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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 4_ the photo are Charlie Acheson, Russell Balkwill, Sandy Bowden and Jimmy Bowden who ran the office, Harold Bissett and Dick Creech. The man on the right could not be identified. Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND 0.W,N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC Editor — Bill Batten — Advertising Manager Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh Women's Editor — Susan Greet Phone 2354331 Published Each Thursday Morning at Eketer, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 6386 Paid in Advance Circulation, March 31, 19'72, 5,081 ES: Canada $8.06 Per Year; USA $10,00 SUBSCRIPTION RAT EXTRA COPIES AVAILABLE ... of our history-packed 708-Page Centennial Issue Available at the T-A office and local outlets ONLY 35' (INCLUDE 254 EXTRA FOR POSTAGE ON MAIL ORDERS) It will never be duplicated . . . so make sure you have one for all the members of your family while copies are available Ithe eiefegirintes-Usocafe EXETER 2354 33 1 Ameminuellemeeme Imilemlimiemenniemeeminnielememeink Rea dor4 Votito inaccurate The Editor. Times-Advocate Exeter, Ontario. People make it great 4, / 4 4/ .1:1/ gip p g, : ."/ 4 / ./ • / .7.../ g / Really do love me a little street- Hatchets are quickly buried after the fray Through the years, the residents have proven themselves to be generous They've dug into their pockets to aid big causes such as building a hospital or arena and they've helped. out with a few dollars when they were advised of a needy family or to provide a service club with some funds to aid a lad who needed artificial limbs or new glasses. .they've invested in their town, At least two of our large industries were started by loans from the citizens of Exeter. which have been repaid. with much interest in the form of economic viability for the town. We've turned out some great in- dividuals. Many have left home to leave their mark on many facets of society. while others have stayed behind to do their humanitarian work right. here. Exeter has long been known as a progressive town, thanks to individual and. collective leadership. And so the story goes . . . as it has since James Willis decided this was a good place to call home. We know he'd have the same opinion if he should come marching out of the woods and see us today. We think it's a good place to call home, not because of a name, but because of the people. That's really what any community is all about. In the next seven days, let's repay the debt we owe our ancestors and each. other, and have a whale of a celebration befitting the finest community God ever created. To our visitors , . join the fun and festivities. POPULAR CORNER - The Bowden and Bowden Western Real Estate office, on the corner of what is now Main and James streets must have been q popular meeting place according to this photo. From the left in Recalls early days in Exeter This year. as I mentioned previously, my wife taught English in a private school. It was her first crack at, teaching, aside from kindergarten arid music, and she taught a Grade 13 class, so it was no cinch, She worked hard at it. But the strain on me was something else. Every day when I got home from teaching 150 students, I had to endure a two- hour monologue about her "kids" and what they'd said and done today. Once in a while I'd try to get in a word or phrase about what my "kids" had said and done, but it was like trying to stop Secretariat, in full gallop, with a piece of thread. At the first of the year, she was worried about a few of them, who gave promise of becoming recalcitrant. But by sheer charm, and her innate interest in other people, she was able to establish a close and friendly relationship with every single one of her huge class of ten. 13y the time the last day of school came around, she was almost in tears as she realized she'd probably never see any of them again, or only as corn- pa ra UV(' strangers. This is something that happens to most teachers who really like youngsters, especially when it's a graduating class. There is generally a mutual warmth on the last day of school. The students suddenly realize that it's their last day in high school, surely one of the happiest times of their life. The teacher suddenly realizes that this is the last day, that he's made it once again without going around the bend, and that this is a pretty good lot of kids. Some of the youngsters are actually scared when it comes upon them that another umbilical cord has been cut and the great big hard world is waiting to swallow them, Occasionally there are tears. Ono young lady wanted to know, as she wept, "Ifow did you feel when you left high school?" She obviously meant that she was almost heart,broken, But she received the realistic answer, "Great, It was the happiest day of my life." At any rate, the last day of school usually produces a feeling of fondness and exchanges of, "Have a good summer, sir." And the response, "Will do. You too. See you in the fall". Or, if they're graduating, "Come and see us when you're home from college." They usually do. Once. Of course, the longer you teach, the tougher you get. In my first couple of years, over a decade ago, I was almost stunned by the good will on closing day. The class president would advance to the front, watched by 35 hawklike pairs of eyes, each pair of which had kicked in a quarter, and, a after a shy, unintelligible mumble, present me with a handsomely-wrapped gift. Now, when the kids are choosing their class president, at the beginning of the year, I assure the reluctant nominees that, 'there's nothing much to the job, except to collect the money for my Christmas and end-of-year gifts." It shakes them a bit, hut it pays off. Over the years, I've been the rccipent of dozens of golf balls, a bottle of good wine, a smart desk set, a lawn chair, and shelves full of fancy shaving lotion and exotic talc and stuff I never use. This year, I didn't have a home form. No present. But I got a pleasant surprise. Last class I had with my four-year Grade 11, a group I would have considered least likely to do it, they kicked through. Marlene came up and said, "Mr. Smiley, this is for you, for being such a nice teacher." Not a good teacher, mind. Just a nice one. And speaking of nice, it was one of the simplest and nicest speeches I have ever heard, Half suspecting a practical joke, for this was a group I'd tangled with in the fall, I opened it, standing well back. No joke. There was a handsome little hook of inspirational poems and prayers I though this might be a pointed suggestion that. I needed both, and was still slightly wary. Then I opened the other package, It contained an eternal match. This is a fancy type of cigarette lighter. You pull a sort of stick out of a little round barrel, it strikes a flint, and you have a long match-like light. It would he great for a pipe-smoker, Unfortunately, it wouldn't work when I tried it, Typically, Marlene had tried it thoroughly before wrapping it, so thoroughly that she'd used all the fuel. She tried to get it going for me, and was greeted with hoots of derision when she couldn't. However, the thought was there, and they yelled at me that could take it back to the store. A small thing, in their busy lives and mine. But it's warming 50 Years Ago Sunday was Decoration Day at the Exeter Cemetery. The members of the IO0Flined up at the southern corner and paraded around the grounds. Mr. E. Howald acted as marshall. Rev. A. Trumper and Rev. Jas. Foote delivered two discourses. Rev. M.J. Wilson, B.A., closed a very successful pastorate of the James St. Methodist Church on Sunday last, They leave this week for their new charge at Am herstburg. Captain T. Bobbins' of the Salvation Army, commander of the local corps, has been tran- sferred to Goderich, He will be succeeded in Exeter by Ensign and Mrs. Stevens, of Goderich, Messrs A.J. Penhale and Harry Jennings were in Toronto last week attending the 100F Grand Lodge. The elections Monday resulted in a sweeping victory for the Conservative party and 'the Hon. Howard Ferguson will be Ontario's next premier. In Huron South Nelson Trewartha won with a majority Of 394, The following item first ap- peared in the T-A on March 23, 1933. The article contains reminiscences, of the late James Handford. At the present time we have not many people whose history goes back to the early days of 90 years ago when South Huron was covered with woods, but in the village of Exeter resides Mr. James Handford, a gentleman, almost 94 years old who was born three miles south of Exeter on lot 7, concession 1 Stephen Township and hasilved in this vicinity since his birth. Today his mind is as clear as when a boy and he delights in telling the stories of events that happened in the long ago. His father, Richard Handford, a quiet but most energetic man was a native of Devonshire' England, and was apprenticed to a farmer until he was 21 years old without any pay. He heard of Canada and was determined to emigrate, though his parents and friends pleaded with him with tears not to leave dear old Devon, where he was certain of having enough to eat and come to Canada where he to know that somebody out there loves you a little bit, even though you are a teacher, and is willing to ante up a dime or even a quarter to prove it. I'd rather have that, once a year, than a gold watch and a stupid scroll at the end of twenty- five years. 25 Years Ago Eric Carscadden, the newly appointed assessor for Exeter has commenced the assessment of the property in Exeter under the new county system. Grounds around the 50 war- time houses constructed within the past year in Exeter are now being landscaped by Charles Flay, Zurich. A new mural painting, done by Douglas Henry, son of the manager of the Bank now adorns the walls of the local branch of the Bank of Montreal. 1.5 Years Ago G.W. Montgomery, Huron County's former agricultural representative returned to open this year's Hensall Spring Fair. Mrs. William Huntley, president of Exeter Home arid School Association presented pins to three Exeter Public School students who topped their grades this year: Jim Car- scadden, Brian Baynham and Linda Walper, Chief Justice William Martin, Regina and a former premier of Saskatchewan paid a flying visit to Exeter Wednesday. Ile was a former resident of this town. 10 Years Ago Four SLUMS students have won Lions Club awards for the highest standjng in their respective grades. They are Mynie Verkerk, Crediton, grade 12; Jim Carscadden, grade 11; Iris Marshal, grade 10; and Marcia Saucier, Grade 9, John MacNaughton and Gary Wedlake, two SIIDHS grade 12 students will represent Pakistan in the United Nations seminar being held this week at the University of Waterloo', Dennis Pasembre, sort of Mr. and Mrs. Alnier Passmore, 1, Woodhani won the T-A trophy for grand champion calf In the feeder club competition at tiensall Spring Pair Wednesday, Dear Sir: would like to correct a misleading statement contained in Mr. Riddell's column in your newspaper June 14th alleging the loss of Inverhuron Park to make way for the expansion of the Bruce Generating Station. In my Statement to the Ontario Legislature, dated June 7th I pointed out that Inverhuron Park will remain open to the public for both overnight campers and day users until 1975. After 1975, day use of Inverhuron Park will be available free of charge to the public, while overnight campers will be accommodated at a new 1,800 acre park at McGregor Point. This new park is being developed as a result of increased public demand for both overnight camping and day use which clearly could not be ac- commodated indefinitely on the 550 acre site of Inverhuron Park. While I appreciate that Mr. Riddell is a new member of the Ontario Legislature, inac- curacies such as those contained in his recent column lead to unnecessary misunderstandings which I am sure he is as anxious as I am to prevent. Yours sincerely, Leo Bernier Minister who will be 94 years old in July. These were the days of large families, many of ten or more, A neighbour, Louis Holman and his wife Jane Barly, were the parents of twelve children. The Holman and Handford families were inseparable friends, growing up side by side, They loved each other like brothers and sisters and yet never in- termarried. The Handford boys were with one exception six feet tall or over while the Holman's were shorter but very stout. The youngest son in the latter family is George H. Holman, of Goderich, County Clerk for Huron County. Logging Bees Many interesting stories of the early days when these two families either together or separately performed deeds worth recalling and as one looks at the almost giantlike propor- tions of this old gentleman in his 94th year, one can readily believe all one is told. At logging bees they always went together and were never — Please turn to page 9 This week were having a birthday par- y, The Celebration is for Exeter's giOth an- niversary. Certainly such an age is worthy of special note and recognition But for more than j,ust the years. Ex- eter deserves a trerriendous tribute from those who now call the community °home- those who are returning to the town where they rare had their roots. Exeter. of .ceur,:e is just a name Real- ly. the celebration is in honer of all those who have in ariv way eontrihuted to 'the eommunity in the tram 10 decades Take a /oole around' is there any place you'd really rather be" We hie nor slogs No, one goes to bed hungry at night Mapor (Time is almost non- eXistent There's work for everyone who wants it. Our children have the finest edueation faellities we can provide. Our parks are among the best in Western On- tario There s ration faetlities and organizatiorni for all ages T.here's a church for nearly every denorronatien going Most goods and serv'ic'es are available within our midst. We have a few potholes_ but our streets are better than they' ve ever been in the past lOe years Our sewer program, although stalled temporarily. is still ahead of the sehedule set for it. And so it goes, almost endlessly Few communities can boast the same number of tangible — and intangible — amenities that we in Exeter enjoy. That's to the credit of a vast number of people. both. past and. present. The people who constitute Exeter are, on the whole. as friendly as you'll find anywhere. We have our squabbles and differences of opinion. but there are few who won't give you a cheery hello on the would starve, But their pleading was of no avail because he was made of the stuff that has given us the pioneers of those early days. He therefore has the honor of being the very first man to leave Devonshire for Canada, over 100 years ago and whose letters to the homeland brought out such an influx of settlers that for miles around his home the country was settled with Devon folk, a sturdy honest, thrifty people, who made this part of the country blossom like the rose. With him came the late William Rattenburg, who settled in Clinton where he ran the well- known Rattenburg Hotel for nearly half a century. When the two young adventurers reached Toronto they had 50 cents or rather 2 shillings but nothing daunted, they went out into the Township of Chinguacousy County of Peel and got work. They remained there for two years and learned shingle making. - Walked to Egmondville Having a little money and having caught the spirit of the new land i.e., a longing to be a land-owner, they walked to Egmondville along the Huron Road that had been opened by the Canada Company to Goderich. Here they separated, William Rattenburg going on to Clinton and Richard Handford coming to Exeter. Three miles south of the present village on the London Road he took up 300 acres, a large estate for a boy, who less than three years before left Devon- shire for Canada with just enough money to pay for a steerage passage across the Atlantic. At once he set about building a shanty which was roofed with bass wood scoops, i,e. basswood logs, split in halves and hollowed out. One row of these were laid on the top of the shanty with the hollow side up, then the cracks between were covered with another row with the hallowed side down-wards, Cracks were filled with moss and a splendid roof was the result. Soon the settlers came streaminginiandpeighbours,made the country life pleasanter. After a few years in the shanties the farmers began to build log houses and it, was then that Mr. Hand- ford found that his knowledge of shingle making was a fine asset. He began making them and supplied the farmers for many miles around with home-made but excellent shingles for their roofs on both houses and log barns. His shingle business was quite profitable and helped him through the trying early days in the woods. Early Settlers Among the early settlers was Thomas Bissett with a growing family, one daughter, Dorothy was 14 years old when they reached Toronto. She remained behind and worked for a year there then she also walked from Toronto to Egmondville and joined her father's family south of Exeter, Three years later when she was 18, Richard Handford married her. Their union was blessed by the birth of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, of these only three survive, Samuel, of Snowflake Man., Mrs, Wm. May, of Mitchell and James, the subject of this sketch, in Exeter, • 1V