Loading...
The Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-02-09, Page 6editorial 't LUCK.PI ). SENTINEL "Tee Sera, tame' Estalbilimbed 1473 liw Sal, Wednesday, Fiebreary'!, 19113---1 6 mom As A. THOMPSON - Advernsiazg Manager SHARON J. DIETZ - Edgzcar PAT LIVI NGSTON - Office Manager JOAN HELM - Caposizor MERLE ELLIOTT - Typesetter Business and Eiii4oa0 Office Telephone S28-2:822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Luclanow. NOG 2110 Second (ass Mail Registration Nurnber 0847 • Sabectiption rate, SIS.2S per y.ear la *rhyme Sealer adzes woe, S12.75 per year la advaeree O.S.A. Mad Foga, SUM per year la advaac e Sr. Cit. O.S.A. wad Ewes, MAI per year la advance Block Parents needed The disappearance of nine -ye d Sharin Morningstar Keenan of Toronto and the dish of her body in a refrigerator last week is yet another tragedy of the society we live in, The phenomenon of missing children is increasing and patents and citizens of all cities, towns and villages should be concented. The maniac who s ~ed and mum Sharin Keenan has not been found and as the Block Patent Association points out, this type of individual not only stalks the streets of large metropolitan areas. Every child in every community is the possible victim of a child molester, or sex pervert. When a child goes missing and the story of the searchhits the news media, parents once again sit their children down to explain they must never accept a ride with strangers or accept an invitation to go with a stranger. But ask your child to describe a stranger. Chances are he/she will describe someone big, ugly and dark like a monster or reincarnation of the devil. As you are walking down the street, choose a passerby and ask your child if they consider that person to be a stranger. You may be surprised to learn that your child pictures a stranger as someone who looks mean, or ugly or frightening. Your child may not consider the average person who walks the streets of his/her neighbour to be a stranger. Stop to consider that your child may seriously consider accepting an invitation from a stranger to "come see some newborn puppies". When you think about it, most children are trusting and most would accept such an invitation. The Lucknow and District Kinette Club is attempting to revive the Lucknow Block Parent Program and is seeking the support of the members of this community who would be willing to become Block Parents. Kinette Eleanor MacDon- ald has written an editorial about the Kinette's involvement in the program and it is printed here to encourage the interest and support of our readers. Nine-year-old Sharin Keenan has been found dead in a refrigerator. Emotions whirl as the news reports expose more and more details of the last precious moments of her life. There is relief that at last she has been found; sympathy for her family; outrage towards the killer and reinforced fears for the safety of other innocent children. Sharin's tragic story is a brutal reminder that our Block Parent Program deserves a strong boost to get it going once again. Such horror stories are not necessarily exclusive in metropolitan areas. We can hope that our community will always be clean and free from child molesters, but we cannot afford to be so foolhardy. The lives of our children may be at stake. If the Block Parent Program can save even one child from being exposed to a sexual deviate then it will be worth all the effort we can possibly exert. Kinette Eleanor MacDonald Appreciate canvassers To the Editor: The C.N.i.B. campaign for this area was again successful with 52009.50 realized. Volunteers who canvassed in Ashfield Township, Dungannon and West Wawanosh Township were: northern half of West Wawanosh, captained by Mrs. Harold Gaunt and canvassed by St. Helens Women's Institute, realized 5240.50. Canvassers were Mrs. B. Aitchison, Mrs. C. Aitchison, Mrs. P. Chandler, Mrs. Harold Cooper, Mrs. Ross Errington, Mrs. I. Gaunt, Mrs. B. Tyler and Mrs. Harold Gaunt. Southern half of West Wawanosh, captained by Mrs. Cyril Boyle and canvassed by members of St. Augustine's C.W.L. realised S293. Canvassers were Mrs. Raymond Boyle, Miss Phylliss Hickey, Mrs. Wm. Kinahan and Mrs. Cyril Boyle. Dungannon, captained by Mrs. Terry Hodges, realized S118. Canvassers were Mrs. Mary Ann Brindley, Miss Jan Caesar, Mrs. Kathy Olson, Miss Cathy Snyder, Mrs. Sharon Strong and Mrs. Terry Hodges. Ashfield Township captained by Mrs. Carl Riegling, realized 51358, including 545 from four organizations. Canvassers were Mrs. Con Hogan, Mrs. Jerry, Cranston, Mr. Wilfred Hackett, Mr. Donald Frayne, Mrs. Herb Wilkins, Mrs. Alvin Kerr, Mrs. Bert Dougherty, Mrs. Joe Boel, Miss Donna Drennan, Mr. Jack MacKenzie, Mrs. George Adams, Mrs. Jim Gilmore, Mrs. Leroy Drennan, Mrs. Wm. Hayden, Mrs. Donald Curran, Mrs. Ralph Curran, Mrs. Larry Park, Mrs. Arnold Meader, Mrs. Stan Doherty, Mrs. Steve Corkum, Mrs. Bayne MacLennan, Mrs. Jim Sinnett, Mrs. Art Bowler, Mrs. Larry Pentland and Miss Joanne Crawford. Please include contents of letter from C.N.I.B. District Representative, Mr. D. I. McCallum thanking all for their support. Please return letter to me. My thanks to our local newspapers for their excellent coverage. Yours truly, Mrs. Carl Riegling. amboree '83 This picture of the Lucheow Preabyterian Evening Auxiliary members shows the ladies dressed for a skit depicting the history of the Women's Missionary Society of their church. rsdtrees Taken in 1%2, the picture was submitted by Maudie Fisher for this week's Jamboree '83 picture, can you identify the ladies? by don Campbell In every true democratic society, whether large or small, an individual has the right to voice his or her opinion; Redtrecs in the year 1844 was no exception. indeed, in an era when women were usually kept in the background, the doctor's wife Jane Cameron, and Kathleen Jamieson, wife of the general merchant (and in her own right a shrewd trader and entrepren- eur) were always present when decisions had to be made which affected the community. It must how- ever, be stated in all honesty, that the wealth of both these ladies was an influencing factor in their being accepted into meetings, usually re- served for men. Before the formal organization of reeve and council, personalities emer- ged as leaders because they were accepted as such by their fellow pioneers. In spite of the professional status and education of other men, Neil MacCrimmon with his natural calm but firm leadership character- istics, led the community without question or challenge. Thus, shortly after harvest time a small group of the Friends of Skye gathered to discuss a most important project, which, because of other activities, could not have come to the forefront until this time. Redtrees was badly in need of a schoolhouse! "There isn't a body bidin' wi us, who has the ken or the skill tae raise a building in stone. We hae many willing hands, the harvest is in, and there is little time before the comin o' the snow. What say ye, if we hire the labour o° a mason tae build a school which will last the lives o' our bairns and their children after them. i hae the thought that if it is built big enough, it may serve a two -fold purpose - a school by day and a gathering place frae the community at night." The meeting was in entire agree- ment. There was an abundance of coloured stones already taken from the land, and the pioneers had discovered that below the thin layer of top soil there was good quality sand. Lumber of course, was there for the taking and under the guidance of Chippy Chis- holm, many in the settlement had advanced their carpentry skills. So it was, that Neil MacCrimmon journeyed to the nearest established village (Bolton) to find a stone mason, who, together with a crew of his selec- tion would build the walls of a stout structure which could survive the rigors of the Canadian climate and endure well into the twentieth cen- tury. In the earty days of September, a man by the name of Samuel Matheson arrived at Redtrees with four rough looking individuals as his assistants. They were to be fed by the women of Redtrees alternately and, whilst the weather was still warm, they slept in the hayloft of MacCrimmon's small barn. It is indeed remarkable that without architectural plans and with scarcely more than a few sketches on a piece of grubby paper, many early Canadian buildings were established. At a central point in the community, they began the task of excavating a huge hole to receive the foundations and the cellar. At the start. Chippy Chisholm and Grant the Blacksmith, were kept busy fabricating a four -wheeled cart which, by sheer might of muscle, was pulled from the excavation loaded with sandy soil The newcomers were not exactly in harmony with the Friends of Skye; some of their habits left much to be desired. One of their number, an tnglish ne'er-do-well called Perkins, had to be cautioned on several occasions to pick up his shovel and lay down the whiskey jug. However, with so many hands, the work proceeded at a rapid pace. The activities were an attraction to the children who watched in fascina- tion as their new school took shape. Matheson himself was a particular favourite of theirs, and he repeatedly had to warn them to stand back from the flying chips, as he cut and shaped the field stones with a hammer and chisel. Ewan Brodie joined in the task, but he wondered to what purpose. Hid wife Barbara had been married before for some three years and since she had never been with child, it was assumed that she was a barren woman. In the days before medical science eradicat- ed the misconception, it was assumed that to be childless was due to the will of God, and most people believed that infertility was solely a feminine charactericstic. Barbara Brodie came to see her husband one day, bringing bread and cheese, and paying particular atten- tion to the construction. She told Ewan it was a fine thing he was doing, and one which would bring him satisfac- tion for a lifetime. "i am well pleased tae help my neighbours raise a school frae their children, but sometimes i wish we could hae mare use of it ourselves." Barbara Brodie laughed. "Och, dinna fash yesel man," she said with great mirth. "I have this day been speaking with Doctor Cameron and told him of the strange things I have noticed about myself. Yell be surpris- ed to know that I am with child. Put your back into the work, Mr. Brodie, 'cause i hae a notion that a child of yours will be taking lessons in that school."