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Orillia HALL OF FAME 2008 Updated by Hall of Fame Committee City of Orillia Introduction The history of Orillia is the legacy of deeds and achievements of its residents. Every day we live with and build upon that history and the accomplishments of the people we have known. Among so many notable candidates for the Hall of Fame, both contemporary and historic, the choices are difficult but rewarding. Over the years of this committee’s work, forty-three inductees have been awarded a place in the City’s Hall of Fame, located outside the Council Chamber at City Hall. Of these, twelve inductees are from the arts, music and literary community, seven from the field of sports, eight from industry and commerce, and the rest from fields such as medicine, philanthropy and politics. So, enter into our Hall of Fame and discover the spirit of Orillia! ii City of Orillia Orillia Office of Mayor and Council Every town and Officecity, of Mayor and community Council has a history. The City of Orillia is blessed with a long history that is the envy of many. Our heritage has Everyenriched city, town community has a who history. The City Orillia is been by and a number of Orillians through past of deeds have blessed with a long history that is the envy of many. Our heritage has provided us with a historic past that we as Orillians are so very proud been enriched by a number of Orillians who through past deeds have of. provided us with a historic past that we as Orillians are so very proud This booklet, along with the caring efforts of the Orillia Hall of Fame of. Committee, formally acknowledges the past achievements of the This booklet, along the caring efforts ofwhy thethey Orillia of Fame members of the Hallwith of Fame and illustrates are Hall so worthy of Committee, formally past achievements of the this recognition, as well acknowledges as our unendingthe respect. members of the Hall of Fame and illustrates why they are so worthy of Our Hall of Fame inductees have a wide and enviable range of biographies this recognition, as well as our unending respect. that cover nearly 230 years of our history, starting with Laurent Quetton OurGeorge, Hall of who Famewas inductees a wide and enviable range of biographies St. born inhave France in 1771. He came to the Orillia area that cover nearly 230 years of our history, starting with Laurent in the early 1800s and amassed landholdings of some 5,600 acresQuetton in close St. George,towho was born in France in 1771. He came to the Orillia area proximity Orillia. in the early 1800s and amassed landholdings of some 5,600 acres in close To date, 43 people have been named to the Orillia Hall of Fame since its proximity to Orillia. inception in 1964. To date, 43 people have been named to the Orillia Hall of Fame since its The Orillia Hall of Fame Committee meets on an as needed basis to review inception in 1964. an ongoing list of names that have been put forward for consideration. he Orillia Fame meets on an as needed basis to review Their job isHall notofeasy in Committee trying to determine those individuals who are an ongoing list of names that have been put forward for consideration. worthy of this great distinction. Their job is not easy in trying to determine those individuals who are As the Mayor of Orillia, I commend the Committee for their dedication worthy of this great distinction. and for their great wisdom in the selection process, ensuring that only As thewho Mayor Orillia, I commend the honour Committee for their dedication those are of truly worthy of this great are selected. and for their great wisdom in the selection process, ensuring that only Ron Stevens those who are truly worthy of this great honour are selected. Mayor Ron Stevens Mayor iii MEMBERS OF THE ORILLIA HALL OF FAME (alphabetical index) ANDERSON, Thomas Gummersall...............30 LIGHTFOOT, Gordon ...................................15 BAILLIE, Alexander Charles .........................34 LONG, Erastus..................................................7 BAIN, Frank “Piper”.......................................13 MACINNIS, The Very Rev. John Angus........23 BARTLEMAN, James K.................................39 MCGARVEY, J.A. “Pete”................................33 BARTLETT, George W...................................32 MCKENZIE, L. Mervyn..................................16 BEATON, Dr. Alexander H. ..........................18 MCKINLAY, Duncan .....................................41 BELL, William.................................................36 MULCAHY, Gertrude ....................................31 CAIRNS, Peter W. ..........................................37 O’BRIEN, Lucius Richard...............................20 CARMICHAEL, Franklin ................................1 PLUNKETT, Albert, Merton CHALMERS, Floyd S. ....................................24 & Morley (The Dumbells)............................8 DE LA ROCHE, Mazo .....................................2 SHILLING, Arthur Bradford..........................27 FROST, The Hon. Leslie M..............................3 SHRUM, Mamie Faris ....................................29 GAUDAUR, Jacob Gill “Jake” (Sr.) .................4 SISSONS, The Hon. John Howard ..................9 GAUDAUR, Jake Gill “Jake” (Jr.) ..................25 ST. GEORGE, Laurent Quetton.....................26 GILL, Harry ....................................................40 STEELE, Sir Samuel .......................................10 GOULD, Glenn ..............................................42 TAPSCOTT, Don ...........................................43 GREENE, Canon Richard W. .........................21 THOMSON, Dr. David ..................................22 HALE, Charles Harold .....................................5 TUDHOPE, James Brockett...........................11 HARVIE, Eric. ................................................38 WATSON, Gordon Alexander “Skid” ...........28 HENRY, Walter...............................................17 WOOD, Elizabeth Wyn..................................12 KEITH, Marian (Esther Miller MacGregor) ..19 YELLOWHEAD, Chief William “Musquakie”................................................35 KNOX, Walter ..................................................6 LEACOCK, Stephen Butler ...........................14 CREDITS Many people have made this publication possible. Some deserve special mention: • Mrs. Amelia Shilling for allowing us to reproduce Arthur Shilling’s self portrait in charcoal. • James Pauk Photography for producing many of the photographic reproductions. • Isabel Brillinger, Editor in 2002 iv FRANKLIN CARMICHAEL (1890 – 1945) Artist O ne of Orillia’s most famous native sons and one of Canada’s most significant painters, Franklin Carmichael studied under Canon Greene of St. James’ Church in his early years. While still very young, he worked in a commercial art studio in Toronto, meeting Canadian art pioneers there. He studied for a short time in Belgium. Returning to Canada, Carmichael joined the renowned Group of Seven – its youngest member. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Arts. In later years, he taught at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, remaining there until his death in 1945. Best known as a landscape painter, Franklin Carmichael was also accomplished in water colours, furniture making, gardening, batiks, block prints, and music. The National Gallery of South Africa has two of his charcoal sketches. As well, his works are in the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinberg and in private collections throughout the world. His best known pieces are Autumn Woods, Lake Superior and Northern Tundra. Carmichael will be remembered as one of the greatest in the field of the arts. There is a plaque to his memory erected on the grounds of the Orillia Public Library. Carmichael and his wife, the former Ada Went, are buried in St. James’ Cemetery in Orillia. Inducted 1966 1 MAZO DE LA ROCHE (1879 – 1961) Author M azo De La Roche has a very tenuous link with Orillia; indeed, she makes no mention of ever having lived here in her autobiography, Ringing the Changes. We do have evidence that she spent one year here, living with her grandparents on Coldwater Road. Her name “Mazo Roche” appears in the high school register, dated August 29, 1892. She is best known as author of the Jalna novels, which chronicle the history of the Whiteoak family, depicting life on a 19th century farm in Southern Ontario. Her readers receive a gentle picture of Canada, of large houses and horses and gracious living. Her books are widely read throughout the world. The Jalna books were made into a TV series a few years ago. A large, sprawling brick mansion in Clarkson, named Benares originally, is reputed to be the model for the Whiteoak home, and Mazo lived in a small cottage nearby. She is buried in St. George’s Anglican Cemetery at Sibbald’s Point near Sutton. Inducted 1966 2 THE HONOURABLE LESLIE M. FROST (1895 – 1973) Politician “O ld Man Ontario”, as Leslie Frost once called himself, was a true statesman who served his country well. Born in Orillia, he was the son of a well known jeweler, William Sword Frost, who introduced Daylight Saving Time to Orillia. Educated in Orillia and Toronto, he was called to the bar in 1933. His law firm was in Lindsay. In World War I, Mr. Frost was an officer with the Simcoe Foresters and went overseas with ‘C’ Company. He was severely wounded. He was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1937. He served as Treasurer and Minister of Mines until he was chosen as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario in 1949 and was sworn in as Premier of Ontario and Treasurer. He held the premiership of Ontario longer than any other. After his retirement in 1961, he spent much of his time in historical research for his book Fighting Men, reminiscing on the effect of the First World War on his hometown of Orillia. He died at the age of 77 and is buried in Lindsay. A bronze portrait bust, bearing the signature of Elizabeth Wyn Wood, stands in the front hall at the Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute, where Leslie Frost had been a student. Inducted 1966 3 JACOB GILL “JAKE” GAUDAUR (Sr.) (1858 – 1937) Athlete I n 1960, an historical plaque – now at Centennial Park – was erected near Jake Gaudaur’s home at The Narrows, to the memory of one of the world’s greatest oarsmen. Here, at The Narrows, young Jake developed the skill to win fame on rivers and lakes across Canada, the United States and beyond. Over six feet tall, he possessed a commanding appearance, yet was a man of modest character. A veteran of 100 races, it was in 1892, on Lake Couchiching, that he and F. Hosmer won the doubles scull championship of the world, defeating Ned Hanlon and William O’Connor. In 1896, at the age of 38, he won the world’s singles sculling championship when he defeated Jim Stanbury of Australia on the Thames River. Gaudaur held the world’s title for five years. To celebrate this event Orillia arranged a magnificent parade and reception, complete with fireworks, and the Mayor presented Jake with a purse containing $500 in gold. He was a popular and much sought-after fishing guide; no one knew Lake Simcoe as did Gaudaur. The bridge at The Narrows is now called the “Jake Gaudaur Bridge”. Inducted 1966 4 CHARLES HAROLD HALE (1874 – 1963) Journalist A t a very young age, Harold Hale joined his father, George Hale, in the publishing of the Orillia Packet, later to become the Orillia Packet and Times. His association with newspaper journalism spans a period of 65 years, from printer’s devil to editor. Harold Hale was a man of foresight and vision, of sound wisdom, a forthright and fearless champion of every cause he believed to be right. He maintained a high standard of ethical journalism, never stooping to sensationalism, and his editorials were widely read across Canada. An intense historian, he was active in preserving both written history and historical sites. It is impossible to give in detail the many and varied services he rendered to the town he loved and to the movements he initiated and the positions he held. He was one of Orillia’s greatest citizens and truly could be called “Mr. Orillia”. As he was one of Canada’s outstanding journalists, University of Toronto conferred on him the degree Doctor of Laws in 1956. A bronze portrait bust of Harold Hale, by Elizabeth Wyn Wood, stands in the Orillia Public Library in recognition of his many-faceted contributions to the community. At his death at the age of 88, Orillia mourned the loss of one of its most illustrious sons. Inducted 1966 5 WALTER KNOX (1878 – 1952) Athlete – Coach B eginning in 1900, for 20 years Walter Knox shattered Canadian and world track and field records. He was a model athlete and a valued coach. He won the all-round championship of Canada, the United States and the British Isles. He competed in pole vaulting, running, broad jumping, shot putting, discus throwing, high jumping and the 105 lb. hammer throw. He established records that survived for generations, in both running and jumping. Born in Listowel, he was 15 years old when he came to Orillia. The following year he started practising with a group of boys near their homes on Gill Street, where they made a jumping pit and 40-yard sprint track. In 1903, he went to Beloit College in Wisconsin, where he first received proper training under coach Harry Gill, a former Orillian. Walter held many positions as coach: in 1925 he was chief coach for the Ontario Athletic Commission and in 1930 he was coach at Queen’s University, Kingston. As a prospector in Northern Ontario he held several mining properties. In later years, he took up golfing for recreation. Inducted 1966 6 ERASTUS LONG (1868 – 1916) Industrialist E rastus Long, a native of Oro Township, came to Orillia in 1881, as a young lad, to begin his apprenticeship in the shingle mill of his uncle, Robert Brammer. When his uncle died, he managed the business for the estate, along with J.B. Thompson, under the name of Long & Thompson. In 1900, it took the name The E. Long Mfg. Co. The shingle mill developed to include a saw mill and the manufacturing of transmission machinery and mining machinery. Trade extended across Canada from coast to coast and it was one of the principal employers in Orillia. Mr. Long took an active interest in public affairs, being a member of Town Council, Chairman of the Water, Light and Power Commission and a trustee of the Methodist Church. For several years he was president of the YMCA and was largely instrumental in the building of the Y on Peter Street, just north of Mississaga Street. His death, at the age of 48, cut short an enterprising business career. Inducted 1966 7 THE DUMBELLS Morley Plunkett Merton Plunkett Albert Plunkett 1897-1954 1888-1966 1899-1957 Albert, Merton and Morley Plunkett Entertainers A lbert, Merton and Morley Plunkett, three brothers with good voices and histrionic ability, brought fame to Orillia, their birthplace. During World War I, they volunteered to produce entertainment to boost the morale of the war-weary troops. Merton was a “YMCA Captain”, a special designation granted to YMCA men working in support of the troops. They took the name The Dumbells from the insignia of the 3rd Division and the name became widely known in the trenches, in London, across Canada and even on Broadway. The all-soldier revue was a resounding success, staging shows in the trenches and later into peacetime. One outstanding member of the cast was Ross Hamilton who played a very realistic Marjorie. Peacetime shows continued for many years after the war, and patrons of the Orillia Opera House always gave them an enthusiastic reception when they played there. Inducted 1966 8 THE HONOURABLE JOHN HOWARD SISSONS (1892 – 1969) Judge I n his memoirs, a fascinating book written with humour and wit, John Howard Sissons tells us that it was the life of his cousin, David Livingstone, the African explorer, who instilled in him his hatred of injustice, his understanding and affection for our Indians and Eskimos and his dedication to bring justice to these people. His youthful life of hunting, fishing and trapping around Brough’s Creek, helped him to understand some of the cases before him in later life. His summer employment on the wards of the “Asylum”, where his father was chief attendant, helped him to recognize the signs of mental instability, and the knowledge of epilepsy assisted him in many a trial to weigh the degree of responsibility. Mr. Isaac Day, the school inspector, was his mentor, and at his urging he continued his education to become a lawyer. After a successful legal career, Jack Sissons accepted a tremendous challenge to become the first judge of the Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories. He insisted that “justice be taken to every man’s door, and a man must be tried by a jury of his peers.” This necessitated extensive travel by aircraft and dogsled, holding trials in remote communities. A man of great moral stature, he was sensitive and caring and showed great insight into the Eskimo background and culture. His decisions relating to hunting rights, native marriage and adoption have become legal landmarks in spite of bitter opposition by the bureaucrats in Ottawa. He became a legend to the native people and was called “EKOKTOEGEE” – “the one who listens to things” – by the Inuit. He retired to Edmonton in 1966 and wrote his memoirs. Orillia is proud of the Honourable John Howard Sissons. Inducted 1966 9 SIR SAMUEL B. STEELE (1849 – 1919) Policeman – Soldier B orn at Purbrook, near Orillia, Samuel B. Steele was the son of Captain Elmes Steele, a retired navy captain. At the age of 19, he joined the Red River expedition and three years later signed up with the newly formed North West Mounted Police, who were to preserve law and order in the West, which was a huge territory. The life of the police was an arduous one – patrolling of the plains, controlling of the desperado, enduring bitter winters and scorching summers. Steele was a big man and exceptionally strong. He was also a superb tactician, diplomat and detective. A legend grew up around the brawny frontiersman and the Mounted Police. At the time of the Klondike Gold Rush, it was because of Steele there was so little lawlessness in Western Canada, as he had jurisdiction over all of the Yukon and British Columbia. He served with distinction in the Boer War in South Africa. In 1915, he went to England as Major General in command of the 2nd Canadian Division and was knighted for his services. He died in London in 1919 and is buried in Winnipeg. The building at 30 Peter Street South, which formerly housed the post office and police department, has been named The Sir Sam Steele Memorial Building. Inducted 1966 10 JAMES BROCKETT TUDHOPE (1858 – 1936) Industrialist J ames B. Tudhope will long be remembered for his philanthropy, his civic mindedness, his sense of fair play and his business acumen. At the time of his death in 1936, it was said that because of him, Orillia had become the chief industrial centre north of Toronto. Born of Scottish pioneers in Oro in the early 1880’s, he joined his father, William, in Orillia, in the carriage business that developed into a large industry, and finally entered into a merger known as Carriage Factories Ltd., of which he was president. They turned out 60,000 cutters. The advent of the car altered the business. He joined with his brothers and together they became pioneers in motor manufacturing, turning out a motor buggy; next came a complete car, including its engine. At the time of the disastrous fire in 1909 at the factory, though other municipalities held out inducements, J.B. stalwartly refused to abandon Orillia. During World War I, their attention turned to munitions. At various times, Tudhope had been actively identified with Canada Wood Specialty, Canada Electric Castings, Tudhope Anderson Co., The Orillia Furniture Company, and as a director of the Traders Bank and McIntyre Mine. His political life included councillor, reeve, and mayor and his election to the Ontario Legislature and the House of Commons. Always a generous contributor and canvasser, he backed every civic undertaking. The Orillia Presbyterian Church and its magnificent organ owe much to his generosity. Mr. Tudhope enjoyed recreation. As a youth, he was a good lacrosse player and later took up curling. But hunting and fishing remained his favourite recreational pursuits up to the end of his long life. Inducted 1966 11 ELIZABETH WYN WOOD (1903 – 1966) Sculptor E lizabeth Wyn Wood, one of Canada’s best known sculptors, was born in Orillia to Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Wood. According to her mother, as a very young child Elizabeth displayed a talent for clay modeling. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and at the Art Students’ League in New York. Her many awards included ten scholarships while at the Art College and the GovernorGeneral’s Medal. Marriage to her former teacher, Emanuel Hahn, took place in 1926. For twenty-five years, she was an outstanding teacher at Central Technical School in Toronto. Elizabeth Wyn Wood’s work has been rendered in limestone, copper, granite, bronze, marble and white plaster. She is noted for her work in monumental sculpture, especially that of King George VI in Niagara Falls – a ten-foot statue of granite that took eight years to complete. Welland boasts her war memorial and Niagara-on-the-Lake her monument of John Graves Simcoe. The fountain in the Fragrant Garden for the Blind in Toronto demonstrated her use of the abstract form to achieve a certain purpose, where the sound of water trickling on the sculpture is more important to the blind than the visual form. Citizens of Orillia commissioned bronze busts of three of its most important figures – former Premier Leslie Frost, Stephen Leacock and Harold Hale. But she is most widely noted for the series of landscape sculptures, which represent trees, rocks and waters of the Canadian Shield country. A marble bust of the sculptor, herself, by her husband, graces the Orillia Public Library. A founding member of the Sculptors Society of Canada and a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art, she was the Canadian delegate to the first general conference in Paris of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. She is buried in the family plot in St. James’ Cemetery in Orillia. Inducted 1966 12 FRANK “PIPER” BAIN (1908 – 1991) Athlete F rank Bain’s nickname, “Piper” came from the fact that his father was a pipe major of the Toronto Irish Regiment. His lacrosse career started in school in Brampton, continued in Toronto, and at one time he played with the IrishCanadian Dominion Championship Team in the junior division. In 1930, Piper represented Canada in the World championships, losing out to the United States in Baltimore. He toured the USA with the University of Toronto Blues in 1931 for one month, having a fantastic record…13 wins and only one loss. Piper turned professional in 1932; his coach was Conn Smyth. He joined the Chicago franchise of the American Lacrosse League for three years and won the Jimmy Murphy Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the Senior Lacrosse League in 1936. That same year, he moved to Orillia in order to play lacrosse, as Orillia was an outstanding lacrosse town. From 1936-1939, the Orillia team won two Ontario championships and one Dominion championship. In 1937, Piper coached the first junior club Orillia ever had, for boys twenty years and under, and in five years they won three Ontario and two Dominion championships, During the war years, in the winter months, he coached a hockey team. Inducted 1969 13 STEPHEN BUTLER LEACOCK (1869 – 1944) Author S tephen Leacock, Professor Emeritus of McGill University, born in England, was a respected teacher and a widely published academic author in the fields of economics and literature. His range of interests and activities at which he succeeded could be termed extraordinary. At McGill, he was Head of the Department of Economics and Political Science from 1908 until his retirement in 1936. His publications included over sixty volumes of essays, biography, history, economics, political satire, humour and nonsense. His two masterpieces are Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town and Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich. The former, written at his summer home at Brewery Bay, Orillia, has been called the most Canadian book ever written, and immortalized Orillia as Mariposa. Leacock was the English-speaking world’s best known humourist from 1915 - 1925. He was an ardent fisherman, gardener and entertaining host. His home at Brewery Bay, the Stephen Leacock Memorial Home, is maintained by the City of Orillia and is now a National Historic Site. A bronze bust of Leacock by Elizabeth Wyn Wood graces the Orillia Public Library. Inducted 1970 14 GORDON LIGHTFOOT (1938 – ) Musician G ordon Lightfoot, now a household name from coast to coast, sang as a boy in St. Paul’s United Church. His beautiful soprano voice is remembered by many to this day; in particular his rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer”. Encouraged by his mother, Jessica, who recognized his talent when he was very young, he entered, at age 12, the Kiwanis Music Festival held at Massey Hall in Toronto, where he won first place in his category. That was just the beginning. With hard work, diligence and his dedication to furthering his musical efforts, Gordon Lightfoot achieved world-wide success as a singer, composer and a talented guitarist. He is one of the early Canadian superstars to become famous in the United States. His first concert at Massey Hall in 1967 was sold out, and he performed there every year for decades. It might be said that, as a composer, his folk music depicts the social history of Canada. Some of his best known songs are The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Black Day in July. The winner of 17 Juno awards, Lightfoot was honoured with the Order of Canada in 1971 and the Order of Ontario in 1988. Inducted 1971 15 LAWRENCE MERVYN MCKENZIE (1922 – 1977) Athlete – Administrator W e can credit activities at the old YMCA on Peter Street for starting McKenzie on his career in sports. Living on Mary Street with two maiden aunts who raised him, the young lad spent countless hours at the Y. Merv excelled in hockey, lacrosse, football and swimming. He was a member of an Orillia junior lacrosse team that won the Minto Cup. He served overseas in the RCAF. The list of his credentials is impressive: a member of the Championship Committee of the World Boxing Association, Vice-President of the Canadian Professional Boxing Federation, Commissioner of the Ontario Lacrosse Association Senior League. His appointment as Ontario Athletic Commissioner came in 1953 to a man who had all the obvious qualifications for the position. As athletic commissioner he had strict control over boxing and wrestling in the province and in 1955 he cancelled Sunday boxing and wrestling cards. He was instrumental in setting up the 1966 heavyweight bout between Muhammad Ali and George Chuvalo of Toronto at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. Also as Commissioner, he was able to help many communities with sports programs. He never forgot his home town and returned many times to help out at community events here. He died on January 23, 1977, at age 55. Inducted 1971 16 WALTER HENRY (1938 – ) Athlete W alter Henry was born in Hong Kong, but it was as a schoolboy in Ireland that he showed promise as a boxer. Coached by his father and trained by his brother Jerry, he won the Irish schoolboy championship at the age of nine. Boxing became his whole life. He was dedicated to his career, which continued when the family moved to Canada. His list of accomplishments is impressive. In 1958, he represented Canada in the British Empire Games. On a return trip to Ireland in 1962, he won the Irish Senior Flyweight Championship. He fought in the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 and in Mexico City in 1968. He was a boxing judge in the 1976 Olympics. In 1967, he had the honour of being the first Canadian ever to win a medal in boxing at the Pan-American Games held in Winnipeg. Henry is 9 times Canadian Flyweight Champion and has won 20 Ontario titles. He was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1974. Walter Henry retired from boxing in 1971 after a career that included 403 fights, losing only 18. Orillia is proud of this popular successful athlete when he says, “I am from Orillia, and proud of it”, with just a trace of his Irish accent. Inducted 1972 17 DR. ALEXANDER H. BEATON (1838 – 1932) Physician A pioneer in the treatment and education of the developmentally challenged, Dr. Alexander H. Beaton justly deserves to be included in the Hall of Fame. He worked hard to justify his belief in the educational requirements of the patients as well as residential facilities. Dr. Beaton was educated in the Township of Pickering, then graduated from the Toronto School of Medicine in 1864 with a specialty in surgery. He practiced in Stayner for ten years. In 1876 he was appointed superintendent of The Orillia Asylum for Idiots, five months after the institution was opened with 100 residents. It was the first Canadian institution for the developmentally challenged and remained the only one for almost twenty-five years. Dr. Beaton was superintendent for thirty-four years, retiring at age seventy-two. As more progress was made in the treatment, research and education of the developmentally challenged, the institution was renamed The Ontario Hospital, then The Ontario Hospital School, and finally The Huronia Regional Centre. Dr. Beaton was twice elected the president of the Association of Medical Officers of American Institutions for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Persons. To this day, it is believed Dr. Beaton is the only Canadian ever elected president of that association. Dr. Beaton was an elder in the Orillia Presbyterian Church for forty-five years and was involved with the planning and building of the church sanctuary. The beautifully carved communion table in the church, presented by his son, is a memorial to Dr. Beaton and his wife. Inducted 1973 18 “MARIAN KEITH” ESTHER MACGREGOR (1874 – 1961) Author O ro Township was fortunate to have John Miller, a fine, intelligent, educated Presbyterian to teach in its schools, a man who instilled in his children the joy of learning, good literature and devotion to church. Mary Esther, one of his four daughters, was born at Rugby in 1874. She earned her teacher’s certificate at the old Normal School in Toronto, then taught the Junior Fourth Class in Central School in Orillia. Her love of writing led her to leave teaching, and she devoted herself to writing and Sunday school work. Her first short stories were published in the Westminster Magazine, which was sponsored by the Presbyterian Church. Her marriage to the Rev. Donald C. MacGregor, minister of the Orillia Presbyterian Church, took place in 1909. The couple served in various churches in Ontario. Esther Miller began writing using her own name but discovered another authoress by that name, so she took the name of one of her nieces and wrote under the name Marian Keith. Marian Keith loved her home, her church and family but she was determined to write, although it was difficult to find time in her busy life. Her writings were popular because she wrote of the life around her, of typical Ontario rural communities, and her readers could identify with the fictional characters. Duncan Polite and In Orchard Glen were set in the Rugby and Edgar districts of Oro. The Silver Maple (1906) shows how the clannish rivalries of English, Scottish and Irish immigrants broke down as their children learned to mix with each other at school. Although she loved children and could hold them spellbound with her story telling, she wrote only one children’s book, Glad Days in Galilee. Inducted 1980 19 LUCIUS RICHARD O’BRIEN (1832 – 1900) Artist L ucius Richard O’Brien, was the outstanding Canadian artist of his day and the founder and first president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art. He was born in Shanty Bay in 1832, and he and a brother conducted a general store in Orillia for a number of years. He was a member and reeve of Orillia Township Council and sat on the Simcoe County Council. He was a member of the Village of Orillia Council in 1867 and was a church warden of St. James‘ Church in Orillia for three terms. He studied and practiced as a civil engineer and was proficient as a draftsman. He was president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art, which he helped found, for ten years. His diploma picture, Sunrise on the Saguenay, is in the National Art Gallery, Ottawa, and it is this painting that was used for the 35 cent Canadian stamp, issued in 1980. O’Brien’s paintings are in the National Gallery and other galleries and in private hands in Canada and elsewhere. There are a number in private homes in Shanty Bay, and one in the Orillia Public Library. He exhibited in London, England, in Chicago and Philadelphia and other places as well as in Canada. O’Brien’s works are mostly landscapes in water colour and oils. His early paintings were done in the Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching areas. O’Brien returned briefly to engineering work but became a full time artist about 1872. He painted widely in Ontario and in the eastern parts of Canada, visited the Rocky Mountains in 1882 and in 1886, and painted on the Pacific Coast in 1888. He was art editor of the large two volume illustrated work, Picturesque Canada by George Munro-Grant, published in 1882, and many of the black and white engravings are his. Inducted 1980 20 CANON RICHARD W. GREENE (1848 – 1934) Community Leader A n eloquent preacher, a devoted follower of the Christian faith and a man of many talents, Canon Richard W. Greene was a much loved rector of St. James’ Anglican Church in Orillia for twenty-three years. He graduated from Trinity College, University of Toronto, and in 1872 was ordained in St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto, to which church he was called as second curate, remaining there for thirteen years. In 1888, Canon Greene arrived in Orillia to be the rector of St. James’, becoming a friend and advisor to many in the town. During his years here, the present church and the fine parish hall were built. Canon Greene was active in the life of the community. A painter, he was the centre of the artistic life of the town, encouraging young artists, including Franklin Carmichael, in their work. His talent for wood carving is still evident in the Church today when one admires the eagle lectern carved by him. He had a good ear for music and an eye for design. He was one of the judges who chose the Vernon March design for Orillia’s Champlain monument. As president of the Orillia Branch of the Church of England Temperance Society he was one of those responsible for bringing Orillia into the Local Option fold, with a vote in favour of temperance. He was elected President of the Ontario Sunday school Association when it held its annual convention in Orillia in 1908. Canon Greene was buried in the churchyard of St. George’s Church in Islington. Inducted 1983 21 DR. DAVID THOMSON (1870 – 1953) Professor D avid Thomson was the son of James Thomson, a merchant in Orillia. He earned his B.A. degree at University of Toronto and then taught in the Orillia High School for three years. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and studied at the University of Munich, Germany. In 1902 he became the Professor of Latin at the University of Washington in Seattle and rose to become Dean, Vice-President and Acting President. It is said he served in more capacities than any other professor in the history of the university. Dean Thomson had a fine personality, a good Scottish wit and was a friend to all who came in contact with him. He had been a member of Orillia’s chess club and continued to enjoy the game for many years. Golf and tennis were two sports he enjoyed. His reading interest ran to detective stories, and he had a library full of mystery books which he discussed animatedly with staff and students. June 1948 saw the dedication of Thomson Hall, at the University of Washington, named after this beloved Dean as a tribute to his many contributions to the life of the university. Inducted 1983 22 THE VERY REVEREND JOHN ANGUS MACINNIS (1886 – 1964) Religious leader J ohn Angus MacInnis was born on a farm in Mira, Cape Breton Island, on June 22, 1886, to Scottish parents. He graduated from Queen’s University and received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York. Answering his country’s call, he served in Britain and France during World War I, suffering severe wounds. Ordained into the Christian ministry in 1921, he was inducted as minister of Orillia’s Presbyterian Church on January 3, 1929. Thus began thirty-three years of a distinguished pastorate, during which he led his congregation through a depression and another World War, keeping the faith in difficult times. He endeared himself to the hearts of the Highlanders as he conversed with them in their beloved Gaelic. He gave himself unstintingly to the service of the community. He was co-founder of the Victorian Order of Nurses in Orillia, served on the Board of Education and was a member of the Masonic Order and the Kiwanis Club. He was a well respected Padre of Branch 34 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Knox College conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1947, honouring him for his leadership. In 1952, Dr. MacInnis was elected Moderator of the 78th General Assembly. As Moderator, Dr. MacInnis, with his wife, had the honour of representing the Presbyterian Church in Canada at the coronation of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953. Recognizing the high esteem in which Dr. MacInnis was held, and in grateful memory, at his death in 1964, the congregation established a memorial bursary in his name for the encouragement of students training for Christian service. Inducted 1985 23 FLOYD S. CHALMERS (1899 – 1993) Philanthropist F loyd Chalmers arrived in Orillia in 1910, living with his family at 40 Peter Street S. Along with his brother, Harold, and his sister, Dorothea, he attended Central School and Orillia Collegiate and there became friends with Leslie and Cecil Frost. He helped augment the family income as a paper boy and delivery boy, delivering handbills for the hockey rink and the Opera House. Part of his payment was in the form of free tickets to the travelling productions, which sparked his interest in music and the arts. In 1913, he moved to Toronto with his family but he remembered Orillia as the happiest years of his childhood. Perhaps because of those productions he enjoyed at the Opera House, he spent his World War I leaves in London at the theatre, furthering his interest in the arts. Floyd Chalmers was only 17 when he started as a cub reporter with the Toronto News and Toronto World. Four years later, he joined the Financial Post and for 17 years was the editor of that publication, a job he filled with distinction. He was president and chairman of the McLean Hunter publishing empire, editor of the Financial Post and a valued advisor to many Canadian statesmen and politicians. He was a member of the board of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, vice-chairman of the Royal Conservatory of Music, president of the Canadian Opera Company, and president of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival. He and his family created the Chalmers Foundation, which continues to aid young Canadian artists and the performing arts in Canada. Inducted 1986 24 JACOB GILL “JAKE” GAUDAUR (JR.) (1920 – 2007) Athlete – Administrator J ake, the son of Jacob Gill Gaudaur, a world professional rowing champion, was born in Orillia. He served as a pilot in the R.C.A.F., 1942-45, and, exclusive of the war years, played professional football from 1940 through 1953. He was President and General Manager of the Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1954 to 1967, during which time they won 9 Eastern Conference titles and 4 Canadian championships. Jake was Commissioner of the Canadian Football League from 1968 to 1984 and did much in the founding of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum. During his term, he was instrumental in keeping the C.F.L. a Canadian entity, in opposing American influence and encroachment, by seeing that the League stuck to Canadian rules and regulations. He assumed permanent chairmanship of the Player Pension Plan Advisory Board, the Management Council, the Rules Committee and other offices and duties pertaining to the C.F.L. He was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1984, and was named an Officer in the Order of Canada in 1985. Under his aegis as Commissioner, he had a great deal to do with placing the C.F.L. on a firmer financial footing with regard to radio and television rights and contracts. He had much to do with making the Grey Cup Game Canada’s number one event in sports. Jake is a strong believer that professional sport should use its high visibility to support charitable and fitness causes and annually authorized the use of noncommercial messages in C.F.L. game telecasts at no cost, to support such charitable causes. Inducted 1988 25 LAURENT QUETTON ST. GEORGE (1771 – 1821) Pioneer L aurent Quetton St. George never actually lived in Orillia, however he did amass extensive land holdings nearby. It could be said he was Orillia’s pioneer entrepreneur. He was born in France in 1771. A Royalist, he had a distinguished military career in Europe until the French revolution hastened his departure from France, along with many other Royalist refugees. There is a possibility he added St. George to his name in gratitude for finding refuge on British soil on St. George’s Day. In the summer of 1798, forty-one people, including Laurent Quetton St. George, led by the Comte de Puisaye, arrived at Oak Ridges, a place where the four townships of King, Whitchurch, Vaughan and Markham meet. The settlement was a failure and de Puisaye returned to England in 1802. St. George was ambitious and resourceful. He determined to succeed and to adjust to the pioneer conditions in Canada. Some time between 1800 and 1802 he opened a fur trading post at The Narrows, Orillia. Later, he established stores at York, Queenston, Fort Erie, Dundas and other areas. Records show his landholdings in this part of the country consisted of 2,300 acres in North Orillia, 2,500 acres in Medonte and 800 in South Orillia. In 1815, St. George returned to France, married Adele de Barbeyrae, by whom he had a son, Henri. In 1847, Henri came to Canada to claim his inheritance. He built a sawmill at the outlet of Lake Couchiching to the Severn River. The names of Quetton Street in Washago and Lake St. George remind us of the activities of Henri rather than of Laurent. Inducted 1988 26 ARTHUR BRADFORD SHILLING (1941 – 1986) Artist “I paint because there is no other way to express the beauty of my people.” For Arthur Shilling, his love for his people, pride in his native heritage and his awakening to Ojibway spiritualism, inspired his work. Arthur Shilling was born on the Rama Indian Reserve, near Orillia, in 1941. At the age of 22, his first solo exhibition took place in Orillia. Numerous exhibitions of his work have been held in Canada, New York City, Brazil, and Europe. His paintings are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Civilization, the Royal Ontario Museum, the McMichael Canadian Collection and in private collections. Shilling studied at the Ontario College of Art, but preferred to develop his own method of painting, rejecting traditional art forms and remaining “his own man”. He developed a distinctive expressionistic style, using vivid strokes of colour to make a strong statement, to define shape and form and to express the inner life of his people. Open heart surgery in the 1970’s changed Shilling’s perspective on life and he came home to Rama to fulfill a lifetime dream, constructing a native art gallery beside the home he shared with his wife, Amelia, and sons Bewabon and Travis. Working there, he developed his talents to become one of the greatest and most imaginative Canadian artists of our time. The National Film Board recognized this in its award-winning documentary about Shilling, The Beauty of My People. It is most unfortunate he did not live to see published the book he had been commissioned to write, The Ojibway Dream, that was released after his death in 1986. We end with his own prophetic words; “My pillow is a burning log. You could rake coals over my body. Death will not put this fire out.” Inducted 1989 27 GORDON ALEXANDER “SKID” WATSON (1896 – 1984) Humanitarian “C anada’s Mr. YMCA” – a title most suitably ascribed to Skid Watson, after 70 years as a member and leader with the Y . He was born and educated in Orillia where he spent many happy hours in the new Y, opened in 1907 on Peter Street, just north of Mississaga Street. There he learned those important values for which the Y stands. After teaching in a country school at Dartmoor, near Sebright, he enlisted in the service. Again, in England and France, he found the Y meant so very much to the Canadian soldiers. Returning to Orillia, Skid spent his whole life in the service of the Y as General Secretary, a position he held until his retirement in 1968 – 41 years. His relentless efforts ensured the growth and success of the local Y. For years, summer camp was a very important part of the life of the YMCA. As far back as 1910, William Thomson allowed the Y to use his Breezy Point property on the east shore of Lake Couchiching, and for some years the camp was known as Breezy Point. The camp ran intermittently as a tenting project. “Skid’s” dream was to establish a permanent camp at the site and to that end he expended enormous effort. He was proud that his project received tremendous support from the entire community. And so Camp Summerland, an institution that developed Canadian youth from coast to coast, came into being in the 1930’s. Skid entered wholeheartedly into the life of the town, serving on numerous boards and institutions and giving freely of his leadership. The words that best describe this man are displayed on the mural at the new YMCA building on Peter Street North – “Camper, Counsellor, Student, Teacher, Soldier, Athlete, Naturalist, Husband, Father, Community Leader, Mentor, Humanitarian, Citizen of the Year, Churchman, Friend”. Inducted 1989 28 MAMIE SHRUM FARIS (1913 – ) Athlete I t is interesting to note the names of Orillians who had a part to play in the sensational rise of Mamie Shrum to athletic champion status. Mr. Harry Warren, a butcher shop owner, saw her at work on the family farm. Mr. Jack McInnis, in his watch repair shop across from Mr. Warren’s, noticed her going and coming from his place, and was impressed by her as a possible athlete. Mr. Walter Knox, her eventual coach, was also impressed. A world famous athlete and coach, and later a member of the Orillia Hall of Fame, he had, himself, been trained under a former Orillian, Harry Gill. Mamie Shrum was born in 1913 on a farm, a little north of Orillia. She was only 17 years of age when Mr. Warren, Mr. McInnis and Walter Knox persuaded her to train as a shot putter. Mamie was skeptical. After only 7 weeks of training, Walter knew he had a “winner”. On August 16, 1930 and three days later, this nervous, inexperienced, ill at ease girl made her athletic debut at the Ontario and Canadian Women’s Track and Field Championships, winning both shot putting titles, an unheard of achievement. One month later, on September 12, a crowd of Orillians gathered at Couchiching Beach Park to welcome and honour Mamie, presenting her with a gold wristwatch from the town and a migrator from the Township of Orillia. She was now enthusiastic about the sport and was determined to lead the field with flying colours, adding discus throwing to her training. The year 1932 saw her set a Canadian record of 38’3”, the first in the shot put, and first for the discus throw – 103’ 6 1/4”. Again, in 1933, at the Ontario Track and Field Championships, Toronto, Mamie’s shot put of 34’ 11 1/4” won her a first. Shortly after her marriage to Reginald Faris in 1933, the couple moved to Atikokan, where Mamie still lives. Orillia is indeed proud of this outstanding athlete. Inducted 1992 29 THOMAS GUMMERSALL ANDERSON (1779 – 1875) Government Agent T homas Gummersall Anderson was the government agent responsible for the settlement of the native tribes in the Orillia area in the 1820’s. He had been a successful and respected trader, then military commander during the war of 1812, before starting a career in government services. In 1829 he was summoned to York by Sir John Colborne and ordered to undertake the settlement of the three tribes of Ojibwa Indians under Chiefs Yellowhead, Aisance and Snake at Coldwater and The Narrows. He supervised the building of the mill on the Coldwater River in 1833, a store and a school for Indian children, as well as the dwellings and meeting house at The Narrows Village. Yellowhead settled at The Narrows, Aisance at the Coldwater end of the Reserve and Snake on Snake Island in Lake Simcoe. Anderson’s reports at that time stressed the successful transition the tribes had made from hunting to farming and noted that religion and education was increasingly important in the lives of the natives. However, in 1836, the new Lt. Governor, Sir Francis Bond Head urged that they be removed in order to accommodate the white settlers moving into the area. Thus in 1839 Chief Yellowhead and his band settled in Rama Township, Chief Aisance went to Beausoleil Island and Christian Island while Chief Snake remained on Snake Island. As a trader and government employee, Anderson had close contact with the Indians for 58 years. He was a shrewd judge of character and was devoted to their interests and was highly regarded by them. He was responsible for executing the first attempt made in the British Empire to place aboriginal people on reserves. Inducted 1993 30 GERTRUDE MULCAHY (1918 – ) Chartered Accountant G ertrude Mulcahy was a pioneer woman in the chartered accounting profession and Orillia is proud of her. She is the sixth child of the late Mr. and Mrs. Teefy Mulcahy, of Orillia, but from then on she was first in everything. Graduating from the Orillia Collegiate Institute, she went off to the University of Toronto to study commerce, where, in 1940, she received her honours Bachelor of Arts degree, but discovered companies where she applied for an accounting position were not interested in hiring a woman. This was especially hurtful when she was turned down by the prestigious chartered accounting firm Clarkson Gordon, which had been founded by her great-great-grandfather, Thomas Clarkson. That firm finally recognized her good work as an auditor with the Bank of Canada, and, in 1947, she became the first woman to qualify as a chartered accountant with them. In 1969, Gertrude earned her MBA from York University. Gertrude joined the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) in 1949, where she served as secretary of the Board of Examiners and progressed to Accounting Research Director. Over her long career with the CICA, Gertrude received national and international acclaim for her commitment and outstanding contribution to the accounting profession. Her technical writings, speaking engagements, appearances as guest lecturer at universities and colleges across Canada, and participation in meetings and conferences in Canada, the USA and Great Britain won her high recognition from the accounting profession and business community. Her list of “firsts” include: 1st woman elected a Fellow Chartered Accountant of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario; 1st woman to receive its Award of Outstanding Merit; 1st woman to receive the Presidential Certificate of Merit from the CICA. In 1992, the YWCA honoured her as a “Woman of Distinction”. Inducted 1993 31 GEORGE W. BARTLETT (1852 – 1939) Park Superintendent G eorge Bartlett was a Provincial Park Superintendent who was instrumental in the development and preservation of Algonquin Park as we know it today. Mr. Bartlett came to Canada in 1863 and in 1872 to Orillia, where he and his family lived on Regent Street. He was a man very fond of the great outdoors. His initial work on the railroad construction and lumber camps up north, led to a position of considerable responsibility with the J. R. Booth Company. In 1893 the Ontario Government passed the act establishing Algonquin Provincial Park as a “Public Park and Forest Reservation”. But by 1897, the administration of the Park had fallen into disrepute and the Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Arthur Hardy, asked George Bartlett to take responsibility for the Park and “to make it a credit to the province”. This he did for the next 24 years. As superintendent, he was also the Postmaster, Police Magistrate, Chief Coroner of the District of Nipissing and Commissioner of Oaths. Mr. Bartlett hired former trappers to become Park Rangers to help him curtail poaching and illegal trapping, no easy task in the days of snowshoes, dog sled and travelling by canoe. He was a hard working man, expecting the rangers he appointed to be the same, and he was determined to maintain the wildlife of the Park. The preservation of the Park is a tribute to the foresight of the people of Ontario and the supervision of people like George Bartlett. Algonquin Park was put in the hands of a truly dedicated gentleman, who was recognized both nationally and internationally for his achievement in the preservation of wildlife in a controlled area enjoyed by people from all over the world. He helped build a legacy for Canadians that should endure for centuries. Inducted 1995 32 J. A. “PETE” MCGARVEY (1927 – ) Journalist – Newscaster F rom script-writer to assistant general manager, to feature newscaster and commentator, to arts and entertainment editor, to author, Pete McGarvey has had an interesting and exciting life. He was born in Toronto in 1927, and arrived in Orillia to work at radio station CFOR in 1947, then moved on to Chatham and Toronto. He has interviewed over a thousand prominent personalities from Hollywood, Broadway and the world of music. As a radio journalist, he had the opportunity to travel the world, including Moscow, Tokyo, London, Hong Kong, Jerusalem and Beirut, bringing back reports from these places. As a syndicated travel correspondent, this energetic man journeyed to many more global destinations in the 1990’s. Like his good friend, Dr. Harold Hale, Pete entered wholeheartedly into the life of the municipality wherever he was. Chatham will remember him for his “Pageant on the Thames”. It is impossible to list the many and varied ways Pete has served – on boards and foundations and institutions in connection with radio and with historical projects. For 12 years, Orillia was fortunate to have Pete as an alderman, reeve and deputyreeve. Through his determined efforts, Old Brewery Bay, the summer home of the celebrated author, Stephen Leacock, was secured and restored. It is now a National Historic Site. Pete was chairman of the Leacock Home Board for six years and the citizens of Orillia chose him to be the “Citizen of the Year” for 1957. Pete lives in semi-retirement in Orillia and Orillia is proud of his endeavours. Inducted 1995 33 ALEXANDER CHARLES BAILLIE (1939 – Banker ) A lexander Charles Baillie was born in Orillia in 1939, to Dr. and Mrs. Charles Baillie and even as a young lad, he knew he wanted to run a company some day. He has certainly achieved his goal. He was educated at Hillcrest Public School, Orillia District Collegiate Institute and University of Toronto Schools. He earned his BA at University of Toronto and MBA at Harvard Business School. It is interesting to note his grandfather, Alexander Baillie, many years ago was an executive with the Dominion Bank, which merged with the Bank of Toronto. With this Toronto Dominion Bank, Charles started his career, which included several years in New York, in the USA division. The TD Bank has profited from his business acumen, and, recognizing this, appointed him Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Much can be said about this accomplished man – a philanthropist, a family man, a keen golfer, a student of history, and athlete. He is outspoken as he sees the need for greater commitment to education. He is an avid bird watcher and this interest has taken him and his binoculars to many parts of the world. Many companies, organizations and charitable institutions have profited from his expertise and his willingness to head fund raising campaigns for these institutions. B’nai B’rith honoured Charles when they presented him with the Award of Merit, B’nai B’rith’s highest honour. Orillia was fortunate that he agreed to be honourary chairman of the fundraising campaign for the Orillia Museum of Art and History at its founding. Inducted 1999 34 CHIEF WILLIAM YELLOWHEAD “MUSQUAKIE” (1769 – 1864) Ojibwa Chief T here was an Ojibwa chief called “The Yellow Head, Chief of Lake Simcoe”, who is thought to be responsible for keeping his people loyal to the British during the War of 1812. When this chief was wounded in defense of York in 1813, his son, Musquakie, was created chief of the tribe. Four years later, at the desire of his father, Musquakie was appointed principal chief of the Deer Tribe, and was more commonly known as Chief William Yellowhead. In 1818, the Crown purchased 1,592,000 acres of land in the Georgian Bay-Lake Simcoe area from the First Nations, and one of the signers of this treaty was Chief Yellowhead. He and his followers settled in the vicinity of Orillia, and a house, which stood until recent times, was erected for him. Eventually, white settlers infiltrated the region, and the Ojibwa claimed they spoiled their hunting grounds. The Ojibwa were compelled to relinquish their lands and moved to Rama during 1838 and early 1839. Yellowhead spent the remainder of his life there. A devout Christian, he was highly respected and admired by all who knew him. When he died in 1864, his age was supposed to be upwards of 100 years, although the burial register of St. James’ lists his age at 95. A large gathering of whites and First Nation’s people attended his funeral out of respect for the British Crown. He is buried in the churchyard of St. James’ Anglican Church, Orillia. The Muskoka District of Ontario is a permanent memorial of Musquakie’s name. It is generally believed that this region was named after him since the area comprised part of his recognized hunting grounds. Inducted 1999 35 WILLIAM BELL (1945 – ) Author – Educator W illiam Bell was born in Toronto in 1945 and educated there until he graduated from the Ontario College of Education in 1970, immediately after which he moved to Orillia where he has lived ever since. He holds a master of arts in literature and master of education, both from University of Toronto. For many years William taught English and creative writing at Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute, where he was the head of the English Department. For years he was an instructor in China at the Harbin University of Science and Technology and Foreign Affairs College. He has also taught at the University of British Columbia. William Bell has written fourteen books, twelve for young adults and two for children. In the mid-80’s he was among the first novelists in North America writing specifically for young adult readers aged 12 to 17, and has been an innovator in this genre ever since. Many of his books are widely used in school courses of study, since they novelized political and social issues such as disabilities, illiteracy, alcoholism, gay relationships, student unrest, gangs, cancer and bullying, long before they became current in the media or popular subjects for other novelists. His novels are set in the Orillia region, Algonquin Park, China and elsewhere. His books have been translated into ten languages including French, German, Polish, Dutch and Spanish. Mr. Bell has won the Belgium Prize for Excellence, the Ruth Schwartz Award (Canada), Manitoba Reader’s Choice Award, Canadian Librarian’s Association Award and Mr. Christie’s Award, among many others. He lives in Orillia with author Ting-xing Ye. Inducted 2002 36 PETER W. CAIRNS (1938 – ) Vice Admiral V ice Admiral Peter Cairns was born in Orillia on October 4, 1938. The son of Mildred and Carrol Cairns, he attended West Ward Public School and Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute. A keen athlete, he enjoyed a variety of sports and played for several Orillia teams. In his final year of high school, he was elected head boy, and was selected as a cadet major in the school’s army cadet corps. In 1956, Cairns entered the Royal Canadian Navy as an officer cadet. During his 39 years of active service, he had numerous sea commands. In addition to commanding two frigates and a frigate squadron, as a qualified submarine officer he also commanded a submarine and a submarine squadron. He completed tours of duty in the Royal Navy and the United States Navy, and was on the North American Treaty Organization’s maritime staff. In 1991, he was appointed to the Order of Military Merit in the rank of commander. For three years, Cairns served as commander of the Canadian Pacific Fleet and for two years, just prior to his retirement, he held the position of commander in chief of the Royal Canadian Navy. He retired from active service in 1994. Since his retirement, he has been involved in a number of organizations. For several years, he has been president of both the Shipbuilding Association of Canada, and the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Institute of Ocean Dynamics. Inducted 2002 37 ERIC HARVIE (1892 – 1975) Philanthropist John Gilroy, “Portrait of Eric Harvie”, 1960, oil on canvas, Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada, 991.87.1 E ric Harvie was one of the great philanthropists of western Canada. Harvie was born and raised in Orillia, part of the Harvie Settlement clan. After obtaining his law degree, he headed to Calgary to start his career. As his practice grew, he quietly bought up mineral rights in the region, and struck it rich when oil was discovered on his land in 1947. In short order he became a multi-millionaire. He used little of his money on himself, living frugally and driving an old Studebaker. His wealth was directed toward lavish efforts to preserve the history of western Canada. In 1954, he founded the Glenbow Museum in downtown Calgary where his massive personal collection of western artifacts - native, pioneer and military - are on display. The institution is a combination of museum, art gallery, archives and library. He created the Harvie Foundation, supporting projects such as the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Calgary Zoo and Heritage Park, Charlottetown’s Confederation Square and Arts Complex and the re-development of the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. Over the years the foundation has spent more than $100 million supporting many cultural institutions across Canada. Harvie was also fascinated by armies and armour. He fought in WWI achieving the rank of captain, and had a career in the Calgary mounted constabulary during WWII attaining the rank of commandant. In 1952 he was named the Honourary Colonel of the Calgary Highlander regiment. Inducted 2002 38 HONOURABLE JAMES K. BARTLEMAN (1939 – ) Lieutenant Governor T he Honourable James Karl Bartleman was born to Percy Bartleman of Orillia and Maureen Benson Simcoe of Mnjikaning (Chippewas of Rama) in 1939. As a youth growing up in Orillia and in Port Carling, Muskoka, James straddled the two worlds of Scottish-Irish heritage and native heritage, facing the poverty of the family and discrimination from the community. The Honourable James Bartleman was the first aboriginal to be named lieutenant governor of Ontario. As described in his two biographies of maturation, Raisin Wine: a boyhood in a different Muskoka (2007), and Out of Muskoka (2002), Bartleman overcame obstacles to his personal growth through reading and self-education. With the assistance of a wealthy Muskoka cottager, he attended university, then embarked on a diplomatic career in 1966, when he joined the Canadian Foreign Service. In a further memoir, Rollercoaster (2005), James writes of his career as a senior diplomatic advisor to Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Bartleman has associated with a great many prime ministers, premiers and presidents through his years as an ambassador or high commissioner to Bangladesh, Israel, NATO, South Africa, Australia and the European Union. On Six Continents: a Life in Canada’s Foreign Service 1966-2002 (2004) describes his many amusing and treacherous adventures from the perspective of a poor aboriginal kid from Orillia and Muskoka. The greatest accolade he ever received is the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1999. His influence is still felt in the northern Ontario literacy camps for native children that he championed while lieutenant-governor of Ontario. He retired to Perth, Ontario, but frequently visits Orillia and Mnjikaning. Inducted 2004 39 HARRY GILL (1876 – 1957) Athlete – Coach H arry Gill was known as the finest all-round athlete of his day, the most successful athletics coach in America and as an innovator in track and field equipment design. He was born outside Orillia, near Coldwater, to a family that included cousins Jake Gaudaur and George Gray, both world champion athletes. Harry was a self-taught athlete, practicing on Gill Street in Orillia after school. Three times in the 1890s he won the Canadian All-round Athletics Championship (the precursor to the decathlon). Then in 1900 he traveled to New York to contest for the American championship as an unknown there. He won with a record score that stood for five years. Two years later he turned professional and won that all-round championship in both Canada and the U.S. Harry took up coaching in 1901 and went on to an illustrious 30-year career at the University of Illinois. He took over a low-rated program and went on to a 111 and 24 won/lost record in track meets. In 1924 his athletes scored more points at the Olympics, than any other team or country! He helped to organize the first NCAA track and field championship in 1921, which his Illinois team promptly went out and won. Dissatisfied with the state of track and field equipment available, in 1918 Harry started a company that developed innovative designs. Some of his innovations that became standards were the discus, the hurdle and the first aluminum vaulting poles. Always returning to his summer home in Orillia, Harry encouraged and provided the first coaching for Walter Knox, another Orillia all-round athletics champion. He also wrote many books on coaching that became standard texts. Inducted 2004 40 THE HONOURABLE DUNCAN E. MCKINLAY (1862 – 1914) Politician B orn in Orillia in 1862, The Honourable Duncan E. McKinlay learned the carriage painting trade at Tudhope Carriage Works, Orillia. He used this skill, to work his way across the United States to California. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of California in 1892 and practiced law in Santa Rosa, California from 1901-1907. He became second and then first assistant United States attorney at San Francisco. He quickly rose to prominence; by developing his native talents and through extensive reading he became a well-informed and eloquent speaker. He was elected as a Republican to the United States Congress (1905-1911). He became a personal friend of President “Teddy” Roosevelt who sent him to the Philippines, as a commissioner, to report on conditions there. In 1910, Duncan McKinlay was appointed by President Taft as United States Surveyor of Customs for the Port of San Francisco, California. He had a very keen interest in the Panama Canal and its national and international importance. As a member of Congress he visited the Panama Canal with the Interstate Committee of the House. In 1908, he addressed the Orillia Canadian Club on the Panama Canal. In 1912, he published a book, The Panama Canal, in which he explained the absolute necessity for the construction of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama and the events leading up to this gigantic project. The Honourable Duncan E. McKinlay died in Berkeley, California, in 1914. Inducted 2004 41 GLENN GOULD (1932 – 1982) Concert Pianist T he name Glenn Gould still resonates around the world as one of the greatest concert pianists. His performances and recordings are remembered and loved in Canada, United States, Russia, Israel and elsewhere a generation after his death. Glenn Gould was born in Uxbridge, Ontario and lived most of his life in the Beach area of Toronto. Until he was twenty he spent as much time as possible at the family cottage near Uptergrove and Orillia. His childhood in a rural area nourished him a lifelong love of nature and boating. At ten, Gould began studying piano with Alberto Guerrero of Toronto, who also began cottaging in Orillia to continue Glenn’s summer lessons. At eighteen, already a mature pianist, he retreated to the cottage, where he found solitude, tranquility and a contemplative life. Here he could practice, study scores, and analyze his own tape recordings without the pressures of city life. Often he played until the early morning hours. Many residents of Orillia remember Gould playing piano at the cottage or the Opera House at night, or eating and shopping at their restaurants or stores. In Orillia, Glenn Gould had friends rather than fans. Consequently he did not suffer the same pressure of his stardom in this area as he did elsewhere. For years, as long as the cottage was available, he would spend as much time as possible there to rejuvenate between concert tours and recording sessions. The cottage’s Chickering piano became the standard by which he measured all other instruments, including the Steinway. Kevin Bazzana, author of Wondrous Strange: the life and art of Glenn Gould, comments “there is the phenomenon of ‘Gould Tourism’. Since his death in 1982 an astonishing number and range of people have made the pilgrimage to Toronto … and been drawn to ‘Gould country’ around Lake Simcoe”. His recordings of The Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach is legendary. Glenn Gould is the subject of at least ten biographies and several films. Inducted 2007 42 DON TAPSCOTT (1947 – ) Author – Consultant D on Tapscott was born in Toronto in 1947, the eldest son of Mary and Don Tapscott. He moved to Orillia with this family in 1960 and attended West Ward Public School. He spent his high school years at Park Street Collegiate. After graduating from high school, Don attended Trent University where he received a B.Sc. in psychology and statistics. He then moved west to the University of Alberta where he received his M.Ed., specializing in research and methodology. From both universities, he has received honorary doctorates. Don’s first position was with Bell Northern Software Labs, where his job was to develop the office of the future. Here he was introduced to the concept of networked computers which, in turn, led into business consulting, and eventually into writing books on the effect computers have on society. Don has authored or co-authored 11 books on the application of technology in business, and is much in demand, worldwide, as a consultant and speaker. His book, Wikinomics: “How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything”, a definitive text, was published in 2006 and was a best seller for many months. In 1992, Don founded New Paradigm Learning Corporation, a consulting firm for business management. He is also an adjunct professor of management at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. In addition to his business, Don is very committed to the issues of mental health, and over the years has served on several boards of mental health organizations. He and his wife, Ana Lopez, are the benefactors of the Tapscott Chair in Schizophrenia Studies at the University of Toronto. Inducted 2007 43 Committee Membership The Hall of Fame Committee is unique in its purpose and function. Committee members must have knowledge of the local area and of the local citizens. It should be noted that over the years the committee members themselves have been noteworthy Orillians deeply concerned with the City’s heritage. The following is a listing of all who have served on the committee since its inception in 1964: Louis Francoz (Councillor/Deputy Reeve) J.B. Lamb Edna Cutt Skid Watson Grace Crooks Leigh Harry Tissington (Alderman) Ron Leliever (Alderman) William McFarlane P. McIsaac (Alderman) George Czerny Frank Kehoe (Alderman) Tony McCauley John Parks (Alderman) W.M. Cramp (Alderman) Allan Ironside Mark Furlong Gerry Briggs (Alderman) Frank Dolcort (Alderman) Douglas Blackburn Jay Cody Sue Mulcahy Clare Long Jeff Day Alannah Langlois (Alderman) Mel St. Onge Isabel Brillinger Patricia Hehn Don Hunter Peter Hoare Wendy Hutchings Donald Ross Andrew Johnston Kelly Lassaline Janifer Tissington Mort Seymour David Town Michael Hill 44 1964 - 1966 1964 - 1971 1964 - 1985 1964 - 1984 1964 - 1985 1971 - 1973 1970 1971 - 1973 1974 1974 - 1977 1975 - 1978 1978 - 1980 1979 - 1982 1979 - 1980 - 1988 1983 - 1985 1983 - 1985 1986 - 1987 1986 - 1988 1984 - 1997 1984 1986 - 2004 1988 - 1997 1987 - 1990 1989 - 1989 - 1995 1990 - 1993 1991 - 1997 1994 - 1999 1995 1999 2000 - 2004 2003 - 2006 2001 - 2006 2006 2007 -