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continued from page 1 sion of having a real community hall in the village. Funds were raised by holding dan- ces in the school, draws, box socials, card parties, etc. We also canvassed for donations in the vil- lage and elsewhere. We disbanded the Rossport Women's In- stitute some years ago and the last five mem- bers transferred their membership to the Schreiber branch of the organization. Of the original group only three members are living, namely Mrs. Enar Anderson, Mrs. Esther Birch and Mrs. Anne Todesco. Other members of the younger group surviving are Josephine Kenney, Frances Campbell, Esther Seppala, Camilla Todesco, Josephine Hubelit, Lorraine Sep- pala, Camilla Legault, and Margaret Johnson. When one looks back and remembers the types of entertainment we held in the hall, what was known as the 'modern way', it makes one wonder what will now come next. Finally with the huge sum of seven hundred dollars to our credit in the bank the members thought that it was about time our hall was started. We gave the con- tract to the Molinski Brothers who operated the local sawmill. Joe Molinski supervised the project from _ plans drawn up by AI Bentz of the Thunder Bay Lum- ber Company. Most of the lumber supplies were purchas- ed from the Molinski Bros. with the finishing material from the Thun- der Bay Lumber Com- pany while the Ross- port Trading Company supplied the nails at cost price and the other ne- cessary hardware was also purchased from this company. The lot was purchased from the Hudson Bay Company for $50.00. The land was so rocky that no one else wanted it. Some people thought we women just couldn't handle such a large pro- ject but our good hus- bands cheered us one and gave us support and encouragement. The building started in the summer of '29 and was completed that Fall. We held a Grand Open- ing in October of 1929. What a night that was! There was no highway so people had to come by train for the event. Following the ribbon cutting, guests, neigh- bours and friends enjoy- ed a two hour amateur play entitled "Aaron Slick. from Pumkin Crick." The play was followed by a luncheon and dancing. What a wonderful evening! The music for the dancing was supplied by Mrs. Agnes Bryson and her orchestra. We had to take out a mortgage for five years to help finance the building but we man- aged to pay off the note in three years. Mr. Fred Gerow backed our note. We had a ceremony for the burning of the Note. We always held an Entertainment at least once a week as well as dancing every Satur- day from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The admission was 25 cents at first, then we raised it to 50 cents and finally to 75 cents. People thought it a large fee - Goodness me, what would they say at the fee ranging from six to fifteen dollars or more today. On the Opening Night we charged the sum of a whole dollar which in- cluded the show, lunch and dancing and that was thought to be very expensive. Our Hall has much history in its building and upkeep. Keeno be- came popular. William Legault and I were the Callers. It is a game similar to Bingo, only our prizes were mostly donated and were com- prised mostly of grocer- ies, baking and material things such as dishes, novelties, lines, fish, etc. We always served a lunch of some sort which was donated of course. Even if we served cran- berry or blueberry muf- fins, jelly roll cake or tarts - times were hard and everyone appreciat- ed our efforts. Our fish dinners were popular. The first ad- venture in this meal, the fisherman operating at that time donated us the fish and we served all the trimmings with it, even homemade rolls. The dinner cost $1.50 a plate. Then we served spaghetti, or baked bean dinners. All work was volunteered whether cleaning the Hall, call- ing Keeno or working at other events. Everyone enjoyed the old fashioned box or pie socials. They were a riot of pleasure. So many lovely boxes made to 'represent a window flower box full of flowers, shaped like a hat, or tug or fish or even a house. Much time was taken to make the various styles with the fun of the men bid- ding on them. Amateur plays and concerts always drew a full house and some fine programs were enjoyed. The conductors on the old passenger trains - two or three must have felt like pulling their hair out when they drew into Schreiber and spot- ted over a hundred peo- ple all scrambling to get aboard to journey to Rossport to dance. It wasn't so bad to board the train at Rossport on the return as_ usually time was lost by the train anyway in loading tons of fish onto the express car for the east- ern markets. Before we built a kit- chen at the hall we had to serve all luncheons and meals in the. audi- torium. After the ten dollar a month camp closed when the high- way was built by man- power and horses, we were donated two of the sleeping camps and used the lumber for building a kitchen. Some of the chairs were donated by Eatons, Simpsons, Wells-Em- merson, and Chapples. Our organization pur- chased the balance as well as tables, dishes and cutlery. Some of the kitchen equipment was donated also. We pur- chased the present pia- no. The linens were both donated and purchased by the Women's Insti- tute group. The building was lit by. oil and gasoline lamps til Hydro was hooked up in 1949. Wat- er was hauled from the lake and kept in large covered containers. The building was heated by burning three foot logs in a long camp stove. Then with hydro power installed, we purchased an oil burning furnace. The members of the organization had much credit coming to them as funds were hard to come by in those days. All the work done was by vol- unteers. There were no grants to help us out. When the hall requir- ed a scrubbing, we car- ried pails of hot, sudsy water to the hall and lined up at the front with brush and cloth and scrubbed the floors on our knees. Then we drifted to long handled brushes and mops. Be- lieve me times are changed. Oh yes, some members cleaned the stage, the windows, cloak rooms, porch and kitchen and Grandma (Geo.) Gerow kept the coffee pot at the ready to keep us going and brightened us up. The floor was dry, it was waxed. In later years, as we grew older, we had to hire help for the Cleaning. Believe it or not, the present chimney was ac- tually built by a 'Shorty' Green and one of our members, Mary Ar- chambault. I wonder where we would find a woman today to do that sort of manual labour. The ladies did every bit of the shellacking, varnishing or painting of SHOWER ANNOUNCEMENT A Come and Go Shower will be held in honour of bride elect CATHY BORUTSKI in Holy Angels Parish Centre from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1, 1983 Everyone Welcome A SOCIAL will be held in honour of BONNY BOURGUIGNON and GEORGE MILLER on May 28th, 1983 in the Schreiber Town Hall Basement from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Lunch Served Sorry No Minors Ontario Ontario Provincial Parks Ministry of 4 Natural Resources For information, call toll free: 1-800-268-3735 Doing what yan eer 133 picture perfect playgrounds for you to discover. Hon Aian W Pope inister Ww T Foster Deputy Minister Terrace Bay-Schreiber News, Wednesday, May 25, 1983, page 5 Rossport Community Hall the floors and wood- work - voluntarily - again we had no money to hire help. The rafters rang when anywhere from 250 to 350 people danced. Ten to twelve sets would be up for the square danc- ing - Oh what good times! We never see square dancing, _schottisches, Coming thru the Rye, two-steps, fox trots, waltzes or polkas like of old. Oh, there is - an odd polka sometimes but few orchestras are heard with violin, piano, ac- cordian, etc. It's all loud tapes and noise. Finally as members _ married and moved away, or passed on, the Women's Institute dis- banded with only five members left. They turned over the Hall to the school board for use as a Recreation Cen- tre with the stipulation that one former Women's Institute member would be on the operating committee. The Trustees were Ray Kenney, Charles Todes- co, Herb Legault and Mac Hubelit. When the school was closed, the 'all became a Rossport Community Hall with a seven member operat- ing committee. Renovations have been going on the past few months both inside and outside, financed by Wintario and the Min- istry of Culture and Rec- reation. Before the grants could be given, the hall committee had to have the hall incor- porated. Plans are underway for the open- ing exercises and the cutting of the ribbon. The plans include' an afternoon tea by a cater- ing group and a dance in the evening. It is expect- ed that several digni- taries will be present for the event on May 28. The Chairman of the Committee, Mrs. Prina Gerow, will supervise the entertainment. There will be more about the hall following the opening exercises on the 28th. BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT LEPP--Ruth and Len are happy to announce the birth of their son MITCHUM ANDREW on April 14, 1983 at The McCausland Hospital. Ont. Proud grandparents are Mrs. J. Lepp of Thorold, Ont. and Mr. & Mrs. J. Falzetta of Terrace Bay, Bolan. nursing grateful. BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT BOLAN--Ryan and Rhonda are pleased to announce the arrival of their brother DUSTIN MICHAEL born on May 2, 1983. Proud' Parents are Nancy and Randy Special thanks to Dr. Wilkes and the staff of The McCausland Hospital, also we would like to thank Mom, Dad and Wendy for all their thoughtfulness and help. We are forever 7 = WELCOME... Capital Insurance Agencies Ltd.and l are pleased to welcome employees of STOPN STEER SHOPS LEAH TRONSEN .- (Thunder Bay) toa Blue CHIP Plan. | | Al King 34 Cumberland Street North Suite 704 Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4L3 @& (807) 345-5451 ONTARIO BLUE CROSS 5969 = Vv TERRACE BAY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND THE KINSMEN CLUB Will be taking orders until Thursday, May 26, 1983, for your bedding plant requirements -- flowers, vegetables, etc. at approx. $1.50 per flat (varies in number of plants per flat according to variety). Tree and shrubs also available -- you name it and we will try to get it! Orders can be picked up at the > school bus garage on Saturday, May 28, 1983, and Sunday, May 29, 1983, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Plants other than those ordered will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Place orders and quantities with Peter Monks 825-9361 (evenings) Duncan Mackey 825-3338