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A
MEMBER
.JAMES E... FiTZGERALD - Editor
SHELLEY McPHEE. News Editor
GARY NAIST Adver,tising Manager
HEATHER BRANDER - Advertising
MARGARET L. Glee- Office Manager
Slipmearmummeoas
Ft O
Q
MEMBER
Display advertising rates
available /on request. Ask for
Rate. Card No. 1. effective Sept.
1, 1179.
Thcmks-John--
He
always wanted to be called just
John and he never wore his religious
beliefs on his sleeve, or on his collar,
for that matter, but his unpretentious ,
preaching style lured many to his
church and he put the Christian
message across just as well, if not
better than many so-called "fire and
brimstone" preachers.
Yes, John Oestreicher, the popular
minister of Wesley -Willis and
Holmesville United Churches has left
town after seven years, and has taken
up a new charge in Walkerton. Clinton
and Holmesville will miss John and
his friendly family.
He was a community man. and
believed, and rightly so, that a
minister's work on the other six days
was just as important as that done in
the 'sanctuary on the Sabbath.
He believed in helping people, no
matter what their religious or non -
.religious beliefs, demonstrating one
of the true Christian fundamentals of
brotherhood, something .sorely
lacking in this self -satisfying,
materialistic society. Whetherit was
minor hockey or Bartliff's coffee club,
John was always willing to help.
We hope the people of Walkerton
are as lucky as the people of Clinton
have been for the past seven years. by
J.F.
Simple and sensible
Canada's Criminal Code contains
the forthright declaration that .jail
sentences shall be automatic for those
convicted of second or subsequent
offences of impaired driving. What
could be simpler — or indeed more
sensible?
Drunken driving, however casual
and unmotivated an offence it may
sometimes seem, is especially
dangerous precisely for that reason.
Its consequences can be as bloody and
as terrible as any culpable homicide,
and Canadians - particularly those
given to driving under the influence —
ought to be firmly and frequently
reminded of that fact.
If harsh measures are required, so
be it. If mandatory jail terms can do
the job, we support them says the
Leamington Post.
Alas, without much success. For all
the stern posturing of the Criminal
Code, in -practice jail terms are
anything but automatic for 'those
repeatedly convicted of impaired
driving. Enforcement , varies from
province to province, but nowhere is
the Criminal Code taken at its' word.
In British Columbia, where policy is
most lax, jail terms are imposed only
in extreme cases and only with ex-
MMMW
press .approval of the chief _ Crown
prosecutor. Ontario maintains the
severest record of enforcement but,
even here Crown prosecutors are
authorized to exercise discretion in
requesting'incarceration.
Under a system used by all
provinces and both territories, judges
are not permitted to impose jail terms
unless such a request has been made.
This loose, varied approach to the
punishment and deterence of im-
paired driving straggles far beyond
the pale of reason for at least three
obvious reasons.
First, there seems little point in
including a stern provision in the
Criminal Code if governments the
length and breadth of this nation
consider themselves perfectly free to
flout it at wyill.
Second, if discretion in sentencing
is going to be exercised (and this
should first be authorized by law)
then surely it should be exercised, not
by the Crown prosecutor, but by the
judge.
Finally, impaired driving is a
major cause of accidents and
fatalities; it deserves to be punished
to the hilt of the law, maintains the
Post.
sugar and spice
Christmas already! '
Do you find it hard0 and harder
each year to get revved up for
Christmas? You have company. '•--
When the advertising begins right
after Thanksgiving, and the _Sant.
Clauses become ubiquitous by mid-
November, and the carols are mere
cliches by mid-December, it's hard to
reach that peak, of emo..ion that
combines Christian joy for the birth of
Christ and pagan revelry to celebrate
thio equinox, by the time Christmas
itself rolls around.
One of the trite remarks of modern
life is that Christmas has become
commercialized. But don't blame the
merchants, Blame ourselves. We can
call this aplastic age, but it is we who
use. the plastic, whether it be in the
form of goods, ideas or en-'
tertainment.
It is we who scurry madly through
those overheated stores, going
slightly paranoid over the business•of
buying gifts for people who don't need
them.
It is we who eat and drink too much
at Christmas, which, if the truth were
told, should be a time of fasting and
purification, until our heads were as •
light as our hearts.
Wouldn't it be much more ap-
propriate if, on Christmas Eve, in-
stead of having people in for eggnog
and goodies, we threw out that pagan
image, the Christmas tree, turned off
the lights, except for a candle or two,
turned the furnace right off, and sat
around in the cold and dark, tran-
sferring ourselves to a stable in
Bethlehem on a winter night? a
No? You don't think much of that
ideA? Neither do I. It's like saying
that in the face of the coming energy
shortage we should all blow up our
oars, stop using hot water and
deodorants, grow our own food in the
back yard, and chop down all the
trees in the park for firewood.
Whether we like it or not, we are
caught up in the headong race of the
human species toward its goal,
whether it be suicide or glory, and
there's no turning back.
So get that tree up, buy a fat turkey,
spoil your children rotten with an
overwhelm of gifts, and stuff yourself
- - • atol' -an-A -
This year, we haveltfur resident) or
non-resident, guru, sr in Hugh. I don't
know whether he'll be here for the .,
Great Occasion or not, but in the
meanwhile, he is stuffing me with
exotic health foods and drinks to cure
my rheumatism, 'flu, senility, bad
temper and anything else that lies
around: There are quite a few of
them: Lying around.
Today I drank a pint of water
brewed in something called "Devil's
Claw". It tasted horrible, but it's
supposed to cure my arthritis in three
weeks.
Tomorrow I start drinking a brew of
eucalyptus, which is supposed to do
something else to me. Probably make
me impotent, or a ferocious lover.
My old lady and I almost gave up on
Christmas this year. We thought of all
the work to get ready and flinched. I
suggested going south for a week to
play some golf, 'letting our daughter
and her brood take over our house and
have their Christmas here. (She was
all for it.
Then we had The Boys fol. a week,
and hastily revised our plans. We
realized that if those two were
allowed to run unchecked for a week,
we 'might a4 well put the house up for
sale when we gbt home, or set fire to
it, if there was enough left standing to
make a blaze.
If it weren't for that mob, going
away would have been easy, both
physically and emotionally. I ci`uld
enjoy Christmas dinner in a hotel in
Texas ,just atit f liah as I do at home,
where 1 have to stuff the bird, mash
Wonderland
10YEARS AGO
R January 7,1971
1'onald Paul Cook became the first baby
born in Clinton in 1971 when he came into
the world at 10;41 am on Saturday,
January 2. The youngster is the first child
for Mr. and Mrs. \IPaul. Cook of RR 4,
Clinton. The baby veighed six pounds, 15
ounces.
Work continues despite snow and cold
weather on the 18 -unit senior •citizens
apartment project on James Street in
Clinton. Work has been scheduled to be
completed by the first of the year when
plans were first announced but was held
back because of delays in receiving loan
money. The building is being constructed
by Harold Freure Ltd. of Kitchener.
PLEASE SWITCH THE FIVE AND TEN
YEARS AGO
5 YEARS AGO
January 1, 1976
Fifty thousand dollars was allocated to a
special fund for building a township shed,
in the near future, it was decided at the
final meeting of the year of Hullett
Township Council.
Despite the handicap of a month-long
postal strike, Len Fawcett, chairman of
the Clinton Recreational Committee's
bantam hockey tournament, managed to
line up an excellent card again this year.
Because of the October postal strike,
which stopped the incoming entries, Mr.
Fawcett has lined up 29 teams to play 33
games. Last year, 46 teams played 56
games.
25 YEARS AGO
January 5, 1956
Marshall Young, RR 2, Clinton pleaded
guilty to a charge under the Canada
Temperance Act here in Magistrate's
Court -on- Tuesday, _with -__lCe_ep-i-ng-_ in-
toxicating liquors for sale. A raid of the
Young premises was made on December 8,
following evidence that two youths had
obtained liquor there.
I.n Bayfield, the old school is coming
down fast. _At time of writing only the walls
dispensed
by
bill smiley
•
the turnips and wash 8,000 dishes far
into the night.
I think I might just possibly be able
to forego having to find a Christmas
tree, dragging it in covered in snow,
and spending.four hours trying to get
the dam' thing to stand upright.
It would be a wrench, but I might
even be able to stand not watching my
grandboys rip the paper off 48 gifts
and go right back to beating each
... -
drumsticks. Real ones, not the turkey
kind. It's one of their favorite games.
However, as the hired man said in
Robert Frost's poem of that name,
"Home is where, when ybu go there,
they have to let you stay. And it
looks as though that's the ways my
daughter feels.
So we're stuck with the kids, and I'll
be happy if I see the New Year
without being on my hands and knees.
With that wrapped up, there's
nothing left to do but send my best
wishes for the holiday season to all
sorts of people, through this column.
To my old friends in the newspaper
business; hope you all got' that big
Christmas issue out without being
hospitalized with total exhaustion.
To my teaching colleagues
everywhere: hang in there; it's only
six months until June.
To the prime minister: dear Pierre,
hope that other turkey doesn't turn up
and spoil your Christmas.
To all the people to whom we used to
send Christmas. cards: It's the
thought that counts, and we think of
you every six or eight months.
To all those people who want a baby
so badly: hope you get twins twice in
the next two years.
1'o all those people who don't want a
baby at all: hope you don't get
pregnant, not even a little bit.
And to all the people who bother to
read this column at all, whether you.
agree or not, a merry, merry
Christmas, with a special thanks to
those who write. God Bless us, one
and all.
by Bud Sturgeon
a Iook through
thenews-record files
and rafters were left. One of the pupils,
Ray Leonard, remarked that it looked like
a place a good fire had gone through.
Dr. F.G. Thompson, CLinton, has been
appointed Huron County Home physician,
Succeeding Dr. J.A. Addison and his duties
ommencedon January 1.
The resignation of Dr. Addison was
accepted last Friday by Warden Earl
CE.mpbell, . reeve of Hay Township.
Addison's resignation stemmed from what
Dr. Addison termed an "inadequate
salary" for the service expected of him.
I -kis annual salary was $800. The salary
decided upon for Dr. Thompson was not
revealed.
50 YEARS AGO
January 1, 1931
The annual fowl supper of the Stanley
Maple Leaf Community Club was held on
Friday evening at the home of Mr. and
Mr's. John Macfarlane. They were favored
with a very fine night and good roads and
nearly 120 people were there.
Good sleigh riding for anyone who
wisahes to go sleighing and cars are still
running.
The Brucefield Library Board has
purchased over 50 new hooks which will•be
ready for circulation after the first of
January. Membership tickets will be the
same as former years.
Holmesville Sunday School concert was
greeted v ith a large crowd on Tuesaay
evening. Tie superintendent, Mr. Lorne
Jervis, acted as chairman during the
program, which was put on by the Sunday
School scholars, also adresses were given
by Rev. Mr. Herbert and Mr. Courtice. A
collection was taken up for the Sick
Children's Hospital, which amounted to
over f ive dollars.
To the electors of Tuckersmith Twp. -
Having been urged by_ a number of my
neighbors and friends to stand as a
councillor for the Township, I have con-
sented to do so, and will much appreciate
the vote arid'suppdr orthe ratepayers, and
will stand for economy and good
management of the township affairs.
Matthew Clark.
In order to avoid sleet freezing on the
windshields of motors, a good device is to
unfasten the rear hook of the engine hood
and raise the hood slightly so that the heat
from the engine will strike the windshield.
If the wind is blowing across the car the
use of a pasteboard box to carry the heat
closer to the glass is recommended.
75 YEARS AGO
January 5, 1906
Mr. David Tiplady, of the base line, who
is usually one of the most spry and active
of men, is hobbling around with the aid of a
cane. He has been suffering for three
weeks with a most severe attack of lum-
bago, and is not yet free from it.
R.J. Dinsmore in the St. Thomas Times
of Wednesday says: - "I spent Christmas at
Clinton, and was surprised to note how the
tow,i ha .rogressed. A _new'kn,jttinr
factory is about completed. The Jackson
Bros. manufacture boys readymade suits,
employing abbut 85 girls, some of whom
earn from $10 to $15 per week. The new
hotel "Normandie" which was built by S.S.
Cooper, and is conducted by P. Lewis, who
failed to secure a license for the old
Balmoral hotel in this city, would be a
credit to any city in the province. The hotel
is electrically lighted by its own plant
throughout, has four bathrooms, a
telephone in every bedroom, a splendid
'dining -room and an elaborately equipped
bar. It is an up-to-date and well conducted
hostelry.
100 YEARS AGO
January.13, 1881
Itis said there is a charivari expected in
Londesboro before long.
Gather up, the cowbells scattered though
they be,
Gather up. the tin pans, and tap them
heartily.
Snowshoeing is now a favorite pastime
with several of the young folks of town,
male and female. It is an invigorating
pleasure. Mr. Wm. Jackson, we observe,
being the "snow -shoe fitter."
THe boards which have for a long time
hidden the front of the Market Building,
were torn down on Monday, and people
may now behold it in all its "stateliness
and grandeur." Inside, the job• of
plastering and finishing up,the woodwork
is being pushed 'forward, and the
probabilities are favorable to the early
completion of the building.
Men and teams are now busily engaged
in cutting and hauling ice for use next
summer... The ponds from _which it i s._taken
is VanEgmond's, East's and Irwin's; the
ice is of good quality, being about 14 inches
in thickness.
The Huron Record, which was lately
purchased by Mr. Floody, will in future be
published in Clinton. The proprietor is
gping to have touh work of it unless the
businessmen pay -better prices'for printing
than they paid for their monthly fair bilis.
Such prices would starve a Digger Indian
or a Chinaman. However, we suppose the
New Era might as well have opposition as
the rest of us. -Exeter Times, Con-
servative.
Do you have an opinion? Why not
write us a letter to the editor, and
let everyone know. All letters r.
published, providing they can be
authenticated, and pseudonym*
t.... allowed. All letters, however,
are• subject to editing for length
or libel.
My last minute rush
It was Friday, December 19, 1980,
about 10:30 in the morning. I had just
finished writing a column about
weary Christmas shoppers. Maybe
you remember reading it last week.
Or, maybe you were one of the
shoppers who was too busy or too
tired to ready anything but price tags
last week.
On my way to the Post Office to
mail the column, I turned the car
radio on. People were calling in to a
talk program to sing their favourite
Christmas carols. They were having a
great time.
Then some advertising man an-
nounced in a cheerful voice here
were only five shopping days left antil
Christmas.
I began thinking about my .own
shopping list, mentally counting the
gifts hidden in my apartment. Some
problems had been solved weeks ago
thanks to my -friendly Avon lady. I
found more presents two weeks ago
when I dragged my sister around the
city of London, and my mother picked
up a few for me as well.
Legion literciry
ccantest winner,
Remember
By Rachel Battye
Cold November winds sweep
the fallen leaves
around the feet of the silent, watchers
Remember
when they clung
young and strong, vying with each other
par their place in the sun?
How like
the fallen leaves
are those we mourn,
cut off from the sap
as they reached their prime!
Eyes once shining
with joy of youth
grew dim,
grew blind,
Each spring
the tree bears fruit again,
accepting
the inevitable death of her children.
Is this the fate
of human love
to create young men
destined to die in war?
God forgive
By Lorelei Robinson
The dreary sky hangs dark and low,
The mist is wet and grey.
The grass has turned to reddened snow,
The start of another day.
The dawn has lost its sparkle,
The dusk just ends the day,
The sun and stars don't shine on us
In shame they've turned away.
The seasons never change here,
The summer was like the fall
In spring no snow drops bloom. here,
Nothing breathes free at all.
The monstrous.guns keep booming
And.paint us all blood red,
Here we left seem worse off
Than even the innumerable dead.
Out on this barren battlefield,
Please, God, forgive my sin
For when I shoot, my conscience bleeds
The killing hurts within.
The men I kill for freedom
Could have been friends reknown
But here we all are enemies.
Just.fighting to go back home.
Soon let there be sweet peace God
No cannons, no guns just me
Soon let this war be over, please
No dying left to see.
0 God, help us to walk together,
Hand in hand as brother. _
Help us to stop these mindless deeds,
And live for one another.
Why I
where A Poppy
By Terry Evans
The War was sad
Millions dead
When the germans got mad
They would blow off your head
But Canada's free
Witirthe help of France
Now under the tree
The poppies dance
Now under the graves
Where the soldiers rest
The soldiers were brave
"They stiould be blessed
So now you see
Why we remember
This glorious day
The llth of November_
by
elaine townshend
But, 'when I got home and checked
my list, 'realized my shopiping was
less than half finished.
I convinced myself that after lunch
I would be overwhelmed by the
Christmas spirit. I would rush up
town knowing exactly where to go and
what to buy. Before suppertime, I
would be ready for Christmas. (Ho!
Ho! Ho! )
By early afternoon, our fair town
was consumed by one of those snow
bands or snow streamers the
weatherman often talks about coming
off Lake Huron.
Undaunted, I slithered the car into a
parking spot and began walking.
There were just 'the right number of
people in town that day - enough to
make me not feel foolish for being out
in that kind of weather but not enough
to make the stores too crowded.
One of my biggest problems was
glasses that steamed up every time I
stepped inside a store. I had to wait
ten minutes before I could see the
goodies on the shelves.
And of course, my indecisive mind
caused a few delays. Which of four
ties, that I liked equally well, would
my brother-in-law prefer?" I asked
myself. "Probably none!" was my
dubious response.
"What car magazine did my sister
say my nephew wanted?" I won-
dered. I still.don't remember.
There was also an,inevitable stand-
off: "I'd really like to buy that gift,
but it's a little out of my range."
"Does my nephew need a novelty
notepad? I don't know,- but he's
getting one anyway," was my answer
to the dilemma.
My shopping expedition was
culminated by a mad dash down the
street murmyring, "Batik, please
don't be closed."
In the evening, I sipped my hot soup
and checked my list. To my surprise,
I forgot only one thing, and I've got
four whole shopping days to take care
of it.
I'm not certain when you'll read
this' column, but I'm writing it on
Saturday December 20. Why?
I asked myself how I think I v '" c -el
after the presents are wrapped and
unwrapped, after the turkey is
stuffed, roasted and demolished, and
after the excitement is over..,
Unless I break ,with tradition, I. will
feel fat and lazy - not at all in the
mood to sit down at the old
typewriter. I decided to take this
opportunity to say I hope all of you
had a Merry Christmas and to wish
you a safe, happy New Year and the
best in 1981.
1