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The Brussels Post, 1977-09-21, Page 2A bit of history Resting Brusse s Post BRUSSELS ONTARIO WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 21, 1977 Serving Brussels and the surrounding community. Published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels, Ontario by McLean Bros, Publishers, Limited. Evelyn Kennedy Editor Dave Robb , Advertising Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $8,00 a Year, Others $14.00 a Year, Single Copies 20 cents each. toolAN co mm a, E. 'O'CNA R*4., A,.- , P ERs Asso 10" -.wspApt as COro • CNA ABC The committee again asks that any corrections necessary in these biographies be brought to their attention. Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Cardiff Elston Cardiff was born on the farm on the fifth concession .of Morris Township which he operated most of his life, where his son Ross now lives': He was Reeve of Morris Township. He was Member'of Parliament for more than 25 years. He married Ada Morrison of Wroxeter. They had three children. They were Members of " the United Church and are buried in the Brussels Cemetery. Mr, and Mrs. James MeFadzean liiii McFAdzdan was born in Grey Township. He fanned on the 16th concession of Grey Where Brian Workman now IiveS. Later he moved to Turnberry Street, Brussels to the Oise on the hill now occupied by Mrs. Bolger. He was the area representative for Howick Mutual Insurance for many years, His wife was Elizabeth 1-iislOp: They raised one neOfieW. They were Presbyterian in religion and their resting place is the Brussels Cemetery, Mri and Mrsi Wig. Scott Walter Scott wasornand lived almost all his life in the hosue now owned by Gerald Exel on William Street in 13tussek. He WAS a former postmaster of the village. hater he was sec: treas of Brussels MOrtiS and Grey Telephone and ran an Insurance Some interesting history has been appearing in the pages of the Brussels Post the past few weeks. Like so much else the last few months, it's connected with the new BruSsels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. We're referring to the biographies of those whose names are to be inscribed on the new arena's memorial plaque. The names and the backgrounds of those who are to be honoured provides a capsule history of the Brussels area. These people were the pioneers, many of them from the British Isles, other European countries and it was their hard work and community spirit that laid the foundations for the Brussels that we have today. Most of them have descendants still in the area. Some don't, but it's safe to say that the kind of strong character and good citizenship that these old inhabitants embodied is still very much alive and well in Brussels and area. It's fitting that the arena's memorial plaque honours these oldtimers..Some of the credit for the fact that there's a new arena at all goes to the pattern of unselfish community service that they set out. To the editor: Residents of 21 years ago enjoys Post How would you like to print the enclosed note in the Post. It's a letter received by Jim Watson in Florida. Yours truly, Mrs. Reg Watson, VVroxeter. P.S. - Jim's address is now: 619 - 104th Ave. N. Naples, Fla. U.S.A. 33940. Mr. Watson: I received your Brussels Post along with several others in one bundle with mine on the outside. I am sending them on, knowing how much I enjoy mine, although I left the Brussels area 21 years ago. Sincerely, Ethel M. McMaster, 36505 W. Florida Ave., Hemet, Calif. 92343. Space 222. Amen by Karl Schuessler I've been talking to some missionaries lately. Oh, they're not the kind that travel to deep Africa and convert the natives. In fact, I'm sure they never thought of themselves as missionaries at all. They never ' were supported b y congregations back home--with money or prayers. Rather, they got their dollars from the governmer4 of Ontario. Their home office was the Ministry of Education in Queen's Park. The gospel they preached was education, and they brought it to northern Ontario in` converted Pullman railroad coaches. These missionaries were the teachers who were willing to leave the amenities of the South and go North and live out their life on railroad sidings where train engines left them for a week at a time. Then the engines would hook on to them once again and take them to the next mileage stop for another week. And to another set of eager faces that belonged to the children of miners, trappers, hunters and railroad men who lived in the isolated . &desolate northern frontier country. • These missionaries 'had their circuit--about five stops in five weeks and then they were back again covering their circuits and • their lessons they'd left' with the children. These teachers were on the job twenty four hours a day. The one half of their Pullman car was converted into a home. The other half was classroom space. And after the children finished their lessons during the day, the parents would flock in at night--to take their turn at mat h and geography and English, mostly English. And if the Northerners' were lucky, the teachers would provide some entertainment. with films and screen. And if that sort of outside entertainment ran Out, they'd' make their own. They'd skate and ski. They'd play cards' and crocanole and the gramophone. They'd dance. And in between, the teachers would help them write letters to their relatives, to the business. He married Amy Jardine. They had four children. Presbyterian in faith they are buried in the Brussels Cemetery. Mr. James Armstrong Jim Armstrong was born and lived on the farm on the ninth concession of Grey at the easterly limit of Brussels where' Mrs. Armstrong, still resides part time. His soil also has a residence on part of the farm. He was a member of the school board and the first Tail. Twister of the Lions Club. He married Ada. Fulton, There are three children. He Was Presbyterian in faith and is buried in the Brussels Cemetery, Mri D.M. MacTavish Dan MacTavish was botn near Mineckisa, Manitoba, in 1882. His The north government and to Eatons for their catalogue goods. They'd help out in every way they could. If not with teas and cookies for every visitors, then with information on health and diet and on keeping babies clean. Bringing education to the North in railroad cars-;itn school' cars, as they're called--is closed history. The ,school car lost out to the building of highways,. new and accessible highways. It lostout to hydro when the railraod no longer needed section men every seven miles along the track. It lost out'to permanent school buildings and to the growing stable and settled communities in the North. 'But this missionary work in the North is not an old story. It all happened from ^1926 to, 1967. They're still people around who taught in the school cars. Their school car students are even more numerous. I'm heading North this week to find some of those students. I didn't have 'to go very far from home to talk to one of the teachers. Or rather, the wife of the first teacher ever on the school car. She's Mrs. Cela Sloman, widow of Fred Sloman. She raised her five children on a school car and she's now living in Clinton. The "Slomans made the record-41 years on the school car. She's still the gracious hostesS she ever was. She served me some of her cookies, one of the millions she's baked over the years. She served me tea, one of the thousands of cups she'spoure& in her lifetime. She and her daughter Margaret gave me a taste of the North's hospitality. It still abounds in Clinton. And for the many people she and her family have helped, 'what can people give them in return? What is there left but gratitude? Gratitude to this gentle woman who's helping me keep alive the story of these teachers in a CBC radio documentary. She's sharing with me her life on Ontario's northern' frontiers. She's convincing me that families like hers are the unsung missionaries of our generation. And they're still living in our midst to tell the story. More names for the arena memorial plaque early life WaS spent in Mornington Township. He married Gertrude Harris of Wroxeter. The family included two daughters, one of whom married Gerald Gibson and lives in the old fattily home on Mill Street. Mr. Mactavish kept a general store for over 40 years in Brussels, He WAS, a commissioner of the Brussels Morris and Grey Telephone system and a member of the local school board for Many years. He is buried in the Wroxeter cemetery: He was a staunch member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Edward Bryans Sr. Edward Bryans was born in Ireland. He farmed on the third concession of Grey, en the farm Chi Fal Su: Co( l WI Ira Brig pre Pre ren ifC ; NIFninnav ‘E oateij6tit ac Chi Vin tea( Car Wo erij( As 1i6 P Ent be • for Ch enj i'at op rrB Mt, later owned by Jas: McCutcheon and Morely Traviss, now owned by the COSSittS. He was an early. reeve of Grey Township and one Of the founders of HoWick Insurance Co. He married IvOty Gallagher, They had iv children,,. No descendents reside in the area: They were trietilberg of the Church of England and are: buried in the Brussels Cemetery, And Mrs. Robert Downing Bob tiowning was been BtUSSelS. He and his brother Lea ran a shoe store for many eyarg id -what is now part Of Cousins Hardware. After his brothers death he tarried on the He was, a member. of the 13ritS0 06 Clippers baseball Wit (continued on Page 20)