The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-02-12, Page 4`Harvey, dear — did you know that this is Brotherhood \Neck when they ask for more •
love, forgiveness., understanding . • •,
Jim Beckett's
Schools stress public speaking
Olympics costly
Only Jean Drapeau could have imagin-
ed that Canada's hosting of the Olympic
Games would or could be a profitable ven-
ture. It may be safely assumed that any
country which seeks the Games is chiefly
bent on publicizing its own stature in the
eyes of the world.
It that concept is true, Canada has
managed to conceive, create and will sure-
ly consummate the worst of all possible im-
ages. We can look forward to the Summer
of '7S as the point of international downturn
for the country we call home.
Little Johnny from Montreal has done
it again! What a guy he is! With unblinking
eyes and bristling moustache he gave us all
the injection of Olympia at a bargain — not
a cent over $325 million. As the drug took
hold and the fever climbed toward the
billion dollar level he avowed, "The Olym-
pic Games can no more lose money than a
man can have a baby!"
Up to the present our international im-
age has been somewhere between in-
teresting adolescent and promising junior
miss. After this summer we will be known
far and wide as the country which couldn't
even provide pay toilets for the visitors.
Yes, those sophisticates in Montreal have.
promised the necessary installations for
the Games will be ready for opening day on
July 17, but there won't be any "frills".
Frills are such minor items as athletes'
changing rooms and washroom facilities
for participants and general public.
Perhaps we should set up a fast air-
borne shuttle service to New York State so
that the visitors can go to the bathroom.
Wingham Advance-Times
Our response to now
By ELMORE BOOMER
Counsellor for
Information South Huron
For appointment
phone: 235 t 0560
Family life vindicated
gone. The swamp is completely
filled and abundant crops have
taken over, The kibbutz is large
and prosperous, Gone is the nee
for the earlier self-denying co-
operation.
The kibbutz demands less
labour and time and people turn
to their families for emotional
support and outlet. Energies once
spent for the group are now being
redirected to the family.
The oldsters who first decreed
the rigid communal living now
criticize the liberalization of their
colony but also enjoy the new
freedoms to play with grand-
children and great grand-
children.
It seems that the high stan-
dards of correctness Without the
usual family emotional support
has made these grandparents
warmer and more playful with
their children and grandchildren.
Family patterns have taken
over so imperceptibly yet so
fully and this despite unusual
alertness and zeal to the contrary
that "the good old days" are
irreparably gone.
Family life is the instrument of
reconciliation in the kibbutz. The
feelings between the old and new
guard are cooled by the presence
of grandchildren. Old ideologies
are softening under the pressure
of family intimacy.
The old values of collective
ownership, co-operative works,
and group-oriented education is
maintained but for different
reasons. Fervent ideology has
taken back seat to practicality.
Family values are effecting
group life, The group will
probably remain pre-eminent
for many years but the at-
mosphere is more emotional and
warm and the practice more
natural and less tensely perfect,
For those who value family and
see in it the redeeming feature of
society, these findings from an
Israeli Kibbutz are reassuring..
Dear Editor:
I am writing to agree with
many other subscribers of the
E.T.A. with whom I have been
talking to — about the number of
Christmas letters that are being
printed in your paper from
children of different schools.
Now perhaps they are of in-
terest to the children and parents
— but certainly not to people of
other cities and towns.
Surely there is more in-
teresting news that could be
printed that would make for
better reading,
Due to the cost of this paper —
let's try another year to cut back
on such items,
Mrs, G. F. Penwarden 1110 And oblige
Sarnia
Needing some information the other
evening, we telephoned an acquaintance
who could supply the answer, and were in-
terrupted by the long distance lass, who ad-
vised the number was no longer in service.
That we couldn't quite fathom, because our
acquaintance was one who had a fetish
about paying bills, and we were reasonably
sure he was not on Ma Bell's Mad List.
Next morning, we phoned our friend's
place of business, were connected prompt-
ly, and in addition to the required informa-
tion, also learned that his home had been
severely damaged by fire; hence no home
telephone, because there was no home.
The ironic part of the whole, affair was
that just a few weeks before, our friend had
scoffed at a salesman's suggestion that he
purchase smoke sensor devices for installa-
tion at both home and office. The cost
would have been less than fifty dollars
each, and now included in renovation plans
for the badly damaged home is a complete
sensor system. The fire, of course, oc-
curred in the middle of the night; our
Hundreds of hours of preparation have
gone into getting everything ready for the
seventh annual Crippled Children's
weekend at the Pineridge Chalet on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.
The slate of activities features
something of interest to practically
everybody and we remind our readers
about one important point to consider.
All proceeds will go to crippled
Attend Pineridge events
Lifesaving device
children — and who could think of a more
deserving group than these young people
who are not able to lead normal lives
because of their afflications.
Thousands of people are expected for
the three-day event and when you combine
the fact that you'll be enjoying yourself and
helping a worthwhile cause at the same
time, you'll realize this is one activity that
should be placed at the top of your list for
this weekend.
friend was forced to make a hasty exit via
an upstairs window, and one member of the
family suffered from smoke inhalation. A
few minutes more, our friend reckoned,
and it would have been game over for the
entire family.
Smoke sensor devices are battery-
powered, and if one is to believe the
literature and advertisements, have a good
track record, They emit a loud, continuous
bleeping noise at any above normal level of
smoke, to alert occupants of home or office
that something's amiss. We mentioned a
price of less than fifty dollars; actually
they're more than that at retail level, but
our friend could have made a purchase at
wholesale price.
If, for instance, the town fire depart-
ment were to become interested in promo-
tion of these devices, one would imagine
that a group purchase would earn the
wholesale price. No one would begrudge a
small profit or handling charge, if, as
suggested the fire department or a service
club would take the initiative.
Prayers
For young folk and city folks, it
won't mean a thing. But for
small town and rural folks,
especially the older ones, the end
of Eaton's catalogue is the end of
an era.
During a couple of generations,
the catalogue was the key to a
storehouse of treasure that
Aladdin would have envied.
Fifty years ago, especially for
farm people in isolated locations,
it was as important as their
television set is today,
After a day of drudgery, a leaf
through the pages was a form of
escape for the farm wife. Even
though there was no money for
more than the essentials, she
could dream over the
illustrations of furniture,
clothing, sets of dishes, curtains.
At that time, it was literally one
of the very few means of com-
munication with the big world
outside.
Even if you never received a
letter from one year's end to
another, you could be sure of
receiving mail. You carefully
chose what you wanted from the
catalogue, made sure you got the
right number, sent off your order,
and sooner or later there would
be a parcel in the mail.
Eaton's was as reliable as the.
Times Established 1873
Bank of England used to be.
Besides its exotic allure, the
bulky catalogue had a dozen
utilitarian values. People didn't
just chuck out last year's
catalogue, as they would in these
careless, spendthrift days.
Old copies were used as
doorstops in the backhouse, and
as insulation. I have personally
used them, at a tender age, as
shinpads for hockey, stuffed
inside long woolen socks.
Many a boy, in those days when
the only parts of a woman ex-
posed were her hands and her
face, learned all about women, or
had his first sexual experience, if
you prefer, by sneaking a look at
the corset ads when his mother
wasn't watching.
Many an older person of the
gentler sex today spent happy
hours as a little girl cutting things
out of the catalogue with scissors
and pasting them in a scrapbook,
or making paper dolls.
Other uses were: half a dozen
pages to start the morning fire in
a house where paper was scarce
because there was no daily
newspaper; 20 or 30 pages cut in
the shape of an insole and tucked
into the boot or shoe with a hole in
the sole.
Advocate Established 1881
But let's not get sentimental
and weepy about it. Eaton's
catalogue is a hangover from the
days of the outdoor Johnny, and
certainly few mourn the demise
of the latter.
I'm sorry for the many people
across the country who will lose
jobs because the catalogue has
become defunct. And many a
housewife will feel a real sense of
loss for a while.
But it won't be missed all that
much. The catalogue had
outlived its usefulness except as a
strictly functional means of
shopping. It was no longer a
cherished household article. It
had become about as glamorous
as the telephone directory.
I know quite a few people who
will be cheered by the news,
These are the small-town and
rural merchants who had to
compete against the giant
department store. They simply
couldn't, and many were better
about it.
A merchant who had a stake in
his community, paid taxes, and
served his fellow citizens had
some right to feel a little sour
when he had to go up against a
— Please turn to Page 5
Amalgamated 1924
CCNA
RIM RIBBON
AWARD
1974
Last Friday this writer had the
opportunity to be one of the
judges at a public speaking
competition at Exeter Public
School.
Junior and senior divisions
from Precious Blood School were
on hand to speak against students
from EPS,
Fellow judges Sharon O'Toole
and Bill Linfield heard speeches
ranging on everything from the
benefits of family life to
shoplifting to a humorous story
about how the world couldn't get
along without mushrooms.
The competition was fairly
close and it took a little
deliberation to decide the win-
ners in each category.
It's been years since I had
heard youngsters speaking and a
couple of things have changed
since then. Most of the speakers
demonstrated a fair amount of
confidence for their ages and
some of the topics chosen showed
imagination and research. In
fact, the competitors seemed to
be actually enjoying themselves
by participating in an event of
this type.
When I was a public school
student we actually dreaded
being forced to stand up in front
of our fellow students and speak
to them for a few minutes.
This is possibly one part of the
educational system that is for the
better. Our schools are stressing
one of the most important areas
of getting a well-rounded
education — having the ability to
communicate effectively with
others.
Some of us could never claim to
be good at this and most of us are
faced with difficulty in ex-
pressing our ideas.
This is why events like the one
at Exeter Public School are
important to the students. If even
some of the problems of ex-
pressing our ideas to others can
he overcome at a young age, our
students will be entering the
adult world with a real ad-
vantage.
What do you think?
During the last few months
there has been considerable
debate on what is to be done
about the old town hall.
Should we sink more than a few
dollars into the structure and
restore the building to a condition
where it will be a valuable asset
to the town or should we let this
landmark on the main street
meet the same fate as hundreds
of other historical buildings
across the province?
Because this is a problem that
involves everyone in town who is
a taxpayer the Times-Advocate is
asking residents of this com-
munity to express their feelings
on the matter,
Reporter Leigh Robinson has
done his best to present an im-
partial coverage of the facts on
the town hall situation as it now
stands.
Along with his story we have
published a questionnaire that we
ask our readers to complete and
return to 'the newspaper,
The form seeking your opinions
will appear in this week's
newspaper and the results will be
published on February 19.
It's your community and the
Times-Advocate is interested in
what you think.
Work for welfare
The London Free Press carried
an interesting news item recently
expressing the opinion of a
London alderman that able-
bodied people who are receiving
welfare should be put to work on
the city's snow removal
program.
His idea was to pay these
people the minimum wage on top
of the welfare benefits they are
already collecting.
Although the welfare situation
may not be as bad in this area as
other centres across the province
it should be of interest to all of
us because the bulk of welfare
costs are supported by the
provincial government.
This means that you and I are
contributing to welfare payments
right across the province.
After reading the article and
hearing several opinions ex-
pressed on an open line radio
show I „have reached the con-
clusion that the London alder-
man's idea has merit.
Many people seem to consider
they have a right to government
assistance for total support. In
fact, studies reveal that
generation after generation of
some families have 'been sup-
ported by welfare programs of
some kind or other.
Anyone who is physically and
mentally able to work should be
obligated to do so rather than rely
on the rest of society for support.
Another point made by a caller
was that many welfare recipients
are using their government
money to buy things other than
what is absolutely necessary to
live decently.
He cited examples of people
who are buying beer and other
non-essential items with money
50 Years Ago
Mr. Charles Anderson was in
London Thursday, attending a
banquet of Metropolitan agents.
Mr. R.N. Rowe is remodelling
his furniture store and fitting up a
funeral parlor,
Mr. T.T. Bow shipped a carload
of horses to Montreal on Wed-
nesday, Mr. C. Webster ac-
companying them.
Mr. J. G. Stanbury was in
Toronto, Tuesday and Wednesday
where he was engaged as counsel
in a will case at Osgoode Hall,
Miss Mildred Norry, of London,
visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
John Norry, over the weekend.
Mr. Milton Russell, of Sexmith
is drawing the material for the
erection of a new house next
summer.
Mr. C.C. Piton has installed a
laqueroid system for painting
cars and has already put a fine
finish on several cars.
25 Years Ago
Demonstrating that they are
still against the price paid for
hydro pole erection across their
farms, 50 farmers in the Staffa
section staged "one big shoal"
Thursday and held up line-
stringing crews for three hours in
the afternoon.
The farmers blocked the path
of a bulldozer which hauls one-
inch cables. Provincial police
from Exeter, Stratford, Seaforth,
and Goderich came to the scene
and restored operations. At one
point it was said that police had
contemplated reading the Riot
Act.
At a meeting of Town Council
Monday evening, a grant of $2,000
was made to the Exeter branch of
the Canadian Legion towards a
new building, together with the
suggestion that councils in the
next two years, make two further
grants for the building.
20 Years Ago
Margaret Woodburn of RR 3,
Parkhill, was crowned queen for
1956 by SDHS students at the
formal dance Friday night.
Tenders are being called for
the $50,000 addition to Exeter
Post Office.
The 12 best spellers in South
Huron public schools have been
picked to compete for district
honors at the inspectorate finals
of the Ontario spelling bee in
Exeter Public School Wed-
nesday, February 29.
Huron County Soil and Crop
News distributed this week to
7,000 farmers, is believed to be
the first country newspaper to be
printed in two colours.
10 Years Ago
Construction costs for roads last
year exceeded the budget
estimates by $1,515 while con-
struction engineering and
overhead exceeded budget
figures by $6,350, for a total
deficit of $7,526. Coun. Taylor is
giving his report before Council,
pointed out where substantial
savings could be made in 1966.
The police committee will
investigate a complaint with
regard to the parking situation at
the corner of Wellington and
Main Streets, following a letter
received by the mayor
suggesting that the corner should
be called "manslaughter corner"
rather than Wellington and Main.
Apparently the parking at this
intersection makes it difficult to
see when entering Highway 4 and
has resulted in several minor
accidents recently.
Dear Lord, I wonder what
surprises you have for me today?
Sometimes I delight in your
bonuses and almost leap out of
my shoes because they come in
such unexpected ways. Like last
week when I picked up a letter
bearing such super-good news.
Hurray! Whoopee! I sang the
hallelujah chorus all the way
home from the post office.
However, yesterday I didn't
reckon on the surprise I got which
left me afraid, hurting and
trembling. I wondered why this
should be so . . , why me, Lord?
But God, I'm learning (slowly
it seems) that everything you
prepare and present to me does
turn out good. Maybe that's the
biggest and greatest surprise of
all , that the very things I deem
as tragedies are the ones that
bring the most help and strength
and goodness in the long run.
So, Father, help me to be
thankful for the items that come
up in my agenda today knowing
that all things work for good
when they come from Thee.
+ + +
Lord, my friend who has all the
answers bothers me. How come
she's so wise? How come she
never confesses falling short of
Thy will? How come she seems to
feel that a list of 'do's and don't's'
somehow puts a magic cloak over
us to keep us from trouble.
I can't believe, Lord, that she
has no problems in her life
because I look at her and see so
much to criticize! Sometimes I
Families have been discounted
in the minds of the "now people".
Families are synonymous with
confinement, lack of expression
and opportunity for growth.
Sexual freedom and the new
tolerance for homosexual ac-
tivity has brought destructive
pressures to bear on the family.
Because the family has been a
restraint on many, an unhappy
bickering and occasion for break-
down, separation and dislocation
in living it has been fashionable
to downgrade this unit of society.
But in more recent years the
family has come in for its share
of vindication. Families are more
resilient than first thought.
Communal alternatives have
proven to be no alternatives.
One of the most celebrated
attempts of communal living is
the kibbutz of. Israel. These
pioneering colonies have been
idealized and admired. Romantic
fantasy shrouds the kibbutzim.
Leslie Y. Rabbin writing in the
current Psychology Today
highlights one such kibbutz which
he has named Kiryat Yedidim
(Town of Friends). Family ties
have proven more important
than the rigid rules for communal
living,
Kiryat Yedidim was founded in
1920 by a group of Eastern
European Jews — intellectuals
rebelling against the strictures
and structures of their families.
They felt the family to be the
expression of middle class
mediocrity.
Work— physical labour,
simplicity, collective ownership
were the supreme values of their
small society. The group was
emphasized at the expense of the
individual.
This system has. worked well
economically but in later years it
has undergone gradual but real
change. Family ties have im-
posed their chapings on the
group.
In the early days mothers gave
their babies over to young female
kibbutzniks for care and
education. The family counted an
unwarranted constraintwas to be
abolished.
Friendly
rather than the usual
intimate interactions were en-
couraged, Friends of his own age
were to be the centre of each
child's interest and his supreme
loyalty was to the kibbutz.
While these emphases are still
encouraged yet the trend is
definitely in the opposite
direction. Afternoon family tea is
a daily spot of pleasure. Family
drives are the practice. Seats are
saved by family members for
others of the family at communal
gatherings, Sabbath has become "family"
day. Sons seek out fathers and
daughters, their mothers, for
heart-to heart talks. Even family
names cannot be forgotten,
The old sense of urgency is
get the feeling that she and I are
eyeing each other and praying,
"Thank you God that I am not as
other men."
Ah Lord, help us to see that we
both fall short ...I, because I do
condemn her for what seems to
be shallow piety and fake
holiness . . . and she, because of
her insecurity that forces her to
put up a false front with me . . ,
and you.
God help us both to open to
each other , .to unfold our
weaknesses and not be afraid of
what we may see inside ourselves
and each other.
+ + +
Before I got out of bed this
morning, God, I said, "This is the
day that the Lord has made, and I
will rejoice and be glad." And
then I got up and came out to the
kitchen and started to beef and
nag at my family.
0 God! How long is it going to
take for me to shed off this
miserable self? How well I know
the feelings of Paul when he said;
'Thethings I want to do,l don't do,
and the things I don't want to do, I
do.' Words of anguish for letting
you down . . . but words of
comfort, too, for if Paul could
experience times like that then I
guess I can expect to. (I'm not a
saint yet!)
But help me, 0 Lord, and
forgive me... more than that . .
help me to swallow my pride and
ask my family to forgive me. And
I will try to do better tomorrow,
Lord, Amen
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC
Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited
Editor Jim Beckett — Advertising Manager
Women's Editor, —Gwyn Whilsmith
Plant Manager — Les Webb
Cornpoiition Manager — Dave Worby
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
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $9.00 Per Year; USA $11,00
• from their welfare cheques.
It's not difficult .to agree with
this man's suggestion that the
welfare agencies go back to the
system of giving coupons to
recipients instead of the actual
cash.
The coupons could only be
redeemed for approved mer-
chandise and heaven help the
merchant that accepted them for
other than specified items.
Other people will have the
legitimate argument that there
are many people who deserve
government assistance and
should not be subjected to the
embarrassing situation of having
to present coupons when they are
making purchases in stores.
The majority of callers on the
program were of the opinion that
these people should not be forced
to work on the snow removal
program.
Others said if they did help they
should be provided with proper
clothing and be paid more than
the minimum wage for their
efforts.
It will be interesting to see if
this program ever becomes a
reality.
If any welfare recipients come
forward and volunteer for the
jobs it would be safe to assume
these are the people who are
honestly deserving whatever
assistance they are receiving.
Their pride and self-respect will
influence them to take whatever,
work they are able to do.
That's the way it should be
although the vast majority will
probably be content to stay at
home and collect their cheques.
•