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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1969-06-12, Page 2►fi la► l ft�,l�i S ON,AleS `AR, Tk P SPAY, Jl Beside the Hut'bn County Museum stands an old log cabin that was the home of former curator, Herb . Neil. Mr. Neil 'lived in the cabin • while making over the abandoned -school into Huron County Museum. -- Gerry Cover Photo Creator of county museum is well known in many lands By Miss Eva M. Somerville and bitterly a discipline nothing One of Huron County's grand short of cruelty, which resulted old men celebrated his 84th in a withdrawn attitude and a birthday' at. Huronview, Clinton, complete reticence against any. ,'on June 10, 1969. J. Herbert urge to manifest , an enquiring Neill - Herbie to his host of mind. This "tense schoolroom friends - delights to tell of his atmosphere • even hindered humble beginnings and the absorption of what might ave bat11es he 'fought against many, been gained even in silence, on •handicaps. his part. 'There were many boys of the So as the years went by it was 19th century in Canada whose by sheer determination ,and names have become familiar in perseverance that he succeeded newspaper headlines. Herb Neill in a remarkable degree to offset did,,not become a politician 'or the ill effects'of his lack of light, reach distinction in any physically and academicahy . . profession; his name has been in It is easily understood why his few headlines. But it may be occupations would, be those of true to say that his • came is many . others born to life on a known in the far corners of the farm. He was born in Howick globe because visitors to his Township in Huron County museum have' procured the about 4 rnileg north.of W ro. ter. fascinatiegiy interesting and His boyhood an 'most : o h s detailed brochure that he • early adult life was spent in that prepared- According to the vicinity, and largely in the^village visitor's register these folk have • of Gorrie. The limited vision and come from all the Provinces of also rheumatic tendencies R Canada; from mast"of the States hindered him as a farmer. Other in the U.S.AA including Alaska occupations were tried and Hawaii;., the Yukon, South blacksmith, shoemaker, machine - America, South Africa, the shop mechanic, harness maker. British Isles, Germany, Belgium, He likes to veil' of his success and even Turkey. .The records in developing a hitherto show between 20,000 and . , unknown way of splicing and 30,004 visiting the Museum . stitching torn leather and rubber • annually . - belts for threshing machines in Mr. Neill's humility is tinged common use by farmers •in the with a justifiable degree of pride 1800's and early 1900's. when he waxes a bit voluble over Alt of his varied occupations the main `project of his life, the had their 'part in eventually Huron -County --Pioneer Museum- -- contributing to whet became his •on •Noii`th Street, Goderich." life work, Curator of one of Those - and there are many Ontario's outstanding Pioneer thousands of all ages - who have Museums. It was in the 1934's visited the Museum. will attest that he became seriously to his volubility as he acted as interested in collecting such • guide through that institution items as one sees now in a during •his Curatorship from number of . pioneer museums. 1950 to 1966. No guide in the Many are the interesting anecdotes that Mr... Neill can tell about the securing of his first 1000 or so items that formed the nucleus of the present Museum. and then later of what has been added up to over 11,009. But it isn't every pioneer Museum that can include the ' more than 145 working models sueh -.as Herb Neill designed and constructed. Outstanding is his series of working models showing 18 different ways, of making , flour or , meal from pre -Biblical times to the present - Roman, Chinese. Italian. Egyptian. East Indian. West Indian, and modern Canadian. Working mechanisms show how time has been told down through the ages by drops of water, grains of sand or rays of the sun. The electrically operated floral dock on the Museum lawii is of Neill design and construction and tells the time as 'accurately and interestingly as the famous ' • Floral Clock in Princess Street Gardens in old Edinburgh. ti To honour Mr. Neill on his 78th birthday in 1963 he was made an honourary' member of the Museums Section • of the .00 Ontario Historical Society. the first to be accorded this honour. The Huron County . Pioneer ' Museum and the name of J. H. Neill are synonymous in the estimation of those privileged to visit it during his Curatorship. It is hoped that during 1969 a -"booklet stay-. be available at the Museum that, in addition to the brochure already there, another may tell something of the experiences of . this humble man, that eventually led up to the • institution on North Street that may well ' be regarded as a memorial' to one of Huron County's devoted citizens. In the meantime the many friends of Herbie Neill would wish him .well on his 84th birthday tr Palace of Versailles_ had ' his - "lines" more_ perfect nor would he be any prouder of what he had to exhibit. Just as "great oaks from little acorns grow," so the unique Museum in,Goderich which now houses ''over 11,000 exhibits 'froth a . needle to a railway steam locomotive, began according to Mr. Neill's own words with an old -`tallow idle lantern:" It might be considered even a bit of coincidence that it should be. a light -producing item that was Herbie Neill's "acorn." Not only has Mr. Neil procured and developed through his own ingenuity the various ways in which artificial light has been produced, from a piece: of bark 'to the fluorescent light, but he has been' the means of throwing light on a past that might have remained in the dark for this and future generations who boast of all the forms of , twentieth century enlightenment.. On first meeting the Curator _ -of- the biluseurn you would"see bespectacled eyes even shaded by a peculiar homemade contraption to reduce' glare on • his sensitivif eyes. Immediately you detect a practised economy and., hittavity, and he would ' proudly tell you, "1 made these .Out of worn-out aluminum sauce -pan and a bit of wire, and painted them red." Prom early childhood one of his handicaps was this very ted ision. Onl Made !, ate v Editor.N s- ote: Since receiving this article. it has been learned that Mr. Neil has 'been adiuitted to Victoria Hospital, Lcmdt m. Among many of Herb. Neil's accomplishments while he was curator of the .Huron County Museum was this replica of the•Benmiller flour mill. It is a working model and is on display in the museum. -- London Free Press Photo CAR. STARTING HINT if you have to start a ear that has been idle for a long period, the Ontario -Safety League suggests you do it this way. Turn on the, headlights for about 1Q seconds; wait another 10 seconds; then try the starter switch. The theory Is that brief se uof the headlights activates the battery, and gets it in better shape to respond to the heavy demand of the starter. Mr. Neill is shown after being presented with an honorary Jife membership in the Ontario Historical Society in 1963. With him are Mrs. Gi. n Metcalf, Hamilton, who was then chairman of the museum section of the society and Andrew W. Taylor, Galt, who was president of the society. -London Free Press Photo. • F GODERICHFROSTED FOODS -65 HAMILTON STREET MAPLE LEAF PURE PORK' SAUSAGE Ib.694 MAPLE LEAF SLICED' BONELESS HAM FRESH GRADE A EVISCERATED - 5 - 7 ib. Avg. ROASTERS .49! FRESH LAMB PATTIES lb. 694 LIBBY'S TOMATO - 11 oz. CATSUP • 194, BEEF OR u1RISH - 24 oz. Swift Stews HEINZ - 14' oz. BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE SUPREME - 16 oz. 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