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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-10-02, Page 6Ready to ride Lindy Hallman, left, is the trainer at David Ryan, right and his wife Debbie's new riding facility located at RR1, Bluevale. In addition to lessons, the Ryans will be holding clinics and shows, as well as boarding horses. Opportunity opens for fledgling riders (Vi 9 LLBO Tax Free Tuesdays Queen Street, Blyth (excluding specials) 519-523-9566 Blythe Brooke Orchards "Working with tiegifts of nature" Now Available - picked apples n Macs • Courtlands • Spartans Many more varieties available shortly • Fresh apple cider MI Cold storage & store open Tues., Thurs., Fri. & Sat. noon to 5 p.m. we will deliver North of Blyth (519) 523-4383 (519) 523-9338 Luann's Country Flowers 1ST ANNIVERSARY SALE Wednesday, October 2 - Saturday, October 5/96 25% off cotton throws 25" off Boyd & Ganz Bears & collectables. Come in to see if any of our bears have your name or a special person's name. 25% off glass & iron pieces $1°O off mum plants while quantities last. Call for information on our fall & Christmas arrangement,classes Mon. - Thurs. 9 - 5:30 Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 5 Blyth (519) 523-4440 1-800-610-7757 Teleflora and AFS Wire Service available PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1996 Principal seeks support By Bonnie Gropp Dying to ride, but afraid to try? Equestrian hopefuls will have a new opportunity when Dave and Debbie Ryan open their new horse- back riding facility at RR1, Blue- vale. Situated at the corner of Hwy 86 and County Road 12, Ryans offer not only boarding stables and schooling shows, but lessons and riding clinics, taught by Lindy Hallman, a Certified Level 2 coach with 16 years experience. Once asked to coach the provin- cial equestrian team, the Neustadt native is also a carded horse show judge. Her connection with the Ryans began as a coach for Debbie about three years ago. Having pre- viously been involved with estab- lishment of similar facilities she was eager to help with the Ryans venture, which will be officially opened with a public viewing and show on Oct. 6. The new stable is 70 feet wide and 80 feet long with an observa- Won't be stampeded says Dunbar Continued from page 1 East Wawanostr; $574,000, Grey and $307,500, Hullett. White said that cuts could force some amalgamation. "My under- standing is that the Minister (of Municipal Affairs Al Leach) hasn't said you must amalgamate, but it seems they're going to hold back the funds so we'll have to." The six municipalities will not go easily, however, should it come to this. "We are not going to be stam- peded into anything without merit," said Dunbar. "We're not going to sit down and wait for something to happen." The committee is planning to meet with MPP Helen Johns to state their case. "I believe their hope is that solidarity with this group of six will have more clout," said Stewart. "They arc going to let govern- ment knOw they arc not happy," said White. "They are also going to be actively seeking public support." tion area. There is a riding arena of 80 feet by 140 feet so "you can ride year round without getting rained on," said Hallman. For the novice safe, quiet horses are available to ride. In addition Hallman said she helps people find horses to purchase. Cost for riding lessons is $20 per group per hour, with no more than four to a group, or $24 for private lesson. Helmets and boots are sup- plied for the first five lessons after which riders must bring their own. In addition to learning to ride, lessons include the care of horses. Students can be as young as five. Hallman said riding is a good sport for nearly everyone. Certifi- cation of teachers has made it safer, while the Canadian Rider Level Testing, recognized all over Cana- da, make it easier for instructors to understand their student's capabili- ties. "We can teach everyone to ride. It is a sport where there really are no limitations," said Hallman. E The hewn from thel Compiled by Margaret Mc-Mahon Phone 887-9250 Euchre winners Brenda Boyer and Marj Struthers hosted 13 tables of euchre at the Ethel Hall, Monday evening, Sept. 23. Winners were: high lact5t, Mar- garet Long; high man, John Sub- ject; ladies' low, Jean Williams; low men, Ken Crawford, Harold Metcalfe; most lone hands, Helen Dobson, Verna Crawford, Charlie Harrison; birthdays, Lois McLean and Margaret Crowe; 50/50, John Subject. The next euchre is Oct. 7. Continued from page 4 system, therefore they believe that Christian schools are not a choice but a necessity for them. They object to the inequity of a government which promotes one philosophy (religion) in a public school system at the expense of other philosophies (religions) by making those, who object to the provincial choice, pay their own way. As such these families feel compelled by conscience to voice their objection to the monopoly of the Ontario government and to the teachings of the public school's system by sending their children, at any cost, to an alternative (Christian) school. The provincial government has allowed them to do so. But at what a terrible price. Not only do these parents receive no municipal or provincial tax dollars for sending their children to a Christian school, but, because they have made this choice, they are compelled to pay, through their property taxes and through provincial government taxes, their full share of the cost of the public school system, including the cost of the Huron County school busing system. To add insult to injury, Christian school students are denied much of the health care that is provided to students in the public school. For the past 34 years, often in the face of personal economic hardship, these Christian parents have believed so strongly in the need for Christian schools, that they have willingly paid for the maintaining of the Clinton and District Christian School without any help from the province. These Christians have steadily resisted and will continue to resist the attempted encroachment of the provincial government on their religious freedom. Why is it that such injustice is allowed to continue? Why do the Ontario government and the Huron County Board of Education condone this double taxation? Why should these solid Christian citizens of Huron Count-y have to pay for the county public schools, which they, in good conscience, cannot use? Why should they have to pay twice for transportation, once through their taxes for the right to ride the bus to the closest public schools, and then again, in payment to the Huron County Board of Education, to use these same buses as they run their children to, or right by, those schools? Transportation alone posts these families about $600 per child yearly above what they are already paying the HCBE for these buses in their taxes. Is this a justifiable penalty for taking seriously the parents' obligation to bring up their children in their own faith? Believe it or not, these parents are not asking for Christianity to be put back into the public schools. They have strong feelings about that. They believe that everyone has both the right to not be subjected to someone else's religion in a school, and the right to teach their own faith to their children in their homes, churches and schools. They believe strongly that there is a valid place for a public school in our society. Today the public school may well be the ideal place for parents who wish to teach their children the tenets of humanism. The parents at CDCS simply ask for the right to be treated equally. They suggest that the province ought to prohibit the imposition of double taxation by the local boards of education for those (minorities like themselves) who find the public school system an unacceptable option for their children. They recommend that the government allow the educational portion of municipal taxes to follow the child to the school chosen by the child's parents. They ask for equal treatment in health care. They are convinced that students graduating from Christian schools are well prepared for citizenship, are spiritually healthy followers of Christ and are well qualified to continue their education. They believe that the very existence of Christian and other alternative schools adds a healthy dose of competition to the school system which can only help to encourage growth across the spectrum of Ontario schools. At the same time they are convinced that independent Christian schools are run very efficiently. The average cost of the Christian School in the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools is $3,900 per child. That is still roughly half of the cost of the public school. The argument put forward that Huron County cannot afford to offer justice to Christian School parents during times of restraint is a pitiful one. This country is based upon the premise of justice for all. It is my belief that this is not an issue of dollars as much as one of control. In fact, a good argument can be made for the partial funding of Christian and other alternative schools which would actually save the Ontario government and the county substantial tax dollars. Dear editor, I would plead with you and your readers, the citizens of Huron County, to remember that there are many people in Huron County that are waiting for equity in taxation, as it relates to independent schools, so that Christian and other alternative schools might become accessible to all who wish to use them. Let's not let them down. Sincerely, Clarence Bos Principal of CDCS. ..\vi . ONTARIO n JUNIOR CITIZEN L. OF THE YEAR AWARDS Deadline - Oct. 31st, 1996 Contact this community newspaper for details.