Bill Groves of Chapleau brings back memories of home in Winter

Bill Groves of Chapleau provides us with some of his outstanding photos depicting Winter scenes from the area. 

To those of us who no longer live in Chapleau, Bill's photos truly bring us memories of home in Winter.

Bill also coordinated the very popular Ice Fishing Derby at Chapleau for many years.

 He provided a photo of him with a lake trout he caught at Como Lake.

Thanks for the memories Bill. 

Merry Christmas to you, Barbara and family!

There was no place like home for the holidays even when it meant shovelling three feet of snow off the roof.

Santa Claus greeted by 600 kiddies when he arrives by plane at Forestry Point on Chapleau visit in 1950

River Hockey from Butch Pellow "shoebox" collection

Santa Claus was King for the day in Chapleau when he played host to over 600 children after arriving by plane at the Forestry Point, the Chapleau Post reported.

Making his annual visit to the community in 1950, the "jolly old fellow" was greeted by the kiddies who "braved a bitter north wind" to the Point as they followed the truck outfitted with his sleigh and reindeer where he was coming in by plane.

Steeping off the plane, Santa found himself amid the cheers of the children who then escorted his sleigh on a trip to Main Street where he was greeted by cheering crowds on his way to the Town Hall, where he met each child personally and gave them a gift.

Mothers with babies were first in line then the huge throng of over over 600 children followed.

Ladies of the Canadian Legion were in charge of serving hot dogs and chocolate milk to everyone while Legion members had organized the rest of Santa's visit.

The Boys from Butch's collection

During the same week of Santa's visit, the local branch of the Lest We Forget Club held a party at the Legion Hall for children of deceased service men from World War II. Entertainment was provided, and the children also were part of the entertainment.

Santa also visited this party held annually in the years after World War II. As I recall Winnie (O'Hearn) Bucciarelli was one of the main organizers.

Nicholson Home after Dr Young bought it

The Chapleau Post also ran letters from Santa in its Kiddies Corner section, and I browsed through them from one edition of the paper. Here is a sampler. Interesting after all these years to read the gifts that children wanted circa 1950.

Gordon McKnight: "I would like a water pistol, a game, a pair of mitts and a meccano set if you can bring them to me. Thank you Santa".

Estelle Soucie: " For Christmas I would like a pair of skates, size two, a party set and a desk. I hope I get it all."

Kenneth Schroeder: "I would like a two-wheeled bicycle for Christmas but my Mother and Daddy think I am too small yet".

Vincie Crichton: " Will you please bring me a sleigh, a hammer, some plasticine and a doll for my baby sister and a Teddy Bear that squeaks".

Arthur Raymond, Devon: " I am six years old. Please bring me a pair of skis and a little tractor that winds. Thank you".

Teresa Raymond, Devon: " I am a little girl one years old and I would like a nice doll with curly hair or pig tails and a small washing machine. Thank you".

Patricia Purich: "For Christmas I would like a doll with curly hair, a toy sewing machine, a toy stove and a pair of skates".

Charles Purich: "I would like you to bring me an electric train, a pair of skis and a big truck. Thank you".

Earle Freeborn: "I would like to get a toboggan for my dog, an air rifle, a pair of skis. Thanks a million".

Harry Hong: "Would you please bring me a left hand hockey stick if possible?"

Gerald Goheen: " I would like a cowboy suit, a set of guns and a coca cola car. Please do not forget all the other little boys and girls. I will leave you tea and cake".

Myra Ann McKnight: "I would like a doll, a doll's stroller, a purse, an umbrella, a sewing machine and a washing machine and a pair of mitts if you have them".

Sandra Lemick: "I would like a doll, a doll's carriage, plastic furniture and a doll's house. Bonnie wants a doll a carriage too. I'll leave cake and tea".

Freddie Barty: "I would like a Jack-in-the-box, a tractor, and truck and 2 gun cases. This is for my brother Georgie and me".

As an aside and off the topic of Santa and the kiddies, in December 1950, the Chapleau Post reported that Harold Kennedy had arrived in Chapleau as the one person Ontario Provincial Police detachment. He had served in World War II as a paratrooper. Harold started dating Marion Morris, my aunt, who had come home to establish the Simpson's order office, and in due course he became my Uncle Harold.  These old copies of Chapleau newspapers produce some gems. Thanks Doug Greig.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

"Therefore ... be sure, Wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, Shall yourselves find blessing."

At Cocoa Beach, Fl. Photo by Michael Pelzer

When Good King Wenceslas looked out and saw the snow with the moon shining bright in about the year 1000, he could have been describing the weather on almost any Christmas Eve in any Canadian community.

Before I go any further with King Wenceslas  as revealed in the popular carol 'Good King Wenceslas', I only recently discovered that he was not really a king, but the Duke of Bohemia, and he was looking out on the Feast of St Stephen, the day after Christmas. To me it doesn't really matter as the carol brings back fond memories and delivers a message that applies any time.

My mother Muriel E. (Hunt) Morris directed many concerts and musicals during the 32 years that she taught at Chapleau Public School, and she was also the choir director at St. John's Anglican Church for years. Music was an important part of our home, and that's how I became acquainted with King Wenceslas as a boy.

It became the carol that to me applied most to the weather at Christmas time. Looking outside before leaving for Christmas Eve service, "the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel..."

As we headed to St. John's, I would hum the carol and think to myself that all that needed to be added was the smoke going straight up into the skies, the temperature hovering at Fifty degrees below Fahrenheit and the wonderful display and music coming from Dr G.E. Young's clinic.

I have spent Christmas in other Canadian communities, and no matter where I am, it seems Good King Wenceslas is my theme song. The lyrics were published in 1853 by the English hymn writer John Mason Neale.

Now, the carol addresses a subject that I never thought about much as a child growing up in Chapleau. I had my family, friends and a community where people cared about and helped each other in times of need.

Even though there were times when I missed my father James E Morris who was killed while on active service in the RCAF in World War II, I had my mother, my grandparents George and Edith Hunt and Harry and Lil Morris as well as my aunt and uncle, Elsie (Hunt) and B.W. 'Bubs" Zufelt and my cousins, and my aunt Marion (Morris) Kennedy.

And I had my many good friends in my growing up years, and as a teenager would run between the Anglican church and the Roman Catholic church which some of my friends attended, making it an ecumenical Christmas Eve. Afterwards we all partied together no matter the church.

But as the King walks with his page, "a poor man came in sight, Gathering winter fuel." The page tells him that this man lives "underneath the mountain."

On Christmas Eve in Chapleau those many years ago, as we greeted people on the street who were going to or coming from their respective churches, I never really thought about those who may be homeless and without food--- living underneath the mountain, so to speak.

The good King took immediate action though telling his page to gather food and wine and pine logs that they would take to the peasant and see him dine, "through the rude wind's wild lament, And the bitter weather."

The page was ready to give up as the night grew darker and wind blew stronger, but the King encouraged him and they made it to their destination.

As I reflected on "Good King Wenceslas" it struck me that one of the most incredible moments when I lived in Chapleau was a telethon broadcast over Dr. Young's cable TV system in the early 1980s to raise funds for those in need, and over $20,000 was raised during the show. I was cohosting the telethon with other local "personalities", sponsored by the Chapleau Rotary Club, and as the donations poured in, I became more and more amazed at the outpouring of support.

As many of you know, especially my former students, I love metaphor and have been collecting them all my life. I hope I have not mixed them too badly as I have talked about the Good King Wenceslas.

At this Christmas time, I extend my very best wishes to my family and friends who have shared moments of their lives with me during the past year. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas.

My thoughts also turn to all those good people, who have shared some moments of their lives with me, past and present, in so many communities across our country and in the United States. Joyeux Noel!

 I leave all of you wherever you may be with the last words from 'Good King Wenceslas',

"Therefore ... be sure, Wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, Shall yourselves find blessing."

End Note: I selected 'Good King Wenceslas' by the choir of Yorkminster as I think my Mom would have enjoyed this version.