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Clinton News-Record, 1976-12-16, Page 35hit n: in tills n h fi t!4hat few, if any, .n e ►t ig o a k their l Wats for ncil with the (Oen 100 of choosing ha f' there aremany of 4.un�. .Who • are quite hilt . mayor's shoes, e not $ plat to, i1 1' part a to lead for he fv1L oyears it Would appy that the fairest solution wound bet to -give the whole electorate of the town 01 Clinton. a chancetoselect whq is to lead them for the next two years, and not lust leave It in the hands of a few. pitched Christmas Meet plane engine noises are pitched so high that they cannot be heard by human ear. Of course, there is the familiar let roar that does get throug but most of the sound is beyond range. The community is filled with the Sound of Christmas carols: Radios, T.V.'s street -corner speakers, chur- .hes, school `:`rooms and a thousand common dwellings all vibrate with the sound of familiar Christmas songs. Part of the carol gets through but part of it is beyond our range, says the United Church. The happy melody gets through. The power to awaken memory of by -gone days gets through. The plain homely Images of the manger, the star, the shepherds, the wsemen, the mother and the lovely sleeping child are reinforced by our singing of the carols. Almost any ear can catch these sounds, But there . is more. At a higher frequency that only the heart can hear there is born in upon us the assurance flat our worldis wrapped in love. But this word is high-pitched and is entirely lost on those who hear only the obvious. "No ear May hear His coming; But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive Him, still The dear Christ enters in." Perhaps this is why at the first Christmas it is .said that the carols were sung by a chorus of angels. The Christian message is more • than ' a group of people chatteringthcot Y,--or school children singing carols: It is the subtle sound of God's compassion. It is assurance at depth that human life has immortal meaning and joy is rooted not in coloured tissue paper and escapist celebrations but in the .presenceof a hardy, holy love to which we can commit ourselves. "Joy to the World! the Lord is come". in the occasional moments when any man has the confidence that this is really so, it is as if an angel bending . o'er the earth had touched `a har of, gold. The higher frequency bermes, audible. Confidence in God and his yearning over man is the high- pitched word that sounds in every simple, pleasant carol we sing. Listen for it now. r Sugar nd Spice/By Bill Smiiey Christmas time THERE is no time of the year that passes more quickly than the few .weeks before Christmas. One day it's only about the first week in November. The Christmas gift catalogues are just out. and Bing Crosby has barely commenced singing "Fm Dreaming and the Santa Claus parade is a few weeks off and the town's Christmas lights have just gone up, so you know that the actual holiday is weeks, if not months, in the future.. Then, suddenly, you have about six dicey days to go, and you haven't bought either tree or turkey, let alone gifts and cards, and you knoW you're going to be figIike a bat out of hell to get ready for the annuals bacchanalia with which we celebrate the birth of Christ. And I guess maybe that's part of the fun - going slightly ape for a few days each year. running around like a cat on a hot tin roof, and spending money like a drunken sailor, to coin a few brilliant, original similes and metaphors. Some people, and the rest of us detest them, go around smugly in December telling anyone who will listen that they have all their gifts bought and wrapped, their cards dispatched, their plum pudding made, and even their rotten tree up and decorated. They're like the people in Alden Nowlan's poem, who set the breakfast table before going to bed, make the bed before going down to breakfast, have their names and birthdates inscribed on their tombstones before they die. with nothing to add but the date of death. Perhaps they are admirable people, in a way, but I bate them. They are se busy getting ready for tomorrow that they haven't time to enjoy today. Like most slobs I comfort myself by constantly reassuring myself that truly creative people are tardy. procrastinating and slovenly, that it takes a narrow mind to have a tidy desk. that life is only a preparation for death, which is anything but neat, and that I wouldn't want to be like those people for all the oil in Arabia. Remember when it used to be all the tea in China? It's partly true, though. Every year, the - Old Battleaxe and ',plan to have a gracious Christmas. We plan it in June, and then forget all about it until Dec. 17th, The plan goes something like this. The cards will be purchased about September, and with care. Nene of this, "Dir e -me dozen of those and three doh Of the ones and abet twenty green toes." Our tree Will be large, tely' and gorgeous, and Will be erected without confusion or blasphemy at least At Week before Christen Every glf +i 11' c en with cs a amu` 4.:.it`s, t tp acs iitlsltely, a .. of fuss. Turkey will be ordered and delivered at precisely the right moment. Plum pudding will be baked and fro zen,probably in November ready to be pipped in the oven. Records wilibe sorted and all set to go on hi-fi. There'll be carol singing, a fire in the fireplace. peace and goodwill in all our hearts, and joy to the world. House will be full of lovable children, and gentle Grandad, who will play with each other, while the old lady and t sit around benignly and smile and smile, with our hearts overflowing. And we'll all go to church on Christmas Day to get away from the commerc1zdisrn:"and revel in -the True Meaning of Christmas. Somewhere between the planning and the execution, something goes awry. Maybe it's because life is too complicated to spend six months getting ready for a three-day orgy. omehow, we're ` too busy with 'Thanksgiving and Remembrance Day and the Grey Cup and sewing Kim's pants, and marking essays and bickering and making up, to make any preparations at all. Cards are last year's left -overs,• plus a few cheap extras, sent out on Dec. 23rd. I go out on the 24th and beat the snow and ice off the third -last skeleton in the Christmas tree lot, and it is erected to the accompaniment of oaths when I try to nail my finger to the floor, and screams of rage and disgust when the darn' thing falls over for the fourth time. Gifts are purchased with all the careful selection of passengers on the Titanic grabbing for lifebeits. Only one string ''of t Christmas tree lights Works, and the stores are sold out of replacements. Somebody forgot to order the fresh -killed turkey, and we wind up with a beast that was frozen during the last Ice Age. We have to chop the guts out with a chisel. Plum pudding? Forget it. We're all on a diet. Nobody got around to sorting out the records. and on Christmas Eve, instead of We Three Kings of Orient, we get There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight, with pornographic verses by Jakaloo Shutfler and His Shifflers. Somebody has lost the book of carols. There is no kindling and the firewood is wet It smokes. The onlyace in the house is when�you lock yourself the bathroom, and the lock doesn't work, and the intim wander in and say, "'fiat are you doing, Grandad?" Grandchildren are intforrrigible, pulling over firrescn" floor lamp and Great - Grandad in a muddle of breaking and baling, filling their diapers do hg dinner, and deManding to stay up until :rciidnight to see a. Claus. - We never malt r it to Church because we're goo busy Celebrating, •the birth. ole Cyst fasarr �..� "I'd like to get my wj, e something she needs so she can exchange it for someMing she wants." Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend Christmas food Food playa an important role in my family's Christmas. Mom spends days preparing the dinner, and the rest of us spend hours devouring it. Our menu resembles the one most Canadians enjoy - roast turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, turnips, salad and cranberry sauce, `mincemeat and pumpkin pies and Christmas pudding with sweet butterscotch sauce. After the meal, although we always eat too much, we feel compelled to munch on fruit, candies and nuts. Christmas is the one day in the year in which non-stop eating is ex- cusable. Canada's modern menu differs from that of other eras and other countries. For example, our mincemeat pies were derived from mutton pies; which were popular in the early days of England. Boar's head and brawne and peacock pie rounded out the original feast. In many countries, our traditional turkey is replaced. The Yugoslavian roast pig, for instance, is comparable to our roast turkey. Meanwhile, in the Scandinavian lands, fish is the main dish; the eel is eaten in Italy, and sea bream is Spain's specialty. Porridge is eaten in Finland. (In the morning., I presume.) Mexicans serve turkey, but they cook it with tortilla and fried peppers. They also mix salads of fruits and vegetables and garnish the salads with candies. . , . Some type of Christmas Cake is included in the delicacies of most nationalities. The American Moravians boast their cakes are as thin as paper, while Denmark's bakers make tiny cakes called "pepper nuts." Instead of cakes, the Germans ser-veitard Spice cookies. Polish wafers are stamped with religious figures and blessed by priests; then they are given as gifts or cards. (I hope they have no postal interruptions!) Canadian housewives think they work hard to prepare the Christmas dinner, but compared to the Ukranian women, they have it easy. In Ukrania, the hostesses are required by tradition to serve 12 different dishes. Some' Christmas meals are unique not only for their content. but also for the way they are eaten. A com- munitarian sect in the eastern U.S. called "Shakers" is a prime example. Christmas is the only time in the year that the men and women eat together. They dine in silence, but when they finish eating, they dance the ceremonious jig for which they are named - the Shake. (Not a bad idea tei aid digestion.) A surprising number of superstitions enter into Christmas meals. For instance, Yugoslavians hide a silver coin in their cake, and whoever finds the coin in his piece is considered fortunate. Likewise in Norway. a rice pudding is baked with an almond in it. According to legend, the member of the family who finds the almond will be married first. When we Canadians sit down to our Christmas dinner in a few days, we can think about the different kinds 'of food being entodaround the world. Some: of the foreign menus, habitsand•superstitions make us smile, but we all seem to share a common bond - twelve months of anticipating that sumptuous feast called "Christmas dinner.'" From our early fres o o 1$ YEARS AGO December 22.1965. The public works department of the town of Clinton, through its chairman. councillor Jim Armstrong, has offered to pick up all used Christmas trees on Thursday. January 5. If all householders will put their used yule tree out at the curb in the morning. the public works crew will dispose of them. The gown's garbage collector will not pick up this type of refuse. Clinton's young intermediate hockey team. the Colts. have had their troubles this season; they haven't won a game yet. Last week they took two bad beatings. At Port Elgin they lost 18-8. then took a 23-3 trimming at Durham Friday night. Raymond Garon, Budd Boyes and Doug Macaulay were the scorers. Last night they played the CFB Clinton team in the Lions Arena here. The next home game is on Wednesday. December. 28 when Durham will be here. 73 YEARS AGO December 21,1551 Alderman L.G. Winter reported a new h cffistry which -- soon will be starting to operate in the manufacture of sweaters. it was approved that a town crest be adopted for use on office stationery. The monthly meeting of Clinton Junior Institute was held in the Collegiate on Tuesday, December 11. ted by the president, Mrs. Milvena Irwin. The roll call was answered by "a symbol of Christmas." The girls decided to correspond with a group of girls from Great Britain. A few pointers were given by Doreen McGuire, which " she,., heard at the "Leadership Training School" in Stratford on November 26. Christerias gifts were then exchanged. and the girls met with the boys for a box social. G.E. Rumba% chairman of the Retail Merchants' Committee of the Clinton and District Chamber of Commerce, submitted an excellent report on the recent Santa Claus parade and made recommendations for the future. A total of $517 had beeraised from the business people of the town. and he estimated that ere would be a deficit of about $40. which he asked the Chamber to meet. A motknt4'0/ patted ac- cepting the report.' 511 YEARS AGO ,.. 100038,1112$ A ► eer+ It 1 r sad ac ,dent k to Wt and Mrs. W.E. Maedel were killed when their car was struck by a train. The latter was in- stantly killed and the.formerdied a few hours later. Mr. and Mrs. Maedel were going to Guelph to bring their son and his family home for Christmas. The unfortunate couple were friends of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Holmes of town, who received Christmas greetings from them. which had been mailed before the tragedy. They had also visited in Clinton since Mr, and Mrs. Holmes located here. The skating party. held under the auspices of'the Young Ladies' Auxiliary of the Presbyterian church on Tuesday night. was well attended. over 200 skaters being on the ice. The ladies are well satisfied with the result of their venture. Mr. J.A. Carter of London. formerly of Clinton, is now very ill of scarlet fever in a London Hospital. The employees of the 'Clinton Knitting Co. held their annual Christmas tree entertainment in the club rooms on Wednesday evening of last week. Mr'. Harper filled the position of chairman and an interesting program was given. Speeches were given by Col. H.B. Combe. Mr. Morrison and Mr. Harper. heads of the firm. and• a charming little program was given 6y employees. After the program. gifts were distributed from a beautifully decorated tree. Lunch was then served followed by fin old -dine dance. 78 YEARS AGO December Ta. 101 The County Board of Education mei in Clinton on Tuesday. December 24th to finish the work of the Model School examinations. There were in attendance in all fifty-four candidates - twenty- four in Clinton and thirty in Goderich. The papers as a whole were considered fair. Of the fifty-. four who wrote, fifty-three succeeded in securing the pass mark, and were awarded Third Certificates accordingly. The pass mark p required by the Education Department is 60 per cent of the total. The Board have also awarded those obtaining 75 percent of the total First Cilias Honours. and those obtain in be Yetm ° and 'fes rcent Seco Class Honours. The dentists of town bfve started of late to makepe iodical visits to a number 0 the neigh bouring vilia'g is. Por several rears during the summer time both the town dentists have visited. Bayfield and now they have additions. Dr. Holmes goes to Dungannon every Thursday and . Bayfield on Mondays. Drs. Agnew and Billings also visit at Blyth, Auburn, Dungannon and Bayfield. One evening last week Mr. Ed Cantelon had an unpleasant experience and what might easily have been serious, at Auburn Hotel. He had been in to supper. and while coming out of the dining room, stepped into an open trap door and fell into the cella' Very fortunately his idjuries were only slight. 100 YEARS AGO December 14.1876 The fat cattle show under the auspices of the H.B.A. Society was held in this place on Tuesday last. The day was fine and the sleighing good. causing a fair attendance: but the entries were not as numerous as they might have been. The quality of the cattle and other articles shown were ex- cellent. but there was scarcely any more than enough to carry the prizes; in fact. all the prizes were not taken. This is not as it should be. The people of the town had done their share, if net more than their share. in providing prizes. and certainly farmers ought to have shown their ap-' preciation of these efforts for their advantage by bringing out. in sufficient quantity. produce that would have made a respectable show. There was everything to gain and nothing to lose. All that could have been shown would have been readily purchased at fair prices. We hope we will have to report a better state of things another year. We are credibly informed that the inducements offered by the merchants of this place. are so great that parties from neigh- bouring towns come here pur- posely to purchase them. This is the natural result of a liberal use of printer's ink. combined with low prices. The other day a dog wandered into Messrs. Hodgins & Pay's store, and being unable to open the door when it wanted to come out. it made a bolt at the window, and succeeded in getting half through. but assistance in the rear had to facilitate its depar- ture. Experience is generally ad- mitted to be a good teacher. although the lessons learned are sometimes severe ones. and circumstances occasionally prove this. About three years since. Mr. Robt. Simpson, then living in Hullett, a short distance from this place. became affected with the "western fever." and disposing of his effects he went to Dakota. whither he had lnen drawn by the highly -coloured accounts given of that section of country. From that time to within two weeks' since, he.laboured hard and long with the indention of making that place his future home. But notwithstanding its "great advantages, wonderful resources." etc.. he failed to appreciate them. and disposing of his property. he packed up his goods. and with his family. returned last week to this place. thus showing that Canada. with all its so-called disadvantages. is preferable to the "glorious woo Pear c hop�o�. to Vier Paper. I recently saw the school play, "Torn. The production 1. good, but 1 notice+ Couple of lead players l rete on the last produc tinno "Alice". Are these children ptt;ked. to play- in every production- or are the other kids given a chance to try out? I know many kids who Were very disappointed because they were not chosen for the parts! Teachers should not pick the kids out of favouritism. There should be a variety of dif- ferent children in each production, Being in a play gives the child a whole new perspective and the excitement of playing in ,front of a live audience. Some of the kids in "Tom Sawyer" have been inevery other- school play. THIS►. IS. ..ilPr NOT FAIR! Teachers are supposed to be fair but the teacher who set up this production was not. If this continues to happen. then I will take a firm stand against it. Disenchanted Relative Injustice Dear Editor I think a very sad injustice has been done to the blind of Huron and Perth Counties. I am a blind person and have been in Clinton for the last 23 years. Each year. at this time, the advisory board for the CNIB (Canadian National Institute of the Blind) in Huron and Perth send each blind person a Christmas card with a small amount of money enclosed. I know that each blind person is very grateful for this kindness and looks for- ward to it each year. I am sure this is the only gift that some blind people ever got. This year. without any ° explanation. the usual Christmas card arrived without the usual gift inside. It is not an issue of life, death or starvation, but it is the principle of the thing. In thaw. past. we found this time o year to be one of rejoice and happiness. In the past year I think there were very few people who did not get some kind of raise in pay while the -cost of essential services doubled. Yet , those on mother's allowance and physically handicapped have been neglected by all branches of government. and have ,been forced to live. or should I say exist. on S3.000 a year or less. These people are at the mercy of the federal and provincial levels of gover- nment. and have no rights at all. How can anyone expect these people and their children to have a merry Christmas while those who make 515,000 a year get eight percent raises to keep pace with rising costs? It might do a lot of people especially our politicians. a lot of good to try and live on the income that the han- dicapped are forced to sur- vive on. Yours truly. Allan Reid. Clinton. 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 letter writers. but no letter will be published unless it can be verified by phone. s Ate r. oaut rte ibreehtl Riwipeper Ate.wMel e The Mks Newrs•etercari Is published each Thursday at p.0 lass Mk Gustay. onearli, Caaada. N11: 1 tt . It le registered as succeed class rasa by the past Once ander the permit attatteer iltl'i. The Neirs•ltecas+a Wracperat to Ha tete Meats Nestsdietertl.. [cooed le tsellte. as+d the Climes Nest l rt. %seeded is tom& total SIMS tau MSC