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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1992-02-12, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12,1992. E ditorial How much can they do? For many Canadians, the results announced last week of an international testing that showed Canadian students trailing badly to most other countries confirmed what they already expected: that our kids have gotten too far from the 3 R's of reading, writing and arithmetic. It has also made us focus on just what we want our schools to do. Canadian educators have, not unexpectedly, jumped to the defence of our school system. While some of this may be self-serving, the educators have a point when they argue that while nations leading in math and sciences are specializing in knowledge in those fields Canadians schools are trying to develop the whole person. Given the amount of time our students study math and science in a week, other teachers point out, how can we expect to compete with countries where students spend far more hours on the basics. What do we want our schools to teach? Just as there are only so many dollars that can be spent on education, there are also only so many hours of classroom time for students and teachers. If we want to teach more life-skills, then time will have to be taken away from the basic curriculum of traditional subjects. Today's elementary school student will hear discussions with policemen about drugs, etc., have field trips, take enrichment programs, and get home economics and shop training. In high schools art, drama and music and other things that were once extracurricular activities are now part of the classroom day. Not only have math and science and spelling and writing skills suffered, but with only one year's study of history in high school, we're graduating students who don't even know the history of their own country. It's ironic, that the parents who now bemoan the lack of the basics in their children's schooling, are of the same age group that welcomed an escape from the rigid format of school in the 1950's and '60's. The reforms proposed by such things as the Hall-Dennis report sounded so refreshing, so exciting compared to the leam-by-rote methods that had dominated education. People envisioned a school so exciting, drop outs would be a thing of the past We would be producing educated people, not walking adding and spelling machines. How times have changed. Not only have the revolutionary baby boomers become reactionary parents, concerned about the ability of their children to get jobs, but globalization of the economy has meant we compete not with other Canadians for jobs, but with Japanese and Koreans and Germans. We may want to educate the whole person, but if the Asians and Europeans are concentrating on maths and sciences and producing engineers and research scientists who in turn create jobs, then we may have a population that can't afford to go to the Dog daze Looking Back Through the Years theatre or collect art because they're unemployed. Let's not lump all the blame on the teachers and school board officials. It's time we had a national debate on what we want our schools to do. The debate should come out in the open and everybody should have a say in the direction of education, not just the professionals. If competition is the most important thing, then we should direct our educators to get the system back to the basics. If we want to continue to educate well-rounded citizens, then we'll just have to grin and bear it when we don't measure up on tests. So very close Huron County came so very close to having a native son as official leader of the opposition as Morris Township native Murray Elston lost his bid for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal party by a mere nine votes on the fifth ballot at a leadership convention in Hamilton Saturday...or should that be Sunday morning. Mr. Elston would have made a strong leader for the Liberals, based on his past record, but for rural residents, if Mr. Elston couldn't win, the next best choice was probably the person who did win, Lyn McLeod. As a northerner, from the Fort William riding, she will have the same kind of overview of Ontario that Mr. Elston would have brought- a view not hindered by living amid the skyscrapers of downtown Toronto. ONE YEAR AGO FEBRUARY 13,1991 Despite surgery on his left leg, Kevin Wheeler of Brussels and his skating partner Michelle Menzies, gave another impressive perfor mance in the Senior Pairs competi tion at the Nationals in Saskatoon, with a fourth place finish. Also competing were Peter Mac Donald of Brussels and his partner Suzanne Killing. The pair finished ninth in the Junior Dance competi tion. A fisheries habitat protection workshop was held at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Cen tre to provide township representa tives with information on legislation and policies governing any activities that have impact on fish habitat. The topic became an important issue with municipalities because of the many undertakings they are involved with annually such as: bridge repairs, and drain maintenance. Wingham OPP charged two men in connection with the break-in and attempted break-in of Brussels Variety and the Diesel Car Diner. The Brussels Bulls swept the best of five series in the opening play offs, winning all three of the games played, against Grand Valley. THREE YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 8,1989 Despite a chance for second thoughts and the news that predict ed costs have soared, Huron Coun ty councillors decided they still support the building of a three-site Hur on view. In a recorded vote the margin was 26-3 in favour of con tinuing the project. Opposition continued building against the rails-to-trails move ment. All three area-reeves, through whose townships the aban doned Guelph-to-Goderich CP Rail line travels, expressed opposition to turning the right-of-way into a trail. Both East and West Wawanosh Townships began compiling a his tory of the past 125 years. Both townships celebrate their 125th year in 1992. FIVE YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 11,1987 Kevin Wheeler of Brussels brought home the gold and silver medals he and his figure skating partner, Michelle Menzies, won at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Ottawa. The Wheeler-Menzies team also earned a place in the world record books by successfully completing the "Throw Triple Flip", the only junior pair to have ever completed the maneuver in the history of skat ing. The area's other championship team, Peter MacDonald and Kerrie Shepherd, placed 11th overall in the Novice Dance Division at the National Finals. The Huron County Pioneer Museum received a provincial grant of $1,171,300- CitizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 The Citizen Is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $20.50/year ($19.16 plus $1.34 G.S.T.) for local; $41.73/year ($39.00 plus $2.73 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $60.00/year for U.S.A, and Foreign. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copywrlght. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Sue Wilson and Jeannette McNeil Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Serving Blyth, Brussels, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and the surrounding townships