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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-07-22, Page 4Page 4 Times-Advocate, July 22, 1976 A very thin thread Bilingualism is an essential element in Canadian national unity. It is a thread that can hold this country together as a national entity distinctive in the world. It is a thread which appears in danger of being severed. One of the problems has been that Ot- tawa has tried to accomplish the job so fast — to churn as many civil servants through the bilingual training courses as possible, with little regard to whether they were capable of learning French, needed it for their job, or would use it effectively after their brief exposure to the second language. Fears and tensions were created. The Trudeau government, it was feared, was trying to make everyone in Canada bilingual. That, of course, was never the object, It was never the intent to force a second language on anyone, and in the case of the airline situation, it was never the intent to place the bilingual policy above the safety of Canada. What's needed, then, is not a backing away from the principle, but a vigorous determination to create more understan- ding of the need for bilingualism, and a new resolve to make it work. Clearly, there must b1 /4_ a much greater effort at providing French and English training in schools and universities, so that future generations will view bilingualism more as a thing sf pride than as an imposi- tion. Get your hcoster "Mom ran away from home." +CNA SUBSCRIPTION RATES: The almost complete disappearance of poliomyelitis has led many people to neglect immunization, but the need for it is a vital one, according to Dr. J. G. Evans, chairman of the Ontario March of Dimes Medical Advisory Board. Acute poliomyelitis is a virus infection of the spinal cord. It used to be known as in- fantile paralysis because it attacked main- ly the very young and left many of them paralyzed. The disease was brought under control in this country in 1954 following the development of the Salk vaccine, and the This summer when you head for a care- free vacation in a provincial park, not all of your problems will be left behind. You may be packing the world's most expensive garbage. Every year the 2,900 square miles of Algonquin Park attract more than 12 million visitors including one-and-a-half million campers. Its wilderness trails and isolated lakes make it one of the most popular of Ontario's 122 provincial parks. While getting to a remote campsite may be half the fun for the vacationer, getting out his garbage is three times the expense. At $100 a ton, park officials say refuse collection from remote areas of Algonguin is three times as expensive as collection in even large urban centres. Park staff transport the garbage by canoe to designated locations where float planes pick it up and fly it out. The price of the one- way tickets add up to a staggering $100,000 a year. But that's a small part of the total bill. Another $100,000 goes to refuse collection from the nine campgrounds and the litter containers strung out along the 37 miles of highway 60, the park's main artery. In fact, park officials say that half of the more than 2,500 summer staff are involved in litter control or general maintenance. An overflowing garbage can, they are quick to point out, is as much a pollution problem as any that offends the eye. Uneasy time for politicians' Expensive garbage subsequent establishment of March of Dimes' clinics to administer it. In Canada new polio cases are rare but recent outbreaks abroad have led to renew- ed urging by the Ontario March of Dimes for immunization. "In spite of the fact that there are only a few cases each year, it cannot be emphasized enough how important a full coui e of vaccination is", said Dr. Evans. Arrangements for immunization or "boosters" may be made through your family physician or local public health unit, and is covered by OHIP. Of course, not all the litter can be seen. Thoughtless campers and boaters some- times try to hide their garbage on the bot- toms of unspoiled lakes, Volunteer scuba divers try to undo some of the damage. And garbage out of sight on your camp- site may be out of mind but not out of sniff- ing range for bears up to two or three miles away. If disposal is required, officials urge campers to carefully burn their garbage instead of burying it. They also instruct campers to bury their human wastes in shallow pits at least 100 feet from the shoreline tq minimize pollu- tion effects. But the precautions they encourage most strongly begin before the trip even starts. When choosing supplies, avoid items that are overpackaged. When a package finds its way into a garbage can the cost and the nuisance of—getting rid of it are not over. They're just beginning. And that's true whether you're in your own home or in the wilderness of Algonquin or any other provincial park. You don't have to be reminded by the world's most expensive garbage that your interests are behind the efforts of the Ont- ario Ministry of the Environment to reduce this province's production of solid waste through the Ministry's 15-year Resource Recovery program. The cost of disposing unnecessary gar- bage is always too high a price to pay. Make suggestions known seft9e#1, Wareir4 There's something more 9€41,it V4iidocer4 It must be an uneasy time for members of parliament. First, they were forced to vote on a moral question, the abolishment of capital punishment, in what must have been an agonizing ex- amination of conscience versus expedience, for many. Despite the fact that the bill squeaked through, most M.P.s must know that most Canadians are against it. And it's that same majority that elects those same M.P.s. Enough to make a politi- cian lose a little sleep, eh? Next they saw a comparatively small group of Canadians, the airline pilots, thumbing their noses, at the government, and getting away with it. And once again, it was pretty obvious that a majority of Canadians was solidly behind the pilots, There is little doubt that most M.P.s will be happy to get out of the pressure-cooker Ottawa has turned out to be this year, and back to their own constituencies for a couple of months of fence- building, baby-kissing and all the other nefarious activities of a politician on his home grounds. My heart is not exactly bleeding for our M.P.s, but I am more than a little disturbed by the two incidents that have con- tributed to their unease in the past few months, On the first issue, capital punishment, it is readily ap- parent, from the closeness of the final tally, that the country is split right down the middle on the issue. And that's not good, But I can live with it. The ma- jority has spoken, in a supposed- ly free vote, and it's not going to wound this country to the vitals if a few murderers are hanged or kicked to death with a frozen boot, or otherwise executed in whatever cute manner is decided on. It's the second issue that bothers me considerably. For behind the pilots' palaver about safety, and the government's ob- duracy, amounting almost to stupidity$, concerning bilingualism at our airports, lies a much darker murk. That is the obvious backlash of English-speaking Canadians to the government's chosen policy of bilingualism. This bitter backlash is not just bad, in my opinion: it is dangerous. Again and again, we saw on television perfectly ordinary citizens who backed the pilots' stand, even when personally in- convenienced by the strike that What would you do with Exeter's old arena? That's the question a special committee is being asked to consider at the present time and certainly local residents with constructive ideas should present their suggestions to the people deliberating on that subject. The rather obvious suggestion, of course, is to tear down the structure and sell the material for its scrap value. It will be of interest to local residents to note that the old arena in Teeswater netted that community about $40,000 towards the construction of its replacement. Presumably, the local structure would be as valuable, There may be other worthwhile suggestions which could result in an even greater financial return, but the basic problem is that the plan for the new recreation cettre includes using the site of the old structure . as a parking lot. It would perhaps be possible to find adequate parking elsewhere on the grounds to accommodate any other' use for the present arena. However, any such avenue in this regard must be considered, particularly if the economics inidcate that it is too valuable to leave as a parking area. One thing is certain: the structure is 'of no value at present, and in fact is costing the community money for insurance and some upkeep. + + + Speaking of insurance, it's becoming an 'expensive item for was not a strike, blurting things like: "I'm sick of having it (bilingualism) shoved down my throat," This is not the voice of reason, but of bias, and I hate to see it in this country which I love so much. For a couple of centuries, the French of Canada had English shoved down their throats, not by law, but by business, commerce politics, education. Naturally, they resented it. Now, they're trying to achieve equality of op- portunity, through bilingualism. The result is a strong and ugly racialism bouncing back at them from those English-speaking Canadians who are biased and bigoted. As in most bigotry, the retorts are based on ignorance and fear. Civil servants too stupid or too lazy to learn French are afraid for their jobs. Protestants abhor the rise of Rome, even though most French-Canadians these days are more protestant than the Protestants. Conservatives fear any change in the comfor- table pattern of Canadian life, in which, for generations, a Frenchman was a "Frog," to be looked down on, Maybe I'm out of touch, but I haven't noticed anybody trying to shove French down my throat. I hold no brief for the province of Quebec. I am as sick of its whining and demands as the next guy. I think its politics are and have been, more corrupt than any of the other provinces, which isn't saying much. I don't even care that deeply about Quebec separating from the rest of Canada. Nations are not sacred. But none of that has anything to do with the French language. I thought Canadians were growing up, learning tolerance, becoming more sophisticated, more fair. But the latest ugly developments make me Wonder. Are we just a bunch of rednecks at heart? Exeter Sidewalk Sale July 23 and 24 most municipalities as their lists of employees and equipment mounts. The bill in Exeter, for instance, will be over $16,000 this year. Over half of that is for equip- ment and it may be of interest to local ratepayers to know how much equipment they do own. With the PUC, recreation and cemetery departments lumped together, there are 17 vehicles with a value of $182,303. There are another 20 items, ranging from graders, tractors and ice flooder with a value of $49,873. Buildings covered for fire in- surance are valued at $676,000. It's plain to see that municipal business is big business! + + + Have an old newspaper which you wish to save for future generations? Here's. a recipe recently for- mulated by an assistant professor at the University of Washington. Dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in a quart of club soda overnight. Pour into pan large enough to accommodate the flattened newspaper. Soak newspaper one hour, remove, and pat dry. Estimated life: 200 years. Chemically, the magnesium oxide combines with the carbon dioxide in the soda to form magnesium carbonate which neutralizes acids in the paper that cause deterioration. So there you have a recipe for saving some of the profound words of wisdom you may find in your local weekly newspaper. If it's an important item you plan to preserve, we suggest you run an experiment on a worthless one first. + + + In case you haven't noticed, members of the fairer sex are starting to take control of Exeter's business community. This fact was brought to mind when we spotted three local ladies standing outside their stores last week enjoying a chat after sweeping off their sidewalks. Thinking about the situation, 30 Years Ago Nearly 3,000 spectators were on hand to see the first horse meet in Exeter since 1941. An increase of three pounds in the individual sugar ration for 1946 was announced from Ottawa. A $55,000 contract for rebuilding the north pier at Grand Bend'has been awarded to the Detroit River Construction Co. of Blenheim. 20 Years Ago Guenther-Tuckey Transports Ltd, this week received delivery of a 31-foot bulkmobile conveyor tank truck for salt, the second of its kind in Ontario. Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Desjardine and family of Grand Bend have developed a private wildlife sanctuary on their farm. They have collectediover 100 ducks and geese, deer, birds, bantams, fish, turtles. St. Bernard dogs and a Shetland pony. Bob Dinney won the second tournament sponsored by the newly organized Exeter Golf Club. He carded three birdies, 15 Years Ago Garnet Hicks and Jim Taylor Were named to the County School we started to count up the ladies who either own or manage stores along the main drag. The list includes Marg Cook, Bea Car- penter, Penny Dinney, Joanne Dinney, Edith Boyle, Ardys Glenn and Margaret Severn. A list of women who are ac- tively involved as associates with their husbands would be difficult to compute, but it probably in- cludes almost half of the remaining businesses. Perhaps the take-over by the distaff side is one of the reasons why Exeter's business section is looking so good these days. Flower boxes are starting to appear at many stores and several have had recent face- lifts. All-in-all, the business area is as well-kept and bright as we've ever seen it and the people responsible — both male and female — should be proud of it. In fact the whole community should be, because tit reflects a warm greeting to all. + + + The newspaper business, similar to all others, has its pros and cons, Last week the staff experienced one of the cons. Wednesday afternoon, one of the office gals answered the phone and the caller advised that a bomb was to go off in the plant. The information was that the explosion was to occur at 2:00 p.m. • A hoax was immediately suspected on two counts. First of all, it was already past the ap- pointed hour, and secondly, the caller was identified as a youngster. As a result, work continued on last week's edition without in- terruption. In fact, most of the staff weren't even made aware of the threat. The only aspect of the situation which made it a little unnerving was the fact the caller was a youngster. We wonderhow many other pranks he (or she) may be attempting without realizing the serious implications. Perhaps some parents should be won- dering what their offspring are doing for kicks during the summer vacation? MY- *Awn Board to represent Exeter and Hensall respectively. Sunday, a heavy down-pour with strong winds and hail flooded gardens, flattened grain, uprooted 'corn and potatoes and blew down trees in Lucan. Rev. Isidore J. Poisson, parish priest of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church for seven years died enroute to a London hospital Tuesday afternoon. 5 Years Ago Mr. & Mrs. Dave Pratt, Lon- don, escaped drowning in the Morrison Dam reservoir early Saturday evening through the quick efforts of Brian Little 15, and Mark Hill, 14, from the Erwood I youth home in Usborne Township. Philip Huntley, son of Mr. & Mrs, W. G. Huntley graduated from University of' Waterloo with a B.Sc. and a major in physics, He is a former graduate of SHIMS. Dr. Robert F. Love, son of Mr. & Mrs. Ross Love, Clinton, has been appointed a full professor of operations research at the University of Wisconsin where he has been an assocjate professor since 1968. Every once in awhile I take my old high school book of poetry down from the shelf and read some of those old poems that are so strongly etched in my memories. How different is most of the poetry studied by our children now. Much of it is free style, and while some of it is quite lovely, and I even enjoy trying to write it myself . . still, I'm of those who likes the metered poems of the past. And the word pictures they conjure. Gosh! Remember the Charge of the Light Brigade? "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, All in the valley of Death rode the six hundred." Can't you hear the hoofs of the charging horses? Can't you see the dust, the flags flying, the sabres flashing? Can't you see the smoke of the cannon as you read through Tennyson's firey account of the Balaclava charge during the Crimean War? Or what about that mystery woman, The Lady of Shalott? Isn't your fancy piqued, your , curiosity quickened as you read "She has heard a whisper say, A curse is on herif 'she:stays to look down to Camelot. She knows not what the curse may be, And so she weaveth steadily, And little other care hath she, The Lady of Shalott." Again, Tennyson has woven a tale of intrigue suspense and romance that to this day grips me. Some time ago, I attended a course on creative writing at one of our colleges. To admit to our young professor that any of us enjoyed anything that rhymed was to admit we were at least over 100. In fact, he said we were unreal. InialrfairnesssomeOfts thought he was pretty unreal himself. He reminded me of a nervous sand- piper racing to and fro on a beach as his jerky gait moved him across the front of the class, his eyes peering out from large round metal frames, his body encased in yellow trousers and black turtle neck while he screeched out poetry I could no more make any sense of than if it was written in old Egyptian. He was the one, too, who first introduced me to 'concrete poetry' . . . not so called because it's hard and mixed up but, as he explained, because it's so specific. Anyway, I remember that one poem he exhorted, declaring its author to be a genius, was "Fried Shoes". That's not the title, that's the whole poem. Now, the idea behind concrete Dear Editor: As chairman of The Exeter Turf Club, I have had a great 'many complaints and angry people objecting to the loss of the Exeter race track. We were a successful turf club of ten members for a good many years. We sponsored races and the proceeds went back into the grounds. A good many hours of voluntary labor went into it to make it a success. A lot of those great men have passed on. We donated our proceeds of $800.00 (1949) to the present cattle barns and after a fire (1950) we donated $790,00 and built the present barn with voluntary labor. A great deal of money on the track and grounds was spent including the grand stand. Exeter has a good track and it would cost a fortune to replace it. Exeter has had a track for 100 years. We believe Exeter needs an arena, but' a little foresight should be used to build where it has good access easy to get to and easy to get out. In fact the present track would have been a raceway a long time ago except there was no access to it, or parking space. Yet with a growing town it is considered as an arena sight. Harness racing is the fastest growing sport in Canada today; statistics prove that. All towns have a track and help to maintain it, Build an arena, we will all help, but let the horsemen have their barns and track that they have built and maintained for years, and I know they will continue to do so. A meeting of all interested people will be called shortly. Jack Morrissey Chairman Dear Editor, Monday afthrileen the Exeter playground had a Scavenger Hunt. They received enormous amounts of useful materials, We wish to thank the entire town for its donations. The Exeter Playground poetry is that the author gives you a few words (the less the better) and you make up your own mental pictures to go with them. It's much the same prin- ciple as some modern art where the artist throws a blob of red paint on a white board and labels it "Fat Lady at the Circus" or simply "No. 27". You're left to figure it out yourself. Dear Editor, In last week's paper you had a write up about "age of majority cards." Two items not mentioned were 1. send a birth certificate and 2) a marriage license for those females who are married to prove a change of name. Thank you for listening. I'm sure it will save others time in mailing their forms once and not twice as I had to. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Pat McBride Zurich News from H uronview exeferVinesabtiocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EEDY, PUBLISHER Editor — Bill Batten Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh Advertising Manager — Jim Beckett Plant Manager-- Jim Scott Composition Manager — Dave Worby Business Manager Dick Jongkind Phone 2354 331 WagrarratraiRMERESM.MikeNNSMOSWOMEMAZEYAROtaiigatW::::imbi4baMaer.da Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386 Paid in Advance Circulation September 30, 1975 5,420 Canada $4,00 Per Year; USA $11.00 14ILUf PIRRON AWARD 1074 .. •••" 4•;.• eff: -',103•••; Thousands find merit in' the stuff and buy it, Not me. To me a lady, is a lady, is a lady and I want the picture to look like one. I don't care how grotesque or beautiful so long as I can see the resemblance. Same with poetry. I want to understand what I'm reading, and since I evidently haven't the intellect for some of the modern writings, I guess I'll have to stick with Robert Frost, Rudyard and 11Kipling, Woodsworth, Longfell yes, even Edgar Guest, Speaking of Edgar Guest, when our writing class was asked who their favorite poet was, and one leady was brave enough to name Edgar Guest, our young teacher almost swallowed his tongue. Nonetheless,I'vebeen reading a book of Guest's poems lately and I believe his work has an honesty about it that touches most or- dinary folk like you and me ih a way few other authors do. For instance there's the poem called If this were all of life we'll know, If this brief space of breath Were all there is to human toil, If death were really death, And never should the soul arise A finer world to see, How foolish would our struggles seem, How grim the earth would be! How purposeless the strife would be If there were nothing more. If there were not a plan to serve, And end to struggle for! No reason for a mortal's birth Except to have him die . . . How silly all the goals would seem For which men bravely try. There must be something aft* death; Behind the toil of man There must exist a God divine Who's working out a plan; And this brief journey that we know As life must really be ' The gateway to a finer world That some day we shall see. The residents enjoyed an hour of old tyme music and a sing-a- long in the normal care sitting room on Monday with music provided by Mrs. Elsie Hen- derson and Norman Speir. The Goderich Laketown band, played for a concert on the front lawn on Family Night and although the weather was a little cool, most of the residents were able to enjoy the program. Mr. Al Mullin is the new leader of the thirty member band and we wish him every success. Mr. George -.Penner thanked the band on behalf of the residents. The Tiger Dunlop Women's Institute were hosts for the July birthday party. Mrs. Eric Raeburn showed colored slides taken while on a cruise to several countries in Europe. Mrs. Earl Sherwood, president of the Institute, presented gifts to the thirty-one celebrants and Mrs. Gertie Hicks entertained with piano melodies during the lunch hour. Walter Kingswell who was celebrating his ninety-eighth birthday on Wednesday ex- pressed the appreciation of the residents, Fifteen residents attended the octogenarian picnic on Wed- nesday at the Salford Valley Hall Sponsored by the Goderich Kinsmen, Three residents Were guests 010 the C.N.I.B, picnic at the Harbor Park Goderich on Wednesday afternoon.