Compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
Nov. 24, 1993
25 Years Ago
Mustangs pass Panthers on the outside: Pontiac High’s junior girls basketball team had its second consecutive valley championship within its grasp but let it slip through their fingers with less than two minutes left to play.
Maintaining control of the ball, the Mustangs shot past them to take home the valley championship Nov. 16.
Playing with home court advantage, the Panthers couldn’t stop the Mustangs as they took a 53-52 lead over the Panthers with 50 seconds left to play.
Staff and patients to be tested for TB: More than 300 patients and staff at Pontiac Community Hospital will be tested for tuberculosis after a nurse was diagnosed with the disease last week.
Gilles Lanteigne, executive director of the hospital, said the situation is under control and the general public should not be concerned.
Through its records, the hospital and local CLSC are contacting former patients from as far back as Dec. 1992 to arrange testing.
There are 278 patients who will be contacted by the CLSC.
Dec. 5, 1968
50 Years Ago
School of tomorrow in Shawville today: Pontiac High School to hold official opening on Dec. 7.
According to best tradition, the centre of the school on the hill is its library. Several thousand books including five different sets of encyclopedia are conveniently available to students in a beautifully appointed reading room.
Librarian Mrs. Donald Dods takes suggestions from teachers to compile her lists for ordering new books and submits her list to the school board for approval before making the purchases.
The bright orange and blue doors leading from the terra cotta floored wide and bright hallways take one directly into an atmosphere of the school of tomorrow.
There is a girls gymnasium and a boys gymnasium separated by a portable wood paneled wall. Bryan Murray, Peter Jentzen and Muriel Keatly will be teaching two classes a week for all grades in the high school.
Bright blond Quebec brick forms walls and pillars in the spacious hallway with indirect lighting panels. The doorway leads into the 150 seat theatre.
Shawville High School holds final convocation: Jane Bretzlaff and William Anderson were awarded the Birks Medal for the highest standing girl and the highest standing boy in the last class every to graduate from the Shawville High School at a convocation service held Saturday night.
The gymnasium auditorium of the high school was being used for a last time as such and at the same ceremony the school building was rededicated as the Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School.
The program was lightened by musical interludes by students and closed by a valedictory speech by Jane Bretzlaff, benediction by Rev. John Pearce and the recessional during which the graduating class left the hall.
Dec. 2, 1943
75 Years Ago
Local news: Pilot Officer James Bruce Findlay, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Findlay of Bristol is reported missing on operational duties overseas.
Word has been received by Mrs. W.D. Campbell, Wyman, that her youngest son, Pilot Officer William Clayton Campbell, reported missing in July is now presumed dead.
Pulpwood cutting is one of the profitable off-season jobs now open to farmers and farm workers who can leave their farms without reducing their winter production, says a statement issued by the Pulp and Paper Industry of Canada. “Canada is still short thousands of men for the winter pulpwood cut”, the statement declares.
During the last few days, first Stalin, then Hitler and now Churchill have delivered speeches to their people. And while actions speak louder than words, the speeches are still an interesting barometer of the atmosphere prevailing in the two camps, as well as a most encouraging forecast for the future says the New York Times.
Both Mr. Stalin and Mr. Churchill took occasion to review the record of “a famous year” of almost unbroken victories which in Mr. Churchill’s words, have inflicted mortal blows on the monstrous juggernaut of German might and tyranny and may well be the precursors of decisive events in the European struggle.
In sharp contrast stands the speech of Hitler which is one outcry of defeat and despair. Delivered on the sorry anniversary of his abortive beerhall putsch, it foreshadows the failure of his more ambitious putsch against mankind.
The Germans must know that they have no greater enemy than Hitler himself, but a desperate madman with a great army at his back is still dangerous and in estimating that danger, Mr. Churchill is a more cautious judge than Mr. Stalin.
Dec. 5, 1918
100 Years Ago
Local news: The report has reach THE EQUITY that 47 persons have died from influenza in Fort Coulonge and neighbourhood.
If this is true, the district mentioned has suffered to a much greater extent from the malady than any other portion of the county that we have heard of. Quyon has stated that the disease had practically disappeared from there.
A few new cases developed in Clarendon Front last week and also in the back part of Bristol and Onslow.
Rev. Martineau lost quite a few members of his congregation in Otter Lake with the influenza.
Miss Eva Desjardins has returned home from the hospital in Renfrew where she has been treated for blood poison in her hand.
The price that the Dominion paid for freedom: casualties suffered by Canadians since the beginning of the war are 159,084 made up as follows:
Killed in action: 27,040
Died of wounds: 9,280
Wounded: 113,007
Died of disease: 2,257
Prisoners of war: 2,774
Presumed dead: 4,342
Missing: 384
The department does not seem to have available individually the casualties suffered in he principal fights of 1914, St. Elol, Zillebeke, and Mount Sorrel in June and the Somme from September until November.
President Wilson is going to France to take part in the Peace Conference which is to open in a few days. A recent dispatch says that while in Europe the German authorities will invite him to make a tour of their country. The invitation may not be accepted as the President plans to be back home again in six weeks.
Nov. 30, 1893
125 Years Ago
Local News: The family of Mr. Fitzsimmons of Bristol were prostrated last week by a very bad type of Diphtheria. A case of Scarlet Fever is reported in the vicinity of Radford. One boy of 12, when over the worst of the disease, as attacked by Quinzy, which closed up the throat completely and he died on Friday.
The river was frozen over on Saturday according to Portage du Fort. The young folks wend their way to Howes Bay in the evening now to enjoy an hour or two of skating.
There are quite a number of jobbers up the Pickanock taking out logs for Gilmour and Houston.
The steamer G.H. Perley, under command of Capt. Toner, arrived here on Friday evening last after a very successful seasons’ operation. The engineer Martin Draper is now engaged cleaning and fitting her up for the winter.
Ad: Quyon as a trading post. Leeder’s as a centre! With ready cash (lots of it) to buy anything above or under ground that has a dollar in it. I buy for cash – anything. I sell for cash – anything. A few may strive to equal but none excel. Mr. E. Meredith, purchasing manager.
One of our merchants has invested in another piece of horse furniture. There will likely be some tall trotting soon.
