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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1983-03-02, Page 2IIIP.T.- I Times-Advocate, March 2, 1983. two families from 'down under On one year teaching exchange How would you like to spend you summer hblidays in Ontarid? Fine, but, pro- bably not -sin the month of January. That's exactly what an Australian family is doing. Bob and Margaret Mason and four daughters arrived in Crediton December 28 to start . a one-year, teachingpxchange ih Canada. - Bob Mason- is on staff at McGillivray Central School replacing • Drew Robertson who has moved with his fami- ly' to Coolgardie in southwestern Australia to fill MaSon's teaching spot. The school year in Australia ends December 15 for two months of summer holidays, but, for the Masons, it was back to school January 3. They arrived in Vancouver December 18 to visit -relatives, then on to Winnipeg to spend Christmas with relatives. They travelled by train to London where they were met_ by Drew Robertson's in-laws Ken and Jean Pierce and brought to Crediton to the Robertson residence: In this type of exchange, teachers take over the hous- ing accommodation, vehicles, pets, etc. of their counterparts 111111IIII111I11111111111111111111I.111111111 ADAMS Heating & Cooling- • Heating Systems of All Types INSTALLED, MODERNIZED and MAINTAINED • General Sheet Metal Work • Air Conditioning • Humidifiers • Ventilation 235-2187 133 Huron St. East, Exeter 7nIt11111111111III,IH111111111111111111111t11i for the next year. For the Masou family it's not only a move'fr'om one side of the world to the other, but, extreme changes in temperature. In Coolgardie, a mining community of 900 persons where Mason was a principal for two years, summer temperatures of 35 to 40 Celsius degrees were normal. It rarely gets as low as 15. About the weather, the Mason's say "We notice the cold, but, enjoy the snow. They spent a recent Saturday at Pinery Provincial Park with Reg and Pauline Fink- beinerof Crediton enjoying skating, tobogganing and an outdoor barbecue featuring hot dogs. Mason commented, "It was great to have a barbecue here in the cold instead of in stink- ing hot weather Getting accustomed to driv- ing on the opposite side of the road is difficult for the Australians. They find left hand turns very .hard to negotiate. They find Ontario towns and villages much closer together. Mrs. Mason says "Canada is very closely settl- ed and we find it interesting to see so many churches, at least one in every village." Houses in Australia are mostly of one storey without. Best Interest 125/8% Guaranteed Investment Certificates *subject to change Gaiser4neale Insurance Brokers Inc. EXETER 235-2420 GRAND BEND 238-8484 CLINTON GODERICH 482=9747 524-2118 FM 2 -Way Radio Your Business partner of the 80's! The Force CAN be with you for as little as $599 installed Tenex Communications Aliso Craig 232-4477 Bill McHugh Prop. FORCE Authorized Dealer for COMMUNICATIONS General Electric • Force E.F. Johnson i basements and do not have central heating. In most homes, only one room is heated, usually with pot bel- ly wood stoves. Rhoda, the eldest daughter at 13 says she finds the accent of fellow students at Stephen Central very difficult. She added, "In Canada when replying to a thank you, it's the usual you are welcome, back home we say ,`that's okay:" Mrs. Mason after a couple of weeks still finds herself looking for familiar brands in grocery stores. She added, "We miss vegemite, which is a vegetable based spread for toast." About school systems, Mason says, "More similar than different. Back home we don't have rotation and not as much specialization. We do not have a second language yet in elementary schools. The elementary school length is seven years and• secondary school is of five years duration with three ' years being compulsory. Teachers -on exchange receive the same salary as they would at home. Mason said Canadian elementary salaries are a bit higher. In Australia $26,000 would be tops: Each pays his own transportation costs to the new country. • He -added, "Canadian schools appear to be well organized and the students seem happy. Our children have settled in well at Stephen Central." • - According to Mason, Australian rules football is the top spectator sport with 120,000 fans attending the grand final. The field for this brand of football is 160 by 50 metres and scores of up to 100 for each team are possible. Each team has 18 players on the field at one time. Six points are awarded for a kick through the main goal posts and one point through side goal posts. When they head back to Australia in late December, Mason expects to be ap- pointed principal of a school in the area of Perth which is 600 kilometres from his last school at Coolgardie. The children attending Stephen Central are Rhoda 13, Fleur 12, Sally Anne nine and Robin six. Crediton East By MRS. STAN PRESZCATOR Master Jeffery Armstrong returned home Wednesday from University Hospital. .teff had his tonsils removed. -Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Wein celebrated their 54th anniver- sary Sunday February 27. Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Thorn- ton, London were Sunday visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Jim Barnes Parkhill and were supper guests with Mr. and Mrs. Stan Preszcator. Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. WE PAY CASH for your COINS, GOLD, JEWELLERY and RINGS Top prices paid for Silver and Gold Coins, Foreign Coins, Bank Notes, War Medals, GOLD JEWELLERY, RINGS AND Pocket Watches. ALSO STERLING SILVER FLATWARE. CASH FOR YOUR NEW & OLD GOLD JEWELLERY & RINGS. SILVER DOLLARS CANADIAN 1935-1937 16.00 ' 1938 .00 1939 X7.00 1945 50.00 1948 13.00 1974 BLUNT 30.00 1947 POINTED 75.00 1947 ML 75.00 1948 1949 610.00 1950-1952 10.00 1953-1987 7.00 Acceptable Condition 1961 SILVER 1967 DOLLARS WE PAY 7.00 1967 HALF DOLLARS WE PAY 2.00 1967 QUARTERS WE PAY .50 1967 DIMES WE PAY .20 U.S.A. U.S.A. SILVER DOLLARS 1$7f-1935 WE PAY $9.00 1944 HALF DOLLARS WE PAY 2.50 1964 QUARTERS WE PAY 1.25 1964 DIMES WE PAY .50 Rogers Coins & Stamps Is In the OLD TOWN HALL MAIN ST. EXETER THIS Friday & Saturday March 4, 5 1983 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Because of fluctuating markets, coin prices are subject to change without notice. TOP PRICES PAID 2 DAYS ONLY Rogers Coins and Stamps Kitchener, Ont. TOP PRICES PAID FOR 'Souvenir Spoons 'Military Medals 'Cap Badges and Daggers 'War Souvenir German, Canadian All -countries '1858-1928 Copper Pennies '1858-1943 Five cent 'Antique gold and sliver Jewellery 'We buy almost anything e 0 II sunny weather 'up above' .HERE FOR A YEAR — Bob and Margaret Mason and their four daughters are spen- ding the year 1983 as residents of Crediton. He is teaching at McGillivray Central on an exchange program. The daughters from the left are Rhoda, Robin, Sally and Fleur. T -A photo Tiger Times from Stephen Central Hi there! It's me again Tony Tiger. We've really got a lot of news for you. There's so many. Our school Speak - off, public speaking in Crediton, an exciting field trip and much more. That's all for now. See you later. Susan Ratz Friday our school had a 50's day if you read the paper. A picture of the best dressed people was in the paper last week. After school from 3:30 til 5:00 we had a dance. Randy Hoffman February 23, 1983 at the Crediton hall Robbie and Kim Hoffman represented Stephen Central. There were 10 speakers and their speeches were very interesting. Robbie came in as first runner up and Kim was second runner up. Usborne won the trophy this year so they have to do the entertainment next year. Charlene .Browning Monday, February 21, grade 4-6 went to J.A.D. McCurdy School to view and take part in a play entitled "A Place to Grow". The Carousel Players acted out the characters. There were five members and five groups of students from different schools who took part. The characters in the play were Captain David Surewood, Margaret Surewoodliis wife, Thomas Surewood his son, Hannah Freeman, and Amos Frayne. I am sure everyone enjoyed the play. Laura Draisey The students from grades 6-8 have been taking exams this week for most of their subjects. Other grades from five and under are also hav- ing tests for the report cards that are coming out soon. Kathy Ilendrick February 15 everyone got a chance to buy some pan- cakes. It is a nice change from cold sandwiches. The pancakes are cooked on a grill, taken to someone who puts"the pancake on your plate as you go through a line. next you get butter and then the syrup. Tables are set up in the gym where we go to eat pancakes. Gary Wilson During thr' last three weeks we have hid a student teacher in Room Four. Her name is Miss Beer. Upon in- terviewi,pg &liss Beer. she told tisrshhc s.from lfensall but is currently going to Althouse College in London. When we asked if she had to take exams in order to become a teacher she said yes. It takes four years to become a teacher. She only has three more months to go. We have enjoyed her as a teacher in the last three weeks and hope 'she will make it to be a teacher. Chad Miller, Michelle Vincent Wednesday, February 16, 12 students from our grade four to grade eight competed with each other on their speeches. The students who took part are Julie Hendrick, Trevor Ratz, Julie Schade, Terri Maurer, Mona Brand, Rob tloffrttan; 'Stephanie Woods, Kim Hoffman, Ken Fitzgerald, Jamie Brand, Connie Desjardine and Michaelle Chalmers. The winners were Rob Hoff- man, Kim Hoffman, Trevor Raiz and Terri Maurer. Varna boy back from hospital stay By Mary Chessell • Brian Hill, who was injured in a car accidenton February 10, returned home from hospital on Suhday. In the campaign for the On- tario Heart Fund. $104 was collected in the village. Eric and Sharon Choler, who have been on vacation in Florida with Mr. and- Mrs. Louis Schilbe, returned home on Sunday. Correction on A -B building An •error appeared in the story last week on construc- tion of a new office complex for the Ansa hle-Bayfield Con- servation Authority, at the Morrison Dam. General manager Tom Pro- ut's comments should have read, ','11 will be unnecessary to increase levies to par- ticipating municipalities. The maple syrup is in full swing, with good runs some days. It seems arly, but Joan McAsh says they were mak- ing syrup at this time, two years ago. Rev. Gordon •Pickell of Goderich has taken the churcfi services in Varna and Goshen the past two Sundays while Rev. Brown was taking a Princetown University course on the use of the Old Testament in the Church. On Sunday Miss Brown will begin a Lenten series of sermons on sin. On Tuesday at 2 p.m. a filmstrip on Christian Initia- tion will be shown, followed by discussion of baptism and confirmatioin, and at 8 p.m. the same day there will be public speaking. At the singles' club: "I've had it with looking for Mr. F ight..Now I'm looking for Mr. Pretty Good." LONG SERVICE AWARD — Exeter Scouting group committee officials Dorothy Chap- man and Mike Cregon present Evelyn Lebedeau with a certificate marking 25 years of dedicated service as a leader. A yearly award is being presented to the top cub, scout and beaver of the local packs in her honour. , T -A photo Pen pals meet after 32 years After 32 years of exchang- ing letters, photos and telephone calls, Elaine King of Sydney, Australia and Ex- eter's town clerk Liz Bell finally met face to face. Mrs. King, accompaniedby husband Barrie, children Barrie Jr., 21; Lisa, 19; Mat- thew, 17; and young Barrie's friend Carlotta Parker, 18, left their home in the suburbs of Australia's largest city, and temperatures topping the 100 mark on the Fahrenheit thermometer, to visit her pen pal and experience Cana- - dian winter. The more impor- tant goal was realized, (and the Kings were in New York during the recent blizzard that dumped 22 inches of snow on that city.) The two women first began their long distance relation- ship when Liz was assigned an Australian pen pal in a 1951 grade seven English class. Letters circling the globe told of high school activities, graduation, further educa- tion, first jobs, engagement, marriage, children, impor- tant events taking place in lives half a world apart. "The kids wanted to see Liz as much as I did," Elaine remarked. From the time the Bells met the Kings at Toronto air- port on February 13, the two families have discovered more and more common ground. The two husbands have similar personalities, and so do Elaine and Liz. ( Coincidentally, both women trained as legal stenographers, and Mrs. King is employed. as "a court monitor.) • The young Australians and the three Bell children, David, 20, Brenda 17 and An- drea, 10, all like card games, movies and sports. David and Lisa are both university studeras. Both families live in a vast land; many may not realize • Australia is the same size as the continental US. Both Australians and Canadians tend to downplay the ac- complishments of their fellow citizens, and entertainers• have to make their mark in America -before winning ac- ceptance and approval. There arp cultural dif- ferences, however. Although both Australia and Canada grew from the same ,root stock, the two countries bran- ched out in different direc- tions. "They" speak with an accent, and "we" drive on the wrong 'side of the road. The differences became most apparent when the two families gathered around the supper (tea) table. A request to have something passed was answered with a blank, un- comprehending look. For ex- ample,. to an Australian, a sloppy joe is -not a.hamburger mixture on a bun but a loose- ly fitting T-shirt. Canadians prefer their food sweet, and Australians like it salty. When Matthew was served French toast and maple syrup in a restaurant, he scraped off the syrup and asked for ketchup. (tomato sauce) Australians are addicted to a condiment call ttVElgemite which tljey slather on everything with the same liberal hand we use with peanut butter. Olivia Newton John, Helen Reddy and the Bee Gees never leave home without it.) Liz tried some on toast, and confided that, to her, it had the same texture and appeal as axle grease. The Bells have taken the Kings to see Lake Huron (the visitors agreed after viewing the Great Lakes from the air that they are aptly named, a dairy farm ( down under the cattle stay outdoors all year round, eliminating the need for silos), a Junior A hockey game in Kitchener (most hockey players in Sydney are transplanted Canadians), Niagara Falls, the CN tower. the Indian museum 1.1 Lon- don, the Exeter police station, the rec centre and the high school (in Australia all public and secondary school students wear uniforms, and Australian schools do not have the elaborate, well equipped sports'facilitjes seen here.) Everyone went toboggan- ing in Pinery Park, and at- tended an Exeter council meeting. The Kings had heard about a popular Canadian winter pastime called curling, and couldn't imagine how hair embellishment could evolve into a sport. Barrie King found out what curling is all about the hard way. He slip- ped on the ice and broke his collar bone in three places. When asked if this would cur- tail any plans, Liz replied, "he won't be able to carry his own suitcase." The natives of the land of the wallabee, kangaroo and duck-billed platypus have been trying to capture on film one of our strange creatures - the squirrel. No luck yet. The Kings left for home on Saturday, carrying back memories of friendly people with much- in common, and enough differences to make it interesting. AUSTRALIAN VISITORS — Liz Bell and family are playing host to visitors from Australia. From left back are David Bell, Barrie and Elaine King, Mrs. Bell and (front) Matthew and Barrie King, Carlotta Parker and Lisa King., 1 Get the Bask Skills You'vm Always Wanted • • Today English, math, science -- skills in these areas will help you meet either the job -entry standards many employers demand or the bntrance re- quirements for other educational programs. . You can learn these skills at Conestoga. Our Certificate programs in ACADEMIC UPGRADING are designed for adults like you. You learn at your own .pace because instruction is tailored to your individual needs. Fees are reasonable and you.can begin classes any Monday, providing space is available. You may be eligible for sponsorship by Canada Employment or for financial help through the Ori- tario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Open the door to your future through ACADEMIC UPGRADING. Just call us for details. Clinton Campus call 482-3458 a Arts r