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The Huron Expositor, 1975-04-17, Page 1goo 11). Year 14,4tdvanc0 , $100,00pY 2S cents: Whole No. 5588 116th Year THE HURON EXPOSITOR, THURSDAY, APRIL IT, 105 68 PAGES Disagree on Urban bus SUGAR BUSH—A visit to 'the sugar bush at the farm of Mr. MacGregor was undertaken by the grade K-3 classes of Seaforth Public School last week. The entire operation was viewed from collecting to boiling in the sugar shack. From left to. right, are Denise William-son, Brian Henderson, Brian Underwood, Wendy Hoelscher, Lisa Bennewies, June Rivers, Steve Watson and Mrs. Carol Hoelscher assisted. Council imposes $15 arena surcharge Religious teaching worries Huron Perth school board (By Ross Haugh) The two trustees from the town of Goderich on the Huron County A, Board' of Education disagreed Monday on whether students in an urban area living more than one mile from a school should receive bus privileges. A motion by Mrs.Dorothy Wallace that busing for these students not be started at this time was` dpproved by board members., The other Goderich representative Cayley Hill was in iavour of providing bus transportaiton. In his opening remarks Hill said "I would like to try it for a year strictly on a trial basis." After Mrs. Wallaces motion was passed, Hill said he would ask that the matter be brought up again at the May or June meeting for further discussion. As the result of a petition from some residents of Goderich a few months ago, the Administration was asked by the Board to look into the cost of providing service throughout the County for town children living more than one mile from their school. Costs are prepared by transportation manager R. L. Cunningham amounted to • $11,030.80 per year for 56 students at Robertson public school and 18 students at Goderich District Collegiate. In her statement to oppose providing bus services, Mrs. Wallace said, "Pupils would lose more than they gain at both ends of the day." Mrs. Wallace indicated some students were receiving extra help and using additional facilities in the morning before buses would arrive and again in the afiertiooh aft er bus departures. In favoring busing Hill said, "Some Goderich parents feel very Catholic students who apply to attend one of the Huron Perth Separate School Board's 19 schools will be accepted and provided with transportation, even though they may live outside qa an area organized for the direction of taxes to the system, N, keenly about this. They feel they're not getting the 'same shake' as rural youngsters." Hill continued, "we must recognize that the separate schools do this and 1 don't think leaving school on a bus will deprive a child from getting extra help." In reply io'a question from Charlie Thomas, trustee Molly Kunder said "in rural areas elementary students are required to walk only a quarter of a mile and the maximum walking dist ance for secondary students is a half mile." Hill indicated the big problem in Goderich, could be youngsters walking through heavy traffic in the downtown area. At the end of the discussion Mrs. Kunder suggested bus services for urban students could be tried in Goderich on a trial basis from December 1 to March 1. Other schools with town students more than a mile away • are F.E.Madill secondary and Wingham Public School and Clinton Public School. Turn down resolutions Board members failed to support recent resolutions from the Wellington County Board of Educatitjn to' Ontario's Education Minister Thomas Wells. The Wentworth resolutions asked that the Ontario School Trustees Council 'be empowered to speak on behalf of a substantial majority of trustees in the province; that legislation be introduced to set out terms of reference for collective bargaining between boards and teachers. Rill was the main spokesman on this topic saying, "I don't think we should support (Continued on Page 9) trustees decided Monday night. The policy was adopted on the recommendation of the board'S policy and by-law committee, chaired by trustee Howard shantz of Stratford. Goderich Trustee Vince Young commented that the policy was C;ncern about adequate religious instruction by qualified teachers in CAtholic schools in Huron and Perth and in the province was expressed by the Huron Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board at their meeting Monday night in rather broad. "We would possibly have to travel 15 miles in one direction to pick up one student." Business Administrator Jack Lane agreed that this was possible in some areas of the two counties but he suggested that each case could be judged on its own merits. He said a brochure that the board has distributed to newcomers and real estate offices, listing locations of Catholic schools in the two counties, has encouraged Catholic supporters to check with the board's office about school accommodation before buying property. He suggested the board could check out bus routes with the public school board and would not n ecessarily have to provide special bus or taxi (Continued on Page 9) An income stabilization plan for farmers met with the approval of more than 90% of the Seaforth area farmers who attended a meeting here Thursday night, called by the Huron Federation of Agriculture to discuss the plan, proposed by the Ontario Federation. Huron Federation president Doug Fortune of Wingham said that on a show .of hands, perhaps 50 to 60 of the farmers in the audience voted in favour of the plan in principle, while two were against it. There are about 2,300 Federation members in Huron and Mr. Fortune said he thought many of the farmers at the meeting were members. He said some farmers seemed opposed to the plan at the beginning of the meeting but changed their minds when they got more information. Frank Wall, first vice president of the OFA explained the guaranteed income plan to the meeting. The OFA proposes that farmers be guaranteed a financial Seaforth. Trustees, who returned last week from attending the Ontario Separate' Sdhool Trustees Association Convention in Toronto, reported that a resolution from the local board; recommending an information program in high schools and universities to encourage Roman Catholc students to become teachers was passed by the association. The HPRCSS board initiated the resolution because they were concerned about a shortage of Roman Catholic teachers. A program is being developed by Catholic educators to teach religion in the provinces teachers' colleges. trustees learneda t the convention. A report on the courses will soon be presented to the Ministry of Education, Trustee Howard Shantz said and he called the move "the bright spot of the whole conference." Adding to Mr. Shantz' report, Director of Education John Vintar said the religious educatioz program will be relevant to students as they are now. He said the feeling of those on the religious education panel at the conference was that parents have primary responsibility but a good example by teachers has great bearing in giving children a religious background. The course for teachers must be voluntary, because it's a return for their product equal to production costs, including labour, material, management and return on investment. The Federation hopes that strong support from the province's farmers will help the OFA convince the government to bring in the plan. Over 90% of Ontario farmers seem to support it, Mr. Wall said. There was some discussion about whether only OFA members should be included in the plan. Mr. Fortune said the main argument for this is that all the work on the plan has been done by his organization. "We feel there should be a farmer's group negotiating with the government", rather that government negotiating directly with individual farmers, he said. And since the Federation is the largest farm organization in the province "we feel it's the logical choice." Participation in the plan, if it is adopted, would be strictly voluntary, •Mr. Fortune said. university course and mast be general to a certain extent in order to qualify for provincial 1eunds, Mr. Vintar- said. It will be a 50-hour long credit course and will include one semester on theory and one on teaching methods, the director said. Mr. Vintar said course content will include Catholicism, Clod's relationship to man, faith, community 'and Christian morality. He called the coure "encquraging". "We need people versed in the new facets of religion'', he said. Trustee Shantz said that in the 1960's the attendance of Catholic students at religion courses in Teachers Colleges dropped Changes in the church have caused confusion, he said. "Years ago we were taught the' Butler Catechism and are now prepared for changes" he said, and cited eating meat on Friday and attending mass on Saturday night as things which were not acceptable a few years ago. The HPRCSS board will encourage teachers presently on staff to attend the courses when they become available.. Other trustees reported on sessions they had attended at the Separate School Trustees convention. Vince Young of Goderich said he was "disappointed and shocked" at what he learned at a session for separate school representatives to public school boards. The majority felt there was no communication of co- operation with the separate school boards in their areas, he said. Many don't even get the minutes from the separate board meetings, he said. It is the policy of the HPRCSS , board to send minutes to their reps on the Huron and Perth public boards, but trustees thought that the practise had lapsed. Mr. Young said he'd like to see more communication and "dovetailing" , with the reps but "we're not too familiar with programs in our schools. How can we expect them to be familiar with both schools?" Trustee Don Crowley, who attended a session on special education at the convention, said . the local board's special ed programwas very good compared to what some other boards are doing. "Bigger boards than ours are hiring special education services from the public boards", \he said, it is not now mandatory that boards provide special ed services, he said. Assistant Superintendent Joseph Tokar said he felt special education was a moral responsibility for boards who to he providing equality of. (Continued on Vage 9) Some s.uSers of the local arena are going to have to pay a surcharge for the privilege, following a decision by Seaforth Council Monday night. Council accepted the recommendation of the Seaforth Recreation committee and passed a resolution levying a fee of $15.00 per person per year for use of the Seaforth Arena for residents of non participating municipalities for sporting events. This levy does pot apply to Seaforth residents or to persons living in municipalities who are paying a contribution requested by the arena committee. This fee was made necessary because one areamuniCipality had refused to assist, ie the maintenance and upkeep of the arena. Mrs. Sharon Rau, chairman of Council's day care committee, reported on the committee's trip to Toronto. She informed council that no provincial funds are available for a 100% grant toward a day care centre in Seaforth.She stated that the funds available for this part of the province had all be been used up by Wingham and Vanastra. 'She suggested there were two other types of day care that council might wish to check into and asked council if they wished the committee to continue. Council suggested that a meeting be called of the committee to see if they would like to continue and that the two other types of day care be investigated. Retired clerk Ernest Williams and Mrs. Williams also attended the meeting, Mr. Williams presented Mayor Betty Cardno and council with a gavel and sounding block as a memento of his years as clerk of the Town of Seaforth. Council thanked Mr. Williams and a thank you - was read to council from Alf Pryce, retired Professional development days for teachers came under discussion at Monday night's meeting of the Huron-Perth Roman CAtholic School Board in Seaforth. Director of Education John Vintar told trustees that a committee of four principals are working out a schedule for the days and school holidays in 1976, when he was presenting a Ministry of Education Groups get $12,000 in OFY grants About $50,000 in Opportunity for Youth grants have been allotted for students planning summer projects in Huron - Middlesex, M.P. Robert McKinley has announced. Nine of the 15 applicatiOns from the riding were approved. on the recommendation of a local advisory committee made up of Frank Sills of Seaforth and Claire Sager, Goderich. About $53,000 was allotted to 12 ' projects in the riding last summer. Two projects have been approved for Seaforth. Jane Cardno, David Ring and Mary M. Kelly of Seaforth will get $7,215 to create interest in restoration of the Van Egmond reserve and to help create a cultural centre there, Joyce Blake, Cindy MacDonald and Catharine Lane of Se.aforth will get $4,998 to create a day-care centre in Seaforth for pre-school children and to provide a progratil of crafts, films, picnics and stories. Marilyn Holmes and Winnifred Bradley of Clinton have been granted $2,844 to provide half-day nurseries for pre-school children. It is expected 45 chldren will be involved. Pat Cartier, Diane Riley and Mike Dooley of Goderich will receive $7,825 for maintenance (Continued on Page 16) town forman; for a, gift he had received from council at a dinner last week. Tuckersmith Township has approved a request that the fee for the Township's use of the dump be increased from $600 per year to $1,200. The Seaforth Chamber of Commerce has asked council to consider installing a crosswalk with proper signs in the vicinity of the post office. Council felt that some pedestrians thought the existing walkways were a crosswalk and that traffic must stop for them. This is not the case and councillors felt that a cross walk which requires a lighted sign, signs at all entrances to the town plus elimination of, a lar ge -area of parking on both sides of the walk was not_possible. Councillors said that if a crosswalk were installed all pedestrian traffic must 'cross at the walk. They felt if the walkways now in existence were used properly, the extra costs involved in the crosswalk would not be necessary at this time. Clerk Bob Franklin was appointed as council's member on the C. of C. and the fees for 1975 were approved for payment. W. T. Teall was given permission to install a drain on the south side of George Street atid-he was asked to inform the town foreman _when work was started. Councillor Wayne Ellis, in reporting for the protection to persons and property committee, stated that police were looking into thre.,,matter of large trucks speeding on Goderich' and Main Streets. He also recommended that council consider the purchase of street lights and plant from the Seaforth PUC and that a bylaw be prepared. In the negotiations with the police association for a new contract Councillor Ellis said he had nothing to report at this time memorandum on the 1975-76 school year and holidays to the board. "I wonder about what goes on at these professional development days", Goderich trustee Vince Young commented. he said he's heard questions and criticism including some from teachers who are not with the HPRCSS Board. Trustee Don Crowley suggested holding professional development days on fair days. "The kids are out, the teachers can be developing themselves", he said and suggested Sept. 19, but talks were still going on. Councillor Jim Crocker in his finance report suggested an ad be placed in the paper seeking persons interested in sitting on an industrial committee. He also said that the town would be willing to pay a realtor a 5% selling fee on industrial property owned by the town and this fee was to be added to the purchase price of the land involved. Councillor Bill Bennett, chairman of the arena committee told council that the ice plant at the arena had been shut down April I and that the ice was gradually going out. He said the arena manager Roy McGonigle was carrying out repairs and that tenders for the painting of the arena interior were to be opened in the near futur e so that this work could be completed as soon as possible. He suggested a meeting be set up to discuss the arena renovation proposals with area municipalities. In reporting fof Public Works, Reeve John Flannery said fencing of the town dump was being investigated and painting of the town walkways and parking lines was soon to be started. Council approved a $200 grant to the Horticultural Society for tree planting in the town and felt that only shade trees should be planted on the boulevards. Land on South Main Street, now zoned as industrial and residential wilib e changed to highway commercial according to a bylaw passed. The reconstruction of traffic lights on Goderich and Main Streets will also so ahead. It will.. cost $7,600 and the Ministry of Transportation and Communi- cations will pick up the entire' cost. Council authorized the clerk and mayor to apply for the 1975 road subsidy of $52,799. the date of Stratford's Fall Fair, specifically. • On a suggestion from St. Marys trustee John O'Drowsky, the board decided to ask ' 'the principal's committee to bring their plan on professional development days to the board. Trustees felt the mid-winter break holiday should fall on the same date for all area school boards. Following a request by trustee Michael Connolly, the administration agreed to contact the public boards in the two counties and discuss the date.- with them. ^0, GETTING READY SDHS students are' making decorations in their spare time these days, getting ready for the annual formal on April 25. The theme this year Is the four seasons. Here Alec Robertson and Bruce Williams make a paper mache form for a horn of plenty which will hang in the cafeteria. (Photo by Dave Ring) I Separate board to admit all who apply for school accommodation Farmers favour income guarantee HPRC trustees Discuss professional development days. THE MEETING WILL NOW COME TO ORDER — Retired town clerk Ernest Williams presented a gavel and sounding board to the town 'of Seaforth council at their Meeting Tuesday night. Mayor Betty Cardno accepted the gavel and said she expects to find tots of use for it in council rneetings.(Staff Photo)