ROBIN NICHOLSON Music has always been symbolic of Christmas, and -no person represented music more in Whitby during bis lifetime thnRobin Nicholson. In 48 years of teaching music in Whitby, Mr. Nicholson had a remarkable total of 1,121 pupils-, of whom he kept a careful record. Many are stili living in Whitby today. Robin Nicholson was not only a music teacher, but an organist for most of the town churches, and played the piano at most of the major public events in the town's history from the early 1900's to the 1960's. Robert Edward Nicholson (who was slways known in Whitby as Robin) was boru in a bouse on the site of the cenotaph at Dundas and Green Streets on April 22; 1890. He was onie of a, family-of nine children of Robert Edward NicholsonSr. and Elizabeth Louise Chatterson. At the age of 16, in 1906, Mr. Nicholson started working at the buckle factory in Whitby, where the Ssfewav, Plaza is NEWS This Christmas, somnething new has been added in town. We have lights on our tr ee in Grass Park. The Irooklin Business Association arranged for a 'permanent electrical outlet to be placed in the Park. This wiil, of course, be available to other groups witb approval from town, officiais. The Brooklin Business Association is a newly formed group with a $2.00 membership fee and anyone in business, interested in joiniug may caîl Fred Brown at. 655-4521. The'Brooklin Business Association would like to take this opportunity to wish a Merry Christmas to, ail. St. Thomas Anglican Church would like to welcome ail to Attend their Christmas and New Year services. Dec. 24 - 9 a.m. .- no service .24 - il a.m. - Holy Communion 24 -11:30 a.rn. - Chorl Communion 25 - 10 a,,..t ,- Family Communion ïU, 19 a.ijyq munoni ~ ~p3~~-il a.m.- Morning Prayeg g ~~Christmas 'Greetings to AIl! Susan Smith Brown's Drop Off (before 2 p.m. Sat.) Big Brothers hold benefit game, Jan,,,6 Thse Big Brothers of Oshawa-Whitby wili hold their. second annual benefit hockey game at thse Oshawa Civic Auditorium, Satur- day January 6,1979, at 2 p.m. Thse game wiii match local Big Brother Volunteers with celebrities such as Dick Duff , Sid Smith and Vern Buffey againstbe Oshawa- Whitby Fire-Figisters. Tickets are $1 .00 each with proceeds going to Big Brothers of Oshawa-Whitby. The tickets would make great stockiug stuffers for Christmnas. Tickets are on sale at the Big Brother office, 52 Simcoe Street Souitis Oshawa, al and the Civic Auditrium.. Santa letters alSauta Claus reports that alletters lef t in the letter, boxes put out by the Retail Merchants Association inu downtown Whitby have been answered, sud have- been mailed. Some letters from thse children, however, did not bave a returu address, and were impossible to answer. If any parent feels that their chid's letter did not have a return address, please phone John Roberts at 668-1221 in order that a letter f rom Sauta might be sent. TOWN 0F WNITBY Châfftm !ÉGbqÊE chnSch Please note that due to the Christmas Holidays, the normal garbage collection will be changed to thc follôwing: IGarbage Normally Collected On Mouday, December 2à , 1978 Tuesday, Decemiber 26, 1978 Wednesday. Decemnber 27.,11978 MondaN, January 1, 1979 Wili te Collected On January 2, 1979 January 2, 19749 Jauuary 3, 1979 January 2, 1979 GAR12AGI& NURMIALLY COLLECTEI) ON TIIURSDAYS ANDI FRII>AYS WILL NOT IJE AFFECTEP Wl1ITJBY FREE' presently located. He worked in the same factory for 58 years, and was one of the last three employees when the factory clm.ed in 1964. He was proud of thse fact that he never missed aday of work in ail those 58 years. Mr. Nicholson started teaching piano in November 1907, and continued until January 1955. Among bis teachers were two directors of music at the Ontario Ladies' College, J.,W.F. Harrison and G.D. Atkinson. Mr. Nicholson kept a careful record of bis studentse. In 1960 he repoôrted that 597 of his pupils had married, six married twice and one mararied three times. Iu 1908, Mr. Nicholson-piayed the organ for a wedding, at Audiey, and by 1959 he ha-d played the organ at 154 weddings, according to his records. 1His last wedding in-August 1959 was for a grand niece of the couple for which he played the organ in 1908 for the first time. Robin Nicholson was very closeiy associated, with the churches of Whitby, having served as orgauist for St. Andrew's Presbyterian, AIl Saints' Anglican, St. John's Anglican sud the Whitby Baptist Church. In, 1910 hebecame.,organist for St. Andrew's Church, aud served ther e until 1915 when he was appointed organist of the Whitby.Baptist Church. Mr. Nicholson continued at thse Bsptist Church until 1946. From 1947 tô,1949 he wss organist at St. John's Anglican Church. This,,did not include the many times he filled in for 111 or vacatiouing organists at ah the churches in town whenever ht was needed. Lynde Creek is site of study of lamprey eels Whitby's Lynde Creek is, to be the subject of a long-term study 0f lamprey'eels, wttich bave been a problem in the Great Lakes in recent years. The Department of Fisheries' s ea lamprey control centre in Sault Ste. Marie has been given permission by council to o)perate traps for tbe next five years in-Lynde Creek to, study tb'e lsmprey population. Ses iamprey, an eel-like animal, bas, a large sucker mouth, and pre$rs on fresh a-nd salyater-,f îsh. -They attà ch themseIvès to 'stièh species as wbitefish sud sucb the life out of tbem. Tostudents, will.operate, a weir in LYnde Creek for the I.?eprtment of Fish'eries, In ~May sud June for the next: five years.. Dependiug on wbatthey find, the control centre msy shorten or extend the length 'of the Lynde Creek experiment. The fisheries department plant to start -building the timber crib in the creek this month to provide a secure base for the trap. The crib, will-be removed at the end of, the project. Town-o wned land on tbe esst side, of Jeffrey Street near Lyftdé Creek Bi'idge wiIl be ùà sed to locate a trailer each year to bouse:the Iwo students near the site., .The project can: be operated only in May;sud June, as that is wbenthe lsmtnrev runuin the creek. PRESS,ýWEDNESDAY, DECEMIIER 20,1978, PAGE 7 Mr. Nicholson added bis talents to playing the organ at hockey games at the old Whitby arena, and for rnany years lie was pianist for the Whitby Rotary Club. For bis services to the club, he was made an honorary member. Robin Nicholson was called upon to play thse piano at most of -the public functions in Whitby for a period of nearly 60 years. He pIayedý.- the piano for social and musical gatherings, banquets, Home and School programs and many other events. Throu ghout the 1920's and 1930's he was piapist for the Royal Canadian Legion's Armistice Day Services in the town hall, before they were moved to the various town churches. In 1924 Mr. Nicholson>,played the piano at the decication of the Cenotaph, and for the visit of Sir Hamar Greenwood, who was given.a'banquet at the Ontario'Ladies' College on his official visit to his home town of Whitby. Whenever he wasneeded, Mr. Nicholson was there to helpout and was one of the best known,,and Ëest loved residents in Whitby. In his later years, Mr. Nicholson wasa. valuabe source of* infomnition for the 'Miitby Historical'gociety. With the aid of <his amazing. memory, he was able to provîqe much information on Whitby's early days, and always enjoyed telling the story of the development of the town and its early families. Trhe writer of this column remembers bringing pictures of the 1890's to Mr. Nicholson, and he could namne every person in them. His contributions te the recording of Whitby's history were considerable.-4 Robin Nicholson died at the age of 80 on Nov. 30, 1970, and bis loss was mourned by'many Whitby reësîdents. At this time of Christmas it is fîtting that we rememnber through this columni the man who gave Whitby the gift of music throughout his long life and started so many young people on musical careers. History is made up of people, sud that is why people have been featured so rnucb in this column during the, past year. Their story is Whitby's story, and their contributions to this town should not go unforgotten. Mrnimum wage- mis. On- January:1,1979 n ewMinimum Wagerts wlIgo into effect. Here- are the ne'w rates: Effel ective **ianuary 1, 1979 General hourly rate Learner, hourly rate Construction and (uards at construction sites, hourly rate *Hourly rate for persons employed to serve liquor in licensed premises *Student hourly rate Ambulance, Drivers and Helpers, WeeklyRaâte -Hunting or-Fishing-Guides less than 5 consecutive hours 5 or more hours whether or flot consecutive *Room and Board The following maximum rates apply when room and board are included in calculating the minimum wage: Room, weekly Meals, each weekly Room and Meals, weekly *no change froni previ<)us rate **the eiitire work week-in which January 1 fails mIot ways te Smv on hmaing cosi t homne or cottagé 3 SIZES IN STOCK FROM $33900 #FomBrueoe MiTmiuw1IIM $3.00 2.90 3.25 2.50 2. 15, 144.00 30.00 11.00 1.15 24.00 35.00 Youcan get more information about the new Minimum Wage rates and the Employment Standards Act by writing or phoning: Employment Standards Branch Ontario Ministry of Labour 400 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M7A 1T7 (416) 965-5251 SOntario Employment Ministry of Standards uçe Labour 'Branch Hon. Robert G- Elgie. M.D., Minister DATA PROCESSING SERVICES -PAYROLLRCEVBL -ACCOUNTS ICVAL -GEN 'ERAL LEDGER -FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -ACCOUNTrS PAYABLE -OTHER SPECIALIZED SYSTEMS ON REQUEST CALL: J. Carter - 66&0429 Whitby D. Fulford - 751-9751 Toronto