HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-12-08, Page 4The family
As the Christmas season approaches
we become increasingly aware of family
ties and of broken family ties. It is sad for
those of our generation to see marriages
we saw start out so full of hope, broken,
and children separated from one parent,
and from one set of grandparents.
Surely this generation with its open dis-
cussion of sex, its liberation, should be
more successful than our generation in
achieving a worthwhile lasting
relationship.
Perhaps one of the chief causes of the
breakdown in family life is the recent
emphasis on the individual. Each partner
in marriage is so busy doing his own thing,
developing his own personality, that he has
no thought for sacrificing some of his own
desires for the good of the other partner.
We have taught our young people to be
selfish. We have taught them to give up if
the going gets rough. We have taught them
to be ruthless in seeking after their own
good.
Thereare no short cuts,or easy ways to
success in marriage. Every family will en-
counter difficulties, problems and dis-
agreements. To one woman who claimed
"My husband and I never had a dis-
agreement," another replied "how dull!"
A family is built upon mutual affection,
respect and understanding that can over-
come all problems.
Suicide is the escape of those who have
no one to whom they can turn for love and
understanding when the world Jets them
down. A family rallies around and loves
each member in spite of faults and
stupidities. Each member joys in the
success of another, grieves at his failures,
and shares his shame in disgrace.
Our society needs stable family life.
Family life trains individuals in social liv-
ing. The lessons of co-operation, sacrificing
for the general good, tolerance of others
are learned in the family and are carried
over into successful community. life.
Ridgetown Dominion
Everything has been said'
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imes dvocate
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SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC
Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited
LORNE EEDY, PUBLISHER
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Reghfration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation
September 30, 1975 5,409
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Editor — Bill Batten
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Business Manager Dick Jongkind
Phone 235-1331
4PCNA
Comment from...
*nth Vuron lined
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Page 4 Times-Advocate, December 8, 1977
4
Very distressing
The recent reports tabled by the men
appointed as fact finders in the current
salary negotiations between the Huron
County Board of Educationand the teachers
contained some very distressing remarks.
Most noteworthy in that category is the
fact that the two reports done for the
elementary and secondary school teachers'
negotiations both contained statements
that there was an air of distrust between
the board and the teachers and it was
recommended that a third party be,
pointed to open up the lines of communie
tion.
Distrust between two parties involved
in contract negotiations may not be uncom-
mon, but the people of Huron must shudder
at the thought that it has reached that point
with the teachers and the board. As the
people responsible for the education of
young people, it is a very distressing ex-
ample.
The appointment of a third party to
chair negotiations may help correct the
situation, but both sides should hang their
heads in shame that such action is even
required.
Get it resolved Hr..3)toUL9 5rE
904Tag-ItIEV CAN
TrIcst PAYS
•
At a public meeting early last month,
there was an indication that the lines of
communication between the board of
managementof the South Huron Rec Centre
and the building committee were not open
as much as they could be.
Unfortunately, the steps to correct that
situation have apparently not been taken.
There are still problems with the
building that no one seems to be attempting
to get corrected, partly on the assumption
perhaps that the other group is looking
after the matter.
It is obvious that the two groups should
sit down and talk over the problems that
have to be corrected before final payments
are made to the contractors or the
engineers.
A lack of communication in that regard
could prove very costly.
Dazzling new Tory era
'Tis the season to be wary
You may have noticed that I
didn't write a Remembrance
Day column this year. It's not
that I have turned against it. It's
just that, in 20-odd years of
writing this column, I think I've
said everything I could about it
without producing a bundle of
maudlin cliches that would em-
barrass me as much as my
readers.
I've written about the silvery
wail of The Last Post on the
desolate November air — that
cry from the dead that would
raise a lump as big as a golf ball
in your throat, tears as big as tea
bags in your eyes.
I've written about Old Sweats
chortling as they went back to
Vimy and Mons and the days
when they were young and gay
and scared stiff. I've described
middle-aged vets sucking its their
guts in the parade, hoping they
could hold in the pots until they
finished the march and got back
to the Legion Hall for a coldie.
I've described the little old
Silver Star mothers, wiping
away one dry tear as they
awkwardly placed a wreath, not
quite knowing whether to salute
or bow or just shuffle around un-
til someone steered them away.
It's become too much. I've
dried up. It's a bit like being the
Poet Laureate of England, and
having t6 produce a sonnet to
celebrate the birth of Princess
Anne's first born.
It's like being an editor and
groaning when you're told that
you will have to produce, for the
28th time, an editorial lauding
the virtues of Labor Day.
With any luck, the Legion will
die away, because there will be
no such thing as a veteran, all
veterans of all wars being dead,
and Remembrance Day will be
something vaguely recalled as a
pagan holiday back in the 20th
century, when people thought
they could solve their differences
by killing each other.
But don't think I ignore
Remembrance Day. No sir. I
take it out on my students. On
the day before the Day, I lug to
school an armful of souvenirs,
and rub their noses in them. I
think this is much more effective
than writing a column or making
a speech to a group of veterans.
For one thing, I can lie and lie
without fear of contradiction.
Those kids are left with the clear
understanding that had it not
been for Bill Smiley, we'd have
lost World War II and they'd now
be subject to the whim of some
Gestapo Gauleiter.
Mind you, my souvenirs are
nothing like the real stuff my un-
cles brought home from World
War I: belts with "Golt Mit un-
5," gas masks, shell cases.
But on the other hand, they
know as much about World War
II as they do about the Boer War,
or the War of the Roses, so it
doesn't take much to impress
them.
I bring my flying log book,
which shows clearly the number
of bombs I dropped on the
enemy. I don't have to mention
that "the enemy" in most cases
consisted of a plowed field, or a
river with a bridge which I'd
missed.
I bring an eight by 10 picture of
"your hero,'' dashing,
mustachioed, standing beside his
trusty Typhoon. They say: "Was
that your own airplane, 'D for
Dirty Dick'?" I reply casually,
"We were like husband and
wife."
I don't have to mention that D
for Desmond was borrowed for
the occasion and that I flew any
old, clapped out Typhoon the
riggers could put together for
another mission. Nor do I have to
elaborate that Dirty Dick was in-
deed like a wife — she yawed
violently to the left on takeoff.
Another feature of my
souvenirs is a half dozen blown-
up cartoons of prison camp life. I
just sort of drop this in. Then
comes the inevitable question:
"Sir, did you try to escape?"
I slide into my British accent.
"Well, eckshwully, eheps, the
Old Hun took a veddy dim view
of escape attempts, but...yes,"
chuckling reminiscently and
nostalgically,
"What happened?"
"Well, nothing much, really.
Tried to nip off with the
Obergruppenfuhrer's Volkswagen
jeep and steal a !Slane. But
they caught me. DemmlL"
Don't look now, but Christmas
has stopped creeping up on us
and is rushing forward at an
alarming rate of speed.
For most people, it is one of
the best times of the year as they
hustle about buying gifts for
those people whom they hold
special and dear to them. It's a
time for that music with which
people are most familiar and
there's a new sense of excite-
ment in the air.
However, there's an exception
to every rule, and the season is
also the time when those who are
bent on living off the avails of
others come creeping out of the
woodwork to spoil the festive
season for many.
Thefts, both minor and major,
take a sharp increase upward.
Already the area has been visited
by the perpetrators o4 such
crimes.
It is the season when others
decide to take advantage of the
generosity of people and cheat
them with false charity
solicitations and other devious
schemes.
In short, it is the season to be
wary . . so you can join in the
ho,,ho, ho and not the boo, hoo,
hoo!
*
The population changes outlin-
ed last week in Huron County
were very interesting, par-
ticularly in view of the fact the
total growth was set at 568.
By metropolitan standards,
that's a mere drop in the bucket,
but for a predominantly
agricultural area, it is rather
significant, especially when one
considers that in recent years,
the population has dwindled.
There were a few surprises in
the statistics, one of the major
ones being the fact that Exeter
grew by 20 people, while the
county headquarters at Goderich
experienced a decline of 12.
It was interesting to see that
the villages of Bayfield, 13lyth
and Hensall experienced the
greatest increases.
In general, the figures show a
slight shift to the southern part
of the county, and if the weather
of last winter is duplicated
again, that southern shift may go
all the way to Florida.
* * *
One of the favorite "Sunday
drives" for the writer and his
family is a jaunt up and down the
concession roads in Hay swamp.
It was therefore with some in-
terest we noted the comments
made about the area at the re-
cent meeting for the Hay
township secondary elan,
Most area residents probably
MalEilllMEArgaiiiraaMP'
Advocate Established 1881
never stopped to think about the
value of the swamp in terms of a
natural resource, and comments
made at the meeting would in-
dicate some mixed feelings in
that regard.
However, Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority manager
Don Pearson had some = in-
teresting statistics pointing out
that the flood water storage of
the swamp cost only $50 per acre
foot, while dams built for the
same purpose cost eight or more
times than that,
Recalling the hassle and huge
amount of money spent on the
Parkhill dam, area residents
should ensure that the natural
resource is protected and main-
tained.
* * *
It is most difficult to corn-
55 Years Ago
While Mr. Frank Taylor was
running a shaper at the Ross-
Taylor planing mill on Tuesday
afternoon, in some manner his
hand came in contact with the
knives and as a result, he lost
part of the ring finger of his right
hand.
The "Stand Bys", a class of
boys of the Main St. Sunday
School had a very enjoyable
outing, Saturday at the home of
their teacher, Mr. Charles
Aldworth, Sexsmith.
The home of Mr. W. C. Pearce
on the second concession of Hay
narrowly escaped being
destroyed by fire Tuesday
evening last. The fire, which had
started in the cellar, had gained
considerable headway before
noticed, but by the heroic efforts
of the family and neighbors, it
was soon under control.
The South Huron Choral
Society went to Clinton Thursday
evening last and sang Handel's
"Messiah".
Several of the foreign delegates
to the World's Temperance
convention visited Exeter on
Friday last on their tour of
Western Ontario getting in-
formation first hand of the
success of the prohibition
movement in Ontario,
30 Years Ago
Provincial Constable John
Ferguson has received a new
provincial police car equipped
with a two-way radio.
Santa Claus arrived by air at
RCAF Station Centralia and was
greeted by the entire personnel.
Monday was the heaviest day
Amalgamated 1924
•
of Christmas mail when 46 bags
arrived on the morning train.
Mr. Gerald Lawson has just
completed a course in horology,
or watchmaking at the
rehabilitation school in Toronto.
Six of the new wartime houses
are now ready for occupancy.
Lucan's new water system, a
$100,000 project was put into
operation Thursday when Reeve
Harold Culbert turned on the
main valve.
20 Years Ago
Retiring clerk-treasurer, R. W.
Morlock was presented with a
chair recently by municipal
officials of Stephen township.
A barn owned by Howard Pym,
RR 1, Centralia„ prominent
junior farmer and 4-H club
leader, burned to the ground
Tuesday night. Two head of Mr.
Pym's Holstein herd were lost in
the blaze along with a large
quantity of hay, straw and grain.
Ervin Ratz, RR 3, Dashwood,
won the $150 draw in Exeter
Businessmen's Association
Christmas jackpot Saturday
night. His ticket was selected by
Constable John Cowan,
Making one of his numerous
trips to school concerts in the
area, Santa Claus listened to
requests from Hurondale School
children following their program
Tuesday night.
The annual SHDHS com-
mencement variety show will be
presented this week.
15 Years Ago
The final canvassing for the
Canadian Bible Society was
completed in the area this week,
and total donations reached $885.
This is $85 more than last year.
G,C L. H. Randall, ' RCAF
Centralia CO presented James B.
Kirkland, Exeter, with a
department of national defense
award of merit for 15 years'
service. Mr. Kirkland worked at
the station as a messman from
1948-53,
The annual turkey rolls are
being staged and so far 24 of the
birds have been won. In the
women's leagues, Mary Goodwin
and Alice Arthur won for high
triples and Doreen Prance and
Audrey Fairbairn won birds for
their high singles,
Top prize winner among the
area 4-H clubs Who received prize
money was Donald Weigand, who
placed first in both the Zurich
calf and tractor maintenance
clubs.
The initial canvass for the
Exeter and District Swimming
PoOI campaign already has
raised over $4,000,
vicious.
'However, the breed was
developed as a guard dog. Louis'
Dobermann, a German tax
collector of the 19th century,
wanted an animal to defend him
from thieves. The breed is poten-
tially vicious, as are most
breeds, although the degree
often depends to a considerable
extent on the owner.
Generally speaking, a dog is
only as good as its owner, and in
many cases both are found wan-
ting. Dog bites are more com-
mon than most people would an-
ticipate. Last year, there were
700 victims in 'London. In this
area, hardly a week goes by
without the Exeter OPP having
one or two dog bite cornplaints.
Most of those incidents are of a‘
minor nature, from -the stand-
point of the actual injury.
However, the fear that may be
generated, especially among
children who are victims, is
something that often lasts a
lifetime and makes them suscep-
tible to animals which, through a
quirk of nature, sense that fear
and often take advantage of it.
Unlike lightning, dog bite vic-
tims are often repeat victims.
Of an even more serious nature
is the number of maulings which
are experienced each year. The
London Humane Society reports
there are between 12 and 15 such
incidents each year in which the
victims are seriously injured.
How people can fight to save
The word "education" is
usually considered to be a
derivative of the Latin verb
"educare" meaning to lead out.
The question that is most im-
portant ig who does the leading
out and how well it is done.
In formal terms we talk about
education as a process connected
with schools and universities.
History, Geography, English and
so on are the divisions into which
we divide formal education. We
can talk about the "leading out"
going on in the various subject
areas and identify the process as
education, What we often forget
is the fact that "leading out" or
education is going on apart from
school.
At the present time Canadian's
are becoming increasingly aware
that their country is in serious
trouble. We now face the
possibility of this country
fragmenting. Quebec has decided
that a new relationship between
that province and the others is
necessary. Quebec has decided
that a new relationship between
the French and the English
speaking people of this country is
necessary.
In the process of evolving the
new relationship there will be a
need for greater understanding
and a better knowledge of how
this country came to be, what it
has become and where it might
be going, The schools and the
universities try very hard to give
students some idea of Canada's
nature.
In the five years of high school
at South Huron, for example,
three of these five years in
history focus on Canada, In
geography two of the five years
deal with Canada and third year
deals partly with Canada. In
those animals is beyond com-
prehension. Obviously, they have
never seen the extent of the in-
juries inflicted.
It is a frightening scene!
* * *
Members of the South Huron
Rec Centre board of manage-
ment shook their heads in dis-
belief this week when manager
Kirk Armstrong outlined some of
the acts of vandalism being
perpetrated at the new facility.
Such things as plugging toilets,
smashing garbage cans, damag-
ing coin-operated machines and
marring walls were included in
the list.
Evidence would indicate that
most of the antics are those of
youths who should know better.
At any rate, the situation
should in no way be condoned.
The board should step up its sur-
veillance around the centre for a
week or two and bring charges
against those who don't know
how to respect public property.
This is something that must be
nipped in the bud or the centre
will continue to be plagued by
vandals. , •
The cost of providing extra
staff (perhaps some conscien-
tious high school students) to
halt this 'stupidity may well be
very cheap in comparison to the
costs of repairing the damages:,
addition, we have courses in Law,
Politics, Man In Society, which
devote considerable time to
Canada. Most English courses
contain some Canadian works
and some English courses are
entirely Canadian.
Formal education does try to
convey some idea of what this
country is. Students in high
school and university classrooms
should discover in the history,
geography, English and art
classrooms that there is a
Canadian way of looking at
things.
They should discover that this
country has survived in spite of
enormous difficulties. In the
world's second largest national
land mass we have held together
—so far — two basic cultures. We
have — so far — survived first a
formal colonial domination and
secondly a more insidious
economic domination.
In the process we like to think
that we have developed a
Canadianism that is not British
and not American. We've never
been sure what it is, this
Canadianism, but now that it is
threatened by fragmentation
into two or more parts we may
perhaps come. to understand it
better.
Students and teachers in the
schools and universities are
looking at our history differently,
We are looking at the issues
differently. The conquest of
Quebec can no longer be summed
up with "In days of yore, from
Britain's shore, Wolfe the
dauntless hero came". Louis Riel
is seen to be much more a hero
than a traitor.
The relationship of Canada and
the U.S. is examined more
— Please turn to Page 5
You see, I don't have to explain
that I made what must have been
the dumbest escape attempt in
WWII, after stealing the
Feldwebel's lunch out of his coat
pocket, and had the boots put to
me, severely and accurately, by
several old guys who had been
badly scared recently by
Typhoon pilots, and had no desire
to be sent to the Russian front for
letting a prisoner escape.
"And what happened then?"
"Well, I was sent to a special
camp for prisoners whose' spirits
could not be tamed, even by the
dread Gestapo." I don't have to
tell these young turkeys that
there wzre 10,000 other "un-
tamed spirits" in the camp, most
of whom would have sold their
ancient mother to Kubla Khan
for a packet of fags.
And I wind up with a rather
vivid description of the final es-
cape, fighting my way through
Russian and German hordes as
the war drew toward its climax.
And falling into the arms of a
Canadian corporal and trading
him a PoW chocolate bar for a
bottle of beer.
You see, Remembrance Day
will never be dead while I'm
alive.
iffeatrAMEIZENNItS.WANA
Times Established 1873
'oeiwz,,----5",:',A1Z4VZ5:11311BEZT,5231;;;;7fz;M'",'X'',Yar'
prehend the thinking of the peo-
ple who fought strenuously, to
have a Doberman Pinscher sav-
ed in London recently. The dog's
owner had asked that the animal
be destroyed after it had at-
tacked his three-year-old
daughter. The little girl sustain-
ed severe injuries to her face-and
is receiving plastic surgery.
The animal was finally
destroyed, but not before the
London Humane Society receiv-
ed almost 100 calls asking that it
not be "put down". Some of the
callers even wanted to adopt the
dog.
Doberman breeders have com-
plained bitterly that the news ac-
count of the incident have given
the breed a bad name by having
them unjustifiably portrayed asi5
unpredictable and potentially •