HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1967-03-16, Page 1THE NEW ERA — 102nd Year
The Home Paper With the News
Column^
s):
cunton, Ontario, Thursday; march io, 1967
THE HURON' RECORD — 86th Year
$5.00 Per Ye'er*--*12 Cents per Copy—10 Pages. By S. J. K.
J doubt whether a Spring has
ever arrived without some
words being written about ft, .
as you know, this column ’is
usually written on Friday, and
• this Friday is the 'most bequta-
'* f ul Spring-like* dlay anyone
could eVer imagine.
Here on main street in Clin
ton, merchants are taking ad
vantage of the sunshine to do
those bothersome' chores' that
need doing once in a while , .,
■there are show windows to
clean, sidewalks to sweep, awn
ings to check, bits and pieces
' to adjust, Funny how no one
seams to mind doing little jobs
like that on a day like today..,
any excuse is welcomed to get
outdoors.
■ * A few listening souls have
heard* crows — a sure sign of
spring —- and the very fact that
Easter is so- early this year
gives everyone pause to hope
that the warmer weather is I
close at hand. j
*
Perhaps the most .-noticeable I
thing about Spring is the way j
the restless kids start pacing
the length -and breadth of the
street in search of goodness
knows what. Maybe exam time
at the -local high school has
something to do with, the in
crease in the number of loojse
’teens, but we’d rather believe
it is Spring fever and the irre
pressible desire to wander —
free and alone.
Don’t quite know what it is
about Spring — maybe it is the’
smell (things smell so fresh and
new at this time of year); may
be it is the ’air (it is so .pure
and good to -breathe right now);
'or maybe, it is the. expectation
of another season beginning, as
if the slate is dean and we can
write a new script.
Whatever ..it is, Spring brings
people out — if only for a few
seconds — and there is a feel
ing of waking, everywhere. •
.* * . *
Our Auburn correspondent,
Mrs. Eleanor Briadmck has in
formed -us that last Sund'ay,
March 12 was the anniversary
of the -horrible d'ay in 1903 that
Dr. Frank • Turnbull, beloved
physician of Auburn lost his..
life while going by” .canoe to
Goderich. .
It was at the time of the
spring floods, just after -the
Doctor had sold his Auburn
practice. He had always known
a desire to-conquer the waters
of the mighty Maitland (as it
certainly was . in early spring
many years ago.)
The good Doctor set out at
about 11 a.m. Everything went
fine, recalls Mrs. Bradnock,
“until he reached the CNR
bridge at Goderich. When he.
waved' to some workmen, he lost
control ofjhis canoe and it up
set. He was able to ding to
the upturned boat but was sb
chilled that he passed away
(Continued on page 10)
- .1111
F t ■ •K:I
I LI’’’ ’
\ * ' -,s B
Huronview Chapel Gets New Song Books
Mrs. Grant MacLean, centre, president of Kippen East Women’s Institute,
was present when Mrs. Harry A. Caldwell, right, public relations officer of the
WI, presented 50 new Songs of the Gospel books to the 50 seat chapel at Huron-
view. Superintendent Harvey Johnston accepted the gift last week. Mrs. MacLean
is a daughter of Mr. .Johnston. The Institute met yesterday (Wednesday) March*
15 at the home of Mrs. Doug McGregor. > (News-Record Photo)
Letter To The Editor
1
Sewerage System Paid For
. I
f
Could Extra Money Be Used
Jo Local
Arena Fund
M total of $796 was received
earlier this week by canvassers
foij’ .Clinton 'and District Com-
xriijnity Centre Centennial .Fund.
Beginning next week the
News-Record will publishtotal
of. donations, to date to the. fund
as well as names of -all persons
donating to... the fund in the
previous week,
/Most canvassers have started
their canvass.
individuals and businesses
wfSch donated in the past week
are-as follows; .
Reg. McGee & Sons Ltd., ■
/'Goderich ......... 100.00
Bank of Montreal, Clin- ' .
/ 'ton ........................ 200.00
Alfred E, Buchanan ........ 10.00
’ John Plumtree ............... 10.00
, Miss Catherine Plumtree.. 10.00
Gcprge Walker ..........
Bob Mann ...............
Matt Edgar .......... .........
Cl W- Garnet, Sit. Marys...
Mrs. ,C. Garnet, St. Marys
Earl Blake ......................
Wm. Vodden ..................
, Fried Vodden ....1.............
Allan Neal .....................
Mrs; Margaret Ball .......
William R. Jenkins .......
Douglas Hardy ........... .
E.'C. Nickle .................
Doug M. Howse.......
K.’ F. Crowther ..............
Garnet McGee ................
Co-operators Insurance
Association ..............
Mrs. AdaSchel'leriberger..
sis :> s)s
The following -is a message
from the funds campaign co
ordinator of the Community
Centre': '
"The Clinton and District
•Community Centre Canvass
(Continued on’ page ten)
Clinton town council, on Mon
day, night .instructed1 the town
plerh to request., the town en
gineers to supply estimates' on
reconstruction of two one-
block streets., ,as their read
building program for 1967. The
streets are Wellington, from
King to Isaac, and Mill from
Maple to Beech. Council will also grade and gravel Irwin
Street and put ii|t in useable con
dition.
Wellington and King is where
the new Federal building is
located, and Mill -from Maple to
Beech leads to the entrance of
the new community centre now
being constructed. Irwin Street
runs east off East, between
Canada Packers former poultry
plant and Sherlock-Manning
Piano Co.
It is on Irwin Street that Wil
liam Fleming is building a feed
said
cori-
"We
with
mill* valued at $50,000. This
"Was the only building permit
presented and passed, Monday.
Earlier in the meeting council
proposed a bylaw for $20,000
construction ’and $25,000 main
tenance on Clinton Streets,
Mayor Don Symons
sometime this $20,000 for
structjon must be revised,
can’t do as much now
$20,000 as what we could do four
or five years ago.” he said. The
figure has been the same for
that ■ length of time. "It won’t
be a very realistic figure when
we get engineer’s figures”, the
Mayor added; '
The public works committee
headed at the present time by
Councillor John McFarlane, had
suggested Beech Street be re
constructed this year. Beech
runs from Mi'll north to White
head, along community park
arid the drive-jin theatt’e. The
mayor estimated that to do ail
of Beech .Street would oast over
$15,000. >
Councillor Norman Lttexmore
reminded council that they had
reconstructed pant of three1
streets’ in Little England and
had not paved them. “I dbn’t
agree with your decisions here
tonight” he said. "Another year
and we’ll have to reconstruct
them all over again,” said Liv
ermore.
Deputy Reeve George Wonoh
supported Livermore by saying
"We’re always being reminded
of this street in Little England.”
■ Councillor McFarlane was in
structed by the mayor to get
the public works committee to
come up with specific needs re
garding a tractor' and hackhoe.
Councillors McFarlane and
(Continued on Page Ten)
Township
.9.
the Weaker
19661967
High iLow High Low
March 8'20 -2 28 -11
9 31 0 40 18
10 44 25 48 29
* 11 42 . 34 40 30
12 32-20 41 30
13 37 25 41 32
14 38 30 50 29
Rain:.70”
•*• “
The Editor,
Ciintori News-Record.
Dear* Sir:
In all- the; rush, and confusion
of- daily life I wonder how many
more Clintonians, like myself,
.have wondered what relief we
will get from taxation from the
paying of our 20 year old sew
erage system, ’and have not
been told or been able to find
out in dollars and. cents what
this means to each of us? I
think it timely to reveal the
information a few ' enquiries
provided, when I finally asked,
since the campaign for funds
for the Clinton and. District
Community Centre got under
way. Monday.
. Our . sewerage system has”
bgen costing Clinton $21,000 an
nually for .20 years. This money
was raised by 216 mills of our
taxes accounting for $7,000 and
the balance of $14,000 being
supplied to the town by the
P.U.C. who collected it by doub
ling our water rate .and,, by
adding, in latter years, a flat
$1.00 maintenance charge on
each billing — now—- -although
ithas only been whispered
abbut — we don’t need $21,000
per year to' look after sewerage'
The town doesn’t need $7,000
for it — and now get .this, the
PUC don’t need all of the $14,-
000 from us on oui*. water and
sewerage bills, and, what's
more, I understand, have
a proposed new schedule- - of
rates at lower’ levels to reduce
their revenue by part of this
amount (approximately $10,000)
and await council’s approval.
They want to send out bills
Areiua Cornerstone
Laymg Posipwed
To April 1
. A cornerstone laying cere
mony planned tor Saturday,
■ March 18 at the new Com
munity Centre in Clinton
Community Park, has been
postponed to Saturday, April
li Contractors iSihantz &
Hicks have run into their
first set-back in the construc
tion ; the cement block laying <
is a little behind schedule.
H
n
i
25.00
25.00
asking for less money’but await
a bylaw.
S'o — a home owner with a
$3,000 assessment will save from
his 2% mill reduction $7.50, and
if 1,000 householders' are sav
ing $10,000/in sewerage 'bills it
means ah average of $10 each
annually.
Now, let's tell the people ^his
and tell them* that the $175,000
approved debenture for the
Community. Centre will cost
them over 20 years $17,500 an
nually; or at tire present mill
of approximately $3,000, under
6 mills.
Our man with the $3,000 as
sessment has just been saved
$17 on-his paid,up sewerage sys
tem and now will pay $18 for
the Community Centre. If this
man, and all the others in .town,
pay now enough cash to reduce
this debenture issue to only
$125,000 he'will pay only $12'
annually. ($125,000 for 20 years
—$12,500 par year or 4 mills.)
Now we see where the much
discussed community centre
may be built and paid for cre-
(Continued on Page Ten)
le
purchased
Joseph’s
Women’s
Persons who
tickets . for St,
Church ’ Catholic
League euchre party tomor
row night (Friday, March. 17)
are invited to come a half
hour early (at 8 o’clock) and
.participate in an Irish sing
song led by Mrs. Alice Stiles
of Seaforth.
The euchre party gets
underway sharp at 8:30.
All 200 tickets have been
sold on this event on which
all. proceeds will be turned
over to the Clinton and Dis
trict Community Centre Cen
tennial- Fund.
The door prize is a pass
port to Expo and there are
six prizes for euchre — high
and low for both men and
women and lone hand prizes
for men and,women.
There will be two tables of
children playing euchre for
which Antoine "Red" Garon
has contributed $5.00 prize
money.
"We hope to blow the town
ship wide open,”* were the en
thusiastic words used by R. E.
Thompson, clerk of Goderich
Township, to" describe - the fes
tivities now being arranged for
Friday, Saturday and1 Sunday,
June 16, 17 and 18 in Holmes
ville,
Another organizational meet
ing is-set for tonight, March 16.
Township Council and a Citi
zen’s Centennial Committee are
hoping that all Goderich Town
ship residents will make the
Centennial Celebrations a re
sounding success by extending
weekend invitations to former
sons, and daughters of Goderich
Township.;
A complete agenda has been
planned for the 10 acre Holmes
ville Public School site by of
ficials for the enjoyment of all
ages:
Friday, June 16 — Giant
variety show featuring present
and former Goderich Township
talent in a roundup of numbers
from yesterday and today; ■
Saturday, June 17 — The en
tire day will be devoted to con
tests and games with something
fpr everyone, whether competi
tor or spectator. In the evening
a barbecue is arranged with
facilities to handle several
thousand people. There will al
so be a monster, dance later
that evening.
Sunday, June 18 — An inter
faith church service has been
scheduled and it is hoped that
all denominations in the town
ship will be represented, with
the various clergymen. In the
afternoon, there will be plenty
of opportunity for visiting and
reminiscing with former friends
and acquaintances.
Throughout the entire week
end, there will be on display a
showing of township .folklore
.which it is hoped citizens Will
loan to officials for.^he once-in--
a-lifetime occasiori’!^‘Pictui’es,
maps, records, articles; etc., are
being sought for the display
which should attract a good
deal of attention and form the
basis for many strolls down
memory lane.
Clerk Thompson notes there
is a shortage of pictures of
schdols, churches and bridges
which were built by the'early
settlers in Goderich Township,
People who plan to attend the
Centennial celebration are in
vited to bring anything of in
terest with them for display;
They have the special assurance
df officials that care Will be
taken to protect all personal
treasures.
Committees, have been ap
pointed but there is still plenty
of room for additional ideas and
advice; Co-chairmen are: var-
(Continued on page ten)
I,s
- ‘’Mayor* -Dour Symons - arid “his ■
council were hosts* Tuesday
evening in St. Paul’s Parish
Hall for their second annua1
dinner and card party. Town
employees, representatives ’from
the neighbouring community of
Adastral Park, press represent
atives and wives were invited.
Acting base -commander,
Wing Commander Brute Refuse
of CRB Clinton, took this op-*
portunity to thank the Clinton
Volunteer Fire Brigade for its
help in 'fighting a fire at the
Canadian Forces School of In
structional Technique on Feb
ruary 8. He also* commented on
the good relations that have
always existed between the base
and the town.
Flight Sergeant Don Kerr,
mayor, of Adastral Park, .spoke
of the good coverage given his
community by local a.nd district
press representatives.
Mayor Symons handled the
introductions and hoped future
councils would continue these
social events ’which he started
last yter jn his first term as
mayor.
After dinner, moist of ■ those
present stayed to play euchre |
• and' Have * a isoriak limtef' '
Those pres’ent included: May
or .and Mrs. Symons; Flight
Sergeant Don Kerr/' mayor ’of
Adastral Park and Mi’s. Kerr;
Wing Commander Bruce Ra-
fuse, acting base commander at
CFB, and Mrs. Refuse; Flight
Lieutenant Gerry Smith, Cen
tennial Liaison Officer at CFB,
and Mrs. Smith; Rev. A. J.
Mowatt, D.D.; Reeve Duff
Thompson; Deputy Reeve and
Mrs. George Wonoh; Town
Clerk John Livermore and Mrs.
Livermore; Deputy Clerk Orval
Engelstad and Mrs. Engelstad;
Chief of Police H. Russ Thomp
son; Constable and Mrs. Albert
Shaddick; Councillor and Mrs. -
Pat Noonan; Councillor and
Mrs. Cameron Proctor; Coun
cillor and Mrs. James Arm
strong; ' Councillor and Mrs.
Norman Livermore; Councillor
.John' McFarlane; Councillor
Gordon Lawson; Auxiliary
Policeman Eugene McLaren and
Mrs. McLaren; Auxiliary Police
men Doug Gantelon and Craig
Cox; Mrs. Muriel Trott, repre
sentative of the daily papers,
radio and TV; and A. L. Colqu-,
houn, publisher of the News-
Record.
All five members of the mun
icipal council- of the Township
of Goderich in the County of
I-Iurbn — and three of the town
ship’s appointed officers — -are
descendants of pioneers who
settled in the township over
100 years ago;
Members of the 1967 Cen
tennial year council are: Reeve
Grant H. Stirling, Deputy
Reeve Everett V. McIlwain,
Councillors R.. Harry Oakes.
William R. Jenkins, Gerald G.
Ginn.
The three officers who are
frorii Over century old fam
ilies are: Clerk R. E. Thomp*
son, Assessor Carman W, Tcb*
butt and treasurer H. Ben
Whitely.
A Challenge
The council thinks this is
possibly a record for Ontario
»r even in Canada. They are
■*haircnging any other munici
pality who think they can come
ip with a better record during
this Centennial year.
Township clerk Thompson
ias most of the records for
totthdils overi the years, but is
iCeking more old records of
school boards, These will all bo
m display during the town*
flii/j’S Ceiitorinial celebrations in
lune. The clerk has supplied
some dates and data on each of
he pioneer families now repre
sented on council.’
Stirling Family
The first mention of a Stir
ling in old township records is
in 1840, when the name Was
recorded as a pathmaster.
* The present reeve, Grant H,
Stirling has held tile top pos
ition since 1964. From 1961 to
1963, ho was deputy reeve and
was a councillor from 1955 to
1960.
His father, the late James R.
Stirling, who was reeve in 1949
and screed -on council from
1940 to 1946/ had tile distinc
tion of bedpg the first Liberal
reeve ever elected ih the town
ship.
The present reeve’s grand
father, William Stirling and an
Alox Stirling arc also mentioned
in the old record^
(The township has carried
the words "Incorporated 1835”-
on its stationery for mamr
years). ,
McTtWatrt Family
The first McIlwain on record
in the township is also in 1840.
The 1967 deputy reeve, Ever
ett if. McIlwain (has held that
post since 1964 and was on
council from 1.959 to 1963. Pre
vious to that he-was a school
area trustee from 1949 to 1958.
His father George McIlwain
was also a school trustee for-
many ,years.
Everett’s grandfather was
Johnston McIlwain and his
great grandfather Samuel Mc
Ilwain was one of the first
trustees in the township and
also is listed in 1846 as a path
master. Another son of Samuel,
William was a commissioner in
1851.
Ginn Family
The newest member of the
township council, Gerry Ginn
who is serving his first year as
a councillor comes from the old
est family recorded in muni
cipal affairs, The Ginns first
came to Goderich Township in
1830, and Gerry’s great grand
father Thomas Ginn is listed
as a pathmas ier in 18*13,
Gerry is not new to municipal
work, because he had served
for nine years on Goderich Dis
trict Collegiate Institute board,
and while there was the board’s
representative, on the Advisory
Vocational Committee to* Clin
ton District Collegiate Institute
board.
The youngest in years and
the newest oh council comes
from a very civic minded fa
mily.
fils father, the late George
C. Ginn was also a member of
gdCi board, as well >as teun*
clllor from 1940 to 1944, reeve
from 1945 to 1948 and was the
fOWhShlp auditor in 19^5.
Oswald Ginn,, the present
councillor's grand-fattier had a
similar record. He was on coun
cil from 1916 to 1918, reeve
from 1923 to 1925, a bailiff in
1931, a constable in 1921 arid
is also listed as a township
auditor.
Jenkins Family
William R. Jenkins who* be
came a councillor in 1964 had
no- ancestors who were muni
cipally inclined except his groat
grandfather who is listed' as a
pathmaster in 1843.
In 1833 William Jenkins
camo to Canada from Lang-
harme, Carmatherishire, Wales,
and settled at Bridgewater, near
Holmesville. In 1838 ho pur
chased lot 18, Huron Road,
known now as "Woodlands” and
presently owned by Edward
Jenkins who lives in London.
William’s seventh child, Ro
land, born in 1$44, was a vet
eran of the Fenian Raids in
1861; he farmed on the 16th
concession on the farm now
owned by township assessor
Carman Tebbutt,
The present councillor’s
father, Herbert Jenkins, also
farmed on the same farm be
fore ho retired to Clinton,
Oakes Family
Councillor Harry Oakes’ an
cestors came to Goderich Town-
(Coritinucd oft Page Five)
Members of the council which are all descend
ants of farinilies which have been in the township
over 100 years are? seated^ left to right, Deputy
Reeve Everett 'th McIlwain, Reeve Grant Stirling,
Counciilor R. Harry Oakes; back row, left* to right,
Councillor Gerry G. Ginn and Councillor William
R, Fenkins.
i } , (^^-Ri&cord Photo)