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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1974-06-06, Page 4THE RDVAACE •rImEs .;: ^i.. 11 'L•h• Yom' Y ';� Y L �� titi:•; ��: •,:}ti:y �� :gad:ti�5 ':ti�'Y� "fi.:Y{}y�\'�•i: ��:.•�:}k�• �. •.� : k LY gi'vi,'r�:ti:�°i{:ti:?:: { 4 :Y V �}:;:\ ::}\•ti'.:Y Y••4Y{Y�•}'� 'Y 11•� Y� `•• 4• Y`..Y `� •Y •.i . ti ' ti'4vi•::: iY•:i i :• :•: � •.i� Y .•S 4 i �,•S� ;4 h :`. •�Yti: •:. :4' q, Y Y• We need living space The average resale price of a home in Toronto reached a new high recently — over $57,000, for an increase of more than $3,000 since last fall. The price of homes in our own community has not reached such astronomi- cal figures yet, but town dwellings and farm properties are certainly selling at prices that we would have believed totally impossible only three or four years ago. The high cost of housing is something that middle-aged and older folks may be able to cope with. They have the choice of either remaining in the home they presently occupy, and which was purchased at a frac- tion of today's prices, or they can use some of their accumulated. savings for more costly modern dwellings. The most tragic consequences of the spiralling cost of living accommodations are borne by the young people, those who have been married within the past few years and have not yet had time to make any consider- able savings toward a better home. The tragedy is a very real one, for it is in the early years of a marriage, when the children are arriving and commencing life's varied experiences, that adequate housing is most important. Poor quality housing ,or crowded living conditions are very real contributing factors in many, of the problems which beset young people. The frustrations of a young mother and father are readily passed on -to children. In its extreme form, bad housing can be recognized as one of the causes of juvenile delinquency and crime. With the cost of food and clothing at its present inflated levels there are few young parents who can afford the payments re- quired to cover the mortgage on a $35,000 home, much less one which costs over $50,100. The high price of homes has led to a mushrooming sale of prefabricated and portable homes now available at figures that conform somewhat more closely to the young couples' ability to pay. Many are pur- chasing trailer homes because they provide a package deal, "including not only comfort- able shelter, but furniture and appliances as well. The trouble in most Western Ontario communities is that trailers have been, for the 'past 20 years, about as welcome as so many skunks at the traditional garden party. Many municipal councils have steadfastly clung to the outdated idea that a trailer park is a slum area. \ Perhaps the attitude is a One of the continent's more enlightened columnists recently commented on the growing number of young people who' are simply not sharp enough mentally to suc- cessfully fill the jobs which are now avail- able. Advancing technology • and more demanding skills are leaving an alarming percentage of our young people without em- ployment, indicated by the very large pro- portion of Canadians (and Americans) who are without work, despite the fact that the economy of our two nations is running at an all-time high. Searching for the reason back of this strange phenomenon, the writer stated his belief that lack of reading ability is at the root of the trouble. His contention agrees withone which has often appeared in this column. Our educational system for the past 30 or 40 years has performed a function essen- tially different from the one -roomed schools of a half century earlier. In those days a public school education, plus a year or two in high school, provided enough training for the average person. He orshe could step into many jobs upon graduation with adequate knowledge to carry out tasks to the satisfac- tion of an employer. Today, however, the complexity of our age makes it impossible for our schools, and even our universities, to turn out ready -to -work graduates. Thus, the basic purpose of the educa- tional institutions has altered. Their one im- portant function now is to provide the mental Still no answer A week or so ago several area newsmen 'Confronted Premier William Davis on a pro- gram CKNX called the "Bear Pit". The questions were wide-ranging and the an- swers, for the most part, were non -commit- tal. Editor Bill Kennedy of The Durham Chronicle saved his question for the dying minutes of the program -- and it was the one which many viewers were waiting for' "What does the Ontario government intend to do about the fact that the new regional municipality has chosen the name "Dur- ham", despite the existence for the past 100 years and more of a community by the same name in Grey County?" No answer was hang -over from our grandparents' day, when any sort of mobile home was bound to be occupied by "gypsies". A little travelling around the country will disclose many places where trailer courts are respectable components ,of the communities in which they are located. Water, sewage and electrical services are, of course, a necessity, as well as properly en- forced bylaws to ensure that such properties are maintained at standards comparable with the permanent residential areas. The continuing opposition to trailer parks has led to what many believe is a "no growth" situation in smaller communities. A detailed survey of many of these apparently static towns would disclose that there has,, indeed, been considerable growth in the numbers of persons employed in local indus- tries, offices and businesses. The survey would also bring to light the fact that a very large percentage of the work force (as high as 50 per cent in some instances) lives out- side of the communities in which they earn their livings. Several factors are involved in this "work here and sleep elsewhere" situation, one of them being that the nearby villages and rural areas have living accommodation available at considerably lower rental figures. In many villages, homes have been purchased at much Tess than similar housing would cost in the central. town. With the shrinking farm population many good farm homes have been occupied by people who are quite happy to drive several miles daily to their jobs. However, it is •quite apparent that smaller villages and the rural townships have not been so fussy about the establish- ment of trailer homes in their midst — so, many of the families which might otherwise have been a part of the\\larger communities have found a welcome farther afield. At this particular time, when many towns in this area are dealing with the prob- lems of town planning and toning bylaws, we should be paying detailed attention to the ° need for provision of properly Located and adequately serviced parks for trailer homes. There is no indication that the cost of housing is going anywhere but up. If our younger families must turn to this type of housing let ,us'not drive them out of our towns because we still class them as undesirables. tools with which graduates can apply them- selves to the accumulation of further 'and specialized knowledge or skills. For example: A generation ago a girl who learned typing in a high school or busi- ness college could expect to go into any office with a pre -established level of performance. She had learned how to earn her living in. school. Today, however, she will probably find a job in which her typing skill is only a basic part of the total task. She may be seat- ed at the console of a computer or be re- quired to e-quired'to learn the functions of key punching machine. Both have typewriter keyboards but they have a great many other keys as well. if she is to hold her job she must have, in addition to nimble fingers, a mind sharp- ened to the point where it can absorb the es- sentials of an entirely new and different skill. . The school, alone, cannot provide all, the training necessary for these new tasks. A very important part of the training lies with the home — and most homes are failing. An essential part of self -education is the curio- sity both aroused and satisfied by reading material. The boy or girl who absorbs his only outside influence from the TV set is hopelessly outclassed by the child whose parents have provided reading material from a wide variety of sources — books on many subjects, newspapers to keep the youngster aware of the world around him. Reading material is not a luxury. It is the basic building block of mental growth. forthcom ing. The entire situation is one of the most ridiculous one can imagine. The premier pointed out, of course, that the new Durham selected its name from that of one of the counties in which it is located, and which its residents wanted to retain. The reason is not good enough. Place names are important for many reasons — and the judge who handed down the most re- cent decision that the new Durham should retain its name must now understand his own folly. Justice Dalton Wells ruled that the similarity of place names is not confusing — and then in his own confusion assessed costs of the court action to the region of Durham instead of to the Town of Durham. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited Barry Wenger, President Robert 0. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Member — Canadian Community Newspapers AMC. Ontario Weekly Newspapers Assoc. Subscription $10.00 per year. • Six months $5.25 To United States $12.50 Second Clam Mail Registration No. 0821 Return postage grant gliaranticid A page of editorial opinion YOUNG MIKE was the first boy at the Wingham Sports- men's Club Fish Derby for Handicapped Children to reel in a trout on Sunday. Mike's catch was a 13 inch speckled trout, one of two speckled and over 100 rainbow trout that were put in the club's pond for the derby; Although the fish were pretty cagey during the afternoon,event, all 31 boys entered seemed to be having -the time of their life. ROBERT ALLAN, 'a Huron County Schools' supervisor, measures Wingham Public School teacher David Bartlett, with one of the homemade height scales from the teachers' centre which was held at the school during the past three weeks. The teachers' centre concept was originally an Eng- lish idea but Wingham Public School Principal John Mann says the idea has successfully survived its transplant to North America. The centre displayed numerous inexpensive devices and educational drills that the teachers who participated can easily use in their classrooms. Teachers from most of the area schools took advantage of the exchange of ideas. (Staff Photo) 1 aye S.S. custodians w increase over three years 11 1 in 26% by Wilma Oke The Huron -Perth Roman Cath- olic Separate School Board ap- proved a three-year contract (1974-77) with their custodians at a meeting in Seaforth last week. Following a board meeting that lasted about four hours, almost half of which was in committee - of -the -whole, Michael Connolly of RR 3, Kipw, chairman of the board, andditrry Hak, Seaforth, chairman of the custodians' neg- otiating committee, handed the press representative at the meeting the following report: A full-time custodian will receive an increase from $6,900 to $7,600 in the first year, 1974-75, which equals 11.13 percent; se- cond year, 1975-76, 836 percent; and third year, 1976-77, 7.79 percent. Hospital and group insurnace was increased from 66 2-3 to 75 percent. A cost -of -living allow- ance is to paid once annually, based on the consumer price index. In other business a request from Mrs. Diane DeWinter, sec- retary of the newly formed God- erich Parent Teacher Associ- ation, that the board's minutes be more available thanthey are at the present time, was discussed. Joseph Looby of Dublin asked what .Mrs. DeWinter meant by "more available". He wondered if it might mean rather than through the press. He asked if the minutes were mailed and was informed that there was a set charge per page for such copies. Mr. Connolly said he hoped to attend the next c.P.T.A. meeting in Goderich and would find out what the association wanted, The board supported a request from the newly formed Goderich Area Consumers' Association to carry out a survey on school lunches of students from Grades 6-13 before June 15 in .Goderich and Clinton.area schools. • educat Johnion! Vin„tarsaid superinthe Cousp.tendeners't of Association .would be makingg a, report to the'#ederal government. Francis Hicknell, RR 5, Seaforth, asked that a report should be re- quested for the school board. The .board granted a request for the three children of the Singh family to • attend St. Joseph's School in Stratford beginnings September 3. It was noted that while the family is non-Catholic it will be necessary for the children to attend all classes including those on religion. Ted Geoffrey, RR 2, Zurich, Shower held for June bride Mrs. Dave Cottel was hostess at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph,Caldwell, RR 3, Blyth, for. a recent bridal shower in honor of June bride, Miss Evelyn Nor- man. After some contests, Marjorie Treble read an address following which Evelyn opened her gifts and expressed her thanks. Lunch was served. chairman of building and main- tenance committee, reported that a recent increase in fuel oil by ,Ross Scott Limited of 13rucefteld brings the price the board is paying presently to 30.90 cents. Ile said the price had started at 20.90 cents last September, and had undergone two increases. Mr. Geoffrey said a new contract will be negotiated in August for fuel oil for next school term. Mr. Geoffrey reported on maintenance work being done at St. Aloysius and St. Ambrose Schools in Stratford, St. Patrick's School, Kinkora; St. Boniface School, turich; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, RR 3, Dashwood. Mr. Looby said he would like' to see one teacher in each school trained in first aid. This is to be discussed at •the. next board meeting. David. Teahen, Strat- ford, expressed his dissatis- faction with "injustice in re- porting", in the wording in board meeting reports in the London Free Press. and in the Beacon - Herald of Stratford. Mr.. Teahen said he was satis- fied that it was not the local rex porter who was Minn, but 1n the rewriting of the accounts. by the daily papers. Mr. Teahen re- ferred specifically to the last board meeting when a motion was passed to advertise for a supervisory officer and another motion for a special educational consultant. He pointed out the Free Press incorrectly reported; "A proposal to appoint a super- visory officer has been ap- proved", and the Beacon used correctly "to advertise for a supervisory officer and a special education consultant" in the first paragraph and in the fifth para- graph incorrectly used "ap- proved hiring" and both used incorrect headings. Howard Shantz, Stratford, said he agreed with Teahen's cow plaint, and added that his requdt that "my name be in recorded vote as not supporting a supervis- ory officer" was not followed as neither paper mentioned the re- corded voted votes. O THE FTITT(1R Wingham, Ont., June 2,1974. Dear Sir: About one month ago I wrote and sent aletter to you and, since that letter did not reach you, I am writing t� you again. With deep concern, I noted in your editorial entitled "Changing Moral Standards" that "Goderich town council refused .to proclaim a Pro -Life Week in that town on the grounds that abortion is a moral issue on which it has no right to make de- cisions". The council decided to leave the •Atter to personal decision. As the takinvir human life is not a private moral issue, abortion—which is the taking of human life-is"'not and never can be a private issue. "To kill or not to kill" should not be left to private conscience. It is the right and duty of a society to protect its members. Our governments, from highest to lowest levels, ought to protect human life at all stages. Abortion offers justice for none—if the life of every humanbeing is not pro- tected by law, the 'life of no human being is safe. There are some people who are personally against ,abortion, but refuse to support any pro-life activities because to do so, in their opinion, is to inflict their views on others. To illustrate the foolishness of this lin ,of eason- ing, Pin,'; I draw a comparison. 14 us stippose that my paper boy steals $10.00 from my hall table. My wife feels that some action should be taken. I turn to her and say, "Well dear, we can't inflict our views on him!" J. Cameron. RR 2, Holstein, Ont., The Editor, The Wingham-Advance Times, Wingham, Ontario. Sir: I refer to the brief presented to the Ontario Government "For the Concerned Farmers of the United Townships" proposing that the new hydro corridors pass to the north through Grey, . Wellington and Dufferin counties rather than having one of several corridors, as proposed by Hydro, pass through. Howick, Wallace, Turn - berry and neighboring townships. It seems to me that the pro- posal put forth by this committee is ill-advised and unneighborly and has in it a touch of arrogance. r /,rry ,•/.,0 ti♦ i wF fC,. 11 In the pursuit of their self-in- terest they have obviously de- cided that the easiest solution to their problem is to dump it over the fence on their neighbor. No one will quarrel with the contention that good farm land must be saved, but as to whether South Grey or the area which the committee claims to represent is more important to the agricul- tural economy of Ontario, is not readily resolved. While we do not have as many heat units, we do have numerous spring -fed streams which provide the head- watersfor some of the largest drainage systems in South West- ern Ontario. We also have class 1 and 2 agricultural land but who is to say whether land or water is the more important? I suggest that the activities of the committee would be better directed to broader and more basic questions which concern everyone and not only the people of a given region. I have in mind, for example, the appalling waste of electrical energy by its frivo-, lous and mindless use as though our supply is unlimited. The best estimates available indicate that the end of supplies at reasonable cost is in sight. In addition, Hy- dro's projected rate of growth should be challenged to make certain it is not export oriented and to ensure that electricity is used frugally and not ex- travagantly as at present. It is only recently that Hydro stopped promoting the use of power and instead is now urging restraint and conservation. This rep- resents an abrupt and dramatic change in thinking. By lessening the demand for power, the need tor additional corridors could conceivably be reduced or elim- inated. One of the problems of course is that Hydro has become a bureaucratic monster and like all bureaucracies is intent upon growing bigger and bigger and forces are hereby set in motion which are not necessarily related to the power needs of the people. I would urge united action by all farm groups to compel a sec- ond and more searching examination of (a) the extent of waste in the use of electrical energy and (b) the rate of growth in demand as projected by Hy- dro. Yours vary truly.