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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-05-11, Page 27i • CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THU RSDAY, MAY 11, 1978—PAGE 7A Parents to be asked if they like lengthened high school classes BY JEFF SEDDON The Huron County Board of Education decided Monday that since parents com- plained about extended periods at Seaforth District High School and South Huron District High School then parents should be asked if they like the lengthened classes. The board was told Monday by its school programs committee that no action should be taken to alter period length at the two schools despite complaints from parents that the classes were too long. The committee said in its report that both principals had conducted surveys of teachers and students and received a positive reaction to the ex- tended periods. Seaforth trustee- John Henderson reminded the board that it was parents, not students, or teachers, that complained about the period length. He said it was parents that were concerned and it should have been parents that were surveyed. Committee chairman Dorothy Wallace told the board that the principal's survey showed that both students and teachers liked the extended periods. Teachers felt that the extra class time improved the quality of work, permitted them to get more done in a class and to improve the content of each lesson. Students felt that the extra time permitted them more time for understanding lessons and that extra time in t Rambling with Lucy by Lucy R. Woods The sweet smells of spring. They have come again, although a bit late. Last week my good neighbour Mrs. C. Bell picked the first violets of the season, white and purple as she came over to show me that in a package of mixed petunias for which I had paid 69 cents, there were only nine seeds. How many would grow we wondered? Then about two nights later the smell of violet was so strong in my bedroom that it burned my nostrils, and at Mrs. Bell's I heard it was equally strong. Did you know that for the best essence of violets, that the oil emitted by the skunk is used? It must have been out in front on Bayfield Terrace as no one noticed it on Colina Street, so whether a dog or a cat got too close we'll never know. At any rate, Debbie went out and picked hyacinths, early tulips and a few daffodils so the house took on a different odor of spring. We haven't been bothered much with skunks in the past few years and I hate to see them coming around again, although I was certain last year that those little holes in the lawn were made by little "pole cats" digging out white grubs. At least I hope they are not rabid. About 30 years ago, I had a fox terrier named Trixie and the Bells had a nondescript little brown terrier named Skippy. As long as there were none of the family about the two females got along beautifully together, but let one from either household appear and they would attack each other. One night Trixie wanted out so mother got up and let her out but she was a long time coming back. In the dusk, mother could see her fooling around out at the gate, so she opened the door and called. Trixie did not come until mother called in a cross tone, "Trixie, get in here". The dog made a bolt for the door and dashed up on my bed and was rubbing her head on the blanket over my knees. Mother came in, exasperated and said, "I had to -shove the door in Skippy Bell's face for you know if she ever got in here there would have been an awful fight." "Are you sure it wasn't a skunk?" I asked. "No," she replied, "It was Skippy. I saw her thin tail." Mother had lost her sense of smell. I persuaded her that Trixie needed a coffee bath, so she went to work. Later on Mrs. Bell came in to help mother. "What in the world happened," she asked. So I told her about Skippy trying to get in. "Skippy?" she ejaculated, "She is asleep in bed with the children." Later we learned that a female skunk strips her tail to make a nest for her babies. When Mrs. Bell went home the mon were eating break- fast. "Where have you been?" they asked. Mrs. Skunk's spray had stuck to the woollen rug in the sun n room and stuck to her rubbers. At that time, our heating system was a wood and coal burning hot air circulating system~ The cold air was sucked in through the registers at the outside walls and blew the hot air out from those situated on the inside walls. Mother, of course, never noticed the pungent smell and I even became used to it, but not our callers at "The Hut". They made fleeting calls at first, but warm weather came and the faint smell of violets mingled with that of the flora in the great outdoors. Today if your dog should tangle with a skunk, you'll probably have to bathe the pet in tomato juice as the strong coffee might be more expensive than the dog, particularly if it is a mutt. Mena SPRING WEIGHT Check out our super collection of Tight weight sweaters long sleeves, short sleeves in solids and patterns to choose from at -MAIN CORNIER LINTON 4824792 study periods allowed them better use of school facilities such as the library for per- sonal use. Wallace said the principals indicated that the parents had a certain responsibility to keep students in line during their time out of the classroom. She said the schools weren't to blame if students enjoyed the privilege of using the family car and an extended period to "run down to Stratford for a Big Mac." Henderson said some of the parents against the extended period had children going to school on buses. He said the students in some cases get to school at 8:30 in the morning and don't have a class until 10:00 or have an early class at 9:00 and nothing to do until after lunch. Wallace said the principals felt that recent problems in the field of education in Huron made a parent survey unpopular. She said the mood of parents was not right for an accurate survey of opinions and feelings. Clinton trustee Dorothy Williams said she made the original suggestion for the survey and recommended that parents be surveyed. She said someone else added that teachers and students be included. Superintendent of education R.B. Allan said he was inclined to agree with the principals that the climate was not right for a survey of tarents. He said the general feeling of the public was "tense" and that the survey may be more accurate if it were delayed. "The climate is going to get rougher," said Brussels trustee Donald McDonald. Colborne trustee Shirley Hazlitt reminded the board that a survey done in the fall would be pointless since it would be too late to make any changes in timetabling. She said if parents wanted the period shortened now was the time to find out to allow change to be made for the 1978-79 year. "The climate is not good now but it probably will be in education," she said. Zurich trustee Herb Turkheim. suggested that perhaps now is as good a time as any to "get all the dirty linen washed at once." The matter was sent back to the program committee for further envestigation with a reminder from director of education John Cochrane that principals are in charge of the management of their schools. Huron -Middlesex NDP to campaign The executive of the Huron - Middlesex N.D.P. met in Huron Park on May 3 to start an organizing campaign in the area. Stuart Craine, president of the area N.D.P., summed up the discussion by noting the enthusiasm of the new exect.ttive and promising to initiate new programs. "The people of this area are tired of the two old parties. We're confident that when we carry the message of the New Democratic Party into the communities of Huron - Middlesex, we'll be warmly received." It was decided to im- mediately start fund-raising and membership campaigns, and organize for the next election. Dennis Young, the N.D.P. regional organizer for Hamilton, attended the meeting. Jiscoiiir tA21@1 HOME CENTRES Discount Dave's and Dashwood Industries — Together over a century of Service C HARGEX 414.V/SA J In a little over a quarter century, Dashwood has become Canada's leading producer of quality wood and vinyl clod wind- ows and doors. Discount Dave's Home Centres is a division of Conklin Lumber Company Limited, a firm that has been serving Canadians for over nine decades. 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