Chief speaker at the second annual Free Press Herald staff appreciation dinner was Kenneth Wells, prominent Canadian author and journalist from Medonte. Over 120 staff, correspondents and spouses attended. From the left, Mr. Wells, his wife Lucille Oille (Wells) noted artist and sculptress, Ernie and Marie White, columnists and correspondents from White’s Falls and Mr. & Mrs. G.R. Lane of Coldwater.

  News

• New dial system begins in Penetang this summer, all of North America is switching to a new system of phone numbers, each exchange will have a name and the individual phone numbers will consist of the first two letters of that name plus five numbers. The Penetang exchange will be called “Kingsdale” followed by a “9” and the Midland exchange will be “Lakeside” followed by a “6”. For example LA or 52 followed by 6-5431.
• Knox has $2007.00 surplus after expenditures of $16,251.00, will redecorate church, memberships stands at 898.
• Measles, mumps and flu are making the rounds of Midland schools, the three public schools had 109 pupils absent, 70 from Regent alone, 19 being kindergarten. 104 were absent at the High School.
• $224,500 was approved by the Dominion Department of Public Works for dredging in Midland harbour in 1955
• March 31st deadline for all trucks where vision of hand signals is obstructed to install electrical turn signal and stop lights.
• 150 Rovers to attend regional Moot in Little Lake Park
• Deadline for obtaining 1955 licence plates and operator’s permits extended to February 28th.
• Monsignor J.M. Castex, 83, received his Canadian citizenship papers in a ceremony in Barrie on Friday. He came to Canada from his native France in 1890 and has been the parish priest here since 1938. He is still extremely active and many younger men have said he can tire them out on a jaunt through the bush.
• Improved mail service by truck from Allandale to Phelpston, Elmvale, Wyevale, Perkinsfield, Penetang and Midland, retracing the route in the PM delivering outgoing mail to the train at Allandale the same day.
• Council extends purchase option to Loblaws for King Street fire hall building until the end of February, Midland Public School Board transfers Central School property on Dominion Ave. to the town for the sum of $1.00.
• Sixteen Christian Island residents missed the boat Saturday night and were forced to stay on the mainland at the home of Achille Marchildon on the 18th Conc. By morning the ice was too thick for the boat and too weak to walk on, attempts to fly them back by Georgian Bay Airways were thwarted by poor weather. By Monday afternoon the entire group had either been flown or walked safely to their homes.
• Morley Spiker scores four goals to end the Monarch’s losing streak with a 6-4 victory over Meaford.

 

Veteran Superintendent at Tiffin retires, Charles A. Flowers started his railway career in 1918 and has been Superintendent since 1938. He noted that when he started most ships carried 150,00 bushels of wheat, last July the S.S. Scott Misener arrived with 750,00 bushels. Elevator was enlarged in 1923 to its present capacity of 4.5 million bushels and in 1945 it handled a record 30 million bushels. Left, Albert Hill the new Tiffin superintendent, Leonard Galloway superintendent of motive power from Toronto, Pearson Flowers son of Charles, Mr. Flowers and unknown.

 Interesting Ads

• Midland Melodies, a Monday to Friday radio show on 1570 CFOR has a new announcer, Mildred Attridge. The show keeps you up to date on Midland events and news, interviews with local personalities, fashion hints and shopping news from local merchants.
• Canadian Tire, truck signals now required, standard kit $12.98, deluxe $22.35.
• Midland Planing Mills advertising house plans and materials for your new home with financing available from the NHA (National Housing Authority) at $60.00 per month.
• Leitch Motors at 190 Dominion Ave. advertising the new 1955 De Soto.
• A. Barrie & Sons advertising licensed female embalmer in attendance.
• Deen and Evelyn McGill wish to announce they have taken over Green’s Ladies Wear at 297 King Street and will now be known as McGill’s Ladies Wear.

 

 More than fifty representatives of district industries, both management and employees attended a dinner at the Georgian Hotel Friday night to launch a fundraising campaign to purchase equipment for the new hospital. Head table, Robert Wilson, Ald. Clinton Smith, Mrs. C. Weeks nurses alumnae, Mrs. Fred Bell hospital auxiliary, Dr. D.C. Swan president of the medical staff, industrial campaign chair W.H. Shaver, R.J. Pinchin hospital boards chair, V.G. Edwards campaign chair, Mayor Charles Parker, George S. Dudley special names chair, W.H. Cranston, Herb Wiles of the RCL, R.F. Taylor campaign treasurer, Tom McCullough chair MPDHS Board. 

Double Click Photos to Enlarge

News

• Canadian Name Plate president Gordon Moss announces public open house, plant employs 150
• County councillors consider boarding elderly in private homes rather than providing a central facility, subsidize half the cost up to $30.00/month
• Clerk of Medonte Township for 56 years, Thomas Duncan Robinson dies at 88, a Canadian record for public service in this position
• Advocate payment terms for fines in lieu of jail time
• County council sends a deputation to Ottawa looking for federal aid for Hurricane Hazel damage
• Albert Lepage claims new scoot built in the back of Pete Lepage’s garage will go over the ice at more than 100 miles per hour
• Henry Hawkes, 63 year old night watchman at Nameplate dies of injuries sustained at work last week

 

Mrs Dorothy (Bruce) Spicer examines an air mail letter from her mother Mrs. E Glover of Brighouse York England mailed December 21st. The letter went missing with hundreds of others when the BOAC stratoliner crashed at Preswick Scotland Christmas Day with the loss of 28 lives. Mrs. Ken (May) Williams looks on. Note the edges of the letter are scorched.

Local sea cadet officials were pleased with the turnout of parents for the reorganisation of RCSCC Huron, O.S. Robert Fournier shows his parents Mr. & Mrs. Henry Fournier of Penetanguishene the functioning of his rifle.

Robbie Burns night dinner held by the men’s club of Knox Presbyterian Church in Midland. Location, church auditorium on Hugel Ave., John Dalyrmple club president, Rev Len Self, Mrs. Bill Manson serving the haggis while Mary Robertson looks on.

Midland’s Intermediate “C” OBA basketball team winds up the regular schedule this weekend with games against Owen Sound and Base Borden. Seated, Charles Day, Mel Windover and Ed Gamna. Standing, Russ Cadeau, Forbes MacKenzie, John Powers and Tim Lethbridge. Absent Ted Smith, Don West and Allen James. Jerseys show names of local business sponsors, H.J. Thompson & Sons, James Bath, R.E. Simpsons and the Diana Tea Room.

Head draughtsman at the new Canadian Name Plate plant is George Koch who came to Toronto last August when his family was displaced by the Russians in East Germany. Separation from their two daughters Heidi 10 and Hella 7 is soon to end as the girls will be flying to Canada on January 26th with help from Canadian Name Plate.  The Koch’s live at 99 Donalda Street. Frank Spence in the white shirt.

Industrial accidents were common in earlier times.

Henry Hawkes of 12 Ellen Street, night watchman at the Canadian Name Plate plant  was found unconscious on Saturday morning apparently having fallen from a scaffold while checking the boiler. Suffering from a fractured skull he was transported to Toronto on Monday and underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain.

Also on Friday Gus Dorion of 265 Bay Street was crushed between two rail cars he was attempting to couple at the Century Coal Dock. He was rushed to St. Andrews hospital by Martin’s Ambulance suffering severe injuries to his hips and back.

Paterson Steamship Line honours local  veteran mariners. Presentations made by Senator Paterson and his son John. Among those honoured were Captain C.J. Jewett formerly of Penetang, 31 years service; Capt. Cecil Clark, Midland, 29 years; Capt. Henry Odesse, Penetang, 29 years; First Mate Vernon B. Wilson Midland, 28 years; Capt. Fred Grant, Midland, 27 years; Capt. Richard Simpell and Capt. Donald Wilson both of Midland with 25 years’ service.

 Marlene Devitt has reigned without a successor as  Campus Queen of MDHS since the fall of 1953. Plans are underway by the school and the Roxy Theatre to create a new “Queen of Hearts” to be crowned for Valentine’s Day. Similar plans are being made with the Penetang High School.

Front row, Mignon Pearson, Frances Perrault, Joan Marshall, mid row, Marlene Devitt (Vasey), Bonnie Bannon (Vasey), Yvonne Leblanc, back row, Verna Lambie, Donna Brandon, Jane Bell, Rhona Riley.

Huronia Council, Knights of Columbus has begun a campaign  to ban the sale of comic books that portray horror, crime, sexual indecency, brutality or violence. Letters have been sent to all local service clubs, Legions, fraternal organizations, Midland District Ministerial Association, Protestant churches and other local organizations inviting them to a meeting at the Midland town hall on February 6th. The city of Ottawa already has an effective civic ordinance of this type.

At the Roxy;
Ma Kettle has a brand new fella in “Ricochet Romance” starring Marjorie Main and Chill Wills.

 Marriages;

• Sacred Heart Church in Port McNicoll, Elda Laurin, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Simeon Laurin, Port McNicoll and Gilbert Marchand, son of Mr. & Mrs. Edilbert Marchand, Lafontaine. Father Ivan Marchand brother of the groom officiated.
• Ella Esther Whiteside, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Reford Whiteside, Wasaga Beach and Neil Ernest Edwards son of Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Edwards, Vasey, at Wasaga Beach.
• Marks Anglican Church Midland, Patricia Ann Payette, only daughter of Mrs. Payette and the late John Thomas Payette married Peter Gerald Hudson, youngest son of Mr. & Mrs Dalton Hudson of Midland.
• Alma Groves daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Curry and Glenville Murday son of Mrs. T. Murday and the late T. Murday at St. Marks Anglican Church Midland.

Midland rinks won a generous share of trophies during the 22nd annual club bonspiel last week, three in total. Al Steers rink won the main event while the two rinks above won the Goodyear and Birks Trophies. Goodyear winners top photo, Cam Milner, skip Vern Johnson, John Scott and Armand Robillard. Winners of the fourth event and the Birks Trophy, Gord Logan, skip Dr. Jim Small, Dr. C.N. James and Frank Bray.