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 enlargeUnusual level of water in this gully near the King Street entrance to Little Lake Park encouraged black bass in the lake to do some exploring. This photo was taken at the King Street end of the deep ravine, where heavy rains produced the flood conditions. 

“SENTRY” Box — These workmen are putting the finishing touches to one of the two new “box offices” at Midland’s Little Lake, where a $1 admission charge for non-residents went into effect on the weekend. Most motorists paid their dollar for their window sticker, good for one year. Others declined. 

Stan Ligowski of Midland, who leaves June 6 by plane for Poland, where he will spend a two-month vacation. During this time he will see celebrations marking the l,000th year of nationhood in that country. Mr. Ligowski, who operates a small grocery store on Dominion Ave. East, is a veteran of WW II. 

 

Planted last fall to help mark the 50th anniversary of the Guides and Brownies in Canada this year, the tulip bed near Midland’s cenotaph was badly damaged by vandals Friday night. Dozens of the yellow blooms were broken off or tramped down. Surveying the damage are Geraldine Koenig of the Guides (left) and Carol Banting, a Brownie. A giant Guides and Brownies rally is slated for this Saturday in Midland. 

Seen during the half-time interval, Midland Huronias defeated Orillia 5-1 in Midland Saturday in the opening soccer game of the season. Left to right, members of the team are, front row — Wally Meisinger, Herman Härtung, Wolfgang Gieseler, Sandor Szigeti, Wolfgang Jaenisch, Joe Foitzik, Pete Van- DerVelden; back row — Karl Lehr, Eugen Engelsberger, Willi Schwartz, Bill Rittershofer, Hank Van Dervelden. 

Seen above as he inspected the MPDHS Cadet Corps Wednesday afternoon, Lieut.-Col. A. J. Symons of Penetang is the new commanding officer of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters. Lieut.-Col. Symons took over command in a ceremony at Owen Sound on the weekend. 

There was plenty of the traditional “brass” on hand for the annual inspection of MPDHS Cadet Corps. Left to right are, front row — Capt. R. C. Gauthier, MPDHS principal; T. M. McCullough, MPDHS board chairman; Lieut.-Col. A. J. Symons, new CO. of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters; Cadet Lieut.-Col. J. Parker; Wm. Morrison, board vice-chairman; Major W. C. Setterington, chief instructor; back row — Lieut. R. Desroches, Lieut. J. Downer, Sgt. Major D. Bell and Capt. J. S. Corcoran, Grey and Simcoe; Lieut.-Commander J. Jefferies, area sea cadet officer; Capt. H. G. L. Hutton, area cadet officer; and Lieut. A. Batty, Grey and Simcoes. 

 

Officials are having their worries at Pier “A” in Midland harbor, where the fill along both edges of the dock keeps sinking, taking with it the new tarmac surface. The area was filled with crush stone (at left of picture) some weeks ago, but another large crack has opened up some four feet to the right of the gravel. 

It’s a mess right now, but motorists using Hugel Ave. East in Midland will eventually have a fine new road surface to travel on, a welcome improvement over conditions of past months. Similar work is being done on several other streets in the town in preparation for ultimate paving. 

Waiting their turn to display their dresses at the “School Days” fashion show held at Midland-Penetang District High School auditorium Thursday night are Ann Sweet, left, and Sandra Curry. 

These girls have reason to be proud of the dresses they made for themselves and displayed at MPDHS “School Days” fashion show last week. Left to right are Wendy Feltham, Bonnie Brisebois and Carol Dexter, Wendy and Carol made sun dresses and Bonnie a shirt-maker dress. 

Whether or not any work will be done on Midland harbor under a new plan announced this week by Transport Minister George Hees is an unsolved question at the moment. Under the plan the federal government would match, dollar for dollar, any improvements undertaken by municipal governments, provided the improvements receive the approval of the department.   

Pictured are three of the four girls who won their letters as members of MPDHS track and field teams this year. Left to right are; Elaine Binkley, Junia Corcoran and Thelma Penhale. Other winner, not present when the picture was taken following the MPDHS athletic banquet Wednesday, was June Montgomery. 

Most valuable players on MPDHS senior basketball teams this past season were Gary Donovan and Anne Maher. Gary holds the Ray Doolittle Memorial trophy and Miss Maher the Helen Booth (Penetang Bottling) trophy, presented for the first time this year. 

Winning their “letter” is still a big achievement for young athletes, whether of high school or college ranks. These lads were given their “MP’s” at the annual MPDHS athletic banquet Wednesday. Left to right are; John Kingsborough, David Stainton, Ingo Hildebrand, Ben Archer, John Dion and Rodney Rankin. Another winner, Bill Swann, was not present when the picture was taken. 

Twenty-five years can bring about a good many changes, as Midland electrical contractor Ed Walker can well attest. On May 23, Walker’s electric celebrated a quarter century of business association in Midland. According to Mr. Walker, they have been 25 very happy and fruitful years. When Mr. and Mrs. Walker came to Midland in 1935, their son Ken was one year old. Today they are the proud parents of six children and the grandparents of three grandchildren. Mr. Walker feels Midland is an excellent community and says he has enjoyed his business and social relationships in the town. So, apparently, do three of his sons, for they have joined their father in the electrical contracting business. Now working with the firm are Kenneth, Gordon and Alan. Ed, is a past president of Midland Lions Club, and a past deputy district governor of Lions International. He has taken a keen interest in the Lions Club public speaking competitions held annually. As well he is a member of Caledonian Masonic Lodge and has served as an elder of St. Paul’s United Church. (Mr. Walker died in February of 2009, in his 98^th year.) 

Public School Supporters get .343 Cut in Tax Rate
Free Press Herald headline of May 25^th, 1960. Following a number of lengthy committee meeting’s, Penetang council last night was able to pass a bylaw setting the 1960 mill rate at a slightly lower level than that on which ratepayers paid in 1959. Residential taxpayers by reason of the unconditional grant pay a slightly lower rate than that assessed against commercial and industrial properties. Residential rate for public school supporters is .343 mill lower at 89.540, while Protestant Separate School supporters have a reduction of 2.356 at 86.92 mills. Public school commercial rate is an even 99 mills for a reduction of .122 mills, and separate school is 96.38, or 2.140 mills lower. The comparative figures, with 1959 in brackets are: public school supporters, commercial, 99 (99.122); residential, 89.540 (89.883); Protestant Separate School, commercial, 96.38 (98.515); residential 86.92 ( 89.276). 

May Employ Consultants to Prepare Official Plan 
Possibility of employing planning consultants to draft a town plan for the future development of Midland were discussed Wednesday afternoon at a special meeting of the town’s planning board. It was intimated that the board will discuss the matter further at its regular meetings and decide whether or not to employ outside planning consultants. 

    After several budget meetings, Midland council yesterday set its commercial, and residential mill rates for 1960. The former was increased one mill from last year and the residential rate is up 1.5 mills over 1959. Commercial rate for 1960 is 79 mills and the residential rate is 71.6 mills this year. The general town rate, public schools and high school rates are as follows with the 1959 rate shown in brackets: town general, 49.32 (49.17); public schools 17.92 (17.45); high school, 11.76 (11.38). The separate school rate this year is the same as the public schools rate. 

    Penetang Police force will again revert to a five-man force at the end of this month when the resignation of Sgt. L. Robillard becomes effective. This announcement was made by Police Committee Chairman Reeve Alf Cage at Tuesday night’s council meeting. Reeve Cage said he had received a written resignation from Sgt. Robillard, with an effective date of May 30. 

   Huronia Historic Sites and Tourist Association has been informed that the high school curriculum, as set down by the Department of Education, does not stress local history and gives little attention, if any, to Canadian history. This was the consensus of Helen Gillies, Wasaga Beach; Harold Overend, Orillia; J. A. Coutts, Barrie and J. R. Chittick, Midland. They had been authorized at a previous meeting to contact principals of district high schools in their communities, to determine the possibility of establishing an essay contest on knowledge of Huronia in secondary schools. It was moved by R. B. Moffatt of Midland and Mr. Overend that the Huronia Association sponsor a brief to the Minister of Education, emphasizing the need for teaching Canadian history, and particularly local history, in the secondary schools of Ontario. 

    For Sale:    Well furnished cottage, 2 bedrooms, living room, storeroom, sun porch, 2 piece bath, modem kitchen with large refrigerator, hot and cold water. $3,350. cash. No. 60 Grand View Beach, Port McNicoll. 

TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
  The medical staff of St. Andrews Hospital officially placed before the hospital board a request for the enlargement of the hospital. * * * Closing of Midland Red Cross branch and the lack of a town recreational director threatened to shelve the summer playground and water safety programs at Little Lake Park. * * * Penetang mill rates dropped 21.96 mills for public school supporters and 10.62 mills for separate school supporters but the increased assessment for the majority of taxpayers made little difference in the tax bills, officials stated! * * * Donations of thermos bottles, flashlights, work socks and hip length waders were being collected in Midland and Penetang for shipment to Winnipeg flood victims. * * * Penetang’s water problems were believed over with the testing of a new well on Robert Street West which produced an estimated two million gallons per day. * * * The S.S. Coverdale, built at Midland Shipyards, had successfully completed her trial runs and maiden voyage. Her master was Capt. Alex MacLennan of Midland. * * * Midland Clerk-treasurer R. S. King, his assistant, W. A. Hack, and assessor R. White attended a “school” on municipal affairs and procedure sponsored by the Department of Municipal Affairs in Barrie. * * * Coldwater council asked the public school board to advise council whether or not the vacant continuation school would be needed again for educational purposes. * * * Rev. Arthur G. Reynolds accepted a call from Elmvale United Church where he succeeded Rev. M. G. McFarlane. 

    Midland Foundry and Machine Company of Midland has been awarded a $50,119 contract by the Department of Defence Production. The contract, one of 176 amounting to more than $10,000 each, awarded to Canadian firms by the department, is for jacks. The Midland company has received several contracts in the past for this purpose. 

    Maybe it’s the Midland air that seems to keep the town’s oldsters still reasonably spry and active long after they’ve passed the traditional threescore and ten years allotted most people. Two good examples are J. W. Bald and Mrs. Andrew Clark. Mr. Bald, who is 92, built himself a new boat just to help pass the winter months. Mrs. Clark, who doesn’t build boats, marked her 90th birthday May 15. She still, however, looks after the big home at 210 (now 228 Manly) Manley Street. Mrs. Clark ought to know every nook and cranny of this home, where she has lived for 66 years. It was built three years before her marriage to Andrew Clark Jan. 17, 1894. Born Harriet Rachael Brown, May 15, 1870, she was raised on a Cartwright Township farm near Lindsay. She is the only survivor of a family of seven children. When she was only three years old, Mrs. Clark’s parents moved to Tiny Township, where they operated a farm on Con. 4. Later they moved again, this time to another farm near Triple Bay. Then, when she was 23, Harriet Brown married Andrew Clark, who predeceased her 22 years ago. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Clark was a brakeman on the old Grand Trunk Railway, later becoming a conductor for the GT and subsequently the CNR. A railroader all his life, he had retired some seven years before his death. Like her mother before her, Mrs. Clark also had seven children, five of whom are living. Included are three sons, James Beverly, a store-keeper in Parry Sound, and two lake captains, John Lloyd and Kenneth Cecil Clark, both of Midland; and two daughters, Mrs. Robt. Wiles (Anitta), Toronto, and Mrs. Walter Burkholder (Stella) of Montreal. There are several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A member of the United Church, Mrs. Clark had little time to take part in many activities outside her home. “I was too busy right here, looking after seven children,” she told the Free Press Herald. Neither had she time for hobbies’. “I’m just a real housekeeper,” she smiled. Although she claims the present state of her health is merely “fairly good”, Mrs. Clark certainly has much better hearing and eyesight than the average nonagenarian. And there certainly isn’t anything wrong with the way her mind functions even at this advanced age. 

OBITUARIES
    Former school teacher and a past president of the Catholic Woman’s League, Mrs. Théophile Dupuis died at her residence, 145 Bay Street (Now 385), Midland, May 14, following a lengthy illness. Requiem high mass was celebrated at St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church, May 17, by Rev. L. Petitpas, assisted by Rev. R. J. Egan and Rev. F. Voorwerk. Burial was in St. Margaret’s Cemetery. Pallbearers, all nephews of the deceased, were Philip Forget, George Dupuis, Norman Dupuis, Oliver Dupuis, Herman Robillard and Phillip Quesnelle. Born in 1872 at St. Georges de Beauce, Que. Mrs. Dupuis was the former Ernestine Gonthier. She married Théophile Dupuis at Waubaushene in 1913, and lived in Port Severn until 1920. In that year Mr. and Mrs. Dupuis came to Midland, where Mrs. Dupuis taught at St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart Separate Schools. She was also a member of the Altar Society. Besides her husband, Mrs. Dupuis is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Raymond Lagree (Rosemary); three sisters, Mrs. H. Closset, Albertine Gonthier and Alice Gonthier all of Montreal; and one brother, Joseph Gonthier of Leominster. There are also four grandchildren 

    A life member of the WMS of Knox Presbyterian Church and a resident of Midland since 1905, Mrs. Ethel Brechin died in St. Andrews Hospital, April 28. Rev. J. L. Self conducted the funeral service, April 30, at Nicholls funeral home. Pallbearers were William J. Benson, Harold Benson, Lorne Richard, Joe Rix, Ernie Bath and Fred Howard. Born at Plainville, Ont., in 1877, she married James Manley Brechin at Midland in 1917. Mr. Brechin predeceased his wife. Surviving are a son, James of Midland; two daughters, Mrs. W. D. Strathearn (Joyce) of Midland and Mrs. G. F. Gower (Joan) of Don Mills, and a sister, Mrs. O. D. Barlow of Midland. Out-of-town relatives and friends attended the service from Coldwater, Warminster, Creighton, Toronto, Acton and East Aurora, N.Y. Burial was in Lakeview Cemetery. 

BIRTHS
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CRAWFORD—To Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Crawford, Wyebridge, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Thursday, May 19, 1960, a son. CRAWFORD — To Mr. and Mrs. Harry Crawford, 69 Elizabeth St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Tuesday, May 24, 1960, a son.
CORBIER — To Mr. and Mrs. Lennox Corbier, Honey Harbour, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Sunday, May 22, 1960, a daughter. COUSINEAU — To Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cousineau, Honey Harbour, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Thursday, May 19, 1960, a daughter.
GEROW — To Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gerow, 2 Horrell Ave., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Simday, May 22, 1960, a son.
HAOURT — To Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haourt, 78 Ottawa St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Wednesday, May 18, 1960, a son.
KELLY — To Mr. and Mrs. Donald Kelly, Port McNicoll, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Wednesday, May 18, 1960, a daughter.
PHILLIPS — To Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Phillips, Honey Harbour, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Tuesday, May 17, 1960, a daughter.
DERKS — To Mr. and Mrs. Peter Derks, R.R. 1, Midland, at Penetanguishene General Hospital. Thursday, May 19, 1960, a daughter.
DESHANE — To Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Deshane, 98 Lorne St.,
Elmvale, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Monday, May
23, 1960, a son.
HILL — To Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Hill, Wyevale, at Penetanguishene
General Hospital, Wednesday, May 18, 1960, a son.
MARACLE — To Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Maracle, Robert St. W., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday,
May 21, 1960, a son.
MARION — To Mr. and Mrs. Philibert Marion, Perkinsfield, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, May 21, 1960, a daughter.
PERRAULT — To Mr. and Mrs. John Perrault, 260 Fox St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Thursday, May 12, 1960, a son.
HALL — To Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hall, Wyevale, at Penetanguishene
General Hospital, Friday, May 13, 1960, a daughter.
DESCHAMPS — To Mr. and Mrs. Emery Deschamps, Cambridge St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, May 14, 1960, daughter.
HITCHMAN — To Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Hitchman, Church St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Saturday, May 14, 1960, a son.
QUESNELLE — To Mr. and Mrs. Simon Quesnelle, Robert St., Penetang, at Penetanguishene General Hospital, Monday, May 16, 1960, a son.