Clinton News-Record, 1976-12-09, Page 4the
apt you to OW'1
a ked a council not octly for
mYseit,, but all ped4strians in
Clinrtrn:
Yours truly,
Allan Reid, Pfl
Clinton.
1
thy; t ": f rr #re,
�., tr V Ong have # ' tax
reform: for farmlan1d, have battled for
farm into plana and for manor other'
issues, The record s c
hs►sbeen
impressive.
He has also Cn', .ovi a calm,
voice in
reasonable ' fernier -consumer
.,,. �, �
debat. n s
es. i hprto ., w . has , x
el*e!d the:.
farmers of Huron and the rest of On,
tario wells and by serving, the ► well
has` in the long run, served consumers
well too. He deserves a rest after his
long service, but let's hope hewill give
his skill and dedication to other areas
that need them in. the near future.
fid► fle!ilure.
to rem "now, but .
til t 'carr: ildtt of
.F A just $horty' after the
eral Farm ganizatlon vote bad
Iy . split the Ontario farm com-
rpt
The National Farmers Union
0 F.A.. were bitter (enemies In.
y areas of the ce,: Hill, a
it .President hf ►self, felt
,A. constituted the best chance
uniting farmers. He took over the
Worship of the organization when
loraie was low and personally
pervised a chance in the whole
n stepping dawn
Ws been a long and tough road for
Mayor Don Symons since he stepped
into the mayor's chair 12 years age,_
andin three weeks he gives up the
chain of office to a new'rnayor, leaving
the town in better shape than when he
first came:
There have been many ups and
downs for Don over the past 12 years,
but overall, he has prowl to be a
leaderthrough someverytough times,
including the closure of CFB Clinton,
and the resulting loss of thousands of
lobs.
We in the press have been quick to
criticize Don in the past, but we were
equally quick to praise him, aad`there
was always mutual respect between
us.
From the. town of Clinton, and the
press, we say "thanks Don for giving
us 12 years of your life in service to the
town". May you continue to serve in
other ways.
It's time we spoke up
Most Canadians are pretty long-
suffering. We seldom take to the
barricades, set fire to the flat, or hurl
bricks at the police.._,
Canadian men putrup with nagging wives
for years, and accept it, on the whole with
meekness. Nowadays wives not only nag,
but they are, many of them, the crudest of
materialists and the most militant of
women's libbers. The husbands still go
along without much more than an oc-
casional snarled, "All right, then. You can
put the bloody garbage out."
Canadian women put up with un-
demonstrative,- nstrative,. insensitive louts of
husbands for years, chaps who were
knowledgeable about beer and ho key and
poker, but wary of emotion and callous
about the finer things in .life. Nowadays,
most husbands are still louts, but quite a
few have escaped into the esoteric world of
macrame, needlepoint. going to the ballet,
and having their hair "done" every two
weeks. And . the wives haven't complained
much, except for the occasional venomous,
"I remember when you,were always trying
to drag me, into the bedroom."
In fact, we are such non -complainers that
everybody walks all over us. We shudder
and whimper under a punitive tax system,
but there's nary a bomb for the tax
collector.
We get royally and regularly screwed by
everybody from mechanics' to 'merchants,
from supermarkets to surgeons, from
restaurants to repairmen, and we grumble
a bit, but almost enjoy it, as Confucius
advised about rape, when it seems
inevitable.
We put up with dumb insolence from
postal clerks, and stupidity from sales
Clerks, and bad manners from beer
stingers and Hp from hotel flunkies. And we
pay up, `nutter a bit, and fade into the
woodwork.
We accept shoddy workmanship from
Canadian manufacturers, and go back for
more. We eat fifth -rate meals in highway
restaurants, vow well never go back, and
step at the same place next time, hoping for
a miracle, only to be served the greasy.
badly -cooed food and watery coffee we got
last time.
We are humble and contrite when some
jumped-up pip-squeak of a civil servant, or
setaeulcerouscreature, in an employment
afflee. tells us we haven't filled out the for rn .
rl'y.
iybe we dsetve it. Maybe it's time we
up. on our hind ,legs and started r
g about alt the second rate goods
rel -rate service that are shoved at
tlifl* Wit started yelling, and
causing public scenes, and demanding
proper service, and shouting for the
general manager or the head waiter, and
complaining bitterly and heatedly when we
encounter stupidity and insolence and
slipshoddiness.
We weren't always like this, you know. A
couple of generations ago, Canadians
weren't such patsies for the greedy. My
mother was on good terms with the local
merchants. But they had to produce, and
they had to compete, and if they didn't,
they were in trouble.
She trusted people about as far as she
could throw them up in the air, and she was
five feet. two. She had a set of scales in the
house, and she weighed every sack of flour
or sugar that came in. If it was un-
derweight, she'd skin the supplier alive,
with her tongue.
And I wasn't always such a dumb,
complaisant member of the flock myself. I
remember one incident. It was about two
years after the war. I had spent a year in a
sanatorium, and was on pension, but I
was going to school, and working at hard
labor during vacations, to support a wife
and kid.
I had quite a lot of visits to the Depart-
ment of Veterans' Affairs There I was
treated, by one guy, a civil servant, like
something that had crawled Out from under
a stone. This guy would say, "Take a seat,"
and ignore you for one, two, three hours. He
- had lostan anin the war, and flaunted it,
with his sleeve neatly pinned up. To him, 1
guess, secure with his pension, and his
forever job doing nothing, we were scum,
whose only purpose was to irritate him, and
force hits to do a little paperwork.
One day, my flashpoint occurred. I'd
taken an afternoon off work, lost half a
day's precious pay, to see a senior official
at DVA concerning, grants for advanced
studies. One -Aran waved me to a.seat, and
stood around shooting the breeze and
drinking coffee for an hour - an hour and a
half. I blew.
"Listen, you one-armed bastard! i've got
one lung, and I thinkrve seen as much
service as you have. If 'don't get to see Mr.
X in five minutes, I'm coming over the
counter!"
He could haavecleaned me, even with his
one arm, but he turned pale, bustled about,
and in three minutes I was talking to the
boss. it was that old , civil servant's panic
about getting* bad report..
It was -cruel, tent rye, never regretted it.
That jerk needed straightening out
Isn't it time We started Straightening out
all the jerks/ If anybtreats acne civilly,
f`It respond to kind. Mody out from nor on, it he
doesn't I'll ' holler. Who's with me?
Odds 'n' ends by Elaine Townshend
On be
To keep track of people irsocietY, we place them under
neat little t _ bels^ The category I belongto is called
"'physicallyhandicapped."
d."
Not so many years ago.being handicapped was con-
sidered a shameful thing. Sine parents tried, to hide their
handicapped children, partly Jo protect them 'from a cruel
world and: partly to eovefr up the disgrace. Handicapped
people were doomed to lives of isolation, poverty 'and
uselesseesn . They were, thout ht to be helpless, and they
could only rely or the people and institutions that took care
oflhetn. Handicapped people were objects of pity.
Myr mly comment is "Bull!"
andicapped people are "people". They have purposes
and places in this world or they wouldn't be here- Although
ey function in unique ways, they achieve the same results
as non -handicapped -=persons - a fact that amazes most ofthe
latter. Handicapped people need some special things, but
one thing they do not need is pity:
Apparently. I caused quite a stir in Clinton, when I was
born without arms. The doctor told my parents when one
thing is missing something else is usually missing too. He
couldn't give them a definite physical and mental'prognosis
until I was six -months old. Incidentally, he gave me a clean
bill of mental health, but some people are still suspicious.
When I was a child, my parents didn't try to hideame, but
they didn't push me into the world either. Being a stubborn
kid, I would only have pushed back. As I matured, they let
me make my own decisions, and'in whatever I attempted,
they supported rhe. . - -
People wondered how I would manage. Fortunately,
using my feet instead of hands carne naturally to me, and I
have discovered a way to do everything: Independence is
"Mr. Allan Reid;
Clinton,
Ontario.
one of the blessings t value most hilly.
1 have been asked *'Do you ever wish you had arms?" It
seems like a stupid question, but my answer might surprise
YOU. 01 course, there Were tines, especial#y a f a child and a
teenager that wished 1 had. Don't weall tend .
Mil � - to want
things we darn thave-.
In the last few years, I've developed a different
philosophy. First, a handicap cars be a problem. Does
anyone go through life without problems? If I had been born
with arras, I might have been saddled with other trouble
much more difficult to handle.
Secondly, if I was not handicapped, there are many super
people I would probably have never met and emotions I
would have never experienced.
Thirdly, ' I Would probably be unaware of the exciting
revolution that is taking place in the sphere of the
physically handicapped. The demeaning attitudes I men-
tioned at the beginning are changing, mainly because a lot
of handicapped people are proving they were wrong. These
leaders are opening doors for themselves and -for the rest of
us.
I realize I have been fortunate; I believe it is easier for
those of us who are born with the label "physically han-
dicapped",.than for those Who suddenly find tfterriselves
threst into it. Some of us don't have to make physical ad-
justments, but most of us have to achieve psychological
ones. We must accept ourselves before we can expect others
to accept us.
We must also realize that being handicapped is not
shameful, hopeless or pitiful, and so must "non -
handicapped" persons.
From our
arly files
10 YEARS AOI
December 1.$, I966
At the December ante
of Clinton town councc
Monday evening, the tender
of Shantz and Hicks Con-
struction Limited, Waterloo,
was accepted to build the
proposed community centre
and arena in Cfriton Com-
munity Park,
The tender price was
$224,660 for the 215 foot long.
by 104 foot . wide building,
which will have an ice surface
of 80 feet by 180 feet. The
arena surface will be coved
with a three eights titch
traprock floor which can be
used for roller skating,
dancing, indoor shows and
other entertainments.
Fire completely destroyed
the 40 by 90 foot barn on
concession 2 WestWawanosh,
owned by Mr. and Mrs.
Donald Young of concession
1, on Wednesday evening,
December 7.
The fire was discovered by
Marinus Baker, a neighbour
and Mr. Young,. The Blyth
fire brigade was called to the
scene but it was beyond
saving when they arrived.
J. Doug McCann a teller at
this Royal Bank of Canada
branch here, won the 5500
major prize ia;_.. tete .service
clubs of Clinton games night
at the Legion hall last Friday
evening.
25'EARO AGO
December 29, 1951
A new textile industry will
locate in Clinton early in the
nets year, L. ' G. •Winter,
chairman of the industrial
Committee reported at • the
December general meeting of
Clinton and District Chamber
of Commerce held in the
Town Council Chambers.
President R. S. Atkey was in
the chair.
Mr. Winter -stated that a
Dutch couple, Mr. and Mrs.
Jacob van Tullen.. would
settle here and wouldcom-
mence operations in part of
the Sherlock -Manning Pianos
plant with five knitting
machines and would
manufacture sweaters.
Experienced workers in
Holland; they recently had
been living in Ireland where,
they operated their own
factorWaand had emigrated to
Canada seeking better op-
portunittek.
"1 m sure glad to $ back
home again," Pte. Ross M.
Calquhounw 20. exclaimed
With fervour as the News-
Re+ord chatted with him
veSterdav following his
rtan:y service in
genu of his brothers,
iurie, Don and Ken, met
Ross in London Tuesday
afternoon and escorted him
back to native sheath,
together with a friend, Pte.
Ron Pullman, Seaforth. All
three brothers served in the
armed forces during World
War II.
Building permits issued in
Clinton this year to date, total.
3146,500, according to figures
supplied the News -Record by
Town Clerk M. ; T. Corless
today. The figure includes
two small •'churches with
permits totalling $25,000.
Residents of Clinton and
district, and for that matter,
Ontario and Canada are
getting almost too much snow
for Christmas. According to
the official weather, no less
than 10 inches have fallen in
the past week.
50 YEARS AGO
December 23, 1926
Miss Blanche Snell,
University of Toronto. came
home to Londesboro Saturday
and will spend her vacation at
the parsonage with her
parents, Rev. B. and Mrs.
Snell.
W. H. Lobb, Goderich
Township had a very suc •
ccssful sate of high grade
cattle on Thursday of last
week. • Seventeen cows
brought 31,529, the highest
price paid being 3117:50 for i
cow with calf at foot,
Merton !Werner.' who is
attending Technical School in
London, arrived home on
Monday to spend the holiday
with his parents.
Dr. M. A. Shipley, who has
recently returned .from a
special post -graduate course
at Scranton and New York is
ori Toronto this Week, and
takes up his new prasictice in
Blyth- at the new year,
Mr. and Mrs. John
Torrance, and Miss Maud
Torrance, left Tuesday for
Toronto where they will
spend the Christmas
vacation. On Christmas Day,
Mr, and Mrs. Torrance will
celebrate their golden
wed'rii ng; a nn iversa ry .
In Trinity Church,
Bayfield, the, anneal church
concert held ,last Priday was
quite a success, but was
rather spoiled when the draw
curtains caught fire.. No one
was hurt. Mrs. Paull played'
the piano until the audience
settled down again., The
program continued without
the help of the curtain.
•
7 YEARS'!AGO
EldsielnbeerS,1501
Zilliax's }Hotel in Brussels,
as well as the barn and sheds
were burned this - evening.
Being of frame material and
fail of hay and straw, in two
hours there was nothing left.
The cinders were blown to the
neighboring buildings, but the
firemen worked with a will
and saved them. There is
some insurance.
Mr. Mustard, of Brucefield,
has rented Mr.Jowett's mill
for a term of four years and
will reside in this place in the
future.
Cupid -has again bent her
bow in Tuckersmith's midst,
as on New Year's day one of
our noble youths joins the
ranks of the benedicts. C.
Layton is engaged with W.
',Cole this week, threshing in
Goderich Township.
On Tuesday, December 17,
a public examination will be
held in the school, com-
rtiencing at 1 p.m. and until 4
p� m. the pupils will be
examined by a number of
teachers; from 4 to 5 o'clock
lunch will be served and after
the inner man has been
sgmewhat satisfied, an en-
tertainment will be given by
the scholars and outsiders.
Everybody welcome,
Inspector D. Robb is here
this week in connection with
the Modellites' exams.
Miss Washington and Miss
Graham attended the Wed-
ding of Mist Britton at Kin -
burn recently.
Chas. Wallis and J.W. Hite
returned home on Monday;
they should have got back
Saturday, but were delayed
before reaching Toronto.
They were up in the Algoma.
district, around Blind Rivet.
with a carload ofhorses, and
sold nine at goodTigures, and
will go up ag'iitif shortly with
another bunch of draugl• Es for
working purposes.
100 YEARS AGO
December 14,1876
On Tuesday evening last,
while Mr- R. Henry and wife,
of Goderich (better known as
King William and - Queen
Aggie) were on their way
home from this place, and
when near the G.T. railroad.
at the Bayfield Concession,
the sleigh was over -turned.
throwing the occupants into
the ditch: after righting the
affair, the husband started
homewards, lea ring his wife
in the snow, but some of the
resi tenet thereabouts,
hearing of it through the
noise made, went after the
recreant husband, and
compelled him to return and
take his wife home. Such is
Life.
In one of our churches on
Sunday evening last, as the
congregation were passing
out, and individual was
noticed asleep in one of the
pews, of course unconscious
that the service was. over. He
might possibly have been
there yet, had not ai friend
awakened him, when he
sheepishly made his way out.
"From the Signal" - On
Friday last two farmers took
a load of pigs each to Clinton
market; not getting a price to
suit them, they drove to
Goderich, and realized ten
cents per hundred more.
Goderich must be the best
market.
HARDLY PROBABLE.
which anyone can see if they
compare the market reports
of the tvvo places. The highest
report for.. oderich is- $6.40
while for Clinton. 37,
"Dear Sir:
"Your recent' letter in
which you expressed your
,cdncern over the white lines
that are painted across the
road at several corners up-
town has been discussed by
Town Council on Thursday,
Nov. 18.76.
"I have been asked to
advise you that these white—
lines are only for the
guidance of pedestrians, and
must never be construed as
giving the pedestrian the
right-of-way over vehicular
traffic. As such they do not
need any municipal by-law to
be passed,.,.. .. .- -
"In many large cities,
however, pedestrian cross-
overs are designated at
certain points. These must be
approved by by-law, and they
must also be properly lit,
havesignsposted at the site,
as well as at the entrance to
the city. At these cross -overs
the pedestrian does have the
right-of-way over vehicles,
and may enterand cross
simply by indicating that he
is about to cross over.
Vehicles must then stop for •
the pedestrian.
"However, these cross-
overs are only ata relatively
few points in a city, and not at
all corners. We understand
that even a city the size of
Stratford has not seen fit to
installluch elaborate cross-
overs, and indeed we are
advised that there is some
doubt as to the desirability of
such installations in larger
cities. They . are frequently
used as a somewhat less
expensive method than the
installation of traffic lights,
but perhaps do not have the
safety factor of traffic lights.
"Clinton Council wish to
assure you of their deep
concern for your safety. and
can well imagine your con-
cern when trying to cross a
street. However, they do not
feel the necessity at this time
to install such an elaborate
cross-over system.
Yours very truly,
Town of Clinton,
C.C. Proctor,
Clerk -Treasurer"
News -Record readers are
encouraged to express their
opinions in letters to the
editor, however. such opinions
do not necessarily represent
the opinions of the News -
Record:
Pseudonyms may be used
by tetter writers. but no letter
will be published unless d can
• be verified by phone.
DRINKING & DRIVING
DON'T MIX
Sate driving is a family affair.
The Matte News.Reeerd is published each
rt raJar at PCM. On 2t mow ostarI..
awl& ram tt.0.
it is resistermil as weed cease mail by the
pest Otte *Mkt the permit .mw&ber writ.
The rittemOttiortt lsceeperated la that the
'Mr* liteits4eateii. Pomaded is thlt. asd
feattded I IS. Teal
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