HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1971-11-11, Page 2411,••••••/••••••••Inw14+111.
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Since 1860, Serving the Community First
Published at SEATORTIL ONTAR10,,every Thursday morning by McLEA.N BROS.,--Publishers Ltd.
ANDREW Y. McLEAK, Editor
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Newspapers
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SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, NOVEMBER U. 1971
A Bright Future for the Rec
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Decision of members of
the Seaforth Optimist Club
to provide flood lights at
Rec'r&etian Park suggets
the park soon may regain
some of its past glories.
Already the club in co-
operation with the town and
recreation committee has
carried out improvements
to the park grounds and
these in turn have en-
couraged increasing use of
the grounds.
Established nearly
ninety years ago the Re-
creation grounds on South
Main Street have been the
scene of many triumphs by
Seaforth football, lacrosse
and baseball teams. It ,
was here the Seaforth Bea-.
vers won their Canadian
championship late in the
last century and where
successive lacrosse teams
battled for Ontario'honors.
In the thirties the '
annual Dominion Day cele-
brations which were a
feature of Seaforth for
a number of years got
underway at the Recreation
Park each July first.
Probably greatest use
was made of the grounds
during the years at the
turn of the century. Com-
pletely enclosed by a high
board fence, the park in-
cluded a track and exten-
sive bleachers. While more
modern bleachers have ma4
an appearance recently,the
fence long since disappeared
the victim of lack of main-
tenance.
Until recent years when
increasing interest in
softball resulted in greater
activity, the grounds had
fallen into disuse. It is
not so many years ago that
a council of the day gave
serious consideration to
dividing up the grounds
Onto building lots.
Bolstered by the en-
thusiastic support of the
Optimists the Rec, as it
has been known to succeed-
ing generations of Seaforth
athletes and sp'ectat'ors
alike, is again coming into
its own. Once more it may
become the home field of
thampion ,Seaforth teams.
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The Old Grieve's Bridge
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Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smiley
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NOVEMBER 13, 1896-..
The cheese factory at Staffa has closed
for the season. and Mr.' Walker has put
in a Joliette grinder and will be able to
do all kinds of chopping in the course of
a few days.
The snow of the past few days at Kippen
has now disappeared and the mid has
returned.
Mr`. Silas Butt of Kipper) has engaged
with Wm. Cudmore for 12 months.
Miss Bertha Daly'has been appointed
organist of St.J ames Church, Seafotth.
Robert Charters of the Mill Road,
Tuckersmith, shipped a Leicester lamb
to Bruce Mines. A short Hine ago
another of the same breed was shipped
to port Stanley. „
For the special excursion to Goderich
en Sunday, there were sold five tickets
at Sebringville; 13 at Mitchell; 8 at
Dublin; 32 at Seaforth and 30 of Clinton.
There was an im mense crowd of people
at Mr. Common's auction sale in Mc-
Killop. The stock brought good prices.
The Dodds property at Seaforth was pur•
chased by Robert Winter, but the farm was
bid in at $5,000.
The farmers of Tuckersmith have
taken advantage of the fine weather of
the past few weeks and now have nearly
all the roots housed or under cover.
Messrs. Eric and Alex McKay of
Chisethurst have moved into the.fine new
residence they erected during the summer.
Dr. Gouinlock . of McKillop has sold
Lots 34 and 35 on the 8th concession to
Wm Ross for $4,500; Hugh Flynn has
purchased the farm of Wm. Reidy for
$3,200.
Loeis Wurm of Zurich has ground
more apples and 'mule more cider that
has ever been made here before.
Mr. George , of Toronto junction, who
has been painting signs in Hensel! and
Kippen during the summer mofiths is
now engaged at the same work at Bruce-
field. "
Colin Kennedy of Brurefield who was
\\obliged to go home to Wingham has re-
turned and resumed work with Mr.Menroe.
NOVEMBER 11, 1921.
The members of the Young People's
Society at Cavan Church, Winthrop met
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram
Blanchard to spend a pleasant evening.
An address was read by Edna Campbell
and a chair was presented by Wm ,Dodds.
Miss Jean Murdock of Brucefield en-
tertained the church choir.
John A. McEwen. Brucefield, who is
building a brick house has finished it. It
is of red brick. • He expects to get the
roof on anti finish the Interior next
week.
Quite a number from elensall attended
the fowl supper in Elimville Church. Mr.
Milne Rennie and W, 0. Goodwin, with
Mrs. Rennie as accompanist, rendered
fine solos and duets.
the first cutter this Season made an
appearance when Thomas Daly drove down
Main Street behind his prize roadster.
John Clark has sold his residence
property on James Street to Mr. Evans
of Clinton who will shortly take posses-
sion.
Many friends are pleased to see
Patrick Walsh on the street again since
his recent accident.
Messrs. Frank and HarOld Coates
and Billie Aberhart of the London Normal
School and Harry Hinckley and Douglas
/1)0/tattle of the Guelph Agricultural Col-
lege (pent Thanksgiving at their home
here.
The Seaforth Golf and Country Club
have purchased a building which' they
will have moved this winter out to the
golf course on the farm of 'hos. Dodds
iri Mcleillop and remodelled into a club
house.
Geo. [Alley, of "town, the distribut-
ing agent for the Presto Fire Exting-
uisher , gave a most successful
demons ration on Main Street of the
working of that apparatus,
NOVEMBER 15, 1946.
N. C. Cardno was elected president
of the Seaforth Badm nton Club with Lillian
Southgate, vice president; Alice Reid.
secretary-treasurer.
Professor David Hay. graduate of
the University of EdinThrgh was the
special speaker at the 79th anniversary
of...First Presbyterian Church,
Members of the staff of Routledge's
store marked the termination of their
association with ;fir. and Mrs.Routledge
with a presentation of a gift to them,
He has sold the business to Gordon Mc-
Gonigle.
Struck by a hit and run driver as he
stood beside a car in Egmondville. Jack
Ruston. 17. son of Mr. and Mrs. John
Ruston. suffered a compound fracture
of his leg,
Marking the retirement of Mr. and
Mrs. James Broadfoot'from their farm
in Tuckersmith, to their new home in
Seaforth. friends and neighbors to the
'number of 80 gathered at the home of
John E. McLean. During the evening
Mr. and Mrs. Broadfoot were presented
with a tri-light lamp and toaster. The
address was read by 5, H, Whitmore
and the presentation made by David Mc-
Lear, and James Carnochan.
A driving rain forced curtailment of
the Remembrance Day Service plan-
ned for Victoria Park. Instead the
service was held in Cardno's Hall,
followed by a parade which included
veterans. Seaforth Highlanders Band and
wreath bearers, to the Park Wfiere the
wreaths were deposited on the memorial.
James Rivers, well known North Main
Street gardiner. established something
of a record when he picked a bouquet
of beautiful dahlias. ,
Friends are congratulating Mr.Theo-
dore Haberer on the purchase of the
fine farm at the west end of 7,urtch,
known as the F. C. Kalbfleisch farm.
As the two great wars of this century
• move gradually out of memory and 'into
the pages of• history, books, our annual
Remembrance Day recurs with alarming
rapidity, for the veteran.
There was nothing ‘'great" about either
of those wars, except' for their size.
Yet, the old sweats call their war the
Great War, and the middle-aged sweats
Kaye to settle for the title World War I I.
The name of the day has been changed
from Armistice Day to Remembrance Day.
A good change. 'But I'm glad they haven't
changed the date. November 11th is an
ideal time to remember. It's usually
cold, wet and gloomy. Even the skies
seem to weep at the folly of man.
It's difficult 'to conceive of hearing'
• those hallowed cliches: "fallen com-
rades"; "In Flanders fields the poppies
grow- ", At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning, we shall remember
them , ."; "lest we forget ", on a
hot day in July.
But I'm. not being sardonic when I
refer to hallowed cliches. They are
cliches, but they are also hallowed, and
they, mean a great deal to the M - and
'many women - who gather once a year to
remember that the cream of Canadian
young, men? in two generations, was
skimmed off by a brutal fate on faraway
fields.
it's hard to belieVe in these days of
the burning of draft cards. of draft dod-
ging. that in those two great wars, Canad-
Today is Remembrance Day and even
though I'm writing this column one week in
advance, I can tell that the weather
wherever You may be today is chilly.
There's a raw wind blowing out of the
northeast and you feel frozen just crossing
the street to get a cup, of coffee. There
may even be a few flakes of snow in the
air.
I'm not possessed of a hidden power.
That's the way every November 11 has
been since I've been a small child. I can
remember standing at the cenotaph on
several Armistice Days and finding the
weather always about the same - spine-
chilIng and very uncomfortable.
It'is a funny thing about Remembrance
Day. Every year the crowd at the ceno-
taph gets smaller and older. Have you
noticed that"
Oh, there are a few children there,
brought by their mothers or .fathers -for
the occasion because someone in the
family has either been involved in a world
war or is extremely hung-up on the
romance of Oat the armistice meant to
this country.
But for the most part, .the people
standing out there at that cenotaph are
old soliders, sailors and airmen along
, with their families and friends for whom
Remembrance Day has a very special
impact.
I don't want any of you to get the idea
that I'm opposed to the observance of
Remembrance Day. I recognize what a
cans went not only willingly, but in most
cases eagerly, to fight in a war 3,000
miles away, against an unknown enemy,
for hazy reasons.
At least, with hindsight, the reasons
were hazy. But at the time, they were
crystal clear. The Kaiser was out .to
destroy the British Em'ire. Good enough.
Hitler was out to stomp across the civilized
world In jack-boots. Clear. Let's stop the
sods.
We didn't fight to subdue anyone, as the
Russians, Germans, Japs, Italians., have
done. We ,./eren't out to conquer new
territories. We were out to prevent some-
one from subtitling us, or conquering our
territory.
In both wars, there was a minority who
, joined up" for less than heroic reasons;
to get away from a nagging wife; to avoid
the law; to escape a boring job. But in 'the
first great war, Canadians literally flocked
to the colours, swamping recruiting
offices.
In that war, they showed a dash• and
e 1 an and fortitude, once in action. that
made, them respected throughout ,Europe,
-and especially among the enemy.
And in the second ,,,despite the disilusion
of the depression, despite. the cynicism
&lithe Thirties - perhaps the most anti-
war generation of this century - they did
it again. Anti once again they proved
themselves, beyond a doubt, as doughty
warriors on land, sea and in the air.
Personally, I didn't exactly flock to
great deed was done by, the men and
woman of the Canadian Armed Forces
for the preservation ,of this nation. I'm
indebted.
What I really wonder about is how
I'm showing mi. indebtedness by stand-
ing out in the freezing cold watching
people laying poppies on a marble foun-
dation at the foot of a stone statue. I
really question the value of the ceremony
at all other than the fact that it is a
thoughtful gesture to the memories of
dead warriors who fought valiantly for
their freedom .. . . and mine.
I often try to imagine what the
reaction of a soldier who gave his life
in a bloody battle wduld be if he could
somehow be miraculously transported
from eternity to the middle of today's
society. Just what would that soldier
think of the way we were utilizing the
freedoms he gave his all to protect?
And what would he think of the sterile
methods- we employed ton-emember lds
offering of life's blood?
,it is interesting to theorize about
this sort of thing but much more excit-
ing to try to do something about correc-
ting the mistakes of the past.
For instance. it is a futile exercise
to stand 'at the cenotaph listening to the
Last Post and wearing a poppy in your
buttonhole in token of your esteem for
war beros if you don't get out and utilize
your freedoms at the polls on election
clay. If you had given your life in World
'the colours. Both my brothers had jumped
in early. That didn't bother me. I was
a product of the cynical Thirties,
university student, and I laughed at them
as they went tnrough endless months of
dull training, while the war in Europe was
a complete stalemate.
' But a time came. The Germans broke
through. Civilization, as we knew it,
was in danger of being tramped into the
mud by the jackboots.
That was when thousands of us stopped
sneering at the "phoney" war and took
the oath.
Looking back, I shake 'my head wryly
as I rememberheeeOesperate we were to
get killed. It w a traumatic experience
to 'be washed out of air-crew, where your
chances of being killed Were fairly good,
and wind up washing dishes at manning
pool, safe as a sausage,
We knew what we were doing , in
some instinctual way. We wanted to come
to grips. That's why I feel a certain
pity for the conscripts of the so-called free
world, -in these days . They are forced
to ,'go to war against an unknown enemy,
for something they don't believe in, amidst
an atmosphere of corruption and downright
lies.
To all veterans: don't remember the
blood and mud and sweat and, brutality
and fear. Just remember, all the good
times and the good friends. You'll never
have them again.
ro
War II, would you settle for a ten-
minute service in the town square once
a year at an appointed hour if the very
things. you fought to preserve were being
gnoi'&17
The Legion organizations in most com-
munities do a marvellous service for all
kinds of people. In my estimation, this
is a much more vital and realistic way to
show one's gratitude than to stand with
sober face and damp eyes by a memorial
tomb remembering ,the sacrifice sorreb-
one else made On your behalf.
I'm not against the annual worship
services at the cenotaph. They are
beautifully touming -and they have their
place, I suppose. But let's face the truth
that these services are of more of a
sentimental nature for families and friends
of veterans and heroes than to the hun-
dreds and thousands of, young people
growing up in this country Who know Next
to nothing about global war but who
understand poverty and bigoti'y and hatred
and greed all too w
Maybe Remembrance Day should be
updated to have some meaning and new
stimulation for the young of this nation.
I'll still be at the cenotaph this morn-
ing because I remember how it was. It
is a real thing for me and the Unknown
Soldier has a face. But growing
older and my children have no recol-
lections at all, Tley need to be moti-
vated on Remembrance bay and it will,
take more than a trumpet and a poppy,
In the
Years ,Agony
..eseeeeeereeeemeekeeree. wee, ,:ee„
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From My Window
— By Shirley J. Keller
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