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"Alliston - South Simcoe District Women's Institute held its 75th annual meeting in Alliston last week, with 116 delegates attending from 11 branches. District president Mrs. Paul Tipping of Tottenham and secretary treasurer Mrs. Everett McVety of Bradford were in charge.

The theme, 'What's 75 Years Between Friends?' set the tone of the meeting held at St. John's United Church. Displays showing accomplishments, projects, and history of each branch were outstanding, and discussion groups led by district conveners replaced oral reports.

Visits to Simcoe Manor will not be a district project from now on but the decision to entertain there is at each branch's discretion after conferring with the manor superintendent.

Delegates voted to hold a Tweedsmuir History workshop in November, with Cookstown being a possible location.

Mrs. Gordon Mallion of Tottenham judged the log book competition of home histories and presented prizes to: first, Mrs. Russel Browning; second, Mrs. W. Ingram, both from Churchill branch; and third, Mrs. Norman Baker, Everett.

Federated Women's Institute of Ontario board members, Mrs. Don Hennessy of Duntroon, said Simcoe County leads the province in interest in log books. County books were on display at the officers' conference at the University of Waterloo in May.

After the noon luncheon, Tweedsmuir History curator Mrs. William Sutherland of Bond Head reviewed district history. The first meeting was held in Jebb's Hall, Cookstown, on July 9, 1902, with 50 in attendance. In 1906 only four attended and for some years district meetings were held in homes.

Today there are 321 active members in Simcoe South and 46 life members. A birthday cake was cut by Mrs. Joseph Hancey of Alliston, a WI member for 61 years.

Ted Whitworth, a farm safety consultant for eight counties, told delegates there are too many accidents in agriculture. He said 'farmers must recognize hazards and he placed the responsibility on 'mother' to continue to remind her family of safety practices. Farm safety booklets brought home by school children should be reviewed by the parents with the children so both will benefit, he said.'"

"On the eve of his 92nd birthday, Tuesday, Bill Ruffett told the story of the booming ice industry of yesteryear. Bell Ewart - "I started on the ice when I was 12 yeards old. Father had rented the old hotel on the south side of the dock of 1897 for one dollar a month. After the old sawmill had burned down, the hotel went out of business. I remember well tearing out the bar. It was then I started to lead a horse on an ice plow for 50 cents a day for the Belle Ewart Ice Company. It was the only ice company there then and was across the road from my home where Sheppard's Marina is today. I remember the winter of 1906 was very mild and the big lake never froze over until nearly spring. The railroad was still here, you see, from the era of meeting the Lake Simcoe excursion boats. It was then ice companies from Jackson's Point came here, partly because of the railroad. Their only transportation there, for ice to Toronto, was by street car. I had anywhere from 60 to 80 men working for me at one time, all farmer's boys."

"Doug Bone, who began collecting old telephones only three years ago, says he now has the largest private collection of antique and unusual phones in Canada. He stumbled into his hobby quiet by accident. Doug and his wife, Joan, who shares his interest, visited the Bruce peninsula in search of glass insulators. While there they were offered two old box telephones. They were not especially interested but bought them anyway. Doug cleaned them inside and out, which was all he needed to stir up the unbounded enthusiasm for the hobby for which he is known today in both Canada and United States. Since that time, he has purchased a major part of one man's collection and all of another's. In addition he visited many of the 30 independent telephone companies still operating in Ontario. He bought a few old phones and a few parts and threw his energy into restoring, trading, and buying phones. His collection includes 160 telephones, all clean and polished like new."

"Mrs. Austin Zoeller, vice president of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, speaking last Wednesday night at the 50th anniversary of Bradford Women's Institute said, 'There is no other organization like the W.I. in the whole wide world.' She recalled the W.I. was born on tragedy--the death of a child from drinking impure milk. Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, the founder of the W.I. was the mother of the child. Mrs. Zoeller told how the secretary of the Farmer's Institute, Erland Lee at Stoney Creek, Ontario, promoted hearing a woman speaker against the wishes of his all-men organization. Mrs. Hoodless, that speaker, made a dynamic speech. Lee told the men after if they believed it important to have an organization to learn how to feed their animals, then it was equally important their wives had an organization to educate themselves on how to feed their families."

"More than $1,700 in pledges was recorded at the ski and skate-a-thon Saturday, sponsored by the Gilford and District Lions Club at Ski Haven. It was estimated that Harv Speiran of Gilford was the oldest of the 100 participants. It was also he who chalked up the most money in pledges, over $300, while skiing more than 10 miles. He wouldn't reveal his age. A young bank teller, Kim Brown of Bradford, had $258 in pledges, the highest for the women. Participants came from Gilford, Lefroy, Churchill, Bradford, and surrounding districts. The even was held to raise money for the Lions camp for the deaf at Parry Sound and the camp for the Blind at Lake St. Joseph. Snow and ice conditions were not the best but they did not deter entrants from having a fun-filled afternoon. Many enjoyed making use of the facilities loaned by Ski Haven to the Lions Club."

"These model homes at Churchill Heights are nearing completion. They will be open for public inspection when they are finished. Salesman John Faye for A.B. Cairns, the builders, reports 33 homes will be built on one-half acre lots. The house contains at least 2,300 square feet and prices start at $89,900. The elevation on Churchill Heights gives each house a commanding view of the surrounding countryside."

"Bradford Women's Institute last Wednesday celebrated 50 years "For Home and Country", the motto of the world-wide organization. Long time member Mrs. H.L. Blackwell cuts the anniversary cake fashioned in the shape of the figure 50, as Bradford W.I. President Mrs. Dan Clements looks on."