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| | 1907 « 1957 1 ' -- : It is our pleasure to offer 5 4 | CONGRATULATIONS * to the Port Perry Star on the occasion of completing' 50 years of service to this community. May they off I 0 i continue many years. 0 - ' H.W.and W. G. Emmerson INSURANCE ~~ PORT PERRY - Phone 41 eS | Congratulations - MAY WE JOIN WITH THE OTHERS TO OFFER CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL GOOD WISHES ~~ AT THIS TIME 3 Kayvan's Ladies' Wear PORT PERRY ONTARIO [ SR ------ | OUR CONGRATULATIONS We are pleased to add our upon this historic occasion. best wishes to the many others. 'PORT PERRY CHICK HATCHERY HERB. BROOKS : 23 i $ = pS + pO Od : | 3 to our friends and neighbours, The Port Perry Star upon the occasion of their 50th anniversary. + ~ Van's Men's and Boys' Wear 5 | | PORT PERRY fe! TO THE PORT PERRY STAR, and best wishes for continued success. Western Tire Associate Store BOB-HOWSAM PORT.PERRY, Prop. Phone 533 ; : We are happy to offer our ; y y hg - -- ¢ (ong na - i nl A a TO THE PORT PERRY STAR Lake Scugog Lumber Co. Lid. g. N. GRIFFEN TED GRIFFEN Phone 240W Port Perry Pou nste se) 2220000 mre i . : : | ; 4 3 OE 5 . i 4 ad 4 tt The rit, oT hk es EE a pe a ati aA Ba a I a EEA I EEA EE Eo a alta agama TG TC EERIE VIREO CL CE V4 Letters from Friends and Former Citizens $s} costal). %| kitchen, | the day and the door was made. | with her best linen, silver and china in use. | maid (who probably was the 'general girl of all work' at other it | times) to serve the ladies, in any case she woul LETTER FROM MRS. GEO. JACKSON To the Farmer Family: So it is fifty years since Mr. Farmer came to Port Perry! I extend my heartiest congratulations! _ There have been a lot of changes in Port Perry during that fifty years. There were no paved roads, no concrete sidewalks and every self respecting home had a fence around it to keep out the cows and chickens which had quite free use of the streets. The roads were dirt roads, muddy when wet, dusty when dry; the sidewalks were cinder paths or plank walks. 1 remember when the concrete walks were put down. I looked out the window one day as the men were laying the boards that go along the sides before the cement is poured. * They were driving stakes to hold the boards in position. One man had his sledge hammer in the air when the town bell rang for noon. He just dropped the ham- mer right there and ambled home to dinner, so I guess the people have not changed as much during the past fifty years as we might suppose, a, About Education Of course the schools of fifty years ago were nothing like the :| schools of today. But Port Perry has always had a high repu- tation for its schools and scholars. In the old days both high and public schools were in the one brick building on the corner of Queen and Rosa, with two classes in a separate small building which is now the shop building, There were 5 public school teach- ers and 3 high school teachers. The high school teachers were Geo. Stone, Mr. McBride and Madeline Philips. I remember when this school burned down (1926). Mr. Far- mer was on the Board, as I was. No one was more untiring in his efforts to get the best possible school for Port Perry than Mr. Farmer. > : And now about Transportation We had 'six trains in and out of Port Perry, one at 7, 9 & 11 a.m, 12.30, 5 & 7 pm. The road to Manchester, indeed all roads were nearly impassable in the Spring. ~ If a person had to go out of town he would go as far as he could by buggy or wagon and would meet another buggy on the other side of the boggy spot. I remember my husband carrying one lady from one buggy to another over such a spot_on the Manchester Road. There were no busses in those days and few if any cars, ; The Winters i : The children enjoyed sleigh riding, especially on Brock's hill (Elgin St.) and sometimes on Queen St. The skating rink was on Lilla St. where the homes of Bert MacGregor and Wm. Chap- man now are. But the children did not mind shovelling off the lake for skating or hockey in those days. One young couple went through the ice and had to be rescued. ~My husband, Geo. Jackson, was president of the rink com- mittee when the new rink was built (the one aaross from the Scout Hall) and my son, Ted, was president when the present arena was built, so my family have always had something to do with hockey and skating. =. My husband, George Jackson, was the-auctioneer, and for many years he had a sale every day for weeks running and even one on a Christmas day, much to the disgust of his wife. Ted is carrying on in his father's footsteps. Our Churches Our Churches are all over 50 years old (except the Pente- The Presbyterian is more than 100 years old and the United (Methodist) is seventy-one years old. All have been re- modelled and renovated to keep them in repair. I remember when #¢ | the east entrance to our Church (United) Basement was not there. | The women wanted a door put in to save many footsteps as the %| kitchen was in that corner and water had to be carried around the church to the west door and back across the church to the One man strongly opposed the idea--but the women won The former Baptist church was moved to the Fair grounds $2 | and now serves as a building to house the women's work, before | that it had served as extra classrooms for the old school which % | had out grown its building. . This was in the days when the Bap- i? | tist congregation was not using the church. A new church has $t | been built on the site of the former building (Queen & Rosa). Economics--The prices we paid : Fifty Years ago the housewife could take a $5.00 bill .and do her week's shopping. 8c. would buy a doz. eggs, round steak was 10c. a 1b., bread 5c. a loaf and milk delivered 4 or 5c. a quart,-- but few people had their milk delivered ; most folk took their con- tainers and went after the milk--and often it was still warm when they got it, Potatoes were 60c. a 100-lb. bag, sugar 5c. Ib., plucked fowl 25c. (10c. a 1b.) and rent around $10.00 to $12.00 per month. 5 Ibs, good Salada Tea $1.00, peas 3 tins for 25¢., flannelette blank- ets $1.25, wool blankets $3.00 to $5.00. . People often bought a side of beef from a farmer who brought it in to town frozen. They kept it in an outside shed so that it would remain frozen until needed. A ladies suit would cost around $15.00 and hats around $2.00 or $3.00--but they were real creations. We had few pack- aged goods in those days, the merchant measured and weighed as we bought, : + Port 'Perry has many stately homes, most of which were built more than fifty years ago and which still remain in good shape--which I doubt one will be able to say of the homes built today after they have stood for fifty years. To name a few of these. homes there is McCaw's (Carnegie's) Mrs. C. Jeffrey's, Adams (Hutcheson), Burnham's and Brown's (Brigham), Mr. Brown's daughter Agnes was the organist at the Methodist church for several years. There is also Wm. Brock's home (An- derson), Currie's (Boyd), Jone's (Aldred) Kent's, and Dr. Arch- er's (Mrs. Tease). The home I live in was bought and renovated by Dr. Herbert Bruce's brother about 1900. There is also "Rid- dlecombe" built by N. F. Patterson and occupied by the Misses Harris, Parish's, Courtice's (S. Jeffrey's) and Ebbels (Harry Car- negie). Society Every lady had a special receiving day when she would be 'at home' to callers. The house was made spic and span and the housewife prepared to serve dainty 'sandwiches, cakes and tea Usually she had a have a woman in:the kitchen or someone to care for the small ¢hildren. When % | she went calling she left 8 cards on her way out, ope for herself #| and two for her.husband who did not accompany her. # | usually a silver or cut glass dish near the door for this purpose. There was Most of the social activities took place in the winter, and the % | church was the centre for much of them. There were box socials, 2 SHPDRTS, musical evenings with local $alent, Christmas entertain- $2 | ments. ¢ | certs and operettas, % | husband was a member put on a very fine o &%| for a number of years. Queen Esther, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mi- i | kado were the ones I remember best, In the Town Hall there were plays, concerts, band con- The Port Perry Choral Group, of which my retta each winter I recall that a group wanted the Rev. Crossley Hunter to come to Port Perry to preach. He Our son. os pr rn tp aL Lf / PORT PERRY STAR HISTORICAL and MEMORIAL EDITION--Page 9 was in Whitby at the time.and the only time he was available was Saturday morning, go they had a morning service and the church was crowded to the doors. It would not be so today. In those days they had two good attendances each Sunday, but the best was Sunday evening, now they can't even have a church service on Sunday evening. In the summer almost every one had a good garden and nice lawns and flowers. A good garden was also an economic factor, for what vegetables one grew in the garden were often all one had during the winter unless one could get a bushel or two of carrots or turnips from a farmer to store in the cellar. We us- ually had 4 or 5 barrels of apples put in the cellar each fall. There were few fresh: vegetables in the stores and such luxuries as let- tuce, and tomatoes were only available at Christmas time during the winter months. Oranges and bananas were also Christmas treats in most homes. The fruits we had were preserved by the houewife in the canning season or were the figs, raisins and dates which were stocked in big open boxes in the grocery. In the summer there were also excursions up the lake. The Sunday School picnics often went to Washburn's Island and when they did all the family went. One time the boat got stuck on a sandbar near the mouth of the Scugog River. Mr. Bamforth was the minister at that time and I remember him saying in a very mournful voice that the boat 'went to the bottom with all on board'. The lake was the scene of many happy occasions and sad ones too. One of the Jackson men was the first to cross the new floating bridge; John Jackson had fallen on a spike during harvesting and was killed. His funeral was the first across the bridge. In those days all the community turned out to support any activity that. was undertaken. An empty auditorium was un- known unless the weather was extremely bad. No one would have thought of staying home when their home team was playing in the arena, and if one's neighbours had worked hard to get up a concert or play, well, the least one could do was to go out and see it. ' Well times have changed, some of them for the better and some, perhaps, for the worse; but there is no turning back. Zula Mae Jackson. To The Port Perry Star: May I have the pleasure of adding my sincere congratulations on this your Fiftieth Anniversary. It was my pleasure to have been aquainted with the founder of the Port Perry Star and with the members of the staff that have suceeded him. Having had the honour of being the C.C.F. Candidate for Ont- ario Riding on two occasions, I found the Star impartial, courteous and fair at all times. My wish is that you all may have many years of service to our community. Sincerly, Roy Scott To The Port. Perry Star: I am sincerely pleased to greet you on this happy occasion, the|, 50th 'Anniversary of the founding of the Port Perry Star. These have been momentous years; our nation has passed from "Horse- Power" to Atomic Power; we have been plagued with Global War- fare on a scale perhaps never dreamed of by man'; our econmoy has been rocked to its foundations by depression more violent than ever experienced in the long history of society. More rapid and drastic changes have taken place in the time your paper has been in existence than perhaps in-any previous five hundred years of man's history. Yet, withall, the Weekly Newspaper in our land has taken all these changes in stride, and indeed has contributed a unique "something" to the life and culture of the community, the Province and the Nation. It is interesting to watch and study this contribution; to note the growing influence of the "small town Weekly" and its Editors. We note too with some pride how many of the "Big" papers adopt- | ing the practice of inviting on occasion some of the Weekly Edit- ors to speak to the larger audience through the medium of the "Big" page. This is all to the good because one feels the Editor of the Weekly is always close to the people and has a much greater opportunity to keep in touch with the thinking of the ordinary man. It is hoped that this trend may continue to develop and expand, and as you, Mr. Editor begin on your second Fifty years' it is the sincere wish of all of your friends that The Port Perry Star may continue to flourish and may continue to practise the independence of thought so characteristic of the founder and his successors. I congratulate you on your past---I wish you well for your future. May you continue to fulfill that most important function of the Press, report the news as you-see and interpret it without fear or favour, and with malice to none. Doctor, The Honourable M. B. Dymond, Minister of Reform Institutions, Province of Ontario. Three of the Boys Who Gave Their Lives in World Warll - EDITOR'S NOTE -- These pic- tures and others that are placed throughout this special edition are a few pictures that we have. P/0 WILLIAM MURRAY ALDRED Was reported missing on July 29th, 1944 and was later reported killed in action. F/0 J. GLENN MacMASTER Son of the late Dr. and Mrs. J. D. MacMaster, "Killed in Action" Dec. 9th, 1942, L.A.C. ROY WHITESIDE, RCAF Killed in an explosion in Sidney N.S,, on Feb. 15th, 1945. He was employed with Jemison's Bakery before he went into the service." = NEWS ITEMS of PAST a0 YEARS The Year 1941 | The Year 1942 <JAN.--Dr. Bev. Smallman, formerly Population--1,235 of Port Perry, now of McGill Univer- sity has received leave of absence that he may take Government posi- tion to do research work in connec- tion with the storage of grain. MARCH--Sale of War Savings Cer- tificates, oversubscribed. MAY--Owing to higher costs milk will now sell at 10c. per quart, cream 66c. per quart. Other prices at this time are--tinned vegetables from 2 tins for 19¢. to tins for 26c¢.; shredded wheat 2 pkgs. for 23c.; bologha 17c. per 1b, cooked ham 63c. Ib. and 5- string brooms were advertised at 29c. each, -- A St. John's Ambulance class is formed. JUNE -- The retaining wall of the] bowling green is badly damaged with extra heavy rain. -- Good-bye Nip'n Tuck. The last excursion of the train was to see the King and Queen when in Toronto, -- Scugog Centre Church burned, June 12. -- Every organiza- tion is busy raising funds for British War Victims Relief, SEPT.--Henshaw Transport becomes Sweetman Transport, Stewart Sweet- man, owner. ! OCT. -- Prince. Albert Church is 76 years old, DEC.--Dr. C. P., Peterson has taken a position with Christie Street Hos- pital. The family are leaving Port Perry. JAN. -- Local citizens in the armed forces, 22 overseas, 34 serving in Can- add' FEB.--Reesor Fuel and Lumber mov- ed from lakefront to store two door west of hotel on Queen St. APRIL--Plans made for gigantic sal. vage collection of materials for war use, rubber, metal, ete. -- Port Perry and district vote overwhelmingly in favour of conscription. Port Perry says yes 488 and no 25. Canadian overall vote is 62¢; favourable. MAY -- Training plane crashes in Lake Scugog. Pilot saved. JULY---The district joins in plans for farm labour pool. -- Sugar rationing is started, closely followed by coffee rationing. -- Brock's Grocery instal self serve. : OCT. -- Plans made to starf night School in the High School work shop. DEC. --- Another 18 names added to active service list. -- Flying Officer Glenn MacMaster killed in flying ac- cident, The Year 1943 MAY--Port Perry over the top for 4th Victory Loan, JUNE--Epsom Euchre Club has sent a total of $728.50 to the Toronto Ev- ening Telegram British War Victims Fund. -- 87th Anniversary founding of Church of Ascension Parish. JULY --Sgt. Pilot William R. Willard, R.C.A I, son of Mr. and Mrs. 11. Wil- lard, killed in action. AUG. New roof on the Town Hall. ~Bowling Green wall rebuilt, -- New Town Dump on old C.N.R. right of way. Licut. Wm. S. Miller, nephew of Mr. and Mis, Geo. Sweetman, of Scugog, killed in action in Sicily. Lay new corner stone for United Church at Scugog Centre, SEPT. Wm, (Billy) Cook resigns as constable and caretaker of town hall. R. A. Hutchison, public schoo! © spector since-1913 retires, Mr, A \ Archibald new inspector. OCT. Mrs. Brekon has presented the Memorial Library with a painting by her mother, the late Gertrude Spurr ('utts, NOV. Miss Elizabeth Christie, Ep- som, celebrates 100th birthday. Port Perry over the top on fifth Vie- tory Loan, DEC.--Reesor's Fuel and Lumber mo- ~ ving to office occupied by Cephas Sleep. -- Three robberies, Beare Mo- tors safé stolen; tires from cars at Dave Carnegic"s and Geo. Symes. Entry to Beare's effected by cutting glass from window. $250 taken from safe. -- The Venture Tea room will re-open Dec, 6, wii --y lm vg A EA