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RN * - N YOUR LIVING LANDMARK - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 \} 100 yearn history full of interest and excitement BY WM. BROCK had an immense wooden chair from »-- The Town Hall was built in 1873, one ~~ which he presided. It was always used of the first acts of the first council of the ~~ in dramatics to enthrone a king or newly incorporated village. For 70 queen should the script call for it. The AJ 2 4 years it was to be the centre for chair was at some point removed to the « cultural and recreational activities in ~~ Memorial - Library, from which it § the community. The High School built disappeared. (Does anyone, know # at Rosa and Queen Streets was built in where?) Court sessions were as formal 4 the same year without gymnasium or as could be expected under the A auditorium; so that the new hall down- circumstances. One local character BR town was used for all school Com-- was known for some time by the , A mencements, dances, plays and var- nick-name 'Hello Ed! On being led" 4 iety programs. The students enjoyed into the court by the constable to & " Cag sa le Le Tne Llp Ch ld this arrangement, for they were able to make one school dance last out three evenings -- the night before a party to decorate, the big night itself, and a clean up party the following evening. In those early years many parents also attended, and after dutifully participa- ting in the opening reel, they would retreat to card-tables arranged at the back for Euchre or Whist. Occasion- ally a masked ball would be held, and on one occasion, all of the girls sec- retly exchanged dresses before the big night so that the confusion of the boys was doubled as they sought out their favourite partners. Before the turn of the century, roller-skaing was a popular pastime, and the Town Hall's flooring was laid especially for this purpose. A fan- shaped section was inserted in both ends of the floor so that at no point would you have to turn off a plank and 'risk being upset in the crack between the boards. This floor is still there, and it is worn in an oval shape, testimony to the many miles the young people skated over its surface. The skates themselves had wooden'rollers and one local lady can remember the constable, Mr. Robert McKnight, giving the skates away when skating went out of fashion. Another can remember rum- -maging in a-box in the balcony in about .1912 and finding a few old broken skates which had been left there. The Town Hall was the scene of musical and dramatic events in bewil- dering variety. There was great excite- ment when Miss Drake would come to town. She would stay for two weeks, and at the end of the time every one would crowd in for the play she had produced in that time using purely local talent. Around 1900, the now- famous Indian poetess Pauline John- son would come in with a 'troup of musicians and elocutionists. Dressed in a beautiful beaded leather costume, feather and head-band, and with a neck-lace of eagle claws, she would hold the audience spellbound as she recited her own works. Every year the . Guy Brothers came with their travel- ling minstrel show, and inspired many acts in the amateur minstrel shows which were produced locally later in the season. Court sessions were a regular feature of life in the Town Hall. The judge appear before the august figure of Magistrate Purdy, he broke into smiles and hailed the judge with 'Hello Ed!' It broke up the court temporarily, but did not lessen the penalty incurred for the misdemeanor. When war came in 1914, the Town Hall played its part as the scene of many fund-raising balls, concerts and meetings. One of the concerts was given by the local branch of the Edith Cavell Society, a women's patriotic society whose local members were given medals by the Belgian "Consul after the war. In the winter of 1916 the 116th Regiment of Ontario county gave Battalion concerts in the Town Hall. They felt right at home there because they were billeted in town and did some of their indoor training there. Later, on May 16 when the Regimental route march took place from Beaver- ton to Oshawa, the men were billeted in the Town Hall, the Presbyterian Church and the Armouries behind the (then) new Post Office. They went to Niagara by boat from Oshawa, and then overseas on July 16. Later during the depression years, the Town Hall was used as a hostel for transients (usually called 'tramps'). Chief William Nesbitt bedded down all comers, and in addition, vegetables "and potatoes were provided so they could cook themselves a good meal. Such was the reputation of the Town Hall hostel that transients, who could stay no more than one night at a time, would arrange to be in Port Perry every second night. It was natural that the Town Hall hostel should be hosted by the con- stable, for this was his preserve. He supervised the jail, a small room in the front of the building with one barred , window. Later an iron cage was in- stalled which was probably more com- fortable. His visitors did not stay long, often just to sober up overnight, or to await the time of their trial. It was also the duty of the constable to ring the bell in the tower which was a sort of munici- pal alarm clock. At 7 a.m., 12 noon, 1 p.m., and 6 p.m. it had its signifi- cance for everyone. To all, a rousing call to get up and start the day. To the kids, time to get out of school for lunch. To mothers, a reminder that the kids would be home in about five minutes. To all, the signal that supper would soon be ready. It could be heard on the Island and in Prince Albert as well, so no one had the excuse that he had not heard the bell! Some boys would-head-- for the Town Hall when they heard the bell, and the constable would let them give the rope the last few pulls. The friendly sound of the bell would turn ominous if heard at the wrong time, for then it could mean 'Fire!, and the signal for volunteers to race to the Hall, or to ring up 'Central' on the telephone to see if she knew where the fire was, or what else was amiss. She usually did! The Town Hall had its regular routine, like everyone else, Every year Ben Hokea would arrive with his Hawaiian Orchestra and everyone would turn out to dance. His popularity - was such that he drew 1,200 people to a garden party in Greenbank in 1921. Every year a local Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was performed with staging and talent that everyone who attended still #alks about. in A performance' of Virginia Heroine' was staged with = solr ms mis, a) Vd 2 APA Lhd 7 "lhe Ley bell --. abeut 3 feet wo didmeler -- "lee nelC «fk rope. whe! wos awed of When Tower wae lowered. lighting and thunder more natural than the real thing! New Year's Eve was a gala occasion at the Town Hall. Ladies in silk gowns and gentlemen in striped trousers and kid gloves would see the new year in with an elegance probably not seen in Port Perry since. From the earliest days, there had been a farmer's market in the building on Perry Street behind the present L.C.B.O. store. Buyers would come from Toronto and buy wholesale quan- tities of poultry, eggs and butter which they would take away with them on the train. When Archers turned the build- ing into a garage in the twenties, the market moved into the basement of the Town Hall. It became just a Christmas Fair where turkeys and other Christ- 'mas wares were sold wholesale to stores and outside buyers until the end of the thirties. When it was finally decided to give up the Christmas Fair, the committee had a bank balance of about $50. which was given to the Businessmen's Association who deci- ded to sponsor a Santa Claus visit to Port Perry before Christmas. This event of course was the precursor of our successful Santa Claus Parade. The beginning of the end for the Town Hall was probably the construction of the new High School and Public School on Rosa Street in 1926. In the auditorium on the third floor, there was a larger stage from which greater numbers could view all of the produc- tions that they used to see down the street, and at least in winter, be more comfortable. School functions no more were held in the Town Hall, although there was still the odd play produced there which continued to pack the house in the thirties. The Swiss Bell Ringers and a few vaudeville hangers on still made regular appearances, but it was Hollywood which gave the Town 'Hall another brief hold on life. For about fifteen years movies were shown twice a week to a generation eager to forget the more arduous forms of self-entertainment that their parents had enjoyed. There was not much time for endless rehearsing and memorizing of lines for an amateur play when Abbot and Costello could take you for an evening with Rio Rita, or George Formby could take you zanily 'Up in the Air'; especially "when on your ° opening night, thercrowd your parents would have expected for the play were happily watching Frankenstein and the Werewolf down at the Town Hall! The Town Hall's world crumbled with the oponing of the Lakeview Theatre on Queen Street in 1946. With the exception .of its basement use as garage for the snow-plow and later the Fire Department, its municipal life was over and it was put out to work -- making undergarments for ladies at "starvation wages. It did not earn enough to warrant more than the occasional coat of paint or the replace- ment of the odd pane of glass, although through its labours, it did contribute to a lowering of the General tax rate for the village for twenty years. In its year 101 this most senior of senior citizens stands decapitated, patiently awaiting restoration. © Centre for creative talents By Mina E. Mina Saving the Town Hall is a long range investment for Port Perry. As a cultural centre, the Town Hall can serve the community and its citizens to serve its needs and its development in' the arts. Young and old alike can have a place for all their creative talents to develop and nourish. Classes and displays of all local talent can take place at the centre throughout the year. During the summer months the Town Hall can house a professional theatre company and to bring about the best of theatre to Port Perry and to its tourist . community local talent can also participate in this venture and learn much from a summer professional operation. . The local business can also benefit much from a summer operation that can attract the visitor to an exciting town where culture is of the best quality. Port Perry has a chance to become the kind of place that people would want to come to and be a part of. We don't necessarily want to become another Stratford but we can be a place unique enough, offering the best of creative talent and summer recreation We have a beautiful community and we can make it eventually into a place where people from all across Canada would want to visit. Culture and the arts is a total investment. of ourselves in our future and™hke future of Port Perry. This is an investment we can't afford to do without. 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