HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1969-05-15, Page 4What's fair for the goose
Indispensable as each of the sexes is
to the other, there is also plenty of
tension between them, from the
embattled aggressiveness of a Judy la
Marsh to the lady who won't go near a
woman doctor or lawyer, no matter how
impressive their qualifications.
Thanks to the publicity attending
on hearings of the Royal Commission to
investigate inequalities, many will be
remedied, but one area has not been
explored at all — a gross imbalance in
recreation.
All day, during the pre-school years
and for an even. longer period afterward
at night, the responsible parent cannot
leave children alone. Baby sitters are
expensive; many couples, therefore
rarely use them. One adult must stay at
home, and in the process the person
whose social and cultural life goes down
the drain, is usually mother.
From the time when the household
wakens until evening dinner it is not
unreasonable to expect her to give
full-time . to homemaking and
child-raising. During most of these hours
her husband is selling shoes, repairing
cars or keeping ledgers straight. Each
partner is carrying a necessary part of
the family load.
The evenings are a different matter;
here the inequality is glaring. Curling,
bowling, lodges, service clubs beckon
father. They absorb him night after
night. His wife would also like to
participate in something that would
commit her regularly once or twice a
month.
Does she manage it? Too often, not
at all. When their activities conflict it is
she who waives recreational rights. Yet
she is most in need of adult contacts,
since her working time is spent with
children. Often — in this era of youthful
marrying — she is very young. Her single
friends are free as air. Understandably,
she resents her ties.
Those who lament the increasing
exodus of wives and mothers from the
domestic milieu to the marketplace,
should do a little soul searching at this
point. So should social workers and
pastors who are constantly uncovering
marital troubles. A division of labor
should mean a division of pleasure too.
Could it happen here?
The news story during the weekend
that two small children from the village
of Holstein near Mount Forest had died
of asphixiation in a refrigerator struck
terror in minds of many parents.
The thought of a tiny girl vomiting
and struggling in death while her two
brothers, one a year older and one a year
younger were huddled helplessly beside
her in the darkened, crowded, hot
compartment leaves one with a huge
throat lump.
The younger boy died later
(perhaps mercifully) in hospital while
the third child is alive and well to tell the
horrible tale.
The refrigerator was stored in an
abandoned house, a dwelling that was
condemned by the board of health.
Apparently no one in the village knew
the building was a storehouse for used
appliances and the owner felt certain the
place was securely locked to prevent
intruders.
The death of two little children
proved otherwise. There was a way into
the house where the death traps waited
to devour.
We wonder how many similar
instruments of suffocation are strewn
throughout this area. Old barns, sheds,
garages and other storage buildings could
very well contain refrigerators, freezers
and coolers which could easily snap
closed on some innocent child and snuff
out his life in a few agonizing hours.
We wonder how long it will be
before municipal, provincial and federal
governments will pass legislation making
it illegal to store such appliances before
the latches and closers have been
removed so that doors and lids can swing
free.
And we wonder why unused homes
and other buildings are allowed to stand
empty for years and years, gradually
sagging and rotting into the ground. Not
only are they unkempt sights in the
neighborhood, they are fascinating
invitations to adventurous youngsters to
"come inside and explore."
Just what tragedies could await
young sleuths inside their walls cannot
be fully realized, but surely these houses
and barns should be either removed from
the premises or securely boarded up and
regularly inspected to prevent a fatal
accident of the kind which recently
saddened Holstein residents.
(T-A photo)
COULD TRAGEDY LURK HERE?- The district has its share of empty, run-down homes similar to the
one pictured here. Elsewhere on this page readers will find editorial comment on the possible treachery
of abandoned houses and sheds. We invite your thoughts on this matter as a guide to municipal,
provincial and federal governments whose duty it is to pass legislation to deal with this pressing problem.
class
community
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Times Established 1873
Advocate Eitiblished 101
Amalgamated 1924
eceferZimes-Usorafe
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Phone 233-1331
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
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Paid in Advance Circulation,
September 30, 1968, 4,520
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Boy, isn't tax time fun!
With the income tax return
safely off at the usual eight
minutes before midnight on the
last day, and my wife, who
figured out mine, nearing normal
a couple of weeks later, I think I
have cooled out enough to pay a
deep-felt, and deeply deserved,
tribute.
Oh, not to her. As I told her,
from a safe distance, "Any
dummy can do that." I didn't
really mean it. It was only in
retaliation for her applying to
me the epithet "stupid." twelve
times during one Sunday
afternoon when I was helping
her. We got a different total on
every column of figures.
Patiently, I pointed out to
her that women didn't have the
panache to deal with income tax
forms. They want everything to
come out even, just as they do
when wall-papering. Men would
much rather grin fiendishly and
say, "Let's see what the
computer can do with that."
Finally, in disgust, I left it to
her. She's so ridiculously honest
and I probably won't even be
tined this year, as is the custom.
But that takes a lot of the fun
and excitement out of it. There's
no joy in doing your income tax
form unless you think you've
gotten away with something.
No, the tribute I want to pay
is to a modern writer. He's
anonymous, or I'd trumpet his
name from the housetops. He's
the chap who produces that
annual best-seller called TI
General Tax Guide. Don't let the
title fool you. That's just a front
for one of the most baffling
mystery stories of the year.
It's wildly unfair that his
publishers, a stodgy old firm
called Department of National
Revenue, with headquarters in
Taxation, Canada, do not give
this author the glory and
publicity which is his due.
Not since, Nicolo Machiavelli
wrote The Prince, back in the
sixteenth century, has such a
brilliantly, diabolically clever
piece of prose been produced.
And this guy does it every year.
The 1968 edition of this
work ran to only thirty pages,
')ut it was a little masterpiece. It
had the usual combination of
complication, suspense, mystery,
irony and horror. While it
smacks of Machiavelli there are
undertones of Edgar Allen Poe.
Mind you, it's not for the
average, reader, who likes a plot
with beginning, middle and end.
This is for the more
sophisticated reader, who likes
jumping backwards, forwards
and sideways in an effort to
keep up with the subtle,
involuted mind of the writer.
Nor is it a thrilling encounter
for the fellow working for a
salary, paid by cheque, with all
deductions at source. But for the
citizen who has more that one
source of income, the book's
combination of back-tracing,
leap-frogging, equivocation and
gobbledegook are sheer delight.
My wife enjoys this sort of
thing. In fact, her favourite
indoor sport is reading aloud to
me excerpts which prove that I
am going to wind up in the
penitentiary for life, if I ignore
Item 36 of this gem, which the
author, with typical irony, calls
a Guide.
With a guide like this, who
needs a compass. It's all there,
perfectly clear. For instance, she
was delighted to find that,
because we live in one of the ten
provinces of Canada, we get
something: an "Abatement for
Provincial Taxes." This can
amount to 28 percent. Just like
money in the bank. Pretty darn
decent of the federal
government. It is actually called
a "reduction."
Of course, you don't get this
reduction if you live in the
Yukon. You have to pay the
whole shot. Pretty darn mean of
the federal government. And, of
course, if you do live in one of
the provinces, your "reduction"
is added back somewhere, and
you pay the whole shot,
anyway. But this is just one of
the charming, illogical little
peccadilloes that make this book
a "must" for anyone.
Anyone, that is, who is being
skinned alive by a trapper who
smiles and smiles while your pelt
is being removed.
Many people often make
mistakes in attempting to judge
what the public will buy.
Industries and businesses have
gone bankrupt on such mistakes
because the product they turned
out just didn't hit it off with the
consumers.
The same things happen in
the entertainment field and the
students' council at SHDHS
learned this to their regret last
week when they sponsored an
appearance of the London
Symphony Orchestra.
About 100 area residents
attended the concert, and while
it was a most enjoyable and
successful night for those in
attendance, it was a dismal flop
as far as the sponsors were
concerned.
A symphony performance
doesn't attract the masses in
North America, but we think the
students made an honest mistake
in assuming that there would be
enough people interested in this
area to make the local concert
profitable.
With so many complaints
being aired over the state of
modern music at present, they
would be expected to anticipate
that those complaining would
take advantage of the
opportunity to enjoy some good
music for a change.
Strangely enough, we imagine
the students would have enjoyed
more success had they
attempted to charter buses to
take people to London to hear
such a concert.
Most groups have no trouble
gaining support for such outings,
even to cultural events.
However, when the same type of
program is brought to them,
they stay away in droves.
* * *
One local resident seated
behind us at the concert leaned
forward to report that he
assumed yours truly would be
giving a comprehensive critique
on the work of the London
Symphony.
We quickly replied that the
orchestra sounded very good at
that particular moment and no
doubt this left him little doubt
as to our ability to pen a
knowledgeable report, because
at the time the orchestra
members were just tuning up.
However, in the interests of
culture, we will in fact follow his
suggestion and prepare a critique
as a reviewer may do after being
brain washed by all that modern
rock and roll which inundates
the scene these days. Here goes!
* * *
It became clearly evident at
the outset that the orchestra
would have difficulty arousing
the audience to the feverish
pitch which usually sends young
girls swooning at the feet of the
musicians.
The orchestra members just
weren't with it. None wore large
decorative sun glasses or gaudy
hats and all the male members
had been sabatoged by their
barbers and their hair failed to
get anywhere near their
shoulders.
The usual fun of guessing
whether the musicians were male
or female was gone,
Their clothes were extremely
drab and what was even worse,
they were pressed. The men
wore black bow ties where
decorative chains should have
hung and their neatly tailored
trousers just couldn't match the
jewelled, flared pants one sees
on musicians who are really in
the know.
The school gymnasium
unfortunately added to the
lacklustre appearance. No
flashing lights were Set up to
provide an exciting mood and
chairs were provided for the
orchestra members, giving them
no chance at all to go through
the usual gyrations that bring
shouts of glee from the
balconies.
The conductor was standing,
but he obviously didn't realize
that facial expressions indicating
musicians are under torture
really help convey the musical
message. He had his back to the
audience most of the night.
*
While the physical appearance
was enough to make it a drab
evening, the orchestra was
clearly a low-budget group.
There wasn't one amplifier to be
seen anywhere, and by today's
standards, if you haven't got a
few hundred bucks tied up in
such equipment you just can't
expect to attract attention.
The musicians attempted to
create some extra noise at times
when all members joined in
tbgether at high pitches, but the
walls never shook and we never
heard one ear drum pop.
In fact, we left without the
echoes reverberating in our ears
for three or four hours as they
did after our chaperoning stint
at a teen town dance.
The orchestra even made the
mistake of taking a few seconds
off before some numbers to
ensure that each instrument was
still on key. Obviously they
didn't realize that stranger
sounds can be generated when a
few instruments are off key.
50 YEARS AGO
A public meeting of the
citizens of Exeter was held in
the Town Hall to hear the report
of engineer Paterson with a view
of the construction of a
permanent road from the north
to the south boundary. He
recommended a concrete road at
a cost of $37,000.
Rev. and Mrs. Melvin Whiting
and family were returned after
spending seven years in Japan as
missionaries sent out by the
Methodist church. They are
home for one year's furlough.
Judging from the large
audience which assembled in
Crediton Town Hall Thursday
evening Uncle Tom's Cabin is
still as popular as ever.
At a trustee meeting of Main
Street Methodist Church
Monday evening it was decided
unanimously to cease renting
pews in the church. The seats are
now free.
25 YEARS AGO
Reeve B. W. and Mrs. Tuckey
were in Toronto the forepart of
the week where Reeve Tuckey
attended a meeting of mayors,
wardens and reeves for the
purpose of discussing post war
planning and development.
Mrs. R. Motz was elected
president of the Exeter Ladies
Bowling Club for the 1944
season Monday evening. Mrs. E.
R. Hopper is retiring president
and Miss Helen Penhale,
secretary-treasurer. It was
decided to hold ladies' night
every Tuesday.
Rev. Ernest Grigg has
returned home after spending six
weeks on a tour of the state of
Michigan speaking on
Evangelism and Missions.
The Lakeview Casino at
Grand Bend is this year
celebrating its 25th anniversary.
A grand opening is being
arranged for May 24.
As for the music itself, we
could find little to indicate that
this orchestra could ever expect
to make the Ed Sullivan Show.
In fact, we doubt if the
fiddlers could even make it with
Don Messer. There was none of
that raspy, reel-type music we
enjoy of TV, and there wasn't
one arrangement that would
keep a square dance set stepping.
The guest soloist, Sylvia
Karges, started out poorly. Her
first song was clearly understood
by all members of the audience
and she didn't appear to be
shouting enough to really excite
people.
Her second rendition came
off a hit better, because we
didn't understand a word of it,
which is the criteria by which
singers are judged. For all we
know, she may have been singing
in Latin or some other strange
dialect and obviously this is the
way it should be.
Perhaps with more study she
will lose a bit of that lilting
sweetness in her voice and will
reach the heights of the
gravel-voiced crew.
We could go to great lengths
to present further ciriticism, but
most readers will already realize
how fortunate they were in not
having to suffer through this
evening of "strange" music.
15 YEARS AGO
The Huronia Male Chorus
visited the Huron County Home
last Sunday evening and
entertained the residents with a
varied program of solo, duet,
quartet and chorus selections.
Mrs. Alice Sturgis directed the
program and Miss Agnes Bray
was at the piano.
Anxious farmers took to the
fields with a vengeance
Wednesday when a warm sun
spelled relief from weeks of
intermittent rain and cold
weather. Tractors roared across
the land as late as midnight to
make up for lost time.
Over 200 members of
Canadian Legion Ladies
Auxiliaries in 12 Western
Ontario centres attended a zone
rally in the Exeter Legion Hall. It
is one of the fastest-growing
women's organizations in
Ontario.
10 YEARS AGO
Installation of new
fluorescent lighting for Main
Street, Grand Bend, was
approved by the Council and the
PUC was instructed to install 23
fluorescent fixtures on Grand
Bend Main Street to replace the
mercury vapor lights.
Thirty two years to the day
after he started business, veteran
barber Elmore Harness, town,
relinquished the clippers of his
shop on Main Street. His
business has been taken over by
Don McCurdy.
Cowan's Lunch building,
Sarepta, will be offered for sale
at a public auction Wednesday,
May 27 by the Ontario
Department of Highways.
Hurondale Dairy, Hensall was
practically destroyed by the
tornado which swept the district
Monday morning. Over 150 men
of the community held a bee to
clean up the debris and Ron
Mock, owner of the dairy, will
rebuild immediately.
HOLIDAY WEEKEND SPECIAL
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
SPORT
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