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 Parents turned out in large numbers for the “open house” at the public school in Port McNicoll. Harold Clifford, a grade 8 student, shows his mother, Mrs. Harry Clifford, the fine lamp he has made. Principal Lyall Thorpe on the left.

  Molly Malone, a grade 7 pupil at Port McNicoll, shows her mother Mrs. Pat Malone the dress she has made.

  Elmvale artists display their work at the hobby show held by the Home & School Association Friday. Classes were originated several years ago by Harry Willis. Mrs. R.A. McLelland and Mrs. Frank Roberts admire the art work while Carolyn Roberts points to her favourite.

  Leathercraft was only one of several arts on exhibit at the Elmvale Home & School Association’s hobby show at the community center, Friday. Mrs. J. Ferguson and Mrs. L. Vollett.

  New owners of the Chalet Bleu Motel are Mr. & Mrs. Milton A. Kearns who have operated motels in Northern Ontario for some 15 years. Mr. Kearns is a native of Owen Sound. Mrs. Kearns is the former Loretta Paquette of Kapauskasing. When local insurance agent Charles White met with Mr. Kearns to update the insurance on the motel the two men realized they had grown up across the road from each other in Owen Sound.

  Midland Jaycee’s, as part of their traffic safety program are promoting a “Road-e-o” at the town dock, 1:30 PM, May 6th. Posing as the careless driver of this car is Jaycee Bill Johnson slumped over the steering wheel.

  Wearing their new jackets presented at a victory banquet Wednesday night are members of the Elmvale bantam hockey club runners up for the Ontario “D” title. Elvin Frankcom, captain Bill Hogg and “Mighty Mite” of the team Andy Copeland.

  Veteran trainer of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey and baseball clubs, Tim Daley was one of the speakers at the Elmvale victory banquet to honour the juvenile and bantam teams Wednesday night. Tim is admiring the new jackets worn by Bob Greenlaw and Ed Bumstead.

  Each of the lads pictured is a lieutenant in charge of a platoon of cadets at MPDHS. Cadets Lieutenants front row; Glenn Nichols, Bob Deakos, Hart Bezner, Jim Farmer and Bob Wilson; middle row, Len Wood, Ron McCuaig, Lloyd Scott, Lloyd Farqhuar and John Deakos; back row, Don Anderson, Ronald Blair and Conrad Maurice.

  Senior Non Commissioned officers of the Midland Cadet Corps are seen above in the new gymnasium of MPDHS. Front row, Cadet Sgts. Paul Irvine , John Armstrong, Cadet CSM Bob Marshall, Art Desjardin, Cadet RSM Bob Abbott, Cadet CSM Paul Bissette, Bill Wagg, Cadet Sgt. Roger Adams; middle row, Cadet Sgt. Paul MacDonald, Victor Leonard, Warren Bonneville, Bev Day, Steve McGuire, Lorne Williams, Ernie Kirkup, Ronald Curry; back row, Cadet QM Sgt. Jim Rumble, Glen Mount, Bruce Bowen, Cadet T Sgt. Jim Parker, Cadet S Sgt. Garth Quinlan, Neil Goldsmith, Cadet QM Sgt. Norman Farrill.

  Cadet Corps officers at MPDHS. Front row; Cadet Major K. McFarland, Cadet Major Dean Nicholls second in command, Cadet Lieut. Col. J. N. Jones commanding officer, Cadet Lieut. Col. R. O. Dwinnell, Cadet Major R.J. McIntyre adjutant, Cadet Major J. W. Parker; middle row, Cadet Major J. Hilliard quartermaster, Cadet Major Bob Megaw, Cadet Major Frank Holmes, Cadet Major Leonard Laurin, Cadet Major Wes Bonneville, Cadet Major Paul Dubeau; back row, Cadet Captain Price Taylor, Cadet Captain Dennis Murphy and Cadet Captain Willard Duquette.

  Best catch reported locally on opening day were these 21 trout caught by John Power of Midland and Hugh McGillicuddy formerly of Midland, now living in Toronto.

  It took the Midland Shipyard crane and several men to remove this huge stump at the top of Bay street. Tree had been cut down more than a year ago after being damaged by Hurricane Hazel. 

• HMCS Mallard is launched from Grew Boats Monday afternoon. One of four 92 foot bird class inner patrol vessels built in Ontario for the Canadian Navy. During the war Grew constructed eight Fairmile Class and two 130 foot mine sweepers plus a number of smaller craft. Since the end of the war the plant has produced 27-foot power sea boats as well as a number of 16-foot motor boats for the navy.
• J. F. McCaffrey, S.J., director of Martyr’s Shrine has planned even more improvements to the grounds this year, continuing the work of the last two years. Thousands of trees have been planted plus shrubs and bushes and flower beds.
• Penetang Council creates a ten year fixed assessment for the Briethaupt Leather Company in hopes of having the tannery re-opened.
• Beaver Lumber marks its 50th year of business, local outlet employs seven men and has been managed by Frank Swales since it opened nine years ago.
• Vasey United Church adds thirteen new members and three transfers at a special service.
• Midland Parks Board accepts tenders for three more cottages to be built by the first week of June. They will feature hot and cold water, picture windows, two bedrooms, three piece bath with shower, total price $6,000.00. The board hopes to eventually have fifteen of these cottages at the North West entrance to the park.
• Stuart Johnstone’s all girl orchestra at the Parkside Pavillion Saturday night. Admission .50 cents. Caller, Hank Woods.
• This edition of the paper contained several photos of the interior of Grew Boats and the latest improvements. (Unfortunate that we do not have any of these photos)
• Midland Lions Club Little League Ball opens tonight, 400 players in more parks with more coaches and umpires. The international league (under 11 years ) has ten teams. A new league had to be formed for boys over 16 years.
• Sunday afternoon in the pouring rain Msgr. J. M. Castex turned the first sod for the new Knights of Columbus Hall in Penetang.
• Auction sale May 9th of 44 head of Holstein cows and heifers, horses, implements, and milking equipment for Ken Taylor at Lot 17, Conc. 3, on highway 12, near Martyr’s Shrine. Jerry Coughlen auctioneer.
• Found – Flat bottomed punt. Owner may have same by identifying boat and paying for this ad.
• Four resort areas to be connected to the Bell system by radio-telephone this summer, Cognashene Island, Six Mile Lake, Severn Lodge and Go-Home-Bay.
• More than 100 people attend the charter night banquet of the Penetang Junior Chamber of Commerce last Tuesday evening at the Legion Hall.
• Three weeks after Herb Beauchamp’s Wagon Wheel dance hall was razed by fire a new cement block building with rafters already installed is in its place.
• Paving of Highway 27 between Wyebridge and Midhurst to resume soon.
• Bernadette Leblanc, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Roger Leblanc and Romeo Forget, son of Mr. & Mrs. Telesphore Forget at St. Ann’s. Patsy Vallee, daughter of Joseph Vallee and Jim Carruthers, son of Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Carruthers at Knox.
• Arnold Van Pypen has purchased the Ted Biggar store on Fourth Avenue and is to open a general insurance and real-estate business May 1.
• Neil McCombie, son of Mr. & Mrs. T. B. McCombie of Ellen St. will be ordained a Presbyterian minister in Toronto tonight.

 

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IGA grocery store promotion of fresh Florida oranges comes to Regent Public School. Ruth Newman, Miss Florida Sunshine, distributes oranges to every child in Midland primary classes. Brenda Dalziel and Shirley Hornsby and teachers Bill Barnett and Mac Wilson watch from behind.

  Mrs. M. Adamson celebrating her 85th birthday on April 12. She has been a Midland resident for 20 years.

  Hero of Dieppe where he won the V.C., Major John W. Foote, minister of Reform Institutions for Ontario has agreed to establish a pilot project for a conservation farm in North Simcoe at a meeting in Midland Thursday night. Greeted here in the Midtown Motel by Simcoe North MPP Lloyd Letherby of Coldwater, left, and Reeve Fisher Ganton, center, whose Medonte Township is ideal for the project. This is a reform school for juvenile delinquents, know to us as Camp Hillsdale.

 Eugene Ladoucer, left Midland for British Columbia in 1907 and this is his first trip back home since then. He visits with his brother Peter, on the right,  of 173 Lindsay Street. A sister, Jenny,  Mrs. Joe Lefaive of Perkinsfield was surprised to see her brother. The three are the only survivors of 5 boys and four girls of Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Ladoucer Sr., originally from Cedar Point. Eugene has had his own cattle ranch near Kamloops most of his working life.

 Young players from MPDHS perform the play “Happy Journey” in the hall at St. Paul’s United Church part of a district high school drama festival. Patsy Perrin greets bride and groom Vera Sibbald and Dennis Murphy and their attendants in the back seat, Anne Shiels and Frank Okenka.

  “Happy Journey” had a happy ending Friday night for these students from MPDHS when their play won the top award in the Georgian Bay Drama Festival staged at St. Paul’s auditorium. Dennis Murphy, Frank Okenka, Anne Shiels, Wayne Parker, Patsy Perrin and Vera Sibbald.

  Three area sightless citizens are seen at the Midland YMCA receiving knitting instruction from Miss Emily Philpott of the Barrie CNIB office. Meetings are held every two weeks. Seated are; Mrs. George Smallwood, Midland; Miss Georgina Robitaille, Penetang; Miss Cassie Campbell, Midland.

  John Fraser, veteran Scottish baker loves living and working in Midland. John came here in 1924 and worked for A. W. Ruby. When Ruby sold to Ontario Bakers John moved to Timmins returning in 1926 when Ruby got back into business. He worked in Toronto during the war returning to Midland he worked for Art Fry, Stoneburghs and finally Burnies on Elizabeth Street.

 

 1950 model car pulled from the bay Sunday at the Simcoe Elevator slip. Owned by Leonard Archer of Elmvale who had parked it 66 feet away from the water while he visited a friend on board a freighter only to be notified it had rolled into the bay. The ship crushed the roof as it moved away from the dock and the car is a right off. The location is behind Boyd’s service station on the south east corner of Yonge and King Streets. Good view of the entrance to Wagg’s Laundry on Yonge Street. 

• Permanent paving coming for Penetang streets. Province to fund 50% of the five mile project and 80% of the replacement of the bridge over Copeland Creek. Councillor Ray MacDonald explained that doing a larger project reduced the cost and that a 20 year debenture would be used. It currently costs $4,500.00 per year to oil the streets.
• Shirley Ann Thompson, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Thompson, Midland, marries James Albert Park, son of Mrs. and the late J. H. Park, Midland. The flower girl was the grooms niece Mary Jane Park. March 24th at the Calvary Baptist Church, Midland.
• $15,000.00 bequest from the estate of Emily A. Bryson gives hope that St. Andrew’s Hospital may break even this year.
• Public Utilities Commission in Midland studies a proposal to meter water to town residents.
• Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers plans to proceed with scheduled projects on its 50 acre property below the Shrine, President Bill Russell revealed. Plans include a club house, trout ponds and reforestation.
• Construction started on Wednesday April 18th of the new County Aged Home by local contractor W. G. How, estimated cost, $275,000.00. Emery Electric will do the electrical, George Price & Co. of Coldwater the plumbing, W. Lalonde of Midland will do the painting and decorating. Percy Crawford of Midland will superintend the project.
• Polio shots available to all elementary students in the County this year, with parental consent.
• Mostyn’s advertising two stores to serve you, 234 and 238 King Street.
• Hay selling for $20 to $25 per ton this spring in North Simcoe.
• Public Notice – Parking meters will be in operation in Midland, Monday, April 30th. (they still put them away every winter)
• Door to door peanut canvas by the Midland Y’s Men’s Club to raise money for playground equipment.
• Public Notice – All putrid and decaying animal or vegetable matter shall be removed from all cellars, buildings, out-buildings and yards on or before the 1st day of May each year. Simcoe County Board of Health
• Midland Community Concert Association holds last event Monday night, advent of television blamed for declining numbers. Soprano Ethel Barrymore Colt headlined the final event.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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