Compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
Mar. 23, 1994
25 Years Ago
Pontiac dairy farmers being surveyed: The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture is still conducting surveys to determine what was killing local dairy cows last year.
Dr. Guy Huneault, a consultant with the animal health division of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAPAQ) in Lachute, said they plan to conduct epidemiology surveys on at least nine Pontiac dairy herds.
Some surveys have been completed, but results will not be available until all of the surveys are conducted.
It was between Christmas and New Year of 1993 that the disease reared its head in Quebec, killing 30 cows locally. It was very acute until the end of February.
St. Patrick’s Day Party at Manoir Sacre Coeur: On Thursday the auxiliary of the Manoir Sacre Coeur held their annual St. Patrick’s Day party.
The lively music lent a very festive atmosphere to the occasion. Everett Courtney had organized the musicians. He played his banjo and violin. Tony Davis played the accordian, Guy Ladouceur, his guitar and Carol Ladouceur her electric keyboard.
Delicious sandwiches, squares and cookies were served with tea and coffee.
Mar. 26, 1969
50 Years Ago
Pontiacs win ODHA Intermediate “A” Championship: Eight in a row, what a way to go! Picked by many to choke in the playoffs, the Shawville Pontiacs, after a season end slump, came roaring back to dispose of Prescott and Renfrew with eight consecutive wins.
The scene on the ice and in the dressing room at the end of the game was one of complete bedlam.
Coach Murray sent out Earl Powell and Royce Richardson for the final shift and it was quite a sight to see the two veterans when the final buzzer sounded.
It was the ‘big fella’ Carson Ryan who led the way for the Pontiacs with a hat trick in the final game. Ivan Saunders drove home the winner while “Sugar Ray” Robinson notched the insurance marker. The final score was 5-2 for Shawville.
Friday night, 1,150 fans journeyed from all over the Pontiac to cheer on the squad as they dumped Renfrew 8-3.
Three charter members: Dougal McCredie threw the first stone at the official opening of the new three sheet Shawville Curling Club on Saturday.
Irene Shaw brought along some schedules of the year 1927 which was the first year they admitted women to the club and during which year she was one of the first skips in the ladies’ section.
Nellis Hodgins addressed the gathering on the history of the club and also held the broom for Dougal’s stone. All three are charter members of Shawville Curling Club and were honoured guests at the festivities on Saturday.
Mar. 23, 1944
75 Years Ago
Local news: In consideration and sympathy for Pte. Ray Johnston, an exhibition hockey match was played at Shawville Arena on Monday night between Fort Coulonge and the Campbell’s Bay – Calumet Island teams.
Ray Johnston was injured in a hockey game at Campbell’s Bay two week’s ago which necessitated the removal of one eye. He was playing a defense position with the Campbell’s Bay team against Renfrew.
The annual meeting of the Bristol Busy Bee Institute was held on Thursday evening at the home of Mrs. Earl Findlay. There were 13 members and 7 visitors present. Three quilts were on display which were all finished since the February meeting, also sufficient blocks for another afghan.
Plans were made to send a bundle of clothing to the Greeks in answer to the appeal for used clothing
With hundreds of thousands of soldiers and billions of dollars’ worth of supplies streaming to Europe over a bridge of ships, it is both welcome and important to hear how safe that bridge has become and how thoroughly the one grave menace to it, the German submarine, has been defeated.
According to the First Lord of the Admiralty, A.V. Alexander, Allied convoy losses are now less than one ship in every thousand and so far as is known, only one major troop transport of the many thousands sent abroad has been sunk throughout the entire war.
The Allies’ three invasion chiefs: General Sir Bernard Montgomery, commander of British land forces; General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander; and Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, General Eisenhower’s deputy watched pre-invasion manoeuvers somewhere in England.
Mar. 20, 1919
100 Years Ago
Local news: A big sleigh-load of young people of Wyman attended the rink here in Shawville Saturday evening.
The second carnival of the season held at the rink last Thursday was in every respect a successful event. The number of costumed skaters was larger than has been seen at similar functions held here for some time, while in some of the competitions for which prizes were offered, there was close rivalry, rendering the task of judging none too easy. There was a good attendance of spectators, people coming from many miles around to enjoy the sight and take advantage of after skating which however, came at a late hour.
Two famous Canadian battalions have arrived from England within the past few days, the 42nd Highlanders of Montreal and the Princess Patricias of Ottawa. The former was disbanded at Montreal last week shortly after the veterans arrival in the city and after they had been given a rousing reception. The “Pats” are due to reach the capital on Wednesday and great preparations are being made for their reception.
Of the original establishment who went overseas in 1914, very very few of the men are left to receive the well-merited honours which the record of the battalion deserves. The “Pats” were in several of the most stubbornly contested engagements during the early stages of the conflict and always outnumbered without sufficient artillery support, they suffered extremely heavy casualties and had consequently to be re-enforced several times.
Ad: When buying butter, insist on this brand always: Creamery Shawville Butter, fresh, sweet and delicious. Try some of our fresh buttermilk.
Mar. 22, 1894
125 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. Ed Graham of Elmside started with four teams for Mason’s Depot on Wednesday and had got as far as Yarm when he met Mr. Adam Hodgins who was on his way down from that region. The reports which he gave convinced Edward that it would be useless to proceed further so the teams were again faced homeward.
They said it was good. This was the freely expressed opinion of the very respectably sized audience which patronized the concert given last Wednesday evening under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge of this village. Had it not been for the very disagreeable nature of the weather and the decidedly bad state of the roads, there is no doubt a much larger attendance would have been present.
The special features of the evening and those which apparently delighted the audience most were the Irish character songs of Messrs. Jackson and Smith, the instrumental selections of the Bryson trio, Prof. Real, Mr. P. McCabe and Miss E. Clarke, and the concluding farce entitled “Initiation of a candidate into the noble order of the Sons of Timbuctoo”.
The roads are breaking up very fast now in Upper Thorne. Our tradesman are having a busy time repairing farmer’s outfits for the spring.
Our teachers all took the benefit of a holiday on Good Friday.
Sugar making is the order of the day in Dunraven. Be on the watch, boys for the tents among the maples.
The shanties are broken up, boys are home looking well after their winter’s work.
We understand the Dominion government intend placing stays under the drawbridge at Chapeau to make it safe for the summer’s traffic and next winter have it thoroughly repaired.
Spiritual Growth
By Esther Colpitts
Another storm
I awoke Sunday morning to blowing snow. The road was covered, so was the car. Winter had reared its ugly head. It was so spring-like Saturday but as I looked out the window my hopes were dashed.
I find that life has a way of doing the exact same thing. You turn a corner and trouble hits you broad side. But why are we surprised by this? I think it is because we believe that life should be better than it is.
There is a reason why we think this way but that’s another story. Like it or not, storms come, cancer storms, financial storms, difficult relationships. Jesus warned us in John chapter 16 verse 33 that it would be this way and He was right, but He also said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Whatever we face in life, we can find an anchor in the One, who long ago, spoke, and the storm was stilled.
