HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-03-22, Page 311 : .; • r,
it
eildents
Media attention haSShiftedaway'fronithe
.Lord's Prayer issue atidthetOpic Ofopening
exercises in ,sehools, ;While provincial and
local educators examine this cotdroversial
issue. But at the March /fleeting of the
Huron Nuntylloard ofEducationa delega-
tion ofparentsfrom Howl& Township show -
•ed that this issue has not been lost 'public
attention.
"The matter is mot of .a slight change in
opening exercises. The issue is who-do'we
tell our children Jesus is - our God and
Saviour ora bastard child. There are no in-
betweens," -said Ray Dykstra, spokesman
for the delegation from Howick township.
"When we pray the Lord's Prayer in our
schools, even if _a particular teacher or stu-
dent does not mean it, -we proclaim basic
Christian truths to our children. In .par -
:Ocular that we are in subjection to a Holy
God whosupplies us with ourneedsand who
•alone can forgive our sins," he said, adding :
'When -we give equal time to other
religions we have just demoted Christ from
being Almighty God, to being a good exam-
ple.'Whythen should -we celebratethe birth
of, orthedeath ofra good:example7"
Sincethe Ontario 'Court of Appeal decided
thatno oneTeligion should begiven a posi-
tion of 'prominence in the public school
system 'the ICBE, and virtually all school
---,howitslflithcerhalt&heeflmr.estling_
with the issue of whatIrdll be tsken as ap-
propriate opening and closing 'exercises in
classrooms.
The !IBE has a committee working on
opening -exercises, and is currently seeking
fliput from principals in the system. John
Jewitt, Board chairman, recommends that
'parentswhowanttheir concernsheard, talk
to thoir local public school principals, and
• the inincipals report to the Board
comMittee.
fp
EtteknowSelitinet Wednesday, Mardi 0, 191111 -*1
ale once1n
eve
Mr. JeWitt invited theparentdelegationto
attend board meetingsand Observeprogres-
sion 'on this issue, 'however hesaid there is
little room for ptiblic inputat this stage.
"The decision rests with the 'board, said
Mr. Jewitt. "Having community meetings
will not speed things or -'necessarily ensure
that everyone is,going to be heard."
Mr. Jewitt also said that a :decision has
been made by the courts. The hoard's role
now is to decide Atha prayers or 'readings
•should be used 'for opening religious exer-
cises which reflect the spirit of the court
rulings.
"No matter what we .agree with, many of
the decisions of the day 'have been made by
the court of the land," said the chairman.
Trustee Norman Pickell added that if the
board ignored the Court of Appeal decision,
it could be found in contempt of :court.
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
-
In otherl3oardhusiness, the 1989-90 school
year calendar wasapproved by trusteesand
will contain the following required
components:
The .school year will commence on
September 5 and end June,29, inclusive.
There will be a -minimum of 186 teaching
days.
Professional development days may be
designated ,according to school or panel
needs, up toe total of nine xlays.
Seconclarysehoolesignatezp-to
days as examination days.
SCHOOLDAMAGEREPORT
The annual school _damage report was
reviewed by the Board. Total atiamage of
1121500 to schools, primarily rause:thy ;van-
dalism, represented reductionmf approx-
irnately46„400 from the previous -year.
Director of Edudation Bob Allan pointed
out that the vandalism in Huron Schools is
,
W. '
,
> <- RE
BARRY A
a Pt II
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
*Auditing ',Financial Accounting
*Personal & Corporate Tax Consultation
.Personal finandlitPlanriim
.Manual It DomputerizedmaokkeePft
4 monme i& Amortization SChednies
7306 Josephine St. Winsjham, 4406`2W0 . . 13ifice: 257=1522
raker issue.
•qttite MiniMal ::Cornpared to many boards.
He said he has beard of boards 104tere
SpecialprOgrarnstreiMplemeritedtocomp
bat vandaliStnonceover$20POdamagebas
been 'done to s singlesehool.
PORTABLE CLASSROOMS
In the matter of space requirements when
the school year begins in September 1989,
the Board reviewed loading capacity for its
elementary schools.
It was noted that action musthe taken at
public schools in Blyth, Brussels and Turn -
berry Central to ensure the preservation of
library space. Colborne Central, East
Wawan os h , Grey Central, H ens a 11 ,
Holmesville, Seaforth and Hullett Central
public schools would herequired to forfeit or
reduce special education ,space effective
September 1989. And it was noted that por-
tables to be placed at Victoria, Wingharn
and Robertson Memorial public schools
could wait for one additional year.
Trinity
e 3
The board passed a motion to apply for
'Ministry of Education financial support for
the acquisition of portable :classrooms or
alternative additional space needed to meet
accommodation needs.
IliTOSEUM ARCHIVES
The Board passed a motion approving the
transfer of the historical education records
to the Huron County Museum archives.
In 1983 the HCBE transferred its early
records tothe Archives of Ontario, but since
that time Huron County bas set up its own
archives in -Goderich.
Returning the records to Huron County
makes them more accessible to local
historians and genealogists who are the
primary users of the records, and makes
them more readily available to the Board if
they should need to consult them.
Mr. Allan c ommentedthat the records are
interesting and "Ad documents, some of
them recording .accounting in pounds and
pence.
•
pray or am
The March meeting of Trinity United
•Church Women 'was held at the home of
Hazel Hackett.
• Elizabeth htin opened the meeting with
a poem. Janet Wilkins gave the Mission
The rolled% wear something green, was
answered by 21 members.
Sherry Alton and Isobel -Kilpatrick were
in charge of the devotions. The scripture
lesson was :given by Mrs. Alton and Mrs.
Kilpatrick gave the meditation on Easter.
Hymns weresung during the _devotions,
which closed with prayer.
The country for prayer this month is
Spain.
-Easter poems, Irish songs ands contest
were enjoyed throughoutthe :rnee ' •
The ladies are having luneh = o at
two auctionstiles: Reurink's111surl 27 and
Raynard's April 1.
The thankoffating atthe churchis April
-167Wth1VMsoi • 't • after --
'trip to Turkey.
Anyone having good used clothing for
the Magian/ Auxiliary Rununage Sale is
to leave'them atthe church before April 10.
Thegrougpre-sently has aquilttotie and
one to quilt.
The meeting closed with a In/mu and
hostesses 'Violet Ritchie and Janet Willthis
served lunch.
At Cook's we pride ourselves on being a full-service
1 Jsiness. Our6 locations have -everything you
teed this spring, from seed and fertilizer to crop
protection:products - and all at competitive prices.
,But Cook's can give you more ... whether it's
crop plarmingadvice,-soil testing andblending
of fertilizers, crop protection products or
customapplication. Cook people have the
expertise to help youget the "maximum
economic yield" from your .crop.
Forall yourinputs this spring, talk
to the -experts at Cook's.
Head Office: Hensall (519) 262-2410
Branches: Centalia (519) 228-6661
Marion (519) 229-8986
Walton (519) 527-1540
Arnbedey (519) 395-3601
Atwood (519) 356-2292
Part ofthe Cook's, Crop Input 'Ram
firomleitpr4ght):
JhnBickell
Kitkton Agti•Salesilepresentnive,
12 years with Cook's
DerwYn 'Hodgns
wttonardschmanager.
3 years with CoOk's •
Dale Passmore
Applicator -Operator,
11 yearnwithrook's