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Clinton News-Record, 1980-12-24, Page 51t CI.INTON 1 R18 -CQ , WEDI�I'ESDAY, DEiw ����=�gClintor� area residents share their Christmas memories with. you First-. frcj, come trite decorations a 'd'nuade.the A oor .nstr p _� ' t p ... s Mo e iI. . r reminded me about. iesus' birthdaytoo. 1 had just written my y letter r to. Santa, and. already I could imagine,. myself ' coming8 *' down Christmas `znorning to find a tricycle under the. Christmas tree, What a busy day this December 17th was! Since it was Saturday I was home from school. Mother made a birthday cake and I decorated it,. with sprigs of evergreen by Barbara (Snell) B. ettles tsD December ectner 1 b 7, 1929, and my Dad's birth- day. `4Whatatimeof year to celebrate a birthday," a little 8 -year-old thought. and I expect Dad, often thought the , sar ie especially when he was 8- yearsrold. 'Now, you'll be won- dering' how a birthday had any bearing on Christmas. This was the day we planned our pbristrnas menu, put up the Christmas Second - n l d 1 a z7<� colored e r l - d bol. s which, were later used e on the _ tree. re The sprigs of evergreen were later put behind the pictures in the kitchen, Before the day Da was over, Dad .... and I went back to the river and chopped down the nicest cedar tree wecould c ou d find. I felt a little sad when the tree fell as .1 knew it would never be there again to be chosen for someone's special Christmas tree. However, in a • few minutes all was forgotten and l e were mel vii, ,. y dragging the tree g.. homeward. B bedtime h y m the first yuletide celebration was over with the birthdaycake completely consumed, the tree and decorations all in orderL The final days ef' r s b de Christmas.. went by very quickly. The annual Christmas concert in -our one room school was held that final,. week. Now it was Christmas: eve. Excitement was high as stockings were hung and u a o robes keep us warm, to uncle's place we would go by Mildred Merrill, Bayfield, Ont. • Many years ago when I was a young girl, it was the custom of my family to invite my uncle and aunt and cousins to the farm home of my parents for Christmas Day, and the following year we would travel to our un- cle's farm home in Hullett To'Wnship. This particular Christmas that I remember so well it was our turn to go to our uncle's. For several days before the big day it snowed and snowed. Christmas morning was also snowyand very cold. My father hitched up our old grey mare to a cutter, so we could get our grandmother, who was unable to walk, through the snow, to the highway where our car stood for the winter. Then we travelled by car along the highway, catching an occasional glimpse of farm homes . above the snowbanks, until . we carne to the concession where our uncle was coming with his team and sleigh to meet us. Only the high- One of the areas better-known natives, Earl Collins of Clinton, celebrated his 90th birthday recently with a family dinner at the Blue. Fountain. Earl, who was born in Brucefleld on December 14, 1890, is still spry and alert and will be best known for his custom threshing business. At one time he also ran a wood yard in town, and played fiddle at area dances. Fie and his wife Myrtle of 40 years have three daughters, Emily, Myrtle, and Ethel, and one son, Ted. (James Fitzgerald photo) . �.'y f$vorite dale IwAn wondered if Sntohad b 3 FranPorta er receivedy lettern 1 years my and it When WAS a . 8 y old, hewas w s go><ng to be able to Christmas Evewas a bringwhat T had asked. very special time for us d....ed .p. After rolling and tossing children. My father and hearing all sorts of wasn't a very big man, queernoises outside my but he was the boss, bedroom window., I Mother was a nice finally felt1ntQthelandpf looking old fashioned nod. I waavakened with ha.d..y. I had two older a "HO HO HO" - my Dad! brothers who worked on 'He had theAfire crackling the 'CNR and they were in the kitchen stove and coming home • for all was in readiness for Christmas. my three the grand finale. Down older sisters, , my • two the stairs I ran and younger sisters ,,-and straight to the Christmas myself were all looking tree. There it was.! A forward to seeing our two huge blue tricycle. My big brothers • as every '• dreams had come true. I time they came home rode 'round and round theyg -ve us pennies. the kitchen table and up We lived three miles and down the long hall. from the hamlet called What therapy this blue Hanmer. It had a monster was for a little Catholic Church and girl who was actively school which my older enjoying her first sisters Find I went to in Christmas in two years the spring and fall and since "recovering from some days in the winter, Infantile paralysis - polio if the weather wasn't too in this modern age. cold or stormy. Tf the ways were snow- ploughed in those days. We transferred to the sleigh and sat on wooden crates and wrapped buffalo robes around us. My uncle always kept fine horses and as his Belgian team, picked their -feet up high and trotted through the snow, we could listen to -the bells jingling on their harnes s. After sometime, we arrived with - numb -fingers and toes at the kitchen door and as we entered, my aunt was removing the goose from the oven of the big wood stove. What a delightful aroma! The kitchen table was stretched out to its fullest and we were .soon seated all around and partaking of this feast. The adults were all talking at once and sat around -the table. long after the .food was consumed, still talking. After what seemed like a long time the women and girls washed all the dishes in a big dishpan filled with hot water from the reservoir at the end of the kitchen stove: Then we went into the parlour where a decorated cedar tree stood in one corner. Everyone received gifts, practical gifts like long brown stockings, aprons, socks, ties or han- dkerchiefs. Remember this was during the late 1930's and- money was very scarce. About four o'clock my uncle got his • team out again and we journeyed back to our cold waiting car at the highway, arriving home at dark. Another Christmas Day had come to an end. As each Christmas season approached I still can hear the jingling of the sleigh bells and can smell roast goose. Perhaps that explains why I always look for- ward to snow, and goose for Christmas and I know I always will. Our special tree By Grant Snell, Lon desboro I would like to tell you of a very memorable Christmas for us in the hungry 30's. We young folks at home were rather despondent. My mother who thought a lot of a tree wouldn't let us cut one down for Christmas and of course there wasn-'t any artifical trees then. My older sister who was teaching ;school came home for . a few days before Christmas and said, "We just have to have a tree, where is that old one we had last year?" Well, it was in the old root cellar, so we brought it out. The tree had browned a bit, but the foliage was still on it and she made such a good job of decorating it that it looked very good. We had a happy Christmas together largely because of the enthusiasm of my sister who tiid what my mother always advocated, "Don't be longing for something you can't have, but make the best use of whatyou do have." To illustrate her point she would tell us about Rastus when he said to his girl friend: "I wish I had 1,000 eyes`to gaze on your beauty, I wish I had 10,000 arms to put around you." Andshe says, "Go op with you, you. aren't making very good use of the two you has got." snow was 1 0 dee'(j we used to walk alon , the. fence. We e had a t .y' goodp ath made atid we. could always find it after a big snow storm. We had, one anile to walk along the fences, one mile on the railroad track and one mile from the railroad to 'school or church. We got to be pretty fast walkers, if we didn't daily, as sometimes we saw a wild animal which we would stop and watch. The was thick bush on both sides of the track. I think how lucky the children are now with their nice warm, light clothing. We used to wear long johns and stockings and heavy coats, felt boots and if the snow was wet, we had to wear rubbers over those boots. They even have school buses now. The .day before the Christmas that I especially' remember, dawned beautifully sunny and mild. We were all anxious and hoped it would stay that way, as we looked forward to going to midnight Mass. All morning mother spent baking and preparing our evening meal. It was our national way to have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. My older sisters scrubbed the floors while the younger girls did the lighter jobs. After all the cleaning was, completed, we allhad Y. p � a a bath by the kitchen stove in the wash tub giggling 9 g ¢,.Gi f? and laughing. After we were all nice and clean,. we dressed in our Sunday best dresses which had been ordered from o de d am 0 Eaton's or timpson's Catalogues with money we had made during the summer, picking and selling blueberries. While . we were dressing father brought in the Christmas tree and had it set up for us. to decorate. We carefully placed the -�-- - Go�orful—ehai s—and.—the- pink popcorn garlands we had made on the tree. We snapped on the branches the real candles in their little holders. There were also deCorations we had bought from . the catalogues. We all thought it was beautiful. Then my' brothers came home and we were all very. happy. Mather put some things under the tree which we weren't to touch until Christmas Day. After we set the table, put on the food and alt sat down, father said his special Grace. If my memory is right, it was always meatless so we had salmon, . mashed potatoes, progies, creamed carrots and peas in the pods which I can't remember how mother prepared,, but were good. For dessert we had stewed prunes with real cream, Sweet music By Jean Livermore, Clinton When I was a little girl we didn't always have a Christmas tree at our house, but we always hung up our stockings behind the wood stove. In the morning we would slip down quietly to see what Santa had brought us and it was cold. There was. - •usually an orange,., and some candies and nuts, not too many toys, but always something to surprise us. -One Christmas I remember Santa brought a gift for us all - a beautiful new Edison Phonograph with cylinder records. It had to be worked by hand and oh the music was lovely. Third There were old songs like Red. Wing, Snow Deer, Silver Bells, waltzes, fox trots, reels, Hawaiian melodies and hymns. Every night after the chores were done the dining room table was pushed to the side and we danced and sang. Often the neighbors came too. We learned to dance with Mother, Daddy and our hired hand teaching us. It's a wonder with alt the playing that the records did not wear out. But they said the diamond needle would not wear out. We still have this old phonograph. Its tones are a far cry from the beautiful- slovens of today, but to us in the farm house many years ago, it was a rare treasure. • home lade , M Ik lead ,and butter. For a speclai treat We had oranges, apples, chocolate .hay staek creams and gum drops. After washing the. dishes,we got on our. coats . and boots and left fr. Ch. o r •��' � . arch. t was• a mdunlit night, so we didn't have to .take a lantern.Soine ' . of the neighbors joined. us, ' so we were a merry group. We got to Church in lots of time to go to Confession. The service lasted about an hour, then outside the exchange of Merry Christmas and - *H.appy.- .-. New Year would . ring forth on the still night. The walk home, all happy and tired, made it a night to remember, On Christmas day,tafter breakfast, we ;got our gifts. They were mostly things mother had made for us, but that Christmas I got a doll! It was abgut 15 inches high and had. nice hair. It had -two strings, one green, and when you pulled it she said "Mama", the other was white and said "Dada". I was thrilled and happy! I kept that doll -for years and made dresses for it until I was old enough' to go to work. Then my two younger sisters played with it until I guess 1t wore out. There were other Christmases before and after, but that one was Special because I got that doll. A thankful mother By Audrey Florian, Clinton I say that Christmas of this year was a very happy one for me. I say this because last year on December 19, I was told the heartbreaking news that my son Dennis, then 10 -years -old, had the dreaded disease, leukemia and was a very sick boy. . That day he remained in War Memorial Children's Hospital in London. On December 24 he received a 48 hour leave of absence so he could spend Christmas at home, but on Christ- • mas Day his condition became much worse and he had to be taken back to hospital where he was to spend several agonizing weeks in pain. Now, one year, many drugs, Chemotherapy and Cobalt treatments later, I. am pleased to write that he is responding well. He still has these treatments every 14 days until August, 1981 but the doctors are very hopeful that he will be cured. So yotr see; that is Why, on last -Thursday morning seeing the joy and excitment on Dennis' face as he opened his many gifts, I say that Christmas, 1980 was a happy and memorable one for me. PART-TIME AND CONTINUING EDUCATION Eligible citizens who are interested in serving on the Clinton Town Council for the 1981, 1982 term should submit a letter to the Town Clerk before 5 pm Friday, January 2nd, 1981 Futher information can be obtained from the Town Clerk's office. C.C. Proctor, Clerk -Treasurer Box 400 Clinton, Ont. 47. Card of thanks CLINTON CAMPUS Vanastra Road, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1LO Phone 482-345$ COURSE NAME ACADEMIC Home Sfudy (Mathematics Levels Ii to iV and English Levels 111 and IV) CLERICAL/SECRETARIAL Bookkeeping Fundamentals Typewriting SUPERVISION AND MANAGEMENT Effective Supervision -Administration How to Start a Small Business PRE -CERTIFICATION AND REFRESHER COURSES Natural Gas Fitter Licence Preparation WOMEN'S EDUCATION PROGRAM Leadership for Women 47. Card of thanks SPECIAL INTEREST Income Tax Pie paraiion COUNTER The family of the late Norman Counter wish to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Newland, Rev. Broadfoot and the nurses on the first, floor of Clinton Public Hospital for their kindness and concern. Also to our many friends and neighbours for their cards, flowers, donations and food brought to the home and to alt those who took time to visit, Many thanks to the `Beattie Funeral Home and to Rev. Crocker of Goderich for officiating and to—the Friendship Guild for serving lunch. Your kindness will. always be remembered. Madeline Counter a'nd family.53x ROY 1 would like to say thank you to my family and friends for the cards, flowers and gifts. Special thanks to Peg and Dale and all others who helped with house and kids while 1 was in St. Joseph's Hospital. Bonnie Roy. --53 DAX FEE M. '15 M. a T. '43 M. '22 M. ' '67 T. 15 M.I.T. '66 M. '25 T. '40 • JERVIS - We wish to thank all those who sent cardsq flowers and visited while we were in the Clinton .Hospital and since returning home. Special thanks to Dr. Newland and the nurses on second floor. Jill and Becky. -53 t'1 LINTON We would like to express our deepest appreciation and thanks to all the people of Vanastra for their support in this time of our great per- sonal loss. Special thanks to Rev. Peter Mantel acid the Vanastra Community Christian Church and also to the Vanastra and District Lions and Lioness. Bruce and Nancy Linton and Family. --53 For more Information, or tobtain a copy of our Winter 19x11 Catalogue containing details on the above courses or other part-time courses of- fered through Continuing Education, telephone or visit our Clinton Cam- pus between 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday and from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. PLEASE NOTE: The following courses are offered at the Stratford Campus: Principles of Accounting Travel Consultant 1 More Effective llustlness Writing Wood Stoves and Fireplaces Welding W. '43 M. '34 Sat. '56 T. X23 M. -Th., Sat. '22 4. For more information contact the Stratford Campus between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday by telephoning 211-5700. x. ar �,rt & Accent,: rn�ture ilcoveri.ngs'Fustar► e• 3811.gFabrlce . w 1b�rt Street, Cir • XclusiVe . i10\1,111.00W. -10 S We've goto lotto share. rll