Looking Back - 1988: Stanley McCutchin wins national honours

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Online - Stan McCutchin 1988

Neepawa Banner & Press archives

Stanley McCutchin as shown in the 1988 edition of the Neepawa Press.

By Jessica Morton

Neepawa Banner & Press

80 years ago

Tuesday,

June 7, 1938

Belching black smoke and the clanging of the Neepawa fire bell announced to Neepawa citizens Friday night just before six o’clock that the Neepawa Salt Limited plant was in for a big fire. Within half an hour damage to the extent of about $7,000 was done which also meant that 25 employees would be without work temporarily. The fire started in the roof of the storage building on the west side. It was noticed by Vincent Merriman, who broke into the office building and telephoned the fire brigade. Almost at the same time the smoke was noticed by the watchmen, Fred Mizen, who had passed through the building a few minutes before but had noticed nothing amiss then. The tar paper on the roof burned quickly sending up clouds of black smoke that drifted east over the town giving the impression of a gigantic blaze. With only one hydrant to get water from, the firemen were hindered somewhat but even at that they had the fire under control within half an hour.

70 years ago

Thursday,

June 10, 1948

The local senior ball team has played three games to date, Plumas 5 all tie, Eden at Eden 8-7 for Eden, and Monday at home 17-1 for Neepawa. Something over 400 fans turned out to see the game at which the local batters fattened their batting averages at the expense of three Eden twirlers. The local boys played some good snappy ball only having three errors charged against them. Batting averages are: M. Rush. 625, R. Rush. 545, McKinnon. 500, Guinan. 444, Murray. 426, Howart. 400, Guinn. 400, Inverarity. 363, Sprague. 333, Craig. 300, Kilburn. 250 and Loiselle 154.

60 years ago

Tuesday,

June 10, 1958

A team of American scientists and associated workers arrived in Neepawa on the weekend to conduct a study on cosmic rays. They expect to be here about six weeks or two months. The team, with Dr. Peter Meyer, University of Chicago Physicist in charge, is conducting its experiments from the Neepawa airport. Balloons containing a scientific recording apparatus will be sent to altitudes of about 100,000 feet. The project is a part of the International Geophysical Year. Neepawa was chosen as the site for the tests because the bombardment of solar cosmic rays is particularly heavy at this latitude.

50 years ago

Tuesday,

June 11, 1968

A large barn on the farm of Frank Kuharski in the Eden district was completely destroyed by fire which broke out shortly before midnight Monday. The Neepawa Fire Department was called to the scene, but the barn was completely ablaze before they arrived and concentrated their efforts in wetting other buildings to keep the fire from spreading. The barn, 32 feet by 50 feet, was built only two years ago. Along with the barn, 400 bales of hay were lost in the fire. Mr. Kuharski and friends managed to remove a number of calves from the barn and some equipment, including his portable milking machine. The fire lit up the midnight sky in the Eden district and attracted a number of spectators, including a number who followed the fire truck out from Neepawa.

40 years ago

Thursday,

June 8, 1978

Gene Collins from the Canadian Wildlife Association with a novel idea for increasing duck nesting sites in the area. His idea? To sink giant, round flax straw bales into the shallow waters of sloughs and ponds in the area to provide extra “shoreline” for ducks looking for a nesting site. “I like to call them duck motels and hotels,” quipped Bob Burns as he explained Collins’ idea to those attending the local Wildlife meeting on Monday evening. “It’s been proven that the idea of nesting islands does work.” Mr. Burns continued, “one of the most frequent users of such spots is the popular Mallard.” The Canadian Wildlife Service has $5,000 available for the purpose of increasing duck flocks in this area.

30 years ago

Tuesday,

June 7, 1988

Stan McCutchin, an 18-year-old NACI student, composed a poem on the subject of war, then entered it in a contest and has since won national honours. The students poetic endeavours began last fall, when, in Brian Bailey’s English class, he was taking an elective on social protest and poetry. “I chose war as my topic and made a presentation of five poems. Some of the kids, and Mr. Bailey, thought this one was good, so I entered the contest. I took the poem to the local Legion and they sent it to the Legion Literary Remembrance Day contest. It won the Portage zone, then won the Command which is Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, and went on to national competition.” The poem entitled, “What I Am,” won first prize in the senior division at the national level. He will read his winning poem on national television during the Remembrance Day service, November 11, 1988.

What I Am

I am the glory of action

The test of manhood

The action of patriotism

And the fulfilment of the soul.

I am the death of youth

The oppression of millions

The destruction of nature

And the coming of Armageddon.

I am silent death

Violent death

Heroic death

Whimpering death.

I am the baptism of fire

The feeling of worth

The memories of home

And the thoughts of glorious valour

I am the embodiment of evil

The bane of the World

The greatest sin

And the scythe of death

Be not illusioned, I Am War.

20 years ago

Monday,

June 8, 1998

The Whitemud Watershed Conservation Tree Train rolled into 10 community stations with freight cars full of trees over the past two weeks. Each day the train was met by a mob of green thumbed towns people awaiting their package. Freight included over 3,000 trees, with varieties including Scotch Pine, Blue Spruce, Villosa Lilac, Basswood, Poplar, Green Ash and Mountain Ash.

10 years ago

Monday,

June 2, 2008

Cal Vanderschuit of Erickson Collegiate outscored 44 other competitors to win the fifth annual Manitoba Public Insurance Driver Ed Challenge in Winnipeg. Vanderschuit’s perfect score of 400 points earned him a $1,500 scholarship. Competitors scores were determined by their performance on four driving activity courses. The competition was open to every current Driver Education student holding a learner’s license, and course graduates who were still in high school as of May and hold a learner’s or intermediate license.