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 enlargeMuch of the work in the recent fund-raising campaign held by the Midland-Penetang Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society was directed by the officials above. Left to right are L. H. Taylor, campaign chairman, Mrs. Peter Brasher and Mrs. W. L. Attridge, unit president, all of Midland; Miss Annette Desroches and Terrence Donegan, who saw that the campaign ran smoothly in Penetanguishene. 

Credit for collecting 94 per cent of the $6,252 raised by the Midland-Penetang Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society in its recent campaign went to the women who conducted the door-to-door canvasses. Chosen at random from among those who attended a “thank you” party at Midland’s Roxy Theatre Sunday, these women received flowers and plaques. Left to right are, front row — Mrs. Jack Fisher, Port McNicoll, Mrs. Wilmot Wilson, Victoria Harbour, Mrs. Fecteau, Ward 4 Midland; back row, Miss Marjorie McMurtry, Ward 2, Mrs. R. A. Grigg, Ward 3, Mrs. Jack Wilson, Waubaushene, Miss Margaret Owen, Ward 1, Mrs. J. Trilsbeck, Penetang, Mrs. Allan Cameron, Wyebridge. 

No doubt as popular with the cadets as their counter-parts are in the regular services, these are the senior NCO’s of the MPDHS Cadet Corps, which holds its annual inspection May 18. Left to right are, front row — CSM Brian Hartley, RSM Paul Bellehumeur, CSM Don Popple; second row — Sgts. Peter King, John Daniells, John Edwards, Romeo Lalonde; third row — Sgts. Don D’Aoust, Rene Moreau, Hubert Charlebois, Paul Duquette, Dave Walker, Roy Marshall; back row — Sgts. Grant Robinson, Kevin Rogers, Bill Laramey, Ron McConnell, Julien Quesnelle, Len Quesnelle.  

The next few days will be busy ones as MPDHS Cadet Corps prepares for its annual inspection May 18. Officers of the corps are, left to right, front row — Cadet Maj. D. Smitham, Cadet Maj. G. Wittig, Cadet Maj. R. Scott, Cadet Lieut-Col. J. Parker, commanding officer. Cadet Maj. D. Belfry, Cadet Maj. R. Gauthier, Cadet Maj. M. Moreau; second row — Capt. R. Rankin, Capt. C. Whetham, Lieut. R. Wright, Capt. G. Waples, Capt. T. Kearns; third row — Lieuts. C. Rebhan, B. Rawson, P. G. Gignac, Ben Archer, N. French, Tom Marr, W. Hutchinson; back low — Lieuts. B. Schmidt, J. Wright, G. Ronald, P. Smitham, J. Rankin, J. Scott, W. Bonneville. 

Lending a dash of glamour to the MPDHS Cadet Corps annual inspection next Wednesday afternoon will be this color party composed of, left to right, Cadet Lieut. B. Arbour, Sgt. Don Tucker and Lieut. J. Roberts. Lieut-Col. Jack Symons of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters will be the inspecting officer. 

Canada’s “Mr. Hockey” — G. S. Dudley, QC — died in St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Sunday morning, following a stroke. He was in his 67th year. Prominent in many fields, Mr. Dudley was undoubtedly best known as secretary-manager of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. Although poor eyesight prevented him from ever playing the sport he loved best, even as a youngster in Midland, his work on behalf of the game led to his enrollment in hockey’s “Hall of Fame”. In addition, he was also prominent in legal, municipal, fraternal and church circles, and had been a staunch worker in the Progressive – Conservative cause for just short of half a century. Born in Midland April 19, 1894, George Dudley came by his “stick-to-itness” naturally. His late father had served the town 40 years in all, Including 37 years on the PUC. It was typical of Mr. Dudley that he had arranged for flowers for both his deceased parents to be placed in St. Paul’s United Church on Mother’s Day. George Dudley received his early education in Midland public and high schools. Upon finishing high school, he was articled to the late Senator W. H. Bennett, known as one of the most effective debaters of his time. Training which no doubt was of great help to Mr. Dudley in his many arguments with NHL and world hockey heads from time to time. After graduating from Osgoode Hall in 1917, the young lawyer returned to Midland and entered partnership with the late Hon. William Finlayson, Minister of Lands and Forests at the time. Upon Mr. Finlayson’s death in 1943, Mr. Dudley took over the business himself. In his home town, Mr. Dudley was many things, including town solicitor for many years. He had served as master and district master in both the Masonic and Orange orders. He took an active interest in the welfare of St. Andrews Hospital and St. Paul’s United Church. As chairman of the last Victory Loan in Midland in 1945 he helped raise 1 1/4 million dollars, largest fund ever raised in local history. Mr. Dudley was first elected to the Ontario Hockey Association executive in 1925. Following in the footsteps of two other Midlanders, W. J. Turner and Albert Copeland, he was president from 1934 to 1936. He was made OHA treasurer in 1937 a position he held continuously ever since. 

Despite heavy rains, high dignitaries and ordinary citizens filled St. Paul’s United Church to capacity for the funeral of G. S. Dudley, Q.C., in Midland Wednesday. Here fellow Masons provide a guard of honour as the body is borne from the church. 

Hockey officials from many parts of Canada and the U.S. were in Midland Wednesday for the funeral of “Mr. Hockey”, G. S. Dudley, QC, for many years secretary-manager of the CAHA and treasurer of the OHA. Left to right, are, W. A. McArthur, Midland, Tom Lockhart, New York, president of the American Hockey Association; Walter Brown, president Boston Bruins; Frank Selke, general manager Montreal Canadiens; Clarence Campbell, president of the NHL; and Sam Pollock, head of the Canadiens farm club operations.  

More hockey officials from many parts of Canada attended the funeral of “Mr. Hockey”, G. S. Dudley, QC. Left to right are Bob LaBell, Chambly, Que., past president CAHA; Carl Palangio, North Bay, past president NOHA.; Lorne Cook, Kingston, past president OHA, W. A. Hewitt, Toronto, long-time associate of Mr. Dudley in both the OHA and CAHA; W. B. George, Kemptville, past president CAHA; and Pete Palangio, North Bay. 

More of the hockey dignitaries present for the funeral of George S. Dudley in Midland Wednesday are seen here. Left to right are Lloyd Doran, Belleville, who trained in Midland some years ago with the defunct St. Louis Flyers; Jack Devine, Belleville, member of the OHA referees’ committee; Gordon-Juckes,  Melville, Sask., CAHA president; Alfred Lockeridge, Wingham, secretary of the WOHA; Frank Moat, Toronto Hockey League president; and Bill Hanley, business manager of the OHA. 

No wonder she is smiling, Mrs. Doris Weeks of 175 Fifth Street is the first Midland winner of a prize in Dominion Stores’ Summer Family of Fun contest. Here she receives her prize, a motor rug, from Dominion’s location manager Howard Deschamp. The contest, which is to run for 12 weeks, expires July 2. Top weekly prize is a summer cottage and $500 in cash to purchase the lot. 

“Sleeping garments” was the theme of this year’s North Simcoe 4-H Homemaking Clubs, who held their achievement day at Wyebridge Saturday. President of Simcoe County District of the Women’s Institute, Mrs. R. Crosbie (left) examines work on a housecoat worn, by Rita Lalonde of the North Wyevale Club. Other girls are Carol Graham, Wyevale South, and Pauline Irish, Vasey. All three girls have completed 12, 4-H Homemaking Club units to win provincial honours. 

Winning a provincial award means a lot of work for the girls in North Simcoe 4H Homemakers’ Clubs, who must complete 12 units to be eligible. Miss Jean Irvine, left, Simcoe County home economist, is seen presenting certificates to Pauline Robinson, Vasey and Joyce Reynolds, Wyevale South, at the achievement day in Wyebridge Saturday. 

Nearly 150 members of North Simcoe 4-H Home-making Clubs held their achievement day in Wyebridge Saturday. Here three girls from the Coldwater Club, for Brenda Hawke, Carol Howell and Beverley Langman (left to right) get a few tips on making sleeping garments from Miss Jean Irvine, county home economist. This was the first year for the Coldwater club. 

 

ONE KILLED FIVE INJURED IN “WORST CRASH IN YEARS”
Free Press Herald headline of May 11, 1960.
    One young girl was killed almost instantly and another young woman is in critical condition in St. Andrews Hospital as a result of a head-on collision between two cars on the long curve at Jone’s Corner on Highway 12 about a mile south of Midland-shortly after midnight Saturday. Dead is Joyce Somers, 18, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. (Bob) Somers, Dominion Ave. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at St. Andrews. In critical condition is Shirley Stamp, 22, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. Stamp, Queen Street. Miss Stamp suffered a fractured skull and had both legs broken. Four other persons were severely injured in the accident, one of the worst recorded in this area in some time. Both 1954-model cars were considered complete wrecks by police. Driver of the vehicle in which Miss Stamp and Miss Somers had been passengers was Marcel Lafreniere, 21, Poyntz Street, Penetang. He too, had both legs broken and suffered severe lacerations. A third passenger in the Lafreniere vehicle, Diana Dufty, 20, daughter of Mrs. J. C. Moreau, Donalda Street, was first treated for a broken ankle and dislocated elbow. Later it was learned she had also suffered a punctured lung. The Lafreniere car, returning from a bowling banquet at Victoria Harbour, and an eastbound car, driven by Christopher Denninger, 26, of 338 Frederick Street, were involved in the crash. The latter had only one passenger, Siegfreid Zingel, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Zingel, King Street. Denninger’s parents reside in Nuremberg, Germany. Valued members of Huronia Soccer Club, neither young man will see much action this year. Denninger had both bones broken in his right leg while Zingel has a badly-dislocated hip. Both men suffered severe facial injuries as well. 

PENETANG HOSPITAL GETS $26,000 IN TWO GRANTS
County Herald headline of May 13, 1960.
    Announcement was made this week of two government grants totalling $26,000, toward construction of a residence for nursing sisters at Penetang General Hospital, according to business manager, Felix Turcotte. Notice of a federal grant in the amount of $8,000 was contained in a letter from J. Waldo Monteith, minister of national heatlh and welfare. A communication from Ontario Hospital Services Commission tells of a grant of $18,000, based on $2,000 per bed for nine nurses’ beds. Total cost of the residence being constructed to the west of the hospital has been estimated at $112,000. This estimate includes complete furnishings for the building which will include 12 bedrooms plus one infirmary bed. The two-storey structure will be 92 by 46 feet, and besides the bedrooms, will contain an office, community room, chapel and reception room. It will be connected to the hospital by a canopied walk.

(Every week the paper includes some sad account of a car accident, drowning, fire, accidental death. We have tended to omit these, but this week it is up front in the headline, so we will list them all. In the last month there have been two small children drowned due to the spring run-off, another in an open well. All this when the population of the area was half of what it is now.) 

   Rainy weather, accompanied by high winds, has hampered the search for the body of Herman Sandy who drowned Saturday morning in Georgian Bay, near Christian Island. The 38-year-old man is the father of 10 children. They and his wife survive him. According to officials of the Christian Island Indian Reserve (Beausoleil First Nation), Sandy attempted to cross the channel between the Island and Cedar Point on the mainland, around 10 o’clock Saturday morning. A strong wind was blowing at the time, and according to the agent, R. W. Purser, the 12-foot outboard-powered boat was bouncing around like a cork. 

    Drivers of these vehicles were lucky to escape death when they collided in the CPR subway on Highway 12, about two miles west of Victoria Harbour, early Friday evening. Driver of the car in the top photo, Mrs. Sadie Turner, 72, of Coldwater, suffered a fractured right wrist, along with cuts and bruises about the face. Driver of the heavier car, below, Alric Robitaille, 56, of Belleville, escaped injury. Damage was estimated at $1,000 by OPP Const. William Mohan, who investigated. 

    Another serious motor accident, of the type which has plagued North Simcoe roads in the past week, occurred near Elmvale just before noon Wednesday. In serious condition in Penetang General Hospital is Charles B. Shaw, 47, proprietor of the Red Rooster restaurant just south of Elmvale. Mr. Shaw is reported to have suffered several bad fractures of the left leg, a broken left arm, two fractured ribs and possible internal injuries. He has been given several blood transfusions, police said. 

    A Midland resident, Mrs. Thomas Downer of Bay Street, was injured in a freak accident at the foot of Angels’ Hill, on Highway 27 south of Penetang, shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday night. Police said a truck driven by Guy Belcourt, 17, R.R. 2, Penetang, was proceeding south when the hood suddenly flew up. Mr. Belcourt jammed on his brakes but lost control of the truck which struck a northbound car driven by Thomas Downer, police said. Taken to Penetang General Hospital, Mrs. Downer was treated for her injuries. 

   Around 11.30 p.m. the same evening, OPP Const Tom Heels investigated a rear-end collision on Highway 27, about a mile south of Firths’ Corners. Involved were a station wagon driven by Mrs. Donald Wilson, RR 2, Midland, and an English-model car driven by Cecil Blow, Wyevale. Police said Mrs. Wilson’s vehicle was struck from the rear when she was making a right turn, causing $300 damage to her vehicle and $800 to the front of the Blow car. 

   Heaviest damage of the weekend, $2,200, resulted when a 1960 convertible driven by Robert G. Long, 29, of Burlington, plowed into a rock formation on Highway 103, 1.5 miles south of the Gibson River. OPP Const, Michael Chapman investigated the accident. 

   Following investigation, Penetang police said yesterday that a gunshot wound suffered by Mary Rogers who is being treated at Penetang General Hospital, was accidental. Chief Jack Arbour said the investigation disclosed Miss Rogers had been cleaning her .22 calibre revolver Sunday evening when it discharged, the bullet entering her abdomen. She is said to have told police, she believed it was unloaded. 

    Several ratepayers delegations brought their flooding problems to Midland council Monday night. First to be heard was a delegation from the southern end of Eighth Street. They asked what plans council had to remedy the flooding both on Eighth Street and in the “water hole” at the back of their properties. (The area between 7^th and 8^th streets just south of Hugel had been an open swamp for years.) Another delegation from the Gloucester, Manley and Russell Streets area also asked council what was going to be done about the water and street conditions in their area. They were told by Mr. Beauchamp that their situation would be taken care of. “Something drastic has to be done and done immediately,” commented Alderman James Mackie when a citizen complained of the condition of Hugel Ave., East.
NEED CANOE “What about Johnston and Donalda Streets” council was asked, “You have to have a canoe to get around there.” “I’ll take you on a boat trip for 25 cents at Bay and Eighth Streets,” stated Mr. Mackie. “There is work to be done in all wards,” admitted Mr. Beauchamp. 

    Council News. Pending the drafting of a bylaw to permit barbershops to remain closed on Mondays and open all day Wednesdays, Midland council passed a motion Monday night authorizing the change until such time as the bylaw is approved.
A recommendation from Police Chief Wainman that no parking be permitted on the east side of King Street from Yonge Street to 165 feet north of Yonge Street, was approved by council.
Council approved two bylaws authorizing the sale of lot 36, East Seventh Street, Plan 357 and lot 37 East Eighth Street, Plan 357 to Mary C. Gerow for $500 each.
Advice was received by council that the Liquor Control Board of Ontario approved their Midland store remaining open six days a week, except statutory holidays and Sundays between June 13 and September 17 inclusive. 

    A phone ringing in Victoria Harbour brought big news for a 16-year-old schoolboy of that village Tuesday afternoon. It informed Douglas Brodeur that he had been the winner of the CBC’s Talent Caravan show held in Windsor the previous Thursday. Doug will now appear in a later competition on the program which has George Murray as its master of ceremonies. A pupil at St. Mary’s School in the Harbour, Doug is the son of Mr. and Mrs. “Sib” Brodeur. 

BIRTHS
JONAK — To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jonak, Hugel Avenue, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Saturday, April 30, 1960, a daughter.
MOORE — To Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Moore, Victoria Harbour, at St. Andrews Hospital, Wednesday, April 27, 1960 a son.
ROBITAILLE — To Mr. and Mrs. Martin Robitaille, R.R. 2, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Tuesday, May 3, 1960, a daughter.
DORIEN — To Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Dorien, R.R. 1, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Monday, May 9, 1960, a son.
KING — To Mr. and Mrs. Orville J. King, Port Severn, at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Tuesday, May 10, 1960, a son.
PFEIFER — To Mr. and Mrs. Fred Pfeifer, R.R. 1, Victoria Harbour, at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Saturday, May 7, 1960, a son.
ST. AMAND — To Mr. and Mrs. Norman St. Amand, Victoria Harbour, at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Sunday, May 8, 1960, a son.
ZIMMERMAN — To Mr. and Mrs. Walter Zimmerman, Victoria Harbour, at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Tuesday, May 10, 1960, a son.
DUMAIS — To Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Dumais, 64 Water St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Thursday, May 5, 1960, a son (stillborn).
BAZINET — To Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Bazinet, Val d’Or, Quebec, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Thursday, May 5, 1960, a daughter.
REID — To Mr. and Mrs. Neil Reid, Perkinsfield, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Friday, May 6, 1960, a son.
COPELAND — To Mr. and Mrs. Jack Copeland, R.R. 3, Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Sunday, May 8, 1960, a daughter.
VAILLANCOURT — To Mr. and Mrs. Gerrard Vaillancourt, Simcoe Lane, Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, May 7, 1960, a daughter.
LEFAIVE — To Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lefaive, Perkinsfield, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Sunday, May 8, 1960, a daughter.
TRIPP — To Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tripp, Elmvale, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Sunday, May 8, 1960, a son.
ASSELIN — To Mr. and Mrs. Venard Asselin, Perkinsfield, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, May 10, 1960, a son. 

   Tiny Township this summer may become the site of the first “Go-Cart Race Track” in this part of the province, if present plans of A. Leblanc materialize. Mr. Leblanc appeared at Saturday’s meeting of Tiny council asking permission to construct a track on 25 acres of property owned by his mother, north of Hugel Ave., on Highway  27. According to Mr. Leblanc, the “go-carts”,’ which can be purchased for a little less than $200.00 are becoming quite popular for a certain type of racing, called “class A, B and C” racing. They are powered by small air-cooled engines similar to those used on power lawn mowers. Council felt it didn’t have sufficient knowledge or information about the operation of such a track, and asked for time to study the matter. 

TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
  That Ontario Department of Agriculture intended leaving no stone unturned so North Simcoe could remain one of the prime sources of seed potatoes in the province was shown in a case at Penetang court. Two district growers were fined for failure to fight the spread of bacterial ring rot in tubers, produced on their farms. * * * Possibility of building a new high school at Elmvale was discussed at a meeting in the Flos village. * * * W. A. Robinson, MP, for Simcoe East, was named to a committee to review the policies of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. * * * Fifteen veterans who were prepared to build homes on a long-proposed development project on the former McCullough property in Tay Township, just west of Midland, were being sought so water could be supplied to the area. * * * Notice was given in the then current issue of the Ontario Gazette of the issuance of a charter to Midland Curling Club Incorporated. * * * Doubled production capacity of Copeland Flour Mills Ltd. was announced by R. J. Pinchin, president. * * * Possibility that Midland would have a new $60,000 telephone exchange was indicated at the town’s council meeting. * * * Wrecking of several buildings on the east side of King Street, Midland, was begun in preparation for the construction, of the new F. W. Woolworth Ltd. store. * * * Penetang council accepted with regret the resignation of Fire Chief Charles Kaus. * * * Reports that the shell of the American ship Scorpion was in the Northwest Basin were being investigated by J. H. McGuire, president of Penetang’s Chamber of Commerce. 

    COLDWATER — At the end of the school term in June, the Public School at Swift Rapids on the Severn River is to be closed. The school has served families of men employed with the Orillia Water and Light Power Commission at the Swift plant. The OWLP commission  approved the closing of the school at its April meeting. School board chairman Fred Alport reported that one family with six children is moving from the Swift. This leaves only one child who would be of school age next year, he said. 

Perkinsfield News
John and Raymond Marchildon of Toronto visited their parents over the weekend.
Mr .and Mrs. Robert Grenier are visiting relatives in Sudbury for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Wilfrid McConnell, who visited the Greniers over the weekend, returned home to Sudbury with them Sunday morning.
Marcellin Laurin has just purchased the home next to Alcime Moreau, Penetang Road.
Omer Robitaille, Con. 11, Tiny, has moved his family to Lafontaine.
Twenty-seven, seven-year-old children, mostly from the Village, made their first communion here Friday.
Mrs. Jos. Robitaille has returned to her home in Toronto after looking after her father, Arthur Moreau, for a couple of weeks.
After visiting relatives and old friends here and in Lafontaine for several weeks, Mrs. Herve Lussier returned home the latter part of April. On her arrival, she found that eight inches of snow covered the ground when she reached her home in St. Boniface, Manitoba. During her absence two of her daughters had given birth to two baby girls.
Mrs. Arthur Moreau is home from St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto.
Paul Marchildon has secured a position in Port Hope.
Theresa and Bernadette Belcourt came up from Elliot Lake over the weekend to be with their mother on Mother’s Day.
Fernand Moreau has moved his family to Con. 11, Tiny.

    The slump in shoe manufacturing which has resulted in more factory layoffs this spring than at any time in the recent history of the Canadian shoe industry, has caught up with the factories in Midland and Penetanguishene. Midland Footwear has been on a four-day-week for some time and the California line in Fern Shoe, Penetang, is being sharply curtailed. “Until very recently we have fortunately been able to provide full employment, and even some overtime in the Penetang plant,” explains Jerry Zabransky, Shoe Corporation vice- president. “However, the manufacturing slump has now caught up with us and we cannot make shoes we cannot sell. “Midland Footwear’s stitchdown manufacturing lines have been cut back for more than a month and daily production is well below average levels over the past three years,” Mr. Zabransky said. Not only have a lot of new manufacturers come into this field especially in Quebec province where labor rates are considerably lower, but the whole men’s and boys’ shoe field has been operating on only a part-time basis. A number of Ontario plants have been shut down for several weeks at a time and some have been on only one or two days a week since early in 1960. We have been fortunate to be able to keep going as long as we have. “Now we are facing troubles.” 

    Midland Indians Baseball Club sought council’s support for the erection of floodlights at the ball park, at the council meeting Monday night. Pointing out that the club can’t finish many games because of darkness, and contending that more tourists would attend if lights were installed, Larry Curran, representing the club, asked for council’s support. Mr. Curran said he had been informed that, with council’s approval, the public utilities commission could be requested to use funds for such a project, if approval were given by Ontario Hydro. “Are we assuming the total liability?” asked Mayor Charles Parker. “My impression is that we have no authority for such an expenditure,” stated Clerk W. A. Hack. It was suggested to Mr. Curran that he should obtain information how other municipalities such as Barrie, Orillia and Listowel had arranged their floodlighting program. Mr. Curran agreed to do this and the matter was left in abeyance until a later meeting. 

    Long distance charges will be eliminated June 28 for telephone calls between Midland and Penetanguishene. In announcing the date, H. A. Kilroy, Bell Telephone manager for this area, said the change is being made under the company’s Extended Area Service (E.A.S. plan), he said.

STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, FOLLOW THE RULES, BE PATIENT!