HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-11-11, Page 1• Published In Locknow, Ontario,
November 11, 1981
Madill student participate
A Quebec high school student is spending
three months living with an area family and
attending classes at F. E. Madill Secondary
in Wingham to learn about English
Canadian culture and to learn- to speak
English fluently.
Marcel Chaisson of Amos, Quebec is
staying with Geoff Filmore and his family
until the beginning of December. After
Christmas, Geoff will go to Quebec to live
with Marcel's family for three months to
learn about French Canadian culture and to
learn to speak conversational French fluent-
ly,
The students are participating in a
Student Exchange Program in which 120
students from Quebec and Ontario .are
taking part Sponsored by the Ministry of
Education, Geoff is the only Huron County
Secondary student participating in the
program' this year.
Rummage Participation
Joseph Van de Ven, Ontario co-ordinator
of the program would like to see more
students from Huron County participate
because the county's, students have little
interest in the program since its inception.
During the exchange the students are
asked to totally immerse themselves in the
family life of their host family. The students
are to speak the second language all the
time, even when they have conversations
with family and friends on the phone. The
students are asked to remain with their host
family without a visit home during the entire
period. An exception was made for Marcel
lictweyer2 because of a family illness and he
spent *inie Wieland
• family in Quebec.
• Geoff took the -initiative to participate in
the program when the idea was suggested
• by his French teacher at school. His parents,
Ralph and Iris Fillmore were suppmfive and
thought it an excellent opportunity for Geoff
to learn the French language and gain an
• insight into another culture.
Geoffs parents have met with other
Ontario parents who will have Quebec
students; in their home to discuss the goals
and standards for the program. It is not just
• the individual students which are a part of
the exchange, the whole family must be
willing, to participate..
Geoff's sister, Heidi has learned what it's
like to have two older brothers.. She says it's
fun but she would have preferred an older
"sister", Marcel is a tease she says and she
already has a brother who teases. As for
•Marcel who has tvvo preschool age sisters,
he thinks Heidi who is 12 is "crazy".
Geoff's father says Marcel has learnedto
speak English quicklg. When he arrived on •
September 13 he could speak very little
•English conversationally, but he can now
carry on a conversation and understands
unusually vvell, He has taken English in
school, since grade 5, At Madill he is
attending classes in grade 12 chemistry and
grade 9 English as well as the other grade 11
subjects, Geoff takes. He likes French class,
it's easy. He keeps a journal each (lay which
will assist him to recall his experiences here
when he goes home. He calls his journal his
"french homework",
Marcel enjoys swimming, roller skating,
music, woodshop and badminien, He likes to
build bicycles and last winter he and a friend
made a bicycle built for three.
Marcel likes to watch television and enjoys
Chips, Little House on the Prairie and the
Price is Right Some series are available in
Quebec in French including Little House on
the Prairie, Chips and Gilligan's Island,
which is a favourite,
Marcel had never played football and was
introduced to the game in backyard games at
Geoff's home. He has learned to play tennis
and volleyball in physical education classes
at Madill.
• Visits New York State
• Since his arrival, the Fillmore% have taken
him along on a visit to 'Mrs. Fillmore's
sister's home in Perry, New York, a trip io
'-lgark* Palls and tothe Western Fair in
London, The family plans a trip to Toronto to
the Science Centre and the Royal Ontario
Museum, as well as other highlights such. as
the CN Towerbefore Marcel leaves for home
December 3.
If you ask him what is different in Ontario,
Marcel will say the food. He has enjoyed
being able to walk out to, the backyard and
pick apples from a tree. The growing season
in Abitibi County in northeast Quebec where
he lives, is short and •they don't have
gardens or apple tree.
Geoff is planning a career in mechanical
engineering and thinks a second language,
especially French, will be useful. He hopes
to be able to speak French well enough to
converse with his French teacher without the
other students understanding their coiwcr-
Mai
neMiteitstyre
Lucknow girl
wins cookbook
modest draw
• Signal -Star Publishing, Goderich an-
nounced this week that the cash prize wit,.
tier in this year's What's Cooking at your
Place? is Marilynne MacIntyre of farness
Township, Marilynne entered the contest
through the Lttcknow Sentinel with a recipe
for Pancakes and her name was entered in
the draw for the cash prize.
Second place winner of. a cash prize of
S60 was Barbara Betties of R. 2, Bayfield,
The cash prize of S40 for the third prize
winner went to Pat Docherty of Clinton,
Winners of the second annual Kincar-
dine 14619S Reeik Cookbook contest were
amounted a week ago, They are Dawn
• Osborne, Pott Elgim Mrs, „ Cave, ltipkr,
Mary ragmen, Chatham; Lynn Moore
Kincardine; Reta Coffins, Pert Elgin and
Debbie
Rattler, Kitchener,
langua
20 Pagel
e exchange
Geoff Atmore, left, it grade 11 Made* at F. E. Madill Secondary In libigliam mid Marcel
Chaisson, tight of .Ami*, Quebec are'Participsdng in a lasignage eschonse propene which
wHI see cachet the bops living with the other's Gun* kr three months. Marie' is currently
spending diree Monde* with the Filhome fan* of Ashfielif Township .and is 'attending
clews at Madill. In 'mussy Geoff will spend three mouth. frith Masters badly In Quebec
and attend reboot them The purpose of the program 1. 10 glve,the students an opportunity
to loon %Loather culture and to speak a second language fisiently. Geoff is the only Hirosi
C'ointr secondly* student partielpaffng bs the . propsis. 1Sentinel Staff Photal
gallon, when he returns from his three
months in Quebec.
• Mr, Fillmore thinks the experience will be
valuable for Geoff and observes that the
experience of having Marcel in their home
for three months has benefited the entire
family. The children have learned to share
more because, there is another person 'to
consider and it has provided insight for
Geoff's parents. Mr. Fillmore says he and
his wife treat Marcel as they would their own
son and daughter and Marcel has responded
by trusting them.
It is Marcel and Geoff who are partielpat,
ing in the program, but it has been a
rewarding experience for the whole family.
OFA wants prompt gov't
assn. tance for farrrters
The ptovincial government should declare
a state of emergency in agriculture, Ralph
Barrie, President of the Ontario Federation
• of Agriculture (OFA) said October 28 while
presenting OEA's annual brief to cabinet,
"The economic situation is ethical be-
cause of high /interest rates and low
commodity prices," Barrie said, "but it's
aggravated even more by the deluge of rain
pve've been having."
•Record rainfall in Ontario has delayed
• cern harvest and ruined many crops. "Theiv
are many desperate, disillusioned farmers
out theft, who have been counting on this
harvest to make ends meet," Barrie said,
Barrie told Premier Davis that this
emergency requires prompt government
assistance in the form of theft -term loans at
subsidized interest rate
Barrie told the cabinet that bankruptcy
and bank survey figures are not telling an
aerate story-
• "If the Bankers Association survey com-
missioned by this government shows 1,000
farmers in dire straits, 1 would be inclined
• to multiply that figure by 1010 get a truer
indication of the problem,"
Barrie censured the cabinet for offering
•only limited assistance to fatnters, despite
• promises for up to $125 million in aid, "Ail
we've seen is under $50 million for beef
feedlot operators. Our industry deserves
rnore than a taken handouts"
OFA's two vice-presidents, Ron White
and Ran Jones, also addressed the cabinet,
encouraging the government to heed the
advice0FA offers hi its brief,
• Wkat's Cooling
• at Your Pktee?
Inside today's
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