"Iroquois Mask Good Medicine - It's Staying"

That 15 - foot - high Iroquois medicine mask may not be a thing of beauty.

But it's "good medicine" for the Brant Historical Society Museum.

Officials credit it with a big assist in attracting more visitors this year than ever before.

Based on 1960 guest book registrations to date it looks as if at least 5,000 persons will have viewed the museum's many exhibits of historic interest in 1960. Last year the figure was somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000.

"All in all, the mask has brought good publicity to the museum and to Brantford," Mrs. Howard Disher, historical society president, said today.

Since the society received the mask from the Royal Ontario Museum more than a year ago there has been some controversy over its future.

Should it stay or should it go?

It became a favored roosting place for starlings, pigeons and other feathery folk. Was it, then, after all, simply for the birds?

About three months ago the society had just about decided that the mask had fulfilled its purpose as a tourist draw. Offers from other centres to give it a home were considered.

But now the picture has changed.

Public opinion, as well as the attendance records, seems to favor keeping the mask where it is - over the museum's front door on Charlotte Street.