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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-09-04, Page 401.11.1.100484 4,10,1KAS.40- • tht. t and irns ittles and. at a } fast T'uesda» inley said it was a leer BUJ Davis was in the riding ty and said that no way, before or atter the election,1d regional government bef 'ced nHuron only if they wanted it themselves. Well. Huronites havesaid no. Except in areas like fire and police A ver stickg problem So you wear dentures. But you'd like to chew gum - but are afraid it would part you and your ' choppers. Is that your problem, `friend? Well, claims Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., your troubles are over, reports The Financial Post. This month, the major chewing -gum firm has introduced into tredltiOn . •.. urban �, t he an, Y The proVince glad the os cls of more rr ts'In front tranfot the county, much tike 'arret is dangled in front of a horSe, but the county didn't go for it. What will happen after the c- servatives are elected on Sept* 18 is 'anxbd % guess, but our guess is they will force regionalization upon us and then hope the furor dies down ' before the next provincial election your years from now. Remember how we "acquired" the County board of education a few years ago? Ontario a new gum, called freedent, that's said to be formulated not to stick to dentures. Good news for the six. million ' Canadians who, according to the company, have full or partial dentures. And if most of there spring for a chew, happy prospects for Wrigley's sales department, too. This Ceisaus nonsense:; J;ttstst clearing off my desk before heading to Saskatoon for a convention of weekly editors.' Boy, am 1 a lazy bumf There must be 4S let- ters stacked here, unanswered. First of all, there are two piles 0 letters about the tout Celsius nonsense. Those who agree with me form° a much deeper pile. But, in fairness, those who disagree are much more literate: Does this have • any- significance? ny significance? The more literate letters, are, on the whole, mush duller than the emotional ones. They t t k yc $�' a liav � filo or a til. d $'�ri��.' kv"�i.:y .y;+r,i '"�.,., 1y;'a^,w• >��:yw .."_�.ti:. a�� �"�• "ry lactenf r tifit tl er' Sample plle from Wm. Gary: Wharton, of Unionville, ' Ont. "There are things occouring (his spelling) in this world that from the sounds of your column you couldn't even begin to comprehend. Things are dealt with on a world-wide basis now and in doing so we need a common unit of measure, weight and volume_" And soon. Baloney! If that is so, why don't we have a common world-wide language, and a common unit 'of currency? We have neither. The argument holds no water. On the other side, Earl F. Gilchrist of Perth, Ont.. is equally lacking in logic. "The metric system should never be introduced in Canada because it isn't Canadian. I want my children to grow up in a Canadian Canada not a Foreign Canada. Any Canadian that accepts the metric system isn't a Canadian." Well now, .. I wouldn't go .that far. That means that I could never enjoy English fish - and -chips, French fries, chicken chow mein. lass , southern fr' ied chicken. and would be aired for life to drinking Canadian — ugh! wine. That way madness lies. 'Dere"s a letter from Mr. and Mrs, C. Knott of Rorketon, Man. `"The guy that invented this stuff (Celsius and metrics) died so why doesn't it die with him as it sure doesn't make any sense... We are only two out here, but I know there are many more in this area. Go to it Bill. send out petition or, whatever it takes to stay as it was before." A June editorial in the,WaterlooChronicle by Mike Roy is headed Some Facts, Please. He then attacks my "half-baked ideas" about the metric system. He goes on to state a lot 0 facts about the world's population, makes a desperate attempt to link these to the need for a metric system, and fails. I just take back my remark that letters - urging a metric system are more literate than those against. Here's a long, witty, oft bawdy • letter from Harvey Malcolm, a farmer, municipal politician and news correspondent from Janetville for the BowmanvilIe Statesman. He wants metric. "Nave you ever ° tried from scratch to figure out in the twinkling of aneye with a ratepayer breathing over, your shoulder, how many )ots 99' x 133' or suchlike can be found in an -umpteen acre field?" No, I haven't, Harvey. But I imagine it could be done with a calculator in about three minutes by a teenager of average in-' telligence. What's the big rush to find it out, anyway? Somebody , only wants to make a buck. Lethim wait. B.C. Leaden of Rosedale, British Columbia. says that ' he often disagrees with me wholeheartedly, but on this, is on my side. In part, he says, speaking of politicians: "They take our money and they screw it all up until �I{ $ 't tell tpe bill from another, except for tb goo old duce, and I suppose they'll soon get rid of that. They shove French down the English throats and English down the French and now they drop this Celsius bit on us poor long suffering bastards. What in hell do we want that for? Celsius! Sounds more like a disease than a degree of temperature." Another brief letter from a Western couple, stamped envelope enclosed, says: "Tell us what to do, write our M.P. or what. and we'll do it?' Well, folks. that's a good place to start, but don't be surprised if- you get a polite brush- off. To try to sum up my, own feelings would require another whole column, and would just touch on the subject. Firstly, I agree that metric is easier. Any idiot knows that. But don't try to snow me with arguments that Canada's economic future depends on the metric system. Our economic future, like it or lamp it, • is -tied -to that cif the U.S., which is not metric. The metric system should have been in- troduced 50 years ago. It wasn't. Now is not the time to do it, when 4nflation is making 'terrible ravages on our economy. Maybe it's 15 years too soon. We just can't afford it right now. Celsius is silly. I don't care what the tem- perature is in Outer Mongolia, or what system they use. I want to know whether it's 10 below or 80 above -L Fahrenheit. The U.S. uses Fahrenheit The radio and TV stations along the border use both. The newspapers report British and continental temperatures in .!'ahrenheit The change."-toi me d Celsius seem to reflect that old Canadian tradition, which applies in everything front styles to education. ,. It goes something like this: "Let's drag our feet for a while, until everybody else has tried this thing out. Then we'll jump in and go the whole hog, whether the thing worked or not?' Heck with both of them. I only hope that when I get to Saskatoon, ' it's been a good summer (Fahrenheitally speaking) for wheat, and that' those fish I don't catch in northern Saskatchewan will not be less than two metres in length. Amalgamated 1924 THE HURON NSW -RECORD l stabI shed ri $ o' ccbnn tbv ux. *It A rot out • Wt to do? Wel), bless my soul, here's yet another long magazine article about the dangers of conformity which crust surely be the most written -about hang-up of this generation. Everybody, it seems, is warning of it as a kind of dry rot that'saendangering the underpinnings of society. The educators tell us of bright students,deliberately holding back so that they won't be considered precocious. The political pundits tell us of voters who are more anxious to cast their ballots for the winning party than for any policy or platform. The sociologists tell us of a materialism reflected in a • readiness to assume burdensome debt for the purchased cars, boats, television sets and appliances because "everybody has them." The psychologists warn us of the dangers of being carefully conventional, the neurosis of seeking an identity with the mob, and suggest that this is imperilling the spirit of enquiry and the healthy expression of progressive or dissenting views so ne essary to keep society dynamic. The so-called "average man", in the face of all this, must ask himself if he, too, is a victimof it and, if so, what can he do about it? Grow a beard? Sput heresies? Attempt to become a character"as a sign that he's an independent spirit? Or simply drift comfortably with the tide? nfo .. , cqu?Vt3445 b $fear and, in turn, creates fear That-tam/11y, n the vigor" "p 10" -writer, '"it tends -to cause societies to become sterile„ stett;yp'ed and cruel." Consider, ' for example, the problem of racial intolerance, either in its insidious form as in 'Canada and the United States or in the violent form it takes in Rhodesia or South Africa. This is perhaps the most dangerous expression of conformity. Many people are in the curious position of abhoring segregation and discrimination, yet permit themselves to be counted with the bigots simply because they do not want to be considered as "different" than their neighbors. A specific, close -to -home example 0 this would be the membership 0 those private Canadian clubs who refuse to admit the Jews. As individuals, many - perhaps the majority - of these members are decent, intelligent men who are not, in fact, anti-Semitic: It is conformity, alone,. the fear or the hostility or censure of the pack, that taints them. Women, too, are often in its grip. Bertrand Russell, in a study of North American women that's still applicable, wrote: "`What is even more important than correct opinions is correct fur- niture, correct appointments at the dinner table, correct clothes and correctly graduated friendship ... But befall her if she should attempt originality of any sort or kind. Her own conventionality, and her neigh'bor's unfriendliness if she is unconventional, are alike dictated by fear," There are, of course, many methods of resisting even the milder types of. conformity without the necessity of being a freak. For one thing, most of us need to be better informed, so that we may make our own judgments, not as second-hand opinions, but in the spirit of independent research. Nothing is as stimulating as giving the lie to some blandly -accepted "fact". We" need. too, to keep an open mind that's willing to in- vestigate new ideas, new experiences, new concepts. - What's needed most perhaps, is the adoption of a philosophy or an attitude which is determinedly ind vidualistic, which resists the temptation to follow the crowd or to bow to joyless conventions that are imposed by false standards. Fro our early files a 10 YEARS AGO there are now more than 1,400 Sept- 2,.1965 telephones in operation here and subscribers are making an 1 average of 5.500 locals and 450 long distance calls everyday. A rash of breakins have taken place in town and according to Police Chief Leo Kelly. they appear to be the work of amateur or near amateur and arrests should be made in the near future. The number of cattle marketed in the past week has been cut down considerably due to the tie- up caused by the railway strike. During the past week, several farmers completed harvesting and they have reported that it was the best ;spell of weather that they have had„for sometime. A few farmers have been taking off the second cut of hay which is of a very high quality. Turnip aphid infestation has been reported to a small extent in some areas of the county. Recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. R.S: `.tkey and Mrs. A.W. Baines were Mrs. E.R. For -rest, Bloomingdale, Mich. ; Mr. and Mrs. O.L.G. Atkey and children. Jane and Ronald. Petrolia and Mr. and Mrs...M.G. Kirkland, Ecorse, Mich. Mr. W.M. Purves returned to her cottage last week after having ' spent an enjoyable summer overseas. She visited England and the Scandinavian countries. Mrs. T. Hill. Bir- mingham, Mich., is her guest this week. J. G. Burrows, Public Schoo Inspector from Exeter, told a meeting of the Stanley and Tuckersmith School Boards on Tuesday evening in Varna that word is expected in the near future from the Ontario Department of Education in Toronto concerning the quest n of schools in Huron County School Area One. Doug 11.. Miles, Agricultural Representative for Huron County, says that frequent showers are holding up the completiomof harvest. Land is on the other hand, being readied for the sowing of the 1966 crop of wheat. White beans and corn need a tot of frost free days to bring the corn to the place it can be harvested as husking corn. Miss Lamella Johnston earned the- rifest points in the Flower Show and took home the T. Eaton trophy, a silver rose bowl.' As well as in the single classes, Miss Johnston scored many of her points in the special arrangement clashes ,vhere her entries were outstanding. D. John Cochrane, who spent the past five and one-half years as principal of Central Huron Secondary School at Clinton. was requested by the News -Record to comment on his sojourn here. He pis now an inspector with the Department of Education stationed in Woodstock. Mr. Cochrane commends the .high school boards of Huron for their foresight in establishing vocational education in the county. ' A most successful season at Clinton Community swimming pool ends this week. During the Summer 233 persons received Swimming instruction and passed tests. They included 90 chjldten in. the Iearn.to-scrim ctasscsi 53 earned Red Cross beginners crests; 23 ° got their advanced beginners .,Red Cross; II in. tertnediates and nine if passed Rcdtross tests. ISsYlopt"cA4110%,09A013 A large (frame bur on the farm of Clift ret, Alcoa, east 0 Brussel* Witsstruck by lightning darker,"rklday's ctectrlcaal sttc lrt._ and +ttuaplisfele destroyed. f + ;1a Campbell of Kinloss sed the ' Fairview Igh ay 231 north 0 eph Grt a rz,tr p�aat�,o^ ryyandy 54 YE ARS AGO Sept. 3, 1925 J.H. Levis Is in Torontothis week taking in the Exhibition. On Monday evening he attended the General -Motors Banquet at' the King Edward Hotel. Clinton student..1 registering at the School of Cbtinmerce were: Mildred : Br'itttin. Carrie Pickett, Ernest Hunter. Kenneth Hunt. Lad, .: Crich and Harold Liver, trtore.' . 'layfielid Pitblie and Con- tinuation School reopened on Monday with, Miss Helen Gerrie B.A. of Ingersoll as principal and Miss Anna Woods assistant. Miss Florence Johnston has left for Ford City where .she has a position on the school staff. - Th'e Right Hon. Arthur •Meighen, K.C., I.L D.. M.P,4 Premier of Canada, wur d a mass rneeeting of the elee Huron.- Bruce, Weillr Perth in. the ToW t class to a visit to the bxtttbrtton at 'Toronto. Mr. and 'Mrs. S.H.R. Sharpe and two daughters, Misses Beatrice and Mary, and the former's sister, Mrs. McEwen. and family have returned from Southampton. W.J. Cook's garden is really a thing of beauty. His aster and zinnia beds are certainly very lovely but his gladioli bed is by far the prettiest of the lot. ' Mr. Cook has 18.000 glads of varied hues in bloom and this does create a real picture. Mr, and Mrs. Oliver Gale have moved in from Bayfield. having purchased the house of Mr. Eartwright on OrangeSt. IS YEARS AGO „ Aug -,.31, 1800 Wm. Granger and son took to Toronto Fair this week. four head of excellent Durhams; one is an aged buil. one a bull coming two years and one under one year; also one fine heifer under 3 years: their equals or superiors will be very hard to find. Geo. Johnson accompanied Mr. Granger-. Miss R. Duff,ho graduated recently at Ottawa Normal Sehool. will teach in S.S. No. 7 Colborne. during a fall term. Miss L. Andrews,' the Bayfield road. has been en ged to teach Miss ,at Zurich. and Mi G. Graham. Gr daughter of E. G ahaam, has .a 1.position on the pub c school staff atlfl Myth. Last Thursday ight Mc Lean Brore s. Clothing Store was entered through a window at the rear. Nothing was notic to have been taken, aitheugh the might have been. --on Tu4d night G. House's harne's shop on Hamilton St. was b rglarized and two leather grips;tit o best in the store. were taken. Mr. Martin Sq re. who is not unknown t the residents of the Goderich Township. has loo been engaged to k after the faarms._of P. Cook, nd to enable him to to s rly. has secured rt Niel ng partner in the person of Mia' Tubb. daughter of • u� of aged 1i n ed er ay s u ui ca a P /as. Tubb,'Colborne. W. Bard y, who has been living e of Robt. Millers farms on se Line Goderich 'township ught the 50 acres farm nuts _ ll+lcitt .the f: read, a mile s�ith of C#in`i takes possession tt Mr. iced M It begins to look probable that Clinton will be without its customary fail fair this year, as '_he Huron Central Agricultural Society has so far made no arrangements for holding one. There seems to bell general lack of interest in the matter, and it is now so late that anything dant must be quickly or not at all. 140 YEARS AGO Sept. 2, 187S Mr. Isaac Rattenbury. Sr.. brought to our office on Saturday two fine large peaches. of Hale's Early variety. which he had raised from the stone. They weighed 4 ounces each and measured eight inches in cir- cumference. Mr. Rattenbury says that the frost had not injured the tree in the least during last winter. The pile-driver for the L.H. & B.R.R. is 'rapidly performing its •work. having finished all the foundations for bridges up to and a little way beyond this town. As the timber for the bridges is now all on the ground, they will soon be erected and then there will only remain the track laying to be ,donne, which-webave-no doubt will be finished by the latter end of October or ' the beginning of November. The Seaforth Expositor. after enumerating the new buildings that are now in course of con- struction in that toivrr, speaks of the financial soundness of its merchants with a ' degree of pleasurable satisfaction not often witnessed. and in comparing it with other towrfs of the country, considers that few will equal it. The hot weather appears to come later this year than usual, as we are now realizing what hot weather means. The last four or five days have been excessively hot for this section. On Monday last. Messrs. N. Robson, P. Cavan. and C. Grnssick. Clinton and Capt. Wilson. of Seaforth; left for Toronto. as representatives of the ' Huron Riff Association, to take. part in the matches of the Ontario Rifle Association. now being;lietd at Toronto. Capt. Shefpard left the dity following. the Stat Cott" $calico peter Witted in the *tatty that Market; bit Friday' evening, r*'wing an admiring crowd of dative listeners.The wet* well played..giving evidence of careful training. On Pridaay, a train of 18 posse,riser cars., with two engines, ;Oanist from London for doderleb, with abbot LON excurtlonlsts ott board. They returned. about ;even o*clack.. a Peardito: ° x s a fol or�nes 14 the 1010004. of Ontario, 1 have fir- by the fript.MOMW3 that occurs on the highw this province and jnpart*c the high correlation excessive drin,htg . cidents moulting in fatallt es. Dr g hat i and thetrt'. titudes t± wards the use ani misuse of. alcohol' in the province of Ontario, a*e changing. Consumption as a way of life is beginning at an earlier age. There would a Pear ao be .a superimposing of uropean drinking habits (under the * guise of sophistication and maturity) upon the traditional Canadian attitudes toward alcohol consumption resulting in a serious stacking effect producing a marked expansion in the per capita useof.alcohol. In 1974 there were 090 deaks on our highways in which the Wood alcohol levels of the victims exceeded the legal limit. As a rule, we are un- concerned about . these statistics until we 'are touched by the tragedy of sudden death. This tragedy is complicated when we realize that this oc- curs in such a high proportion in young, healthy individuals. The hazards of injudicious use ' of alcohol are real and affect the public as a whole, and are not restricted to the so-called "probilern" or "heavy" drinker. Death may enter the next curve on the highway a nd touch both the drinker and non- drinker alike! As a Coroner, I have also been impressed by the concern and conscience within ' the If Attorney -General's depart- ment concerning the efforts to control this loss, by means of persuasion, deterrents and finally, punishment through the courts. It is, however, my opinion that little will be ac- complished until an informed and concerned public expresses its concern at this ongoing slaughter on our public high- ways. One area which has not been fully explored, in my opinion, is that in the area of public - scrutiny and public ridicule. It is this notoriety that, I feel, might be a powerful tool in bringing about the compliance of an individual to the rules and regulations of society. It has been my thought. for some time now, that this old - mechanism may well have some application .in modern society. For excample, I would suggest that some con- sideration be given, by the • courts to publicity that publicly distinguishes drivers who have habitually abused the privilege of drinking' and the privilege of driving and their combination, which we know to be a lethal combination. I would suggest that these drivers be required to drive a brightly colored automobile which the public could easily distinguish for a specific period of time (their sentence). so that - the public could recognize them - as offenders and also be able to protect themselves to some degree. As we all know, anonymity is a great cloak to cover innumerable sins. The loss of a driver's licence is virtually a priirate matter between the individual and the courts. Such action ,as`rthat proposed would overcome- the objection to interference with • livelihood and the punishment of non-involved individuals within the offender's family. It is a source of amazement to me that the public is so concerned at the present time with gun control when the automobile and the drinking driv, r is a far more dangerous weapon than any gun in the hands of the public. This is a statistical fact that, I. am sure, will be readily confirmed by any coroner in the province of Ontario. Trusting that the Ontario public , will become more concerned with this serious problem. I renriain truly yours, J.K, McwGreiit', • *MCA. W#»ghara