HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-08-25, Page 4PAGE 4--CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1977
think
Time for trees
This may seem like an inappropriate
time of the year to be talking about
winter, but a problem that is plaquing
Perth County carne to light in the
neighbouring county recently, and it
corikerrfs rirlany of` us here in Huron as
well, particularly in winter.
Perth County council was told
recently by Hibbert Township Ross
McPhail that the county should be
planting more trees, to serve both as
windbreaks and inhibitors of soil
erosion.
And anyone who spent last winter in
Huron or Perth County could see very
easily that something should be done
and done soon to plant windbreaks.
Snow clogged highways, county and
township roads were caused for the
most part, by drifting snow, much of
which could have been prevented by
the strategic placement of a few
windbreaks. '
Not only do living trees provide a
useful ,windbreak, bud they are
pleasind to the eye, and they act as air
conditioners during the summer.
No one would be silly enough to
suggest reforesting valuable farmland,
but marginal land, and roadsides
would be logical spots to start.
Some have said the cost to plant
windbreaks would be out of the picture,
but as Reeve Arthur Horne of North
Easthope Township pointed out, the
investment would be small compared
to the savings realized from soil
conservation and snow removal costs.
Just last winter alone, it cost several
thousand dollars -per mile just to clean
highways in Huron and Perth, and that
would plant an awful lot of trees!
Sugcir and Spice/By Bill Sm
ey
I tee off on golf
A great many people look down their
noses at the game of golf. Scornfully they
ask: "How can an adult with a mind walk
around a few acres of manicured pasture
hitting a little white ball with a long stick?"
And I am inclined to agree with them. It's
a silly game and at least once a week I
determine that I'm going to quit. But it's
just about as easy to quit golf as it is to quit
smoking.
It's a game that reduces strongmen to
Bears of impotent rage and turns honest
women into cheats who move their ball
from a bad lie when nobody is looking.
Even the parlance of the game is
ridiculous, combining terms from the
butcher shop (hook, slice, shank) with
those from an aviary (birdie, eagle) and
those from a horror movie (bogey, scull).
It's an expensive game. Membership in a
club can run from $300 a year to $5,000 or
more. Even the basic equipment can easily
run to $500 for clubs, cart, bag, shoes.
Those who don't belong to a club can pay
as you go, eight or 1C dollars a round, and
add to that three $2 balls lost in the bush
and a couple of drinks in the clubhouse and
you're getting up around $20 for four hours
of muttering at a little ball, pursuing a little
ball, and occasionally hitting that little ball
so sweetly that nothing can quite compare
with the feeling, and you are hooked all
over again on this silliest of sports..
Come to think of it, golf isn't a sport, any
more than chess is. It'snmore like a way of
life. And there are a lot worse ways of life.
Fora teenager, once bitten by the bug, it's
like a disease. But a kid who has played 27
or 36 holes of golf on aaSaturday is not very
likely to be out smashing windows in the
local school on Saturday night. He's too
pooped.
' For the old-timer who plays nine holes
every day with his foursome of cronies, it's
a lot better life than sitting around the
Legion Hall or the beverage room grousing
about the governjnent. He still has a
challenge. He knows perfectly well that one
of these days, if the wind is right, his ar-
thritis isn't acting up, and the dam' club
will 'connect with the dam' ball often
enough, he can bring his score down equal
to his age.
An 80 -year-old can still play golf and
enjoy it but you don't see too many of them
surf -boarding or parachute jumping.
Of course, it's an evil game. I've heard it
rumored that there is sometimes betting
involved, especially among the older guys,
sometimes staggering wagers of as much
as arnickel a hole.
And then of course, it's a dangerous }..
game, physically, emotionally and
psychologically. You can be thumped on
the head by a golf ball travelling about 300
miles an hour.
R ~
You can be struck by lightning right at
the top of your backswing, if it's storming.
Some golfers have gone into sand traps and
never been seen again.
Emotionally, it can -turn a calm college
professor, the epitome of reason, into . a
raging maniac who is capable of throwing
all his clubs into a water hazard and
stalking from the course, purple -eared.
I've seen one of -the sweetest -natured chaps
I've ever known, after hitting the ball three
yards three times in a row, put his foot in
the middle of a perfectly good four. ViOd,
bend it double and hurl the crippled club--
deep into, the nearest woods. I've heard a
poised young matron, a regular church-
goer, using language on the golf course that
.would curdle the blood of a drunken Danish.
seaman.
And if the game doesn't scar you
, physically and - or emotionally it will
probably destroy you psychologically.
There are 40 people watching as you take
your three practice swings each one a
marvel of symmetry, a machine that is
grooved and oiled:
You step up to the ball and hit its 60 yards
straight up and 20 feet ahead of you. ,Or
right over the fence on to the road. 'Or
straight into the woods. While the gallery
snickers discreetly and you desperately try
to grin nonchalently.
It can .get worse. Your wife, whom you
can outdrive by 60 yards, steps up and hits
a beauty right down the middle and then
gives you one of those looks. Marriages
may be made in heaven, but they can
become unmade on a golf course.
Golfers do have a couple of things going
for them. For one thing, they're extremely
generous. They'll tell you, without charge,
what is wrong with your backswing, your
rdownswing, your stance, your grip and the
kind of balls you are using.
`,For another, they're tough. They
wouldn't think of walking to church in the
rain, but they'll play 18 holes in a torrent.
On sultry summer days when people are
dropping with heat stroke and on cold fall
days when people are huddled by the
fireplace, the golfers are out there, hacking
and hewing around the course.
Well, there you are. The game is silly,
expensive, evil and dangerous. Golfers run
the risk of being scarred for life in one or
more ways and should be locked up for
their own safety. I'm definitely going to
quit.
And yet.,.And yet...The other day I had
three good drives. Tuesday my putting was
improving. Wednesday I'd have ' had a
birdie if I hadn't hit the ,tree. Yesterday I
was chipping well..
I think maybe I'll give her one more go.
It's all got to come together one day.
Surely.
Member, Ontario Weekly
Newspaper Association
The Clinton News -Record is published each
:Thursday at P.O. Box 39, Clinton, Ontario,
Canada, NOM ILO.
It is registered as second class mall by the
post office under the pertnit number 0817.
The News -Record incorporated In 1924 the
Huron News -Record, founded In 1881, and
the Clinton New Era, founded In 1885. Total
press run 3,100.
Clinton NewsReconr 1
Member Canadian
Community Newspaper
Association
Display . advertising rates
available on request. Ask for
Rate Card No. 7 effective Oct.' 1, ,
1ia..
Genera Manager -j. llotvard Aitken
Editor -.tames E. pitsgerald
Advertising Director- Gary k Hoist
Neves editor -Shelley McPhee
Office Manager, Margaret Gibb
Clre*lation ► Freda McLeod
Ae ottnting, MNrian'Wiidoi,
Suilscriptlnn Rates:
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U.S.A.•$15pyo
Other -$18
Singie Copy - 25c
a
Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend
The violets lived!
find.,it encouraging to note that some
people do read my column.
Two months ago I mentioned that I
would be looking after mom's African
violets while she and dad were on
holidays., I also admitted that my green
thumb left a lot to be desired. Killing.a
cactus seemed td be as low as an
amateur florist" could go, and I had
already plunged to those depths. The
survival of mom's plants was
questionable.
Since then, several people have -asked
me, with a smirk, "How are the flowers
doing?" or "Are you taking good care of
those violets?"
Well, I'm pleased to report that in
spite of five -Weeks and three, drays of my
not so tender or loving care, all the
plants survived... except one.
A purple violet met with an untimely
accident. One night I left the kitchen
window open wit four flower pots sitting
on the sill. Early in the morning, I heard
a thump. When I went downstairs, I
discovered that a brisk wind was
blowing the curtains and one of the
violets was lying on its side on the floor.
At first, the damage seemed minor.
Only a little dirt had spilled, and the pot
had a small chips in it. Some broken
leaves made the plant look bald on one
side, but I turned that'spot tothe window
frame, hoping it would recover with a
little extra care.
It didn't. Since then, it hasn't bloomed,
and most of ti -ie leaves have turned
yellow. I doubt that even Mom's
strategies can save the flower now.
That was the only major calamity. A
few of the other plants look wilted, but
Momsays they will soon perk up. One of
the pink violets took a growing splurge;
in fact, it almost grew out of the pot, but
Mom assures me that's a common oc-
currence with older plants.
One of her spider plants sprouted
several new spiders. and sister nipped
off two to start some plants for her§elf.
They died.. She didn't inherit mom's
green thumb either.
The casualties were higher among the'
outside flowers:. We lost one pansy,
three petunias and one geranium, but
their demise wasn't entirely my, fault.
The dry spell, the torrential downpours,
the hail, and a dog , must share the
blame. ,
On the whole, I'm satisfied with my
experience. Some of the violets may look
a little droopy, but at ''east they're still',
here. Besides, T ,learned recently that
I'm not the only person who has killed a
cactus.
1 ,must .admit, though, I'm relieved
now that mom has taken over again. In
my apartment, I have only two pots of
ivy and a pink polka-dot plant, which
seem to thrive in spite of me, and I doubt
whether I'll take an African violet back
with me.
From our early files .
• • •
IO YEARS AGO
August 24, 1967
A potential tragedy was
averted last Wednesday af-
ternoon by quick thinking and
courageous action on the part of
Miss Lynn Carson, 19, a Bayfield
summer resident.
Miss Carson at first thought 14 -
year -old Danny McGregor was
just fooling in the water but soon
realized he was in difficulty. She
immediately swam to his aid. He
grabbed her arm but released it
when she told him what to do.
The girl supported the swim-
mer to the side of the pier where
bystanders helped him' ashore.
Mouth to mouth resuscitation
was given to the lad by William
Hohn.
Apparently Danny was
swimming from the south to the
north pier when he said, "the
water seemed to pull me under".
Miss Carson is a bronze medal
holder for life saving and is
presently visiting Expo with her
parents.
Clinton Mayor Don Symons
Wednesday night cut the ribbon
to officially open a new $100,000
industry in town. The occasion
was the opening of the Fleming
Feed Mill which is located on
,Irwin Street.
Present for the event were
visiting dignitaries representing
the community, including MP
Robert McKinley. A large crowd
was' on hand to tour the new
facilities which will specialize in
manufacturing bulk pelletized
hog and poultry rations.
Visitors to the opening were
treated to draws for prizes which
included feed, turkeys and a
pony. -The New Dundee Clown
Band kept the Carnival spirit of
the opening alive with many
selections throughout the
evening.
25 YEARS AGO
August 28, 1952
The front of J.E. Hovey's store,
Bayfield looks as if it might have
been botjibed. And if it had been a
bomb, it couldn't have caused
more consternation and shock to
customers and staff than the
resounding crash and flying glass
caused by a 1951 Buick sedan
which ran through the. show
window next to the Post Office
about 2 o'clock 'Saturday of--;
ternoon. The hood of the car was
inside the window when it came
to a stop. It pushed t -he
framework in and berft the corner
of the steel ice cream freezer
which was knozked about
eighteen inches over against the
meat 'counter with such force that
it dented the corner. One
customer received a slight cut
from flying glass. Five large
panes of glass were broken and
the Hoveys are still sweeping up
splinters of it.
It pays to shop in Clinton or at
least it would seem that way
according to two newspaper
clippings sent to this 'office; one
from a Vancouver paper and the
other out of the Clinton News-
RecorcL The whole matter
concerns the price of canned
salmon. The clipping from
Vancouver lists the best quality
salmon at 42 cents, while a can of
the same size and of the same,
quality sold for 39 cents in Clinton
at approximately the same time.
Officers of the Clinton Lions
Club and John, Inglis Co. Ltd.,
Toronto, met during the past
week and the contract for the
installation of an artificial ice
plant in the Lions Arena was
signed.
According to Clinton Lions Club
officials air the material's are
ready for shipment to Clinton and
work will commence im-
mediately to get the arena in
readiness for the company
engineers to commence- • the
installing of equipment.
50 YEARS AGO
August 25, 1927
An old ,resident of Clinton, a
former undertaker, on a visit to
Clinton was taken out to visit the
cemetery. When he saw the new
gates he thought they were very
nice but rather an expense as
they were unnecessary. He gave
his reason, "The ones who are in
the cemetery cannot leave and
people who are outside are not
anxious to get in. Therefore the
gates are not necessary."
On Wednesday afternoon the
firebell startled the citizens of the
town. The fire was in the boar-
ding room of the Clinton Knitting
Co. The men succeeded in putting
out the fire with 'extinguishers
before the firemen arrived.
Practically no damage was done.
Postmaster Scott announces
that the new issue stamps are
now here. You can obtain 5e, 12c,
and 20c stamps of the new issue
at the Post Office.
Bainton Bros., Blyth, well
known wool dealers are un-
derway with their new three-
storey brick building opposite the
C.P.R. station. It is the intention
Of Rainton Bros., to manufacture
pure woollen articles such as
blankets, motor rugs and fancy
camping rugs. New machinery of
the latest type will be installed,
also large and small electric
motors will be used for power. No
doubt a number of fainiliers will
be•brought in to work especially
skilled labor, although
preference will be shown to Blyth
citizens. About twenty hands are
expected to start. This will.be an
asset to Blyth and a promising
enterprise for the future.
75 YEARS AGO
August 22, 1902
Henry Synder of Nile has a field
of oats that gives good evidence
of the exuberant growth of this
season:Taking a place at random
he found that the straw ,measured
6 feet in length. The horses were
almost completely out of sight
when cutting 'it, only their heads
being visible at the opposite side
of the field.
Last week a tull man with a
long black beard, passing
himself off as a Roman Catholic
priest was collecting funds for the
church in Assyria. Rev. Father
Aylward, of London, states that a
man answering this description,
but whether the same man or not
is unknown, is a fraud and is not
authorized to collect money for
the church.
Last Thursday J.B. Rumball,
manager of the Telephone
Company in town, noticed that
some one had thrown a large root
of a tree up amongst the
telephone wires, at the corner of
the old Wilma store. He walked
over to where some old men were
talking nearby and making a
remark that he would give a glass
of beer to anyone who ,would
shake it down. Joe Rider, a stone
mason of town, whb is nearly 60
years of age, downed his coat and
climbed to the wires on the pole
and shook it down. This is pretty
good for a man of his age.
At the police court in London on
Tuesday several boys had their
guns taken ' from them and
reprimanded, for shooting at
birds on the streets. This should
be ` a warning to the boys of our
town as numbers of them are
guilty of the same thing here.
100 YEARS AGO
August 30, 1817
A few ,days since Mr. T.
Emerson, of the 2nd con. Hullett,
attained his 77th year, and by
way of celebrating the event, he
carried two bushels of wheat on
his back a 'considerable distance.
There are not many persons 'of
this age who could Perform the
same feat.
Last week $40 was stolen from
the pocket. of a coat hanging in
the Expositor office, Seaforth,
belonging to one of the em-
ployees. A commission should be
appointed to inquire where the
fellow got so much money these
times.
On Thursday evening our town
was the recipient of a'visit which
we .presume our townspeople
would much rather not have
favored with, notwithstanding
the fact that the "party" was a
justly celebrated one and well-
known to rural residents. The
stranger did not come in on the
night train but apparently
tramped it, and as no notification
of his coming had been received,
a reception could not be tendered
him, but as he. had to leave town
early next morning, he left as
evidence of his visit, in .a very
unmistakeable odor that per-
meated every part of the place
and on Friday moining the
numbers of our townspeople who
sniffed the air suspiciously and
with a good deal of reserve, was
an ,evidence that the visitor's
"card" had been recognized.
The undersigned desire to call
the attention of the public to the
early publication of a new Map of
the County of Huron, which will
be the most complete that this
county ever issued. It will show
every Township, Concession, Lot
With the owner's name thereon
and the sub -divisions of lots as far
as practicable. Will show
Railroads, Streams, Roads, Post
Offices, Churches . Will be
engraved and finished in a very
superior style and will in every
respect be a useful and or-
namental article. The scale is one
mile to an inch and the site of the
Map, handsornely mounted as a
Wall Map, will be 58 x 70 inches.
The names of all the subscribers
will appear in the magazine,
which will also contain the
'business cards or merchants &c.
Price $6, delivered.
What you .
think
!.�:.: i..:'•'.� r �i rrr'i r• �r'� i '�•�'i :"r`� , ri iii ilei l.':•i :':�':•:i'�'lf � •r�'!
Thanks
Dear Mr. Fitzgerald:
My family and I would like
to, thank the Volunteer Fire
Brigade, who arrived so
promptly and worked so
effi:ciOntly, and the other local
people, including yoursf,
who carn,to Weald when air
car en , ie daught fire. la
Thursda.f night in Clinton.
Thank§ to everyone's help,
the damage was not as bad as
it could have been and we
with all our luggage, reached
our destination safely.
U � r
Gratefully yours,
Ed Strachan,
London,
Marriage
couplanned
With the divorce rate on the
rise and therse ever increasing
problems faced in marriages
today, the Huron County
Health Unit, in co-operation
with the Goderich Ministerial
planning a
marriage
Association is
course in
preparation.
The course is to begin on
Wednesday, September 14 at
7:30 p.m. in the Board Room
of thr' Assesstnent Office, 46
Gloucester Terrace in
Goderich. It will offer six
evenings or lecture and
discussion in family living to
newly married and about to
be married couples. There is
no charge for the Course.
Marguerite McLean and
Ruth Linton, Huron County
Public Health Nurses • in-
volved in the Family Plan-
ning Program, feel that there
is a need in the communities
of Huron County for such a
course. No other such course
is offered in the County and
the needs connected with it
are not being met. The two
nurses emphasize that th"
course is not a rigid or
structured one but one
designed to be informal and
enjoyable. Some role playing
will be included in the course.
The philosophy b,f the
course is that marriage is a
building process -- the more
solid the foundation, the more
stable the marriage.
In a report prepared by
Mrs, Linton, a leading writer
is quoted as saying, "In spite
of its great importance,
marriage in our society,
remains the last; stand of the
amateur... Our society's
emphasis on romantic love
has led many to the naive
belief that 'falling in love' is
all that is necessary for a
couple to marry and live
happily ever after."
It is this naive belief in
romantic love., says Mrs.
Linton, that has been proven
false by the rising divorce
and marriage. breakdown
statistics.
The topics to be covered in
the preparation for marriage
course include ,an evening of
introduction of the course and
time for the couples to
become acquainted so they
will feel comfortable in
discussions; marriage and
the law with a lawyer as
guest speaker to discuss legal
aspects of marriage con-
tracts, wills, deeds, etc;
credit buying and money
management with a speaker
to discuss the cost of credit,
mortgages and other aspects
of money management;
sexuality in marriage with a
speaker from the Family
Planning Section of the
Health Unit to discuss the
sexual aspects of marriage
and birth control; the
spiritual aspect of marriage
with• a member of the
Goderich Ministerial
association as speaker to
discuss the spiritual and
moral aspects of marriage;
and communication and
family relationshnips with
John Penn as guest speaker.
The Huron County Health
Unit is extending a cordial
invitation to all newly
married or about to be
married couples to attend this
course. Anyone interested is
asked to call the Health Unit
Office in Clinton at..482-3416
between 8:30 and 4:30
Monday to Friday Mr further
information and to register to
attend.
•
A
SIIOP"
Con n t r y/I
LINTON
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