Huronia Museum

The photos found in this blog post are the property of Huronia Museum, Midland, Ontario. Any reproduction for commercial use without permission is prohibited. Any other distribution must credit Huronia Museum. Please contact the museum with any questions you may have.

Click on photos to enlarge.Fourth Midland Scouts and their leader are grouped around John Cranston and Bob French, who received their Queen Scout badges last week. The rest of the troop appears to be proud of the accomplishment of the two boys. Calvary Baptist Church

Three pert high school misses, Bev Scott, Jill Phipps and Mary Anne Nicholson (left to right) showed teenage clothing trends at Edwards’ fashion show Friday. Miss Scott and Miss Phipps are wearing classic and dressy shirtmakers styles. Mary Anne is modelling a beige linen jacket and sheath.

The big event of the year for Midland curlers, the 11th annual mixed ‘spiel was held last week. In the top photo, John Fraser’s rink from Forest (front row) won the Orr Trophy and the main event. At the rear is Ernie Nicholson’s Midland rink, who lost in the final, and Alderman Bill Orr (right) who donated the trophy. Second event finalists are in the lower picture with the winners, Tom Gillespie’s Scarborough rink, in front. Harold McAllen’s Midland rink (rear) lost 10-9 on the last end. (Harold “Mac” McAllen, Marg McAllen and Jean and Jim Moss.)

Finest in spring weather of the new season favoured the fashion show at Edwards’ Specialty Shop Friday. Here the audience watches Mrs. Eric Paul model a Glen-Cheek sports dress. Nearly 90 dresses, suits, sportswear and children wear items were shown, along with suitable accessories. The women apparently flipped over the new lids . . . er hats, they will wear this season. Are you listening dad?

Spring fashion show attracted a large turn-out at Edwards’ Specialty Shop Friday. Here, Mrs. Bill Henderson (left), models the newest style in hats to go with her navy blue duster coat. Mrs. George Stephens wears a printed silk dress with a blue topcoat. Her handbag is white satin, plastic covered.

An employee of the Walker Store in Midland for some 35 years, Miss Florence Hopkins was presented with flowers and gifts at a dinner Thursday night at the Georgian Hotel to honour her on her retirement. Miss Hopkins here receives a gift from Lome Craig, manager of the Midland store, while Mrs. M. Schram, left, and Miss N. Healey look on.

Formed only recently, the Midland-Penetanguishene District Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society is already planning a campaign for April 28, to be known as “Torch-light Night.” Looking over the local unit’s charter are Mrs. W. L. Attridge, right, president, and Miss Margaret Wilson, Reg. Nurse, secretary. The first person in this world to hold many of us.

Arlene Staruch, Elaine Binkley, John Delaney and Jim Cleaver hold the trophies they won as mixed double champions in the junior division of Midland Garrison Club badminton tourney. Tie playdowns were held on the weekend.

Armour-plate glass door in Del Hastings men’s wear in Midland popped like a rifle Monday afternoon when, for some reason, it crystallized.

“Say Fire Razed Buildings Struck by Lightning Bolt”

Fire, believed to have started as the result of an electrical storm early Tuesday evening, completely destroyed two farm buildings on Conc. 9, Tay, south of Waubaushene early Wednesday morning. The blaze, which called an estimated $8,000, damage, levelled a combined driving shed and woodworking shop on the farm of Charles Cross. Destroyed in the conflagration was a considerable amount of woodworking equipment and tools and a heavy farm tractor. So far as is known the loss is only partly covered by insurance.

“Flash Flood Hit Industry, Disrupts Greenings Work”

Some half-dozen men were slated to start work in the new Greening Wire plant, Monday. Classes had been arranged where the men were to learn skills new to them in the field of wire rope manufacturing. Instead, employees found themselves doing a job that needed no particular teaching — on the end of a broom, sweeping up water. All this was the result of a flash flood that swept through the spic and span new plant Sunday afternoon, leaving behind a disheartening mess of silt and water. Hardest hit in the plant was the office section, where tiled floors became a sea of mud. Fortunately, according to officials, damage to the plant proper was small. Much of the water ran into pits and will be pumped out later. All electric motors are raised just a few inches off the floor — in this instance, barely enough. “We got some wonderful help from local authorities, who brought pumps and other equipment to the scene,” a company official told this paper. Midland PUC and town employees, and the contracting firm of Thos. G. Wilcox and Sons, all helped materially in lessening the damage done, he said.

Girls and Boys vocal results at the music festival; Boys’ solo, kindergarten, Jimmie Swales, Midland, 83; Charles Morden, Midland, 82; Craig Davidson, Midland, 80. Girls’ solo, kindergarten, Kathryn Downer, Midland, 84; Judy Cowdy, Wendy Biggar, Midland, 82; Karen Redditt, Midland, 81. Boys’ solo. Grade 4, Tommy Sweeting, Midland, 85; Danny Donaldson, Midland, 84; Charles Dyer, Kenneth McCaughen, Midland, 82. Boys’ solo, Grade 5, Blair Shakell, Ronald Henderson, Midland, 84; Dalton LeClair, Midland, 83; David Paul, Midland,’82. Double duet, boys, girls, or mixed Grade 5 – 6 , Pauline Keefer, Mary Jane Mohan, Ralph Battrick, Stewart McElroy, Midland, 83; Margaret Walker, Connie Stelter, Sandy Widmeyer, John Wilcox, Midland, 82; Anne Delaney, Debbie Bertrand, Carolyn Cowan, Pam Ellison, Midland, 81. Double duet, Grade 7 – 8 , Elaine Dorion, Anne Sauve, Geraldine Borsa, Carol Montgrain, Midland, 80; Vivette Asselin, Marie McLaughlin, Erna Vrhovnik, Madeline Butineau, Midland, 78. Boys’ solo, Grade 8, Robert Stanway, Midland, 83; Ricky Howard, Midland, 82; John Svoboda, Penetang, 81. Girls’ solo. Grade 8, Sandra Gung, Coldwater, 86; Robin Allsopp, Penetang, Sharon Benson, Midland, 85; Gayle Langridge, Midland, 83. Boys’ solo, Grade 8, Fred Hacker, Midland, 82; Ford Hegadorn, Midland, 81; Keith Craig, Midland, 80. Girls’ solo. Grade 1, Yvette Marie Quesnelle, Penetang, 84; Nancy Tomlinson, Penetang, 83; Leslie Pinchin, Janet Elrick, Lynne Harmsworth, Midland, 82. Boys’ solo. Grade 1, David Cooney, Midland, 82; Charles Glassier, Midland, 81; Raymond Leeking, Bill Jones, Midland, 80. Boys’ solo, Grade 2, Stewart Duncan, Midland, 85; Guy Asselin, Penetang, Timothy Adams, Midland, 82; Tommy Barber, Midland, 81. Girls’ solo, Grade 4, Mary Lea Rutherford, Midland, 86; Madeleine Robitaille, Penetang, 85; Sandra Brodeur, Midland, 84, Girls’ solo. Grade 5, Ardythe Boden, Midland, 85; Suzanne McFarlane, Midland, 84; Jay Ellis, Brenda Hamelin, Midland, 83. Boys’ solo. Grade 6, Bruce Wilcox, Midland, 84; Bob Montgomery, Midland, 83; Brian Clark, Midland 82. Girls’ solo. Grade 6, Beverley Hanna, Midland, Sheila D’Aoust, Penetang, 85; Sandra Sheriff, Midland, 83; Mary Jane Mohan, Midland, Linda Russell, Midland, 82.

Two years of hard work and a lifetime of savings were reduced to a few smouldering embers in less than an hour when fire levelled the Tiny Township home of Lucien Marchildon early this morning. The only thing saved from the nearly-completed new, five-room home, located on the county road between Penetang and Perkinsfield, was a small armful of clothing as flames raced throughout the structure with almost lightning speed. In the house, asleep when the blaze” started were Mr. and Mrs. Marchildon and their two children, aged 2 and 3 years. Lucien Marchildon said he was awakened by the fire about 5.15 a.m., and he immediately got his wife and children out of the house. He then tried to get some furniture out, starting with a television set. He managed to get the TV part way to the door when the extreme heat forced him to leave it and get out himself with an armful of clothing he grabbed on the way. “Then the front window blew out,” he said.

Although Midland harbormaster Dave Hewis has had “no definite word,” there is a possibility the Canadian government’s new ice-breaker, the Alexander Henry, may be operating in southeast Georgian Bay by the weekend or early next week. In recent weeks, Georgian Bay Development Association officials have contacted Hon. George Hees, minister of transport, on several occasions, requesting the Henry be sent as soon as possible to free the 14 ships waiting to clear Midland and Port McNicoll harbours. Also waiting access to open water is the S.S. Murray Bay, slated to start trial runs out of Collingwood. The GBDA received word April 4 that the Henry would proceed to Georgian Bay as soon as the U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaker Mackinaw finished its task of clearing a path through the St. Mary’s River and Whitefish Bay. This was reported to have been accomplished Monday. The Henry is expected to reach Georgian Bay “about April 8” GBDA officials reported. The latest survey of ice conditions locally disclosed heavy windrow formations around Giant’s Tomb, officials said. Severe frost conditions during mid-March added several inches to the thickness of ice in the Midland Port McNicoll area. Earlier in the month, it had been only 20 inches.

Weekend rains coupled with melting snow caused extensive damage to country roads in this area, and prevented many farm families from attending church services Sunday morning. A number of farm people in the Lafontaine area used tractors to get them through the washed-out areas, to attend church. One of the worst was at the intersection of 16th Concession Road, and the Cedar Point Road in Tiny where culverts washed out to the west and south of the corner. Approximately 150 feet of the sideroad, south of the concession, was washed out after water started pouring across it from a washed-out culvert in the concession road.

The annual meeting of Penetanguishene General Hospital postponed March 9 because it lacked a quorum was held at the hospital March 16. Jerome Gignac was again named president for I960. Mrs. Carl Williams is vice-president. With E.J. Moreau still on a slow road to recovery following a heart attack some months ago, the board named Felix Turcotte to act as secretary-treasurer pending Mr. Moreau’s return. Three directors were named for a three-year period. They are E. J. Moreau, Mrs. Chas. Sweet and Mrs. C.S. Wice. Other directors with portions of their terms of office remaining are Rev. A. J. Desaulniers, two years; Alf Cage, Mrs. Carl Williams, Lucien Marion and Jerome Gignac, one year.

BIRTHS

METCALF — To Mr. and Mrs. Amos Metcalf, Port McNicoll, at St. Andrews Hospital, Thursday, March 17, 1960, a son.
CHARLEBOIS — To Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Charlebois, 70 Quebec Street, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Thursday, March 17, 1960, a daughter.
POLLARD — To Mr. and Mrs. Teddy Pollard, Broad Street, Penetanguishene, at St. Andrews Hospital, Saturday, March 19, 1960, a daughter.
SZIGETI — To Mr. and Mrs. Sandor Szigeti, 316 Fourth Street, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Sunday, March 20, 1960, a son.
DEMPSEY — To Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dempsey, R.R. 2, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Monday, April 4, I960, a daughter.
HALL — To Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hall, 110 Fourth Street, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Wednesday, March 30, 1960, a son.
MacINTAGGART — To Mr. and Mrs. Basil Maclntaggart, 92 Fifth Street, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Sunday, April 3, 1960, a son.
MAHEU — To Mr. and Mrs. Charles Maheu, R.R. 3. Penetang, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Wednesday, March 30, 1960, a son.
MIXEMONG — To Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Mixemong, Christian Island, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Sunday, April 3, 1960, a son.
PELLETIER — To Mr. and Mrs. James Pelletier, Victoria Harbour, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Tuesday, March 29, 1960, a son.
RACHER — To Mr. and Mrs. Garnet Racher, R.R. 1, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Saturday, April 2, a son.
TODD — To Mr. and Mrs. Norman Todd, R.R. 1, Waubaushene, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland. Sunday. April 3, 1960, a son.
THAYER — To Mr. and Mrs. Edward Thayer, 99 Gloucester Street, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Monday, April 4, 1960, a daughter.
THOMSON — To Mr. and Mrs. Christie Thomson, R.R. 2, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Wednesday, March 30, a son.
TILON – To Mr. and Mrs. Montfort Tilon, 100 Main Street, Penetang, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Wednesday, March 30, a son.
Lacroix _ To Mr. & Mrs. Herman Lacroix, 66 Robert St., E., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Wednesday, March 23, 1960, a son.
QUESNELLE — To Mr. and Mrs. Maurie Quesnelle, 10 Brock St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, March 26, 1960, a son.
MORIN — To Mr. and Mrs. Edmond Morin, Perkinsfield, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, March 26, 1960, a daughter.
BELANGER — To Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Belanger, 23 Brock St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital; Saturday, March 26, 1960, a daughter.
BRUNELLE — To Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Brunelle, 31 Peel St., Penetang, at
Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, March 26, 1960, a daughter.
BRUHN — To Mr. and Mrs. Archie Bruhn, R.R. 2, Lafontaine, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Tuesday, March 29, 1960, a son.
TOWNES — To Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Townes, Elmvale, at
Penetanguishene General Hospital, Tuesday, March 29, 1960, a son.
St. AMANT — To Mr. and Mrs. Jerome St. Amant, 55 Maria St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Wednesday, March 30, 1960, a son.

25 Years Ago This Week

Store and office employees in Toronto presented a petition to Prime Minister R. B. Bennett. They were seeking the protection of an eight hour day bill and an unemployment insurance act. * * * A. B. Thompson, M.P., was one of the principal supporters of a federal government measure calling for an appropriation of some $200,000 to promote the tourist industry in Canada. * * * Midland Board of Education decided, after an appraisal of buildings under its jurisdiction, to reduce the amount of insurance carried by $37,000. Public school teacher’s salaries were to be reduced by 10 per cent on those $950 and over, and by five per cent on salaries under $950 but over $800. Both moves were implemented to cut school costs, necessitated by the town’s financial difficulties. * * * A surtax ranging from two to 10 per cent on investment incomes over $5,000 and on all incomes over $14,000 was announced by Finance Minister E. N. Rhodes in his fourth federal budget speech. Corporation income tax was increased from 12% to 13% per cent. * * * A flock of nearly 60 Canada geese were seen flying in a north-westerly direction over Georgian Bay. The big birds were reported to be very low. It was said the geese were nearly two weeks ahead of their regular annual northern flights. * * * Midland parks commissioners were astounded by letters received from Toronto residents who had heard that Little Lake Park was to be sub-divided and the lots sold for housing. Several of the letters came from campers who had been using the park’s facilities for years. The commission took steps to squelch the wild report.

Effective yesterday, James Bath is the new issuer of automobile licences and drivers’ permits in Midland. New licence bureau will be located in the office of Mr. Bath’s plumbing firm, 198 Hannah Street. Life-long resident of Midland, Mr. Bath succeeds the late Alex Macintosh, who died earlier this year. Mr. Macintosh had sold the licences locally for the past six years.

Canadian Pacific Railway, steamship division, has announced the appointments of its officers for the 1960 sailing season on the Great Lakes. The officers are as follows: S.S. “Assiniboia”, captain. E. H. Ridd, Midland; 1st mate, J. L. Delahey, Midland; 2nd mate, K. Guthrie, Elmvale; 3rd mate, N. E. Edwards, Elmvale. Chief engineer, G. A. Gervais, Victoria Harbour; 2nd engineer, U. J. Lefaive, Port McNicoll; 3rd engineer, G. J. Garneau, Port McNicoll; 4th engineer, A. G. Rice, Port McNicoll. Purser, M. C. Tracey, Port Arthur; chief steward, E. J. Cadeau, Victoria Harbour; 2^nd steward, J. Slanisky, Port McNicoll. S.S. “Keewatin” captain, A. Campbell, Port McNicoll; 1^st mate, T. A. “Swales, Port McNicoll; 2nd mate W. J. Estey, Midland; 3rd mate, L. McClung, Midland. Chief engineer, W. J. Irvine, Port Arthur, 2nd engineer, Amos Mateff; Port McNicoll; 3rd engineer, Elmer Yon, Midland; 4th; engineer, R. C. Rother, Port McNicoll. Purser, W. A. Paxton, Port McNicoll; chief steward, H. W. Arbour, Victoria Harbour; 2^nd steward; W. Graham, Port McNicoll.

Obituary

MRS. PAUL LAPENSEE Resident of the Northwest Basin area of Tiny Township for 56 years, and since then of Penetang, Mrs. Paul Lapensee died at Stewart’s Private Hospital March 23, following a lengthy illness. Born Oct. 25, 1879, Mrs. Lapensee was a Roman Catholic. Her favorite pastimes were knitting and quilting. Predeceased by her husband in 1941, she leaves five sons, Theophile, Napoleon, Celestin and Norman, all of Penetang, and Harry in Tulsa Oklahoma; and five daughters, Mrs. Henri Quesnelle, (Alice); Mrs. Albert Patenaude, (Helene); Mrs. Jos. Grisdale, (Florence), all of Penetang; Mrs. Archie Patenaude, (Albertine), Highland Point and Mrs. Bill Link, (Leona), Roach’s Point. There are 36 grandchildren and 37 greatgrandchildren. Funeral service was held Saturday, March 26, from Beausoleil’s Funeral Home to St. Ann’s Memorial Church where Rev. J. Marchand officiated. Temporary burial was in St. Ann’s mausoleum. Pallbearers were Oliver Lapensee, Herb and Eugene Mailloux, Harvey Beauchamp, Lawrence Ladouceur and Louis Duval. Flower bearers were Mrs. Marie Lapensee, Mrs. Shirley Staley, Mrs. Exilda Duval, Mrs. Lorraine Marchand, Mrs. Bernice Beauchamp and Miss Joan Link.