Dr G. E. 'Ted' Young strode like a colossus through Chapleau life for almost a century

Whenever it gets close to Christmas, no matter where I am, my thoughts turn to growing up in Chapleau, and the Dr. G. E. 'Ted' Young display that was referred to as "our Disneyland" Indeed it was!

This year has been no different with a boost from Leo Vezina and Harriet Bouillon. Leo posted a photo from one of the displays on Louise Tremblay's Chapleau History and Genealogy page on  Facebook and Harriet suggested he contact me re photos she had sent me some years ago. I saw their posts and here I am even though I may repeat myself a bit from earlier columns.

To get started, when I was growing up in Chapleau and had come down with one of the common childhood diseases, after my mother left for school, I would suggest to my grandmother that we call Dr. Young who for sure would come and make me better.

Almost momentarily, or so it seemed, Dr. Young would appear with his black bag, and sit beside my bed. take my pulse and temperature, and my favorite, take out his stethoscope and and have me take deep breaths to make sure I was still alive. Then he would talk with Nanny, my grandmother, Edith Hunt, who assured me she would follow his instructions and in due course, I would be "all better" and head back to school.

When my dog Rex was hit by a car while I was still in public school, I carried him into the house, in tears, shouting at my mother, Muriel E. Morris, "Call Dr. Young." She did and once again, it seemed within moments, he arrived. After examining Rex, he told me to put a blanket near the wood stove as well as food and water, and let him be. Amazingly, Rex recovered and lived another 10 years. Dr. Young had done it again.

 George Edward "Ted" Young, who served Chapleau and area for 50 years as a medical doctor, was born on November 2, 1914, died at age 95 on November 14, 2010.


For almost a century, born in Chapleau  to George and Mabel Young, he strode like a colossus through every aspect of community life -- as a young athlete who became famous for swimming to Mulligan's Bay, as an officer in Number 1181 Chapleau High School Cadet Corps, as a medical student at Queen's University who came home to practise for six months in 1942 and remained 50 years before he retired in 1994, as the builder of the Chapleau beach, as a member of township council, as a cable television pioneer, and as one who was constantly undertaking new projects, many of which were never quite completed. He was also a founding member of the Chapleau Rotary Club and served as its second president.
He started his famous Christmas displays shortly after he launched his practise in the home originally built and owned by G.B. Nicholson, the community's first reeve, and lumber baron.

After I posted some photos on Louise Tremblay's popular page, the comments about Dr. Young started and had reached close to 500 when I began work on this column.

Here is a random selection without names as I did not ask permission to quote.

"A Chapleau icon. Fondly remembered as a great man" -- "Fantastic doctor and we always looked forward to what new thing he was adding each year," --  Great old Dr. Young. I had many great conversations with him and will always remember him."  --" Dr. Young was from the old school. He had no problem making home visits."

There were many similar comments.

On a personal basis, Dr. Young and I were good personal friends, and after I moved from Chapleau to teach at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook BC, I spent a month visiting with him when I returned home for the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Chapleau in 2001. Much storytelling which continued when he travelled west and visited me here. Until that visit I was not aware that his mother was from Creston so we went there and visited the church the family attended and the family plot in the local cemetery. He told me he was not sure he could find the grave but he walked right to it!!!

I extend my most sincere thanks to Leo Vezina and Harriet Bouillon  for prompting me to reflect on a few memories of Dr. Young, and congrats to Louise Tremblay for her Facebook page..My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Legion Hall opened as St John's Parish House marks its 100th anniversary in April 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Here we are at a new year and a new decade. My very best wishes to all of you!! MJM

As 2020 gets underway, a highlight of this year in Chapleau will be the marking of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion Hall -- officially opened in April, 1920 as the parish house of St. John's Anglican Church.

It was built during 1919 by Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Nicholson in memory of their only son Lorne and his friends. Lorne was killed in action just before the end of World War I. Mr. Nicholson was the first reeve of Chapleau, serving from 1901 when the municipality was established until 1913. Mr. Nicholson also served as Member of Parliament and president of the Austin Nicholson Lumber Company. He died in 1935.

Writing about the hall, the late George L. Evans long-time assistant principal and teacher at Chapleau High School made reference to the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson did not include their names in dedication of the hall. (See plaque)

At the memorial service some of those participating  at St. John's Anglican Church and official opening at the hall included  Rev. John Nelson Blodgett, Rector of St. John's Anglican Church; Rev. Dr. Robert John Renison, later Bishop of the Anglican Church diocese of Moosonee; Rt. Rev. John George Anderson, Bishop of Moosonee; Reeve Max Brunette, Township of Chapleau; Rev. George Prewer and Rev. White of Trinity United Church..

Lt. -Col. C. H. LeP. Jones , the commanding officer of 227th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and Major D.M. Brodie also participated.

When I wrote about the hall some years ago Ian Macdonald, retired head of the department of architecture and professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, who has researched and written extensively on Chapleau buildings kindly agreed to let me share some of his thoughts about the building, now commonly referred to simply as "The Legion".

"A building as distinctive and prominent as the Nicholson Hall accurately reflected the public honour for war sacrifice, military service, veterans and the Union Jack that the World War I vets fought under. The Victorian gothic revival style of the building, which is closely associated with monarchism, reminds us of the significant cultural role of architecture and the British Dominion that we were at the time," Ian wrote.

"The Canadian Parliament buildings were also built in the same style to echo the architecture of Westminster and provide a permanent reminder of our British heritage."

"The Legion Hall is formally organized around a central axis, and the gothic revival windows, doors and details are what most individuals would associate with a religious building," Ian noted.

Ian also speculated on what the Legion in Chapleau might have built, had it not been for the philanthropic act of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson, albeit that it was first given to St. John's Anglican Church as a parish house.

"There are plenty of examples of other Legion facilities in small Canadian communities to provide an idea of what might have been", Ian wrote, adding that the Nicholson generosity "has left Chapleau with what is probably the most elegant and distinctive of all Royal Canadian Legion properties in Canada. It is clearly the most sophisticated building of its time in Chapleau."

Thanks so much Ian!!!

Other public buildings in Chapleau at this time included the Town Hall, Lady Minto Hospital, the Anglican, Roman Catholic and United churches.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, St. John's was no longer able to afford the upkeep of the hall, and for a time it closed, and in due course was used by Branch 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion. It was not until 1955 when B.W, "Bubs" Zufelt was reeve that the Legion officially took over ownership of the building from the municipality.

For his efforts Mr. Zufelt was made a life member of the branch. (In the interests of full disclosure, Mr. Zufelt was my uncle)

Congratulations to the members of Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion who have ensured that the hall has been an integral part of the community for many years. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Roman Catholics will celebrate 100th anniversary of first midnight mass in present church this Christmas Eve

When members of Chapleau's Roman Catholic community attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve this year, they will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Church. The mass in 1919 was celebrated by Father Romeo Gascon.

According to an article by Father Albert Burns SJ, a Chapleau native who was an altar boy at the December 24, 1919 Midnight Mass, the first church was built in 1885, on the site of what is today Collins Hardware. This church had become too small, and a larger one was built in 1891 with its final touch in 1898 on the site of the present church. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918 just before Christmas. 

Father Albert Burns SJ

The new church was built under the guidance of  Mgr Roméo Gascon, Pastor at that time. The first Mass was Midnight Mass December 24, 1919.

Father Burns added, quoting from a book by Gemma Gagnon that the Jesuit Fathers on October 19th 1911, transferred the parish to a zealous priest, who had been two years pastor of Cochrane, Father Roméo Gascon. Later made Mgr Gascon, he was pastor 47 years in Chapleau. He died on January 25th 1958. 

To my many Roman Catholic friends in and from Chapleau, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you on the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Church. As a young person in Chapleau I was privileged to attend Midnight Mass at Christmas in your church with my good friend Louis Fortin and members of his family. One year I ran between your church and St. John's Anglican Church to attend both services. The Mass was celebrated in Latin at that time, and I still vividly recall the choir singing Adestes Fideles (O Come all Ye Faithful.). My life was made better from knowing so many of you. Thank you.

Turning to St John's Church for a moment, my aunt, Marion (Morris) Kennedy who died in 2007 once sent me a piece of writing she had done which captured Christmas at St. John's Anglican Church. when she was a child growing up in Chapleau. Aunt Marion wrote in part: "The bellows were worked by boys given the honour in a cupboard below the organ. There was many a tale of the organist wildly pumping the footpedals and calling for air. The boys carved or wrote their initials on the walls - one set belonging to the brother of the narrator (my father James E. Morris), and in times of refurbishing the church the initials were always left as is.

"At one of the Christmas services, a young girl sat with her mother (my grandmother, Lil (Mulligan) Morris), third pew from the chancel steps and below the pulpit, watching through her fingers, the parishioners partaking the Holy Communion Rite. So many came forward and at the end of the procession one native gentleman came slowly up the aisle on moccasined feet -- one could feel the pain,

"He was helped up the chancel steps by a choir member to the waiting respectful minister holding chalice and bread. The repast over. the gentleman made his way slowly back to his pew. The choir and congregation in awe, joined in humble reunion. As the church members exited, Christmas greetings were exchanged quietly. Everyone was moved by the devotion and faith of the native gentleman who had walked a long distance to attend." Aunt Marion added that she recalled this particular service every Christmas thereafter no matter where she was living.

I recall Christmas Eve in Chapleau so well as citizens of all denominations would meet and greet each other as they went to and from their respective churches. It was usually a bitterly cold clear night with the temperature at times reaching minus 50 below Fahrenheit, the smoke from chimneys going straight up to the heavens, lots and lots of snow, and everyone bundled up in their Christmas finery. But people greeted each other and the sounds of "Merry Christmas" and "Joyeux Noel" could be heard from all sections of the town as people took time from their other festivities to attend church.This also included parishioners from Trinity United Church.

The display at Dr Young's building at Beech and Lorne Streets was also a special attraction.

 To all readers, my very best wishes for Christmas and 2020 as we start another decade of the 21st century. God bless. 

NOTE --This column appears in a bit different way in the December 19, 2001 edition of the Chapleau Express as my Chapleau Moments column. I wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca