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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-06-17, Page 9• A Progressive Mecisure Winoham's town eaunci1Iors should be Commended for their attention to the situation created several times in the past when old or fire -damaged buildings have been left without further attention by their owners. Council is considering the passing of a by-law which would permit the municipality to take action in these case's. First consideration, of course, is the s safety factor, where damaged and neglect ed buildings are concerned. The council is quite logically fearful that personal in- juries could result, particularly if curious youngsters sought to explore these unsafe structures. Another very important aspect, how- ever, is the image created when such buildings are left untouched, especially in the business section, Most of our pro- • gressive businessmen are careful to keep their store fronts painted and tidy. Their efforts are largely wasted if the general impression of the town is spoiled by even one of two neglected properties. Keeping a smaller community abreast of the times is difficult enough in this age of fast competition, without the drag of burned -out or dilapidated buildings to suggest a careless and untidy community, Sound. Thinking We believe that the members of the Business and Professional Women's Club have a good point in their recommenda- tion to council that the franchise be ex- • tended to residents of our community who do not have a vote in municipal elec- tions at the present time. Laws relating to public elections al- ways tend to lag behind the other changes in social and governmental life — for a very good reason. Since our forefathers • very wisely foresaw the danger of a state which could be shaken from its founda- tions by strong political pressures, they drafted election regulations which are difficult in the extreme to alter. They had seen the disastrous fluctuations of politi- cal influence in France and other Euro- ' peen nations at the beginning of the 19th century and deliberately hedged our elec- tion processes with protective rules which would guarantee, as far as possible, a steady, progressive way of national, pro- vincial and municipal life. However, it is doubtful that even our most cautious ancestors believed that the laws they forged were to last for all time without any change. in the early years of this community the population was composed very largely of citizens who in- tended to spend their entire lives here. • There was a strong respect for the worthi- ness of the citizen who owned his home and took his fuii part in the civic affairs of the town. Today, things are different. Wingham has, at all times, a fairly large proportion of families who know in advance that their years in this community are limited —not because they bear the place any ill will — but rather because the nature of their work is such that they must move on if they are to succeed in their chosen careers. Included in this category are teachers, bank employees, radio and tele- vision personnel, nurses and nursing as- sistants, and many others. Many in this category, of course, do have a vote in municipal elections, pro- vided they live in homes they have pur- chased or those they have rented from others, but the single persons who happen to board in town do not have the same privilege. To say the least the fact of whether a person rents a home or boards in one is a weak distinction. This community would benefit very materially from the votes of the sort of people who are now deprived of a ballot in municipal elections. Most of them are highly educated, intelligent persons whose good judgment should be an asset to any progressive community. The group in- cludes, too, those young people of the town who have reached voting age and have not, as yet, homes of their own. These are very often the future citizens of Wingham, in whose hands will rest the responsibility for conducting our public affairs a few years hence. Surely it is folly to deny them a vote merely because they have had the good sense to remain single until they can properly afford mar- riage and a home. Battle of The Blind The following editorial from the Tampa (Florida) Tribune of March this year provides an interesting sidelight on the racial troubles which have beset the • southern United States. In case we, too, tend to see every aspect of this problem as either pure black or snow white, these words of reason will be enlightening: "It's the blind fighting the blind. There are some in the South, sad to say, who haven't looked at a calendar in their life- time. They think it is still 1860. A brutish few of them regard the Negro as: a sub -human, and any white who stands up for him as a meddling abolitionist— both to be beaten down with a club or gun. Others, more refined in attitude, fly to the Confederate flag, denounce the Supreme Court and assure each other that' Southerners will never, no never, accept integration. "And there are others, scattered in all regions, who think the way to improve the • Negro's lot is to demonstrate. March to Montgomery, pray in the streets, sit down in the White House, picket the post office, call a school boycott. Demand that Presi- dent Johnson send troops to Alabama. Ig- nore laws but be sure the TV cameras are there. "This battle of the sightless serves no cause; it only injures the nation. "An earnest young Boston minister lies dead, victim of the viciousness with which some Southern ruffians react to the intrusion of civil rights crusaders. He had every legal right to be in Selma, of course —but what work could he hope to ac- complish in this strange town that he could not have done more effectively in Boston, a city which has its full share of evils, racial and otherwise. "Selma, a city which had been making • • progress towards racial moderation, has been plunged into tumult which will leave a thick residue of bitterness long after the Rev. Martin Luther King and his tide of emotion have receded. "The rest of the world, reading of the brutality of state and county officers and a few private citizens during the Selma disorders, and noting the firecracker string of demonstrations over the nation, will conclude that America is convulsed by racial oppression. "It is a grossly distorted picture. Few know, for example, that in Macon County, Alabama, there are now more Negroes than whites on the voting rolls and that Negroes serve on the city council, on the school board, and as Justices of Peace. The integrated government so far is functioning smoothly, despite the fact that until 1961 Negroes were systematical- ly disqualified as voters by one means or another. "How did the Macon County Negroes finally attain their voting rights? By due process of law, in Federal Court proceed- ings. "This is the same way Negroes throughout the South had earlier succeed- ed in eliminating the so-called "white pri- mary," a device which had been used to exclude them entirely from elections con- trolling city, county and state offices. "Demonstrations didn't enlarge the Negro's rights; legal process did. "There is ample law and precedent by which the Federal Courts cart assure Negroes the right to vote in any city or county of Alabama in which they want to vote. There is no need for additional leglislation; there is no justification for continued public demonstrations." THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Lintlited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary,Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Nertrspapers Associ- ation; Mernber Canadian Community Newspapers Representativest Authorized by the Post Office Department as Second 'Class Mail and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Year, $4.00; Sbc Months, 425, in advance U.S.A., $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 per year Advertising Rates oh application REMINISCING JUNE 1915 Miss Jean McGillivray, grad- uate of Evanston Hospital and a daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Ar- chibald McGillivray, Pleasant Valley, has enlisted with the Chicago unit which recently left for England via the Ameri- can boat "Amsterdam". A nurse is ranked as a lieutenant and is saluted as such by British soldiers and officers, the only difference being that in ,answer, ing, the nurse, instead of giv- ing the military salute, bows. Mr.Fred Homuth of Toronto is holidaying at his home in town. Mr.I-lomuth recently completed his course at the Ont- ario College of Pharmacy ob- taining the degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy. He also success- fully completed a course in Optics in the Canadian Opthal- mic College and a course in First Aid from the Red Cross Di- vision of the St. Jahn Ambu- lance Association, Will Crosby of Belfast passed through Wingham on Saturday en route to Gorrie where he spent the week -end with friends. Mr. John Quirk was a visitor in Clinton last week. There is possibly no one who is better known or better liked in this part of Ontario than is Mr. Quirk. JUNE 1929 Mr. Wm. Conery, of Buffalo, with his wife and mother and Mr. and Mrs. Buskin, of Guelph, visited with their aunt and un- cle, Mr. and Mrs. John Fowler, on Sunday. Miss Luella Hopper under- went an operation for appendi- citis in Wingham Hospital on Monday morning, and her con- dition is quite satisfactory. Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Pugh, of London, and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Walsh, of Niagara Falls, visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Pugh, on Sunday. We congratulate Miss Char- lotte E. Smith, of Lucknow, and Miss Ina R. Cunningham, of Brussels, the two recent gradu- ates of the Wingham General Hospital, who have success- fully passed their State Board Examinations for the Province of Ontario, for the Registration of Nurses. JUNE 1940 Marvin Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Brown, Shuter Street, underwent an operation in Wingham General Hospital on Wednesday evening for the removal of a ruptured appendix. His many friends wish him a speedy recovery, Mr. and Mrs. T, J. McManus, Noranda, Quebec, announce the engagement of their dau- ghter, Mary Elizabeth Gene- vieve to Joseph Henry Evans, B. Sc. , Cadillac, Quebec, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Evans, Wingham, Ontario. The mar- riage will take place early in July. Bert Williams, of Walkerton, left to join the Veterans'Home Guard. Bert is a former Wing- hamite, a brother of Ed Wil- liams. He, with some other veterans from Walkerton, were examined for the home guard but all were turned down but shortly after Bert got word to report. None of the local vets who were examined passed the test. Miss Marie King, of Brussels, has been engaged to teach at the Wingham Junction School, replacing Miss Norma Caldwell who resigned. Sunday evening at St. Paul's Anglican Church, the rector, Rev. E. O. Gallagher, made awards to several organizations, Following the Children's ad- dress, members of the Order of the Morning Star were present- ed with service stars. For two years attendance at morning worship: Mary Forbes, Helen Forbes, Jean Town, Patsy Gal- lagher, Barbara McKay, Allan McKay, Lionel Gallagher, George Town. Awards for eighteen months: Jacqueline Currie, Gwen Baker, John Atm. tage, Wilbert Hart, David Hart. Awards for part of first year: Mavis and Iris Newell. Another important phase in the work of removing tele- phone poles off out Main street was started Monday rnornfng REV. W, J. TAYLOR, of Dorchester, sent us this picture, which members of his fam- ily call "The Old Elm Tree." The tree grew on the farm now owned by his neph- ew, William Taylor, east half of lot 36 and west half of lot 37, Con. 6, East Wawanosh. The picture was taken by Elizabeth Ed- wards, the late Mrs. Arthur Kingsbury, about the turn of the century. The top spread was about 110 feet. The tree was completely destroyed by a very heavy snow - truly .,. storm, before the leaves had fallen, early in 1901 or 1903. Under the tree are Rev. Taylor's parents and brothers, the late Thomas H. Taylor holding the single horse; Wilbert W. Taylor, retired, of Auburn, by the team; the late Melvin H, Taylor sitting on the grass; the late Mrs. T. H. Taylor in the buggy, and Rev. C. Elmer Taylor, re- tired, of Goderich, also in the buggy. Rev. W. J, Taylor was absent when the picture was taken. bight= AblianctaZiine Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, June 1'7, 1965 SECOND SECTION IN THE EDITOR'S MAIL Box 390 Dear Sir: Would you please send me this week's paper telling of the opening of the roller skating arena on Tuesday night. I was at the arena on Tuesday night and enjoyed skating on the floor very much. It is a very fine floor and a nice arena. I would like to make a sug- gestion if I am not speaking too soon. There were far too many of the skaters standing along the sides which is very dangerous. Also they should have someone to help those who fall. I think skating is one of the healthiest and cleanest sports there is and it should he given everyone's full support. Yours Sincerely, Cyril Lawton, Kincardine, Ont. when Hugh Carmichael and George Wright, of the tele- phone staff, commenced the job of wiring phones to the back of the buildings so that they will be ready for connec- tion when the change -over comes. Lieut. Harry Towne has re- ported to the Elgin Regiment of the C. A.S.F. on Thursday last week. Harry was an officer in the Middlesex -Huron Regiment and some of the officers of this unit were called for aluty with the Elgin regiment. Miss Dorothy Golley has been engaged as teacher for S. S. No. 5, Morris. Mr. R.John Currie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Currie, has received word that he suc- cessfully passed with honors at Toronto, his final examinations as a licensed embalmer and funeral director. JUNE 1951 Dr. W. A. Beecroft, pastor of the Wingham United Church was elected last Tuesday to the post of president of the Lon- don Conference of his church. He was chosen on the third ballot over five other candi- dates by the 300 delegates meeting at St.Thomas for the annual conference, Funeral services for Rev. Charles H. MacDonald, D. D. were held on Wednesday, June 13th at 1,30 o'clock when Knox Presbyterian Church, of Bluevale, was Tilted to capa- city of all denominations from neighbouring churches, On Friday evening, Mrs. Roy Adair, was hostess at a trous- seau tea at the home in honor of her daughter, Jean, a bride-, to -be. The rooms were decora' A Sentimental Ending This is a time of year when a school teacher has mixed emo- tions. One of the strongest -- let us be honest — is relief. As end of term nears, the overwhelm- ing certainty that you are going to have a stroke, or start run- ning straight up the wall, or burst into tears in front of the class, begins to fade. But there are other feelings involved, and the combination of emotions results in a bitter- sweet contradiction: you're glad it's over, but you hate to see it end. This is stronger, I think, for the teacher of a class which is graduating. Whether it's from public school or high school, that last class is a bit of a crusher, sentimentally. Some of these kids you have taught for four years. They are almost Iike members of your family: irritating and lovable; friendly and sullen; pretty and homely; real people, not statis- tics. Here is Janet, the girl who was such a gawk in Grade 10. She was angular and awkward; she always had a cold; she wore braces on her teeth; she despised boys; she wanted to be a missionary in Africa. And look at her now, grinning up at you on the last day with those two pearly rows. She's built like Bardot; she has poise and she loves boys; and she's off to take a course in modeling. There's Jim, in the back seat as usual. In Grade 11 he was, by popular agreement of his teach- ers, the most obnoxious kid in school. Surly, selfish, slovenly. Favorite question: "Whadda we hafta learn all this junk for?" And look at him now: surly, selfish, slovenly. Obnoxious. But you've discovered he's human. ted with large baskets of pink and white peonies and wigelia. Assisting in displaying the trousseau were Mrs. Kenneth Baker, Mrs. Ross Hilbert and Miss Grace Holtries. Mrs. Wil - Ham H. Hilbert poured tea at a table covered with a hand- made lace cloth centred with pink and white carnations in a silver bowl and white tapers. Assisting in serving were Misses Irlma Harrison, Lois Burchill and Mrs. Notre Johnson. Once in a while he cracks a smile at your wildest joke. And you've discovered he has brains, All he needs is a strong-minded young woman to turn hire into a good citizen. And there's Nancy, who was a real rip a couple of years ago, and is going off to Teachers' College, solemn as a clam. And there's Bert, who wants to be a doctor, and hasn't a hope, but will make some woman a fine husband. And there's Ken, who broke the high jump record, and Ron, who broke his leg skiing, and Sylvia, who broke the heart of every teenage male in the school just by walking around and looking so beautiful. And Kevin, the football hero, who is about to flunk and go to work in the supermarket; and Peter; who has rolled his car over twice and gets in fights on weekends, and has narrowly avoided jail; and John, the poet, who is still trying to get people to form a picket line because the principal won't let him grow a beard. I've been teaching for five years now. And I haven't many illusions. I am not "dedicated," I don't go around talking about the joy of "seeing young minds flower." Heck, anything will flower if you throw enough fer- tilizer around. But there's a special satisfac- tion in teaching teenagers, even though it's tougher than working in a salt mine. There is a sense of reality that I don't think I could find in another profession. You are not dealing with torts and trials, like the lawyer; not symptoms and cures, Iike the doctor; nor surveys and stress- es. like the engineer; nor goods and services, like the business- man. You are dealing in raw humanity, when you tangle with teenagers. Sorry for being sentimental this week. But today my home form gave me my present for the year, half -a -dollar a whack, and Pm still a bit misty -eyed. It's a desk set with two pens, my name inscribed, and a ther urometer in it that doesn't work That's better than last year. when I got a shirt that didn't fit. and the year before, when I got talcum powder, shaving lotiurl and other assorted male stln. kuru that 1 never use.