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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-06-03, Page 9• h Real Work of Mercy Reading back through some of our file copies we note that just over a year ago we suggested editorially that anyone who had some time to spare could provide a tremendous service to his fellow -humans by visiting the Ontario Hospital at Gode- rich. Many of the patients there were in desperate need of contacts with people from the outside world who could bring new interests and friendships. Since that time dozens of persons from this area, in groups and individually, have followed our suggestion and they have brought immeasurable comfort and hope to patients at Goderich. One of those who was most keenly in- terested in this project was Miss Phyllis. Johns, whose sudden death we report in this week's issue of the paper. Miss Johns had been generous with her time in many ways, but she was deriving keen enjoy- ment and satisfaction from her contacts with the folks at the Goderich Hospital. It does seem tragic indeed that her ready willingness to serve others has been in- terrupted with such complete finality. Of course Miss Johns will be remem- bered for many years to come by the hun- dreds of persons whom she taught in pub- lic school. Truly dedicated to her profes- sion, she spared no effort to inspire each of her scholars with a deep respect for knowledge and the finest principles of morality. Situation Improved The money and effort expended by the fireman, town council, Legion, Lions and • Kinsmen, as well as the donations from the public to provide a good display of fireworks is sincerely appreciated by the parents of the community. With new regu- lations in effect this year, there was a minimum of hazard for the youngsters of the community and they all enjoyed the • fireworks last Monday evening, Emphasizing the sound judgment which has been displayed by council here, « • • • several other communities reported ser- ious fires and personal injury accidents. Still other reports told of the increasing number of communities where private fireworks and use of firecrackers have been banned. No doubt there were lots of disgrunt- led youngsters who thought they were robbed of their birthright, but the import- ant thing is that few of them were in any danger of blowing themselves up to cele- brate the 24th of May. 750th Anniversary On June 15th in the year 1215 at Runnymede in England a tyrannical king was brought to order by the Community of the land and subjected to the laws which hitherto it had been his private privilege to administer and modify at will. Thus from history's earliest and most memorable civil rights demonstration there emerged a Charter of Liberties which in the course of centuries was to become the foundation of our free insti- tutions and of our democratic society. Bowing to the will of the Community King John placed the Great Seal of England on Magna Carta. During a recent trip to England we found ourselves without enough time to see many of the places and things we wanted to visit, but the one highlight which was completely gratifying was to stand for a few moments in the British Museum and actually look upon the Great Charter, which for 750 years has been the cornerstone of all our liberties. King John grudgingly agreed to these chief concessions: No freeman shalt be taken, imprison- ed, outlawed, banished or in any other way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him except by law- ful judgment of his peers or (and) the law of the land. No bailiff shall put any man to trial upon his simple accusation without pro- duction of credible witnesses to the truth thereof. To no one will we sell, to none will we deny or defer right or justice. if anyone shalt have been ... deprived by us, without legal judgment of his peers, of lands ... and liberties or rights, we will instantly restore the same. The outstanding thing about the Great Charter is that it was not an instant cure- all. As children in school we were led to believe that Englishmen once and for all on that sunny day at Runnymede set to right all that had been unfair in the realm. In reality they had made only the first move in a long, never-ending battle for human freedom. The ink was scarcely dry on Magna Carta before the wily John was asking the Pope to grant him freedom from his oath. In fact a few years later the Pontiff did grant exemption from a similar oath at a price in English money which burdened the nation for several hundred years. The principles which were outlined in the Charter have been trampled ten thous- and times since that far-off day ... and almost every day of our lives some new threat to these basic rights is posed, even in our modern society where freedom is taken so completely for granted. Those rights were raised as a stand- ard, a rallying point for all men who cherish the freedom of the human spirit. They have never been guaranteed. Magna Carta was a simple statement that no tyrant should be tolerated by a people with courage and honesty. Our children for a thousand genera- tions will have to be just as vigilant as the barons who faced King John if those freedoms are to be maintained. The Need Is Still Increasing One of the few warm week -ends we ` have had this spring we found that every provincial park for miles around was filled to overflowing with early campers. The same was true of recreation lands all over the province—and most likely in all the other provinces and states in Canada • and the U.S. It seems virtually impossible to keep up with the demand for outdoor recrea- tion facilities. Every year more and more families are taking up camping or at least trailer life. To some of us who five in the com- paratively open spaces of the rural coun- tryside it may seem a little silly, this mad rush for the great outdoors. It is far from silly for city people, however, Trap - 1 • ped by the ever -widening deserts of asph- alt and concrete, these people are hungry for fresh air and cool breezes. And thank goodness they are. It is a very healthy appetite to have developing in our midst. Certainly it costs money, but it is money well spent. Our own tenting area at the Riverside Park has had its first visitors of the sea- son and with the completion of the wash- rooms it is safe to predict that it will in- crease in popularity. Other campsites are in process of de- velopment throughout the Maitland Water- shed, each of which will have its full quota of visitors as the thousands who are crowded out of campsites along the Great Lakes seek the quiet beauty of the river valleys. 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 Assoc,. ation; Member Canadian Coinmunity Newspapers Representatives Authorized by the Post Office Department as Second Class Mall 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 CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY — Rt. Rev. H. F. Appleyard, Bishop of Georgian Bay, right, confirmed six young people at St. Paul's Church on Sunday. Back row: Wayne Hunt• er, Joe Hall, Lee Grove; front: Linda Lockridge, Brian Deyell, Sally Lou Elliott. The rector, Rev. C. F. Johnson is at the left and the bishop's chaplain, David Wenger, at the rear. —Advance -Times Photo. btraucemeimitix Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, June 3, 1965 SECOND SECTION Letters to the Editor 317 E.55th St., New York 22, N.Y. May 28, 1965. Editor, Advance -Times, Wingham, Ont. Dear Sir: 1 am trying to locate the family of the late Benjamin Willson who lived in Wingham at the turn of the century, and I wonder if aq of your readers know of him or of his family. Mr. Willson, who for many years was manager of a bank at Wingham, was born near London, Ont., a son of Crow- ell Willson, M.P. of Middlesex in the last century. A sister of Benjamin Willson was Mrs. Bray, who had children Ethel and William Bray both of whom were born before 1895. If anyone has knowledge of this family, I would very much appreciate receiving informa- tion regarding them. Very truly yours, Thomas B. Willson. Advance -Times, Dear Sir: On behalf of the thousands of disabled citizens of this Province who will benefit from the proceeds of our recent March of Dimes campaign, I want to say "thank youl" You will be glad to know that nearly $760,000 has been raised or is in sight, --a tre- mendous tribute to all the hard work, and a great public en- dorsation of our cause. Rehabilitation is never a one-man show. It takes donors and fund raisers --an army of salesmen of good causes, plan- ners and trained staff, the all- important efforts of the disabled themselves, plus a warm-heart- ed community to receive them. Thank you for your part in this unique "team". We hope we may count on your help next year too. Sincerely, Howard C. Caine, President. Reminiscing JUNE 1915 On Saturday evening a couple of ladies having busi- ness on Minnie St. were driv- ing at a walk, there being no lights on that street. When hearing a rig coming from be- hind at a reckless pace they pulled off to let it pass. It proved to be a couple of rubes in a buggy. The one with the lines, in passing, struck the horse being driven by the la- dies with a whip, frightening it, and very much surprising the ladies, for they certainly were not expecting to encount- er anything in the shape of such downright rudeness in a respectable, law-abiding town like Wingham. Eighteen people were injur- ed, a few quite seriously, when the Monday morning train on the London, Iluron and Bruce line from Wingham jump ed the tracks near Ilderton, about 12 miles from London, the smoking car and another coach tumbling over a twenty foot embankment. A relief train and physicians rushed to the scene and the injured taken to London. Possibly the two most seriously hurt is Harry Rapp, Commercial man of Stratford, who received serious internal injuries, besides hav- ing his jaw and collar bone broken, and W.f. Matfett, pro- prieter of the Central Hotel, Exeter. Brakeman John Rogers of Wingham, is also very badly shaken up. Mr. Rogers ran back to telegraph for assistance, and on returning collapsed. Engin- eer Fixture and Fireman Ste- venson, both of Wingham, were in the caboose. Thomas Hughes and Harry Yates, Mail clerks, both of Wingham, on returning to the mail coach after rendering what assistance they could, both collapsed. Mr. Hughes and Mr, Yates are bad- ly shaken up, and internally injured. Both will be unable to attend to their duties for a few days. JUNE 1929 The exercises of Empire Day which, owing to inclement weather, were postponed from May 23 to Wednesday last, were held on the spacious cam- pus of Public School. The school was gaily decorated with flags creating an atmosphere of patriotism. Promptly at 2 p.m. the pupils assembled for the progratnme. The principal speaker was Mr. C. A. Robertson, M. L. A., who with appropriate words dealt with our great heri- tage and the opportunities for citizenship which it presented, eulogizing upon the great ser- vice rendered our Dominion by SUCAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley Time Hobbles On I'll be 45 this week. It's one of those rather decisive birthdays, like 13, and 21 and 30. Only 10 years before I'll be middle-aged. A good time to sum up. One thing that strikes me is the amount of junk a fellow can collect in such a brief span. I came into the world without a stitch or a nickel. And in only four and a half decades, I have acquired a number of stitches, about 400 nickels, a house with two mortgages, a car with 12 payments to go, two teenagers to put through university, and a wife currently talking up the glories of an automatic dish- washer. Not to mention a houseful of furniture that's all due to be re- placed, a basement full of emp- ty beer bottles, a toolshed full of rusty tools and broken bicycles, and an attic full of black squir- rels. But I have no complaints about life. I was the runt of the litter in our family, and I've grown into a magnificent physi- cal specimen, towering five foot eight on hot days, and tipping the scales at a strapping 138 in my winter overcoat. And what a beating that meagre machine has taken in 45 years! I've been sea -sick and a i r -sick and love-sick. I've rolled over in a car, crashlanded in an aircraft, and smashed into a steel bridge at top speed on my bike. I've been beaten into unconsciousness by a gang of Germans, and hit with every- thing from a telephone to a plate of roast beef by my wife. Yet there's hardly a scratch on me. Outwardly. I've broken fingers and toes and nose (three times). I've had hemmorhoids and hangovers. I've had my scalp laid open by a hockey stick and a horsehose. I've had measles and mumps and TB and the trots, scarlet fever and bursitis and pink eye and dysentry, And yet. amazingly, the old school and church. Then fol- lowed a drill "Miss Canada", after which the "May Pole" with its intricate mates and steps, added a pleasing and British climax. The March Past including the flag salute, Please Turn to Page Five carcass presses on. Sight and hearing are sound as a bell though smelling is gone com- pletely. Appetite is unimpaired, and the old guts can handle any thing but broken glass, Hair and teeth are thinning and have changed color, but are still orig- inal models. Endurance isn't what it used to be. I couldn't run 200 yards at top speed if the devil himself were after me, with a red-hot pitchfork. But he rarely chases us Sunday School teachers, so why worry? I can still swim a few hundred yards, and tramp a trout stream or golf course half a dozen miles a day. I can still sit up all night and argue about politics or wo- men or religion. I can still get excited about an idea or a song or a poem or a play. I can still thrill to the sight of a beautiful broad, or a big fish, or a full moon, or a blue- bird, or a bonfire. I enjoy loafing and hard work, chess and dry martinis, thunder- storms and trees, good movies and little children, old friends and new clothes, though not ne- cessarily in those combinations. Not bad for an old chap, eh? Please don't think I'm bragging. What I'm doing is singing a paean of thanksgiving for my own good luck, and a note of consolation for you birds who are creeping up on 45. A lot of people burble, "If I could only live it over, knowing what I do now." Not me. I wouldn't trade my childhood, romantic, shy, imaginative, for any I've seen since. The thrill of sports as a teenager; falling in love half a dozen times; first job, on a steamboat; university and ideas and new friends; air force and kicks as a fighter pi- lot; prison camp and hunger and good talk; marriage and kids; weekly newspaper editor; high school teacher. And be hanged if a fellow didn't offer me an interesting new job just last week. Nossir. I've had a good run. And I'm going to keep right on running. When I'm 85, I want to be known in the nursing home as, "That old devil, Sniitey, who pinches your bottom every time you walk past his wheel -chair,"