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 With several of her sister ships, CSL’s Stadacona ploughed her way through thick ice fields Thursday and headed for the lakehead. The Georgian Bay cleared Port McNicoll harbour at 5:00 PM Wednesday. One ship is already reported Midland bound with grain for the empty elevators.

  Midland’s only championship winning hockey team this season is seen in the lobby of the Georgian Hotel having just returned from Parry Sound Saturday night. They won the junior OHA section of the provincial Little Hockey League finals. Front row, Bill Argue, Doug Scott, Cecil Merkley, Jim Cleaver, Mike Dubeau; seated on chesterfield, Barry McIlvarey, Willard Perrault, Jim Dubeau, John Swan captain, Dennis Abbott, Wayne Holden, Chester Graham; standing, Jerry Beteau, Morley Bath, Paul Devillers, Herbie Wright and Doug Faint. Men at rear, Rev. Len Self, Jack Doughty, Clare Holden and Jack Gouett. 

Joanne Cruise, dressed up as a lady bug for the Midland Figure Skating Club’s annual carnival sponsored by the Midland Lions Club. 

 Two senior members of the Midland Figure Skating Club drew rounds of applause for their performance in the “Ice Follies of 1956” sponsored by the Midland Lions Club. Mary Ann Nicholson and Donna Kinnear. 

 “Midland Ice Follies of 1956” tin soldiers give a snappy salute, Kennedy Self and David Walker. 

Many hours of hard work by parents goes into costumes for a skating carnival. Midland Figure Skating Club participants Lorraine Jones, Jane Moss and Dianne Marcellus make convincing fairies. 

 “Men About Town” seen at the Midland Figure Skating Club’s “Ice Follies for 1956” Friday and Saturday night are Linda Stewart and Judy Hack. 

 Scout leaders John Reynolds and Jack O’Hara of Penetang chat with conservation expert Stan Hudson of the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests after a conservation rally at the Parkside Inn last week. Mr. Hudson was the chief speaker.

  Theophile Fortier (left)  had been working on the CPR railway for 44 years when this photo was taken inside the locomotive shop in Port McNicoll Friday afternoon. He is receiving a wallet, with cash, from Jack R. Lloyd division master mechanic on the occasion of his retirement. Mr. Fortier was raised on a farm on Conc. 19, Tiny Twp. and has worked for the railway since March 17, 1916. 

 After 25 years as a Great Lakes captain Charles H. Cole had never earned a “topper” for opening the season in any port until this year. First into Sault Ste. Marie, Port Arthur and now Port McNicoll. The master of the John E. F. Misener of the Colonial Steamship Ltd. shakes hands with Reeve Albert Calvert, while Chief Engineer J. H. McCleverty of Wales Ont. and councillor Jack Fisher look on. The Misener delivered 600,000 bushels of wheat to the almost empty elevator. 

 Elmvale Bantam team were runner-ups in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association finals, both the first place Juvenile team and the Bantams will be given jackets at a banquet to be held in the community hall April 25th. Team members front row; Raeburn Lawson, Andy Copeland, Bill Hogg the captain holding the Harold Dunk Trophy, Elvin Frankcom, Earl Spring; middle row, Russell Ritchie, Nelson Jordan, Ross Heacock, Bill Large; back row, C. M. French manager, Ed Bumstead, Sky Flotron, Bob Greenlaw and Larry Simpson. Absent, Tory Stevens. 

 It’s a long way to Peterborough where members of the Midland Hi-Y Club attended a convention of clubs in the canoe city. Bob McIntyre, Sandra Kettle, Bob Thompson, Helen Smith, Bev Day and Jane Bell. Bob Megaw and Shirley Perrin also attended. 

 George Ingram stokes his evaporator and fills his maple syrup tins in his sugar shack at the end of Hugel Avenue as he has for thirty years. His sugar bush is soon to become the site of MPDHS. 

• Syrup – Oui, Maple – Non, Canned Cane. One gallon cans of coloured cane sugar labelled in French are being sold as maple syrup locally, better to buy from local sugar bushes.
• Midland PUC and Local 1932 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers signed their first agreement Friday afternoon. Signing for the workers was Morland Mount, Lloyd Alsopp and Elgin West.
• Midland Housing Authority is having trouble with wet basements in the new low rental housing development on Donalda Street.
• $200,000 subdivision for west end of Midland, builder to start Monday. Russell J. Peever, general contractor from Weston and local real-estate agent V. B. Strickland plan to build seventeen three bedroom brick homes in the Ingram subdivision opposite the new high school. Two versions, one at $11,200 (38 x 26) and a larger home for $11,700, (41 x 25).
• Waverly youth, Warren K. French wins $800.00 bursary, he will pursue his post graduate studies in organic chemistry.
• Didace Grise announces the construction of 24 more suites at the Delawana Inn this year bringing the total capacity to 250 guests.
• A list of all the citizens, organizations and businesses that contributed to the new hospital building fund in 1956 was printed in the April 13th paper along with the amount donated.

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Easter Sunday proved a perfect day to parade your Easter finery, these girls were on their way to church. Margaret Cadeau, Anne Doran and Colleen Pearson.

 Mary McFarland was crowned queen of the Adelphi Hi-Y dance at the Midland YMCA Thursday night, she is seen with some of the many prizes she  won, which were later stolen from her parent’s car on the main street. 

Prior to Easter, public and separate school children in the area were introduced to Elmer the safety elephant under a program set up by the Midland & District Safety Council and sponsored by the Simcoe County Police Association. Children were given talks by local policemen and shown films on the latest safety measures. In front of Regent Public School student Barbara Kirkpatrick admires Elmer’s cape. Provincial constable Tom Heels, Midland Constable Ray Atkinson, chairman of the council, and Sgt. John Clarke of the CPR Police, Port McNicoll,  with Regent principal Morgan (Orson) Lewis.

 Hundreds of kids turned out for the second annual Midland Y’s Men’s Club Easter egg hunt in Little Lake Park Saturday. Medal discs with multiple perforations were spread throughout the park and when found were exchanged for candy. Big winners were Billy Ward, 6 year old son of Mr. & Mrs. Dalton Ward and Nancy Wilson, 10 year old daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Don Wilson. Both received a large box of candy. A big chocolate egg went to second place winners Lorne Fenton, David Lamb, Ron Sharpe and Jerry Beteau. Every child taking part in the hunt received a lollipop.

 Midland firemen prepare to enter a second story window at the home of Mrs. Ed Puddicombe, 189 George Street, which caught fire Thursday morning. The eighty year old widow who lived alone was able to get out when an overheated chimney caught fire. Mrs. Puddicombe had returned the night before from Toronto where she had appeared on television with her twin sister Mrs. George Puddicombe.

 Midland rinks won two of three trophies at the seventh annual Mixed Bonspiel, winning the second event and the R.R. Wilson Trophy are; Mrs. M. Magloughlin, Stan Spence, Miss Joyce Bowman and skip Jack Wilson.

 Midland rinks won two of three trophies at the seventh annual Mixed Bonspiel, winning the main event and the Orr Trophy and prizes were; Marie Ladoucer, John Scott skip, Mrs. Al Scott and Doug Haig.

Mr. & Mrs. Herman Trew of the 2nd concession Medonte celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Herman was born at Jennetville south of Lindsay January 20th, 1879 and Mrs. Trew nee Mable E. Brown of Vasey was born August 29, 1887 and they married on March 28, 1906.

 Midget Boys basketball team on front steps of the Midland YMCA on Hugel Ave. hoping to avenge a defeat they received at the hands of the Orillia  squad at a recent tournament at the Orillia YMCA. Front, Pete Davis, John Bell, John Nicholson and John Richardson; center, Lawrence Curry, Wilbert Lamb, John Edwards and Ken Mackie; back, Fred Jackson, Frank Okenka and Dave Bertrand.

 Peter Grigg, fire chief in the Town of Midland for 28 years is presented with a miniature fire hydrant as a gift from the citizens of Midland on his retirement also an award of merit from the mayor. In the photo; fellow fire fighter Hank Wood, Mr. Grigg and Phil Blake.

 Peter Grigg center, fire chief in the Town of Midland for 28 years is presented with a wallet with a fat bank note by fellow fire fighter Hank Wood at a banquet held at the Parkside Inn to celebrate his retirement.  Jack Argue on the right.

 Members of the Adelphi Hi-Y Club are seen in their club room at the YMCA sorting a collection of pop bottles, coat hangers and six quart baskets, a fundraiser to send children to summer camp. Bob Megaw, Bob Bell, Roger Gray and Joe Denis.

 It’s spring clean up time, Wendy Howard and Marlene Fraser, members of the Amicae Hi-Y Club do their part by painting the cement floor in their club room at the YMCA.

 Members of the Amicae Hi-Y club are working to clean up their club room at the YMCA. Faye Swann, Shirley Doucette, Ann Merkley and Jacqueline Robillard. 

• Rei Construction, Midland, was the low bidder on the new Midland municipal building to be erected at Second St. and Dominion Ave. Midland council examined seven bids with the architects before selecting Alfred Rei’s bid of $192,853.00.
• Grew Boats in Penetang is headed for its biggest year ever, states manager Andrew Morrisson. Seventy persons are now on Grew’s staff and some are working four nights a week to keep up with demand. The new 6,000 square food building is completed and new production machinery installed.
• Council names Arnold Tippin Midland’s new fire chief.
• The Wagon Wheel dance hall at Balm Beach, owned and operated by Midlander Herb Beauchamp, was completely destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon, a loss of $20,000.00. The Wagon Wheel, opened for business on May 24th, 1948, measured 80 by 60 feet and was one of the best appointed halls in the district. Herb also owned the Circle B Hall on county road #2 just west of Midland.
• Girl Guide Marie Lepage of Penetang is one of 222 Ontario Guides to be honoured at U of T Convocation Hall and receive her gold cord certificate from Mrs. Louis Breithaupt wife of the Lieut.-Governor.
• Elmvale District High School to proceed with four room addition.
• Installation of dial telephones in homes and businesses served by the Midland exchange got under way this week in preparation for the cutover of Midland’s system in July. A large number of local phones are convertible to dial, others will be replaced with dial models. A temporary number card showing the present phone number will be placed in the center of the dial. Customers are asked to remove the card at the time of cutover to reveal the permanent new dial number underneath.
• TEN YEARS AGO 1946; A grass fire which started near the Penetang Arena, completely destroyed the 17 year old structure in less than one hour. Radar, an invention of the war years, had workmen at the Midland Shipyards busy installing it in the CSL freighter, Lemoyne. Rev. J. M. Castex, rector of St. Ann’s Church, was made Right Rev. Monsignor J. M. Castex, he was 74.
• At the Roxy; Long John Silver, the Tall Men and Count Your Blessings. At the Pen; King Richard and the Crusaders, East of Eden and When Worlds Collide.
• Swann’s garage and Henry Laurin’s Shell are advertising a free car wash with every spring change over.
• Fifteen ships have cleared local ports, beginning with the CSL’s Sir James Dunn from the Tiffin.
• A new business opens at 249 King Street next week, the ‘Cross Country Cut Rate Store’ will sell camping and outdoor equipment, clothing, footwear and government surplus. The site was the former Arcade Store operated by G. W. Broad.
• Hub Motel in Elmvale plans a 300 foot long by 75 foot wide swimming pool parallel to the Wye River in front of the motel units. (This is not an April Fools joke).
• Open A. A. meeting in Midland tonight, more than 200 men and women have felt the impact of A. A. in their lives since the Midland group formed nine years ago.
• Grain elevator managers, grain handlers and hundreds of other employees connected with the trade are in a happy mood again after five ships brought a total of 2,826,565 bushels of wheat to near empty elevators in Midland and Port McNicoll Sunday and Monday.
• See “Flirty Spring Straws” at Flo’s Hatland, 217 Hugel Ave. W., Midland’s Only Individual Hat Store. Sure cure for buck fever, “White Bucks” are here again at Cumming – Nicholson Fine Shoes. RIP Jim, thanks for all you did for Midland.

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Huge cakes of ice are broken off by the USCG cutter Mackinaw as she plows her way down the harbour at Port McNicoll Monday morning. The Mackinaw made the 220 mile trip from Cheboygan Michigan to facilitate the movement of the winter fleet in Midland and Port McNicoll.  She encountered 36″ thick ice in the Giant’s Tomb area. The job of keeping the harbours fluid is normally done by the CSL tug “Tiffin” which is out of service awaiting repairs. This photo shows the size of the two CPR freight sheds at Port McNicoll. I may be corrected, but I believe this shed was known as the westbound shed.

Six proud scholarship winners photographed after the final concert of the Midland Music Festival. Back row, Patricia Morrison, Jim Cleaver, Eleanor Paice and Mary Lou (Louise) Parker. Front row, Andrew Zgudziak and Jay Ellis.

 Midland merchants, Walter Woods and Web Struthers, take time from their business to create sets for the Midland Figure Skating Club’s annual carnival, sponsored by the  Midland Lion’s Club.

 Midland Y’s Men transported these Bantam basketball players to an invitational meet in Orillia on March 17th. Though they didn’t win, a good time was reported. The photo taken on the front steps of the YMCA on Hugel Avenue.  Front row, Gerry Hamilton, John Scott, Ron McConnell, Tom McCullough, Ron Hyatt; Center row, John Carpenter, Doug Setterington, Roger Leclair, John Cowie.  Back row, Wally Brock, Ross Clute, Boy Wilson and Bob Grey.

  Four of the five trophy winners at the spring invitation jump meet at the Midland Ski Club Sunday are seen in this photo. Bob Staubhaar, Midland, winner of the class “C” division; Eric Kurrie, Midland, third in the main event;  Rheal Seguin, Ottawa, runner up and Frank Elsigan, Buffalo, the big winner. Hubert Shaunig, Midland, runner up in the “C” class was absent.

  Midland ladies preparing costumes for the Midland Lion’s Club annual skating carnival on April 6 and 7. Mrs. H. G. W. Paice, Mrs. Francis Lowes, Mrs. Lloyd Wilcox, Mrs. Ed Walker and Mrs. Harold (Marg) McAllen.

  Six of eighteen scholarship winners in the Midland Music Festival are seen in front of the fireplace at the YMCA on Hugel Ave. Back row, Betty French, Bob Popple, John Marshall. Front row, Robert Morrison, Ann Webster and Diane Vivian.

 The center of activity around Nottawaga Beach for many years, Patchell’s Store burnt to the ground on the morning of March 20th. Walter Patchell received burns about his face, head and arms while attempting to rescue a few belongings. Mrs. Patchell recently released from the hospital after a serious back injury had to escape in her night attire. 

• Penetang to build town sheds at the west end of Robert Street. Fred Laurin has been retained to superintend the job
• Junior Chambers of Commerce from Midland & Penetang bring forward a plan to re-open the 140 year old military road from the Angels to Hugel Ave as a walking trail. Future plan would be to continue south to Wyebridge
• Fern Shoes and Midland Footwear to receive new production machinery that will increase output by 40%
• Weddings – Shirley Fournier and Edwin Simmonds, St. Margaret’s Rectory – Shirley Henderson and Gerry Gammon – Frances Duquay and Rolland St. Onge, St. Margaret’s Church – Ann Dickie and Russell Vaillancourt, St. Margaret’s Church –
• County Council committee accepts bid by Wilfred G. How Construction to build the 50 bed home for the aged in Penetang. How Construction was also the general contractor for the Penetang General Hospital. Work will start in April and it is expected to take eight months to complete
• Penetang General Hospital receives chest x-ray machine
• F Turnbull hired as new Public Works Superintendent in Midland
• & Mrs. Cecil Woods of Wyevale had not heard from their son George in eight months until they read in a Toronto newspaper that he had become a hero of northern British Columbia, snow shoeing 125 miles in six days to get help for his injured trapping partner
• Under a policy laid down by His Holiness Pope Pius XII, Roman Catholic Easter liturgical ceremonies used by the church in the Middle Ages will be adopted this week. Holy communion will be received Good Friday afternoon, churches will be closed at Midnight Thursday and there will be an Easter midnight mass
• Andrew’s hospital to save $600.00 per year by using disposable paper plates and cups, savings in labour, dish washing cost, breakage costs. Board member Mrs. L. Attridge suggested that some of the elderly women patients may not appreciate their tea in a paper cup
• The Hon. Bryan Cathcart, Ontario Minister of Travel and publicity, speaking in the provincial legislature, praised the Midland Y’s Men’s Club’s reconstruction of a Huron Village as an outstanding example of community tourist promotion, ranking it with the Stratford Festival and the Fergus Highland Games
• Penetang Barbering service charges as of April 2, 1956. Adult haircut .75, brushcut 1.00, shaves .50, children’s haircut .50, children’s haircut Saturday .75
• 25 Years Ago This Week – A proposal had been made to build a hotel on the eastern bank of the Wye River, adjacent to the Shrine – A new service station was being erected on the site of the Midland Steam Laundry, destroyed by fire several months previously – W. E. Preston and Co. opened a new branch in the McMurtry Block known as Preston’s Uptown grocery. It was located next to A. W. Ruby’s “High Class” pastry shop – New styles for the spring of 1932 called for skirts to be worn about 10 inches from the floor, dresses were straight cut and hats featured floppy brims worn away from the face – Stanley Dobson of Midland broke the Ontario shot put record at a YMCA track meet in Toronto
• Thirty four new citizens were born in St. Andrew’s Hospital in the month of February, eight more than last February
• MPDHS entered two teams in the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association competition
• Kenneth Wells releases his newest book “By Jumping Cat Bridge”, paperback $1.99, cloth covered $4.00