HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-12-15, Page 23• Rambling with Lucy
Christmas in 1900 remembered
By Lucy R. Woods
A note from Lucy: J.E.
Hovey acquired the Burnside
property and in later years
"Uncle Bob," Smiths Falls,
and Uncle Jack bought the
Agnes Murray house, tore
down the rambling log house
and moved the Murray house
on to the site.
"Another day we went to
Uncle Bob Johnsons,
Grandma's brother, he
had. lots of bees and honey.
The honey was always
served in a cereal saucer,
much more than we could
ever eat. We saw his honey
house, bees at work, the
extracting of honey, but the
bees never stung him. This
home of Uncle Bob's was up
the back road across from the
cemetery, so we would make
IDa trip through the cemetery
also. Sometimes we would go
to quilting bees especially if
there were other children we
could play with. It was nice to
see the pretty quilts folks
made during the winter
months. We used to wonder
how ail these pieces were put
together and Grandma made
some very lovely quilts.,
"A trip downtown, a call in
at the River Hotel, Aunt Mary
(Mrs. Fred Barker) was a
cook there also Sis Walmsey
(Mrs. W. Elliott) Burt
Walman was dining room
girl. The long tables of pies
and cakes in the kitchen was
041) really something to see, they
were good cooks. Sometimes
we would go down to Pioneer
Park, play tag around the
M cannon, 'go down the steps to
the beach and play by the old
Malta, gather shells, stones,
dig wells, and make sand
castles, watch the sunset
which we liked, but we" were
not really old enough to enjoy
the beauty of a Lake Huron -
Bayfield sunset. Later years
we. did marvel at the colors
and the beauty; nowhere are
there any sunsets any pret-
# tier.
Fall coming on and we were
going to spend more time
with Grandma. We usually
went home, the _ last .we.ek. of__.
August to be ready for school
in September but in 1900 there
was a coal strike and no coal
could be bought.so we stayed
with Grandma and helped dig
potatoes, shell beans and
torn, gathered butternuts and
beechnuts, picked apples -
some for home use and some
went to the evaporator. That
was always a trip we loved,
riding up high on a load of
apples, stopping at the drive
on scale to be weighed 'and
0
4
4
A ..
Smile
Inflation is bringing us true
democracy. For the first time
in history, luxuries and
necessities are selling at the
same price.
To My
Many
Friends
and
Relatives
For being so kind to me - I wish
one and all a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year.
Mrs. Louella
Leppington
Clinton
then to the evaporator to
unload. Lots' -of people were
employed in the evaporator
and we could watch the
paring machines, smell the
apples drying, then the
packing in boxes for shipping.
The drive -on scale was
situated in the square not far
from the Albion Hotel.
"Grandma dried her own
apples, she had a little paring
machine she could fasten to
the end of the table. We could"
peel the apples - she would
core them and place them on
a screen that was suspended
from the ceiling by binder
twine fastened to hooks and
corners of the screen that
hung over her cook stove.
This screen was filled with
apples abut once a week,
another evening's work.
"Another busy day was the
making of soap. The wood
ashes were put in a barrel
that was placed on a block of
wood. This barrel had a hole
bored near the bottom and a
spigot put in it from which the
lye dripped into a wooden
bucket. The lye was made by
water poured in the top of the
barrel and trickled through
the ashes.
"This lye and fats and
tallow all went into a huge
iron kettle that hung from a
bar placed on two Y-shaped
stands.. A slow fire burned
and the mixture was stirred
often, some of the mix was
used for soft soap, sort of a
brownish syrupy substance,
this was used for scrubbing
and washing clothes. Some
white powder called borax
was put in the kettle and
mixed with the remaining
soft soap. This was cooked
and stirred and finally it was
ladled out into pans and set
aside to harden. This was
then cut into blocks and used
for toilet soap. This soap was
white' " and very hard.
Grandma's lye soap sure
could clean. This task was
done outside.
"Now comes the day for
making apple butter. ' The
night before, we pared apples
and Grandma cored them.
Early next morning, cider,
sugar, applesand spices were
put in a huge brass kettle and
placed over a fire. Th.e kettle
hung from the same rack that
was used for the soap making
kettle. Notice I said brass
kettle- for the apple butter.
When the mixture started
cooking, such a fragrance
filled the air and we watched
as Grandma stirred the
mixture. What a delicious
feast we had for supper,
homemade bread and fresh
apple butter. This apple
butter was put into crocks
and when cool, sealed with
brown paper and flour paste.
It kept and was always a
delicious dessert.
"As we were staying with
Grandma until the coal strike
was settled, we had to start to
school. We liked the little
village school and teachers
were Anna Whiddon - later
Mrs. Dr. Brown and Mr. G.
Holman. We took our lunch
with us and had a busy lunch
period getting acquainted
with other children. One boy
we will always remember
was Henry Kemp. We named
him Dr. Kemp. He tied up my
sisters hand when she cut it
on a brick.
"On November 11, 1900 a
baby brother arrived.
our sincere
Thanks
to all the participants
in Clinton's Santa Claus Parade
last Saturday afternoon.
We'll see you all next year.
Charley and Edith Burgess
BURGESS
DEPARTMENT STORE
AND
Needless to say, 1 was Very
upset after being the baby for
nearly seven years. Everyone
teased me - said my nose was
out of joint and I had to share
mother with the baby and so
on, until I really got to be a
very naughty little girl. I told
Dr. Pallister he could take the
baby away, some said they
found him on the road side,
some said in the cabbage and
so on. I wouldn't look at him.
How different it is for
children today to be told of
coming events and eagerly
look for a new brother or
sister!
"After the teasing sort of
let up and in my own good
time, I would stand and watch
mother tend to him. He really
turned out to be my pal and to
this day is a dearly beloved
brother.
"Soon it's Christmas time,
lots of things to do and baking
the fruit cakes was really a
big event. There was always
pies and `cookies, bread and
the plum puddings. Grandma
said we would go back to the
pasture field and ,get a
Christmas tree. What a time
we had deciding which one we
liked, there were so many
beautiful cedar trees to
choose from. Our final
choosing was a big one, more
suitable for a church or hall
but that was the one and only
tree in the field.
"Grandpa Ran had to get
the stone boat and horse to
bring it back to the house.
About six feet was cut off the
top part of the tree and it was
the grandest Christmas tree
ever. We made garlands out
of the lower branches and had
cedar trim over every pic-
ture, doorway, window, even
the old wall clock that chimed
the hour and half hour was
decorated. This clock was
placed in a sort of box built
into the wall and was wound
by a key, thatraised lead
weights to the top. By night
time these weights would be
down near the bottom of the
clock. It was a nightly ritual
to watch Grandma wind the
clock.
"Now we trimmed the tree,
but with no tinsel, lights or
bright ornaments to be had,
Grandma popped corn and we
threaded it on string arid hung
it on the tree and mother
made up paper roses out of
red, yellow, pink and white
tissue paper.
"We had no toys but got a
pair 'each of home knit mit-
tens and a little dish we (Ann
and I) admired while visiting
w
•
Mr. Hewson's store. My
sister's had blue flowers,
mine had pink. We put the
paper roses in the garlands
and on the tree, really very
nice.
"That was a lovely
Christmas and we have never
forgotten it. We had a lovely
dinner of roast goose - golden
browned to perfection as only
grandmas could cook them,
dressing, gravy, mashed
potatoes and lots of
vegetables, homemade
bread, pickles, plum pudding
and Christmas cake. I can
remember the table with its
snow white tablecloth' and
shining dishes and all the
goodies placed just so, we had
our little fancy butter moulds
of butter at each plate.
"After the New Year, our
Dad wrote and said he had
coal and we were to come
home. There were sad days
and happy days, sad to leave
our Grandma's, she was so
good and kind to us, and
happy with thoughts of going
home and taking our baby
!brother.
"Other vacations were
spent in Bayfield,` but this
being the longest, and so
much was put into it, has
always remained in our
memories as one of the best.
The old home was burnt to the
ground about two years later
and all was lost. Grandma
started over again about two
years later and lived in the
Burnside house for many
years. Then another house
was moved on the property
and Grandma lived there till
she passed away December
22, 1939. This is now the
Francis property.
"A lot of changes have
come through the years,
electric lights, paved roads,
automobiles and many new
homes. The river filled with
boats, progress and a new
way of living, but fondest
memories are the little vine
covered home and our
vacation time visiting with
our dearly beloved Grandma
and Ran.
"Happy memories keep the
.past ever-pre'serrt. We 'oft'en-
relive these wonderful days of
vacations spent in the little
village of Bayfield when a
path at the side of the road
was the sidewalk, the high-
way a gravel road, little bells
ringing as the cows grazed
along the roads that have now
become busy highways, and
people were recognized by
their horses, wagons and
buggies."
Cathy Aiken, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Aiken of
Clinton, received her
bachelor of arts degree,
majoring i in English and
psychology at the recent fall
convocation of Carleton
University. - Cathy is em-
ployed as a counsellor at
"High Point" Centre for the
Developmental Handicapped
in Markham, Ontario.
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD. THUI fjDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1977—PAGE 3A
I /I'
Old Age Pensions to rise in Jan.
Full increases in the Old
Age Security pension,
Guaranteed Income Sup-
plement and Spouse's
Allowance, effective in
January, 1978, were an-
nounced recently by Health
and Welfare Minister
Monique Begin.
Increases in Old Age
Security pension and
Guaranteed Income Sup-
plement payments represent
the seventeenth quarterly
escalation based on the cost
of living, as provided for in
the Old Age Security Act.
The new monthly total at
the single rate for persons
receiving both the basic Old
Age Security pension and
maximum Guaranteed
Income Supplement will be
$261.06.
For a married couple, both
pensioners, the combination
of the basic pension and
maximum supplement will
provide a payment of $498.00
for the couple monthly.
The basic Old Age Security
pension will rise in January to
Fish warnings posted
The provincial en-
vironment ministry issued
health warnings last week
concerning the consumption
of certain fish caught in Lake
Huron.
The following finding are
from the Point Edward area,
Denny's Dam area and
Chief's Point to Howdenvale
area in Lake Huron and Cape
Rich area in Georgian -Bay.
In the Denny's Dam area,
near the mouth of the
Saugeen River at
Southampton tests on chinook
salmon found levels of PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls)
above the federal' guidelines
of 2.0 parts per million.
Eleven salmon had an
average level of 6.1 ppm of
PCBs.
These - fish should,
therefore, be eaten on an
occasional basis only." the
bulletin said. Occasional
meals for PCB are defined as
one to two meals a week on a
one to three - week -fishing
trip or one or two meals a
month through the season. A
meal is about equivalent to
eight ounces or 230 grams.
Rainbow trout from the
Denny's Dam area over 26
inches long should be limited
to occasional meals only,
Northern pike are suitable for
unrestricted consumption,
but white suckers at the 18 - to
22 -inch size are suitable only
"Is it true
Id now have to work
longer to collect
Unemployment
Insurance?
Yes.
Parliament has decided that the qualification
time should be longer everywhere, and that
people who live in areas of high unemployment
should be given certain advantages over those
who live in areas where jobs are more plentiful.
Which means that you now need more
insurable work weeks to qualify for
Unemployment Insurance benefits.
"I can see why. But just
how long would I have to work to
be eligible?" -
From 10 to 14 weeks; depending on where
you live.
In regions of low unemployment, claimants
need up to14 weeks of insurable employment to
get UI benefits. This will only happen in places
where it's easier to get and keep a job.
In regions of high unemployment, claimants
now need as little as 10 weeks to qualify.
for occasional consumption
because of the mercury level.
An occasional meal of
mercury -contaminated fish
means four to 10 meals a
week if you are fishing from
one to three weeks during the
season.
Testing on the west side of
the Bruce Peninsula in the
Chief's Point to Howdenvale
area, brown trout were found
to be suitable for occasional
meals only. Twelve brown
trout averaged 2.1 ppm PCBs,
Smallmouth bass were found
suitable for unrestricted
consumption.
In the Point Edward area,
the ministry tested splake,
brown trout and Smallmouth
bass from Lake Huron.
Splake was found suitable for
occasional consumption
beca,use of PCBs and bass
were unrestricted. Brown
trout averaging. 17.2 inches in
length averaged 1.96 ppm
PCBs.
- '`Larger' brown trout would
likely contain more than 2.0
PCBs and would therefore be
suitable only for occasional
meals," the bulletin said. .
In the Cape Rich area of
Georgian Bay, splake and
rainbow trout were both
found suitable for
unrestricted consumption
although rainbows over. 26
inches in length shouldbe
consumed only occasionally.
"Does this mean
I'd get less or that the payments
wouldn't last as long?"
No change in payment amounts. The UI
benefit rate stays at two-thirds of your average
weekly insurable earnings.
The maximum is $147, less tax.
The maximum time for which anyone may
receive benefits has changed'slightly, however.
The old maximum was 51 weeks. Now it's 50 weeks.
But since September 11, the total
number of weeks for which a claimant qualifies
has more closely reflected the unemployment rate
in his or her region.
Right now, we measure unemployment by
dividing Canada into 16 economic regions.
Later in 1978, we will fine-tune the program to
54 regions so that UI will be even more closely
related to local labour market conditions.
"What else is changing
about UI?"
Not much.
The basic two week waiting period
remains the same everywhere. And so do
the rules'on the waiting period when a
claimant has left his or her job for no good
reason or been fired for misconduct. In'
such cases, a claimant may have to wait up
to eight weeks from when employment
ends until benefits start.
Then there's maternity, sickness and
age 65 benefits.
Previously, sickness benefits were only
--payable during the first 39 weeks of the claim.
Now they're payable at any time during, the entire
benefit period.
$153.44 from the present
$150.43.
The Guaranteed Income
Supplement is paid to pen-
sioners whose income, apart
from the Old Age Security
pension, is limited. The
amount of the supplement
varies in relation to the
amount of income.
The maximum Guaranteed
Incorpe Supplement for a
single person, or a_ married
person whose spouse is not a
pensioner and is not receiving
a Spouse's Allowance, will go
up in January to $147.62 from
its current $105.51, The
maximum supplement for' a
married couple, both pen-
sioners, will increase to $95.56
each from $93.69. Added to
the basic pension, this will
give each married pensioner
$249 monthly, or a total of $498
for the couple.
The Spouse's Allowance is
paid to persons between 60
and 65 years of age who are
married to Old Age Security
pensioners and .meet
residence requirements.
The maximum Spouse's
Allowance will increase to
$249.00, from $244.12. The
maximum Spouse's
Allowance is made up of an
amount equivalent to the
basic Old Age Security
pension and the maximum
Guaranteed Income Sup-
plement at the married rate.
Learn to Play the Pulsifer Way!
THINKING OF
AN
ORGAN
FOR
CHRISTMAS?
Try it first...Here's How...
L. Take 2 free lessons on our organ, with several prac-
tice sessions included.
2. Have a modern organ in your home for four weeks,
with five free lessons included, for only `25.00 total
cost.
*No obligation to buy - money refunded if purchased.
Plan No. 1 or No. 2 includes a free chance at a `200.00
credit toward any organ purchased.
SO Free Lessons are given wilh'each organ purchased.
ADULTS OF ANY AGE CAN REGISTER
FOR EITHER PLAN...RETIRED
PERSONS ESPECIALLY WELCOME.
THIS OFFER IS FOR EVERYONE,
EXCEPTING PRESENT HOME ORGAN OWNERS.
All Free Lessons to be given at Pulsifer Music, Seaforth,
and at a God'erkh`tocation:
Come in and see our largeselection of quality
keyboards by Wurlitzer, Galbransen, Galant; Qualify
for the '200. Credit Draw. Your name must be in by
December 23.
Pulsifer Music
7 Main St., SEAFORTH 527-0053
Maternity benefits of 15 weeks and the
special one-time benefit (equal to three weeks'
benefits) at age 65 remain the same.
The same people still pay for the program in
the same proportions, and the types of employ-
ment insurable for iJi remain the same, too.
"Would 1 still go to the
same UI office to claim?"
As explained in the box below, you still go to
the familiar locations for both U1 offices and
Canada Manpower Centres. Watch for changes in
your area.
Unemployment Insurance has changed for
everyone's benefit, including yours. All we ask is
that you remember your obligations as well as
your rights.
If the need should ever arise for you to, come
to us, we'll make sure you get all the CI benefits
to which you are entitled by law. But you must
keep up the search for a new job all the time
you're getting those benefits.
7 1e Unempknment Insurance Conon,ssion and the
Department of'I'llanpower and Inzniput:on have become
the Canada F,mplownent and Inum'►ution (:onnnissum.
Tor a time, you'll still see our local offices kes rdentified as
Unemployment Insurance offices or Canada Manpower
Centres. When they're together in one location, they'll be
called Canada Employment Centres.
Working witheo le
p p
who want to work.
Employment and Emploi et
14, Immigration Canada Immigration Canada
Bud Cullen Bud Cullen
Minister Ministre
g -