The Brussels Post, 1977-06-15, Page 9Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smiley
The black cloud
There's a big black cloud hanging over
this country, and despite the veritable
hurricanes of hot air emitted by, politicians,
it refuses. to blow away, It's name is
Unemployment.
If you ,have noticed that not so many
people seem to belong to the curling club
o r the golf club as there were, don't
imagine for a minute that for some reason,
there is a drop of interest in the sport and
the conviviality of these social oases in the
desert of our lives.
' lt's.simply and purely that a heck of a
lot of guys and gals can't afford the fees
anymore, because they arc simply and
purely out of 'work.
As a child of the Depression, I grew up
under that big black cloud, and I know full
well what a brooding shadow it can cast
over an individual or a family. It hung over
mine for more than' a decade, and it left its
marks on the soul, if not the body..
Let's take an average family of today
confronted by this spectre, without any
preparation for it. Jack has' Worked for 15
years in a plant. Working conditions were
good. Pay was good. and got better every
time the union growled. Jack belonged to
the union. but didn't attend meetings. He
had worked up to $14,000 a year as a
foreman . Pretty good for a guy with Grade
His ;wife Jean has been working. too, for
the past seven years , since she got the kids
off to school. She was pulling in $7,000.
Between them. they had a good .income.
Like everybody else, they wanted the good
lire. Bought a house, with a 30-year
mortgage. Traded the car every three
years, on a bank loan. Plunged for a boat.
. Enjoyed a week's holiday in the south each
winter, and two weeks at a--rented cottage
in the Summer. Even went to Europe last
year.
No real financial problem. although
spare money seemed rather scanty, with
inflation. But all payments met on time.
Suddenly the roof fell in. Jean's job was
declared redundant as the small firm she
worked For tightened its belt against rising
costs. She tried for another, but there were
10 younger women. with more skills, for
every job she applied for. With a rather
forced laugh, she told friends she'd
decided to stay homerand be a housewife.
And, after all, she was collecting un-
employment insurance.'
Still no real financial problem. Then the
pogey ran out. Canada Manpower, that
hunk of bureaucracy as useful as teats on a
bull, had nothing for her.
Then - earthquake! Jack's company
announced, With the utmost: regret, that it
would be 'closing permanently within a
month. in business double talk, , the
employees were informed that for some
vague reason to do with the parent plant in
the States, it was no longer feasible to
maintain production at the local plant.
Translation: the fat federal subsidies the
company got to build the local plant had
run out, along with the special local tax
deal.
Jack discovered. with horror, that he was
41 years old.' that he had fairly limited
skills, despite his good reputation as a
worker. and that there were hundreds of
young guys, who knew more than he did.
lodking for jobs. He and the other foremen
were told that there might be a job for them
at the home plant in Waukegan, if they
wanted to make the move.. Not as foremen,
of course. The home plant already had
foremen. •
Jack and Jean had an income of $110 a
week, unemployment insurance. Their
mortgage payments were $320 a month,
car payments $90 a month. It cost them $50
a week to pit bread on the table. They
owed the bank $1,200 for the boat.
That's why they don't show up at the
curling club and the gel' chib. That's why
they never throw a party anymore. That's
why they don't go on h oliday.s, That's why
their kids don't get new -.clothes' on
demand.'That is unemployment'.
Boat is long gone. Transportation is now
a beat-up pickup truck that Jack uses for
his business. Oh yes. he's working.He
scraped up a thousand dollars and, with his
knowledge of Welding and such. started a
small auto body repair shop..The thousand
he owes has increased to $1,500, but
business is picking up. A second mortgage,
at 18 percent , saved the house.But there'll
be no money to educate the kids. There'll
be no more dreams of retiring on a pretty
good pension, and buying that place in the
country. There may not oven be a
Marriage. Jack and Jean fight a lot 'these
days. Their kids don't like them much
these days.- Jack gets awful. drunk on
Saturday night. .lean cries a lot,
A horror story? Nape., just a modern
fairy tale, about -two babes lost in the
woods of our material society, where
everybody wants to get quite a bit more,
and give quite a bit less.
I feel sorry for Jack and Jean. and all the
other people whose grasp exceeded their
reach. They're not really to blame.' In a
society that puts money, things,
possessions, status, at the top of the list,
and people, thrift, humility, and integrity
at the bottom, they'rejust a couple of the
casual casualties.
That's unemployment. 1977 style. Show
me some bread-lines, soup kitchens, mcn
-who would literally sell their soul to the
devil for a decent job, and I'll show you
some. 1930s unemployment.
LET US MAKE YOUR OLD FURNITURE
BETTER THAN NEW !
For a free estimate and a look at
our newest samples of materials
— 'CALL
COOK UPHOLSTERY
"Put Your Upholstering
Needs in Our Hands"
Ph. 523-4272 R. Cook, Prop.
Blyth, Ont.
WE HAVE FREE PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SERVICE
If you require financing to start, modernize or
expand your business and are unable to
obtain it elsewhere on reasonable terms and
conditions or if you are interested in the
FBDB management services of counselling
and training or wish information on
government programs available for your
business, talk to our representative.
FEDERAL
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT BANK
THE BRUSSELS POST, JUNE 15, 1977 —9
E. VVawanosh
Accept drain tenders
The township of East
Wawanosh decided to table a
letter from the Blyth and. District
Community Centre Board asking
them to consider representation
on the Board as well as paying ,a
certain percentage,
Tile Drain Loan proceeds were
forwarded in the total amount of
$27,100 re lot 29,, Conc. 1; Lot
EH28, Conc. 1; Lot WH 28; Lot
39, Conc. 1; and Lot, 38, Conc. 5.
The Tile Drain Inspectors fee of
$218,60 was forwarded to Mr.
John Gaunt.
Council approved a severance
abutting East Wawanosh
township regarding Mr Gross in.
Hullett Township.
It was decided to apply for
second supplementary allocation
for Special Winter Maintenance
Allocation in the amount of
$2,383. The first supplementary
allocation has been received in
the amount of $7,831.
Council authorized the road
superintendent to tender for a
new truck.
A bylaw was passed imposing
special annual drainage rates
upon land in respect of which
money is borrowed under the Tile
Drainage Act.
Council approved building
permits for Bryan Coultes,
addition to house and garage;
Don Pattison, hog barn; Geo,
McGee, cement silo; Eldon Cook,
sealed silo; and Hebo Siertsema,
granary
Council also approved and
issued a "Trailer Permit'' to
Wm. Fenton, subject to the
approval of the Huron County
Health Unit.
On May 26 council met in
special session to open Drain
Tenders received re the
"Hallahan Caldwell and Toll
Municipal Drains, Repair,
improvement and extension".
A tender of Geo. Radford
Constr. Ltd., Blyth for $8,475.00
was accepted for, the open work
and then tender of Barry Weigel,
Mildmay, for $13,988.00 for the
closed work.
4 IN. DIAMETER UP OUR EXPERIENCE WILL.
ALL WORK GUARANTEED SAVE YOU MONEY
DEPENDABLE
WILLIAMS WELL DRILLING
FREE ESTIMATES
LISTOWEL, ONT.
Phone 291-3457 Collect Evenings
Opening
new doors
to small
business
ROGER HALL
one of our representatives
Will be at
The Wingham Motel, WINGHAM on the 3rd
Tuesday of each month.
[June 21st]
For' prior itiforhiatioti ca11 271,5656 or write
1036 .0htatid. Street,.Stratford, .„. . ....„
for the 1978 International Plowing September next year.
, 61s
tG%int):- • +- ••• • - t — • „
Huron Plowmen to hold
dance and barbeque
The executive of the Hutton focus interest on and raise funds Match to be held at Wingham in
Plowmen's Association has made
plans for a giant beef barbecue to be held on Thursday evening,
July 14, Location for the big event
will be the Clinton arena.
Ken Campbell and Murray Don't Forget Dad on
Cardiff, who are old hands at the Father's Day June 19' ( barbecue business will cater for '2
the meal which Will be served 1 0* TH4t,
from 6:00 to 8: oep.m. Dancin A Goo
g rq .;--,,...,..\\
will follow to the music of the Ian i' ,
Good selection of
Wilbee Orchestra and a refresh: ,i
merit bar will be in operation. .-1' - -,h
.-------.
Tickets Will be $6,00 per per-
son; Om for children under 12
years. The tickets will be avail-
able at Larry Snider Motors in M a y er's
Exeter; Agripress of Cauada in
Illisall; the Agricultural office rs°- . Jewellory & Gifts i,, Clinton; The Huron Ejcpositor /
in Seaforth and The Advance- 6
Times Office in Wingharn. .
At
c Watchet. Lighters Ring8.
Itterititication BraceletS.
Beer' Steins
(1.
BtiasSelio. #87,90.00 a
Purpose of the barbecue is to
Y.) *IV
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