HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-11-03, Page 41._
Times-Advocate, November 4,1977
Share in the pride
The proof of the pudding is in the eating
and there is little doubt that members of
the Exeter Heritage Society must be savor-
ing the comments being received as the
town hall nears completion of its face-lift.
Many skeptics may still not admit it
publicly, but the fact is that the building is
indeed as beautiful as the members
promised, although there is 'an indication
that some of them may be surprised to find
that it is even more striking than they
thought possible,
At any rate, it is certainly going to be a
landmark to which this community can
point with pride in the coming years. In-
dications are that it will also be functional
and self-sustaining,although that may be a
plus factor that isn't really a necessity in
view of its outward appearance,
The campaign for funds gets underway
this week and hopefully the members will
be rewarded for their tenacious efforts by
the members of the community,
It's obviously a project in which
everyone should want to share and be able
to smile proudly when their efforts are
rewarded with praise by all who view the
structure,
Don't live forever
It's certainly commendable that many
Exeter citizens are concerned about trees
and hopefully that concern will be backed
with a local bylaw to preserve any from
wanton destruction.
However, the criticism which is being
aired over the removal of the trees at the
corner of Main and Gidley to make way for
a new bank building is basically un-
justified.
It has already been reported that most
of the trees were badly rotted, indicating
that they would have been removed in the
near future or left to result in the risk of
property or human injury.
Unfortunately, many of the trees grow-
ing in this community are not compatible
with urban life. They are often too large or
growing in the wrong places and have to be
removed or badly scalped for development
or service installations. a._
Many of the trees are also reaching the
stage where many more will soon have to
come down because they are nearing the
end of their life span.
The students at South Hum,
should have, by now, been given a
clear statement, by each teacher
in eaeneourse, of the 'Method of
evaluation' to be used in that
• course. These methods are not all
indentieal, nor, in some cases,
even similar, since the goals gg
the courses, the students and
their aspiration, and the types of
courses vary so widely,
Students, or parents, who are
una ware of the criteria
established should request that
information immediately.
An evaluation of one part of the
year's work, a preliminary
repqrt, was sent home on October
21; followed by a Parent's Night
on October 24, This initial report
indicated the teacher's degree of
satisfaction, or lack of
satisfaction, of the effort and
achievement of the student, in
that course, to that point in time.
The next major assessment
will be made during the period of
November 28-December 2; the
Christmas Examinations, The
reports of the work at that time
will be sent home on December
21,
Examinations enable teachers
to evaluate aspects of learning
which cannot be readily done in
the normal school time allot-
ment. The ability to retain
previously learned information,
and the ability to utilize this in-
formation under new cir-
cumstances enables one to assess
the effectiveness of the learning
experiences in developing the
analytical, interpretive, syn-
thetic, and evaluative skills of the
students,
While examinations may ap-
pear to be an undesired portion of
school life, in the view .of most
educators, they, are essential
tools to be used in achieving the
goals set out in the first
paragraph, "to help each student
develop to the maximum
potential" of his or her abilities
and to assist the teacher in
determining if such growth and
development is occurring.
"This is a stick-up!" Obviously, there should be concern for
the trees, but it is perhaps more important
that there be more concern as to whether
the community is taking the necessary
steps to replace the existing tree popula-
tion, or even adding to it with trees that are
compatible with urban life.
As far as the bank building is concern-
ed, it should be emphasized again that
many of the trees were nearing their
demise and steps should have been taken
some years ago to have saplings planted to
replace them,
- It should also be noted that the
developer has every intention of properly
landscaping the property with trees and
shrubs to replace those which had to be
removed.
Unfortunately it will take years for
them to develop and that emphasizes the
point that there are many areas in town
where local citizens should be encouraged
to start trees to replace those which now
adorn our streets, but can't be expected to
last forever.
He exemplified work ethic
Luxury of integrity cl
How do you judge a person's
worth? Unfortunately, one of the
most common ways used in our
society is a rather negative ap-
proach in that a person's value
really isn't judged until that per-
son dies. The void that is left
then becomes an obvious
recognition of that person's con-
tribution.
Often, the deaths of the high
and mighty are marked with con-
siderable sorrow and words of
praise for his contributions, but
many times the void that is left
is not as great as that which
arises from the demise of the low
and humble.
Such is the case with a man
who died suddenly in this com-
munity last week, Russ
Collingwood.
His name would not be noted in
any list of local residents who
contribute more than average to
their community, but there is lit-
tle doubt that Russ will be miss-
ed by more people in this town
than perhaps any other resident.
No, Russ was not a community
leader. He didn't serve on any
local boards or committees, 134",
wasn't a hockey coach,,C a
member of any service club or
church choir and in fact, he
probably wasn't even known by
many of the people who have
moved to this community in the
past half dozen years.
What made his contribution
significant was the fact he was
narrow and intolerant that we tend to give
up on authentic moral concern. As it has
been put, "Quite often when a man thinks
his mind is becoming broader, it is only his
conscience stretching."
Yes, for many of us integrity is a lux-
ury we feel we simply cannot afford. Of
course, there are still many men and
women of firm integrity — honest, mer-
ciful, compassionate. And we must
recognize that in the complexity of life to-
day moral distinctions are not always as
clear as we might like them to be,
In business and public life today the
making of moral decisions is often terribly
difficult, and there are forces in our society
which erode our integrity without our being
aware of what is happening.
Let us take seriously the warning given
by the British historian, Herbert Butter-
field: "A civilization may be wrecked
without any spectacular crimes'or criminals
by constant petty breaches of faith and
minor complicities on the part of men
generally considered very nice people."
COMING ACTIVITIES
Nov. 3
- Basketball and Field Hockey at
Listowel
- Drama Festival at S.H.
Nov. 4 & 5
- Drama Festivals at Goderich
and Bradford
Nov. 4
- Basketball at Lucas - Friday
evening.
Nov. 5
- Crass Country to All Ontario
meet - North Bay
Nov. 8 •
- Girls Basketball to Wingham
- Football Semi-Finals - loca-
tion depends on final standings.
Nov. 10
- Girls Field Hockey Tourna-
ment
Remembrance Day Observa-
tion 9 a.m. -10 a.m.
Nov. 11
- Sobobl Holiday
Nov. 12
- Football Finals - location
depends on schools involved.
The Ministry of Education in
H.S.I., the Ministry's statement
of Secondary School Diploma
Requirements, stated that "The
primary purpose of a school is to
to help each student develop to
the maximum his or her potential
as an individual and as a member
of society who will think clearly,
feel deeply, and act wisely".
The school has an unrivalled
opportunity to help young people
explore the many dimensions of
learning and living; it can assist
them to realize their potential in
various fields of endeavor and set
them on the path to become
mature, responsible, co-
operative members of society. In
addition to the obvious question
of how this is to be achieved,
resides the second question,
"How does one know when it has
'been achieved?"
Certain aspects of education
are obviously more readily
evaluated than others. Some
aspects may not be able to be
evaluated at all. ILS,I.goes on to
state that, "It is imperative that
students learn; they should be
able to investigate, analyze,
synthesize, interpret-, report,
evaluate and make occasional
intentive leaps in the pursuit of
knowledge".
Since the abilities, interests,
vocational aspirations and life
goals of students are so varied
apd divergent, an aid to the
concept of maximizing individual
potential is to offer a varied
selection of courses, i.e., learning
experiences.
This necessitates that
procedures for evaluating
.student progress should be varied
enough to meet the requirements
of different individuals and
groups of students, different
courses, different learning en-
vironments and different
aspirations.
In the Ministry's view, "The
most effective form of evaluation
consists of tile application of the
teacher's professional judgement
to a wide range of information
gathered through observation
and assessment. When suitable
methods of evaluation are used,
evaluation itself, becomes a part
of learning, for both student and
teacher."
For the teacher the question
dealing with suitability of the
goals and objectives, the
suitability of the' approacn to
development undertaken, and the
achievement of these goals
become, at least in part, an-
swered.
For the student, the suitability
of course selection made, the
adequacy of the time and effort
spent, the relative success to
other students also can be
determined.. Throughout this
process, it is imperative that the
student, the parents, the prin-
cipal and his staff have a method
of monitoring the overall
progress of the student through
the school system and that once
these measurements and
judgements have been made, the
information is clearly and
completely recorded and for-
warded to all concerned par-
ticipants.
ments are being made as part of
the frustration which has arisen
over the fact that the building is
not completed and many
problems have occurred.
However, everyone should
keep in mind that it is perhaps
even more frustrating for ad-
ministrator Kirk Armstrong. He
knows there are problems,
things that aren't working out
too well, but it is extremely dif-
ficult for him to make the
necessary changes while various
tradesmen are still putting the
finishing touches to the facility.
The writer, through involve-
ment with helping to get minor
hockey organized, has been in
the rec centre at almost every
hour of the day and night in the
past three weeks (not continually
of course) but on each of those
occasions Kirk has always been
on hand and that leads us to the
conclusion that he must be there
almost on a continual basis try-
ing to get the operation on the
right track.
We don't offer any excuses on
his behalf, but merely a sugges-
tion to remember he was hired to
run the operation of the rec cen-
tre and people should wait until
the facility is completed before
expecting him to operate it on an
efficient basis.
one of those rapidly disappearing
breed of people known as a "jack
of all trades". But perhaps even
more noteworthy was the fact
that Russ was one of those even
rarer breed of people who sub-
scribe to a philosophy of "a day's
pay for a day's work", 'although
the rate of pay he charged was
usually far short of the rate of
work he provided.
Russ cut lawns. He cleaned
and put up storm windows and
took them down again. He
trimmed hedges, carried gar-
bage and performed a hundred
and one other menial, but
nevertheless necessary, tasks
for a number of local residents,
and in particular widows or
senior citizens who didn't have a
strong back for the numerous
tasks requiring that asset.
For many years, or course, he
was a janitor at the high school,
following in the tradition of his
father. There too he often
volunteered for the "dirty" jobs
with never a complaint and then
spent his leisure hours working
at odd jobs in the community.
It was no doubt significant that
one of the most disappointing
and frustrating days in his life
was when he had to retire from
his full-time job due to age. Work
was his way of life, his occupa-
tion as well as his leisure,
He was indeed a rare breed in
a time when the work ethic is all
but extinct. Perhaps the lone
benefit of his death is the fact
that the rest of us will not look
quite so lazy now that Russ
Collingwood is gone.
Somehow, though, you get the
feeling that the skies will be
bluer because Russ will probably
ask for the job of cleaning away
the dark clouds,
.
*
"The luxury of integrity": that ironic
phrase is the title of an essay written some
years ago by the American economist,
Stuart Chase. Chase suggested that our
moral foundations have been so badly
cracked and eroded that many of us have
come to feel that moral integrity is a lux.
ury we simply cannot afford,
He commented on "the art of backslap-
ping in the interest of a profitable sale",
and he showed how the frantic quest for the
dollar can prostitute hospitality and make
a mockery of friendship. He pointed to dis-
honesty in advertising.
He showed that in the grasping bustle
of life compassion is often squashed as we
try to exploit and manipulate one another,
and he observed that "for the milk of
human kindness the most obvious sub-
stitute is soft soap." There may be some
extravagance in Chase's gloomy diagnosis
— but he did make some points which are
still valid and relevant.
We seem to be losing both the capacity
and the courage for calling a moral spade a
moral spade. We are so afraid of seeming
Speaking of work, it is a little
disappointing to hear some of the
complaints and criticisms that
are arising over the operation of
the South Huron Rec Centre,.
Hopefully, many of those coin-
I'm all for conscription
Dear Sir,
I am writing to solicit help from
your readers on locating in-
forthtion on the history and
operation of an early ear-
thenware pottery established in
Zurich in 1869 by Christian Hess
and operating until about 1900,
I am working on the history of
potteries in Ontario and would
appreciate hearing from .any of
your readers who would have any
recollections of the pottery when
it was operating, have any early
photographs of the business that I
could copy, pottery produced at
the works or any other details of
the business.
A while ago, Defense Minister
Danson sent up a trial balloon
suggesting he would not be
averse to conscripting young
Canadians into the armed forces.
I thought it wasn't a bad idea.
Guys my age always think it
isn't a bad idea to conscript the
young. "Give 'em a bit of dis-
cipline, Put some backbone in
them," we huff.
Many other nations have con-
scription schemes under which
young men must serve from one
year to two in the armed forces,
then are listed in the reserve,
and go back once every couple of
years for a few weeks for a
refresher course.
Switzerland is the classic ex-
ample, It has a cracking good
army and a large, well-trained
reserve, although it has never
been in a war, as a nation. It
doesn't have much use for a
navy, for some reason.
In Britian, used for many
years to a small regular army of
professionals, and swarms of
volunteers in time of war, the
National Service, as it was call-
ed, was introduced after World
War II and was very unpopular.
It has since been cancelled, as
the need for the bodies in the ser-
vices shrank with the shrinking
of the Empire.
It was pretty well the same in
the States. That infamous thing
called The Draft was suffered in
war time, but when it was used
to train young men to go and kill
people in senseless war
thousands of miles from home,'
forint) logical reason, it met with
calumny, chicanery, and plain
+CNA
55 Years Ago
Mr. Herb Debus, Usborne, is
learning the barbering with Mr.
Norman Hockey.
Messrs. J. Senior and C. Pilon
motored to Toronto Thursday,
Mr. Pilon brought back with him
a new Star car for which he has
the agency.
Prof. A. W. Anderton, who has
been organist and chair master of
James Street Methodist Church
last week tendered his
resignation, having accepted a
similar position at St. George's
Church, Goderich.
The Swiss Bell Ringers in the
Exeter Opera House drew a full
house Tuesday evening and the
entertainment was of the very
best,
The Mission Circle of James St,
Church gave an old-fashioned
concert on Wednesday evening of
last week, Old-fashioned
costumes were worn and old time
songs sung. There Was a good
a ttendance,
30 Years Ago
Seven new Canadian citizens,
anxious to improve their English,
attended the first of a series of
night classes at the Exeter High
School taught by the principal, H,
1.4*. Sturgis, Public school teachers
from Central School, Goderich,
visited Exeter school Thursday to
observe the teaching Methods,
Main Street Willed Church
observed . their 52nd anniversary
Sunday.
Mrs. J. A, Traquair was in-
stalled as Worthy Matron of
Exeter chapter 0.E.S, Wed-
nesday evening.
Representatives to secure the
early history of each church in.
IlehaaIl for the TWeedstnuir
History were named at the
Hensall W,I. Meeting,
/0 Years Ago
Bill McLean and Ken
both of Exeter, shot eight geese
on the }tepid& farm near
By the same token, there is lit-
tle doubt that the contractors
have been dragging their heels
on the completion of the work
and it is rather absurd that many
facets have not yet ,been com-
pleted.
The floor matting for the
dressing rooms and walkways
hasn't even arrived yet and at
time of writing, the glass around
the ice surface has not been com,
pleted.
In addition, some of the
workmanship — particularly in
some painting is atrocious. ,
Unfortunately, the building
committee appear to have little
power in forcing the issue,
although it is to be hoped that
payment of the final amounts
will be withheld until everything
is perfect.
*
Our apologies to the Exeter
Legion for an error which
appeared in their advertisement
last week for the annual Remem-
brance Day service. The event
will be held at Exeter United
Church, and not Trivitt
Memorial.
However, Rev. George Ander-
son informs us that he will
welcome anyone who may show
up at the Anglican church due to
the error.
We're just attempting to
negotiate our cut of the offering
for those who may end up there
due to the error,
Very truly yours,
David Newlands
survive.
In five years, we could have an
armed force that would make
Guatemala quiver in its boots. At
the present, the only nation we
could lick is Iceland. Without
Greenland.
But I am never one to try to
foist my opinions, however
brilliant, without some solid
backing. That's why I did an in-
formal survey with some of my
'senior classes. They thought it
was right on, after I'd outlined
my ideas.
"Wow!" was the reaction of
Elvira, back in Grade 12 after an
unsuccessful attempt to es-
tablish a career in waitressing.
"You mean we'd all live together
in them there — whadda ya call
them, sir barracks?"
"Ya mean I'd get a hundred
bucks a week just for drivin'
around in a tank or goin' for a
cruise on one of them big ships?"
queried Joe Muffraw, who is 20
years old and has never been
away from home or held in his
hand more than a 10-dollar bill in
his life,
"Who gets to be officers, and
how much do they make, and are
they fed better?" asked
Christopher the class whiz.
"Sure sounds easier than four
years of college and no job,"
That's just a sampling. I asked
for a show of hands from those
who were unalterably opposed.
Not a hand was raised. But of
course, they were not sure what
unalterably meant,
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Advocate Established 1881
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draftdodging along with a deser-
tion rate that was a national
scandal.
That's not quite what Barney
Danson and I had in mind. I
wouldn't mind seeing a modest
form of conscription in which
everyone was called up, except
of course, your sons and
daughters, and mine.
What I'd like to see would be
more like the Dutch conscription
system, in which the troops can
have long hair and beards,
belong to a union, elect their own
NCOs and wear civvies when not
on duty.
Conscripts would be well paid
— about $100 a week would get
one week off for every three
weeks in service, and armed
forces kitchens would have the
best food in the world, outside of
fourstar restaurants.
The usual perks, of course,
would remain: free dental and
medical service, duty-free
smokes and booze, free travel on
leave,
One more thing I would in-
troduce. I would get rid of the
arrant sexism that exists in our
present armed forces. Women
would share the same jobs, the
same pay, the same privilegeS,
and the same barracks, as the
men.
Women would have the same
number of Senior officers, based
on the proportion of females in
the service, just as the Trench
Canadians have now.
Women would be given mater-
tiny leave, with no blight on the
old escutcheon, just as lady
school teachers are now. With
Published Eath Thursday Morning
tit Exeter, Ontario
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one difference, They would have
a built-in baby sitter when they
went from the swaddling clothes
phase back into uniform.
Just to make it fair, men
would be given paternity leave,
although possibly not the six
months granted women. Free
day-care services would be
provided for the children of
parents who were both in the
forces,
Medicals would be a little
more lenient, I'd admit anybody
who: could see his or her hand
before his/her face; did not have
venereal disease; was missing
no more than two limbs. This
would absorb about 94 per Cent of
our young unemployed,
But this would cost millions,
you will exclaim,
Of course it would. Billions in
fact. But what's a billion these
days? How many billions are we
now throwing off the end of the
dock to these same people, in the
form of unemployment in-
surance, welfare cheques,
reform schools, jails, psychiatric
treatment, and education?
I guarantee you we'd break
even. And look what We'd gain.
We could close up two-thirds of
our institutions of higher lear-
ning, Which would be no great
loss. We could cut unemploy-
ment payments to the bone, We
could trial the fat off the obese,
and bolster the health of the bad-
ly nourished, with good service
grub, We could absorb all those
dentista and doctors who now
have to make $10Ci,000 a year to
Grand Bend, Monday. Game
experts said it was one of the
largest bags reported in this area
for a number of years.
Mary Margaret Essery,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William
Essery, Centralia, has suc-
cessfully passed her registered
nurse's examinations. She will
continue to work on the nursing
staff at Victoria Hospital, Lon-
don.
Exeter Public Utilities Corn-
mission Monday appointed Hugh
Davis, Marlborough St. as
superintendent starting in
January, The PUC is preparing
to take over the operkion of
hydro services in town,
Exeter Legion recently won a
raffle sponsored by the Exeter
Mohawk hockey team. Legion
President Harold Holtzman was
presented with a cheque for
$1,000,
Oil wells near Greenway are
producing 150 barrels a day,
according to Imperial Oil Ltd.
The three wells are on the farm of
Lloyd Stewardsot4 one mile west
of Greenway.
15 Years Ago
RCAF Station Centralia opened
the area curling season over the
weekend with a men's bonspiel.
Group Captain L, Ht Handle,
commanding officer threw the
firgt rock. Exeter Curling Club
begins its regular season Sunday
night with an increased metn-
bership,
In canvasses Hallowe'en night,
students of five public schools
collected more than $600 for
UNICEF, Care of Canada and an
adopted Korean child. The
largest total was brought in by
the students of .I,A.b. McCurdy
School, Huron Park,
Red Gables restaurant, Grand
Bend was one of 10 applicants to
be awarded liquor licences by the
1,C130, during a hearing in Kit-
chener Friday.
Comment from.,.
if.p“(1). .Loron ;Otottitt
300b Oshoot
By H, J. MURPHY