"Bradford Public School did very well last week as both the boys and girls teams won the area five baseball championships. Above in the back row from [left to right] John Kovacs, John Brosen, Jamie McKnight, Sandy Dinner, Steven Baker, Peter Dykie and Gordon Smith. In the front row are: Matthew Certosimo, Scott Feir, Peter Blackwell, John Kemp [the captain], Derrick Ross, Jeff Dodds and Steven House. The coach is Mrs. Cook."
"Bradford District High School won the York Simcoe High School Boys Softball Championships for the sixth year in a row. They defeated Dr. G.W. Williams High School in Aurora 4-2 with three innings overtime. [Back row], Jim Brown, Barry Neilly, Cliff Corner, Jim Lynn, Rick Ellis, Bill Jackson, and coach Don Jarvis. [Front row], John Scheuremann, Ted Richards, Ian Campbell, Larry Callicragas, and Scott Forbes."
"Jane Enwright, daughter of William Prestaya, graduated July 18, 1975 from St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto, in conjunction with the George Brown College. Garden party was held in her honor on July 20."
"Elizabeth Margaret Copeland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Copeland of Newton Robinson, graduated from St. Joseph's Campus of George Brown College July 18th, 1975. Beth will be joining the staff of Peel Memorial Hospital in Brampton."
"The official opening of the new wing of the Simcoe Manor in Beeton will be held Wednesday, June 4. The new wing will have 100 beds, a library, boardroom, married quarters, barber shop, billiard room, beauty shop, craft room, auditorium, chapel, greenhouse and therapeutic pool. The wing, which cost over one and a half million dollars will also be used for those who have suffered from strokes and arthritis. The therapy will include messages, heat treatments, and exercises with parallel bars and exercise machines. The new auditorium will hold 200 people and if that is not enough room, the chapel will open to accommodate more. Simcoe Manor was originally opened in 1898 and was called the "House of Refuge". It was a place for transient people as well as those who were not able to take care of themselves and with no one who could take care of them. At that time, the institution had 250 acres of farm land that was worked by those who resided at the "House". In 1952 an addition was built and the name was changed from "House of Refuge" to Simcoe Manor as it is known today. Past conceptions of the building locally known as the "poor house" to the present image as a home for the aged. Now it is a Senior Citizen's Home. The present wing was started in 1973 although it was planned in the early 1970's. The original building was demolished to make room for the new building. Gone with the old section are the old images. Under the management of Ed Boynton, 65 full and part-time staff take care of the 125 residents. Also there for the senior citizens are four new color televisions as well as the new facilities."
"A crowd of more than 350 people were on hand last Wednessday in Beeton for the official opening of the Simcoe Manor. The guest of honor was the Provincial Minister of Community and Social Services Rene Brunelle. His ministry paid half of the $1,750,000 cost of the addition to the manor. The rest of the cost was paid by the county. The Reeve of Tecumseth, Harry Cross officiated over the opening ceremony. The manor is located in Tecumseth near Beeton. He introduced the many people who have had a hand in bringing about the addition. He also introduced the present administrator, Ed Boynton. In his speech Mr. Brunelle mentioned that next week is senior citizen's week and suggested it should be a time to stress the positive aspects of old age. At the conclusion of his speech he received a number of presents, among them a handmade lamp. During the ceremony, a number of newspapers, including last week's Witness, were placed in the corner stone of the building. They were wrapped in plastic and sealed in a container to maintain them for posterity. Following the speeches and the ceremony the crowd was given a tour of the building and had an opportunity to see the new addition. The new wing includes a therapy room, an auditorium and a library as well as beds for 100 more patients. It brings the total number of beds to 158."
"A meeting was held Sunday evening to discuss the future of the Bond Head Post Office. Above, [left to right], A.R. Secor, area manager; Bradford postmaster, Keith Stevens and the organizer of the meeting, Mrs. Lynda Usher, consider the future. Although an advertisement has been placed for a new postmaster, no one has applied for the position, About 50 villagers attended the meeting."
"The Auld Kirk, a historical church located at the Scotch Settlement will be the scene of an old time church service Sunday, June 22 at 3:00 p.m. The service is being jointly arranged by the Barrie Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church and the Simcoe Presbytery of the United Church. The Auld Kirk is on the 6th line of West Gwillimbury Township south of Highway 88 at the Scotch Settlement. The outdoor service will be led by Rev. Henry Dahlin, minister of Bond Head United Church and Chairman of the Simcoe Presbytery. Also participating in the service will be Rev. Ken Purdon, minister of Burton Ave. United Church in Barrie and Rev. Ed MacDonald, minister of the Presbyterian Church in Orillia and moderator of Barrie Presbytery. The guest preacher will be Rev. W. Stanford Reid, Professor of History at the University of Guelph. The Auld Kirk's beginnings go back to 1823 when a log church was built by the settlers of the Scotch Settlement. In 1827, a frame church was built and the original log building was moved and used as a school until 1840. The present Auld Kirk building was erected in 1869 at a cost of $1,000. Due to a dwindling population the church was closed in 1885 and for some years fell into disrepair. In 1912, it required a new roof. In 1953, the restoration of the cemetery was started and in 1958 restoration work began on the church."
"A congregation of more than 150 people gathered at the Auld Kirk in the Scotch Settlement near Bradford on Sunday afternoon. The churchgoers were attending an outdoor service arranged by the South Simcoe Presbytery."
"Stewart Scott McKenzie, a man who was a strong and active force in Bradford for more than 35 years as a politician and publisher for the Bradford Witness and South Simcoe News, died last week in York County Hospital in Newmarket, last Thursday following a short illness. Mr. McKenzie was born in the Village of Paisley in Bruce County where he grew up and was educated. The former publisher of the Witness has a long tradition in newspapering and was one of four sons born to a former publisher of the Paisley Advocate. Mr. McKenzie served in the Canadian Army during World War I. When he returned after the war he resumed his newspaper career and joined the production department of the old Detroit Times. In 1931, he and his wife Ina, also a native of Paisley, moved to Bradford and purchased the Bradford Witness and South Simcoe News from Publisher O.M. Seim. That began a career in this town that stretched over 35 years until the couple retired in 1968 following the sale of the Witness to Gerry and Nona Barker. Funeral services for the man who devoted so much of his life to his community were held on Saturday morning in the chapel of the Lathangue and Skwarchuk Funeral Home on Simcoe Street, in Bradford."
