Simcoe County's First Folk School Rewarding Experience
Municipality :
Community : Churchill
Lot :
Concession :
Description : "Rural Living in Simcoe County -- Past, Present, and Future" was the theme of the county's first folk school, held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kell.
A home grown plumbing is expanding
Municipality :
Community : Schomberg
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Glen Hulse was originally a diary farmer but he now has a successful plumbing and heating company.
Former Teacher gets Queen's Jubilee Medal
Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Former Teacher Gets Queen's Jubilee Medal
Miss Barbara Stewart, former Bradford public school teacher, has been awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.
Miss Stewart, who retired last year after 36 years of teaching, said from her Markham home Friday, "I don't know how I got it or who recommended me. It came by registered mail last month and it was a complete surprise."
She joins Bradford lawyer Charles Evans as a recipient of the medal, awarded to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the community.
She said she had just returned from a trip to Germany, and would soon go back to Bradford public school for a day to tell the students about her trip.
As for retirement, "I'm just loving every bit of it."
Municipality :
Community : Barrie
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Art Evans is Honored
By John Slykhuis
BARRIE - They came to say thank you to Arthur Evans last Friday, almost 1,000 strong, including cabinet ministers, politicians from all parties, and a small portion of the thousands of friends he has made over the years.
They came to say thank you for the 17 years he held the Simcoe Centre riding for the Progressive Conservatives, and the 20-odd years before that he held political offices.
Almost a life-time of dedicated service to the people in his riding.
LIMOUSINE
Art Evans and his wife Audrey arrived by limousine at Barrie Raceway to the deafening cheers of the people gathered on a cold, snowy evening.
Among the podium guests were chairman for the evening George Taylor, who succeeded Mr. Evans as MPP, Lorne Richardson, minister without portfolio, James Taylor (energy), and John Rhodes (housing).
Each had personal reminiscences about Art and paid tribute to his dedication, common sense, and honesty.
Telegrams poured in, including one from Premier William Davis who wrote, "You are one of Simcoe County's finest citizens...the accolades are well-earned."
GOOD JUDGEMENT
James Taylor commented, "I came to respect the common sense and good judgement of a man who served you so well for so many years...I feel honored to have known you."
Political colleague and friend William Hodgson, MPP for York North, recalled the first time he and Art met, during the Hurricane Hazel disaster.
Art was reeve of Bradford at the time, and Mr. Hodgson deputy-reeve of King Township.
ORDER FROM CHAOS
He recalled that Art, organizer of the hurricane relief effort, almost single-handedly created order out of the chaos that Hazel wrought.
John Rhodes followed with a warm speech sprinkled with humourous anecdotes.
"I'm here to tell you the truth about Art Evans," Mr. Rhodes began, "It's fitting you held the ceremony here (at Barrie Raceway). Art's been going around in circles for years.
"Arthur was responsible for getting me elected and I've never forgiven him."
Mr. Rhodes paid a special tribute to Art Evans' wife Audrey for her unswerving devotion and support.
"For all the hours we put in, our wives put in just as many, " Mr. Rhodes said. "Arthur was successful because he had a good wife."
He concluded joking, "You've inflicted George Taylor on us, but we'll see what we can do."
Ken Tupling, Arthur Evans' campaign manager, presented a bouquet of roses to Audrey Evans and gave a summary of Mr. Evans' long and distinguished career.
He began his political career as a member of the Public Utilities Commission of Bradford, followed by terms as councillor, reeve, Simcoe County Warden, and as Bradford's first mayor in 1959.
In 1960, Mr. Evans gained the Simcoe Centre seat left vacant after the death of George Johnson, and held that seat until his retirement earlier this year.
TOUGHEST FIGHT
His toughest fight, Mr. Tupling recalled, was that first provincial election in which he defeated his Liberal opponent by a slim 600 votes.
During those hectic years, Art and Audrey raised four children, John, Donald, Robin, and Cathy.
Art and Audrey received several gifts along with the accolades last Friday.
They included a grandfather clock, framed campaign poster and cartoon, and a scrapbook spanning his career.
Mr. Evans, 62, now works as a loan consultant with the Municipal Savings and Loan Corporation in Barrie.
"I don't know how I lasted the 17 years," Mr. Evans concluded. "It's a tough racket; it really is."
Former Witness Publisher, Owner Ina McKenzie Dies After Illness
Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : BRADFORD - Former owner, publisher, and editor of The Bradford Witness, Ina McKenzie, died last Wednesday, July 8, after a lengthy illness.
She was 89.
Born Ina Galbraith in Paisley, Bruce County, Mrs. McKenzie's learned to be independent at an early age after the death of her father at age 29.
Her mother, a school teacher, struggled to raise her and younger sister Donalda.
"I went into teaching as well because there was nothing else a girl at that time could do, except become a nurse." Mrs. McKenzie remarked in an interview before her death.
TAUGHT
She taught for several years in the tough downtown Toronto core where her students included the famous Conacher brothers. "They were wonderful boys. Perhaps a bit mischievious thought." she recalled, laughing.
After marrying her childhood sweetheart, Stewart McKenzie (who died in 1975), she left teaching to move to Detroit with her husband.
"At that time - it wasin the 1920s - Detroit was a boom town. Everyone was playing the stock market and making a great deal of money - on paper at any rate. Stewart got a job on a financial publication called Saturday Night."
EXTENSIVE
Mr. McKenzie had an extensive background in the newspaper business. His father had owned the Paisley Advocate.
While in Detroit, the stock market crashed and Mr. McKenzie, because he was a Canadian citizen, was in danger of losing his job.
"I told Stewart, 'Let's look for a business now while you've still got a job.' so we went on vacation and looked at what appeared to be a very prosperous newspaper in Trenton." Mrs. McKenzie remembered.
However, being a very astute business woman, she noted that the paper printed a great deal of political material that would come to a halt if the government changed. They decided to look elsewhere.
Bradford was their next stop.
"When we arrived in Bradford, it was a beautiful day," she recalled. However the condition of the Bradford Witness was something else again.
"Stewart went in and told me 'The machinery is a disgrace,'" she remembered, but they loved the little town and decided to stay, contributing greatly to its prosperity and growth over the years.
In those first years of the Depression, Bradford was little more than a main street, the lower end shabby, the western portion relatively prosperous, she recalled.
"Everything was booming when we arrived in Bradford," Mrs. McKenzie noted. "But shortly after, many people were in dire poverty. It we would have collected what was on our books we could have retired, however people gave what they could.
During this time they relocated the paper's office from Holland St. to Barrie St. (where the European Bakery is currently located), remaining there until they retired in 1968, selling the paper to Gerry Barker.
Before deteriorating eyesight hampered her activities Mrs. McKenzie was extremely active in various organizations in Bradford.
During the Second World War, she headed the Bradford chapter of the Canadian Red Cross. She was a charter member of the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE, and a past president of the Bradford Women's Institute. She also taught Sunday School at the Bradford United Church.
DRIVING FORCE
One of the driving forces behind fund-raising efforts for the Bradford
Community Centre, Mrs. McKenzie also lent her considerable energies and intelligence to the Hurricane Hazel flood relief program and various other community projects.
Ina McKenzie is survived by her sister Donalda Crosbie of Toronto, nephew Robert W. Crosbie, and good friend Ella Langford of Bradford. She was also a great aunt to Alexander, George and Cynthia.
Friends called at the Lathangue and Skwarchuck Funeral Home and a service, conducted by Rev. G. McFarlane, was held in the chapel on Friday, July 10.
She was buried next to her husband at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.
Donations to the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE would be appreciated.
Women fenced in says Noreen Sinclair
Municipality :
Community : Bond Head
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Women should encourage their daughters to break into fields usually dominated by men, Noreen Stevens, wife of Sinclair Stevens (MP York-Simcoe) suggested last week.
"There is something wrong in keeping women's talents fenced in", Mrs. Stevens told delegates attending the 73rd annual meeting of Simcoe South District Women's Institutes. Her address centred around women in a changing world to coincide with International Women's year proclaimed by the United Nations.
Mrs. Stevens suggested women look into and encourage their daughters to consider careers in the legal, medical, dental or pharmacy fields. She believes there is no reason women should not be counsellors, mathematicians, architects, engineers or even electricians, plumbers or tinsmiths.
Our grandmothers knew, without her, meals would not be prepared, sewing done or the calves and chickens fed. "She was vital and she knew it," Mrs. Stevens told the 100 delegates at luncheon.
"The image of the working mother is more accepted now," the speaker noted pointing out fifty years ago it was necessary for a women to spend five hours a day in the kitchen preparing food that is done by today's homemaker in just 90 minutes.
Mrs. Stevens quoted statistics to prove female participation in the labor force is increasing. In 1947, 21.9 per cent were women; in 1957, 23.9 and in 1967, 30.7.
Fifteen years go fewer married women were working but this is changing.
She said often women postpone having children for a time after marriage so they can work. Similarly children are often spaced closely together so the mother can return to work.
"This points out a way of life for oncoming generations," Mrs. Stevens told the gathering.
She noted the average size of families is decreasing. "It used to be five, now it is three."
Mrs. Stevens listed five reasons why women work outside their homes. Usually it is for the added income to maintain a higher lifestyle than is possible on a husband's salary but some women work to escape boredom. She observed "white-collared" jobs are available to women more than ever before and working conditions are better. In addition excellent day care services encourage women to leave their children and join the workforce.
The speaker stressed that women prepare their daughters for the new trend with a good education. "No one can take it from you and it lasts a lifetime," she commented.
It all started with blacksmith Steele
Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Howard Gardner recollects the accomplishments of John Steele.
Municipality : Bond Head
Community : Alliston
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Edgar and Lulough Kneeshaw (nee Latimer) of Bond Head celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last week. The couple was married in the bride's home north of Alliston January 7, 1920. Tecumseth Reeve Roy Gardhouse, Simcoe County Warden Allan McLean, and former Simcoe Centre MPP Arthur Evans were on hand to bring greetings from all levels of government, including Queen Elizabeth. The Kneeshaws live in a home on a lot purchased from Roy and Bea Dixon, who themselves celebrated 60 years of marriage last week. Congratulations!
Love Of Machinery Fatal To Farmer
Municipality : North York
Community : York Region
Lot :
Concession :
Description : A summary of accident leading to the death of George C. Jackson. Followed by telling a little bit about who Mr. Jackson was. Also, the article proceeds to talk about the family of Mr. Jackson. Telling that he is survived by his wife Florence, his mother Mrs. J. M. Jackson, four brothers, two sisters, two daughters: Mrs. Ann Salt and Mrs. Elizabeth McQuillen and two sons: George and Douglas.
Pupils huddled near wood stove at Steele's Corners
Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : An article depicting the history of the Steele's Corners School.