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The Citizen, 2002-10-02, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2002 Editorials & °pink) Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Alan Young, Cindy Smale The Citigen is published 50 times a year in Brussels. Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc, Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of S.28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 G:S.T.) in Canada: $80.00/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 C 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. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM I HO NOG I HO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuronescsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca 4.00 '4. ocna +CNA ,,(1,v, cut Member of the Ontario Press Council imixiiso S Playing politics with lives Is the glass three-quarters full or one-quarter empty? Such the political question posed following results of the province-wide Grade 10 literacy test that showed 75 per cent of students passed, but 25 per cent failed. As might be expected, the provincial government heralded the 75 per cent who passed the test while the opposition parties and other government critics pointed to the 25 per cent failure rate. Of course if 100 per cent of students had passed, critics would have complained the test was too easy. And in that lies the problem — if you want to have high standards in a system, somebody has to fail. In the past failure was something no one wanted to mention. Students were pushed ahead even if they hadn't learned the curriculum because it would damage their self-confidence to fail. The result was that passing grades didn't mean anything and the achievements of all students were diminished. On the other hand, what's to happen to those who fail a system that strives for excellence? The failure rate of this most recent test means some 32,000 students didn't pass and can't get their high-school diplomas until they do. They'll get another chance to take the test at the end of October but no doubt some will still fail. How do we help these people achieve their best? Our brightest and best will lead our country to better things but how we deal with the people who aren't as successful will really test our system. How, in a society that requires more and more education, can we help people lead productive lives when they are not capable of high levels of education? At the same time we are "rewarding" the upwardly mobile with more pay and less tax, we're driving up the cost of living. When a hole-in- the-wall bachelor apartment in a rundown part of Toronto costs $600 a month, how is someone earning minimum wage to live? No low-cost housing has been built in this province in 10 years but just pretending we don't have people who can't earn $45,000 a year and buy condos doesn't make them go away. Handouts aren't the answer. The vast majority of people, including. those who aren't capable of higher learning, want to lead productive lives. We have to start looking at how to help them add their part to society. Simply concentrating on the achievers won't make that happen. — KR A NEWS QUIZ On June 6 of +114 year, a reactor at Bruce generafiha station was knocked ou+ by an accident. The public was never told. Take this quiz to see if you, also, were left in the dark,* 4 Check the correct eihswerS Juice 0 (a)A slang term for electrical current, or 0(b)A slang term for the wealth and power enjoyed by electricity-market profiteers. Spike 0 (a)sudden surge in voltage, or (b)exorbitant rise in gains for speculators in Ike de-regulated market. Blackout 0 (a)Total darkness resulting from electrical interruption, o r q (b) Whet Energy minister John Baird claims he was in for the past 3 Y2 months until the Toronto Star broke the story. Lubrication q (a)The act of making smooth and slippery, thus eliminating friction in machinery, or _(b) A method of getting access to government by influential persons/corporations. [See also: "greasing the pabre,AOi ling the hinges "fundraising"] Sift (8) Cylindrical pole connecting parts of the generator, or • q (b) What the consumers got in the end Looking Back. Through the Years 1.1csroLoN arithnesgwincom.not A matter of credibility While the administration of U.S. President George Bush is showing considerable frustration that it hasn't been able to mobilize support among its allies for its view that Iraq is a danger to world peace that must be dealt with, perhaps it should look at its own record of dealing with its "friends" for the source of the skepticism. On Friday, for instance, Canada won another round at the World Trade Organization in its battle against punishing U.S. duties on softwood lumber imports. Canadian officials are confident they'll prove wrong the U.S. claim that..Canadian lumber is subsidized because we have a different system of awarding timber rights than they do. But if Canada does win, it will only be for one round. The U.S. has shown in the past that if it can't actually win in an international tribunal, it will harass its trading partners until they cut a deal that's more favourable to U.S. interests. But if the U.S. demonstrates its "we get what we want" attitude towards its supposed friends, how much credibility does it have when it claims its enemies are dangerous and those friends must jump in and help deal with the problem? Credibility is built up over thousands of actions, large and small. Sometimes it might even mean giving in for long-term good, but the U.S. wants to win every time. It may mean- they lose support when they most want it. -- KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, We should like to thank all the residents of Clinton and Londesborough for their magnificent response to our earlier letter in The Clinton News Record regarding the site of my father's place of rest. Thanks to information and photographs received from so many of you, we travelled to Canada in mid-August. Our first sight of the cemetery will never be forgotten: flags flying (an RAF flag by my father's .headstone), white crosses contrasting with red poppies and wonderful red flowers. And this, the work of one RCAF veteran. What had been our 'Quest' in far away England to seek out my father's grave had become a.Iabour of love for Bob Potter of Londesborough, for whom our gratitude can never be fully expressed. So, together with this gentleman, and others in Clinton, we had come full circle - from my father's departure in 1941 to help establish the Radar base, to our visit in August 2002 - a visit which showed that he had not been forgotten by his family across the sea. So once again, many many thanks to you all. We have made good friends in Huron County and will keep in touch with you all. We do not think we shall be able to come again but hope that perhaps one day one of my father's grandchildren will make the trip. Sincerely yours Avrila Davidson and John Thomson 231 Main Street Shadwell Leeds LS17 8LA West Yorkshire, UK. Oct. 6, 1960 Weather turned against Brussels. Fall Fair with a day of chilly winds following a long stretch of warmth and sunshine. Attendance was estimated at 4,000 but officials thought they may have set an attendance record with better luck in the weather. First prize in the school parade for marching and costumes went to SS 12 Grey with SS 10 Morris placing second, SS 8 Grey third and SS 8 Morris, fourth. There were 18 schools participating. Top bakers were Mrs. Lewis Stonehotise, Mrs. Richard Procter, Mrs. Charles Johnston, Miss Ethel Dennis, Mrs. Sheldon Jacklin, Mrs. Urban Ducharme. Taking prizes for flowers were Mrs. Vera Hastings, Mrs. Charles Johnston, Mrs. Eail Cudmore, Mrs. Donald Buchanan, Mrs. Edith Mitchell. Ladies' work winners were Mrs. Wesley Heimpel, Mrs. George Watt, Mrs. Charles Johnston, Mrs. Lewis Stonehouse, Mrs. Wilfred Broughton. Winning in the domestic manufacture division were Mrs. Heimple, Mrs. Watt, Mrs. Broughton, Mrs. Procter, Mrs. Stonehouse, Mrs. Ducharrne, Mrs. W.C. Kerr. Prizes for fruit were won by Wm. Stratychuk and Black Brothers. Robin Hood family size cake mixes were selling for 29 cents at McCutcheon Grocery. Ian Wilbee and his orchestra were playing at the Walton Community Hall. The Mercey Brothers were playing at the Cranbrook Community Centre. The Saturday night double feature at Llashmar Drive-in Theatre in Listowel was Guns of the Timberland with Alan Ladd. Jeanne Crain and Frankie Avalon. plus Enchanted Island with Dana Andrews and Jane Powell. At Brownie's on the Saturday was Ride for_ Revenge with. Rory- -Calhoun, Gloria Graham and Lloyd Bridges, as well as The Last Paradise. Sept. 30, 1987 Organizers of the Brussels fair said it was one of the best ever. Sunny skies and beautiful weather helped swell attendance to well over 1,000 people on the Wednesday. A former_Walton youth not only served as class valedictorian at Seaforth District High School commencement exercises, bin swept many of the major awards. Mark Jones was presented with the A'4mni Memorial Award. _ the Edmund Daly Award, the Lois Scott Memorial Award. the Keating Pharmacy Award, the Canadian Tire Award and the Elizabeth Scott Bursary. Marie Perrie of RR3, Brussels won the Lyons Food Market Scholarship, as well as five other awards for high standings in both languages and mathematics during her final year at SDHS. Julie Howson of Blyth was the winner of the W.D. Fair scholarship at Central Huron Secondary School's commencement. Theresa Knox of RR I. Blyth took the A.Y. McLean Trophy as the top 4-H dairy showman in Huron County at the Seaforth Fall Fair. Knox was also the top junior showman at the Brussels fair. Dianne Black of Belgrave won the grand champion 4-1-1 beef showman to take the Murray Elston Award at Seaforth. Rene Richmond opened Just for You in Brussels. Contestants for Huron County dairy princess were Tanya' Boonstoppel. Laurie Pentland. Donna Johnston. Angela Couite, Heather McIntosh. Breach; Nancekivell. Oct. 4, 1989 A Blyth business got a new home with the opening of the distribution office for Rainbow Air Purifiers. Larry Bolger took over the former Bowes Electronics 'building. Herb Murphy was the, new principal at F.E. Madill Secondary School. Sept. 30, 1992 While it was celebrated rather- quietly in many places, Majestic WI in Brussels saw that Canada's Raise the Flag Day was an occasion. On hand for the celebrations that day were MP Murray Cardiff, Fall Fair Queen. Margaret Jarvis and Brussels Reeve Gord Workman. Any Terpstra, 17, RR3, Brussels was crowned Huron County Dairy Princess. Recipients of the Norman Park Garrett award at Central Huron Secondary School were Rick Howson. Kelly Cook. Cathy Nesbitt and Dave Hessels. New staff -at Blyth PS were Michael Park. Angela Rea. Wilhelmina Laurie and Principal Al Harrison. The Brussels Mite White team completed the season on a high note .with a championship in the playoff tourney. Members were Mark Franken, Paul Albers. Joel Kellington, Michael Walker. Mark Kross, Jason Armstrong. Patrick Gilkes. Josh Jorristma. Matthew Kroll, Chris Holdenmeyer, Nathan Garland, Justin Ruttan. Joshua Gropp, Nathan Conley. On the new Blyth Optimist executive were Karen McClinchey. Pat Brigham. Jim Phelan. Brenda Young. Laurie Spading. Suzanne Rose. Elaine Brown. Fred deBoer. Jeff Peters. Sofia Rasa-Wallace and Lance Bearss.