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Staging a terrific comeback in the last four minutes, Windsor Bulldogs defeat Owen Sound 6-5 to win the senior OHA title in the Tuesday night Little Hockey League finals. Front, “Rusty” Ironside, Allan Walker, Bernard Deschamps, Ken Mackie, Ron Merkley, Doug McGibbon, back row; David Bertrand, William Wilcox, who presented the trophy, Wayne Broad, Sheldon Hanes (captain), Rev. Len Self, Doug MacMillan, Murray McComb, Ed Desroches, Fred Lemieux (coach), A. Bell, Rodney Rankin and J. Currie.

 Last week I forgot to include this photo with the announcement that Roger Brisbois and Len Carter had purchased the former Pete LePage Motors on Robert Street and re-named it “Huronia Motors”. 

Recently returned from representing Ontario at the St. Paul, Minnesota, Winter Carnival, Waubaushene twins Kay & Elaine Munday pull a (staged) twelve pound Northern Pike from Penetang Harbour. The girls are dressed in their Penetang Winter Carnival costumes and admission badges.

The Midland District Women’s Progressive Conservative Association marked its first birthday at a party in the Orange Hall, Midland, Monday night. Front row, Mrs. Douglas Grant, Mrs. J. Gillett, Mrs. J. G. Caswell, Mrs. Howard Smyth; back, Mrs. J. D. McPhee, Mrs. Lorne Faragher, Mrs. Ray Smith and Mrs. Percy Hopkins. Absent were Mrs. George Stephenson and Mrs. J. Stainton.

Fire started in the attic of this home on the corner of Mildred and Yonge Streets late Wednesday night. Owned by Herbert Ellery and occupied by his son Wallace, Mrs. Ellery received third degree burns while rescuing her two children aged 4 and 9. The fire broke out in the attic while Mrs. Ellery was in the kitchen and the children in their rooms upstairs.  Fire officials believe Mrs. Ellery was alerted by the sound of falling plastic upstairs.

Youth provided entertainment during an amateur contest to raise funds for Scouting in Port McNicoll, held at the Public School auditorium. In the photo are; Reg Sauvé, Mirella Battio, Murray Fagan, Betty Ann Beausoleil, Lucille Hood, Faith Cripps and Valorie Kirdeikis.

A small part of the large crowd, either fishing or watching the fishermen,  at Saturday afternoon’s Winter Carnival in Penetang. More than 5,000 persons “bobbed” for two hours each with their eye on the boat and motor prize. The event was so popular that some were turned away when all the available fishing lines were sold.

How did they make all those ice fishing holes. The ice auger, flown into Malton Airport from Minnesota and rushed up to Penetang is given a test run. The Penetang crew later added an extension so that downward pressure could be applied to speed up the operation.

The nine inch ice fishing holes were being drilled through two feet of ice at the rate of one every 45 seconds, spaced one every five feet. The area has been laid out in the form of a wheel with the holes along the “spokes”  and the judges in the middle. This photo shows the effect from the air.

The result of all the planning and drilling and rigging of 500 fishing lines was the catching of the most valuable fish ever pulled out of Penetang Bay. This six inch smelt won the beaming John Boucher a new boat and motor worth $555.00. Some mathematicians have calculated the smelt was worth $2,500.00 per pound. King Whyte, well known outdoor editor and judge of the contest commented “Never was so much won by so little.”

Champs of the National League Division at Midland’s Little League finals held recently. Coached by Jack Gouet, the Boston Bruins edged New York 4-3 after 23 minutes of overtime. Front, Don Zabzinski, Wayne Ferris, Sandy Campbell, Charlie Ward; middle, Rev. Len Self, Alf Patterson, Danny Richardson, Paul Tremblay and coach Jack Gouet; back row, B. Clause, Ron Marchildon, Dave Stainton, Paul Dion, absent Larry Cripps.

Providence Reds capture American League honours in the Little League playoffs against the Cleveland Bruins, 3-2. Kneeling, Bob Ruston, Doug Piitz; center row, Bill Kissock, Ted Mason, Brian Dubeau (captain), Larry French, Art Richards coach; back row, Rev. Len Self, Ron Robillard, Bernie Montgomery, Larry Marchand, Ray Moreau, Bill Girard and John Hanley. It was the third time in four years a team coached by Art Richards had won a LHL title.

Sadly Art Richards died on the February 21st this year at the age of 80, his wife Mary Lou Merifield died on March the 6th.

Winners of the annual Owen Sound Ladies Curling Club Spiel were the Midland rink of Mrs. Ken Ellis, Mrs. Charles Walton (June), Mrs. Jim Thomas (the Skip holding the Hindman & Evans Trophy) and Mrs. Jim Tully. A Midland rink skipped by Mrs. Dalton Hudson won the trophy in 1952, the first year it was up for competition.

The best spellers in Midland and district are shown at Regent Public School on the night of February 29th, just before they competed in an old fashioned spelling bee. They are the winner, Sandra Lattimore, and Patricia Puddicombe, Lois Puddicombe, Elizabeth Holt, Carol Armstrong and David White.

Among the “Old Monarchs” honoured by the Midland Lions Club at a party last Thursday at the Parkside Inn, all with 15 years or more of service, are Howard Smyth, Hugh Riesberry, Lorne Watson, Walter Woods and Gordon Paice. International director William Garner of Barrie was on hand to present long service pins to ten members of the Midland club.

• Multi-million dollar 1956 Provincial Public Works budget for North Simcoe includes, seven bridges (Good title for an Eagles song) beginning with one over the CNR at Waubaushene, one over Matchedash Bay at Waubaushene, one maybe two over the Severn River, the Moon, Muskoka and Gibson River bridges, all for the new Trans Canada Highway #103. Grading and gravel between Waubaushene and MacDonald River. A new intersection at Highways 112 and 27 west of Midland, a new bridge over the Wye River at Elmvale and resurfacing of roads from Midland to Waubaushene, Midhurst to Wyebridge on Hwy 27.
• Thirteen more miles of hydro lines are to be built by the Penetang District, adding 732 new customers
• Archie Bishop, 30 year old son of Mrs. Joseph and the late Captain Bishop has received his Master’s Papers with honours. Captain Bishop Sr. served on the Keewatin for a number of years.
• 100 boys and their fathers attended St. Paul’s United Church “Tuxis and Trail Ranger” banquet. This was before Scouting which started in St. Paul’s in 1958. Last week a similar Scouting banquet was held in the same hall to mark Baden Powell’s birthday, February 29th.
• Mr. Holder assures Mayor Parker that there are no empty lard pails behind his bakery that would attract skunks. The mayor suggested that Reeve Bill Keller lives next door and maybe they were headed there.
• 1956 was the Centennial year for the 60 foot circular stone lighthouse, known as an Imperial Tower, with attached dwelling, on Christian Island’s Bar Point. Built in 1856, its first keeper was Capt. William Hoar, R.N. The light was in service until 1922 when it and the surrounding forty five acres were sold by the Department of Marine and Fisheries to the Indian Affairs Branch. It remains today, the property of the Beausoliel First Nation.
• Roxy Theatre is having a special matinee showing Saturday of “Barbed Wire” starring Gene Autry plus Stooge Comedy and 3 cartoons. Free comic books will be given. March 5-6 the six year smash stage hit Mr. Roberts is now on screen, starring Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell and Jack Lemmon. Nominated for best actor and best picture.
• A. Kilroy, local Bell Telephone manager for our region, reported that 110 new telephone services were added in Midland in 1955 bringing the total number to 2,850.
• February 18th at Knox Presbyterian Church saw the wedding of Garnett Armstrong and Saundra Gay White, both of Midland.
• “Tiny Talks” by Rhoda Downer; Not many years ago after a heavy snow the men would set out to open the roads. Usually 8 or 10 men with six horses on the plow. Sometimes the horses would get their front feet high on a hard packed drift and their back feet would break through, there they would stand until the men dug the snow out from in front of them. I’ve seen eight men and three teams work a whole morning to open one mile of road. They would come home, feed their horses, have lunch and go back to work until after dark to open another mile. Last Sunday after the big storm, most of the roads were open in time for the farm folk to get to church, where it would have taken days with horse power.
• Estimate 6,000 people attended the Winter Carnival in Penetang.
• OPP to help Penetang police after the sudden death of Acting Chief Wilfred Perrault, which left the force without a senior officer.
• A thief robs Midland meat market and groceteria while all but one of the town’s police force was meeting with town council.
• Penetang home owned by Basil Secord destroyed by fire around 2 a.m. Tuesday. Mr Secord with the help of his father had built the home himself, completing it just a couple of months ago. It was covered by insurance.
• First in Midland, Homogenized Milk, available Friday March 9th from Dubbin’s Dairy.
• 10 years ago – J. Ross Stewart, a native of Lindsay, was appointed manager of Liggett’s Drug Store, Midland. Liggetts purchased the Midland drug store operated for 29 years by George Ross, who retired after 37 years in the trade. + Lindsay born Archie MacDonald had been named chief of Police for Midland, his new duties to commence on March 15th.
• For North Simcoe trappers, muskrat season officially opened March 1st and will extend until April 21st.
• Victoria Harbour council will seek legal advice with regard to the contentious issue of grocery orders being delivered from outside points into the village.
• Last week we read the HMCS Penetanguishene had been turned over to the Norwegian Navy and renamed, but the name has not been lost but honoured in the Maritimes as a new subdivision of 300 lots on the road to the airport has been named Penetanguishene.
• The “Cooking Chatter” column has a rice, cheese and corn flakes recipe suggestion for Lent
• The Newsreel at Roxy Theatres this week featured the Canadian Ski Championships, film taken at Midland’s own ski jump and Collingwood.

Can you help the museum to identify these women from the Waubaushene chapter of the Daughters of Rebeka?

Thanks to Neil Tucker, Carol Archer, Pam King, Sally Howe & Judy we have;

1 unknown, 2 Leona Brown, 3 Bernice Wilson, 4 Fern (Mrs. John) Rosburough, 5 Mrs. Mona Duncliffe, 6 Mrs. Gouett, 7 Gertrude Wilson, 8 Bea Brady or Hazel Skelton (need a positive ID for this one), 9 Pat Athron. Still missing first names and number1

 William Barnett’s grade six class is seen rehearsing a play in the Parkview School auditorium, their goal is to raise money for the junior Red Cross. Barbara Day, Judy Crawford, Brigitta Dawe, Bernice Chapman, Peggy Jones, Kirk Weldon and Verne Kettle; front, David Simmonds, Peter Moss, David Magloughlin, David Lamb and Bill Doherty.

  Gymnasium of Parkview Public School, recently taken over by teachers and pupils of Midland’s Sixth Street School provides plenty of room for a grade four square dancing class, directed by teacher John Lyle. 

Former Sixth Street School students have a wealth of facilities in their new home, the former Midland High School on Yonge Street, the home economics room is great for sewing and knitting. June Elliot, Joy Elliot, Patsy O’Hara, Betty Kettle and Carol Weatherell.

  Formerly one of the science rooms in the old high school, this room is being used for art classes in the newly named Parkview School. Joyce Somers, Judy Somers, Jerry Witig, Charles Ward, Larry O’Hara, Barbara Stainton and Rose Windover.

  Winner of the spelling bee at the Port McNicoll public school was Sandra Lattimore, a grade six pupil at Old Fort School. Sandra outlasted seven other contestants, most form higher grades. Standing behind her, father Murray Lattimore, seated are spell master John Hart, and her teacher Miss Doreen Barrick. 

 Students at MPDHS were served hot meals from the kitchen of the new school in Tay Township for the first time this week. Sizzling cube steaks were on the first day’s menu and Mrs. Alex Pownell, head cook, is seen preparing a batch for hungry students. The exhaust system had not been connected yet and the smoke and odour filled the kitchen and the cafeteria.

  One of 59 Canadian Scouts and Cubs to be honoured for bravery, Brian St. Amand admires the letter of commendation he received from the Deputy Chief Scout of Canada, for saving the life of his eight year old brother Peter.

 Leap Year  Leap year baby, Capt. C. H. Webb, Victoria Harbour broom factory operator, points to the magic date on which he was born. Father of Ken and Dan. 

Several people in Midland have birthdays today, February 29th. This aunt – nephew combination of Phil Lemieux, Third Street and Bill Wright of Fourth Street are two of them. 

Ian Vasey, 2 1/2 years old, with his sister Hazel, 5, and his mother Mrs. Ted Vasey, who despite having four children is celebrating her ninth birthday today, February 29th. 

 David Kenneth Ritchie of Concession 7, Flos, has waited four years for his first birthday. Seen with his mom, Mrs. Ken Ritchie and his brother Paul Donald, 2 1/2. He has another brother, Robert John, who is only two months old. 

 Looking sharp for a rare birthday party is Brian McGrath, 8, of Flos Township, seen with his mother, Mrs. Rupert McGrath. Brian is one of three youngsters born on February 29th in the Elmvale area.

Balm Beach in its winter dress, all that is missing are a couple of polar bears swimming in the open pool in the foreground. Further evidence that Huronia is a beautiful place all year around. 

• Pete Pettersen, Midland’s Mr. “Ski,” told Midland Kiwanians at their luncheon in the Georgian Hotel Monday, that tentative plans are being studied for a summer ski jumping competition this year at the new 60 metre jump in Tiny Township.
• Arthur Gardiner, president of the Tiny and Tay Agricultural Society, told a meeting of the fair’s board of directors last week that the Midland fair ranked third in the province in total gate receipts and was one of the few Ontario fairs to show a profit last year.
• Special ice auger has been flown in from St. Paul, Minnesota, to drill the holes needed for the Penetang Winter Carnival ice fishing derby. Hundreds of lines are being prepared, which entrants will use, complete with hook, line and sinker, wound on a stick imprinted with “Penetang Winter Carnival, 1956”.
• Most North Simcoe Mayors and Reeves support the recent proposal to instate two year terms instead of one for all municipal councils in Ontario.
• The Coldwater News was sold this week by Frank Williams, publisher for the past 9 1/2 years, to youthful partners Norman Similas and Kenneth Jennings from the Toronto area.
• Wallace Hook, son of Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Hook of Midland, has been appointed a junior partner in the firm of A. F. MacLaren and Company, chartered accountants, Barrie. Wallace is married to the former Patricia Hodges of Midland.
• Oils and water colours, certificates, properly framed. J. W. Bald, 274 Fourth Street, Midland.
• Mrs. Adolph Hubert, nee Mary Louise Dube died February 18th of a heart attack. Born in Victoria Harbour, in 1910 she married Adolph Hubert in Penetang. Pallbearers were six nephews, George and Bruce Dunn, Thomas Davidson, Alfred Linton, Medas Boucher and Gordon Logan.
• The Third Company of the Penetang Girl Guides will be in charge of the first aid tent at the Winter Carnival Saturday. In addition they will operate a refreshment booth serving hot coffee and snacks.
• Rain, sleet, snow and ice caused the postponement of the Penetang Winter Carnival. Worst spot in North Simcoe Saturday was the “Angels Hill” on Hwy 27 just south of Penetang. From 1 PM until midnight hundreds of cars battled continuously to get in or out of town. Organizers re-scheduled for next Saturday.
• For the first time in six years a July 12th celebration will be held in Midland. Officers and members of Maple Leaf LOL No. 947 Midland, are completing plans to observe the 266th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.
• Four skunks were seen crossing King Street near the Roxy Theatre by Mayor Parker. “I am told they come to lick the grease pails at the back of Holders Bakery”, the mayor told this newspaper.
• Par Auto Electric at 244 Bay Street is advertising 45 plate car batteries, guaranteed for 48 months, installed for $11.95. Exchange price for most makes of generators is now $10.85 plus installation.
• Two Penetang couples, Mr. & Mrs. Basil McLaughlin nee Shirley Logan and Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Moreau were married on February 29th. The McLaughlin’s due to army red tape and the Moreau’s realized too late the significance of the date. Lost in love!
• The Department of National Revenue, Taxation Division, will be in Midland March 5 -9, to assist taxpayers in preparing their 1955 Income Tax Returns. You are invited to take advantage of this free service at the Midland Post Office.
• Federal transport minister George C. Marler predicts ” a major drop in rail grain traffic” through Georgian Bay and Lake Huron ports when the new Seaway opens. Currently the large lake boats cannot transit below Prescott.
• Lloyd Letherby pilots a bill through the Legislature that allows the township of Mara to exempt the Presbyterian Church camp, Glen Mohr from land taxes. The ten acre property was donated to the church by the late Mrs. James Playfair.
• Roger Brisbois and Len Carter buy the former Pete LePage service station business and re-name it Huronia Motors.