George Theriault provides moose meat for Prime Minister Lester Pearson's 'VIP game dinner party' with help from Ross Sawyer

Shortly after Lester B. Pearson became prime minister of Canada in 1963, George Theriault received a phone call from his secretary who made a special request.

Mary MacDonald, the prime minister's long time secretary, said Mr. Pearson was hosting a "VIP game dinner party".

Writing in his fascinating book 'Trespassing in God's Country', Mr. Theriault explained that "He wanted to serve moose meat as one of the main courses. He had specifically asked if I could provide him with a hundred pounds of meat for his party. Even though it was late in the moose hunting season, I was confident that I could find just the right moose to satisfy his desire, so I agreed."

How did Mr. Theriault become acquainted with the prime minister of Canada?  Mr. Theriault met him while stationed at Rockcliffe while he was serving in the RCAF and Mr. Pearson was a "high ranking government official". Later when Mr. Pearson entered politics and became the member of parliament for Algoma East, which included Chapleau, They renewed their friendship.

Mr. Theriault had established his air base at Chapleau after retiring from the RCAF in 1954.

After the phone call, Mr. Theriault flew out to Sahler Lake with his friend and hunting buddy Bill Clarke to dismantle a tent camp they had used during a busy two weeks for moose hunting.

"We finished our chores quickly then paddled the canoe across the lake to a creek. We pulled the canoe onto the shore and walked up a trail along the side of the creek. About three quarters of a mile up the creek, we caught site of a young cow feeding in the shallow water of the creek. Instantly Bill and I both had the same thought  --- there's the prime minister's moose. Without hesitating for one moment, I raised my gun and shot it."

Everything was working out well and within a few days the moose was hung and butchered, and then ... Mr. Theriault entered his office at the airbase only to discover that someone had broken into the building through one of the windows. 

The prime minister's moose had been stolen!

Mr. Theriault notified the Ontario Provincial Police who had coincidentally stopped a car the night before with moose meat in it. However, after visiting the home of the car driver, the police found no meat. 

Now Mr. Theriault was in quite a predicament. It was too late to go hunting.

Ross Sawyer to the rescue!!!

Ross gave him a hind quarter of a moose that he had shot for his family, and this was sent to the prime minister for his party.

"It may not have been as tasty as the young cow, but it was moose meat nonetheless. The dinner party turned out to be a success after all, and the prime minister conveyed his appreciation."

'Trespassing in God's Country: Sixty Years of Flying in Northern Canada' is a must read for anyone interested in our north country..

George Theriault died on May 26, 2015 at age 95. I leave you with the final paragraph from his book: "That's the most amazing thing: life just goes on  -- with us and without us. None of us are permanent fixtures on this landscape; we are all trespassers in God's country."  May he rest in peace.

Thanks  to John Theriault, one of Mr. Theriault's sons who provided me with a copy of his father's book.

Also, I extend my most sincere best wishes to all for the holiday season. Enjoy! Stay safe! Peace be with you. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Creative Kids Club being launched at Chapleau Hub (St John's) in January 2019

Cynthia Barlow used with permission

A Creative Kids Club is being launched at the Chapleau Hub (St John's Anglican Church) on January 3, 2019 -- what an awesome way to start a new year.

When I saw the post about the club on Facebook, I immediately contacted Cynthia Barlow, who is behind the project, for information, and she kindly got back to me very quickly. Thanks Cynthia.

She said, "I feel today that kids need to socialize more and have the opportunity to plan events and create with crafts. So many kids can be creative".

At the club the kids will be able to do creative art, plan events like putting on shows -- fashion show. puppet show -- put together a dance or a band - a place where they can socialize and be creative.

"Our slogan is CARE. We want the children to Create, Accept everyone for who they are, Respect each other and Express themselves." Great slogan!

Cynthia is a child development practitioner with " a lot of knowledge about children and their milestones and development."

She added that she has "a very creative daughter. She loves doing crafts and loves music. She inspired me to start this club." The other person involved is Hannah Barlow who had a similar idea in mind.

Let me flash back to my own growing up years in Chapleau, where there was no official creative kids club, but there were teachers and others in the community who played a role in developing our creative side.

For example when I was in Grades 3 and 4 at Chapleau Public School we had a Junior Red Cross Society which presented plays to the class. I directed and acted in a swashbuckler play with Alison McMillan, Brian and Teddy Demers which we created ourselves. We rehearsed at the Demers home and Mrs. Demers who owned a clothing store made our costumes. Mrs. Madeleine Pellow was our teacher who fully supported our production.

This single  creative activity in the late 1940s led me into a lifetime interest in drama and many years later when I was teaching at Chapleau High School, I directed plays in student productions.I also taught drama there.

 I even studied drama at the University of Toronto, and it all led to a faculty position at College of the Rockies where I taught a course in Children's Theatre in my early years there.

I was also fortunate that my mother, Muriel E (Hunt) Morris, taught at Chapleau Public School for 32 years and directed many plays and concerts including 'HMS Pinafore' by Gilbert and Sullivan. My only regret was that Mom would not let me use the costumes for plays with my friends! She would let me attend rehearsals in the old Town Hall in the evening.

My grandfather George Hunt also played a very important  role. When I was playing with toys in the living room, Grandpa would join me, and through him I learned much of the history of England. 

In a Facebook post on the Chapleau Community Bulletin Board, Cynthia asks that those interested send an email to creative_kids_club@outlook.com to obtain a regsitration form. There is no cost to register.

"We would like to have most of the children registered so that we have an idea of how many so we can prepare everything and make sure we have enough of everything for them," the post says. It also outlines the January project in detail.

Leighton Stultz used with permision

To sum it all up, I turned to my friend Leighton Stultz, the American model and actor to share his comments on the importance of "creative kids" in a message for the kids and parents too.

Leighton wrote: "Being creative is something all kids share equally. It's the one thing you can never run out of and can never be taken from you. It's a way to display your personality, smartness, kindness and every emotion all without needing the use of words. It's what sets you apart from the crowd but just as easily brings you together. Your creativity is yours and just like your fingerprint, no two are alike so don't ever be afraid to express yourself because the world needs you and your creativity."  Thanks Leighton.

FACEBOOK: Creative Kids Club

I wish everyone involved in the Chapleau Creative Kids Club every success. I will certainly follow your progress with great interest. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

George Evans on 'Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic' as schools established in Chapleau's early years

From the moment Chapleau was established in 1885, and families started to arrive, there were children about in  the "cluster of homes", and parents  wanted a school, according to an article by George Evans.

George, the long time teacher and assistant principal at Chapleau High School, who died in a car accident on March 18, 2012, wrote a series of articles about Chapleau called 'Snapshots of Chapleau Past'.

In one called 'Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic', George wrote that the first school was in a tent in 1886, but was moved to a "sturdier structure" in the vestry of the first Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.  Monthly fee was $1.00 per child.

This school was not too successful so by 1889 it was back to a tent over a low frame wall and floor located about where Trinity United Church is today.

Here is George's glimpse into the "pioneer students under canvas".

"They sat on home-made wooden benches and used home-made wooden desks arranged around a box stove. The teacher was responsible for cleaning and heating the school".

By 1890, it was realized that this school was not satisfactory so a public meeting was called in February 1891 and Robert Holding was named chair of a school board.

A school was established on Pine Street in a wooden building beside St. John's rectory. School street was established.

George noted that by 1893 a second room was added for students "lusting after knowledge and wisdom". The annual budget was $1100

According to Vincent Crichton’s account,which George included in his article, this was Chapleau’s version of the legendary pioneer school house.  "At the front of the class, the teacher presided behind a big wooden desk that had a large hand-bell on it. The students sat at new double-desks. A water pail with a tin cup sat on a chair near the woodstove. The girls were responsible for sweeping and cleaning the premises; the boys filled the woodbox, stoked the stove, and carried out the ashes. The teacher was stuck with getting to work early enough to get the fire in the stove going and thaw out the ink bottles. One delicate matter is not mentioned in Vince’s book and so we must assume that an outhouse or two were somewhere on the property. George wrote that in  1901, "the same year that the municipality came into being, the school board built a new public school on the lot beside St. John’s Anglican Church, just across the street from the first public school.  A fine, two-story, 4-room building with central heating, the new building brought Chapleau’s public school into the 20th century, leaving behind the crude but romantic make-do arrangements of the 19th century.'  This building was to play a long and distinguished career in Chapleau’s educational history becoming Chapleau High School after it was established in 1922. George wrote that in the mid-20s, a major transformation took place when two regular classrooms, two labs, and a low-ceilinged basement gym were added and the whole structure was given a brick exterior. This renovated building was the red-brick Chapleau High School that many people still fondly remember." Chapleau Public School was built along Pine Street beside the old Town Hall. Chapleau High School, in its turn, left the old building in 1966 to migrate to its new home atop the hill on the western edge of town  But the old building had still not finished its educational mission. It soon became the Senior Public School, housing the overflow from the Public School as the last of the baby-boomers began flowing through the system. It was demolished in 1976 and the Chapleau Civic Centre is now on the site. George noted that his article was based in part on information contained in Vince Crichton's book 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario.' Just a note: Over the years there have been several accounts written about education in Chapleau including a detailed one by J.M. Shoup long time teacher and principal of Chapleau Public School. I am spending some time on the history of education. Please feel free to email me at mj.morris@live.ca if you can contribute. APOLOGY  I apologize for the layout!! Gremlin attack!!

Ian Macdonald on distinctive face of Smith and Chapple successfully adapted to the many different eras of retailing concepts in the Chapleau region.

Note: Ian Macdonald shares the story of Smith and Chapple in Chapleau. Ian is professor emeritus and retired head of the departmnent of architecture at the University of Manitoba. Thanks Ian. MJM My email is mj.morris@live.ca


By Ian Macdonald
Commercial retail activity is a significant part of the cultural heritage of a community through speaking to the way people bought and sold goods and services. Communities along the height of land, compared to other Northern Ontario communities, remained comparatively remote except for the railroad until the 1960’s.


Image: McNamara shop interior

The region became progressively less isolated when Highway 129 from Chapleau to Thessalon on Lake Huron was opened in 1949 and Highway 101 connecting the community with Timmins and Wawa was finally completed in 1967 including the Highway 651 connection from Highway 101 to Missanabie. Goods and services until then were provided almost exclusively within the community itself. Mail order outlets facilitated catalogue shopping but for the most part, businesses were independent and mostly family owned enterprises which extended in many cases over several generations. Competition was thus not only spirited but also very very personal.


General store buildings in those early days were simple and straightforward with gable or shed roofs. They were generally one and a half or two storey structures with the sales floor on the main floor. Granite bedrock in most locations lurked only a few feet below ground level forcing the main floor to be two to five feet above grade if basement space was required. Second floors were typically residential and occasionally commercial office space depending on the building location. Internal organization of the stores were mostly symmetrical with a clearly defined main entrance located on the main axis and recessed to form an entry alcove. This allowed for increased window area and larger displays.

Shop areas had high ceilings and the front façade included large plate glass display windows. Long counters were located on one or both sides of the main customer circulation area and business was mostly conducted over the counter. Timber construction was predominant for both structural and decorative purposes with little option but to use local labour skills and resourceful use of materials. The store front, however, was different and was seen to be one of the main factors in establishing a competitive edge in a highly competitive market.

Image: Beamish and Smith store

The importance of the store front in commercial retailing is best illustrated in one of the first stores built in Chapleau by James McNiece Austin in Chapleau in the 1890’s on the north east corner of Birch and Young Street. The original business had been established on a site 100 feet to the east by T.A.Austin in 1885 and sold to his brother, James McNiece Austin in 1888 who operated the business for five years before selling out in 1903 to R.A. Beamish and Stuart Smith. This new enterprise became known as Beamish and Smith and lasted four years before it was acquired in 1907 by the partnership of Stuart Smith and V.T.Chapple and became Smith and Chapple.

The original store building facing Birch Street was approximately thirty feet wide, a hundred feet deep and typical of most general stores of that era. The structure was of rudimentary wood frame construction with a flat roof slightly sloping south to north. The plan organization of the building was symmetrical around a glazed double door main entrance. It was similar to most other commercial buildings in the newcommunity with the exception of the Birch Street store front that incorporated enough architectural features to fill a history text book.


Image: architectural drawing of Smith and Chapple

The Birch Street store front was consistent with established principles associated with highly urban areas like London, England where the shop is usually part of an established urban streetscape rather than a single free standing corner building on the Canadian frontier. These architectural features included overly large wood panelled corner pilasters to establish physical separation from neighbouring buildings and supported a bold and complex cornice at roof level. Bold cornice detailing was also an established way of providing clear definition between the shop front and the upper floor. The store also had the advantage of a large blank wall surface facing Young Street that allowed for additional signage. Entrance to the store was a recessed glazed double door that provided a strongly defined entrance alcove and additional plate glass display area.

Image: Smith and Chapple original storefront

The store had changed owners three times before it became Smith and Chapple in 1907. There were no changes to the architectural features of the original store front during these changes in proprietorship. The name of the respective owners was simply repainted on the second-floor wall facing Birch Street and minor changes were made in the signage over the plate glass display windows.
Image: Smith and Chapple 1915 Expansion

V.T. Chapple who is recorded as being the most energetic and ambitious of the Smith and Chapple partners, tripled the size of the original store with a building expansion in 1915. The expansion was effectively the double replication of the original building which faithfully maintained and repeated the same distinctive features of the original.

Image: Smith and Chapple final Expansion

The store would be further expanded one more time during the depression years with the addition of a butcher shop, groceteria and basement level snack bar and shop. This renovation included removal of most of the distinctive architectural features of the original building. Decorative ornament was eliminated and the building surfaces were smoothed out to give a more “modern” appearance and a large Smith and Chapple sign would stretch over the entire length of the building facing Birch Street.

Image: Village Shops exterior image

The store remained this way until 1987 when it was acquired by the Bignucolo family who renovated the building and rebranded the business as “The Village Shops” . This renovation, responding to more open and contemporary retailing principles, Included removal of Interior walls and partitions and conversion of second floor commercial retail space to eight apartment units.

 Image 8 Village Shops interior image

This venerable old building is one of the few early commercial retail buildings that has endured the ravages of time and successfully adapted to the many different eras of retailing concepts in the region.


Ian advised that Images in this article are from the Vincent Crichton Sr. Chapleau Historical Photo Collection are published with the kind permission of Dr. Vince Crichton Jr.
Photos 7 and 8 of the Village Shops are provided by Lucy Bignucolo

Hockey became part of Chapleau community life in its early years with road trip to Sudbury by 1893

SEE BELOW

In the beginning, one of Chapleau's earliest residents, J.Gill built the first ice skating rink shortly after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, according to Vince Crichton in 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario'.

However, Vince noted that "it is definitely known from an old minute book of the Chapleau Brass Band that such an enterprise was being operated by J. Gill during the winter of !888-89".

How come this information comes from the band's minute book? Well, apparently Mr. Gill had entered into a contract with the band, which was formed in 1888, to supply music on skating nights at the rink. 

Around this time, Chapleau must have formed its first seven man hockey team because in 1893, it made its first road trip to Sudbury for a game.

 Sudbury Museums web site reports as follows: "Hockey is widely considered to be Sudbury's most popular winter sport.  The first enclosed skating facility in the area, Martin's Rink, was built in 1892 and during that year, a group of men formed teams for the first game of hockey in Sudbury during the  winter carnival.

"The first inter-town hockey game played in Sudbury was on March 13, 1893 against Chapleau.  Sudbury won the match with a score of 2-1."

It also provided insight into how the game was played: "The early hockey games were much different than today's style.  The first games were played by teams of seven with no player substitutions.  Instead of three periods, there were two halves and scoring a goal was called "taking a game".  There were no linesmen  and only one referee, an amateur who knew the basic rules of the game and volunteered for the task.

SEE BELOW

"The first indoor rink was nothing like what we are accustomed to today.  These were unheated, wooden buildings that were numbingly cold in the winter.  There was no artificial ice, which meant that in the spring, the ice would turn to slush, making it almost  impossible to play hockey (although efforts were still made)."  Chapleau was no exception.

  I have been unable to discover the names of players on this team, or a photo but hockey had become part of community life.

Vince tells us that by about 1895 Lombard LaFrance who had arrived in 1885, had built a rink on Lorne Street. Although it was an open air rink it  was enclosed with a high board fence .  Mr. LaFrance may have been a member of the  1893 team that travelled to Sudbury. His son, also Adelard or "Adie" played several games for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League in the 1930s.

Over the years this rink was gradually enclosed and by 1951, it was closed and the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena was officially opened. on the same spot It was replaced by the Chapleau Recreation Centre which included the Mrs. A.W. Moore Arena in 1978.

Back to the early years of hockey. By about 1910, maybe even a bit earlier, there was a very competitive town league which led Robert McEween to donate the McEwen Cup. Mr. McEwen operated a pressing and tailoring shop which he established in 1905.

The first winners of the McEwen Cup, emblematic of local hockey supremacy was in 1911. From a personal view, my grandfather Harry Morris and my great uncle Charles Mulligan played on the team.  Grandpa had arrived in 1910 to work for the CPR as trainman/conductor.

I have included photos of the first winning team of the McEwen Cup, a photo of a town league team on which the famous goaltender Bob Turner played, and fast forwarded to the Chapleau High School team of 1956 when I was a student there and had "retired" as a player and was a referee. 

If any readers can provide more information on Chapleau hockey history, please feel free to contact me. Thanks. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

PHOTO INFORMATION

Robert McEwen donated the McEwen Cup, emblematic of hockey supremacy in Chapleau. Here is the first winning team in 1911. Photos are numbered: 1, Peter Moran; 2, Gordon Sheppard; 3, Simon Kruger; 4, Harry Morris (my grandfather); 5, Omer Lahay; 6, Oscar Tremblay; 7, Ken McFadden ;8, Charles Mulligan (my great uncle); 9, Herb Merrick and 10, Robert McEwen.

In 1919, Bob Turner, a legendary goaltender over the years was playing for a Chapleau team. In back are Clothier (could be different spelling and first name not given), Fred Kelland, Alex McAulay, Frank Boucher, Buster McAdam, Bob Turner, Amon Saylors, Ken Sheppard.  These were the days of seven man hockey and no subs

The CHS team of 1956 is below.A highlight of the year for the Chapleau High School team of 1956 was a trip to Terrace Bay. Back row from left: David McMillan, Doug Sleivert, Stan Barty,Thane Crozier, Clarence Fiaschetti (teacher and coach), George Lemon (principal) Second row: Doug Espaniel, Roger Mizuguchi, Bill Cachagee . Front are Jim Hong, Bert Lemon, Harry Pellow, Ken Schroeder, Robbie Pellow (Mascot) Marc Boulard, Harry Hong, Jim Machan, Ron Morris. Note that Clarence was playing on the 1949 Junior team, and was also first CHS student to return as teacher.

Chapleau born Ron Schock played impressive 909 games in National Hockey League

Ron Schock, who was born in Chapleau in 1943, but moved with his family to Terrace Bay in 1948 where he started his hockey career played an impressive 909 games in the National Hockey League from 1964 to 1978.

Inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, an article on its web site says that in Terrace Bay he developed his "outstanding skills" which saw him go on to enjoy a successful NHL career.

It adds that given there was no junior or juvenile league there while Ron was growing up, "Ron found himself playing in a men's intermediate league at the age of 16 advancing to to the Western Canadian finals."

A Boston scout observed Ron's talents and he moved into the Bruins organization and he was sent to play with  Junior 'A' Niagara Falls Flyers. He also played with the Junior 'A' Kingston Frontenacs, the article said. He had a strong career with the Flyers.

Ron's grandparents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Tom Edwards a Chapleau pioneer family. His sister Norma was in the same grade as me at Chapleau Public School, and it surprised us when they moved in 1948. 

Ron played for several NHL teams starting with the Boston Bruins then on to the St. Louis Blues. While he was there while attending a hockey dinner he was asked what team he would "least" like to be traded to. He replied the New York Rangers or Pittsburgh Penguins. Two days later he was traded to Pittsburgh. Such is the hockey world.

On the web site 'Greatest Hockey Legends.com" Ron told Joe Pelletier, "That is a trade I'll never forget. I had been playing golf with the Blues' owner, Sid Salomon, on a Friday and he had been telling me how well the team seemed to be going and how he was looking forward to having me on the team the next season. The following Monday, I was traded to Pittsburgh!"

Ron Shock is perhaps most famous for his double overtime "Midnight Goal" that won game 7 for the Blues over the Minnesota North Stars on May 3, 1968, and sent the Blues to the Stanley Cup finals in the first year of the NHL expansion. Arguably, this was a major contribution to the early popularity of the St.  Louis Blues franchise, according to Wikipedia.

Ron also noted in his interview with Mr. Pelletier that  like most players who played just prior to the original expansion in 1967, he  took great pride in the fact that he made the NHL in the era of only 6 teams.

"I knew I was lucky to be with the Bruins, let alone being in the NHL. After all, there was only 120 jobs available in the NHL those days. You had to be VERY good to make it. "I think any of us who made it at that time just wanted to be wanted by someone."

He also told Mr. Pelletier: "It was a different time for the player then. This was still the time before using jets was the in thing to do. At that time we still took trains. Because of that I think teams were closer because they spent more time together. I can still remember a lot of the old stories the veterans used to tell".

Although he had said he did not want to be traded to the Penguins, Ron spent eight successful years there which included leading the team as Captain. His best season was in 1974-75 when he earned 86 points.

When he retired Ron had played in 909 games with 166 goals and 351 assists for 517 points.

Ron and Adie Lafrance, Floyd Curry and Jason Ward so far are the only Chapleau born who played in the National Hockey League. My email is mj.morris@live.ca.