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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-05-30, Page 2• , PAGE 2.-GODERIGH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1974 - a EDITORIAL. COMMEN'T A chance to be different For those who last week took time to., read and appreciate the poem "The Lit- tle Boy" written by Helen E. Buckley which appeared on the second front page 'of the Signal -Star, a great lesson in understanding should have emerged from that collection of thoughts. It should have been clear to most obser- vers from that article' that education is �..r not, all drill and rePetition. It is also self- expression and an exploration of one's inner. feelings. As students all over the country come to the end of another school, year, there will be many experiences to remember. Most precious will undoubtedly be those Opportunities tomorrow's leaders had to discover their own strengths and weaknesses...to learn from, their mistakes, to comprehendthemselves better and to seek out their own special interest and abilities in a personal and meaningful way. There has been much criticism levelled against m&dern educational techniques which allow children to probe ana research 'those vast areas most intriguing to them. Skeptics argue a generation of poor readers, bad spellers and hopeless mathematicians is the reward for any system with the em- phasis on audio-visual `aids and freedom of choice. They say students arelvasting• their time on useless trivia and neglec- ting the vital three R's which occupied so Much of the school day in past eras. But proponents of the do-you.r-own- thingsystem of education' find that students who are permitted, at least for a portion of each day, to follow their own desires will absorb much more of any lesson. Though their spelling may never. be letterrperfect, they may develop a sur- prising aptitude for history which will, open many doors to them in the future. They may never be able to solve all mathematical equations to the complete satisfaction of the teacher, but they may learn to express themselves clearly and without difficult throu.gh,the written and - spoken word, absolutely imperative in today's business world. .Each student, no .matter what his in- telligence quotient, has certain talents and interests. A large part of education is simply to root out those individual E , dowments and to build on them so that when the student leaves school, he isn't a carbon copy of everyone else but a distinct person with enthusiastic ideas in a particular field or fielk to offer his community, his employer,i?country. .The sooner people accept this time- honored approach' to ' education, the sooner there 'will be an end to pigeon- ' holing people and judging performance by how well everybody fits into society's uninspired moulds. Silence not golden necessary once more public. bodies the routinely advise news meetings which are n scrutiny. • last •� week's Huron Education story written was °held M0 6 resentatiwes being is no intention on newspaper to suggest underhanded was to point out• to all importance to paper reporters of not closed to public The public image of a board, council or commission depends largely on its accessibility to the people. 'Unfor- A notation in County Eloard. of Educ by Wilma Oke indicated that a 'special meeting of the board without the press rep 'notified. Though there the part of this new that anything shady accomplished at this meeting, it seems tunately- or fortunately as some see it - the press is•often the one and only link with the people. If the press is left unin- formed, so are the people. It is often argued that, the people don't read what's printed for them about elec- ted bodies of all tiers. That is no fault of the press - and if complete and open communication is maintained between those elected and those of the media, no • blame can be attached to those in public office,` either. Ala public bodies needthe goodwill of the people. The Huron County Board of Education is no exception: An oversight such as, the ,one reported in the county • weekly newspapers last week should not be taken lightly -.. nor soon repeated. Must be deterrent Judge Glenn Hays expressed some concern recently 'over the, practice of handing out, restricted licence -suspen- sions to impaired drivers, and he should be encouraged to continue his con- sideration of the validity of this p'factice. As "he :noted, the cases of impaired driving appeared to decline when -the • breathalizer test became law; but with the advent of restricted suspensions, the numbers appearing on impaired charge s have increased. Obviously, the deterrent is certainly not as'great when those convicted of im- paired driving are still allowed to drive in the course of their work. ' People who imbibe too heavily are less likely to gamble if they were faced A 1SA10• . w,. Business and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 524-8331 area code 519 Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 210, Goderich Second class mail registration number --0716 with the prospect of losing their jobs because of a licence suspension. at may be considered harsh punish- rr ,it,' but surely those who risk 'the lives 'fellow motorists by taking to the high- ,� ways'in unsafe conditions warrant harsh penalties. Their victims certainly are subjected to harsh punishment in term§'. of death and serious injuries. Alcohol is still one of the leading causes of the carnage on our highways, and no doubt it will continue to be until the penalties for impaired driving are severe endugh to provide stronger deterrents. The court records would indicate that restricted licence suspensions do not provide that deterrent. • —Times -Advocate, Exeter the eoairicfj SIGNAL -STAR —0-- The County Town Newspaper of Huron _..{,}. .0 Founded in 1848 and published every Thursday at Goderich'' Ontarib' Member of the CWNA and OWNA Advertising rates on request Subscriptions payable in advance $850 in Canada. $1000 in all countries other than Canada, single copies 20 cents Second class mail Regratratibn Number 0716 Advertising as accepted on the condition that. in •the event of typographical . erro'r, , the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonaple allowance for .signature. will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable fate In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or service may not be sold Advertising is merely an offer to sell. and may be'withdrawn at any time the Signal -Star is not responsible for the loss dr damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHIVER --president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER--editor BILL DIMMICK--editorial staff JEFF SEDDON---editorial staff EDWARD J. BYRSKI—advertisingr- manager DAVE R. WILLIAMS---advertising representative LPFc4L H I WfiS FpR DEALie Gi v,,/t r H T/-sE ENERGY CRL§/ -,5`.., 2 424, AFTER THE CRI$ /5 IS OVER, THE RIVERS u/1LL PRoriABLy FLO W w' Tet •'pETRoLEu ' �..,,. r /gopeR sr ,r a DEAR_ EDITOR rt►tls study -Dear Editor, Ontario Hydro has held in- terviews with' Huron County people to find if. they approved or disapproved the proposed new power Station' in Huron county. However, they did not give any_,anformation as to the consequences a power plant would have' on the jobs and taxes of the people in,,Hu,ron's towns and villages from Winghani through ,Goderich down to the ..South. As a result,, if my information is correct, townspeople generally were in favor 4Of--a power plant.- ,I will give now some of the drawbacks that a power plant will have on our towns as experienced by the people in other areas who were suddenly confronted with great industrial development, which they initially welcomed with a great deal of joyous expec- tation. 'In Bruce county about 8.000 persons work , on the Douglas Point project. Let's assume that in Huron County it would be 4000 workers. The average fancily being three and a half persons, it ' would require housing, ' schools, recreation facilities, restaurants and store expansion, sewers and water, for 14,000 people. Hydro would . pay some . of this, but the greater burden will `fall on all Huron taxpayers, that is you and me. The,' London •Free Press reported that a belated study in Bruce county shows that it will cost the surrounding municipalities $24.5 million, Thi . study says that the Douglas Point station will have an adverse effect on nearbyi municipalities for the- cost- of pr viding• additional services. Our county would be well ad, vised to initiate a similar study, so we, taxpayers, will have a better idea : if 'there are any benefits in this typeof develop- ment, When the plant is com- pleted there may be at the most 1000 people permanently em- ployed. The cost incurred for the other 3000 x 31/"- or 10,500 people will all be wasted and the empty facilities have to be abandoned or kept up with your tax money and mine. Another side effect felt in Bruce'.w.as the closing of small plants who couldn't compete with • the wages of the power plant workers. As a 'result many were laid off and in the case of older workers, (45 and up) it was very difficult to find a new job. If this Huron plant would be 'started in the next five years it would affect workers who are now in their late thirties. This again will hit your pocket hook, for that . is where welfare is coming from. i know that real estate people will probably frown on this letter for they are the only ones who stand to profit by in • - dustrial expansion of this kind. There will also be a few far- mers who will receive 'premium prices for their land. This, however, will be. limited to 'a ,very few whose land is needed for construction of the plant and for the needed subdivisions for 4,000 families. if °it goes like Bruce, there will be a .ban on development within a five mile'radius°of the plant. This locks this land in agriculture and the farmer who owns land in this area is locked in a low price. Probably lower than before,for who wants the risk of a nuclear plant or the smoke Of coal fired plant on his doorstep? I could bring forth_ n any more arguments, all against a power plant in our country, bu,t my letter gets too long. What we should have is an indepen- dent study of all. t' ,,.,effects on our money4- and our life style. After this study we should be asked by an independent group if we want this plant, not by biased Hydro employees. Yours truly, Adrian: os Blyth Thankyou Dear Editor, I am instructed by Victoria Loyal'`"'®range Lodge, No. 182, to express to you the cordial thanks of the membership for the generous space given the local publicity committee in ad- vance of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ontario West and the Grand Black Chapter, in last Week of March. Also,' ap- preciation was expressed for the space given grand lodge reports in the Signal -Star issue following the convention. Yours truly, W.E. Elliott (Acting) Secretary Letter to f athereole Dear Editor, The following letter was sent to Mr, George E. Gathercole, Chairman of the Hydro - Electric Power Comm. of On- tario, and , to Hon. Darcy 'McKeough, Minister of Enetigy for Ontario, by Lorne Luther, Director of District 6, Region 3, of the National Farmers Union. "There are ' strong rumors that a 'hydro generating plant will be built somewhere in, the Goderich area , and, although there has been no official statement we believe there must be same basis for such rumors. • "As you may be aware, Huron County's -philosophy in its official .plan predominately dedicates the land base •to agriculture. Any major development, such as, hydro generating plant, and the resulting industrial follow-up would naturally threaten the security of the County as on agricultural community. "What we wish to know, before plans are implemented and firm decisions become dif- ficult to reverse, what are the intentions of Ontario Hydro? "Is it a fact that the Goderich area, ,. or any area of Huron Co inty, is being considered as a location for the generating plant? Has any land been op- tioned for the purpose? Has consideration been given to locating generating stations in areas where land is not suitable for Agriculture, with the thought of lnoking forward to developing industry and enlarging communities in those areas?" r Frno LOOKINO BAcK 75 YEARS AGO • Are the town council or the health unit ,doing their whale duty in the matter of the town water supply? Surely something better can be provided than the beastly stuff wh i'ch is on tap now. If not,, vie may `h well make up our minds at once that our waterworks system is a failure, so far as providing anything but fire protection is concerned, As indicated by the adver- tisement in ' another column, the,„ necessary proceedings "are- being taken preliminary to going ahead with the work of paving all the sidewalks on the Square with the exception the two blocks that received the work last Fear. It will be the 1st of August before the work can be proceeded with owing to the long period provided for the receiving of petitions against the improvements by the property owners affected. The sale of forty feet of the vacant property on the Square in the block on the north side of East 'Street is reported. The purchaser was William Holland and the price was $1,775. The property was owned by 'Ben. Allen, of;Chicago, and the sale was affected by Ed. Cox during his visit here. 'We understand Mr., Holland intends to erect stores on the property. The tugs Huron and Signal had a race from the harbor to the outside on Tuesday mor - This letter was sent on May would support the action-. of ning. Asked as to which won. 21, 1974. A similar letter to protecting human life bythe race Bob Campbell replied, Premier Davis on April 11, joining the activities of pro-life "The Huron -Signal." 1974 brought no reply. movements but feel we can't in- District 5 , of the National .. flic't our thinking on others • Farmers Union has passed a This is :foolishness. Doesn't 50 YEARS AGO The weekend saw. its crop of resolution' to . -oppose,• a society use this very method to auto accidents. On Saturday af- generating plant by Ontario teach its members. A child is by - ternoon two cars passed each Hydro on Lake. Huron., The law required to attend school other simultaneously each reason for this is that as so long to learn. The Govern- going the opposite• direction on s ptofessional farmers they merits makes laws by which we Huron Road. The two vehicles National Farmers Union have' ham to live. This is good..•why' that were attempting to pass accepted a land use policy which ensures that good productive farm land, is, not devoured; but is preserved for future generations for food production. �. • G. Austin Bell reunion Dear Editor: not protect life? - collided resulting in con - Yours sincerely siderable damage to both. On Grace Herber. Sunday evening another ac- cident occurred 6n Huron Road under similar- circumstances. This time the car passing srut d wheadl To the Ratepayers and into truck a a fence resulting in.someong Residents of West Wawanosh injuries to the car. The dredge Alfred.:. of ' the Open Etter Again I question a report, of Federal Construction Co. and West Wawanosh Council the tug j.W.Ward have arh-ived • One. hundred - years ago, Minutes-, that of May 15, 1974. in port for use in preparing the' Alexander Graham Belllily n- In. part it reports that a bed for the waterworks intake ted the first telephone Tri Brant- Petition regarding Dust Con- pipe on the water end of the ford, Ontario. We are remem-. trol at' St. Helens and from job. bering this historical' event by there on Cone 10/11 to Belfast, celebrating in many • ways signed Maple Leaf Chapter,: 5igned by ' a majority of IODE had another*"fair sized throughout this Bell Centen- residents of St. Helens area was turnout ,on Monday evening for nial.year in our ,city. presented to Council and was the third presentation of their' The staff and Community - School Organization of Graham and Foran, tabled on motion of Rutherford Revue. Mrs. Frank SaundersActually, usingarts in. the Old Time Minuet Bell School, Brantford; will celebrate during this Bell Cen- the South' this time and an extra number, West corner of the only village a skit by • Messr. • Walter tennial year by ''holdinga, block as a dividing point, Buchanan knd Fred Sturdy, reunion for all former students 55.5% o^„signatures were from was included in the program. and °staff members, on Satur- Petitioners west of this point to TheiMaple Leaf Chapter is to day, June 8, 1974, at 2 p.m. in Belfast.. These include nine be congratulated on their sue - the school., • •names of property owners in cess. Since our school has been this recently renovated, we will Portion of Con: 10/11 but In spite of unfavorable therefore have our o'ffictal who 'live elsewhere.- We ap- weather on Victoria Day the preciate such unselfish support. various contests announced for opening on the same day. There a will 'be an opportunity to meet The remaining 44.570 of total the opening day at the former friends and visit the signatures are those of St. Maitland Golf Club were held classrooms where you may Helens residents who deserve successfully. renew acquaintances. equal consideration as the The Women's Christian We would appreciate hearing other 66.5% . • Temperance Union desire to ex - from our former students and The definition. of 'Tabled' is press their appreciatipn of the staff members and •'correspon- 'to receive as a report, petition, splendid response by both dence should be addressed to: etc., but to agree to postpone its Protestant and Catholic women Reunion. Committee, Graham consideration indecinitely.' It is to* the home-made bake sale, Bell School, 56 Grand Street, about what I expected.• also to those who patronized Brantford, Ontario NSR 4B2,Does our Township Council the sale. realize they are Rep•resen- "'• Canada. 5' YEARS AGO Sincerely, tatives of the Electors and are Dennis A. Foster, responsible to them, but not a , •Principal.. law unto themselves? Council received a letter It is to be hoped, that in the from the Federal *Department next Nomination and Election •of Transport concerning a com- in this Township, there will be plaint that fill is being dumped competition. from progressive, beside the Maitland River near concerned Ratepayers who will Indian Island. The letter stated Concerned Dear Editor, It has been with a great deal accept the responsibility of run- that work was 'prohibited on, of concern during ,the last few ning for office and providing us ' over or under navigable Waters weeks that- I have been with fair, local government. 'without the authorization of listening to and reading about Please consider this seriously. the depa'rtmentw:aMayor Frahk the thoughts of others which The Township needs you.. di Mills said that fill has been leased by the town but no ap- • Dorot'hy McKenzie plication is necessary since no Lot 14 work is being done over, on, or West Wawanosh under navigable waters. Goderich Lions Club fears the school program planned for this year will fail before it gets started.' The' Club offers seven have been comynicated concer- ning the subject of ABOR- TION, We seem to have been caught in a dilemn?a regarding this, subject, Some time ago' the n Goderich town council felt that ' • 40,000 abortions it could not proclaim a Pro -Life week because the subject of Dear Editor, courses for the school and to abortion was a moral issue and I wish to reply to the letter of date only 17 registrations have it has no right to make a Mr. Reginald Thompson con- been received. Spokesman for decision regarding such. - cerning Pro -Life. The concern the group, Jim Coulter, said , The taking' of life is not a of the two hundred members of that in the light of recent private moral issue, abortion is the Goderich Prp-Life group is criticism of school facilities the taking of a human life. And life from conception to death. being shut down after school this issue should not be left up At the present time, we are hours he expected more par - to the individual to work out directing our major effort to ticipation. ' with his or her conscience. preserve life from conception to .Forty weekly newspapers in It 'is the duty of society to birth, Huron County have gone out of protect the members of society. Fetus is, the correct 'term for 'bu'siness or have amalgamated Governments on the level of the unborn human'being. It is a with other papers accordiilg to the country to the local level scientific term, a name for the George Ellis, former publisher should do everything possible developing human. To many of the Goderich Signal -Star. He to protect human life. If this is though, fetus does not mean was speaking to the Huron not diene then hoWcan we as its this, but rather is used to gloss County Historical Society •at members kn iv'without a doubt over the humanity of a new their annual meeting. There r that life is sacred and safe. being. It is a useful term for ._ are now just nine weekly There may be those who newspapers still operating in ' (continued on page 3 the county, . 0