Winter 2020

NEWS and views Vol. 48, No. 3 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Simcoe County Historical Association www.simcoecountyhistory.ca Facebook Twitter [email protected] President’s Report I hope this Newsletter finds you sistent basis. This is especially just two ways. all well during these difficult true in the winter months. Even It was agreed to Zoom again in times. The Simcoe County His- our Executive stopped meeting the New Year to try to develop torical Association has been from November to April. This programs that we can all join meeting via Zoom since the has made it difficult to develop in. Please contact me by phone Spring. We even had our AGM on going relationships and pro- or e-mail if your group would by Zoom in July. We are learn- grams. This tells us that meet- like to be part of this new initia- ing as we go. We are attempt- ing by Zoom could be how we tive. We can let the pandemic ing to keep connected as an Ex- meet even after Covid 19 has get us down and prevent us ecutive in this way. disappeared. from continuing to protect and We want to see SCHA continue Seven groups were represented record our common history or to work to protect and record at the meeting. We are still hop- we can join together to continue our history. We decided that we ing to connect with more our work. We are all stronger should look at this pandemic as groups around the County. when we become partners in an opportunity to connect with Some are not our members but history. our group membership. So we have been in the past. Each Individual members and mem- organized a Zoom Meeting on group introduced themselves ber museums are encouraged to November 17th and invited our and gave a short outline of what join us as we zoom into the fu- member societies and associa- their goals were. We discussed ture. There is a great deal that tions. Although not everyone how Covid has caused prob- we all have in common. History was able to attend remotely, we lems for each organization and is in the telling of our stories! had a good meeting. we found that many of the diffi- culties were common to us all. Merry Covid Christmas and Many of our organizations, be- SCHA reminded everyone how hopefully a better year in 2021 cause Simcoe County is such a we could help through our large area, have not been able Ted Duncan, SCHA President newsletter and website to name to attend our meetings on a con-

Simcoe County Historical Association Executive

Ted Duncan, President [email protected] 705-326-9809 Mark Fisher, Vice President [email protected] 705-728-3825 Donna Wice, Secretary [email protected] 705-436-2578 For membership information, contact: John Merritt [email protected]

Preserving the Past, The SCHA acknowledges the in the Present, financial support of the Govern- for the Future. ment of through the Ministry of Culture. ______NEWS and views 1 Franklin Carmichael Connection by Ted Duncan

Franklin Carmichael’s (one of Her Great Grandfather moved The interesting thing is that she the Group of Seven) connection there in the late 1800s to become also had copies of sketches of to Orillia and area is well the Village Blacksmith. She her family farm made by documented, but it is interesting lives in Virginia and teaches at a Franklin Carmichael in 1933. that there can always be university there. The originals are housed in the something new to discover. My National Gallery in friend Murray Mulvihill and I Ottawa. completed a photo project for the Ramara Historical Society She asked if I was during the Fall 2018 to the interested in having Spring 2019 of about 300 barns copies? Well yes, and still standing in the Township. here we have one. We called for people who live or have lived in Ramara to contact us about old family pictures they may have of barns that are gone. I received a letter from Elizabeth Agnew Ritchey with pictures of Her cousin lives in her family farm at County Road Orillia and 169 and Rama Road and lately volunteers at known as Hinton Antiques. OMAH.

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2 NEWS and views ______Tudhope: A Small Family With Big Dreams by Mary Harris, Barrie Historical Archive I have 3 co-workers who are relat- William Brockett Tudhope mar- ed to each other; Tracey, her ried Mary Reid in Oro Township daughter and her niece. Their in 1857. The eldest of their ten roots run deep in Simcoe County children, James Brockett Tud- and are mostly centred around the hope, was born there the follow- Town of Elmvale. Recently, ing year. James B. Tudhope start- Tracey asked me to take a quick ed out as a school teacher in Oril- look at their family tree and now I lia but joined his father’s carriage have 3 new distant cousins! company in the 1880s. In the early The chances seemed unlikely. part of the 20th century, James B. Tracey’s ancestors have been liv- Tudhope wore many hats – Mayor ing in this country for the better of Orillia, M.P.P., M.P., member The variations in spelling, as we part of 200 years while I am an of the Orillia Water and Lights travel backwards through time immigrant who only sailed into Commission and, of course, into the 1600s, complicate the the Port of Montreal in 1967. founder of the Tudhope Motor search. The current spelling is one Company which produced cars in that was settled upon in more Having a rare surname in a family Orillia. modern times but previous gener- tree certainly helps though. In The name is still very prominent ations used Tytop, Tutop, Todhop fact, I knew we had to be related and other forms of the surname. as soon as I saw the name of today. The former Tudhope Motor Tracey’s third great grandmother, Company factory, known as the Todhop may give a clue as to the Margaret Tudhope. Tudhope Building, now houses origin of the name. When sur- Orillia City Hall. Tudhope Park, names arose in Lowland Scotland If the Tudhope name rather on Lake Couchiching, is a 65-acre near the time of the 12th century, sounds familiar, it should. This park located on land donated by most were either patronymic (a unique surname comes from only the Tudhope family. male ancestor’s name), such as one place – the small village of Johnson, occupational, such as Lesmahagow, in the county of Baker, or Lanarkshire in Lowland Scotland geograph- and it is extremely well known in ical like Simcoe County, particularly in the Hill. vicinity of Orillia. In the In 1831, a group of some 50 peo- Scots lan- ple arrived in with an or- guage of ganization called the Lesmahagow the Low- Emigration Society. The leader of land peo- that group was James Tudhope. ple, a tod His family included his wife, is a fox Christian Brockett, and their 8 and a hop/ children. Their daughter, Margaret hope is a Black, and her husband, James small val- Black, were Tracey’s great great ley. In cen- great grandparents. My own connection to the Tud- turies past, the forebears of the But it was Margaret’s brother, hopes is my fifth great grandmoth- Tudhopes may have originated in William Brockett Tudhope, who er, Marion Tudhope, who was a valley where foxes were com- started out as a blacksmith and born around 1749 and is buried at mon. This prominent Simcoe progressed to wagon and carriage Lesmahagow Cemetery where County family has come a long maker, who set in motion the ca- many of Margaret Tudhope’s an- way from their rustic roots in the reer path that would help put the cestors lie. Our exact connection far away hills of Scotland. Tudhope name on the map in eludes me so far but Tracey and I Simcoe County. are likely 6th or 7th cousins, or thereabouts.

3 NEWS and views ______Minesing’s Princess Rink 1902-1940 by John Merritt Over 100 years ago, residents of fered live performances for skaters. One of the graduates of the Princess Minesing got together to found The rink also hosted a multitude of Rink was Frank Corbett Foyston, their own community skating rink. lively hockey games between the also known as “The Flash”, consid- Over almost 40 years, Minesing’s Minesing “Greenshirts” and other ered one of the best hockey players Princess Rink served as a hub for small-town teams – Elmvale was an of the early 1900s. Foyston, one of winter sports and social life for the arch-rival, and there were frequent six brothers, was born and raised in small rural community, a venue for brawls, often involving the specta- Minesing and began playing hock- community skates and impassioned tors as well as the players. Visiting ey on the frozen pond on his fami- amateur hockey games and a train- bands and hockey teams were all ly’s farm. The Princess Rink ing ground for one of the best hock- provided with a hot supper at the opened shortly before Foyston’s ey players of the early 1900s. end of the evening. Evening skates tenth birthday and quickly became The story of the Princess Rink be- were limited to three nights a week his new venue for practicing hock- gan in Minesing one morning in so as not to interfere in locals’ at- ey. Foyston joined the Minesing early November 1901, when four tendance at church and other social Greenshirts at age 15, and moved local men, Harry Stokes, Joseph events. Despite good attendance at up to the Barrie Colts in 1909. Orchard, Charles Foyston and the rink, income from evening Twice a week, he would travel the Thomas McLean, got together to skates was fairly poor as tickets ten miles to Barrie from Minesing found a community skating rink cost only ten cents each. in a horsedrawn cutter, regardless and set about finding a suitable lo- For the first few years, management of the weather. cation and adequate money to make was plagued by the issue of lighting their idea a reality. the rink properly. Initially, coal oil The four men approached local lamps were used, then, in 1904, a Frank Foy- farmers and managed to convince 1200-candle-power gas lamp was ston, alum- twenty of them to each advance $10 installed, which provided sufficient nus of the for the purpose of founding the light but also greatly increased the Princess rink, repayable at 4% interest with- chances of setting fire to the build- ing. On one occasion, the lamp sud- Rink, as a in ten years. In December 1901, a forward for location for the new rink was leased denly exploded in the middle of an evening skate, causing those in at- the Seattle from another local man, Andrew Mets in Ronald, for 99 years for a nominal tendance to flee the rink. Fortunate- 1917 rent. Ronald’s only other condition ly, no one was hurt and there was for the lease was that no liquor was no damage to the building, though to be sold on the premises. presumably the incident spelled the end for that particular lamp. The Princess Rink was constructed through a series of work bees at- Harry Stokes, Joseph Orchard, Foyston’s career in the National tended by many of the men of the Charles Foyston and Thomas Hockey Association began in 1912. community, under the direction of McLean owned the rink jointly un- Over the next 17 years until his re- the respected barn framer Jesse til 1906, when Stokes sold his inter- tirement in 1929, he played for the Kester. The completed rink meas- est to the remaining three owners. Blueshirts (the forerunner ured 40 by 120 feet, with a 40- by In 1908, Foyston and McLean of the Maple Leafs), the Seattle 100-foot ice surface and a 20-foot moved to California, leaving man- Metropolitans, then the Victoria section at the front for putting on agement of the rink to Orchard until Cougars, and helped win the Stan- skates and observing hockey he, too, left the community in 1912. ley Cup for each of those teams. games. The new rink opened on the Harry and Carlin Foyston managed After his retirement, he coached the night of January 20, 1902. the rink until 1938, when Joseph Seattle Seahawks until his death in orchard briefly resumed control of 1966. He was inducted into the The Princess Rink was always well the establishment. In 1940 it was Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958, the attended, especially during evening sold to Fred Parry, who found that Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, skates, when bands from Minesing, it had become unsafe for further use and the Springwater Sports Herit- Barrie, Craighurst or Stayner of- and had it taken down. age Hall of Fame in 2014.

4 NEWS and views ______Contrast in Culture: 1955 by Mark W. Fisher The following article is taken from inspection of the school cadet warm May evening, fell flat. Es- Notes in Time, A History of W.A. corps. Moreover, during World tablished two years earlier and sta- Fisher and the Barrie Collegiate War II his band marched and per- tioned at Camp Borden, the Guards Band, 1938-1972 by Mark W. Fish- formed throughout Simcoe County were certainly a popular band who er. The full work will shortly be in the many Victory Bond drives had jammed the Roxy with standing made available to the public online and the war effort in general. But room only on an earlier date, but and may be obtained by contacting the emphasis was increasingly on only a few hundred turned up this the author at mwfish- this concert band while he viewed time. Spring weather and a lack of [email protected]. the marching as only a necessary advertising may have been the In December 1955, W.A Fisher and duty. And yet, in Atlantic City the problem, but who could compete in the Barrie District Collegiate Band grand parade would include 10,000 those days with Sunday night tele- made an unprecedented return to marching delegates, accompanied vision and the Ed Sullivan show— Chicago and the stage of the Na- by numerous floats and 90 bands, for some, entertainment that bor- tional Mid-West Band Clinic, but over half of them from American dered on religion. not before another adventure that high schools and colleges, with Graduates was unique. Exactly one year be- prizes in many categories. Fisher A far more serious problem than fore, an invitation had been extend- had no illusions, however, for any funding had arisen in April, when ed by the Lions Club to lead the number of top-flight outfits would the organizers of the convention Canadian delegation in the June be present, in the best American decided to move the parade forward parade of their international con- tradition, clad in their outlandish to the start of the convention vention in Atlantic City, New Jer- uniforms and capable of complex week. Fisher knew beforehand that sey. This resort mecca, with its maneuvering, fancy footwork and matters would be tight since the luxury hotels and expansive beach- enough bobbing and weaving to fill band would leave immediately after es lined by a wide and lengthy a half-time football show. the conclusion of the grade 13 de- boardwalk seven miles long, was in Given the past support of the band partmental exams. Now it meant its heyday during the 1920s, fueled by the Barrie service clubs, includ- that the exams and the trip would mostly by illegal liquor and illegal ing the Lions, Fisher no doubt felt coincide! His consternation was gambling. It survived the depres- some obligation to them, but it was only surpassed by the senior stu- sion and revived somewhat during Bill Garner, who ran Barrie’s only dents who saw themselves left the war, but a long period of de- sporting goods store for many standing at the station and robbed cline had left it looking rather taw- years, who seems to have been the of a final last hurrah. This inspired dry as it could not compete with the catalyst. Garner was a past gover- the president of the band to write a likes of a booming Las Ve- nor of the Lions Club and just be- pleading letter to the Department of gas. With the adoption of legalized fore the June convention he was Education in the forlorn hope, akin gambling in 1976 and eventually elected to their International Board to walking on water, of a dispensa- the appearance of Donald Trump, of Directors. The Canadian Lions tion of alternate dates. Even grade the fortunes of Atlantic City were wanted to make a respectable show- 12s who were set to write the grade somewhat revived, but in 1955 it ing and Garner was quick to put 13 departmental in music faced a was definitely looking a little forward the name of his hometown hard decision. As Wilma Evans worn. No matter, for that was of musical organization. The reply recalled it, “There was no way I little concern to the young visitors from the national president implied was going to miss that trip, so I lost from Barrie. that the reputation of the Barrie the cushion of an extra subject for The unanswered question is why band was more than sufficient for next year.” Fisher’s solution to the did Fisher decide to take on this him to sanction the proposal and loss of so many top players was his expedition when he knew that it this eventually led to funding for 60 customary one of turning to recent would be solely a marching af- percent of the trip. The remainder graduates. Some were unable or fair? Admittedly, he musical organ- was derived from band funds and unwilling to take time off from ization that he led had been found- various grants, although the benefit work but a number sufficient to fill ed in 1939 as a part of the annual concert by the Canadian Guards out the ranks of a marching contin- band, held in the Roxy theatre on a

5 NEWS and views ______gent 70 strong answered the snapped to the right when I cried over the head and in any shape the call Even older graduates such as out from the horn section, “So was owner could train the material to Joan Fisher, Ron Keast, John Ric- I.” permanently assume. Nor were all ci and Bob Hunter stepped forward He was for once, speechless! heads the same size, while varying which gave the unit all the makings female coiffures only exacerbated of a band reunion. It was of little It was only then that Pat made the the situation. The only redeeming importance to Fisher whether the acquaintance of Eileen Colpitts, the feature was a silver-plated band was categorized as an adult clarinet player who had also attend- hat badge in the shape of a maple band or a high school outfit for the ed the Mendez concert. Eileen was leaf, with Barrie Collegiate Band multitude of prizes to be handed out never in the collegiate band but her embossed on it in black lettering. were farthest from his mind. A sister Diane certainly played clari- This headgear would remain in band of sufficient numbers that net in the band that travelled to Eu- place until 1958 when the band that played well in the best Barrie tradi- rope in 1958. travelled to Europe reverted to a tion and presented a smart appear- ance, worthy of the Canadian Li- ons, was all that mattered. More indicative of Fisher’s desper- ation was the fact that he even re- cruited two players from the Guards band who set out to drive to Atlan- tic City from Camp Borden because military obligations precluded a departure with the band. I am not sure if the other one made it but Harry Pinchin, a trumpet player, was forced to turn back at Buffalo because of serious illness. After his career with the Guards, Pinchin set- tled in where he founded and directed the Cosmopolitan Mu- sic Society, a collection of bands, choral, dance and arts groups that The Barrie Collegiate Band marching on the Boardwalk enjoyed great popularity and suc- cess over the next forty years. Pat Headgear and Admonitions more practical all-black wedge cap Scott, a collegiate band graduate of bearing the same silver maple A distinguishing feature of that leaf. I recall a number of the cast- 1963 recently related to me how so smart appearance of the band at At- many things come full circle: offs still around the house at a later lantic City was the adoption of new date and I utilized one for several Harry loved to illustrate a musical headgear. Previously, for marching canoe trips in the attempt to portray point with an anecdote from the purposes, band members had only myself as a jaunty voyageur. While riches of his past experiences. It worn the military style wedge hats several sizes too big, they also com- made for very fascinating listening, so popular during World War II. I plemented our blue track suits when with his comments on this particu- am not sure where the idea originat- Ean Maxwell and I drove to Van- lar evening likely directed to the ed, but the decision was now made couver in 1967. trumpet section. to go with a more “Canadian” hat. The characteristic hunting pink ma- On Sunday, June 19, the newly at- “I’ll never forget the perfor- terial was topped off with a white tired band led a parade of sea and mance that Raphael Mendez gave at tassel and cut in the style of a mili- air cadets to Trinity Anglican the Barrie arena with the Barrie tary “tam-o-shanter” which can on- Church as a final warm-up for At- Collegiate Band,” he said. ly be described as a voluminous lantic City. Other than that there “I was there!” came the aston- beret or more loosely a bon- was only the usual admonishment ished voice from the clarinet sec- net. And like all military hats, indi- handed out in a mimeographed let- tion on his left. Harry’s head viduals tended to wear them all ter from Fisher concerning the

6 NEWS and views ______“tradition of mature behavior” ex- got lost. As for getting smart, the personnel advised us that our con- pected on the part of all band mem- band members are having a won- necting train would probably wait. bers. He could forgive many minor derful time without having to be Philadelphia: The band arrived in indiscretions but not for “getting disciplined. Philadelphia shortly before noon smart.” In addition to the details of The boys have been playing chess today and had only a brief glimpse the itinerary, he also warned of the and checkers and the chaperones of its historical landmarks while need for adequate rest before “THE were deep in a bridge game shortly being ushered from train to train by LONGEST PARADE YOU HAVE after we left Toronto. Eleven chartered bus….There were no EVER BEEN IN” in order to obvi- o’clock curfew hour was not disput- longer any air-conditioned new ate the need “to be picking you up ed when it came. In the feminine coaches on the Philadelphia- from a First Aid station” after it end of the coach, some glamorous Atlantic City run. We sweltered in was over. Students were directed to negligees and one pair of new an archaic coach but felt better exchange their funds before leaving “brief” pyjamas appeared. But for when we learned that the Charles- Barrie since “Americans do not the most part, the girls have curled ton band members had suffered not take strange money” and further- up on the comfortable seats in pe- much better coaches since five more, “Don’t ‘blow it’ the first day dal pushers and shirts. o’clock the evening before….We on trifling souvenirs.” Finally, on first made the acquaintance of their the overnight train, pillows would 6:30 in the Morning: In spite of chief majorette and two of her be available for thirty-five cents but very little rest, we’re a remarkably corps of 12 on the train….The lead- above all “DO NOT BE LATE!” bright looking trainload this morn- ing majorette, who bears a striking for the 5:20 pm departure. ing. It must be anticipation that is keeping us going because quite a resemblance to movie star Janet The Journey number did not get to sleep until Leigh, charmed all within listening The following evening the two spe- after two o’clock, slept only now distance with her southern drawl cial coaches provided by the CNR and then and then woke at five that was full of honest to goodness pulled out of the Allandale Station, o’clock. When we awoke, the train “youalls.” with all personnel present and ac- was travelling along the Susque- Ms. Hinds’ account of the journey counted for. Earlier plans to travel hanna River and the mountains is substantially as I remember by chartered bus had been thwarted rose steeply on the other side. We it. As it was dark most of the way I by American border regulations, passed through some pretty little recall only the glow of steel mills in which ruled out a side trip to Wash- villages with rather broken-down Bethlehem and the red dawn over ington. It was apparently deemed frame houses—sitting along the the mountains. Since most rail safer for all concerned to travel by shores of the mirror-like river yards enter urban areas through the rail, which gave many of the young which reflected the mountains— back door, as it were, it is not the people like myself, their first exten- and then all of a sudden we were in most edifying sight. Aside from the sive travel by train. Ironically, it coal country. We guessed that it garbage and litter everywhere, the would be an experience largely un- was the Lehigh Valley but nobody ancient slums of Philadelphia that known to the present generation seems too sure of geography this lined the tracks with their largely accustomed to travel by air. It was early in the morning. poor, black inhabitants seated on also my first experience with true the back steps to escape the swel- The Porter Next Door: According mountains as we rolled through the tering heat, were a real eye-opener to the porter in the Pullman car Appalachians of Pennsylvania, but for privileged young Canadi- “next door,” we have been riding it is a story best related by Jane ans. Given such oppressive heat on The Maple Leaf (CN-Lehigh Hinds, the women’s editor for the there was only one recourse once Valley). About eight of us sat and Barrie Examiner, who accompanied we had checked in, and that was to chatted to him and to the train con- the band throughout the trip: head to the magnificent beach that ductor at two o’clock in the morn- Atlantic City is known for. It was Tuesday Midnight: Nobody has ing. Sheila More claimed that she jammed with people and for most gone broke (to my knowledge), no- had never been so wide awake in of us it was a first swim in salt wa- body is ill (except for Dawn Camp- her whole life. Our late arrival in ter. It was not overly windy but bell’s slight case of poison ivy Philadelphia is not worrying Mr. inexperienced as we were, we which is apparently not being ag- Leishman too much now. The train gravated by travel) and nobody has promptly found ourselves being slammed to the bottom or tumbled

7 NEWS and views ______head-over-heels by the breaking field. We, on the other hand, rode Jersey chicken and the big Idaho surf. You quickly learned to ride “jitneys” to the Ambassador Hotel “spud,” the miniature of Independ- the wave or dive underneath it be- for breakfast and a brief concert of ence Hall in Philadelphia, orange fore it broke on you. It was either light airs for an appreciative Cana- trees from Florida and a gargantuan that or you also ended up with a dian delegation. cheese from Wisconsin. A hunt swimsuit down to the knees or at The grand parade began at 9:30 and club from Maryland came with least filled with several pounds of took almost three hours to pass, horses and hounds, while Delaware sand. Any bikini was worn at the given the thousands of marchers naturally depicted Washington owner's peril. Fortunately, the Bar- and the many Lion dignitaries rid- crossing the Delaware. Well-armed rie bathers avoided the receding rip ing in convertible cars. It was also Texans shot off blanks, in contrast tides that carried several other a protracted affair because each to the soothing strains of the more swimmers out, necessitating rescues band was allotted about five peaceful Hawaiians. In addition to by the competent lifeguards. minutes to strut their stuff and per- the high school and college bands The Parade form before the judges. Barrie was there was the Okefenokee Swamp- sters Band from Georgia, a chil- Is it any wonder that most band the seventy-seventh band to step off and it was eyes front and sedately dren’s band from South Carolina members called it an early night dressed in pink and playing Dixie- and collapsed in exhaustion? For straight ahead. Arriving at the viewing stand the band merely land, the Redmen’s Band from those with more stamina, there were Massachusetts who “pow-wowed” always the amusement arcades of came to a halt and broke out, of course, with “Vive La Canadienne” in front of the reviewing stand and Steel Pier or the tawdry shops that an Alabama band with beards and lined the boardwalk and hawked all and “The maple Leaf Forever.” It was enough for the Canadian dele- sideburns dressed in Confederate of the cheap paraphernalia of a uniforms. beach resort or simply promenading gates following behind to break into along this lengthy wooden high- song in accompaniment. And you way. For the foot-sore but well- could say that it was all in keeping heeled, there was the comfort of a with the new headgear, but every bicycle chair propelled from behind player was well aware of the Fisher by the hired driver or gaily decorat- approach that did not even call for a ed “jitney” buses that provided minor counter-march on this occa- cheap transportation everywhere sion. As Tim Crawford stated: “He else. The chaperones found their said that his band was noted for its way to Hackney’s, “the biggest sea- sound, whether in the concert hall food restaurant in the world” with a or on the march, and not its seating capacity of 3,000. It was tricks. Standing and playing ena- filled with Lions from everywhere, bled the judges to best hear that including Canada, while “the most sound.” The dense crowds that uproarious singsong of the dinner lined the parade route were certain- hour” was led by a Quebecer sing- ly appreciative of that sound and ing—you guessed it—‘Alouette’.” also of the simple appearance of the striking hunting pink that did not More sensible people had heeded require yards of gold braid, rows of Drum Majorettes Sandra McGregor on W.A. Fisher’s warning that parade brass buttons or fringed epaulettes. left and Helen Nichols on the right day, the next morning, would start with a 6:30 muster. Not that we In sum total, the parade was an ex- travaganza that bordered on a stere- Probably the most hard-working in needed any alarm clocks for a num- the Barrie group were the two ma- ber of American bands were al- otype of so much of the American tradition, from the many floats to jorettes, Sandra McGregor and Hel- ready on the streets in full song. I en Nichols, who had high-stepped remember leaning from a ninth the diverse marching bands, alt- hough all in good clean fun. As a throughout and twirled their arms floor window while a group below off. Given their exertions in the roused their Lion delegates from a colourful spectacle, every state in the Union depicted itself in some heat, an Illinois Lion and his wife nearby hotel with several thunder- took pity on them afterwards and ing marches—plenty of reverbera- characteristic way with any number of attractive young women in at- treated them to their luxury suite, a tion between tall buildings—replete cool drink and a much-needed with all the gyrations of the football tendance. There was the large New

8 NEWS and views ______rest. For the remainder, it was off without any prizes, since the ma- had been a great way to start the to the beach and the same the next jority of marks had been awarded summer. Perhaps Fisher summed day or spending what remained of for the marching routines and the it up best when he dryly comment- a dwindling supply of cash. On more complicated and showy the ed to the Barrie Examiner reporter Thursday evening the band en- better. Yet I don’t recall that any- that “The stately cadence of the 70- trained for the overnight trip home one was heart-broken or wished piece youth organization was and by this time there was no trou- that we could emulate what we had among the 50 high school bands ble sleeping, with arrival in Allan- seen. After all, this was not the whose football routines were a rev- dale at noon the next day. Kiwanis Music Festival! The band elation to the Canadians. It is not For once, when it was all over, the had certainly done its job and the likely that the collegiate band will Barrie Collegiate Band came home Canadian Lions were more than mimic its American cousins in pleased to have us. Moreover, it spite of the experience.”

Member Societies

Archives of Ontario Library Essa Public Library Ramara Historical Society Contact Frank Van Kalmthout Contact Contact Cathy Westcott Friends of Fort Willow Meet at Udney Community Barrie Historical Archive Contact Bryan Wesson Centre 7 p.m. 3rd Thurs Jan- Contact Deb Exel June, Sept, Dec Heritage Barrie Bradford/West Gwillimbury Contact Tomasz Wierzba Simcoe County Museum Public Library Contact Kelly Swift-Jones Historic Military 705-728-3721 Bradford/West Gwillimbury Establishment of Upper Local History Association Canada Stayner Heritage Society Contact Jan Blommaert Contact David Brunelle Contact Tom Scholte 705-517-5171 Coldwater Canadian Heritage Huronia Chapter, Ontario Museum Archeological Society Contact Tecumseth & West John Raynor Gwillimbury Historical Society Collingwood Museum Contact: Contact Susan Warner 705-445 Innisfil Historical Society Janine Harris- Wheatley -4811 Contact Donna Wice 905-936-6549 Meet at Knock Comm Centre 2 Meet at TecWeGwill Hall, The Cookstown Community p.m. Newton Robinson. 7:30pm 3rd Development Team Monday Jan-May, Sept-Nov www.CooktownON.ca Deb Museum on the Boyne Township of Essa Crawford contact at 705 791 Contact Katie Huddleston 705- Contact 2051 or Email 435-4030 x. 1802

Township of Tiny Essa Historical Society Orillia Museum of Art and Contact Pamela Zimmerman Meet at Thornton Library 1:30 History

4th Sat. Jan-June, Sept-Nov Contact 705-326-2159 Please contact organizations directly for Orillia Public Library current information as regularly scheduled events may be cancelled due to Covid-19

9 NEWS and views ______