HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-06-21, Page 40Psge &---Lucknow Sentinel',"Wednesday, June 280978
$oard casks for policy on controversial books
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
courses in County High Schools, The three novels -- Catcher
in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, The Diviners by Margaret
Laurence and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck were
condemned recently by a number of interest groups in the
county that felt the„novels 'contained "objectionable
material" that was considered obscene.
The dirt book issue has been a thorn in the board's side for
the past two years but this year's effort to have the three
novels banned has been the most fervent. Cochrane told the
Trinity United
cogallon picnic
Trinity United Church con-
gregation picnic was held at
Brookside School at 3 p.m.
June 25 with a good number
in attendance. The young
men and women enjoyed a
game of softball and the
younger ones had races
prepared by Sherry Alton
and Shirley Hunter.
The races were as follows:
toddlers, Eric Andrew, Mac
Hackett, Heather Alton; pre
schoolers, Douglas Helm,
Warren Andrew, Vanessa
Alton; kindergarten, Bryan
McCann, Shauna Andrew,
Janine Helm, Dianne Bro-
ome; age 7, 8, 9, Scott
Hackett, Michael Barger,
Nancy Hunter, Donna Scott;
age 10, 11, 12, Brenda
Hackett,. Suzanne Alton,
Paul Hackett; ball throw, pre
school, Douglas Helm, War-
ren Andrew, Shauna And-
rew; kick the slipper, pre
school, Janine Helm, Bryan
McCann, Douglas Helm; kick
the slipper, 8, 9, '10, Donna
Scott, Scott Hackett, Nafncy
Hunter; kick the slipper, 11,
• 12, 13, George.. Alton, Paul
Hackett, Suzanne Alton;
wheelbarrow, 8, 9, 10, 11,
Scott and Paul Hackett,
Michael Barger and Kenny
Wilkins, Nancy Hunter :and
Donna Scott; .three-legged
race, 8, 9, 10, 11, Paul and
Scott Hackett, Jamie Alton
and Kenny Wilkins; sock
race, girls, Brenda Hackett,
Patty Barger, Suzanne Alton,
Elizabeth Wilkins; sock race,
boys, Paul Hackett, Michael
McCann, Kenny Wilkins;
three-legged race, 12, 13,
George and Steve Alton,
Suzanne Alton and Brenda
Hackett, Patty Barger and
Elizabeth Wilkins.
While the races were
taking place, Wilma Blake
?. Y nducted charades with
some adults and some relays
- drop the clothes pin in the
bottle and fill the milk bottle
with water which proved how
much skill the players had or
didn't have.
At 5 o'clock everyone sat
down to a bountiful -supper
and. Wilma Blake had prizes
for, the oldest grandfather,
Wm. E. Andrew; the young-
est grandchild, Eric Andrew;.
the man with the most loose
change,lohn Andrew; birth-
day closest to the day of
picnic, Sharon Alton; grand-
mother with most grand-
children, Mrs. Frances Wil-
kins; most buttons on cloth
es, Mary Anne Alton; num-
ber of peanuts in the jar was
220 won by Rose Broome.
All enjoyed .the whole day
with their church family.
committee the issue should be dealt with once and for all and
the board have some sort of policy to covery any future issues.
Cochrane said he had sent letters to the province's 60
boards of education to try to find out how others are handling
the situation. He said he received 50 replies to his letter and
received a wealth of material ranging from suggestions to
policies passed by boards.
The director told the committee that of the 50 boards that
replied half had the Diviners (considered by the plaintiffs, to
be the worst of the three novels) on their list of approved
books and 80 percent used the other two novels. He said the
boards appeared to have an approved list of books from which
teachers choose having those choices accepted by their board
of education.
Cochrane said the dirty book issue had caused the county
enough embarassment pointing out that the board had
received calls from newspapers in Toronto, Calgary and
Vancouver and that the issue had apparently become a
national one.
The director suggested that the policy the board adopts s.et,
up a procedure to be followed when a ratepayer, has a
complaint about a book or some other classroom material.
He said the teachers and school department heads request
the material for use and it should be them, not necessarily the
politicians, that defend the choice.
He said teachers are trained to make those choices and
shouldn't have their choices questioned so freely. He said the
procedure would , start with the teacher and -move up the
administrative ladder until the plaintiff is satisfied.
Cochrane said teachers in the county were upset with the
number of people questioning their work. He said what
ultimately has to happen is the board says one way or another
whether it has- confidence in its teachers.
Dorothy Wallace, trustee from Goderich and chairman of
the school programs committee, ' agreed with Cochrane
claiming if she were a teacher she would be "more inclined to
go on strike -if my board adopted_that-_attitude than I would for
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Cochrane said the policy may require a teacher to justify
use of a book in the class. Ile said along. with the request for
material will be the reasons the teacher had for choosing it
and the educational value he or she feels it has.
The director pointed out that one of the complaint forms
used by the board has as its first question, "Have you read
the 'boo "'r" �........._......... __ - -_
Lochalsh
BY MARION McCHARLES
It's nice to be home from
holidays, that took us to Cape
Cod, Mass., Hershey, Penn.,
and Lenoir, North Carolina,
making friends while camp-
ing and visiting many relativ-
es and friends on the way.
Thanks to neighbours and
friends for looking after the
farm chores while we enjoy.-
ed
njoy-ed • a good trip.
Sympathy is extended to
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Martyn
and members of their family,
in the sudden passing of
Karen's father, Elliott Car-
ruthers of Ripley. Mr. Car-
ruthers had attended a
family gathering at Doug and
Karen's and anniversary ser-
vices at Ashfield Presbyter-
ian Church. 7 -
The
-The body of Duncan Fin-
layson of Toronto was laid to
rest in Lochalsh cemetery on
Saturday where a family
service was held, Some of
those from a distance who
attended and later visited at
the Finlayson home with
Mrs. Gordon Finlayson and
family were Mrs. Duncan
Finlayson, Mr. and Mrs. Ken
Finlayson, Mr. Allan Finlay-
son4and Miss Carol, all of
Toronto, Dr. and Mrs. John
Finlayson of South America
and Mr. and Mrs. Rod Fin-
layson and girls of Sarnia.
Carol Finlayson will spend
some time with her mother
and brothers before leaving
for Calgary, Alberta with her
friend Gwen Anne MacCaul-
ey. The girls will be working.
in Calgary and making their ,
home there.
Mr. and Mrs. Ewan Mac-
Lean arrived home from a
month's holidays that took
them across Western Canada
to.B.C. visiting enroute with
friends and relatives, among
them Duncan MacLean, who
was a resident of this area
with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Allan MacLean, now of
Collingwood.
A shower of gifts and good
wishes was held Wednesday
evening at Ashfield Presby-
terian Church in honour of
Annette Elphick, bride elect.
The Lochalsh cemetery
board held their annual •
meeting at Ashfield Presby-
terian Church on Thursday
evening last.
Mrs. Frank iMacman
•
and Mrs. Florence Mac n-
zie spent a day in'London
recently where Mrs. Mac-
Lennan had a check up
following recent surgery.
Mr. and Mrs. Lorne Luther
were guests at a wedding in
Ridgetown during \the past
weekend.
Mrs. Elmer West of Port
Colborne, accompanied by
her daughter, Mrs. Ken
Mahood' of London, visited
the first of the week with
Mrs. Dick West, Ashfield.
Monday evening several
nieces and nephews in this
area visited at the same
home.
For Private Evening
Appointments
Call 528-3532 or
Residence 528-3940
SChillidIS JEWECHINA AND
OWNERS --- W. JOS. AND DEAN E. AGNEW
PHONE 5283532 LUCKNOW