Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-01-19, Page 4PAGE 4--CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1978 What we thin.kIilllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllliilllillllllfllllilllllllllillllljifI$Ii141111i11111 First step taken Although many would disagree, this agent's opinion is that the Clinton town hall should be saved, and should only be torn down it the cost to fix it proved astronomical. We congratuled council, for finally taking the first step last week in commissioning a study by Nick Hill of Goderich to see just how bad off the old girl is. °�� The only unfortunate thing about it is this council and too many in the. past procrastinated, so long. One of the many problems .in Canada is . that we don't have enough nationalism, we lack our own heritage, and we have little of our own culture to be proud of. Canada indeed does have a rich and colorful past, but Canadians seem too shallow, or too embarrassed to recognize it or take advantage of it. One of our main problems today with Quebec stems from pur own lack of at least a little nationalistic fervor. That is why they want to separate. Quebecers, even though they may be wrong about leaving, see a great danger to be part of the Canadian heritage and think that by separating they can preserve it. Byt what has this got to do with the Clinton Town Hall? A great .deal! We .have to start somewhere to preserve our heritage, particularly, our ar- chitecture and start instilling some pride in Canadians. We have to stop this silly notion of tearing everything down that is more than 50 years old and replacing it with dull boring concrete and glass structures. They wrecked our fine old post office a decade ago, are we going to let the town hall be next? Should be proud Clinton and area , and indeed the whole province of Ontario should be proud of the ambassadors who represented us at the Tournament of Roses Parade recently,, y The remainder of the Clinton Legion Pipe band, returned this week from being part of the Ontario Massed Pipes and Drums Band that played in the parade. The men and women in the 'Massed band, which was seen by a television audience estimated at 125 million, slid our province proud and in fact so impressed those usually unimpressed Californians, that they received an 'instant invitation to return again next year, a complement worth thousands of words. We too in Clinton can be proud that the whole town got behind the fund raising efforts of the band prior to their trip and,the few dollars that came out of our tax money as well was certainly a small investment to make, for the world-wide publicity the area received. Congratulations to the Pipe Band and color party for representing us so well and congratulations to the people here who backed them. It just proves that Canada has as good a talent as anywhere in the world. Sugar and Spicc/By Bill Smiley Life is the life It must be nice to be one of those people who sail into a new year with high hopes, great expectations, and firm resolves. I am more inclined to back into it gingerly, head ducked as though awaiting a cuff from fate. I think, from experience, that you have to be young and naive, or old and religious, or just plain dumb, to expect the next year is going to be any better that the last. For example:. I know Im' going to be one year older and uglier; I know I'm going to have fewer teeth and less hair; I know I'm going to be utterly flabbergasted at the arrant thievery of the government when I make out the cheque for income tax on the last day of April; I know that more and more of my friends, relatives and colleagues are going to be struck down by cancer, heart attacks, a broken marriage, or the crud. I know that my daughter•,won't be able to get a job as a teacher, after a gruelling year of preparing for same and raising two kids on the side. I am quite certain that my two grandboys are going to get steadily more difficult to handle. (One of them, not quite four years old, made a dreadful suggestion to a lady in a store not long before Christmas, as my wife` and I looked around wild-eyed, pretending we didn't know him or each ,other.) I got a raise this year, but am perfectly aware that it doesn't allow me to keep up with inflation. I saved some money this year, for the first time in 30, but continuing to drive a 10 year-old car, but I know every dollar tucked away (and paid taxes on) will be worth 82 cents when it comes time to spend it. I know full well that during the coming year I will have to undergo the ordeal of a federal election, in which a bunch of nin- compoops try to convince me that they can run the country better t tan a bunch of turkeys. I am fully cognizant of the fact that my wife is going to be on my back in 1978 for moral turpitude, physical lassitude, and mental ineptitude, not to mention a number of other things that can't be classified in a family journal. Economically, the country is, depending on your point of view, either up the creek without a paddle or going over the falls with a motor stuck in high gear. Next fall, my students will be the ab- solute worst I've ever had, there will be more of them, eight will be on drugs, six will be alcoholics, five will get pregnant, and I'll be taken off to the funny factory. Why don't I just shoot myself then, in- stead of heading into 1978 with all these bogeymen riding my shoulders? You may well ask. Because life is the life. As my daughter once remarked at the age of six, and which I have since considered as one of the great philosophical gems of the 20th century. Of course I'll be one year older. But I'll be one year smarter, at least in theory. It's not true that I'll have fewer teeth. I'll have more. I'm getting that euphemism called a "partial plate." Less hair, but I can always get a toupee or a fall. Uglier, for certain, but there comes a point when ugly starts to become. beautiful. "His face has a lot of character," they say", meaning that you look like something that just swam home from the Crimean War. Sure my .buddies will be stricken with everything from a slipped cervix to a swollen colon, but a couple of them were' marked up for the big final registration last year, and came through with flying colours and a heightened love of life. Maybe my kid won't get a job teaching. Maybe it's a good thing. How would you like to spend your working hours with a bunch of teachers, as I do? O.K., my grandboys are really rotten. But they aren't any more rotten than their mother was 20 years ago. She's just -now • beginning to admit to us what she was doing when we thought she was at Sunday school. I'm slipping behind financially, but who isn't? My prisoner -of -war pension soared by 7.'5 per cent on January 1, so I'm on the glory trail. It is now, almost 60 bucks a month. No question, we'll have a federal elec- tion. But what's to worry when' our Grand Guru, Pierre Himself, says that if we all think positively, the economy will pick up? Who can argue with something as solid as that? Certainly not the poor dope -who has been out of work for two years. He's probably not thinking positively. No doubt, no doubt at all, that my wife will be on my back through 1978 for all the things mentioned, and some new ones she'll think up. But what the hell? I'm used to it; and we're still man and wife, although she might quibble about that designation, or parts of it. As for my students next fall, they will undoubtedly be the same mixed bag of mixed-up adolescents they have always been, and we'll get along fine once they realize that Mr. Smiley is a•bit senile and must be humoured. Last year was pretty bad, and this year will be worse, but life is the life, and it sure beats lying there in the graveyard with your hands on your tummy. The Clinton News -Record Is published each Thursday at P.O. Box 31, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, NOM 1LO. Member, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association It Is registered as second class mall by" the post office under the pkrmit number 0017. The Nows-Record Incorpor,pted in 1124 the Huron News•Retord, founded.in 1001, and The Clinton New Era, founded in 1063. Total press rug 3,300. Clinton NewsRecoi'd Member Capadlen Community Newspaper Association Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for Rate Card 61o. 0 effective Ott. 1, 1171. '• General Mahoger - J. Howard Aitken Editor • Janiis E. Advertising Dlr.Eletr • Cry L. Hats, News editor • Shelley McPhee Wiled Manager • Margaret Olbb CIrCUiaflol4freda Weide Aetountln{l. MaiTian Wfllluln , Subscription Refs Canada •'13 per year U.S.A. •'17.00 Other .'MOO r "Now what?" Odds 'n' ends -- by Elaine Townshend People People have always been important in this world. It took people to venture to strange new lands and to carve homes, farms and businesses out_of the wilderness. It took people to conquer frontier after frontier; it took people to walk on the moon. It took people to build modest log cabins and to fashion mansions of wood, and brick. It took people to design floor upon floor of apartments to ac- commodate an ever-increasing population, and it took people to create sky scrapers of steel, glass and concrete. It .took people to find drug formulae and other methods of treatment for combating disease. It took people to express their thoughts in words and to preserve them by,. writing them on paper. Son 'elvere told as stories; others had rhyme and became poetry; some were interpreted in song. It took people to record the happenings of history and to ensure that future generations would always be aware of their heritage. .It took people to dream and to turn their fantasies into realities. It took people to tame wild animals and to ' control them to suit ,heir own purpose. It took ,people to harness Nature's power a.d to make it their slave. It ' took ,people to perfect technology and to invent machines that made their lives easier. The horseless carriage was a tran- sportation breakthrough, but people did not rest on their laurels; 'they made it faster, more powerful and more luxurious. Railroad tracks link nations from one boundary to another, while jets traversed the world; ships conquered unexplored seaways, and rockets in- vaded 7Opace. The light bulb, the telephone,zand the gramophone - each made its impact on the world and each was created by people. It took people to invent mass - production that gradually put a lot of people out of work and took away much of the uniqueness of the products. It took people to design computors that are slowly replacing people. Now it is un- derstood that .computors do not make mistakes ; only people do. • Of coutte", it also took people to love and to hate and to experience the con- sequences. It took people to feel jealousy and greed, discrimination and anger; it took people to make war. It took people to devise tactics to fool their enemies. It took people to manufacture guns and tanks that killed more reliably and to build planes that dropped bombs more precisely. ' It took people to invent the H-bomb and the atom bomb, and the latest in- vention of people may be the last one - the neutron bomb. It doesn't damage property or destroy buildings; it just kills people. People have always been important in this world, and it looks as though it may take people to destroy the world and themselves with it. - From our early files . • • • • • 5 YEARS AGO January 18, 1973 After serving Huron County and the people of Ontario for more than 14 years, Charles Steel ;..McNaughton resigned from the Ontario Cabinet and his seat in the Ontario Legislature last Friday. Mr. McNaughton or Charlie as he was affectionately known to thousands of Huron riding con- stituents, said the reasons he stepped out of his post as provincial treasurer and minister of economics and in- tergovernmental affairs was because,, "I now feel I have completed the major objectives I set for; myself in provincial af- fairs and I want more time to spend with my w±fe and family:" John White, MPP for London South was named Monday to fill the vacated post. With mild weather and a few brighter days this week, one almost thinks it is spring. The walking is better, the birds are twittering 'and it is just a real pleasure to be outside. As long ago as January 1, Mr. Bram Endenburg saw his first groundhog of 1973. Although there is still plenty of time for blustery weather in February • stnd March, we have had a good breathing spell. A breaka.waY goal y Joe Livermore in the sudden death overtime period gave the CIiiiuotl Colts a well-deserved 6 - 5 victory' over Arthur and the "B" Championship trophy at Milverron's second Annual Intermediate ,Tournament last Sunday. The team's captain, Ken Daer accepted the Molson's "B" trophy from the WOAA conveehor, Jin'rGreen on lyehalf of the club. 10 YEARS AGO January 18, 1968 Calvin Kreuter, Reeve of the Village of Brussels was elected Warden of the County of Huron on a 22 - 17 vote race against Gdderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling at County Council's inaugural session Tuesday. Clinton Reeve Jim Armstrong also joined County Council. Former customers, of James Sims' grocery store at Blyth haven't forgotten him - he's logged 2';548 visitors' names in his guest book kept since moving to the Kilbarchan Nursing 'Home four years ago. Mt. Sims celebrated his 95th birthday last week. , Tom Consitt, supervisor of Waterloo Cattle Breeders' Huron Ccunty office at Clinton was recognized at the unit's recent round of annual meetings for a "first" in Al in this area. He is the first of the local technicians to inseminate over 35,000 service cows. WREN Janice Merner, who was home on leave in Bayfield from CFB Shearwater, returned to her base last Saturday. She is the daughter of Bayfield ,,Coun- cillor and Mrs. M. Merner., Councillor Merner also served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Last week, students and in- structors at Clinton's Canadian Forces school of instructional technique observed a two-hour demonstration of educational television. Educational television is already being used by various civilian industries and its future use is anticipated in the Canadian Armed Forces. Jack Van Egmond of R.R. 1, Clinton was re-elected president of the Central Huron Agricultural Society at its annual meeting Monday. 25 YEARS AGO January 22, 1953 There are several important questions about to come up before members of Clinton Town Council. A special meeting has been called for Monday night when four items,Avi.11 be under discussion. First, the delegation from the Public School Board who will ask for an addition to the new public school; second, the resignation of Chief of- Police Joseph Ferrand; third, a delegation for the Clinton Lions Club requesting that the town take over control of the Lions Arena; and lastly, consideration of the old fire equipment. The regular meeting of the Kinsmen Club of Clinton was held in the Hotel Clinton on Tuesday evening, January, 20. President, George Rumball, presided and there was an excellent at- tendance of members, including three members of the Goderich Club. An excellent 'dinner was served by host, Frank Cook. We were treated to an idea of the number of theatre goers in Clinton and district last week when "The Quiet Man" was showing across the street. People the country over have been viewing it and they all have a. good Word to say. Given a good show, snow, rain or even a good hockey game, will not keep us from the shiftin' pictures. The . Rance house on Rat- tenbury Street has been sold to Roy Tyndall and the lot on Ontario Street to Lorne Brown. Don Kay has bought a house on High Street, recently owned by Michael McAdam. Clinton Lions Artificial Ice Arena will be officially opened on Wednesday evening, January 28 with an action packed program climaxed by the draw for eight valuable prizes - for which the Lions still have some tickets available. 50 YEARS AGO January 19, 1928 Complaints are made that some drivers are using the sidewalks where the roads are bad a'nd the police chief gives warning that the practise must ire stopped. Mf srs. Boss and Brassier were in town. on Monday looking over the ground with a view to putting in a tender for the cementing of the highway between Clinton and Seaforth which is to be gone on with ne,ttsummer. The morning train to Toronto on which were some Clinton citizens ran into a truck with a load of cattle on a crossing near Brampton on Monday morning. The truck was smashed, many of the cattle killed and the two men in charge were badly injured. It was another case of trying to beat the train over the crossing and failing. The driver said he heard the train whistle but thought he could "Make it." The force of the impact threw the two front wheels of the engine of the train off the track and broke some windows but no great damage was done to it. If motor trucks were h.uilt strong enough to hold, their dwn with a locomotive' probably such accidents would be e•. -en more common. .., ' Burgess' Portrait Studio in Clinton will be open every Tuesday. The hours until further notice, will be from 12 to 2 p.m. If you want photographs taken please come in these hours. My studio will always be watm, so do not be afraid to bring the children in the winter. • 75 YEARS AGO January 22, 1903 , Charlie Layton and Milward 'Lloyd of Tuckefsmith left for Uncle Satn's domains last v eek to accept employment at railroading. They are home again, however, the Yankee officials refusing to allow them to cross the border. This is the third time in a few months that the Alien Labor Act has been put into force against residents of this district. There is supposed to be a somewhat similar law on the statute books of the Dominion, but it remains to all intents and purposes a dead letter. Why? Yesterday Mr. C.C. Rance sold what is known as the old Disney farm north of Holmesville Hospital , for $1,500. The place consists of 97 11 acres and the purchaser is Mr. John Halstead. This lot was advertised for sale by public auction which has been, of course, withdrawn. Mr. Alf Scotchmer of Stanley Township has sold a fine span of horses to Mr. O. Johnson of Clinton for a good figure. A large sleighload of young people drove over from Varna to attend the tea meeting held in Cole's church on Monday evening and had a good time, but a cold drive. There was a start made in the What you think 11111111111111 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111 Liquor Dear Editor : Notice to -members and their guests of Clinton Legion Branch 140: I would like to inform you that on Monday, January 16 I placed an ad in the Clinton News -Record in the coming events section for our January Social, but we 4111 found out on Monday ening, January 16 at our executive meeting and in a letter from the Liquor Control Board was read to us by the secretary, stated we can no longer ad- vertise any socials in the paper. The Legion endeavours to work as a non-profit club. We give nearly all our profits to the minor sports, cancer, heart fund etc., but we cannot enjoy the same privileges as • other outlets in our area. Anybody wishing to know when our socials are, please phone me, the entertainment chairman, at 482-3226. Harvey Hayter, Clinton Proud Dear Editor: I.am writing to tell you and the good people of Clinton and district, how much Clin- tonians and others from the area now away from home pastures, appreciated the appearance of the Ontario Massed Pipe Band in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 2. The parade was shown in detail over both the 'NBC and CBS national, networks with many millions of people viewing it. It was quite a thrill, par- ticularly, to see that the Town of Clinton was given credit for being the home bast ',pf tie. bands as indicated on the screen. The announcers also mentioned the various towns involved including Clinton. The members of thegrotip I was with were able to pick out John Wise with his drum and good old Walter "Wattie" Webster with his big base drum -we thought! ' I think the Clinton com- munity and all the other communities involved should be very appreciative of the efforts of the Royal Canadian Legion and many others over the past few months for financial and other assistance. John Wise and his _organizing committee did a tremendous job for which we all feel extremely thankful. It was a big undertaking carried through very suc- cessfully. Monday, January 2, 1978, was a red-letter day for Clinton and the entre com- munity. Best wishes for the New Year! Sincerely, ' Richmond S. Atkey Daytona Beach, Florida, USA Dear Editor: The wintry weather of this past week , has once more made all of us realize just how much we need our community hospital. With the hospital oc- cupancy at over 80, it speaks well for staff in all depart- ments, that in spite of the storm, when many staff members were storm bound and unable to get to work, ice harvest in Bayfield last week. others were willing and able to work double shifts or come in at short notice. Some members of the staff, who live outside of Clinton, came to work prepared to stay overnight sohf at hey were available for work the next day. Candy stripers appeared when the high school closed, volunteering their services to our patients. Once again, this emergency situation has demonstrated the loyalty and willingness to serve this community of the staff and people associated with the Clinton Public Hospital. 100 YEARS AGO January 17, 1878 We regret to know that typhoid fever has again appeared in Londesboro, there being two cases in the village. The fast horses and stylish rigs driven around by our town- speople during the sleighing season, would indicate that the hard times hi... '. of lessened their love for or •er to obtain turn-' outs. Clinton can boast of some fine and fast horses and tasty trappings and vehicles. A friend asks, "l -low much money is there spent in Clinton, in one day for liquors, cigars and tobacco?" Who will make an estimate and send it to us? One evening * recently, Mr. Campbell Hanna of the 10th concession of Wawanosh, lost his flock of sheep in the snow and they were not discovered for seventeen days, having been that length of time without food. They are now alive and well. A woman named Halahan, of Wingham, who had her husband committed to jail recently for uttering threats, a few days ago eloped with a person who had come from the Black Hills to seek a wife. She left three small children behind her. R. B. Campbell, chairman, public relations, Clinton Public Hospital. News -Record readers are en- couraged to express their opinions In ' le4ters to the editor, however, such opinions do not necessarily" r•piresent the opinions of the News - Record. Pseudonyms may be used by letter, writers, but no loiter "will be pbblIshed unless 1t can be verified by phone. • s • SO