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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1983-01-19, Page 5E E He grew up with the electric age Pat Skinner worked With the exception of four years overseas during World War II, Gerald "Pat" Skinner has been employed at the same Exeter location for58 years. Beginning as a ,12 -year-old ih 1924 sweeping out Beer's Harness Shop at the corner of James and Main Street after school, Pat work- ed his final day at the present Russell Electric on December 31, 1982. When asked why an employee had been kept on five years past normal retire- ment age, Jim Russell replied "Pat grew up with the electric business. You can't find all that experience anymore, and never will again." Skinner had a ringside seat while .Exeter's gravelled main street was paved and became part of Highway 4, horses gave way to tractors, and the harness shop g: adual- ly added some new -tangled electrical appliances to • its stock:. In 1941 Skinner teamed with Earl Russell to buy out what had become the Beer-Quance "partnership. The men divided the store in two; Skinner sold harness. luggage and other leather goods in one half and Russell enlarged the ap- pliance section. The following year Skinner sold his share to his partner and turned his coveralls in on a Royal Cana- dian Ordnance Corps uniform. He rejoined Russell )ulet:tric on his return from overseas four years later. (In 1967 active manage- ment passed from Russell Senior to sons Jim and Bob. ) From the time Skinner took a refrigeration course in 1932, his specialty has been ap- pliance repair. He claims his skill was not inborn but. developed and trained over the. years, recalling with a rueful smile a boyhood watch that never worked again after he took it apart. Pat has observed the tran- sition from items made to last indefinitely to the modern phenomenon of built-in ob- solescence. Present-day goods don't stand up as well but do perform better, he maintains. The action on an automatic washer and the old wringer style are similar. and rinsing on the newer machines is much more thorough. However, the more gadgets, the more to go wrong, and many of the court- ly repairman's house calls were made to ailing washers. Often the trouble tprned out to be coins lodged in some crucial •art (causing cash BUILT TO LAST Pat Skinner stands beside on old refrigerator still operotin6 in the Russell Electric shop. The fridge was built in 1935, and Skinner retired in December after working in the same location for 58 years. clog • instead of cash flow), or bits and pieces of too -heavy articles which tore off and spun into the pump. Another heandache was the toaster. Unless the problem was something simple like a worn cord, the welded or riveted component: are inac- cessible, and cost more to replace than the price of a new machine. "On the other hand, a frig first sold in 1935 was switch- ed from 25 to 60 cycles in 1951, came back years later as a trade-in, and is still used in the shop to keep soft drinks cold. Skinnerand the old ap- pliances have a lot in com- mon. Both were built to last, and to give years of reliable service. The Russells will miss their faithful einployee. 58 ears in same location "He did a real fine job; he Alice Sturgis, and a member ten years, disbanding in 1979. easy, maybe do a little was dependable and trustwor- of the Huronia Choir con- He still sings in the United travelling, '' Pat said. thy", Jim said. -ducted by the same lady from Church Choir. Gladys had the final word. His mother confirmed this, 1947 to 1955. Skinner has been an active All the Skinner appliances are recqunting how customers When the Huronia was Legion member for many in perfect running order, would bring in their house resurrected under the baton years, and was chairman of thanks to a handy husband, keys with a casual "tell Pat to of Marianne McCaffrey, he the annual peppy campaign but "we need more plugs in lock the door when he again took part. The choir for more than two decades. the kitchen", she said with a leaves." sta ed to: ether for another "Now I'm going totake life twinkle in her eye. The newly ret, red Skinner , has no worries about filling ' ,, the leisure hours. He is already planning next year's garden. His wife Gladys looks after the flowers, and he grows vegetables, "enough for the inner man plus some ' to give away." He can also keep singing, Pat first lent his tenor voice to the Main Street United Church choir more than 50 years ago. He was part of the chorus in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas produced by Mrs. , Times -Advocate, January 19, 1983 Page 5 Good parenting Most parents have little or no training in how to be a good parent, in spite of the fact that this is the most important and hardest job to do. Paren- thood is a twenty-four hour profession, one of which more and more fathers are taking. an active part. , Parents are realizing that children cannot be treated as they were in the- past, but many do not know how to deal with the ever increasing changes that our children face. Therefore, it is impor- tant that parents know the way children grow and ievelop, remembering that each Fhitd is unique and dif- ferent. It is helpful to know the stages of development that are common to children in order to deal effectively with the behaviours which oc- cur at each successive stage. Many mistakes can be avoid- ed if a parent is prepared in advance. Don't be afraid to find out what is working for other parents and ask for practical tips. Parenting becomes easier when you are more secure in the knowledge of what to do, although you may not always feel like doing it. Even the best parents have difficulties and make mistakes. In the days of constant, change, growing up is by no means easy. and children need all the good parenting they can get. We're. Ibis area's largest -Harding Carpet Dealer with better buying power to bring our -customers "Guaranteed Lowest Prices". Quality, Prices and Selection We rtow haveWAREHOUSE PRICING on all our in -stock carpet rolls. We can also customize your carpets with fnee estimates, and guarantee the workmanship of our own professional installers. If you find o better current price on any identical flooring from our stock in any other store, we will match the -price, or refund the difference. THE CARPET CENTRE 487 Main St., "Exeter, Ont., NOM 180 (519) 235-0173 owned and operated by Dinney Furniture OPEN WEEKDAYS 9-6 p.m. Fri. til 9 p.rn. Sat. til 5 p.m. Parenting Classes are held each Thursday in Wingham. For further informaticn please call 357-1614. Soft Dinner Rolls Delicious .JaJ f - flu Speciate _Apple Fritters Dutchies Donuts 6/$1.19 all varieties or doz. 991 ' Cookies 2 doz. $2619 Medium Cheddar Cheese Ib. $2.89 Canadian Emmenthal Ib. $3.49 Fresh bulk Peanut Butter lb. $1.59 eaber, Chee.eTtIJoujc • 443 Main St., Exeter .235-0332 Zurich, 236-4912 Seaforth 527.1603 1 r, ••`•, THE JOYS OF RETIREMENT --- in in the same building, he has -gar Now that Pat Skinner is retired time for a coffee break with firw 4&I ...1/] after working 58 years wife Gladys. 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