HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-04-28, Page 4' Anyone riding on the Exeter Hawks bus
to Stayner, Friday, may have wondered if
the quiet atmosphere indicated the team
members were not enthusiastic about their
chances of wrapping up the Ontario cham-
pionship.
But the quiet prevailed for a very good
reason. Two members of the Hawks —
Brian Taylor and Gerald Weido — had final
exams the next day at the University of
Western Ontario and their team mates
chatted quietly while the pair studied,
Both had been doubtful starters for the
game due to their exams, but they had
made the big decision to play because they
wanted to share in the excitement of the
victory.
Their team mates understood the situa-
tion clearly, and their actions were in-
dicative of the maturity and team spirit
that prevails with Ontario's championship
"D" team.
The other Hawks knew the sacrifice
the two were making and they gave them
every consideration to prep for those ex-
ams on what normally would have been a
noisy, lively trip.
And when they stepped on the ice, there
was further indication the team wouldn't
let the two make that sacrifice in vain and
they played their strongest game of the
series to ensure the victory.
There were many other examples of
the dedication the team, their coach,
manager and trainer displayed to bring the
honor of an Ontario championship to
themselves and their community, and cer-
tainly that community has to include the
whole of South Huron and not just Exeter.
Some had to work extra nights to make
up for the time taken off jobs to be at
games. There was the self-denial of joining
in with their buddies for some good times.
There were the extra hours of practice and
conditioning needed to make champions
and that was an important ingredient of
their victory as evidenced by their third-
period splurges. For several there was the
pain of playing with injuries and bruises,
and for others the spirit-lifting display of
being on hand to cheer when it was evident
that there was pain in so doing,
Those are some of the ingredients
needed to win championships, and certain-
ly the Hawks deserve sincere commenda-
tion for their gentlemanly display on and
off 'the ice. They were a credit to
themselves, their coach and manager, and
their community.
They are champions indeed!
Consider bnplieations
Exeter firemen have every right to be
critical of the interference they en-
countered from the public in attempting to
reach two area fires last week.
The problems and some of the solutions
were outlined very clearly by Fire Chief
Gary Middleton and Councillor Ted Wright,
who is a member of the brigade.
Middleton pointed out the obvious
problems, such as the delay that was ex-
perienced in the firemen reaching the
scene, the damage that was done to hoses
by thoughtless motorists and the problem
that would have been encountered in back-
up equipment and ambulances reaching the
fires had it been necessary to call them to
assist.
Wright suggested that if the practice
continues, the department may have to
consider going to a "beeper" system. This
is a small radio system that each fireman
would carry with him and through which he
would be signalled if a fire call is received.
It is an extremely costly alternative and
obviously a nuisance for the volunteers.
But undoubtedly the most serious im-
plication of the entire situation is that the
problems encountered by the firemen could
easily lead to this community being without
the services of a fire brigade.
It would take only one serious accident,
such as a fireman smashing into a car on
his way to the fire scene, or one of the
department's trucks knocking a youngster
off a bicycle, to prompt members of the
brigade to come to the conclusion that the
job isn't worth that type of risk.
The problem is, that while the firemen
do have certain protection in accidents in-
volving vehicles which may be following
them, the courts have ruled on several oc-
casions that they are subject to the rules of
the road and criminal and civil actions
have resulted from accidents involving fire
department vehicles.
That risk may never be entirely
eliminated, but it can certainly be minimiz-
ed if people start using their heads and
realize the problems they create for the
firemen when they interfere to the extent
which was in evidence last week.
Just imagine for one moment the agony
a person would suffer if he/she was in-
volved in an accident which knocked the
fire truck out of action on its way to a fire.
Surely that type of situation in itself is
reason enough to stay out of the way.
v.zevawn, • .'"`•
Champions, Indeed
Trudeau. visits Disneyland
Be
generous
when
the
canvasser
calls
"Joe Clark, I presume?"
Whose interest is served?
Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924
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Be content with grab-bag
There are so many things
demanding my attention this
week that faithful readers (bless
the eight of you) will have to be
content with a grab-bag. Those
who have no interest in sticking
an eye into a grab-bag may turn
over to the astrology column, or
go out and buy a lottery ticket, or
stick their finger in their ear, or
whatever turns them on.
First, let's get rid of the
Quebec issue, which is
fascinating the media and begin-
ning to bore everybody else.
Them there crazies down in
Quebec City have taken their
first giant step toward a dic-
tatorship of sort, with the an-
nouncement that Quebec is to
become a unilingual province
(country?).
They were playing it pretty
cool for a few months, but this
one is a blunder of massive
proportions. They can no more
force unilingualism on Quebec
than the federal government
could force bilingualism on
Canada.
When will these people, who
begin as fervent idealists and
turn into rigid commissars when
they achieve power, ever learn
that you can't force free people
to do anything they don't want to
do? You can shoot them or burn
then), as state and church have
done in the past. But you can't
control their minds or spirits by
force or threats,
Rene, Levesque and his crowd
have made their first big boo-
boo. The edict about "French
only" will return to haunt them.
They are interfering with the
right of people to say "merde" in
their own language, whether it
be English or Greek et. Italian,
and mark my words, it will
boomerang. The edict, that is,
not the merde.
Even worse, the pronun-
elainento will probably unite the
rest of Canada, and all the non-
French of Quebec, behind Pierre
Trudeau, and well be stuck with
another four or five years of in-
sipid, inept and indifferent
Liberal government. The only
fate that could be more frighten-
ing would be the prospect of four
or five years of Conservative
government. Fortunately there
is no possibility of the NDP, that
optimistic gnat straining to
produce a giant, forming a
federal government.
Well, that settles the political
situation for this week. Except
for one squalid little item. As I
write, there are rumours that
Jack Horner, an ambitious Tory
M.P. from Alberta, may bolt his
party, stick his thumb in the big,
fat Liberal pie, and emerge with
a cabinet post on the end of it.
Herewith some advice for Joe
Clark. If Horner wants to go,
wave goodbye and forget about
him. One Paul Hellyer, once a
power in the Liberal cabinet, the
one who single-handedly
destroyed the morale of
Canada's armed forces, crossed
the floor in a huff when he didn't
get his own way, joined the
Tories, and has been Paul Who?
ever since. Churchill got away
with it and went on to lead his
country. But Jack Horner is no
Churchill. Enough. Politics are
sick-making.
Another Westerner, Ole
Missus Trudeau, is still keeping
the gossips speculating, as I
write. Nobody seems to know
where she is or what the hell is
going on. Maybe by the tinle this
appears in print, Jack Horner
will have married Pierre
Trudeau, and Margaret will pop
up from New York, first-class
Air Canada, to take the wedding
pictures.
I know Margaret has said no
more of those dull, official func-
tions for her, like cutting the rib-
bon on the brand new outdoor
privies installed by Turkey
Township in its fine new park.
But I can't help wondering if
she's going to pass up all those
smashing glamour events to
celebrate the Queen's Jubilee,
which are undoubtedly being
planned right now in Ottawa,
local matrons in fighting for in-
vitations.
It's not fair, I know, but the
comparison between Margaret
and Queen Elizabeth thrusts
itself at one. The Queen was
crowned when she was younger
than Mrs. T. She had about as
many babies about as fast. But
she did not then declare that she
must fulfill herself, and allow
herself to be pawed and pestered
by smutty reporters avid to learn
what was going on between her
and Philip.
Nope, she hung in there,
through all the dreariness and
calumny of what must be one of
the most arduous jobs in the
world, When there as a tough
decision to be made, she made it
and stuck to it. She did a pretty
good job of raising her kids, it
seems. She endured the sniping
and the criticism. And she did it
all with a grace and dignity that
proclaimed the word "lady" at,
every step.
It's a hard act to follow, and
nobody can blame the Sinclair
girl if she couldn't match it. But,
while Pierre is an arrogant man-
darin, I'll bet the Duke of Edin-
burgh is no bargain either. She
shoulda hung in there, the way
the rest of us do.
It's not easy, living for years
with a complete stranger. But it.
goes with the territory.
It doesn't get any easier, as the
years go by, either. This morning
I came down for breakfast at
eight o'clock. At a quarter to
nine I went out the door to work.
During that forty-five minutes, I
spoke four times, each time say-
ing either, "Yes", or "You're
right," That took two seconds.
The rest of the time my wife
talked, and her voice followed
me right out the door like a
swarm of bees following a
florist.
That's not news, but that, too,
is reality.
Members of Exeter council
continue to play games regar-
ding closed sessions, and by so
doing they deny local ratepayers
their -basic right to know what
their elected officials are doing
on their behalf.
While members may feel they
have the prerogative to hold
special meetings or move into
closed committee-of-the-whole
sessions whenever they wish,
they overlook one of the guiding
principles for such action.
That principle is, as spelled out
in the Ontario Municipal Act,
that closed sessions may be clos-
ed "as in the opinion of the coun-
cil, the PUBLIC INTEREST re-
quires,"
Unfortunately, many public
bodies move into closed sessions
when they feel it is in their own
interests to do so. Those oc-
casions may be when they are
confronted by a group of citizens
who oppose a decision, and
naturally members feel it would
be easier to discuss the matter
behind closed doors than in front
of the people involved. But, that
is not in the public interest by
any stretch of the imagination,
On other occasions, members
of a public body feel that their
discussion will result in con-
troversy or criticism, so they es-
cape behind closed doors. That is
not in the public interest, but
merely in the interest of the
elected officials,
People have a right to know
and that right includes access to
the entire discussion of the
public's business and not just the
decisions which arise from those
discussions.
At the last two meetings, Ex-
eter council have excluded the
public to debate such matters as
the local PUC billing L'or fire
protection and the planned
renovations at the new police of-
fice.
How members of council can
justify that it was in the public
interest to hold those discussions
behind closed doors is beyond our
comprehension.
Certainly the debate over the
cost of fire protection involves
local ratepayers to a con-
siderable extent. While the result
for some ratepayers will be that
they may save some money on
one hand, they'll just end up pay-
ing it out on the other. What
money the PUC can not raise in
the town budget for fire protec-
tion, they'll have to pick up from
the local customers through
some other levy.
However, the decision could
mean a saving for some
ratepayers, such as commercial
owners who may have high
assessments and low water con-
sumption.
At any rate, it is indeed of in-
terest to all ratepayers to hear
the pros and cons as they are
debated by both council and the
PUC and to deny them that right
would be most difficult to justify.
The closed discussion on the
renovations to the new police of-
fice is also most difficult to com-
prehend. Why is it in the public
interest not to know what work is
required to renovate the facility?
By moving behind closed doors
to discuss the matter, council
prompts us to think there must
he a problem or an expense
which they feel they would
rather not disclose, in view of the
fact they are already under con-
siderable criticism for the deci-
sion to move out of the town hail
in the first place.
However, if that is the basis
for their decision, it is obviously
only in their own interests and
not the public interest to hide the
facts.
Two other matters were dis-
cussed by council in closed ses-
sion last week, and in both cases
they were probably justified in
not making the matters public.
The one topic dealt with was
with their solicitor and centred
around the work done on the
revised official plan and zoning
bylaw by Damas & Smith, the
planners fromn Toronto.
There are obvious legal com-
plications in the matter and as
such they should be withheld
from the public (which would in-
clude Damas & Smith) at the
present time until the matter is
resolved. Then, of course, they
should disclose the final outcome
in detail to the ratepayers.
The other topic was regarding
one of the town employees and
again there can be little quarrel
with this discussion being held in
private.
However, topics of this nature
arise on very few occasions and
it is seldom in the public interest
to discuss public business behind
closed doors, either at regular or
special meetings.
80 YEARS AGO
Two burglars gained an en-
trance to Messrs. H. Bishop &
Son hardware store Friday night
and stole a large number of
razors, several revolvers and
other small articles. The en-
trance was effected by prying up
a rear window with chisels that
had been procured from Mr. W.
Kuntz's carriage shop. They es-
caped when they were frightened
off by the approach of the night
watch, Mr. H. Parsons.
Dr. Rollins, Messrs. H.
Spackman, D. Mill and W. H.
Levett left Tuesday for Sylvan,
the scene of the oil explorations.
John T. Westcott on Thursday
was appointed a county con-
stable by Judge Edward Elliott.
Mr. John Taylor, Deputy-
Reeve of Exeter, and Councillor
Rollins were in Mitchell this
week inspecting the electric light
and water works systems there,
Exeter is going to adopt a system
of fire protection and light the
town with electricity.
30 YEARS AGO
Crediton Evangelical church
will henceforth be called
Evangelical United Brethren
Church.
Mr. & Mrs. Lorne Kleinstiver
of Bowmanville have moved
their household effects into the
apartment above Koehler's
Bakery, Dashwood.
Engineers from Armstrong &
Co. are now engaged in making a
survey of the drains of Exeter
and compiling information in
reference to the sewerage
system.
Twenty-seven members of Ex-
eter IOOF motored to London
Friday evening in a chartered
bus and were initiated into the
mysteries of the Samaritan
Lodge,
A deputation from the High
School Board have an appoint-
ment Saturday with the Depart-
ment of Education in Toronto
with reference to plans for a new
high school.
Mr. Donald Jolly has com-
pleted his radio course in Toron-
to.
20 YEARS AGO
Miss Mary Van Camp has
accepted a clerk's position at the
Headquarters Orderly Room at
RCAF Station, Centralia,
The first Hobby Fair to be held
in Hensall was well attended and
hdd 82 displays. It Was sponsored
Elected officials have enough
problems and face enough
criticism without adding the
problem of suspicions and doubts
which arise when they exclude
the public for other than the rare
discussions when it is in the
public interest to do so.
In the writer's 15 years of
covering public meetings, we
have only experienced about half
a dozen occasions on which the
public have been asked to leave
one of those meetings.
It becomes a little difficult
therefore to understand the
situation that has arisen with Ex-
eter council as they have ousted
the public in their last two
meetings, and to maintain an
average of that nature, is far
from normal.
by the Recreation Committee,
Wednesday.
Carol Fletcher, Grade XIII
student, who plans a career in
public health nursing, has been
selected queen of South Huron
District High School, She will
represent the school in the
Western Ontario School Queens
Club, sponsored by The London
Free Press and UWO.
Mrs. Roylance Westcott was
elected president of Hurondale
Women's Institute at their an-
nual meeting, Wednesday.
Drama critic J. Burke Martin,
adjudicated at, a one-act play
festival in Exeter last week,
Drama groups from Hanover and
Listowel competed with the Ex-
eter Drama Guild at the event.
15 YEARS AGO
Rev. John C. Boyne, BA, BD.,
is the new minister of Caven and
Cromarty Presbyterian
churches.
W. G. Cochrane, QC, an-
nounced this week the sale of his
law practice to two London
barristers, Charles Mackenzie
and Peter L. Raymond.
The mercury rose to a high of
78 Wednesday, the hottest day so
far this spring.
'Elsie May II' crew at Grand
Bend caught 42 sturgeon Satur-
day, when they pulled in their
nets off Port Franks. The catch
dressed out a total of 819 pounds
which went to a Brooklyn buyer
at $1,60 per pound.
Mrs, Art Clarke has been nam-
ed president of Exeter .Kinettes
for 1962-63.
To the editor:
Total frustration is what many
of the parents felt at the meeting
Monday evening at Clinton. A
public meeting at which dept.
heads of English, principals,
students and trustees could
present their views and ask
questions. A democratic right
denied to the parents.
When the delegation of con-
cerned parents went to the board
April 4 about some of the books,
all members of the board and
principals were given op-
portunity to defend themselves.
That was not to be at Monday's
meeting.
We were labeled a "pressure
group" but for those present it
was obvious who was asserting
the pressure. One principal said
hehad no dirty books in his school
and a grade 13 student said not
only was The Diviners not a dirty
book but that in fact it was
"clean, wholesome literature."
To those that feel this way
about the books in question, I
doubt there is such a thing as
pornography. One argumeat that
inevitably comes up in such a
discussion is that this is
"reality."
No one would deny its existence
but I would ask those who support
this; do you live in this "real
world" portrayed by such books
as The Diviners and Of Mice and
Men? Do your friends live in this
so called reality?
I find these literary works
negative, depressing and morbid,
Surely teachers don't believe
realism is all negativism. How
about some constructive
realism? I believe using this type
of literature in our schools causes
a more permissive and less
responsible society.
Ron Heywood
* * *
Dear Sir:
The board room of the Board of
Education in Clinton was the
scene of a theatrical spectacle on
Monday night. The purpose of the
meeting was to allow the prin-
cipal and English department
heads the opportunity to try and
justify how certain questionable
books were placed on the English
courses.
The charge by ' a minority
"pressure group" that certain
text books were obscene and
filthy was treated in a "light
hearted" manner by some of the
teachers, while other teachers
appeared threatened that they
should be questioned in the first
place.
After hearing the teachers try
to defend their cause with long
speeches, I am not so sure
whether it is the books they select
or their attitudes toward their
work, parents, and students, that
should be in question.
One teacher has the opinion
that you "have to live life in order
to know how to live it." And she
felt if she could take her students
through these experiences in
books rather than them ex-
perimenting on their own with the
real thing, she was doing them a
favor.
I question if the experiences
some of these books depict are
even necessary for the abundant
life about which some of the
teachers spoke.
There is only one way to an
abundant life, and that way is
through Jesus who said, "I have
come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more
abundantly." (John 10:10)
Another person said that the
text books were chosen by a
"highly competent" group of
teachers. When any person or
group of persons is regarded as
so "highly competent" as to be
above reproach, then those
people as well as those they
serve, are indeed in deep trouble.
The former government of the
United States was thought to be
"highly competent," until a
"pressure group" of two people
revealed some of them for what
they really were.
Another teacher got off the
subject of books and tried to
defend the sex education
program of his school, He said
"There are more • pregnant
students in my school this year,
than in the past four or five years
put together," Could it be sir, in
your school that there is too much
time spent on the "how too" and
not enough on the "Why not!"?
While "pressure groups" were
recognized as a normal part of
the democratic process, the
teachers made no secret of the
fact that they did not appreciate
the "pressure group"
threatening their ability to
function.
"If one teacher can be
reached" one of them said, "then
the other teachers would wonder
how long until they will be
reached?"
The day our education system
is staffed with teachers who do
not think they can or even should
be reached, then our children and
society, are in very serious
trouble, After what the public
heard on Monday night, we can
only conclude that we are at that
point in time right now,
I defend the right of a
"pressure group" to look into and
question the educational system,
or any other system, Particularly
after seeing the lack of interest
given to the matter by the Board
of Education's elected trustees.
One trustee said she had read
one of the books in question 20
years ago, She went on to say, "It
still brings me great pleasure
when I think of it." Only one
trustee seriously questioned any
statement made by the teachers.
I think this is rather sad.
To those teachers who feel
threatened by the question of a
few uneducated (?) ill-informed
(? ) old fashioned parents(?) how
will you feel when you are
questioned by Almighty God?
Rev. Bruce A. Pierce
* * *
To The Editor:
During the year 1977, the town
of Goderich on beautiful Lake
Huron at the mouth of the
Maitland River, is celebrating
its one hundred and fiftieth birth-
day.
As a great many special events
are planned for the days from
June 29th to July 10th, we would
like to invite all former
Goderichites to return home dur-
ing those days.
We have reached a good
number of friends by letter but
feel that there may be others
who have not heard of our
celebrations. We would,
therefore, like to use this column
of your newspaper to issue a very
hearty "Welcome Home" to
anyone in your community who
once upon a time, lived in our
town.
Thank you for assisting us nn
this effort.
Sincerely yours,
Harry Worsell
P.S, If anyone wishes more infor-
mation, write to me at P.O.
Box 1977, Goderich, Ontario.
Page 4
Times-Advocate, April 28, 1977
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