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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-03-01, Page 4"No that's what l colt a 'dollar crisis'!" 40111101i we get letters, Here's a man worth a salute A member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) setond class mail registration number 081/ 'SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (in advance) Zanecta, $te06 per year; U.S.A., $9.66 JAMES E. F1TZGERALD—Editor J. HOWARD AITKEN — General Manager THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1881 Clinton Xews-Record THE CLINTON NEW ERA Established 1865 Amalgamated 1924 Published every Thursday at itie heart of Huron County' i Clinton, Ontario Population 3,475 THE, NAME OF RADAR IN CANADA 4---CLINTON .Ngws4MOolip, THVBsDAy MARCH 1973 It's very difficult to See the reasons behind Huron County Council's decision last Friday to tear down the wall of the 131-year-old County Jail, Despite all the pUblic outcry and petitions to the contrary, County council sbems to be fighting the people in their historic _motion. With about nine exceptions, there ap- pears to be few sane heads on the county's highest governmental seat. In a 42 to nine recorded vote last Friday council has chosen to rip down one of the oldest and rarest pieces of 18th Century Architecture still surviving. The argument backers of the "tear- down-that-damn-wall-mentality" claim is there are no other alternatives. Everything would take too long or be too expensive. There are other possibilities if the myopic council would only look. The assessment office addition does not have to come at the expense of a historic site that could bring thousands of tourists and their dollars to Huron County and provide future generations with an unmeasured insight into our an- cestoral past. The special report of the property committee last Friday states that the ex- propriation of property to the west of the assessment office would be too expen- sive and take too long. They claim that to offer another museum to the people would be an other unnecessary burden Save a life The wrong decision Now that County Council has crossed that invisible line and decided to go ahead with demolition, what happens in the unforeseen future when the county needs more room? Will they bite off another piece? Will they further reduce a historical monument in 10 or 20 years to a block of stone with the inscription "This was the site of the former Huron County Jail"? It is this paper's opinion that people concerned with the future of this precious, invaluable historical site should deluge their county represen- tatives, the Provincial Government, the local Provincial by-election candidates and their local newspapers with letters of protest. Hurry, the bulldozers are warming up. on the taxpayers of Huron. They claim that the Pioneer museum lost $25,000 last year. What about the $22,000 in ad- mission, gentlemen? Considering the Pioneer Museum is only open in the summer, that's a pretty good record. both -Bayfield Reeve Ed Oddleifson and Stanley Reeve Anson McKinley suggested that County Council post- pone their destructive deciSion but their pleas fell on deaf ears as did the suggestion of Tuckersmith Deputy- Reeve Ervin Sillery to move the assessment office to a location more central to both the counties of Huron and Perth. The Canadian Red Cross Blood Tran- sfusion Service is the largest and costliest Red Cross Service. It has 16 blood depots from coast-to-coast. Foun- ded 26 years ago, it provides hospitals throughout Canada with all the blood John Matthews, William Scott, Mary Russell . . . Who are they? People who received blood, and because they did were restored to life and health. Last year alone more than a quarter of a million Canadians shared the same ex- perience. They received the gift of life - human blood. And all because someone else took half an hour of their time to give. . For John Matthews, William, Scott, and Mary Russell the experience was a dramatic one. They realized the generosity of a person they will never know restored them to health or even saved their lives. They understood what it means to have to depend on other people. They even took a closer look at Fled Cross and the Blood Transfusion pervice, and here's what they discovered: and blood products they need. It collects nearly a million units of whole blood annually. The highest standards of testing, research, storage are maintained. Many vitally useful blood components are produced: Cryoprecipitate rich in the clotting factor required for treating haemophiliacs; Gamma Globulin a plasma fraction containing antibodies which combat many infectious diseases; and Platelets - used extensively in the fight against leukemia. For people like John, Bill and Mary the Blood Transfusion Service is more than one of the biggest most efficient blood programmes in the world. It's a lifeline, and as more and more blood is needed each year, a lifeline that must grow. So this March, Red Cross Month, remember to help support your local Red Cross. Your gift may help save someone's life. If you know someone like John, Bill or Mary in your family or among your friends - someone who needed blood and needed it badly - you'll be glad you gave. Safety Valve This may turn out to be a Dr.. Alvarez-type column, but no matter. It concerns the birth- day party we had the other, night at our country shack for two of our pensioner friends who chanced to he entering • their 80th year, as good an ex- cuse for a party as any. The interesting thing about these two venerable birds is that they're in magnificent health, physically and men- tally, yet are such diametric op- posites in temperament. True to form, old Dave spent the evening holding court with his political views---an inch removed, as usual, from an ap- parent terminal case ofe apoplexy. 441 Aesop. He rehttse He `Pieta-ids temples furiously. '1-1f:i irritability has a hair-trigger so that he volleys and thunders at every target, an altogether splendid sight to see: In another corner of the :1 room old Willie--Sweet William-- sat in a circle of his admirers, a smile or saintly beatitude on his ancient, leathery face. He is the gentlest man I know, a congenital people-lover whose philosophy is "live and let live," He takes things as they come with never a harsh word for man or beast, full of curiosity about life's ad- versities and pleasures alike and without an ounce of venom in his sturdy carcass. Moving from one group to the other, from Dave's salvos of indignation to Willie's soft- spoken tranquility, I marvelled that both should arouse in me vague feelings of envy. I mentioned this to our doc- tor friend ,, one of those country general practitioners who do so much to keep alive a faith in the medical profession. "They'd make a dandy study for some of the boys in the psvenclep, epelentil, of our.; busefieee';' "e'e (raile i d. "The loagle I practice the more I become convinced that the relationship between emotion's and illness is the most impor- tant missing ,link in our work. You see it in its most spec- tacular form here where so much of our work is in geriatrics. "Take Sweet William," he went on. "You couldn't call Willie really phlegmatic. He is a very sensitive man, very aware, very .alert. But he has this rare gift of serenity. The psychiatrists, you know, talk about the Big. Three in describing the emotions that so often cause damaging physical symptoms. They're anger, anxiety and guilt. Willie seems immune from them all by his natural dispositioh. I think he'll live to be a hundred. He has a perfect emotional digestive system which handles every cerebral or spiritual disturbance. "We can't learn much from Willie, of course," he went on. "In fact,. I believe, myself, that Willie may be the Dodo Bird of his breed:, that ,we'llenever gee his argi'il A i YacieeNe tha t' r ridHen .wits eeiTeiOh arid' emotional stress, But we could all learn a great deal from_ Dave----and by we I mean you and me, both." I wondered what Old Fury, arm-waving and bellowing over there in his far-from-neutral corner, could teach us. "Dave is a classic argument for the case for blowing off steam," the good doctor said. "He does not do it consciously or by plan; you must under- stand, but he releases anger where most of us contain it. "I hope I don't offend you, but all this display of temper has a laxative effect. In fact there's a growing school of thought in psychosomatic medicine that people who can lose their tempers readily suffer less physiological stress than those of us who pride ourselves on maintaining control. To put it simply, Dave rids himself of a form of emotional poison. "There are two types of emotion, you see," he went on. "There is the suppressed emotion which means a con- scious decision to discipline your feelings. Then there'p the' repressed emotion 'which something the individual feels and which affects his well- being, but which he can't define or isolate. That's the more serious of the two from the medical standpoint because it may be chronic and damaging. "Old Dave seems to have them both licked," the doctor grinned. "I never see him in ac- tion this way without being reminded that heat is the greatest purifier." IS THIS YOUR SON? Dear Mom and Dad: I hope you won't get mad me for writing this letter, b you always told me to nev keep back anything that oug to be brought out into the ope So, here goes. Remember t other morning when my tea was playing and both of y were there sitting and wa thing,??? Well, MOM a DAD, I hope you won't get ma at me but you embarassed m Remember when I went aft the puck in front of the n trying to score and fell, we MOM I could hear you yelli at the goalie for getting in in way and tripping me. Shuck it wasn't his fault, that is wba he is supposed to do. Then do you remember yelling at me to get on the other side of the blue line, well I didn't know where to go then, cause the coach had told me to cover my man, and I couldn't if I listened to you, so while I tried to decide what to do the other team scored against us, then you yelled at me for being in the wrong place. But what really got me, MOM and DAD, was what hap- pened after the game, You should not have jumped on the coach for pulling me off the ice. He's a pretty good hockey coach and a real swell guy, and he knows what he is doing. Besides, he's just a volunteer coming down at all hours of the morning to help us kids, just cause he likes sports. And then neither of you spoke to me the whole way home. I guess you were pretty sore at me for not getting a goal. I tried awfully hard but I guess I'm just a lousy hockey player. But I love to play hockey. It is a lot of fun being with the other kids and tear- nine. -to -compete in la-real 'gobd But, gosh, MOM and DAD, how can I learn if you don't show me a good example? And anyhow, I thought I was playing hockey for fun, to have a good time and to learn sport- smanship. I didn't know you were going to be upset so much because I couldn't become a star. Love, YOUR SON. There are still a few of the old breed left, thank goodness. And one of them is my friend Ab Cordingley. Received a letter from him this week, and, as with everything he says and writes, it was right to the point. He doesn't waste any words. The letter ends thus, "Hope U R OK." He told me bluntly that he still reads this column and "Sometimes think U R OK, sometimes off base." He never had any hesitation in telling me what was wrong with my line of thought. To my face. I remember the last time we went trout fishing together. I was to pick him up at 5:30 a.m. or some such hour, and have breakfast with him, I arrived at a quarter to six and he gave me hell. Then he forced me, a cof- fee-and-toast man, to shovel down a huge breakfast of bacon and eggs, enough for a logger, which he had ready. We had a good day, I got . thirteen speckles and a brown and he filled his creel. The only untoward incident in the mor- ning's fishing was when he stepped into a boghole, fell flat on his face and hit his head on a rotten stump. "Dam' good thing I had my hat on," he quipped, looking ruefully at his cigar, which had been mashed in the fall. Of course, he was just a spring chicken then, at the height of his faculties. He was only 80 years old. We knocked off for lunch. I was glad. I was pooped. I pulled out my two meagre san- dwiches, and Ab hauled out a lunch that would stagger a truck driver. He forced apples and bananas and great hunks of cheese on me until it was coming out my ears. I thought, fix the old devil," I'd brought two beers along. I knew he was teetotal. It was a hot day, and the beer was the colour and temperature of you-know-what. Offered' him one. He was not only a teetotaller but a gentleman. He took it, drank down the gaseous horror, and said calmly, "Haven't had a beer in 20-30 years." A couple of years later, we became across-the-street neigh- bours. One evening a few mon- ths later, about 10 p.m., there was a banging on our kitchen door, It was Ab. "Call the fire brigade, Smiley. The dam' house is on` fire." He had his pants pulled on over his flannel pyjamas, and was in his bare feet. Had been going to bed. "That gravel is hell on the feet," he observed, while I reached for the phone. The road between us was paved in gravel. Try running across it in your bare feet, at 82. I got the fire brigade, and told them it was Ab Cor- dingley's house, and hung up. In a small town, you don't give addresses, you just say whose house it is. Unfortunately, the fire brigade went to Ab's 'old house and dithered about for ten minutes before someone. remembered he'd moved, Unaware of this, we two hustled across the street and started carrying out of the house such valuables as potted plants, old pictures worth, about seventy-five cents on the open market. We'd been doing this for about five minutes when Ab stopped at the bottom of the stairs and yelled up, "Demi-nit, Annie, I told you to get down here." The flames were roaring in the roof by now. I realized with horror that his wife, who had bad legs and trouble walking, was still up there, Then the fire brigade arrived, and soon coefusion became chaos. We got his wife over to our house and into a hot cup of tea. Ab nipped around like a twelve-year-old, telling people what to carry out and driving kids back from the flames. I got our kids out of bed, so that they could watch something they'd remember all their lives— a fine old house going up in a glorious pyre of blaze and smoke. There's something heart-wrenching and at the same time thrilling in such a sight. Many people of 82 would have been utterly daunted by such a set'back. Not Ab. He'd have been more disturbed if the Tories had lost a by-election. Quite a guy. He's 93 or 94 now, and still has a mind that would make many fifteen-year- olds look senile. He's a walking encyclopedia. He doesn't pretend to, be an intellectual, but has read thousands of books and can still recite poetry he learned in public school. He's everything you're not supposed to be these days. He's prejudiced. He's 100 percent opposed to Grits, booze and laziness. He believes in. hard work, making money, and leaving something worthwhile behind, like a first-rate hospital. But there's something em Bearing about his prejudices. They are right out in the open. I'll bet he believes in capital punishment, God, and heaven. I'll take him away ahead of your smarmy liberals any day. And he has a sense of humour, He used to winter in Texas and took great delight in telling the proud Texans that their mighty state could be dropped into one of our Canadian lakes and hot even cause a ripple. It seems to me that, one win• ter he took some empty bottles to Texas, told the natives the bottles were full of Bruce Peninsula ail., and suggested it was worth at least one dollar a bottle for its purity. Good health, Ab, and long live. 10 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 28, 1963 a Wind-swept snow, cutting visibility to zero last week, was blamed by police for a rash of accidents involving close to 50 cars and causing damage estimated at close to $15,000, in the area. Dr. L. Paul Walden, London, plans to take up residence in Clinton on April 1 and will be associated with Dr. J.A. Ad- dison and Dr. F,M. Newland in the Clinton Medical Centre. 15 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 27, 1958 In a meeting of the directors following the annual meeting of the Clinton Public Hospital Association, Harry Ball was named chairman to succeed A.M. Knight who has served for the past four years. H.C. Lawson was named vice- chairman and Brnest Walton was re-appointed secretary- treasurer. A "dark horse" in the Liberal race, William 0, Cochrane, Exeter lawyer, won the Liberal nomination for Huroh riding. A veteran of 18 years in the Federal Legislature. Elston Cardiff, Brussels, present member for the Progressive Conservatives in Huron riding, received a unanimous nomination. The newly completed and now occupied Credit Union Ltd. building was officially opened by the Rev. Bred de Vries, rec- tor of the Anglican Church at Blyth, Cale Doucette, builder, presented the keys of the new building to Vic Roy, manager. A. "Red" Garon, proprietor of the Clinton Laundry and Dry Cleaners, and his son Bob, who operates Jet Cleaners at R.C.A.F, Station Clinton, left today by air from London for Chicago, where they will at- tend the annual meeting of the American Laundry Institute. Mrs. Mary Brunsdon, Lon- desboro, celebrates her 91st birthday, Friday, February 28. J,A, Jamieson, R.R. 4, Clin- ton, won third prize for timothy seed shown in the Middlesex Seed Fair being held this week. 25 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 26, 1948 Members of Huron Garage Operators' Association en- joyed a turkey dinner in Hotel Clinton on Monday evening with 65 in attendance from all over the county, W.D. Wells, retired president was chair- man. Steps taken today by several organizations practically assure the formation of a recreational council here and the appointment of a recreational director. It remains only for the Town Council, as such, to initiate the proposal, Hockey fever was at a high pitch in town the first of this week, but it possibly gave way to spring fever after both Clin- ton teams were eliminated, Colts on Monday evening and RC.A.F. on Thesday evening, The season also proved that the R.C.A.F. could support their team as strongly as any town or city in the county. Net proceeds of about $200, will be used to help finance the church recreation room as the result of a Ladies' Minstrel Show staged in the Town Hall, Clinton, Thursday evening last by Wesley Willis Girls' Club. It was a sparkling show with plenty of action, talent, fun and frivolity 40 YEARS AGO MARCH 2, 1933 Is this spring' Miss Florence Cuninghame picked some full-bloom snowdrops in her garden on Thursday. The weekend storm no doubt put them to sleep again, but they were wide awake that day. A successful concert put on by the Boys' Band included a clarinet duet by Charlie John- ston and Norman Paterson, trombone solo by Clayton Dixon, saxophone quartet by Clarence Rozell, W. Murch, Jack Perdue and the band leader, Mr. Agnew. Cast of the three-act comedy, "Jimmy Be Careful", put on by the young people of Ontario Street Church, in- cluded Miss Isabel Holmes, Leslie Pearson, Percy Liver- more, Miss Marion Thompson, Miss Virginia Rozell, A.W. Groves. 55 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 27, 1918 Owing to the repeated thaws, the roads are in very bad condition. In some places they have been ploughed ,but are still not good. A few buggies have made their ap- pearance, The first crow of the season has been sighted. The Sunday school scholars of Ontario Street Church had their annual sleigh ride supper on Tuesday evening this week, Some of the residents of On- tario Street were without lights on Tuesday morning, but the hydro men discovered that the fault was in two wires crossed on the street, which was soon righted. That we shall have the Daylight Saving Bill in Canada is a foregone conclusion. But what a lot of people cannot un- derstand is why an hour of daylight could not as well be saved by those wishing to save it starting an hour sooner in the morning, without inter- fering with all the clocks in the country. 75 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 25, 1898 In Bayfield news it is noted that quite a number are getting in their supply of ice, but there is no fishing yet, the weather being unfavourable. Election talk is rather quiet, it being generally conceded that Mr. McLean will get a substan- tial majority, at least in this district, (Hensall) John 0. Elliott has sold six head of calves to Mrs. Jas. Hudie; price $100 with a small lucky penny. J.H. Chellew, Blyth adver- tises "Cheap Furniture" during the month of February for cash buyers: extension tables for $4.00, worth $5.00; mattresses for $2.75, worth $3.50; bed- steads for $2.00, worth $2.75; wire springs for $2.00, worth $3.00. , The annual meeting of the Holmesville Cheese and Butter Co. was held on Saturday for the election of officers for 1898 and for the transaction of other business in connection with the factory, Unanimously re-elected were W.B, Forster, John Cox, Jas. Connolly, George Holland, John Jenkins. Total amount of cheese manufactured during the season was 100 tons, 849 lbs. The average price received during the season was 8 1 12 c per lb.; the actual cost of manufac- ture was 1.91c per lb. of cheese.