As published in The Erin Advocate
From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1914)Hillsburgh is contributing its share to the defence of the empire. Messrs Hugh McMillan and Howard Cox are now at Valcartier, Que. training, along with former Hillsburgh boys Alan and Ernie Royce. A Patriotic Song Service will be held in the Methodist Church on Sunday evening, with a collection devoted to the War Fund. Songs will include Onward Christian Soldiers, The Sons of God Go Forth to War, Quit You Like Men - Be Strong, the Marseillaise, When the Angel of Death Shall Call and God Save the King.
Women’s Institutes are donating money to supply a hospital ship to the Imperial Navy, along with donations to solders including pillows, flannel shirts, handkerchiefs, socks, mending kits and knitted cholera belts – intended to avoid disease thought to be caused by chilled abdomens.
From the Advocate – 45 years ago (1969)
Parents of students at Ospringe School staged a protest march, after the kindergarten program was shut down. They objected to the school board’s decision to bus the young students up to 30 miles to Brisbane and Ross R. MacKay in Hillsburgh.
Wellington Construction Safety Inspector Gilbert MacEachern reports that the Erin area is having a building boom, with building permits valued at $1.4 million recorded in the second quarter of the year.
Minister of Municipal Affairs D’Arcy McKeough will meet with representatives of Wellington County and the City of Guelph to discuss the possibility of Regional Government for the area.
Wayne and Doug Gregson of Hillsburgh had the Junior Champion Holstein Bull at the CNE, Argo Acres Marquis Lad. Elizabeth Pitfield, 11, of Tweedhill Farm at RR1 Terra Cotta had the Reserve Grand Champion at the CNE open steer show.
From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1979)
Dave Balmer, who recently called the rowdy youths on Erin’s Main Street “The Zoo”, has had his Cadillac set on fire and destroyed. Balmer also recently opened a pizzeria, to replace the one closed by Ralph Ciccia due to vandalism. The new shop has had the words “The Zoo” spray painted on it, and a rock has been thrown through the plate glass window. Guelph OPP have no suspects.
Reg Patterson of Hillsburgh is upset that the Village of Erin hired a Mount Forest firm and did not consider him when they decided to have garbage collection done by a private contractor instead of municipal staff. His firm already has a contract to collect trash for Hillsburgh and does private collection in Erin Township.
Erin and Hillsburgh firefighters sprayed water for five hours on 40 tons of molten fiberglass that escaped from a furnace tank at Graham Fibre Glass. One spectator and two firefighters were overcome by high temperatures.
Kent Tocher will provide musical entertainment at the Queen’s Ball this Month. Contestants must be local single women, 15-24. Wearing a streetlength dress, they will deliver a 1-2 minute speech on “What I like about living around Erin”.
From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1989)
Stanton Trott, 73, of Huttonville died and his wife Cecilia was seriously injured after their van was struck by a fuel truck at the intersection of Highways 24 and 25 at Brisbane. Residents have seen many accidents at that location and are demanding a traffic light.
Margaret Langdon and her daughter Emma have been chosen to be featured in a national pamphlet for the Matching Mothers program, as part of the War Amps Key Tag Campaign. The program provides help to families when they have a newborn child with a birth defect or a child that has had an amputation.
The Thrifty Drug Mart opened its doors last week, to the delight of Hillsburgh residents who have long awaited such a store. The 4,000 sq. ft. facility is owned by pharmacist Marg Pearen and her husband Rick, with pharmacist Bill MacCormack on staff.
