HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-09-07, Page 44
PAGE 4--CLINTON NEWS RECORD, TRUR.SPAX, SEPITMOgR 7, 1974
Huron -theatre country!
With the summer season drawing
to a close, it is time to reflect again
on the theatre productions
aviailabale to Huron County
residents through July and August.
Huron County must"surely be one of
the few Ontario counties that can
boast two fine theatres, each one
thoroughly entertaining though
each one distinctively different.
Personal preferences count for
"so much in theatre, making it
difficult to assess the most suc-
cessful production at each theatre.
But for the purposes of this
editorial, only two shows will be
discussed. They are 'Oklahoma'
which was staged at Grand Bend
Country, Playhouse and 'The School
Show', which delighted so many
folks at Blyth.
The unique flavor of each theatre
is unmistakable.. The Grand Bend
area theatre, though housed in a
barn, is steeped in urban
sophistication; the Blyth theatre,
upstairs in a pleasant, air-
conditioned auditorium, is dren-
ched in grass-roots simplicity. Both
are charming.
"Oklahoma," a well-known.
Broadway and Hollywood box
office bonanza, was colorful and
tuneful, backed up with a 20 -piece
pit orchestra that executed the
Rogers and Hammerstein score
with some skill at Grand Bend.
Packed houses enjoyed the
production, and audiences were
properly appreciative, chuckling
and chortling quietly at the hurrfor
and smiling and applauding in the
right places for the music.
"The School Show," an original
play written and played by Ted
Johns, was an absolutely delightful
version of the teachers' strike in
Huron this last school year. The
music was recorded but that didn't
matter to the capacity crowds. At
al least one performance,
audiences gaffawed shamelessly at
the Johns' humor and even stepped
in tune to the hoedown harmony as
it filled i n between acts.
Yet for those people who at-
tended both shows, it wouldn't be
easy to pick the one that was most
enjoyable. Both seemed exactly
right for the time and the place.
And that's what is so great about
Huron County's two theatres. They
are at different ends of, the county
... and at opposite ends of the en-
tertainment scale. But together
they offer good entertainment at a
reasonable price for Huron County
residents and their guests. There is
something for everybody and it is
bouquets this week to both theatre
groups and their faithful
executives. Next summer can't
come too soon. -from the Goderich
Signal -Star.
sugar andspice
Fit to be' tied
By Roger Bell
(Writing for Bill Smiley, who is
touring relics older than him.)
For the past three years, I've been
fighting (and losing) a war which I call
the Great Battle of Necktie. I believe in
a neck unfettered by the choking
confinement of a chunk of silk or
polyester. These useless cloth ap-
pendages cramp my style, not to
mention my fragile esophagus. They
drag in my goulash at dinner, flap in
my face while I'm humming along on
my ten -speed, and offer an open in-
vitation to whichever one of my 6'5"
students wants to garrotte me for the
E. term test I've just returned to him.
Unfortunately, my employer and his
superiors don't agree with my views on
the Iiberated neck. I walked naively
into work on the first day, collar open,
spirits high, and was promptly in-
formed of the Eleventh Commandment
— Thou shalt not offend mine eyes by
allowing thy throat to appear, ungar-
nished in my presence; nor shalt thou
sport turtlenecks, which vex me,
sorely; and lest thou wish to feel the
fiery lash of Unemployment, thou shalt
not allow the blasphemous blue denim
to adorn thy person. This accompanied
by the roar of thunder, the slash of
lightning, and a horrifying vision of my
lovely contract, in flames. The score
after , the first skirmish: Haber-
dashers ---1, Roger (bloodied champion
of human rights) -0.
This whole thing smacks of 'the re-
appearance of the great god and teller
of falsehoods, Outwardshow. I thought
that the bluejeaned, longhaired troops
of the Youthantruth Army had laid his
hideous corpse to rest after the hard-
fought Battle of Hippie Junction, in the
late 1960's. gut it appears that he has
risen, phoenix -like, and is slinking
about the land, appealing to the con-
servative and the normal in all men.
His insidious message is simply this:
Clothes make the man. He of the
neatly-coiffed head and the smartly.
.Fall fair time
From the . kitchen comes the temp-
ting aroma of good things baking. Pies
and cakes and dozens of muffins, tarts,
biscuits and cookies are cooling on
racks. Jars of preserves, jams, jellies,
pickles and apple cider are lined up on
the cupboard.
If you think you're about to enjoy the
most blissful meal in your life, forget it.
The cook ignores your pleading hungry
eyes, and a request for even just one
cookie will get you a slap on the wrist
and a sharp retort: "No, you can't have
tailored -for -today's man -on -the -go -
three -piece vested suit is superior and
preferable to he of the unkempt mane
and tieless torso. The multitudes will
respect the former and he shall rise to
dizzying heights; the latter will be as
loved as a pint of prune juice in a
dysentary ward and, he will go nowhere
fast in the world of Big Business.
Pardon me, but -- bunk!
Let's follow that line of reasoning for
awhile. Imagine the following scene:
Adolph Hitler and Jesus Christ show up
one night at your house, uninvited, for
dinner. Adolph is•handsomely attired in
a new $300 pinstripe wool -worsted suit,
a pair of neat suede shoes, and an
expensive tie with a tidy Windsor knot.
Jesus, in contrast, sports only a simple
cotton caftan, has dusty feet and open -
toed sandals, and has (gasp — call the
cops!) long hair and a beard. With me
so far? If you adhere to Outwardshow's
dictum -ornament is everything,
character nothing — Jesus will end up
eating burgers at McDonald's and
you'll have a dinner guest who admires
your lampshades and•seems ungrateful
when'you tell him'you don't like pork.
Can you conceive the idiotic
situations the Appearance is Reality
belief might spawn? Tobe considered a
worthy cleaning lady, Mrs. Magoo
would have to do your hardwood floors
in an evening gown. Local sanitary
engineers would sling festering piles of
refuse into the back of their Rolls
Royce being very careful not to get any
on their tropical -weight leisure suits.
skrrLs.
The mechanic at your favorite
garage might be adverse to fixing the
transmission in your jaunty jalopy for
fear he might sully his velvet tuxedo.
(A positive offshoot — schools which
were troubled by vandalism would
have only to hang a tie in every window
and not only would vandals not destroy
the place, they'd rake the lawns and
trim the hedges.)
Yes, folks, as much as I hate to admit
it—it brings a lump to my throat to say
it — old Outty is alive and well. I do
however have a new battle plan for the
The Clinton News -Record Is published each
Thur*dey et F.O. Box 14, Clinton, Ontario,
C isede, NOM 110.
Member, Onterle Weekly
Newspeyee Association
It Is registered as second cta}s mall by the
post office under the permit number 0317.
the News -Record Incorporated In 1024 the
Huron News -Record, founded In 1031, and The
Clinton New Era, founded In 1045. Total press
ruts 1.200.
Clinton YewsRecord
Mtiniiter CenMdien
C0.101..114f frtewe0404#
ANwtlefletf
Geiferai Mar►aget - J. /toward Althea
!dl er - J001411 N. r<I/tgKrbtd ,
Adverfictng Dieniktbr'. Oery L. Haist
N*wtc Oka***
tireoreifiiiii#0,400440411
Subocrtpttott *001
l«`adq �'1t pwr1
rrr.�;K►�w+1f.�e'
upcoming round of hostilities — my
friend Chenier, the artist, is going tO
silkscreen a tie on fitly hairy; chesty No
problem really, I'll just pretend it's
mohair.
What's your
Opinion? Write a let-
ter to the editor
today and let us
know too.
one. Those are for the fair!"
September is here; that time of the
year reserved for fall fairs. There's a
special business and excitement in the
air.
In the barn, a farmer grooms his
best holstein cow, and a youngster
nervously leads his 4-H heifer around
an imaginary show ring. In a field
behind the barn, a horse and rider
spend hours racing around barrels.
A little boy brushes .his dog until its
hair shines. A little girl decorates her
bike for the parade and asks for the
tenth time, "Mommy, have you
finished my costume, yet?"
In a garage, the members of a ser-
vice club are mounting a building, that,
resembles an old-fashioned , outhouse,
on a wagon. In front of a mirror, a
clown is experimenting with make-up
and practicing the art of making people
laugh.
The participants began thinking
about this year's fair shortly after last
year's fair ended, and they spent weeks
preparingfor it.
Meanwhile, the Board of Directors
met several times during the year to
make sure everything would be ready ;
they worked hard and planned well.
But many chores can't be done until the
last minute, and no matter how well -
organized the Board may be, little
things go wrong that send members
scurrying around the fair grounds.
The competitors must be registered,
their entries must be judged and
displayed, the merchants' exhibits
must be set up and the parade must be
arranged.
Usually before the public is ad-
mitted, the judges award the winning
ribbons. I envy their chance to sample
all the homemade cooking, but I don't
envy their responsibility of choosing
remembering
our pest
25 YEARS AGO
September 17, 1953
Air Force Day visitors to the RCAF
Station Clinton will have the opportunity to
witness the official opening of the new home
of the No. 1 Radar and Communications
School.
A.G. Grigg and Son, fuel dealer in Clinton
since the firm purchased the business of
J.B. Mustard Coal Co., in 1945, this week,
announces the addition of the sale of fuel oil
to the business. Gordon Grigg joined his
father in the firm in 1950.
Now compelled because of popular
demand to add fuel oil to the other lines they
carry, A.G. Grigg and Son have purchased a
new truck.
Plans for installing two oil heater units for
the purpose of, heating the town hall were
presented to town council on' Monday
evening. Total proposed installation cost
was estimated at $2,250 and the old heating
unit in the basement could be used for
heating the auditorium,
Joanne Castle was awarded a Dominion
Provincial Bursary, of $400 following
completion of Grade XIII at GDCI last
spring. Joanne is the eldest daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. S.E, Castle, Dunlop Street, Clin-
ton. She plans to enter the University of
Western Ontario, where she will take a
physical education and health course.
Tom Colquhoun, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.W,
Colquhoun, Huron Street and graduate from
grade 12 at GDCI last spring, has won a
Dominion Provincial bursary of $100 toward
grade 13 this year.
On Saturday, September 19, Canada notes
its 7th annual Air Force Day, the day on
which as many RCAF Stations as possible
throw open their gates to the public to invite
them to see for themselves what their Mr
Force is doing.
50 YEARS AGO
September 13, 1928
According to the figures of the assessor,
Clinton has 365 children of school age. Ages
from 5 to 8.68; 8,9.10,11,12,13-172;14 and 15.
61; 16 and 1764.
Little Master Douglas, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Andrews, had the misfortune to
fall downstairs on Sunday last, breaking his
right aria near the shoulder. The little lad is
bearing his woiinds like a soldier and it is
'1160ed the brokeiibohe will knit nit quicitiy r�>rid
leave no trouble behlnd.
the best ones.
The big day finally arrives, and the
festivities usually begin with a parade
through town. The parade might be
only two blocks long, but the people
who are involved and those who watch.
don't lack enthusiasm. When the
marchers and onlookers gather in the
fair grounds, the awards are an-
nounced for the best band, best float,
best horse and rider, best costume and
other categories.
After the speeches and official
opening ceremonies, the crowd
disperses. The arena or a large shed is
crammed with homemade baking,
handmade quilts, rugs and clothing and
samples of crocheting and knitting.
Contestants of all ages rush in _to see
how their work was judged.
The children hurry to ride the merry-
go-round or buy some candy floss,
while the men amble down to the barn
with its show ring nearby. On the track,
pony and horse races are run. Inside
the track, other contests take place,
such as horseshoe°pitching,log sawing
and tugs -o -war.
The crowd moves from one at-
traction to another cheering on' the
competitors. The evening might close
with a local talent show.
Larger towns and cities can boast of
more extravagant fairs with grand-
stand shows featuring top name per-
formers, midways offering all the
latest rides, barkers challenging
people to win at games of chance and
livestock competitions and horse shows
attracting entries from around the
province.
But the root of all fall fairs lies in the
small country fair with its single
merry-go-round, its arena full of
homemade things and its tug-o'war
teams.
a Look through
the news -record files
Beginning on Monday, September 17, the
Clinton Public Library will resume winter
hours. The Children's Story Hour will be
observed each Saturday afternoon from two
to three.
The Wesley -Willis congregation, which
has been worshipping with the Ontario
Street congregation since their church
burned down in June, have secured the use
of the town hall and will hold their services
in it until their church is completed com-
mencing Sunday, September 23.
Mr. Walter Westlake of Bayfield went to
Toronto on Tuesday and returned with a new
Durant car.
Mr. Leo Stephenson of Constance now
wears a broad smile because his wife
presented him with a baby boy on Saturday.
Joseph Copp, an esteemed citizen of
Clinton, passed away in his home on
Saturday after but a short illness. On Labor
Day, Mr. Copp celebrated his 79th birthday
and several members of his family were
home for the occasion. He seemed in good
health and was looking thfssur°nmer better
than he had for some time. But on Friday
morning he took a bad turn find gradually
grew worse until a little after noon on
Saturday when he passed away. }le was
conscious up to the end and able to converse
with his family. His laughter, Miss Daisy, a
graduate nurse,' arrived from Toronto
Friday evening and nursed him tenderly
until the end.
The subject of this sketch was a native of
Huron County and he is survived by his wife
and family of two sons and two daughters
Dr. Clarence Copp, Mrs. W.E. Greig dnd
Miss Daisy Copp, R.N,, Toronto' and Dr.
Foster Copp of LaJolla, Cal. His eldest
daughter Edna, Mrs. J.E. Doherty, died
nine months ago.
75 YEARS AGO
September 10, 1903
On Thursday. night last the store of
Harland Brothers was broken into and the
contents of the till. about seven dollars and
several articles were taken.
The long -vacant office of registrar :of
Huron has at last been filled by the apt
'pointment bf Mr. i inial Coatsltr whom -the
News -Record eittends hearty
congratulations.
Mr. Coate was•born in New York State,'but
spent nearly~.all hitt. lite., ii'tt uni. M ttix
early age heei gaged in the, dry ,gbeas
business with his father and by fair dealing
the firm of R. Coats and Son long since won
an enviable reputation and a large trade.
For 20 years Mr. Coats has been treasurer
of Willis church where his services are in-
deed, very highly appreciated. He is
secretary of the Hullett Agricultural Society
and the local horticultural society. Since the
establishment of the House of Refuge he has
been the inspector, for the 17 years Mr.
Coats has been the town clerk and seven
years ago he was also appointed treasurer.
For 10 years he was a member of the town
council, resigning to accept the clerkship. +
Mr. Coats was a born politician and for
years has been a tower of strength to the
Liberal party and assisted very materially
in winning several of their hardest fights.
Mr. John Jones of the 3rd concession of
Stanley, near Kippen, was in town on
Tuesday and took advantage of the occasion
to not only renew his sub to the News -Record
but to pay it up to January 1905. He did so to
mark his appreciation of the
progressiveness of the People's' Paper. it is
over 30 years now since Mr. Jones bought
his present farm. It was not then an im-
proved lot by any means, but by well
directed industry he has made it one of the
very best in the whole township and is now
easily able to enjoy a well-earned ease.
Mervin Brown has taken a position in one
of the leading drug stores on Young (sic)
Street, Toronto. Thus our brightest and best
young men are one by one leaving Hensall to
take responsible positions in the great
business centres of Canada and the United
States.
100 YEARS AGO
September 12, 1878
Last week a party of ladies and gentlemen
from this place .went to Point Farms,
Goderich, to spend the day. While three
ladies were enjoying themselves on a swing,
one side of it broke, and Miss Hemphill
falling therefrom, fell with her leg beneath
her, sustaining a very severe sprain.
Polities, politics, polities. Everybody's
talking poUtic`s. .
On Friday, at. the Goderich Township
picnic, a young man regUestcd'the use of one
of the swings for a short time, :for the two
young ladies he had with him, but was point
Wank refused by the two men who Were
x:w g:ing, the hen beeppJ fs.ofthe;swiiig, T1s .
•they- 0a1d, titO,YOUtig ladies were„Grits, The.
young tiara , though't they were joking: and
paralysis
Dear Editor,
The past year has been a significant
and critical one for labour in Ontario.
Likely to be remembered as the year
we emerged from three years of wage
controls, it was also a year of continued
government paralysis on the economic
front.
It was a year when the cost of living
rose 50 percent higher than the in-
crease in average weekly wages. A
year when private sector investment in
manufacturing fell to 1950s levels
despite the recording of the biggest
industrial profits in this country's
history. A year when unit labour costs
dropped and Canadian workers were
still blamed for our industry's lack of
international competitiveness.
The year ahead looks little better.
The Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development predicts
economic growth will fall well short of
government estimates. The Conference
Board warns that, unemployment will
top the nine percent mark.
Workers in this province and this
country have suffered enough. They
have paid their fair share. Labour
legitimately expects some visible
return on its investment in our
economy. It expects to be able to
maintain a decent standard of living. It
'expects a commitment from all levels
of government to full employment and
swift steps taken to reach this at-
tainable goal. It expects action on a
promise of strong occupational health
and safety legislation. And it expects a
revision of our labour codes to more
accurately reflect the trade union
movement's place in the mainstream
of the Canadian community.
The next year will not be an easy one
for Ontario and Canada. Organized
labour is prepared -to act in a respon-
sible and positive manner if it is
assured of action by business and
government on the pressing problems
facing the ordinary men and women of
our nation.
Clifford G. Pilkey,
President,
Ontario Federation
of Labour
No opinions
Dear Editor:
• From your appeal for "letters and
the fact that no "letters" appeared in
last week's issue, one could conclude
that in our vicinity there are few who
have opinions which they wish to
publish.
However, there did appear an ad-
vertisement "TR UTH" upholding the
inspiration of the Bible "in the original
writings", a commendable attitude.
Recently an Amercian newspaper
published an article in which Jehovah
was termed a "non-Christian god"
Anyone who knows anything at all
about the Bible appreciates the fact
that Jesus, when refuting the Devil
(Matthew 4:10) quoted from
Deuteronomy 6:13, which reads, (in the
American Standard version,
copyrighted in 1929 by the International
Council of Religious Education "to
ensure the purity of the text) : "Thou
shalt fear Jehovah thy God, and him
shalt thou serve, and shalt swear by his
name." i
In addition, Peter stated: ' "The God,
of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of
Jacob, the God of our fathers (Exodus
6:2 3 AV), hath glorified his Son
Jesus...whom God hath raised from the
dead, whereof we are witnesses."
(Acts 3:13-15) Despite this, some
"believers" believe that, Jesus raised
himself from the dead!
All of us still have a lot to learn from
the Bible, and that is why I believe that
it is good to let one's opinions be known.
If one is wrong, ad justmentg° can be
made and truth can be arrived at.
Sincerely yours,
C.F. Barney, Clinton
consequently asked him again, but received
the same answer with stronger
asseveration. The oldest of the two young
ladies was not more than 17, and the other
two years younger, so that they were not
very formidable opponents to the other
party. If this is a specimen of gallantry to be
found among the young men of the Con-
servative Party in Goderich Township, it is
to be hoped an improvement will take place
before another picnic is held there.
On Friday afternoon last a horse and
buggy could not be obtained at either of the
liveries in town, every available rig having
been securedfor the picnic in Goderich
Township.
Several cases of typhoid fever have oc-
curred in town, whilst we hear of one case of
scarlet fever and one of diptheria a few
miles north.
,A few days since Mr. George Snell Sr., of
Hullett, fell from a plum tree and dislocated
his right shoulder; it required the strength
of three men to replace it. This gentleman
has during his life met with an unusual
amount of severe accidents. He has had both
legs broken, arm broken and the fingers of
one hand cut off.
9,000*
Readers
Can't
be wrong
READ YHE
NEWS.RtCCRD
tdait bd owe 3 0 ravidors
►f c++y
1
t
•
•
•