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Home My WebLink AboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1975-04-03, Page 4 (2)OUR POINT OF VIEW Alcohol big pr�bfem The social.costs of drinking are soaring inexorably in .Canada as the- amount of drinking goes up, The .United Church - Obseiver warns in itscurrent issue. ' , .. If Canada's drinking laws were further • liberaliied, to 'compare .with those 'Inca country such as France, -it would mean "four times more .alcoholics, traffic ac- cidents, crimes, mental, and physical ness, - broken • homes, - welfare; medicare ':'and insurance payments," writes manag- ing. editor James Taylor. The social 'and moral costs of alcohol are related to' the average a^onstlmption, he points out, and not•to the number of alcoholics: • Canadians now .drink 30 percent. more - 'alcohol each than they .did 25. years ago. Taylor{reports. In addition, the proport'id1► • • of adults whiff • drink has jumped frtSrn 60. , percent to 80 percent, placing :Canada 12th ins the world in consuniption. ahead of such traditional hard -drinkers as the Scan dinavians arid Irish: In Saskatchewan. a government• 'cgni- •i • • rnittee concluded that a, third of the ad-'. missions to mental hosrpitals; jails and courts. and• 36 percent- of the welfare bill was - diyect-iW attributable to over -use of aicohol.:The identifiable direct cost to the _province in 1971 was'$17.5 million. That did - riot' include the cost •of ` alcghol=tel'ted ci idles. aticidents in industry, or police costs. • One way of reducing consumption, the article suggests, ;is to increase the price. It points out that compared to other prices and to incomes,•the cost of drink has been 'steadily dropping. During a recent period when the cost -•of ;food went up 16 percent, the. cost of.Alcohol went up two. anda half Percent. Twenty years_ ago, a dozen beer • cost seven percent of the Canadian average weekly income..Today it costs about three, percent. . . Addiction Research Foundation - statistics show,that•when- price goes down, conslltindtion always. goes Up: When, price'• goes up, consumption goes down. • Back to grunts It`s rather aronicaithat at a time when - teachers are 'seeking pay increasesin the percent that other people across "range. of 40 the "nation are telling Us that our schools are turning out students who are barely literate -and have little knowledge of Cana- • t dian history or current events. In addition, we are told thanadian students can't spell, have trouble with sim- ple arithmetic and in general are nota well educated group. -. • • At a recent newspaper1Tleeting it was' suggested that in the near future, the copy - being turned out by recent graduates of - journalism courses at universities and - community colleges. would have' to -proofread BEFORE they went .to the typesetters so the spelling and grammar could be corrected before it was set in print. Obviously.' it's a • rather depressing situation. and wlyle we'are not suggesting that teachers alone are to blame for the malady. they must surely be, challenged into some soul-searching to determine if ' they are really doing the job for which they are being paid. . School authorities at all\ levels must shoulder part of -The 'blame: along with parents and. community leaders who in any _ way play a part in molding -young people. - - .One of the basic .problems is the op= tionalism being .provided our young -scholars. They are allowed -wide choices in their subject matter. and, many have • strayed away from courses demanding. , some expertise in the basic "three is" -and it is therefore only hatural'that their skills ' in some areas are almost non-existent. The lack of --knowledge of Canadian history and current events. proven in a. re- , .cent survey- among, -3,500 senior Canadian high school- students is almost disgraceful and certainly makes a mockery of the suggestion that we live in an age of instant Communications with news of our country and the world instantly at our fingertips. The survey proves that students—and no doubt their elders—spend-too much time in front of the TV watching the endless diet. of cops and robbers blasting, their way across our screens. • . Some remedial -action in all areas of • our ,education—both , formal and infor- mal—need some drastic changing before the evolution process takes us back to the grunts and sign 'language of our antecedents Doesn't hurt to raise coin This column ;s being written ut'constderable pain. it is caused. by one of three thing- hut haven't time to see a doctor because 1 have to w rite.. my column. So dont be surprised if it breaks off in the middje '1t's a sharp. bitingaPain in the - chest, But don't worm gentle - reader 14 -only -hurts when '1 . cough. laugh., blciw my nose or take a deep breath. Possibly' it's a heart attack. whichseerns to be the current fad among my peers these days. I. hope' it's`not. because i dislike chasing after popular trends On tht• other hand. it may be an attack of pleurisy. 1 have a cough like a lion. and am spewing oysters into tissues. toilet paper and the snow. depending on when the fit strikes me A third; possibility is that' I misted a muscle in my chest yesterday when 1 fell on a ski slope and decided to plow the last _30 yards with my nose. winding up in a contortion of limbs that would have made Houdini green with envy. Personally. 1. subscribe to the' third theory. mainly because. it • stakes me seem like a clean - living chap. and secondly because i don't like the sound of the- other two. Each is a bit Iraught At any rate. this ominous - or silly - little pain OUCH' (1 just 'sneezed i has made me give serious thought to a topic that is Times Established 1873 all the rage these days - corporal punishment in our schools I s almost as popular. .t- capital punishment for criminals. and is even • rnoi-e' widely discussed for.. while criminals make tip a . tom-- parativeh• small segment of our society rotten kids are alwa.s -there in great numbers t'sually. the business of beating kids is seen in black and white. On the one hand. you have the fundamentalists, who go•back to the Bible with.fhat old chestnut. "Spare the rod and spoil the child " These people forget that several bf the disciples were fishermen..and that what thi4 particular • one meant was. "If you don't let the' kid use your :Spare rod once in a while. he'll grow up to 'be a lousy angler.' On the other side are the other crazies: psychologists. Who think a kid who is thumped will be warped for life; mothers who . read articles by psychologists; and former child -beaters who are now school principals. And in between, as usual are all the confused. decent and sensible people like you and me and the Moderator of the United Church of Canada. who thinks the strap should be brought hack. Both the extreme camps. of course. are full of crap In the first group. we have people who were whipped unmercifully when they were kids, and by some weird type of logic. now claim it Advocate Established 1881 • GEORGE Man's Pedigree - Three monkeys sat .in a coconut tree Discussing things as they're said to be Said one to the ethers, . ''Now listen you two . - There's certain rumot that can't ,be true That man descended from our noble race The very idba is sure a disgtace— No rponkeyhas ever deserted his wife Starved her babies and ruined her life And you've neyer known anothermonk .. • To leave her babies with another to bunk Or pass them on from .one to an"ether - Till they hardly know which one is their mother And another thing you will "never see A. monk build a•fence round a coconut tree 4nd lit the"cpconut waste... . Forbidding all othermonks to taste Why, if 1 gait a fetice around this tree Starvation would "force you to steal from me And here's something else ,a monk won't do Go out 'at night and get in a "stew" Or usea gun or a club.ot• knife • • - -To take some other poor monkey's life Yes, pian descended—the ornery cuss- But, brother, he didn't descend front us'." As The Mayor Sees... Senior citizens in Exeter BY 13010E SHAW • On March -18, -council called for- an oran open meeting of senior'citizens -a senior ,citizen housing project ; to discuss problems and concerns many have talked to us about a s that retired and near retired men , nursing-home; and there is talk in . and women face: living in our other'municipalities of plans and • - communily. • ••• projeets available to senior The turnout, although••ex-- 'citizens tp help (hem with drug,,. . .pected; was still disappointing - medical and -dental problems as with approximately 25 people, out `"well as legal; financial -and in- : oEover 700 in attendance. Those mine tax assistance. who were ..there, however, Another worry facir)g all of us • thought . that there had • been ' or certainly should face all of us, definite value in the meeting..and • • as citizens is.the man or woman a subsequent meeting is planned confined ..to the home. 'E ireter • for the near future'. -•• • United Church has the 'steals qn • There were several areas of wheels - project-' which is a concern that were brought -to my -tremendous start in meeting the 'attention during the recent campaign •and since I assumed office dealing with the plight_•of. senior citizens. - Many centre -on recreation: what have. you got for -elderly women?, what•'s the idea of this recreation complex?: Why aren't,• things'Organized. for us' how can • 1 belong to the club? - Organize'd recreation, in Exeter is administered or guided by RAP. Two members of •RAP are council appointees who compose the social services committee (l:ossy Fuller and Harold Pat- terson) . . Their ' concern. in. part,. is to meet the problems of the seniors. (Both attended the meeting on March 18) • But recreation is only one area with which council is concerned. .We are currently involved with - • Some potholes and loopholes It'sdifficult to heap praise on be heard of again," he suggests. potholes: but they do provide - . +K + • +- some benefits. • That loose change you have in • Traffic speed is considerably your pocket doesn't buy much reduced at this titne of year as, these days, but it may even- be driers relax their foof on the gas worth less than you imagined. pedal to navigate through the Down in. Georgetown, some uneven terrain evidenton most , • counterfeit 25 cent pieces have streets in town and on some been found. country roads. • A shop owner there received a Designed to encourage young Even the hot-rodders won't risk phony quarter and while it passed couples to - save to buy • their brolten springs . and sprained -the eye test, when he bit•on the homes. tax advisors•have talked shock absorbers and as a result coin his teeth sunk in. The odd for months about the possibility the streets become a safer place coin was made of lead. - - - of shifting the family. home from for everyone. • • anyone who has gone to that one spouse to another and then rnuch trouble to make worthless- back again so that each could, in money out of something that is turn have that once-in-a-lifetime: almost worthless , in itself in ROSP. • today's inflated • market place, 11 • could well - he. worthwhile, must have a great deal of, time on since if the money from a ROSP his hands. is used to buy the house from the However, give the chap . the other spouse, or for furnishings, benefit of the doubt. He may only it will have escaped • tax have had in mind a chance to do altogether.' his bit to ease the present coin Gimmicks like these add up to shortage. • . • - had tax policy according tog some if more of .the coins crop up in tax authorities •becausethey Ontario. don't hetoo surprised to favor the .nimble and ad - see people walking around biting t enitirous while discriminating coins before they accept' them. against the unsophisticated and •Soundi as though the dentists those without professional 'tax may t pnefit from the racket as advice. well: • + + + -r ,,i- + • We trust readers haw been Speaking oh•inflation, there's a following the reports being story about a woman who submitted by flier committee reported that a crook stole 575 studying a new sports • complex worth of groceries from her car. for the South Huron area. Took 0 right out of the glove Contrnitteee members have eomparfnient' been giving the subject some + +, careful consideration and the Few would argue with the points they have been raising• desirability of encouraging • in- should therefore be given some ' dividual Canadians to save and • careful consideration by area invest and a tali break often ratepayers, who sooner or later provides the test incentive . will he presented with the final But, in the scramble to achieve .report fur their decision. a variety of economic objectives: it behooves everyone to digest or correct some inequities. the the comments and reports being Canadian tax system is becoming made so a- decision can be cluttered with complexities and reached on the basis of facts as loopholes that in the end may do they are revealed. more harm than the good•they were.indended to achieve. Take the Registered Home Ownership Savings Plan (ROSP 1 which lends itself to uses for .which it surely wasn't intended. The potholes' provide a most economical alternative to those •speed bumps" used in some places .to stow traffic They ' require 00 engineering and in addition provide a sense of ad- venture because they virtually leap out al drivers at the.ntoment they least expect one. Unfortunately the hazards they present outweigh the advantages in most instances, although if nature would .cooperate and put -the holes in proper places they could be left with the resulting saving. in tax dollars and the shattered nerves caused by speeders pn town. streets and country roads. -F + + Note that achap by the name of Robert Orben has come up with a foot roof plan to get rid of the needs of the shut But in many cases, a short. simple visit is the answer. 14 'e should be actively interested in those who cannot leave' their homes..for those who are isolated - from the rest of the community. All of us should be involved, but the 'younger seniors' can, in a large part, satisfy. this need. Who would better -know, who these people are, and who Would better understand their problems? What's the answer? I don't kno.v if it would work, but 1 can see an active executive of the senior's with the help of a social convener (as suggested by one of the young- seniors) establishing contacts with the rest of - the The difficulty for RAP and coinmunity to determine both council lies in the fact that there needs and solutions is no single group that ctjn act as The executive could in-. spokesman for the senior!., either • vestigate concerns brought -to it collectively or individually. both council, RAP and• the it would appear reasonable community of large It would be a that the seniors be brought -significant Voice. in turn, in together under one. group. The presenting requests for action to existing clubs and organizations both Council and RAP. could continue to furl'ction as they But. in spite of the enthusiasm do presently. but one overall body, that many of us have to improve Would co-ordinate the activities the lot of the seniors. absolutely of seniors in Exeter. - The nothing will be done unless we executive of such a body would'be are encouraged by the seniors. composed of representatives of especially the' 'younger seniors'. both the clubs and the non- to act. members living in town. - -W a realize too baron many may • This body would work with not wont any assislani.e. and RAP in applying for grants, for many may not want to take part instance. so as to avoid another in any community endeavor . hut . 'mistake' such as that involving the opportunity is being offered. the Scout House. - See you at the next meeting p was gond for them.• They can recession. hat di-. wait tor a chance to get "Carefully wrap it up.. seal it then o,'.n track . - with tape: tie it with cord, mark it And in the second Group are all 'fragile. insurei it, take it to - the the other people who were post office ... and it will never ' whipped unmercifully when they were kids and are trying to prove that that is what made them stung. but once in a while. we'd queer ever since jerk back our hand, and she'd hit i despise both groups, and will herself a good crack on the thigh, stick with the great mass in the which doubled 'the number of middle Most of us were whipped. • each hand but raised our status in at one time .nr •another: but not the class, unmercifully. and. we deserved There are only two reasons for every stroke of the hairbrush, a teacher to use a strap: 1) heor skelp.of•ihe yardstick. .'}nd swich--he is a poor teacher. and 2) to of the willow -switch. l add a little drama - to the 11 didn't -warp us. psychologically or physically It taught us something about the society we would be living in - that there are certain limits, and if vnu transgress thein. you take your Ticks' My mother used to work over my kid brother and me about once a week. whether we needed 0 or not.She• used- a fly -swatter. which has a sting like a scorpion, or a yardstick. if we got under the bed. and the fly -swatter wouldn't reach It did us no harm whatever and 'probably saved her sanity The same brother and i were in the same•'class in school. and once a week our teacher. Old Mary Walker, would give us a good strapping. along with a buddy. G G. Relyea. We tho(ight the world of her. The strappings Amnlgmmnted 1924 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., O:W.N.A. and ABC Publisher — Robert Southcott Editor — Bill Batten Advertising Manager Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh. ' Plant Manager — les Webb Composition Manager — Dovid Worby Phone 235-1331• SUBSCRIPTION Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter. Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Paid in Advance Circulotion March 31, 1974, 5,309 RATES: Canada $9.00 Per Year; USA $11.00 } !NW moor Aw6D0 monotony of the classroom. • A word to the bleeding-hearts. There are a lot more insidious ways to warp a child's per- . sonality than physical punish- ment. The real sadists of the classroom, and they are few, thank goodness. are those who •use personal harassment. hec- toring. and sarcasm. These can do tar more permanent damage than a good thump.. Naturally my sympathies in this affair are with the teacher. 1 have •no time for the bully. The teacher with strength of . character has few discipline ,problems. But what about the sensitive young lady teacher who asks a lout to do something and he says: "Screw you."?. . So the .punk gets a "suspen- sion" fora few days (translation: holiday). 111 had the say, I'd turf him nut of school for a year, and let his parents put up with him. It would serve both parties right. (ANDER RUSADE Month Need a mat a 25th wedding anniversary or wedding reception which would ' To the Editor indicate that they arcs between A number of active people. in the ages of 18 and 50 years have this community are attempting to priority on the hall... improve the programs available Anyone else. especially . for wrestling. judo and gym- children. grade 7-9- which • nasties. As well. they are hoping represents ages 11 to. 16 pay, to increase the opportunities for exactly the same arnoixrt young people to get involved lit- although i.question their earning, these sports. power. To :achieve this, it will be A recent incident occurred necessary to purchase a proper when a group of youngsters from mat surface. The only " mat Dashwood.community set up a surface now available is at the dance for the children of the town • High School, and to say the least and surrounding areas. The it is inadequate, - dance Was advertised by posters A new mat area would improve as providing money for Camp Ute quality in these sports as Sylvan. through Stephen Central mochas hockey would improve if School. •$32.10 was paid through:a a community were changing 5(1 cents admission and $30.00 from natural to artificial ice. was paid to Dashwood Com- . A good quality four -piece mat munity Center Board. •h • •4o•Years Ago it was decided at the council meeting on Monday evening to_ place a system of upright stan- dards on both sides of Main St. from Huron to Gidley St. The lights will be 150 feet apart. In this way the lighting capacity will be doubled. ' On Tuesday evening a beautiful religious play was presented by the CGiT in James St. Church under the capable leadership of Miss Flossie Ilunter and Miss Reta Rowe. The play was entitled "Lydia, -the Seller of Purple." At a meeting in the Exeter Library on Wednesday evening 'an organization was set up to revive the lawn bowling in Exeter. For many years Exeter enjoyed a live bowling organization with one of the finest greens in the past 25 years. Already over 45 have signified the i'htention of becoming 4 - members. 25 Years Ago ' Julie Dunlop was named the best actress in the play "Charlie's Aunt" presented by pupils.of Exeter High School last week. A fire completely destroyed the race Karn at the Community Park Saturday evening and only one horse -of the seven stabled there was -saved. Exeter District School Board will banquet the basketball teams which this year won two WOSSA championships. 1S Years Ago Exeter will be one of some 19 Western Ontario hockey teams s surface costs almost $5,000. The i thus fair o� High school has agreed to budget is this? All adults . $1,500.00 for the mat. A number of children count? young people in the community LeRoy M involved in wrestling. judo• loll: gymnastics are attempting to participating in the Brampton raise $3.500.L - The mat when purchased will tournament Club Novice.hHockey be used, stored. and mairitained holiday. over the Easter by the High School but will be - holidate available to anyone in the DExeter re eived a Gerry community involved in wrestling, • Smith received the trophyy judo or- gymnastics assuming, of Tuesday goaltendingsecond course, that they are properly night for the second su cruised. straight year, as the agile net Your help is needed. There are minder once again proved to be 500 tickets being sold at $10.00 thebest in the Group ► each for a raffle and stag to be intermediate league. held at the Exeter Arena. Friday Members of the Exeter Lions Aril 25. The ticket admits two Club entertained their' children at and gives the ticket holders a the supper meeting at. Arm chance to win S750 in prizes, as strong's Restaurant Thursday well as enjoy a good meal and social evening. The raffle is sponsored by the newly formed South Huron Wrestling Association with assistance from people involved in the Exeter and district gym- nastics and judo clubs. Please remember to come out and support these minor sports. The new mat will give many young people the opportunity not only to participate but improve their skills. Ask anyone involved with young people, actively in- vetved students seldom cause unnecessary worry to concerned parents. Thanks, evening. 10 Years Ago Two SHDHS leaders, Carolynne Simmons and Bryan Baynham, expressed their views that teens are not ready for the lowering of the legal age of 18 to permit thein to consume alcohol and to vote. A Crediton native, F. W. Clark, celebrated his 90th birthday. He operated the Crediton Rural Telephone System for 27 years, as well as being the Crediton Bell Telephone manager for a lengthy period. " Clerk C. V. Pickard reported this week there were ap- proximately 14 applications for the position of police constable which became vacant .when Constable .Lloyd Hodgins ter- minated his service. Red Cross Blitz chairman Reg Beavers noted that the $1,000 collected by the Lions Club was almost double from the previous year. Huron MP Elston Cardiff Cardiff was one of the five veteran members honored in the House of Commons last week. Doug Ellison is this fair? community or do our Gowanloclf Travel info Dear -Sir: As you maybe aware. recent surveys have 'indicated that Canadians are, on the whole, a nation of travellers. At the present time over 10 percent of the population is in possession of a .valid passport: As the holiday season is just over the horizon it is safe to assume that the majority of these passport holders' as well as a considerable number of new applicants '.may soon ' be preparing for.the annual summer exodus beyond• the national boundaries. inevitably. a certain per- centage of this group, through the lack of awareness of local customs, social taboos or. local laws and regulations, may en- counter problems and pitfalls. and may require the assistance of Canadian embassies and _con- sular posts abroad. Furthermore, there are oc- casions when political upheavals or climatic disasters in certailt parts of the work! can make 0 difficult, or even temporarily dangerous. for Canadians to visit such areas. One of the functions of the Bureau of Consular Ser- vices is to caution would -he - travellers by all available means of possible problems or dangers they may encounter. Another is Id work" closely with posts abroad in giving whatever possible assistance whenever Canadians do find themselves in difficulty in a foreign country. Therefore. the old adage "forewarned is forearmed" — Please turn to Page 5 Mr. Editor: I wish to bring to the public's attention what 1 feel to be unfair usage of our Community Center, for purposes other than Com- munity enjoyment. it appears that anybody having 1