HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-09-29, Page 4PAGE 4CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, TI URSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1977
We depend on them'
To most of us in Huron County, the
words "crop failure" are words we '
usually only read in the paper, in
connection with some far off country,
halfway around the other side of the
world.
But lately with the worst weather
conditions in 1y00 years, the words are
getting dangerously close ,to honie.
Although it is still too early to cry•
wolf in these parts about the likelihood
of a loss of much of our whine bean
crop, the situation is grim enough for
us to realize, once again, just how
important agriculture is to our
lifestyle.
Unfortunately, many people fail to
realize the severe economic impact the
loss of up to $7 million worth of beans
will have on our county.
With a population of only 50,000
people in Huron, that kind of loss will
reverberate through our economy for
years to come.
It means that many farmers won't be
'buying new machinery this fall, or a
new.truck, or new clothes, or a hundred
other things, and will tighten their
belts on other Rurchases as well.
Some, may even go out of business.
Overall, the ripple effect can cause
the loss of goods and services three or
four times the original $7 million loss,
The problem is serious, and many of
us don't realize it. Maybe all of us in
town should get out and do a sun dance,
for as the farmer goes, so go we.
The nigglingpress corps
When a man is elected to be Prime
Minister of this country, it is hoped that
most people look to him for leadership,
and inspiration in our effort to live as
good Canadians.
For the most part, we have had this
kind of leadership over the years as is
witnessed by the great country and
way of life that we enjoy.
The rights of Canadians call for us to,
be free to choose the people who will
lead us. Our rights also call for the
freedom to criticize those same people
if they do things that we do not feel are
in the best interests of Canada.
However, do we really have the right
to pick and prod and determine if our
Prime Ministcr has had a facelift or
not. Even if that is within our rights, do
we really care?
The latest game by some of the so-
called journalists who cover 'the
national scene has been to try to find
out if Pierre Trudeau has had his face
lifted.
They have noticed bandages on each
side of his nose. This apparently in-
dicates a face lift job. If they could also
see behind his, ears and find bandages
then it would be ironclad\evidence that
he• had the job 'done. One of the jour-
nalists even made a sneak peak at the
back of the Prime Minister and claims
to have seen bandages. Now isn't that
something?
° Wouldn't' you think that these so-
called responsible observers at Ot-
tawa, our eyes and ears in the capitol,
so to speak,- would have more to do
than be looking at the PM's nose, or
behind his ears.
This writer has had the questionable
pleasure of meeting a large number of
these types and we feel that they
should perhaps look at their own lot
before they start worrying about our
PM. Perhaps some would be wise to
start telling the story the way it is with
our country than write about this kind
of trivia.
We know one thing. The average
Canadian would be not only happier,
but better informed. (from the Lake
Simcoe Advocate)
Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiler
Wlzy I'm a teacher -
Friends of mine in all walks of life can't
understand how I can stand teaching as a
vocation. With striking originality, they
ask: "How can you stand it?"
So, with another 10 months of my chosen
ay of life under way, I thought I'd look at
i , and try to give them an answer.
(Perhaps we could start with
eliminations. It would take an actof God, or
a change of sex, or something equally
dramatic, to make me an engineer. I have
just completed the job of trying to change a
typewriter. ribbon. It took me 39 'minutes. I
wound up with ink a41 over my finger, my
face, and a clean shirt. And guess what
came out when I began typing? Red words.
It was one of those half -red, half -black
• ribbons, and I'd 'got it upside bassack-
wards. The only reason you are reading
this in black is that It is being reporoduced
by someone else.
My lack of engineering skills precludes
my making a fat living where the real
money is these days: as a repair, man. If
you have a son or daughter pondering a
career, for the dear goodness' sake, steer it
into fixing things - plumbing, electricity,
TV, cars. Took my lawnmower to a
repairman the other day. It wouldn't start.
Picked it up three days later. The bill was
$41.16 - one dollar and 16 cents more than
half what I had paid for the new machine a
few years ago. The bill for labor was $27.
You could have a baby. for that not so
terribly'long ago.
I've never wanted to be a scientist. Can't
see spending my life in a lab trying to find a
new additive that will make•clothes whiter
than white or a new chemical that will
make deodorant dryer than ever.
Medicine, since I have a never had a secret
desire to be God, held little appeal for me.
It's a noble profession, and you can make a
pile of money by peering into •people's
apertures, probing their flab, making their
blood spurt, and writing prescriptions;;
among other things. None of those things
turn me on, though. ,
Dentistry, ditto. I can see no particular
charm in standing at an angle most
acrobats couldn't maintain for 10 seconds,
gawking at gums and ' crumbling
renovations. One look into my 'own mouth
would give me nightmares' for a week. To
heck with the $50,000 a year.
Then there's the Yaw, of course. There's a
great deal of poppycock about the majesty
and integrity of the law. All of it stems from
lawyers hnd judges. But I wouldn't care to
be associated in a profession where there
is, despite all disclaimer$, one law for the
rich and another' for the poor. Shakespears
said it nicely:' "Let them hang all the
lawyers."
Another field that brings in ' a mighty
good buck is accounting. But where's the
future inthat for a fellow who can't even
account to his own wife for the way he
behaved at the party on Saturday night?
Quite a good career these days is
"working for the government." Certainly
you'll never be fired, unless you turn up
drunk four days in a row and rape four
different secretaries. Even then, you'd
probably just be "transferred to a less
sensitive area," or, put out to pasture on a
pension.
When I was a student, we used to say
scornfully that if you couldn't do anything
else, you went into the ministry. This was a
base canard, of course, but the delights of
the parsonage never really got me excited.
I. wouldn't have minded pounding the old
pulpit a bit, but I couldn't have stood the old
biddies and ' the back-stabbers and the
constant mendicanting.
What I thought I might be was Et
professor of English. Sit around in a book -
filled study, dispense wisdom to awed
students, and give the occasional brilliant
lecture. Well I've since met some of my old
friends•who chose that path. They're more
boring than the guy who comes to fix my
furnace.
What I really and truly wanted to do
when I was young and romantic was to
become a foreign correspondent.
Influenced by movies, I wanted the works:
trench coat, snap brim felt hat, bylines
from Hong Kong and Nairobi.
Nearest I got to that was editing the
country correspondence from contributors
to a small-town weekly. That wan't a bad
vocation, except that you worked 60 -odd
hours a week ,and never made any tnoney.
I guess my secret desire for years was to
be a writer. Preferably a pipe -smoking,
enormously popular, immensely wealthy
one, several times divorced, a world
traveler, a lecturer in great demand, yet
with a depth, a plus quality in my novels
that would put me up there with Hardy,'
Conrad, Hemingway. With three or four of
my novels turned into smash hits on
Broadway and in Hollywood. And all my
own hair and teeth.
Only trouble' with that wish was that I
was too lazy. Oh, the talent was there. No
question about that, as we novel -writers
manque can assure anyone., So instead of
becoming a Hemingway, I became Bill
Smiley, a chronicler of the tribulations and
the trivia of the mid1-20th century. And not a
whit bitter or disillusioned ab'out it.
That wasn't quite enough to keep a body
alive, so I became a teacher. Not only
because most other professions fill me with
nausea or loathing. But because I like
young people, words, ideas, and two
months holidays.
Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend
The rain keeps coming
A rainy day can be a joyous occasion,
if you're a duck wanting to wash your
wings or a pig looking for a mudhole to
roll in or a bird anticipating easy
pickings among the worm population.
After a long drought, even we humans
welcome a downpour that gives growth
to our crops and gardens, greenness to
our lawns and freshness to ,the air. A
stroll in a warm gentle shower can be a
pleasant experience, although some
people might think we were odd.
But more often a rainy day plays
havoc with our lives. It can'ruin a field of
cut hay that was almost ready to bale; it
can turn a corn field into a bog;, it can
disrupt a, picnic or postpone a baseball
game, and it can make a walk to the
corner store feel like going through a car
wash without a,car.
One rainy day is tolerable, but several
rainy days in succession can become
downright depressing. For example I
am writing this column on a Monday,
and rain has fallen off and on (mostly
on) since Friday.
This morning I awoke'to the familiar'
sound of "drip, drip, drip" from the
eaves. At 8:30 the street lights were still
on. They were shrouded in fog, which
grudgingly lifted to reveal a brooding
sky. The clouds looked as though they
had settled in for another day.
By 10 o'clock, a steady "pat-apat"
drummed on the roof, and cars swished
'along the streets spraying the
pedestrians, who were already soaked. -
Around 12:02, when the kids in town
were 'halfway home for lunch, the sky
opened up, The downpour stopped as
suddenly as it began, but during the long
afternoon, the rain resumed its pattern
of fits and starts.
Drum rolls of thunder echoed above
the housetops, and slashes of lightning
split the clouds. The sky remained gray;
the autumn foliage ' took on sombre
shades; a crafty breeze drove dampness
into every bone, and the whole ,at-
mosphere was soggy. It was not the type
of day to buoy a person's spirits.
Even the starling outside my window
seemed depressed° .His monotone ex-
pressed no excitement at the prospect of
a juicy worm poking its head out of a
muddy flowerbed. It 'was prob-ably too
wet for worms anyway. •
By 5 o'clock, the street lights~ were
back on. At 6 o'clock, I turned on the TV
to hear the news. Guess what they were
reporting! Flooded streets and•
basements. . .They even showed a film
clip. Then the,, weatherman appeared
with a hesitant smile to forecast more of
the same fpr tomorrow and Wednesday.
I will fall asleep again tonight with the
pitter-patter of tiny raindrops ori my
roof. Why does the thought "40 days and
.40 ' nights'.' keep floating through my
head?
From our early files .' . • .
• • •
10 YEARS AGO in, a pile of shavings and shingles'
September28, 1967 at 'the rear of the mill, were
A fire believed to have been valuable equipment, supplies of
started by lightening completely glass and close to 1,000 plywood
destroyed the barn belonging to and walnutdoors.
Irving Snider of RR 2, Zurich last Miss Joanne Castle, a fifth year
Weekend. student at Clinton District
-It broke out last Thursday and Collegiate 'has won' a track and'
it was still smoldering on Sunday field championship for each year
afternoon, stopping traffic on she has attended the school.
both sides of the highway. Joanne, oldest daughter of Mr.
Lost in the blaze which could be and Mrs. Sani Castle, of town,
seen for miles, around, were 24 Avon tie girls' senior title, with a
cattle, 13 pigs, a quantity of grain perfect score of 25 points. She has
and hay. The total loss is twice won a Huron Secondary
estimated to be in the neigh- ,Schools Association cham-
bourhood of $40,000. pionship.
Quick work on the part of ' 50 YEARS AGO•
neighbours and friends of Mr. ' Septetnber29, 1927
Snider managed to save a .The following young people are
number of cattle. amongst those from Clinton who
It will .be some time before the have left this week to resume
smoke ceases to rise from the their studies in the higher schools
ruins of the barn and also before of learning.
the actual cause of the fire is Messrs. R. Hunter and J.
known. Higgins and Misses Winnie
CHSS is sponsoring two trips to McMath, Esther Trewarth, Ethel
EXPO '67 in October. The first Hogg, Cora Jervis and Isabel
one from October 12 to 15 is the Fraser have returned to resume
honor trip of which the School their studies at the University of
Board pays part. The second trip Torcnto. Mr. Jimmy and Miss
is from October 18 to.22 and is for Jean Fraser are also 'Wm -
all students, it costs about $50. mencing a course at the
-- The School Board hopes to have University.
about 5Q0 students go on the Miss Eileen Atkinson and
second trip. • Eleanor and Jean Plrmsteel
Now that the Clinton and have returned to Western
District Community Centre is University London, to resume
built and functioning, \Ake begin to their studies. Misses Ruth Ball
wonder just how this town ever and Eleanor McEwan and Mr,
managed without it. Of all the Jack Gibbings are entering the
really important units necessary University this term, as is also
to hold a community together, a Miss McElroy of Blyth, a
building where sports and graduate of Clinton•Collegiatd.
recreation can flourish along. Miss Helen Cox has gone to
with the more commercial London to take a commercial
venture to be found there is an course. -
absolute must. Some of the visiting British
It won't be a "white elephant" editors who recently visited
as some have grumbled, because Canada thought.,.the Canadians
the whole world is moving in the talked too much • about them -
same direction as the centre - selves. Tut, tut!? They should
forward.
25 YEARS AGO
October 2, 1952
A widely known and highly
respected citizen of Goderich
Township, Charles B. Middleton,
80, passed away on Wednesday
October 1, as he was being
conveyed by ambulance to
Clinton Public Hospital, after
suffering a heart attack in the
morning.
'Mr, Middleton was known
throughout the district as a
successful farmer and fruit
grower.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. John
Middleton, he was born in
Goderich Township and' had
carried on farming and fruit
growing all his life.
Flames whipped through the
Hensall planing mill Saturday,
destroying the two-storey frame
building and causing damage
estimated at upwards of $70,000.
Lust in the fire, which broke out
he tr our neighbours to;the south.
Turner's United Church will
-1 old its 65th anniversary on
Sunday, October. ath., Services
will be held at 2:30 and 7:,30prn.A
hearty welcotne ,will be given to
all who attend.,
The weather did not favour the'
Bayfield Fair yesterday,
threatening,, rain all morning,
which kept off until. the crowd
gathered, that is; all who were,
not scared off by the lowering
clouds, and then coming down in'
a disheartening drizzle, not
enough le drive folk definitely
under cover, but enough to make
it rather disagreeable to remain
out.
The exhibits in some lines, were
not quite up• to the "highwater
level of the usual Bayfield
exhibition, there being three or
four other shows on the same,
date, but nevertheless it was a
very credible showing.
The gate receipts were, not
quite up to the average. In the
e.vening a concert was given in
`the town hall, the program being
furnished by the Canadian Male
Entertaine'''rs, London.
75 YEARS AGO
September 26, 1902
"Mrs..4 Townsend, a daughter of
Mrs. G. Crich, is 'lying ill with
typhoid fever at ,her mother's.
,, They had both returned from a
trip:, to South Carolina a few
weeks ago, and•'Mrs. -Townsend
was not feeling well before
leaving, but managed to keep up
till she arrived home, She was
striken with the disease a short
time after getting here.
Wo less than three' wedding
parties were seed at Clinton
Station on Wednesday.
The young ladies and gen-
tlemen of the Collegiate and
Model School were, "At home" to
their friends in the Collegiate
Assembly room on" Thursday
afternoon, from 3 to '7 o'clock.
The occasion was, in honor of rylr.
John Laird, one of ,Clintons most
successful ,students and a
scholarship graduate of„ the
Institute. His fellow ' students
naturally feel proud of him and
wish him continued success in leis
University career, which he
expects to enter on October 1st, at
the Toronto University. His
friends in Clinton will watch his
progress with interest as he is
';ure to keep well up in the race.
The • program . was neatly
,arranged and printed and in-
vitations were sent to teachers
• and others in the Own, The affair
was very nicely conducted 'and
much credit is due to the
promoters. ' --
Geo. Johnston, who left here
last, spring for ,'' Hamilton,
Man., and took a team of horses
with him,''had the misfortune to
lose one, by the -horse -getting its
foot over the; halter strap and
choking itself-. He' has taken up
200 acres ofaand on shares.
. , V
What ro '
Dear Editor:
I would like to pass on a
letter I received on the
BLOOD DONOR CLINIC.
"Dear Gladys,
On behalf of the London
Branch Canadian Red Cross
Society I wish to thank ,you
most sincerely forall the help
at our clinic on Tuesday.
"As you ar,e well aware,
we had 225 registered donors,
71 of them for the first 'time,
Everything was r so well
organized it was a pleasure
for me to be there. The ladle
were all, so friendly and c�
operative to all the girls.”
"I hope that yo,i will pass
on'my thanks to them as well.
I am looking forward to
working with you again in the
spring.
Iii
"Sincerely"
'Isobel Powers
Mobile Clinic organizer"
I would also like to thank
the News-12ecord for their
devoted service in our
project. •A special thanks to
the sorority ladies who spent
many hours preparing the
cards for, mailing and
,phoning our donors, the
schools for their help, Mr.
Phillips for his assistance and
his pupils for the good turn
out to give blood. We are very
proud of our student donors
also.
Our thanks go to all the
organizations that helped i
any way and the ladies o�
these organizations who gave
their time to work at the
Clinic and a very special
thanks to°all that gave their
blood to help others or maybe
ourselves? - ri,
.Without all these people
and -their help, our clinic
would not be such a success.
Mrs. Gladys East,
Convenor Clinton
Blood Donor Clinic.
Fair at presbytery
New world
Dear Editor,
'In his column "Sugar and
Spice" of May 19, Bill Smiley*
stated: "Aside from school
work, adolescents , are not
dumb." "And let's not blame
them ,too .much. Let's take a
look at the, world we're
passing on to, them . .
Then follows: "It's a world
strangling, drowning in its
own poisons, created by the
greed of past generations.,"
"It's a world in which the rip-
off is admired, on the whole."
"It's a world in which the
media pander to the bizarre
and violent." "It's a world of
drugs." "It's a•world in which
the daily papers are full of
-examples of corruption in
high places." "It's aworld in
whichthe best and:bravest
are often bul"1)ied by the brutal
anMd belligerent...xNot a,pretty'
�
pictti e? You're right, gea4kle
reader....It's a :cry of shame •
for•fhe society we're handing •
on to them."
In•. his concluding
paragraph occurs tfie 'sur-
prising exhortation: "Let's
showw' them it's 'a beautiful
world." ! ! ! ! -Bill evidently
equates the,"world" with our
present "system of things" or
"society", not the earth. This
ought to help sincere persons
to understand the question at
Matthew '24:3. And the con,
ditions described by Bill are -
foretold at Second Tiino'thy
3:1-5, We need a new world!
.(Rev. 21:5) Kitig .James
. version
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1
'A midway ` of booths,
theatre attraac,tions 'and
children's capers will feature
a novel .. stewardship
presentation by
Huron—Perth Presbytery of
the United Church at Mit-
chell, on Saturday, Octoberl.
Entitled "Come to the
Fair", the progran1 will blend
fu'n and festivity with a
serious effort to provide
helpful family advice and to
encourage the church's
Outreach grogram.
Member, Ontario Weekly
Newspaper Association
The Clinton News -Record is published each
Thursday at P.O. Sox 39, Clinton, Ontario.
Canada, NOM 1LO.
4,
it is registered as second class mall by the.
post office undeta,the permit number 0817.
` - The News -Record incorporated in 1924 the
"ituron News -Record, founded in 1881, and
the Clinton'New Era, founded in 1885. Total
press run 3,100.
Clinton NewsRecor( 1
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Monger -Caned Ian
Community Newspaper
Association
Display advertising rates
available on request. Ask for
Rate Card No. 7 effective Oct. 1, ,
1978.
General Manager -1. Iloward'Altketi
Editor •James E. Fitzgerald
Advertising Director-%ia L.Ha1st
News editor • Shelley McPhee
Office Manager - Marg ret Gibb
Circulation • Freda McLeod
Accounting- Marian W ltof! r
8ubicrlptlon Rates:
Canada- $12.per year
U.S.A. -118.50
Other • $18
Single Copy - 25c
4'
Sincerely yours,
ASC. F:Barney,
Clinton.
roSale
Dear Editor:
The members of 4the
Women's Auxiliary to the
Clinton Public, Hospital wish
o express their sincere ap-
preciation for the generous
donations to the Penny Sale.
Thank you to all the mer-
chants, to those who donated
cash, all who sold tickets and
worked at the town hall and
Mr. Proctor and his staff also '
Mr. Doug Smith.
Your co-operation has
helped to make this year'
Penny Sale very successfu
l.
once again.
Your interest and support
prove we are thankful that we
have Clinton Public Hospital.
Many thanks to all
Alice Davidson,,,
Chairman Penny Sales
Newi-Record readers ars
encouraged to express, their
opinions in letters tit the
editor, however, such opinions
do not necessarily represent,
the opinions of the Newilr
Record.
Pseudonyms may be used
by letter writers, but no Ilett r
will be published unless M calf '
be verified by 'phone.
r
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