge; Carl Sangster, Midland; Fred McReynolds, Penetang; W. A. Armstrong, Gore Bay; Andy Light, Sunnyside; Joe Dupuis, Midland; Herb LeMaitre, Midland; John Bissette, Midland; standing, Dick Smith, Midland, Capt. E. J. Parrish chief instructor and his assistant Gordon Glover. 

Two of forty girls to compete in the sixtieth St. Paul, Minnesota, winter carnival snow queen contest are packed and ready to go. Kay and Elaine Munday from Waubaushene are the only Canadians in the contest. The twins will appear on National TV and meet the governor. 

Ten seek MPDHS Queen of Hearts crown in 1956. Looking at a picture of last year’s winners are, from bottom to top on the left, Myrna Bannan, Margaret Ambeau, Dori Hyde, Helen Smith, Noreen Shiels; center row, Mary Popple, Jean Sauvé, Annette Martin; last row, Mary Wilson and Vera Sibbald. 

All set for its first major event. Down this slope skiers from all over Ontario will compete this Sunday for the Ontario Provincial Ski Jumping Championship. Newly constructed, the ski jump will be officially opened by Wm. A. Robinson, MP and deputy speaker of the House of Commons.                                                                                                                       Sadly the man that made it happen, Pete Pettersen, died in an automobile accident in 1964 and without his enthusiasm and drive the jump was dismantled in 1966.

These boys were flying. First ski jump meet of the season in Midland attracted a good number of entries and these four were among the top jumpers present. Hans Elder, Art Luostarinen, Louis Moser and Reino Kafja. Elder won the event and set a record of 164 feet on the new sixty meter jump. 

• “County road to ski jump boasts a traffic tangle equal to Toronto’s best” The recent invitational meet along with the growing number of recreational skiers at Midland Ski Resorts Ltd. created a huge traffic jam as cars parked on both sides of the road from Hwy 27 to the hill. A plan is needed before the Provincial Championships on the 29th.
• Premier Leslie Frost announced tenders for a 150 bed unit to be built next year for the criminally insane at Penetang. Expansion will double the size of current facility.
• Huronia Council, Knights of Columbus have purchased and will store the equipment of the Pen Bowling Alley until a suitable building can be erected. Jerome Gignac, chairman of the building committee of the Knights of Columbus confirmed the announcement.
• Five out of ten Queen of Hearts contestants plan a career in teaching
• OMB approves Midland’s plan to build a new municipal building on the site of the old Central Public School.
• Plans and sketches for the new home for the aged in Penetang are released. The building on two levels will accommodate fifty four residents and include a hobby room, barber shop and hair dressing rooms, board room and library.
• St. Andrew’s Hospital board chairman R. J. Pinchin, speaking to the board; “unless there are effective steps taken to balance expenditures and revenues there will have to be a sharp curtailment of services now being given at the hospital”, “a seeming lack of concern by some members of the medical staff towards the hospitals problems and a maintenance of services the hospital cannot afford”, “the growing tendency of an increasing number of people using the hospital’s facilities to feel that they do not have to pay for this hospitalization. Outstanding accounts now total in excess of $80,000.00”.