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 Peaceful union action in Midland during current seaman’s strike occurred as men walked off the barge Portadoc and the freighter Quedoc of the Paterson Line which were moored at the Simcoe Elevator.

  Sponsor of the HMCS Cormorant, Mrs. Murray Wagg, left, is seen in the act of launching the new 92 foot vessel at the Midland Boat Works Tuesday morning. Mr. Tom M. McCullough president of the firm is seen on the lower right. In the background, Mr. & Mrs. H. J. Thompson, George Ross and Murray Wagg. Mrs. Wagg missed on the first attempt.

  Launching of the HMCS Cormorant from the Midland Boat Works yard went smoothly until the last when the stern became stuck in the mud and the ship had to be towed the last few yards by the CSL tug Tiffin. 

 
 Nearly 3000 members of eight Roman Catholic parishes in North Simcoe took part in a rosary rally at Midland Sunday afternoon. Bandsman of the De La Salle Oaklands Band, Toronto, provided music for the procession from St. Margaret’s Church to the Midland Town Park. A section of the 1,500 men, women and children in the parade is seen moving up King Street. Msgr. J. A. McDonagh, guest speaker is seen before the alter as he addresses the crowd.

Captains of four winning teams in Midland`s Little Hockey League this past season are seen with the trophies presented at a hockey banquet sponsored by the Midland Lion’s Club at the Georgian Hotel Thursday night. Brian Dubeau whose Providence Reds won the American League title; Sheldon Hanes of the Windsor Bulldogs winners in the senior “A” section; Sandy Campbell of the National League winners, Boston Bruins and John Blake whose Kitchener Canucks won the junior “A” honours. Coaches Art Richards and Wray Faint in the background.

  Top scorers in their divisions of Midland`s Little Hockey League are seen above. Bernie Montgomery and Jim Lethbridge who shared the honours in the American League; Buzz Deschamps who scored 45 goals in Senior “A” play and Mike Dubeau who topped the scorers in the junior “A” section.

 Four members of the winning team of the Junior “A” Little Hockey League championship in Parry Sound last month in their new jackets presented by the town at a banquet held for them. More than 300 boys played hockey this winter sponsored by Branch 80 RCL and the Midland Lions Club. Paul DeVillers, Wayne Holden, Dennis Abbott and team captain John Swan.

 Two canoes lashed to the pontoons of the Georgian Bay Airways Norseman will be used for fishing in Algonquin Park by these Midlanders. Doug Haig, Frank Hartman, Toots Wallace all seated on the dock and David Haig back to the camera on the right. Down to see them off are Clark Edwards standing left, Win Smith, Mrs. Hartman, Mrs. David Haig and Mrs. (Ruth) Doug Haig. Heavy ice on the lakes of Algonquin Park has long delayed this trip.

  Speckled and Rainbow Trout in the Sturgeon River will not be attacked by the Lamprey Eels tacked on the boards pictured. Nearly 200 have been trapped by Robert Thompson whose farm is on the 8th Concession of Tay, adjoining the river. Nearly 1500 suckers have also been removed to the delight of local fishermen. The eels range from 9.5 to 22 inches in length.

 Fireworks planning by the Midland Jaycee’s with help from the Lion’s Club for the fourth year. Ray Smith, Dan Webb, Charlie Scott, Lee McIntyre and J. B. Reynolds. Mr. McIntyre represents the Lions Club.

 Shriner’s gift a life saver for the community, a $600.00 piece of equipment they hope will never be used. The new resuscitator inhalator replaces one provided by the Midland Shriners several years ago that has been responsible for saving several lives. The new unit is totally automatic. Erwin Jackman, firefighter John Small,  mayor Charles Parker, Fire Chief Arnold Tippin, Shriner’s George Ross and the present head of Shriners, Thomas Wilcox.

  Midland Planing Mills Limited have remodeled their showroom with many new displays and products. A multiple page article was included in the paper with many more pictures that were not taken by the Free Press. 

• Midland Council is close to enacting a comprehensive building standard to replace the outdated 1927 by-law. The Property Committee chaired by Charles Onley and another committee chaired by local construction engineer Ed Lawlor have created the new by-law. Draft calls for minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet, 50 x 100 foot lots and homes would not be permitted to cover more than one third of the lot. Approval of an 18 by 28 foot cottage in a new residential area of Eighth Street sparked the call for changes to the building by-law.
• A large power outage was experienced by all of North Simcoe for half an hour Sunday night except Honey Harbour where a direct line was able to be maintained to the Big Chute power plant.
• 1956 winners of the Midland Industrial Bowling League championship includes many still familiar names from Port McNicoll. Mike Ianosch, L. DiFranceso, Marino Saccutelli, Enzo De Cola, Victor De Cola, Frank Bottigoni, and Art Bell. Photo was by Rolfoto and is not in the museum collection.
• Tadenac Club is posting its property North of Go Home Bay as trespassing on the 14 square miles of islands, main land and adjoining waters has been increasing. 
• Playing at the Pen Theatre is “Gorilla at Large” with Ann Bancroft. [Sounds pretty silly but more believable than the Zombie movies of today.]
• Midland Jaycees and Lions Club indicate that four years of losses on May 24th fireworks display cannot continue and this may be the last year for the popular event.
• MPDHS Glee Club to present their spring concert at the new school Tuesday night directed by Alex Docherty. Piano duo of Catherine Richardson and John Arpin will present several selections. John is to audition for the Ed Sullivan Show June 5.
• Midland Planing Mills Ltd. completes recent improvements to their showrooms. Still going strong the firm goes back to 1907 when Milton J. Bray and James A. Benson formed the firm of Benson & Bray located at the present site of the company. As business grew a new company was formed, Midland Wood Products, which built the large building along 4th Street that would later become the Fine Silk Mills, Bay Mills, TRW and now First for Safety and Home Design Center. In 1935 Milton Bray joined with Norman Playfair at the original site and son Frank Bray joined the firm, later Playfair’s interest was bought out. Hundreds of local people have been employed here in the last 110 years and business continues under the 4th generation of the Bray family.

HOURS OF OPERATION

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 Girls Corps at MPDHS marched on the field during the annual cadet inspection on what was a very cold afternoon for shorts and a blouse. Leaders of the corps; front row, Sylvia White, Vera Sibbald, Simone Beauchamp, Betty Binkley, Doris Hyde, Murielle Martin; back row, Marie Lepage, Jean King, Hazel Boucher, Lucille Duquette, Ruth Gibson and Marita Lalonde. (Short hair was in)

  Dancing around the Maypole was one of the highlights featured during a program in the MPDHS gym following the annual cadet inspection Wednesday afternoon. Performers included, Ann Williams, Carol Cowan, Trine Ulrichsen, Kathleen Vincent, Nancy Jardine, Helen Parker, Linda Contois, Pat Fraser, JoAnn Holmes, Diane Ball, Ruth Humphries, Pat Fitzgerald, Dorthea Reynolds, Barbara Piitz, Jackie Jenkinson and Frances Marchant, directed by Miss Barbara Murphy.

 Getting bigger every year, the MPDHS Cadet Corps is seen at their annual inspection on the playing field of the school. Some cadets had to appear in partial uniform due to the increase in numbers. At a meeting the same day a motion was approved to increase the size of the corps from 235 to 350. The  Girls Corp can be seen in white sweaters to the right. Also attending was the Midland Citizens Band and a platoon of Sea Cadets. (Many of the houses in the background along Yonge St. were constructed by military veterans of WW 11 under the Veteran’s Land Act of 1942. Over 140,000 ex-servicemen took advantage of the low cost long term loans. Recently a new subdivision was started on the vacant property shown here and the heavy hardwood bush that grew up on this open field over 60 years was cut down. Also note the ski jump towering on the horizon.)

 A feature of the annual cadet inspection at MPDHS was a gymnastics display under the direction of instructor Doug Swales. Mel Windover and Gary Baker are seen flying over six of their mates.

  Philip Arbour Post Master at Victoria Harbour for the past 28 years, right, has reached retirement age. A Harbour resident for 60 years Mr. Arbour meets with Ken Pelletier his successor.

  Field secretary for the CNIB, Wm. Murdoch, Mrs. A. H. Tweedle, past president of the Midland Canadian Club and Doug McMillan, president of the Unamous Hi-Y Boys, chat after Mrs. Tweedle had officially opened the boys tea in the YMCA Saturday afternoon. The tea and bake sale funds were donated to the CNIB. ( I suspect this photo is reversed as four people appear to be left handed.)

  A familiar landmark at Midland’s Little Lake Park the old log cabin is being removed completely. A gift from the late Dr. Garnett E. Tanner, it served as the post office for the campers for a number of years and was then made into living quarters.

 Mike Dion of the Columbus Jets gets a hit as the season gets underway for Midland Lions Club Little Baseball League. Catcher for the Montreal Royals is Johnny Thomas and the umpire is Fred Scott.

 

 Huge new bottling machine installed recently at the Penetang Bottling Co. turns out soft drinks at the rate of 240 cases an hour, a 50 percent increase over previous equipment. Process starts with the top photo where Ed Charlesbois is shown putting full cases of bottles onto the endless belt which takes them through the washer. A pneumatic machine lifts all 24 bottles from the case at one time. The delivery end of the washer is shown in the second photo, where bottles travel past an inspection point with Mrs. Phillip Quesnelle (nee Exilda Contois) shown searching for dirty, chipped or broken bottles.  Heart of the whole machine, third photo, is where the bottles receive a charge of syrup, then a charge of water and carbonation and finally the all important cap. The last photo is the delivery line where half way along the mixer turns the bottles over and over to thoroughly mix the contents. At the far end Martin Quigley takes the bottles from a turntable and places them into a case for delivery.

  Official sod turning for Midland’s new municipal building on Dominion Ave, former site of Central Public School. Mayor Charles Parker did the honours about 5:15 PM Monday evening using a gold or was it bronze handled shovel. James Clarkson, H. G. W. Paice, L. R. Diver, Neville Keefe, Mrs. Paice, Mrs. Ross Willett (Pat Carroll), Robert Cripps, alderman Ossie Downer, Charles Onley, Clint Smith, Bill Logan, R.G. Gilles, contractor Alfred Rei and deputy reeve Bill Cranston.

  Seventeen teen aged drivers turned out to take the Midland Jaycee’s Road-e-o course at the town dock. Drivers had to complete various maneuvers and tests during the competition, a large crowd turned out despite the poor weather.  Norm Eisenberg was the overall winner and will advance to the regional finals in Woodstock. 

• Commencing May 25th Penetang stores will be open late Friday nights instead of Saturday.
• Workmen’s Compensation premiums to become mandatory for retailers, January 1, 1957.
• 25 YEARS AGO this week– Canadian Department Stores celebrating its third year of operation in Midland, employed a staff of fourteen under management of Larry Barnum and was located at Bay and King Streets. — Midland Steam Laundry and Bon Marche Manufacturing Company, owned and operated by N. K. Wagg, re-opened with modern equipment following a fire which destroyed the former plants. — The Ontario Government decided to proceed with construction of two buildings for the mentally insane at Penetang at a cost of $500,000.00 and planned removal of all criminally insane from Guelph to Penetang, leaving Guelph to be used as a reformatory for first offenders. — James Hamilton died at Orr Lake at 90 years of age on the farm owned by his father and operated as a wayside inn for travellers in the district’s pioneer days (Penetanguishene Road). — Midland Kiwanis Club provided more than 10,000 bottles of milk to various Midland schools and 30 members undertook supervision of 30 boys as part of their good citizenship training.
• Excerpt from a narrative written by Methodist missionary Rev. James Evans which first appeared in the Christian Guardian September 28th, 1836 and was re-published in eight parts in the County Herald under the title “Mission Tour on Lake Huron”. Monday August the 8th Munnedoolin Island: This morning the ground, excepting the bark wigwaums and red faces reminded one of a fair in the happiest of lands; — all astir, walking, running and in high glee. But there is one difference which has been a subject of remark among us – that among about 2,000 adults, we have never heard an angry word, or seen an angry look; much less have any of them come to blows, either in anger or diversion. About sixteen hundred men, women and children received their presents from the British Government. In this manner the Indians were annually supplied with clothing and many had spent nearly the whole summer months in journeying to the place of distribution. What was distributed; Deserving Chiefs, 2 1/2 yds woolen cloth, 1/2 yd stroud (a course woolen fabric), 3 yds linen, 1 three point blanket, 1 cotton shawl, 1 oz thread, 4 needles, 1 comb, 1 awl, 1 knife, 4 lbs tobacco, 3 lbs ball, 9 lbs shot, 4 lbs powder, 6 gun flints and if needed a gun. Deserving Warriors: 2 1/2 yds rateen (a course loosely woven cloth), 2 1/2 yds cotton, 1/2 oz thread, 3 lbs tobacco, 2 lbs ball, 7 lbs shot, 3 lbs powder, 4 flints and 1 blanket. Common Warriors: Same as last except 1 lb less tobacco. Deserving Women (being the wives of chiefs or warriors who had been in actual service during the late war): One 2 1/2 point blanket, 2 1/2 yds cloth, 1 1/4 yds molton ( a twill fabric with a velvet like nap on one side) , 2 1/2 yds printed calico, 1 oz thread, 4 needles, 1 awl, 1 knife and 1 comb. The remainder of the women received the same except lesser quantities. Boys from 10 to 15 years of age: One two point blanket, 1/2 yard rateen, 1/2 yd stroud, 2 yds cotton. Boys from 5 to 9 years of age: 3/4 yd caddies (?), 1/4 yd stroud, 1 1/2 yds cotton and one 1 point and a half blanket. Girls 10 to 15 years of age: 3/4 yard caddies, 1 1/4 yd stroud, one 2 point blanket and 2 yds calico. Girls 5 to 9 yers of age: 1/2 yd caddies, 3/4 yd stroud, 1 1/2 yd calico and one point and a half blanket. Children under 5: 1/2 yd stroud, 1 yd calico and one 1 point blanket.  Pork and flour was also distributed to all.
• Description of Hudson Bay Point Blankets from Wikipedia: The short black lines woven into the blanket just above the bottom set of stripes are referred to as “points.” About four inches in length (except in the case of half points, which are two inches), they indicate the finished overall size (area) of a blanket and allow a blanket’s size to be easily determined while remaining folded. The “point” system was invented by French weavers in the mid-18th-century since then, as now, blankets were shrunk as part of the manufacturing process. The word point derives from the French empointer, meaning “to make threaded stitches on cloth.” Although the company had been selling blankets since its founding in 1670, the first Hudson’s Bay “pointed” blankets appeared in 1780. A four point blanket today is approximately a double bed size.