The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1971-06-03, Page 11TinlePAdvocatOf June 3, 1971 Pogo- 11
AFTER
until it is
on the
on her own
TEASING THE WOOL to
suitable for spinning. Fleece
chesterfield are two knitted
spinning wheel.
c
from
ards the fleece
uitable. Shown
wool she spun
T-A photo
Canadian
STRAIGHT FROM A
looked over by Moira
lookout for other
poncho knitted from her
SHEEP'S
Hensall.
suitable
BACK is this fleece being
Mrs. Couper is on the
for weaving. She wears a
T-A photo
W
01•14 e'newevenipOi str-treo,
LOCAL
Couper,
fleece
own hand
remove bits of chaff and other hard fragments she
with a long staple and lots of lanolin is the most
ponchos and a wall hanging Mrs. Couper made
spun wool.
CLOSED
for
VACATION
June 16
For 5 -6 Weeks
Marjorie
Mikes
Hairdressing
Phone 235-1744 Exeter
SPINNING WHEEL IMPORTED FROM NEW ZEALAND is used by
Mrs. Couper, Behind her is her 'wool tree' on which hangs hanks of
wool she spun and dyed using the natural dyes from such things as
plant leaves and onion skins. T-A photo
rim' Come into ...
ELIZABETH ARDEN'S
WONDERFUL WORLD OF
BLUE GRASS
Blue Grass is like that wonderful bunch of
• wildflowers you stopped by the side of the road to
pick and never forgot. Fresh. Clean. Honest. And
now, because it's Blue Grass time, Elizabeth Arden
offers special summer presentations . . . with
something added for you.
Blue Grass Flower Mist
to use as a refresher
and splash on lavishly.
At this special time,
it comes with an atomizer
for Spraying.
Blue Grass Perfume Mist
— loaded with flowery fragrance
that lasts and lasts.
A purse Perfume atomizer
comes with it
as a lovely dividend.
$5.00
HUNTLEY'S DRUGS
exetor 735-1070
Lip••••••••••mineiliii••••••••••••••••••••,••••••••••0‘00010•10mak
•
AN HONEST MESSAGE TO THE
TAXPAYERS OF HURON COUNTY
FROM THE
HURON COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Are the Secondary School Teachers in Huron County justified in resigning their positions
We take this opportunity to reply to recent publicity concerning the teachers' financial position.
Percentage increases are often a poor means of actually outlining raises given due to non-financial or other items.
Presently, between the board and the teachers, are some financial and non-financial differences. We will try to let you, the
public, see and assess our differences in these areas,
Teachers generally want to lower the number of years that it takes to get from minimum salary to maximum salary. At the
present time our salary agreement calls for a category 4 teacher who starts at $8800 per year and goes to a maximum of $14,700
per year in 15 years with an automatic increase of $300 for the first year and $400 for, the second and, succeeding years. This is
incorporated inihalary grid which appears below.
Years of
Experience
Present
Agreement
Teachers'
Request As can be readily seen, although the two grids
start out at the same figure of $8,800, the annual
increases change following year 1 and the teachers'
request incorporates $500 and $600 increases so
that a maximum salary of $15,500 is reached in 14
years. By comparing the figure opposite the years
of experience one can see readily that a teacher
with 8 years of experience will receive $600 more
by the teachers' grid than by the present
agreement. This in itself does not appear to be
entirely out of line but the implications on future
boards should be noted.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
$8,800.
9,100.
9,500.
9,900.
10,300.
10,700.
11,100,
11,500.
11,900.
12,300.
12,700.
13,100.
13,500,
13,900,
14,300.
14,700.
$8,800.
9,100.
9,700.
10,200.
10,600.
11,100.
11,600.
12,000.
12,500.
13,000.
13,500.
14,000.
14,500.
15,000.
15,500.
The number of dollars should be added to show what a teacher receives over the number of years on the grid. By our present
agreement, a teacher receives $187,300 over a period of 15 years. By the teachers' request, a teacher receives a total of $196,600
over 15 years. This is a difference of $9,300 per teacher. This does not include any future negotiations and if past experience
means anything we know this year will not end the trend to $500 and $600 and 5700 increments,
What does this mean to Huron County? It means that due to the fact we have 269 secondary teachers and 335 elementary
teachers who are presently or will be degree people, an increase in salaries paid of 604 x $9,300 = $5,617,200 over the next 15
years, without ever negotiating any further increase.
The teachers argue that Huron County pays very little of this due to our grant system. We admit we enjoy a good grant structure
which was given to us because of our low assessment area. We do not believe this is a valid point to grant increases which will
eventually stagger the Provincial economy and cause taxes to be a very grave problem for many less fortunate people to pay.
As evidence of ability to pay, we cite the tax arrears in rural Huron County which are up to $337,463, an increase of about 15
per cent over the previous year.
Another point at issue is Retirement Gratuity. The name speaks for itself.
Every teacher in Huron County is given 20 days per year to be sick without losing pay, These days, if not used for sickness,
accumulate until 200 days are accumulated. Due to the fact that some teachers do not get sick they end up their teaching careers
with 200 or more accumulated days. It has been the agreement, that, as a reward for not being sick a teacher may use the 200 days
or fraction thereof to collect up to Y2 year's salary upon retirement.
The board felt due to other retirement benefits this was unnecessary. Take the example of the Category IV teacher above who
upon retiring at maximum receives a Superannuation which was partially paid for by himself and partially paid for by the
Province, 6% from each, which is computed by taking 70% of the average of his best 7 years salary, giving him a p.ens14)pra# $9,809
per year plus his old age pension plus his Canada Pension plus the lump sum payment of $7,800 for retirement gratuities.
The Board believes this lump payment is unnecessary and also feels they were in error in attempting to take away the
Retirement Gratuity without prior warning, but instead should have attempted to phase it out over a period of years.
Consequently the Board in its last offer (5,5 per cent increase) re-instated the retirement gratuity, contingent upon the acceptance
by the teachers of the salary offer.
The Board also disagrees with increasing the subsidy payment from 50 per cent to 66-2/3 per cent on O.H.S.I.P., 0.H.S.C. and
Group Life Insurance. It also does not see the justification for including a new benefit item — Blue Cross extended Health Plan,
Many other Boards in the Province are paying these requests by the teachers. We in Huron feel a responsibility to keep taxes in line
with the ability to pay. Our teachers say we are wrong. Regardless of our slice of the economy they (the teachers) should receive
what other teachers are getting. Few people in Huron County enjoy the benefits listed here, plus many others.
Are the teachers justifiedl
Witches brew dye pot
Home spinning revived
l3ap-b.aa black. sheep, have you
any wool? may be the cry in
linrOn County if Moira Couper's
6 enthusiasm for spinning catches
Two or three generations ago,
spinning wheels guided by the
nimble hands and feet of
Ontario women, whirred Out wool
thread for the knitting and
weaving of much of the family's
wardrobe.
Friends entertain
Margaret May
Prior to her wedding this
Saturday, Margaret May has
been entertained at several
events.
A coffee party was held at the
home of Mrs. Andrew Johnston in
her honor. Mrs. J. V. Doerr, Mrs.
W. G. Seldon and Mrs. Melvin
Gaiser were co-hostesses.
Mrs. Arthur Gaiser gave a
shower for Miss May, and Terri
Laughton hosted a dinner party
for her at the Latin Quarter in
London.
Other friends of the bride-elect
were entertained by Mrs. D.
Stephens, in her home in Toronto.
Since then, however, most
spinning wheels have slept hi
dusty attics and barns or been
sold to antique collectors.
Reviving this ancient craft,
which dates back to very early
times, is a native of New Zealand,
Mrs. Archie Couper of Hensall.
Mrs. Couper returned to
Hensall this spring after a six
month visit to her parents' home
in New Zealand. While there, her
sister introduced her to the art of
spinning which has become very
popular in that country in recent
years.
After meeting many spinners
and dyers and attending several
'spin-ins' and 'dye days' Mrs.
Couper became so intrigued with
the whole thing that she decided
to learn, how to spin herself and
came back to Canada with two
spinning wheels and several bags
of New Zealand raw wool.
Since then she has been having
great fun experimenting. Sheep's
fleece is not the only commodity
that can be put through a spin-
ning wheel, Moira has tried
husky dog hair, goat and camel
hair and raw silk and linen with
fascinating results.
And as plants come into season
she is also trying her hand at
dying her hand spun products
with the use of natural dyes. She
is using leaves, roots, bark and
berries, and lovely shades can be
obtained from onion skins, golden
rod, marigold petals, black
walnuts and ground up cochineal
beetles imported from South
America.
"When I get out my dye pot its
like stirring up a witches brew",
she laughs.
These nice spring days often
find Moira and her husband,
Archie, driving through the
country looking for sheep that are
about to be shorn. Last week, by
luck, they happened on a farmer
who was in process of shearing
his Southdown sheep and who
sold her a complete fleece. Since
then she has been busy teasing,
carding and spinning it,anxious to
see what the results will be.
The fleece from each breed of
sheep is different ... some are
more suitable for spinning than
others. Those with a long staple
and not too much crimp with a
large amount of lanolin are most
desirable and black fleece is
much sought after.
Some fleece is very soft and
fine and when spun makes
beautiful baby clothes. Others,
which are coarser, are used for
weaving, rug making or heavy
work socks.
Mrs. Couper has tried one other
Canadian fleece, Leicester, and is
trying the fleece of other breeds.
She also uses her own wool in
woven tapestries and wall
hangings. A thorough knowledge
of art enables her to compose
well designed patterns for her
tapestries.
Moira's enthusiasm runs so
high that she hopes to interest
others, and is willing to teach
anyone wishing to learn this craft
of our forbearers.
Spinning is therapeautic and
soothing to the nerves and is often
used as successful occupational
therapy with old people, retarded
and mentally disturbed persons.
Moira would like to do some
volunteer work in this field.
Another exciting happening
may come from this adventure in
spinning. While in New Zealand,
Mrs. Couper was in touch with
members of the New Zealand
Spinning, Weaving and
Woolcrafts Council who indicated
an interest in sending an exhibit
of knitted and woven handspun
articles to Canada with a view to
sales in this country.
At least one of the con-
signments is already on its way,"
and it is Mrs. Couper's long range
plan to open a retail outlet in her
home for this New Zealand
merchandise as well as
Canadian handcrafted articles
with an emphasis on woollen
articles.
Since she is interested in all
types of handcrafts Moira would
like to promote the work of
students, who have not yet
reached professional level and
who have no outlet for their work.
Her shop will be a 'working
shop' where spinning, weaving
and perhaps other crafts will ,
be on the go much of the time, It
sounds like an ambitious and
exciting adventure, and all the
black sheep in the country better
take heed for enterprising and
enthusiastic Moira Couper is out
to fleece them!
Huroncicile W.I.
— Continued from page 10
national anthem and showed
souvenirs of both countries.
A reading, A letter to the
RCAF, was given by Mrs, Alvin
Moir. Ilurondale will conduct the
June birthday party at 'Huron-
view, and the members will take
a bus trip to Ontario Place, June
9.
Mrs, Rhiney Keller gave a
report of the officers conference
at Guelph which she had at-
tended.
Mrs. Garnet Was read an
address to the retiring officers
and they were presented with
gifts.
The next meeting is to be held
June 23rd with Mrs. Norman
Stanlake's group in charge.
4
4
•
I.
'4*
MI