The Huron Expositor, 1999-01-27, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, January 27. 1999
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Wednesday, January 27, 1999
Editorial and Sastaess Offices - 100 Mala iMef.,SeaferlA
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With only a few
volunteers,
town museum
remains in boxes
The Seaforth Museum Committee
needs some help from the community.
A large collection of material has been
donated by Frank Sills and his family and
is hoped to form the cornerstone of
exhibits for the museum but it's already
looking like a first glimpse of some of the
collection this summer is an optimistic
hope.
Committee members have started the
process of cataloguing the .artifacts but
there's more than 2,000 of them and it's a
lengthy, detailed process.
They need help.
Particularly from people.,. in the
community who might know the history or
significance of some of the items which
could give them much more meaning and
impact to the community.
There are items from past local theatre -
productions, hockey and baseball
artifacts, items from World War II and a
host of other eclectic memorabilia.
With the variety of interests within the
community, there should be enough
people' around to offer background
surrounding many of the items to help
build meaningful exhibitions.
But it will take volunteers with those
interests, or just an interest in antiques
and history, to volunteer their time to
learn the cataloguing process and share
a little of their time to go through some off,
the items.
Within about 10 minutes a person can
learn the process- and begin the task of
detailed identification of.the items.
This community holds a lot of people
who maintain a strong interest in history
who are eager to see a museum take
shape.
The sooner some of those people come
forward to help, the sooner.a museum
can open its doors to share that history
with everyone.
STH
How to access us
Letters to the Editor and other submissions
can be made to us by noon on Mondays at:
seafor h@bowesnet.com
All letter' and submissions must be signed
and accompanied by a day -time telephone
number. All, submissions are.tlubjeet to editing
for both.leakth and contest
Dont forget to chick oait oitr homepage at:
www.
Former
students
sought
by '74
To the Editor:
The Class of '74 of
Seaforth District High
School is hosting a 25 -year
reunion, July.31 to August 1,
1999 and would like former
classmates and teachers to
join us in the celebration.
Planning committee
members are compiling the
names and addresses of
former classmates to mail
out invitations. Please help
us. e do not want to miss
anyone.
Social activities will occur
according to the interests of
those who wish to attend. If
you have any ideas for social
activities, would like to be
included on the mailing list
or would like to join the
planning committee, please
contact us.
Teresa Finlayson
527-2258
email:
cbfmlayson @ody ssey.on.ca
Karen Regier
519-660-6527
email:
kregier@ jutian. uw o.ca
Pig heads to underwear at the market
The following letters are
among the second set sent to
The Huron Expositor by
members of the World Youth
Exchange. Members were in
Seaforth this past summer
and fall on an agricultural
exchange, paired with
students from Thailand. They
are now in Thailand
completing the second half
. of the exchange.
Nongsadao Bon is a small
village of 742 people, 70%
of which are employed. 80%
of the population is involved
in agriculture though many
community members own
small convenience stores and
roadside ."restaurants".
Others are involved in
ceramics, weaving' baskets,
maintenance of cars and
motorcycles, hairstyling,
raising livestock (ie. water
buffalo or chickens) and
there are many local
seamstresses. The average
yearly income is 27,400 baht
(approximately 23.5 baht per
5) though this amount varies. ,
The community is very
social. Because much of
what the people need is made
by, the people they buy
locally. An appropriate place
to partake in the buying and
selling of everything from
pig heads to underwear is the
regular Thursday market
(dalatnad).
Everyday life consists
mainly of two sentences.
"Bpai Nai?" (Where are you
going?) and "Geen Kao" (Eat
rice). Instead of "How are
you?" we are greeted with
"Bpai Nai?" People are quite
concerned for our welfare
and express this by wanting
us to be home before dark (6
p.m.) and going everywhere
with a "buddy". This can
drive, you crazy unless you
remind yourself they're only
looking out for you. Displays
of affection between men
and women are not allowed.
When I need physical
attention l just hug another
woman.
Speaking of
hugging....families of five
are transported from house to
house on motorcycles or
mopeds. No one wears
helmets. Small babies sit
behind their parents, stubby
hands resting on mom or
dad's hips. The participants
ride in a different manner. If
we aren't walking or riding
our ancient bikes were sitting
in the back of pick-up trucks
or vans. For the most part the
trucks we ride in are safe. We
try to keep the hack door
closed at all times. it's
amazing how many people
can squeeze into the back of
a vehicle. They fit in so
many people that if the truck
were to hit a bump or stop
suddenly they might all spill
out the back. Needless to say,
no onewears a seatbelt.
Amy Kirk
Relgious activities different from Canada
Within the two months that
the group has been in
Thailand most of us have
been able to see a few
culturaland religious
activities. Wow. are they
ever different from Canada. •
On Dec. 5th it was the
King's birthday. You'll never
see such a , glorious
celebration for a monarch's
birthday in Canada. (What
has Canada ever done for
dear Queen Lizzie?) The
group was police escorted to
a school in Stiphanburi
where a near 30 foot picture
of King Bhumibol, Rama IX,
was displayed. After many
important people made
offerings to the King,
everyone in the- crowd lit up'
candles and sang songs.
Then came the fireworks,
which completely outdid any
piddly little backyard'May
two-four display (but not the
Windsor Freedom Festival).
There is a nation-wide sense
of ,respect and, honour for
their monarch.
Funerals are very different
as well. They take about
• three days and consist of a
lot of prayer. chanting,
.offerings, eating and a little
drinking. The deceased is
usually cremated, every wat
(temple) has its own
crematorium.'One hundred
days after the funeral a wake
is held where monks chant
and are given toiletries and
food. 'Black or white clothes
-are worn; bright coldurs are
unacceptable.
- Monk -ordinations are 'af'so
another occasion for a
celebration. There is- loud
music from a walking band
w,ith dr,ums, trumpets,
saxophones and trombones.
The monk -to -be, with hi&
freshly shaven head and
Lacey white gown, is carried
on a villager's shoulders in a•
little parade to the wat. A
few of the village people
lead the procession with
dancing. The procession
circles the wat three times
while the monk throws
money to the crowd, causing
a frenzied mass of children,
to go scrambling. Then the
monk goes inside and
everyone goes home.
Weddings are yet another
fine affair of eating.
drinking, singing and
dancing. In the morning a
parade of dancing village
people (and one foreigner, ie.
me) bearing gifts of Thai
snacks and decorated banana
trees go to the house where
the wedding riles are
performed. A little water is
splashed on the crowd. The
bride and groom and a few
select people sit before a
monk who joins- the
lovebirds with connected
bracelets. I wasn't allowed to
observe this but was forced
to sit at a table' surrounded
by ogling women and made
to eat, eat eat. Another party
is held at night. Monetary
gifts are presented to the
newlyweds. A lot of pictures.
singing, dancing, drinking
and eating with a couple of
speeches too. Thailand and
Canada may have their
differences but there are a lot
of similarities too.
Nathan Ashton
A third letter appears
on Page 5
Egmondville pond filling refrigerators with ice
January 20, 1899
The ice pond at
Egmondville has been a
lively place as the harvest of
cool things has been in full
swing. Mr. Colbert and Mr.
Wilson are both filling their
refrigerators with ice.
Andrew Patrick of Staffa
had a successful wood bee.
In the evening the youth and
beauty of the vicinity
gathered and spent a pleasant
time in dancing.
Messrs. Harry Stoneman
and Wm. Haughton of
Chiselhurst cut, split and
piled seven cords of wood in
eight fours and fifteen
minutes.
Some evil disposed person
succeeded in effecting an
entrance into the bar room of
the Dixon . House at
Brucefield. securing 58 in
cash. and helping themselves
to liquor and cigars. R. G.
Simpson also lost a valuable
robe, but it was returned a
day or two later.
News of a sad accident
which resulted in 'the death
of Wm. Bell, son of Andrew
Bell. at Fort saskatchewan
was received with regret at
Kippen.
January 25, 1924
Me Peter McLaughlin.
M. y and Frank Evans
of anley are busy repairing
the McKillop. Logan and
Hibbert telephone Tines, as
In the Years Agone
all communication was cut
off by the storm.
An extensive epidemic of
measles is threatened in the
vicinity of Seaforth, as about
30 patients have already
been reported as suffering
from the disease in Seaforth,
McKillop, Tuckersmith and
Hullett. Almost all of them
apparently derived the
infection from one pupil,
who attended school three
days previous to the
appearance of the rash.
Samples of water from the
pump house and from
, various taps in town were
recently sent to London for
examination. The report
concluded with the remark
"analysis indicate waters of
excellent sanitary quality."
Rev. J. A Ferguson was in
the chair as the annual
meeting of Cavan Church,
Winthrop was held in the
basement of the church. The
board of managers was
elected, as follows: Wm.
Trewartha, chairman; Donald
Calder. secretary; Zack
McSpadden, Robert Beattie,
Chas. Dolmage and John
Shannon, ushers: R. Carlett,
J. M. Govenlock, collectors;
Neil Montgomery and Irwin
Trewartha. assistants; Archie
Campbell and J. M.
Govenlock, auditors; Geo
McKee and J. M.
Govenlock; John Cuthill.
treasurer; R. Scarlett and
Alex Cuthill, seating.
January 28, 1949
Snow falling from the roof
of Town Hall smashed the
roof, of a modern sedan
owned by E. Turgeon. The
car was parked adjacent to
itr Commercial Hotel. the
snow came off the roof with
such force that it carried
across the lane between the
two buildings and struck the
car.
Nearly every barn near
Winthrop had some shingles
blown off in the high
windstorm on Tuesday last
week.
Sale of the Royal
apartments block to Orville
Oke, Seaforth, was
announced by the real estate
office of M. W. Reid. The
three-storey building at the.
corner of main and Goderich
streets, together with billiard
room business, was offered
for sale following the recent
death of the late W. G. Gill.
Egmondville is once again
a thriving village, with the
chopping mill and
blacksmithing shop both
functioning after recent fires.
Harold Jackson had the
honour of being the first to
have his team shod. with
Montgomery Patrick the
second in the blacksmith's
shop.
January 24, 1974
Seaforth was hit by a
severe ice storm Sunday. as
freezing rain over
southwestern Ontario, forced
cancellation of the town's
annual Optimist winter
carnival snowmobile races.
and brought tree branches
and hydro lines down all
over the area. "I've never
seen ice so thick in my life,"
said Tom Phillips of the
PUC. he said filar thawing
weather later on Sunday and
Monday prevented even
further damage. as wires
were really bent down by the
wight of the ice. .
At a special meeting
Monday night. seaforth
Council deferred a decision
concerning construction of a
bridge over Silver Creek to
provide access to a recently
established. industrial area..,
The Seaforth Community
Hospital Boar( has approved
a request from local
firefighters to handle fire
calls at a fee of 540 per
month.
I don't think I'll ever take the risk of getting shot again
i know the terrifying teeling of what
it's like to fear someone is about to
shoot you.
While I've never looked down the
barrel of a gun. I can easily imagine
what it feels like to have one pointed ,it
you.
I've been in a street blocked off by
police because of a sniper in a building
above.
it's not a situation I would ever want
to find myself in again.
And on a long list of stupid things
i've done, it probably tops them.
It was when I was going to school in
Toronto. One of our classes involved
J
Scott
Hilgendorff
the pro rection of a weekly newspaper
and wr ere under the instruction of a
teacher a no expected nothing less than
award-winning journalism from us
,(students who barely knew what they
were doing).
Our schedules included nine hours of
class time to produce the paper that.
despite the large student -staff size, took
about 40 or more to do. That meant
being there into the wee hours of the
morning each production night.
It was one of those nights when a
couple of us went out for snack and
discovered in the past half-hour- or so.
police had descended on one edge of
our campus, barricading the section of
streets that surrounded an area where
the school's new and only residence had
recently opened.
Police at the barricade wouldn't
answer our questions and since we
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