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Hitorica »,hitb DONALD R. FLETCHER Many Whitby area residents who are present or past employees of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital will remember the subject of this week's 'Historical Whitby' column. He is Dr. Donald R. Fletcher, who was sitperintendent of the hospital for 22 years, 1934 to 1956. Dr. Fletcher holds the record as the longest-serving superintendent of the Whitby Hospital. Hello and Good-Bye! That's right, this is my last column. As you might have read, I am retiring. I felt that with a full time job, I am not available to you. The column, however, will continue. Susan Smith, a lady of Brooklin, will be taking it over as of next week. I ask that you give her courage and call her whenever there is any news that you may want to share. I know she will do a good job, and have a way of her own for writing the column and adding interesting things. Good-bye and good-luck, I truly enjoyed writing for you. Now for the news of the week. As mentioned before, Ashburn is having a Pre-Christmas Craft Sale and Flea Market. More information is now available The place is the Ashburn Community Centre on Saturday November 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event will include, woodwork, Indian crafts, 'plants, antique items, charcoal sketchings of your children, Christmas decorations, hand- sewn articles, such as, 'childrens's clothing', aprons, waist- coats and much more, and many other features. There will be a draw on a mystery basket to add more excitement, and a light lunch will be available! Be sure to come, maybe even get some Christmas shopping done early. . Saturday November il is the next date for the paper drive. The Brooklin Boy Scouts ask thatyou have your newspapers, no glossys please, tied securly, two ways, out on the curb 'before 9 a.m. This is a monthly project and will be on the second Saturday. For furhter information or any problems concerning your papers please call Pete La Combe at 655-4292 or Jack Alma 655-4930. WITBY Dr. Fletcher was born at Flesherton, Ontario in 1885 and spent his boyhood on a farm. Finding the life of a farmer not to his liking, he decided to study medicine, and graduated from the Medical School of Queen's University at Kingston in 1916. At that time the First World War was raging in Europe, and Dr. Fletcher became an intern with No. 7 General Hospital Unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. During the next four years he saw service in Egypt, England and France' In England he was adjutant at a medical corps depot for. one year, and in France he was battalion medical officer for two years. On retûrning from Europe in 1920, Dr. Fletcher took post-graduate work at the Boston Physchopathic Hospital and the same year he joined the Ontario Department of Health as a member of the staff of the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital. Dr. Fletcher served for a short time at the Whitby Hospital, and for 10 years at the Ontario Hospital in Toronto, the well-known 999 Queen Street Hospital. He was also a demonstrator of psychopathic methods on the staff of the University of Toronto. There will be a meeting for all candidates for school trustee on Thursday November 9 at 8 p.m. at Meadowerest Public School library. Please attend to help you select the proper candidate for School Trustee. Tonight an election forum for Regional Councillors and local Councillors for the North ward will be held at 8,p.m. at the Brooklin Community Centre. This forum is sponsored by the Brooklin Business Association. Don't forget the 'Teen .Dance' on Saturday November il from 8 p.m. till midnight. The music will be by Sweet Sounds disc jockey, and will be held at the Brooklin Community Centre, This dance is open, only, to those 13 to 17 years of age, and proof of age must be presented at the doot. Tickets are available at the door for $2.00 and refreshments will be available. This dance is sponsored .by the Brooklin and District Kinettes. Don't forget that Friday November 3, at 8 p.m. a 'Gala Concert' will be featured by the Oshawa Choral Society on behalf of the 'Reliable Unit' of the Brooklin United Church. The concert will be held at the Christian Education Building. Tickets are $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children under 12. The Myrtle United Church are again serving their Annual Turkey Dinner on Saturday November 4 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $4.00 and are available from any Myrtle UCW member or by calling 655-4704 or 655-4003. Hurry and get your tickets. Have-& Christmas dinner early, with out all the fuss. Well, that is all the news for this week. Again I say good-bye and thank you for making my job as the writer of this column so easy. Marie Wallace The new number to call from now on is 655-3932 Susan Smith Brown's drop-off (before 2 Sat.) The drop off is still available for now. But plen e be usre to keep in touch with Susan if she decides, it is necessary. FREE PRESS WEI)NESDAY.NOVEMBER 1, 1978. PAGE_7, In 1930 and 1931, Dr. Fletcher was inspector of all Ontario Hospitals in the province, and the following year he became superintendent of the Ontario Hospital at Brockville. In 1934 Dr.. Fletcher was appointed superintendent of the Ontario Hospital at Whitby, where he remained until his retirement on June 1, 1956. Dr. Fletcher supervised the introduction of numerous forms of therapeutic treatmnt at the Whitby Hospital including public dramatic productions by the patients on the stage in the hospital's recreation hall. As many as 100 patients at one time took part in these productions. Dr. Fletcher took a keen personal interest in the patients, and on his tours through the wards, he stopped and spoke to the patients by name. Hundreds of people who were patients in the Whitby Hospital benefitted from his humanitarian interest, and many sent him letters of thanks and appreciation after they had gone back into the world. Dr. Fletcher was an'accomplished public speaker, and spoke to service clubs and other groups about the role of the hospital and the changes in attitudes toward mental illness. He encouraged the Red Cross, the Canadian Legion, the Patients' Welfare Association, and other organizations to come to the hospital to work with the patients and bring some. happiness into their lives. When he arrived in Whitby, the hospital still had the stigma of being an,'asylum', and he worked to promote the idea that it was not a 'closed corporation.' Although the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital is placing patients in homes in the community today, Dr. Fletcher pioneered this out-patient concept 45 years ago at Whitby, and at Brockville before he came here, when it was a new and different way of dealing with the-mentally ill. Dr. Fletcher enjoyed only three months of retirement, for he died at Whitby on Sept. 13, 1956 at the age of 71. In a rare expression of tribute to one of their own, the members of the Royal Canadian Legion attended Dr. Fletcher's funeral in a large group, and after a bugler played the Last Post and Reveille, each member filed past the grave and dropped a poppy on the casket. ROOFING - SHINGLES & FLAT DECKS A Good Job for My Good Company Establishedin 1941 Bonded with Consumer's Protection Bureau Gieneral Home Repiring Service FREE ESTIMATES Prop. G.A. White - RR1 Brooklin .655-4741 "He that wants money, means and content is without three good friends." Shakespeare Library presents Nile search films In six consecutive episodes the Whitby Public Library presents the highly acclaimed dramatized reconstruction of one of the most colourful quests of all time - the search for the source of the Nile. Filmed on location ii Africa and England, the films are narrated. by James Mason. All films start at 7 p.m. in the Library Auditorium. Nov. 7 'Dream of the Wanderer' Richard Burton is asked by the Royal Geographic Society to lead an expedition of find the source of the Nile. He is accompanied by Richard Speke. David Livingstone sets out from southern Africa to cross the Kalahari Desert. Nov. 14 'Discovery and Betrayal' Burton and Speke, wracked by fever and deserted by their porters, fail to find Lake Tanganyika. Speke sets out alone and discovers Lake Victoria and claims it to be the true source of the Nile. Burton comes home to find he has been betrayed. Nov. 21 'The Secret Fountains' To confirm his theory, Speke sets out with James Grant. They discover Ripon Falls where the Nile leaves the lake. They follow the river northward where they meet Samuel and Florence Baker. Burton has stayed in England and married Isabel Nov. 28 'Great Debate' The Bakers carry on their search for three fever-ridden years to discover Lake Albert, a vital link in the search for the Nile. David Livingstone challenges Speke's theory. Speke and Burton are invited to debate in public their theories, but Speke dies mysteriously, killed by his own gun. Dec. 5 'Find Livingstone' Livingstone has disappear- ed in Africa and an American reporter, Henry Stanley sets out to find him. They explore the Lake and confirm that the river runs south and cannot be the Nile. Dec. 12 'Conquest and Death' Stanley mounts the largest expedition ever seen in Africa and solves the riddle of the Nile. He and Burton meet and reflect on their adventures. decor! Good selection to choose, from. Boivedore sover i shes Topliono SPEND 15 MINUTES WITH US TOMORROW AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN DURHAMI MORNING REPORTS 6:20 & 7:20 Wether, Sports and News Carried Un Stock. MITcHELL SOE a tOOKUN MS4W1