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18 Tbe Canadian States Ian, Bowmanville, December 20, 1978 Section Two I4 Coutt$ By Mary Ann Warkman Most people are aware t Frederick G. Banting with Charles H. Best isolated insulin in, 1921 but few kpow that Dr. Banting was an excellent artist. A painting of is was used as one of the "Painters of Canada Series", produced by the William E. Coutts Company for Christmas of 1931. The series was an expensive line of cards with silk screen designs and hand separations mean- ing each artist supplied the drawing for each colour used> in bis particular work. The promo. said: "This reproduc- tion is a hand process. The subjeet makes a cbarming framed picture". In a sample book tucked away in a filing cabinet in the Art Department at Coutts Hallmark is Dr. Banting'1S card with a description under- .neathwhich reads: "Only afew people know of Dr. Banting as a painter, but bis friends see in - is work some of the saine qualities of genîus that were evident in bis scientific work." William Coutts was an entbusiastic supporter of distinguisbed Canadian art and design. As far back as tbe 1920's, hie watched the efforts of Canada's struggling "Group of Seven" artists and commissioned a smal group of Canadian artists during the depression years to create Cristmas card illustrations. His was a humble beginning back in 1882 when hie was b orn on a farmi about tbree miles from tbe village of Fevler- sham. Tbe year he was born, is, fatber was killed by a runaway team of borses and his mother subsequently sold the farm and, moved1 to Feversham witb Bill and his tbree older sisters. When Bill was four, is mother died of pneumonia. The two eldest girls went to live with an aunt and uncle and Bill and Catherine, tbe sister closest in age to him, went to live wýith another brancb of tbe family. Bill and Catberine were desperately unhappy witb ýhe older people cbosen to care for tbem and they ran away when Catherine was eleven and Bill was nine. Mr. Coutts recalled tbese memnories eigbt months before is death at 90 in 1973. 'He remnembered the 10-mile walk into Colingwood very clearly. Hallmark StoryI The two children tracked some relatives down and Catherine stayed with one of tbem. The other, a cousin, gave Bill a job on the "Nortbern Belle", a boat, that cruised fromn Collingwood through the islands to Byng Inlet. He polisbed the sip's brass and earned bis way to a lumber mili wbere be worked from 6: 00 until 6: 00, six days a week during the summer. Catherine and Bill got some schooling in Swinton Park living witb an aunt anduncle there. When Catherine had passed ber bigb school exa- minations she applied for a job witb tbe W. J. Gage Company and got it. Bill was most anxious to join ber there and did so wben he was thirteen. He took is first train ride to Toronto carrying an old violin of bis father's. He also got a job wîth the W. J. Gage Company as an offi ce boy for $3.00 a week. In the summer, with Saturday afternoons off, be and a friend would go to a restaurant and have banana cream pie and milk for 10 cents. Then tbey would take in a movie at Sbea's Theatre for a quarter. In 1899 Bil1 Coutts went to work for the Burrows Brothers in Cleveland for two years. Hie there learned wbat tbe retail stationery business was ail about. He'was offered a job with Ryrie Brotbers in Toronto and worked witb tbem until 1912. He took buyîng trips to tbe United States and met steel- die artist Frederick Luckîng. He bad Mr. Lucking make up ten steel-die Christmas card designs and tbey were pro- duced at Ryrie's during the summer for the Christmas season. It was a bld venture but Mr.ý Coutts felt there was a good market for tbe cards and as well, three embossing girls would bave summer work. The cards sold out completely and the 35 cent ones were the first to go. He realized that quality items were appealing to buyers and bis interest in greeting cards was born. The highligbt of Mr. Coutts' success story, according to hlm was bis marriage f0 Charlotte Robertson whom be married in 1908. Mr. Coutts-opeied bis -own agency in a showroom next door to the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In preparation be travelled to', Europe coming back witb more lines to sellE In January of 1914 he crossed the country on a selling tour. When war broke out fromn 1914 to 1918, he couldn't import cards from Europe so went back to Frederick Lucking for. fifty engraved designs. The years between 1916 and 1931 were slow but steady and tbree moves to. larger quarters took place. Through the years, Mr. Coutts bad heard more and more about the Kansas City company, Hall Brothers, and had admired tbeir designs. He approacbed Mr. J. C. Hall about manufacturing Hall Brotbers designs in Canada on a royalty basis. He took is first plane trip to arrange a contract which wasn't put into writing for ten years. In 1948, Mr. Coutts approached Mr. Hall about investing in the Coutts company., Hall Brotbers bought a 40 per cent interest and in 1958 bougbt the balance. Mr. Coutts remained as Chairman of the Board until bis deatb. Today Coutts Hallmark is boused in a remerkably dlean and bright, modern building iW Willowdale. Their, products now include candles, station- ery, party goods, gift books, gift wrapping materials, posters, besides an extensive une of greeting cards. Hall Brotbers is now Hallmark Cards Incorporated and Coutts Hallmark is a wholly- owned subsidiary of it. Coutts Hallmark has their cards ready for dealers' in August so tbey can get to work on thelr valentines to be in the stores on December 26. As card designs have changed so bas the machinery to manu- facture tbem. Today the machines have a specific duty whether to cut, f0 fold, to print, or to emboss witb gold. Tbe operators of the machines are smilers which bas been said f0 be an occupational hazard! The Director of the Art Department at Coutts Hall- mark is a smiler too and he created the Cleever tbe Singing Beaver series of cards and writes many of the texts. He receives bundreds of suggestions from peoplp who send tbem ln but only accepts about baîf a dozen of tbem a year. He's also received pictures from people including one of a pet squirrel in a Santa Claus suit 1 OBITUARY The 'Painters of, Canada' series sample book at Coutts Hallmark contains a çard designed by Dr. Frederick Banting. Snow Blower Safety Prrecautitons Many people buy snow blowers because they're concerned about the strain of shoveling snow by hand. Shoveling taxes your beart and strains the small of your back. If you have decided to save your heart and back by using a powered snow blower, don't become overconfident and cause yourself another kind of injury due to careless operation. Here are a few easy-to-remember safety tips compîled by John Deere to belp you keep your driveway and walks clear of snow and you clear of danger. Read the operator's manual before you touch the controls. Make sure you know how to set up the snow blower properly for safe operation. Become familiar with eacb control, recommended start- ing and stopping procedures, and tbe operation of safety devices. So not tamper with the snow blower by removing safety shields, overriding safety clutches, or increasing engine speed. Manufacturers are concerned about your safety and have designed effective, devices to help protect you from harm. Neyer add fuel wbile the engine is running. Use a safety E0 wý chute wbile tbe engine is running. Instead, turn off the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire, and use a tool to pry out the clog. Neyer leave the snow blower running while you walk away for a rest break or a conversation with n neigh- bour. Give complete and undivided attention to thbe snow clearing job. Just follow this advice from the people at John Deere and you'll keep your driveway clear of snow with less risk of backache and accident. approved gasoline container and keep it high on a shelf wbere children cannot reach. Be sure tbe areas you will' clear are free from hidden hazards - toys, tools, rocks, sports equipment are invisible dangers wben buried in deep snow. Before it snows, check you driveway and walks for anytbing tbat could be a problem. If you blow snow off the front stoop or porch, be sure to take in the welcome mat or rug so it doesn't clog the auger. Keep children and pets safely away wben'operating tbe snow blower. Snow can be discharged to distances of 18 to 32 feet or farther, depending upon tbe size of your unit. A machine tbat discbarges snow to that distance can propel a rock at great velocity. Play it safe. Direct the snow dis- charge away from buildings and people. Using a snow blower is an adult's job. Don't turn it over to children. And be sure that any adult who uses' your snow blower is properly instructed in its operation. Wear relatively close-fitting clothing. A loose scarf can be caught in the auger bMade. Loose. straps on coat sleeves, loose beits, and gloves fasten- ed to D-rings are ail possible dangers. Do not operate the snow blower too close to a ditcb or terrace. Watch for holes or curbs that could cause you to lose balance and fali. Reduce speed on siopes and sharp turns to prevent tipping or loss of control. Watcb for traffic when nearing the street. And avoid blowing snow on a road or bighway. If the auger becomes clogged, do not reach into the auger shell to dislodge ice, snow or otber objects. This is probably the most common cause of snow blower injuries. Neyer put your hand into the auger housing or discharge H-ayman sai Monday tnat ne thinks the fire at the corner of Lambert and King St. followed a break-in He said it was of an incendiary nature. The Fire Marshal's office was asked to investigate the cause of the blaze wbich broke oiuf Prir.av rorninçg sbortlv Damage was estimated at $4,000 or $5,000 to the building and the fire ýdepart ment estimates that damage f0 tbe contents could be about $1,000. The fire was confined to a private office located in the east side of the building. 'e i Wishlng you all the blesslngs of a Joyous holiday season. Slncere thanks one ami ail. HalerveySemith AZ~-De aler 56 Duke St.- Bowmanville Teleohone 623-2015 STEUMANS See us for the ultimate in styling in Peters-Revington cocktail and end- tables now at the Bowmanville Furniture Barn. The best for Iess on ail your f urniture needs. BO0WM ANmVU 1L LE F uR NIT UR E BÀARN Located on the Southwest Corner of Martin Road and Highway No. 2 Phone 623-3034 Open Thurs. 10-6 Fr1. 10-9 Sat. 10-5 A rson Suspectedi A fire at Brook's BP station af ter tbree a.m, in Bowmanville last week is Chief Hayman said the blaze believed to have been deliber- was noticed by a passerby who ately set. saw smoke and called the fire Newcastle Fire Chief Jim department.