The Huron Expositor, 1995-03-15, Page 4i•,
4 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, March 16, 1506
a, Huron •
E• -4 xpositor
Your Community Newspaper Since 1860
TERRI-LYNN DALE - General Manager
& Advertising Manager
MARY MELLOR - Sales
PAT ARMES - Office Manager
DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions
TIM CUMMING - Editor
GREGOR CAMPBELL - Reporter
LINDA PULLMAN - Typesetter
BARB STOREY - Distribution
A Burgoyne Community Newspaper
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 28.00 a year, in advance, plus 1.96 G.S.T.
SENIORS - 25.00 a year, in advance, plus 1.75 G.S.T.
Goderich, Stratford addresses: 28.00 a year, in advance, plus 7.28 postage, plus 2.47 G.S.T
Out -Of -Area addresses: 28.00 a year, in odvonce, plus 11.44 postoge, plus 2.76 G.S.T
USA & Foreign: 28.00 a year in advance, plus $76.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt SUBSCRIPnON
RATES:
Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing of 100 Main 5t., Seaforth. Publication moil registra-
tion No. 0696 held of Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is occepted on condition that in the event of
o typographical error, the odvertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a rea-
sonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be
paid for of the appkrble rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services
of a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely on offer to sell and
may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of
unsolicited monuscripts, photos or other materiols used for reproduction purposes. Changes of
oddress, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies oro to be sent to The Huron Expositor.
Wednesday, March 15, 1995
Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Street, Seaforth
Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858
Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO
Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association,
Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the
Ontario Press Council
j
Editorial
Law gives police power
The London Police force was hit with stinging criticism on the
weekend in an article which appeared in the Saturday Globe and
Mail. The article calls the London Police's press conference last
May, which followed the confiscation of more than 800 videotapes
from the London home of former Seaforth District High School
teacher Buryl Wilson, part of a "shameless lie." The article makes
a case that the videos were put on display as a public relations
move even though "none of the tapes forms the basis for any
criminal charge." The videotapes so prominently displayed last
May might have included such morally -degrading films as Abbott
and Costello. The newspaper even reports that Wilson is suing
the Police Services Board and senior police for implying he was
part of a child-pomography ring. Furthermore, the epic -sized
article accuses the London force of prosecuting cases against
homosexuals more fervently than heterosexuals. The story also
reminds readers that the 'kiddie porn law' makes it illegal to
possess representations of sexual scenes involving anyone who
looks younger than 18. (There are certainly mainstream videos on
the shelves of local convenience stores which would fall under
this law).
In retrospect it seems evident that daily and weekly newspapers
(including this one) were unusually compliant when reporting
details of the so-called 'child' pornography issue.. With the fervour
of a Ku Klux Klan member charging to a tar and feathering, the
media uncritically embraced the police investigation. Newspapers
were quick to take the accused in less heinous crimes and group
them with a ring which included far more vile creatures. The
media must bear the ensuing scrutiny of this article and the
London Police Force must demonstrate it has been fair in its
application of the laws.
Having said that, the elaborate case made by writer Gerald
Hannon demands a response. The response is this: 'So what.'
The law may see a difference between an eleven -year-old and a
fourteen -year-old. The dictionary may draw a fine distinction
between 'child' and 'adolescent.' But a pedophile is a pedophile
is a pedophile. It makes no difference if the offence is against a
14 -year-old boy or a 14 -year-old girl. It makes no difference if the
adolescent is sexually-naiive or an experienced and aggressive
prostitute. Whatever the law says, the public does not see 14 as
an appropriate age of sexual consent.
Hannon goes so far as to imply that one eleven -year victim (in
one of the 45 cases investigated by London City. Police) was `no
angel' and know all about sex. Big flipping deal. This issue has
nothing to do with boys (or adolescents) being made to have sex
through brute force. This is a crime where fatherly figures used
more subtle coercion to lead adolescents into sex. These
youngsters may have been street -wise 'hustlers'. That's irrel-
evant...no eleven -year-old and no fourteen -year-old can make a
mature decision to have sex. Any sexual act by an adult with a
minor is an abuse of trust.
Would the public embrace Project Guardian so strongly if it
targeted men who had sex with adolescent girls? Perhaps.
Perhaps not. The answer, however, Is not to stop charging those
who have had sex with adolescent males but to step up the
charges against those who have sex with adolescent females.
Is the 'kiddie porn law' broadly worded? You bet. Is there a
potential for its misuse? Sure. Is it good legislation? Yes. For
once, police forces are not powerless to convict people of these
crimes. It puts a lot of power in the hands of police.
It remains to be seen if that power Is being used fairly. The
public, however, is relieved to see that something is being done.
This has been going on too long. - (TBC).
Opinion
Gump has lots to say about life
I saw a thing of beauty this
week.
I saw the invigorating sunshine
of course but I refer to some-
thing else. It was not the candy-
floss -pink of the sunset over
Bayfield to which I
refer...although that was also
beautiful. It was neither the rich
architectural streetscape of
Seaforth nor the smiling faces of
children bursting from the doors
of school' to start their March
Break. These are all beautiful
things...but not one of them is
the reason I am writing to you
today.
I am writing because I saw
Forrest Gump.
Perhaps you expected some-
thing more profound than a
Hollywood film to deserve such
a lofty adjective as beautiful.
Any other word would do this
masterpiece an injustice.
Two days after I left the movie
theatre I am still feeling a
warmth which touches my entire
being. This was not something to
be savoured briefly and then
swiftly forgotten. I am talking
about something which reaffirms
the value of life.
1 always enjoy
inovies...although I am usually
restricted to watching them as
videos. But somehow this $55
million marvel of computer
technology and human inspira-
tion moved me in ways I have
rarely felt before.
Ten minutes into the film I
was in tears. The tears continued
to flow like a dam bursung
throughout the rest of the film
and when it was over I.could not
bear to leave my seat until the
credits ended.
Any doubts I had about Tom
Hanks' acting abilities were
erased as the film evolved.
Not everyone shares my glow-
ing account of this movie, which
has been harshly criticized for its
'feel -good' qualities.
I suggest that the critics missed
the point. Forrest Gump's philos-
ophy is that "life is a box of
chocolates, you never know what
you might get."
This doesn't imply that life is
nice and painless. It simply
states that you can't judge some-
thing by the outside. It also says
that life sometimes stinks and
sometimes hurts and is some-
times unfair...and all you can do
is what you can do.
This film receives the same
criticism often levelled at Frank
Capra. It wasn't fair then and it
isn't fair now.
Some might believe the mess-
age of Forrest Gump is that a
trite little 'Don't worry, be
happy' philosophy will
seamlessly guide someone
through life.
I don't buy that for a minute.
Forrest experiences the humili-
ation of his mother, the loss of
his mother, his humiliation at the
hands of his peers, fear, the
sorrow of unrequited love, Viet-
nam and the effects of AIDS on
a loved one.
This is not a happily -ever -after
film neatly tied together like
bows on a present. Forrest Gump
must go on and live despite the
pain and despite the loss.
"I am not a smart man but I
know about love."
His philosophy doesn't guaran-
tee happiness. It is probably true
however that his upbeat philos-
ophy probably gets one farther
than the self-fulfilling prophecy
of the cynics.
Forrest Gump exists on many
levels. It is comedy. It is tra-
gedy. It is a sweet tale with an
escapist bent. It is brutally real
and entirely convincing. It is a
biting satire with much to say
about the absurdities of war and
politics and philosophy. It is a
love story.
Although my head tells me
Forrest Gump is not real my
heart tells me otherwise.
Notice the horse and carnage at far right of this photo of the old-time Queen's Hotel in Seaforth. It was
one of many hotels in town, including the Commercial Hotel, Royal Hotel and others. Former residents
will be able to re -acquaint themselves with these examples of architecture during Homecoming '95 from
August 3-6.
Gentlemen using saws
FROM THE PAGES OF
THE HURON EXPOSITOR,
MARCH 22, 1895
That the wave of hard times has
at last struck Egmondville is amply
proven by the number of our
gentlemen of leisure who are to be
seen industriously handling the
wood saw.
* * *
Miss Lizzie Gemmell has been
appointed by the Women's Foreign
Missionary Society of our church to
attend the annual meeting of the
general society which meets in
Toronto.
* * *
This year the Orangemen in this
vicinity will celebrate the glorious
Twelfth of July in right royal style,
by having a monster celebration in
Seaforth.
* * *
Mr. Joseph Brown, of Harpurhey,
intends erecting a new brick
veneered residence as soon as spr-
ing opens up. Messrs. Wright &
Edge have secured the contract for
the frame work and Mr. F.
Gutteridge for the brick work.
* * *
Mr. G. B. Scott had an immense
orange flag unfurled in front of his
shop on Monday morning in honour
of St. Patrick's Day.
***
Mr. R. Jones is this week attend-
ing the convention of the Canadian
Order of Chosen Friends, in
Toronto, as a delegate from the
Seaforth lodge.
* * *
Messrs. D. and H. McCrae, and
William Grieve, of McKillop, left
In the Years Agone
here on Tuesday for Nanaimo,
British Columbia and Mrs. John
Cluff, daughter of Mr. R. French,
of this town, left the same day for
Reno, Nevada.
* * *
Miss Susie Govenlock, daughter
of Mr. Thomas Govenlock, has
gone to Toronto to pursue her study
of painting. Miss Govenlock is
already an artist of no mean ability
and will doubtless be heard of
someday in the Paris salon.
MARCH 19, 1920
Mrs. W. E. Southgate, Sr., left
last week to visit with friends in
Toronto and New York. •
* * *
Mr. G. W. Nott has sold his farm
to Mr. Garrett, of Walton. This
farm contains 130 acres which will
make Mr. Garret a very comfortable
home, the consideration being
$10,000. Mr. Nott has purchased
the homestead of the late Wm.
Dale, which is nicely situated three
miles west of Seaforth, and will
move there shortly.
* * *
Mr. F. C. Jackson, who was visit-
ing at the home of his sister, Miss
Jackson in Egmondville, returned to
Montr&sl on Monday.
* * *
Mr. G. A. Sills intends moving
into the house on John Street
vacated by Mr. Umbach, until his
new home is completed. Mr. W. J.
Duncan has purchased Mr. Sills'
residence facing Victoria Park.
* * *
Mr. Edward Daley, who has been
an employee in W. D. Bright &
Son's Tailoring shop for a number
of years, has entered into a partner-
ship with 'Mr. G. Rourke, another
former Seaforth boy, in the tailoring
business in Walkerton, and has
disposed of his house here.
MARCH 23, 1945
Dr. R. Hobbs Taylor, popular
Progressive Conservative member
of the Legislature for Huron, was
taken ill during the session of the
House Wednesday. While he was
still in his room at a hotel the same
night, he was expected to be
removed to hospital Thursday
morning. Colleagues understand that
he may be in the hospital for some
days.
* **
On Feb. 27, W. H. Golding, M.P.
tendered his resignation as Chair-
man of Scott Memorial Hospital
Board, after twenty-one years of
active interest, faithful and efficient
service.
Gnr. Frank Grieve, son of Mrs.
Jas. L. Grieve, of Seaforth, was one
of the 511 wounded Canadian sol-
diers brought home on the hospital
ship Lady Nelson, which docked at
Halifax on Monday.
see Seaforth, page 15
Descendant of Stanley residents writes book
Dear Editor,
The Peck-McClinchey Saga and
Descendants from 1800-1994 in
Ontario and West and the United
States is now complete and ready to
be published.
I am the granddaughter of George
E. Peck, the son of John Peck and
Mary Jane (Rouatt) all from Stanley
Township. Stanley Township is the
place where my ancestors all settled
and they were William and Jane
Peck, John and Nancy Peck and
Robert and Mary (Rathwell)
Letters
1 r
McClinchey.
My interest in family history
started when I was a teenager and
had to complete an English assign-
ment on my pioneer grandparents.
Since then I have become a geneal-
ogist and have completed five gen-
1,
calogies and a county biographical
history for Morton County, North
Dakota. I am also a membdr of the
Huron County Historical Society.
This labor of love began when
Alice Stephenson, a cousin of my
grandfathers, sent me her family
pictures along with the history of
the Stephenson family. Since then
several local people have helped me
to compile the information necess-
ary to complete this book. The
history includes all of the people
who married into my grandfathers
family, including the family names
of Dowson, Rathwell, Keys,
Consitt, Boycs, Boyce, Clarke,
Coleman and Cole. The Peck line
goes back to Thomas Peck in Eng-
land in the year 1066. The Delgaty
history is also included.
The history is based on family
Bible records, cemetery records,
Latter Day Saints records and local
census records.
This book will be published on a
pre -order basis only and will be a
700 page, hard cover book includ-
ing Pictures. The cost is $105 Cana-
dian.
For further information or to
order your copy of this family
history please contact Harry Talbot
at RR 5 Godcrich (524-4786) or
call me at 1120 Keating Drive,
Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501,
U.S.A. (701-258-3128). 1 am also
interested in hearing from those
who may have further information
to submit.
Marion Peterson
Letters
Rural area
deserves top
child care
Dear Editor,
In my recent years, I have
become more educated in pro-
fessional child care. I grew up in a
rural farming community and I feel
there is a strong need for pro-
fessional childcare in such com-
munities. Farthing parents face
hardships raising children and
working on the farm. Children
aren't safe in a playground of live-
stock, chemicals, and various types
of machinery. Parents feel trapped.
They do not wish for children to be
in that kind of environment but
there is no' child car° centers kef
flexible Hugh to. fit'•their-.sched4
ules.
The Lakeview Childcare Centre in
Langruth, Manitoba, was started in
1988. Their hours are from 6:30
a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Their flexible
hours provide care for children
while parents do a wide variety of
work on the farm ranging from
harvesting to vaccinating livestock.
Child care centres offer a safe and
stable environment where children
are'educated through a planned play
environment. Children receive a
variety of experiences not common-
ly found in a rural home or home
daycare. Professional childcare
wants not only the best for the
children it benefits, but also for the
parents it benefits as well. In my
opinion, our rural families deserve
the best professional childcare.
Child care is definitely an option
worth pursuing.
Pam Hoggart
Dublin
Budget .good step
towards cutting
federal deficit
Dear Editor,
Paul Martin's budget is a good
first step towards dealing with the
federal deficit. However, there are
several issues which remain out-
standing and must be addressed. As
the PC Candidate for Huron, I have
had the opportunity of reviewing
the budget plan of the Common
Sense Revolution. It is important to
recognize certain deficiencies in the
federal budget.
In the first place, the Common
Sense Revolution has a plan to
eliminate the provincial deficit, and
not just reduce it. Reducing the
deficit to three percent of Gross
Domestic Product is not an appro-
priate goal. The deficit should be
zero. We must balance the budget.
Secondly, the Common Sense
Revolution sets priorities, Health
care, law enforcement and class-
room education must be protected.
The Federal budget docs not protect
these important priorities.
Thirdly, the Federal budget docs
not have a plan to stimulate the
economy. The Common Sense
Revolution has a plan to cut taxes
to initiate growth.
I have been involved in small
business for over 15 years. l under-
stand the importance of bringing a
business sense to our Provincial
government. I also have a 'family
and understand that we cannot
simply "slash and burn" programs.
We must protect education, health
care and opportunity.
You and I know it's time of
Common Sense. For a Change.
Helen Johns
PC Candidate - Huron
,1