The Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-12-14, Page 48feature
Luclmow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 21, 1983—Page 4
1 have spent many happy Christmases
with my husband and family and our
grandchildren. But the one that remains so
vividly in my memory is the Christmas of
1926. That was a good year for our family
and for all the families. The farming industry
was good and the young people and other's
that weren't so young readily found employ-
ment in their chosen professions or trades.
Dad and Mother had the ten children
home, infact, all the young people and
others were home for Christmas Eve. The
big red brick church at the corner was filled
to capacity. The choir loft held many
members; the young and old voices blending
into one. "Ray" Dalton singing the "Ava
Maria" and his brother Walter singing "Oh
Silent Night".
The three tall marble and gold altars were
aglow with lighted candles, with Father
Dean in matching vestments. The six altar
boys with their white surplices and red
cassocks stood on each side of the main
altar. Three tall pine trees stood in the
corner of the sanctuary. Underneath their
branches was the scene of the nativity. The
whole interior of the church looked beautiful
OFA convention...
•from page 2
dation on making the basic membership unit
of the OFA the farm family was sent back to
county federations for further input. A
decision on changes to any membership will
be made at a board meeting early next year.
Other decesions made by the convention
delegates include:
-- Rural landowners within 1,000 feet of a
severance application be officially notified.
-- Foodlands receive greater protection from
quarries and ether development.
-- Off shore labour quotas be increased
because there are not enough qualified
Canadians available for farm work.
-- Unemployment insurance regulations be
changed to reduce the paperwork and
administrative burden on farmers.
-- Duties and sales tax be eliminated from
imported agricultural products.
-- The tax write off for farm losses on off
farm income be increased to reflect inflation
from 1952, when the regulation was intro-
duced.
-- Beginning farmers be allowed five years to
show a profit under the federal Income Tax.
the same as is allowed under the Farm
Credit Corporation.
-- Farmers be allowed to deduct up to $5,000
a year from their income if used to reduce
mortgage payments.
-- Noise levels, in line with farming
practices, be part of ministry of environment
guidelines.
-- Professional engineering. and the subse-
quent costs. be recommended. but not
required under the Ontario Soil Conserva-
tion and Environmental Protection Assist-
ance Program.
-- Retroactive payments be made to beef
producers to bring stabilization payments in
line with other provinces.
The OFA is the largest general farm
organization in the province, representing
more than 25,500 individual members and
two dozen other farm organizations.
Donnybrook UCW
Donnybrook U.C.W. held their December
meeting Monday evening. December 12. at
the home of Mrs. H. Jefferson.
Mrs. William Hardy opened the meeting
with a prayer. The scripture was taken from
Christmas Ideals. The Christmas Story. A
poem. Advent Candle. was read by Ruth
Hardy.
Mrs. Murray Wilson gave a reading on
Giving. Mrs. Joan Armstrong gave a
reading, Christmas at Grandpa's.
Mrs. Hardy closed the meeting with. A
Christmas Wish. A social time was enjoyed
by all presenti
Donnybrook slate of officers for the years
1984 and 1985 are president. Margaret
Hildebrand; first vice president. Luba
Strutton; second vice president. Eileen
Hanna; recording and correspondence sec-
retary, Wanda Jefferson; assistant, Elsie
Hardy; secretary treasurer, Lois Cbamney;
nominating committee, Margaret Hilde-
brand, Luba Strutton, Eileen Hanna; com-
munication co-ordinator. June Robinson;
Turn to page 20'
My most memorable Christmas
by Gertrude J. Leddy
as it was well lit up by the Pelco system.
Christmas morning dawned bright and
clear. Snow had fallen during the night
leaving the countryside bright and clean.
The tall Christmas tree in the corner of the
parlor held many useful and pretty gifts for
us all. Our home was•gayly decorated. The
big goose in the oven of the wood stove was
sending out a delicious armoma through the
house.
My sister Genevieve with her husband
Gus from West Wawanosh with little Billie
had come home for the day. She and Ursula
were helping mother with the evening meal.
Our chores came later "cleaning up".
Monica and Elizabeth had discarded their
"city togs" for something warmer and they
joined Norman, Elaine and Marcella on the
"south hill where more young people had
gathered with their sleds and toboggans.
Dad and John were busy at the barn doing
the chores up early.
But Agatha and I decided to go for a walk
in the bright frosty air. To my girlish
imagination 1 felt there was magic in the
country side. The hearty little sparrows sang
merrily on the house tops. The trees, shrubs,
and fences were clothed in white ermine that
glistened in the bright sunshine. As we
walked along that snow packed road we
passed our neighbours' houses and they
waved or came to the door to wish us the
season's greeting. It was indeed Christmas
and we listened to the chimes of sleigh bells
in the distance.
We had many things to talk about as
Agatha had graduated from the school of
nursing the year before and had gone to
Detroit to join her sisters there. She was one
of the nurses in Providence Hospital. 1 was
in high school.
Our walk ended again at the red brick
church at the corner. As we entered we could
smell the incense and pine. We walked up to
the altar steps and offered our thanks for our
many blessings.
My prayers were sincere but short as 1 was
eager to be outdoors again. Agatha still knelt
and lingered there unaware of my impat-
ience or "curious" stare. 1 can still see her
little figure outlined against the shadowing
darkness of the church. The ruddy glow of
the sanctuary Tamp fell on her young face.
In the long years that have passed I have
often wondered if Agatha did not have some
premonition of what was to happen to her
the following spring. In April she was struck
down by a "drunk driver" while standing
on a safety zone in one of Detroit's busy
streets. Her death was a terrible tragedy to
her parents, and family. I was heartbroken
the many months that followed. That is why
1926 is such a memorable Christmas to me.
For the ten members of the O'Connor family
were never all at home for Christmas again.
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NOTE: This year in place of sending Christmas cards,
we have made a donation to the Jack Reavie Workshop
in Wingham.
DONALD, JIM and STAFF
JOHN W. HENDERSON
LUMBER LIMITED
STORE HOURS
Closed December 26, 27 and January 2