Loading...
The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-04-19, Page 4By REV. JACK ROEDA Christian Reformed Church Exeter Imagine a little fellow in first grade who has taken great pains and given much careful effort to his drawing. When he is finished and has every reason to be proud of his achievement, the teacher snatches it roughly out of his hands, tears it to shreds and throws the pieces into the wastebasket. It is enough to drive the young lad to despair; he is to be pitied - noble work, ig- nobly discarded. Merely a sad incident? I think not. For the lad's teacher is not whol- ly unlike death. The wastebasket is too much like the grave. Death is the cold- blooded teacher of each of us; he hurls into the grave with his rough hands all that we have created: all that we tended and nur- tured with loving care. All our roads lead to the grave. Some may walk that road with care and diligence, others may saunter along carelessly and disreputably, but with despairing in- difference death obliterates both. Such is the fearful geography of life, Death sets a question-mark over everything. Then what is a man to do? I suspect there are two alternatives. The first is simply to accept that death is reality's final verdict on all men's striving. There is no ul- timate meaning, no lasting purpose. Irreverently death destroys all our fondest dreams and works. We are utterly alone in a universe controlled by none. We live in the embrace of unreasoning chance which may at any time topple us and all we hold dear into the grave - noble lives, ignobly dis carded. But there is a second alternative. For some it may almost sound too good to be true. Yet over the centuries countless men and women have grasped it as the message by which to live, Of course I speak of the message of Easter, and we are all invited to join in celebrating the good news of that message. Such loneliness which many of us may well experience is a false understan- ding of the facts of life. For in Jesus Christ we can know for certain that there is a God with whom we have to do. And this God is not some distant, unknowable mystery, but One who is amazingly persistent in His love for us, I think you will get the full impact of the message that God was in Christ seeking the lost and despairing when you realize that you are a person who lives in the em- brace of a God who looks on you in Love. We are not alone; we are not orphans at the mercy of chance, but children firmly grasped by the hand of God the Father. And the really fantastic news is this: death can not separate us from that outstretched hand. For at the heart of the Easter message stands boldly written thatour final enemy, death, has been conquered. When Christ arose, God declared that death was not the final verdict on life. Through Christ's resurrection we are really able to be pulled out of the despair of life and the nothingness of death. Belonging to God for all eternity is to be written beneath our names. Because of Christ's resurrection, we need no longer "pass away" like cattle, and so today be tempted to live like cattle; we may "pass on" to a fulfillment that sur- passes all imagination, to peace and fellowship with God, and so today be driven to live as the sons and daughters of God. "I'm sorry lady, you've already used up the time trying to park." Let's get the ball rolling "Showcase '73" is a complete Formal Fashion Portfolio. Planned to help you choose formalwear that is not only correct for the occasion but tailored to fit like your very own. Come in for free brochure F. A. May & Son EXETER "Ila PHONE 235-0852 To keep your farm running you depend on your equipment. To keep your, equipment running, depend on your Texaco Farm Distributor. 30' Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 ereferZimes-ibuocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N,A., 0,W,N.A.,. CLASS 'A' and ABC Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter; Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386 Paid in Advance Circulation, March 31, 1072, 5,087 SUBSCRIPTION RATESt Canada $8,00 Per Year; USA $10.00 ,;'?."-&:X.ENIZZii.:Sa:ZLUriESZNE.' Editor -- Bill Batten — Advertising Manager Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh Women's Editor — Susan Greer Phone 2351331 Aine shure what they meen FORMAL RENTALS English is going down the drain, going to the dogs, or going up in smoke these days. Take your pick. Maybe that first sentence is what's wrong with the language. There are so many idioms in it that nobody can speak or write the real thing any more. University professors have expressed their indignation publicly.A coupleof them recently announced that students who expect to graduate in one of the professions can't write one sentence without falling all over their syntax. I agree with them. But if they think they have troubles, they should try teaching English in high school. There has been such a marked and rapid decrease in the standards of written and spoken English that teachers of the subject can be found almost any day in the staff john, weeping into the washbasin. This winter, a teacher in a city school decided to prove something she already knew. She drew up a list of forty words, most of them of one syllable, and tested several classes. Nobody could spell all forty. Many of the kids couldn't spell ten of the words. Her experiment and her sub- sequent indignation were airily dismissed by a public school principal, who said something like, "Oh, we don't worry much about spelling any more. They'll learn to spell when they need to." Hogwash. What employer of anything but brute strength wants a semi- literate lout fouling up his in- voices, order forms and every- thing he can get his hands on? What printer, for example, will hire a kid who can't even spell "etaoin shrdlu" and doesn't even know what it means? I do a fair bit of gnashing and Nig wailing myself when I'm marking upper school papers and have to sort out something like, "The women nu were she was going, as she when they're everyday," The thought is there, but there is something lacking when it comes to felicity of spelling. Everybody blames everybody else for the sad state of English, but, as usual, you have to read it in this column to get at the truth. Let us establish the a priori fact that the high school English teacher is faultless. And, some would add, that a fortiori, the high school English teacher is useless. So be it. Now for the real culprits. They are not the elementary school teachers, much as we would love to blame them. They are victims, too. First, English had been derogated and eroded for the past couple of decades until it is now down somewhere in the area of brushing your teeth and saying your prayers. Remember, you older and wiser people who went to school longer ago than you care to proclaim? You had spelling and grammar and composition and reading and writing and orals. This was English. Maybe you didn't learn much, about sex or conversational French or how to copy a "project" out of the en- cyclopedia, but you sure as hell had English belted into you. Maybe you weren't given much chance to "express yourself", but by the time you were, you had some tools with which to do it. Nowadays English is prac- tically crowded off the curriculum by such esoteric Subjects as social behaviour, getting along with the group, finding your place in society, and the ubiquitous and often useless "project", Kids, one teacher told me, shouldn't have to learn to spell words that are not in their own vocabulary. Now, I ask you. How else do they acquire a vocabulary? But, I repeat, it's not the teachers of our little treasures who are at fault. It's the tinkeres, the dabblers in education They are rarely found in a classroom. They are more often haring after some "new approach" in education that has been tried and found wanting by the Americans. or the Armenians or the Aztecs. Thus, out went grammar and spelling drill. The kids are supposed to learn these basic skills, not through their eyes and ears, but in some mysterious way: possibly through their skin. Daily drill is deadening to the spirit, so off with its head. Let the kids be creative, write poetry: "I saw the moon ovary the cloweds. it was sooper." Doesn't that give you a unique experience? The freedom of spirit, the originality, the creativity? Fortunately, I am able to shake this off, along with war and famine, death and taxes. It has its moments. The other day I threw this old chestnut at a class, and asked them to correct the grammar: "Forty cows were seen, sitting on the verandah." There was total silence. It seemed OK to them.Then a pretty Grade 11 girl flung up her hand and flashed all her teeth. "I got it, Mr, Smiley!" "Yes, Bonny," I winced. Carefully she enunciated: "I seen forty cows sitting on the verandah." Amalgamated 1924 Money, money everywhere ...and we're not spending a dime of it! That in a nutshell describes the failure of area communities and residents to take advantage of the large sums of money available from the two senior levels of , government for a variety of purposes. At a meeting this week, Exeter RAP officials learned of money available through "Youth in Action", but couldn't come up with any ideas on how to spend the money and dismissed the idea, although it was agreed to make the plan known to local youths to see if any wanted to come up with a scheme to take advantage of the money. Only one area community has taken advantage of the federal LIP program, and to our knowledge, no area youths have submitted requests for assistance under the Opportunity for Youth program. Neither has there been any indication that senior citizens have looked into the money available under the New- Horizons program. While some may question the validity of some of the tax dollars being spent in such programs, it's time people in this area took a more mercenary attitude towards them. They contribute tax dollars to finance such schemes and therefore should receive some benefits from them. Many people can be faulted for not having taken advantage of the programs; in fact every person in the district is partially to blame, from elected officials right down the line. One of the problems is that people have not been made aware of the programs and therefore have not come up with schemes whereby they can be included. However, ignorance in this case, is certainly not bliss! Another reason is that people have not considered the programs carefully enough. They haven't used their imagination and initiative to come up with ideas. People in other communities are obviously doing it, judging from the long list of accepted projects which are announced. Why not us? Can RAP members honestly say there's no project they can suggest for local youths under the "Youth in Action" program. Are Sir: I would like to comment on the article by Tony Kyle in the April 12 issue of your paper. I think he has his wires crossed. We housewives aren't lazy; we just haven't seen too many bargains in rat, horse or snake meat lately. As for dog meat, I really can't think too much enjoyment could be had eating it with my German shepherd's big brown eyes watching me. It might be one of his relatives for dinner, He talks about the high cost of meat; has he noticed how much a little can of chocolate ants are lately? That's inflation for you. By the way he utter did mention where we could purchase these little goodies or are we to trap our own game now too. Thats really cutting out all the middle men, I think a better suggestion is to try being a vegetarian, Vegatables are much easier to catch and they don't even bite. From one so called "lazy" housewife, you know what you can do with your ant hills Mr, Kyle. Yours truly. Sylvia Craine there no senior citizens, or those concerned for them, who can come up with some ideas to initiate a project under the New Horizons program? Senior citizens in other com- munities are buying facilities with grants of up to $17,000, while. others are getting smaller" amounts for such things, as for- ming a rhythm band, providing funds to take people on bus trips, writing history books, establishing shuffleboard courts, etc., etc. Perhaps the simplest scheme of all was that initiated by a group in Waterloo who received $1,000 to act as advisors to other groups in that county who might wish to apply for New Horizons grants. That's right, you can now get money to help advise other people in how to get money. Can't beat that, can you? ' + + It's time we smartened up! The needs in this area are just as great as anywhere else for some, of the projects being approved under the variety of schemes being pushed by the govern- ments. Our representatives on the senior governments should be keeping people informed of what assistance is available and sitting down with area groups to determine if there are com- munity projects which could be undertaken. Municipal councillors, recreation, social, church and service groups should also be conducting inventories of their respective communities in an effort to suggest projects. Perhaps even public meetings would be beneficial to get ideas from a wide cross-section of the residents. Officials appointed to 50 Years Ago Mr. Chas. Coward, who has been visiting here from the West, left for his home this week. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Willis have returned from Detroit and have rented a farm in Stephen town- ship. Mr. H.S. Nicklin has been promoted to the position of city engineer of Guelph, Warden B.W.F. Beavers was in Stratford last week with a committee from Huron County meeting with reference to uniting the county jails of Huron and Perth, the prisoners to be cared for at Stratford. The season has been very poor for the making of maple syrup. There has been only one or two days good run. 25 Years Ago Mrs. B.S. Phillips of town observed her 98th birthday this week. Elmer Bell was elected president of the Huron-Perth Baseball Association at a meeting in Hensall town hall last Thursday. The Exeter Lions are renewing their campaign for funds for Food for Britain. Messrs. Russell Snell, Bert Borland and Roy Campbell have just completed a ten-week course in carburation and electrical work in London. Members of the Exeter IOOF and Mystic Order of Samaritans of Thebes Sanctorium, London were hosts to members of that order at the Exeter arena. More than 200 members from London, Brantford, Toronto, Windsor and Royal Oaks, Michigan attended. 15 Years Ago The district cancer campaign, with an objective of $4,000, started this week in Exeter and Dashwood and will continue in other municipalities throughout the month, Members of the Exeter Legion Ladies Auxiliary conducted the canvass in Exeter. Bishop G.N. Luxton, London, announced this week the Rev. Bren De Vries, Blyth will succeed Rev. N.D. Knox as rector of Trivitt Memorial Church and St. Paul's Anglican Church, Hen- son. Huge crowds jammed A & H Food Market over the past 10 days to help the firm celebrate its first anniversary. 10 Years Ago Exeter's last hitching post, symbol of a past era, will soon disappear. The post, located near the corner of Huron and Main Streets will be removed along with the trees in that area to make room for the new highway entrance. Exeter Kinettes, with only about .a dozen members has donated $500 to the Exeter and District Swimming Pool cam- paign. Mrs. Art Clarke presented the check to campaign chairman G. John Goman. Rev. Bren De Vries, Anglican rector here for the past five years, announed Sunday he has been appointed to a mission parish in the Edmonton diocese, He will assume his duties there in June, Exeter midgets failed in their bid for the town's first Ontario title Tuesday night. They lost the final game of a good series to Huntsville 8-7, For Weddings, School Dances and other Special Occasions Your formalwear and the accessories to go with it should be right in every FREEMAN FORMAL RENTALS CATALOGUE administer the government schemes could be invited to outline the requirements and the potential. Let's get the ball rolling! + With Easter Sunday ap- proaching, most members of the fairer sex are probably well prepared with their new colorful attire. Such thoughts remind us of the young minister's wife who bought herself a pretty Easter dress. Her husband, feeling such a purchase was beyond their means, ex- claimed: "When you were tempted to buy it you should have said, 'Get thee behind me, Satan'." And his good wife replied, "That's exactly what I did say, and Satan whispered 'it looks very nice from the back'." It's also the golfing season, and another story on the clergy recently crossed our desk and we pass it along. It relates to a United Church minister who loved golf. He was so passionate about the game he once had an evil idea, One Sun- day, he brought in a substitute minister, and while everyone was at church, he sneaked off to the golf course. He was all alone. God looked down and said, "John Knox come here, One of your protestant types is playing golf on Sunday, What are you going to do about it?" "Watch this," says Knox. The minister teed off and Knox makes a pass and the ball hits the green and drops into the cup. "A hole in one," says God, "What kind of punishment is that?" "Aha," says John Knox. "Who can he tell?" When your equipment runs into overtime, Texaco's fuels and lubricants keep things running smoothly. Your Texaco Farm Distributor delivers top quality products and service you can depend on. WM. McFALLS FUELS Wellington Street Exeter 235-2840 THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF STEPHEN BY-LAW NO. 13-1973 A BY-LAW FOR PROHIBITING THE USE, AND FOR PROHIBITING THE OWNER OR LESSEE OF ANY TRAILER FROM PERMITTING THE USE OF ANY TRAILER FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES. WHEREAS by paragraph 86 of Section 354(1) of The Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1970, C.284, as amended, by-laws may be passed by the councils of local municipalities for prohibiting the use, and for prohibiting the owner or lessee of any trailer from permitting the use, of any trailer for the living,leeping, or eating accommodation of persons within the municipality, or one or more defined areas. BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Municipal 'Council of the Corporation of the Township of Stephen, as follows: 1.. In this by-law, "trailer" means any vehicle so constructed that it is suitable for being attached to a motor vehicle for the purpose of being drawn or propelled by the motor vehicle, and capable of being used for the living, sleeping or eating ac- commodation of persons, notwithstanding that such vehicle is jacked-up or that its running gear is removed. 2. No person shall use any trailer for living, sleeping or eating accommodations of persons within 'the Police Villages of Centralia, Crediton, and Dashwood for more than sixty,days in any period of ten consecutive months. 3. No owner or lessee of any trailer shall permit the use of any trailer for living, sleeping or eating accommodations of per- sons within the Police Villages of Centralia, Crediton, and Dashwood for more than sixty days in any period of ten con- secutive months. 4, A trailer shall be deemed to be in use on every day it is located within the Police Villages of Centralia, Crediton, and Dashwood, but this by-law does not apply where the trailer is located within the Police Villages of Centralia, Crediton, and Dashwood only for the purpose of sale or storage unless it remains longer than sixty days, or where the trailer is located in a trailer camp duly licensed by the Corporation of the Township of Stephen. 5. Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this by-law, upon conviction, shall forfeit and pay at the direction of the convicting Magistrate a penalty not less than $10.00 and not more than $50.00, exclusive of costs, which shall be recoverable under the provisions of the Summary Convictions Act. 6. Each day that a person contravenes shall be deemed to constitute a separate offence. 7. This by-law shall come into force and take effect on the day of the final passing thereof. Read a first and second time this Tenth day of April, 1973. Read a third time and finally passed this Tenth day of April, 1973. Sgdt Joseph Dietrich Sgd: Wilma/. D. Wein REEVE CLERK