The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-09-16, Page 4Never before in our history has' it cost
so much to accomplish so little.
While that statement could apply to
many facets of our way of life in these in-
flationary times, the one area in which it is
being pointed out more than ever is in
education.
Canadians are second only to Sweden in
the amount of money poured into educa-
tion, and yet more and more, experts and
those who are considering the results of
those expenditures advise that we're tur-
ning out a large number of illiterates and
otherwise poorly educated people.
Universities are instituting English ex-
ams to test the qualifications of their first-
year students and ordering special courses
for those found below standard.
Canada Manpower finds many un-
employed people do not have the
educational ability to hold jobs and can't
read or write well enough to enrol in some
of the retraining courses provided for their
assistance.
A Senate study recently completed
finds many things wrong in our educational
system and suggests a considerable portion
of the tax dollars being used are obviously
wasted because the results are not accep-
table.
Obviously something is seriously
wrong, and just as obvious is the need for
immediate corrective action.
The first line of offence for area
residents is naturally the people whom they
have elected as members of the school
boards. While they are not solely responsi-
ble for the deplorable state of education,
they are the people who are in the best posi-
tion to express our concerns and to
guarantee that the corrective measures are
carried.out,
School trustees have an immediate
responsibility to study the results of our
education system, to determine how im-
provements can be made and to ensure that
those improvements are undertaken.
For too long they've been wasting their
time and talents on school bus routes,
auditorium rental fees and salaries without
considering the prime objective of our
'educational system. The people to whom
they have trusted that objective have, by
all indications, failed miserably.
A complete overhaul appears
warranted.
Too much secrecy
**:
Give them alternatives
Guy Henson, a recognized authority
and director of the Dalhousie Institute of
Public Affairs, has publicly expressed his
fears that the Canadian government is
rapidly becoming so devoted to secrecy
that the citizens of the land are in danger of
becoming its victims.
He cites the fact that some 80 percent
of government documents are classified as
secret and thus their contents are denied to
public knowledge, sometimes for years.
Henson explains that many civil servants
and bureaucrats are so fearful of making
an error, that they automatically stamp
everything that passes through their hands
as "secret", regardless of the fact that it
may be the right of the public, as
represented by the media in most cases, to
know about government decisions and why
they are made.
There is every reason to believe that
Henson's contention is correct. Responsi-
ble journalists have been saying the same
thing with increasing frequency in recent
years. Nor is the cult of secrecy confined to
the federal government. It is even more
common with school boards, municipal
councils and other administrative bodies —
for the simple reason that many members
of such bodies are afraid to have the folks
back home know what stand they took on
any given issue.
If there was any useful lesson to be
learned from the Watergate mess in the
United States it was that a government
which operates behind closed doors cannot
be trusted. Governments, councils, public
boards are elected and paid to transact
business for the people they represent.
There may be intermediate stages of
negotiation during which it would be im-
practical or inadvisable to disclose details,
but at the conclusion of every decision the
public has the right to be informed. Failure
to do so is a gross contradiction of the basic
concept of self-government.
We should never forget that it was not
the bugging of Democratic party head-,
quarters which became the important
crime at Watergate — it was the con-
spiracy of secrecy in covering up the
original misdemeanor that caused the
downfall of a president and the prison
sentences of his henchmen.
Wingham Advance Times
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
'' '
memoi ‘,.‘s
Times-Advocate, September 16, 1976
Some changes needed
Mamma
"I'm terrified of earthquakes — imagine the earth just opening up and
swallowing . . ."
Nothing simple to my wife
"I HATE YOU, Bill Smiley! I
hate you!" This line was not
from a disgruntled student, an
irate parent, or an ungentle
reader. It was my wife talking.
The occasion was our parting
for our annual separate holiday,
and she was a bit irate, ungentle
and disgruntled.
She had been up at seven, iron-
ing my shirts and packing my
bag. I was up at the stroke of 10,
well-rested and ready for
breakfast.
Quite a bit of planning had
gone into our holiday. I was to fly
to Halifax for a weekly editors'
convention. She was to climb into
the rusty old Dodge and head
west to see her Dad for a few
days. My daughter and husband
were to come and stay at our
place for a couple of days, with
the grandsons.
It all seemed perfectly logical
and simple to me. But nothing is
ever simple to my wife, except
on those fairly frequent oc-
casions when I am completely
baffled by something that must
be fixed around the house, and
she finally does it with an ex-
asperated kick or a triumphant
VE 2.AT&ES..;g37.Zr,
Times Established 1873
crow. We keep a lot of
triumphant crows in the base-
ment for such instances.
At any rate, on this occasion, it
finally hit her, an hour before we
split, that there was something
rotten in Denmark. She had been
shopping and house-cleaning for
two days to leave everything
spotless and well-stocked for the
kids. She had been planning the
meals and the scrubbing and
cleaning she was going to do at
her father's. And she had been
working like somebody in
Upstairs, Downstairs to get me
off on my jaunt clean and respec-
table.
-a She got a bit grim round the
lips on that last morning, but
didn't crack up until I came
down, fresh from my bath and
shave, and inquired urbanely:
"Is my bag packed? The
limousine will be here any mo-
ment to take me to the airport,"
That's when she emitted the
opening line of this column. I
knew what it was immediately. I
patted her back and said:
"There, there, dear. You don't
have to start scrubbing at Gran-
dad's the minute you arrive.
Advocate Established 1881
Take a half hour break 'after the
drive and have a nice cup of
tea."
As it turned out, everything
worked fine. After pounding me
a few on the chest, she had a
good cry and we both felt better.
She got the floor scrubbed at her
dad's the very afternoon I was
out on the Bluenose II in Halifax
harbor, And she had cooked a
good dinner and had the dishes
washed at her father's just about
the time I was slurping into my
third lobster and listening to a
good Dixieland band in Halifax.
And it took her only two hours to
get the car started for her return
trip, just about the time I climb-
ed aboard to be coddled by
stewardesses on my return trip.
I think separate holidays like
that are good for any marriage.
And it seems even better for
the woman in the partnership.
She got home rested, refreshed
and looking wonderful. I got
home exhausted and looking like
a skeleton with white hair. It
must have been that sea air that
tired me out.
Another thing. Splitting like
Amalgamated 1924
CCNA
ettll RIBBON.
AWARD
1974
The concern expressed by
several residents of the com-
munity regarding the proposed
arcade and disco is un-
derstandable, although most of it
no doubt is based on fear of the
unknown,
If you were to ask 10 people to
describe an aracade and disco it
is a safe bet there would be 10
different answers, ranging from
a harmless form of en-
tertainment for young people to a
noisy, den of iniquity.
Basically, there are two
components which make any
business of this ,nature either a
nuisance or an acceptable form
of entertainment for young
people. 'Those components are
the personnel who operate the
business and the patrons who
frequent it. Of those two, obi
viously the latter is the more
important.
Any business can only succeed
if it is operated to serve the needs
and character of its customers.
The customers, in the case in
point, are the young people of this
area. Those who see an arcade
and disco as a noisy, den of
iniquity are therefore suggesting
that this is the type of establish-`
ment our young people would
patronize.
If that is the case, we have no
one to blame but ourselves. These
young people have been trained
and molded by the adults in the
community and their actions and
pursuits reflect that upbringing.
If they are litter bugs, it is as
much our fault as theirs. If they
that is about the only way we can
get to see our old friends. She
had a grand visit and some good
talks and even went for a couple
of drives with some of her long-
time friends, and caught up on
all the sensational dirt on
everybody. And I went for a sail
on the Bluenose, walked around
Citadel Hill and sank the odd
refreshment with some other old
grumps as we reminisced about
the days when selling a $10 ad
was the highlight of your week,
and getting out a 12-page paper
was about the equivalent of
cleaning the Augean stables.
My old friends in the business
are in pretty good shape, con-
sidering that most of us are
grandfathers. Quite a few are
semi-retired, turning over the
papers to sons and daughters,
and themselves working a day or
two a week.
That's the way I'd like to ease
into the twilight years. But I
don't have a paper any more, my
son is in Paraguay, and my
daughter is busy having babies. I
wonder if they'd sell me a piece
of the high school where I teach,
so I'd have a good racket going to
pass along to my grandsons?
There were some poignant
moments and some funny ones at
the convention. There was a tear
in most eyes and a lump in most
throats when Cecil Day, one of
the grand old publishers of the
Maritimes, was given a standing
ovation and choked up complete-
ly with emotion when he tried to
respond.
There was sheer delight in
listening-in as one editor tried to
talk to a pretty and charming
young French lady in pure Ot-
tawa Valley French.
There was great fun, and not a
little confusion as Don McCuaig
of Renfrew, Per Hvidsten of
Port Perry and Bill Smiley of
Midland planned, well into the
wee hours, the Grand Post-
Convention Tour to Paraguay,
starting on Nov. 12 from Picker-
ing Airport in a Sopwith Camel.
And there was a very warm
— Please turn to Page 5
use drugs, it is as much our fault
as theirs. If they squander their
money, it is as much our fault as
theirs. If they have nothing better
to do, then it is MORE our fault
than theifs.
This writer has no idea of
knowing what to expect from the
operators of an arcade or disco.
We do know what should be ex-
pected from our young people
and their adult advisors and
examples and the result is not as
sinister as some would imagine.
It may be a challenge to our
ideals, but then life is full of such
challenges. While some win and
some lose in those challenges,
they can not be won through
eradication in our free society.
+ + +
While we say those challenges
cannot be won through
eradication, they can be won
through the presentation of
alternatives.
The operator of the arcade and
disco has suggested that Exeter
area young people welcome his
business because there is little
else for them to do in the com-
munity. To a considerable
degree, he is correct.
There are approximately 1,000
teenagers in our community as
indicated by the enrolment at.SH-
DHS. What activities are there
for those 1,000 young people on
any given weekend?
Having trouble with the an-
swer? So are we!
About 20 percent probably play
hockey or are sporting event
spectators. Dances in the area —
most of which serve alcohol —
probably attract another 20
percent. Up to 10 percent may
head to London for a show or
some other form of en-
tertainment, but many are
denied this due to lack of tran-
sportation. A few study, others sit
around watching TV, some head
for the area pubs, while the
majority are left to drift
aimlessly around the street
corners or parade up and down
streets in automobiles.
+ + +
The fact is, the adults of the
30 Years Ago
Miss Helen Penhale entered
Osgood Hall, Toronto, as a law
student.
Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Desjardine
of Grand Bend returned home
from a seven week's motor trip to
the Pacific Coast, covering over
5600 miles.
The garage of Graham Arthur
was broken into and a quantity of
cigarettes and cigars stolen,
together with a radio, a battery
and a box of fifty cent pieces.
20 Years Ago
Married women teachers have
stepped into the breach and
saved South Huron schools from
a critical shortage of instruction
staff. John Goman, inspector said
that 75 percent of the lady
teachers in the district are
married.
Town public works department
started dumping garbage in the
new refuse ground in Hay
township this week and began to
level off and landscape the old
one.
Mary Ellen Kerr, daughter of
Rev. Samuel and Mrs. Kerr of
Exeter, won the Beta Sigma Phi
nursing scholarship this year.
area have not done a good job in
providing wholesome activities
for the youth of the community
during their leisure hours.
We've left it up to the young
people to find their own pursuits
and unfortunately in many cases
those pursuits are less than
desirable.
One of the probelms, of course,
is that many people don't know
what the young people want. The
onus is therefore on them to make
suggestions for the type of ac-
tivities they would welcome and
join.
Perhaps tonight you could sit
down with your teenagers and
ask them some questions along
those lines. In many instances
you'll find that the activities are
fairly simple to arrange if adults
are willing to take the time to
undertake the challenge.
There are many facilities
available, ranging from school
auditoriums, church halls,
private and public recreation
facilities, libraries, etc.
This newspaper would cer-
tainly welcome comments from
teenageh that the community at
large could consider as well. Get
together with your buddies and
discuss the matter,
Let's have some com-
munication. In effect, we're
telling you to "put up or shut up"
and that includes both the adult
population as well as the young
people.
If the latter complain about
nothing to do, their complaints
will go unheeded unless they can
provide some ideas on how their
plight can be corrected.
If adults are going to complain
about the problems of teenage
drinking and such, they too will
g6 unheeded unless they take
some action to provide some
alternatives.
Surely there are some alter-
natives if we all get our heads
together in a constructive
manner.
15 Years Ago
An officers' school for
executives of 18 district Lions
Clubs was conducted at the Green
Forest Motor Hotel, Grand Bend
recently.
A London police official will
give' town authorities and mer-
chants advice on methods of
preventing robberies at a special
meeting Thursday night.
Members of the Trivi tt
Memorial Church choir reported
thefts of about $5.00 and several
wallets during the special Prayer
for Peace service Sunday nights.
5 Years Ago
Benson W. Tuckey, president of
Guenther Tuckey Transports
Ltd. announced Wednesday that
he has sold his local trucking
firm. New owners are Motorways
Ltd., Hamilton.
Competitors from this area
took a share of the prizes in
Friday's Huron County 4-H beef
calf club show held at Seaforth
Fair. Brian Miller was champion
showman, and Barry Miller
reserve champion showman.
Linda Hern showed the champion
steer and Beth Passmore the
reserve champion.
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Simpson of
RR 2 Lucan celebrated their 60th
wedding anniversary on Sunday.
It's Monday and I'm writing
this sitting on an empty Lake
Huron beach, well, almost empty
I can still see the receding
figures of my husband and the
German Shepherd as they stroll
along the water's edge.
It's perfectly quiet except for
the soothing lap of the waves
against the shore and the oc-
casional distant drone of a
passing plane.
This is a day set apart for us
and already I can feel the healing
that comes from the warm sun,
the dry sand and the shining
water.
But this is a far cry from what I
had planned for this September
Monday morning. After a
summer disrupted by several
unforeseen events when many
things were left undone, I en-
visioned this day as being the day
of beginning to get things back in
order again.
One of the jobs put aside was
the half restored bathroom which
was left in disarray when ren-
ovation plans went awry in
June. There are also in-
numerable drawers and closets
begging tO be straightened out,
and a million and one other house
cleaning jobs held over from
Spring. Besides all that, there
was this column to write.
So when my husband suggested
we spend the day at the lake my
reply was a decided, "No way!'
"('ome on", he coaxed, "It's a
perfect day and who know how
many more are left. Besides,
there's always 'manana' to get
those duties done which you think
so pressing."
Manana .
Thal's a word he picked up
during a brief visit to Central
America where the natives
believe tomorrow is just as good
or perhaps even better than today
to get work done.
By ELAINE TOWNSHEND
Is there a need to set up a
program for the homebound in
Huron County? The general
consensus of the more than 80
persons who participated in a
workshop at Huronview on
September 8, was yes.
"Homebound" is the term used
to describe anyone who cannot
get out of the home for reasons
related to age, a physical han-
dicap, depression or fear.
In May, the Huron County
Committee on Homebound
People was formed to identify the
needs of this group. The com-
mittee sponsored the workshop,
which was chaired by Mrs. Betty
Cardno of Home Care. Several
homebound persons attended as
well as representatives of
ALPHA and most of the local
agencies and service clubs.
Official greetings were brought
by Mr. Archibald on behalf of
Huronview; Dr. Mills, the Huron
County Medical Officer of
Health; Dr. Whitman, secretary
of the Huron County Medical
Society and Medical Advisor to
Home Care; and Margaret
Bushel of the Huron County
Library.
Special guests at the meeting
were representatives of a day-
care centre for the homebound in
Brantford. Led by Mr. Sayed,
Chief of the Occupational
Therapy Department of the
Brantford General Hospital, the
group explained how their unique
program aids the physical and
emotional rehabilitation of
disabled persons and motivates
them to become re-integrated
into the community.
The focal point of the program
is the Family Living Group made
up of 150 physically disabled
persons and their families. The
group meets Monday through
Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in
facilities provided , by the
Brantford General Hospital. For
those who require treatment, the
therapy department is nearby.
In addition, the members
socialize, learn crafts and go on
outings. The program is designed
and operated primarily by the
homebound. President, Mrs.
Clara Durrant, expresses their
motto as, "We help ourselves by
helping others."
The Family Living Group has
three supportive services —
Home Visiting, Mutual Support
Centre and Operation Lift, The
visiting program is sponsored
and supervised by the Brant
County Health Unit and consists
of one director and five staff
members. Its purpose is to reach
the homebound persons in their
present environment.
The Mutual Support 'Centre
operates under the direction of
the Occupational Therapy
Department of Brantford
General, After their release from
the hospital, disabled persons
obtain continued care on an
outpatient basis, A therapeutic,
educational, social and
recreational environment is
provided in which each individual
He won . . . and here we are.
Mariana . •
How different this is from our
North. American philosophy, We
are drilled from birth never put
off for tomorrow what we can do
today,
"The early bird gets the
worm," we tell our children. "A
stitch in time saves nine; idle
hands make waste," all geared to
stress the urgency of getting
things done now if not before,
Perhaps all these so called wise
saying are at least partially
responsible for our rush-rush
society, the proverbial rat race,
the uneasy feeling that taking our
time is bad and sitting still is
even worse,
What a different picture we get
of Jesus as we see Him in the
Gospels. Not that He was a
sluggard, but He knew rest and
quiet was essential not only to the
body but to the soul, We see Him
moving quietly but steady at His
work but never in a frantic hurry.
And when He and His disciples
got tired they moved away from
the maddening crowds by pulling
out to sea in their boat or with-
drawing to the solitude of the
desert.
After such a time apart, we can
picture Him coming back
refreshed with new spirit to meet
the demands made of Him.
A day away from busy
schedules is not a waste of time.
It is an opportunity to step softly
and slowly, to sit quietly, to
meditate and pray. , . a time of
healing frayed nerves, weary
muscles and bones.
When bogged down with work,
meetings and household chores,
we all need to tell ourselves,
`Mariana' and go apart to rest
awhile,
The unfinished bathrooms, the
cluttered closets are always with
us . . tomorrow will be soon
enough for them.
is encouraged to learn new skills
and to develop a feeling of self-
worth.
Meanwhile, Operation Lift
provides transportation to and
from the Centre for persons
otherwise confined to their
homes. All three services are co-
ordinated through an inter-
agency committee consisiting of
representatives from the Brant
County Health Unit, the Family
Service Bureau and the Brant-
ford General Hospital.
When the LIP grants that
initiated the services were ter-
minated, the Brantford General
Hospital provided staff and funds
for the Mutual Support Centre.
However, Home Visiting and
Operation Lift are now func-
tioning as volunteer programs.
Mr. Sayed summed up the
program by picturing it in a
triangular form and by
describing how an individual
passes through each phase. At
the centre of the triangle is the
Family Living Group; its three
supportive services make up the
sides. Home ViSiting is the
Initiator; Operation Lift, the
Mobilizer; and the Mutual
Support Centre is the developer
at the base of the triangle. A
disabled person rises from the
development stage of MSC
through the Family Living Group
to the apex of the program which
is re-integration into the com-
munity.
After their presentation, the
Brantford panel fielded questions
from the attentive audience, and
later, small discussion groups
were formed. Each group in-
cluded a member from Brantford
as well as a member of the Huron
County Committee on the
Homebound,
Betty Cardno posed three
questions for them to consider: Is
the Brantford situation ap-
plicable to Huron County? What
problems are involved? What can
we do?
After some lively discussions,
the groups pooled their ideas,
They agreed that the size of the
workshop indicated a need for
and an interest in a program,
similar to the Brantford concept,
in Huron County. Geography,
transportation, facilities and
finances were named as the
areas of most concern.
Several groups suggested the
Clinton Public Hospital with its
therapy facilities would be an
ideal central location. Although
this years deadline for applying
for a LIP grant has passed, one of
the panels suggested a grant
might be a possible source of
funds next year,
All the groups agreed their first
step should be the formation of an
inter-agency committee to in-
vestigate the possible solutions to
the problems involved.
Members of the Huron County
Committee on Homebound
People termed the workshop a
huge success and were delighted
with the participants' decision to
pursue the creation of a program
for the homebound in Huron
County.
afireaMZOMMERWm•
Vte &Litanies-Aiwa:ate
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., 0.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 -- Harry DeVries
Business Manager --- Dick Jongkind
Phone 235-1331 Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation
September 30,1975 5,420
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11/17 WATCH
WM, Witt/
LIFFTWE
Homebound workshop
termed real success
•