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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-05-08, Page 1M V-. 4. 0 4 By SW* White New Curriculum gu deI1ne franc the Ministry of Edt1Catlett fronx, Grade 14 don't seem to, dif7 Xer .touch in emphasis front the student'centred philosophy n9W beltig sttessed. ti the schools, hut Mistry wants to make Sure that, parents and teachers under- stendkthat philosophy, and help to ,get it implemented in the schools, S. perintendent Joseph Tokar d trustees of the 1~iuron Perth B,onian Catholic Separate School Beard Monday night of last week. Mr. ,Tokar, who attended a 'Ministry presentation on the new guidelines irr Stratford last Tues- day, said the emphasis is on "providing a meaningful learn- ing experience' to all the children in a given teacher's charge." Stress is away fron3 content or course emphasis in .favor of the growth and development of a child as a person, he, said. The Ministry wants to make sure that the guidelines are not just handed out but that their in- tent is transmitted to the learning activities til the classroom. The Ministry thinks that six to ten years would be a realistic time limit for the guidelines to be implemented. The guidelines stress continu- ous progress and teacher -made 'decisions, with some student par- ticipation. Student evaluation would be ongoing, a co-operative effort between teacher and stu- dent. Individual and group work would evenly share the school day and the system would be evenly subject and process cen- tred; Mr. Tokar said. Learning will involve going out from the school into the com- munity. The program will be evaluated by supervisory. of- ficials and school staffs, he said. Mr. Tokar said the guidelines are not a radical departure but do make a concerted effort to make peeple aware of the philosophy –behind -what -is--going .in -the schools and to show teachers how they can implement it. The Ministry provides a broad set of. objectives, he said. Boards can make these more specific and in- dividual schools can flesh these out. "I thought" there was going to be a return to the basics," Strat- ford Trustee Ron March, a sec- ondary school teacher, said, "and there's nothing about that in this philosophy." A survey of the province has proved.that there has not beer a departure from the basics, Mr. Tokar replied. There will be more focus on communication and on making the goals of the program clearly understood, he said. There is a need for a fourth basic, the social and emotional growth of the child. Too often in the past a focus on content has ignored this and "zero has happened to him as a person." Mr. Tokar said the main docu- ment on the junior curriculum will be presented at a conference at Talisman Lodge in Flesherton, June, 44. Shool boards are in- vited to. send consultants tp the meeting, but since the MOS has no generalist consultant, it will :gid two priipals. Gary. Birmingham of pt.: Aloysius,. Stratford and Larry Cook of St. Mary%a, Gerielt will attend. Board Chairman David Teahen of Stratford wonderedwhy prin- cipals and not administrators would attend the conference. The Ministry prefersthat people who will be involved in the day4o-day implementing of pthe program, consultanth or principals, attend, Mr. Tokar replied. The HPRCSS rep. on the pro-' ,t,vince's Education Week ,domtnit- tee, Sam Alberico, principal of St. Michael's School, Stratford, re- por'ted oft :the Ontarfo-wide plan- ning for Educa ion Week. Trus- tees, though: Were more inter- ested in the local -picture. "De all schools (in the system) partici- pate or is it hit and miss?" trus- tee (Howard Shantz of Stratford wanted to know. b Director of Education John Vintar .said the Mr. Alberico keeps the principals informed and their own Education Week activities are up to them. A ques- tionnaire is going out to all the schools to find out what went on . • in Education Week r ! In spite :of a Saf,gest.l Trustee Shantz 014t, was premature,: approved the usei school in Wingham A a school on religion fronI4Inly.} Father Nolan of w halt ganizing the school... Mr. Shantz suggted `ws until Trustee Vince. ohn , ,1 was notat the meeting, coul4 re- port on his talk withF,atber.,N( before approving the use 0 school. He wondered, ;about pupils needing the whole. stet and said a change in ,dates„ coli conflict with the caretak0l. plans for. etep ping the school. • Lower Town dam repairs get conditional approval Conditional approval. for the repair of the Lower Town. dam structure has been given by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The contents of the letter were discussed at Monday evening's town council meeting. The letter referred to a meeting in the office- of J. K. Reynolds, deputy minister, with Mayor Jack Reavie and Councillor Angus Mowbray of Wingham. On April 22 an inspection of the date was carried out by members of the ministry staff, local officials and engineers. ' The letter continued: "Follow- ing this inspection we are now prepared to give the application for approval for the repairs and, improvements to the dam favor- able consideration subject to the following . conditions: 1..That the same discharge capacity as in the' dam prior to the iStitY 1?, 1974 flood be main- ainei that, the twin a' -Biot eina�et c Iverts be r istoi,ed tit operation. It is noted that this dam has about 25 per cent less maximum discharge capacity 'than the Upper (Howson) Wingham Dam and is therefore more subject to overtopping and possible em- bankment failure'than the Upper Dam. Consideration should be given to providing additional dis- charge capacity in this dam dur- ing floods i.e. construction of emergency by-pass spillway. 2. That plans be forwarded showing typical cross-sections and all dimensions and materials to be used for the earth -fill em- bankments to be replaced. 3. That winches be made avail- able on the operating decks of the dam to enable stop -logs (and removable steel stop -log gains) to be taken out during floods. There was some discussionat the council meeting of the finan-• cial responsibility involved— whether the entire cost of the repairs would be borne by the Town of Wingham or not, but no concrete decision was reached. Councillor Jack Bateson wanted it made clear that so far there has been no final decision to proceed with the work, as re- ported by radio. Councillor Angus Mowbray pointed out that some pre- liminary '" work must .within the next few wee termine the extent of r needed to meet ministry require; ments, and on this preliminary work the cost structure' + f �° repair program would termined. Education committ by Huron -Perth Over- the objections of two trustees, the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board decided to set up an ad hoc com- mittee to report to trustees on what is being taught in the schools, at their regular meeting in Seaforth last week. "We should get beyond trans- portation, buildings, policy and finance ani, into w edltcatibn thOt g the name of :the game," said. freshman St. Marys trustee John O'Drowsky, who introduced the motion. The curriculum com- mittee will also study subjects that are now now taught, in the HPRCSS system .for possible future implementation. Dublin trustee Joe Looby ob- jected that reporting on what's being taught in the schools is the administration's job. "If I. had a man working for me and wanted to know what's going on, I'd go and ask him," He said that the move to establish the committe meant the board had no confid- ence in its administrators, Director of Education John Vintar and Superintendent Joe Tokar. "This is not a witch hunt,'." Mr. O'Drowsky said. "We have great confidence in the administration and we may find out that every- thing is okay." "Do you think things are not well now?" Mr. Looby asked. "Yes, but we'll find out for sure," Mr. O'Drowsky answered. "Bully for you," Mr. Looby said. 4 STILL HALF -ASLEEP, Cub leaders Ruth Ann Steffen and Del Burkhart organize the 18 boys who travelled to Niagara Falls Saturday on a group excursion. The organization, consisting mainly of•name tags for the Cubs, was obviously effective, and all 18 Cubs were -returned home that night% "THE ASH GROVE" was the sole feature of the`Wingharn Public School senior choir last Tuesday when the group performed at the Huron County Music Night. The event was 0 enriched greatly by the participation : sof' riir►f choral, instrumental -and daanceapresenfaatlona . The board agreed to. set .up tie, committee of Mr. O'Drowsky'' Ron •Marcy of Stratford; Doll Crowley, Kinkora and Directurof Education John Vintar, with Mr. Looby and Michael Connolly; Kippen voting against the motion. ' Anoth (notion by • Mn, O'Drow y, to provide in-service trainiii&. newly elected tilts-' tees at the leehravel was passed to the board's policy and bylaw committee for study. Trustee Howard Shantz of Stratford told the board that he had contacted the separate school representative on the Perth County Board of Education about the HPRCSS board's suggestion that a joint metric committee be established. At the last meeting trustees learned that the Perth board was setting up its own committee , on the metric system rather than work- ing with the HPRCSS board. The matter was being dis- cussed by the Perth board in committee of the whole and he "Police Week" starts Monday Next week has been officially designated "Police Week" for this year. -The slogan is "Police Protect People". The Wingham Town Police reported that the police office will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. throughout the week of May 11-17. The police said they hope to secure some interesting displays for the week. Damage extensive in vehicle mishap Damage was extensive in a pile-up of three vehicles early Sunday morning. Police reported that a car driven by Michael Hackett of RR 7, Lucknow was in collision with one driven by Ivan Harkness of Wingham, which in turn struck a truck owned by Walter Scott of Lucknow. Esti- mated damage to the three vehicles was over $3,500. A car driven by Douglas Carter of Bluevale was demolished in a single -car accident May 2, when ,it struck a tree on Patrick St. Mr. Carter was treated.at the Wing - ham and District Hospital for multiple abrasions, contusions to both legs and possible head injur- ies. He was admitted to hospital and then released the following day. A collision on May 1 involved David A. Reid of 369 Leopold St.. Wingham and Wallace R. Hasel- grove of 121 Patrick St., Wing - ham. The accident occurred on Leopold St. and resulted in an estimated $425 damage. Police niso reported one minor theft last week that is still under investigation. The department laid three charges under the Liquor Control Act and three under the Highway Traffic Act. ishad had no answer yet, Mr. Shantz said, but he will follow it u The Huron -Perth business ad- ministrator, Jack Lane, cora- 1 that a policy on the use of 'schools for board meetings (passed two weeks ago should be nought together with a previousp ool se pAcyt`l tat to -t hay OW, one y At', 'Y'Fi board's `pfilleyand bylaws committee will . look into this. Huron -Perth's attendance counsellor, representatives on the public school boards and Stratford Library representa- tives will be invited to report at the May 26 meeting, the board decided. Trustees voted to discuss a letter from the Ontario Separate School Trustees' Association on a proposal from the Ontario School Trustees Council to replace local bargaining . by boards with regional or central bargaining in committee of the whole, in camera. The OSSTA letter pointed out that the new bar- gaining model "features a pro- found and centralized restructur- ing of local boards' roles in negotiations and presents the model in an entirely compulsive and unilateral manner." The OSSTA says the proposed central bargaining has not been ap- proved by their association and would reduce local boards "to the role of building managers. The new model also fails to see that the dominant element in negotiations between boards and teachers is the relationship to the local electorate, the OSSTA says. Under board policy, three trustees and one administrator can attend the Canadian Catholic School Trustees convention in St. John's, Newfoundland, from June 25-27, the board heard. Trustees were asked to decide if they want to attend by the next board meeting. Director of Education John Vintar read a letter from the Holy Name of Mary School PTA in St. Marys expressing encourage- meht and support for the board's Family Life Education program. The PTA, who heard a presenta- tion on the program by Sister Mary St. Louis, principal of St. James School, Seaforth, said they support extending the program into earlier grades. Mr. Vintar said' 11 teachers from the system have applied to take 'a family life course this summer and recommended that the board pay the $200 fee for each teacher in the six week course. Last year the board paid ,fur six teachers to take the Course, Mr. Vintar said, and "the increase is numbers is encourag- ing." He said a good cross section of the schools in the two counties would have teachers taking the course. The board approved a request from the deputy police chief in Stratford to send a letter promot- ing the department's bike rodeo, rhwhichteschoolsempha. sizes safety through Grades 3-8 in the Stratford sepa- PROMOTION—Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Frederick Glenn Austin of Howick (left),' receives his "warrant scroll" from the chief of the defence staff, General Jacques A. pax, traze, in recognition of his appointment to that rank. CWO Austin is posted to the directo- rate of personnel careers, other ranks at national defence headquarters in Ottawa. Committee to prepare subdividers' agreement Council has agreed to go full speed on the preparation of a sub - divider's agreement for the town. This decision, prompted by prob- lems and misunderstandings en- countered in approval pro- cedures for land developments in the past few weeks, was made at a regular council meeting Mon- day. A committee of Councillors Angus Mowbray and Jack Bate- son and Reeve Joe Kerr told council they would meet as soon Home gutted five injured in flash fire A flas, Fire in a Bayfield home early 'ednesday morning of last week gutted thehome of Mr. and Mrs. Ken Brandon and family and sent five family members to hospitals in London and Clinton. Ken Brandon and his sons, Blair, 16, and Harold, 9, were taken to Clinton Public Hospital where, later in the week, they were resting in satisfactory condition. Two daughters, Karen, 19, and Kelly 5, were hospitalized in University Hospital with second and third degree burns. Karen was reported to be in satis- factory condition while Kelly, most seriously injured of the family, was in fair condition. Mrs. Brandon and 17 -year-old Patrick, were not seriously in- jured. Another daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brandon, Lynn, trained as a registered nursing . assistant in Wingham and is presently onjhe staff of the Wingham and District Hospital. alae is now Mrs. Jack Walker and resides on Alfred Street, Wingham. as possible with Town. Engineer Burns Ross and Solicitor Bob Campbell to write an agreement draft for approval by council. In other business, council ap- proved a $300 grant to be awarded the Wingham Horticul- tural Society and approved for payment accounts totalling $44,213.55. Deputy Reeve Harold Wild, reporting for the Recreation Committee, informed council that the recreation program has been restructured and that the Recreation Board has succeeded in getting a $2,000 grant under the "Youth in Action" program. Rental rates for the arena were increased to $150 per day. Youth injured An RR 3, Lucknow youth is in the Wingham and District Hos- pital after a Saturday afternoon accident on Highway 86 near the Village of Whitechurch. Richard Irwin was operating a motorcycle when he hit loose gravel and lost control of his machine. He suffered a fractured leg and wrist and a possible head injury. Hospital officials reported on Tuesday that his condition was satisfactory. The mishap was investigated by Prov. Const. Cameron of Kincardine. Treated at the hospital the previous week was another Luck - now area resident, Douglas Ross of RR 5. He was a passenger in a car which went out of control on Concession 30 and 31 of East Wawanosh Township. He was treated.for a knee injury and re- leased. - PUC applies for tax rebate Financial matters were the major topic for report and dis- cussion at -Thursday's meeting of the . Wingham Public Utilities ' Commission. To add to the pall of gloom recalled by the formal announcement from Ontario Hydro of the proposed 29.7 per cent rate increase, the Wingham PUC also received a "13th month" bill from Ontario Hydro for over $10,000. The bill reflects the difference between the amount paid monthly by the PUC for hydro and the amount of hydro actually used and cal- culated by Ontario Hydro on an annual basis. Chairman Roy Bennett said the 1974 amount owing is the largest ever in his memory of Ontario Hydro ac- counts. Superintendent Ken Saxton re- ported on progress in obtaining tax rebates from the provincial government for the past years. • He said there is a good chance that the hydro rebates for 1973 and 1974 and the waterworks rebate for the new standpipe will be approved, but raised little hope as far as rebates back to 1961. He explained that the government has imposed the tax since 1961 and "shouldn't have done it-t'•'the first place" Al- though some municipal PUCs have succeeded in obtaining approval for rebates back to the beginning, a recent government decision has frozen rebate proval to the two-year limit. The 1973 and 1974 rebates will amount to $656.61 and $2,281.39, re- spectively, for hydro and $3,761.54 for the waterworks if approved. -Seven Wingham couples have returned home -after a bweek-long holiday on the island of Jamaica.. 7