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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-10-11, Page 204-01,1NTON NEWS-RECORD, TKR$PAY, -OCTOBER 18, 1973 Fall is one of the best times of the year in Huron County. The air is usually crisp and clear and the deciduous trees are painted in many of the brighter colours of the rainbow. Fall, as if implies, means falling leaves, and in many of the smaller municipalities, it means the acrid smell and choking clouds of smoke from. residents burning their leaves. Although it is a deep seated tradition, burning leaves is more and more being looked upon as a waste and a hazard. Not only does it burn valuable soil con- ditioner, but many people who suffer ex- treme respiratory ailments, are agitated during this time of year. On top of those ills, leave burning also destroys roadways and asphalt when they are combusted. Several Clinton councillors expressed concern that ex- pensive repair jobs are necessary on The cost of living paved streets when leaves are burned on them. Which only means more tax dollars, Many people who burn their leaves each fall spend countless dollars each spring purchasing fertilizer to green their lawns or enrich their flower or vegetable gardens. Ey properly com- posting those leaves, or digging them into their gardens, they could cut their fertilizer costs considerably. For those who have no gardens into which to put their leaves, may we suggest you ask a neighbour if he has a spot where they can be composted and rot into a fine, rich soil With the predicted scarcity and in- creasing cost of fertilizer, doesn't it make more sense to save a valuable resource than to pollute another valuable resource — the air — by bur- ning leaves. Editorial comment A burning question The Holy Land 1,973 years later—minus the 'Wise Men The Jack Scott Column From our early files . . • • • mg CLINTON NEW /MA Estoblishvd 1865 A 117111,140t710ted 1924 THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1881 CNA Mamba, Canadian Community Newspaper Association CNA •,= ,r APERs Assoc': c" -rws.44,4os ecoi- Mambo*, Ontario Waskly Nowspipor Asaoclation ‘011g \ +03 HUB OF HURON COUNtY Published every Thursday at Clinton, Ontario Editor - James E. FitzOstald General Manager, J. Howard Aitken Second Blase Mall rogistratkin no. 00 At a time when Canadians are concer- ned with such problems as high food costs and the tax burden of education, how are the people in the developing countries getting on? We have been sharply critical of rising food costs in our supermarkets, In West Africa a five-year drought has meant that 14-million people faced starvation in recent months; only a massive inter- national relief' effort has averted a major human tragedy, and outside aid will be needed for a long time to come. Crop failures have brought on serious food shortages in India and in other parts of the East. The troubling fact is that food sur- pluses have almost disappeared this year around the world. The situation is underlined in the indication made by the Canadian Government that while it will continue to help alleviate dire situations, the day of big'Vitheat giveaways will soon be past. We in Canada have experienced a year of belt-tightening in the field of education, and there have been fresh debates on present methods of teaching our children everything from New Math to French. Yet tonight around the world 500-million children are going to bed not having been to any school. They remain illiterate, untrained, and poor. In Haiti, children scrounge and beg stones, gravel and sand in order to help their parents build desperately needed schools so that the parents can then petition the government for a UNICEF- trained teacher. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, knows how the people in the developing countries are getting on. It carries out emergency aid in times of famine and disaster and, in 111 coun- tries, conducts long-term programmes in health, education, nutrition and family and child welfare. It works for children, in co-operation with other organizations of the United Nations, and in partnership with coun- tries round the globe. The need for funds increases. UNICEF looks to voluntary contributions from governments - Canada gave, over $1,600,000 last year -, to agencies, and committees and in- dividuals for the support it must have. It has set a target for 1975 of $100-million dollars. Not much. The nations of the world spend an estimated $200-million each year for military purposes. When you support Hallowe'en for UNICEF, when you purchase UNICEF Greeting Cards, you help strengthen UNICEF in its work for children. Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiley It's tough to be middle class class My daughter Kim and her husband are having a tough time these days. He's starting a post-graduate course at univer- sity, and she's well into an un- dergraduate course in advan- ced pregnancy. But that's not what's tough. Those things are normal, ex- citing, and even joyful. It's the eternal problem for students, and for most of the rest of us, of money, scarcity of. At first, I was inclined to scoff. "Ah! You kids! You don't know what it's like to be hard up, You get all those grants and loans, Why, when your mother and 1,..blah blah blab," Not that they're going to starve. They do get just enough to get by. But when you're young and impatient and have been spoiled in a middle-class. home with most of the amenities, you get a little sick of "getting by". You'd like to buy an oc-' casional roast, instead of trying to think of another method of making a delicious hamburg dish. In fact, at today's prices, you can't even afford hamburg too often. but there are no funds. You'd like some new, warm winter clothes, but you have to make cic- with last year's five-year-old shabby dufflecoat, and last year's leaking boots. If you're pregnant, you'd like to start making a nest, fixing up a home. But on the rent you can afford, you wind up in a crumby flat where you share the bathroom and the stove doesn't work and the decorating is in puke colour and the thermometer never goes higher than 65. It can all be pretty depressing unless you have plenty of physical and mental fortitude, There's love, of course, to fall back on, But from what I've seen in my day, love flourishes a lot better when there's some bread on the table and some bread in your wallet, My wife and I went through the whole bit, but I can't help feeling more pity for today's young couples than I ever felt for us. First of all, we were products of the depression, and didn't expect much, When we did get a little windfall, we counted our . blessings and promptly went out and spent them. I remember the time one of my uncles died intestate, By the time the estate had been cut up among the numerous nieces and nephews, we got something like $102,50 It was manna from heaven. We went straight out and bought a radio, A case of beer, a bunch of stuff at the delicatessen, and had a party. To heck with 'tomorrow or next Week, But I must admit that life was a lot simpler then, and a great deal cheaper. We had a child, and we got more pleasure out of him than we would have from colour TV, a penthouse apartment, and a Cadillac. We had a furnished flat in one of the grimmer sections of the city. Shared the bathroom. Furniture was Salvation Army specials. But my wife redecorated the place, and it had two entrances and a backyard with real trees and grass, It cost $15 a week. Fur- nished. Today you can scarcely rent one room for that. We had a total income of about $130 a month. That covered rent, food, clothes, transporation. About once a month we'd have a real blowout, Babysitter (75c) movies (750 each); half a dozen cokes (36c) and a bag of peanuts (l5c), Wow! That's living. We . weren't bored, or desperate. We talked, read, studied, listened to the radio, gloated over our child. Holidays, I worked in the post office or in a factory, to pick up a few extra bucks. Smokes were roil-your-owns. It wasn't bad, but I used to get mighty sick of never having a dollar that didn't have a slot waiting to gulp it. I've never been sorry that my plans for post-graduate work and three or four more years of povery went up in flames and I was tossed by accident into the hurly-burly of the newspaper business. Today's students work hard at dull summer jobs, save every nickel, get grants, but have to scrape on the edge of poverty Wndsliabbiness. I pity them. Golf Lesson One of the most interesting cases to be heard at the Winter Assizes will be the attempted murder charge against Henry Pludge. Since I sin in a position to know the background of the story, I've no doubt the jury will acquit him. Unless, of course, there happens to be a woman on the panel. Emily, herself, I'm happy to say, has almost completely recovered. She has forgiven him, putting it down to a sim- ple matter of temporary in- sanity. She has given up golf and ... but perhaps I'd better start from the beginning. Emily Pludge complained so much about being a golf widow that last Christmas Henry presented her with a set of clubs. "I realize I've been selfish about this," he told her, "always going off with the fellows and all that. There's no reason in the world why we can't play the grand old game together." "Oh, Henry," said Emily. "You are a husband in a million." As it turned out there were several reasons why they couldn't play the game 10 YEARS AGO October 16, 1963 The drought is becoming very serious and there is no relief in sight. The large amount of snow, coupled with the fact it drained into the ground rather than being carried away in spring floods produced more moisture in Huron County than in most sections. Farmers are losing millions of dollars in lost crops and in hauling water. Mr. and Mrs, Russell Kerr returned home on Saturday af- ter having spent three days in Kitchener, Top salesmen in the annual Boy Scout and Cub Apple Day staged in Clinton, Saturday, were to be awarded knapsacks and compasses so the lads went all out in their efforts to gain the honours. When the day was completed, Peter Black was the Top Scout Salesman, while Bruce Craig won the Cub award in "B" Pack and David Anstett was the top man in "A" Pack. The boys netted close to $180 for their efforts. 25 YEARS AGO October 28, 1948 Dr, Fowler retired a year ago- after practising dentistry in Clinton for many years and celebrated his 80th birthday on Saturday. He had a family gathering at his home and then went fox-hunting with his crony, Bert Alien from Con- stance. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Helmer celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary at their home on the Blue Water Highway on Saturday evening. There were twenty guests, friends and relatives present. They were married in Seaforth and far- tried along the Bronson line for many years. They retired a few years ago and bought a farm from R. Heard just outside the village, Clinton Colts lost to together. Henry did his best to teach her the little he knew about the fundamentals of the swing. Even when she missed the ball completely and burst out giggling, as she frequently did, Henry kept his cool. Fortunately, it took no more than a half-dozen games to thoroughly discourage Emily. The clubs were put away in the hall closet and there, it seemed, the matter might have ended amicably. Might have, in fact, if it hadn't been for my wife who decided to take some golf lessons from a professional named Mel White and invited Emily to go along with her. This was about three months ago. They were taking a lesson ,eil;ery Tuesday. Every Tuesday night I was given a blow-by- blow description of Emily's progress. She was obviously a remarkable student under any tutelage but that of her husband, "Emily got her first birdie today," my wife would report, or, "Emily broke a hundred today" or "Emily had six par holes today," Whenever I saw Mel himself, he made a point of talking about his star pupil, Caledonia in the O.B.A. Final Series. They lost the first game 15-10 and then staged a grand game on Wednesday afternoon but fell before the visitors by 7- 3, thus losing the round in two straight. There was a large crowd estimated at 1000. Mrs. Annie Brown, Clinton, celebrated her 86th birthday on Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Hoggart, also of Clinton. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Youngblut, Mr. and Mrs. Wes Hoggart and Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Cutts, Thed- ford were among those present for the occasion. 50 YEARS AGO October 25, 1923 Mr. T,A, Greig who is the Massey Harris block man in this district has had more territory added and will now call at Kincardine, Lucknow, Winghain, Brussels and Exeter. Mr. Greig will handle these ad- ditions very easily. Mrs. B. Wendorf has been appointed as organist in On- tario St. Church to fill the place vacated by Mrs. Treleaven. Mrs. Wendorf fills the position very capably. Last week's wet weather has been very unfavourable for the harvesting of the bean crop. Another successful school fair was held on Tuesday af- ternoon. There were twelve schools taking part and all were in the parade which for- med at the school and marched to the Town Hall. Melvin Elliott found a curious fungi formation in the woods by the river flats. It is shaped something like groun- dhog and is in the window of Jenkins and Son's flour mill Mrs, Robinson of Cromarty has evidence that the world is certainly very small, She was restored to the long lost brother a few days ago. Her brother Was living in Hensall which is "She's amazing," he con- fided. "It's going to be in- teresting when her husband takes her on." Henry has given me a full description of that fateful day. At the first tee, it seems, Emily stepped up and whacked one 185 yards straight down the middle. It shook Henry, He put everything he had into his drive. It was slicing five feet off the tree. The ball cleared a row of maples, crossed over a four- lane highway and vanished. You're bringing your left shoulder back," Emily said, pleasantly enough. "Mel says that's bad." Henry dribbled his second shot a scant 50 feet into the rough at the right ,of the fair» way. You're not bringing the clubhead in-to-out," Emily said. "You've got to keep that left arm straight on the backswing." Henry had a 12 on the hole or eight over par. It was this way all around. On the third, where he hooked into a school playground, Emily showed him what was wrong with his grip. On the easy par-three fifth where he shanked a nine-iron into that pretty little stream, only ten miles away. Mrs. Gordon Cunninghame and children spent the weekend as the guests of Mrs. E.G, Bell of Seaforth. Mr. Cunninghame left for Toronto but will probably visit Northern On- tario before his return and may have a bit of hunting, as is his usual custom. 75 YEARS AGO 'October 27, 1898 Last week, Robt. Pleeves, of the 2nd concession of Tucker- smith sold to Jas. Hearn a calf that was only 15 weeks old but which turned the scales at 570 lbs and for which he received $20. The calf was a common grade, but in addition to being nursed by its mother, had been well fed. Fall wheat in this vicinity, mostly that which was sowed early in the year is turning quite yellow and the fear is en- tertained that the same is due to the Hessian fly or some other insect pest. A top-dressing of salt is supposed to help. Mr. J.P. Doherty was presort- Emily demonstrated the correct relationship of the ball to the feet. "You're not keeping your head down," she told him on As soon as they saw him swinging at her with his driver they were running. He could not have hit her more than five or six times before they had pinned him down. They say he was pretty hysterical. "Mel says, Mel says," he kept bab- bling. So that's how it all happened and I guess it will all come out at. the trial. At the club, of course, we've rehashed it a thousand times and there isn't a male member there who isn't critical of Henry. Imagine using a driver when an iron would have done the trick! ted with a handsome gold watch and chain. This was given to him in view of his coming marriage to Miss Laura McGugan. He was overcome for a few minutes.but was able to give a suitable reply. Mr. Jos. Allanson drove up to Blyth yesterday to supply the people with his choice vegetables. Among his load was an eighteen pound cauliflower, a four pound radish, and a twenty-five pound head of cab- bage. Mr. Fred Ford, Goderich township, called in Tuesday evening with a couple of pea vines in full bloom which he gathered at the farm of Pete McNeil. The price of oats is up froin twenty-seven cents to thirty- four. This is money in the pockets of all the farmers with oats growing on their farms. Mr. George Irwin succeeded in carrying off eighty first prizes and fifty-six second prizes at the various shows at which he exhibited his poultry. Wait Dear Editor: We certainly enjoy /getting the Clinton News-Record here and keeping up on the local news, but do have one com- plaint in that it takes a very long time for the papers to arrive out here, averaging a month or six weeks. Quite often two or even three papers will arrive the same day, I don't know if this is the fault of the post office or of your mailing department. Nevertheless, it is well worth waiting for! Sincerely, B. Heath, Dawson Creek, B.C. Leaves Dear Editor: What do we do?? Regarding the controversy over burning leaves by the town council. If Councillor Hall is correct, that it's against Provincial regulations to burn any leaves at all, (and I hope he is), you get sick of the smoke-filled air, besides the danger of driving through this and not being able to see. But what do you do? When we moved to High Street we raked the leaves putting them in 12 plastic bags. These were left with our garbage to be 1 curb. Now, if you can't burn them; if the garbage collector won't take them; if you don't have a Yours truly, Betty MacDonald, Clinton -.1•U Q. IQ( Peace.. Dear Editor: President Nixon's statement in his speech tonight Oct. 12: "The hope of the world for peace lies in the leadership of America", calls to mind an editorial that appeared in the Clinton News-Record Feb. 3, 1972, That editorial "Where are our priorities?" said: "Total defense costs around the world are today nearing the $200- billion figure annually. This is an indictment of national leaders, and tends to point up particularly, the stupidity of the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, whose defense planner admits that Washington and Moscow have reached nuclear parity"...."Although Washington and Moscow spend countless billions on defense, between them they owe more than $45-million to the U.N." The hope of the world for peace lies in acknowledging a Superpower far superior to either the United States or ,Russia or the U.N. Sincerely yours C. F. Barney Clinton News-Record readers are en- couraged to express their opinions in letters to the editor, however, such opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the News-Record. Pseudonyms may be used by letter writers, but no letter will be published unless it can be verified by phone. You'd like to go to a show once in a while, or have a party, or have the clothes to go to someone else's party. But there just isn't anything in the budget for these fairly simple pleasures. 'You'd like to have a car, like most normal people, and be P1 able to drive into the -country or visit friends, or go home for a weekend and have some decent food from the old folks' groaning board, Can't afford it, You'd like to have colour TV, or even black and white, the seventh, at which point he taken to the dump. When the was 23 blows over par. "Mel garbage was collected we still says you just can't hit a ball if had 12 bags of leaves left at the you lift your head, She then pitched to within four feet of the cup and sank her putt for a bird. He'd have killed her, I guess, car to take them to the dump if some of the members hadn't yourself, would the council been sitting out on the porch please tell me what a person is that overlooks the ninth green, to do with them? where it happened.