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! ■#r\ . ifi > • Orono Town Hall bowmanville library 62 Temperance St. 1.1.04 Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 3A8 $1.00 : GST Included Wednesday May 21,2003 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Krista Lowery, Shelly Heritage and Karen Lowery select some choice plants at the Orono Horticultural plant sale held last Thursday at the Orono United Church. This softball gem gets a diamond A softball Hall, of Famer who lives in Orono had the "privilege of a lifetime" on Saturday when folks in the town where he grew up named a ball park after him. Hundreds of fans and residents residents attended the opening of Peter "Pete" Landers Ball Park in Porcupine, Whitney Pauline Johnson poetry celebrated a century later On May 25, 1903 one of Canada's most popular and successful entertainers at the tum-of-the-century - Miss E. Pauline Johnson found herself performing on the stage of Town Hall in Orono, Ontario. Reviews of Johnson's performances performances claim she recited her poetry poetry in small concert concert halls in southern Ontario to spellbound spellbound audiences. audiences. She was apparently quick witted and possessed shiver with or be moved to tears. The daughter of a Mohawk Native Cana- lim itiff ,M:T - "a considerable majority of those present were highly pleased with Miss Johnson's readings of her own poems and also with Mr. McRaye's presentation of Dr. Drummond's Habitant character." character." The Orono recital was produced under the auspices auspices of the E p w 0 r t h League of the local Methodist church. In the fifteen years Johnson was on tour, she crossed the n - --1-- least seven times and played the Pete Landers above, looks forward to watching ball games in the park named after him in Porcupine, Ontario Township, in northern Ontario (near Timmins) where Mr. Landers spent the first 19 years of his life before going on to make a name for himself in fastball. Landers knows he is a rare player indeed to have attracted such a permanent memorial. "There's no better feeling in the world. There is no greater honour for an athlete," he said. Landers was touched by the attention at the weekend unveiling making a point of signing every ball and posing for as many pictures as possible. Who can blame the proud citizens of Porcupine LANDERS continued pege 5 E. Pauline Johnson pic- Maritimes nine tured in costume at the turn times. She also dian father and of the century did ^ many English mother, -- ! recitals Pauline Johnson out of necessity, necessity, as a means to support herself, herself, at the age of 31 began to tour the country. She gave popular recitals of her poetry, comedy routines and plays as a means of support. Her most famous poem, "The Song My Paddle Sings", celebrating her heritage has been read by thousands thousands of Canadian school children children since it was published. Johnson's recitals would be given in two parts, one of dramatic poems about native subjects like "Cry from an Indian Wife", and the second half of her program, Johnson would recite patriotic poems and short plays. For the native inspired portion of the program, program, Johnson wore a costume costume she made herself that was supposed to look like the dress of an Indian princess. It was made of buckskin, rabbit fur, Mohawk metalwork, her father's knife, wampum belts, feathers and two scalps. "the program presented was an entire change from that usually heard here," wrote editor Sam Cuttell in the Thursday, May 28, 1903 edition edition of the Orono News. While the performance did not evoke enthusiasm with the entire audience, writes Cuttell, in ' America and travelled twice to London, England. For almost two decades Pauline was Canada's most famous writer. In the age of public literary performances, before radio or television, she was a star. In the era of horse JOHNSON continued page 3 Backyard Festival a blast Clarington's Back Yard Festival, played to a capacity crowd again Sunday evening. Though there were a few glitches, one of them medical, the crowd of approximately 15,000 at Mosport Park were treated to a musical show followed followed by a spectacular fireworks fireworks display. The parking lot was at capacity at 9:15, said Jennifer Cooke, Clarington's Director of Marketing, "so we closed the gate to make sure everyone who got in had an opportunity to find a parking spot and get a seat. This resulted in a large BACKYARD continued page 3