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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1965-08-26, Page 4EDITORIALS Brief may help The brief from the Town of iJxeter to the Ausable River Conservation Authority had a number of good points in it which if adopted could not only strengthen the authority but also make it more ac- tive. The brief was submitted for inclusion with a brief from the authority to the Select Committee on Conservation Authorities. Many of the recommenda- tions could well be adopted for most authorities in the province. One of the major recommendations is aimed at getting and maintaining an active executive while still giving more members a chance to serve on the executive over the years. The brief suggests that one-third of the members of the executive retire each year and further suggests that the term of of- fice for chairman and vice-chairman be limited to three years. This is a step in the right direction towards getting new thoughts and a new outlook into organi- zations which in some ways have been getting stale. Councils have a bad habit of making all appointments automatic. If good old Joe accepts the job the first time then he has the job for life or until he resigns. This attitude if often carried one step further in the executive of organizations in that a man who is contributing very little remains on the executive because he has never done anything wrong and al- ways agrees with the majority. Conservation is a large and important pro- gram, one which has grown in the past few years and one which will be increasingly important in the years to come. It is important to take a close look at the organizations set up to deal with conservation, resource management and environmental pollution now in order to insure the success of these in the future. Millions of dollars will be spent during the next few years on projects such as dams, land acqui- sition and park improvement. The best men possible should be named to these organizations in order that proper planning can be instituted and a long range program worked out. The water supply in the prov- ince is a major problem today and will continue to rank in top priority for many years to come. Our teenagers There has been so much criticism of teenagers as a whole across the country that it is a real pleas- ure to be able to see first hand and report the ac- 'tivites of a group of teenagers working to help on a community project. It is indeed unfortunate that a few irresponsible teenagers have, had the effect of giving all teenagers a black eye. It happens to be the way of our times that people read and attach importance to spectacular while glossing over good good work. This was recognized in days gone by and the quotation, "The evil that men do lives after them, the good is often interred with their bones," is still remembered. Volunteers from the Exeter Teen-Town have recognized the need for bicycle stands at the corn- munity swimming pool and done something about it. The group chose this as a project, paid for the materials and constructed the stands as a public service. The importance of this work is twofold and should be recognized. It shows that local teenagers do have a sense of responsibility and are attempting to live up to it and by working as a group on a pub- lic service project such as this these teenagers will learn the satisfaction which comes from participation in projects of this nature. The leaders in community life in the future, whether it be in the church, municipal politics or service clubs will come from today's teenagers. It is encouraging to see that many of these young peo- ple are preparing for these responsibilities now. To the graduates The call to higher education is stressed more today than at any other time. The need for this is recognized in every walk of life and is fast becoming a prime requisite for many jobs which were former- ly held by high school graduates. The number of graduates listed recently is an encouraging sign that these needs are being recog- nized and met by many students. It is also a compli- ment to the teachers of this area, who started the students on the path which led them to their pres- ent success. The basic education received by students in With the editor in our public and high school systems is the spring- board which enables them to continue in university. Without a good general education and study habits, learned through 13 years here, these students would have little hope of success. The successful graduates must be congratu- lated for their work and perseverance which brought them the success they have now attained. To stu- dents in public and high schools the success of these graduates should serve as a model, something to work towards, with the knowledge that these stu- dents once sat at the same desks and in many cases were taught by •the same teachers. Kerr's Korner Last week many daily and weeklynews- papers in the area carried the results of the grade 13 examinations. The Times- Advocate did not. This was not because we did not want to publish these but be- cause they were not released to us by the local high school, All we received was what is termed in the trade a "canned release" or in other words, an announce- ment from the principal's office telling only what that office wished the public to know. We are not in favor of this partial censorship of the news for many reasons but the main reason is the trend which is growing in education today. The spirit of competition is being taken out of the schools and an attempt is being made to shelter the students. The matter of not publishing the results of grade 13 examinations did not come from the Department of Education but rather from an association of high school prin- cipals who go under the name of the Ontario Headmasters Association. A letter sent out by that association last spring to all secondary school boards in Ontario asked that the boards refrain from publishing students' marks in the local paper. The only exceptions advocated were in the case of students who win scholarships. In this case it would be permissible to publish the marks. The reason behind this is that the prin- cipals feel the students' marks are a per- sonal thing between the school, parents and students and the general public might draw the wrong conclusion from these. It might also hurt junior's feelings if he didn't do as well as some others. There is an old poem which has prob- ably been dropped from the school cur- riculum which goes something like this, "we can't all be captains, there's got to be a crew etc." and ends with, "be the best of whatever you are". There is no shame in not being the top student in the class but the spirit of competition should be present. In years gone by the reward of the student who worked the hardest was to see his name at the top of the list Or the top ten. With the marks now being withheld one more incentive for a student to work harder has been taken away. Perhaps next year the board will re- ceive a letter from the headmasters sug- gesting that the winners of public speak- ing contests and music festivals not be announced for fear the other competitors will get an inferiority complex. They will drop the word "contest" from the vocabu- lary as a dirty word and we will all live together as one big happy family with no one any better or any worse than the other, regardless of ability. For those of you in Exeter who are alarmed at this trend to eliminate the spirit of competition from schools there is even more bad news. Not too many weeks ago there was an article in the Globe and Mail indicating educational authorities feel there is nothing construc- tive about a student failing and yet par- ents, "still cling to report cards". The trend in education is to have the system of grading eliminated AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE UNIVERSAL IN FIVE YEARS TIME. This means the end of report cards and competitionfor students. Children will progress year to year with the same group of children but there will no longer be standard expectations at any age level. The article explaining this new method states that bright students will be kept busy with things that interest them while those who are having troubles with a sub- ject will be given special attention but will not be held back by it. Students will be promoted "automatical- ly" to high school, technical school or trade school after a minimum of five years or a maximum of seven years at the elementary level. J. A. McInnes, principal of St. George's elementary school, affiliated with the Institute of Child Study, University of Tor- onto, stated that the reaction of parents to an ungraded system will have a great effect on the success of this program. He noted it is difficult to "wean" parents away from report cards. Mr. McInnes may be in for a surprise at what parent reaction might be. There are still enough parents in the world who have a firm belief in the Canadian way of life. A report card 15 something concrete from which a parent can judge the progress his child is making in school. It is extremely doubtful whether all parents have enough blind faith that they will allow their children to attend school for an unknown number of years without a measuring stick to judge their progress. The average member of the public may not have the knowledge to judge which system of education is best but they have the right to know what progress their child is making. There may be nothing constructive about a child failing a year and being told of this, but there is something even less construc- tive in producing a failure after eight or ten years. A report card can be likened to the annual statement prepared for a business. It tells whether the business is making or losing money or whether it is progressing or fail- ing. With an asset such as a child, parents should be entitled to progress reports in the form of a report card. Ten years ago and beyond there was a spirit of competition in all people, instilled there from birth. This was the drive and desire to win and succeed. It was a basic and vital part of our Canadian heritage and showed clearly to the world in many dif- ferent ways. It showed in the Canadian soldiers who were renowned for their spirit and will to win no matter what the odds. It was shown in the men who went to England to enlist, who were too impatient waiting for Canada to make the decision. It showed in peacetime as well, in all walks of life, but it is fast disappear- ing. Look closely and you will see it in some of the younger people but the majority are being sheltered and told to go at their own speed and not to worry about what anyone else does. A person should be taught, trained and live according to the best of his ability. This has been the backbone which built nations. Can we build nations if all spirit of competition is taken away from us? These are just a few of the steps along the way in training our young to be drones who will, if present trends continue, live in a socialistic state. Do not take away the spirit of com- petition from our youth. We were given that right in our youth, it is little enough to pass on to the next generation. Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Vtetiefeaimes-Akwocate SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND Member: C.W.N.A., 0,W.N.A., C.C.N.R. and ABC PUBLISHERS: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott EDITOR: Kenneth Kerr Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, Ottawa, and for Payttient Of Postage in Cash Paid-inAdvance Circulation, March 31, 1965, 4,114 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $4.00 Per Year; USA $5.00 BELL LINES by W. W. Haysom your telephone manager TOTS AND THE TELEPHONE Any South Huron or North Middlesex parent knows the magic that the telephone holds for children. Learning to use the telephone properly, like learning to do many other things in the home, can be taught with a little Pre-planning. Here are a few tips to help your young- sters use the phone correctly and courteously: 1. Make it fun to learn: Teach your child how to answer the telephone promptly and in a friendly wa y. 2, Make a few basic rules—(and stick to them!): Explain to the children that their calls should be brief, that they should speak directly into the mouthpiece ( and not shout), and that the re- ceiver should be put down gently. 3. Practice makes perfect: Let your child call a. friend, grandma or other special relative under your supervision. Using the telephone can build a child's confidence, expand his "social graces", and help him communicate effectively. Its "magic" can also be used advantageously to help instill in children those qualities of respect and responsibility that will ultimately mark them as ma- ture adults. * * * KITCHEN FAVOURED Milady's kitchen, which replaced the hall in 1959 as the most favoured location for the telephone, is still the front runner according to the Company's latest study of customer attitudes and preferences: 42% of custom- ers had telephones in the kitchen—almost twice as many as in the ball, (In 195$, the proportion was 33% hall, and 31% kitchen.) Other preferences today: living room, 19%; bedroom, 15%; dining room, 7%. The study also shows that extension phones are found in one out of five homes, and that 38% of resi, dence customers have telephones in colour. • CANADIAN NATIONALEXHIBMON aug 20- sept 6 where else can you see so much in one place at one time? iggieem;" PRINCES' GATES—Through these gates lies the time of your life. There's a mile of midway and over 50 different buildings to visit. Be sure you come to the 1965 CNE. FAMOUS CANADIAN INDIANS—A fascinating exhibit paying tribute to the cultural heritage of the Canadian Indian. INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW—Streaking overhead, on Sept,3 and 4, the world's raciest aircraft are put through their paces. BETTER LIVING CENTRE—See the amazing laser light beam and all that's new in the homemaking world. 25 ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL WEALTH—Here under one roof is the largest indoor agricultural display in the world, QUEEN ELIZABETH BUILDING—Relax in the World of Women while you enjoy free fashion shows and cooking demonstrations, MATINEE SPACE FUN FEST—Sec the Bell Rocket-Belt Team soar overhead at the afternoon grandstand show, plus the fabulous Italian Beatles and the Liverpool Set. DELIGHTFUL BAND CONCERTS—The world cham- pion New Zealand National Band plays free at the Bandshell twice daily. THE EVENING GRANDSTAND SPECTACULAR — Featuring the Kings of Comedy, Victor Borge (Aug. 20-27) and Bob Hope (Aug, 28-Sept, 4), plus a host of great inter- national stars. Order tickets early. INTERNATIONAL TRACK MEET—Canada's top track stars compete against top-ranked international athletes. AQUARAMA '65—See water-skiing, kite'skiing, and world championship high.cliving free on the waterfront every day. THE WORLD OF FASHION—The latest in fashions are on parade in the Queen Elizabeth Building every day. SPECIAL DAYS DURING CNE Fri. Aug. 20 Sat. Aug. 21 Mon. Aug. 23 Tue. Aug. 24 Wed. Aug. 25 Thurs. Aug. 26 Fri. Aug. 27 Sat. Aug. 28 Mon, Aug. 30 Tues. Aug, 31 Wed. Sept, 1 Thurs, Sept. 2 Fri. Sept. 3 Sat. Sept. 4 Mon. Sept. 6 Opening Day Warriors' Day Young Canada & Education Day Automotive Day Food Products & Merchants' Day Floral, Music, Arts & Health 'Day Press, Radio & Television Day International & Athletic Pay Women's Day Manufacturers' & Service Clubs' Day Electrical Day Transportation & Communications Day Farmers' & Livestock Parade Day Citizens' & Cadet Day Labour Day CANADIAN tatiommanBrnori W. H. Evans, president • L. C. Powell, General Manager NOT OPEN SUNDAYS Ale 110 GUEST ARTICLE The following is a guest article contributed by J. T. McCauley replacing the column of John C. Boyne who is on vacation. Rev. Boyne's column will be re- sumed in September. A much-maligned person. But, he has caused riots in Los Angeles and the Midlands of Great Britain. He battles with police on the streets of Athens, yet his effortS in the U.S. have won Negroes the right to register to vote under the new Federal civil- rights legislation. He has stimu- lated a war on poverty of inter- national magnitude, yet some- times aligns himself with the subversive elements in society who abuse his freedom to demon- strate and carry the seeds of his destruction. He is Anyman with a Cause and, he was murdered last Friday in Hayneville, Alabama. So, here we sit in our little island of security, wondering "what motivates him? Why does he get so involved in others' woes? Does he ride from Selma to Montgomery "just for kicks" or is he a true modern lay apostle, who believes, like the "Christopbers" that he can change the world. Let's see! The Ancient Irish had a quaint custom of "fasting against" someone, A citizen considering himself injured would locate a prominent spot by his detractor's gate and quietly starve. His pres- ence proved remarkably effect- ive, often provoking an apology or surcease of an injustice. Still I imagine there were indignant mutterings from inside the house and from chieftains in neighbor- ing keeps, saying "Why didn't he discuss this matter man to man, instead of creating all this turmoil?" This complaint has echoed through the ages. Suffragettes have heard it and abolitionists, pickets have heard it and sit-downers, sit-iners, freedom marchers, and those in the ghettos of religion, race and minority philosophers, cru- saders and critics — all demon- strators, all agitators have heard it. "Why didn't they sit down with us sensibly and we could have straightened this out?" The object of the demonstration is hurt, even outraged. This is a democracy, he feels, where ma- ture people discuss their differ- ences in friendly fashion. The trouble is that few men think these conciliatory thoughts until they are required to think them, and when someone intrudes on their stubborn silence, they inaugurate a backlash. But they hesitate to use the one weapon which might work — justice. The causes are detailed in our daily papers too eloquently to ignore. Why do they resort to this? anxious officials inquire. Legislators too, who have re- fused, for politically expedient reasons to consider legitimate pleas from their constituents, are incensed when the citizen plain- tiffs garner publicity for their views, — you should have come to us first" they belatedly cry, dismissing the evidence of final desperation. This is not to advocate anarchy. Abuses against the privilege of demonstrating surround us. The cause must always be just and the conduct correct. Communist 50 YEARS AGO The Connor Machine Company has an exhibit at Toronto Fair in charge of Walter Connor. Paist Bros., Crediton, are re- novating their millinery rooms preparing for the millinery open- ing. The Exeter Council at its regu- lar meeting appointed Mr. Jos. Senior as clerk and treasurer of the corporation taking the place Of Thomas B. Carling, deceased. Mr, Wilfred Stewart, who has taken out the agency for the Mc- Laughlin car, brought home a fine six-cylinder machine last week. Mr. Thomas Newell has secured the agency for the Hupmobile. 25 YEARS AGO Misses Betty Hogarth and Dot- othy Traquair will enter Vidtoria Hospital in September as student nurses. During the five Week period between June 14 and July 21 over 42,000 men were recruited for active service in the Canadian army. Russell Flynn, an Exeter old boy and a former employee of the Exeter Times-AdVocate now of the Sarnia observer, has just completed a year as Grand Goy- enter of the Grand Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose for the province of Ontario for 1939-1040. At the request of His Majesty the King, Canada and the rest of the United Kingdom will observe a day of national prayer on Sun- day, September 8, anniversary of the outbreak Of the War, it was announced by Prime Minister 15 YEARS AGO Construction on the EXeter inspired rallies don't rate, nei- ther do lynch mobs or riots. However, I submit that there is a place for the well-intentioned demonstrator, He exposes the wrong-doer. He awakens the pub- lic conscience. He is effective because he is there, day after both dey a , liken t irritant fastingantand a Gnael.Heis inspira- tion — and he gets results. This takes a special brand of courage. He must be willing to face ridicule, perhaps pain, and worst of all, further injustice. He must suffer because he holds to the truth. He is certain to be reviled or, at least, misunder- stooids. H role may be militant and he marches, or static and he speaks or writes. The method matters little. The unifying fea- ture is that he is not afraid to be counted! We might ask "Where are our Christian demonstrators? Where is the protest we should be hear- ing from Christians in a society being undermined by secularism. " Why is this something we subdue in our young Christian laymen, something that we frown on and disavow as being unseemly be- haviour, Shouldn't we pull the sleeve of our energetic discour- agement through to the other side to point ourselves a responsible course of encounter with the world. Are we so eager to con- tradict the image of the Church as a Monolithic structure that we have abdicated our responsibility toward unity of action. Have we surrendered to the twin tranquilizers of sophistica- tion and humiliation. If there is an eighth Capital Sin, it must be the "Fear of Embarrass- ment", a fruitful source of sins of omission. We would rather be anonymous than active, careful than caring, faceless than alive. The destiny of such apathy, of course, is a succession of small tyrannies leading to an ultimate anonymity when all things are beyond protest. Lately, there have been en- couraging developments. R e s ponsible collegians are beginn- ing to emerge as pickets, and even nuns, ministers, and priests may be seen on the lines. We need more of these to counter- act the kook fringe who always seek out the bizarre. It is re- freshing to see marchers with clean shirts and short hair. Prudence should guide such appearances, but prudence is a positive virtue and not an ex- cuse for inaction. When a neigh- bour is in trouble, we go to his aid (theoretically.; — the prac- tical application is something else again, isn't it? And who is our neighbour? Christ answered that 1 o ad ed question for all time, when he gave low marks to the lads, who rode by the man, who fell among the robbers. It should be said,toce that there are times when the easiest course is to demonstrate. It does won- ders for a guilty conscience and performs emotional surgery without providing a solution . Demonstrators should be sincere and consistent. They should blend this parade of opinion with other activities, lower-keyed but sim- ilarly motivated. They should — Please turn to page 5 Public School addition is rapidly progressing and the cornerstone will be laid September 27, Con- tractors hope to have the school ready for January opening. Schools will open in the Green- way district next Tuesday with Mrs. Garnet Hodgins as teacher in the north school, Mrs. Mervyn Love in the west school and Miss Tompkins in Corbett school. Highland Hill and Exeter Dair- ies increased the price of milk to 19 cents a quart and 11 cents a pint, Starting Monday adult haircuts will be 65 cehts, children 50 cents (on Saturday 60 cents). 10 YEARS AGO Construction of 8.1418,000 Christian Reformed Church at the north end of Exeter Started this week. The Ontario government has ordered a survey of the Pinery On which to base plane for its development as a public park. C, E. Janes, MLA for Larnbton East has announced that the gov- ernment will expropriate the area rather than pay the price of $400,000 asked by the present Owners. Jimmy Ilayter Jr., whose fath- er is a well-known hockey and baseball player and Chairman of the Trustee Board of Dashwood, won a Shetland pony In a draw at the second annual frolic of Dash- Wood Men's Club. South Huron District High School is prepared to squeeze in a record 500 studefits when the doors open next Tuesday, Tem- porary class rooms have been constructed in the cafeteria and the hone economies department, The case for the agitator By J.T. McCauley CLEANING PROBLEM? Occasionally, the question arises as to the best way to clean a telephone. The answer is quite simple: a damp cloth keeps any phone clean and shining. Never clean your telephone with soap and water, as water may penetrate into the set and put your service out of or- der. Incidentally, the outer plastic shell doesn't require any special waxes or polishes—it's "self-shining"! 4