The Brussels Post, 1976-07-07, Page 7Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smiley
How I began
Had a letter this week from a former
student who has to present a seminar in a
journalism course she's taking. She didtit
want much - just how to become
asyndicated weekly columnist, and some
anecdotes about being editor of a weekly
newspaper.
Thus began "Sugar and,Spice" as it was
first named, a humble little corenr of the
editorial page where one Bill Smiley could
spoof the world, needle his• wife, damn all
politicians, and give vent to his rages. In'
short, where he could say whatever he
wanted, without hiding behind the
anonymity of the news story or the editorial
"we". (Although that's a pretty slim thing
to try to hide behind in a small town, where
everybody knows exactly who wrote the
editorial, and what's wrong with his head,
to have such an opinion).
Anyway, the column. caught on, for
various reasons. One was that men enjoyed
me pointing out how peculiar women are.
Another was that women enjoyed me
pointing out how stupid men are. Everyone
enjoyed me pointing out how abysmally
idiotic politicians are.
There were other reasons. I didn't mind
calling a spade a ruddy shovel. I didn't
mind exposing what an ass rwas. I wrote
about all the horrible—ardeals that ordinary
people go through: loved ones dying;
music- festivals.Christmas. I wrote about
parents and children, sailors and
legionnaires, grannies and young mothers,
farmers and fishermen.
And I had good friends. Notably George
Cadogan, still a power in the weekly
business in the Maritimes. He urged and
encouraged 'and recommended to friends.
Under his exhortations , I gradually
changed a *ragged column of anecdotes,
barbs and personal opinions into a short
essay that tried to say something, without
seeming to..
Next thing I knew, 88 papers were
running my column.Then, of course, the
syndicates got interested. They are not, by
the way, much interested in beginners,
which makes it mighty tough to break in. -
Satisfaction? Oh, yes. Not from writing
it. That's hard work. If it weren't, it would
be hard reading; and if it was that, it
wouldn't be read for long.
But I've had great joy from the
knowledge that I've occasionally brought
some pleasure, or surcease from pain, to
someone. One ancient lady wrote painfully,
from her old folks' home bed, that she had
laughed until she cried, at one column. A
young Canadian woman, in New Zealand,
wrote that she'd been in despair,
everything black, had read my colunrnn in
her hometown paper, had laughed aloud,
and had realized that God was still in His
Heaven.
I won't tell you about the rotten letters
I've received. They're few, they 're usually
bigoted, and they don't bother me.
Now, Mary Graham, journalism student.
You want an anecdote from my days as a
weekly editor. Here's a true one. . How
would you cover it, as a reporter?
A man had a fight with his wife, got all
drunked,up, and told her he was going to
commit suicide. She told him to go ahead.
He marched out to his car, went roaring
off, drove it right off the town dock and into
that blackness that waits for all of us. next
morning, they found him. Sound asleep in
his car, which had landed on a bar ge tied
up to the dock. His wife-had the last six or .
seven hundred words. II macland
MACLAND WALL SYSTEMS
CONCRETE FORMING CONTRACTORS
P.O. Box•136Wingham, Ontario
CONCRETE WALLS
BUNKER SILOS
• HOUSE FOUNDATIONS
357-.3182
'Parker Plumbing & Heating'
887-6079
1876 1976
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HEAD OFFICE: 10 MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT
Mrs. Margaret Sharp, Sec. Treas., Ph. 527-0400.
FULL COVERAGE
Farm and Urban Propertiei
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Various Floater Coverages
Homeowner's., Tenant's Package,Composite Dwelling
Directors and AdjUSterS
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AGENTS
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CALL AN AGENT OR THE OFFICE
THE BRUSSELS POSTI. JULY t Ott
ii
Library sponsors festival
If you're looking for
entertainment, Huron County
Library has if! Last week we
received a deposit of 12 comedy
classic films from Midwestern
Regional Library System. These
include such well-known stars as
Charlie Chaplin, W.C.Fields,
Laurel and Hardy and the Little
Rascals. These ever popular films
can be borrowed through any
branch of the Huron County
Library or by phoning 524-7751.
There is a service charge of $1.00
perreel, i •
For film makers -
Kitchener Public Library is
sponsoring a Film Festival ,open
to anyone 14 years of age and'
over, holding a valid library card.
Entrants must operate their own
projection and sound equipment
during the pre-selection and final
judging. There are 3 categories
forboth 16 mm and 8 mm film - 1)' fictional/narrative 2) docu mentary/impressionistic and
3) animation. Entries will be
accepted Aug. 2 - 16th. Final
judging will be made on August
Donation help
training
Did you know, says the
Canadian Arthritis Society, that
when you make an "In
memoriam" donation you are
helping to train young doctors in
the field of Rheumatology?
All money received through the
Society's. "In Meniorianf program go into
Several members of the
Goderich Lions Club took to the
land last week and lent their
talents to the construction of
Huronview Farm, a m odel farm
project at Bluewater Centre,
formerly the Goderich -Psychiatric.
Hospital.
The model farm project,
constructed through donations
and funding by the Goderich
Lions Club , was to provide an
activity setting for residents of
the Bluewater Centre and to
encourage • their interest and
appreciation of small domestic
animals and to subsequently
involve them in the care and
management of those animals.
The farm was constructed on
the south end of the centre on a
one acre parcel of land to provide
a setting distant from the
residence but within -walking
distance. The focal point of the
farm is a small barn to house the
feed and other required grooming
and cleaning instruments.
An open area with picnic tables
and benches will surround the
barn and at the perimeters of the
farm will be five or six pen areas
Used for accommodating and
feeding of animals.
The program was basically
designed to provide a. separate
and pleasant setting for the
residents to observe the animal '
life and become involved in the
care and management of the farm
and. animals.
Hopefully the animals will be
received through donations and
would be maintained at the farm
through spring, summer and fall.
During the winter the animals
would be returned to the donors
or placed in an appropriate
setting.
The types of animals to be used
on the farm include rabbits,
chickens, sheep, goats, a cow,
horses and pigeons. Under-
standibly all animals will be
innocula ted prior to their move
to the farm and the numbers will
be controlled.
The Goderich Lions Club was'
approached by the Centre • and
aside from their $1,500 donation
towards the purchase of materials
were actually • involved in the
construction of the farm.
(The Goderich signal Star)
At Bluewater Centre
Lions construct
Huronview Farm
ct
a.
special Fellowship Rind Set up
fot this. purpose:
Rerneber the Arthritis Society
when you have occasion to send a
memorial gift Help right Arthritis.
26th by well knOwn producer
Elwy Yost. The over-all winning
16 mm film will be purchased by
Kitchener Public Library and the
8mm by Midwestern Regional
Library. Winners of other
categories will receive the new
National Film Board book,
"Between Friends". Interested
film makers should contact their
library for further details and
registration forms.
Married 50 years ??
Are you having a
90th birthday ??
We are anxious to carry a story with a
picture of your 50th Wedding anniversary
and of your 90th birthday.
So that some arrangernentS, can be
made we ask your co-operation in advising
us as far in advance 'as possible of such
events
While, other than in exceptional cirgum-
stances, we will not be able to use pictures
of wedding anniversaries of less than 50
years, we do want a story of such anni-
versaries. Please forward details as soon
as the event is held.
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ONTARIO
Phone 80464 at the Pot*. Publishing
° House