HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-09-20, Page 2PAG* -ICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1973
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Done with bickering
Who owns the jail? Whose respon-
sibility Is it to find some use for the jail?
Which should be done first - establish
ownership of the jail or find a use for it
and then decide who should operate it?
Which comes first - the chicken or the
egg?
Goderich Town Council went round
`'---and - round at last week's committee
meeting on this very subject. Although
Reeve Deb Shewfelt assured his com-
panions the County of Huron was still in
possession of the jail, he found it a dif-
ficult task to persuade the other mem-
bers of council the Town of Goderich
should initiate some action to find a use
for the now vacant building.
Reeve Shewfelt arguedthat time
Of the essence if any Local Initiatives
Project money from the ,government was
to be coming Goderich's way this winter
for use at the jail. He said ,the ap-,
plication forthe money would have to be
in before the end of the year and the
Town should take immediate ste s_ to
see that Go • ' - mane ts-on- tffe- �T
Terri` -t an s arebeing handed out.
That's why Reeve Shewfelt wants to
hear from the people of Goderich and
area - and anyone else who is interested
- about possible Uses, -for the: former
Hump _County jail. 1T' ,,
Some.,. members _at:•.couhcil . talked,
- about the ,follrifir follydoing all the work
'When it is obviously a ,. county respon-
sibility. Others feared that if some
money -making scheme was devised for
the jail, -the county would claim it as
their own and leave Goderich whistling.
Still others thought Goderich should
hardly be concerned about the fate of
the jail..until it was clearly established
whether or not the building would
becomeethe town's property.
Fortunately for Huron County, for
Goderich, for everyone who was In any
way sympathetic to the recent jail wall
controversy, some members of council
felt that since the jail stands in
Goderich, Goderich has a very real in-
terest to see that the building is utilized
in a proper fashion. Who operates the
jail, who administers it, is of no great
'Concern. The jail is here. It will remain
here If it 'is serving a purpose here-,
. regardless of its ownership, it will be
beneficial to Goderich.
Reeve Shewfelt, Deputy -reeve Stan
Profit and Councillor Dave Gower want,
ver >rnuch to have input from the people
,regarding a possible use of the jail. They"
want suggestions from the local citizen
and other interested ;reams--T!•re
:�,tdknatirtg
`which is doing sQ.efhirn® „conitructive
toward the ultirrnate -future of the jail.
To .sit around and argue over owner-
ship and workload and duty and political
gain is to prevent progress.
The jail has been saved intact over
much county council opposition. Now
let's get on with the job of finding some
inspired, imaginative use for this well-
preserved historical site. No matter who
does the work and who gets the glory (or
the criticisrft) it is time to quit bickering
and begin building.
They are not welcome
Following last week's letter to the
Editor from an unhappy guest at the
Bedford Hotel on The Square because'of
the noise and commotion in the streets
during the night, the following editorial
clipped from an unidentified newspaper
arrived on the editor's desk.
The small piece of news copy dated
Wednesday,' September 5, 1973 bore this
anonymous note: "This is much the
same as here in Goderich as it is terrible
here at nights. This system could help."
After reading the editorial, it was dif-
ficult to disagree with the sentiments ex-
pressed on the unsigned note.
�1-
While it is�
there is no apparent origin, any rule of
that sort is waived for this week in the
interest of quieter streets - day and night
- in Goderich and everywhere.
"It makes us sick at the manner in
which some yc yng drivers race around
our downtown' and residential streets
squealing their tires.
"Their stupid antics are deplorable
especially when one considers their -
speeding autos could become the in-
strument of death for some innocent
motorist- or pedestrian.
"A campaign must begin. of . jotting
down a description and licence numbers
of these vehicles involved in racing
around our towns.
."This information should then be
phoned to our law-enforcement officers.
"In time the same description and
licence numbers will be phoned in time
and again. It is the only way we can see
of assisting our police track down these
` •- a -. • -
"We must rid our streets of: these
characters once and for all before it is
too late.
"These stupid drivers must get the
message. We don't want them in our
communities. They just are not welcome.
"Helping police in this manner could
save lives!"
Bicycles are vehicles
Under Ontario` law bicycles are
vehicles. They are required to be driven'
according to the same , rules which
govern motorists. These rules are
designed to facilitate the orderly
movement of traffic and safety -of drivers
as well as pedestrians. The way Ijcycles
are generally driven by the majority of
young riders particularly, bodes ill for
the time when these people begin
driving automobiles:
Most bicycle riders seemingly have lit-
tle or no regard for traffic or for traffic
control devices. :t is q• 'te common to
see two and even three youngsters on
the same 61ke and just as common to
see them riding two, three and four
abreast, forcing following or oncoming 41
traffic to literally; stop in order not to run
over them. Drivers who dare remonstrate
with them are answered insultingly by
bicyclists who continue on as before.
Many cyclists do not stop at STOP
signs. They ride on the wrong side of the
road, weave from side to side and do not
have required lighting. In municipalities
where licenses are required there are
many who do not bother to. procure
theirs.
Some municipal' authorities are begin-
ning to recognize the dangers involved
and the need to- do something about it.
Youngsters and their parents are being
called . in to bicycle clinics and older
cyclists are l being Issued summonses,
both for infractions of rules of the road
and for' failure to have licenses.
This seems like harsh treatment but
cycling is no'longer a minor sport. It is a
major factor in today's traffic And as
such needs to be controlled, for the
good of cyclists as well as for those
motorists who are often placed in
jeopardy by the unthinking and even
defiant actions with which they must
contend.
Ontario Motor League News.
Ur ioDnft4
SIGNAL -STAR
--{;}-► The County -Town Newspaper of Huron --0--
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Rosiness and Editorial Office
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area cede 319
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vaimi
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\e✓ H Y .NOT GET' OF
TH E. T R• AP M it -L. ?
And now dear friends, back
to the subject of the school
board.
On Monday afternoon, the
Huron County Board of
Education- met in regular
session. One of the items on the
agenda was to consider the
re4ttest of Mrs. Shirley J.
Keller, editor of The Goderich
Signal -Star, to. have ,the com-
mittee meetings of the board of
education 'opened to the press
for reporting purposes.
This request was denied on
the grounds that discussion
among the board members
would be more open in a closed
session than in a public one.
There is a revised policy
reported in another section of
the board of education material
which reveals that the press
has been invited to sit in on
committee sessions for
background information only.
By way of explanation to the
layman, that means that press
reporters only (not the public)
may attend dosed meetings of
the board but they must not
print any of the information
learned there. That krfowledge
is to be used only to help the
reporter 'better understand the
reasoning behind the board's
ultimate decision ... but is not
to•be passed on verbatim to the
people.
Never having served on a
school board or as a town coun-
cillor, it is difficult to imagine
how • timid elected men and
women Thust feel when they are
forced to deliberate under the
watchful eye of the pouncing
press and public.
Everybody knows about
those persons who sound very
brave and courageous when
there is no danger of battle, but
grow reluctant and' reticent' at
the first hint of real trouble. It
is a human fallacy to be sure,
but one which has no place in a
single elected official not to
mention an entire board or
council.
Members of the Huron
County Board of Education are
elected by the people. They are
paid by the people. They are
answerable to the people. They
should not pernlit themselves
the luxury of working under a
protective mantle. They should
be well enough informed and
strong enough in their convic-
tions to say what they have to
say regarding school business
for all the world to hear. If they
cannot do 'this, they do not
deserve the trust and 'the
devotion of the men and
women they represent.
When a board or a council
meets in committee away from
the public, it is immediately in-
forming the electorate it is
unable to function under
pressure. Who needs that kind
of representation? Who wants
to feel that as soon as the heat
is on, the elected members of
it
our boards and councils will
clam up and have nothing to
say? What .kind of confidence
does that. inspire?
Men and women who offer
themselves 'for public office
have no right to hide behind
anything that smacks of
'secrecy. 'But it is attempted
every day of the year, locally,
provincially, federally. It is
done in the name of better
government, but the real
reason for closed meetings is
something much less im-
pressive. It is plain and simple
failure to realize the great bur-
den oT elected office.
The more one sits in on
public meetings the more one
learns to truly appreciate the
hard-working people who
aren't afraid of criticism' and
won't crumble at the first hint
of unpopularity because of
something they've said.
A fence -sitting, non-
commital, bluff -it -if -you -have -
to attitude except behind closed'
doors may be the mark of a
great politician by some stan-
dards, but it is seldom fruitful
and it is never respected.
It takes guts to 'say in public
what is on one's mind and in
one's heart. Those who haven't
the -stomach for it should retire
to a safer line of endeavor, the
sooner the better. ,
* * *
Oddly enough, mot public
bodies - and the Huron County
Board of Education is no' ex-
ception - have their share of
outspoken members. To be
sure there are more of them
when the term is riew and
before they !wive felt the sting
of disapproval which even-
tually quietens them,but they,
are there on every board and
every council.
- Fortunately for the „ people
who depend on their represen-
tatives for honest; open leader.
ship, one or two of these people
on a board or a council is what
keeps the people informed.
What usually happens, you
see, is that one or two or
possibly three people on a
board orcouncil will risk
rousing the anger of their
associates in their belief that
moat everything should be
discussed in the open for the in-
formation of anyone wilco is in-
terested. Thanks to these won-
derful people, the leading
question is asked which alerts
the reporter to the story; the
barbedcomment its .passed
which tells the public there is
dissention in the ranks; the for-
bidden report is purposely
aired to expose air the facts.
But while their enthusiasm is
commendable it is usually
short-lived. Unlesli one has
plenty of stamina to buck the -
odds, one often gives up and
retires for the life of an or-
dinary uncaring citizen who 'is
apathetic because he is
•„r
schooled in the belief there is
nothing he can do to relieve the
apathy of elected officials.
That's why good people -
people with strength and con-
victions - leave boards and
councils. That's why they won't
stand for office. They know
they Will be forced to conform
to the system or live' a,' life of
sheer hell where their elected'
associates 'are concerned. And
it isn't fun. It isn't easy. It isn't
even rewarding.
* 0 *
And still on the subject of
education though in a slightly
different vain, there's word this
week that the Ministry of
Education will increase expen-
diture ceilings by an average of
7.9 percent next year.
In a very brief chat with
Director Of Education John
Cochrane at the Clinton office,
the administrative chief said
he's hopeful the new - system
will mean extra money for
Huron County schools.
He said that in the 1972-73
school year, ceilings in Huron
went from $531 to $591 ($60
increase) . per student in the
elementary system and from
$1019 to $1084 per student
($65 increase) at the secondary
school level, Taking into con-
sideration several factors, it ap-
pears that for the 1973-74
school year, the ceilings in
Huron will go from $591 to
$683 per student ($91 increase)
at the elementary level and
from $1084 to $1210 per
student ($126 increase) at tie
secondary level.
"' Cochrane further explained
that the restricting factor has
been taken off now, and 'a
board if it wishes may spend
right up to the ceiling.
According to Thomas Wells,
Education Minister, the new
expenditure ceilings reflect the
inflationary factors now
present in the economy and will
achict a an even greater degree
of equity among the • school
boards of Ontario.
Mr. Wells stated that the
Ings have required school
boards -to make hard decisions
and that the vast majority of
the boards have made such
decisions without any disrup-
tion or without adversely affec-
ting the quality of education.
He said that there has' been
almost universal support for
the principle of keeping the rate
of growth of educational spen-
ding 'under control.
D;tiring 1974 special con-
sideration will again be given
to school boards faced with
declining enrolments. Mr.
Wells- said this recognizes that
boards face certain fixed ,Posts
which do not decrease in
proportion to a drop in
enrolment.
In this regard it was sur-
prising to learn from GDCI
Principal John Stringer
By Shirleg J. Keller
,hat enrolment at- the local
high school exceeds the expec-
tations of the staff. He said that
enrolment at the end of Sep-
tember - last year was 818.
Already enrolment at GDCI is
856 this year.
When asked about the com-
aciii t iif 'eilrlle s'ti `tIMtta" that
certain classes 'are' untlsually.
!s'a'ge,'the Or'Yh'dpal'aaid'that iii
his.opinion it may take another
week or two but the problem
will solve itself. He said that
with a small percentage of
students switching courses and
•Jfi
changing schools an
subjects, the classes
tually level off at a
population.
And speaking.
population, it appea
Town of Goderich
grpwing,,, Principal
says there are quit
of strld,r~ctts enrolj'edt`
GDCI who have a
other schools in.othe
the province.
Who- says Goder
progressing?
0
LOOKINI BACK
70 YEARS
Sept. -47, 1903
While the new crop is being
marketed very slowly, so far
everything points to an excep-
tionally large yield: Barley is
good., though soinewhat
discolored owing to the heavy
rainfall. Oats are a very heavy
crop, running_ _ 35 and 36
pounds, in a few cases dark.
Wheat is above the standard
running about 62 pounds.
Indications of an early com-
mencement of the work of ex-
tending the C.P.R. from Guelph.
to this point continue to-
multiply,
o-multiply, and there is now
every prospect that within a
short time the long delayed -
project will be actually under
way.
The Schooner Azor was in
yesterday bound from John-
ston's Harbor to Chatham with
lumber. While' in port a painted
figure of a reindeer was placed
on her stern by E.R. Watson.
The house of refuge commit-
tee of the county council met at
Clinton' on Friday and con-
sidered the question of an
enlargement of thehouse to
meet the requirements of the
increasing number of inmates.
After considerable discussion it
was decided to engage an ar-
chitect to draw up plans and
specification for an addition of,
the size which is deemed
necessary, about 40 by 60 feet,
and to present these at the -
December meeting of the
county council.
25 YEARS
Slpt. 11, 1941 -
The S.S. South American, of
the Chicago, "'Duluth and
Georgian Bay Transit Com-
pany, called at Goderich for a
three-hour stay on Saturday
morning. The three hundred
passengers were ,taking the, an-
nual Indian sutnmer cruise.
Appointment of Major D.M.
MacKay►, to succeed R.A. Hoey
as director of the Indian Affairs
branch of the Resources Deppr-
-J
tment was announ
' Mr. MacKay form
superintendent of the
welfare division and
in the service since 1
Major Donald M.
a native of Goderich,
late Mr. and Mrs.
MacKay.
The fire siren sou
and long this mornin
o'clock and the briga
quick run to the sa
on St. David's str
grass and rubbish
ning. The fire was ext
with no damage don
The' contract has
ded to Earl West
alterations and an a
the former Lloyd bu
West Street, now of
Public Utilities co
Besides the remodel!'
fice purposes, an addi
commodate four tru
constructed on the
street side of the bu
5 YEAR$
New traffic signeb
installed slas.h' int
and
Victoria S Will inti
Street and
tersection of Nelson
Construction of
assessment buil
Goderich has been
the Ontario Munici
The two-st`hey midi
use$ by
assessment departm
▪ The building
beside the Huron C'
The Goderich Si
B" hockey team'
playing this year in
team les
ll
tied seven• ubl',
ding to team p.
ch th hed Ad•'
W
StrathroyRi'Rockets,
Western jague teddit
tospose will s1X d�
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haVe
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Marys Lincolns. sr
Sound Greys
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