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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-01-22, Page 4i'e ns to, be little dou t-noW loll Psychiatric 'l�lospital is no conger, despite all the variant efforts bylocal politicians and the deluge , Of protests from ordinary persons in the three counties the hospital served. Thepassing, as it were, of the +GPH is a very sad death asWe have.iosta very valuable asset in our community,'not to mention the economic lossof thouslds of dollars of wages; etc. It appears that'the Ontario govern - 'tient : had decided to -close the facility without the proper facts, and once tniforri'ed of the facts, were determined 1b carry on their original course. • • it isiSo looks life the comnionication lines within the government between the bureaucrats and ..,ahs politicians have broken down. . No one mahave told the Health, Minister Frank Miller the real farts of the case, or maybe he wasn't prepared ,.,to listen, no one will ever know .for sure. - . The decision has been m• ade and the / future of the patients and futur patients looks dimmer ,now. Let's Mr. Mlller's:.budget slashing,tole# closing down hospitals ends he e. We wait with bated breath on t fate of our very own Clinton Hos , 'tai. Solar eflervu and the man an lire moon 4. Scientists are predicting that by the end of this century, as much as 20 percent of Canada's power needs will be produced by solar energy from the vast sources available from the sun, says Ole United Church. At first glance this sounds like the best news we've had in our energy - depleted planet since the Arab coup - tries started asking a fair price for their oil. Only recently Canadians were toldthat declining: natural gas and oil reserves in Canada, combined with theburgeoning demands of our technological society would face us with serious shortages by 1900 if alternate supplies were not found. Conservation of energy is more than lust good stewardship of resources it is now a . serious. practical necessity. Solarenergy, then, would be of enormous value if the world is to find viable alternatives to oil, natural gas, hydro and coal. At the moment, however, its costs are untie "evable. Energy from this s rce today costs in excess of 520 watt and scientists - predict that it yaili be nearly the year 2.000 before it can be produced at the econornical ! feasible rate of 25 cents a watt. Government agencies, private in- dustry and university laboratories are now engaged in a major push to exploit solar 'power cheaply within a decade for possible -,major production by the jfear 2,000. It is like the major push back in the early 1960's to put a man on'the moon. The analogy is apt, because while man had the ability to reach the moon years before 1961, it required vast ex- penditures of government money - billions- of dollars - to come up with a feasible scheme. The same dedicationand ex- penditures must be forthcoming if solar energy is to be viable. Govern- ments must be urged _to spend this money so that pressure on our frontiers for petroleum can be eased, pollution lessened and stewardship of resources practised for the right reasons. Sugar and Spic /By Bill Smii r , About curmudgeons Recently, I listed some of the things I dislike about our society. When I'd finished, I thought to myself: "Boy, you are a nasty old piece of work. Do you realize you've , barely scratched the surface?" . For a week or two, I went around thinking, in 10 or 20 second spurts, every three or four days, that I was a Cur- mudgeon. Some of my younger readers will not know what a curmudgeon is. Well. it comes. from the root word "mud". We all know what mud is. Itis dirty. It is cool under the toes, unless it is in the form of a mud pack. which is 'good for the wrinkles. If your name is Mudd, you are either in the doghouse, or you are a loser. I hope that is clear. To the root word "mud" (unless we`want to root around in the mud a bit longer), we attach the prefix "cur." A cur. as everyone knows, is a cad with teeth, and sometimes a moustache, who plays the villain in old-fashioned melodramas. In new -fashioned melodrama, he also has teeth and a big belly or a bald head, and he has become the hero. Stillwith me! We now have "curmud," signifying a mean guy who is cool under the toes, s wrinkles. or is a loser. Sometimes all th; e. Now we come to the suffix, "geon," which is of more obscure vintage. Lt is of Hungarian antecedent, and it seems to have meant, originally. something we might call colloquially "a dummy who makes a lot or silly and un- necessary noise without getting anywhere." which is rather a contradiction in terms. come to think of it. There are many" perversions of the original, of course. We find the suffix in such words as "In jun," "engine, and "John. But the original meaning is in there somewhere. An Injun, for example, is one of the original "In" people. who rides around in ever -diminishing circles, emitting war -whoops, until he is shot off his horse. Think of your car. The engine makes a lot of silly and unnecessary noise - at least mine does - and gets nowhere. Occasionally, the car gets somewhere, but the engine retrains exactly where it started... in the car. - And of course, there is the colloquial word "john," meaning a toilet. Or water closet or backhouse, if toilet offends you. This item of hardware indulges in a great deal of unnecessary noise, whether of receiving or transmitting, and is usually going nowhere, except on trains, buses or airplanes, when it is so active it has to put up a "busy" sign most of the time. On ships, of course, with their innate sense of superiority, the "john" is called a "head." This came about when one of the head men in the British Navy, Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, affectionately known to his jolly tars as "dud," once went looking for the "john" and discovered a lot of Common Seamen (and a very common lot they were) lined up with one of the symptoms of scurvy known as "dire rear. In the in- terests of clarity, this has nothing to do with the term "rear admiral," Understandably, Sir Dud flew into a high rage, the only type allowed to senior of- ficers, and uttered a good deal of silly and unnecessary noise, or "geon," when he had to wait his turn for the "John." As naval tradition has it. this led to the wedding of "dud" and "geon", meaning a john that isn't working, or a senior officer with a red face, or a towering rage, whichever you choose. That's one of the beauties of the English language. You can take your pick. And you know what you can do with it If you have followed , me carefully through , this brief but enlightening ex- ploration into semantics, I am sure you have come to the conclusion. as I have, that I am not a Curmudgeon at WIT; I am not a Mean gay. i haven't hit a little kid since mine grew up. I am not cool under the toes. My feet heat something terrible in this weather. I am not a loser. How cap you know you're a loser -when you don't know what it is td -be a winner? I do not go around making silly and un- necessary noises, except when It is ab- solutely necessary. And finally, 1' Peel that I am definitely getting somewhere. Menther, ttatarieWeekly %timeline Mewled.* The CN1 *.n News=fttc.rd ii publ eked each Thursday at Chown Warw. Canada tt is registered as second class meet by the part ettiee uses. the _peon* number 1e17 The rs.fterard incorporated in 11024 the Moran Neveett ,cirtl, fronded in teal, and the Chemin New Bra. Warded W INF Thiel '' %i k ibif. t au4ien t`+iliti,ia+rrikr Vwr �'1xw.rl•tf+ira 144040 ci+N'r�tartli+'tl rat i1 �scrisiller. It.t*$ Ctltralia - st1per veerU.S.A. • 612.. 411 x111 fly • .2$C t "We're lucky ey don't usually stop Wort t ey'te full lip. " Lots to learn • As, usual, the announcement of the wide variety of sub- jects offered in the annual night school classes "in town", as we say, has inethrobbing with unaccustomed ambition. At this reading there are a full 30 courses, ranging from astronomy to dog obedience training, that I find irresistibly compelling. It's all I can do not to slope right out and enrol in the lot for an orgy of self-improvement. Time and the natural process of pessimism will un- doubtedly trim this list considerably. perhaps to nothing. Astronomy, on second,thought, may come to seem too vast a study for a man who has trouble identifying the Big Dipper. Dog obedience training may be dismissed as a lost cause considering the terrible and irrevocable hold that two beasts have over me, with no training -at alt. Still, in the first flush of enthusiasm, the night school curriculum holds the promise ofcrossing new horizons. I've no doubt there are thousands getting all purposeful and aspiring, a good way to be. Great hordes of adults followed through on this sort of intentarst year and even more are expected in the forthcoming season. Which indicates a considerable hunger for something. Ail sorts of explanations are advanced for the increasing success of the night school idea. Some say it's an expression of the relatively new op- portunity for leisure hours and a search for ways to fill them with hobbies more rewarding than passively watching television. Others claim it's a sort of delayed manifestation of a petite for education that was denied those of us who were preoccupied in the depression and war years by .less en- nobling activities, such as making a buck and killing people. Whatever the reason, I suspect that the real heart of it is simply the desire to do something well, the old human urge to excel. 'tat, at any rate. is what brightens my eye when it runs dOlWI) this lengthy selection of pursuits so readily `and edonontichlly"aVailable. The lite atone is an appalling reminder of what I don't understand and can't do, the plight of so many of us who know a little bit about a lot of things. but not much about anything in particular. And so the invitation to take up boat building or oil painting for beginners or sandwich -making, fancy, or household repairs is most attractive. With the, possible exception of writing for the Junior Audience, I don't suppose there's a subject in this entire list with which I can claim anything more than a nodding acquaintance, yet almost all of them are every -day. practical and often entertaining endeavors. Glance with me down the list --navigation for yachtsmen. cabinet making, the construction and principles of stereo, photographic printing and developing, woodworking. knowledge of classical music. ceramics and sculpture, chess. cuttent affairs. law for everyday use, psychology for everday living. So they go. each offering an added interest to living. an extra dimension to the daily existence. a chance to do something competently and perhaps even with a flair. What's more, it works. Though it may not be the best possible example. I'm thinking of a neighbor who parlayed an interest in bar- becue -cooking into something close to a mastery of the culinary art by spending a couple of pleasant evening hours once a week at "'school.' He became an expert on something. voluntarily and simply for the pleasure of it. and that. to me. seems the real merit of learning at any age. From our early files • 10 YEARS AGO January 27,19$$ John Wise, new member of the Clinton Public Utilities Com- mission was named secretary of that body on Tuesday evening. and Harold E. Hartley was re- elected chairman. G. Morley Counter was returned as chairman of Clinton Library Board. Friday evening, in the inaugural meeting in the Library. Mrs. L.G. Winters was re -appointed secretary and town clerk John Livermore was returned as treasurer. The board hopes to get started on its own centennial project early this year. The proposed project is to move the children's section of the library into the present reading room. with new metal shelving and proper children's tables and chairs. The Leading ream would then be to the left of the main entrance. This is the question that will appear on the ballot to be used by bean growers on February 8.9 and 10. "Are you in favour of increasing the license fee of 6c per cwt. to 10e per cwt. for the purpose of building processing and storage facilities in the southirn part of Huron County by the. Ontario Bean Growers Marketing Boalydr' If 66 2-3 percent of the growers casting banes. are in Favour. then an _ appropriate change will bemade to the Ontario Bean Growers Marketing Plan which covers white and yellow -eye beans. R.N. Irwin was elected chairman of the Clinton Public School board Thursday night at the inaugural meeting. He suc- ceeds Dr R.S. Woods. who head the post for the past three years, Municipal officials and representatives of businessmen associations from C lintop, Goderieh and Scatorth will meet in Clinton town hall Monday, January .31 at 8 pate to prepare Web to the CNR and Doard of Transport Contnisslotrers. ReSresentativcs from Mitchell and fiublin will also be invited. The briefs will be in palest over the CNR's recommendation that passenger service be discon- tinued on the Stratford-Goderich line. Clinton's new post office will commence operation on Monday. January 31. 25 YEARS AGO January 25,1351 Mr. and Mrs. W.B. McAlpine left Tuesday for Jackson, Mississippi,'tp visit the former's sister prior to her induction as a nurse into the U.S. Army. She expects to see duty in Korea. On behalf of Huron County, Warden Cecil Johnston received from Mrs. M.C. Jacob. matron of Huron County Home, the gift of a crocheted table cloth. made by Mrs. Jacob in her spare time this year. Firebroke out Sunday morning, and damaged the pasteurizing plant of Clinton Dairy on Huron Street. and threatened neigh- bouring buildings. Damage was estimated at 52.000 to $3,000. Defective wiring in the attic section was blamed by the proprietors. as the ca at Osgoode. A splendid crowd greeted the play. "Kentucky Basile" in the Foresters hall last Friday night_ which was girett by the Westfield young people ail Sid of Harmony Class. W.T. O t) Grocery was advertising Ne$�; "Free Demon- stration" of Willy Powders and Dainty DesQ"ri - by Mc Wrens. Seaforth defeated Clinton in hockey 6-4. Clinton players were: goal. Twyterd, defense, Nediger Hovey; centre. Chase: wings. Roberton, McEwan: subs, J. Mutch. F. Mutch. Ford A Wiggins has been -named as tnxriager of the Gunn Langlois Co. Clinton. S. Jordanbaspurchased the old Cantelon st f n the west side of Albert St. it is expected that M.C. Jordan WM .rttov�e his grocery store,to this�iolctiliort, Officers of Huron Central Agricultural Association are: president H. Cox: secretary. 5.13. Stothcrs: directors `Mayor.._ Jackson. C.G. Middleton, E- Wise and H. Snell. use of the Markets ere : wheat 51.40; fire.* Seine electrical work had gats, 40c tri 45c;wBuckwheat, 65c to been done a day or two 70e7Alltley.tec to65c: butter. 36c previously. to 37c, a gl 15e to 35c; live hogs. Members of Wesley -Whirls 513. United Church. more than 200 -in number, gathered inthe the nWg hawhenll last evening catered for a delicious turkey banquet. It wits decided by a large majority that the project of the new manse started in 1950. would be carried out in the coming year with as much despatch as possible. Huron County Council Cndorsed theHrecommendation of the - The new flag replaced the one executive _committee that the presented to the town by Wm. wardens salary be increased to Ransfor'd,. S504. and members' sessional pay Hodgetta rft a., the well-known t„ 550 wind committee lndcmnity and populist drygoods men of t 59 per day • town, htiv`e bought the stork of Junin Robinson. at Goderleh. IS YEARS AGO and took po 1$ *k t of the same, 162* inn M ay last. The intention is �- Jatwtary Mr t',S• 1 lvern'0r a` according to re 4i+t lita1Ce *bout the 1st resud yesterd . jai Etc* is `y, a Mr. I1.Ci stouccissfltsttllypublisheptassCd the C hry l ty 1Fiodgeltis will ptrobsbly seas examination in his first year ,-rt rent 1 d tide +lipoid ot,,the .7S YEARS AGO January 2s. 2s.1Sot it was singular that the new flag just purchased should be hoisted at halt -mast for its debut to Clinton as a signal of mourning, for the death of our beloved Queen Victoria. who passed away at Osborne Castle, Cowes, England, on TUesday at 6 45:p.ni, Disgraceful Dear Edlt+: An open letter to the Premier of the Previfcill: Government of Ontario. V, Dear Sir: - At a special Meeting of the Medical Staff of the Clinton. Public Hospital, the following_, resolutions were passed unanimously. Be it resolv+d: that the closure of th:e Goderich Psychiatric Hospital constitutes a disgraceful disregard of the Health Care needs of Huron. County and the surrounding area. This action taken unilaterally and without consultation with regional health care authorities and without knowledge of . the local circumstances con- stitutes a breech of what should be normal government procedure, We call upon the government to reverse this - ill-advised decision. We believe that the closure of the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital and the threatened closure of hospital beds in this area will diminish the standard of medical care and availability of medical care in this area. We believe that.. --the Health Care costs will not be sufi stantialiy reduced by such action; it is apparent that less vital health tare services are being expanded at the ex- pense of the hospital services, and we respectfully call upon you to review the govern- mental mismanagement of health services in Ontario and reassess Health Care priorities. same. From Cantelon Bros.. the produce shippers. we learn that for the last year a large amount of produce was shipped from Clinton chiefly being sent to Toronto. London. Montreal. Halifax and other eastern points. During the past year has been the largest yet. 110.000 pounds of butter and 105.000 dozens of eggs and this means the handling of ever 520.000. The largest turnout of organs in a specific time will, be for the month of January. the first month of the new century The reason for the large output is to fill an order from the old country and the men have been working overtime for 'over two months except the week at Christmas time. Last week. 125 organs were finished up and by the end of the month close on to 500 organs will be manufactured - an event unprecedented in the history of the Doherty factory. Owing to the grade on the new siding. a couple of cars took a run Mild went off the track at the switch (near the London Road). They were replaced without damage.. Old news January 8. 1976 Dear Editor: This is to advise you that we are not renewing our sub- scription to the Clinton News Record because of The delay in receiving it --today we received the Dec. 18, 24 and Jan. 1st editions and believe t'ne there .is nothing like old news. Hopefully the postal situation in Ontario will improve and at that time we will gladly renew our sub- scription to your paper. 'yours truly. Wm. H. Johnston. Islington. Ontario The Medical Staff, Clinton Public Hospital. CLINTON. Ontario. Resign Dear Editor: Your support and en- dorsement of the attached resolution is most important to the future of health care in the County of Huron. The Honourable Frank Miller. Minister of Health. Ontario Ministry of Health. Honourable Sir: At a special meeting -of the medical staff of the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. Goderich. Ontario. the following resolution was passed unanimously "The Ministerial decision to close the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital has been without due consultation of local health professionals and seriously endangers adequate provision of total psychiatric health care in Huron County. We believe this represents an unbridled unilateral use of force of the government without consultation. com- passion or reason- The planned closure of general hospital beds in Huron County threatens the right of the people in • Huron County to adequate health care and the methods used by the Provincial Government in planning these closures is totally undemocratic Therefore. we call upon the Minister of Health to + Reverse his decision on the closure of the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital. + Withdraw plans for closure of general hospital beds in Huron County. +Commit himself -and his Ministry t� decision by consultation with representatives at local levels, OR Failing respcnsible actions on these lines. we call upon the Minister. the Honourable Frank Miller: the Deputy Minister, Mr. Allan Backley; and their institutional ad- visors to resign immediately. The Medical Staff, Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Goderich. Ontario