HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1966-12-15, Page 4By Val Baltkalns
No Expo for
this chap
late exeferZimesihuocale
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
Member: C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., C.C.N.R. and ABC
Publishers: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott
Editor: Bill Batten
Advertising Manager: Val Baltkalns
Phone 235-1331
ONE OF A SERIES
OF CENTENNIAL REPORTS
Youth make
their plans
Now on with the job
By LEN HUME
President, SHDHS Students' Council
the town that will be placed in
front of the swimming pool. They
have also made plans to sell
centennial pins at a modest price
to aid in getting people in the
mood for celebrations.
The high school is having a
centennial yearbook, and the stu-
dents have picked a new school
ring which will be designated the
"centennial ring." These pro-
jects show the enthusiasm that
is beginning to build up in the
people involved,
Other projects just in the plan-
ning stages, but ones that seem to
be a reality, are; a log rolling
contest in June, a car smash in
April, a semi-formal at the
school with a centennial theme,
and numerous other smaller pro-
jects.
We will climax our projects
with a bed pushing race or a
"centennial pus h" to various
communities in the area to try
and involve them with our ac-
tivities.
Our plans are ambitious but
will be most exciting when car-
ried to completion. I'm sure they
will and so are all the others who
are volunteering to help on
various committees. Will you
share in our plans and make
the coming year a resounding
success?
LETTERS TWE EDITOR
'7a/re-coca 4afaet to Exam Open them
Dear Editor,
I quite agree with your com-
ment re Huron County Council
and their closed door policy in
your December 1 issue.
I was a member of a delega-
tion appearing before the Health
Board with a specific health prob-
lem affecting MANY ratepayers
in Huron County.
This meeting was held last
August 29. The Board told us
they would notify us as to what
action they would take. We are
still awaiting this notification of
action. This problem was brought
to their attention as early as
June and it seems that their
policy is to discuss things be-
hind closed doors and to ignore
legitimate complaints.
As a ratepayer I request that
the press be admitted to all such
meetings so that the ratepayer
may be better informed.
ANGRY TAXPAYER
Members of the board at SHDHS
remain adamant in their decision to
withhold information from the public
regarding their recent decision to ask
Principal Douglas Palmer and Vice-
principal Joseph Wooden if they would
be willing to resign for the good of
school morale, the education of the stu-
dents and harmony of the staff.
They have rescinded that sugges-
tion to the two men and have told the
public that all parties involved have
agreed to cooperate in solving all the
problems which initiated the original
action by the board.
While that does nothing whatever
to clarify the situation or explain the
reasons for their original action, it still
comes as welcome news as it suggests
that the fuse has been removed from
an explosive situation that could have
had disastrous results.
This does not indicate that the en-
tire incident has blown over with no
damage having been caused. That would
be too much to expect in view of its
serious nature and the wide-spread pub-
licity it received. Only the future will
tell to what extent the board's hiring
ability may have been jeopardized, or
to what extent the parties involved will
co-operate to solve the problems at the
school.
We have reason to be confident
that the co-operation of all will be
forthcoming despite the animosity that
the two men could have been expected
to build up over the board's action.
They are in a similar predicament to
the board in that their ability to find
comparable jobs may also have been
jeopardized.
The fact that the board jeopardized
the school's future and that of the two
men suggests a very dangerous situa-
tion was created for all concerned, and
the quick move by the board to rescind
their action suggests they were unpre-
pared for the events that were to take
place.
We are of the opinion they never
expected — or even considered the
fact — their original suggestion could
become public.
There's a valuable lesson contained
here and one which we hope this board
and all other public bodies will remem-
ber . . . if you are dealing with pub-
lic business, assume at all times that
the information will become public —
for indeed it should. This newpaper has
many times cited the problems that
arise when public bodies attempt to
hide behind closed doors. The situation
at SHDHS provides us with concrete
proof of the serious problems.
Centennial year may mean
Many things to different people
but the young people of this
community are formulating a plan
that is most ambitious and one
that reflects the attitudes of the
younger generation.
We want to get the next hundred
years off to a rousing start;
therefore, we are emphasizing
action, achievement, and indiv-
idual creativeness. Our aim is
to give the celebrations a push
with the hope of making it the
most successful undertaking that
this community has ever seen.
Under the Centennial co-
ordinating committee, Teen Town
and the student council at SHDHS
have been asked to jointly share
the month of April as our month
to arrange the activities. We are
not though, as you will see, re-
stricting our activities to that
month.
In the week of February 6-11
we are planning to have a "winter
week". This will entail a broom-
ball game between the students-
and the staff of the high school,
and possibly one between the
young people and the parents
of the town. On the Saturday
we would like to have a snow
sculpturing contest among house-
wives, business men, students or
anyone who would like to form
a team.
After this we may possibly have
a sleighing excursion followed by
a dance. Anyone for winter
sports? We certainly hope so.
An activity that will be fam-
iliar to all people is the Easter
parade that has been so success-
ful in recent years. This year
we hope to make it far bigger
and better by approaching all
the planning groups for the year
and asking them to prepare floats
that will be both appropriate
for Easter and Centennial Year.
So, when a member of Teen
Town or from the high school
asks for help for the parade,
please co-operate and this fes-
tivity will surely be an extra-
vaganza to remember.
It has been said that the new
form of modern, expressive
sculpturing is Canada's individ-
uality and daring, coming to the
foreground in a form of art. Our
group would like to run a contest
under which people's expressive
"talents" would have a chance
to appear in the work that they
produce. Sound like fun? We think
so and more plans will be made
public as available.
Teen Town as well as the high
school have already started some
projects. The teens have given a
flag pole and centennial flag to
A million others did it too
In this regard, the board must be
prepared to accept whatever problems
they have created for themselves.
We do not suggest the board did
not have grounds for taking some type
of action to clarify the situation at the
school. However, as long as they re-
main silent there is no proof that any
action was warranted, and certainly
not action which in fact threatened the
very future of the school.
However, it becomes apparent that
conjecture on the situation is of little
importance in comparison to the need
to urge all parties involved to quickly
get on with the task they have set
themselves to correct whatever prob-
lems do exist.
This task does not confront only
the two men and the board. It involves
students, parents, teachers and the gen-
eral public.
For too long, stories have circu-
lated throughout the community re-
garding various situations at the school.
While some of these stories may have
been true and in part prompted the
board's action, we believe many were
exaggerated or were even untrue.
That these stories were never
brought into the open to be supported
or refuted shows clearly that there is
little communication between those con-
cerned. Obviously, the board has been
lax in apparently allowing the situation
to grow into a position where they felt
their recent action was the only solu-
tion. These were things that did not
happen overnight and they should not
have been allowed to persist and grow
without a hearing or investigation to
either conform or deny them.
By the same token, it is impossible
that there be no problems at the
school. No decision or action can please
all the students, parents, staff and
board members at all times. Unfortu-
nately, it is often the minority who
don't agree with the action who create
the noise and complaints, thereby blow-
ing the situation out of all proportion.
The solution appears to be in es-
tablishing lines of communication so
problems can be presented to the prop-
er officials for proper handling, rather
than having them solved on the street
corners or behind closed doors.
Well-founded complaints should be
handled quickly and honestly and un-
founded complaints should be just as
quickly and publicly refuted.
Certainly, we don't have that many
problems that they can't be handled in
such a manner. The stakes are too high
to handle them any other way. That
was almost proven.
There's probably been enough
said and written about the "Sun-
day" show being carried by the
CBC, but perhaps we wouldn't
be considered normal if we fail-
ed to make some mention.
In our opinion it has served
little purpose to date and in gen-
eral has shown poor taste and
many of the items carried have
failed to prove they were pre-
sented for any clear purpose.
We don't think TV shows of
this nature have to meet with
agreement from the majority of
viewers. If they start people
thinking about some of the prob-
lems our society faces, they at
least serve some valuable pur-
pose. Without them, we become
vegetables.
However, they need not be pre-
sented in such a manner that
viewers become enraged or in-
sulted — and people can be ex-
cused if they have assumed this
attitude with much of the stuff
which "Sunday" has presented. Change with the times
The International Corn mittee of
the Red Cross is a neutral body
of 25 Swiss citizens. The com-
mittee is the guardian of the
Geneva Conventions.
that fresh air was better than
money.
This was his reply in part to
a question of what he was doing
to help bring the farmer's pay
scale up to that of his city
cousins.
At the time we were of the
opinion our venerable legislator
had gone off the deep end, and
while he did little to console
his audience which was con-
stituted mainly of rural folk,
there was a degree of truth to
his statement.
This is brought to the fore
more and more these days and
in the past few weeks many
cities in North America have
been choked with smog which
created definite health hazards.
This was especially so for per-
sons with respiratory ailments
and on occasions the smog has
been directly responsible for
many deaths.
Statistics to show the longev-
ity we can expect may soon•
indicate that there is a depend-
ence upon whether or not we live
in a city where industrial wastes
and carbon dioxide from cars and
other sources continue to choke
the populace and create hazards
that have as yet been unsolved.
Fresh air is one advantage of
rural living that can't be dis-
puted.
Council's decision to give a de-
tailed study to the entire election and
nomination procedures in Exeter is in-
deed a wise move and one that could
be followed by neighboring municipali-
ties as well.
It was apparent this year that the
suggestion was actually made too late,
because there were certain aspects of
the two events that could have been al-
tered this year to bring added bene-
fits to all concerned.
This newspaper suggested a cou-
ple of weeks ago that municipalities
whose merchants stayed open Friday
nights were in fact reducing the num-
ber of persons who could attend nomi-
nations by holding them on that night.
Last week, one of our readers suggest-
ed that some of the townships should
consider changing to evening meet-
ings because many of their ratepayers
were unable to attend afternoon ses-
sions.
Some of the other suggestions pre-
sented to the Exeter council were: an
advance poll should be held; election
officials should be given more money;
voters should be better informed on
the location of polling places.
There are many other aspects of
nomination meetings and elections that
should be reviewed in view of the
changes taking place in our society.
While we are updating other things, it
appears proper that we may have some
updating to do in this regard as well.
We also suggest it should be done
now, while the memory of the recent
meetings and elections is still some-
what vivid. If it's set aside until next
year some of the need for changes may
be forgotten.
There's ample proof of that fact.
Two years ago we suggested Exeter's
nomination should be changed from
Friday in view of the local store hours
and there was much support for the
suggestion at that time. It never came
about because those responsible for
such things didn't act while they were
still thinking about it.
50 YEARS AGO
Messrs A, J. Heywood and
John Walker, theological stu-
dents at Toronto University, are
visiting at their homes in town
during the holidays.
We have a beautiful line of
bon-bon boxes from the best
makers in Canada. Prices are
from l0Q to $1.00 per box -7
W.J. Statham.
These are the days when we
are using Made in Canada Prod-
ucts. Why not go one better, and
use flour made in Exeter —
Harvey Bros.?
Mr. Cecil Pickard, who has
been attending Toronto Uni-
versity, has returned home for
the holidays. -
Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924
15 YEARS AGO
There'll be an old-fashioned
outdoor carol singing service
on the library grounds Thurs-
day night from 7.30 to 8 p.m.
Taking part will be the Huronia
Male choirs, the high school glee
club and the junior glee club of
the public school.
Tom Pryde MLA for Huron
presented the gavel from Exeter,
England to Mayor B.W. Tuckey
and town council prior to the
meeting Monday night. On the
stand are carved a miniature
replica of the Guildhall, the Cath-
edral and Customs House.
After the recording of the cer-
emony for the presentation the
recorder was left on unknown to
the Council. Later it was noticed
it was on and the owner, Dep-
uty-Reeve 13111 Cochrane played
back the session. The witticisms
brought gales of laughter.
0011611,01Aelig ivi cer4r.
Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont.
Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, Ottawa,
and for Payment of Postage in Cash
Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1966, 4,427
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $5.00 Per Year; USA $7.00
Those of us who have shown
remarkable willpower in being
able to kick the smoking habit
(we only cheat once a week) may
now unwind our arms from their
back-slapping positions.
Word has been released by the
health and welfare department
that 1,000,000 persons who once
smoked cigarettes daily have
overcome the habit.
While this may take away some
of the impetus with which we
converts viewed ourselves, it
also takes away some of the
excuses presented by those who
have attempted to quit and fail-
ed. Obviously, if 1,000,000 peo-
ple can do it, there can be few
excuses for anyone.
There are still 5,500,000 in
Canada who do smoke regularly
and of those numbers, 45 per-
cent have attempted to kick the
habit, indicating perhaps that
those who have been successful
still can be proud of their
achievements.
One of the reasons for our
success in cutting down on the
tar on our lungs, is the fact
we've been dumping 50 cents
per day into a can. This repre-
sents the amount we normally
spent on cigarettes.
In case your mathematics is
not too good, that suggests that
after only one short year we
will have accumulated $182.50.
Now that our life expectancy
has skyrocketed since giving up
smoking, it is reasonable to as-
sume that we will at least remain
on this planet for another 30 or
40 years and the saving in that
length of time could climb to
$6,000 or $7,000.
No doubt most of our readers
have seen these figures project-
ed before and so there is no
value in going over them again.
However, we think it should be
mentioned that you can't really
believe them.
We had this opinion after sav-
ing $15 or so and a column
by Gary Lautens in the Toronto
Daily Star backed up our con-
tention that it really was costing
us more money to stop smoking
than it had when we puffed away
about 25 fags a day.
Lautens estimated it cost him
$5,000 a year to quit smoking,
although we haven't found it quite
that expensive as yet.
He pointed out that his wife
had talked him into buying a new
color TV on the basis that this
expenditure would be about the
same as what they would make if
they smoked,
The noted humorist also went
on to report that she had used
the same logic to get him talked
into a new mink coat, a car and
a few other luxuries that he could
no more afford than yours truly.
We haven't met the same re-
action to that extent, but every
other day or so the better half
asks how much WE have saved
so far, and presents some sug-
gestions as to how the money
can be used.
So, if you're thinking of giving
up the habit for economic reasons
alone, don't jump too quickly,
It could end up costing you a
lot of money,-
About five years ago we at-
tended an election campaign
meeting when our former MP,
Elston Cardiff, told an audience swg." ":"(wAr.,WAMP 4W%
says flatly, you think I'm
going to leave my comfortable
home, treasured piano students,
and all my friends, to go and
live in some cold, clammy dump
among a lot of strangers, etc.
etc."
Sometimes, she wavers, and
asks me what England is really
like. The trouble is, I haven't
been there for over 20 years.
About all I can do is describe
some first-rate pubs, and tell
her how easy it was to lose
your girl in the fog or blackout,
unless you clung to her. Some-
how, these descriptive gems don't
fan her ardor for the trip.
As I said, no one in his right
mind wants to spend a year in
the U.K. I know I'll come home
either riddled with rheumatism,
or in a wooden box with a sheen
of fog on it.
And it isn't sentiment. Admit-
tedly, there are a few old pubs
I'd like to re - visit. But they've
probably changed into raucous
road-houses that serve martinis
instead of half-and-half, and the
waitresses are insolent pups in-
stead of buxom barmaids who
called you fiLuv" or "Ducks".
And there are a few old girl-
friends I'd like to re-visit. But a
friend of mine did this last year,
taking his wife along. Somehow,
he said, there was a lack of rap-
port. And they were all so old.
And, even worse, they thought
he was old.
And I sure as heck don't want
to go and stand on some deserted,
dilapidated air-drotne and think
of the old days. Old runways are
for the birds, who make much
better landings on them than I
ever did.
No, what sparks my desire
to go away for a year is none
of these. It is the thought of
spending the whole of Centen-
nial Year in Canada.
Now, I love this land. But the
idea of an entire year of having
Expo rammed down my throat,
of watching municipalities sol-
emnly snip the ribbon at such
sparkling centennial projects as
the new public lavatories, or
the new parking lot, makes me
Want to throw up.
And what better place to go
than the U.K., where 1 must
admit I have done it before,
On a number of occasions, after
an evening of warm pints
of bitters.
We've been talking about it
for a long time. It would mean
a major upheaval in the fam-
ily. But it's two against one,
and this is a democracy. Un-
less, of course, your wife hap-
pens to constitute the minority.
Today I applied for an ex-
change teaching job, for one
year, in the United Kingdom.
I must be out of my mind, but I
did.
Daughter Kim is all for it.
With the adventurous spirit of
the young, and their complete
lack of participation in all the
work involved, she glows at the
prospect.
After all, England is the land
of the Beatles, the RollingStones
and the highest mini-skirts.
England, as the song says,
swings like a pendulum do. That's
for Kimbo.
She'd like nothing better than
to spend a year abroad. Not ac-
quiring a broad education. Neverl
She looks upon education as small
boys do upon washing: t h e
squarest and most useless thing
foisted on the young by stupid,
loving parents.
No, what she'd like to pick
up in England is a Caraby st.
wardrobe and a Liverpool ac-
cent, so that she could knock
the local kids dead when she
comes home. The (cmod" look
of Caraby is bad enough, but
the dialect of the Liverpudlian
is surely the ugliest in the world
outside the pure Hottentot.
What she doesn't picture, and
I haven't the heart to tell her,
is the truth, If the deal goes
through, a year from now she'll
be wading through the fog in
Little Muddling, or climbing the
cliffs on the Isle of Mull, com-
plete with rubber boots, raincoat
and sou'wester, approximately
3,000 social miles from the Eng-
land and London's West End.
My wife blows hot and cold.
One week, when things are par-
ticularly obnoxious around here,
She's fairly keen. She sees a
snug cottage, with vines and a
cozy fireplace, shining brass,
and an English garden out back,
She envisages a jaunt into Lon-
don every week end, for piano
lessons, concerts, lunch and the
theatre,
The next week, she's been
talking to someone who has just
spent a year there and wag half-
frozen for 12 months, Or she
10 YEARS AGO
District citizens have an op-
portunity to display Canadian
hospitality to youth of foreign
countries next week by enter-
taining NATO trainees stationed
at RCAF, Centralia.
Employment provided by Hen-
sail's thriving industry —
General Coach Works of Canada
Limited has resulted in an
eight percent increase in the
village's population.
Chairman C.S. MacNaughton,
representative of Exeter, on the
SHDIIS Board, submitted his
resignation to town council last
week, lie succeeded Dr, 11. IL
Cowen as chairman of the board
two years ago.
25 YEARS AGO
The women of Exeter branch
of the Red Cross have launched
a campaign to secure a regular
collection of waste material in
Exeter. They have purchased a
baler to bale scrap paper which
every businessman and houSe-
holder is called on to save.
Mr. J.R.C. Moffatt, manager
of the Bank of Commerce is being
transferred to a Toronto branch.
Mr. and Mrs. Moffatt and family
came to Exeter from Toronto and
have taken an active interest
in the welfare of the town.
Mrs. J.G. Cochrane of Lea-
vitt's Theatre has donated a plane
to the Exeter-Hensall branch of
the Canadian Legion. She had
heard how much use was being
made of the Legion Clubrooms
by the airmen at Centralia.
Misses Ann Morgan and Grace
Heckler of Usborne, who are
attending London Normal, are
home for the holidays,