Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1964-01-16, Page 9Why Are We So Different? Are the people of Wingham Tess in- telligent than their neighbors in other communities? Are they less concerned about their own improvement? It would appear that they are, Speaking recently with a friend from a nearby town, we were interested to learn that he is attending night classes at the high school there, Though his daily work is accounting, he is thoroughly enjoying a night course in basic woodworking. In the same school this winter classes are being conducted in bookkeeping, art and several other interesting subjects, most of which have a large enrolment and faithful attendance. We had night classes iri the Wingham High School for many winters. They were discontinued two or three years ago—not because the teachers were unwilling to give their time, but because enrolments were so low that it appeared there was not sufficient demand to merit the or- ganization of further classes. On the surface it does seem that folks in Wingham are less interested in the pur- suit of knowledge than their neighbors, but we prefer to believe that there is an other reason for our apparent apathy. It is more likely that the night classes faced too much competition from the myriad activities and organizations which gobble up the evenings in this town. However, now that there has been a lapse of a few years, we suggest that night classes should be offered again next winter, that the courses should be fully described in advance—and if a sufficient number of persons are interested, they should be resumed. Our high school now contains all the equipment and teaching facilities for many interesting and practical courses. It seems a great pity that it should be used only for day classes. Let's try again. An Interesting Subject Last week this writer expressed ser- ious doubt about the wisdom of extend- ing the franchise to those in the 18-21 year age bracket. Our reasons, as you may recall, were that the vast majority of young people under 21 are not sufficient- , ly conscious of or informed about public affairs to vote wisely. Since that editorial appeared we have received many comments about it—most of them agreeing with our own opinion, although a few thought we were wrong, This subject is a basic and important • one. We feel very strongly that the fed- eral government is overstepping its auth- ority in proposing to enact legislation of such a broad and far-reaching nature with practically no effort to ascertain the wishes of the Canadian people. Apparently the extension of the fran- ' chise can he made legally by an act of Parliament, but we doubt that it should be. It is so closely related to the con- stitution of our nation that it is evident it s i ulc! have deeper study and wider approval than is possible within the time allowed for Parliamentary approval. Most of us can recall our own days in high school and immediately afterward. Those were the times when we all would have turned the world upside down, when the existing institutions were beneath our contempt and when authority was some- thing to he pushed aside. Look for yourself at the troubled areas c 1 of the world and see how frequently the powers of unrest and insurrection turn to a group of students when they want to rouse a troublesome rabble. We do not suggest here that Canadian teen-agers and 20 -year-olds are all insur- rectionists, but we do believe that like most normal young people everywhere, they are living through a time of life when they are easily led to reactionary thought and activity. Given a few more years and the mollifying influences of jobs to hold and homes to maintain and the most of them reason a bit more slowly and make more sensible allowances for those things which are wrong in govern- ment and what can be done to rectify them. This is a dangerous age as far as gov- ernment is concerned, Even seasoned, old politicians seem to he caught up in the mad race to give, give and give more. It is time we recognized this trend for what it is—plain political bribery. It is the effort of one party to give the public more than the other party can promise— and it could become the open track to national ruin. If you have opinions of your own in this regard, express them, put them on paper as a letter to the editor. We will publish them and make sure they reach Ottawa and the desks of those who make the decisions for us. Arrogance Or Dereliction The following appeared in a recent is- sue of The Trillium, which is a magazine published by the Ontario Civil Servants' Association: "An editorial in a recent issue of one of the leading dailies spoke of arrogant assumption of the powers of elected boards by paid staff. "I was not surprised to read this. It happens! Sometimes it is deliberate, planned, and indeed arrogant. However, before we go too far; before we say it's happening here; before we join a crusade to wipe out this arrogance, let us examine the other side of the coin. "I fear that an honest and sincere ex- amination of the facts, all too often will show that rather than arrogant staff at- tempting to usurp the powers of elected officials there are irresponsible officials who are derelict in their duty, who have shirked their responsibilities, delayed es- sential decisions, behaved incompetently. "With few exceptions, board members approve the assumption of their powers by staff just to cover up their own in- competence. Although some have been in their elected offices for a long time they let themselves be hoodwinked by hired staff. Some become so mesmerized by the hired help that they regard ques- tioning of the staff's activities by the few who dare to ask questions as plain nosiness. "It can be either way. Each must examine his philosophy, his house, and his principles. Let's assess the situation carefully and critically before we act. "Who knows—is it arrogant assump- tion? Or is it irresponsible dereliction?" From The Right, Number! The cartoonists, whose work appears in the daily newspapers, have had a field day with the federal government's an- nouncement that Canadian workers will be assigned a number -- each person to • carry this row of digits until the clay he dies. One cartoon depicts a bride and groom facing a dignified clergyman who is asking, "Do you, 397-4825, take 859- 4376, to be your lawful wedded wife?" Another shows an executive instruct- ing his secretary to put through a call • to 451-8379 at area code 596-835-4976. We won't vouch for the accuracy of the above figures, but they don't really matter. The implication is plain enough. This is the first step in a system which • might very easily become regimentation of the sort which has been applied in the Soviet. This process is already well on the way in the U.S. A resident of Cali- fornia recently told us that his own bank put him completely through the hoops when he attempted to open a bank ac- count for his young son. Nothing could he done without a social security number for reference. We do not deny that there is an emerg- fng need for more efficient records of our population. The ability to put the finger of authority on any person at any time has great advantages—as well as creating an atmosphere so coldly inhuman it makes a free man shudder. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation; Member Canadian Community Newspapers Representatives Authorized by the Post Office Department as Second Class Mail and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Year, $4.00; Six Months, $2.25, in advance U.S.A., $;.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 per year Advertising Rates on application CAFETERIA OPEN AT W.D.H.S.—With construction in the kitchen and cafeteria sections of the Wingham District High School now completed, students were once again able to utilize this service for the first time last week. One group is seen moving along past the serving counter. —Advance -Times Photo. bbancitit7Zintre Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Jan. 16, 1964 SECOND SECTION SUGAR & SPICE Sons Of Good Parents By BILL SMILEY A young couple 1 know had an ironic experience when they visited her par- ents during the holiday season. The parents, solid folk, had recent- ly retired. They bought a new home in a rather swanky de - v e 1 o pment in a good- sized Cana- dian city. They have a 17 - year-old d aughter, nice kid, who lives with them. When my friends arrived to spend Christmas, it was obvious Ma had been busy. Everything in the n e w house was sparkling for their visit. She was proud of her home, and with reason. BILL SMILEY They had a pleasant Christmas. A couple of days later, the four adults were invited to a party down the street. The teen- age daughter implored to have a few friends in for pop and music. Her mother gave in, specifying that 10 kids ', as the limit, * * * The adults went to the party along the street. and enjoyed it. The conversation, as so often, turned to puzzle- ment over teen-agers. You know the sort of thing we old squares discuss: the switch - blade heroes; the debutante party reported in Life, which wound up demolishing an old man- sion; the couple in some distant place who carne home and found their teen- age daughter on the second night of a three-day, all- night party, in their home. Emerging f r o m the party, at a circumspect hour in this circumspect suburb, my friends and the parents were astonished to see the quiet street lined with cars. What was up? They found out, in about two minutes. Every light was blazing in 'their new home, and there was a sound of revelry by night whose location Was unmis- takeable. They nustled home. The son-in-law, a six-footer, was sent in ahead, to give no- tice that the party was over. He was shaken to the tips of his number tens when he walked in. There were about 40 people, mostly young males, in the modest living room. Nine- ty-four per cent. of them were drinking beer. The other six per cent. were drinking something else. * * * Beer caps and empty vod- ka bottles fought for atten- tion on the rug, which was a squishy meringue of spill- ed beer and cigarette ash. Some of the young gentle- men had propped them- selves in chairs and put their feet against the pris- tine wall. The old Dad's most cherished possession, a solid silver christening mug given him by his grandfather, lay on its side on the floor, a discarded beer -mug. The Dad, with a mighty effort, forced himself to go around and introduce him- self. A few were civil. Most, including girls, sneered at him. Eventually, because the party had become a drag with these old squares around, the guests left, In their own sweet time, lug- ging half a dozen beer cases. Who were these hood- lums, punks, vandals? A motorcycle gang, maybe? One of them was the son of a national television figure. Another was the son of a professor. Most were university students, as their jackets proclaimed proud- ly. The rest w ere high school kids from good, mid- dle-class homes in the area. What happened to the girl who was hostess? Nothing. She's tempera- mental and might leave home if crossed, or upset. WASTE OF DAYLIGHT "Do we turn the clock back- ward or forward one hour?" This often perplexing querry, which faces millions of people twice a year is, of course, re- lated to the Daylight Saving Time system. Blame it all on William Willett, an English- man who published in 1907 "The Waste of Daylight," a book aimed at securing more daylight leisure for recreation and lessening the work perform - cd by artificial light during the summer months. Rem iniscing JANUARY 1914 Mr. A. M. Scully, who has been acting manager of the Dominion Bank at Guelph, has been appointed as manager of the Wingham branch of the hank and entered on his new duties on :vbnday. In the Wingham Glove Works the town has an industry which is growing. The orders have been crowding in on Mr. Prin- gle so rapidly that he has found it necessary to put in thirty- five new machines and now re - operators. quires a number '..'f new lady JANUARY 1928 Claimed by its sponsors to be the most distinctive low- priced automobile yet offered to the public, a new Chevrolet goes on display for the first time here on Saturday, January 14th in the showroom of A. M. Crawford. Built on a 107 -inch wheel- base, the new Chevrolet is four inches longer than before and is impressively large, low and racy. From the massive new radiator— deepened in a fashion reminiscent of the LaSalle -- the lines of the car sweep back to blend into the graceful con- tours of the bodies. Sharp cor- ners have been entirely elimin- ated and in the closed models the roof curves into the rear quarters in unique manner. The new features include: mas- sive, deep and beautiful radia- tor, 4 -wheel brakes, extended wheelbase, an improved en- gine that gives 34.6 p.c. more power and five mile an how more speed, longer and room- ier Fisher bodies, new Duco color combinations, thermo- stat control of cooling, shock absorber springs, motor enclo- sure and indirectly Lighted in- strument panel. JANUARY 1939 Mrs. Charles Elliott, Blue - vale Rd., fractured her right wrist on Monday afternoon. She was crossing a room at her home to answer the telephone when she slipped on the waxed floor taking a nasty fall. Mr. Robert Weir of the Uni- versity of Minnesota, St. Paul, Miss Elizabeth Weir, Columbia University, NOV York and Nliss Edith Weir, of MacDonald Insti- tute, Guelph spent two weeks with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Weir. Ten per cern off all Ladies' Winter Coats and Dresses, For real value visit the GreenFrortt Store. The store formerly operated as the Shelag,er store is now owned by the Green Front Department Stores, who have no connection with the former owners. JANUARY 1949 Mr. and Mrs, Gordon Hall, Bluevale, wish to announce the engagement of their daughter, Roberta Irene, to Robert George Casemore, son of Mrs. Alfred Armstrong, London, Ont. The marriage to take place early in January. Mr. and Mrs, J. A. Morton, announce the engagement of their daughter, Betty Iris, to John Charles Wellwood, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Wellwood, Winghai:4. The mar- riage will take place on January 22nd, in Bedford Park United Church, Toronto. BOX 390 Wingham, Ont. Jan. 13, 1964. Advance -Times, Wingham, Ontario. Gentlemen: On the Friday night be- tween Christmas and New Years I was one of the few who had the privilege of seeing thehock- ey game between our local juveniles and Ripley. It looks as though this year's juvenile team is one which will "go all the way". It is one of the best balanced minor teams Wingham has iced since the days of Vic Loughlean's boys who brought many trophies home, and at the helm is none other than Vic's nephew, Wayne Brown, who seems to have come up with a winner. But alas, how few the num- ber that turned out to support the team that Friday night. 1 can almost count them on my fingers; there was a small hand- ful of teenagers, the parents of about four of the local players, one high school teacher and at the most eight or ten other adults. Disappointing isn't it, when a town like Wingham with a population in the neighbour- hood eighbourhood of 2, soil can have only about one percent of Its popu- lation out to support their loc- ket team? Olt, shame on you citizens of Wingham! It takes a crowd to give that extra touch of excitement to any game -- especially. hockey. You can't complain about the cold now, with the itwdern new front. The boys are playing a good brand of hockey -- they deserve mote support -- your support. Let's get behind them, The admission price Is only "two hits". The next home game is friday night. See you at the game. Yours sincerely, A Minor Hockey Supporter.