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 enlargeWendake District Girl Guides and Brownies celebrated their golden jubilee birthday Tuesday at the Midland home of Mrs. J. E. Lawlor, district commissioner. Here, Bonnie Bray and her sister Peggy, examine the trefoil shaped cake which formed part of the celebrations. They represented the 323 members in the district as well as their sister Guides and Brownies in Canada. 

Baby, Joy Elizabeth, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Shannon of Victoria Harbour was born at 4 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, and weighed seven pounds seven ounces. She is the Shannons’ eighth child. She was the third Victoria Harbour baby to be born on the same day as the prince. (Prince Andrew, the third child of Queen Elizabeth II.) 

One of two little girls born in St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Friday, the same day as the royal prince, was Elizabeth Marie, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Bressette of Victoria Harbour. The Bressettes’ second child, she was born at 3.30 p.m. and weighed 7 pounds 9 1/4 ounces. 

Friday night’s big snowstorm, while it did not hit Midland area as hard as it did Barrie district, still left plenty of work for North Simcoe residents before they could “dig themselves out.” Above, a Department of Highway’s plow widens a section of Highway 12 near Old Fort school. Owner of the truck at left has considerable digging ahead before the vehicle can make the 15 feet to the open highway. 

Although the snow had stopped falling by midafternoon Saturday, snow blowing across the highway from banks along the road made driving hazardous for North Simcoe motorists following Friday night’s big storm. Several stretches of Highway 27 were still reduced to one lane traffic as late as Sunday afternoon. 

Sides of the buildings in the lee of Friday night’s storm were piled high with snow the following morning. Here the snow reaches almost halfway up the side of this King Street store in Midland as it blacks out a first storey window. 

When Simcoe County’s Mutual Aid Association met in Penetang last Wednesday night, the evening concluded with a bean feed. Chief Bob Stewart, standing, makes sure his guests get plenty to eat. Clockwise in this photo: Ivan Eberhardt, Wasaga Beach; Chief Arnold Tippin, Midland; Bob Stewart; Chief Ed. Gapp, Bradford; Chief Tiny Hall, Creemore. 

One of three of Victoria Harbour’s “Leap Year Babies” is Fred Miller, Jr., who will have only five candles on his cake Monday, Feb. 29. Fred got a chance to work up an appetite as he cleared his laneway following this week’s heavy snowfall. Actually, Fred, employed in the Victoria Harbour area, will be 20 years old Monday.  

Midland has two new Queen’s Scouts in Ron Ellis, centre, and David Walker, right. Here Ron gets his Queen’s Scout badge from Jack Brownlee, former Scoutmaster for 3rd Midland Troop. 

The first boy in the South Georgian Bay District to attain his 13th Cub proficiency badge; Kennedy Self gets his award from Mrs. George Williamson, assistant Cubmaster for the 3rd Midland Pack. At the rear are Don Pringle, another assistant Cubmaster, and Kennedy’s father, Rev. J. L. Self. The ceremony was held at Knox Presbyterian Church Monday night. 

Monday night was a gala occasion for members of the Midland District Women’s Progressive-Conservative Association as they held their fifth birthday party at the lOOF Temple, Midland. Executive of the association; seen with their birthday cake, are left to right, Mrs. Ira Rumney (nee Mary Ruth Crooke), Mrs. Elmer H. Zimmer, Mrs. Ward White (nee Cora May Ferguson), Mrs. Hector Adams (nee Sarah Haughton), Mrs. Ben Cowie, Mrs. James Caswell (nee Mary Dudley), president, Mrs. S. Willman, Mrs. John Gillette (nee Gertrude Silvey), Mrs. Percy McMurtry (nee Alice Bernice Sharp), Mrs. Wm. Rutherford, Mrs. Sergeant Ruby (nee Meda Evelyn Singleton) and Mrs. Theo. Hook.

 

Expand Fire Protection – Tiny Seeks Truck Costs
The Free Press Herald headline of Wednesday, February 24, 1960.
The likely outcome of a series of discussions concerning fire protection for Tiny Township will be the purchase of two completely new firefighting units with 10-year debentures to cover the cost. Latest talks on the subject were at Thursday’s special meeting of council when Harold Hunter of the Fire Marshal’s Department spoke to council on the department’s survey and its recommendations. The debenture issue, which might run as high as $50,000, would cover the cost of purchasing two completely equipped trucks and provide funds for the construction of buildings to house them in Lafontaine. 

Two District Hospitals to get $13,350 in Grants
The County Herald headline of Friday, February 26, 1960. Two North Simcoe district hospitals will receive a total of $13,350 in special grants announced by Hon. James N. Allan, provincial treasurer, when he brought down the current Ontario budget in the legislature yesterday. The special basic grants of $75 a bed will be paid to all approved public general hospitals Mr. Allan said. Approximately $5 million of this year’s revenues to be appropriated for this purpose, he revealed. On the basis of the basic grants, St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, with a rated capacity of 105 beds will receive approximately $7,875. Penetang General Hospital with 73-bed capacity will receive $5,475. (With the population of North Simcoe at least doubled we now have 122 hospital beds compared to 178 in 1960)

    Eleven representatives from five North Simcoe municipalities learned at a dinner last week that the Ontario Department of Highways is giving serious consideration to a proposal to give the Evergreen Sideroad (connecting road between King St. and Hwy 93 past Wal-Mart) a hard-top surface. Tay Township council last year asked the department to take over the maintenance of the sideroad as a possible bypass route between Highways 27 and 12.  

    Tiny Township council, at a special session Thursday, held over a request for payment of its share of the subsidy to Midland-Penetang Ambulance service. The amount in question was $192. An investigation will be made into a question as to whether the Tiny share was based on the inclusion of calls from Christian Island. It was felt the Island share should be covered by the Department of Indian Affairs. Approval was given for a grant of $25 to the Salvation Army campaign for funds. Doug Holt was named township representative on St. Andrew’s Hospital Board. No action was taken on a complaint from Tondakea Lodge regarding dumping of garbage on Con. 9 road allowance. The investigation will be made into the complaint before any move is made. 

    Residents along highway 103 and 12, from Port Severn to Orillia, rubbed their eyes in disbelief last week as two heavily bearded men, dragging a canoe of all things, hove into view and later disappeared in the distance. At this time of the year, the sight of a canoe on a  North Simcoe road is almost as improbable as a return visit of the “Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow”. Yet it was not a mirage. The two men and the canoe were most certainly real. On Monday evening the two men, Al Welenofsky and Ted Nothaft of Nutley, N.J. (and their canoe) pulled into Otto Rawson’s Riverside Inn at Port Severn. They had just finished walking a stretch of 30 miles, from the Lake Joseph hotel, thereby breaking their previous record of 29 miles from Spanish, Ont., to Espanola. When the two men reached Port Severn they had completed 3,597 miles of a coast-to-coast trip by canoe which began April 5, 1959, at Hammond, Ore. They travelled up the Columbia River through Oregon and Washington, through the Pende Oreille River and lake to Idaho, and on to Montana via the Clark Fork River. First big portage took them over the continental divide to the Missouri River. They met their first taste of winter on the Souris River in North Dakota, forcing them to portage to the Assiniboine. They got as far as Portage La Prairie, Manitoba when the “big freeze” set in for keeps. There they loaded their aluminum canoe onto a two-wheel cart fashioned from bicycle wheels. Since then they have tramped their way through Manitoba, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario. At Sudbury, they cut south on Highways 69 and l03 to Port Severn. From Orillia, the two men will go to Barrie, Toronto and finally N. Tonawanda, N.Y., where they will again take to the water (they hope). The final portion of the journey will take them down the Erie Canal and Hudson River to New York City. Estimated overall mileage the two men will travel is 4,300 miles. So far, only 1,764 has found them able to have their canoe carry them, instead of having to pull it. The last “portage”, brought about by the severity of the Canadian winter has been a long 1,260 miles. Nothaft is a graduate of a mechanic’s school and Welenofsky has just completed a hitch in the U.S. Navy. Reason for the rugged hike? “We wanted to see a lot of the country and have some adventure at the same time,” they told reporters. 

    A new telephone numbering system which eventually will eliminate exchange names is to be introduced gradually in Ontario and Quebec exchanges operated by The Bell Telephone Co. of Canada, H. A. Kilroy, Bell manager here, announced this week. The new plan — known as All Number Calling (ANC) — will eliminate exchange names from telephone numbers and substitute figures for the letters now used to designate exchanges. For example, a number such as UNiversity 6-3911 — dialed UN 6-3911 — would become 886-3911. Extensive studies indicate that ANC is the most practical numbering method for today’s condition, Mr. Kilroy said. An important advantage of ANC to the telephone user is that calls can be dialed faster and more accurately, using numerals only. ANC prevents misspelling and misinterpretation of office names and letter codes — of great significance where more than one language is spoken. It also eliminates the confusion between the figure 0 and the letter O and between the figure “1” and the letter “i”. Tests indicate that seven-figure numbers are as easy to remember as name and figure numbers and in practical use customers have not found it difficult to memorize frequently called seven-figure numbers, he stated. 

    COLDWATER — When Mr. and Mrs. Doug Miller and family returned to their Eplett Street home Sunday night after a visit to Tottenham, they were startled to see a horse waiting for them on the front verandah. The horse, being led by its owner, was left at the roadside while he made an inquiry at the door, but followed the latter onto the porch.  

   25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK H. N. McMaster, president of the central division of the National Association of Marine Engineers, requested the federal government to take action which would protect the Great Lakes shipping industry and its employees from the toll-free competition of foreign ships on the lakes. He suggested that foreign vessels entering inland waters be forced to pay canal tolls. * * * A nine-man committee of Midland citizens was formed at the request of Mayor S. W. McKinley to promote industrial development in the town. * * * Fifteen ice fishermen were marooned on an ice floe in Midland harbour when the tug Strathbogie moved the freighter Mantadoc from Aberdeen elevator to the Century Coal dock. After the freighter had been moored, the tug returned and picked up the stranded fishermen off the floe. None suffered ill effects. * * * Dr. L. J. Simpson, Ontario minister of education, announced that all secondary school examination fees, including the charge for trying high school entrance examinations, would be abolished, effective June 1935. * * * The county tax rate for 1935 was three-tenths of a mill higher than the 1934 level. The general rate, struck by county council, was 6.5 mills and the road levy was eight-tenths of a mill, giving a total of 7.3 mills. The total amount to be raised by the levy was $435,591. * * * A new coin silver coin was to be introduced into Canadian currency in May 1935. The dollar was struck in commemoration of the king’s silver jubilee. * * * Penetang council decided not to take any action for the time being on a request from Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Nettleton, that all elementary school children in the town be forced to have a smallpox vaccination. One councillor said his family doctor had pooh-poohed the idea.   

OBITUARIES

THOMAS MASON – The death of Thomas Mason, well-known in this district as an electrician, and member of the Orange Lodge and Black Knights, occurred Feb. 6 in St. Andrews Hospital, Midland. Mr. Mason had lived in this community for 44 years, coming here in 1916. His marriage to Olive Wice took place in Barrie in 1907. Mrs. Mason pre-deceased her husband in 1948. Born in Grenfell July 1, 1884, he received his schooling there. He was a member of the Baptist Church. Rev. R. Wright conducted funeral services at the Nicholls Funeral Home Feb. 9. Acting as pallbearers were J. Borland, C. Allsopp, W. Edwards, George Parr, G. Elsom and E. Bates. He is survived by one son, Roy of Midland. There are two sisters, Mrs. Eva Reid of Toronto and Mrs. Gertrude Bagley of St. Catharines, and two brothers, George and Harry, both of Toronto. Relatives and friends attending the funeral services were from Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Toronto and Barrie.

LETITIA MAUGHAN – Funeral services were held Feb. 12 at Nicholls Funeral Home for Letitia Maughan, widow of William Maughan who predeceased her in September 1934. Her death occurred Feb. 9 at her home at 148 Yonge Street following a lengthy illness. She was born May 30, 1865, in Janettville and attended school there. Her marriage to William Maughan took place in Midland in December 1885. The couple moved to a farm in Tay where they lived for 30 years. Following this, she lived for 33 years in Port McNicoll before coming to Midland in 1947. She was a member of the United Church. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. W. Morden Feb. 12 with entombment in Lakeview Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ray Maughan, Bruce Duncan, Cal Duncan, Bill Walmsley, grandsons, Lorne Taylor and Gordon Vipond, a nephew. Surviving are two daughters, Gertie (Mrs. W. Foster) of Brockville and Florence (Mrs. A. Evans) of Kitchener, and one son, Oswald of Kingston.

CHARLES H. RUSSELL – A resident of Waubaushene for the greater part of his life, and postmaster there for 28 years, Charles Henry Russell died unexpectedly in St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Feb. 13 following a heart illness. He was in his 69th year. Born in Waubaushene August 13, 1891, Mr. Russell attended Waubaushene Public School, Orillia Collegiate and later the University of Toronto, where he graduated with his B.Sc. in electrical engineering. Following his graduation from the University of Toronto, Mr. Russell was employed for eight years by Canadian Westinghouse at Shawinigan Falls, Que. He had lived in Waubaushene from 1922 until his death. An Anglican, he was also a member of Victoria Lodge No.470, Victoria Harbour. He was fond of boating and was an enthusiastic curler. His interest in the latter sport was first stimulated in Shawinigan Falls in 1914. He continued to curl in Waubaushene and Midland after he returned to this district. For many years, he served as a trustee on Waubaushene Public School Board. He is survived by brothers Frank A. Russell, Port Severn, William Earl Russell, Toronto, and Clarence J. Russell,  Waubaushene. Funeral service at Nicholls’ funeral home, Midland, Feb. 15 was conducted by Rev. D. G. Churcher and Rev. Ross Cummings of Coldwater. Pallbearers were Curry Bell, Frank Cheetham, Bruce Lang, Ian Millar, Ross Millar and Dr. James Small. Out of town relatives and friends attended the service from Toronto, Collingwood and Port Severn. Temporary entombment was in Lakeview Cemetery chapel vault at Midland. 

    The urgent need for larger quarters has been reemphasized in the annual report of Midland Public Library, where circulation in 1959 hit an unprecedented high of 70,962 books. The figure represents about a 41 per cent increase over the circulation at the library 15 years ago. In 1945 the circulation was 50,391. The annual report notes that 15 years ago, patrons were impressed by the “cheerful, attractive and spacious atmosphere” of the library. Aisles were broad and encouraged browsing and tables were “conveniently located for reading in comfort.” “Today,” the report continues, “all one can say is the library is a place for housing many books. The building is crowded and cluttered and quite without its former pleasant atmosphere. In places, the aisles are so narrow that only one person can pass and, at best, there is room for two people only. Windows are blocked out by shelving. There are few places where one can sit and read in comfort.” 

    Nearly 60 teen-agers and teachers, some of them from Midland – Penetanguishene District High School, last Friday night slept in the gymnasium and classrooms of Camp Borden District High School. They used cots, mattresses and blankets provided by Brigadier R. L. Purves, camp commandant, and his aide, Major S. W. Lander. The army also provided food for the storm stranded students. The largest group were students from Collingwood and MPDHS schools who were in Camp Borden to take part in the annual secondary school drama festival. Elwy Yost, festival adjudicator, got as far as Cookstown when he was halted by the storm, said to have been the worst to strike Ontario in 25 years.

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 enlargeKeith Cleary, left, was awarded the Roxy Theatre Trophy by Rev. J. L. Self Thursday night in ceremonies held in conjunction with the Queen of Hearts contest at the theatre. The trophy is awarded annually to the senior student who best combines athletic, scholastic and other abilities. 

With only a little more than a week of February left, the winter’s back appears to be broken for another season. In a few weeks North Simcoe mariners will be returning to their ships and navigation will be underway for another year. Here Jess Handy, Ernie Quesnelle and Mike Ianosch do some repair work on the bow of the “Assiniboia” at Port McNicoll. 

Representing the four teams in Midland YMCA’s Little Basketball League, each of these lads is hoping his team will win this trophy during the playoffs slated to start Feb. 20. Lads are, left to right, Wayne Holden, Keith Craig, Morley Bath and Rickey Lemieux. 

“Safe Hunter” badges like these are the goal of a number of Midland youths attending classes sponsored by Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers Association at the Midland YMCA. Left to right are; Leib Shulman, Jim McKinnon, Terry O’Dale, Richard Charlebois and Conservation Officers, Fred Bowes, Midland, and Sandy Ellis, Maple. 

Refreshments were provided donors at the Midland Red Cross blood clinic in the municipal building. Here a group of donors sample some of the fare provided those who gave blood. Midland Lions Club, St. Andrews Nurses Alumnae assisted at the clinic. 

Chosen to reign over the MPDHS campus for the coming year as ‘Queen of Hearts” Thursday night was Jill Phipps, seated right. Other finalists in the contest held at the Roxy Theatre were Mary Lou Brissette (seated left) and Jean Abbott, Catherine Burns and Pat Playford (standing, left to right). 

Co-owners of the general store at Wyevale which was robbed Saturday night, are Mrs. Wallace MacDonald, left, and Mrs. Ruth Marcellus. Only Mrs. MacDonald and one lone customer were in the store when a man entered around 10.10 p.m. and took around $150 at gunpoint. The money was later recovered.

This general store at Wyevale was the scene of an armed robbery Saturday night, shortly before closing time.  About $150 taken from the store, which also houses the village post office, was recovered later in a snowbank near Martyrs’ Shrine, some 10 miles away, by OPP Const. George Winter of the Victoria Harbour detachment. Two Midland youths have been arrested in connection with the incident. 

The ice surface at Penetang arena got a king-sized shave Tuesday when two inches were taken off the surface with an ice-shaver. This operation will level the surface which becomes “saucered” from skating and hockey. It took four sweeps over the ice-surface to cut the depth by two inches. Each cut was a one-half inch in-depth, and it required a little more than two hours to complete a cut. Don Shave, (not a pun) arena manager, estimated several tons of ice was removed during the operation which brings the level down close to the freezing pipes. A jeep snow plow, a front-end loader and half a dozen men were used to remove the shaved ice from the arena and pile it alongside the building. 

 

“Hold Two Midland Lads on Armed Robbery Count”

    Free Press Herald headline of February 17^th, 1960.  Two Midland youths are awaiting trial on charges of armed robbery following the hold-up of a general store in Wyevale Saturday night. They were picked up through the quick co-operation of members of the OPP detachment at Victoria Harbour, within a half an hour after the robbery was reported. Mrs. Wallace MacDonald, co-owner of the Wyevale Store, said the robbery occurred at 10:10 p.m. Saturday, shortly before the store was to be closed for the night. The other owner, Mrs. Ruth Marcellus, had already left for home. Last male customer, Douglas Hill, had also left a few minutes prior to the hold-up, she said. When a lone man entered the store, the only other person present besides Mrs. MacDonald was Mrs. Brent Moreside, a customer. Wearing a section of nylon hosiery, doubled over his face, the man told Mrs. Marcellus — “I want the money out of the till — get it.” He was carrying a revolver, the I owner said.     

“Want Board’s Power Cut – Taxation Scheme Ended”

     County Herald headline of February 19th, 1960. Midland Chamber of Commerce industrial committee has recommended that the fight against edicts laid down last year by a special committee set up under the Industrial Standards Act, be continued even more vigorously this year. The Midland officials want a formal resolution placed before the Ontario Chamber of Commerce convention this year, requesting the latter organization’s support in a move to halt what has been termed “taxation by government officials and not by Parliament.” Industrial committee spokesmen in Midland, said Ontario Department of Labor officials last year had kept up an unrelenting pressure on firms in the ladies dress and sportswear field, “to persuade, threaten or cajole them into accepting regulations which permit government officials to collect a one percent levy each  from the payrolls of firms and from wages of employees.” The labour department body also has powers to control the operations of these industries and their employees. 

    A Midland woman was among the passengers on a Canadian National Railways passenger train which collided with a 39-car freight train 32 miles west of Hornepayne Saturday. In the wreck, which killed Albert Prairie, 50, the engineer on the CNR’s crack Super Continental, was Mrs. L. E. Thomas of 298 Manly Street, Midland. She was not seriously injured. Mrs. Thomas said there was no panic among the passengers, many of whom were napping after lunch. They gave assistance to one another and to the train crew. 

BIRTHS

BRAND—To Mr. and Mrs. G. Brand, 380 King St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Friday, February 12, 1960, a daughter.
DECAIRE — To Mr. and Mrs. Robert Decaire, 20 Poyntz St., Penetang; at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Monday, February 1, 1960, a daughter. (Baby died.)
GORDON — To Mr. and Mrs. Ross Gordon, 297A Russell St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Saturday, February 13, 1960, a daughter.
MAXWELL — To Mr. and Mrs. Donald Maxwell, R.R. 1, Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Thursday, February 4, 1960, a son.
MONAGUE — To Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Monague, Christian Island, at St. Andrews Hospital; Midland, Saturday, February 13, 1960, a son.
MOREAU To Mr. and Mrs. Baptiste Moreau, Port Severn, at St Andrews Hospital, Midland, Monday, February 15, I960, a son.
SANDERSON — To Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Sanderson (nee Halliburton) at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, on Saturday, February 13, 1960, a son.
SANGSTER — To Mr. and Mrs. Karl Sangster, Port McNicoll, at St. Andrews Hospital; Midland, Saturday, February 6, 1960, a daughter. 

    Tay Township residents on the outskirts of Midland have reservations about the merits of Ontario Hydro’s slogan “Live Better Electrically.” It seems every time they receive their power bills, issued on a quarterly basis, they find these HEPC bywords an exceptionally bitter pill to swallow. Why? Because these homeowners know their urban counterparts just a hoot and a holler away in the town pay only half as much for the same service and the same power. A resident who lives in the new sub-division on Hugel Ave, about 150 yards west of the corporation limits, the other day compared his electrical bill for the three-month period covering November, December and January with rates for residential consumers in Midland. He found that, if his home had been in the corporation, his net cost for electricity would have been less than half the $48.86 he had to pay in the suburban location, classified by the HEPC as “rural” area. To be specific, he would have paid only $26.06.

TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

    St. Andrews Hospital officials reported that, in spite of rising costs in 1949, the average cost of caring for patients in the hospital was lowered from $6.53 to $3.29 per day. * * * Mayor O. H. Smith of Midland asked the council to make a thorough study to determine the advisability of the town seceding from Simcoe County. He pointed out that the town paid seven per cent of the total cost of county government services, a share which represented 15 percent of the tax levy in the corporation. * * * An influenza epidemic had cut school attendance in district schools from 15 to 35 per cent. In some classes, less than 50 per cent of the pupils were in attendance. Hardest hit of all schools was Victoria Harbour where 60 of the 175 pupils enrolled were absent. * * * Penetang ratepayers were to be asked March 15 to approve a fixed assessment of $50,000 for Beatty Bros. Spencer division. The fixed assessment was to be for 10 years. * * * Midland branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society decided to disband. It was felt since so few persons were taking an interest in the organization that it might as well be terminated. There were seven women and four men at the annual meeting of the group. * * * Deputy-reeve of Vespra Township, Roy Hickling told Midland Kiwanis Club that homes in the county were being wrecked faster than new ones were being built. Deputy-reeve Hickling said this fact was borne out in the $122,000 budget which county council had approved for the children’s aid society. It was the highest amount ever approved for the county organization, he stated. * * * In the first major storm of the year, Ontario Department of Highways snowplows battled wind-packed drifts on district roads and highways to keep thoroughfares clear for traffic. Highway 27 between Midland and Barrie was blocked for several hours. 

    Coach of Penetang Hurons Junior C hockey team and an active member of Penetang’s volunteer fire brigade, Lomer Dubeau, 37, died while being rushed to a Toronto hospital yesterday morning. This newspaper was informed that Mr. Dubeau was stricken while removing snow off a roof. It is reported he had suffered a somewhat similar attack at a hockey game recently. He was one of the so-called “Old-timers” scheduled to meet radio, TV and pressmen in a minor hockey league benefit game in Penetang next week.

   According to Harvey Beauchamp, Fox Street, Penetang, at least one bear has decided to come out of winter hibernation and seek the warmth of the town. Mr. Beauchamp said he found bear tracks around his home when he went to church Sunday morning. Further investigation indicated the animal had come from the direction of Church Street, walked along his driveway and out on to Fox Street. 

    Harold S. Howes, a man who already has been “workin on de railroad” for more than 40 years, is Midland’s new CNR agent. Mr. Howes began his railroad career with the old Grand Trunk Railroad back in 1918 at Vankleek Hill, near Ottawa. He spent eight months there and followed up with many more years in a variety of Ontario communities, mostly as a telegraph operator.  

    Orillia Chamber of Commerce has donated $100 to the Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board in a move to have the site of the Indian village of Cahiague authenticated. The late Leslie Wise of Coldwater, during his lifetime, took a great interest in establishing the importance of Cahiague. The mysterious Huron Indian capital has been variously claimed as being located near Warminster, Bass Lake, Hawkstone or north of Lake Couchiching. The Orillia Chamber anticipates that a plaque eventually will be erected marking Cahiague as situated at the Warminster site. Champlain’s notes contain references to Cahiague. 

    That extension of highway 400 to Coldwater is a great boon to motorists travelling between North Simcoe and Toronto. It is an excellent road and when the final surfacing is applied next spring — even though it may be closed temporarily for that action — it will be another excellent industrial and tourist asset for this entire area.  

    Midland’s contentious “hairdressing” problem seemed to be settled amicably at a special meeting of Midland council Saturday morning. Officially on the agenda for many months, the problem concerned the alleged operation of hairdressing parlours by certain persons in residential areas, and the non-assessment for business tax purposes. Hairdressers established in commercial zones and paying business tax were thus being discriminated against, it was charged. Enquiring as to how many establishments were affected. Alderman James Mackie was told there were three. A member of the hairdressers’ delegation present said she knew of six. The exact number was not confirmed. Mayor Parker told council that new provincial legislation, to become effective in March and requiring the licensing of all hairdressers in the province, would largely take care of the problem. The fee, a member of the delegation said is $5 per operator, with a deadline of March 31. After that time it will be $7. Council then passed a motion that hairdressers operating in residential zones must cease operation by Sept. 1. This, however, does not affect persons whose businesses were established in residential zones before the zoning bylaw came into effect. Such bylaws cannot be made retroactive, it was stated. A spokesman for the delegation said this would be satisfactory. 

    A large delegation attended the Tuesday night meeting to ask the Tay council to rescind, in part, the controversial “No Shooting” bylaw it passed last fall. The group consisted of the president and two of the executives of the Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers Club, cottagers, resort operators, farmers, businessmen and interested sportsmen. Included in the group was a good representation of the 55 property owners in the Little Lake area who signed a petition asking that the bylaw be rescinded. The delegation indicated a willingness to leave the areas mentioned in the original bylaw closed to hunting with the exception of the west shore. With but one dissenter, the property owners in this area want Little Lake left open for hunting. The majority of council sympathized with the owners’ request and expressed their agreement that the bylaw should indeed be amended, but the property committee is to submit a report first. (This is about duck hunting on Little Lake.)  

    The traditional hearts and streamers decorated the auditorium of St. Theresa’s High School in Midland last Saturday night for a Valentine dance held by the pupils of the school. During the evening, Doreen Moreau was chosen “Queen of the Ball” from a group of St. Theresa’s girls. She was the recipient of a number of prizes donated by Midland merchants. There were also prizes for the princesses, Pat Knicely, Sharon Moreau, Sheila Parent, Beth McNamara and Joan Chambers. Ronald Belanger acted as master of ceremonies. Spot dance prizes went to Brian Berriault and Elaine Dorion. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Cadeau and Mr. and Mrs. Sib Brodeur of Victoria Harbour acted as chaperones.

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 If I live to be 150 years old I’ll never be that lucky again,” said Wilson French, 149 Fifth Street, Midland, after he walked away from a crash with three CNR diesel engines on Saturday afternoon, which practically demolished his car. Unable, because of snow and ice, to get up the hill at the end of Yonge Street East, Mr. French was backing his car down to put on chains when he heard the train whistle and at almost the same instant felt the train hit the right rear of his car, spin it around and drag it along the track and off into the snow. Mr. French reported only leg bruises, but his car did not fare so well. 

Founded back in 1880, Midland Boat Works recently acquired new owners in John MacRae and Ken Thistle of Toronto. Mr. MacRae (seated) is seen going over plans for future improvements with, left to right, Len Cowdrey, superintendent, Mr. Thistle, and Ross Kennedy, a friend. 

No wonder skiing is so popular when there’s “Scenery” like this around to ease the aches and pains suffered on the hills. Enjoying near perfect conditions at Midland Ski Club Jan. 31 were left to right, Pat Woods, Dorothy Shaw and Shirley Wallace, all of Midland; Jill Hodgins and Jean Campbell, Toronto; and Jan Harvey, Victoria Harbour. Jan didn’t have a name for her pups as yet. 

While there are many fine homes in the new Ingram sub-division just west of Midland, this one is just a bit different from the rest. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Walker, it’s all-electric, including heating. The Walker home is located on the bend at the south end of Norene Street. 

“Queen of Hearts” at Midland-Penetang District High School for the coming year is Jill Phipps, a special commercial student who may switch to nursing for a career. Jill was the choice of a large audience at Midland’s Roxy Theatre last night. 

Blood flowed freely in Midland and Penetang this week as citizens turned out to donate to the Red Cross Blood Donors Clinic. Here an unidentified woman is kept under close watch by a Red Cross nurse at the clinic. 

Despite the fact they got a frigid reception when they gathered at the Victoria Harbour United Church Tuesday (the furnace went on the hummer), these ladies didn’t let this mar their enjoyment of the occasion. Members of the Woman’s Auxillary, they were helping to mark the 60th anniversary of that organization at the Harbour. Six past presidents were able to attend the afternoon tea. 

Diamond Jubilee of Victoria Harbour Woman’s Auxiliary brought these six past presidents and the current holder of that office, Mrs. W. B. Reid, together for a celebration tea at the United Church Tuesday; Left to right are Mrs. Gordon Gervais, Mrs. Jas. Sykes, Mrs. Clarence MacKenzie, Mrs. Reid, Mrs. J. Todd, Mrs. J. P. Schissler, and Mrs. William Dunlop. 

These men have been enshrined in hockey’s “Hall of Fame”, either for their abilities on the ice or in executive fields, such as Midland’s George S. Dudley. Left to right they are, seated — Herb Gardiner, W. A. Hewitt, Hugh Lehmann, Art Ross, Cyclone Taylor, Dickie Boon, Claude Robinson, Moose Johnson, Paddy Moore; centre row — King Clancy, Wm. Northey, Frank Foyston, Mr. Dudley, Frank Fredrickson, Lester Patrick, Newsy Lalonde, Frank Nighbor, Joe Malone, Duke Keats, Dit Clapper, Eddie Shore, Conn Smythe; back row — Red Dutton, Lloyd Turner, Frank Goheen, Ching Johnston, Aurel Joliot, Frank Baucher, Al Pickard, Bill Cook, George Hay. 

Victoria Harbour citizens have started a fund for Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Desroches, who lost their home and all their belongings by fire early Monday evening. Neighbours had already found a doll for Timmy, 20 months, and a pair of cowboy guns for Grant, 5 years old, when this picture was taken Tuesday. Donations of money, furniture or clothing may be left at the Village office. 

This was all that was left of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Desroches following a disastrous fire early Monday evening. Mr. Desroches was working at the village’s open-air skating rink behind the firehall when the siren sounded and drove the truck to his own fire. The house is located on Bay Street, several hundred feet from the nearest hydrant.

If you remember Romper Room, do you remember, “I see Bobby, I see Suzie  – –

“Rubber Plugs Hose, Fire Guts Harbour House”
The Free Press Herald headline of February 10, 1960. A fund has been started at Victoria Harbour for a young couple and their two small children who lost their home and “everything they owned” in a disastrous fire early Monday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Desroches, whose home on Bay Street was gutted to the bare walls, are presently staying with Mrs. Desroches’ mother, Mrs. John Bernard, on Maple Street. With them are their two sons Grant, 5, and Timothy, 20 months. Loss of their home was the second tragedy that has struck the Desroches family in recent months? Two years ago next week they lost their son, Jimmy, then 2 ½ years. An employee of the bridge and building department of the CPR at Port McNicoll, Mr. Desroches had been laid off some time ago because of seasonal conditions. He is employed by the village, managing the open-air rink, just behind the fire hall. Mr. Desroches was at the rink Monday night around 6.30 p.m. when the fire siren sounded. He ran to the fire hall and drove the truck (a 1919 model) to the street. “Where’s the fire?” Mr. Desroches asked as the firemen quickly assembled. “At your place,” he was told. Arriving at the scene, Mr. Desroches said the fire didn’t seem to be too bad, at least from the outside. When he entered the house to save his TV set and other furniture, he found the building so full of smoke he was unable to enter. Things rapidly went from bad to worse at the scene of the fire, located nearly three blocks from the nearest hydrant. When Harbour firemen attempted to use the supply in their 500-gallon tank, no water came out of the small, high-pressure hose and the motor kept stalling. They were forced to stand by helplessly until the Port McNicoll brigade arrived to help. By this time the fire had already made great headway in the two-storey frame building. “We went back to the fire hall,” “Sib” Brodeur, assistant fire chief, told this paper, “where we found that a piece of loose rubber was plugging the nozzle of the high-pressure hose. When this was removed everything worked perfectly”. 

“Simcoe County Council Plans Manor Addition” 
If approval of the Ontario Municipal Board is forthcoming, a start will be made this year on a 50-bed addition to Georgian Manor at Penetang. Meeting in Barrie Monday, Simcoe County Council approved a motion by Reeves Albert Deconkey of Matchedash and H. J. Beauchamp of Midland that the Home for the Aged Committee of council proceeds to seek the necessary approval. The project will likely be carried out in two stages starting with the erection of a new kitchen and dining room facilities and the tearing down of what was the old Penetang General Hospital. The latter is being used for kitchen and staff facilities at present. When the first part of the project is completed, work will get underway on the dormitory part of the project. This will not likely be before 1961. 
    Public affairs committee of Midland Chamber of Commerce believes it now has sufficient information as to costs, methods and available sites for construction to proceed on an aircraft landing field for this area this spring. This was revealed in the annual report of Hugh Blair, chairman of the chamber’s public affairs committee. At the request of a number of local industrialists and others who believed an aircraft landing strip would be a valuable asset to Midland, the public affairs committee made a preliminary survey of methods, costs and sites for such a field last year, Mr. Blair said. The committee feels it now has sufficient information available so the project may be proceeded with as soon as weather permits, if the 1960 chamber directors favour the move, he said.   
    In close co-operation with the mayor and council, the committee also had pressed for action on the installation of a traffic light at King and Yonge Streets, Mr. Blair revealed. 
    The most important project undertaken by the committee in 1959 however, was a study of costs and other factors involved in the proposed sewage disposal plant, which the Ontario Water Resources Commission indicated Midland would have to build. The committee was especially concerned about this more than one million dollar outlay as industrial, and commercial taxpayers in Midland would have to pay more than half this sum. As a result of information obtained by chamber secretary-manager R. B. Moffatt from the town’s consulting engineers, it was found that the preliminary estimate of $1,000,000 for the plant covered only the actual construction costs and did not include interest charges on the money borrowed nor maintenance and operating costs over the 20-year period of the loan. Mr. Blair’s report notes that the actual total outlay for this project over a 20-year period would be about $2,500,000 or more — a bill which Midland taxpayers would have to foot. 

   “The good old hockey game” COLDWATER — An East Simcoe Rural Hockey League game at Coldwater this week, in which Victoria Harbour defeated Coldwater 9 to 5, ended in a fight during the final minutes of the match. Only a few fans saw the rugged encounter. The climax of the fracas came when Coldwater player Art Insley’s stick was broken against the head of Allan Vallee of Victoria Harbour. Vallee was treated at the Coldwater medical clinic for what Dr. G. W. Hall termed a “nasty gash”. It required four stitches to close.  This appeared in the Friday paper; Aftermath of a Donnybrook during an East Simcoe Rural Hockey League game at Coldwater Feb. 1, a charge of assault is slated to be heard by Magistrate K. A. Cameron in Midland police court Monday. Arthur Insley, Coldwater, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Allan Vallee, a member of the Victoria Harbour team, in court last Monday. 

    25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK – A Citizens’ Industrial Committee was organized to bring industries to Midland. Members were V. G. Edwards, George Ross, D. L. White, Jr., James Pinchin, Edwin Letherby, D. S. Pratt, David Hurrie, David Haig, and T. M. McCullough, (secretary pro tem). * * * A branch of the Junior Red Cross Society was organized in Midland, “following an enthusiastic meeting of Midland young ladies.” * * * Sinclair Lewis’ best-seller “Babbit”, in a motion picture version, was billed for the Capitol Theatre. Aline McMahon and Guy Kibbee had the leading roles. * * * A. J. B. Gray, the government supervisor, met with Penetang Council, to discuss among other things the problem of bringing new industries to town, “and a suggestion that this municipality and Midland work together to this end was favourably received.” * * * The leading editorial commenced: “There is cause for satisfaction in the announcement that two troops of Boy Scouts are due to be organized in Midland.” It concluded: “Bugles are still required for those boys who are practising regularly on borrowed instruments.” * * * A winter sports meet sponsored by the Penetang Kiwanis Club drew a large crowd to Payette Driving Park. Program comprised horse racing, dog races, and skiing events.

    Editorial – One of these days we are going to learn the true cost of pure water. So far in North Simcoe we have been lucky. At Tillsonburg, for example, they even have a separate municipal water system for their fire hydrant service. They believe, and rightly, that there is no need to fight fires with pure well or spring water. Over half our current water uses in Penetang, Midland, and the villages of this area do not require drinkable water either. 

    OBITUARIES – Death came unexpectedly to GILBERT QUESNELLE at his Perkinsfield home when he suffered a coronary thrombosis, Sunday morning, Jan. 31. Born in Perkinsfield, the 37-year-old man had lived there throughout his life. He had been employed as a (rail) car cleaner in Midland. A Roman Catholic, Gilbert Quesnelle married the former Albertine Lesperance in 1944 at Perkinsfield. Besides his wife he is survived by five children, Paul, John, Marc, Pauline and Dennis, all at home. Also surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Quesnelle, Penetang; six brothers, Phil of Highland Point, Martial of Perkinsfield, Gildore of Rexdale and Donat, Gabriel and Richard all of Penetang. Funeral service was held Tuesday, Feb. 2, from the Beausoleil Funeral Home to St. Patrick’s Church, Perkinsfield, were Rev. A. J. Desaulniers officiated. Temporary interment was in St. Ann’s Mausoleum. Pallbearers were Doug Dubeau, Ken Tannahill, Gus Lacroix, Rene Lespérance, Remi Belcourt and Carl Cusson. Out-of-town relatives and friends attending the service came from Midland, Owen Sound, Rexdale, Toronto, Ottawa, Kitchener and Lafontaine.  –  A native of Lafontaine, SIMEON CHEVRETTE died in Toronto Wellesley Hospital Sunday, Jan. 31, following a heart seizure. He was in his 73rd year. Born in Lafontaine, Mr. Chevrette had lived in Penetang for 50 years. He had also spent six years in Collingwood, eight years in Barrie and had been living in Toronto since 1957. During his time in Penetang he had been employed as a moulder at P.  P Payette Co. He was a Roman Catholic in faith and a strong member of the Liberal party. In 1905 he married the former Caroline Legault in Blind River. She predeceased him in 1954. Surviving is one son, Arthur of Toronto, and four daughters, Mrs. Edna O’Hara, Ottawa; Mrs. Bertha Theakston and Mrs. Eva Law, Barrie; Mrs. Evelyn McCarthy, Toronto. There are 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Funeral service was held from the Beausoleil Funeral Home, Penetang, to St. Ann’s Memorial Church. Mass was sung by Father J. Kelly, assisted by Father J. Marchand and Father A. Louis Bourque.  Temporary entombment was in St. Ann’s Mausoleum. Pallbearers were Fred and Ernest Chevrette, Leonard and Charles Fournier, Philibert Charlebois and Francis Dumais. Out-of-town relatives and friends came from Ottawa, Toronto, Barrie, Midland and Lafontaine.  –  A resident of Midland for nearly 65 years, FREDERICK CHARLES BATTRICK of 312 Third Street, died at St. Andrews Hospital Feb. 4, after an illness of one month. He was in his 90th year. Funeral service was conducted at the A. Barrie and Sons funeral home by Rev. Wilson Morden of St. Paul’s United Church, of which Mr. Battrick was an honorary elder. Pallbearers were six nephews, Richard Gaunt, Alec Stott, Gordon MacLean, Watson Battrick, William Battrick, and Kenneth Battrick. Interment was in Lakeview Cemetery. Born in Cainsville, Ont., Nov. (date obscured) 1870, Mr. Battrick received his early education in Desoronto and Midland. In 1901 he married Annie MacDougall, who predeceased him in May 1955. He was closely associated with the early lumbering operations in Midland and vicinity, and at one time lived in Byng Inlet. He is survived by one daughter, Miss Marguerite Battrick, Midland; one son, Willard Battrick, Hamilton; two sisters, Mrs. S. S. Ropple and Miss Gertrude Battrick, both of Stratford, and one brother, Albert Battrick of Toronto. Out-of-town relatives and friends attending the funeral came from Stratford, Toronto and Hamilton. – RAYMOND CECIL BELCHER  Following an illness of a few months Raymond Cecil (Ray) Belcher, a well-known and esteemed citizen of this village, passed away in St. Andrews Hospital, Jan. 27, at the age of 67 years. The funeral took place from the Nicholls Funeral Home, Midland, on Jan. 30, with temporary entombment in Lakeview Chapel Vault, Midland. Rev. R. G. Nodwell conducted the service and the pallbearers were T. A. Armstrong, Ralph Dalton, E. Haughton, J. W. Wallace, Capt. Percy Beatty and Capt. Jas. Sykes. Out-of-town relatives and friends attending the funeral came from Toronto, Weston, Orillia and other points. Mr. Belcher, son of the late Mr. & Mrs. Robert Belcher was born in Victoria Harbour on Oct. 15, 1892, and lived his entire life in the village with the exception of the years spent overseas as a gunner in World War I. He attended public school and the United Church here and was a member of Victoria Lodge A.F. and A.M., and of Bayport Branch of the Canadian Legion at Port McNicoll. Surviving him are two brothers, Percy Belcher and Capt. Reginald Belcher, both of Victoria Harbour and two sisters, Lillian (Mrs. Albert Wilson) and Hazel (Mrs. Ray Smith) of Midland.  –  A citizen of Midland for 53 years, LOUIS DUNKLEMAN died in Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Feb. 1. He was in his 78th year. Born in London, England, Sept. 4, 1882, and educated there Mr. Dunkelman came directly to Midland in 1907. In 1913 he married Elizabeth Oliver. Funeral service, Feb. 3, was from the A. Barrie Funeral Home and St. Mark’s Anglican Church Midland, with the Rev. L. J. Delaney officiating. Interment was in Lakeview Cemetery. It was a Legion funeral, at which C. L. Wiles acted as Sgt.-at-Arms and Ted Mitchell as the bugler. Pallbearers, members of Branch 80, Canadian Legion, were Alex Heron, Ed Fox, Charles Stewart, Leslie Henderson, Herbert A. Wiles, and Charles Hounsome, Wyebridge. An Anglican, Mr. Dunkelman was a veteran of the First World War, having enlisted in the 157th Battalion, and served in France with the 1st Battalion. He had been a member of the Canadian Legion, since its founding in, Midland, a keen gardener, a member of the Horticultural Society for many years, and for 30 years was caretaker at Sixth Street School. He is survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth Oliver; two daughters, Mrs. J. Hawkesworth (Rose), Unionville, and Mrs. Ken E. Trew (Blanche), Midland; a son, Lewis Dunkelman of Meaford; two grandchildren, Betty-Lou and Bobby Dunkelman; and a sister, Mrs. T. Westworth, Midland. 

M.P.D.H.S. Hi-Sterics
by ARDATH ZIMMER – The honour roll for the Christmas exams is now posted in each room. The top students of each grade are as follows: Grade 9: Pat Morrison, 91.8%; John Jensen, 89.8%; Ricky Mahon, 87.1%; Doug Mutch, 86.8%; and Larry Brennan, 86.7%. Grade 10: Paul Davidson, 86.0%; Jane Campbell, 85.1%; Bonnie Brisebois, 84.8%; Sharon Robillard, 83.5%; and Wilfred Gay, 83:3%. Grade 11: Margaret Edwards, 94.1%; Betty Jean Watkinson, 88.9%; Bev Anne Keefe, 86.4%; Mary Loney, 85.0%; and Maisie Mount, 83.6%. Grade 12: Lorna Brown, 87.1%; Earla McCuaig, 82.1%; Karen Blair, 81.2%; Pauline Robinson, 80.7%; and Tony Moffat, 80.6%. Special Commercial; Sue Quinlan, 89.0%; Barb Hill, 84.0%; and Jill Phipps, 82.0%. Grade 13: Cleon Carruthers, 79.1% and Brenda Mead, 79.3%. It is also worthy of note that the three honour roll students in Special Commercial also received 100 in a recent national spelling contest.
by ELLEN BARBER –  MPDHS students may no longer bemoan the lack of money for further education. A fund to be known as “LIFE”, Local-Industries-Fund-for-Education — has been set up by several district industries. In conjunction with the YMCA, Fern Shoe, Midland Footwear, Midland Plastics, Pillsbury of Canada and United Shoe Plastics Ltd., have made available more than $2,500 in the form of student loans and scholarships for MPDHS students. A reminder to all students hoping to win back their parents’ good grace: The February report cards will be out March 4, so a little extra study for the coming tests might be a good idea. – To improve dances at the high school and to provide the basis for future student councils who will have to deal with more than 1,000 students, the following dance rules have been adopted. It is felt these rules plus careful planning and organizing will make the dances livelier and students will have a better time.
1 – Permission to have the dance must be obtained at least two weeks in advance of the dance.
 2 – Dance committee must meet with the Principal, having a written report of the plans for the dance one week in advance of the event.
3 – Senior students will be responsible for all phases of the dance.
4 – All teachers and members of the board will receive an invitation
to a formal dance. (This has been done in the past.)
5 – Guests must come with the person sponsoring them, having a guest card showing name, name of sponsor and staff member. (These may be obtained from Mr. Powell.)
6 – Once a person has left the building, he may not re-enter.
7 – School rules must be adhered to at all times.
8 – There will be no admittance after 10:15 p.m.
9 – Dances will end at 11.45 sharp with the exception of formals.
10 – Dance committee is to be responsible for cleaning up and
removing decorations.
11 – Dress is to be school dress unless otherwise stated as in the case of a formal.
by KAREN BLAIR – The string ensemble will be playing Handel’s “Concerto Grosso No. 2″ in the Kiwanis Festival Monday night, Feb. 15, and will appear again at Eaton’s Auditorium Wednesday, Feb. 24, for their performance of the “Arundel Suite.” Tonight, Feb. 12, the Students Council is sponsoring a Valentine dance in honour of the Queen of Hearts. It will begin at 8:30 and the doors will close at 10:15. School dress is stipulated.
by SHARON ARMSTRONG – The Camera Club has purchased an enlarger. The thirty dollars required for this was borrowed from the Students’ Council. Anyone wishing to obtain a picture from the Year Book will be able to buy it from the club. A “Library Club” under the supervision of Miss McMullen has been formed. Approximately 10 students are learning how to manage a library. The members of the Drama Club are “hard at it,” working on the “Jewelled Hand” which will be their presentation at the drama festival coming up shortly.
by GERRY WITTIG – BASKETBALL – One win, the juvenile game, and two losses at Orillia closed out the basketball schedule for this year. MPDHS Juniors and Juveniles tied for second in their respective leagues and will enter a home and home playoff with the other teams. Dates of games have not yet been set. The Senior team played well at Orillia and deserved to win. Better luck next year.
YEARBOOK – Work on this year’s “Memoirs” is well underway. Photography is almost completed and features and stories are proceeding quite well. Editor Tony Moffat hopes to have the book ready for the printers by the end of March.  

    Pastor at large for the Baptist Home Mission Board for two years and minister at Calvary Baptist Church, Midland, for 10 years. Rev. J. H. Olmsted died at his Yonge Street East home early Thursday. The veteran Baptist minister succumbed to a heart attack. He is survived by a son, Charles of Strathroy, a daughter Margery (my piano teacher, that didn’t work but she paid me to cut her grass) at home a sister in Toronto and a grandson in Strathroy. 

    Recommendations for provision of more adequate propeller guards and prohibition of enclosed cockpits on Georgian Bay scoots was brought in by a coroner’s jury at an inquest in Penetang yesterday. The inquest was held to investigate the events which led to the Jan. 31 death of Frank Parks, Toronto. The jury returned a verdict of death by accident. Evidence discounted earlier stories that Parks was attempting to jump on to the scoot after it started moving.