Frank Coulter honoured for years of service on public school board at graduation ceremonies for 54 students heading to Chapleau High School in 1973

Frank Coulter

Frank Coulter, who had attended Chapleau Public School and Chapleau High School, cut the ribbon to officially open the expanded and renovated public school at graduation exercises for Grade Eight students in June 1973.

Frank was also being honoured for his 17 years of service on the public school board and its successor the Chapleau Board of Education. He had served as public school board chair and stepped in to the same position when Rev. Murray Arnill resigned from the new board of education.

After the ribbon cutting he was presented with a barbecue by board member Scott Thomson, in appreciation for his years of service to education in Chapleau.

I asked Frank after he had retired from the board why he served so many years. His reply was simple: "Mr. Shoup told us we had a duty to serve and this was one way I could." 

J.M. Shoup, a veteran of World War I and II was the principal of Chapleau Public School for 30 years.

The graduation exercises also marked the end of elementary school for the 54 Grade Eight graduates who would be attending the high school for the 1973-74 school year. CHS was experiencing record enrolment with over 450 students registered in the 1972-73 school year.

In his remarks, board chair Mansel Robinson said he felt that the board could be well justified in "puffing their collective chests on the spectacular results of the additions and renovations" to the school.

He added, according to an article in the Sault Star by Maggie Costello: "... it is a million dollar school with a million dollar staff and million dollar students."

Sitting on the public school section of the Chapleau Board of Education at this time with Scott and Mansel were W.D. 'Doug' Jardine, Ron Jackson and Murray Hazen. Scott, Mansel and Doug, like Frank had attended both the public and high schools. Ron had been a teacher at CHS. 

Chapleau reeve T.C. 'Terry' Way-White who had also attended both schools paid tribute to the school boards. He said he felt that Chapleau was second to none in education. 

"We never had what today's Grade Eight has received..."

Jean Paul Spessot was presented with the J.M. Shoup Award, a board award to the student with the highest academic standing in Grade Eight. Mansel presented Jean Paul with the award.

The Rebekah Citizenship Award was presented to Catherine Remus. It was awarded to the student for academic effort and outstanding school citizenship. Mrs. Hendricka Johnson, noble grand of Sincerity Rebekah Lodge made the presentation.

Graduation certificates were presented to the students by assistant principal Ronald Holmes assisted by teacher Wallace Clark.

Following the official part of the ceremonies, the school choir under the direction of Mrs. Jeannette Gjoni with Mrs. Wilma Schmidt at the piano sang four selections.

Maggie Costello commented: "The fresh young voices, finely trained, had a lovely tonal quality and were a versatile group, their attacks sharp and part singing in tune and altogether delightful".

To wind up the program there was fine display of physical education activities under the direction of physical education teacher Don Bosley.

Perhaps you were there, one of the 54 students, graduating from Grade Eight, ready to move on to the high school on the hill. 

REMEMBER WHEN AT CHS!

I received the following CHS memory from Vivian Edwards. Thanks Vivian.

 "You sure are great on what went on in Chapleau High School. The only thing I hated was the school dances. Gees, all the guys stayed in a corner and if one walked across the way all the girls would wait, heart be still, he's coming to ask one of us to dance.  Naw he was going to the washroom."

A PERSONAL THANKS

I received a note this week from John Broomhead telling me that while Dr. Frank Broomhead was in England for John's recent wedding, they visited a cemetery and saw a tombstone with the name Morris on it, who had been killed in World War II, and wondered if it was my father. It wasn't as my father Flying Officer James E. Morris is buried in Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire, but I so much appreciate that they would think of him. Very kind. Thank you. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Ina Robinson crowned Queen of Chapleau Winter Carnival at the Ice Palace with Dr. J.J. Sheahan as King in 1940

Dr J J Sheahan, Ina Coulter

In 1940, Ina Robinson was crowned Queen of the fourth annual Chapleau Winter Carnival by Dr. J.J. Sheahan at the Ice Palace located on the south side of Birch "Main" Street across from Alf Comte's Barber Shop.



Dr. Sheahan, who had graduated in medicine from McGill University in 1906, interned in Ottawa, arrived in Chapleau in 1907, fell in love with the North and established a medical practice in Chapleau. Dr. Sheahan, a very popular Chapleau citizen, was King of the Carnival in 1940. He died in 1942.

In 1921, the citizens of Chapleau presented Dr. Sheahan with a car in appreciation of his work. Although he held office hours, Dr Sheahan made house calls and spent part of his day at the Lady Minto Hospital.

The Ice Palace was built with blocks of ice hauled from the location on the Chapleau River near the old water pump house where Canadian Pacific Railway crews cut ice to use to air condition its passenger trains in the summer months.

The crowning of the Carnival Queen ceremony would take place following the parade which in those days would start at the CPR station and come over the old horseshoe bridge to the downtown area and "old" arena on Lorne Street.



Dr Sheahan Ina, Charles Reid, Walter Leigh

Shelley (Coulter) Bernier, recalled the gift that Dr. Sheahan gave her mother: "Dr. Sheahan gave my mother a gold signet ring for being his queen. For that day and age I'm sure it was quite the prized possession. I still have it."

Shelley also shared that "Up until the time of his death, Charlie McKee always referred to my mom as 'The Queen'. After he moved to Toronto, he'd call every so often and ask for the queen. His parcels were always addressed that way as well."

Charlie was one of Chapleau's outstanding track and field and tennis stars in his time, and a great friend of Shelley's family.

Ina married Frank Coulter, a member of another Chapleau pioneer family in 1946 and they had five children -- Gary, Gail, Doug, Allen and Shelley. Frank worked for Charles W. Collins Stores Ltd, and served on the public school board and volunteer fire department as well as in other community groups.

As an aside, it was in 1940 the store where Frank worked for so many years became Charles W. Collins Stores Ltd, a change from Collins and Matters. The store always participated in community events and still does, now owned by Doug Collins, a grandson of Charles W. Collins. Doug's grandfather first became involved in the store at the intersection of Birch and Lorne streets in 1928 and it became known as Wolfe and Collins.

Ina was the daughter of Eva (Greenshields) Robinson and Alexander Robinson. Mr. Robinson was killed in a train accident.

At Chapleau winter carnivals there was a wide range of events including the Strong Man Contest. Bob Mercier was recognized as holding the title as he had carried 575 pounds on his back from in front of the old Dominion store at the corner of Birch and Young streets to the Regent Theatre near Birch and Lorne streets. In later years, Willie Memegos dominated this event.



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Figure skating was also popular and some of those who would be participating were Shirley Matheson, Elise Depew, Marion Morris and Sally Hugo.

Chapleau winter carnivals started in 1937 with D.O. Payette as the catalyst and his business partner at Smith and Chapple Ltd., Arthur Grout as carnival general manager.

The previous carnival kings and queens respectively were: 1937, Fred Depew and Winona McAdam; 1938, C.J. McGregor and Marie Perpete and 1939, Dan Jessup and Rita Crichton.

Shelley provided excellent photos from the 1940 Winter Carnival, and we have done our best to identify the people in them. However, not all could be, so please if you can help, my email is mj.morris@live.ca

"Fingers were never idle" as Chapleau Red Cross Society branch served on home front in World War II

Work report more at http://www.chapleau.com/

Shortly after World War II started in September 1939, the Chapleau branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society was once again active and sending "comfort" boxes overseas to local troops.

At a meeting held in the Town Hall in January 1940, Mrs. Pierre Tremblay reported that she had inspected 1,127 pairs of socks, 156 sweaters, 128 pairs of mitts, 46 pairs of gloves. 36 helmets and 52 wool caps -- almost 1, 400 items in total all made by volunteer members of the Chapleau branch. It had also been very active in World War I.The auditor's report for the past year presented by Harry Searle, a World War I veteran after whom Branch Number 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion is named showed that the local Red Cross had received $4,446.46 all in donations and an amazing amount for 1940 from people in a small community like Chapleau and the surrounding area. The report was signed by T.R. Serre and John 'Mac' McClellan.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Mrs. Allen Austin, convener of sub branches reported there were 54 members in Dalton, 30 each in Lochalsh and Missanabie respectively, 12 in Nicholson, 53 in Sultan and one in Amyot.

As Remembrance Day nears, our thoughts turn to the men and women who served in our armed forces, and rightly so, but on the home front in Chapleau and many other communities across Canada were doing their part for the war effort through branches of the Red Cross Society, and other groups. As I looked though names of members of the Chapleau branch from information on www.chapleau.com, I realized that many of the workers had family members serving in the armed forces -- and some would not be returning home. Others had served in World War I. For example, there were 39 workers at a meeting in January 1944, and I recognized 25 of them at least as having family in Canada's armed forces in World War I or II.

Mrs. Maud Hands, who in 1947 became the first woman to be elected to Chapleau council was very active in the branch and served as its president.

In a report dated October 1943 to the Red Cross Society headquarters, the Chapleau branch called attention to the "wonderful work" of some of the local members who were over eighty and ninety years of age.

It noted that Mrs. McNair of Missanabie, 91, had knitted 150 articles while Mrs. Thrush, 92, had "made a knitted article for every week of the war" adding that "finding sweaters and scarves too heavy for her frail hands, Mrs. Thrush knit smaller articles" including 125 pairs of baby bootees for the British bomb victims.

Mrs. Anne H. Bell, who the report says was "shut in because of high blood pressure" had knit 180 pairs of socks. Another person mentioned was Mrs. McQuaig, Sr. 84, who was "a faithful worker for the Red Cross. Her fingers were never idle." Mrs. McQuaig also inspected work and made corrections as required.

At the annual meeting of 1945, Mrs. Boyd reported that in the past year the branch had provided 634 pairs of socks, 783 surgical pads, 400 mouth wipes, 867 suits of pyjamas, 189 pillow cases, 20 personal property bags, 34 surgical coats, six kit bags, 12 hot water bottles, eight day shirts and 17 pieces of children's underwear. The underwear was made by Mrs Flannigan and Mrs. Brownlee from odd ends of flannelette left over from pyjamas.

At the weekly work sessions there was often entertainment and one noted that a presentation was given by the local Glee Club under the direction of Miss Ruth Wedge. They sang 'O England'. Tea and cookies would also be served.

The Chapleau branch met weekly throughout the war in the Town Hall, except when a flu epidemic swept Chapleau and meetings had to be cancelled.

And so, when we pause to reflect and remember on November 11, let us include those dedicated citizens, volunteers all, who spent countless hours preparing comfort boxes not only for those who were serving in the forces, but for victims of war too. As I think back, I recall going to meetings of the Chapleau branch with my grandmother Edith Hunt, after she returned from England near the end of World War II where she had served as a nurse. Today I remember many of the members who were active in Chapleau life after the war, and the veterans, and I wonder why!

The best answer I ever got that explained how these ordinary people from communities like Chapleau became the exceptional generation came from Frank Coulter when I once asked him why he had served so long on the local school board. His answer was profound but simple. J.M. Shoup, a veteran of both world wars and long time principal of Chapleau Public School had said they had a "duty to serve." Frank, a World War II veteran , along with so many other men and women accepted the duty to serve, to make Chapleau a better place. Lest we forget! My email is mj.morris@live.ca

NOTE: Hugh McGoldrick sent me the following information. Thanks Hugh.

"Many years ago as I and my friends were exploring the soon-to-be torn-down town hall we found the book. It looked interesting so I took it home to my mother, (Anne (Zufelt) McGoldrick) who as a young girl was also noted as attending some of the meetings listed therein. Later she donated it to the Chapleau library. I am glad to see it being referenced today.


"Had we not been exploring that day that formal record would have surely been lost forever."