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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1978-09-07, Page 21Canodions'..mutt .communicate: A former Tuckersmith resident now head of one of the major .businesses in British, Columbia told weekti newspaper publishers k" from across Canada that now, ,more than ever before, there was a need for understanding, for communication and for a feeling of community in the larger sense as a requisite to the ' solving of today's problems. Robert A. Binnendyk, vice tpxasident _and general manager of Labatt Breweries of British Columbia addressed a meeting of the Canadian Community Newspaper As- sociation during the association's ann 1 convention in Vancouyer during' August. graduate of. Sekforth 'Di strict High School, - Mr. Binnendyk is, married to the former Linda Dobson a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Dobson of Scaforth. His Mother Mr's. A. Binnendyk lives in Exeter while his brother Henry resides at R.R.2, Kippen. Recalling the issue.sfacing Canada today. arc not those that seemed important even five years ago the speaker warned that if we as Canadians are to improve the quality and substance of the communities in which we live and. work, we must know the issues and act on thetri before they expand beyond our control. ' • Recallingthat the CCNAgiad achidicd and. enjoyed a ,great deal of recent success 4 Mr. Binnendyk asked What is happening in our country, our provinces and in our individual communities "Arc people more and morereoncerened about the community in which they live? Are people seeking an`identity which they do not appear to have as part of a province or of a • country? Arc social Changes taking place so ..• rapidly that your readers seek something solid and. concrete, something they under- stand because they are involved? • He suggested 'the . answer to_,,GCfslA (4' growth'Was that a need was seen and answered with information and com- munication that, has credibility, • under- standing and is humanistic. That same( approach., he said, was necessary on a national scale. It no longer is. a question of whether .existing laws were right or wrong' or whether' changes in population shout(' or should not have happened. The, issue, he said, is how can resentment and hatred be destroyed. . • ' Mr, Binnedyk sees a similarity between his company and the CCNA because they each consist of real 'people, With real feelingS, attitudes and sentiments and are like a community. He suggested that Commonality can be a fAmevvork .for more effective commenication which will leadto a better and more rewarding quality of life. • , • Began in London Drawing a parallel between the company he represented and the weekly press Mr. Binnendyk recalled that when John Labatt 'arrived from Ireland in 1828, .hechose the little village of London in Canada West, .as Robert Binnedyk Ontario was known in those days.' He . believed he would find his opportunity there because he saw the first signs of enterprise already in place. One was a log and shingle brewery which was being built by a local innkeeper who wanted to be' assured of a steady supply of beer •for his customers. John Labatt first supplied it with good malting barley, then bought control of it. The other was a printer who had set up his flat bed press and was satisfying the thirst of those citizens for information about the • issues. of 'the day with handbills and pamphlets. Out of that modest enterprise, grew another family landmark called the London Free Press. • Continuing this parallel the'speaker pointed out that both the printer and' the brewer 'characteristics. Each builds in the coummunity; Draws its employees from the , community; buys from the community; sag to the community; depens on the com- munity; Pays taxes to the community; belongs to the community „organizatioes; brings revenue into the community and each is proud of the community. Emphasizing the word community,' Mr.. Binnendyk suggested that perhaps together newspaper and 'business can find better ways to improve the quality and substance of • the communities in which they live and ' work, and as a result, improxe the quality and substance in that "collection of communities'', that larger cOmmunity called Ca nada. Labbatt's Law , Mr.' Binnedyk described what the , called 'Labatt's law and summed it up by saying. "We•help people to help themselves." lt, works this way hesaid - and it is a real and workable philosophy. "A local group comes • • to. us and asks for money to organize an event. Instead • of writing a cheque or slamming the' door, we will invariably sit down with them ,apd help them discover what they really need.' More often than not, their -greatest ....requirment • is ; a.... set •of. Objectives - which vVe will help them hammer out. Instead of cash, we will coach them on how' to organize a presS conference 'assemble a mailing !Vit or w hatever. In the end, we may give money, as well. But' the group will end up doing its work with a'Sense .of identity. equipped to make a genuine contribution to its community - which, 'of course, isoir community, too." suggesting ' "there May he a question or show how Labatt's involvement in Canadian sports "- aniateur and professional - assists Canadian _Communities Mr. Rinne-ndky- there is no formula for a response. However he offered an example which, he said might be scaled down to apply in many places. He told the CCNA meeting that Labatt's president had spoken to the Toronto board of trade after the american league franchise had been awarded to that city and asked , the question, "what does major league baseball mean for Toronto?" After all, he said, the et:immunity had invested $17,900.00 to renovate and expand exhibitiml. park: What could' it expect in return?) • He answered his own question by, quoting from an economic study done'by Labatt and an economist in the field Of community •henefit. He estimated that' major league baseball would mean 200 jobs - SO full-time .-- a direct ',payroll, of $1 •million and an indirect payroll of another $1 millien, "SuCh an example may be extreme but do not count it out as a measure of' the way 'an act -of Confidence in a community can generate benefits far beyond • the direct intent of the participants," Mr. Bennendyk Said and added that none of .this would be new to CCNA members in principle or in: practice since CCNA after all, he said. represents commitments to' a great ,many , communities across Canada 550 of th'e 650 commuities with papers that have editorial content an representing a total' readers.up to over six million. • , - Among the -Labatt officials' accompanying Mr. Binnendyk to the breakfaSi at which he spoke was Alan Patterson who recently moved from Newfoundland to British Columbia whre he had been appointed. BC marketing manager for Labatts. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. J.E.. Patterson of Seaforth. SEAFORTH',. ONTARIO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1978 [Second Section Pages lA 10 A] .• ' TURNING A FURROW-Roy Pattison, vice-chairman of the International - Plowing Match committee,-and former reeve of Wawanosh Township, demonstrated his skills with the , plow at the Huron County Plowing Match,'held,on the Campbell farm in McKillop township on Saturday. TAKING A TOSS-Ed Davies of Auburn who's 84 years old, competed in the horseshoe throw as, .he's done for the past 20 years, at the Huron County Plowing Match held on Saturday at the Ken Campbell farm in McKillop Township. (Expositor Staff Photo) W. G. Strong remembers The days of homemade ice cream had left a substantial amount of the creamy stuff on the blades. Indeed it was so good that it disappeared quickly. Mother replaced the lid on the can while her helpers added fresh ice and salt after draining off the mast of the water, The wet gunny sack was drapped over the freezing unit where it would remain 'until it was time to serve the refreshment for the evening dessert. None had to be reminded to save room for the ice cream while dinner was being served. If the .boys had had their way, they would' have eaten nothing lint ice cream at meal-time. The time came finally for mother to scoop but heaping dishes. These consumed most Members around the family table raided the container for a second helping. b', W. G. Strong 'When we were young. we country lads welcomed a chance. to ride into town on our bicycle on a summer day Wheit the heat seemed to soothe eVerything into a low display of tranquility., Should a big order be required. Old 'Minnie was brought into serVice. She picked her way along the ,gravelled highway with a seeming minimum of effort. Dust clouds front her hooves hung in the air before leisurely—drifting -away. The path((( had been busy with his farm work and. as result. the roadside had an aspect of wilfulneglect with its growth of rank2Weeds and tall grass dust-coated: Wild chicory. Scotch thistles. Queen Anne's lace, brown-eyed Susans and coarse burdocks flourished itrabundance amid clunips of sweet clover. Occasionally a groundhog, startled by the rattle of the buggy wheels and the clip-clop of the mare's feet on the gravel, raised its head among the wayside growth to scurry in flight across the way to the safety of its burrow. On such an afternoon, the town was almost deserted. Ladies rocked in contentment -on shaded verandas or snoozed in the cotton hammock. Collie dogs stretched and yawned in cont ntnient under leafy canopies. On the avenin s if the establishment boasted such convent :tees. With time oh his hands, the lad could pa , e and window shop and survey the varied displays hi the wide store-front windows; the .grocety store, the hardware store, the drug store, the'dry goods Store, the furniture store, the bake shop. From the open doer's of the .hotels could be heard subdued conversations interrupted at times by loud guffaws. Strange heady lotions wafted through the screen door of the barber shop where a customer conversed with other patrons while the tonsorial artist plied -his scissors and comb and shears' or clippers. Ice cream parlor Of all the stores along Main Street, the bake shoo with its restaurant and ice-cream-parlor had the stongest attraction. Fortunate was the urchin who had a few nickles in his I:Rocket given him by his mother from her egg and butter money. Leisurely h chi ade his way into the welcome, cool recess where a twin-bladed fan, suspended from the ceiling turned sluggishly and monotonously. The soda fountain was near the front of the area designated for refreshments. Ranged in front of the marble-topped counter was a short row of tall chairs with seats of oak and legs of iron wrought into a simple design. Tables with dainty matching chairs were neatly placed about the room. Occasionally there were a few polished walnut booths against a mirrored wall. A pair of louvred swingtrig doors separted the serving area front the kitchen. If you were alone. Most lads prefeired to. be served eft the' counter, On Saturday nights the room was filled with'iaughter and chatting. 'Such elegant confections were dispensed by the proprietor in linen jacket and white apiatt. or by his 'faithful wife who shared in the business Undertaking. 'there were luscious Stile es drenched with chocolate sauce bver aid 'with Spanish nuts. Theft were 'ice cream sodas pink and frothy and sundaes of so many kinds that it taxed your mind to make the 'choice. There were phosphates of .lime, lemon, vanilla, and ciiocolate and malted milk shakes; Banana splits on, silver trays. two scoqes of ice cream, a 'sprinkling of chopped' walnuts and a maraschino cherry complete with stem. Such treats came at somethitighke twenty-five cents. "No I can't forget the wondets That i knew -wa yaw Wish the old ice cream parlour Could be brought back here again," (Beier) A little harder made from mother's or l make this delicious •to be a special treat ok some urging to get mother to x the ingredients for home-made 1. It took co-operation from set oral ers of the family. A cake of ice was e ntiaband could be hauled from 'Witt if dad ppened to make a trip by horse and buggy or wagon: A bran sack • proved to a be a convenient container. Mother had to look ahead the save the milk, the cream, the other components. The shining metal freezer and the wooden stirring paddles had to be washed and set in the sun to dry. Mother would tell a couple of her family-' members to get the ice ready while she mixed the contents for the freezer. An ice piek, was used to stab off pieces of ice which were put in an old gunny sack and crushed with a board or flat side,of an axe. The recipe callae for some five quarts of fresh milk to which was added some dissolved junket tablets, sugar, a couple of raw eggs. a pinch of salt, a tablespqon of vanilla extract and topped off with a full quart of fresh. pure cream. This done she would place the stirring pad„dels into the cylinder and adjust the cover leaving the top of the paddle mechanism projetting through the hole. We would no sooner be set up for business on the back porch out of the sun with what we considered an ample supply of crushed ice when mothu..wo,ald appear carrying carefully the rather'Seavy cylinder. "Now it's up to you, boys," she would say as she lowered the can into the Wooden freezing unit. "Be -careful you don't spill any," she admonished as she engaged the turning mechanism to the top of the paddles and clamped it down. — Let's put on the ice, Dave," as mother retreated into the kitchen. Tom started to turn the handle while Dave, using hiS'bare hands as a scoop, dropped ice pellets into the pail. Ice built up around the metal cylinder while a handful of coarse salt was added occasionally to make the ice melt faster so that it would take the heat off the milk more quickly. Finally the ice -covered the lid. Turning The crank At first the crank turned easily,, The handle turned cogs which made the cylinder revolve slowly while at the same time the paddles, in turn, stirred the milk and exposed it to the cold sides of the can. It was necessary to tamp . the ice down and add more. Soon cold, salty water began to run from a hole well toward the middle of the wooden keg, it being there for that purpose and one knew that the ice was melting 'properly. The two lads took turns at the crank and after about half an hour it•b6gan to turn a little harder and everyone_ kn ew_thai the process was nearly complete. "It must be about ready now," said Dave, "but let's give her a couple more turns just to be safe." As the turns became harder and harder, Tont went to tell his mother that he thought the freezing was complete. She came out with a bowl and a big mixing spoon. She undamped the mechanism, lifted it off, packed the ice down, and raised the lid. What a glorious sight greeted their eager, eyes. They were beholding that delicious, mouth- watering ice cream. ri Finished at last moment or so, she had succeeded. Atter scraping off some of the clinging Mass with the spoon, she laid the paddles in the bowl and told Tom to get a couple of teasp6ons. It was then that the two lads had their reward for making the smooth' concoction because she - - Yes, indeed. Homemade ice cream remains one of the most vivid and happy 'memories of childhood days. Poem "Homemade ice cream." Just say those words And smiles begin to play On lips of those who can recall A long-gone yesterday. 2 Hatnematie ice What howthay tchaealhde!taresrtes wasisthh words cream," ey did then Just say those Pure heaven from a dish." (Moore) rely source of this refreshment, so soot g. so pleasantly cool, There is perhaps n big that brings back happy memories of ne's youth more than the mention of rte-made- ice cream. This delicacy has been evi Tripe. ' The local ice cream parlour was not the lost. Frugal families s confection 'believin : especially when grandmother's h usually agree to ice ere Meth of 4 "It's done," said mother as she reached down, placed her hand or thumb on the rim of the cylieder and began to pull out the paddles with her free hand. They came out slowly as the ice cream was cold and thick but— in a