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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-06-23, Page 8Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, June 23', 1999 Opinion&Forum Remember when... On June 30 to July 2, 2000, South Huron District High School will celebrate its 50th Anniversary. The Exeter Times Advocate would like to join in the celebrations by �o sharing articles, or pictures which have appeared over the years. YEARS 1954-1958 - HI HIGHLIGHTS Praises high school music as District Festival opens The South Huron Music Festival, the fourth to be sponsored by the Huronia Male Chorus, opened with high school competitions held in the auditorium of South Huron District High school. Dr. G. Roy Fenwick, Supervisor of Music in Ontario, who is adjudicator of the festival for the second time, complimented the high school for having made music a living thing in the curriculum. "Music has come to life here," he said. He remarked there was only one other high school in Ontario where one could expect to hear boys and girls sing as they did here today. In the evening, piano competitions and adult vocal classes were held. Highest mark awarded by the adjudicator Wednesday was 88 received by both Bruce Cudmore and the James Street United Church Choir under the direction of Lawrence Wein. Bruce Cudmore, who won the baritone solo class, "has a promising voice and knows how to put his song across," Dr. Fenwick said. He complimented the James .Street choir for the freshness of its voices, the balance of parts, fine unanimity and the naturalness with which the members sang. They were the only entry in the class. Linda Tiernan, of Dashwood was awhrded a $10 "scholarship from the Hulfonlaagdpiorus for. the highest marks in the piano sections from eight to 11 years. She received 87 marks in the 10 -year-old class. Bonnie McCrae, also of Dashwood and Lynda Walper of Exeter received 86 marks each to tie for second place. High school winners were: Junior girls solo: Pat Cann, 83; Doreen Brock., 82; Shirley Gossman 81. Junior boys, solo: Allan Taylor 83; Richard Charrete 82; Calvin McKerral 81.. Junior Girls duet: Janice Hamilton and Connie Klump 83; Eleanor May Hodgins and Sylvia Johns 82; Nancy Boyle and Mary Ann Rannie 81. Junior girls' double trio: Helen Down, Marion Gill, Jane Farrow, Barbara. Tuckey, Helen Taylor, Connie Klump 82; Joyce Cornforth, Betty Brady, Judy Willert, Bernice Strang, Ruth '-Dykeman, Mary Dickey 81; Winnie Negryn, Diane `Thiel, Jocelyn Howey, Donna. Oesch, Eleanor Mae Hodgins; Joan Koehler 80. Junior Boys double trio; Calvin McKerral, Charles Mickle, Paul Wilson, R. Charrette, Douglas Thiel, Bob Ford 82; Ron Klopp, Allan Tai or, Barry, Glover, Graham Farquhar, Bill Pollen, Elmer Ince, 81; Jarry Love, Stan Francis, Ernist Miller, Tom Humphrey, Bob Galloway, Gerald Oesch 80. Senior Girls double trio: Barbara Allison, Marilyn Bissett, Nancy Cudmore, Diane Kearney, Shirley Bell, Joan Schroeder 84; klonna Stone, Jean Lavender, Anabelle Taylor, ;roan Thomson, Marlene WAgner, Ruth Soldan 83; Connie Ostland, Judy Ross, Kay Klopp, Marla Howse, Anna Routley, Frances Brophey 81. Senior boys quartette: Don Taylor, Bill Hess, Bob McLaren, Phil Charette 83; Jim Cougall, Keith Gill, Barry Slade, Terry Wade 82. Senior Mixed Quartette: Marilyn Bissett, Shirley Bell, Emil Hendrick, Terry Wade 86; Connie Ostland, Anna Routly, Don Taylor, Charles Kernick 85; Donna Stone, Marilyn Haberer, Don Idle, Don Finkbeiner 84. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE.SHDHS "AU. -YEARS REUNION" CONTACT KENDRA ARTHUR 235-4006 (H) OR 235-4587 (W) 011 PAT RowE 236-7167 OPINIONS • OPINIONS • OPINIONS • OPINIONS • OPINIONS • OPINIONS • OPINIONS The new justice system for youth As a counsellor and advocate for youth I have been anxiously awaiting the news release from the Minister of Justice, Anne McLellan. On May 12 the government task force brought out its list of rec- ommendations to. replace the Young Offenders Act. Let's look at some of the proposals to protect we the public from youth crime. Respect, values, accountability, con- sequences prevention and rehabili- tation are some of the buzz words to solve our programs. The age limit for young offenders to be tried in adult courts will -be lowered from 16 to 14 years of age. The names of teen offenders who are convicted of violent crimes such as murder, sexu- LEONARD al assault will be allowed to be pub- LESSER lishe d . COUNSELLOR The government finally realizes that the root cause of crime fester in poverty and child abuse, over 500,000 children in Canada do not have the necessities of life to haves. nurturing environment. Twenty-five percent of our teens do not even finish high school with a two to one ratio -of young .men quitting compared to their female counterparts. Maybe that is why our detention cen- ters and jails are filled with young males? Our gov- ernment has some solutions, "The Crime Prevention Initiative" will look at community based partnerships with an annual commitment of 432 million. We are going to have a new "National Children's Agenda to improve the lots of those chil- dren at risk. The commissions admit that most of our young offenders do not commit serious violent crimes and can be dealt with by the community at large to find alternative measures to deal with first time offens- es. There is a section that speaks of the role of par- ents who can be charged if he/she does not attend jaluS court a new proposal that families pay for legal 01burnsel. There is an admission that the victim should have a part in the whole process but what, when and why has not been spelled out. The Canadian Council of Children Advocates has a mandate to protect the rights of our youth. They have produced a document, that poses some con- cerns that I hope will be addressed. The analysis of the proposed youth Criminal Justice Act quotes the standing committeereport chaired by the late Shaughnessy Cohen's paper Renewing Youth Justice. Did anyone listen or read the report, "most youth offences are minor, we are not experiencing an upsurge in serious violent youth crime, the rate of youth incarceration is two times higher than in U.S.A. and two to fifteen times that of several European countries. "The rate of violent crime among youth has declined 3.2 percent and only a small proportion of kids are involved in serious, repeat, criminal acts." "I -n 1997 82 percent of the charges laid against youth were for non-violent crime, property, possessions of drugs and contempt of court." Then why are we contemplating changing the Young Offenders Act? We have bene told by the media that youth crime is out of control, check the papers and read all a bout the "Preppy Gang," a group of college students that the court exonerated and asked that Preppy title be purged from their files. Sure there was the Blue Water riots followed by the enquiry into the Elgin Middlesex affair but the vast majority of our young offenders are not a threat to society. The Boot Camps and other deten- tion centers are a waste of money and have a very high recitative rate. It is absurd to sentence 14 year old children to adult prisons, what a great education they will receive from the long term inmates. Making parents pay for level council will surely mean that most kids will plead guilty, the well of parents have expensive lawyers to defend their children. It has been proposed by Chuck Cadman of the Reform Party that an amendment to the Youth Justice Criminal Justice Act read that adults may be jailed for up to two years if their children do not fulfill their obligations. Now that is good idea, if your kid does not obey the court order than dad and mom can find themselves in the slarnmer. Imagine the power of "Rocky", threaten- ing his parents with you do as I tell you or else." the Department of Justice has proposed some amendments to the Young Offenders Act that need revision. We have knowledgeable Children's Hire a Student Week Last week the Human Resource Centre for Students had been celebrating Hire -A -Student week. As part of this nation wide celebration the Summer Employment Officers of Huron County organized a barbecue at I.G.A. on Thursday and a dress -down day for some of the local businesses on Friday. I would like to thank every- one who attended the barbecue and participated in the dressed down day at work. We were pleased with the turn out from both events. All of the proceeds generated were donated to the South Huron Big Brothers/Sisters. The Human Resource Centre for Students hopes these two events were successful with getting businesses and residents in the local communities interested in using our services this summer. There has been a large number of college and university students who have found employment for the summer. In many cases they were fortu nate to find some thing in their field of interest. However, there are still many secondary and ele- mentary school students looking for a full or part- time employment thi s summer. With exams com- ing to an end in the next week students will be eager to get out and work. If you have any part time, full-time or odd jobs available for students, dorp by the Human Resource Centre for Students at 281 Main St. S. or call 235-1711. we have a wide range of students registered at the centre with a variety of skills nad experiences. We will try our best to find students to fill your employment needs. Hire a student today! USA EAGLESON SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OFFICER Advocates across !Canada that tions of Bill C-68. They are a group of dedicated counsellors who have ongoing contact with our youth in care. The advocates hear the voices of travail of our troubled teens who languish in our detention centres; the counsellors are their voice for hope and change. I am a counsellor who has sincere interest in the well being of all of our youth. I have: sadly visited too many teens in custody. If you are interested in learning more about the problems there a couple of good books: "Return to the Teachings" by Rupert Ross and "The Expanding Prison" by David Cayley They provide excellent insight into the dilemma of crime, punishment and a search for meaningful alternatives. "Most men look at things as they are and wonder why. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why Not?" Len Lesser is a youth and family counsellor. -He can be reached at 519-434-8316. have serious- que-- Have you considered these points: "A man is a person who will pay two dollars for a one dollar item he wants. A woman will pay one dollar for a two dollar item that she doesn't want. A man wants to be a woman's first love. Women want to be a man's last romance. To women, love is an occupation. To men it is a preoccupation. To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all. A woman marries a man expect- ing he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does. A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband, while a man never worries about the future until he gets a wife. There are two times when a man doesn't under- stand a woman: before and after marriage." REV. VERNON. DEAN POINT TO PONDER •