HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1969-08-28, Page 24.
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age 2 -- Wiagham Advance -Times, Thursday, August 28, 1969
The cabinet maker of Upper Canada Village
For six years, Robert LeCorre
admits he had always talked
from the head. "Now, " he
says proudly, "I talk from the
heart. "
All his life Robert LeCorre
has worked with wood. He is a
craftsman. He sees in wood
and what he produces from it
many qualities of deeply human
proportions.
And now, at 61, he describes
those qualities to the hundreds
of people who visit him daily.
at his workbench in U pp e r
Canada Village, near Morris -
burg,. Ontario.
Mr. LeCorre came to the
village in 1958 as cabinet mak-
er. He, like his father and his
grandfather before him, learned
his trade in a town, famous for
its onions, St. Brieuc, in Brit -
tan y, France.
When he was 12' Robert Le-
Corre made his first handsaw.
He still uses it today but only
the blade is original. The first
task his father gave hien was to
build a table. LeCorre worked
hard for days and then proudly
showed his father the result.
"My father he said to me, boy,
you did not take long enough.
You need patience to work with.
wood.
And as LeCorre painfully re-
calls, his father put that first
table into the fire to, as the
craftsman gently explained,
"warm the glue. "
Robert LeCorre learned his
lessons well, however. With
great care and patience he fin-
k
;a.
N. R. 11AMILTON
OPTOMETRIST
Josephine Street
WINGHAM
FOR APPOINTMENT
Phone 357-1301
/.
fished his apprenticeship and
joined the family business in St.
Brieuc. By 1929, he had de-
cided to leave and enlisted in
the French Air Force serving in
Africa as a cabinet maker.
" You will remember, " he ex-
plains, " that in those days most
of the planes were made o f
wood. "
At the end of his tour of duty
he was married. He and his
wife have two daughters, one
living in Prescott, Ontario, the
other in Montreal.
In 1940, Mr. LeCorre again
joined the Air Force serving in
Belgium and Spain as his unit's
postmaster. He spent the oc-
cupation in his home town work-
ing with the family firm.
By 1951, he felt it was time
for a new life for his family and
he came to Canada. He lived
for six years in Quebec and mov-
ed to Ontario when he was ask-
ed to becortje cabinet maker
for Upper Canada Village.
Mainly, he restores the antique
furniture which is kept in the
period houses at the Village.
"Naturally, it is very import-
ant to show the people what
the houses and life were like
100 years ago, " he says.
But Mr. LeCorre, using the
ancient~planes, chisels, saws,
and foot -powered lathe also
makes ingeniously crafted ex-
amples of modern furniture.
All of his work is quickly pur-
chased by visitors to Upper
'Canada Village.
" Most visitors are very in-
terested in the wood, " he says..
"The young people, the old
people, even the boys a n d
girls always ask me many ques-
tions. I first used to talk to
them from the head; but now,
I talk from the heart about the
wood and they understand. " •
Wood, says Robert LeCorre,
is very intelligent. f '5Th e
wood .he says to me, 'why do
you put so much ,oil on?' -I
don't._w.anx-.thatmuch% And_
the wood he always picks up
just ,what oil he wants, " Le-
Corre adds.
(ANGLICAN)
it. PauIsChuh
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:
•
1,
AUG. 31 — THIRTEENTH'
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
11:00 a.m.—Morning Prayer and Sermon.
Rev. G. D. Vogan, B.A., LTh., of London, Ont.
We welcome most ' cordially all visitors especially
those from the Wingham United , Church who have
shared our services during the month of August. We
also welcome .Rev. Vogan from London this Sunday
bnd thank the visiting clergy who have taken charge
of the various services during the month pf August.
We are sure their messages have been most interest-
ing and most inspiring.
Like most craftsmen, it is
difficult to get Mr. LeCorre to
explain precisely what method
he use to stain his wood. But
the results show unmistakably
that his technique is greatly
superior to today's mass pro-
duction methods. According
to him, his staining process al-
lows the wood to breathe thus
maintaining its finish from 80
to 100 years. His favourite
wood is black cherry though he
works generally with more
available species.
In his work and his under-
standing Robert LeCorre has be-
come something of a philoso-
pher. "It is like the old man
and the young boy. It is diffi-
cult to join the old wood with
the young wood. I always try
to use pieces from the same
parts of the same tree. • This
way things are more natural.
The result is always better. "
When visitors ask what piece
of equipment he best likes to
work with, Robert LeCorre proud-
ly shows the handsaw he made
when he was a boy in France.
"I say to them, my saw he has
much time left. But me, I
don't know... "
It is the hope of Robert
LeCorre's friends and admirers
that he; and his saw, will con-
tinue to produce finely crafted
furniture for many y e a r s to
come.
Fordwich
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Douglas
and Greg visited Sunday with
Mr. and Mrs. ;Dennis Johnston
at Sarnia. Gary and PaulDoug-
las returned home with their
parents after spending a few
days there.
Mr. Alfred Jones of Guelph
is spending this week with Mr.
and Mrs. Bill Sothem.
Mrs. Myrtle Wallace of Lis-
towel visited last week with Mr.
and Mrs. Clarence Bender and
with. Mr. and Mrs. Wellington
Hargrave.
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Patterson
and family of Toronto visited
Saturday with Mrs. Pearl Patter-
son.
Mr. and Mrs. Anson Ruttan
and Janice, Jack Ruttan and
Miss Helen Johnstgn spent the
.week -end at their cottage at
Arnberle'y ' ` - •
•� .'•7�"- <'rl
)%t .p
BORN
LANGENDOEN--To Mr. and
Mrs. John Langendoen .in Lis-
towel, Memorial Hospital, a
son, on Tuesday, August 12th.
The. Wingham Advance -
Times
Wingham, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration No. -0821
Return Postage Guaranteed.
PATRICIA ANN CURRAH, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. G.
Currah of Gorrie, and Milton Wayne Evers, son of Mr. and
Mrs. W. L. Evers of Clifford, were married in Gorrie United
Church. • Following the wedding they left on a trip to the
Maritimes.—Photo by Russell Studio.
O.P.P.
REPLIES
This column is a feature prepared by the Ontario
Provincial Police. You may direct your questions to
your nearest O.P.P. Detachment office or to this news-
paper. Names will not be used in print; however, all
questions should be accompanied by a complete name
and address of the person submitting the question.
Qs:- If a driver behind me,
can see my tail lights, do I re-
quire act tail light on my box
trailer?
A.: Yes, you do require a
tail light .on your trailer. The
Highway Traffic Act states,
"When on a highway at any
.time from one=half hour after
sunset to one-half hour before
sunrise and at any other. time ,
wl1eu `,due to i suf j lcient light
or unfavoural4e atrhosliherio
conditions, persons and vehi -
cies on the highway are not
'clearly discernible at a distance
of 500 feet dr less, every trail-
er and every object or contri-
vance drawn by a vehicle shall
carry on the rear thereof one
lighted lamp, which shallClis-
play a red light only. "
Q.:After 70 years of age,
does the Department of Trans-
port grant you a new driver's li-
cence without a test?
A.: If you mean by a new
driver's licence a licence that
is renewed,' it is possible that
you could receive a renewal
without being re-examined.
Usually a licence is renewed for
3 years from the expiry date ,
shown on such licences, . but if
the person. is 78, it will only be
renewed for 2 years froth his •
78th birthday and only one year
if the person had reached his
79th birthday when the licence
is to be renewed. Remember
driving is a privilege, not a
right and our licence can be.
suspended or revoked at any
time.
Q.:. If you want to make a
left tum at an intersection and
you are cut off and the light
turns red, do you complete the
turn anyway, or pull back and
wait for the green light again?
A.: I do not fully under -
stand the words 'cut-off'. °How
ever, the Highway Traffic Act
states, "The driver or operator
of a vehicle within an intersec-
tion intending to turn to the left
across the path of any vehicle
approaching from the opposite
direction shall not make such
left tum until he has afforded a
reasonable opportunity to the
Bell Boys start at Hanne's
OUR GREATEST
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Back -to -School
Contest Store
Teen .Men's Stylings
Our fall collection of Jeans includes Regular and Stay
Press styles, in Plains, Stripes and Checks. Choose from'
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driver; or operator of such other
vehicle to avoid a collision. "
As for completing the turn, 'it
would depend on your location
in the intersection. ' If you stop-
ped across the crosswalk, re -
main there and do not back up.
If you are well into the inter-
section when the light turns,
complete the turn with caution.
The orange light is for the pur-
::.pose. of a warning that the,ligtit
As, going to change and seed'
ly, for the traffic in the inter-
section to clear.
ii1
ee world throu9'
their Iingerlips
Modern photographic equip.
meat is helping Canadian blind
studentt get a closet loop at
mother earth.. • The Keith pro-
jector now being used at CNIB
national library, Toronto, is
making it possible for Braille,
reading studentsee contin-
ents. territories and countries
through their finger ti,.
The device projects pictures
. of maps onto pliable plastic
where they can be embossed.
Lines indicate boundaries, while
letters and various other mark
Ings give the location of cities
and natural resources. The map,
once completed, is then repro-
duced on a heat press called
thermoform and the copies are
incorporated into Braille books.
The first map being produ -
ced on the 'Keith projector is
Australia. This is one of a
series to be included in text
books transcribed by volunteer
Braillists. " We hope to use the
projector to produce detailed
charts and mathematical dia-
grams. " said Michael Bocian;
director of the library's student
seririce.
Other machines used in the
production of reading material -
for blind Canadians are varied
in size and function. The stereo
graph with its large manual,
embosses Braille periodicals,
birthday cards and reports. A
special IBM Braillewriter en -
ables the library to transcribe
Latin and French textbooks.
Tape 'recording machines and
duplicating equipment provide
taped texts and supplementary
reading for many of the 2 0 0
blind students enrolled in Ca-
nadian high schools and univer-
sities. Additional electronic
equipment reproduced talking
book tapes. in cassette form for
blind readers of all ages.
In his Baker Wood office,
chief librarian E.' G. Brown'.
L made this observation about the
Keith projector: " It is just one
mote step in providing informa-
tion for blind people. Experi-
ments with computers now un-
derway give promise of even
quicker and better communica-
tions. "
e.
SUMMER SQUINT LINES
Horrible, aren't they? Easy
to hold off, though, if you'll
remember to smooth on an eye
cream stick in the area at
night, and by,day under dark
glasses. Messy -looking? Not a
bit- -just dew y- glisten y, which
is nice.
DELICIOUS GRAVY
An European trick for deli-
cious gravy is the addition of a
little dry or semi -sweet wine
to the dripping in the pan dur-
ing the last half to one hour of
the roasting time of turkey or
chicken. The alcohol evapor-
ates but the flavour that is left
adds to the gravy flavour.
--Mr. and Mrs. Al Garniss
of London spent >,,ya
at the home of h r c
George Kerr of John Street and
other- relatives .here._
an bit OW,
del the Fe
• SerVe, garnlsh,
i�IgerKt
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BACK -TO -SCHOOL SPECIALS
--- BACK -TO -SCHOOL CONTEST STORE
SUPPLY YOU WITH CLOTHING AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR
THE FALL TERM.
including:
Vinyl Binder, Refill Sheets,
Divider Index and
5 Loose Leaf Exercise Books
New fall colors, full range
of sizes, from Avalon Mar-
quise Standard or Velvetlzed
Stretch Tops
P.ANTI-HOSE
Good quality in hie latalt
fall colors. Buy several pairs
at this special feature sale
r.... price
ONLY 99$ pr•
We have made a special tow
price feature on these
Half Slips with dainty, lace
Loose Leaf Refills
Iarrow, Ruled & Margin
1 200 sheets -- 88c
TRAIN CASE
PULLMAN CASE
OVERNITE CASE
WEEK -END CASE
Reg. $ 9.98
Reg. $14.95 .
Reg. $10.98
Reg. $11.98
PENCIL CASES
29c to 79c
Make up a set. Each comes in grey, blue, red.
Permanent press in assorted
colors and patterns; Stay
crisp and fresh looking.
Permanent Press. Dressy
looking in brown or green.
Rugged wearing Polyester
and Viscose
Sizes 6-12
Oustanding a
Value at ��.� PR.
Snug, neat fitting with extra
wide elastic rib top. Stretch
to. fit 8 • 10%
BOYS' HOSE
100% Nylon• thread in fine
rib. Good looking and wear
well. Stock up now.
WIZARD •
CELLO - TAPE
14" width . 1,296 inches •
Stock up for School
Only — 35c ea.
OODLES
OF OTHER
BACK - TO • SCHOOL
ITEMS •
6.8'/2 52c pr. 2/$1.00
8-10 63cc pr. 2/$1.25
Girls' CHROME Reg. $7.95
Girls' CHROM! EXPANSION Reg. $4.95
Boys' or Men's CHROME Reg. 10.95
SALE....$6.95
SALE....$8.19
SALE....$8.98