Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-11-11, Page 4Cl it . 1:he mUflI' tl t .do sn n r nirtbutiOns t luted by an ever with theculnton cert l hp► ire markingtheir-40th thi00 the fl i t, .they ,thockey alive I llto» I!! and running the n, i town council w0t11d have no p lit of it. Congratulations lJons, may you server anpther 40 years, (by J Fa A common retort heard tpday to many a statement and a steadily, growing attitude each year to Remembrance Day is, Who cares? While sports programs are con- stantly reminding us of the records and exploits of past greats in football, ckey, baseball, etc. - how many times are Canada's V.:C.'s even remembered? Rather, they, and thousands upon thousands of their comrades who fought through two world wars and in Korea are each year getting pushed farther and farther back on the shelf - because - well, "who cares" to bother, remembering? Just a few care. Led by the Silver Cross . mother who will once again place the symbolic wreath on the country's national war memorial and those who attend at our own and other cenotaphs - there will be only a few loyal supporters, plus the now thinning ranks of veterans. They went not that many years ago • many of them very young men gyring up their Saturday night dances* hockey games,, skiing weekends - and ail the other pleasures which we take for grrantedd. But don't ask us,, (most of us) to give up fifteen minutes once a year to remember their sacrifice. Who cares to remember.? A few - those who are too loyal to forget. ere I ins".der stns a. of otlro+►. As yo4!'! predg' from thie sate of UNI Greetin voun t ' e ' in 109 dee opin ' est' ' receive ilse basic .meth educational end MAO care that W Canada take for gr+te+d. Enclosed are severalar- ticles; that help. tell the story of the united Nations Children's Fund and how the money raised from the sales of cards and gift items make the work,o UNICEF possible. We think, this year's UNICEF items for sale are especially attractive and we have also enclosed a descriptive brochure for your information and use. If you would like further information, please do contact us. Thank you very much and a happy holiday season to you. Sincerely, Adele Robertson Appreciation I WONDER how much more will be chipped away from the image of Remembrance Day this fall? Each year the iconoclasts- chip, chip away, hoping that eventually the whole embarrassing (in their opinion) charade, will fade away even though old soldier never do. Last year. one Canadian Legion branch observed the day a week early, because the Nov. 11 date interfered with their deer hunting. To the businessman, Remembrance Day is a dam' nuisance. For years he fought it, with one eye on his customers who were veterans and the other on his clerks, who would have to be paid for nothing, if he gave them the day off. He whittled it down to half a day off, then an hour ,off, for the memorial services. Today, most businessmen simply ignore the day, and it's ituhas long s as tsince been an ual. To industry, anachronism, veterans the time off manyh of them do alloy/ to attend the service. To the civil service, the banks, the teachers, It is just another welcome holiday, a little bonus. Makes a good day to go hunting, or fishing for rainbow, or putting the boat away for the winter. To the young people of this land, however much their teachers try to make then d sill aware, it's just one of those vague any .., 'holidays, like Empire Day, or whatever Lives in Vain. in the -Minute's Silence, that thing is called -that used to be The 24th which is usually cut to 30 seconds, they will of May thellueen's birthday. have a brief flicker of overwhelming bfor youth, rief. Even a decade or so ago, youngsters still Not for fallen comrades, had fathers and uncles who had served in and for the encroachment of old age and World War II, and talked about it, and illness and the final enemy. maybe had a souvenir. like the garter -belt And as the knifing notes of The Last Post of a Women's Land Army girlrwhich they keen, in the November air,_there will be assured their kids was one of the Catapults some real tears. Then it's attention, that were Britain's only weapon after the Reveille, and quick -step behind the evacuation at Dunkirk. off to the Legion Hall, all that sloppy For many a veteran's wife, it's a day of "sentiment" left behind, like the fallen some anxiety. She knows . perfectly well comrades. that, however carefully she has trained the There, the caps will snap, and the turkey old man, he's going to insist on going off to will sizzle, and the dart board and the the Legion Hall, to "hon'or my old -shuffle board till he in full swing, and all And there are the trumpeters who can handle the Last Post, They're few and far between, but around Remembrance Day they hit the Jackpot. A former student of mine used to pick up about 535, darting from one, area community to the other, playing the 4Last Rost at Legion dinners, and metn"orial" services, and schools and churches. And there's the military, the mighty and intrepid Canadian Forces, who could probably repel an attack by the Swiss Navy and the army of Monaco. It gives them a chance to strut their stuff and show that they have been taught the Slow March. or . But those are minority groups. ' what is left to make Remembrance -Day a significant one in Canadian life? There's nobody left but the guys who were actually there -- the veterans. Does it mean anything to them? At the risk of sounding maudlin, I would answer with a ringing affirmative. Their ranks are thinning, and hardly anybody else turns up for the ceremony any more. But across the land, thousands of men and women, pot-bellied, grey-haired. slightly ridiculous to themselves as well as others, will march with solemn faces, ona cold and wet and windy day, to community cenotaphs across the land. They will stand and listen to the Names of the Fallen being read. They will be assured the padre that They Did Not Give Their comrades." The trouble is, his old comrades have also gone there, to honor him, ` between all the honoring, he's going to arrive home at antinusual hour, in an uncertain condition, and •will feel every one of his 56 years on the morrow. That doesn't leave much of anybody, does it, who has any real stake in Remembrance Day? Oh, of course there are the politicians. There are 'still a few votes to beculled from veterans and their wives. Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend An injustice of war A few years ago the CBC presented a documentary on the treatment of'Japanese Canadians during World War II. Before the war. 85 percent of the fishing franchises along the B.C. coast were Japanese -owned. When Canada declared war on Japan in 1941, the government feared. sabotage by these coastal Japanese, although most of them had been born and raised in Canada. Drastic steps were taken to -ensure the country's safety. All Japanese Canadians were registered and fingerprinted. Their homes and businesses were confiscated, for which many of them never received compensation. They were moved inland to former P.O.W. camps and were constantly guarded. During the .evacuation. many families were separated. The fathers and older boys worked in the bush, while the old people,, the women and the children were kept in other sites. They lived in tar paper shacks- and were isP`ed O.W• clothing with red spots on the backs of the shirt. that ser a ras targets. .w. ended,;. they ere .turned,Jeose with no When' r a r owh g;o, ,d4with few money or poss . stens; <. ; people who likedor tru. em The CBC progra'so of particular interest to me because my grail d t her brought one such family to his farm. The arrangements were In 4q,1 believe, through the Anglican church. Although they left the area before I was born, I feet to though I know them because t y parents and my grandparents often mention them. Their arrival caused some scorn in the community. While sitting on the running -board ofgrandpa's truck; in town one day. the eight-year-old boy endurathe stares as long as he could. Then he quipped to two passing ladies, "I'll bet you think I'm Chinese!" The family lived in a small house on grandpa's land. and five of the six children enrolled in the local school. Mean- while, their father helped on the farm. After trying in vain to pronounce his Japanese name Grandpa nicknamed him "Dick" - a name that stuck with him through the years. . Dad recalls the first threshing that Dick helped with. The other workers assigned him to the hole in the mow and practically buried him. He didn't say a word; he just kept piling the sheaves, until he gradually rose above them. Of course, when the men had to throw the sheaves up to him, they didn't work as rapidly. Dick grinned and in broken English urged. "More sheafies, boys.' From that day on. he was accepted by his fellow workers. Like all Japanese Canadians; Dick and his wife had to rebuild their "lives after the war. They bad to prove they were loyal, trustworthy Canadians They had to earn the. respect of their colintryinere. AZi C CII' They tolerated the discriminati6 ` "curing and after the war. Through it all. they retained a sense of humour and of honour. They worked hard to obtain a good education for their children, and their only goal was to better themselves. The quality, for which I admire them the most. was their lack of resentment. Theycould- have raised their family in bitterness against white Canadians. but they didn't. Instead, they rose above the in iustice. How many of us would ha; e that kind of courage and strength if suddenly placed in a similar situation? From our early files IOYEARS AGO • SYEARS AGO November -17,1966 November 22.1951 A briefcase washed up on the The Progressive Conservative beach approximately 206 yarcrs candidate for Huron. was re= south of Bayfield pier and found elected by 1.428 votes over John by S. Morris of alnton,started an W . Armstrong, Liberal. in air and . ground search by the today's Ontario election. The Goderich detachment of the Honourable Leslie M. Frost's Ontario Provincial Police. Progressive Conservative The owner of the brief case. . Government was returned to Harvey Cooper. 15 Argyle Street, power in today's election. He was London had been missin& since re-elected in his own riding of November9. ti Victoria. On Tuesday. November 15, Plrogressive Conservative for scuba divers called in by the Huron-Bru OPP. located a car containing the wassretu body in the Bayfield harbour. 2.295 Three members of Clinton's Libe proposed new community . centre 1 ' centennial project appeared , Santa Claus is coming to before town council Monday "Clinton on Friday. November 30. The big Santa 'Claus Parade. sponsored by the businessmen of Clinton. under the auspices of the Clinton and District Chamber of Corninerc•e, is officially scheduc{led to start at p.m.. but Santa Claushimself and his court will be here all afternoon, and most of the day. With the sudden disappearance of the snow. the end of last week, farmers were busy completing the harvesting of turnips, other root crops. corn and in all sec- tions of the County a great deal of fail plowing was completed. according to G.W. Montgomery. Clinton, Agricultural Representative for Huron County. Livestock generally is in good condition. he stated. the young punks who joined the Legion as social_ members will be enjoying the facilities, and over in a corner, a few Old Sweats from W.W. I will be nursing a beer and reminding, with a quickening of the eye, "D'ya reniernber the tune...?" it's sort of sad. But maybe a good thing that somebody remembers all the fine young men who went off so twiltingly, even eagerly, to fight, and to die if necessary, for ideals that modern} histories sneer at. , John W. Hanna in today's voting by es over E.J. Farrish. . He was first elected in evening with a new proposal for combined arena and comm centre. They were David 9e William Counter and w Ay attie. Kay. Mayor Don Symons, Introduced them as part of " a committee appointed over two years ago to come up wit ideas of a new community entre for the town. Shantz dud Hicks Construction Ltd. Waterloo, have submitted a proposal to the building corn - mince of the community centre committee to build- arena for approximately $225.000. TheRemembrance Day parade and cenotaph service last Friday has been hailed by many as the largestand most impressive ever held in Clinton. The parade followed the memorial service in Clinton Legion Hall where the hall was filed. Eight Clinton and District ministersparticipated in the service with Rev. G.J. Heersink of Clinton Christian 'Reforme Church giving the *Wittiest,. no Rev. Dr. A.J. Moffatt of Wesley. Wiiilis United Church. ,the prayO& ofretnctnotsnce anti dedlcatlon. Mrs. arold McPherson wits pianist for the ser ee under the auspices of Clinton ranch 140 of the Royal Canada: Legion and the Clinton , Ministerial Association. At an impress'ive ceremony on Monday. November 14. an 894to01 bride in Hultett Townshipwas officiary opened. The span. ailtUMed on eancesnion 2 o►nd 5 5Oy'.EARS AGO November 25, 1921 Superintendent Grainger gave a demonstration of the new X-ray machine at Clinton Public Hospital. This demonstration was attended by a number of Doctors and ` nurses from neighbouring hospitals. . General Armstrong. O.C. of Milittrry District No. 1 inspected C. Comptiny Of Huron Regiment Tuesday. evening. The 40 members have been drilling tor nine weeks under the command of Capt. Morgan and Lieuts. C. Curren and McIntyre. Mr. J.W. Stackhouse. Dear Editor: May I .express sincere appreciation, on behalf of The Arthritis Society, for generous publicity you have given in our recent campaign in the Clinton area. Publicity is of great benefit in assuring the success of our campaign as well as assisting us to inform the public about arthritis, and offer hope to those . afflicted - with the various forms of thi' 1 isease. Trusting that .• a may continue to merit you in- terest and support. Sincerely, (Mrs.) Betty Janke. Field Representative. Biuewater Region. . alkerton kindergarten fine ofSSO. Constance Mission Band held their meeting on Saturday last. A good program was given and lunch was served. Mrs. C.H. B.artliff. Clinton. visited with Seaforth friends for a few days last week. Dr. Brown who has been taking a short post -graduate course at McGill. Montreal. is expected' home on Monday, The elevators' at Goderich are full of grain. leaving no room to store several cargoes -Which arrived last week. Mrs. W. Townsend and children and Miss Mary Elliott. Brervie are visiting ^their parents. Mr and Mrs. T.H. Elltott..Bayfietd Mr. Morris Johnston. Varna. accompanied by his father. Mr. C. Johnston spent a few days with friends in Hamilton last"week. and_tinti holt t'i111 1#rucefieli Is in Seaforth o IVI I i� gwilett Memorial Hospital recovering 4lrs of after an operation lost Monda Oder' Mrs. Ir 'Rtl non: 1:ond'es 1p ti'chi a nt a by 4 ith rb nI tI' TamblV`h Mils' e-, 75 YEARS. AGO November 15.1901 We notice by the St. Thomas papers that Howard W. Adams of Londesboro took third place in the shooting tournament of the volunteers of that city. The highest score was made by the captain of the company • 88: the second was 87 and the third was 81. This is very good for a young man of 17 years. Peter Cavanagh shot a curiosity in the shape of a white deer near Eganville recently. Charles B. Thompson. Supreme Finance Keeper of the Maccabees. has confessed to a shortage of 557.000. It is reported that Reeve Churchill of Summerhill recently refused to sign the debentures in connection with the new school, and that legal steps will either be taken to compel him to do so or throw the whole matter into court. There are times when a compromise is much better and much cheaper for all concerned. than a bold and defiant attitude and it looks as .if this is one of them. On Saturday. Hugh McNeil of Grey township passed that bourne from whence no traveller returns. Is death was not an eneicpected event as he has been failing in e*ltb for sometime. Mrs, jos. Thomson who has been With her -daughter. Mts. H� ine'r of Stanley, during the retul . ell and will ptei with her sots. an McLaughlin. who sang in Seaforth on Monday evening, is a cousin of Mrs. James Logan. Stanley. Chas. Reed's house in Brucefietd is now painted and repaired. and a new woodshed has been built on the premises: it is thought that he will soon have a CLARK to assist him. 100YEARS AGO -November. 15.1867 - • Two wild cats were shot in the neighborhood of Goderich last week. They weighed 35 pounds. and were sent to London to get stuffed. An exchange says that coun- terfeit S5 bills are in circulation. Well anyone who ever gets any fives might be ,able to tell the counterfeit from the genuine, but how does he expect an editor` to distinguish between the two. William Cooper. thef youth who stole a horse from Mr. Earnest. London road. a short"at't`ire since. has been sentenced by Judge Toms to imprisonment in the Central Prison for one year and eleven months. Our worthy issuer of Marriage Licenses complains that business is very'disi-i in his line. He says he has a list of over thirty marriageable young.. men in town. and if some of them don't decrease the list ere long. he is going to publish it. He may or may not be serious. but the youths in question should heed the warning- Who will be the 'first? Speak up now! On Saturday last, ivhitst some workmen in the employ of Messrs Stevens and Miller. of this place. who had.been at work .14 zu Dear Editor : It is with considerable chagrin that our four- •ear -old has been rejected !lc Kin- dergarten by. Huron County Board of Education becaus.- this child isn't five u December 31. 1976 A letter from the ii yard indicated that similar requests have been review 'd frequently and that the board has decided not to amend ir their policy. it would Sar ^+ to me if this is a frtigii' nt request that our board If education should be examining this policy and the taxpayers have e' cry right, tQ question their decision re this policy. ' This policy has just recently been bent to allow a child an early admission to Kindergarten in our county due to a physical handicaa and is understood that he will have two ,years in Kin- dergarten. I personalty feel that this is a decidedly good step to allow this adwission and with the same token that the existing rigidity should not exist when parents request early admission, but instead the board. .without extra. cost. could request that the Health Unit do a Denver Development test on the child in question. This test has bei n done by the Public t* Nurses in our , County for some time on the pre- kindergarten child to determine school readiness. Another resource area is the personnel working in the Day Care Centres. These people are y.rell-qualified to determine a child's readiness for school. Many parents are aware of their child's abilities and this opinion should be a consideration as well. Thank you for this op-,. in the erection of a church at Brucrefield, were in the act of portunity to express al removing the ladders from the viewpoint that is long overdu ff building. one of them, Mr. George for some ratification. Duncan. n'i'et with a serious ac- June Martene, cadent. By slipping off a ladder. Seaforah. he was precipitated to the ground. and although no bones was so badly were broken, he bruised that it will be some time before he is able tit work gain. Advertising... tots Iitt 4 th Nevis -Retort readers are encouraged to express their opinions in letters to the editor, however. such opinions do not nevi 'oat ily represent the opinions of the News - Record. Pseudonym's may be used by letter writers. but no tetter will be published unless it can be verified by photic.