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“They’re off” rang for the first time at Elmvale’s new race track at the fair September 21st. This is the start of the 2.30 trot or pace, won by Princess Song, (No. 6). Her time of 2.24 set the track record briefly, it being the first heat ever run on the new north, south oval. 

Pictured is a cross-section of the large crowd which gathered in the grandstand to watch the races. Some of the spectators look hopeful, some bored, some nonchalant and some glum. The horse racing event highlighted the program at the more than century old fair at Elmvale. 

Once a feature of every fair, large or small, the roadster class seems to be getting harder to fill every year. Only three teams turned up for the show at Elmvale last Wednesday afternoon. Winning team, in the foreground, came from Brooklin Ont. William Fallis from Midland placed second with his entry. 

Hundreds of North Simcoe children took part in the parade and youth services held in Knox Church and St. Margaret’s Church, Midland, Sunday afternoon. Members of the color party, comprised of Guides, Cubs and Scouts, form up at Town Park, ready to march off to music provided by the Midland Citizens’ Band and St. Theresa’s High School Band.

Hundreds of North Simcoe children took part in the parade and youth services held in Knox Church and St. Margaret’s Church, Midland, Sunday afternoon.  Groups of CGIT girls, Guides and Brownies chat as they wait for the procession to form up. 

One of the added attractions, at the industrial development conference at Honey Harbour last week, sponsored by the Georgian Bay Development Association, was the HEPC’s model of its Douglas Point atomic power development near Kincardine. R. M. Pile, right, of the HEPC’s Barrie office; explained the fine points of the new plant to, left to right, Lloyd Letherby, MPP, Coldwater, Alderman Percy Crawford and Ernie Hurl, Midland, and Reeve Fred Kinnear, Tay Township. 

There were plenty of activities for the women while their hubbies attended the industrial development conference of Georgian Bay Development Association at the Delawana Inn last week. One was a talk on collecting antique glass by Mrs. R. G. Gillies of Midland. Admiring some ol the exhibit are left to right, Mrs. Neville Keefe (Nancy Keefe) Mrs. Gillies, Mrs. Norman Shill and Mrs. W. A. Child. 

Canadian Legion club rooms on Bay Street West, Midland, were gutted by fire early Thursday morning. Here shrouded by early morning fog off the bay and smoke from the burning building, four Midland firemen perch precariously on a section of the roof as they attempt to subdue the flames. 

MPDHS will be looking to the young athletes to pile up points in the Thompson and Tudhope track and field meets at Barrie North Collegiate tomorrow. Winners in their own meet at MPDHS last week were, left to right, Ellen Barber, Lynn McAllen and Lynda Duggan. 

MPDHS will be looking to the young athletes to pile up points in the Thompson and Tudhope track and field meets at Barrie North Collegiate tomorrow. Winners in their own meet at MPDHS last week were, left to right, were Allan McElroy, David Belsey, John Dion, Bill Binkley and Bob Weckman. McElroy and Weckman tied for juvenile honours.

 

There is a typo in the above caption, it should read “800 persons”.

 

“R.O. Estimates 27,870 Can Vote in Bye-Election” (Bye is correct but not often used.)
Free Press Herald headline of September 28, 1960 

Returning officer Robert Brown told this newspaper yesterday that approximately 27,870 persons will be eligible to vote in the crucial Simcoe Centre bye-election Thursday, one of two being held in Ontario that day. Mr. Brown said 26,470 were eligible to vote in the riding in the provincial election last year. He estimated there had been an increase of about 1,500 persons on the list this year. The bye-election in Simcoe Centre was called following the death of George C. Johnston of Minesing, MPP, earlier this year. He had held the seat since 1943. 

“Evan’s Has 508-Vote Lead PC’s Hold Simcoe Center”
County Herald headline of September 30, 1960. 

Ex-county Warden Arthur Evans of Bradford romped home to victory for the Progressive Conservative party in the Simcoe Centre bye-election yesterday with a comfortable lead of 508 votes over his closest opponent Jerry Coughlin, Liberal candidate. The P-C candidate racked up a total of 9,231 votes to Coughlin’s 8,642 and CF  candidate Wm. Gearing’s 1,589. 

    “We hope it will meet a need in the whole district which we serve.” This was the comment yesterday of Principal R. C. Gauthier of Midland-Penetang District High School when the proposed night classes at the high school were announced. The general courses will permit individuals to complete a subject towards a high school diploma and the special courses will enable people to gain new skills or improve old ones, many of which are used in their vocations, Mr. Gauthier suggested. “In other centres employers are most interested in night schools and in some cases have assisted their employees to take a course, but whether or not that will be the case here, we will just have to see,” added Mr. Gauthier. 

Ten Years Ago This Week
Tiny Township council started discussions preliminary to the forming of the restrictive building bylaws for the beach areas and the appointment of building inspector. • • •  Agreement between the town of Midland and the township of Tay to provide water to lots west of Midland on Yonge Street West was given final approval by Tay council. • • • Midland Public Schools Board formed a special  committee to study the question of further participation by Midland public schools in the Midland Music Festival. • • • Penetang’s Hotel Brule was formally opened under new management when it was taken over by Winda Taverns, a Toronto organization. • • • Federal government officials began the erection of new public lavatories at Midland’s town dock. • • • To keep pace with the rapidly increasing demand for telephones in Penetang the Bell Telephone Company of Canada started an extensive construction program designed to provide service to some 80 waiting applicants. • • General manager of Midland Shipyard, Herbert J. Whitmell announced that a federal government contract for the construction of a $925,000 minesweeper had been received by his firm. • • • Speaking of the good relations between Protestants and Catholics in the Midland Penetang area, Father Daniel A. Lord, S. J. proposed that a Passion Play be presented at the Martyrs Shrine in an effort to make it the Oberammergau of North America. 

    Concerned over the appearance and condition of maple and elm trees in the municipality, Midland council Monday night agreed to meet Oct. 3, with timber supervisor S. R. Hamilton of the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests. Clerk-treasurer Wm. A. Hack told council he had been speaking with the representative of a firm of tree experts. He advised that there was little hope for elm trees due to a Dutch elm disease.

    No estimate was available yesterday afternoon of the loss involved when fire swept through the Canadian Legion building on Midland’s Bay Street in the early morning hours, Thursday. Actually firemen were called to the Legion Hall twice, the first time at 1.35 a.m. when smoke was noticed coming from the basement. Fire Chief Arnold Tippin said very little damage resulted from this fire, believed to have started in the electric wiring in a storage room. Firemen left the hall at 3.02 a.m. but were called back again at 4.50 a.m., this time to fight a much more serious fire which broke out on the second floor. Before it bad been extinguished, the main portion of the building had been badly gutted. Chief Tippin said yesterday he could find no relationship between the two fires and was unable to say what was the cause of the second outbreak. The loss will be largely covered by insurance, the fire chief said. The building at one time was operated by Miss E. Breithaupt as a restaurant and tourist home. 

    Midland became a part of the SIU strike yesterday when 22 crew members of the SS Soodoc, a Paterson Line vessel, left their ship at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Late yesterday afternoon only two of the striking seamen remained as “watchmen” on the ship, docked at Century Coal Dock, where it had just unload a cargo of coal. The Soodoc is the only vessel of the several lines affected by the SIU strike docked in the Bayport’s at the moment. Officers and engineers remained aboard the vessel. 

    More than 400 parents attended the first fall meetings of the Home and School Associations in the school auditoriums Monday night. “Get Acquainted Night” at Regent started with a prayer and a message from Lieut. Wm. Johnston of the Salvation Army. More than 200 attended the Regent meeting. Following the introduction of the teachers to the parents by Principal M. O. Lewis a panel discussion was presented on the topic “The Home and School in Action”. Panel moderator was Miss J. Carson with the following panel members: Mrs. A. E. Davidson, Mrs. M. Shushan, Mrs. B. Simpson, Mrs. W. Bauer, Mrs. M. Wilcox, W. Brinkman, Jim Ridyard and Ken Trew. 

    A former provincial of the Jesuit Order, Rev. J. M. Fillion of Montreal was among the thousands of pilgrims who celebrated the annual Feast of the Canadian Martyrs at Martyrs’ Shrine on the weekend. The white stone church on the top of the hill on the banks of the Wye River was built in 1926 under Father Fillion’s supervision. Other Pilgrims present, including a large group from Peterborough, had celebrated open air mass at the site before the present church was built. Oldest active priest in the Archdiocese who attended the services, was Rt. Rev. J. M. Castex of Penetanguishene. Most Rev. Francis A. Marrocco, auxiliary bishop of Toronto, celebrated the feast day mass. 

Hi-Sterics
    “Our school is overcrowded. There is no doubt about it.” These ore familiar words at MPDHS. We have 926 students presently enrolled. As there is mass confusion in the halls between classes, mostly caused by pupils who don’t know where they are going, traffic signs are to be used throughout the school.    
    Miss Emes, one of our new teachers, can usually be found in one of the annexes. She was born near Gananoque but made her home in Parry Sound, where she graduated from high school. She attended Victoria College, University of Toronto. After graduating, she taught at Orillia and Blenheim. She is interested in badminton, golf, art and music. At the present Miss Emes is busy finishing furniture for her new apartment.
     Again this fall, under the Curtis PIan, students will be selling magazine subscriptions for all the leading publications. Anyone having a subscription coming due is asked to renew it through our canvassers to help our project. A further explanation concerning this plan will be published at a later date.
     Jerry Witting, Ron Sauve, and Peggy Jones have been elected President, vice-president, and secretary-treasurer respectively, for the ’60-61’ season of the Camera Club. Approximately 30 students attended the first meeting and groups were organized for darkroom work.
    Saturday at Barrie North District Collegiate the 40th annual Tudhope-Thompson Track and Field Meet will be held. Top athletes from Barrie Collingwood and Midland will again compete: the boys for the Tudhope Cup, the girls for the Thompson Cup. With the number of records set at our own school meet exceeding twenty, we feel our chances are very good this year However win or lose a wonderful day will be had by competitor and spectator alike. So come to Barrie Saturday and support your local team.

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 enlargeBill Johnson of 12 Victoria Street, Midland, left, holds the 22-pound, 46-inch muskellunge he caught off Methodist Island Tuesday morning. His fishing companion, Bill Hebner of 115 Gloucester Street, holds an eight-pound, 30-inch pike he caught the same day. They were fishing with Guy Hebner. 

Members of Branch 80, Canadian Legion, Midland, honoured two veteran members Wednesday night when Len Wiles, left, and Herb Wiles were presented with life memberships in the Legion. Another veteran Legionnaire, Harry May, center, presented the memberships on behalf of the branch. 

Midland’s first class for retarded children got underway this week. Under the sponsorship of the Huronia Retarded Children’s Association, the classes are held in Regent School with eight pupils attending in the morning and seven in the afternoon. Teacher is Mrs. Helen Lapensee. 

There’s a big field day coming up for pupils of St. Theresa’s High School, Midland, September 30. Here four girls get instruction on proper form for starts from their new PT instructor, Alex Prokich, who once was a member of the Jugoslav Olympic team. Left to right, the girls are; Donna Contois, Anne Sauve, Marie McLaughlin and Elaine Dorion. 

Many parents, with only a few children to look after, shudder when they think or what school teachers have to put up with day after day – looking after 30 or 40 youngsters. It should hardly phase Alex Prokich, one of the new teachers at St. Theresa’s High School in Midland this year. Twice in his career Mr. Prokich faced firing squads and escaped with his life. He should thus be able to survive at St. Theresa’s, or any other school where he may be teaching in the future. Right now Mr. Prokich’s biggest worry is making himself understood by his young pupils. To the reporter of this paper who interviewed him, it appeared he was unduly concerned. Besides if English lets him down he can switch to any one of a dozen or more languages and let the pupils worry. 

The annual achievement day for members of the Vasey 4-H Calf Club is always a big event at Midland Fall Fair, and the standard this year was termed “well above average”. Top four competitors are, left to right, Madeline Stewart, reserve champion showman, Carolyn Edwards, grand champion, in the beef section. Pauline Robinson, reserve, and Grant Robinson, grand champion in the dairy class. Grant also was named over-all champion showman. 

Many of the schools entered in the parade held as part or children’s day at Midland fall fair this year also came provided with fine floats, as well as eager young marchers. “Old MacDonald’s Farm” provided a well-portrayed theme for one Tay Township school. 

The always popular Ferris wheel was again a favourite for children attending children’s day at the Midland Fall Fair. 

Although rain marred the final day of this year’s Midland fair Saturday, the sun shone brightly for the school children Friday. Here two groups of youngsters have a lot of fun performing square dances. At top are the Vasey “Squarettes”, with an older group from Waverley going through their paces in the lower picture. 

Torrential rains Saturday afternoon and evening did their best to make things tough for everybody concerned at Midland fair. Here a Midway worker directs one of the many streams of water into the only catch basin handy. 

These three chaps fiddled their way to top prize money in the old time fiddlers contest held as part of Tiny and Tay fair in Midland Saturday night. Left to right are Alcime Robitaille of Thunder Bay, who placed second; the winner, Vic Passivisty, 30, of Toronto; and Lloyd Preston, Wyebridge youngster who finished third. 

While the quality remained high, the number of animals which took part in the heavy horse show at Midland was somewhat below that of recent years, officials said. Three Percherons are being judged in the picture above, under adverse conditions which continued all afternoon. 

There was no need for the usual bucket of water as Linda Vancise, pretty Stayner farm girl, prettied up her beefy friend for the show ring at Midland on Saturday afternoon. Biggest problem for Linda and others attending was to keep reasonably dry in the heavy showers that began to fall shortly after noon and lasted until after midnight. 

A good season of golf at Midland’s Brooklea course was climaxed at the field day held Sunday. Winners were, left to right, Bill Howard and June Hansford, for low gross scores, and Mrs. Bill Howard and Howard Markham who placed first in the net division. 

Editorial page photo entitled “At Harvest Time”. 

Foundations have been laid for the new 20,000-square-foot addition to the Canadian Name Plate plant in Midland. When finished the $250,000 addition will increase the plant’s floor space by about one third and may eventually provide work for between 30 and 40 more employees. The building is being erected by Webster-Smallwood, Midland contractors. 

This cask, containing 25,000 square feet of fibreglass screening, “Permascreen”, made by Bay Mills Ltd. of Midland, will shortly start a long journey to Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, in Africa. The Beira on the case is the port in Portugueses East Africa where it will leave the ship. The shipment is the second of the export variety made by Bay Mills in recent months. 

Finish of the fourth annual students cross pilgrimage from Toronto to Martyrs’ Shrine was completed last week by five of the 15 persons who started the 94-mile jaunt. Four more who joined in for the last 32 miles from Barrie are seen in the group above, being greeted at the Shrine by Rev. Dennis A. Hegarty. Included in the group was a young student from the University of Paris. 

Local Construction Firm Lands $37,800 Tiny Job
County Herald headline of September 16, 1960. 

A Midland firm, Thos. G. Wilcox and Sons were the successful bidders on a contract for construction of the first three-quarters of a mile of the controversial Champlain Road improvement job. The Wilcox firm will receive $37,806.75 for the work. Biggest portion of this section will be entirely new roadbed to be constructed immediately east of the present road. Finished surface on the present contract is gravel. Lloyd Wilcox told Tiny Township council this afternoon that his firm is ready to commence work immediately. A performance bond will have to be deposited with the municipality before work can commence, and Mr. Wilcox said it is likely they will start brushing and clearing early in the week.

Board & Club Reach Accord on Village Site Rental
Free Press Herald headline of September 21, 1960 

At a special meeting with representatives of Midland Y’s Men’s Club Thursday night, Midland Parks Commission arrived at a mutual agreement with the club on a rental for the site of the Indian village on commission property in Little Lake Park. By five votes to one, the commission passed a motion, amending a previous one, which calls for a rental of $400 per year, expiring in September, 1964. Only dissenting vote was that of Mayor Charles Parker, Mayor Parker said he was concerned about “what effect it will have generally if this group of men backs up a previous agreement”. The previous  agreement between the commission and the club had set a rental of not less than five per cent and not more than 20 per cent of the gross receipts at the village. 

Set $80,000,000 Value on Area Tourist Industry
County Herald headline of September 23, 1960 

The tourist industry is worth $80,000,000 to the area served by the Georgian Bay Development Association, according to figures presented yesterday by Hon. Bryan L. Cathcart, minister of Travel and Publicity for Ontario. Mr. Cathcart was one of two leading government officials who addressed the economic development conference being held at Delawana Inn by Georgian Bay Development Association. Surveys to measure the impact of tourist spending have been conducted at Lakefield, Bracebridge, Leamington, Kenora and Eganville, the minister revealed. “In Lakefield”, he said, “we found that 57 percent of the spending recorded in the survey was non-residents. The impact of this on the economy of the town would be equivalent to the payroll of an industry employing between 60 and 70 people year round. In other surveys the ratio was even higher. 

    If the number of cars calling at chamber of commerce tourist information booths is any criterion, Midland fared much better than the neighboring town of Orillia this summer. A comparison of the number of cars which stopped at tourist information centres in the two towns, and the number of persons in the vehicles, reveals more than six times as many cars called at the Midland  booths as at the one in Orillia. 

    Superintendent of Canadian Pacific Great Lakes Steamships at Port McNicoll , S. R. Malin died in Toronto General Hospital about 11.30 p.m. last night, this newspaper was informed today. Mr. Malin was rushed to the Toronto hospital about a week ago when he became critically ill. 

    Dear Editor:  The 265 ton, single screw wooden tug Reginald, official No. 100654, was built at Garden Island by Calvin for the Imperial Oil Co., Ltd.; and was registered at Sarnia. Her length was 120.6 feet, width 20 feet and depth 9.7 feet. She had a compound engine of 400 b.p., and her engine room had a length or 37 feet. On March 4, 1902, she was sold to Alex A. Wright, lumberman of Toronto, who sold her on Jan. 31, 1905, to the Victoria Harbour Lumber Co. Ltd., who sold her on April 4, 1927, to the Randolph Macdonald Co. Ltd., of Toronto.  On Sept. 6, 1938, she was sold to Consolidated Dredging Co. of Ottawa, and on Oct. 16, 1940, she was sold to Lakehead Transportation Co. Ltd ., of Fort William. Her registry was closed Sept. 19, 1941 on advice that the vessel had burned and sunk at Port Arthur, Ont.
W. R.  WlLLIAMS 

    Saturday’s downpour or rain made a drastic cut in the attendance at the Tiny and Tay Agricultural Society’s fair at Midland. Society President Ellsworth Collins said yesterday that an estimated 65 per cent drop in attendance from last year was caused by the rain. Friday’s attendance was up an estimated 45 per cent from 1959 said Mr. Collins and added, ” If it hadn’t been for the rain we would have been well over last year’s attendance figure. 

    In a secret ballot Friday, workers at Midland’s new Greening Wire plant by a vote of 21 to 15 decided not to bargain collectively through the United Steel Workers of America. The vote was conducted by an Officer of the Ontario Labor Relations Board. The 36 hourly paid employees were asked to mark on the ballots whether or not they wanted the USW as their bargaining agent. The Steel Workers Union had applied for certification as bargaining agent for the Greening workers in July. The move represents the first attempt by the USW to organize the Midland plant.   

    Andy Morrison, general manager of Grew Boats Ltd., Penetang, this week blamed stock market conditions and a tightening up on spending for what he termed “just a medium season in the boat  business”. Mr. Morrison that the interest in boats is greater now than it has ever been, but lack of finances seems to be holding sales down. He also indicated there had been a considerable influx of American-built craft selling at a lower price. Mr. Morrison said, “The small boat owner was buying this year, but the bottom fell right out of the luxury boat market.” 

    ” I’m Not The Kind ,” a rock-a-billy tune by 26-year-old Cy Anders (Cy Tulk ) of Midland, is being given the “big push” by Toronto radio station CKEY. ” I have no other interest in the record other than personally thinking it’s, good,” said Duff Roman, CKEY western disc jockey. Cy Tulk, who has been in Midland a year, is radio announcer on station CKMP between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. and 11.10 until 11.45 a.m. Mr. Tulk, who goes under the name or Cy Anders “because many other ‘deejays’ might mispronounce Tulk,” sang for 39 weeks on the now defunct “Jamboree” telecast on CHCH, Hamilton. He also sang over several Toronto radio stations during his 14-year residence in that city. 

        More than 800 North Simcoe district boys and girls are expected to take part in a parade and youth service at Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in Midland Sunday afternoon. The young people and their leaders will represent Sea Cadets, Cub and Scout packs and troops in South Georgian Bay District, Guides and Brownies in Wendake District, and Canadian Girls in Training. 

    Scroll Records, a new recording company, has just been formed by John Arpin, Port McNicoll native and Jim Joseph of Mimico. Their first record is on the market this week, Mr. Arpin revealed. The songs are “Never Saw The World Look Better” by Jim Doris and Gino Matteo and the flip side is “Two Hearts In Love” by Ray Gould. Featured soloist is Lee Carson of Toronto’s Oakwood Collegiate. The 23-year-old Arpin, who left Midland in 1956, also conducts his own five-piece orchestra at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, and is organist at the city’s St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Describing the music on his recordings and orchestrations, Mr. Arpin said “They are ballads and lyrics with a beat. We have striven for something which is an all-Canadian effort.” Mr. Arpin was a member of the Midland-Penetang District High School Glee Club and while in Midland studied music under Alex Docherty, Mrs. H. Billing and Mrs. Catharine Richardson. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Arpin of Port McNicoll, Mr. Arpin was married Feb. 7, 1959, to the former Anne Ender of Campbellford. They have a 10-month-old son, Bobby. 

25 YEARS AGO
Despite announcements to the contrary a public meeting in Midland of citizens, businessmen and farmers decided that the Tiny and Tay Agricultural Society fair should be continued and would be held Oct. 3, 4, and 5. • • • Rev. H. S. StillwelI, secretary of the Canadian Baptist Foreign Missions Society was the special preacher at Midland’s Calvary Baptist Church. • • • The Randolph Macdonald Company, Toronto, brought dredging equipment to Midland to begin a S60,000 contract of dredging by the government dock and at Tiffin elevator. The work was expected to last until spring. • • • Midland’s new dock system, completed during the summer, was officially opened by Mayor S. W. McKinley. • • • The Bijou Theatre, Penetang, was leased from H. A. C. Osborne by the Letherby-Stransman amusements. A. E. Letherby of Midland, who installed the “talkie” equipment was the senior partner and manager with Mr. Stransman of Barrie his assistant. • • • Penetang schools had the highest record of any community in the district for deposits in the Penny Bank by its primary school pupils , with 22 per cent of the pupils making deposits. • • • Bill German, Midland, won the minnow class in swimming competition at the CNE. The mile swim was cut to a quarter mile because of the 52-degree water temperature. • • • The Canadian Dredge and Dock Co., Ltd., of Midland was awarded a $1,250,000 contract for work in the Montreal harbour. 

Wise & Otherwise (Editorial column)
Transport Minister George Hees’ announcement the other day that plans are now under way to establish a Coast Guard Service for the coastal and Great Lakes waters is heartening indeed. This paper, has for some years, advocated that such a service was a necessity for this country. 

     Father or Midland’s newest barrister, Hugh Graham Gammell died in Toronto General Hospital Thursday. Mr. Gammell’s son, John M. Gammell, recently purchased the law practice or the late G. S. Dudley, QC, in Midland. Born and educated in Montreal, Mr. Gammell Sr. had a distinguished banking career. After serving in the investment field in Montreal, he joined the Bank or Canada in 1938 and served with the Foreign Exchange Board in Ottawa during the war. He was appointed deputy chief, and later chief, of the security department. Since 1953, Mr. Gammell had been special representative in Toronto for the head office securities department of the Bank of Canada. He leaves his wife, Mary, at home in Port Credit, three sons, Hugh Graham of Calgary, John M. of Midland and Robin A. of Stratford. 

     A remarkably spry Midland lady marked an outstanding milestone in her life Sunday.  Lots or Midland women are spry, and celebrate birthdays during the year. But very few of them like Mrs. J. M. Wallace, have celebrated their 90^th birthdays. Even fewer fall into the spry category, after little more than half her years. Almost a naughty word with the present generation, walking is perhaps one of the main secrets or Mrs. Wallace’s spryness. “I love to walk. I hate to get in a car to go any place when I could just as easily walk there,'” Mrs. Wallace told this paper. She was regretting the fact that a sore ankle was cutting down her walking activities. Mrs. Wallace gets in quite a bit of walking just looking after her large home at Hugel Ave. and Second Streets, as she has done for many decades and continues to do even today. “I do everything around this house still.” she said proudly. Born at Dungannon, Ont., on the border between Huron and Bruce Counties, the former Annie McGrattan first saw Midland as a girl of 16. She came here on an excursion from Owen Sound to watch her uncle play ball on some big holiday. The ball ground at that time she recalled, was located on the site of the present Lakeview Cemetery. “There were only a few sidewalks here then, in a couple of blocks of the downtown area”, she recalled. Two years later she became a permanent resident of Midland and has lived her ever since. Her father the late John McGrattan, will be remembered by only a handful or real longtime residents as the operator of a hardware and tin smithy at  Dominion Ave. and King Street. In November of 1894 she married the late J. M. Wallace, then a young contractor. Mr. Wallace helped erect a number of buildings still standing in Midland, among them Knox Presbyterian Church, only a few doors away from her present home. For 67 years the Wallace envelope – No. 2 – has been going on the collection plate regularly at Knox. Although he was the contractor, Mr. Wallace was never happy about the roof design of Knox Church. “He told them would always have trouble with ice and snow, and they have. But it is a beautiful church,” Mrs. Wallace maintained. There have been a lot of physical changes even around the Wallace home. When it was built the young couple had to climb 20 steps to get to their front door. The area was so springy that they had to dig only three feet to get their own well of sparkling spring water. Mrs. Wallace can recall cows disappearing in boggy land not far from what is now busy King Street. 

     Water and hydro service to Midland Arena were ordered cut off Tuesday by Midland Public Utilities Commission at a meeting Monday night. This decision was made when the meeting heard from its Secretary-Manager Stewart Holt that water service had not been properly connected. When the water was turned on in the Indian Village the hot water is drained from the player’s room, and the hot water tank is not insulated. Two space beaters were installed without permission and the electrical service does not meet hydro specifications. The water and hydro service will remain cut off until the situation has been remedied and inspected by hydro and PUC officials, the commission ruled. 

     A petition is being circulated by businessmen on Highway 11 to have this highway widened to four lanes north to Gravenhurst, and to defer extension of Highway 400 from ,Coldwater to Gravenhurst until such time as Highway 11 can no longer adequately handle the traffic. If 400 from Gravenhurst to Coldwater is completed before 11 is expanded, the loss in business will be crippling and a serious hurt to the area,” the petition states. “Many families, towns and villages and the complete area will suffer.  

    This week I have interviewed Mr. Wm. Smiley who will assist us, the members of the Hi-Sterics staff, in writing our column. He was born in Ottawa and grew up in Perth, Ont., where he attended elementary and secondary schools. He went on to the University of Toronto, where he obtained honors in English. During the war he served with the RCAF as a fighter-bomber pilot flying Typhoons. He was shot down in Holland, October, 1944 , and was a prisoner-or-war until May, 1945. Mr. Smiley was discharged with the rank or flight-lieutenant. On discharge, he returned to university. He became editor of the Wiarton Echo, a weekly newspaper, in 1950, and remained in Wiarton for 10 years. Some years ago he began writing a humorous column which is now syndicated to more than 100 weekly papers. He is married with two children, Hugh, 13, and Kim, 9. It is indeed an honor to have a renowned man such as Mr. Smiley, associated with our school. Margo McArthur

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 Boys playing with fire crackers is believed to have been the cause of a fire which completely destroyed the near-century-old Roman Catholic Church at Port Severn Friday evening. Known familiarly as the “Lumbermen’s Church”, the tinder-dry frame building was beyond saving by the time firemen arrived from Waubaushene. The building was to have been marked with an Ontario historical plaque.

This painting of the old lumberman’s church at Port Severn, by Barrie jeweller Gordon Reeve, is one of a number by district painters assembled by Simcoe County Arts and Crafts Association for display at Midland’s Huronia Museum this year. Assistant curator R. A. Grigg is seen with the painting; which occupies a prominent place in the lower hall.  From 1959

There’ll be trophies in the homes of these four members of Midland Golf and Country Club this winter, following successful seasons on the links. Left to right are A. J. Preston, club president, who won the seniors’ title; Wally Hook, winner of the Orillia Trophy; Doug Haig, club champion; and Miles Blackhurst, who won the Wallace Trophy. Cups were presented at the dinner following men’s field day Sunday. 

Part of the largest crowd to see a ball game in Midland this season is seen above, as they watched Indians down Port Hope 9-5 Saturday in the first game of the OBA intermediate “A” major semi-finals. The teams meet again in Port Hope today with the third game tentatively slated for Midland next Sunday, providing the grounds can be cleaned up in time following the Tiny-Tay fair. 

Players on both teams had to look up to this pair who matched pitches in Saturday’s game here. Midland’s Gord Dyment (left) hurled steady ball to gain a 9-5 decision and John Holman gave six innings of fine relief pitching for the losing Port Hope team in the first game of the semi-final series. 

Getting up in the world, temporarily at least, are left to right, Don Hurlbut, Gordon Paul, Chester Graham, Gary White and Andy Puddicombe. When Andy’s father, John Puddicombe, 189 George Street, made a set of stilts for his son, the idea became so popular he had to make five more pairs to keep other lads in the neighborhood happy. 

Toward the end of the summer holidays it’s pretty hard to find ways and means of keeping children busy, and happy. John Puddicombe of 189 George Street Midland solved the problem by making several pairs of stilts. Here Bonnie Puddicombe, left, and Susan Woods try their luck with the “high walkers.” 

Work is now underway on a new two-room addition to augment present facilities of SS 8b, Tay Township. Located at Port Severn, the school also has pupils from Baxter Township, in Muskoka, as well as Tay. Cost of the addition, slated to be ready for operation by the start of 1961, is $38,000. The long shadow in the centre foreground is the photographer’s.

ESCAPEE’S HOLIDAY COSTLY, PAIR GETS THREE YEARS
County Herald headline of September 9^th, 1960 

A 23-day “holiday” from Collins Bay penitentiary in August proved costly for two 21 year-old men, one from Victoria Harbour and the other from the Maritimes. Magistrate K. A. Cameron added the bill in Midland police court Wednesday and it came to three years, in addition to the one year both still have to serve on their previous conviction. The cost may rise even higher when a further charge of escaping custody against the pair is heard in Kingston. In Penetang court last Thursday, the two had pleaded guilty to four charges, including two of car theft, one of breaking into a house and another of theft of clothing. They had been remanded until Wednesday’s court  for sentence. On Wednesday they pleaded guilty to 24 more charges of theft and break, entry and theft. All of these charges resulted from their desperate 10 day flight from swarms of provincial police which combed North Simcoe and Southern Muskoka areas from the time they were first seen near Victoria Harbour August 17. The chase ended ten days later, on the Pretty Channel of the Severn River, not far from “Big Chute”. 

ENDORSE NEW GRANT PLAN MIDLAND TO GET $111,577
Free Press Herald headline of September 14^th, 1960. 

Outcome of county council’s action at a special meeting in Barrie Monday. Midland is to receive $111,577 in county grants to offset payments by the municipality on outstanding principal of debentures issued for the construction of the new St. Andrews Hospital. Of the $250,000 in debentures raised following the construction of the new hospital, $171,000 of the principal remains unpaid. The special hospital grant of $111,577 is to be paid by the county to the town of Midland in equal annual installments over a period of 10 years, commencing on the due date of the debenture beginning in 1961. It is estimated this sum will require approximately 1/10 of 1 mill per year on the present equalized assessment of the county. 

    Wymbolwood and Mountain beaches, from the eighth concession through to the sixth are private beaches not controlled by the Provincial government or Tiny Township authorities, members of Wymbolwood Beach Association Inc. were told at their annual meeting Saturday at the home of Al Rosenberg. Mr. Rosenberg later was elected president of the association for 1960-61, succeeding Warren Coulter who held the office for the past two years. The announcement, made by the corporation’s honorary legal counsel following months of intensive investigation that ended with a ruling by the Department or Lands and Forests which marked a victory in the battle by the cottagers on the beaches for the right to stop motor vehicles from driving on the beach in front of their homes. Special honors and thanks were extended unanimously to Marsh Magwood, following his announcement which included the reading of a letter from the provincial department with the ruling the beach property was private property. “Basis of the decision was that the original patentee in 1823 was granted ownership of the land right to the water’s edge”. 

    Earlier indications that SS No. 23, Tiny, Light’s School might cease to operate this term failed to materialize, and 23 pupils are attending classes under the tutelage of a Miss Graham, according to information received yesterday. The enrollment is an increase or six pupils over the number attending at the close of last term. It is said the six are children who had been attending Penetang School, along with other pupils from this area, last year. According to a statement made previously by board member Richard Matthews, some 50 pupils would be affected if the school did close. This would indicate that approximately 27 pupils from No. 23 school section still are being transported to Penetang by bus. 

    A six-point plan to make drastic cuts in rising costs of Simcoe County Children’s Aid Society was implemented by the board of directors at a special meeting in Barrie Tuesday night. The plan was contained in a report submitted by a fact finding committee, named by the board two months ago. The report recommended that departmentalization be discontinued where not necessary; that the managing director provide a simplified monthly re-port to directors to eliminate wastage of office labor and paper; that the charge for protection and prevention services be based on a unit or each contact; that the society’s staff be drastically reduced; that social workers live in the area they serve, and that the managing director be advised he must bring costs in line with expenditures of other societies. 

    Hammers a crowbar and a porthole were among items salvaged from two wrecks off Hope Island last weekend. These articles were brought to the surface by members of a group or 20 skin divers from the Toronto Skin Diving Club, who went to the island Sunday and Monday. The group ranging in age between 13 and 30 were taken out to the Island by Frank Shulman, Midland merchant, in his 25-foot aluminum hulled launch. The skin divers left from Thunder Bay dock about noon Sunday and returned at 7.30 Monday evening. “They went out to search around a couple of known shipwrecks and to try locate a couple of others,” stated Mr. Shulman yesterday. He added that the maximum depth the divers went was approximately 35 feet. 

    Following on the heels of an overcast Labor Day weekend, a heat wave has invaded North Simcoe. Tuesday and Wednesday temperatures hovered over the 90-degree mark and yesterday, around noon hour, a Hugel Ave. resident reported that it had hit 95 on his thermometer. The August-like weather, accompanied by hot winds, is searing grass and other vegetation and is causing rising fire hazard conditions in wooded areas.  

    Registration at the four schools operated by the Penetang Public School Board has jumped approximately 200 this year, according to Chairman G. J. Robillard. He said this brings the total enrollment to something slightly over 1,300 pupils. Included in the figure are 150 children attending school for the first time in kindergarten classes. Mr. Robillard said it will be necessary to increase the number on the teaching staff by several new teachers over the present 40 employed. 

    A special meeting has been called to elect new trustees for Evergreen School, this newspaper was informed yesterday. The meeting, to be held in the school Sept. 20, is the outcome of a mass resignation of the board last week. Faced with what it felt were insoluble problems imposed by the ruling of an arbitration board more than a year ago, the SS 3, Tiny Township (Evergreen School) Board resigned. “We must break the decision of that arbitration board if this school section is ever to operate on a sound basis again.” Norman Brock, chairman, told this paper. Other members of the Board are, Ed Copeland and Bev Scott, Charles Robins is the secretary. The arbitration board met early in July of 1959 and handed down its decision a couple of weeks later, consisted of  Judge J. G. Harvie of Barrie, David Finch, Midland, Stan Smith representing Tay Township and Orval McClung, representing Tiny Township.
ONCE UNION SCHOOL
Originally the school section was a union one, embracing ratepayers in both Tay and Tiny Townships. Tay now has no financial responsibility in the operation of the new school section. When school opened for the new term, however, at least 10 children from Tay Township were at the door. This left the school with some 40 pupils. When the board hired Thomas Abma as teacher for the one-room school, it assured him there would be no mere than 36 pupils. “Mr Abma is doing his best to co-operate with us until we get things ironed out.” Said Mr. Brock. 

    Winners of the first “LIFE” — Local Industries Fund for Education — scholarships were announced Monday. Winners this year are Wayne Hutchinson, R. R. I Wyebridge who receives $500 and Jean Abbott, who received $300 award. Miss Abbott is continuing her studies in the general arts course, specializing in French, at the University of Toronto. She is looking forward to a high school teachers position. Mr. Hutchinson, also expects to enter the teaching profession when he completes his degree course in upper school science which he will take at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. Earlier this year five local industries in Midland and Penetang joined forces to provide a student aid fund for young persons wishing to continue their education at recognized universities, technical, agricultural or normal school. The “LIFE” fund was established in conjunction with the Midland YMCA which along with a committee of local teachers and industrialists is the fund’s administering body. 

    Today will be a red letter day in the life of Msgr. J. M. Castex, parish priest of Penetang when he will receive the “Alumni of the Year Award” from the Alumni Association or St. Augustine’s Seminary. The alumni award has been designed to give recognition to a distinguished member of the Alumni Association who has fulfilled priestly ideals over a considerable span of time, in such a way as to bring honour to the priest himself, the Seminary and the Alumni Association. (The following history was taken from the Canadian Register, official organ or the Roman Catholic Church.) Msgr. Castex was born July 22, 1871, in the village of Secoue, near Lourdes, France. At the age or seven, he was taken by his mother to the then new Shrine of Lourdes, and consecrated to the Blessed Virgin a mere 20 years after the apparitions. In 1891 he came to Canada and entered the novitiate of the Montfort Fathers at Cyrville, near Ottawa. He was ordained May 30, 1896, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Ottawa, by Archbishop J. T. Duhamel. After two years as chaplain of the Montfort Orphanage, Ottawa, he became assistant pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Eastview, and was appointed its pastor in 1902. During  1903 he served in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Wolfe Island, and Railton under the late Archbishop C. H. Gauthier. From October, 1904, to December 1905 he was assistant at the Montfort College and parish in Victoria, B.C. For five years following that he was pastor at St. Mary, Gate of Heaven parish, at Ozone Park in the diocese of Brooklyn. There he was subject to severe criticism for building a school much larger than the parish needed at the time. Within three years his judgment was vindicated by the growth or the district. Msgr. Castex returned to Canada and in 1910 he came to the Archdiocese of Toronto where he served for three years as assistant to Dean Hand at St. Paul’s. With the opening of St. Augustine’s Seminary in 1913, he became its first bursar, and also professor of Gregorian Chant, liturgy. His years in Huronia started in 1921 when he became pastor at Midland where he introduced the separate schools which flourish today. From 1930 to 1938 he was pastor in Phelpston, before coming to Penetanguishene, where he is still a very active parish priest. It was in 1946, on the occasion of his 50th anniversary of ordination that he was named a domestic prelate. During his 22 years in Penetang great changes have taken place. The Grey Sisters from Pembroke have  taken charge of the general hospital and today’s modern hospital is under their care. The Sacred Heart Brother’s have come to assist the Holy Cross Sisters in the parish schools which accommodate more than 1,200 children. In 1944, Marygrove Camp for girls was established under his guidance. It was in 1943 that the sanctuary of the church was remodeled, and at the present time this same sanctuary is nearing completion of a program of refurbishing in marble, along with redecoration of the entire church edifice. Still hale and hearty, Msgr. Castex is fondly looking forward to a trip to his native Lourdes when he celebrates his 90th birthday next year. 

May 18, 1966. Last Thursday was a happy occasion for Msgr. J. M. Castex when he marked the 70th anniversary of his service as a priest. Usually a man of serious expression, he was in a jovial mood as he posed for this picture along with Archbishop Philip F. Pocock. May 18, 1966.   

TEN YEARS AGO

Tom Morris, deputy Reeve of Penetang, died in York County Hospital, Newmarket, the day following a two car collision near Holland Landing. Mrs. Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crippin, also of Penetang and five others were hospitalized in the crash. • • • Midland Boy Scout Association had raised more than $1,100 for the construction of their camp near the site of St. Ignace on the Sturgeon River. The 24 x 30 foot building was expected to cost $1,400 on land donated to the association. • • • Opening day registrations at Midland and Penetang high schools totaled 499 students. • • • Archaeologists W. W. Jury discovered what was believed to be Ontario’s first Christian burial ground at Fort Ste. Marie near Midland. • • • Plans were being made for the erection of a new Bell Telephone Company building at the corner of Hugel and Midland Avenues, the site of the former “woolen mills”. • •  • More uniform power distribution was expected for Midland with the construction of a new Hydro sub-station at the corner of Queen and Gloucester Streets. * * * Dr. Paul Scott, director of the Simcoe County Health Unit, advised Midland Council of un-sanitary conditions and the existence of 212 privies servicing Midland residents. Half of the out-buildings were on streets serviced with sewers, the report noted. Council at the same meeting considered the appointment of a permanent sanitary inspector. • • • Twenty-two school pupils of Flos and Sunnidale townships, debarred from Wasaga Beach school, found haven at the Allenwood School S.S. 7, Flos. 

I resurrected years gone by
and went to school today
Went back to be a child again
though hair is streaked with
gray,

I sat among the children there
as I with them was one,
And listened to the teacher just
as years ago I’d done.
 

I sang their songs, I read their
books,
I worked their problems too,
And learned about Geography
With lands it brought to view.

l watched the kindergarten tots
And tears came in my eyes,
As unashamed I lived again
The days that age denies.
 

But something else today I
learned-
Yes something else I saw –
As through the rooms and halls I roamed
With thoughts akin to awe,
It wasn’t that which easily
With money could be bought,
But something everywhere
about
In souls of teachers wrought.

 
A badge invisible I saw
Upon each teacher’s breast
An emblem of the patience
With which each of them was blessed.
And a jewel studded Crown of
love
For all the children there,
Was symbol of the devotion
born
In teachers everywhere.
 

-Rhoda Downer