HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1954-08-04, Page 1<ST. CATHARINES GIRL
WINS BEAUTY CROWN
its way up Josephine Street,as
Fordwich Will
Three hundred veterans and members of the Canadian Legion paraded to
a Drumhead Service in the Town Park, on Sunday afternoon.. Shown above
is the service at the Cenotaph.
With which is amalgamated the Gorrie Vidette and Wroxeter News
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Subscriptions $2.50 per year, 6c per copy
—MAM—-
ALONG THE MAIN DRAG
By The Pedestrian
WHAT! NO FLAGS?—The person
who said that there weren’t enough
flags in Wingham must have been
, surprised after the anniversary cele
brations. Trouble is there weren’t
any the next day. Celebrants at the
shirt-tail parade lifted .quite a few
during the night. Most of them are
now back but anyone who still has
flags can return them to the town
hall with no further questions asked.
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LEFT OUT—When the Community
Players said “doors closed at 8 p.m.”
they apparently meant it. Mayor De
Witt Miller arrived at the play a bit
late and found, in company with
several others, that he was locked out
until the end of the first act. Actually
the doors were closed at 8.15 so that
the cast wouldn’t have to play through
all the noises made by latecomers.
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SPEECHLESS—Johnny Brent, gen
eral chairman of the celebration,
whispered in our ear that he will
personally thank people for their part
in the anniversary celebrations—when
he gets his voice back. Johnny was
stricken with laryngitus on Sunday
morning, and has had very little to
say since then.
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HONOR WITHOUT PROFITS—
When the town council tossed. $2,500
into the anniversary celebration pot,
they figurativly kissed it goodbye—or
at least a good portion thereof. They
figured the celebration would probab
ly be a lot of fun, but wouldn't make
them any money. Complete returns
aren’t in yet, of course, but now it
looks as if the $2,500 might be coming
back with a little interest.
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CORRECTION—Elsewhere in this
issue it is reported with some pride
that there wqre no traffic accidents
during the celebration. Word- has
just been received that one motorist
has laid a complaint to the traffic
department. Seems that someone
dinged his fender in the parking lot
down by Cec Merkley’s.. Things could
be worse. ,
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THE WINNAH!—Lucky winner of
the Kinsmen car was Jack Hobden,
formerly of the Bank of Commerce
staff here, and now in Niagara Falls.
Jack had started back for the Falls
before he learned of his good fortune.
Winner of .the Oddfellows’ TV set was
Stewart Copeland of Wroxeter.
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Gorrie Man Pilots
First Ore Train
It will be of interest to many
know that Mr. Jack Campbell,
former miller of Gorrie, who left here
some 18 months ago for Sept Isles,
Quebec, was the engineer to run the
first train from Burnt Creek to Sept
Isles on June 21st with the first cargo
of iron ore ever to be brought out of
the Labrador Ungava region. He
brought the 57 car train a distance of
367 miles in 26 hours over a‘•line that
old timers said would never be built.
to
a
ENGAGEMENT
Mrs. George Deyell wishes to an
nounce the engagement of her daugh
ter, Miriam Dorothy, to John Jordan
Howes, Toronto, son of Mr, and Mrs.
Gilbert Howes, Wroxeter, the
riage to take place in . August.
mar-
F4b
ENGAGEMENT’
The engagement is announced of
Vivian May MacLean, Wingham,
youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
A. W. MacLean, to Gordon Thomas
Westlake, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Westlake, Bayfield, Ont. The wedding
will take place the latter part of Aug
ust. F4*
FORMER MISSIONARY
TO SPEAK
Guest speaker at all services in the
Wingham Baptist Church on Sunday,
will be Mr. Lloyd Carr. Mr. Carr is a
former missionary to Quebec. You are
cordially invited to attend. f4b
WINGHAM, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4th, 1954
A highlight of Sunday’s program was the laying of the cornerstone at the
Wingham District High School. Left to right are W. S. Hall principal;
George Brackenbury, a former principal of the school; John W. Hanna,
M.P.P. for Huron-Bruce; Rex. Alex Nimmo, and James Workman, who was
the second principal of the-'school after it was built.—Staff Photos.
100th Birthday
The village of Fordwich is celebrat
ing its 100th anniversary on Saturday
“and Sunday, August 7th and 8th.
Planned for the event are a parade
Saturday at noon, a sports program
in the afternoon and a concert and
dance in the evening.
Special church services wil be heid
on Sunday, a lunch will be provided
on the school grounds, and the even
ing will close with a sacred band
concert.
The program will commemorate the
100th anniversary of the founding of
the village. Fordwich was the first
settlement in the Township of How
ick. In the winter of 1853-4, Joel
Rogers, Arthur Mitchell and W. G.
Walker started building a log house,
and it is reported their Christmas
dinner ---- 1.
boughs near where the new bridge
now stands. A log tavern was built
on the north side of Louisa St., a
half block west of the new bridge and
here the weary traveller and the
early settlers found rest and refresh
ment.
Between 1860 and 1875 settlers
came in by way of Harriston and
Molesworth, and the village prospered.
A grist mill was built, a sawmill and
several, shops were opened, a photo
grapher did business at the “Dew
Drop Inn” a little shop built on stilts
just west of the wooden bridge span
ning' the river, where not only could
was eaten in a shelter of
NOTICE
MacIntyre’s Bakery will be closed
from August 9th to 14th inclusive.
F4b
FIRST FRIDAY MASS
The sacrifice of the Mass will be
celebrated on the first Friday of the
month, August 6th, and each month
from now on will be celebrated at 9
p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Wing
ham. F4b
Will be on Holidays
August 19th to 25th
The staff of the Advance-Times
will go on holidays from August 19th
to August 25th, and there will be no
publication of the paper on the latter
date.
Persons wanting job printing before
August 26th are asked to bring in
their copy well in advance so that the
work may be done before the holidays
start.
Advertisers are asked to remember
the dates of holidays for their adver
tising program,
your picture- be taken, (tin-type) but
an oyster bar and liquid, refreshments,
were dispensed..
At one time, four blacksmith shops
and. wagon works _did business;, as well
as a wool carding mill, a tannery; a
stave mil! for making barrels, a
cabinet shop; and', undertaking estab
lishment, a furniture factory, and a
cheese factory on the southern out
skirts. of the village.
The- oldest building- now standing
in the village; is- the original log house
built, on the farm of John Sothern
just west of the village. John Sothern
being a carpenter made coffins and
the first burials were made on this
same farm just west of the river.
Many of the tombstones in this ceme
tery can stjll be seen though over
grown with grass. The Presbyterian
Cemetery south of the village was sur
veyed in 1867, and a church built on
this site.
Trinity Anglican Church, was the
first church built in the village, about
1860. The barn on John Eurig’s lot
was originally a Methodist Church
standing on the street corner before
being moved back and set on a
foundation. The painted Gothic win
dows over the chancel can still be
seen on the plaster inside.
Many stories are told of the ex
ploits of those early, days, ‘ one being
that at the building of the present
mill, one of the workmen walked up
a rafter and down the other side.
Early settlers would tell of having to
carry wheat to Salem or Guelph to
get it ground into flour, and the
writer would ask how it was that
whiskey, could be secured in every
type of store. The answer was that
there was always someone in the
community making a pretty good
grade of poteen. In some taverns a
cup was left on the barrel head and
you helped yourself, price about 5c
while a flat-face bottle of one pint
was 30c.
Like many other villages in Ontario,
boom days are over for Fordwich, but
Howick Township is one of the fair
est of Ontario, as well as a great
agricultural area, and the village of
Fordwich is a pleasant place to live,
(A. E. Winston)
10,000 People Jam Town’s Main Street
For Biggest Parade Seen in Wingham
An estimated 10,000 people—one of the largest crowds in Wingham'a
history—jammed the streets of town to witness one of the biggest and best
parades ever assembled in the town limits, on Monday afternoon. Lining the
main street from the town limits on the south to- the CNR tracks on the
north,, the crowd overflowed to Minnie Street, the return route of the parade
after its triumphal march up Josephine Street.
Four Harvard training planes from the Centralia Air School started the
parade off at 1.15. They .passed over the town at 509 feet in- formation,
peeled off and flew in a wide circle, returning to “buzz? the main street
individually at a height of 200 feet. So low were the planes' that people on
the rooftops could feel the suction as they passed by. - (
The fly past was the signal for the Calathumpian parade long, heralded
as- the highlight of Wingham’s three-day celebration. Headed by the well
known Durham High School Band, and by the guest baton twirling. champion,
Barbara Ann Lounsbury, of St. Catharines, the parade moved- off up Jose
phine street to- the' accompaniment of cheers by the thousands of spectators
Who lined: the sidewalks. The route of the parade took it up Josephine
Street, along. Albert Street, and back down Minnie Street, And by the time
the first float of the- parade had .reached Scott Street, the last float was still
waiting, to proceed up Josephine Street.
Nearly a hundred floats,, cars and bicycles took part m
Parade on‘Monday afternoon. A 75th anniversary cake,
Boyle Dress Shop,' makes
people line the sidewalk.
the Calathumpian
presented by the
thousands of
g I
gllj
H i
f i
Twelve beautiful girls from as far away as St. Catharines were on hand for
the beauty contest at the town park on Monday afternoon and at the Anni
versary ball on Monday night. No. 4, above, Barbara Ann Lounsbury, of
St. Catharines was the winner.
A children’s parade up main street started off the proceedings on Saturday
afternoon, when about a hundred children with their gaily-decorated bikes;,
trikes and doll carriages paraded up to the town park.
Anniversary
Registrations
The following were among the
hundreds who registered for Wing
ham’s 75th Anniversary Celebrations:
John Wain, Kitchener; Joan Forgie,
Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. John Lamb,
and David, Toronto, Miss Ann McCart,
Mr. and Mrs. Tony Fitzmaurice, Lon
don; Harry J. Boyle, Toronto; Pat
ricia Brophy, London; Betty Anstett,
Walkerton; Misses Margaret and Flor
ence Moir, Toronto; Mr, and Mrs.
Tom Gault, Toronto; Miss Ellen Wal
ker, Toronto; Capt. John Barlow,
Toronto; Mr. Allan Peters, Sudbury;
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, London; Mr.
J. B. Chatfield, London; Miss Marlene
Chatfield, London; Mr> and Mrs.
Frank Guthrie, Guelph; Mr. an.di Mrs.
Bob Brandon, Forest; Mrs. Chester
(Pearl Duncan) Copeland, London;
Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Zeigler, Kitchener;
W. J. Arnott, Jim Arnott, Jr., Inger
soll; Mr. Hector MacDonald, Elora;
Rev. John and Mrs. Lucas, John
Lucas, Toronto; Mrs.. Ed. McCaulay,
Toronto; Rev. and Mrs. Douglas Gal-
lager, Dallas, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Wm.
Clark, Walkerton; Mrs. Fisher, Pais
ley; Miss Helen Louise Pocock,
Guelph; Mrs. L. Kirkwood, Galt; Miss
Cora Fisher, Paisley; Mrs. Jas. (Helen
Field) Kerrigan, Mildmay.
(Continued on page seven.)
Barbara Ann Lounsbury,. 18-year-old
raven-haired beauty of St. Catharines,
and. Canadian and American baton
twirling champion, was named Anni
versary Queen at the Anniversary
Ball in the arena on Monday night.
Miss Lounsbury who came to Wing
ham to lead the 75th anniversary par
ade, won over 11 other girls and earn
ed for herself the first prize of an all
expense trip to New York.
The first stage of the beauty con
test was held in the town park on
Monday afternoon, when the. twelve
contestants paraded before nearly
5,000 people assembled there:. Judges;
Eleanor Fulcher, of the Walter Thorn
ton Model Agency, Toronto; and
Mayor Allan Rush, of London, were
on hand to judge the girls on their
beauty, poise and personality, as they
stood'”on’ the""platform^nia- :‘h£tlfrng:
suits.
Later the contest was continued at
the arena, when the girls again, ap
peared in evening dress.
Entered in the contest were Hilda
Paulitzki, of Wingham; Jean Brett, R.
R. 2, Arris; Diane Skidmore, of De
troit; Pamela Saddler, of Clinton; Bar
bara Brandon, of Bayfield;' Louella.
Noble, of Mount Forest; Rena: Moore;,
of Wingham; Corinne Koebel, Wing
ham; Donelda Alexander, of London;;
Winona Foxton, Wingham.;; Lorna.
Hood, of Atwood, and the winner Bar
bara Ann Lounsbury, of St. Cathar
ines.
ofThieves broke«into the office
Wingham Motors Limited, on Jose
phine Street early Wednesday morn
ing, but were unable- to break into
the office safe.
Forcing their way through one of
the back windows, they succeeded in
knocking the dial off the safe, but
were unable to break it open. They
ignored a nearby till which had a
small amount of loose change in it.
Jjm Carr discovered the break-in
when he went to work at 8 o’clock and
notified the police immediately.
Later a pinch bar and sledge ham
mer which police think were used in
the- attempted robbery were found on
the lot of Bert Armstrong.
Local police investigated the break-
in, but as yet have no clue to the
identity of the intruders.
HAVE YOU GOT YOUR
ANNIVERSARY EDITION YET?
People who have not yet obtained
their copies of the Advance-Times
Historical Edition are advised to
secure them as soon as possible,
since the supply of copies is limit
ed.
NOTICE ‘
Fairyland Store will be closed for
vacation August 9th to August 12th
inclusive. F4b
For the service of those who wish
to send copies to their out-of-
town friends, the Advance-Times
will mail copies to any part of the
world, postage free. The cost of
the Historical Edition is 25c per
copy.
Over 100 floats, including cars,
clowns and bicycles made up the par
ade. Most of the floats were made
up by Wingham merchants, but there
were also out-of-town floats from
Harriston, Teeswater, Sarnia, Marnoch,
Seaforth, Auburn, Listowel and Walk
erton. Lucknow Kiltie Band and the
band of the 21st Anti-Tank Regiment
assisted in the parade.
Five Thousand at the Park
Following the. parade nearly 5,000
people gathered at the park for the
various contests to be held there. Vis
iting dignitaries introduced there in
cluded Mayor Allan Rush, of London;
Miss Eleanor Fulcher, of the Walter
Thornton Model Agency, Toronto;
L. E. Cardiff, M.P. for Huron; Andrew
Robinson, M,P. for Bruce; Marvin.
Howe M.P. for Wellington-Huron;
J. W. Hanna, M.P.P. for Huron-Bruce;
W. T. Cruickshank, Warden William,
Dale, of Huron County, and Wing
ham’s Mayor DeWitt.Miller.
Twenty children. were entered > in
the two classes of the baby contest.
■ Grand Champion, was Sylvia .Mortens,
L4-mdnth-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Y, H. Mortens of .R.R.- 5 Brussels. Syl-
via was also winner' m tlie 8 to
months class. Donna Jay Scotty
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Scott,
of R.R. 5, Goderich, was the winner
in the under 8 months class.
Janie Day, of Wingham, was win
ner in the amateur contest. Brenda
Cathers, another Wingham girl, was
second and Mrs. Pamela Saddler of
Clinton, was third. The log-sawing
contest was won by Percy Willie and
George Carter of Wingham, with Jack
and Glen Foxton placing second.
The Wingham team won the tug-of
war against Lucknow.
Precision numbers by the Durham
High School Band rounded out the af
ternoon program., M. L. “Tory” Gregg,
acted as master of ceremonies, assist
ed by Bob Carbert and John Cruick^-
shank.
Started Friday Night
Monday afternoon’s program, was.
the climax of the three day celebra
tion which started Friday night with
the presentation of the play “Our
Town”, by the Wingham Community
Players. Approximately 400 people
attended the play on Friday and a
second performance on Monday night
drew a crowd just about as large.
On Saturday morning 128 people
registered at the public school for the
back-to-school program. They spent
many pleasant minutes- there, remin
iscing about the old days in school.
Eight former mayors met at the
town hall at noon fpjj- the introduction
of former mayors, and over 800 old
boys and girls registered at the booth
in the town hall: dhring the week-end.
Opened’ by John Hanna
John W. M.P.P. for Huron-
Bruce, officially- opened the celebra
tion in the town park on Saturday af
ternoon. He- paid tribute to the pion
eer settlers and the anniversary
committee- chairmen and helpers who
had done; so much to make the cele
bration a. reality. Other persons on
the platform for the opening cere
monies
council,
W. T.
M.P.P.,
Taylor
nin, West Wawanosh; Bailie Parrott,
Morris; Roy Cousins, Brussels; Stuart
Robertson, Lucknow; John Fischer,
Turnberry.
Parade Winners
The following were winners
children’s para'de and mutt
Best costume, Gail Garniss,
Kerr; Scottish costume, Carol Craw-
(Continued on page 5.)
were members of the town
Town Clerk W. A. Galbraith,
Cruickshank, Arthur Jolley,
Niagara Falls, Reeves Orval
East Wawanosh; John Dur
in the
show:
Esther
Fordwich Centennial, Saturday, Sunday, Aug., 7 & 8
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