Clinton News-Record, 1964-11-05, Page 2Why W ear A Poppy „?
ON WEDNESDAY of next week most places of business in Clinton
and 'the surrounding district will close clown in observance of Remem-
brance Day,
And across Canada in cities, villages, towns and, hamlets millions
will observe a two-minute silence to honor the fallen of the two great
world wars.
For those who served, and for those -too young to have served and
for those who have forgotten what the poppy symbolizes, we publish the
following poem. ft was written by Don Crawford, public relations officer
of the Perth, Ont., branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and appears
in the October issue of The Legionary under the heading;
Why Wear A Poppy?
By Don Crawford
"Please wear a poppy," the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook, my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But -beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that' refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the 'symbol for
The gallant men who died. in, war.
And because they did, you and I are free —
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes,
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about,
As the years went by he learned and grew
And became a man — as you will, too. •
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, `Goodbye,
I'll be back soon,, Mom, so .please don't cry.'
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told" of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
"Till at last, at last, the war was won —
And that's why we wear a poppy, son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son — did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded cheek;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Though our freedom was bought — and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live,
Then wear a poppy!,. Remember — and Give!"
ti
Save The Old Post Office
Clinton ews-Record
Amalgamated
1924 THE CLINTON NEWS,RECORD
Published every Thursday at-the Eat. 1881
Heart o Huron COUnty
Clinton, Ontario Population 3,369
O
DAVID E. SCOTT, Editor
A. L. •COLdUi-IOUN,- Publisher
Veiled linteIbetleni In tidi Oebileetieti, ifs 'the
opinions of the writers only, 'snit de not 'liclitatIly
eie:ilite the vieli of the •Notteetber.
Autheitked ifittitend Mitt milli fait Office Ditieeiment, .colfili, and tee payment et -*ali' In
SUISIORIPIION In iiiiliiili•-‘aniide and afoot Ifitelnis4.06e -yeet: ,
Untied- Sfifei., and 641/00'0,6k Steele Copies 7i Dints ..........„.
THE CLINTON NEW ERA
Est. 1865
11 *
4
0 I, Ais COUR
Business and Professional
Directory
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CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
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GODERICH, ONT. 524-7562
55-57 SOUTH ST,
Our Early files
THE ECONOMIC destiny of
ton appears to have been, snatched from
faltering hands by the Clinton Chamber
of Commerce and the financial welfare
of our town now rests with this body,
The Chamber decided at a special
meeting last. Thursday night it . was the
group which should demand a building
code for Clinton so industries and busi-
nesses could be invited • to and accom-
modated in Clinton to help pay off the
unchecked expenditures and debt which
have mounted over the past few years,
The debenture debt of Clinton by
this time next year will be over one
million dollars. That's the equivalent
of more. than $280 owed by every man,
woman and child in the town , . . with-
out even taking into consideration the
staggering annual interest charges.
Where the elected municipal repre-
sentatives were too short-sighted- to
realize the potential plight of this 'com-
munity, - a group of businessmen has
taken over and will insist on initial
steps in the right direCtion being taken.
As explained on Page One of this
edition by Councillor Duff Thompson
and Chaniber President A. "Red" Garon,
adoption of a building code for Clinton
is only a start in the right direction,
but it is needed before any further
progress work can be done.
WHILE MEMBERS of the Police
and Fire Departments might not neces-
sarily agree, Hallowe'en 1964 in Clin-
ton involved a relatively harmless col-
lection of pranks.
The little people—of course—decked
themselves out in wondrous and horrify-
ing garb and canvassed for treats. And
during that early part of the evening
the older people waited their turn for
a different brand of hellery.
In the dying hours of 'All Saints
Eve, and the early hours of Sunday,
downtown Clinton came alive with hoots
and hollers; the splattering of eggs of
questionable vintage; the familiar shriek
of skidding tires on asphalt pavement
and the crackling of flames as dozens
of fires glared in the night.
The fires were generally stoked
with gasoline-soaked automobile tires;
bales of hay or piles of leaves and in
ghost cases they were ignited in the
middle of streets where they could do
little—if any damage.
Some garbage cans were overturn-
ed and the contents spread across streets
and a few barricades and other debris
was left on roadways.
Few downtown business, residence
and automobile windows escaped the
traditional soaping and a few signs were
moved.
But reports of real damage to per-
sons and/or property were virtually non-
existent.
Automobile hubcaps were not stol-
en; automobile radio aerials were not
broken off; windows were not smashed;
nothing was doused or smeared with
paint, and as far as is known, no serious
or irreparable damage was done.
The older Hallowe'en marauders
LAST WEEK'S Editorial Page, car-
ried a lengthy editorial promoting the
adoption for Clinton of a building code
which was entitled: "Let's Indulge The
Ratepayers."
That editorial contained the following
paragraph:
"The only negative response• to the
editorial came verbally from Reeve
Agnew at the next regular council ses-
sion and in an anonymous letter signed
"Less- Than Average Mentality"."
.1 One reader .has pointed out that
'paragraph would appear to suggest by
implication that Reeve Agnew had in-
deed written the anonymous letter in
question.
IT HAS BECOME generally accept-
ed by the public that important politic-
ians do not write the speeches they de-
liver with such fire, feeling and vigor.
But there is danger in that prac-
tice. Take, for example, the ease of
New York Mayor Hylan in the 1920's:
On the occasion in question, His
Worship not only failed to write the
speech, but he neglected to read it be-
forehand. In the middle of his speech,
Adoption of the code would be 'fol-
lowed by zoning which in turn would
likely be, followed by the establishment
of an industrial park. This in turn would
be followed by the "hard sell" by the
Chamber to prospective Clinton inclust-
rialists and businesses.,
The end result could be a business
boom for Clinton which would put money
back into the pocket of every man,
woman and child in this community.
Council wasted no time in •approving
a $100,000 debenture for an addition to
Clinton Public Schdol. The addition was
undeniably required. Similarly, a de-
benture will be approved in a similar
amount to widen and improve Highways
through Clinton. Necessary, perhaps,
and certainly desirable.
But the issue swept under the coun-
cil chamber rug, filed, diverted, adjourn-
ed, by-passed, deferred, and finally out-
voted, was by far the most important
issue to face council this year. •
And it wouldn't have cost one
penny!
It is perhaps ironical that the fate
of Clinton rests with 13 men next Mon-
day night when they appear before
council to demand what the elected
representatives should have given them
years ago.
appeared to be bent on only fun — to
their way of thinking — and care was
taken that no real damage resulted.
By contrast, across western On-
tario, the following Hallowe'en destruc-
tion and vandalism was reported:
A $2,500 marble statue at Wallace-
burg was toppled and smashed; vacant
homes at Bayfield, Simcoe, Harriston,
Mount Forest, Port Elgin, Granton and
Stratford were burned; A truckload of
pumpkins was destroyed at Hensall and
a home under construction there had
the windows smashed; a horse cart was
burned at Port Elgin; a statue at Wood-
stock was covered with paint; a car at
Durham was rolled against a tree; a
couch was stolen at New Hamburg; 100
gallons of buttermilk were poured on
the ground at Dutton; a ,London school
sustained $175 damage; 'a London re-
freshment booth was burned.
And there were other similar events
reported in other centres across On-
tario and Canada.
But these things didn't happen in
Clinton.
It is true the Police Department
worked hard and long and it is likely
that at some stage of the evening every
man on the force must have become
just a little warm under •the collar,, but•
perhaps the most thoughtless, serious,
or dangerous pranks in Clinton: were
those in which garbage containing glass
was spread across streets:
For the relative sanity and good
behaviour of our pranksters we can be
both happy and proud. We should be
both. (After removing squished, over-
ripe pears from our car, we were grate-
ful the tires had not been deflated, nor
the convertible top slashed!).
The conjunction "and" in the para-
graph in question separates the two
clauses and both clauses were contained
in 'the same sentence because both mat-
ters referred to were relating, to nega-
tive response.
However, for any readers who may
have thought the-structure of the para-
graph was designed to suggest by im-
plication Reeve Agnew did write the
anonymous letter, Mr. Agnew states
that he did not.
The News-Record regrets any em-
barassment this may have brought to
IVfr. Agnew and stresses the sentence
structure was not 'intended to suggest
the Reeve had written the anonymous
letter in question.
he began a yarn about the legendary
travelling salesman.
However, not having read the
speech—and the joke—prior to its de-
livery, he laughed so uproariously hard
that his glasses fell from his nose and
shattered in small pieces on the floor.
The chairman of the dinner had to
complete his speech for him.
We can't help wishing such disas-
ters would occur more often . . .
WITH ANNOUNCEMENT last week
that a new post office building will be
provided for Clinton by the Federal
Government .within a year, the future
of Clinton's major landmark — the old
Post Office building — remains un-
decided.
Will the picturesque, 61-year-old
structure be replaced by a chrome-and-
glass supermarket, a corner gasoline
station, or a 'parking lot?
Or will Clintonians band together
to save the stately and ornate building
and put it to another useful purpose,
or purposes?
It is likely the old building will be
taken over by Crown Assets Disposal
Corporation after the new building is
in use. Despite its formidable name,
Crown Assets Disposal Corporation gen-
erally is happy to make dis-used-build-
ings available to the municipalities in
which they are located, for a nominal
price.
The municipality should have, how-
ever, some definite plan as to what use
the building will be, put, how it will be
operated and maintained, and who is
willing to make use of it.
At this writing, Clinton is $800,000
in debt; a $103,000 debenture is pend-
ing for an addition to Clinton Public
School; another in the amount of $100,-
000 has been spoken for in use on high-
way re-construction next year, and it
is expected a $100,000 debenture will
be needed for the new arena—if such
a building is the ratepayers' wish.
That comes up to $1,000,000 with-
out the arena . . . and that's One whole
heck of a lot of money to be owed by
some 3,500 souls.
If Clintonians vote another $100,000
for the construction of a new arena—
and this is necessary if Clinton children
are to have,a place to learn to skate
and play hocey'—the debt will be hoist-
ed to well over One million dollars, The
interest alone on this amount is stag-
gering.
The new arena is 'being designed
without an auditorium—or meeting hall,
but provisions are being made so that
a hall could be added above the area
which will be occupied by dressing
rooms.
It is proposed that such a hall be
built when it can be afforded. At the
present rate council is piling up debts
and failing to take steps to attract new
industries here, it is likely that such
an auditorium will never be built — if
indeed en arena is built.
However, if the zeal and interest
shown by Clinton service clubs is main-
tained, 'a new arena will become reality.
But there still will be no meeting hall.
We suggest the old Post Office
building when vacated by the postal
department could make an excellent
meeting place. Putting the building to
such a use would preserve it as a part
of the town.
More importantly, it could be used
as a meeting place for Brownies, Guides,
Scouts and Cubs, The 4-H groups and
the Numismatic Society could hold meet-
ings there, and there , would be ample
space for such events' as flower shows
and the annual Hospital Auxiliary Penny
Sale.
Groups could hold dances there and
various church and women's groups
could use it as a place to hold teas,
lunches and dinners. A grant is avail-
able from the Department of Agricul-
ture in the amount of $10,000 to help
municipalities acquire meetings halls
where a full-time recreation director will
be employed,
It is quite possible this grant could
be made available to Clinton in the
event a decision was reached to save
the old post office and put it back to
work in another useful role in the
community,
.Years Aga
November 6, 1,94
As .announced in our last is
sue She News-Record taken
over the New Era, the last is-
sue of which was sent out
Thursday last. The News-Rec-
ord bas acquired in, its purchase
'the subscription list of the
New Era which it will . add to
its own, sending :the News,Rec,
ord, to all those whose .subs.crip-
tans are paid 'in 'advance.
The lVtintsterlar ns.sociation
Met at Wesley parsonage at
half past ten Monday forenoon.,
Rev. C. L. l3illtey entertained
the members by an account of
his motor trip the past SUM,
Ines,
The Republican candidate.,
President Coolidge, swept the
country on Tuesday in the
United States, Chas. B, Davis
was elected vice-president.
The firemen had as call out
Saturday afternoon when it
was found that the evergreen
trees at the west side of Miss
Moores. property on Ratten-
busy Street were on fire, Ow-
ing to the strong wind which
was 'blowing at the time the
buildings in the vicinity were in
great danger but a flow of Wat-
er soon had the fire controlled.
Messrs. W. H. Kerr and Son
are •thSs week moving the
Plant, including presses, lino-
type, etc., of the New Era to
Brussels, where it will be used
in connection with The Post,
With Which Mr. 3. L. Kerr, late
editor of The New Era, will be
connected,
25 I ears Ago
November 2, 1939
Due 'to serious illness Father
M. N. Sullivan, parish priest
here for 'the past 11 years, has
resigned' his :charge.
Another of those freaks of
nature was 'brought 'to our at-
tention this week. While har-
vesting ;the carrot crop recently
Mrs. Lyon of Londesboro came
across one Which had grown to
resemble a hand. It Might come
in useful to dry gloves on.
We are pleased to hear that
the Scouts 'are forging ahead,
slow but sure with their test
work. The Scouts have been
working on their Second Class.
Tests and will soon be ready
to begin their First Class Tests.
The annual At-Home of 'the
Huron Old Boys Association of
Toronto, will be held in the
Eaton Auditorium on Friday
evening, Nov. 24 at 8:30 p.m.
The Women's Association of
the Wesley-Willis Church held
their "Country Fair" on Satur-
day afternoon last in 'the As-
sembly Hall of their Church.
and despite the disagreeable
weather it was a great success.
0
On A Series Vote
More than one newspaper
reader has come 'to the con-
clusion that only full-time fol-
lowers of 'sports' events can un-
ders-band 'the sports page.
During the World Series a
man who annually becomes a
baseball Ilan in October saw
this headline in a New York
paper: Yanks Stattle Cards. He
looked up "stottle" in the dic-
tionary but it wasn't there.
PHOTOGRAPHY
HADDEN'S STUDIO
PORTRAIT -- WEDDING
and CHILDREN
118 St. David's St.
Dial 524-8787, Goderich
6-13p
PORTRAITS -- WEDDINGS
COMMERCIAL
Visseii
20 Isaac Street
Friday and Saturday 2 to 9 p.m.
Phone 482-9654 after 6 p.m.
for appointments
OPTOMETRY
J. E. LONGSTAFF
OPTOMETRIST
Mondays and Wednesdays
CLINTON MEDICAL CENTRE
482-7010
SEAFORTH OFFICE 791
G. B. CLANCY, O.D.
-- OPTOMETRIST --
For Appointment
Phone 524-7251
GODERICH
38-tfb
R. W. BELL
OPTOMETRIST
F. T. ARMSTRONG
Consulting Optometrist
The Square. GODERICH
524-7661
ltfb
15. Years. Ago
November 3, SS*
At long last, the new Bay-
field Bridge, over the Bayfield
River on .the Bistewater High-
way (King's Highway 21),. is
now open for traffic.
Clinton and District Chamb-
er of Commerce held its' finSt
raeSting..Since the summer V4C-
Oton in the Town Council
Thursday evening last with
President W. .11Tosmart Counter
in the chair and a small atten-
dance of members,
It was sledded to keep after
installation of a stoplight at
the main highway intersection,
It was suggested waste paper
cans be placed on 'the main I
streets in order to help keep
the new streets cleans
Sugar beet pulling and the
harvesting of turnips are the
order of the day.
Headed by two former Clin-
tordans—Ernest W. Hunter and,
ex-Mayor Kenneth G. Waters--
eight members of the Toronto
Danforth Lions Club paid
visit to Clinton Lions Club at
the latter's regular dinner
meeting in St. Paul's Parish
Hall Tuesday evening.
Dr. E. C. Wilford, a native
of Blyth, who has spent 40
years as a medical missionary
in West 'China, will be 'the spec-
ial speaker at both morning
and evening services in Wesley-
Willis United Church Sunday.
10 Years Ago
November 4, 1954
W/C R. R. B. Hoodspith, of-
ficer commanding No. 1 R and
CS was the guest speaker at
the Kinsmen Club press and
civic night on Tuesday.
A young Pilot, member of
the RCAF, crashed to his death
yesterday afternoon at 'about
4:20 in a field belonging to Mac
Chesney, a mile east 'of .Bruce-
field.
Chairman Hugh. Hawkins
gave a report to the other com-
missioners of 'the Clinton PUC
last Friday night, of the con-
vention in Montreal which he
attended at the beginning Of
last week.
"After the youngsters got to
the arena last Saturday night
for the Hallowe'en party, they
found they would have to pay
and had' to go back home for
money," said councillor Liver-
more at the Monday night's
council meeting. The ,councillor
was reporting for the work c$
his special committee, which
ordinarily would have charge of
a town-sponsored party at Hal-
lowe'en time.
For the seventh annual meet-
ing of th.e Huron Co-operative
Medical Services, the directors
and members of the plan met
in 'the agricultural office board
room last night, and heard Phul
Meehan, secretary fieldinan for
the provincial federation tell
them 'that their pre-paid plan
was the best yet designed.
ss.
High quality forage- will pro-
vide 75 to 80 percent of all
the nutrients cattle need, and
they will eat more of it and
produce more on it, says New
Holland's Grassland' News.
INSURANCE
K. W. COLQUHOUN
INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE
Phones: Office 482-9747
Res. 4E2-7804
JOHN WISE, Salesman
Phone 482-7265
H. C. LAWSON
First Mortgage Money Available
Lowest Current Interest Rates
INSURANCE - REAL ESTATE
INVESTMENTS
Phones: Office 482-9644
Res. 482-9787
H. E. HARTLEY
LIFE INSURANCE
Planned Savings .
. . . Estate Analysis
CANADA LIFE
ASSURANCE CO.
Clinton, Ontario
ALUMINUM PRODUCTS
For Air-Master Alumintms
Doors and Windows
and
Rockwell Power Tools
JERVIS SALES
R. L. Jervis-68 Albert St.
Clinton-482-9390
Classified Ads.
Bring Quick
Results
Page 911 1•1P-Record,—Thurs., Nov, 5, 1964
Editorials •
13 Against 5 for 3,500
Relative Sanity Prevailed
By Way Of Explanation
Wanted: More Disasters