Times Advocate, 1984-09-19, Page 27PICK QUEEN — Judges had o difficult time choosing a Queen of the Furrow for Huron County at the plowing
match but finally'decided on Valerie Johnston of Bluevale as the best representative for the plowing associa-
tion. Pictured from left to right ore: last year's Queen Lynne Dodds of Seaforth, new Queen Valerie Johnston,
Lori Hayter of Varna, Corinne De Corte of Seaforth, Deb Henderson of Seaforth, runner-up Rhonda Lobb of
Clinton, Karo Von Den Neucker of"Seaforth, Lisa McClure Seoforth, Donna McClure of Seaforth and Mary
Lou Anderson of Londesboro. (James Friel photo)
Huron plowing match winners off to IPM
Paul. Dodds of RR 1,
Seaforth, won the teenage
class of the 57th Huron Coun-
ty Plowing Match on Satur-
day. The win brought with it
a scholarship to attend the In-
ternational Plowing Match
near Teviotdale in Wellington
County next week.
Third-place finisher Jeff
McGavin of Walton also had
been selected by the Huron
Plowmen's Association to
compete on a scholarship bas-
ed on his performance last
year but the international
association cut scholarship
entries to one from each coun-
ty this year.
George Townsend, presi-
dent of the Huron association
told those attending Saturday
that reducing the scholar-
ships is a "big mistake."
"This is where we get the
encouragement at the county
level for young people to get
involved. We have had as
many as eight in this scholar-
ship class. We have picked
our team from last year's
competition and now we'have
to tell them only one may go."
The teen class competition
at this year's match was us-
ed as the deciding competi-
tion. Dodds won out over
Steven Adams of Brussels
who came second. Adams and
McGavin also will be com-
peting at the international
match but not on
scholarships.
Conestoga College student
Valerie Johnston, 19, or RR 2,
Bluevale, was chosen queen
of the furrow. Rhonda Lobb,
17, of Clinton, was runner-up.
There were nine contestants.
Townsend said the number
of entrants and spectators
was up this year over last
year despite chilling rain and
wind and ample acreage of
mud.
Plowing winners are:
Huron residents drawing any
number of plows, Brian
McGavin, Walton: open class,
any kind of plow, Rod
McGillivray, RR 4, Paisley;
green class for Huron boys
and girls under 15; Dennis
Hallahan, Blyth; girls class,
Vicki Gordon, RR 1 Seaforth;
Huron class for non-
competiton plows, Paul Fear,
Blyth; open class, Rod
McGillivray, Paisley; open to
Teachers told to
become political
Women teachers can no
longer avoid political activity
and involvement if they real-
ly care about their students,
according to Susan Hildreth,
provincial president of the
31,000 -member Federation of
Women Teachers' Associa-
tions of Ontario. Speaking to
600 delegates at the Federa-
tion's annual meeting in
Toronto. Ms Ifildreth urged
teachers to undertake
political action against media
violence and pornography
and for affirmative action and
peace.
Attending the annual
meeting from Middlesex
county were : Fran McCut-
cheon, Ekcoe; Judith Sieffert,
Caradoc North. Marion Har -
nes, Caradoc Central; Phyllis
Lyon. Adelaide - W.G. Mac-
Donald; Shirley MacMillan
and Donna Walker, Biddulph-
Lucan; Adrienne Toews, Cor -
borne Street and Kathie
McNamara, Caradoc South.
Ms. Ifildreth spoke strong-
ly in favour of affirmative ac-
tion in school systems. saying
that "This generation of men
and women must do
something positive and effec-
tive 4 to eliminate sex
stereotyping) or our female
students will remain in the
same low-paying. low -status
job ghettos women occupy
now.
The annual meeting heard
a report on stress among
women teachers. indicating
that difficulties on the job are
the major source of their
stress. Stress is often the
rt.- ult of the problem of
cIr' ses too large to allow
sal .sfactory work with gifted
students, those with emo-
tional and behavioural pro-
blems and those with other
learning disabilities. accor-
ding to results released by Dr
Florence Henderson. Ex-
ecutive Secretary of the
Federation.
in other discussions,
delegates described por-
nography as a form of hate
literature against women,
and urged the federal go%ern-
ment to regulate and monitor
television programmes depic-
ting people in sexually violent
and degrading roles. They
agreed to support test cases
under the Charter of Rights
on behalf of women, and to
urge the federal and provin-
cial governments to agree to
include homemakers in the
Canada Pension Plan. as
recommended by the
Parliamentary Task on Pen-
sion Reform.
Two teachers from this
area received Centennial
Scholarships from the
Federation. Nancy Robson a
librarian at East Williams
and Parkhill schools will be
completing the last year of
her degree at University of
Western Ontario and Marsha
Davidson will be finishing her
degree and taking part-time
studies toward her Masters of
Ed. at Althouse College. Con-
gratulations to both
recipients.
By Jack Riddell MPP
A recent Globe and Mail ar-
ticle reported some startling
facts about the impact that an
aging population will have on
the allocation of healthcare
resources over the next 40
years. A Task Force funded
by the Canadian Medical
Association estimates that at
least 12 8 percent of Cana-
dians alive in the year 2,001
will be over 65 - the current
level is 9.7 percent - and that
the figure will rise to at least
17 5 percent by the year 2,021.
Canada already institu-
tionalizes far more of its
elderly than the United
States. the United Kingdom
and Australia. if we continue
to put elderly people in
hospital long term care
facilities and mental health
institutions at the current
rate. in the year 2,021 the
country will need 1300 bed
long term care facilities in ad-
dition to the facilities it has
now.
This prosoect alarms the
Task Force for two reasons:
"The cost will not only be
prohibitive but we will
perpetuate the callous prac-
tice of warehousing the
elderly."
Fortunately, there is a
healthy list of alternatives
which if implemented serve
both the welfare of older
Canadians and the public
purse.
The key is to assist the
elderly to stay in their com-
munities for as long as possi-
ble. Meals on Wheels can pro-
vide nourishing food:
tractors pulling four or more
plows; Johi: Becker,
Dashwood; antique class,
Ron Scotchmer, Mitchell;
horse class, Edgar Howatt,
Blyth.
Hydro will add
$4-:5 per month
Ontario Hydro will increase
the rates it charges power
consumers by an average of
8.6 percent next year, Hydro
chairman Tom Campbell an-
nounced Thursday.
Although the exact increase
to homeowners will vary ac-
cording to consumption and
local area, the rate increase
can be expected to add $4 or
$5 to the average monthly
residential bill of $47.
The rate increase is the
same as that recommended
by the Ontario Energy Board
but lower than the 9.1 percent
increase Hydro had said it
wanted.
. A representative of On-
tario's large industrial power
consumers said the rate in-
crease wiil increase
unemployment in the
province.
"We're quite upset about
this whole thing," said Thorn-
ton Lounsbury, executive
director of the Association of
Major Power Consumers in
Ontario.
Lounsbury said the 50 com-
panies belonging to his group,
including the largest mining
and pulp and paper com-
panies, will be forced to lay
people off because they can't
pass the rate increase on to
their customers.
World prices for metals and
paper dictate what these com-
panies receive for their pro-
duct, Ile said.
The rate increase will boost
the $500 -million total annual
A fact
homemaker services can
clean homes and run errands;
drop-in centres can provide
dental care and eye check-
ups. Mobile hospital units
already proved effective an
experimental project in New
Brunswick. could provide
health care to the elderly at
home. "Through the use of
this unit hospital it possible.
the terminally ill can be
treated at home and admis-
sions to nursing homes can be
postponed."
These services will cost
money but everything is
relative. Almost 10 percent of
Canada's elderly are now in
institutions; if the level were
reduced to even six percent
on a par with the rates in the
United States and the United
Kingdom. the report
estimates the country would
save 16.3 billion dollars in
capital construction costs
over the next 40 years.
The Task Force identifies a
major problem with geriatric
care in Canada. With few ex-
ceptions there are no facilities
which let people move with
ease through the various
stages of care - low (Home for,/
the Aged), medium (Nursing'
Homes) and high (chronic
hospital care) Passage from
one to the other is a
nightmare of waiting lists,
overcrowding and conflicting
jurisdictions between depart-
ments of health and social
services.
So it is, writes the Task
Force that "the patient who
has entered hospital cannot
be moved out again to a Nur-
sing Home because his place
Lias been filled. These perhaps
would be vacant places in the
Nursing Home, if current
residents who would be better
electrical bill of the large
companies by about $45
million, said Lounsbury. The
companies purchase about 17
percent of Hydro's output.
(.ounsbury said Hydro con-
tirnbally under -estimates its
revenue from electricity sales
and such an increase is not
needed.
But Campbell said the large
increase is needed to cover
costs beyond Hydro's control
such as interest rates and the
value of the Canadian dollar.
He said Hydro is adhering
to provincial restraint
guidelines in those costs it can
control.
Even with the average 8-6
percent increase, Campbell
said Ontario electricity rates
will be among the lowest in
North America.
Compared with the On-
tario average of $47 a month,
a residential power con-
sumers pay $34 in Winnipeg,
$39 in Montreal, $41 in Regina,,
$50 in Calgary, $65 in Halifax,
$83 in Los Angeles, $108 in
Chicago and $176 in New
York, Hydro's 1983 annual
report said.
Campbell reiterated that
the utility is committed to
keeping rate increases at or
below the level of inflation
during the 1980s.
But Lounsbury noted
Hydro's rate increase is
significantly more than the
expected 1984 inflation rate of
4.5 percent.
;.` ..<.. X.. rrx.:�FE2:i?biii.`'Ei'A.MIAMX
lackI
d
(9oftingi
of life
in Homes for the Aged, could
find a spare place. Those in
Homes for the Aged might be
Netter in purpose built apart-
ments with supervision and
some occupying these apart-
ments would be better in the
Community".
A more flexible approach to
health care and social ser-
vices in the community could
work wonders in relieving a
crisis which will grow worse
as the number of dependent
elderly increases.
Changes in family benefits
delivery system
Commencing in September,
1984, the Ministry of Com-
munity and Social Services
will be mailing revised forms
and information packages to
a majority of their clients who
do not have dependent
children and to some of their
clients who do have children
at home. This mail reporting
procedure will replace their
traditional "home visits".
Clients will be asked to com-
plete the necessary form and
mail it hack to the Ministry in
a prestamped and addressed
envelope
The new forms are intend-
ed to be straighforward and
instructions for completion
are includedif clients are not
sure how or what information
is to he provided the Ministry
will have staff available to
answer questions by
telephone and in person or my
Constituency Office
secretaries will be most
pleased to help clients com-
plete the forms themselves.
The Ministry will be
evaluating the new forms and
revising them where
necessary as they proceed to
introduce these changes on a
"phased in" basis.
Few at public school supporters meeting
Times-Advocote, September 19,1984
Page 15A
Little response to French immersion
If attendance at a public
meeting is a reliable indicator
of the degree atinterest In set.
ting up a French immersion
program in Huron County
Schools, parents of the more
than 1,700 children enrolled in
' Exeter, Hensall, Huron
Centennial, J.A.D. McCurdy,
Vanastra and Zurich Public
Schools proved their indif-
ference by staying away in
droves.
At the first of four meetings
scheduled across the county,
the 12 members of an ad hoc
committee established by the
Huron County Board of
Education to study this issue
faced a sea of empty chairs
surrounding 18 islands of
humanity in the gym of Hen-
sall Public School Wednesday
night.
The audience included five
French teachers, a Hensall
teacher, an Exeter teacher, a
parent/teacher from
Brucefield, one parent each
from Hensall, Vanastra, Ex-
eter, Hay and Usborne and
Hensall board representative
Dr. John Goddard.
Of the three people from
Goderich (where a second
meeting was held the follow-
ing night), one was a parent
opposed to the concept while
another was one of a group of
parents who approached the
Board last spring to request a
French immersion program
in Huron.
The ad hoc committee is
comprised of one parent from
each of the five secondary
school districts (John
Remkes - Exeter; Joanne
Todd - Wingham; Mary
Hearn - Clinton; Susan
Wheatley - Seaforth; Don
Scott - Goderich), three
trustees (John Elliott - per-
sonnel, Frank Falconer -
education, Tony McQuail -
management), the Board's
French consultant Damian
Solomon, teacher Florence
Keillor, East Wawanosh prin-
cipal Bill Stevenson and
superintendent Arnold
Mathers.
Chairman Tony McQuail
explained that a survey due
back on September 21 was
handed out during the first
week of September to pupils
in all Huron public schools as
well as in some county day
care centres, and is available
to "all and. dry" who
would like TTi'ir ` opinibn
considered.
The information obtained
will show how many want a
French immersion program
or prefer expansion of the ex-
isting program; the number
of children now in public
school or due to enroll up to
1988; whether respondents
wish total or partial French
immersion beginning in
kindergarten, or partial im-
mersion starting later; if
parents would enroll their
children in a program in their
home school, a school in the
region or provide transporta-
tion if required.
The ad hoc committee
plans to visit Grey and Elgin
counties, which have had
French immersion programs
in place for a number of
years, and will meet with
ministry personnel from the
London Board, which has a
long-established immersion
program.
The present program of
French instruction in Huron
County, core French, was in-
troduced in 1967. it begins in
grade three with 20 minutes of
French instruction each day,
increasing to 40 minutes in
grade seven. Grade eight in-
struction will be expanded to
40 minutes next September.
Solomon said core pro-
grams do not create a bil-
ingual student, but one who
has acquired basic language
skills that can be improved
and enriched through further
study. He described the
various options. in early total
French immersion the
language of instruction in all
subjects is French throughout
kindergarten to the end of
grade two. One period of
English is begun daily in
grade three, and by grade six
the ratio of French and
English instruction is 50-50.
Studies have shown
students in this program
achieve near -native proficien-
cy in listening and reading
comprehension skills and in-
creased competence in speak-
ing and writing, Solomon
said.
Some boards have opted for
a later but shorter and more
intense total immersion pro-
gram beginning as early as
grade six with 100 percent in-
struction in French which
gradually decreases in the
next two grades. Graduates of
this program are not as pro-
lific as the first group, but do
significantly better than those
receiving only the core
French.
Another option is early par-
tial immersion, which usual-
ly begins in grade one. Fifty
percent of instruction is in
French throughout the eight
grades. Students in this pro-
gram take much longer to
achieve the same skills as
those in early total
immersion.
In late partial immersion,
students receive core French
until grade seven, then em-
bark on a program for the
next two years where approx-
imately 65 percent of instruc-
tional time is devoted to
French, decreasing to 45 per-
cent in grades nine and ten,
and dropping to about 15 per-
cent in eleven, twelve and
thirteen.
Solomon stressed the im-
portance of proficiency in
French, as every secondary
school student must now have
one French credit in order to
graduate.
A videotape containing one
segment with a London
kindergarten teacher talking
only in French to her young
pupils and a panel of parents
and teachers involved in the
London program discussing
their personal reactions was
shown before everyone broke
up into small groups for 15
minutes.
Programs superintendent
Arnold Mathers answered the
questions arising from the
workshop. Replying to the
Goderich parent who is oppos-
ed to the program, Mathers
said the drop-out rate has
been as big has 50 percent in
some areas where French im-
mersion has been tried. The
students return to the regular
English stream, sometimes
at considerable loss.
Mathers said it would be
impossible to inaugurate both
the early and late programs
at the same time. A one -class
pilot program would likely be
most feasible to begin.
Replying to the concern an average teacher, average
that some secondary school`N location and average
students might find difficulty
with unfamiliar terminology,
Mathers said he taught sum-
mer school in Kitchener this
year, and some involved as
teachers or parents knew of
some cases of high school
students having difficulty
with texts such as science and
history after being in the
French immersion program.
No transportation is ar-
ranged. That is the parents'
responsibility.
Mathers saved the most im-
portant question, that of c ost,
until last.
Without knowing the
number of students, where
the project would be located,
what grades would be involv-
ed or any of the other factors,
Mathers could give only "a
ballpark figure". Assuming
FRENCH IMMERSION — French teacher Helen Bieman (fhe first core French teacher
in the public school system in Huron county in 1967), Dr. John Goddard, Hensall
school trustee and Exeter representative John Remkes talk together after o poorly
attended public meeting to determine interest in a French immersion program in
Huron County.
Separate schools favour immersion
Great interest in French
The majority of Catholic
school supporters in Huron
and Perth are in favor of ex-
panding Core French.
This was the overriding
result of a French survey con-
ducted by the Huron -Perth
Separate School Board and
released at the board's
September 10 meeting.
No action was taken on the
survey as trustees agreed to
take some time to study the
survey further. The survey
was not expected until the end
of September or early
October.
Superintendent of educa-
tion John McCauly said the
survey follows a request from
a parent group in Goderich
for French Immersion and a
Stratford parent group's re-
quest for a French as a first
language school.
There were 814 surveys
returned to the board office.
McCauley noted that the
response numbers don't
agree with the number of
surveys returned because
some respondents only
answered certain sections of
the survey.
About 2.000 surveys were
sent out to separate school
ratepayers in Huron and
Perth Counties. There are ap-
proximately 1,500 families
with children attending
Huron -Perth Catholic schools.
The numbers in the survey
show that 464 people would
like to see Core French ex-
panded, while 264 said they
wouldn't want it expanded.
Core French is currently
taught from grade four to
eight with 20 minutes per day
for grades four to six students
and 40 minutes per day for
grade seven and eight
students.
A high number of
respondents, 549, indicated
they are satisfied with the
length of time Core French is
now taught.
Trustees pointed out the
discrepency between the
number of people saying yes
they are satisfied with the
current French program.
they would like to see the
length expanded.
Stratford trustee Ron
Marcy said those numbers in-
dicate that while in general
parents are satisfied with the
current French program, the
would like to see the length
expanded.
Marcy remarked that some
of the comments from the
parents, included in the
survey results, indicate that
at least some parents think
French Immersion and
French as a First Language
school would have com-
pulsory attendance. it was
noted that enrolment in such
classes would be voluntary.
The numbers in the survey
show that 130 pt'ople in the
two counties are in favor of
French immersion while 508
are not. Stratford and
Goderich have the highest
concentration of people wan-
ting French immersion.
Goderich has 24 people in
favour of French immersion
and 34 against it. Stratford
has 37 people in favor and 146
against the French immer-
sion program.
The only concentration of
people desiring a French as a
First Language School is in
Stratford where 25 people
want it and 171 don't want it.
The survey also includes a
section where the numbers
have been compiled into
zones. The four zones repre-
sent school areas which are
geographically close.
In the first zone, which in-
cludes the five Stratford
schools plus the schools in St.
Marys, Kinkora and lfesson,
226 respondents would like to
see Core French expanded,
113 would not. A total of 58
would like to see a French Im-
mersion class while 238 would
not and 31 would like French
as a First Language and 270
would not.
The second zone, which in-
cludes the Catholic schiOls in
Dublin, St. Columban and
Seaforth, 60 would like to see
Core French expanded while
33 would not. There were 11
respondents interested in
French Immersion with 51
against and live interested in
French as a First Language
and 106 not interested.
The third zone, made up of
schools from Goderich,
Wingham, Clinton and
Kingsbridge, there were 95
people wanting Core French
expanded and 55 who didn't.
A total of 36 people were in-
terested in a French Immer-
sion program with 99 not in-
terested and 11 desiring a
French as a First Language
with 107 not interested.
The fourth zone is schools
from Mt. Carmel, St.
Joseph's, Exeter and Zurich.
62 respondents would like to
see Core French expanded
and 46 would not. The survey
shows that 25are interested in
French immersion and :t4
aren't and 12 would like
French as a First language
and 101 wouldn't.
11111111111pok°
atr
McOILLIVRAY CELEBRATION — Reeve Jock Dorman and Debbie Thompson
(representing her father, MPP Jock Riddell), plont a white pine as part of Activity
Day and Bicentennial Day sponsored by the Minor Ball Association at McGillivray
Memorial Park. Mrs. Thompson also presented the township with a scroll com-
memorating McGillivray's official birthday in 1851.
classroom costs, the cost per
pupil for 20 pupils would be
$234.72, minus an extra grant
of *72 per child. For 15
students, the individual cost
would be $312.96, minus the
$72 grant. (With the amount
of French students presently
receive, each is eligible for a
grant of $129. The maximum
available is $201, and the dif-
ference is the $72.)
The ad hoc committee will
be receiving presentations
from local delegations on
November 6. They request
prior notice of intent to make
a presentation.
Plan to drop
rabies vaccine
Fourteen thousand plastic
bags, containing a simulated
rabies vaccine, will be drop-
ped over the Townships of
Hullett, Goderich,
Tuckersmith, Stanley and
Colborne on September 25,
Natural Resources Minister
Alan Pope announced today.
The bags will each contain
a liver -coated cube, about the
size of a golf ball. Beneath the
liver is a small sponge, which
has been soaked in a
harmless liquid (the an-
tibiotic tetracycline) and then
coated with wax and fat. The
liquid is used to simulate a
rabies vaccine.
"When the fox or other wild
animal bites into the cube, the
liquid in the sponge will squirt
into its mouth. If this test is
successful, we'll be able to
place liquid rabies vaccine in
bait as early as next year",
said Mr. Pope.
The baits will be dropped
from low-flying aircraft along
the edge of woodland, on
gravel pits and other rough
land, and pasture, stubble and
fields with low vegetation.
The baits will be about 30-50
metres apart. No baits will be
dropped within 100 metres of
farm buildings, houses, roads
or recreation areas.
A one -minute video tape, -
which explains the experi-
ment, will be shown to all
school children in the area
before the drop takes place.
Although the liquid is
harmless, the video tape asks
children and adults to help the
experiment by not tampering
with any bait bags they might
find.
"This liquid vaccine ap-
proach, developed by my
Ministry's research station in
Maple, is a new way to deal
with the problem of rabid
foxes. In the past, we've ex-
perimented with another bait
-- a hamburger ball. In
laboratory experiments, we
placed tiny pills containing
vaccine in hamburger balls.
The hamburger was eaten,
but the pills did not prove suc-
cessful enough for use in the
field. The liquid vaccine ap-
proach has the potential of be-
ing far more effective in
fighting this dangerous
disease," he said.
Ministry scientists will ex-
amine the teeth of foxes
harvested by the area's trap-
pers
rappers and hunters for traces of
the liquid found 'in the bait.
Tetracycline was chosen as
the liquid for the test because
it can be detected on teeth
under ultra -violet light.
"This area is an ideal
testing ground for our rabies
research, since it is one of the
top fox hunting and trapping
parts of the province. That's
why we have conducted
several anti -rabies ex-
periments here since the
mid -70's. But this week
wouldn't have been possible
without the tremendous co-
operation of the residents --
and in particular the trappers
and hunters", Mr. Pope said.
Huron Tractor
is expanding
Huron Tractor Ltd. has
started a major expansion to
their business in Blyth.
Company spokesman Earl
Long stated that the 70 foot by
70 foot addition will house the
service department. The ex-
isting building, which is 30,000
square feet, will become the
parts department.
Plans are to have the ex-
pansion completed by early
December.
GIVE BLOOD
SAVE
LIFE
BE A + BLOOD DONOR