St. John's Parish House completed in 1919 became 'The Legion' a lasting landmark in history of Chapleau

From St. John's Parish House completed in 1919 to the Royal Canadian Legion Hall of today, the building is a "lasting landmark" in the history of Chapleau. 

Writing about the hall in 2006 in his Snapshots of Chapleau's Past article, the late George Evans wrote "May it still be going strong  in 2019, serving the town and always reminding those who took the time to lean back and read the inscription above the door of the sacrifice and pain of the barbarous 20th century."

The inscription reads: "St. John's Parish House. In memory of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson and all those who voluntarily gave their lives in the Great War. Erected by his father and mother A.D. 1919. John 15:13." There was an official opening in 1920.

Mr. Evans noted that it is "significant" that Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson did not put their names on the inscription. They were content be remembered as the father and mother of Lorne Nicholson.

John 15:13 reads: "Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends". (KJV)

Lorne W. Nicholson. the son of George and Charlotte (Weller) Nicholson, went overseas with the First Chapleau Platoon of the famous 227th Battalion of the Sudbury Manitoulin Algoma Overseas Battalion (Men 'O the North). He was killed in action on November 4, 1918, one week before World War I ended.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson included all those who gave their lives in the war.

His father was the first reeve of Chapleau serving from 1901 when Chapleau was first incorporated in 1901 until 1913, while his mother was one of the community's first school teachers. Mr. Nicholson also served as a Member of Parlieament and was also in the lumber business.

Mr. Evans wrote that Lorne Nicholson's parents decided to "endow the community with a lasting and useful memorial.

" In a town of small buildings made of wood they caused to be built an impressive building of fired brick..." It was designed to match St. John's Church 1908 and the Town Hall 1913. Mr. Nicholson played a major role in the construction of the church and town hall.

official opening 1920

Built as a parish house for St. John's, by 1935, during the Great Depression it became too much of a financial burden for the church, especially after Mr. Nicholson died on January 1 of that year, and in due course the building was taken over by the municipality.

After Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion was formed in 1926 following a founding convention in Winnipeg attended by a Chapleau delegation,  in 1925, it started to use the building. By 1955, the branch officially had bought the building when B.W. Zufelt was reeve.

Mr. Evans noted that it simply became known as 'The Legion' and had fallen into "responsible hands and continued to be a great asset to the life of Chapleau."

Upstairs became known as the Cranston Auditorium named after Frank Cranston a veteran of both World War I and II who became Chapleau's last surviving veteran of World War I. It has been used for a wide variety of functions. 

Downstairs became the Bisco Room "a legenadary place" according to George Evans.

In his article George Evans hoped that it would be going strong in 2019!!  It still is thanks to all those who have been involved with "The Legion" over the past 100 years. Congratulations.

George died in a tragic vehicle accident in 2012 shortly before the 90th anniversary reunion of Chapleau High School in 2012.

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!!

Chapleau Public Library celebrates 35 years in civic centre after several location moves throughout its history since 1887

N. Ont library rep, Renee Cecile, Lt Gov McGibbon, husband 

When Pauline McGibbon, then the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, visited Chapleau to officially open the Chapleau Civic Centre, 35 years ago on June 28, 1978, she was impressed with the library included in the building.

"One can judge the stature of a town or village by the extent of its library," the lieutenant-governor said in her remarks as she toured the library accompanied by Mrs. Renee Cecile, chair of the library board; Estelle Morin, the librarian, and board members. 

It was also a special occasion for Mrs. Cecile who was presented an achievement scroll by George L. Evans, a board member and deputy reeve of Chapleau in 1978. In 2012, the library was named the George L. Evans Library in his honour.

The scroll to Mrs. Cecile said it was in recognition of her "untiring devotion" to library service in Chapleau. She had served as a board member since it was established in the late 1950s. Her granddaughter Lisa also presented her with a bouquet of red roses.

A library was on the minds of Chapleau's early citizens by 1887, two years after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the founding of the community.

Mechanics institute

In his book 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario', Vince Crichton wrote that a meeting was held in the CPR restaurant on December 13, 1887 with the purpose of forming a "Reading Club or Library". The first library appears to have been in a room at the Royal Hotel, but it burned down and by 1889 land had been obtained from the CPR for the construction of a Mechanics Institute built on a site across from the Bridgeview Motel on Birch Street.

According to Wikepedia, mechanics' institutes,  the first one established in Edinburgh, Scotland  contained inspirational and vocational reading matter, for a small rental fee. Later popular non-fiction and fiction books were added to these collections in the library section. Other services were also provided.

The Mechanics Institute was a described as an "elaborate structure", for the times and included the library, a reading room, a hall and space for oganizations to meet in a two-storey building. By the end of 1890, the library had 178 members and 894 volumes. It cost $621.02 to build.

By 1895, ladies had become active members,and in 1899 when J.B. Dexter was president of the institute 200 new books were purchased bringing the total number of volumes to 1408 of which 1201 were taken out over the previous year.

Disaster struck in 1910 when the Mechanics Institute burned down resulting in a total loss not only of all the library holdings but municipal records too as it had also become the Town Hall after Chapleau was incorporated as a municipality in 1901.

After G.B. Nicholson and his wife Charlotte built St. John's Memorial Hall in memory of their son Lorne and all the Chapleau men who had been killed in World War I, a library was located there but it appears that interest waned for a number of years. Mr. Nicholson was the first reeve of Chapleau. St. John's Memorial Hall is now the Legion Hall.

At some point, it was relocated to a small room in the Town Hall which later became the reeve's office.

However, in 1957 led by Marion Hueston, a movement was launched to establish "a real public library" for Chapleau, according to an article by Margaret Costello.

Vince Crichton wrote that a better site was needed and William Austin agreed to provide one in the building once called "tenement row" on Birch Street where the Bargain Shop is now located. A.L. Morse of Sheppard and Morse Lumber Company donated all the white pine for shelving while the Chapleau Rotary Club bought and laid all the new linoleum flooring while Nick Coreau and J.M. 'Jack' Shoup took charge of erecting the shelves. It opened in April 1958.

First board members were Mrs. Hueston, Mrs. Cecile, Margaret Costello, Mrs. William Burrows and Vince Crichton.

The new board was warned not to be discouraged because "maybe the library idea would not catch on like wildfire" and it may take five years to be accepted. Within two years the library had 1200 members and housed more than 4800 books. It did catch on!

By 1965, the location again had to be moved as Cecil Smith had bought the property and needed it to build a new Stedmans store. 

Town Hall

Back to the Town Hall it went but this time to the auditorium the site of many plays, concerts, meetings as well as a coutroom but hardly used for anything by the 1960s. For several years only the floor space was used but as its membership grew, more was required.

Mrs. Doris Marchioni, the librarian in 1973 explained the situation to Maggie Costello. Mrs. Marchioni said it was a matter of not enough room for all a real library needs -- not enough room for books, for sufficient tables for those who may be doing research or just to read, let alone proper facilities for the staff to work comfortably, and finally storage.

The library staff was moved on to the stage, while new bookshelves lined the walls, reading tables were added, and according to Maggie Costello, "...everything looks much more inviting, brighter and lighter and there's much more breathing space."

When the township council decided to proceed with the civic centre, the library board became enthusiastic partners in the project, and on June 28, 2013, will officially celebrate 35 years in the same location.

FOLLOWING UP

Frances (Jardine) Corston, now Lundquist added some information to my column on curling. She recalled her husband Henry mostly called by his nickname "Chicken" telling her that "the Corston men used their horse Billy to haul gravel from the gravel pit on their farm to level the ground for the new curling rink.  They ran out of money at some point and got the necessary funds from Chief Simon Cheez of the Ojibway people, with the understanding that native girls could curl..These girls were the Pirie girls, Mrs Barty. Mrs Fortunato. Mrs  Perfetto and Mrs Jack Green..I assume they must have agreed as they got the money,,,however..the women never did get to curl.....Mr. Corston in the picture was one of the rinks called the Half Ton Rink, because of their size...." Thanks Frances.

Thanks to Michael McMullen for research assistance.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

'Chapleau 2012' highlighted by 90th anniversary reunion festival of Chapleau High School

Graham speaking, MJ right back committee on left

As I have been reflecting on the year past, perhaps best simply described as 'Chapleau 2012', it struck me that it was Grant Henderson, a 1927 Chapleau High School graduate who summed up so well why so many of us went back for the school's 90th anniversary reunion.

In a poem for the 60th anniversary in 1982, Grant wrote in part, "Perhaps those days through memory's haze take on a richer hue" adding that "perhaps that's true but ... this I know. And I've wandered up and down. Were I to pick my bringin' up place. I'd choose the same old town."

Like Grant, I too have wandered up and down, spending moments and at times much more than a moment in places from Ontario to British Columbia, and in my daily newspaper reporter years, back and forth across this vast and magnificent land with side trips to the United States. In fact, I thought about this column while spending time at Cocoa Beach at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where Michael Pelzer, my good friend, and extremely talented photographer and videographer was doing a shoot.

However, from the moment I learned that  the CHS reunion festival was being planned, I knew as did Grant 30 years ago when he wrote his poem, that I would return to my "bringin' up place" for it. Grant died in 1994.

Soon afterwards I received a message from the organizing committee asking if I would serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Most kind of them to invite me to participate, and I thank them again so much.

This put me back in regular touch with George Evans, my friend, CHS colleague and member of township council when I was reeve of Chapleau in the 1970s. Like everyone, I was shocked and greatly saddened when George was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident before the reunion.

But, in his memory, Chapleau did the right thing  by naming the library after him. From the day he arrived as a young teacher at CHS, George was a staunch supporter of the public library -- and worked to improve the one at the school which when he arrived in 1961 was located in a tiny room on the second floor of the building on Pine Street.

I was delighted that so many of my growin' up in Chapleau friends also planned to attend, and once we met, it seemed like only yesterday since we  were hanging out in the Boston Cafe, or driving aimlessly around town on a summer evening, never straying far from Main Street, just in case something might happen downtown and we missed it.

It was great to go around town and end up at the Boston Cafe, now Hongers Redwood again, and visit with Yen, Jean and Jim Hong. 

We talked about school and Teen Town dances, going down the lake by one of two rivers to a bay called Mulligan's, or over the gravel road to Racine Lake to awesome get togethers at Martel's.  We reminisced about skating on a Friday night by the light of the silvery moon in the old arena and the old old one, both on Lorne Street, and yes, always so important, hockey, on the ice and on the road and on the rivers.

And the central place for the reunion was at the Chapleau Recreation Centre, opened exactly 34 years ago on June 29, 1978, as pointed out to me by co-chair Graham Bertrand. Earle Freeborn, a reunion committee member and former Chapleau mayor was the arena manager at the time. 

Tom, MJ, Olive McAdam, Bob, Marg Fife, Bill Pellow, Sonia Schmitwilke

For many of us John 'Mac' McClellan, the legendary principal of CHS, and Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter, as teacher, who a few years later returned as principal, defined CHS. We were members of 1181 Chapleau High School Cadet Corps, and for me, it was so great to see Neil Ritchie, Jim Hong, Jim Evans and Ian Macdonald, all of them officers when I was in cadets. I even finally told them how they terrified me, except for Jim Evans, who advised he preferred a "gentler touch."

Regrettably our good friend David McMillan, cadet officer, actor, hockey player and inspiration, who had looked forward so much to attending, died before the reunion.

For those of us in her CHS class, our good friend Pat (Purich) Russell made and presented each of us with a school banner. In my case, she made a special one in the old and new school colours as I had attended and taught at CHS. Much appreciated Pat and it hangs above my desk in place of honour.

While I so much enjoyed spending time with old school friends, I was so pleased to chat with  former students from my years as a teacher at CHS. And yes, we talked hockey and school plays, and "stories by MJ". Great to see all of you again and get caught up.

On a very personal basis, the most touching moments of the reunion were during the wonderful ecumenical service presided over by Rt. Rev. Thomas A. Corston, Anglican bishop of Moosonee, known to so many of us simply as "Tom". Growing up in Chapleau, Tom is the son of Frances (Jardine)  and the late Henry 'Chicken' Corston.

Sitting beside me on the stage was Robert Fife, now the CTV News Ottawa Bureau Chief, but to me simply "Bob" or more commonly "Fife".  Bob is the son of Margaret and the late Clyde Fife. 

As the service progressed, I looked out at the faces of over 400 people, all of whom defined Chapleau in one way and another from its beginnings in 1885 to the present day.

In my remarks near the end of the service I tried to capture it all when I commented that before me I saw the history of Chapleau and I did, but after relating that I had been on a morning walk to the Memegos property, my favourite walking place, I started to lose it -- one of those emotional moments -- and I thank Bishop Tom for rescuing me.

And so, Chapleau 2012, is coming to a close, but for the more than 1,000 who registered for the reunion, the precious moments of once again being home, I am sure,  will remain with us forever.  A school reunion, as my former newspaper colleague Derik Hodgson once noted, is often "the binding that holds the town book together."  This one sure contributed whether we still live there or have wandered up and down, and ended up in some other place.

Like Grant Henderson, I would not have picked another place as my home town, even if I had been given the choice. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau a busy place on many fronts enjoyed 'banner year' with approvals given projects, and others completed in 1972

G. Evans, G. Higuchi, D. Vandal, fr. M.Blais, R. Petrunka, D. Doyle

Forty years ago as 1972 drew to a close, it seems like Chapleau had been a busy place on many fronts with Maggie Costello calling it a "banner year" for the community. 

Approval had been received to replace the horseshoe bridge with a new one plus a pedestrian overpass, and the Ontario Municipal Board had approved a new water treatment plant, a subject of much debate and controversy for many years. Planning was also underway for a landfill disposal site to replace the town dump.

The geared-to-income housing project on Pine Street had been completed, but in the process, the Convent of the Sisters of Ste. Marie, built in 1928, was torn down to make room for it.

Expansion of Chapleau Public School had been substantially completed with only a slight disruption in classes at the start of the school year, and by year end, classes had been moved from the old Chapleau High School to the main school building. Work had also begun on expansion of Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Separate School.

Convent

At Chapleau High School, there were more than 400 students, a record. An addition had been completed in 1971 The school had opened in 1966.

On the sports scene, the Chapleau Junior "B' Huskies of the International Junior "B" League had an outstanding year winning eight of 13 league trophies and having Earle Freeborn named Coach of the Year by the league.

During the year, 96 building permits were issued for work valued at $1,707,625 including a new business office for Wesmak Lumber Co. Ltd. on Pine Street and the Northern Pottery plant on Highway 129 as well as new ski chalet.

Service clubs were active with the Chapleau Rotary Club giving great support to the Crippled Children's Fund, its main project,while the Chapleau Lions Club brought the CNIB Mobile Eye Unit to town.

Branch Number 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion conducted the annual Remembrance Day service as well as its annual Safety Week.

The Chapleau Boy Scouts and Girl Guides under the leadership of Manlio Spessot and Valerie Jackson, respectively, hosted a rendezvous at Wakami Lake Provincial Park with about 500 in attendance. 

Under the auspices of the Opportunities for Youth Program there was a very successful summer carnival and other projects, all under the direction of Tom Corston, who was a student at Lakehead University at the time.

There was also a successful Chapleau Winter Carnival.

Fire chief Adam Andrews reported there were no major fires in town or in outlying areas serviced by the local fire department. The Ministry of natural Resources reported there were only 12 forest fires with only 35 acres burned, perhaps a record low.

The Lady Minto Hospital Building Fund grew from about $150,000 to  over $248,000 as a result of an aggressive fund drive. Approval was received from the Ministry of Health to proceed with plans for a new hospital.

Under the presidency of Helen Tebbutt, the Lady Minto Hospital Auxiliary was one of the largest contributors to the building fund, plus making a pledge for more fund raising. 

Chamber of Commerce president Matt Castonguay reported that it continued its active promotion of Chapleau and cooperation with the municipality on projects.

Just for the historical record, the Chapleau Midget "B' hockey team I was coaching made it to the NOHA Finals in Capreol, but were overwhelmed by their opponent. Garry Prusky, who was the team manager, and who was also playing for the Chapleau Junior "B" Huskies and I had some great laughs reminiscing about "the Midgets" at the Chapleau High School Reunion.

George Evans, assistant principal at Chapleau High School, who arrived in 1961, returned from a one year sabbatical, which had included a visit to his beloved Greece. George also resumed his duties as staff advisor to the school chess club.

Rev. Murray Arnill who had been a very popular minister at Trinity United Church for several years and active in many aspects of community life, moved to Kapuskasing. Murray had also established a coffee house in the church basement for the community's youth and it was the place to be on weekends -- for teachers and others too! The coffee house would often continue into the wee hours of the morning around Murray's kitchen table.

In the 1972 municipal election, Terry Way-White was re-elected reeve while F.A. 'Nick' Card, Dr. G.E. Young, Ernie Gilbert -- and me -- were elected to council. 

I am always open to ideas for Chapleau Moments columns so please do not hesitate to contact me, and thanks to all those who have. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

GEORGE EVANS: "When Chapleau's high school celebrates, the whole community celebrates. The high school is the place where the community comes together":

Photo by John Theriault

George Evans has left the classroom but he will long be remembered for his contribution to  Chapleau as a teacher and vice principal at Chapleau High School, and the activities in the wider community to which he devoted himself.

 As the news spread on March 28 that George had been killed in a motor vehicle accident on Highway 129, many kind words have been said about him, and rightly so. My first thought was to write about George based on how I came to know him during my years at Chapleau High School and as a member of the township council for four years while I was reeve, and as my friend.

 However, I decided to share some of George's own words that he used in an article he wrote entitled "Why  Live in Chapleau" and another for the souvenir newspaper marking the 75th anniversary of Chapleau High School, called "Chapleau's high school, 1922-1997".

 To me, at least, they contain messages for all of us who call Chapleau home whether we still live there or not, and his words about the 75th anniversary are as appropriate for the 90th as they were 15 years ago when George returned home for the celebration. Retiring in 1989, George was not a full-time resident for some years but then returned.

 It always has seemed to me that from the day he arrived in 1961 to start teaching at the old CHS, home for George was Chapleau.

 First, here are some excerpts from 'Why Live in Chapleau'.

 "On a spring day, there is a view from the overpass that takes the breath away. The eye looks eastwards and follows the Kebsquasheshing River past the town, into the green wilderness of the Canadian Shield. You know that the water in this river will flow into James Bay. This river was once, in the days of the 'gentlemen and traders' of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the only way in and out of this place. It has always been a distant, challenging place...

 "Over a century ago, the railroad that lies beneath the overpass was built to stitch together sparsely populated pockets of North America that had, for one reason or another, escaped the “Manifest Destiny” of the ambitious Republic to the south. At the place where river and railway intersect, people settled and the place got a name: Chapleau...

 "But, seriously, why live in Chapleau? Let’s return to the view from the overpass. To its permanent residents and to visitors, a major attraction of Chapleau is its immediate access to the pre-Cambrian wilderness of boulders, lakes, forests, and a huge Game Reserve. Even in the town the call of the loon is heard and occasionally an unwelcome black bear ambles through backyards. Summer smog-alerts are not announced in these parts: the air is always breathable. Even in deepest winter, skis, snowshoes, and, most recently, snow-mobiles, make the wilderness a handy playground....

 "More than the natural beauty that laps at its edges, Chapleau’s underlying sense of community attracts and holds the affection of its citizens... the town is still a town of very self-reliant people who care about each other...

"It is good to live on the solid granite base of the Canadian Shield among the lakes and forests and it is the people of Chapleau who make it so.

You can read all of 'Why Live in Chapleau' along with other articles George wrote in his 'Snapshots of Chapleau's Past' series at http://chapleaulibrary.com/gevans/index.html

Let's turn to George's article about the 75th anniversary of CHS and perhaps reflect on it as the 90th anniversary rapidly approaches.

George wrote in part:

"Over the years, this unique school has changed its location, its colours and its name. It has been there for generations of students and teachers passing through on their way to destinies all over the world...

"There will be much reaching out to strangers who were once best friends. Some lies will be told. Some comfortable truths will emerge. Each of us, after all, a former teenager with much we would like to forget and much still to learn..,

"What will draw us to Chapleau is not a building with classrooms. The great magnet pulling us home is the hope of seeing the people who, at a pivotal time in our lives. made up our small intense world. In our lucid moments. we will be aware that we are paying homage to the fate that placed us in Chapleau so that we could be part of that world...

"When Chapleau's high school celebrates, the whole community celebrates. The high school is the place where the community comes together. 

"It is the possession of everyone, regardless of mother tongue, religion or ethnic origin. It is, in its best moments, the expression of Chapleau at its best. This is the truth that sets Chapleau's high school apart from all the others."

A memorial service for George was held at Trinity United Church, Chapleau, at eleven a.m. on Thursday April 5. Donations to the Rotary Club of Chapleau, will be appreciated.

Thank you George for being the person you were, and may you rest in peace now, or as you may have said, "Requiescat In Pace". My email is mj.morris@live.ca