Click on photos to enlarge

 While regular MPDHS students stayed home to prepare for exams, 243 public school pupils from the area visited the new school in Tay Township for orientation. Glendola Haliburton of Hillsdale tries her hand at the modern sewing machine in the home economics room while instructor Mrs. I. Rayner looks on. Watching are June Elliot of Parkview School, left, and Gail Brand of S.S. #8 Tay, Port Severn.

  New instructor of instrumental music at MPDHS, W. A. “Bill” Bartlett explains the operation of the euphonium to local grade eight students during the recent orientation day at the new high school. Listening are Lynn Johnston, Regent School, Lois Cowan, Parkview, Yvonne Cheetham, Waubaushene and Ken Copeland, Hillsdale.

  On the same orientation day Perkinsfield twins Lorraine and Ellen Lalonde enjoy lunch from their matching dinner pails. Daughters of Mr. & Mrs. Herb Lalonde.

  Grade eight students visit the shop area of the new MPDHS while on orientation day. R. C. (Dick) Moffatt, instructor, explains the use of a “Brake” to bend metal to Orland French, Waverly, and Maurice Dusome, Penetang Public School, both seated and Tom Smith, Moore’s Corner and Winston Gillespie, Regent School.

  The Martyr’s Shrine has an extensive program to increase the natural beauty of their large property on the Wye River. William Doney, head gardener digs the holes while his assistant George Leduc transplants white lilies along a newly opened path. At 72 Mr. Donley was assistant head gardener at a large Cornwall, England estate before taking up farming in Saskatchewan forty years ago. After one year of retirement he took on the job at the Shrine. The men have 1,500 bedding plants to put out in the next two weeks.

  Eight pound nine ounce pickerel, one of forty caught by Ted Holder,  pictured in the photo, Alex Smith and Harold Fox at the Port Severn lock last week using minnows. The men kept fourteen of the forty.

 Jim Stephenson, who this week opened Midland’s newest industry, Bay Meat Packers on William Street, is seen in his large walk-in cooler surrounded by pork carcasses and freshly strung sausage.

 

 Canadian Tire Store on Bay Street, built only a few years ago, has been completely remodeled to give a wide open effect on the display floor. Dave Finch, proprietor, checks fishing gear with manager Murray McComb.

  Canadian Tire Store on Bay Street (north side of Bay between King and Midland Ave.) has been remodeled including the lawn and garden display. Vic Denise is seen arranging a display of the new style plastic garden hoses.

 Eight graduates of the citizenship classes sponsored by the MPDHS School Board and held at the YMCA are seen with two of their teachers. Six achieved marks between 95 and 99 percent in English and civics and the other two were over 90 percent. Front left, Mrs. D. H. Wray instructor, Mrs. Frans Wensven, Mrs. J. W. Smith instructor, Mrs. Paul Wittig, Mrs. Guenther Hille, back row, Horst Befort, Frans Wensven, Frank Van Putte, Paul Wittig and Guenther Hille. 

• New Bank of Nova Scotia opens in Penetang June 11th on the site of the former Pen Bowling Alley.
• J. S. Corcoran (Helen) was re-elected president of the Midland Home & School Association. She will be assisted by Mrs. Leonard Reynolds and Mrs. James Cowan.
• Miss Barbara Hanes receives her nursing diploma from the RVH Nursing School in Barrie with a prize for the highest standard in bedside nursing. Iris Wilson and June Church, both of Midland, also graduated.
• Eleven Cubs of the First Penetang Pack receive their first star and are considered to have “One eye open to wisdom”. Bill Robbins, Stephen Galt, David Hook, Harry O’Hearn, Donald Caughey, Rex Mason, Bob Binkley, Gary Bryant, Robert Larmand, Terry Lapere and Eddie Svoboda.
• New vibrated cement blocks available at Penetang Concrete Products, Louis Gignac proprietor.
• The old North Simcoe Baseball League disappeared from the sports picture at a meeting in Stayner Tuesday night. In its place, a Bruce League grouping will accommodate the Midland Indians, the lone survivor of the North Simcoe.
• Delawana Center books seven conventions this summer.
• Retreads by Gammon’s Tire Shop, 189 Dominion Ave, phone 1740.
• Midlanders to use old phone books until dial system comes on line in July, other areas in the same book such as Barrie and Collingwood have the new book already.
• The Phys-Ed department at MPDHS announced that participants in their programs will need to refrain from smoking entirely during the playing season. They are prepared to withdraw their teams from competition if needed.
• Pepsi-Cola Canada has a full page ad thanking Midland and district for making their product the fastest growing beverage in Canada. Ad was placed by the Hinds Beverage Company Orillia.
• National Employment Service office manager at Midland, Harold Humphries told this newspaper he has 40 unfilled jobs in applications from local employers and doesn’t know how they will be filled.
• Three and a half year old Stewart Duncan, son of Mr. & Mrs. Russell Duncan, Midland Ave., is listed in satisfactory condition after being run over by a car on King Street and suffering multiple chest and head injuries.
• Penetang Tourist Information booth moved to a new site at the entrance to town near the Penetang Bottling Company.
• Expect 1,000 attendees at annual Alcoholics Anonymous picnic to be hosted by the Midland chapter and held for the ninth time at Little Lake Park.
• Pete Lepage’s Eighty-Eight is almost ready to begin another season among the 30,000 Islands and features many improvements made over the winter.
• Fifth drowning victim in the area and only the middle of June; 9 year old boys drowns in a pond near Waverly, two boys drowned in the open bay off Tiny Twp, one man drowned at the Musquosh River and another in Orr Lake.
• Peggy Turcotte, nee Watson, wins award as a top ornamental swimmer in Toronto. Peggy holds swimming instructor certification and a silver medal in lifesaving.
• TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK JUNE 1946 — Mayor William Thompson of Penetang informed council that considerable headway had been made with the Wartime Housing Corporation for the erection of 30 houses in Penetang, each to cost about $4,000.00. — Fuel dealers in Midland & Penetang were stock-piling wood for winter use as coal supplies from the United States appeared uncertain. — Citizens of North Simcoe communities were making a concerted drive for clothing, to be sent to destitute people in Europe.–  An estimated $1,000.00 in cash and postal orders was stolen from the Elmvale Post Office.
• An incensed gardener in Flos shoots three of his neighbours cattle after months of trying to stop them from entering his property. Fined $100.00.
• Items from the Midland Public Schools Board monthly meeting; resignation of Alex Docherty accepted with regret, accounts totalling $14, 724.56 were ordered paid, truant officer was called once to Sixth Street School, twice to Parkview and nine times to Regent in the previous month, Parkview principal James Robinson was authorized to purchase two new radio record layers at a cost of $100.00, Fenton’s Welding were contracted to supply three 30 foot flagpoles at a cost of $208.35 and Don Brickett of Parry Sound and Leslie Davidson of RR 2 Midland were officially engaged on the full time teaching staff.
• Victoria Harbour staff removed two fences along the public beach at Robbins Point Friday morning as directed by council, Friday afternoon they were back up, Sunday afternoon a group of irate citizens again removed them.
• Embassy Theatre in Coldwater closes.
• Auto Races every Saturday night under the lights at Wasaga Beach Speedway
• Harbourmaster D. G. Hewis told this paper that the scheduled visit next Tuesday of the U.S. cruise ship North American had been cancelled.

Click on photos to enlarge

 Lumberman’s Safety Association presents Joe Charlesbois a Turtle Club award certificate. Joe won the exclusive award while employed by Mr. Ed Copeland in forestry operations. A heavy limb fell 20 feet striking him on the head but he was saved by wearing his safety gear, the hard hat.

 Gleaming OPP pennant displayed by Corporal Blake Ball will identify three new craft delivered by Grew Boats, Penetang, for service in Simcoe and Muskoka waters. The boats are the “Seamaster” type, 20 feet long with an 8 foot beam and 105 horsepower Buchanan motor giving speeds of 27 mph. One will be stationed in Midland, one in Baysville and one in Bracebridge.

  Pat Ivey, a University of Western Ontario student holds one of the native masks that will be on display this summer at the Y’s Men’s Club Indian Village in the Little Lake Park. 

  Mrs. D. H. Wray and Mrs. W. H. Cranston arrange Iroquoian masks in preparation for the opening of Huronia House Museum on June 1st for the 1956 season.

  Tom Shaughnessy Sr. caught this seventeen pound, forty inch pike Sunday while fishing with Murray Wagg and Joe Trottier near Fred Hewitt’s Camp in the Minnicog area. Tom Shaughnessy Jr. stands beside his granddad Robert Thompson of Waubaushene who is holding the fish which is almost as long as Tommy is tall.

  Eight pound, twenty seven inch Pickerel caught on Sunday by Bev Day above the locks at Port Severn using a minnow from the dock. His mates Ted Holder and Alex Smith caught three between them.

  Midland Penetang Huronias play in the Simcoe Soccer Association league, team members are; front row, Andy Clapperton, Wolfgang Jaenisch, Ernst Schneider, Eugen Engelsberger, Siegfried Zingel; back row, Karl Lehr, Gerd Dobkowitz, Wilhelm Schwartz, Berhard Baumann, Rudolph Sindermann and Horst Hasenier.

 The formal gardens at the CPR passenger dock in Port McNicoll are readied for another season. Mike Tersigni, assistant to head gardener John Bell, does the work. Staff are inspired by Superintendant S. F. Malin’s interest in the gardens.

  Mrs. N. J. Carlson chairman of the CLGU par committee for the Ontario Division has just knocked four strokes off the official ladies par at the Midland Golf & Country Club which now stands at a tough 72. Front row, Mrs. F. H. Bell, Mrs. Carlson, Mrs. Ken Lewis, Miss Jean Wallace, Mrs. Verne Wilson, back row, Bob Sandow, former pro at the club, Mrs. Sandow, Bob Sandow’s father Marc,  Mrs. Charles White and Mrs. Gord Moss. 

• Mary Ann Charlesbois, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. P. Charlesbois, Penetang, received her degree of Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Toronto last Friday and will practice in Toronto.
• Penetang merchants find the change from Saturday to Friday night opening has not hurt their trade and in some cases such as the grocery store, business has increased.
• At the Roxy, “Guys & Dolls” with Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine. “Forever Darling” with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
• At the Pen, “The Naked Spur” with James Stewart and Janet Leigh. “You’re Never Too Young” with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
• Kenneth Wells and Lucille Oille return from their 6,000 mile journey in “Moonstruck ll” their 18 foot outboard cruiser. Leaving Toronto last November, the Wells cruised down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, to New Orleans, Gulf of Mexico and Florida. After spending six weeks in the Caribbean they headed up the inland waterway to New York, the Hudson River, Erie Canal, Buffalo, Welland Canal to Toronto. As the Trent-Severn waterway is closed, the boat will be returned to Midland by truck.
• Pro wrestling returns to the Arena Gardens Monday June 4th and every Monday night. Main event is Pat O’Connor vs. Fred Atkins.
• Ad rates for the Midland Free Press and the weekend County Herald are .75 cents for the first 15 words and extra words are .03 cents each.
• Coldwater Dairy ups the price of milk by 2 cents per quart, from 18 to 20 cents, citing increased cost of production.
• Victoria Harbour council orders cottagers to remove fences obstructing beach front at Point Beach. (Robbins Point)
• Leo “Lefty” St. Amant has been promoted from parts department manager to salesman at Gropp Motors, joining Ken Tannahill on the sales team.
• Alex Docherty, for seven years the supervisor of music in Midland’s public schools and high school, and organist and choirmaster at St. Paul’s United Church, has resigned. Mr. Docherty will take up new duties at Simcoe District High School in September. Main reason for moving was the loss of vocal music beyond grade nine in Midland.
• “Heavy Rains Cut Runnels in Tiny Roads” (In sixty years many words have fallen out of common use in Canada, including runnels. The Free Press often uses the word “yeggs” to describe burglars.)
• Unable to purchase the final two properties needed to build a road from Hwy 27 to the new high school, Tiny Township has started expropriation procedures.
• 25 YEARS AGO, June 1931 — The Ralph Budd docked at the Midland Simcoe Elevator with a cargo of wheat from Fort William. She towed the Glen Bogie also loaded with wheat. It was her fourth trip in a month. —  Two softball fields had been constructed in Little Lake Park for the use of campers. —  The Bijou Theatre in Penetang had announced its re-opening date. The renovated theatre had installed sound equipment. Leslie Letherby, brother of owner Arthur E. Letherby of Barrie, was to be manager.  —  A resident of Port McNicoll for nine years, Gabriel Gardy was electrocuted when he attempted to cut power on a switchboard near the docks.  —  The Letherby-Terry-Nicholson mill was to be reopened . Between 140 and 150 men were to be employed for several months.
• First orientation day set for 240 grade eight students to visit MPDHS. Regular students will be home studying for exams (maybe).
• Tests made by the Simcoe County Health Unit revealed that the water in Little Lake is in A-1 condition. Tests were taken in eight locations.
• County Road 6 between Elmvale and Penetang to be paved.
• Huronia Museum opens June 1st for the season with curator Arthur Douglas Tushingham and Dr. Arthur Douglas Tushingham, director of Archeology at the Royal Ontario Museum, performing the ceremonies.
• Do you remember “Sunbeam Bread” with Miss Sunbeam on the wrapper.
• Announcing the opening of a Brewer’s Retail at Port Severn June 1st.
• Midland Citizens Band will perform in their new uniforms Tuesday evening when they march from the band hall at Dominion and Midland Avenues to the Parkside Inn where they will perform concert.
• Highways Minister James Allan has let tenders for the grading, culverts and granular base on Highway 103 from Waubaushene to Port Severn. Contractors are now engaged in re-surfacing Highway 12 between Waubaushene and Midland and into Port McNicoll.

Click on images to enlarge

 Monsignor Castex celebrates his 60th anniversary in the priesthood. Over 100 clergy of the Roman Catholic Church attended. Most Rev. B. I. Webster, D.D. Bishop of Peterborough, Rt. Rev. J. M. Castex, James Cardinal McGuigan of Toronto and Rt. Rev. E. Brennan Toronto, toastmaster.

  85 year old Monsignor Castex at a reception for his 60th Anniversary in the priesthood. Chatting with Crown Attorney Wm. Thompson, QC. (Monsignor Castex died in 1971 at age 99.)

Mr. A. L. Fitzgerald’s retirement as superintendent of Beatty Bros. Foundry. Mr. Fitzgerald is speaking to Alf Atkins, on left, one of three men who were working at Beatty Bros. when Mr. Fitzgerald started 32 years ago. The other two were Jack Russell and Archie Cote.

 Girl Guide Cookies. Doreen Moreau, 2nd Midland Guides, Mrs. Thomas Shaughnessy district commissioner and Ann Davidson 3rd Midland Brownie Pack get ready for the annual event which takes place in Midland this Saturday.

  Looking deserted because of the unseasonable weather is John Deako’s (Johnny fries) new park store at Little Lake. All cement block construction is a big improvement over the wooden booth that occupied the site for many years. Band shell in the background.

  Seventy year old Mrs. Midas King was found by her son Clifford at Basswood Point on Gloucester Pool Channel early Sunday afternoon. Wet from the rain and wearing only her underclothes and no shoes she was found some eight air miles from her home, she had been missing for over 48 hours.

  Searchers helping to locate Mrs. Midas King, nee Simons, near Honey Harbour over the weekend. Soldiers from Base Borden, local police, neighbours and relatives all tromped the wet bush between Honey Harbour and Gloucester Pool. Mrs. King had been spotted twice over the three days in the area of the new Trans Canada Highway and was finally found by her son Clifford near Gloucester Pool Channel. Andy Simons Mrs. Kings brother, Adam King, Mrs. Dave Tobey (a sister), Mrs. Violet Simons and Larry Simons.

  Sixty-six members of the RCASC  (Royal Canadian Army Service Corps) School at Camp Borden regroup to resume the search for Mrs. Midas King along the route of the new Trans Canada Highway north of Port Severn.

 Excavator owned by contractor Thomas G. Wilcox & Sons loads waiting dump trucks as they prepare the site of the new municipal building on Dominion Ave.

  Top athletes at MPDHS honoured at an awards banquet in the new cafeteria Thursday night. Marlene Gouett was the top girls athlete and Mel Windover the most valuable player on the senior boys basketball team.

  Five MPDHS athletes receive their letter at the athletic dinner Thursday night. Letter awards are based on an accumulation of points over your high school career. Carol Cowan, Judy McIntyre, Frank Holmes, Bob Marshall and Bruce Calvert. Not present, Angela Cronin.

  Donna Kinnear (Mrs. Jim Nicholson) receives the J. J. Robins trophy for competition between Georgian Bay Schools junior basketball teams from Mr. Robins the former MDHS principal. Donna is the captain of the Midland team which won this past season. Since first awarded in 1935-36 Midland has won it all but six times.

  Result of a crash on Bay Street early Saturday morning, two identical model cars with near identical damage. Total cost was estimated at $1,400.00 by Midland police. 

• Midland council OK’s $27,000.00 contract to repave Kings Street from the town limits to the CNR tracks; from King west on Yonge to Fifth; from King west on Bay to Fourth and thence north to the junction of Vinden Street and the county road. Brennan Paving Co. will begin immediately as they are now completing the paving of Highway 27 from Wyebridge to Elmvale.
• Three seaman’s unions sign new wage agreement with the Lake Carriers Association after a nine day strike. 5,000 men are affected by the new agreement that sees the monthly rate for a deckhand go from $190 to $284.
• Tourist promotion fizzles, 21 Midland merchants met a week ago and enthusiastically called for a promotion planning meeting Thursday morning but only four members showed up.
• Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers members plant five thousand Scots Pine and one thousand permanent trees including Larch and White Pine on their new club site below the Martyr’s Shrine.
• Tomato plants and a good selection of annuals for sale at Vivian Gardens, 365 Hugel Ave. W.
• Waitresses wanted, both full time and summer help, Totem Pole, Penetang.
• Last of a series of narratives written by Rev. James Evans, a Methodist missionary, 120 years ago. “Called to Council, the Ottawa’s and Chippewa’s , each of whom claimed the Munnedoolin Island, relinquished the same on condition that the Governor should secure it to both and their heirs forever. It was likewise proposed that the Chippewa’s from Saugeeng should relinquish all title to their extensive territory on Lake Huron, retaining only the peninsula between the said lake and the Georgian Bay, the line to commence at the bottom of Owen’s Sound and to extend directly across the peninsula. Thus the Indians again were removed from the spot to them dearest on earth and constrained to give place to those who, receiving greater encouragement, make consequently greater improvement.” Rev. James Evans took exception to a great many statements in Sir Francis Head’s official reports regarding these transactions and published a series of articles in the April 11 and May 9, 1838 issues of the Christian Guardian.
• For the first time in the history of organized ski competitions in Canada, one club has been granted the Canadian Championship two years running. Midland Ski Resorts Limited will again host the Canadian ski jumping contests February 23 and 24, 1957.
• Ten Years Ago – 1946- A Tiger Moth plane, en route from Oshawa to the Muskoka Airport, made a forced landing in the field back of Regent School; The Small Holdings Branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the purchase of the 43 acre M. J. McCullough farm on Highway 12 (Yonge Street) west of Midland. The land was to sub-divided into 2 acre lots for a veteran’s housing development; Midland High School track star Doug Kettle captured three firsts in an Ontario Athletic Commission meet at Geneva Park, Orillia. With entry limited to three events, Doug chose high jump, running broad and hop step and jump, easily winning all three; The SS Capt. George Hindman ran aground on a sand bar at the entrance to Midland harbour; Henry Gauthier, 34 year old Penetang veteran, was appointed Indian agent at the Christian Island Reserve.
• Cartoon section of this weeks paper includes Blondie, Muggs and Skeeter, Elsworth and POGO.
• Over 400 attend the unveiling Sunday afternoon in Bradford the plaque honouring Prof. W. H. Day. originator of the Holland Marsh.
• Midland Council orders dog catcher Jos. Proulx to crack down on dogs running loose. Any dog unclaimed within 24 hours will be destroyed.
• Deaths on Simcoe County roads totalled 45 in 1955 and 1,111 provincially. (In 2015 there were 299 deaths on OPP patrolled roads in Ontario. There were 1.5 million vehicles registered in Ontario in 1955, in 2015 there were 11.5 million.)
• Penetang Bottling Co. Ltd. announces the new “King-Size” bottle. King-Size, 6 bottles for 41 cents and Standard-Size, 6 bottles for 36 cents (plus deposit). Actual volume of the bottles is not given in the ad.
• Boyce Garage at 190 Dominion Ave E. is advertising the new Studebaker models.
• 87% of Ontario farms are served by electricity in 1956
• Anthony Van Steedon, 41, captain of Toronto furrier Jack Creed’s luxury yacht drowns in the Haystack Rapids on the Musquosh River, local Capt. T. O. Light survives as their small boat capsizes.