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.  

RATIFY NEW POLICE PACT – CUT WORK WEEK SCHEDULE
Free Press Herald headline of April 11, 1962. 

Penetang council Monday night ratified an agreement granting a five-day 40-hour work week to the town police force. Its decision follows almost four months of bargaining between the two bodies. The force previously worked a 48-hour week. Other highlights contained in the agreement were classification of all men on the five man force and the hiring of an additional constable to implement the reduced work week. 

    Sharp differences of opinion arose at Monday night’s meeting of Midland council over the establishment of a parking authority. Ward 2 Alderman Bill Thompson withdrew his original motion  calling for the setting up of such body and submitted a second motion asking for the formation of a Midland parking advisory committee. Only Alderman Allan James voted against the proposal. The parking question arose following agreement at last Thursday’s Joint meeting between the Midland Chamber of Commerce and town council that, a parking authority be implemented. At that time council asked the chamber to submit a list of persons whom they felt suitable to sit on such a board. 

    Lake shipping season in Midland and Port McNicoll is slated to get underway this morning. J. G. Hendrickson, CSL manager in Midland, said four CSL ships are scheduled to move out this morning. They are the Coverdale, from the CSL winter berth, T. R. Mclagan and Thunder Bay from Tiffin Elevator, and the Whitefish Bay from Port McNicoll. Departure of the four vessels come four days later than last year. The first boat to dock in Midland inbound last year was the Golden Hind, at 6:30 p.m. April 12.

     An increase in circulation of 3,610 books over 1960 in the adult section highlighted the annual report of the Midland Public Library tabled recently by head librarian Dawson Leigh. A total of 46,837 books were borrowed in 1961 compared to 43,227 during the year previous. In the boys and girls division circulation dropped 1,628 from38,221 in 1960, to 36,593 last year.

 35 YEARS AGO
Midland council was advertising that it would receive petitions for street oiling and that no oiling of any street would be done unless petition received is sufficiently signed for that street. * * * Midland High School was holding its commencement exercises at the Model Theatre. Besides the presentation of awards the program included musical selections by the school orchestra and chorus, gymnastic displays and a playlet entitled “The Travellers”. * * * “The Land of Enchantment”, a film produced by the provincial government depicting the tourist attractions of Midland and district, was shown to the Midland Kiwanis Club prior to showings in the United Slates. * * * The choir of Calvary Baptist Church, Midland, under the direction of Joseph Reay, presented Stainer’s “Crucifixtion”. * * * The three act musical farce, “Our Wives” was presented by the Young People’s Guild of Knox Presbyterian Church, Midland. The production was directed by Lloyd Letherby. * * * Midland council increased the annual salary of its Medical Officer of Health, Dr. T. J. Johnston, from $150 to $225. It was noted the MOH had not had an Increase in 13 years. * * * Business  items confronting Midland council included the appointment of a person to ring the town bell at curfew time; erection of stop signs on all streets crossing King Street between Bay and Yonge Streets; caretaking at the town dumping ground and some committee estimates including public works $12,000; property, $10,940; charity, $3,500; Town Band, $1,400 and industrial, $2,000. * * * Engineers of the Provincial Department of Public Works, were calling for tenders for the raising of the schooner “Nancy” from the mouth of the Nottawasaga River at Wasaga Beach. It was stated, when raised, the “Nancy” was to be housed on the island at the mouth of the river. 

Work is progressing rapidly on the new floating docks for Midland harbour. In photo 8293 a bulldozer unloads steel stringers from a railway flat car. Pictured here are a few of the all-steel floats that will be used. Only wood used in the construction will be the plank walk atop the docks. 

A packed hall greeted the appearance of Hon. George Hees as guest speaker of the Midland District P-C Association dinner held in Midland last week. Some of the “gals” got together for this picture following the affair. Left to right are Mrs. J. R. Boyd, Orillia; Mrs. Ann F. Shepherd, whose husband was Anglican minister at Coldwater for many years; Mrs. Hees, Mrs. P. B. Rynard, Orillia; Mrs. E. Mantelow and Mrs. James Caswell (nee Mary Dudley), Midland. 

It’s not often the gals get a handsome dish-dryer like George Hees, and a cabinet minister to boot. Mr. Hees, minister of trade and commerce, smiling, dries a few glasses for Mrs. Ira Rumney (nee Mary Ruth Crooke) following the big P-C Association dinner in the Odd Fellows Hall April 2. 

Annual bridge and fashion show held by the ladies auxillary of the Midland YMCA drew a large turnout last week. Among the ladies who helped serve tea were, left to right, Mrs. Walter Lumsden, Mrs. Gordon Moss, Mrs. I. T. Weldon, Mrs. Wm. Henderson, Mrs. Robert McLaughlin and Mrs. Vern Sweeting. 

Popularity of the annual spring bridge and fashion show held by the ladies auxiliary of Midland YMCA is evident in the picture above, showing only a portion of the turnout for this year’s event.

 FINANCE SEWAGE PROJECT ON TOWN’S GENERAL RATE
County Herald headline of April 13, 1962.
(Pages 7 & 8 are missing on the original 35mm film of this paper. The character recognition software was poor for this paper so we could not copy articles. Rather than type them out we are “copy and pasting” some of them.) 

    Wm. McArthur, Georgian Hotel owner, achieved one of the rare feats in a cribbage game the other day. He had a perfect crib hand. Mr. McArthur was playing with Capt. Alex Campbell master of the CPR ship Keewatin. Mr. McArthur was holding the jack of hearts, five of clubs, five of spades and five of diamonds in his hand when Capt. Campbell cut the cards and the five of hearts was turned up. It was the first perfect crib hand Capt. Campbell had seen in his years of playing the game. 

        Penetang council Monday night put an end to to the general sale and setting off of fireworks within the town limits. Under terms of a bylaw passed by council, anyone intending to set off fireworks must first obtain a permit from the chief constable. No permits will be issued to persons under 21 years of age. Except for the months of May, June, July and August, council must approve the issuing of any permit. Retailers may only sell fireworks to a person who holds a permit, and according to the bylaw, no person under the age of 16 shall have, purchase, set off fireworks.     

A happy smile wreaths the face of Midland Legion president George McLaughlin, left, as he accepts an $800 cheque from Mrs. Doris Holden, president of the Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary, at an executive meeting Wednesday night. Looking on are, Mrs. Lila McPeake and Branch 80 secretary, Jimmy Duncan. The money will be used for building improvements.

Elected recently for a one-year term to the executive of the Canadian Legion Branch 80, Midland, were: front row, left to right: Charles A. Stewart; Sol DeVries, 1st vice-president; George McLaughlin, president; Oliver Lesperance, 2nd vice-president; Jimmy Duncan, secretary. Back row: Len Wiles, Howard Henderson, Bruce Gilbert and Les Scott. Ken Williams, treasurer, was missing when picture was taken.

 

A start was made this week on the construction of the new Kindred Industries factory in the south-east corner of Midland. Footings are being laid for the building, which lies just across highway from the Greening Wire plant. 

Small boats docked in Midland harbor this coming season will get added protection from these steel booms, photo 8321, which will be placed across the entrance to the slips. Booms will keep rough water and debris from damaging the small boats anchored inside. In other picture are some of the big cement blocks that will be used to anchor the booms. 

Winner of the bicycle draw at the opening of the newly-renovated Canadian Tire store in Midland Saturday was Romeo Dubeuil of Penetang. Lending a hand is Aura Finch, daughter of store proprietor Dave Finch and Mrs. Finch.