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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-10-29, Page 6Got a bee Write a letter to the editor To the Editor; Page 6-4neknow Sentinel Wednesday, Oetel3er 29, 1980 The UCKNOVV SENTINEL JOcELYN SHBIEB, - Publisher SHARON J. DIETZ - Editor ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONE -. Advertising and General Manager PAT LIVINGSTON Office Manager MERLE ELLIOTT Typesetter Business and. Editorial Office Telephone 528-2822 Mailing Address P,O..Box 400. Lucknow, NOG 2HO Second Class Mail Registration Number •0847 Subscription rate, S13.50 per year In advance Senior Citizen rate, $11.50 per year In advance and Foreign, $23.00 per year in advance Sr. Cit. U,S.A. and Foreign, $21.00 per year in advance Let's try peace The week of October. 24 -. 31 has been proclaimed to be a week when all people are asked to focus their "World Disarmament Week" 'by the Viiited Nations, It is attention on the issues relating to disarmament. The on going arms race and man's dependence on military solutions to the complex problems of today's world, threaten us all with extinction. When engaging in war means the destruction of our cities, our •countryside and our lives, then war and the preparation for war cannot be said to protect us. Canada's military spending is increasing dramatically, .despite reduced spending in other areas. More than $30 billion is planned for• new military equipment and maintenance for the .1980s. , Despite severe food shortages the Third World spends five times more on arms imports than agricultural equipment. Since 1945 there have- been 133 wars involving more than 70 countries .. almost all of these wars took place in the Third World. The weapons used however, have been supplied through the arms trade by the industrialized countries. The money required to provide adequate food, water, education and housing for everyone in the world has been estimated at $17 billion a year: While it is a huge sum of money, 'it is about as much, as the worlds spends on arms every two weeks. There is a significant connection, between disarin- ament and national and international development. Money, resources and labour used for bombs, tanks, and - guns are unavailable for-important human -needs--likes clean water, food, shelter, edue°tion and health care, Yet, in a world where millions desperately need clean water, food and sneiter, governments with the ability to destroy every city with a population of 100,000 or more, continue to build bombs, Despite--an overkill-apacity to destroy the vvorld's population several times over, the world's stockpile of nuclear weapons continues to grow at the rate of three bombs per day. -One tax dollar in every six goes toward military purposes. It is everyone's responsibility to work together to bring about .a reduction of national military budgets; to halt the transfer and sale of arms and proliferation of weapons technology; to devise national and global security systems which are not dependent on the use of weapons of mass destruction and to develop programs for converting defence industries and jobs . associated with them'to" civilian, non-military programs. "Too many of us think that peace is impossible, unreal. But that is a dangerous defeatist belief, it leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable -'that man is doomed - but our problems are man-made. They can be solved by man." John F. Kennedy. • . .___War has_ not warked_Let. us try_peace. To the Editor: In laSt week's Sentinel your 'front page headline "TruStee is Disillu- sioned with Board of Education" . reported several comments by Mrs. Marian Zinn, the Ashfield and West 1Vawanosh representative on the Huron County Board of Education, at the Ashfield Ratepayers' meeting; I feet very strongly that I must put on record • my feelings concOrning'Mrs, Zinn's comments directed against Mr,' D. J. Cochrane, Director of EduCation, as it is only fair to have both"sides of a: siutation preSented, particulary when it has gone, to print. I was, employed with the_ said Beard (July 1969 until' retired in -August 1975) , in the capacity of Executive Secretary to Mr. D. J. Cochrane. My work involved preparation for and attendance at all Board Meetings and some Board Committee meetings for the purpose of Jaking minutes ..and I , was, therefore, well acquainted with what transpired at such meetings. My impression on such: occasions was that the business presented for dicussion by Trustees and Administra- tion received all round frank and fair consideration, and the general atmos- phere of the meetings was one of harmony of a kind one would expect at, any business' Board meeting. I also worked closely with Mr. Cochrane on the day to day matters that required his attention as. Director, which 'invar- iably involved his relationship with the public. I am sure,it wilLbe obvious to your readers that in such a position one gets to know all facets •of a person's character and, unlike Mrs. Zinn, I As the voyage of the Mavis proceeded, the steerage passengers became resigned At heir discomforts and_ talked only of the day that they would set foot upon ' Canadian soi. At night, the creaking timbers and motion of the ship no longer troubled their sleep, They became accustomed to the sound of the ship's bell and the shouts of seamen 'on the upper deck. The glow of a single swinging lantern, scarcely revealed the rows of over- crowded bunks. Moans of the sick or the cries of babies seeking the breast, no longer disturbed the heavy breath- ing of those, immersed in blessed sleep. It was on such a night that Neil MacCrimmon was awakened by unusual circumstances. It was as if his. subconscious mind had told him that something had been removed from. his immediate surroundings - a complete change in his sense of feeling. He awoke slowly and became aware that he could not hear the breathing of Jimmy. Fraser - the sound of struggling breath which his bed fellow had adapted since he had become afflicted with the fever. Gingerly, Neil touched the face of his companion but quickly withdrew his hand in horror., The body -ofIiin-my Fraser 'was cold and still, MacCrinirnon left the death bed and put on his clothes. As he dressed he pondered, on his course of action. -Should he go and arouse Flora Fraser who was at this moment asleep in the Women's quarterS, and totally obliviouS to the tragedy which would shatter her life? No indeed. He would go and find Doctor Cameron. This was a time for practicality and not one to be disturbed by a woman's utter grief - time enough for tears in the grey light of dawn. Neil MacCrimmon went up the steep wooden stairway to the upper deck and made his way to the forward cabins of the first-class. A seaman was busying himself with the jib sail ropes and Neil asked for directions to the doctor's cabin. It took many hard knocks upon the cabin door before the doctor appeared, bleary eyed, and hair draped over his face. "I'm sorry to disturb ye, but it's Jimmy Fraser' Sir, I think he's dead!" The doctor waited only long enough to put a dressing gown over his night attire and then accompanied Neil to the steerage deck. On the way, Doctor Cameron diced the same seaman on the fo'e' ?le to-find:11m salliiiike Chippy Chisbolm and warn him that his services Weil When they arrived at the bunk where Jimmy wa lying, the doctor felt, his neck and nodded. "Can you carry him?" he asked Neil. "No need to alarm anybody else" The doctor sounded so matter of fact - as if he were asking Neil to carry .a sack. It seemed all wrong somehow. "Just as he is?" Neil asked in aniazement. "Without clothes?" The doctor inwardly sympathized with MacCrimmon's obvious distress. He laid a hand on. Neil's shoulder and said gently, ' am afraid so it's only a little way. Nobody will see him and I don't think he •will be needing his clothes aoymore." On the upper deck they were met by the sailmaker. He led them to a store room where a lantern revealed ropes, rolled sails and other ship's equipment There was a strong• smell of tar in the atmosphere. r "Lay him on the time Chippy Chisholm said quietly. It was the last time Neil saw the face of Jimmy Fraser. When he left that macabre scene, the dector was straightening :Jimmy's limbs and folding his hands across his chest. Neil MacCrimmon paced the deck from stem to stern. A multitude of thoughts tangled, within his mind. How would he break the news to Flora Fraser, and how would „a. woman carrying an unborn baby survived in a'strange new country? The terrain and climate may be changed, but Neil knew only too well that human nature remains constant. Loneliness and poverty are bitter companions in a cruel selfish world! As the first streaks of dawn appeared over the dark horizon of the sea, Neil stood at the stern of the Mavis with his thoughts. The ship's bell sounded. Death does not hold back the endless passing of time. One of the crew came 'to where he stood, carrying a red flag, emblazoned in One corner with the Union Jack. Time to start another day in the life and times of a 13ritish Empire on which the sun never set. The seaman attached the ensign to a rope and ran the rectangle of cloth to the top of the flagstaff. It fluttered and flapped in the morning breeze. ! By Don Campbell edtrees never at any time for ANY of Mrs. Zinn's given reasons or any other reason wbatsoeVer. lost my high respect for Mr, Cochrane 'or for his deidcation to educatiOn in ' Huron County. „Since reading tffe-abbfetrettioted - article in the Sentine1,1 have been asking myselt "What has this outburst done for the education of students in Huron County?" Surely this is basica'. ly what our Board of Education is all about Constructive criticism I can Understand, but destructive criticism is beyond my comPrehension, Margaret Gordon, West Wawanosh. I wish to apologize on my own behalf and, I would•hope, on behalf of all residents of Ashfield and fWest Wawanosh townshipsr the deplor-. a,ble attack against Mr. D. J. Coch- rane, Director of Education, Huron County, published. in the Lucknow. SentineL October 22 under the head- ing "Trustee is disillusioned with. Board of Education":. This report does not necessarily voice the opinion of the people of this area as our representative to the Huron County Board of Education was elected by acclamation, there being no candidate to opp9se here. It is particularly distresing that differences-Of-opinion-among-School Board members are not confined to Board of Education Chambers. It is' . most unfair to Mr. Cochrane who, I am To- the Editor: Please find attached a partiphlet on the Ku.Klux Klan. I have been disturbed aboutthe sto "es of the Klan moving into ,south-western, Ontario. Wilen their ,spokesmen are on the radio, they describe the Klan as if it were a white people's historical society. This is nonsense. The Ku. Klux Klan is a well funded hate organization. It flourishes best when times are tough. But we not solve our economic problems by lynch- ing, shooting, bombing and burning neighbours who are not of our race and religion. If we are to solve our economic problems 'it will be by working to- gether to build an Ontario and a Canada where the wealth from our resources our farms- and our labour stay in this' country and,.are 'spread amongst the people who create that wealth, rather than in the hands of our corporate elite (I'd refer your readers to "The Canadian Establishment" on CKNX-TV Sunday nights). Turn to page 7* sure, would not tocrp to defend himself •publicly through the news media. ; , I knew Mr. Cocbranei reasonably well and, as. A former teacher, I have followed with interest his fine Contri- bution to Si urcation-irrourcuuntyTtle-- deserves the respect of all. 'Dorothy McKetilie,. ::•West. Wawanosh.