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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-12-22, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, December 22, 1999 br.1-(-41-1 • 42Qat..j41: SEMOITH ABL Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Terri-lynn Hort - Publisher Scott Hilgendorff - Editor Susan Hundertmarlc - Reporter I/ Bowes Publishers Limited s,r,dr•+ ,l;ir 44.41 C..20-8.- - 4 rw.>-'..N Pat Armes - Office Manager Dianne McGrolt Subscripeors/CossAeds E-mail us of seoforth@bowesnet com SUBSCRIPTION RATES LOCAL 32 50 o yea. 7 odvance, plus 2 28 Cr S SENIORS 30 00 o yea ,n.od once plus ?MOST / USA & foreign 28 44 o yeor ,n odvonce plus S78 90 possbge. G S T exemp SUBSCRIPTION RATES • - Pjbl,shed weekly by S.gnol'Stot Pubhar -9 of ' Moir. Sr Seoforth oud.co. mol reg,yronon No 0696 held at Seofortt- 'Dmono Adveres.ng •s accepted — conddon that ,n the even of o ypogrop' error, the parer''s,N3 space occup•ea by the erroneous nem together with 0 teosonob,e olkr./once sot s.grature .r l! rid be charged; but the bounce of the ,d+e,+ cement J. -H be pod =or at the oppt.cable rote In the event 01.0 typogropi„cd arra ad+e.!,s•ng goods or ser.•ces a a wrong Once goods or services may no. be sod Adverns-rig s mere.), or otter to sell and may be wnhdrawn at t. * e Tie rs fro" trposna s nor •espors ble for the loss or domoge of unsolr-.ted mor•uscr Pts troros or other •notet.ots ,.sed 'a .ep.oductwn purposes Cho of addressorders for sabsct p ars o•+d urdelrveroble copes are to be Sent to The/Avon E.pos.to• Wednesday./December 22. 1999 ItdM.rlel rend sedn..ss Offlc.s'- 100 Male Srreel.,SeerferM. Tet.pe..e (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527.2656 Moiling Aldress - P.O. sox 69, Seef.rfb, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Conodor, C -- ' ry Ne..socc.• er Assoc.obon. Ontario Community Newspapers A svf o•.or• ; Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 Editorial Let's give Janet Ecker `a school ' closure Christmas' It's going to be a 'school closure crisis Christmas.' And there's actually some optimistic news to go -along with it for those fighting to keep 'the school opTn. Liberal Education Critic Gerard Kennedy has joined the fight and? is working toward a revamping of ther rural education funding process that is at the centre of the local issue. Because of the town's proximity to London, -we're not necessarily considered a rural school board and it has lead to potential overhauls of our local school structure with the future of the high school at risk. While Kennedy did not have much luck in the provincial legislature Monday, he did at least have Education Minister Janet Ecker responding to questions about the future of schools in Seaforth and other communities. While she asserted that funding is in place for those boards and seemed to show no understanding of what a rural municipality is, Kennedy plans to continue pushing for changes. He is already familiar with the area from past involvement in the hospital closure issue of a couple years ago, Heplans to visit Seaforth next month to offer his support. ' Meanwhile, MPP Helen Johns is also working closely with the committee tasked with offering the. board any alternatives to school closure. She has offerred .them her cooperation and, if they are willing to have her, will even be present at a school board meeting when the committee makes its formal presentation. While the situation is constantly evolving - and often appears to be impossible, these recent developments are signs that at least the province is aware there is an issue developing over here. If we can catch their attention long enough, maybe they'll notice Seaforth is actually a rural community with the same issues as any other rural municipality receiving the funding it needs to keep its schools.• Kennedy is urging people to concentrate their lobbying on Ecker with petitions and letters for the next two months because the province will not come back from its Christmas break until March. While the community may be facing a school closure Christmas, it can make sure Ecker has one too. Scott Hilgendorff Opinion Letters Remember high school motto, 'Hope Nourishes Success' To the Editor: I want to extend my sincere thanks to all presenters at Avon Maitland school board meetings in the past two weeks who spoke about the school closure issue affecting the Seaforth community. . All of those who spoke should be commended on the passion. effort and Intelligence that went into their presentations. Perhaps it was a bit of a surprise to the trustees that the Seaforth `community presented itself in a constructive. eloquent manner offering. creative and workable solutions to the problems - the community and the board are facing. i also want to thank Jim McIntosh for raising. some important points.in his letter last week, Some clarification is needed regarding the context that Huron Centennial school was raised by me at the community information meeting held at the arena recently. The point 1 made at the meeting is. that the board claims to review all of its - schools every year for accommodation purposes. yet in the past 18 months or so. Seaforth schools repeatedly are listed to be "studied" for closure. There are sec eral schools in both Huron and Perth. that have never been on those lists. including Huron Centennial. I also said at that public meeting that Huron Centennial is an excellent school. as well as S.P.S. and S.D.H.S. So why a e Seaforth schools being targeted'/ Part of my presentation to the board the following week included isking if the Avon Maitland board 9yould consider lobbying the provincial government. together with other small rural boards in the province. for a new "rural school policy" that would recognize the uniqueness of rural areas -- including some obvious. considerations towards population density. recent growth in industry across Huron and the fragile infrastructure of education. business and health care that rely on each other and form the crucial bonds of small communities. The problem of school closures is not unique to Seaforth. In the past three weeks, 1 have received many phone calls and letters from parents and politicians from across southern Ontario -- St. -Marys. Owen- Sound. Stratford. Lambton County. Mitchell. -Watford. Haldimand-Norfolk. and. Wore from beyond and within our own county and community. All calls. were suppefeive and some are facing similar situations with.their own•school boards. I also received calls and letters from -Hector Verhoeve. Mayor of Norfolk,..who is a former resident of Seaforth.. grad of SDHS and a former hockey player in town. who would . very much like to see our high school remain open. as well as Valley -Heights Secondary. School that he is fighting for. There is widespread support out there for our town's schools to remain open. . • Our restructuring proposal for the new m6nicipality •of "Huron East" will be presented to Huron County_Council in January and with approval will. be seat on to the province. As Mr., McIntosh said. "to win. all of the people of -Huron must remain united" - - and I completely. agree: Thar is why i suggested recently at town council that we seek support from the pther 25 municipalities of Huron and county /council about the crisisthat is not only affecting Seaforth but our entire county as it is heavily targeted by the school - board in its five y ear projection for school closures. Letters of support have _already been pouring into town -- many of which have also been sent to the board. MPP Helen Johns and the Ministry of Education by Huron municipalities. - At our Dec. 14 council meeting. council passed a motion agreeing .to work together with the hoard. if they are agreeable. to lobby the Education Ministry to Change the Huron -Perth board's designation to "rural'" -:.arid he eligible for increased funding.that would hopefully alrow more schools to remain open. The Huron Federation of Agriculture made a similar offer of cooperation at' the board meeting the same night.- • J want to thank the .community at • large for their' signs. fetters. words and phone calls of support. and also thanks to the Huron. Expositor for its courageous. editorial stance.and support on the school closure issue. There is ALWAYS more that can be done and HAS TO be done as the decision on this issue is only -two months away, Remember the SDHS motto: "Spero alit succ.essus" -- Hope Nourtshes Success." Its our hope to not only keep our schools open but to -improve upon 'them and create a -posit-ive learning environment that attracts, not repels students. Letts. shed our doubts 'and fears and leave those behind with the end of 1,999 -- and approachthe .school issuenn with units and renewed vigour in 2OO. ). Have a safe and Mem Christmas and a Happy Nev. Year' David Scott Mayor. Town of Seaforth `Let's all rejoice . and may,God's Blessings be with you We are again busy with' the activities of the season as we close another year and await a new year and century. The very idea of God becoming man does not make logical sense if we stop to examine Advent. It is truly a. divine mystery. If God chose to become a man It didn't make much sense for Him to pick /the Jewish nation because Israel was and is a small county. i Bethlehem of Judah was not a suitable town for a' messiah. a king. There was only one inn in this dusty hole -in -the -wall crossroads - town..smelly stopping place. for traders and animals. shepherds and sheep included. • • The people- chosen to be 'part -.of this drama were penniless peasants. if God were going to become man. the very least He could do would be to choose people from a regal. wealthy and powerful family. The prophecies were too complex. He was to be called a Nazarene yet He was to -.be born in Bethlehem. then called out of Egypt. He was to be a conquering messiah Minister's study By Rev Bill Hauser and a suffering servant. His kingdom would last forever but He would die a horrible death. yet live. At once. He would be loved and hated. If God were to become • man it Made no sense for Hiro to be • boxed in so. completely by, these prophecies. Oh. the foolishness of God' Why do this for unworthy people. • but -how -grand- and—= wonderful: The great "I AM." the most helpless of the weak. utterly defenseless- accomplished efenselessaccomplished the impossible at every point and fulfilled in every detail the plan for alt humanity and then ascended back into the heavens. The power of His Spirit still transforms and turns , hatred. into love. selfishness • into concern for others. indifference into compassion. We wouldn't have it any other way and recognize it as • a perfect plan. • Christmas Police Prayer Please make this. a silent night. This one night of the year.. . No sirens wailing through the dark. No shouts of hate or fear. Ni cru- hitt dais and twisted steer— • No blood and tears that spill. No messages of grief to take, To homes that suddenly grow still. Please. King of Peace. no drunken fights. That wreck the family tree. And all the dreams of some small child. Who clings, in fear. to me. Let travellers tread the tinseled streets. Safe from assault and harms, On this night, this special night. No red lights. no alarms. I'd like to be at home. Oh Lord. Where spice and cedar scent the air. l hope the children don't wake up. Until 1 can be there. Please make this. Lord. a silent night. No hate, or hurt or crime. But if this cannot be. Oh Lord, Help me get there in time. Provided by Huron OPP Constable Don Shropshall The foolishness of .God its wiser than the wisdom of man. St. Paul stated in 1 Cor. 1:25.We thank -God fob the absurd inexpressible'love and submission of Mary: The. cow barn was'not a suitable sterilized place for a wee baby. a king. The sweaty animals.•the rotting straw.. perhaps -a hole in the -roof -- the dirty feed trough. the roughness of stone .and wood. the mites and fleas.. and the stench must have been -unbearable. Did she look up into the heavens and-. say. "I need help'" Then God sent the. VIPs.. the lowly shepherds. and they "abided in the fields" for long periods of time with no time for baths. They heard the voices of the angels and: were guided by a bright star. Where. were the religious leaders' The wise men appeared bearing gifts several months later when the childd-wa much -older. But this night, this holy night .did Mary know she held God on her lap' Would she haVe changed, any of thee.' ents when finally she gazed into the face of the child? I think not. It didn't make much sense but it was perfect for it t was Maly and di''ine. " M4ry gave birth to a baby in a stable but did she not give birth to a little lamb' The Saviour. the sacrificial lamb of God' Let's celebrate 'Jesus again in our. hearts at the close of this century and look _forward to e. er. da' allowed in the next.; There is no.fear to those whd believe that God,chose Bethlehem for the. "place of. • our' beginning of Christmas love. We can't and wouldn't want to changer any- part of God's perfect plan. As we remember His birthday and celebrate again. the time when all. of Heaven smiled at perfection. • Let's all rejoice and .may God's blessings be yours. Happy Holidati''from the Seaforth ministerial. How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth @ bowesnet.com All letters and Submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing f� both length and content. Dont forget to check out our homepage at: www.bowesnet.com/expositor/ We're eagerly awaiting the first baby of 2000 As 2000 arrives next week. The Huron Expositor is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first baby of the new year. With last year's changes at the hospital and no births taking place in Seaforth, it's.difficult to track where that Seaforth baby will be born. • If you live in the greater Seaforth community and know the first baby might be yours. please keep us in mind and let us know so we can document this special occasion.