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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-06-21, Page 1,g,';',*.sizAkfate." ‘,10A0kgk • acct russels Post 107th Year — Issue No. 25 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978 BRUSSELS • ONTARIO Morris holds off on clerk decision TRACK AND FIELD WINNERS —` Top winners in' the track and field meet held at Brussels Public School on Tuesday were Midget Girls, left, Cindy Stute, Midget Boys - Mark Lichty, Junior Boys - Rob Cardiff, Junior Girls Darlene Freeman, Intermediate Girls Teresa Glanville, and Intermediate Boys - Brad Wright. In the back are Senior Girls winner - Dianne Bernard and Senior Boys Winner - - Kevin Pennington. The highest points for the day were Rob Cardiff with 33 points and Cindy Stute with 29. (Photo by Lang lois) figillill111.11111111111111NmESTABLISHED 1872 Crowd listens [By Debbie Ranney] Morris Township Council went into committee-of-the-whole .Monday night to discuss Township clerk Jane Badley's resignation but decided to make its final decision at theit regular council meeting on July 3. Mrs. Badley resigned at the last council meeting but councillors declined to accept it. Also at the meeting landowners on the east side of the centre sideroad of Morris Township rejected' the Maitland Engineer- ing report on the Bluevale Municipal Drain. Andy McBride from Maitland Engineering Service s - of VVinghatn had recommended that the drain go from behind the houses on the east side of the- centre sideroad, cross through 'the centre sideroad through Lot 30 and drain into the Maitland River. Some owners rejected his suggestion, some because they didn't have any problems with water coming into their basements or any other problem Health Care costs related to highway accidents were down $2 million in 1976 compared to 1975. Communications Minister James Snow attributed this decline in costs from motor vehicle accidents to the seat belt laW reduced speed limiti. There were 13,298 traffic related injuries. and 289 fewer deaths compared to .1975. Snow said there would be even fewer if everyone: would buckle up every time. * * * * ** In spite of all the compiaining about the high cost of living these days, Canadians do' a lot of travelling. It is reported that one in seven Canadians has a passport. It is apparent that many people in our 'country are "gad- abouts". If not going abroad we travel here and there by car, air, train and bus or haul our own mobile home, camper, etc. around wherever fancy takes us, What better place to vacation in than our own' vast beautiful country? Here the answer to every whim awaits Us be what it may, the Wide Open spaces where nature calls Or the hike Of the big city with its sephisticated pleasures: The Huron 4-H Club Exchange with water and some because they thought another drainage sytem would do just as well and cost less. Council had to reject the engineer's report of ter some landowners removed their names from a petition for the drain that had been signed in 1976. (Continued on Page 12) As By Jeff Seddon Close to 500 people sat through an emotion charged public meeting in Clinton Tuesday night to hear arguments for and against the use of three English literture novels in Huron County high schools. In a public meeting organized by a concerned group opposed to a recent campaign to have the novels banned from county high schools parents, students, grandmothers and authors debated for almost three hours on the merit of the three novels or the reasons they should be removed from the list of approved high school textbooks. People came from the four corners of Huron County and from areas outside its boundaries. Many came simply to witness the debate but became deeply Involved as the audience ran the emotional gamut. Some wept openly. Some shouted. Some pleaded for cool heads to prevail. Some argued and one man asked the audience to settle down and listen to their hearts as he prayed. The meeting was arranged by a group opposed to the removal of the three novels - The Diviners by Margaret Laurence, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger - and to support their cause imported four noted Canadian authors to defend the books. June Callwood,--- a non fiction writer, novelist Alice Munro, Janet Lunn a children's writer and Steve Osterlund, a poet, composed a panel that keynoted the debate and each was given ten minutes to outli, ne reasons the books should not be removed from approved lists of textbooks. Revival Meeting Ms.-Munro's comparison of the alleged pornographic material in the' novels to material in The Bible sparked reaction that began to resemble a faith healing session, She used several stories from the Bible to make her point that, when taken out of context and highlighted by someone suggesting the book is pornographic, excerpts' from many books, the Bible included, could be grouped with the three English texts. Ms. Munro. pointed out that if she lifted excerpts- from the Bible and was angry about them she could list them, mincograph them and send them around to people and have them think the book contained nothing but "sexual escapades". She made it clear that she loved and respected the Bible and was not suggesting it was pornographic. She explained that the story of King David's moral development could not have been told in the Bible unless the writer was explicit in his depiction of David's development. , "You couldn't say he and Bethsheba were good friends," she said. She said a serious writer has a responsibility to get as close as possible to the "shifting, complex realities of human experience".• She explained that to depict a character in a book the writer has to say what the character would say. The writer has to "have the character talking". She said the exercise is not an attempt to please people or offend them but to allow the reader to become familiar with the character. Steve Osterlund told the audience it was vital to permit writers, artists and musicians to work freely. He said the artist cannot be asked to write something to please a group of people because that is an impossible task. He said the writer can't be concerned about people's reaction to his work but can only hope that his efforts "move" a reader emotionally. He said he respected people's right to accept or reject an author's work but not their request to have hen write a certain way. The London ,poet said he wouldn't ask a musician to write music Without using drums which have a "primitively sexual rhythm". He wouldn't ask an artist to paint a picture without "using the color red" and would not ask a ballerina to perform a dance "without showing her crotch". He said "he is not expected to write but chooses to write". Janet Lunn told the audience she felt art was the "truth of the human spirit". She said she did not feel children would be adversely affected by material in the novels pointing out that well written books' permit readers to share emotions with the author and learn of the complexities of human feelings. Ordinary Ms. Lunn said the alleged pornographic material was a description of a "very ordinary part of human life ....if it weren't we wouldn't be here". June Callwood said she was very "sympathetic" towards parents in the audience whose children are being "exposed to something the parents wish they wouldn't see". She said parents raise their children with the hopes that they can instill in the youngsters the moral 'standards that they believe in. She said it is very difficult when the children come to a point in their lives when they go out the door and the parents are left with n9thing to do but Wait and see if that teaching was successful. Mrs. Callwood said she had objected to the values her children were taught being undermined by cartoons like The Road Runner. Children watch the cartoon and continuously see a character "smashed, to smitherines" and get up and walk away. She said children can get the impression it is alright to, hurt someone because they can just get up and walk away, But still she said she couldn't believe the influence of the Road Runner could tindetniine what (Continued on Page 16) Short Shots by Evelyn Kennedy Plan for this summer is well - underway. This year the exchange will be with Lafayette County, Wisconsin 4-H Club. The Huron 4-H Club members will be in Lafayette County from July 31 to August 8th. Their delegates include three young ladies from this area. They are Darlene Raynard of Bluevale, Cathy Boneschansker of Ethel and Bonnie McKay of R.R.2, Bluevale. * * * ** * John Rhodes, Minister of Transportation, introduced a new plan recently to make tourists feel welcome. The "We Treat You Royally" campaign encourages, everyone "to treat visitors royally It is simple to do so just Smile - Listen, - Be Polite - Be Prompt in Waiting on them - Be Helpful - Keep Things Clean„ Respect Their Money - Wish every visitor you come in contact with "A Happy Day ,#. * * *** We have read in The LucknoW Sentinel that the opening of The Farmers Market in that town Was a great success. Would such a market not be a great idea for Brussels? Many of our residents (Continued on Page 9) English books discussed •