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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-03-17, Page 4(PAGE 4—CLINTON NEWS RECORD, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 19 - Why hide it? Although we laud town council for backing the Clinton Retail Merchants' Association in their bid for a Farmers' Market in town, we can't quite agree with their proposed location. The Merchants had wanted to have the Farmer's Market in a prime location, on King Street, beside the radar dome. That woul lyhave meant closing off the street from 6 in the morning until noon, but as few of the stores are open until 9 a.rri., even 10 a.m., we can't see where it would cause any major parking problems. Saturday is. traditionally a quiet morning, and business doesn't really pick up until after noonhour, and the We've got a"snow" jQb market would be long gone. The idea of the Market wakto attract tourists to Clinton, get them to stop, and then after stopping, to shop at other 'businesses in town as well. Hiding the market back in the arena bark at the other end of town, off the Main highways will only confuse the tourist. Simply put, the tourist won't go out of his way to find the Market, and hence he won't stop. Sure there are problems associated with the King Street site but they can be overcome with planning and discussion. Let's' keep Clinton moving ahead. Let's not hide our light under a bushel. • To put it simply, we're being shafted. The provincial government's offer to help out Huron County municipalities with their burdensome snow removal costs has turned out to be a sham, while the Niagara region gets all the help. Probably only three townships in the county will get help of any kind in the form of extra subsidies to help them pay for clearing the white stuff away, and those will be pitifully small. Basically, it boils down to the government's way of formulating the extra subsidy. They' will give us-. .sub sidy for 1977 only if our snow removal cost for this year exceed those of last year. Because last year, 1976, had an exceptionally bad record for snow, particularly January, February, November and December, it would be very difficult to exceed those figures by 20 per cent in only -two months in 1977. What the Ontario government should have done, and what was requested by municipal officials in the snowbelt, was to average the last four years snow removal costs, and then base any extra subsidy on cost over and above the average. The way it stands now, we will get nothing in the snowbelt, while the Niagara region, who haven't had a bad winter until now, will be well reim- bursed. Sugar and Spite/By Bill Smiley The spinoff racket One of the great rackets these days is the 'television series `'`spinoff". When a TV producer has a popular show, and one of the secondary characters iseven mildly amusing, first thing you know that character has a show of his or her own. This proliferates until you have spinoffs of spinoffs. It's like taking a bottle of fine whiskey, doubling' the quantity by adding an equal amount of wateN, and selling it at the same price per shot as the original. Then you take this. mouthwash and further dilute it by adding more water, and you go on selling this at the original price. It works fine and makes a lot of money until the consumer finally realizes he could get more bang out of a glass of buttermilk, and he starts drinking 'buttermilk, and you are left with a large supply of gargle on your hands. Norman Lear was the first TV producer to realize that people like watching bigotry and bathroom jokes even more than they like watching violence. Thu was born All in the Family, one of the great money- makers of all time in TV land. From this was spun off Maude, The bigotry became phoney liberalism and the bathroom .jokes became bedroom jokes, but it was the same slick formula, and it worked. I6t was only a step from the slick to the sick, and brother Lear came up with Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, which, while not quite a spinoff, is of the genre. Its favourite refrain is "Oh. Gawd. Oh, my Gawd." Excellent fare for the morbid or diseased mind. Another good original show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, spun, or spawned Phyllis and Rhoda, each starring one of the most self-centered, . unpleasant women a writer could dream up. and each laced with borderline bad taste. There's nothing wrong with all this, I suppose, in a free enterprise system, and nobody forces you to watch the garbage. But there is only so much that the stomach will take before it will spew. And there is only so much that the mind will take before you will experience an in- tellectual vomit, and switch to watching the wrestling matches, where at le st nobody is trying to pretend it's ar ung but phoney. However, perhaps I'm rushing my fences a bit. I'm a realist. If everybody else is getting into the spinoff business, maybe I should jump on the hand wagon. There's money in it, and besides. it might be one way of putting an end to it. My record is perfect. Just after the war, I met an old buddy who'd become a broker. He was investing in gold stocks and hauling in the loot. Gave me a hot tip. I plunged, with some of the back pay I'd built up while in prison camp. Met the guy six months later. He'd lost his home Mand his boat and was selling farm machinery. I owned 300 shares of muskeg in Northern Ontario. After that I stayed away from the market until mutuals were the thing. They were showing tremendous growth and potential. Once bitten, I hesitated, but then dived in with my $200 savings. It seems I arrived just after the mutuals had nibbled some of that biscuit Alice did so she could go through the rabbit hole, or whatever. They shrank almost overnight to $85 worth. Last November, in one last desperate effort to enjoy a luxurious old age, I bought two $100 Canada Savings Bonds. Two weeks later there was an election in Quebec, and now we don't even know whether there'll • always he a Canada. In January.' this year, I bought a second-hand Ford. A week later I read in the paper that the Ford Motor Company was making payments for extraordinary rust to owners of Fords in my vintage. Then I read the small print. The payments had ended on Dec. ;il). 197G. My Ford has rust. So, with a track record like that, maybe I can administer the kiss of death to the spinoff business. Thought I'd start by producing some spinoffs of my column. There's no problem about talent, My family is loaded with writers. Both my son and daughter specialize in pathos. They can write letters so pathetic that you are weeping all over the page and writing a cheque at the same time. 1Vfy wife can knock out a grocery list as long as your arm without even stopping to suck the pen. And she is not only talented as • a writer. She's an outstanding and out- spoken critic, as well. She can rip up the punctuation and purpose, the style and substance of one of my columns with both hands tied behind her back. Which is the only way it is safe to read some of them to her. And there'll be no difficulty about con- tent. My daughter is expert on Women's Lib, music, and mooching. My son is fluent 'in English, French, Spanish, the Indian dialect of the natives of Paraguay, and mooching. And the old lady is an expert on everything, and admits it. She has been bottling up this veritable fountain of knowledge for decades, except during breakfast, before and after dinner, and all weekend. Giving her a column of her own would be like punching a 20 -foot hole in Boulder Dam. In two or three years, I might even get the grandboys into it. At' the moment, they are busily stuffing their memory banks. As soon as they can write, you may expect some sizzling stuff: Five Years as a Misunderstood Child; Daycare Centre Depression: the Inside Story on Sadistic Social Workers Who Make You Give Back a Toy You've Ripped Off From Some Other Kid. If my column spinoffs don't put an end to the spinoff nonsense in about 30 days, I'll eat every paper in which this one appears, with or without ketchup. Member Ontario Weekly 'Newspaper Association • Y The Clinton News -Record is published each Thursday at P.O. Box 39, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, NOM 1 L0. It is registered as second class mall by the post office under the permit number 0817. The News -Record Incorporated In 1924 the Huron News -Record, founded in 1881, and the Clinton New Era, founded in 1865. Total press run 3,100. Clinton News -Record ,rib Member Canadidn Community Newspaper 'Association Display advertising rates available an request. Ask for i't'arte CardlVo. 9 effective Oct. 1, 117*. • yGeneral Manager - J. Howard Aitken Editor - James E. Fitzgerald Advertising blreetor - Gary L Hoist Assistant editor -Chris Zdeb Office Manager • Margaret Gibb Circulation - Freda McLeod Accounting- Marian Willson Subscription Rates: Canada -$12 per year U.A.A. - $1540 Other - $18 Single Copy - 25c .. 4 , • 1�e rot:ICE 9110xe uD out 6RID(E PART7- 18t1 LOOKED UNDER THE BRIp0E! "When I said I pinched them, it was merely a figure of speech!'" Odds 'n' ends,- by Elaine Townshend Think green Who needs St. Patrick's Day to think green? I've been thinking green since November. To me, green means spring and spring means freedom. And freedom means walking down the sidewalk without the fear of falling on my fanny. Freedom also means hopping in the car and driving for miles with no danger of becoming stranded for days in a restaurant with 70 other motorists. The only thing I have to worry about in the spring is the thousand maniacs I meet on tie roads and the other nut in the car behind the one in front of me. The word `white-out' will become obsolete, at least for a few months. What a thrill to drive on bare, dry pavement with green grass lining the roadside instead of walls of white! If I try hard enough, I might even convince myself that the blocked roads and one -lane highways of February were just part of a bad dream. On or before April 1', when the 'landscape has hopefully turned to green, I predict a mass exodus from Ontario's cities, towns. village's and farms. After being cooped up.for almost five months, the urge to roam will spread like a fever. Leading the convoy will be yours truly. I don't know Where T'm going, but I'm going somewhere. Although I may be paddling a canoe instead of steering a car, I will nevertheless be on the'ove, when everything turns to green. The colour means different things to different people. To some, it's simply the shade between blue and yellow in the spectrum: to others, it's a certain kind of jade. When some people think green, they picture a glass house filled with verdant plants or a thumb that nurtuk:s beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits. Many people see a golf course, Meanwhile, others conjure up visions of cat's eyes glowing in the dark or the eyes of jealousy, spinning fien- dish `get -even' schemes. . .For many people, thinking green puts money in their pockets. If you're one of them, remember that kind of green is the root of all evil, according Co some folks. March is the greenest mon'th of the year for many people. They think of shamrocks, shillelaghs and leprechauns wearing green suits and tiny shoes with turned -up toes and silver buckles. They also picture a pot of gold just beyond their grasp. They dance to lively jigs; they see Irish eyes smiling warmly, and they dream of the Emerald Isle so tar away. Their celebrations culminate on St. Patrick's Day. With all due respect to my Irish friends and their kin, I consider the first day of spring to be the most important date in March and the most beautiful green is the kind that grows under my feet and on.the branches of trees? `Thinking green brings me one step closer to spring. From our early files . • • • . • • • 10 YEARS AGO March 16, 1967 Clinton town council on Monday night instructed the town clerk to request the tciwn engineers to supply estimates on reconstruction of two one -block streets, as their road building program for 1967. The streets are Wellington, from King to Isaac, and Mill from Maple to Beech. Council will also grade and gravel Irwin Street and put it in usable condition. Wellington and King is where the new Federal building is located, and Mill from Maple to Beech leads to the entrance of the new community centre now being constructed. Irwin Street runs east off East, between Canada Packers former„poultry_ plant and Sherlock -Manning Piano Co. It is on Irwin Street that William Fleming is building a feed mill, valued at $50,000. This was the only building permit presented and passed Monday. Earlier in the meeting council proposed a bylaw for $20,000 construction and $25,000 main- tenance on Clinton streets. A cornerstone laying ceremony planned for Saturday, March 18 at the new Community Centre in Clinton Community Park, has been postponed to Saturday, April 1. Contractors Shantz & Hicks have run into their first set- back in the construction; the cement block laying is a little behind schedule. For the first time in the history of the Clinton high school, a local team has captured a Western Ontario Secondary School. Association senior "A” cham- pionship. CHSS girls won the title.at the WOSSA Senior Girls "A" basketball playoffs held in Goderich District Collegiate Institute on, March 3_anSl 4. The senior "A" category is for all schools with more than one thousand students, which means that the CHSS teams must compete against schools from London and other larger cities. 25 YEARS AGO March 13, 1952 Fire threatened the Jarvis Block, Albert St., Clinton Thursday afternoon last, but prompt action of Clinton Vo`lunfeer Fire Department served to extinguish the blaze, with damage estimated by Fire Chief Grant Rath at $150. The fire broke out in the chimney in the rear of the building and burned through a first -floor partition, destroying an electric switch box. As a result, tenants were minus heat or light for some time. Smoke filled both the lower and upper apartments. The blaze .was noticed first by Bruce H. Fleet, who operates a restaurant in the front part of the building and resides in ' the apartment to the rear where the fire started. Bylaw No. 7 for 1952 was passed by Clinton Town Council, at its March meeting Monday evening, appointing members to Clinton Fire Brigade: Chief, Grant Rath, $130 salary; Frank Dixon, assistant chief, $60; Robert Draper, lieutenant, $50; 15 firemen ($40 each) - John R. Schoenhals, A.F. Cudmore, Kelso Streets, George Hanley, Robert Carter, Harry McEwan, Hector Kingswell, Royce Fremlin, Frank McEwan, Percy Liver- more,' Thomas Twyford, Theo Fremlin, Dennis Bisback, J.H. Murphy, Carmen McPherson, K.C.Cooke, James Wilson, firemen. George Hanley, engineer of fire truck, $110; Frank McEwan, secretary -treasurer, $50. 50 YEARS AGO March 17, 1927 Signs of spring multiply from day to day, snow has all disap- peared, the robins are plentiful and their cheerful songs are heard on all sides; a citizen told us the other day that he had seen a ground hog, and a lady in- formed us on Friday- that a mosquito had lit upon her hand that morning, Mar. 11th. She didn't give it a chance .to bite, which 'seemed a pity, as a mosquito bite in March would be a "mark" of distinction. However, it may have been a harmless male mosquito, (they say it is female mosquitos who do all the buzzing and biting) with true masculine forethought looking up a good location for his family this summer. Looks as if spring were just around the corner and it will come on apace, signs or no signs. Chairman Langford of the street committee took time by the forelock this year, had the streets swept before the ice melted, letting the sun do its fine work. Consequently, they are now dry and if this weather continues we shall have to have the sprinkler out one of these days. Mr. Arthur Cantelon thinks he has been a, subscriber - to The News -Record about as long as anybody, having been a sub- scriber to the Huron Record before it was moved from Blyth to Clinton, in 1879. He dropped off for a year or two later on, so his subscription has not been con- tinuous, but with the exception of a year or so, his name has been on our subscription list since the paper was started. Mr. W. Mutch has taken a position on the staff of the Royal Bank. • 75 YEARS AGO March 14, 1902 The fond dream of years has at last found its realization. The congregation that has been worshipping in the old Rat- tenbury street church for forty years _ or so, worshipped last Sunday in their beautiful new building to be hereafter known as Wesley Methodist church. As far back as twenty years ago one of the old pastors preached a sermon on the subject "Arise and build," and almost every pastor of that congregation since then has urged his people in the same direction. Several at- tempts had been made to put the desire into practice; subscription lists were circulated and more or less generously signed, but each time some obstacle arose 'to prevent the consummation of the desired object. When, however, the Official Board of this church gave in- vitation to Rev. Mr. Howson to become pastor, a promise was given him that a new church should be built during his pastorate. From the day that Mr. Howson arrived in town the congregation kept the promise before them and moved towards its fulfillment. ''The handsome pair of dapple gray drivers which was the ad- miration of everyone has been sold by Mr. R. Graham. The purchaser is John McDonald & Co., o'f Toronto, who paid $500 for there. Mr. Graham is now looking for another driving team. On Thursday last 'week Miss Lillian Ferguson, daughter of James Ferguson, was presented with a purse of money by Rev. Mr. Dunlop on behalf of the Baptist congregation. Miss Ferguson has performed the duties of organist for sometime and they regarded their ap- preciation of her services in this tangible manner. 100 YEARS AGO March 8, 1877 What you. think d 1{:•,} .:li7ffMiS'. Y,.i � Sg..y%f r}GMOM Hearty Dear Editor: "Heart Month" in Canada. is now, over, and on behalf of the Canadian Heart Fund, Ontario Division, please 0 accept our sincerest ap- preciation for your co- operption and assistance during our financial cam- paign in February. Our objective this year wa $4,000,000 and although a. returns are not in, we are quite hopeful that our ob- jective will be attained. , Without your willing co- operation communicating out needs to your readers, the Canadian Heart Fund would not be able to express such an outlook. Heart disease is everyone's problem - and... again our thanks for helping us bring to the attention of the public, that - research should be everyone's responsibility. With best wishes. Yours very truly, Canadian Heart Fund, Ontario Division, Esther M. Richards, Director of Public Relations A unique household utensil, comprising strainer, colender, sifter, egg and rice boiler, quart measure, fruit washer and screen, will be shown to the housekeepers of Clinton by M.J. Harris. This is certainly a useful article, and the small price at which it sells (50 cents) places it in the reach of everyone. A short time since about twenty bushels of wheat were stolen from the barn of Mrs. Rye, on the Huron Road, no trace of the thieves yet being obtained. 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. Pseudonynis may be used by letter writers, but no letter will be published unless it can be verified by phone. 1 Campaign Dear Editor: The Huron Perth Lung Association, your local Christmas Seal Organization sincerely, appreciates the consideration and co- operation of all facets of the Community in the 1976-1977 Campaign just completed. We received $42,3l 1.58, which is an ,all time high for this area, Special' thanks to the local post offices and media for their continued support. We are deeply appreciative also of the church service proceeds of the Perth County Junior Farmers and the special dance project proceeds of the students of Wingham District Secondary School. • Respiratory disease is the fastest growing health problem on this continent and the most common cause of absenteeism in schools and industry. We are working to change this pattern in educational, rehabilitative and research programs, We can not operate at all without the constant assistance of the residents of Huron and Perth counties. Sincerely, Mrs. Beryl Dunsmore, Reg N., Executive Director, Huron -Perth Lung Association. • Earnings Dear Editor: Good! Huron County's School board is getting down to earth in respect to what happens to the taxpayer's dollars. How can $20,000 worth of books get lost with librarians and check out procedures Why must missing book necessarily have been stolen?A and why do you blame the students only? The school board is to be M congratulated for their honest effort to see a days work done for a day's pay. Why should an absent board member be paid for something he did not do? Who among the rest of us gets paid if he doesn't go to work? Let's take this one step further. Add up the staggering amounts of money paid to the teachers for days they didn't teach. Consider those ten development- days as well as approximately ten storm days and you have 20 lost days. That is one-tenth of the teaching year, Mr. Dunlop, 10 per cent of your salaries. What difference to us if you balance your top- heavy budget with govern- ment grants out of our other pocket. One day you will find the salaries of most of e ---f"' taxpayers just don't ,cep pace. As we shake our finger at the pupils and say "you stole our books." they might retort. "you accept your paychecks; did you earn them?" Signed,' A taxpayer, one of your employers, Clinton Reunion Dear Editor: Gledhill Public School,1 located at 2 Gledhill Ave., in the east end of Toronto, is celebrating its GOth Anniversary this year. Plans are underway for the week long celebration, which will culminate in an Open House on Saturday, May 14, 19.--. In order to make this event a success, we are, trying to locate all former students and teachers and ask them to contact the school at the above address. We feel that many of these people we are trying to find have moved out of the Toronto area, and it will be though your help that we will be able to locate them. Arthur B. Kelly, Publicity Chairman. Smile Nothing makes a person's past so wicked as his running for office. +++ Happiness is getting a bill you've already paid so you can write a nasty letter. +++ If neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night stays those couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, there must be some other reason. 0 11 4 M