HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-11-30, Page 4.4r.
PAGE 4--CLINTON NEWS-R.E Q]P,• T ,SP4Y ,, QVa
Pride is costly
There is little doubt after last
week's meeting on the future of the
swimming pool in. Clinton how the
most of the people at the gathering
felt.
Despite all4the facts, figures and
arguments, to the contrary, those
at the meeting want their own pool
right here in town, regardless of
what it costs.
Of those who spoke on the sub-
ject, most were in favor of
repairing the old pool, because in
the short term it would be cheaper,
but not by much. Our opinion is that
any money put into fixing the old
pool would be money down the
drain. In three, five, maybe eight
years, the whole process would
have to be repeated.
If the recreation committee does
anything, and they were indeed
brave souls who walked into a lions
den at the meeting - it should be to
rebuild the pool from the ground
up.
But the gathering ignored one
basic fact, and that was that we
still have $45,000 owing on the
arena floor, and with the lack of
enthusiasm shown by many people
in the area towards the canvass,
which has nearly stalemated, how
can we go out and ask people to
shell out again so soon for a $150,000
pool?
It appears likely now that the
remaining money owing on the
floor will have to go on the tax roll,
unless some alternate fund raising
scheme is found in the next several
months, and so too would much of
the money needed for the pool.
Although the rec committee said
they would obey the wishes of the
people at the gathering last week,
75 people don't represent the
opinion of the 2,400 voters in
Clinton. It's too bad the question of
a pool in Clinton couldn't have been
put to a vote during the last
municipal elections.
It seems a shame indeed, that we
have let pride get in our way of
using a fine, year-round facility
like the one available at Vanastra.
And the cost of pride can be very
expensive at times.
Conspiracy?
Although it appears that way, we
can assure you there i"s no con-
spiracy by the Clinton merchants
to try and drive business out of
town.
One of many examples this week,
'for instance, may have shoppers
convinced that the merchants were
indeed trying to tell the 9,000 people
in our trading area to do their
Christmas shopping elsewhere,
and that is the deplorable condition
of our sidewalks on main street
after the first snowfall.
It seems that only a few of our
most conscientious merchants
have heard of a snow shovel and
salt, while the rest leave their
storefronts more conducive to
skating than walking.
But there are heated malls
nearby, and other towns where the
merchants are interested in the
money we have to spend, so people
will still have somewhere to shop.
Pity.
"Hope no one notices they're all jokers."
First touch of winter
What a beautiful morning! At least,
as I write this column on November 21,
it's beautiful.
The first snowfall came during the
night and quietly covered the earth
with white. Early this morning the air
was cold but not bitter ; the countryside
was hushed; the snowflakes, like dry
powder, floated on the air.
Bits of sunshine and blue sky peeked
through the clouds, and by ten o'clock
the paved highways were dry. By noon,
the snow had disappeared except for a
few skiffs caught in grass. ,
Some people say Indian summer
comes after the first significant
They come in threes
If anyone can tell me why disasters
run in threes, I'll be happy to listen.
And don't think I'm superstitious,
because I'm not.
I know from experience. During the
war, it used to happen on my squadron.
We'd lose three pilots in two days, and
then none for ten. And then three more.
During the peace, it was the same.
One night my wife would give a black
eye for some inexplicable reason. The
next day, one of the kids would come
down with appendicitis or something.
And the third day I'd get a parking
ticket for parking in the same place I'd
parked for weeks, free.
Last Saturday was no exception. We
were delivering our older car to my
daughter, in the city. She had finally
obtained a position — not a job, mind
you — as a secondary school teacher.
For one month.
But she has to commute for an hour
and a half, at each end of the day.
That's a pretty hefty commute,
especially when you have to cope with
two of the wildest boys in Christendom,
at each end.
So, in her inimitably modest and self-
effacing way, she phoned her old man
(collect) and suggested he loan her the
old Dodge, market value $150, real
value about $500, sentimental value
about $12,000. This would cut her
commuting time to forty minutes.
So, in his inimitably stupid way, her
old man agreed (why doesn't she move
to Vancouver?) And in his ineffably
idiotic way, her old man started
worrying about her safety. The old
. Dodge — it's only eleven -- requires a
combination of jockey and a tractor
driver to handle it.
So the old man, to cut a long story to
ribbons, spent dollars $125 in a check-
up and repairs so that his' baby
wouldn't cream herself on highway and
leave said old man with two grand-
children to raise.
Just hang in there. The saga has
barely begun. All you've got so far is
background. It gets worser and worser.
Saturday morning, Old Lady and self
having breakfast before setting off for
city to deliver old Dodge. Self breaks
tooth while eating toast and jam,
leaving him looking like a stand-in for
Dracula.
However, dentists being the robber
barons of the new era, doesn't even
phone one. Cheerily sets off for city,
tongue flicking like a snake at edges of
ruptured tooth. Old Dodge runs down
highway like a rocket.
Enter city. Enter Disaster Two. On
one of the busiest thoroughfares,
suddenly no brakes. NO brakes.
Checked out the day before.
Red light comes on. Self, with nerves
of steel of old fighter pilot juggles stick
judiciously between forward and
reverse and comes to rest, unharmed
but shaking like proverbial leaf,
against bumper of car on sidestreet.
There's only one thing more hair-
raising than a car without brakes, and
that's an aircraft without brakes. I've
been through that caper too . But in a
car, you can always throw the thing
into reverse. You might rip out the
transmission, but you'll stop. In an
aircraft, there ain't no reverse, and you
hit the ground at about 100 miles per
hour, with several tons of metal. The
only brake is the end of the runway,
which can be a bit hairy.
Anyway, got the old Dodge stopped.
A delightful young Englishman, who
lives on the quiet sidestreet on which I
The Clinton News -Record Is published each
Thursday at P.O. Sox 30, Clinton, Ontario,
Canada, NOM ILO.
Member, Ontario Weekly
Newspaper Association
It Is registered as second class mall by the
post office under the permit number 0817,
The News•Record incorporated In 1424 the
Huron News.Record, founded in 1811, and The
Clinton New Ira. founded In 1063. Total press
run 3.300.
Mentber Canallan
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came to rest, saw my predicament, and
gave great aid and comfort. He
checked out my master cylinder, which
for all I knew, was inthe trunk, and
there was fluid in it. He suggested I try
to make a garage, two blocks away, by
driving in low gear, with him driving
right,,,ahead to act as a buffer. Tried
this and panicked when horns started
hooting viciously.
Turn to page 7 •
snowfall; others claim it has already
passed. I prefer to think Indian sum-
mer is still waiting in the wings.
Last night winter touched the earth
with a gentle hand, and it's difficult to
imagine its touch will seldom be this
gentle again.
Today I refuse to think about the
winter this first snowfall heralds.
'Instead, I'll enjoy the fresh air, crisp
whiteness and exciting hint of,a new
season.
Today I'll avoid one particular
fellow, who, for the past month, has
been telling me the signs for a bad
winter outnumber the signs for a good
winter two to one: "the hickory trees
have never been more heavily laden
with nuts, and the hard maples dropped
more 'keys' this fall than they have for
20years ." 1... _..
I won't ponder the weather predic-
tions in the Canadian Farmer's
Almanac today, and I'll try to forget
what I , read yesterday: "December
1978, turning colder; snow flurries;
high winds setting in, turning colder
with snow; March 1979. comes in
stormy; April 1979, continues cold and
backward."
I don't want a radio or television
weatherman to tell me accumulations
of snow have arrived out west or up
north and are coming closer. Most of
all I don't want to hear the phrase,
"more snow expected in the lee of the
lakes."
remembering
our past
5 YEARS AGO
November 29, 1973
All but 10 of Huron -Perth County separate
school elementary teachers will submit
their resignations Friday because they feel
negotiations for the 1973-74 contract are at
an impasse, teacher spokesman Gary
Birmingham said Tuesday.
The main issue in the dispute is wages, he
said, with the teachers seeking a 12 percent
increase and the board offering 3.4 percent.
The first mobile camper rolled off the
Glendale Corporation line at Vanastra last
Thursday afternoon. All the employees at
the plant now number 50. Production is now
in full swing on the mobile campers which
are installed on a Ford van chassis.
A 19 -year-old RR 2, Blyth youth, Joseph
Phelan has excelled himself and was named
the All -Round 4-H member at Huron
County's annual 4-H Achievement night.
The Bayfield Senior Citizens Club learned
last Tuesday that they have received a
$6,725 New Horizons grant from the federal
government to start a drop-in centre in the
village.
The money will be used to update the wood
heatingsystem in the old toWn hall, enabling
the village's senior citizens to have a place
to play cards, shuffleboard and make crafts,
10 YEARS AGO
November 28,1968
With good progress being made on in-
stallation of a drain around the outside of the
Clinton Community Centre, town recreation
officials are waiting for the engineer's go-
ahead to start the ice plant and flood the
arena floor.
Under heavy pressure to get the rink open
fast and faced with the urgent need to
correct conditions which led to cracking of
the arena floor last season, the recreation
committee men met last Thursday and
agreed toproceed 1 on their own with
corrective measures recommended by a
consulting engineer brought in to study the
arena.
Addition to the Clinton Fire Hall is being
built to accomrnodate the new fire engine
expected to arrive early next year. Mayor
Don Symons, in remarks at last week's
council meeting on rural fire protection said
that had the addition not been started when
the public works shed burned dowif. the
council might have considered building one
'structure* to house the fire and public works
apparatus. Plans for road relocation and
installation at King and Victoria Streets of
the CP/3 Clinton .radar antenna as a' sort Of
ci
Please don't remind me that words
and phrases, such as snowdrifts,
blizzards," and white -outs, stalled cars,
vehicles in ditches and stranded
motorists,.school buses returning home
and postponements and cancellations,
are not just parts of the English
vocabulary but are facts of life in a
North American winter.
By now, most of you have guessed,
winter is not my favourite season: in
fact, it ranks about fourth. Some of you
are. probably thinking,. "if she hates
winter so much, why doesn't she move
to a warmer clime?"
The old saying "if it's too hot for you,
get , out of the kitchen" could be
changed to "if it's too cold for you, get
out of the freezer.
Winter in the sunny south sounds
alluring - sandy beaches, ocean
br eze outdoor swu ing pools., and_
fresh fruits and vegetables. .
Something tells me a year would
seem incomplete to me with only three
seasons. Variety is the. spice of life
they say and Canada sure has a variety
of weather patterns in its four seasons.
No matter how much I claim to
dislike winter, I know I'd miss it.
Besides, if I couldn't complain about
the weather, I'd have to find something
else to grumble about.
This is the way I feel in November
after winter's first gentle touch on the
landscape. In the middle of a Januafy
blizzard, I'll probably have a different
reaction.
a look through
the news -record files
monument are grinding their way through
the red tape.
But meanwhile, some town residents are
voicing concern about a pair of trailer
trucks, usually loaded with junked
automobiles, which seem to be a regular
fixture on the open lot at the corner.
25 YEARS AGO
December 10, 1953
$10,000 buys one of Seaforth's most
beautiful homes. Four bedrooms, hot water,
heated with oil, fireplace, well insulated,
complete with new drapes throughout. Two
car -garage, well landscaped lot. Dr. E.A
McMaster. Phone Seaforth 26.
Three more victories during the past week
have extended the Clinton Colts' winning
streak to six games and have entrenched
them firmly in first place in their group.
Centralia, Milverton, and Listowel were the
teams that the Colts encountered and
defeated during the past seven days.
Bert Gliddon will be the sixth man on the
1954 council for the town of Clinton. At
nominations held in the old public school last
Friday afternoon, both Gliddon and Ken
McRae were nominated to fill the one
vacant seat.
Playing at the Roxy Theatre in Clinton,
"Flight Nurse" starring Joan Leslie,
Forrest Tucker and Jeff Donnell. A high-
flying adventure with a girl who dared the
most hazardous of all occupations.
Specials for December at Thompson's
Food Market. Salmon, Fancy Red Sockeye,
i/z lb. tin - 35c; oranges, new crop Navels
size 282, doz.-35c; Bandy, festival mixed, lb. -
39c; Mixed nuts, lb. -41c.
50 YEARS AGO
December 8, 1928
The death occurred yesterday of an old
resident of Clinton in the person of Mrs.
Clara Sloman, who had reached the great
age of nearly 94 years.
Up to within a few days of her death, Mrs.
Sloman had been going about and her death
was due, not so much to disease as, to a
general breakup.
Edgar Maguire entertained at a dance at
the Knitting Co. Club Rooms last Friday
night from Mr. Alfred Emptage of New
York. The Collegiate Orchestra tarnished
the music for. dancing. Guests were present
from Goderich and Seaforth, besides those
from Clinton.
Clinton's population is grouting by natural
means, the births outn'um'bering the deaths
by seven during the present :yer...
Clinton's norrlinations tills-tsitltel)laltce,i
End of era
Dear Editor :
1 have before me your invoice ad-
dressed to Mrs. Marion Hall, Cayuga,
in regards to the renewal of her sub-
scription for 1979. Regrettably, we will
not be renewing this 'subscription as
Mrs. Hall, my mother, passed away in
July of this year and the remaining two
members of our family have little, if
indeed any, interest in reading The
News -Record as we no longer have any
connections with the community save
for a few friends and acquaintances.
It is interesting to note that the ex-
piry of this subscription at the end of
1978 brings to a close a long association
of our family with Clinton and in
particular your community's
newspaper. It was in the early yiears of
this century that my paternal grand-
father, the late G.E. " Teddy" Hall
moved his then -young family from
Simcoe to Clinton and, -as I understand
it, became associated with The New
Era, one of The News -Record's
forerunners. I am not in a position to
chronicle the exact sequence of the
,iHall association with the newspaper
business in Clinton from that point, but
I do know that a number of years later
he became the owner and publisher of
The News -Record and continued in that
capacity until his retirement in the
1940's.
In the interim, he trained his two
sons, the late Ernest Hall and the late
Gordon Hall (my father) as printers,
both of whom made that trade their
life's work...Ernest being engaged for
the greater part of his career at the
Maclean -Hunter plant in Toronto and
Gordon, culminating what you might in
the true sense of the word call a
"Journeyman's" career, when he
purchased The Haldimand Advocate
weekly newspaper here at Cayuga in
the year 1931.
Incidentally, I might add that our
family is still operating a weekly
newspaper in Haldimand though the
Advocate name now only exists in our
corporate name as our company's
Cayuga and Hagersville publications
were combined into one newspaper
several years ago.
The cancellation of my mother's
subscription to The News -Record also
closes the book on another lengthy
association of our family with 'Huron
County through her forebearer, as she
(the former Marion Hibbs) was born
and raised in Goderich Township and
traced her heritage to one of Huron's
pioneers, Stewart Grafton Plummer,
who, according to an aged newspaper
clipping entitled "One of the
`1 loners", first went. to Huron in 1852
4L..Awhen he walked some 120 miles from
his native town of 'Bolton and first took
up land in Hullet. .
Forgive me for rambling on at such
length where a simple communication
might have sufficed, but I felt that a
family's relationship with a com-
munity which spans more than 70 years
on one hand and 126 on the other
deserved more than just a terse
"Please Cancel". If my narration
serves no other purpose, it has at least
been a pleasurable experience for me
to relate it.
My dictionary defines it as being
"Without a day set for meeting again",
so I will close in the manner
traditionally used at the end of a term
by saying "Sine Die" to Clinton, and
The News -Record from the Hall
family.
the town hall on the evening of December 31,
New Year's Eve. It might be a good thing for
the town if its citizens would resolve that
they would take more interest in civic af-
fairs and put the determination into practice
on New Year's Eve. '
Mr. Watson's dance in Kippen was a big
success. There was a good crowd present
and all report a fine time.
The Hydro Electric line men are this week
installing street lights in Auburn. There will
be lights at all corners, including the turn at
the evaporators, and also at the bridge,
which will certainly be appreciated.
75 YEARS AGO
December 10, 1903
The city detectives state that a gang of
safe blowers are operating throughout the
province and advise safe owners to take
such precautions as will convince the
gentlemen of the journey that they will be
safer somewhere else. Local policemen are
not as a rule able to cope with the crooks and
the question sometimes, very naturally,
arises, is the provincial force as efficient
and as numerous as it ought to be?
On Thursday, December 17, a public
examination will be held at the Holmesville
School. From one till four, the pupils will be
examined by a number of visiting teachers.
After four lunch will be served after which a
program will be given consisting of short
addresses, recitations, dialogues, choruses,
solos, violin and mouth organ music, Come
and bring your basket. Everyone is
welcome. - N.W. Trewartha, Teacher.
Mr. McBeath has closedhis sawmill in
Kippen for this year. His head sawyer, Mr.
Musser, left for his home in Dashwood last
Saturday.
When in Hensall on Saturday N. Cantine
stated that he had secured the franchise for
his electric road for the city of Stratford.
The read will therefore not terminate at
Hensall, but run through the village east to
Mitchell and Stratford.
100 YEARS AGO
December 5, 1878
Mr. Kennedy of London will endeavor to
form a writing class in the high school this
evening. His specimens of penmanship are
certainly Very creditable,
Clothesline thieves are on the war path in
W inghain. A few nights ago two of the most
respectable residents of Lower Wintigham
had their lines stripped ;cif a quantity of
female wearing apparel.
Mrs xol n smith, tean 0th
AZ
' cl ur ih oto iasgethe'i'8
Robert G. "Bob" Hall
Box 100,
Cayuga, Ont.
NOA 1E0
Safe drivers
Dear Editor:
December 1st to 7th will be Safe
Driving Week 1978 and once again the
Canada Safety Council urges all users
of our roadways, pedestrians and
drivers alike, to give the most serious
attention to the responsibility that is
theirs to increase the safety of our
traffic environment. It is an individual
responsibility that cannot be shifted to
others.
The way it is met reflects for all to
see in our traffic accident statistics.
Present reflections are far from
satisfactory. We can take no comfort
from an image that shows 100 people
being killed on Canadian roads and
streets each week with many
thousands more being seriously in-
jured. Lives lost cannot be restored.
Deep scars cannot be erased. Our only
hope lies in prevention. We can prevent
accidents if we have the will to do so.
For 1978 we have chosen the slogan
"Courtesy is Caring". Courtesy and
caring are both contagious. They
spread with use. If we show we really
care for those who share the traffic
lanes with us they in turn will be en-
couraged to show equal care for others.
Courtesy is a visible sign of caring.
Courtesy practiced by drivers and
pedestrians will prevent accidents,
save lives and reduce injuries. Please
show you care by being courteous.
Show you care as well by wearing
seat belts, by obeying speed limits and
traffic laws, by driving defensively and
by making the doing of these things a
permanent feature of your driving
pattern. If Safe Driving Week en-
courages you to care for others it will
be a success.
•
W.L. Higgitt,
president
• Canada Safety Council
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