HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1976-09-09, Page 1$10-49 4 Yeer
5in,g10'.t9.py:4eetite'
-down 2.7 per cent this year
compared to last.
John Vintar, Director of
Education, reported enrolment
Tuesday was 2,990 doWn from the
3,072-enrolled last year.
In the local schools. •; St. James,
Seaforth enrolled 16 5 students
Tuesday down from 176 last year,
St: Patrick's School,' Dublin, 208
students, up from 184 last term,
and St. Columban school,' 81 this
year, clown from 91 last. •
'The increase at Dublin results
from a . number of Catholic
students -in Mitchell and area
ingbussed to St. Patrick's
Saioel. They hail received their
religious education at 'St.
• PatriCk's Church in previous
years • while' arretding public
schools.
• Across the province
'elementary school enrolment will
drop by 105,000 'students during
the next 10 years according to
Education Minister Thomas
Wells. •
period
secondary
the same Err period
secondary school enrolment will
decrease by 106,000, from the
1975 total of 605,160 to a
projected' 499,138 in 1985. The
minister attributed the enrolinent
decline to. lower birth ?ates in
Ontario.
' Seaforth firemen were called
to a barn fire early Thursday
morning on the farm of Willard
Bennewies of R.R.f, Dublin, but
were unable to stop ,the blaze
from levelling the building.
The fire, which caused' more
than an estimated $25,000
damage, was first noticed, by a
motorist about 5;30' Et:in. The
motorist notified a neighb15-Or and
,the Seaforth fire department was
called.
FIRST bikY;At SOHOOL TuisadaY WAS batk to
sohobl for niOst.Studentsi but for this grout) at Dublin
Seoaratw9ohoot it was their very first day. Mrs.
Doreen NitiOalo Is the kinderOarten tdaohtt above
with her 12 now students. (Photo by Oke)
it's 100 yegrs
. (By Susan White)
Probably nobody in town paused in the middle of their Labour
Day holiday to remember, but Monday, September 6, was the
hundredth anniversary of the great Seaforth fire.
If you'd been getting up in Seaforth on that Monday morning
100, years ago, you would have seen half Of Main St. in
smoldering ruins, buildings on the north east side of Goderich
St. burned to the ground and all in all 40 buildings destroyed and
30 families left homeless.
The value of property damaged was estimated at $100,000.
This was a time when ordinary kitchen chairs sold at Orhaps $2
a dozen.
The 1876 fire almost devastated Seaforth. The 2000 or so souls
who got up to 'view the damage that Monday morning were
probably tempted to say ."well that's it for this town" and to
move on and start all over again somewhere else.
Very few of them did.
'..The Huron Expositor of September 8, 1876, comments in a full
page story milhe fire, which we reprint on page five this week,
that several Merchants are determined to rebuild. That's how the
substantial brick blocks north from John St. on both sides of
Main St. got here. They .replaced the wooden buildings which
'Mimed in the fire. , • , The great fire is very central to"th•e story of Seaforth. The jog
on the west side of Main St. is there because of the fire:- The
brick buildings that now houses Shinens was saved by the
firemen; When new buildings went up after the 'fire, they were`
set back a few feet to allow for a 'wider Main St.
Theflong columns of unbroken type in which the Expositor told'
its readers of the disasterous fire are not easy reading.
But the dramatic story that th41876 paper tells is Worth a little
'eye strain.
It's hard not to think of the fear and panic that the-"1876
resident t of. i.solated tittle Se afeMt felt whereas the Expositor
account says,2.rtflni burned in six different directions at
once."
Imagine the firemen, filling' their pumps from tanks of water
that in those days sat at main corners around town. They fought
to contain' the fire with wet blankets and salt. "
Mrs. Griffith, in whose shop the fire started, was accused of
arson and there's an interesting (and by today's standards,
libellous) account of her hearing included in the Expositor's full
page coverage.
But. one Of the big stories to someone in the newspaper
business in the fact that the Expositor, 'with a small staff, got out...,
a complete account of the fire tragedy, complete with a diagram
better than what most modern day newspapers ever produce, in
time for ,a paper two days later..
Each line, each letter, of. that 1,876 page that we've rePrinted
was laboriously set by hand. The Expositor staff of the day must
have worked day and night in their board and' 'batten building,
behind what is now Bob and Betty's, that narrowly escaped
burning itse
And somebody was out each night between the fire and
publication, covering Mrs. Griffith's hearing.
It wasn't possible to reproduce photos in newspapers then, but'
a pretty good writer gives a word picture of just what it looked
like when half of Seaforth's downtown was on fire.
Today's Expositor, with the latest ,in typesetting equipment
and more staff would be hard pressed to duplicate the 1876
accomplishment in two -days.
Yes, they worked hard in 1876. And they worked hard at
rebuilding Seaforth.
As a tribute to those 1876 pioneers„and just because it', a very
good story, take ,some time aid read the story of the great
Seaforth fife, on page five of airs' Expositor; one hundred years
and .a 'day after it first Appeared.
By the time firemen arrived on-
the, scene, the south end of the
barn was in flames. 'However
firemen were able to, save a
nearby drive shed froin burning.
Mr, Bennewies blames the fire
on tough hay stored in the barn,
ch ange
named engineer to prepare a
*report °ries drain petitioned for by
Elliott frackwell, Glen Nott and
eharles Boyd of Concession 13.
Passed, for payment were road
accounts totalling $11,730.88 and
general accounts of $30,608.21.
Council will advertise tot: snow
plow. tenders.
William Cainpbell, road
superintendent, reported the
township truck bad passed the
police safety check satisfactorily. •
He reported Bell Telephone is
continuing to upgrade its services,
by burying cable for 3,320 feet at
Lot 1, eoncession'10 and 11. Cable
has been laid on concession. 14
from lot 26 to Lot 30, and on
concession 6 from Lot 5 to Lot 7,
earlier this summer,
The meeting adjourned shortly •
before' 5:3t p.m.
Early inornind' battle
Whole No.5664
117th Year SEAFQRTt-1, ONTA4110, THURSDAY: SEPTEMBER 9, 1978 20 PAGES _
Federation of tigriculivre
Examines health .ccivn.a, conce
administrative costs could be
$120,000 a year, for an executive
director, a skeleton staff—and
expenses.
Members suggested a
deterrent fee for doctor's services
and emergency room use as
another way of cutting health care
cols. •
' Pr. Mills said there's no doubt
that over-use increases health
rusts, "but what bothers me are
what are the province's priorities
fol. spending?" He suggested
that new government ministries
need money and health comes in
for cuts because the health
ministry has a huge budget. ,,
In other- business Federation
members heard a provincial
report- from 'Mr. Van Wonderen
and discussed Mullett Council's -
new by-law which provides for a
$300 fine for cattle found
(Continued on Page.4)
Sc'hools report
attendance down
By Wilma Oke
'McKillop Township Council
meeting in Winthrop Tuesday
afternoon decided it was satisfied
with recreation in the county as it
is now .and is not interested in the
formation of recreation areas.
McKillop council makes grants
to the recreation centres in the
McKitiop. rOlettsiecreotion
' The Huron County Federation
of Agriculture is planning a
meeting this winter with
members of 'the Consumers
Association of Canada, in an
attempt to help close the gap
between farmers and consumers
and to share information..
Women members of the Huron
F, of A. planned the evening,,
which will probably be held in
January with CAC members from
London, at the Federation's
meeting , in Clinton Thursday
night. ' '
The meeting would be for
information. There's no way
we're going to criticize each
other, one woman said, The
women hope that the CAC, and
the Federation could get together
on issues of mutual concern,
wasteful packaging of food for
example, andilobby for change.
"Then there's no way the
middlemen could say farmers
-want it or consumers want it,"
one peLson said. "It's a project of
mutual benefit, because we're
consumers too,"
'Faner members of the Feder-
atioti will explain their costs in
prodtteing 'food to the consumers'
assotiation members., "When
Huron County is probably
going to be part 'of a district ,
health council with Perth County
or the province 'will make things
difficult for health care budget-
ting here by withholding grants.
That was the gist of a
discussion on district health
councils with . Huron Medical
Officer of Health Frank Mills at
the Federation of Agriculture
meeting in Clinton Thursday
night.
, Dr. Mills, a member of the
health council steering committee
named by the province to decide
whether or not Huron needs a
district heelth ,.council, asked
Federation members fora brief
outlining their position on a
health council and for their
individual opinions. "We're not
selling (a health council)", he
said. ''Welre presenting the idea
to peopel to think about, to decide
if they like it or not."
But he agreed, in discussion
rp after his presentation that 53% of
the population of Ontario is under
health councils nor' and "in a few
years we may be pushed into it
anyway." He said the . province
may use "carrots", delaying the
approval of cajitol spending on -
health projects until Huron is part
of a health ' council.
A health council will have
executive control of health care in
the two counties, Dr. Mills
explaine.d First council members
will be appointed and will serve
from three-to six year terms. They
will approve all hospital and
health unit budgets in their area
and will establish priorities.
Extending geriatric care or
opening new nursing home • beds
were examples Dr. Mills
mentioned.
The province hopes health
.
councils will co-ordinate health
and social services and decrease
health care delivery gaps, Dr.
Mills asked 'the. Federation to
• suggest names of people to sit on
the first Hurop Perth Health
Council , should the steering
committee recommend one be
established.
There will be 12 members and
Dr. Mills said it's been suggested
that they' will be '\ one third
political, one third consumer and
one third professional appointees.
The M01-1 admitted that
problem with a health.eouncil is
that it would tend to downplay
individuals.' "All are equal within
the systenj."
Health Council members get no
pay, only expenses, and• several
Federation members felt lack of
money and time could eliminate
many good people. Dr. Mills
agreed, "It's, too bad. We need
people who may have to .,pay a
babysitter,"
"It's a big commitment and'
may limit people who could be on
it." One Federation member said
that since there are more rural
Aeople than urban in Huron and
it'e Perth, there should be more rural
rural re,presbntatives on 'the
health council.
"That could be, but it's the
person who's considered," Dr.
. Mills said. "The ministry okays
the appointments,"
"So much for the Liberals," a
Federation member replied, to-a
lot of laughter. •
Another member wondered
how much a district council could
over-rule a government decision,
for example the one to close
Clinton Public Hospital. Dr. Mills
replied that the council has to
react to people but to the
government too. "It may have to
make difficult decisions."
.114
7tiar area farmer Jake Van
eren commented that
things often get awfully
_expensive in the sea* for
efficiency. Perhaps we should be
satisfied with local health care
that isn't optimum, rather than
township and to'adjoining centres
such as the Seaforth Arena.
The Walton Dump -.where
McKillop, Grey and Morris
Townships all send the garbage'
from their municipalities, was
given a certifitate of approval .
until' December 31, 1979,
provided the current operation is
people find out what our costs-are
th4re often flabbergasted. They
cant believe we don't set our own
.prices," one Woman said.
The women felt that the
meeting with consumers should
take the , form of inrermal
discussion groups. with 'F of A
members presenting the facts on
a different type of farm produce,
to each group. They C said that
consumer members could give
their comments on the differences
between farm and store prices.
"We need a face to face
'exchange of information, not
speeches," one F. of A. member
commented.
Federation members. will also
come to the meeting prepared
with facts about the costs of food
in Other 'countries and the fact
that Canadians spend less of their-
salaries on food now tha a we
have in the past, the women,
members decided.
A date will be set for the
meeting after the consumers'
association has been contacted.
The 10 or so women weren't in
favour of a separate organization'
for farm women, whidh had been
suggested by some people in the
Federation.
carried on satisfactorily. '
Requests for building
permits were approved for Gerrit
Boken of R.12-1, Seaforth, steeL
granary; Larry Wheatley, R.R.1,
Dublin, steel• granary; aed Don
Dalton, Seaforth, new house.
. The township, will ask its
solicitors to prepare a by-law to
control trailer camps within the
municipality.
Council approved. land
severance of 45 acres for the
north part of Lot 34, concession
13, owned by 'Lloyd and Grace
Walker of R.R,4, Walton.
Court of Revision on the
Beauchamp Creek Municipal
Drain (a Grey Township Drain;
was held, There were no appeals,'
McKillop will apply for the
interim road subsidy payment.
Charles Corbett, Lucan, was
, (by Wilma Oke)
Tuckersmith Township Council
accepted the tender Tuesday
night of W.B. Holford
Construction• of Seaforth (W.A.,
Holman and Donald Twyford) for
the installation of water meters at
Vanastra. Their tender was
s7,8,42 The work is to start
OctLiber 1 or as soon as the meters •
are received by council and to be
completed by De" ember 31, There
are over 200 services to be
Ms-tailed,
The Holferd tender wag the
lowest of received.
Mak Bell,* operations Officer
with the Ministry of the
environment was at the meeting
to discuss recent smoke tests
made of the sewers at Vatutstra.
The report of the test listed some
25 to 30 sources of water
infiltration into-the sewer.system „ .
Mr, Bell 'explained that this
overloading the sewage plant
hydraulically with storm sewage
as well as sanitary sewage upsets
the treatment plant process. ,
A discussion was held, on the
best way, to ge about making the
repairs, 11 of theni are oh
township property and. 18 on
private property.
The 11 PIhe township has to
repair are on' township' Mad
property in Vanastra, "A tOttly
(continued on Page p)
having, to drive a fair ways to get
the best in medical care, he said,
Doug Fortune of the Wingham
area wondered if a district health
council might mean an end to the
general practitioner. How could a
G.P. visit patients in Clinton,.
Goderich and St, Marys say if
each, hospital specialized in
different things, he asked.
Dr. Mills said, that a team of
specialistS probably would rotate
to various• hospitals but that all
emergency services would be
available in each area. "But.
elective, routine surgery could be
centralized in one-hospital."
It can become more co stlinfot
having a duplication of services,
Maurice. Bean of Auburn said,
citing Clinton Public Hospital's
low bed costs.
"I can't say, it won't be more
costly" Dr. Mills said, adding
that a district health council's
eg.
Most area ' schools have fewer
students in their classrooms this
year than they had last year when
sch'bol started.
Seaforth District High ,School
has a total enrolment this year of
• 397 studentS. comparedall . an
enrolment of . 420 las ., year.
Howard 'James is t e new
guidance department ' head
replacing Archie Dobson who has
retired. '
. Seaforth Public 5,..chool—ha an j
enrolment to dafFOf 374 stud ri,ts.
At the end of last year t e was
— 3,95 students enrolled:
"The grade' six seven and
eight are ' larvelffan. what is
coming into The school", said
'Principal Mr. Talbot explaining
the declining enrolment.
Two ti ew teachers are on staff
this year. at the public school for
grades four and five. Arlene
Vanden Akker of Seaforth is
taking over the grade five class.
while Marilyn Thomas of Mitchell
will be teaching the grade four
class.
Huron Centennial public school
at Brucefield has 24 less studentS
registered this year than it had
last. Total enrolment so far stands
at 550 students compared to 574 a
,-- year , . ago.
The difference is mainly' in the
kindergarten class, according to
•Principal .Arnold Mathers. There
. Were 64 students in the kinder-
garten class last year and only 50
in it this year, he said,
But Walton Public School has a
larger kindergarten this year than
last with 32 students, "sbX more
than last year. School officials
attribute, the increase to a number
of new families that have 'moved
into the area.,-
Enrohnen in the 19 separate
schools under the jurisdiction of
the Huron-Perth County Roinan
Catholic Separate School' Board is
Estimate loss at $25,000
in i McKllop arn f re
Seek CAC aid to solve
farmer-consumer gap
Aw d Vanastid
meter contract