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The Citizen, 2009-10-29, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009.Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.O. Box 429,BLYTH, Ont.N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152,BRUSSELS, Ont.N0G 1H0 Phone 887-9114 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years CCNA Member Member of the Ontario Press Council The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels,Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc.Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $34.00/year ($32.38 + $1.62 G.S.T.) in Canada;$105.00/year in U.S.A.and $175/year in other foreign countries.Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error,only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Letter to the editor Oct. 28, 1965 Dr. John MacKenzie opened a part-time office in Brussels, at the same location previously occupied by Dr. Noble. Dr. MacKenzie was a graduate of Ottawa University and interned at Victoria Hospital in London. Prior to coming to Brussels, he was the medical officer at the Clinton Air School. As anticipated the Brussels Legion auditorium was filled to overflowing with 500 present, and many others turned away for Jack Thynne’s (The Kansas Farmer) farewell concert. Besides the surrounding area, attendees arrived from Oshawa, Toronto and London. Slim McClory introduced the entertainment and accompanied several performers on piano. Taking the stage were Clark Johnston with Irish and Scottish songs; Scott Pawson, guitar and Kelly Dunn, banjo music and song; the McWhirter sisters, vocal duets with Vonne McCutcheon at the piano; the Osborne sisters, stepdancing; Ross Cardiff and daughter Dale, accordion and piano; Barb McCutcheon and Reg Skelton in a comedy routine and Mr. Thynne himself with violin, singing and story telling in his own “inimitable manner”. Ross Mann opened the dance that followed. Division Commissioner Mary McMillian presented Brussels Guider Joyce Kellington with the Golden Cord, the highest honour in Guiding. Hostess badges were presented to Mary Gibson, Barbara Bryans, Gail Prior, Anne and Dianne Machan, who also received their poultry, dairymaid, rabbit keeper and horsewoman badges. Mrs. Hugh Pearson, Mrs. Gord Stephenson and Mrs. James Vallance were enrolled as Brownie leaders. Oct. 28 1981 One-hundred and sixty-five guests packed Memorial Hall in Blyth for a medieval feast. The Spirit of Blyth looked at how a small summer theatre experiment became an integral part of the year- round life of a community, said TVO People Patterns producer Joan Reed- Olsen. Foster parents and volunteers with Huron County’s Family and Children’s Services received awards at a banquet. They were: Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Brand, RR3, Clinton; Mr. and Mrs Ralph Darlow, RR4, Wingham; Greta Stokes, RR2, Wingham; Isabel Bannerman, Wingham; Harold Stanbury, Goderich and Mr. and Mrs. Grant Williams, Wingham. Adrian Vos of Blyth published Blood of Foxes, a history of the Vos family. The Wingham recreation board announced the launching of a joint feasibility study with the Wingham Chiropractic Centre concerning the proposed establishment of a health club/fitness centre in the area. Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli and John Gielgud was the movie feature at Goderich’s Park Theatre. Oct. 29, 1986 The Citizen celebrated its first anniversary as a community-owned newspaper with an open house in both Brussels and Blyth offices. Young’s Clothing opened in Brussels. Six new Brownies were enrolled in Brussels bringing the enrollment to 20. New to the pack were: Lesley Elliott, Anita Little, Sandy Rijkoff, Victoria Richards, Beck McLaughlin and Carol Ann Gamble. The big money raisers at the Blyth skate-a-thon were: Jeremy Van Amersfoort, April Van Amersfoort, Ryan Chamney, Kimberley Richmond, Derek Cook, Henry Bos, Katie Murray, Cathy Nesbitt, Erin Bolger and Conrad Bos. Oct. 30, 1996 Members of the Brussels Beavers welcomed three new members: Kyle Griffiths, Cody Subject and Jamie Mitchell. New Cubs were Rob Willie, Blake Griffiths, Cory Quesenberry, Jamie Crosby, Bradley Warwick, Jacob Crosby, Mitch Ortman, Kevin Arnold, Devin Josling, Michael Keffer and Francis Deitner. Sjaan Gerth took first place honours in the junior boys cross- country race at the Huron-Perth championships. The new Huron County Federation of Agriculture president was Henry Boot of Clinton. Morris Twp. farmer Doug Garniss received the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s award for outstanding contribution to agriculture. The future of Clinton Public Hospital was under review by the Huron-Perth District Health Council. An ad, asking the public to support the hospital, said the study recommendations would be out by late November and people shouldn’t be surprised to see major cuts in hospital services, big reductions in medical/surgical care beds and eventual closures. Among the teachers receiving 35- year distinguished service awards at the Huron Women Teachers Federation banquet was Brussels teacher Emily Cousins. Two local teachers were recipients of 25-yea pins, Marg Whitmore, a teacher at Grey, and Helen Crocker, principal at Walton. The Mighty Ducks was the Saturday matinee in Listowel. THE EDITOR, Thanks to Keith Roulston for his excellent editorial in your Oct. 22 issue, “Mitchell Risks Credibility” in our elected legislator’s assurance that the Accommodation Review process works. On May 20, following the AMDSB staff’s recommendation (April 14) that Blyth Public School be closed and its students split between Hullett Central and East Wawanosh schools, I wrote a letter to MPP Mitchell requesting a letter of support from her underlining the value of BPS and urging trustees at their June 23 vote that BPS not be closed unless a better K-8 North Maitland Educational Centre of Excellence be built. I received no reply until nearly six weeks later, June 29, when she wrote, “I understand how difficult closing a school is in any community and my office will work hard for a resolution to these sites.” (?!) Thanks to Stew Slater for his front-page article in the same issue. He refers to “the ARC’s duties of assessing the value of each facility and proposing possible solutions.” However in the CENH-ARC experience, the valuations of individual schools apparently played little part in the trustees’ final decision. Blyth’s enrolment was highest at 87 per cent of school-rated capacity, and it had nearly the lowest 10-year ReCAPP estimated future upkeep cost. But that did not save it. Similarly, Shawn Loughlin’s otherwise excellent article “Mitchell Defends Accommodation Review” could use some correcting of his sources. Superintendent Mike Ash is quoted as pointing out that “in the last two accommodation reviews, the board trustees have not decided to go with the staff or the public’s recommendation.” On June 23, AMDSB trustees adopted unanimously the revised recommendation developed by AMDSB staff released June 17 following the $8.8 million funding announcement (significantly different from the staff’s April 14 recommendation, but staff’s nonetheless). Likewise, later in the article, there is reference to the application made for provincial funding prior to the process even beginning. The article states, “Ash says no applications have been made.” However, in the director’s information report to the AMDSB meeting May 26/09 titled “Local Priorities Process”, closure of Brussels PS with relocation of Grades JK-6 to the proposed new North Huron school is clearly We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Fight the good fight There are many people out there who say the Avon Maitland District School Board has already made up its mind to close Brussels and Grey Central Public Schools, but that doesn’t mean the communities and parents should give up the fight. Many share the opinion expressed by Morris-Turnberry councillor Mark Beaven when he told trustee Colleen Schenk: “The people of Brussels, Grey and Morris-Turnberry need to realize that no matter what they do their schools will be closing.” Though Schenk promised the trustees would listen to any arguments made by the Accommodation Review Committee, most, like Beaven, will recall that the major recommendation of the ARC in northern central Huron was ignored. At least, as Beaven said, the board seems to be going into this review with a more transparent agenda, having already suggested moving Brussels students to a new North Huron K-6 school and Grey students to Elma, although who knows what the long term agenda is (perhaps just five elementary schools in Huron, one in each of the five towns?) However, the best laid plans have been derailed before and strong community opposition is the best way to make that happen. But the community’s efforts must not just be focussed on the school board but also on the provincial government through local MPP Carol Mitchell. By providing funding to build a new school to accommodate Brussels students and bus them thousands of miles a year while not providing money to repair an existing school, the province is really creating the road map that the school board is following. Parents and the community should matter in this fight. Make sure your voice is heard. Don’t give in too easily. — KR A step for good government One of the best steps toward good government at the federal level in recent years has been the establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, even if this is a thorn in the side of the government. Recently, for instance, Kevin Page, who holds that office, announced he will analyze the total cost of the government’s “tough on crime” package of seven bills. The government has provided no cost analysis to parliamentarians, though Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said his ministry has internal estimates of the expected rise in prison inmates from each of the new pieces of legislation. Page can do us all a good service by being an unbiased eye looking into proposed legislation such as this and telling us what the true costs are. The information helps MPs make up their mind (those, at least, who aren’t welded to party lines) and let the media and the rest of us get a preview of what’s in store before it’s too late. It’s one of the best additions to government in recent times. — KR & Continued on page 6