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14 -- PORT PERRY STAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE -- Tuesday, September 20, 1988 PER HVIDSTEN - respected publisher's career Per Hvidsten became the publisher of the Port Perry Star in 1963 after purchasing the company from the family of the late Samuel Farmer. During his 13 years as owner and publisher of the Star, Mr. Hvidsten became well respected in the community and was known for his faimess in re- porting events. He became involved in many community func- tions and groups, including the Lions Club, Cham- ber of Commerce and in later years the Scugog Choral Society. But his real joy was publishing the Port Perry Star and he continually strived to make the paper better. Per Hvidsten was born into the newspaper busi- ness in his hometown of Sarpsborg, Norway, where his father Peder Hvidsten published a daily news- paper. From the age of 17, he worked for his father at the newspaper, until his career was interrupted by the second world war in 1940. He escaped from the Germans in Norway and made his way to Canada where he became an air- force instructor at Little Norway, located outside of Huntsville. It was during his stay here he met Leila Todd, was married and fathered two children. After being discharged from the Norwegian Air Force he worked for the Huntsville Forester for a short time before moving to North Bay to establish with newspapers spanned over half-a-century his own printing business. After about six years of struggle in commercial printing, his dream of own- ing a newspaper came a reality, when they pur- chased the Uxbridge Times-Journal in 1953. With Per as publisher and Leila as editor, the T-J grew and flourished as they introduced and ex- tended local news coverage, and finally expanded into a new large building with modern facilities. With the Uxbridge paper operating smoothly, the couple decided to purchase the foundering Port Perry Star in September of 1963. Mrs. Hvidsten stayed in Uxbridge to operate the Times-Journal, while Per took up new roots in Port Perry . Again his efforts paid-off as the newspaper began to gain re- spect and with the modernization of the plant also began to turn a profit. During the time the Star was published by Per Hvidsten, the newspaper was the recipient of many awards for outstanding achievement. In 1969 Per was honoured by the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association by being elected president. In January 1976, Per Hvidsten stepped aside and sold the business to his son Peter. But he did not retire completely as he worked part-time for the next eight years with his son. Per Hvidsten passed away on Monday, May 27, 1985 after a short illness. PETER HVIDSTEN - second generation to publish Star The Port Perry Star's current publisher is Peter Hvidsten, the second generation of the Hvidsten family to publish the newspaper. He was born in Huntsville, Ontario in 1945 and as a young boy moved to North Bay with his moth- er, father and sister. It was here, Per Hvidsten pur- chased a printing business and operated it for five years before acquiring the Uxbridge Times-Journal. In 1952 the Hvidsten family moved to Uxbridge and Peter received his education at both Uxbridge Public and High Schools. During his high school years, Peter worked part time in the printing shop, doing all of the usual dirty apprentice type jobs, and also took an interest in photography. In addition to taking on the occas- sional photo assignment, he also worked in the darkroom processing prints. Upon completion of High School the lure of the "big city" drew Peter away from home and the newspaper for about three years. Having grown up with "printers ink" in his blood, he was not quite sure if that was the career he wanted to pursue, so took a job in a savings office until he could find something more suitable. After a few months, Peter applied for a job as an assistant to a very well known professional photo- grapher in Toronto. He worked along in this posi- tion for about a year and a half, before realizing it was a dead-end job. He then returned to the print- ing business as a press operator at a large Web Off- set plant in north Toronto. In 1963 the Hvidstens purchased the Port Perry Star and it was a few years later that Per Hvidsten asked Peter if he would like to come back home and work at the Star. So in July 1967, Peter took up a position as ap- prentice printer with the Star and for the next few years worked on both the newspaper and job print- ing, gaining experience in all aspects of the busi- ness. Late in the {all of 1975 Per Hvidsten announced he was going to retire, and in January 1976 Peter purchased the Port Perry Star from his father. He has operated the newspaper for the past 12 years and it continues to grow in size and readership each year. Peter was married in February 1981 to his wife Nancy and they have a 3 year old son Matthew. He also has two girls from a former marriage, Jannine, 18, and Sherri Lee, 14 years old. FROM PAGE 13 friendship ripened into marriage in 1901. We lived simple and naturally because we had no money to do otherwise. While we had our joys and sorrows, there have been no flaming headlines. But we have lived together Jorgw-seven years, and it is not likely that ei- ther of us will realize what each has been to the other until one is gone, and the other is left. Our four children are: Marion (Mrs. I.A. Boyd, Port Perry); Anne (Mrs. M.M. Boyd, Ottawa); Ar- chie, of Timmins; John of Weston. Coming to Port Perry, in September 1907, was the turning point in our lives. We went into business for ourselves; and have had many experiences both good and bad. Forty years is a considerable length of time to keep a business going in these days of rapid change. Our interests have been centered in Church and Education. Both my wife and I have held official po- sitions in the organizations of which we were mem- bers; and we have travelled considerably about On- tario, and across the Dominion. We have always treasured the memories of those journeys. Best wishes to you both. May you have health and happiness until the dawn breaks, and the shadows flee away. Grace joins me in these good wishes. Your brother, Samuel Farmer January 9, 1907 A BIG PRINTING CONTRACT Probably the biggest contract for printing ever let in Port Perry in one day was that which was entered into last week by THE STAR office and Messrs. Jones & Son. This enterprising firm in preparing for the ten days sale now going on decided to distribute throughout the counties of Ontario and Dur- ham, no less than fifteen thousand large bills of half sheet size, and they decided to have their bills printed on THE STAR power press- es, and contracted accordingly. The contract was fully carried out with the neatness and despatch to the satisfaction'of all parties. It is EE to say that the members of our staff house found the opening days of 1907 long drawn out. --------------------)