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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1968-11-07, Page 4Judging from the number of people who are Wearing the traditional symbol p f Remembrance Day --the the poppy — we would say a large percentage of the population in Exeter and district are aware of the great sacrifice which was. Made for them in two world wars. Somehow with the sight of a poppy on the lapel, we are reminded how many • brave men died that Canada might be g free. We might even remember a particular friend who took his place among the poppies in Flanders Fields • or another who still bears the scars of battle though still alive. Yet we wonder if we truly comprehend what other lessons we I should have learned from the ruthless killing and maiming. • Do we recall that all kinds of men went to war -- the young, the old, the brave, the frightened, the whities, the blacks? Do we realize that some of the basic freedoms, for which they suffered and died are those very things which today are sometimes ridiculed and neglected? Are we guilty of associating present-day Remembrance Day observances with modern armed forces, hateful bombs and 1968 international strife? We wear a poppy and we pay tribute by bowing our heads for two minutes of silence. But has that value if we live with prejudice, hate, geed and rebellion in our hearts for the rest of the year? A deeper .significance class o tin rin unity iitvdporrs THE 01)01.THIS WEEKEND Friday — 5:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday — 5:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday — 12:00 Noon to 10:00 P.m. Phone 235-0383 FOR TAKE-OUT ORDERS. IT'S GREAT! Best Drink a Fellow Could Want : • s Nothing beats milk . . for flavor, thirst quenching and downright goodness. Milk satisfies young appetites at snack time . . is perfect at mealtime. It's good for not.so-young appetites, too. Try all our nourishing milk products. EXETER DAIRY LTD. Phone 235.2144 Lxeter DR. R.G. EICKMEIER Dental Surgeon announces the opening of his office IN ZURICH EVERY MONDAY AND TUESDAY commencing November For appointments, call 236-4321 any day of the week. bonus interest plus free chequing! Savings you move to Victoria and Grey in the period Nov. 1 to Nov. 15 will receive full interest from Nov. 1. This means that the savings account you open before Nov. 15 earns full- interest for as much as two weeks before you open the account! So, whether it's a 4% chequing account bearing interest on a minimum semi- annual balance or a fast growing 51/2% non-chequing account on a minimum monthly balance, bring it to Victoria and Grey now and get bonus interest. VG VICTORIA and GREY TRUST COMPANY SINCE 1889 Wasn't it expected? 4 T Several readers have suggested that this newspaper should compliment area youths on the fact the 1968 version of Hallowe'en passed without any serious incidents. We'll agree that it was a night which many communities would consider extraordinary, but we choose to think it was nothing out of the ordinary for this area. We have never been seriously plagued with outbreaks of an unsavory nature caused by our young people and therefore we see no real cause for congratulating them on what we really -expected of them. It calls to mind the days when the 'writer used to ask his father what gifts might be in store if he successfully completed his year in school. "It's not what you get if you pass, but what you get if you don't pass that should concern you," came the reply. We prefer to take a similar attitude towards our young people. We expect certain things of them as young adults and perhaps we are actually downgrading them when it is suggested that they should be commended for displaying the attributes we should expect of them. True, adults often fail to pass along compliments and commendation when it is due, but perhaps the "generation gap" widens because adults often fail to realize just what young people are capable of achieving. If there are those who still think some words of commendation are required, we sincerely pass them along; however, we maintain the opinion that it was really nothing out of the ordinary for the greatest percentage of our young people and we are happy that a few thoughtless characters didn't spoil the image as is so often the case. It will just fade away k Zee we Over Attend the Remembrance Day Service in Your Community MgfAV,ZLm:zv:""*sr.ar,Krzarozwaam&z,:a:' 2 . Times Established 1873 Advocate Established int . ZAVAIV Amalgamated 1924 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND O.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC Publishers: .1. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott Editor — Bill Batten — Advertising Manager Phone 235-1331 Ocefeames-Abuocafe Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Authorized as Second Class Mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and far Payment of Postage in Gash Paid in Advance Circulation, September' 30, 1967, 4,338 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $5.00 Per Year; USA $7.00 It may come as a surprise to some people but it's less than a month away from nomination time. In fact, in less than two weeks, area residents will be asked to attend meetings to choose representatives for the new county school board. One would assume that with the termination of all area boards, there would be little difficulty in finding suitable candidates to represent the various zones in this district. However, to date we have heard very few people indicate they will be willing to sit on the board, and obviously it is up the ratepayers to attempt to persuade some of the better officials to consider such a position. The big problem in Huron is the fact the Interinc-Corritnittee has failed to do the job handed to it, and the new hpard .011 be faced 'with a tremeddous tork load when they take office in January. In our opinion this is most unfortunate, especially when it is compared to other areas. Most other county boards will have a substantial foundation on which to start and in most cases their main job will be approving the multitude of recommendations presented to them by their Interim Committees. The advent of county administration will present a tremendous challenge to the new board members, and it is evident that men of high calibre are required to fulfill this task — especially in its formative stages. While a background in school administration would be beneficial, there is a need for persons with sound business sense and some ideas on where we should be going in education. Too often school board members abdicate their responsibility in the field of curriculums and other direct education matters, leaving these decisions strictly up to school principals or other professionals. Some have the opinion their main job is to decide what color the drapes should be in a new classroom or when the gymnasium floor needs to be sanded. The professional advice available to board members must be considered, but obviously the policies must be set by the board members. High calibre personnel are needed for these decisions. Most boards in this area presently have some men of this type as members and we hope they will seriously consider the challenge and offer themselves as candidates. * * * This newspaper will be conducting its annual poll in the immediate future to determine what vacancies will crop up in area councils as well. We know there will be some, middle-aged? We must face it. only a minority of them feel some emotion. And most of these people who were directly touched by the loss of a brother, husband, son. But on the whole, Canada, despite heavy losses of youth, was scarcely touched, at home, by the two great world wars. And Remembrance Day, as old soldiers are supposed to do, won't die. It will just fade away, Perhaps it's just as well. Both wars were bloody shambles best forgotten. But I hope there's a special place for old soldiers when they finally fade awaY. A pine where all the young faces are, and there's lots of beer and they can exchange Iies with Roman legionnaires and panzer troops and confederate fighters and veterans of Waterloo, and even where there are not, men and women with a keen desire to work on behalf of their fellow citizens should consider running for office. We particularly think it's time some women from the area considered running for public office. Let's face it, half the population is made up of women and it appears strange that in only one community in this district is the distaff point of view available in council deliberations. We know this isn't from a lack of concern. Many of the comments we hear about council matters are expressed by women and obviously there are many who realize they have a part to play in civic administration. However, we'd like to see some come off "the bench" and et into the "play". Or is it true that you ladies realize that men can do a much better job? * * * Thanks to three horses (and their riders, of course) Canada ended up with a gold medal in the recently completed Olympic Games at Mexico. The fact it took three horses to provide Canada with at least one first place finish may lead to some derogatory comments about the state of athletics in this country. However, what can we expect? How can this country come up with a fine showing when facilities are almost nil for our youths to train for international competition in most categories. 50 YEARS AGO At the morning service in Caven church on Sabbath last Messrs. Jos. Senior and James Jeckell were ordained to the eldership. A meeting of farmers was held in Eden school Friday evening when a Farmers' Club was organized with Richard Coates as president and R. D. Hunter as secretary-treasurer. Thanksgiving service in accordance with the appointed day for national thanksgiving for victory will be held in Caven church next Sabbath at 11 a.m. 'The pastor Rev. Foote will preach from the text "The Unconquerable." The 63rd and 64th batteries at Guelph have been broken up and Messrs. M. Quance, Joe Davis and Fred Brock are expected home this week. 25 YEARS AGO The Fifth Victory Loan canvass is now on its last lap. Exeter, with an objective of $151,000 has scaled the $100,000 mark and is now headed for the top. At a special meeting of the Blue Water Highway Association held at Grand Bend, delegates from municipalities as far north as Kincardine made plans to app roach the Ontario Department of Highways to have the unpaved portions of the highway paved as a post-war • project. Workmen are busy on Mr. William Elsie's new dwelling over the bridge at Grand tend, Dr. H. H. Cowen of town and Ward Fritz of Zurich, were at Manitoulin Island last week on a deer hunting trip. They Were Successful in securing a deer. 15 YEARS AGO Thieves forced their way through a rear window of the Exeter Post ()Mee early Drawn by Julie Schenk, Crediton This is particularly true in track and field events. Consider the local situation. Track stars at our high schools train for two or three weeks before their local track meets and then forget about the activity until next year. There is little encouragement for those with outstanding ability to further their training beyond this point, and while city track stars may endeavour further, they rarely get the needed incentive except in metropolitan cities where track clubs operate outside schools. The dedication required to reach international standards is tremendous, and unfortunately we are not geared to this. In addition, our climate works against us in track events unless indoor facilites can be obtained for winter training. Our universities do not promote track and field events to any extent, choosing as they do to spend most time on team events such as football, basketball and hockey. Any accomplishments we have recorded in most international competitions have been the sole result of a personal dedication by an individual athlete and his coach and we appear to be making no strides to change this fact. When Canadian athletes do excel in international competition it is generally not a tribute to this country as a whole, but only for a handful of dedicated people. Wednesday morning and escaped with loot worth $6,000. Agriculture program at the South Huron District High School is "second to none", Ontario Secondary School Inspector E. R. McLellan told 40 agriculture teachers and principals of district high schools at a regional conference Saturday. District Deputy Grand Master Albert E. Keys paid his official visit to his home lodge, Exeter Lodge No. 81 IOOF, Tuesday evening and installed the new officers of which Bro. W. J. Chambers is Noble Grand. Acclaim was heaped on Exeter Legion Mohawks, Huron-Perth "C" Baseball Champions at a banquet in the Legion Hall Wednesday night. Mohawks were presented with leather jackets, crests and framed pictures. 10 YEARS AGO The Grand Bend branch of the Canadian Legion, which has been organized for ten years, this summer erected a new hall which has sparked Legion activities in the village and community. A modem dial telephone exchange will be opened at Centralia early Sunday, November 16. The new exchange will serve about 450 telephone users in RCAF Station, Centralia 'village, Huron Park and surrounding area, A02 Bill Perrin, who was recently posted to Centralia, and his wife lOst three relatives and several Mends in the Springhill disaster in No' ve Scotia. DOM Taylor haS won his second bursary this year, The SHDUS student WaS recently awarded a $400 Atkinson Foundation award and he earlier received a dominion,provincial bursary Veined at $500. Dimmer and dimmer grow the pictures of men, young men, full of blood and juice and desire to live, staggering under great-coats and full packs into the tearing and terrible hot hail. Fainter and fainter come the sounds of choking and coughing and retching, as their lungs are seared and their guts are splattered and they go down in a pig-squeal of agony, a howl for mother, or a scream for God to do something. Hollower and hollower become the annual reminders that we "remember them", that ."they died for us", that "they gave their lives for freedom." Remembrance Day is becoming about as important, ;except for a dedicated few, as the 24th of May, the Queen's birthday. Vimy Ridge and Ypres are in the history books now. And if there's one sure way to take the life out of something, it's to put it in a history book. But they're not history for that 72-y ear-old, head bowed, standing at the cenotaph on ' Nov. 11th. He was a little, throbbing terrified piece of that history 50 years ago. And he remembers. Mud and misery, girls and guns. And the faces that will never grow old and wrinkled and filled with pain, like his own. For a few minutes it all comes back, and a lump comes in his throat and his eyes grow wet when The Last Post sounds in the sombre November air. Behind him, with their blue berets, and balding heads, and bulges in the wrong places, are the "young fellows" of World War II And despite the generation between, their thoughts are much the same. Girls and guns, bitter ale and bitter cold, and the faces that will never grow old. The faces that will never light to the joy of children. The hearts that will never wrench with the sorrow of children. The mouths that will grin forever, but will never smile again, or whisper a prayer, or kiss a woman, or gulp an ale. But then Reveille sounds, and the heads lift, and the little scattered knot of onlookers disperses, and the parade moves off, back to the warmth of the Legion Hall, and beer and comradeship and a turkey dinner and funny stories that have been polished and embellished and garnished by the years. And that's about what Remembrance Day has come to be in this land, that sent thousands and thousands of its young men off to fight the Kaiser or Hitler, 3,000 miles away. What do the youngsters think of it? Almost nothing. A few, whose fathers were killed before they knew them, wonder a bit, feel a strange yearning. Most are indifferent. They know they should look solemn, and they do. But there's no understan ding. Some are even hostile to the whole idea. Anti-war on general principles, they have the mistaken idea that Remembrance Day is somehow a glorification of war. It's just the opposite. Those in their twenties and thirties are even less interested, if possible. The whole thing is a drag, a sentimental journey for old and middle-aged squares. And what about the old and Rememiet ae dead 4 4041 the eif.d4f9 Wanted: most capable people