Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-05-22, Page 4The headlines speak, of an imminent calamity. But for many, the tragedy already is all too real. "Anguish of the hungry is spreading across India"said the New York Times the other day: In London, speaking On the eve of the Rome Food Conference, Professor George Allen of the University of Aberdeen warned of a food crisis that is threatening to engulf the poorest of 'the world's nations. India, Professor Allen,. believes, could be facing a Are you In favor of building a senior citizens' recreation centre? YES NO, Name Address Signature Mail or bring to the Clinton News -Record, p Albert Street, lex 39, Clinton, Ont. famine on a scale of the 1943 Bengal disaster when 2,500,000 djed of star- vation. Amid all this gloom there was at least one ray of hope, says the United Church. It seems that U.S. policymakers have reached general agreement on the need to set up the world's first international grain stock- pile. Initially, it will be in the range of 30 million to 60 million tons, and its prime aim would be to ensure stable prices, and to have enough food on hand to cope with emergency situations in needy lands. The concept of a kind of World Food Bank has been debateci,for years, and has the support of many Canadians. For one thing, -if taken seriously, it should take politics right out of food aid. The purpose of the stockpile is to feed the hungry, no matter who or where they are. There will be many problems, not the least of which will be storage space. Some argue it will be difficult to store the grain in many of the poorer nations because they do not have the facilities. What is more, much grain is lost to pests and vermin, or simply rots, owing to inadequate storage. Then one can ask whether even 60 million tons is enough for an emergency in a world of four billion people. Certainly a much larger food stockpile will be needed in due course. At least a beginning has been made. 1. 5Et YOU'RE HARP AT WORK OH YOUR LATEST pRosts.T. QUALAVIEIM— OMAN DUCAT This week I had the chore of sorting through -a huge pile of applications for a job on our high school staff teaching English. One job and about 80 applications. That's the way things are these days in the teaching\game. It's a cruel. world :for young people 'trying- to break into.. the profession. Armed ,wit*ttheir piecesof paper, on which it Says righetherein print that they are now qualified teachers, they sally forth to put into practice their high ideals, their warm personalities, their love for young people, and the results of four or five years of university slugging. And what do they find? A vast indifference.i--, Nobody wants them. Principals want people with experience. But how do you get experience if you can't get a job? It's an old story in the world of free enterprise, but,it's still a sad one for those caught in the vicious circle. It's exactly like another facet of the system of which we are so proud: banking. If you're broke and need money, a bank %mil loan it to you. If you're rich and don't need money, you have to beat off the bankers with a stick. I couldn't help thinking, as I sat toying with people's lives, of the vast change that has taken place since I began teaching, about 15 years ago. Those were the days when the great post-war baby boom was hitting the high schools. Principals were raiding industry for technical teachers, business for commercial teachers. If you had a university degree, it was as much as your life was worth to walk past a school. A lasso would snake out, you'd find yourself getting a hot sales pitch in a principal's office, and next thing you knew were standing in front of 35 kids with your mouth hanging open. Anyone who was not obviously drunk or noticeably retarded had a pretty fair chance of winding up in teaching. ,One daily newspaper ran pages and pages of teacher -wanted advertisements each spring, and school boards spent hundrrs of thousands of dollars on advertising. I remember one spring when I could have taken my pick of 28 jobs as an tnglish depart- ment head, by picking up the phone. „ Those were fattimes for tile young graduating teachers, lop -Armed, with nothmg mere thati puny B.A., they could pretty well pick and.,,choose where they wanted to work and live. Each spring there was an event&which came to be known rather cynically as "The cattle market". School boards from all over the province would take over a big hotel in the city. Potential teacher§ would flock in by the thousands. It was a seller's Market. THE CLINTON NEW EHA Established 1865 The student teacher walked the halls, checked the signs on doors. If he deigned to knock, he was snatched through the door by .a principal, had coffee or something stronger forced on him, generally given the glad hand and usually assured a job, even if "he" happened to bra bald female with green teeth:--- C111.6(ti(fothe pay wasn't much theabout $4,000 to start, but that was worth more than twice as much as it is now. When I was hired, I wrote a letter applying for the only English teaching job left in the province. The principal was on the phone the minute he got my letter. He couldn't believe that I had an honor degree in Englsih. Apparently I was the only person left in Canada with such a degree who wasn't teaching. Just two years later, I had a department headship forced on me. I didn't particularly want it. Ryerson Institute wanted me to go there and teach journalism. The president of Waterloo University wanted me to go there and handle public relations and teach some English. If I were fired tomorrow, with my honors degree and 15 years experience, I'd be lucky to get a job in Nooknik, teaching English As A Second Language to Eskimo kids. Discussing the recent death of Aristotle Onassis with some newspaper people the other night, one, who had interviewed him, made the remark: "He was an ugly man in appearance. It was probably one of his assets." - The point was discussed briefly. There was a general con - census that a handsomer or more physically attractive man might never have achieved his remarkable financial success or, for that matter, his success with beautiful women. Thinking of it since, I have been wondering if it is not one of the great truths. In our own political life, going back in my own Memory to C.D. Howe, it seems obvious that indifferent or even repulsive looks are more often an advantage than a disad- vantage. For those of us unblessed by nature it may be downright consoling to consider the ugly man's acceptance in the world. I have heard it said in Ottawa that John Turner may never make it to the top simply because he's much too good- looking to be trusted. Lincoln, the greatest American, was said to have a weathered face as homely as a plowed field and, all things being equal, mfghthave en(led his days as a small town lawyer had he thel lineiifg-igitSr-:ofia Robert Redford. number arnsdrig tny clogest friends a man who is not jut commonplace ugly, but.spectacularly so and who is living proof that there are many advantages in it. Only the other night when we talked into the wee small hours, much flown with seasonable claret, he confided that whatever success he's had might be attributed to his ugliness. As far back as he can remember he's thought of this as a disability to be overcome and, just as hungry fighters in- variably make the championship, this motivation gave him the, drive and ambition so often tacking in boys or men who have been cursed with a classic profile. Certainly, in his case, there's been a built-in, lifetime guarantee against vanity or conceit or the easy-going reliance on a facade that allowed him -or compelled him --to compensate in developing his character. I would suppose the same was true , of Onassis who, lacking good looks, made up for it in charm and strength. It seems, indeed, that people are more apt to look for character or wit or profundity in the ugly man and may be quite unreasonably and unfairly distrustful and on guard with the handsome man. • Success, as someone has said, is a rare paint that hides all ugliness. True or not, as a formative approach, it clearly pays to have a rough exterior. It is worth noting, too, that my ugly friend is married to a woman of such consummate beauty, inwardly and outwardly, that new acquaintances are shocked to find her mated with one who is physiognomically frightful. Yet is it so hard to understand? We know, of course, that girls are mad for appearance and will hoWl like little Aphrodites at any guitar -twanging Adenis, but the mature woman, halipily, has a habit of prying beneath the surface searching for the base metals. Her natural suspicion of the beautiful man Is sO sen- sitive, indeed, that she may often confuse the predatory ape with the harmless angel. When women talk among themselves about men, I'm told, they are apt to say, "Watch out for the quiet ones.- They might be better advised to watch out for the ugly ones. My own ugly friend readily confesses that his enviable marital and -pre-marital conquests would not have been possible had he telegraphed his dishonorable intentions by a handsome countenance and that his ill -arranged features often allowed him to worm his way in, as it were. I checked with five of my colleagues in the English department, who entered teaching during those 'halcyon years. Three of the five were hired by phone, sight unseen. Now, we sort through a vast sheaf of ap- plications. Here's a guy with a BA. M.A. and Ph.D. in English. Discard him. Overeducated, no. -experience. Here's one with an honor degree, excellent recommendations, just out of teacher's college. Discard her. No experience. And when we narrow it down to six or eight, 'they have to show up for a gruelling interview (gruelling for me too) and may have driven 300 miles for it, and drive home with nothing to show for it but a hearty "Thank you for coming". The whole thing makes me sick. There's a great waste of talented young teachers, many of whom, in disgust, go into some other way of making a living. There's a whole slew of old teachet's still in harness, who are hpnging on because archaic - regulations. make themhang on until the), are too old and sick and stupid and tired to be of any use to anyone, merely to draw their pensions. • • Surely in a country with our resources, and in an age when the computer can make accurate projections, we can do better than use this outmoded system of supply.and demand, which may be all right for the cattle market, but all wrong for human beings. THE HURON NEWS -RECORD Established 1881 (litit()n :\;(i\vs--I;pc()1I1 HUs OF HURON COUNTY 10 YEARS AGO May 27,1965 Janet Gornall the grade 13 student from CHSS who was competing with two other girls in the Legion Public Speaking Provincial Finals in Toronto on 'Friday, May 14, placed second with her topic "The Age of Chivalry is Dead". Only one point separated the finalists. The Provincial Flag of Ontario was raised at a ceremony in front of the Parliament Buildings on Friday mo-rning. The Hon. W. Earle Rowe, Lieutenant Governor, Prime Minister- John Robarts members of the Cabinet and members of the Ontario Legislature were present. D.H. Miles, Huron Agricultural representative says seeding of all crops is progressing favourably to the extent that crop plantings are near iiOrmal. All crops are making excellent growth and show good colour. Larry Jewitt, Clinton has ac- cepted -a position_wIth.Carter TY. and Radio in London. Mr: and Mrs. George Postma, RR 4, Clinton celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Thursday, May 20. The couple has one daughter, Gertie, (Mrs. Lockwood) and two sons Ralph and Peter, all of Clinton. Dr. and Mrs. R.C. Hunter and Mrs. Charles Rogers, Toronto spent the- weekend at their cot- tage in Bayfield for the holiday weekend. In co-operation with the Cen- tennial Tree Planting Program, Lake Huron district of the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests supervised 800 students during the course of two weeks for a total planting of 4,000 trees. Some members of Clinton and District Chamber of Commerce did not totally approve of proposed street changes in downtown Clinton.. 25 YEARS AGO - May 25,1950 _ Donald Bradney Palmer, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Proctor Palmer, Holmesville, will be among the graduates receiving diplomas and the degrees of Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Toronto on June 6. Dr. Palmer will open an office in Clinton in the near future. Chief of Police Jack P. Him chberger stated that liquor seized in a raid here recently with a retail value of $165 was smashed and poured Out at the town dump. •The police tried to get a license to sell the stuff and donate the proceeds to the Manitoba Flood Relief Fund but the L.C.B.O. would not grant a permit because Huron County is under the Canadian:Temperance Act. The 24th of May was a lovely day - isn't it strange that Canada is the only Commonwealth country to celebrate it as a holiday. Not even England ob- Serves a holiday. Miss Violet Fremlin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Fremlin, has been awarded the James C. Cummings Fellowship on graduating in honour English from the University of Alberta. W.M. "Matt" Nediger, has just completed a ten -week course in carburetion and electrical. at Universal Ignition, London, with a mark of 95.-6, standing second in a class of 12, a particularly good record. He is now a specialist in Clirit�itrdns -;--thIgvfork -- CM have -voted to let a contract to William Grigg, Clinton, for the work on the Clinton Lions Arena, subject to finandial arrangements being made b).? the Club directors. Mrs. W.I. O'Neil, has received a cable from her husband In the Old Country where he has been doing post graduate work, stating that he has received the degree of Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of London, a degree which few Canadians hold. A new flagpole and flag has been erected on the post office. It was completed in time for the 24th and the new flag flew for the first time that day. Mrs. W. Pickard and Miss G. Rumball have purchased the David cottage on Victoria St. 75 YEARS AGO May 25,1900 The vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Marks, postmaster, has been promptly filled by the appointment of M. David McIntosh. Mr. McMillan M.P. showed good judgment in his selection of a successor to Mr. Marks and also in his promptness in having the office filled. Ashfield has at least succeeded in having a close mail facilities. The new- post office -will be at the — home of W. J. -Treleaven town- ship treasurer, who will also be postmaster. W. Doherty has purchased from A. Couch 15 acres of land lying south of the river and east of the London Road. Mr. Doherty intends to have this land for pasture which includes the flats. Sehn A. Kennedy is still disposing of lightning rods. Many have been picked up in the last month There is a new rule for local apple packers. As of July lst. exporters 9f apples will be requested to mark the barrel with the initials and the full surname of ttk_.packer, with the size of the fruit in inches across the core with the name of the variety and with a designation of the grade of the fruit. These measures are calculated to prevent fraud being perpetrated. The hotels of towns have lately been undergoing considerable repair. The Claredon, the _Commer.Cial, and the Mason House have been thorouihTy renovated with paper and paint. • The Rattenbury /Nouse is now having repairs made bothfin the interior and on the outside. Dr. W.F. Holloway, having purchased the practice of Dr. Ross of Wingham, left for that place on Monday to take possession. money with us. We will not 50 YEARS AGO May 28, 1925 Miss Mary McCowan of Seaforth, a student at the School of Commerce,..Clinton, was presented wit _ ..Gold Medal award for typing 55 words per minute with less than five errors. Miss McCowan received her diploma on Friday and goes to Toronto where a position awaits her. Bean sowing is the order of the day in Goderich Township - looks like a fair acreage will be planted this year. The old boys committee will meet on Friday and some of the proposals before the Meeting will be to dress up the store windows tastefully for the visiting old boys andP -.4 'Wilt he -of fered- for the hest windows. It is also stressed that the citizens of the‘ town will tidy up yards and make Clinton a clean town. Several of the letters received note that a goodly number of former. Clin- tonians will be on hand for Old Home Week in August. Mrs. D.E. Ross, who has been visiting her parents. Mr. and 100 YEARS AGO May 27, 1875 The Grigg property was sold by auction last Saturday and realized very satisfactory figures. Mr. I. Rattenbury Jr., bought the property next to the Rattenbury House. Mr. J. Shobbrook of Hullett, sold a few days since to Messrs. Watson and Fitzsimmons 6f Clinton, two 2 -year-old steers, the live weight of which was 2,555 lbs. Up to the present time all the crops that are above ground are looking tolerably well. In con- sequence of the large amount of fall plowing spring work has made rapid progress. Yesterday the Messrs. McKellar and family left for Manitoba. There are seventeen persons going. Farmers are about through seeding. Reflections -- Dear Editor I was reflecting the other di on the various ways whic Clintonians will use in retur ning to celebrate mix hometown's centennial. No -ode will come by train, some wi come by bus and 95 percent w come by the private automobile. • • We would - all find that the roads of 1875 were unbelievable by our standards and would have stopped many former natives from venturing far. At that time the best roads werg muddy ruts in the spritig and the average roads were im- passible quagmires. Of course 'conditions im- proved in the summer when the roads had dried out and the corduroy had been relevelled. Even so these roads were less than ideal and consequently, the winter season was the best season for travel on the rolls. In that season the weather filled and froze the ruts so that the majority of farmers shipped their grain at that time. Grain prices were also higher in the winter. The frozen roads allowed heavy equipment to be moved to developing areas such as Clinton. This year, 1975, also mar the centenary of the comptetio of the London, Huron and Bruce Railway built from London t Wingham during 1873-75. With its opening, Clinton had tw railways to offer access an interchange with hitherto distant places. The Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway (Fort Erie-Goderich) which was leased by the Grand Trunk Railway, gave residents of th Huron Tract access • via Stratford to eastern areas such as Berlin, Guelph, Toronto and Montreal. The London, Huron and Bruce allowed Clinton residents fast access to London and then over its parent, the • Great Western Railway, to Sarnia, Windsor, Hamilton and Niagara. These two tran- sportation improvements had definitely broadened the horizons of residents in -the Clinton area from those which existed before the railway period began in 1857. I was looking at a Great Western timetable for 1876 and noted that it took only two hours and forty minutes to speed from Clinton to London. This speed was astonishing '(18% mph average; running speed • estimated at 25 mph) when compared to speeds of hor- seback and horse and carriage (3-8 mph). Now a century later people can come from London to Clinton in one hour. With the increasing speed of transportation,' far -away places like Montreal, Van- couver and even Europe are now as near as were Seaforth, Goderich or Loalon a century ago. Let us hope that this ease of mobility will help our cen- tennial and make it a memorable and successful one. Yours truly, W. Douglas Wells, Brockville, Ont. AmonamomdrimmI Opinion Dear Editor: Thank you for giving _everybody an 'opportunity to express their opinion re the building of a senior citizens' recreation centre. I hope everybody - young and old will do just that - express his or her opinion. It is not a question of doing or not doing anything for our senior citizens. It is a question of raising our taxes - of spending our tax dollars unnecessarily in a time when most people are finding it difficult to just break eVen - in a time when we are being bombarded constantly with the idea of restraint in all our spending. As for the matter of not doing anything for our senior citizens, what would you call the two senior citizens' apartments? Who paid for them? Oh I forgot. - the government did. We all know who the Government is - you-nnd I. I heard a remark the other day that some people are so tight with their money. This is a most unfair accusation as some of us in years past and still are certainly pulling our weight in all causes. It has also been stated that we can not take our Nowe-llecord readers aro en- couraged to express their opinions In Jotters to the editor, however, such *Wane do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Novie-fleoord. Pseudonyms may be used by letter writers, but no latter will bs published unless it can bs verified by phone. have. much to take if our' Council continues to spend money ,on unnecssary projects. In my humble opinion it would be much better for seniors and juniors if they concentrated on trying to find_ new industry for the town. To our young voters I would like to ask them do they realize that this is just the beginning of expenditures - you will be responsible for the upkeep of this centre long after we seniors are dead and gone. Even a so-called "stfaw vote" may have some influence on our Town Council's thinking. So be sure you return your ballots. Thank you. Another senior citizen The guy had fished all day with no success. Stopping by the miirket el ,, "Throw me five nice trout." "Why do you want me to throw them to you?" risked the - clerk. "So I can tell my wife I caught them," said the fellow., a poor fisherman, but Fm not a liar."