Click on photos to enlargeThe congregation of St. Paul’s United Church was “at home” to citizens of Midland and district Sunday afternoon, at a reception to honor its retiring minister, Rev. W. R.  Auld. Receiving guests, left to right, Rev. Auld, clerk of session J. W. Smith and Mrs. Smith, recording secretary of the board Clarke Edwards, Mrs. McCullough and T. M. McCullough, chairman of the committee of stewards and Mrs. Edwards. 

Surprise party for Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Isaac (Ethel May Hamilton) of 3rd Conc. Tay, marked their 40th wedding anniversary at the Midtown Motel, Saturday. Married at Hillsdale in 1918, they had just returned from a trip out west. 

All dressed up in new uniforms, Midland Indians still have plenty of places to go despite their first defeat of the Bruce Baseball League season Monday night. Left to right are, front row – Ab Stainton, Bob Hendrickson, “Buck” Rodgers, coach “Bun” Deschamp, Paul Creighton, Larry Greene, Bill Kettle; back row-Harold Jackson, Murray Yorke, Vic Valentine, Jack Hendrickson, Jim Wilcox, Joe Faragher, Jim Lemieux. In front is bat boy Fred Jackson. Catcher “Buzz” Deschamp was missing when the picture was taken. 

Rosary pilgrimage took 40 residents of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 680 miles to Martyr’s Shrine near Midland. Among those on the 16-day tour of religious shrines were, left to right, Irene Strong, Anna Strong, Laura Meyer and Emma Drost, on a shopping tour in Midland. They left here Tuesday morning for Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec.  

There was a large turnout at Waubaushene, June 18, as Simcoe County fire brigades demonstrated their ability to render mutual aid in emergency actions. Chiefs from a number of municipalities are seen above. Left to right are; front row – Dick Columbus, Elmvale; Ed Gapp, Bradford; L. Edwards, Orillia; R.H. Irwin, Barrie, county-coordinator; back row – Lloyd Cameron, Port McNicoll; Herb Stevens, Coldwater; Joe Moreau, Waubaushene; Arnold Tippin, Midland; George Alexander, of the Fire Marshal’s Office, Toronto; A. E. Culham, Stayner; “Sib” Brodeur, Victoria Harbour; Bob Stewart, Penetang; Roy Ferguson, Stroud. 

Co-ordinator for Simcoe County’s mutual aid fire program, Barrie Fire Chief R. H. Irwin, is seen chatting with a member of the Waubaushene brigade during a demonstration in that village last Wednesday night. Chief Irwin said the mutual aid program is “working out splendidly,” with more than 300 volunteer and 25 permanent firemen available to combat major emergencies that might arise within the county. 

No, these people aren’t looking at some giant eel pulled from the waters of Waubaushene Bay. The picture was taken during a mutual aid demonstration held by a number of Simcoe County fire departments, Wednesday, June 18. 

Recession or no recession, there seems to be little letup in the building of new houses in Midland. Among the most active builders is Henry Bernick of Barrie, former Midland industrialist. The top picture shows two new houses under construction on John Street. The lower photo shows two more in a nearly finished state on Donalda Street. 

A typical scene at graduation exercises for Grade 8 pupils of Midland public schools Tuesday night includes Wm. Barnett, left, and schools board representative Frank Whiteman, right, handing out diplomas.

 

Merit award winners for Midland public schools were announced at graduation exercises Tuesday night. From left to right are Dietmar Wagner and Birgit Brinkman of Regent School, Charles Hamilton of Sixth Street School, Elizabeth Holden and Kirk Weldon of Parkview School. Sixth Street winner June Caston was absent. 

Production line techniques were implemented by Mid-Canada Contractors Ltd. crews as they commenced the installation of gas mains in Midland and Penetang Tuesday. The picture shows some of the crew at work on Bay Street W., Midland. About 25 local men are employed at present. It is expected this will be increased to 40. 

Big smiles above are in anticipation of the successful conclusion of another season of Little League baseball in Midland Friday night. Lads are Brian Berriault, left, and Jerry Beteau, captains of two of the league’s many teams. Center is league director Len Self, who is hoping for good weather for Friday’s big “final night”. All games will be played at Parkview Public School, starting at 6:30 p.m. 

Wet, gray skies attended the launching of the “Sea Owl” in Midland harbour Wednesday. Completed by Midland Boat Works the Sea Owl is the craft in which Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wells will soon begin a tour or the Trent Valley waterway system. The launch coincides with the release of Mr. Wells’ latest book, “Cruising on Georgian Bay”.  The book was the result of a 1,000-mile journey through the Georgian Bay and along the eastern shore of Lake Huron last summer. (The museum would appreciate the names of the pipers in these photos.) 

Champagne flew high and wide as Mrs. Ken Wells (Lucille Oille) christened the “Sea Owl” at launching ceremonies in Midland Wednesday afternoon. Onlookers in the background are Len Cowdrey of Midland Boat Works and Ken Wells, journalist and author. 

• Free Press Herald headline of June 25^th, 1958; Loot Midland Dock Area, Take Three Boat Motors. Police have estimated the value of the three motors at a total of $650.00, along with a five-gallon gasoline tank valued at $50. Loot from a break-in at Campbell’s Auto Parts nearby was placed at $69.00.
• County Herald headline of June 27^th, 1958; Bell Makes Second Bid For Phone Rate Boosts. The effect on Midland residents was to be; one party line, present rate $3.65, proposed $3.85; two-party line, present rate $2.95, proposed $3.05; multi-party rural, present $2.85, proposed $2.95; business one-party, present $6.50, proposed $6.95.
• St. Andrew’s Hospital had a cash surplus of $4,337 for the first five months of 1958, board members were told at their meeting Monday night. It was seen as a definite improvement in the financial situation, considering that during May $2,900 was collected in old accounts owing prior to the first of the year. Added to this was the news of the receipt of a $1,000 bequest from the estate of Miss Emma Baker.
• HILLSDALE- Misfortune seems to be dogging the fortunes of the Gerrad Jolie family here. A few weeks ago their house was destroyed by fire. Then one of the children swallowed an overdose of aspirin. This was followed by a broken arm suffered by young John Jolie in a fall. With his arm still in a cast, Johnny suffered an attack of appendicitis. He came home last weekend minus his arm cast and his appendix.
• Blair Construction and Supplies Ltd., Midland, has been awarded the contract for the erection of a new store in Midland for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Being erected at Bay and Queen Streets, the new store will consist of the main floor and a full basement, with a total floor space of about 8,000 square The building will be of brick and concrete construction. A number of Midland firms have successfully bid on the subcontracting jobs. Excavation for the building has already been completed by Thomas Wilcox and Sons Ltd. H. J. Thompson and Sons Ltd. will do the plumbing, heating and air conditioning work. Bowman and Crippin decorating firm will do the painting. Midland Planning Mills Ltd. will do the millwork and supply the lumber. Concrete and masonry materials will be supplied by J. M. Wallace and Sons Ltd.
• Ten Years Ago This Week – The village of Lafontaine opened its new continuation school. It was completed at a cost of $75,000. • • • The strawberry crop in North Simcoe was seriously hit by a prolonged drought. It was estimated that the bumper crop would be a total Ioss unless rain came within a day or so. • • Archaeologist Wilfrid Jury had uncovered a building at Fort Ste. Marie I of which there are no known records in existence. It was west of the old fort between the fort and the Wye River. • • • Mrs. James Bell of R.R. 3, Coldwater, was re-elected president of East Simcoe Women’s lnstitute at the annual convention at Crown Hill. • • • Midland‘s Police Chief A. D. McDonald issued summonses to two motorists for serenading a wedding party by blowing their horns. It was the first such incident since the town had put a ban on the practice a year previously. • • • Rev. J. L. Burgess of Elmvale was elected moderator of Barrie Presbytery of the ·Presbyterian Church in Canada, at a meeting in Ottawa. • • • More than 3,000 Medonte old timers and visitors from all over the continent attended a Medonte reunion and the tercentenary of the martyrdom of Anthony Daniel. A special religious service was held on the hilltop near Mount St. Louis. • • • A twister which swept in across Georgian Bay caused extensive property damage at Port Severn and left a trail of toppled trees, smashed buildings and damaged boats from there to North River.
• The Ontario government Hospital Care Insurance program provides unlimited standard ward care coverage as long as it is medically necessary for the insured to remain in hospital supervisor for the Ontario Hospital Services Commission told a meeting of North Simcoe employers at the Midland Municipal Building Tuesday afternoon. When the –plan becomes effective Jan. 1. 1959, there will be no limitation in the payment for hospital extras nor in the number of days of confinement, he said. (The beginning of OHIP)

For our look beyond 60 years, we have clipped a series of newspaper ads published by Midland’s famous photographer (before Budd) J. W. Bald.

Bald Ads PDF