Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1967-01-05, Page 5We're off to a flying start Ugh! What a year! `Or exeferTimes-Abuocafe 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*. Bill Batten Advertising Manager: Howie Wright Phone 2354331 ONE OF A SERIES OF CENTENNIAL REPORTS Future depends on individuals Cake with 10() candies The bells, guns, sirens, bonfires, toasts, proclamations, etc., etc., have al- ready heralded the start of our cen- tennial year in Canada, but, the merri- ment of the first few days is little more than the proverbial drop in the bucket to what is still to come during the remaining weeks of 1967. Our 100th birthday will be cele- brated in thousands of ways from coast to coast. Some of the celebrations will be meaningful and others merely enter- taining. Some people will join in the spirit of the events with enthusiasm and assistance, and others will merely sit on the sidelines and watch. While our centennial year will in- deed be a time for pleasure, it should also be a time for pride and a time for some purposeful thought about this country's second century. Amid the fun and games there must be some thought given to our future. Speeches made by government leaders in welcoming 1967 have under- scored the thoughts that while we have much of which to be proud in our first 100 years, we are not a nation without problems. While those same political leaders must be charged with solving some of the problems, each resident in this sprawling nation has an opportunity to assist because many of the problems faced by this country (and most others) are the result of human weaknesses. We wouldn't have to worry so much about the rising costs of taxes and living if we weren't so greedy and demanding. There wouldn't be so much worry about the fear of us being swallowed up by the U.S.A. if we assumed a great- er pride in our country. The gap between our French and English speaking factions, our various religions and ethnic groups would be narrowed considerably if we were more ancesters; however we should rid ourselves of petty ancestrial jealousies that we may enter into the next one hundred years united and with the Lord's help con- tinue to improve on this won- derful heritage we have been given. Now is the time to prepare the ingredients for Canada's next anniversary cake. Let us phooSe them with extreme care. tolerant and understanding of other peoples' beliefs and heritages. Our Indian and Eskimo friends would be taken out of their present position of second class citizens if we were more generous towards them and welcomed them into our way of life rather than banishing them to filthy squalor that can do nothing but elimi- nate a man's pride and his desire to be useful. The list could be extended at great lengths to show that the future of a nation rests to a very great extent on the human qualities of its residents, and certainly not just its leaders. Whether we live in South Huron or Northern Alberta, each person has an opportunity to play an important part in making this country a better place in which to live, work and play. It can also be said that what each of us will get out of the second cen- tury will be entirely dependent upon what we are prepared to put into it. That may be stating the case very simply, but we believe that too often we fail to see our role in life because we look upon our community or nation as a great complexity that can not be direeqed or guided by the apparent meagerness of a single human, There have been many who have proven that great contributions can be made by one person, and certainly there are many examples to show what can be done when many pers ois join together to fight for a cause in hich they believe. During this centennial year let us strive to overcome the human weak- nesses of hate, complacency, greed, cor- ruption, discrimination, jealousy, etc., etc., which stand between us and hap- piness. Let us replace them with the attributes that constitute the foundation of this nation and strive to take our place in making this a better country for ourselves and future generations. LETTERS TrXt EDITOR Ontario Hospital, Goderich, Ontario, December 30, 1966. WINTER VISITORS IN EXETER Wed way to de 'teal rue? Dear Sir: The Christmas Spirit of Good Will was truly exemplified this year at the Ontario Hospital, Goderich. The contributions of gifts and entertainment from the members of the Ontario Hospital Goder- ich Volunteer Association, the Service Clubs, the various organ- izations and individuals in your area was beyond all expectations. It was a major factor in making the Christmas Season a pleasant one for the patients of this Hos- pital. The Hospital is truly grate- ful, and the patients wish to express their sincere thanks and appreciation. May we also take this opportunity of expressing Best Wishes for the Centennial year to our many friends in this Community. Sincerely, Dr. M.F. Conlon, Acting Superintendent. They served us well R. McDaniel Business Administrator. ):ey HUGH DAVIS Vice-chairman Exeter Centennial Committee A Cake with a Hundred Candles The previous writers of this column have covered the local Centennial activities so thor- oughly that anything I would have to add would only be superfluous. The end of a year is an ideal time for reflection of the past and also a time to consider the future. These are my thoughts in the following paragraphS, Most family anniversaries are accepted as a common place occurrence, and the preparation of the cake takes but a very few hours. However, it is a bit different when our nation has its anniversary as the bak- ing of Canada's Centennial cake has been a. hundred years in prep- aration, This Centennial anniversary holds a special importance for us because our forefathers have shared in its past, we in its present, and with God's help, we trust our children will share in its future. It is unfortunate that while celebrating our Centennial year we seem to have so much un- rest and descontentment in some areas of our Dominion. It ap- pears that a great deal of our discontentment stems from old wounds that are much older than Confederation. As Canada is predominately French and English descent we seem to have the opinion that if we make a few concessions to the Canadians of French ancestry and they in turn make a few to those of English ancestry that those changes are good for the country. Unfortunately this does not al- ways hold true. Decisions made by those in authority over us must not only be good for all Canadians, regardless of ancestry, but also for those who will, in the future, populate this great country. We must bear in mind that south of our border we have the most prosperous and powerful country the world has ever seen. Our economy is naturally close- ly linked with that of the United States and if we are to retain our national identity we in C anada must try to keeep pace with our American neighbours. If our economy should falter at the present time, the exodus of skilled and professional workers to the "states" could deal us a blow that may take us another hundred years to recover. We are a young country and we cannot afford division. Let our leaders give us the leadership we are so much in need of, and let the policies be those that are in the best interest of all Can- adians. Let us be proud of our time has extended through several years. Some of those who will be missing from area bodies include: Archie Ethe- rington, Usborne council; The Rev, Phil Gandon and Charles Barrett, Exe- ter council; Stan Frayne, Exeter's RAP committee; the Rev. John Boyne and Roy Morenz, from the SHDHS board; Ross Tuckey, Exeter PS board; Emer- son Desjardine, Grand Bend council; W. F. B. MacLaren, Stephen Township school board; Walter Spencer, Hensall PUC; Mrs. Isabel Gascho, Zurich coun- cil. There may be others we have failed to mention and we trust they will add themselves to our list. To all who are stepping down we extend sincere commendation for their efforts. All area groups will resume ac- tivities following the festive season lull, and there will be new members for some bodies as newly elected or ap- pointed officials assume their positions. While it is perhaps true that it is most important to wish these persons well and hope their deliberations will be to the benefit of all, it is also im- portant that we pay tribute to those whom they are replacing. In most cases, those retiring are doing so on their own decision, while a few have been forced to the side- lines because electors chose others to replace. them. Regardless of the reasons for' the retirements, we pay tribute to those who have given of their time and tal- ents in the past year to serve their fellow man. For some, the length of To the Editor: Again a year has passed into history and we at Huronview have enjoyed another Merry Christmas. As usual our resi- dents had the pleasure of being entertained by the Glee Club from the Sergeant's Mess of the Canadian Forces Base and the Seaforth Lions' Club. The pupils of Walton Public School were here, as well as pupils from five of the schools of McKillop Township, and each group put on a very enjoyable pro- gram. The Christian Reform Church of Clinton were faith- ful in presenting an hour of fellowship. The groups from the differ- ent churches in the County cer- tainly did not forget the people who came from their locality, — Please turn to page 5 Farewell with mixed emotions A new year is a time of ekpecta- tion, and for this reason we sometimes fail to take time to look back over the events of the past year although these can often provide us with a chart for the future. The year 1966 has elapsed with mixed emotions—as most years do. For some it was probably rewarding and happy, while for others it possibly brought grief and heartache. Certainly, the entire area suffered a big loss with the announcement that C1413 Centralia would be closed, al- though there is still reason for some optimism in this regard as several con- cerns are interested in using some of the facilities. It probably won't be known until later this year just how the decision made back in July really will affect us. We lost some valued citizens through death and our driving record brought the usual amount of grief. The weather provided headaches for farm- ers, but crops turned out normal for most despite the many scares. Most of us were weighted down with more taxes from all levels of gov- ernment and certainly that is some- thing we hope is remembered when this year's budgets are drawn up. There were some pleasant sur- prises and some in the opposite cate- gory. The area had five Ontario Schol- ars, a successful quarter horse show, expansion for a couple of industries and businesses and the completion of dial telephone service for all. Exeter poems submitted by the Exeter Public School students , we re- ceived some definitions which had been gleaned from the kinder- garten class. Hang on to your sides and read on: A principal —a prince who looks after you. Mud Something that gets you "gucky". Toes are to play "piggy" with. A dog — is to eat bones. A brother—somebody who climbs trees. Eyebrows —something that makes your face feel rough. Here are some definitions from the Christmas Story: To be registered—to get weighed. Good tidings — tidying stuff up. Multitude of angels a whole bunch. Good will—like new blue Cheer. Wisemen — ',bears" with gifts. The kids finished up with state- ments relating to "the nicest thing about my family". My daddy--because he's pretty. My dog because he sneaks into bed with me, My guinea pig because he eats all the carrots. My brother because he does not live at home. My mom — because she can read how to make cookies. did, then area residents are cer- tainly in for a banner year. The only sore note on the day was the lousy officiating at the broomball game in which we members of the centennial com- mittee were robbed in our bid to whip the members of council. We cuuld have rung up at least a dozen goals if the referee hadn't stopped play just in time to thwart our scoring op- portunities. Many fans were disappointed to find that Mayor Jack Del- bridge was not in the nets for his squad, as he had previously indicated he would handle these duties. However, no doubt he will be forgiven by the faithful who in- dicated in no uncertain terms at the town hall ceremony that they would like to see him become a "Brother of the Brush" and grow a beard for centennial events. Well, Mr. Mayor? Readers no doubt enjoyed the contributions made by area ele- mentary students to our Christ- mas issue. We certainly wish to say a sincere thanks to the students and their teachers for their fine contributions and we regretted the fact we could only use a small portion of those which did come in. Along with the stories and had to add chlorine to its water sup- ply and the International Plowing Match was a mud bowl. Huron County dropped its Emer- gency Measures Organization and Exe- ter council had a fight with the SHDHS board over the addition, and time alone will tell who had the winning argu- ments. The SHDHS board also provided the most startling news with the re- port that they asked their two top officials to resign. They later rescinded this action. Rumors circulated that Ontario Hydro would move from Exeter and this was later denied. A Board of Trade was organized in Exeter also and shows signs of being a success. Our birth rate dropped. Approval was received for the Parkhill Dam, although many question whether it is really worth $3,000,000 to the area. Grand Bend had problems with some of its holidayers. One other interesting fact is that the number of fires dropped consider- ably in the past year and obviously that is something we hope carries through the new year. These were just a few of the high- lights and depending upon the interests of our various readers, no doubt there were events that some would put ahead of those printed above. However, looking back it appears correct to say that 1966 was good to the majority in this district and we trust the new year will follow the same course. 15 YEARS AGO Dashwood residents are enjoy- ing a new set of chimes which were installed in Calvary church in time for Christmas festivities. Mrs. Irvine Armstrong was the lucky winner of the Exeter Lions electric train which was given away Saturday night before Christmas. Four reeves of neighboring townships were elected by ac- clamation at nomination meetings Monday, Verne Pincombe is the new reeve Of Usborne Township; Fred Dobbs was returned for the eighth time to the top seat in B iddulph. Exeter merchants will close at 10 pm Saturday evenings from now until the end of March. The first Saturday in April the stores will remain open until 11 ,pm. dram . Sri 50 YEARS AGO Messrs Clair Wood, Latimer Grieve, Linden Harvey, Cecil Pickard, A. J. Heywood and John Walker have returned to Toronto to resume their studies at the university. A quiet wadding took place in London on New Years Day when Rev. A. J. Thomas united in marriage Miss Annielrene Ford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wil- liam Ford and Richard B. Hicks, son of Mr, and Mrs. Sam Hicks, all of Usborne. Miss S. Gregory returned to Chatham Tuesday to resume her duties as school teacher. Miss V. Muxworthy has also returned to Palmerston; Miss G lad ys Kestle to Grand Valley; Miss Ida Armstrong to TOronto and Miss Irno Sweet to Teeswater, The inaugural meeting of the council-elect for 1917 was held Monday morning at 11 o'clock when the following subscribed to the oath of office: Reeve B. W.F. Beavers; councillors, Thos Harton, J. R. Hind, L. Day and C t'. Snell; utilities eommission, I: Huston and S. M. Sanders, After a week's holiday, it be- comes difficult to know where to begin in resuming this column for another year. Certainly, the most urgent task is to extend a somewhat belated wish to all readers that 1967 willbring them a large measure of health, hap- piness and prosperity. Our centennial celebrations to date indicate that the coming year will be one of excitement for those who are prepared to take full ad- vantage of the many activities planned. Enthusiasm for some of the events is certainly starting to mushroom and reports indicate that the first big attraction the centennial service in James St. United Church—will provide a kickoff that will generate enough enthusiasm to carry us for most of the year. Many ladies in the community have started making centennial gowns for the event and the number of beards starting to sprout suggests the male popula- tion will provide further authen- ticity. * * * * Despite the less than subtle hints that our action was not popular with friends and rela- tives, we stuck with a decision to forego shaving for the first seven months of 1967. Included in our bountiful array of Christmas gifts were no less than two bottles of after shave lotion and one bar of shaving soap. One other gift giver ob- viously realized our mind had been made up to look like a fugi- tive from the bush country, as another package contained a bottle of deodorant. However, with the number of beards already showing around the area, there appears a good chance that we may be in the majority rather than the minority for the next few months. * * * * Those who didn't make the ef- fort to get down to the Exeter celebration on Monday certainly missed an event that has things "off and running" in this com- munity. Exeter's centennial committee are to be commended for the effort they put into the proceed- ings, as well as thoSe who ably assisted, especially the Washing- ton Squares folk singers. The local youngsters were out in full force to take advantage of the free sleigh rides provided by the teams of Henry Pfaff and Fred Cornish, along with some of the other rigs out on parade. While horses aren't outdated that much in this district, we imegine it was the first time mr st of the youngsters had been pulled along on a large sleigh and they Were certainly enthusi- astic about the jaunts along the Streets. If the coming events generate as much as enthuSia8m and en- joyment as the first Official one Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dap% 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 25 YEARS AGO Percy Harris of Chiselhurst m'grketed close to one thousand turkeys for the Christmas trade for 'glitch he was paid about $4'100. Earl Heywood, fortnerly0f Ex- eter and now residing in London, appeared on the stage o.! the Pat* ricia Theatre Friday evening, Tile Christmas weather was Very Mild with no snow. As it has been requested by our Prime Minister, the Hon. Mackenzie King, that New Year's nay be observed as a Day of Prayer, the day was so pro- claimed in Exeter with service in Main street, Church at 8 p.m. The beginning of a new year is a sort of ,,hello-and-farewell" effort. It's a bit like having a party. you are fresh, bathed and charming. Your "Hello" to the first guests radiates warmth, affection and vitality. But your ',Goodbye, goodbye" as the last guests totter off into the snow is a combination of exhaustion, re- lief and cold horror as you realize what time it is. And that's pretty much the way we feel about the year that's ahead and the year that has pass- ed. It's the sign of the indomitable human spirit that we can look back on a year that was nothing but an unadulterated mess, and yet look forward with the great- est cheer and optimism to 12 months of what will probably be exactly the same. Or is it plain stupidity, the irrationality of man, the duly rational species? For most of us normal human beings, each year, like life itself, is a mixture of pitfalls and prat- falls and victories and conquests and frustrations and accomplish- ments. It's a good drink, but it has more than a dash of bitters in it. Maybe your husband had a heart attack. But your daughter produced a beautiful grandchild. Maybe your teenage daughter be- came pregnant. But your old man finally went on the wagon. You lost some old friends, but gained some new ones. Your hair grew whiter and your teeth black- er. But your arthritiS improVed and your Aunt Gerty died and left you $254. You worried, for approximate- ly four hours, about the State of the world, and the Starving in India, and the war in Viet Nam, And you worried, depending on your age, anywhere from two to 3,030 hours, about: your hair, your complexion, your constipa- tion; your job, your boss, your bills; your wife, your husband, your children; your roof, your basement; your inability to sleep, your inability to hold your liquor as you used to; your Mother-in- 10 YEARS AGO Neil Gordon White, seven- pound five and a half ounce son of LAC and Mrs. Norman White, RCAF Station Centralia, won a host of prizes from Exeter mer- chants when he bedame the first baby born inSouth Huron Hospital 4:41 pm Wednesday, January 2. South Huron Hospital Associa- tion announced this week the pur- chase of a lot owned by Dr, E. S. Steiner on Huron St, directly opposite the hospital. Over 15 inches of snow fell during the past week as the New Year came in cold and blustery. Winds reached 45 miles per hour and the mercury dipped to Iwo degrees below Zero. Elizabeth and Diana Knox, twin eight-year-old tlaughters of Rev. and Mrs, N. D. Knox, Exeter, celebrated New Years eve with two new Molly moo-moo dolls from an anonymous Santa Ciaus in London. law, your daughter-in-law; your smugness, your lack of security; your brain tumour, your stom- ach cancer; your waist-line, your bust-line. And eleventy-s even thousand other things of equal importance. Yes, Jack or Jill, you .worried. Silly, wasn't it? But this year. Wow] Things are going to be different. Your children are going to do what you want them to. Your wife (or hus- band) is going to realize, finally, that you were right all the time. You're going to be a Better Person. That's it. A Better Per- son. And no goll-dang fooling about it. You are going to stop nagging. you are going to be more tolerant of your nutty child- ren (or nutty parents). You are going to go to church every Sun- day. You are going to get more sleep, more exercise. You are going to have a baby, write a book, join a club. That's the stuff, chaps. Well, good luck, Mac and Ma- bel. You may need it, I have the utmost faith in the human spirit, but you can't kill a dino- saur with a pea-shooter. And that's about all we have to fight with when we enter the jungle of another year of life. However, this is a different New Year. It's the 100th anniv- ersary of the Fathers of Con- federation, or something. I know how that stirs every Canadian to the marrow. There's no doubt that every one of uS feels a thrill of pride aS we enter this particular year. One hundred years ago, we were a patehed-together, uneasy, sus- picious, resentful amalgamation of distinct areas, worrying only about local rights and how much it was going to cost us. But what a change in a 100 years! Today we are a proud, glorious nation. Worrying about how much it's going to cost us, local rights; resentful, envious, suspicious, uneasy and patched- together. One cannot help but think, as one looke with Shining eyes into the shining new year, Our den* tennial year, that we have Made tremendoes strides. Sideways, Warned you to keep my big mouth shutl"