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The Citizen, 2001-09-05, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2001 Editorials & Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A. and $100/year in other foreign countries. 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 newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the. Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. 0924.1 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM IHO NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuronascsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocnacc,NA Member of the Ontario Press Council 1=1;1611 Who could have guessed? As the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association prepares for its 40th annual reunion this weekend, imagine what the small group of founders back in the early 1960s would have said if you could have shown them what their efforts would bring. From the small show that attracted 500 people the event has grown to fill an enlarged fairground for three days straight. People used to drop in for an afternoon. Now 1,000 camping spots are spoken for up to a year in advance and many people spend an entire-week on the grounds. Those campgrounds installed by the Association, now have become a prime reason Blyth hosts other events from the Bluewater Kennel Club's dog show to the Ontario Fire Fighters Association Convention. Those long- term campers also provide the show's biggest bocist to the Blyth economy, from buying groceries to filling local restaurants. The efforts of the initial organizers have helped make preserving farm equipment and old cars a popular hobby for many, meaning we have a living museum on the ground each year. Proud owners from across the province bring their steam engines, tractors, truck, cars and small engines to display for friends and showgoers. Demonstrations of threshing and log-sawing and shingle-making help make people aware of the pioneer skills that helpegbuild our increasingly-urbanized lifestyle. The old tradition of people entertaining themselves 12y providing their own music has also been encouraged by the show. Music is almost as big a part of the reunion as the antique equipment, with several venues around the show for fiddling and dancing and some musicians arriving well in advance of the show itself so they can get together and make music. And through it all the spirit of the early threshing gangs, of neighbours working together to get things done, has been preserved. The reunion is still made possible by volunteers, both local and from distant parts of southern Ontario and beyond, coming together to pool their energy, efforts and skills to create a remarkable event. This latter accomplishment may be the one which has the greatest lesson for today's generation. Community action has always been an important option for getting things done in rural life, but it's one that has been fading as urban ideas chip away at our rural culture. The success of the thresher reunion, both from its hardworking pioneers and their successors today, shows that we can work together to make important improvements to our communities.-- KR Defining racism It's ironic that a United Nations conference designed to combat racism and intolerance should be destroyed by racism and intolerance but that's what.has happened at a meeting currently occurring in South Africa. At the heart of the problem is the fact that those who see themselves as the victims of racism feel that they cannot, therefore, be guilty of racism. Racism cannot be perpetrated by black-skinned people because they have so often been victims. That Israel has-caught in the middle of this is a double irony. Israel has been seen as the home persecuted Jews from around the world have sought for generations as a haven from discrimination and hatred. The murder of six million Jews by the Nazis triggered the creation of that homeland in Palestine. That creation, however, displaced millions of Palestinians. Israelis, who saw themselves as persecuted, refused to see that they could be persecutors. Now others want Israel declared a racist state for its treatment of Palestinians. If the conference was serious, it should have recognized that racism comes in all skin colours in all parts of the world. Rehashing old grievances only causes more problems. The conference could have learned from South Africa where the emphasis, since the fall of apartheid, has been on reconciliation, not vengeance. — KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be sigried and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. Sept. 6, 1950 Miss Margaret Perrie, RR3, Brussels received this letter from the principal of the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music: "Dear Margaret I notice by the report of the Registrar that you have been recommended for a medal of special merit for your outstanding talent and preparation in your last piano examination. Your work must have been of very high calibre. With best wishes for your continued success. Yours Sincerely (Signed) Harvey Robb" Perrie's work was chosen from the examination results of the entire year in her grade. She's a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Perrie and pupil of Mr. L.D. Thompson. Winning races at the Brussels Lions Club summer frolic were: girls under six, Terry McW-hirter, Donna Jean Smith; boys under six, Rodney Keys, Scott McTaggart; girls six to nine, Mary Beth Jewell, Ruth Ann Steiss; boys six to nine, Gregory Johnston, Peter Hemingway; girls nine to 12, Sheila Black, Erlene Wamsley; boyS nine to 12, Murray Hoover, Jack Grewar. _ Jackie Robinson was starring in The Jackie Robinson Story which was playing at The Capitol Theatre, Listowel. Twelve beginners were off to school in Brussels for the first time: Susan Martin, Patsy Chisholm, Wayne Davidson, Bobby Higgins, Elmer Jermyn, Gwendolyne Martin, Sandra Lowry. Barbara Bray, Terry McWhirter, Raymond Bronson, Barry Currie, Carol Bryans. There was one new teacher on staff, Mr. Phillips. who replaced Mr. D. Dunbar as teacher of Grades 3, 4. and 5. Mr. K. Ashton and Mrs. M.C. Oldfieid continued as teachers. Sept. 3, 1986 The Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion celebrated a milestone with its 25th event. Teacher's aides and 'school secretaries across Huron were in a legal strike position since Aug. 31 and could walk. Excellent weather helped farmers to start pulling white beans in most areas of the county. Postal service in Blyth, Auburn, Londesboro and Walton, already deteriorating, suffered more cutbacks. The new truck route picked up from these communities for delivery to the outside world just once a day now. Under the old system Clinton was a central point for mail delivery to these communities. Under the new system all communities north of Clinton were to be served by a truck from Stratford which would make two round trips a day. The Blyth post office hoped to be able to process mail up until about 4:15 p.m. each day. This would be picked up in the, evening to be taken to Stratford for shipment to further points. Eleven girls vied for the title of Brussels Fair Queen: Connie Alcock, Cynthia Purvis, Leanne Armstrong, Ruth Ann Watts. Cindy June Stute, Charlene Stephenson, Carol Axtmann, Joyanne van Vliet. Tara Parker, Susan Marks. Linda Ten Pas. Londesboro's Hillcrest Restaurant and Gas Bar reopened with new owners Marg and Paul Brunkard, and sons Greg and Geoff. Tammy and Ed Chalmers were the new owners/operators of The Lite Bite restaurant on Walton's main street. Loreldo.Farms Ltd. Brown Swiss cattle did well at Kincardine Fair, placing first with their entry in the Junior yearling class, second with the Senior yearling entry and had • Reserve Junior champion of the show. They placed first and second in the second-year-old class; second and fifth in the three-year-old class. Loreldo Brandy won first in the mature class and went on to Grand Champion. Brandy then won best udder class. This was the second time Brandy had received both these awards. The Loreldo cows then took the Breeders Herd plaque. Sept. 4, 1991 The CKNX Barn Dance opened the 30th Thresher Reunion at Blyth arena. Walton area women dominated the Queen of the Furrow competition at the Huron County. Plowing Match. Sherry Hogey was crowned 1991 Queen by Leanne Whitmore. the 1990 Queen. Runner-up was Lorrie Glanville. The Bulls training camp was underway in Listowel. First cuts were to take the players numbers from 70 to 40. Sept. 4, 1996 Enrolment was down at most area schools. ' A soil and crop advisor for OMAFRA said that farmers had been -knocked at every turn by Mother Nature". Many cash crop farmers had mediocre yields with the variable weather throughout the growing season. Corn was looking not too bad, but the dry August hurt . both corn and bean yields. The CIBC announced the appointment of Scott McDonald as manager at Seaforth and -Brussel. Dr. Shawn. Edwards joined the staff at Seaforth Medical Clinic. Wheels Away was serving up a unique fundraising campaign to help with the purchase of a new mobility van - the incredible Shrinking Coffee Party.