HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-10-13, Page 2is P
Looking at education!
%"1
Thanksgiving in Bancroft 1976
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1976 ,
Serving Brussels and the surrounding community.
Published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels, Ontarici
by McLean Bros. Publishers, Limited.
Evelyn. Kennedy - Editor Dave Robb - Advertising
Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association
. Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $6.00 a year. Others
$8.00 a year, SingloCopies 15 cents each.
MUSiEIS
OffirA11110
*CNA
Member
Amen
by Karl Schuessler
Preparing for the wedding
Our minister's wife, Eleanor Horst, gave
my own wife some good adivce--when it comes
to a son getting married.
, "You don't have to do a thing, really," she
said, "only three things--buy a dress, get your
hair fixed and keep your mouth shut."
-The first two items are in the works now.
The new dress is hanging in the closet. And
the Irair appointment's made.
But the last one? Were still working on
that. We're practicing some mouth-to-mouth
suffication. Open. Close. Open. Close.
I press down the button on my stop watch
and time her. "Keep it closed. For a long time
now. No. Don't-open it. C - L - 0 - S - E. Hold
it." ,otz: You see, I'm my wife's coach. I'm putting
her into some training with these demanding'
exercises. Her mouth will be a great shape by
the time of the wedding.
Each day we build up the time. We're
trying for fifteen minutes. That's an Olympic
gold medal's Worth.
My father used to tell all his sons to marry a
quiet woman. Because by the time they're
forty, they'll be talking a mil e a minute.
I don't know if mine would qualify for that
kind of long distance' talking --she hates
telephones to begin with--but she's pretty
good at sprinting. She spurts and spouts fairly
well now--now that she's into the forties.
But the subject of weddings sets most
women off--quiet or no. That's why we're
working so hard oti these open and close
exercises.
Seems as if every woman around has her
own definite opinions on weddings. They've
all been through one -- at least -- and that
qualifies them for the' finals.
And then with all this women's lib getting
into the competitions, they're, really carrying
the torches. Burning down all the vestiges of
male domination.
"Love, honour and obey" went out sonic
years ago. Now the father-giving-away-the-
bride custom is coming under fire. They say
that's treating the woman like a piece of
chattel or goods. She's some object to be'
transferred for one man, her father, to another
man, her new husband.
"I plight thee my troth': is another thing, •
,It's not only hard to say, but hard to
understand and keep -- this pledge of loyalty
and faithfulness.,I've heard one woman say
she wouldn't necessarily choose the same man
to live with as sleep with:
One young man promised he'd "plight thee
my trough". Everyone figures the new bride
would at least be well fed, even if it wasn't so
well said.
I keep reminding my wife this is the bride's
day--and her mother's. It's their family's day.
She may have her turn someday, but not now.
And she's gpt to remember a wedding isn't
only for the bride and groom. Of course, it
helps to have a pair arotind. But weddings are
just as much for the parents and the
community. It's a public celebration that
announces and rejoices with everyone-
friends, relatives and acquaintances -- that
two separate lives are becoming one. That
they're becoming part of that wider
community of citizens that stabilize and
perpetuate the social order.
It can be a day of relief, too, for the parents.
The responsibilities of one generation shifts to
then ext. No wonder mother s cry. Is it for joy
or relief?
No matter what, though, I tell my wife this
is the bride's day. It's her family's day.
And why not? They're paying the bills. The
one who pays, says.
And that, I tell my wife, is the best reason of
all to keep working on those exercises. To
build up her time on triy stopwatch and follow
Eleanor's good advice.
To the editor
Asks council for an apology
In the council report in last week' s," Post" it stated "Council
also agreed to contact Huron County Weed Inspector Alex
Chesney about weeds on lots owned by Miss D, McDonald.
Now just to keep the records straight, I had the weeds cut on
my kith in July, and that is more than can be said for some of the
property that is the responsibility of the council,
Why should I be Singled out for the Weed Inspector because of
complaints (and the source of these complaints is very obvious to
me) yet no complinats or action taken against other weedy town
property? Why the discrimination against me? Can town'ouncil
answer' that one? Wouldn't it be better to first keep it's own nose
cleat?
In view of the fact that I had never been advisgd as to Council's
intention regarding tny lots; I feel an apology from =Inch to be
in &der. ,
Doris Majonald
A columnist in the Torontb Globe and Mail notes
that Education Minister Thomas Wells was off on, a
trip to 'Oregon and California recently studying
"innovative school grading systems." With three
assistants.
Now in this time of economic restraints it might
not be out of line to point out that we taxpayers are
paying for this, and other trips to far and wide, by
those who govern us. And to ask if we are getting our
money's worth.
As Globe columnist Norman Webster says about
the minister's search for "innovative school grading
systems:
"Here's one he might look at. A student who
does outstanding work gets an A. Lesser acdomplish-
ment is rewarded with a B, C or D. An F means
failure. The system is so flexible it can be used to
grade an assignment, a subject or an- entire year's
work.
It is, admittedly, a radical approach, but there are
those who claim it might work. Why not give it a
try?"
Hospital stays cost
Stays in hospital cost money. Some of us may have
forgotten this fact.
We rarely see a bill for our hospital expenses, and
although we pay indirectly, many feel that the
connection between the wallet and the hospital bed
isn't what it used to be.
Thank God for that in many ways. Lots of people
couldn't afford urgently needed hospital care in the
days before government run health insurance. In the
U.S. some people are still bankrupted by paying for
hospital bills.
But, even with insurance, hospital care isn't free.
Nbthing is.
As a gently jarring reminder of just what a typical
hospital visit costs we print this excerpt from the
Ontario Hospital Associaion news letter:
"People who complain about the hospital costs in
this country should take a look once in a while at how
hospital charges compare in the U.S., where there is
no global budget or all inclusive rate to camouflage
the naked figUres. Odds are they would be shocked
to see the bill for a Toronto woman sent to Blue
Cross by a San Francisco hospital, For a 52-day stay
the billing filled 67 pages, totalling $46,138.
Accornmodati9n alone exceeded $15,000, including
27 days in ICU at $420 per day. Daily lab charges
added up to ,$7,673; drugs to $5,549; medical
supplies $4,921; inhalation therapy $4,900; blood
bank $1,650; use of operating room $1,573 and x-rays
$1,519. Altogether there Were 2083 separate charges
listed.
Quite apart from the size Of some of the hospital's
charges, and that's a matter for OH IP to jUdge, the
number of them alone is a salutary reminder of What
hospital care involves, and why it costt as much as It
does.'