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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1964-06-25, Page 9i Tangible Evidence The arrival of Canada's last Lancaster bomber et Sky Harbor airport, Goderich, last week brought out a somewhat unique and altogether unexpected crowd of spec- tators from a wide area of Western On- tario. The crowd was one of the largest we have seen at any event in this area for a long time. Why the intense interest in the arrival of this twenty -year-old airplane, which doesn't even fly very fast according to to- o day's standard? Perhaps we are wrong, but we believe that the big crowd at Sky Harbor included a high percentage of fathers who had served in the armed forces during the war and were paying their reminiscent tribute • to the final activated relic of those stir- ring days. As we stood in the crowd at the north side of the field we heard quite a few fathers telling their sons what a great airplane the "Lanc" was back in the days when the fate of the free world was still at stake. • Perhaps most of us in the fathers' generation wanted to let our children see one last bit of evidence from a war which today seems to young people es distant as the battles of the Greeks and the Trojans. It is even possible that we sought a re- minder for ourselves of those days when +r danger was real and the future, at best, appeared brief. The Lancaster bomber signifies a state of human affairs our children cannot be expected to visualize, It was not neces- sarily the perfect machine for its job— the immobilizing of conquered Europe. It was simply the best airplane available for the task. The men, in their thousands who flew in the Lancs developed a sort of kinship for the reliable old aircraft. They learned to trust them a long way. They had a healthy respect for that airplane's ability to take a lot of punishment and still bring their crews home alive. When Lancs were actually shot down the airmen silently acknowledged that the odds had been too great and the planes had done their best. it could be that the basic reason for the big crowd at Sky Harbor was some- thing even deeper—a nostalgia for those far-off days when young Canadians were something more than milkmen and store clerks and printers. War is a horrible thing. It is the ulti- mate sin of humankind—but it has by- products of sublimity. It brings out not only the beast in humans, it also brings out their highest and most worthwhile qualities. Perhaps it was in tribute to those better parts that the last of the "Lancs" was given such a rousing wel- come. Worth Serious Thought Last week's meeting failed to turn up an outstanding centennial project for the community, though many fine suggestions were heard—and indeed any one of them may be adopted within the next few • weeks. However, one of the proposed projects merits special consideration, not necessarily as a centenntial undertaking, but as a continuing goal for the commun- ity long after the centennial project has been completed. N DeWitt Miller suggested that one of the urgent needs of our town is a modern nursing home, and he was absolutely right. It does appear that the shortage of time remaining for the submission of a centennial project will make the nursing home idea impractical for that purpose, but the thought should not be discarded • in any case. When he mentioned the need for a nursing home Mr. Miller put his finger upon a growing important subject. With- in the past few weeks a survey was re- quested from all doctors in Huron County • in regard to the number of chronic pa- tients they lave on their lists. The idea was to ascertain not only how many older people are now in institutions of all kinds, but to find out about those who should be getting such care. Huronview is filled to capacity and. the general hos- * pitals in the county are in the same posi- tion. The most important question is how many people are still in private homes when they should be getting more expert care? To the uninitiated the proposal to build more hospital facilities of any kind may seem ridiculous. Our generation has paid for a tremendous increase in hos- pital bed capacity. Perhaps some of us fail to realize the forces which are creat- ing the need for more and more bed care facilities. Two main factors have combined to bring the present situation about. One of them is purely economic. During the past 20 years or so Canada has passed quietly through a major revolution. We are no longer a nation of farming and small town people, in which the pace is • slow and problems are simple. In mil- lions of case all over the land both hus- band and wife must work to keep things on an even keel and there is no one at home to look after grandma when she reaches the years of decline. Nor do we live in those spacious big homes where n 4 there was always an extra bed and fuel was cheap. As a result our older people have to go to a hospital or its nearest equivalent. The second factor lies in the field of science. Perhaps you have never realized it, but we are passing through a particu- larly unbalanced period at present. Medi- cal science has learned a great deal about how to keep our old people alive, but very little about how to make the borrowed years worth living. As a direct conse- quence the proportion of our population over the age of 70 is increasing each year. These are people who must be cared for in the very best facilities we can provide. A modern hospital is no longer the answer — nor is a modern old people's home. There is a crying need for nursing homes, located not 20 or 25 miles away, but as close as possible to the communi- ties in which the patients have spent their lives. Close enough to permit daily visits from their families and ready access to their own doctors. Our society has struggled upward to some tremendous achievements. They are all about us—things like our multi-million dollar high schools, our super -highways and our mechanized homes. Do these material manifestations of our progress mean very much if we have found no satisfactory answer to a problem which faces every one of us—old age? Until comparatively recent years the Eskimos had a practical answer to this phenomenon. Recognizing the unchang- ing laws of survival there was a stolid understanding between the older and younger generations that the old and helpless had to be sacrificed to the needs of the young. Grandma was taken out on the ice to die—and her race survived. Surely we have progressed a long way from such stark necessities. We who can do so much to make life worth living should be able to extend that blessing to our aging parents. Wingham needs a modern nursing home. A building that is fire -proof, built on one level where there are no stairs to climb. It should include a breezy garden for the hot summer days and a bright sun porch for the better hours of our long winters. It should be staffed by people who have warm sympathy for the prob- lems of the aging and it should be right in our midst where families and friends can drop in as often as possible. Of course it will cost money. Can you think of a better way to spend yours? Before too long you may be waiting for a room. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. $airy Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ. ation; Member Canadian Community Newspapers representatives Atithorized 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., $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 per year Advertising Rates on application BEAUTIFUL MALIGNE LAKE—Nothing but trout! What a place for keen fishermen. Maligne Lake is the most consistently good fishing spot in Jasper Park. This is the place for gamey speckled trout,•often as large as four pounds. It is only in recent years that Maligne Lake has become easily accessible to all who wish to visit this fam- ous beauty spot high in the mountains. Great snowy peaks, dense virgin forest and the turbulent rush of the Maligne River are just a few items that add incomparable beauty to Jasper, Alberta's and Western Canada's favorite playground. nooZiontt Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, June 25, 1964 SECOND SECTION SUGAR AND SPiCE I Wish You Safety By BILL SMILEY As I drove the long, tired road home Sunday night, I began to realize why so many fellows of my age are cracking up. The old lady was sitting there, talk - i n g as though word -ration- ing was go- ing into ef- fect at mid- night. The radio alter- nated be- tween shouts of some group noisier and nausiouser than the Beatles, courtesy of my daughter, and the smug an- nouncements of the disc jockey, who broke in every few minutes to tell us with triumph of another fatality on roads or water. Bill Smiley After 17 years, I've given up trying to do anything about my wife's talking jags. After 13 years, I've abandoned all hope of im- proving my daughter's taste or temperament. But by George, I still have some love for my fel- low man. Once a year, whether I like it or not, I publish some safety hints on hunt- ing, driving, trying to get along with women, or a similar perilous undertak- ing, strictly in the public interest. For example. When ca- noeing, never kneel in the bottom of the thing. It's too hard on the knees. Use a long -handled paddle, and paddle standing up. That way, you can jump if she rolls over. If you're merely a passenger, stand in the bow, so that you can warn of rocks, large turtles, or waterfalls. If you're boating with an outboard motor, don't be afraid to display a Iittle panache. Always approach a dock straight on and at top speed. At the last i on- ceivable moment, cut your motor and swing the tiller hard over. Some day you might cut the tiller and swing the motor, but who wants to live forever? Never take life jackets when you go fishing. You're liable to trip over one of them, and fall over- board, while innocently walking up to the bow for a cold beer. If you insist on taking lifejackets, tie them to your tackle box. Fisherman are a drug on the market, but good tackle is expensive. Speaking of fishing, don't look around before you wind up to cast. It's con- sidered a slur on the agili- ty of your companions. It's up to the other guys in the boat to keep an eye on you. If they want to keep an eye, that is. Never swim w h e r e there's a crowd. You went on your holidays to get away from people, remem- ber? Pick out a nice lonely spot and dive in. It's old fashioned, but best way to teach kids to swim is to throw them off a dock. It can be embar- rassing if you can't swim yourself, and they refuse to float. About fires. Never scat- ter sand and water on your bonfire when you leave. Maybe the next fellow doesn't have a match to start his own. This is known as common courtesy because it's so common. You have to use a Iittle common sense to get your barbecue charcoal going, too. We've tried a couple of those commercial fluids, but there's not enough ac- tion. What I do now is give the charcoal a good sloshing with lawnmower gas. Then everybody hits the deck. I stand away back and hurl lighted matches at the thing. It may not be the status way to do it, but it sure as hell gets that Reminiscing JUNE 1914 Mr. Grisdale, who has con- ducted a grocery store on Jo- sephine Street south for some years past, has sold the busi- ness to Mr. F. S. Ballagh, of town. A very pleasant event took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Mitchell on Wed- nesday, June 10th, at 2 o'clock p.m., when their daughter Clara Viola was united in mar- riage to Mr. Henry Walton, of Wingham. Mr. T. D. Holmes, of the Electric Shoe Repairing Shop, has sold out the Shoe Shining Departinent to Mr. Geo. Moir. This was necessitated by his assistant, Mr. C. Williams, securing a more lucrative posi- tion with the Gurney Glove Factory. Mr, Holmes willcon- tinue the shoe repairing as us- ual. JUNE 1928 We are pleased to announce that one of our Wingham young mere, Dr. A. W. Irwin, a re- cent graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry of the l•niversity of Toronto, has decided to follow the practice of his profession in Wingham, having entered into partnership with his father, Dr. A. J. Irwin. '''heir dental of- fice in the Macdonald Block is being remodelled,and up-to- date equipment including Ritter X -Ray and gas for extraction being installed. On 'Thursday last D. Rae and Jack. Mason attended the Kin- cardine Howling Club Annual Tournament of Scotch Doubles and were successful in winning the Association Event. Miss Mary A, Johnston, gra- duate of Western linixersity, went to Toronto last week where she has taken a position. Miss Luella Wagner of Au- burn, and Miss Grace Homuth of Teeswater, are graduate; from Stratford General Hospital training school for nurses this year. charcoal going. Well, that's about it. Just follow these safety hints, and you will never have any more worries about summer. Or anything else. JUNE 1939 Mr. George Fryfogle of New York, formerly of Wingham, son of Mrs.. Wm. Fryfogle, Shuter St. , had the honour of having his band play for the King and Queen while on their recent visit to New York City. His wife, Airs. Fryfogle, was also an honoured guest. Mr. Fryfogle and his band have been playing at the New York World's Fair. Mr. Henry T. Thomson has started the erection of a bunga- low type house on John St., next to the Baptist Church. The contractors are W. 11, Rintoul and Sons. On Saturday morning of last week Floyd Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Thompson, 9th Concession East Wawonosh, had the misfortune to fracture his right wrist when cranking the car when the starter refaced to work, Thomas Henderson under- went an operation for appendi- citis in Sarnia General Ilospital early Saturday morning. 'Tin and his bride were on the re- turn portion of their wedding trip when it was found neces- ary to operate at once. Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Pres- ton announce the engagement of their eldest daughter, Niar- joue Fdtth, to Air, Henry B. Jensen, sort of Mr, and Airs. Earl Jensen, of Denmark. 'Me marriage to take place cab: :u July. In the annual set of Music Tests, ;Miss McLaughlin's room. Grade IV, placed highest, win- ning the bat and hall presented by Mr. Anderton. The local quartette of Bert Culittnore, Gordon Leggatt, Jack Rcavie, Russel Zurbrigg, provided the program at a gar- den party at Bethel Church, on Friday evening. They were as- sisted by Gordon I)ay idsc'n with his piano accordion. We are ver, pleased to re- port that Donna Buchanan, daughter of Mr. and Airs. 11. F. Buchanan, is resting comfort- ably at her home, following an accident on 'Thursday afternoon when she suffered a concussion. On Thursday afternoon during the heavy rain, Donna raced a across the school grounds for home. She ran into the volley hall net and was thrown to the ground.