The Huron Expositor, 1976-09-16, Page 2SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, SEPTEMBER 16, 1976
Our Fall Fair Steam buffs
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ANDREW Y, McLEAN, Publisher
'SUSAN WHITE. Editor
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the Years
The Brodhagen Twins
Seaforth has had a fall fair, for" at
least130 years. Oh, it's not the same
fair • it was 129 years ago. The
location,' for one thing, has changed.
The Fall Fair, and the Agricultural
Society's grounds, used to be on
Goderich Street West, in what is now
the public school playgrounds and
back yards of a couple of homes.
The rides are somewhat fancier
than they were 75' or even 35 years
ago and the arena exhibits (there was
no arena when there first was a fair,
Virginia) are a lot more elaborate
now.
But the back, bone of the fair in
1976, the showing and judging of fine ,
livestock and home handiwork,
exactly' the same as 'the firsts far
sighted directors of the AgricUltural
Society were out to promote back In
the middle of the last ,century'.
We think that's great.
If the agricultural society ( was.
the Tuckersmith Branch before it
became the Seaforth Agricultural
Society) had worshipped progress in
all it's various forms over the years,
_there's no doubt at all that we
. wouldn't have a fall fair to tour
tonight and tomorrow., ,
If the old standards, and the old
traditions, like the old buildings in
some peoples' view, were in need of
constant change, we would have seen
the old round house gone long ago.'
The agricultural society -would', have
run a flappers' (lake. t fififen
because that Was what , was"in"then.
In the thirties there wouldn't have
been a fall fair at all, because people
were too' poor then to come and spend
a bit at the fair.
If the fall fair had kept up With
"progress" in the follies it probably
would haVe been cancelled for a few
years straight then too because
there was a war going on and no one
had time for the simple; plain things
like looking at school childrens'
To the editor
Slr:
Elmer's Summer Safety Contest has come
to. a close and the staff of Ontario Safety
- Leagde would like to take this opportunity to
extend our sincere thanks to you and your
publication for helping make this contest a big
success.
Entries literally poured in from every corner
of the province and sorting daily mail was
difficult at times, but staff members readily
rallied to the cause,
Oft the whole,entries were of an extremely
'
high calibre, with many young hopefids going •
to great lengths to create a `Winner'. • Many
entrants used paint, foil, sequins and sparkles
to advantage in, capturing detail. Some
(.3
• Shhhhl I hope this doesn't get back to the
Rock Brothers. But I'm telling the whole world
' thoge two twin brothers celebrated their
eightieth birthday in July.' And I want
everyone to know they're still working every
day in, the carpenter shop they took over from
their father in the '20's.
I want you to keep all this on the quiet side.
Because Norman and Edwin don't like to see
their names Vt.pritit. Why, Norman tells me
he'titot calling in on a friend of hit in the old
folk's' place. For sure enough, •their local
newspaper correspondent will get a hold of it
nnd spread it all around in the paper.
Those two boys just don't believe in
(hollering. Or blowing. •That's their way of
Saying they don't like to , go around.bragging.
And just talking -about yourself or getting
your name in print 'comes pretty close to
'gib* in the Country, -
And mind You. Norman and .EdWin „didn't
init Inc to this writing. That's something
elie you have to remember, 10 one thing. to
get year name in *int.. But -the • important
thing it did you ask to have It in/ Did you
push yourself feiwatd? And' in the .:country
that nukes' all the difference.'
And let me tell 'you, those two not only
didn't ask, but they wbuldn't tell tile a th,
e Edivill tended *hi sni
around fort he lleitpaper, ,he clammed right
exhibits and neighbours' cows.
The fall fair would have ,been in
trouble in the fifties too because
television was the big new thing and
people didn't really want to leave the
boob tube for an evening out at the
fair.
If the fall fair had really tried to
-compete with the times in.. the sixties,
hula hoop and twist contests would
have taken precedence over home
baking and sewing displays.
And ,if the fall fair wanted to be
"with it" in the progressive
seventies, the round house, and
probably the arena too, would have-
been given over to giant beer tents.
The fall 'fair wctld have been
renamed a "Septemberfest".
• But the -agricultural society
directors, in their Wisdom, did none of
these things.
They've kept the fall fair pretty
much the same thank you, for, more
than 100 years. For that we'd like to
thank them.
Seaforth's fall fair is still a place
where you can go and appreciate -the
simple, happy things of "life. Y our
child's first prize for cho colate fudge.
Your neighbour's prize ear of corn.
Your mother's or 'your brother-1n-
law's prize sticker on a jar of jam or a
painting. -
- The older people can get out' and
visit with 'each other and-'be right in
.the thick of things before the long
'winter sets in and keeps them close to
home. All of us of all ages can enjoy a
piece of pie or a candy apple and
compare notes silently with the,
judges of the cattle and the horses.
The 'new, the latest thing, isn't
alWays better. As far as fall fairs go,
Vve'IV keep what we've got.
In a large Way it's lasted, it's kept
its crowds and its flavor because it's
stayed 'so much the same. For all
these years.
children were not satisfied with the picture as
presented and added detail reflecting their
own , lime environment.
The safety message incorporated into the
Contest was first and foremost • in most
childrens' minds and in all of the close to
20,000 entries received we did not find one
incorrect answer.
From the League's viewpoint, 'the 1976 .
Contest was a resounding suecess and we
hope for a repeat perfbrmance forthe summer
of 1977.
Sincerely,
Nancy ,Wait Willer,
Administrator,
Elmer's 1976 Summer Safety Contest
You have to understand I'm taking a big
risk' when I write all this.They could turn ugly
on me and stop selling me Amber and cutting
it down to size. They could Say "'no" the next
time I bring in some windows for fixing. And
Norman could say a real definite and fmal •
"no" to a little gothic window I've been
dickering 'with him for months now.
EYery time I put my money on the line for it,
Norman says, "Wait, I have to check with this
other fellow. He saw it first. If he doesn't want
it, you can buy it."
Norman's like that.He's never in a hurry to
move along his upstairs supply of used doors
and windows. 'guess he figures the doors and
vindows will all be there tomorrow. Just like
he'll be theie tomorrow. Just like he's been
there today and yesterday.
• There's been many yesterdays for Norman
and Edwin Rack in Brodhagen. For Over fifty
years they've run their shop' from the
Brodhagen crossroads.
The truth is the Rock brothers are
Brodhagen. What with the general store
closed dOWil and the post dike Moved, their
preience is all the mote felt.
And not just during the day...41Most eyery •
night you can walk in the shop it's only a few
steps from tile house and the brothers. will
hollterC if not fixing or sewing or keeping the
home exhausted and looking like a skeleton
with white' hair. it must have been the sea
air that tired me out.
Another thing. Splitting like that is about
the only way we can get to see our old
friends. She • had 'a grand visit and some
good talks and even went for a couple of
drives with some of her long-time friends,
and caught up on all the sensational dirt on
everybody. And I went for a sail on the
Bluenose, walked around Citadel Hill and
sank the odd refreshment with some other
• old grumps as we .reminisced about the
• days when selling a $10 ad was the
highlight of your week,' and getting out a
12-page paper was about the equivalent' of
cleaning the Augean stables.
My old friends in the business ' are in
pretty good shape, considering that most of
us are grandfathers. Quite a few are
semi-retired, turning over the papers to
sons and daughters, and themselves
working a day or two a week.
That's the way I'd like to' ease into the
twilight years. But I don't have a paper
anymore, my son is in Paraguay, and my
daughter is busy having babies. •I wonder if
they'd sell 'me a piece of the high school
where I teach, so I'd have .a good 'racket
going to pass, along to my grandsons?
There were some poignant moments and
sank funny ones at the convention,. There
was a tear in most eyeS and a lump in most
throats when Cecil Day, one of the grand
Old publishers of • the Maritimes, was
given a standing ovation and choked up
completely with emotion when he tried to
respond.
There was sheer delight in listening-in
as one editor tried to talk to a pretty and
.charming young French lady in pure
• Ottawa Valley French:
There was great -fun, and not a little
confusion as Don McCilaig of Renfrew,
Per Hvidsten of Port Perry and Bill Smiley
Of Midland planned, well into the wee '
hdurs, the GranePost-Convention Tour to
Paraguay, starting • on Nov. 12 • from
Pickering Airport in a Sopwith Camel.
And there was a very warm and
unexpected experience for yours truly.. No,
it wasn't sitting next to Joe Clarke and
Maureen McTeer and Robert Stanfield in
the coffee shop. It wasn't listening to a
'speech by Howie Meeker, though both
these things happened.
It was the announcement of a new award
for Canadian 'community newspapers:
Outstandingtolumnist. It was a well-kept
. secret. until this humble columnist was
called to the podium and presented with •a'
handsoine plaque and an even handsomer
cheque. I was so flustered I didn't .know
Whether I was receiving'a Standing Ovation--
or just a Warm Clap.. Whichever, thank
you, chaps and girls. There are some
excellent columnists writing for your
papers, and I'm glad you said it before you
, had to 'say it with flowers:"
Amen -
could only shake his head and wonder how
that Rock soldier could forget so much in one
day.
The bus still chuckle when they pull ,off
their mistaken identity ploy today.- And, if you
accuse one, he'll, refer you to the other.
But I've learned how to fix that. If I can't
read their faces, then I look for the missing
finger on Norman's left hand. I've learned to
know that Norman's the outside man -- he's
the one that rides around in" the blue track,
awhile Edwin tends the shop at home. It's
always been that way,
And I know Norman's the one who says, •
"Damn, this is the second time I've cut this
board too short " , - •
And I know only Edwin can slap, his bands "
on• his legs at .,say- a hi ¢11 "Mv, Ali
we need is a little 'rain to freshen things up a
bit." He's imitating some of the women in the
neighborhood only of course after we've had
lour day's-of constant rain.
Shhh! No more. rye said too much afready.
Promise nor. Don't let any of this get back to'
thim.
I've got an idea. Let's surprise them. Let's
all send them a belated birthday card.
Brodhagen, Ontario is address enotigh; their
eightieth birthday went by without a Word.
They don't holler, remetriber/ But for
heaven's sake, don't let on I'puf'you up to It.
SA, PTE 15,1876
opposite the Expositor 'office to Mr. itney for the siiinkro,f lPintvcsuo.u, has disposed of the 10 en the corner
Mr- Whitely has disposed of his livery business to
Arthur Forbes of Stanley,
John H. Broadfoot has completed a large and
handsome store on the Market Square which he{
intends to uac as a furniture store and ware room,
J. P. Brine, the popular auctioneer, will sell at the
rooms of Messrs. Wilson and Scott all kinds of sewing
machines, musical instruments and houses.
Most of those who were burned out by the late fire
secured temporary business locations.
At the Royal Canadian Yacht Club Regatta the Yacht
"Vixen" h tir d ownedprze. by M.P,Illiyes of this,town carried off
the
,
SEPTEMBER 13, 1901
Thos. Brownlee, teacher in Section No. 14 Hay has
been engaged for another year at an increase in salary.
Wh ile working in the Dashwood flax mill Wesley
Schmidt had the misfortune to break his arm.
The excellent 50 acre farm, Tuckersmith, owned by
John Hunter haS been sold to Thomas* JohNlliott of
the Bayfield Road .for $3,300.
Some of the citizens of Zurich who were at the
Pan-Anierican, saw President McKinley just fifteen
minutes before he was shot.
John Govenlock of Seaforth is buying a carload of
lambs in the Wroxeter vicinity.
• Mr. Harry Weaver of Zurich has the brick work-at the
Catholic Church nearly done.
Robert Turnbull of this town has shown us a book
which is very old. It has been in his family for several
generations. It is entitled the "Beehive of the 'Romish
Church."It must be over hundred years old and it must
.have written about the time of Pope Pius the fourth.
Messrs. Edward Bright and 'Walter Pickard arrived
home from the Old Country.
Messrs. Bright Bros. received, orders from a
gentleman in a town in South Dakota, for $90.00 worth
of clothing for his own wear.
James Stewart a the Seaforth Milling Co. has
disposed of hii,interest here to his brothers and, has
purchased Henry Colbert&•far& in Egmondville„,,
Miss Olive Laidlaw of town has returned from a
Egmondville.,,,,,
to' friends in Milwaukee.
, Miss Annie Carlin of Staffa left for Stratford where
she - A hweitlhl etrakoeidatecsoiudresoet ofin tthhee oc000novteyntio.
t• he person of
Thos. Simpson of Brucefield has reached the-age of 78
years departed this life recently.
Archibald McGregor of Kippen had his silo filled.
Owing to ill health, Rev.,, Father , Flatniery, 'Parish
priest at Dublin, has been obliged to, resign his parish.
He is going to visit Ireland.
While making a pastoral call, Rev. F. H. Larkin
happened on an interesting gathering. of old people. He
called at the residence of Francis Scott and besides Mr.
and Mrs. Scott, he found there, Geo. Habkirk and Mr.
and Mrs. Wm, HenderSon of McKillop. The combined
ages of these five persons aggregated over .400 years.
John Mills and Miss Mills of Harlock returned on
Friday from a very pleasant holiday spent at the Toronto
Industrial and at the Pan American at Buffalo.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1926
The Paramount Male Quartette, known absolutely as
the best 'group of harmonizers in Western. Ontario, has
been engaged for the evening of the election when the
returns will be given. The personnel of the quartette
are las: T, Scott; Jack 'Beattie; Milne R. Rennie and
D. L.Reid, acconipanist MrS. M.' R. Rennie.
Leo Stephenson, Constance and Norman Geddes of
'Clinton have 'returned from their motor' trip along Lake
Ontario and taking in Toronto sights on belt return.
Henry Taylor of Constance has purchased a house in
Seaforth. His son Harvey will carry On farm'operations.
J. Hey Sr. of Zurich who recently sold his Property to
W.E.Wuerth has purchased the property in Zurich
visited by F.Gilhecley.
Miss; Wilma Seip of Seaforth has been nursing Mrs.
Robert Bullard: •
Geo. Douglas, W. Howard, Geo. Howard and 'D.
Foss, Hensall, motored to Tor6nto, and took in the
Exhibition' there. .
Miss Annie Strong •of Hensall, left for Roughglow
where she will engage in her new duties as teacher.
Mrs. Jas. Cowan has leased her residence to R. N.
Bissonnett and will spend the winter with her daughter
in Stratford.
Miss S. I. McLean returned-from a two months trip
to the western provinces. '
Misses Florence. Beattie and Miss Pearl -Patterson-
sang a -Very pleasing duet in EgmOndville Church last
Sunday morning.
Earl E. Smith of town, left to attend the school of
Pharmacy, Toronto.
'Messrs. Fred Crich and J. A. Stewart ate on a trip to
New York. •
John ••Murray of Egmondville has a squash vine
growing in his garden, which measured 38 feet long.
Hugh Benninger- of Dublin was riding his bicycle on
the highway when he was knocked off his wheel by a car
with one light. He , escaped with a broken knee.
Miss Isobel Souter of ^ Brucefield left-1h; Sioux
Lookout to be assistant of the Continuation 'School
there. •
Fire, broke out in the basement of R.J.Pearson's
general store 'at: the village of Ethel which did
considerable damage to his stock and contents of the
dwelling over the store.
Miss Irene Ireland who has been visiting her
grandparents Mr. and Mrs. ' J. M. Govenlock has
returned to Climax, Sask.
Miss Therese Carpenter, Dublin. will be a stn.dent at
Stratford Normal this next year.
SEPTEMBER 14,1951 .
While twin calves are hot unusual, it is but rarely that
calves weighing but 23 and26 potinds and 18" high are
born. Yet it happened at the farm of Irwin Trewartha,
when a Jersey cow gave birth to twins. They appeared
to be doing well until Wednesday when one died.
The $1000 Jackpot offered at the Seaforth
;Community bingo was won by Ian McLean of Seaforth.
58 numbers were called before his card was filled.
Mr. and Mrs: Jarnes Hoggarth of Hensall celebrated
their golden wedding by holding a family dinner. For
their gift the family had an oil burner installed hi (heir
home.
Mrs. Annie Richardson of. Hensall celebrated her
89th birthday. She was horn in Canton, England and
came to Canada in 1910.
,henry x.'oenler, resident of McKillop, died early
Tuesday at Scott Memorial Hospital where he had been
a patient for• the past five weeks.
Miss Maud. Hartry has been invited to print place
cards fora, luncheon to be held for Princess Elizabeth
and Prince" Phillip.
Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Rennie and Miss Alice Dougall
of Toronto were at Olen Gordon Man. attending the
Wedding of their niece Mona Alice Dougall, daughter of
Dt. and .Mtdt. Boss Dotigall:
gobett Miortreed, 76, protninent farmer and life long
resident of Morris Township died suddenly in Scott
MeMotial H ospital. He was one of the oldest members
of Blyth Ptesbyteritin Church fit more than 40 years,
P/0 Sottpli Laudennacn ,of town has returned to
Royal Military College.
Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smiley
Separate holidays
Elmer contest a success
"I hate you, Bill Smiley! I hate you!"
This line was not from a disgruntled
student, an irate parent, or an ungentle
reader. , It was my wife talking.
The occasion was our parting for our,
annual separate holiday, and 'she was a bit
irate, ungentle and disgruntled.
• She had been up at seven, ironing my
shirts and packing, my bag. I was up at the
stroke of 10, well-rested and ready' for
breakfast.
Quite a bit of planning had gone into our
holiday. I was to fly 'to Halifax for a weekly
editors' convention. She was to climb into
the rusty old Dodge and head west to See
her Dad fora few days. My daughter and
finsband were to come, and stay at our place
for a couple of days, with 'the grandsons.
"It all seemed perfectly logical and simple
to me. But nothing is ever simple to my
wife, except on those fairly frequent
occasions when I am completely, baffled by
something that must be fixed around the
house,,, and she finally does it with an
exasperated kick or a triumphant crow. We
keep a lot of triumphant crows in the
basement for such instances. •
At any rate, on this occasion, it finally hit
her, an hour before we split, that there was
something rotten in Denmark. She had
been shopping and house-cleaning for two
days to leave everything .spdtless and
well-stocked for the kids. •She-, had been
planning the meals and the scrubbing and
cleaning she • was going 'to do 'at her
father's. And she had been 'Working like
somebody in Upstairs, Downstairs to get
me off on.lny jaunt clean and respectable.
She got a bit grim around the lips on that
last morning, but didn't crack' up until I
came down, fresh from my bath and shave,
and inquired urbanely: ' 'my bag
packed? The limousine will be, here any
moment to take me to the airport."
That's when she emitted the opening
line of this column. I knew what it was
immediately. I patted her back and said:
"There, there, dear: You clOn't have to
start scrubbing at Grandad's the, minute
you arrive. Take a half hour break after the
drive and have a nice c up of tea,."
As it turned out, everything worked fine.
After pounding me a few on the chest; she
had a good cry and we both felt better. 'She
got the floor scrubbed at her dad's the
'very of ternoon I was out on the Bluenose
II in Halifax Harbor. She had cooked a
good dinner and had the disthes washed at
her father's just about the time I was
slurping into my third lobster and listening
to a good Dixieland'band in Halifax. And it
took her only two hours to get the car st
arted for her return trip, just about the
time I climbed aboard to be coddled by
stewardesses on my return' trip. I think
separate holidays like that are good for any
marriage.
And it seems even better for the woman
in the partnership. She got home rested,
refreshed and looking wonderful. I got
by Karl Schuessler
stove in mood scraps and chips, then sitting '
and chewing the fat with the men who drop
in.I figure many a local issue and many a story
gets a good roasting and settling over In those
nightly ,visits.
Those two lodk-alike Rocks are almost
Siamese twins, They're practically
inseparable. When they were small they
developed a language all their own -- a secret
• one so only they could communicate. Their
folks sent Norman off to grandmother's for a
while to break the code. But it didn't work.
They're using it still today. And they're Still
using fake names for people. So they can -talk
on and no one around dreams whiThey are
talking about.
When Edwin got married, Norman moved
in as well. And over the many years he's been
bachelor uncle-in-residence to Edwin's five
children. Whenever the kids gave,sigift to
their father, they gave an exact duplicate to,
Norman. , '
Laura, Edwin's wife, was never fooled by ;
"-Who's who. She knew all along whictione was
Edwin. And that's more than some other girls
.can claim girls the boys dated in advance
and then they switched themselves. '
, They tried it in the army for a few weeks one
time -- way back during World War I when
Edwin was training camp. And R Worked!
EdWin got away for a holiday while Norman
Matched and drilled it his place. The sergeant
A