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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1972-12-28, Page 4ewe get lets In two days we'll be in to a new year that is fresh and unblemished. We will all have the traditional new start and resolutions to break, but before we 90 making any promises to ourselves, we should look at what's been accom- plished over the last 12 months and what was left undone. For Clinton and area it's been a year for worrying, a year of trying tribulations and a year for celebration. For warring there was the closing of the Base and the loss of millions of dollars to the local ecomomy. There was talk that Clinton would become a ghost town when the base closed. Now, things have been turned around and if rumors serve right, Canada's newest com- munity, Vanastra should catch fire early this year and real progress will be made. For tribulation, there was the episode of the town fighting to improve the justice system of Huron County and fin- ding out they were beating their head against a brick wall. But best of all, there was celebration, for a new industry, Wil-Dex, opened this year and now employs 26 people. Hearn Wholesale undertook major expansion which promises to provide another 15 jobs, Two new industries located at Vanastra and a third one from Clinton has re-located there, All in all, it's been a better year than predicted Out much needs to be done yet. More importantly, there is the need for all us to pull together as one unit and try to set common goals. No one, will do it for us. On behalf of the staff of the News- Record, may we wish everyone a Happy New Year and may we continue to serve you even better next year. It has been a real challenge to produce a good paper every week and sometimes we've succeeded and sometimes we haven't. We've made a lot of friends though and a few enemies. Hopefully the former outnumber the lat- ter. Be looking for you in 1973! A quick glance backward Editoria,1 conanett The pedigree of nations The last word for this year "No, we're not home yet, Mildew — we're still in the department store," Languages are the pedigree of nations, wrote Samuel Johnson just two centuries ago. Despite the probleMs that bilingualism brings, Canada is fortun-ate. Its founding peoples speak two of the finest, most universal and best-loved languages in the world. When Canadians agonize about the unity of their land, they tend to forget that their nation is more fortunate than many. In China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines alone, for instance, more than 1.5 billion people speak hundreds of languages and dialects. Canada's OornMUltatibrS'Vroblemp are negligible' 4-Yhen 6-',6mpdeif3 to /those f !1-nariO, nations. - What is more, the fact that there is an attempt in Ottawa to help senior officials of Government departments and agen- cies to become competent in both English and French is an advantage to Canada. Many millions around the world are bilingual, particularly in Europe and Asia. Nobody suggests that in a democracy such as Canada, citizens should be for- ced to speak English or French. On the contrary, most programs now in progress are voluntary. Indeed, it should be considered a privilege by those who have the opportunity to be able to speak both English and French. Bilingualism is not designed to interfere with a person's culture, religious or political beliefs, social or economic status. One would hope that those who become .fluerit in, WO Freoc,h and tip Op I sh wi 1h4persuae,,1 e lo Canadians that knovVredge of two languages broadens the mind, and gives people new insights. The move towards bilingualism will allow English and French-speaking Canadians to keep their language. It will help make Canada a better, more unified nation. Belated greetings!, that's my style Amalgamated 1924 THE CLINTON NEW ERA Established 1865 Published the heart every Thursday at Of Huron County' HAPPY NEW YEAR will be back in the New Year A member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) second Mats mail registration number — 0817 'SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (in advance) Cariaaa, $8,00 per year; U.S,A, $9.56 JAMES E. FITZGERALD Editor J, HOWARD AITKEN -- General Manager THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1881 Clinton News-Record Clinton, Ontario Population 3,475 TIM ROME OP RADAR IN CANADA 4 ,,,C.1111tola News-Record, TbUraday„ December 21, 1972 Don't be surprised if ,you don't get a Christmas card from me this year. Just keep ex- pecting, and it may roll in sometime between Valentine's Day and Easter. I wish I could blame it on the postal workers, who are the latest villains in everybody's piece, but I must be honest and blame it on the Smileys. Dilatory, procrastinating and just plain lazy are adjectives that could be applied to us with impunity. And even with relish, if your tastes lie that way. As I write, I can see from the corner of one eye 140 exam papers to be marked in three nights. As I glance from the op- posite corner of the other eye, I can see a blizzard that has been going on for six hours. Neither of these sights is inclined to make one's goose hang high. However, "Life is the life" as my daughter remarked at the age of six, and it's been a family motto ever since. I'm not sure what it means, but there is something very profound behind that simple observation, It's really my wife's fault that Christmas is not all teed up and ready to be sliced into the rough, Normally, she's sitting around brooding about Christ- mas, this time of year. But this year she's sitting around brooding about NOT brooding about Christmas. How could anybody blame the poor kid because she's not fretting about the holiday season? She has this teaching position, you see, and there simply isn't time to worry about anything else. It's a tremendous load, She has to get up at the crack of about 8:30. to put her hair in curlers, you see, Then she has to trudge through the snow for 94 yards, snow-plowed, to get to work. There, she teaches for 35 solid minutes. Most of the afternoon is spent preparing next day's lesson. Most of the evening is spent in describing to me the horrors and delights of her "day" in the classroom. Who has time to worry about Christmas decorations, cards and such? So, we have once again made our annual vows. No cards, no Christmas presents, no time- consuming, silly decorations. I can just see us now. Decem- ber 22nd we'll be up all night writing cards, licking and stam- ping envelopes. On December 23rd, we'll be dashing around town, pawing through the left- overs for gifts, And on Decem- ber 24th, be taking the name of the Lord and most biological functions in vain as I try to prop up a skimpy tree with a butt as crooked as the leg of a goat. The tree, not me. On Christmas Eve, when most people are going to church, or listening to carols, or sitting by the fire, I'll be in the kitchen, up to my elbows in turkey dressing. I always get this job. And I know why. Nobody can turn out a stuffing like yours truly. I like it neither dry nor soggy, but moist, and with a life of its own, I use the standard ingredients; fried onions and celery, bread crumbs (real not bought) and a good dash of everything in the spice cup- board, from tabasco sauce to, chili powder, Add half a pound of butter, melted, Toss in some ground chicken or turkey gizzard, with the water it's been boiled in. And every time you have a shot of rye, give the turkey one. That means that you'll get up in the morning on equal terms, and after the bird has got over his hangover, you'll have a real, live bird, with a personality all his own, on your hands. It does wonders for the inhibited dinner guests, too. I've heard good teetotalers say, after three helpings of my dressing, "Wow, one more of those and I could fly". It's most distressing when they try it. Keep a firm hand on the gravy boat when this occurs, One must, of course, be tem- perate in making this dressing, One year I had a turkey so high he got up and tried to fly off the platter as I was carrying him in from the kitchen. That's what I told my wife, anyway. She claims it wasn't the turkey's fault that it wound up on the kitchen floor, in a pool of grease, with twelve starving people waiting. But I'm getting away from my theme, whatever it was. Oh, yes. Christmas cards. Well, a few special ones maybe, To O.G. Alexander of Chicago. Reads my column in Kincardine News. Has taught school for 45 years and is still alive. Stout chap! To Mrs, V. Gerlach.of Stet- tier, Alta, I agree with you about welfare and unem- ployment bums, but keep happy A special hello to John Sawchuck who said of the Carillon News, "Paper wouldn't be the same without his column." And to everyone else who reads this column: God bless, chaps. Keep fighting. Life is the life. Merry Christmas, Trapping Dear Eedmits or: Ithat open war has been declared again over the steel trap! The axe is to fall and Theg theoi idm. end results will not 4) shoWn on TV has stirred many to speak their minds. So I hope I will be forgiven if I also speak mine, It is strange how some, for reasons unknown, try to deceive the general public, and try to force trappers to do what is impossible. In 56 years of trapping, I have seen many traps invented. All claimed to be the "perfect trap". The only one that has any possibilities is the Connibear and these are limited to muskrat in the fall, maybe ten days in the fall for racoon, while they use their runways. The traps are used in the same way for beaver. On rareoc- casions, mink are takee , in them. But they are a poor sub- stitute for the steel trap. Just what a connibear would look like large enough to catch tall. Spring or a wolf I am not prepared to say, but a fair estimate for one to catch a fox would be 21/2 ft. wide x 40" all Spring wolves are much larger and they would never catch one of these intelligent animals. But dogs would suffer because of them. Even small children could become a victim in these settled areas. Foxes and wolves are the most clever animals alive and are not fooled by such a mon- strosity — especially when they can detect a steel trap which has been boiled in lye, covered with dye, waxed, covered with wax paper and buried in the earth. These animals have a sense of knowledge that is way beyond the human family and no one is going to change them, in order that we could catch them in these kind of things. The ible tells us: "In vain is a snare placed in tha,sight of any hwgfla-P 11419 r:01 'f 1 7f1V, animals with the intenigenCe of the wolf, fox and mink. People in Ontario ought to be thankful that there are people who take the terrible risk of handling rabid animals to help keep this plague under control, regardless of how it is done, The steel trap leaves much to be desired, but it is the best we have. In closing, I would say, our property has always been opened to the public for hun- ting and trapping and I hope it always will be. However, if I catch a man setting something on my place that would kill my dog, or harm a child, they are going to have a hard time explaining "how humane it was!" And the responsibility will be all their own. Rob and Cy Johnston R.R.2, Clinton. Thanks Dear Editor: So that the people of the community may know of one more of the good deeds of our service clubs, I would like to say here that I am very much enjoying a beautiful poinsettia plant sent me by the Lions Club. I understand that it is because I am a widow of, a for- mer member of the Club, Since we do not receive as many flowers as we once did, this thoughtful act brings a warm glow to my heart and bright spot for my livingroom. May the home of each mem- ber of the Clinton Lions' Club be blessed and happy at this season. Sincerely, Daisy Holland Clinton Opinions , In 'orde'r that, News—Record readers might express their opinions on any topic of public interest, Letters To The Editor are always welcome for publication. But the writers of such letters, as Well at all readers, are reminded that the opinions expressed in letters published are not necessarily the opinions held by The .News-Record. You'll get no New Year's resolutions out of me. Tovarich. Resolutions are for the young or the brave or the foolish, born of regrets and hopes and laughing in the pearly teeth of fate. Why promise yet again to give up nicotine, say I, when you may slip tomorrow in your bathtub and break your lily- white neck? Why pledge your- self to a year of total tem- perance? A loose ornamental tile may fall on you from a skyscraper cornice next week. Personally, I regret a lot that happened in the last year. There were people I should, have been nicer to, people should =have,` been nastier to.14 There was that letter to a' politician, written in the heat of anger, and that time I snapped at a waitress for the first time in my life. I regret these things, They were a waste of time. The politician was a born fool and faker--still is. The waitress was probably tired or bored. I'd be bored being a waitress. Maybe her feet hurt. But regret is a destructive thing, leading to greying at the temples and lines between the eyes. Let's have no regrets, kiddo, on New Year's Eve when we ring out the old year. If we had it all to do again it would probably come out the same. Maybe even worse. A very old gent who oc- casionally sits on the end of a pier with me, talking in a gen- tle, thoughtful voice, once told me his philosophy: "Just keep trying to do your honest best, do what you think is decent, and don't take yourself too seriously,'' he said. I suppose that is the way to face a new year or, for that matter, a new morning. But, of course, it is easier said, sitting on a pier, than it is done. There are some things I want out of the new year. I want to learn to play "Pinetop's Boogie" on . the piano. I would like to be able to tap dance all the way through "Margie", the talent I most envy in my best friend. I would like to learn all the words to "Glen Worple" and beat my youngest daughter at Chinese checkers, Surely that isn't asking too much of 1973. It won't do much good, I know, to make any resolutions about these things. I've been wanting to do them for years. There always seemed to be other things that had to be done first. The other things will surely be around next year, too. Most of all I would like to buy a 32-foot sailing boat with a small auxiliary engine and bunks for four and a brass com- pass. That will be one of the things to work for. There is always something ahead to be worked for, isn't there? That is what keeps life interesting. The other things, the friend- ships, the domestic pleasures, the discoveries of new vistas in town and country and new dishes in Chinese restaurants, the new adventures in enjoying music and sports and books and cross-word plizzles, all these things will come along in the next year, I expect, pretty much as in the years past, I don't particularly want to know what they'll be and I'm certainly not going to make any cold-blooded resolutions about them. I just want things to hap- pen to me and I'm standing around, available for almost anything and hoping it will be good. Most of the companies, I see, have been making the usual year-end statements and outlining their policies for the coming year. It is something I would very much like to do myself, but, to be honest with you, I haven't the faintest idea what this column's policy will be in 1973. I know what it will be up until next Wednesday, which is bet- ter than average, but after that it will just be whatever comes along. As for any year-end statement of past accomplish- ments I'm unable to present any balance sheet. Some weeks were better than others. The complaints hardly ever out- numbered the,other^letters. (Up,” until, :tonight ,.the,,;,net4tprofitli works out to- 'about, quite a good deal short of a down payment on a 32-foot sloop. I don't know whether the average will be higher or lower in the 12 months ahead. They don't make a Dow Jones chart for columns. About all I can promise is that I will keep trying to do my honest best, doing what I think is decent and trying hard not to take myself too seriously.