HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-01-19, Page 4Your Community Newspaper Since 1860
Terri -Lynn Hart - Publisher
Scott Hilgendorff • Editor
Susan Hundertmark - Reporter
Pat Armes - Office Manager
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Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Main 51., Seotorth. Publication
mail registration No. 0696 held qt Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising.is occepted on
condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising spoce occupied
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wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to
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undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor.
• Wednesday. December 29, 1999
ldlhA.l .■d wsteess Offices - 100 M.I. slreetr.,$.af.rllt
ttWe'Ue.e (519) 537.0340 Fax (519) 537.9555
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Publication Mail Registration No. 07605
Editorial
Rural
communities
need to be
stronger
The survival of rural communities continues to
be threatened. •
Small communities have been forced to
restructure into larger ones causing an identity
crisis for some of the smaller villages and rural
corners that have been swallowed up by
larger, political entities.
School boards and the province are closing
rural schools, taking away community -centres
and institutions of small towns and villages. The
government doesn't recognize towns like
Seaforth as rural communities because of their
proximity to a city.
Now, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs is Streamlining its operations
and removing virtually all the personal contact
farmers have at local and regional offices.
People could go and seek out advice on how
best to handle their dairy herd, what soil
improvement measures they could take or
what steps they would need to expand their
operations in an ever -tightening agricultural
economy.
The fabric of rural and small town life is being
ripped away little by little.
About the only thing that's going to be left to
hold it together is the people.
Egmondville will always be Egmondville and
Harpurhey will always be Harpurhey as long as
there are families to live there.
Rural identities will always exist but they are
losing their strength.
s time rural communities got together with
a ricultural leaders like the Federation of
Agriculture and make a genuine push to have
government, both federal and provincial,
recognize the significance of rural
communities.
Too 'many decisions are made by politicians
from cities who don't u nderstand the basics of
rural infrastructures. They can't see how a
small town withqut transit can be affected
differently from a Targe city with buses and
subways.
It's time they had a lesson in Small Town 101
so decisions are made with a better
understanding of the province or country.
The communities like Seaforth might be
recognized as rural and not urban simply
because the town is a 45 -minute drive from a
small city.
Scott Hilgendorff
HOW tO access US
Letters to the Editor and other submission*
can be triode to us by noon on Monday! 00' •
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•
Opinion
Letters
Walton situation risks dividing communities
Dear Editor:
I think it is appalling for
someone as smart as the
Mayor of Seaforth to
actually publicly say that if
the Avon Maitland District
School Board closes Walton
Public School not to sell it
because the Seaforth District
High School could use it for
a place from which to pilot
the agriculture program that
the' High School intends to
put into their High School.
As a parent with children
in Walton Public and
Seaforth Public I just
couldn't believe my ears
when Dave Scott stood up at
the public community
meeting in Walton last night
and said those words. If
Dave Scott wants an enemy,
he just made many. If the
board actually gets to the
point of closing schools and
the board does close the
public school in Walton, it
must be first offered to
another school board for the
cost of nothing. Then that
school board would have 90
days to make up it's mind if
it wanted that school.
I know that this parent
would not stand idly by and
see Seaforth District High
School move into that
building.
.1 would personally make
it impossible for that to ever
happen in my lifetime. How
would Seaforth Mayor Dave
Scott like it if Walton Public
School stayed open and the
High School closed? I bet it
would put a knot in his
boxers.
Just remember that
nothing is written in stone
and Walton Public School
presently feeds into Seaforth
Public School and then onto
the Seaforth District High
School. if we don't work
together and come up with a
better solution, then the
board will- succeed in
dividing and conquering us
both. We will all lose if we
are not careful.
I am probably one of the
most informed parents in
our school at Walton or at
Seaforth but I have not had
any say or representation in
what the Seaforth Public
School is currently doing.
We received home a small
slip of paper about a
meeting to inform us of
. what we stood to lose other
than our building for a
meeting the Monday
following the announcement
on Nov. 23. If that is all the
input the parents at Seaforth
are going to get to say in this
matter, I don't know why
they want our kids to attend
Seaforth Public School.
Obviously, parental input is
not an option the Seaforth
community study group
wishes to have.
I personally feel that the
only way we can change this
board's mind is to lobby the
federal government and ask
them to consider changing
the definition of rural and
remote or to ask the federal
government to increase the
tax levy in our areas at the
taxpayers' request.
Increasing the tax levy
would be the best way to do
this so no schools would be
closed. The way things stand
right now the board has
succeeded in dividing
communities and pitting
parent and community alike,
against one another.
Can anyone see this board
closing the high school and
not using the building for
something else other than
the recently renovated board
office? This board has had
its own agenda for quite
some time. Realisstically, this
would never happen. This
board will choose the most
cost efficient approach and
the option that will eliminate
the most empty pupil places
and if you doubt that, then
your head must be in the
sand.
Remember the - saying
united we stand, but divided
we will all fall!
I hope every school in the
Avon Maitland District
School Board is taking
notes. Get out there and do a
community study on your
own. Don't wait for this
board to ask for one or you
will be in the same situation
that Walton, Seaforth and
Seaforth High schools are in
now.
We were not allotted time
to do a community impact
study nor will the board
allow us time to do that now,
I know because I asked that
very question last night and
my answer was that St aforth
High School was asked to
start that with Brussels last
March but was soon told all
they were to look at was
changes to the boundaries to
help the High School.
That is a far cry from any
community impact study
that i have ever seen.
Don't wait until your
school's name is on the list
for accommodation review
to start this process. Gather
together as school council
chairs with your family of
schools and get that
information now. If you sit
and wait the board will close
as many schools as it deems
necessary to keep the money
flowing and eliminating the
4,000 empty pupil spaces it
has.
• Please arm yourselves
with as much information
about school closures and
accommodation review as
possible. Get informed and
be prepared.
If anyone wants help in
getting started, I can tell you
what you will need. My
number is not a listed one,
but if you contact Walton
Public School they would
see that you get my number.
I urge every school to be
prepared and don't wait until
you see your name on next
year's list to get started.
I am personally going to
write to my local MPP who
did not show up in person to '
the public meeting in Walton
last night. I even had to call
that office to find out if
someone from that office
would .be in attendance.
However that office claims
it isn't choosing one school
over another but didn't even
know what time or where
the meetings are. I guess
you can call that selective
hearing! Bottom line Helen
Johns, where were you?
Your aid, Jodie Snell said
that you were away with
your family. Well good for •
you. My family has seen
very little of me in the last
two months iiecause I have
been too bury in meeting
after meeting trying to
prevent our school board
from closing the two schools
that my children attend. I bet
if.it was a school that her
children attended on that
list, we would be looking at
a different picture.
Look out Mike Harris,
you're next on my list to
inform! It is because of Bill
160 that your government
was passed that has put all
of us in this boat that is
sinking. Come on now
Mike, - at least throw us
some sort of life line or
some of us will teach our
children at home. Then
where will our public school
systems be then!
Barbara Durrell
(This letter is in response to
information presented at a
public meeting in Walton -
last week)
Support for schools from as far away as Australia
To the Editor:
I have just been reading with
dismay the reports in your newspaper
about the imminent closure of a
number of Seaforth district schools, in
particular Seaforth District High
School of which I am an alumnus
(early 60s).
I note in particular that your Jan. 12
article has community leaders urging
everyone ip the district to attend a
public meeting to show support for
retaining these schools.
Although I cannot be there in person. I
would like to indicate that you do
have moral support from me, even
from as far as. Victoria, Australia,
where I now reside.
SDHS has been an excellent school
with many notable graduates who
have spread their influence far and
wide as well as in the local.
community and I am greatly saddened
to learn that it may disappear
altogether.
The community leaders are quite
right in expressing their concern for
the fate of Seaforth itself, as here in
Australia we have already seen the
effects on small country towns which
have been the victims of economic
rationalism and now are struggling to
survive. When the schools, hospitals,
and banks close, a country town dies -
it is as simple as that.
I intend to follow this issue with
interest through the Internet and I
hope that the meetings called will be a
demonstration of great community
spirit in the face of such indifferent
bureaucracy. Strength .to
your arm and may you win this battle.
Yours Faithfully,
Anne McKarney (nee Shortreed)
Bendigo, Victoria
Australia.
Work on ice surface begins ,
January 12, 1900
During the past few weeks.
W. Cudmore of Kippen has
In the Years Agone
shipped from the
neighbouring stations over 40 cars of
hay, all destined for the Old Country.
He received a telegram froth the
agriculture .department at Ottawa,
asking him for a tender for a quantity
of hay to he sent to South Africa and
he wired an offer' to supply 200 tons
or more.
Robert Charters of the Mill Road
has recently made several good sales
from his fine herd of shorthorns.
Among the buyers were Henry Datars
of Hay, John Pfaff of Hay and D.
Grassick of Stanley.
At the annual meeting of
Egmondville Church, Messrs. John
Beattie and Geo. Coleman were
appointed to the managing hoard
instead of Messrs.. P.M. Chesney and
John Lose who wished to retire.
Wm. Amens of town has had a
telephone placed in his residence on
Goderich Street. -
Charles Wilson of town has
disposed of his grocery stock to
Messrs. Beatie, Bros. who are selling
off the stock.
Munn Bros. of Leadbury have
placed a 40 horse power engine in
their new saw mill.
Findaly McIntosh of Leadbury is
busy cutting stove wood, grinding
grain and cutting straw for the
neighbouring parries.
Tuesday morning about six o'clock,
the most serious fire in Blyth :s history
occurred. 11 started in Mr. Stothers
bakery which was completely
consumed, together with J.G. Moor's
hardware. W. SCott, boots and shoes,
Heffron Bros. and the Bank of
Hamilton.
January 16, 1925
The Cromarty congregation held a
very successful wood -bee in Andrew
McLachlan''• bush, cutting about 20
cords of wood for use in the church.
The ice harvest of Walton is
improving cls the winter strengthens
and the merchants and butchers have
secured 0 good supply:
Percy McMichael of Constance,
held a very successful wood been and
on the following Monday treated the
boys to a party.
An address referring to one of the
most enterprising business, J.W.
Ortwein of Hensall, was given him by
the Hensall Methodist Sunday School.
Arch Campbell of McKillop left for
Cleveland to visit his sisters who live
there.
The sacred cantata "The Light
Eternal" was repeated in First
Presbyterian Church before a
congregation that filled the church to
capacity. Mr and Mrs. M.R. Rennie
were the leader and organist and the
following ttok special parts: Miss
Edith McKay, Mrs..W.A. Wright, H.
Murray, James SCott, J. Beattie, M.R.
Rennie, D.R. Reid, Miss Janet Hays,
Dorothy Kent, Miss Patterson.
Miss Olive McCormick of the Bell
Telephone office had the misfortune to
trip and fall at the KW and break her
ankle.
While curling at the rink Neil
Gillespie had the misfortune to slip
and fall on the handle of a curling
stone, fracturing two ribs.
January 13, 1950
Four of the volunteers shoveled
industrially in preparing the
foundation for ice in the Seaforth
Memorial Centre. They are
Wally Crich, Tuckersmith, Lac
Walter Smith, Vancouver, Frank
Johnson, Dublin and Wilson
Campbell, Dublin.
Miss Mary Holland and Teresa
Maloney successfully passed the
examinations set by the Registered
Music Assoc. of Ontario.
The Province of Ontario, Savings
Office has been moved to the Cardno
Block.
71wo windows were blown in in at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. James F.
Scott, Thornton Hall, during the high
wind. .
Many friends had the opportunity of
hearing the beautiful tenor voice of W.
T. Hays on a record. He had some
made and sent them to his sister, Mrs.
J. M. Govenlock.
January 9, 1975
Lack of flexibility in the township
zoning bylaw caused criticism at the
inaugural meeting of Tuckersmith
council Tuesday evening. Reeve Elgin
Thompson presided at the six hour
meeting which continued until nearly
two o'clock. Wednesday morning. He
said he would like to see the bylaw
changed to be more reasonable for the
township.
Thanks to someone with a rifle who
shot out six insulators and several,
conductors on an Ontario Hydro line
of the outskirts of Seaforth. Power was
off in many part of Seaforth,
Wednesday morning for about forty
minutes. -
Tlwentyfour minutes after midnight,
as the new year began, at the Seaforth
Community Hospital, a daughter was
born to Jane and Kenneth McLeod of
RR 2 Stafa.
1