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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-10-24, Page 29UBAR 'N' SPICE At Last, Things. are Looking Up ,, Things at last seem to be too ing up for ' Canadian write s, after generations of neglect by their own coun- trymen. With a few notable excep- tions, it used to be that to be a writer in Canada ' was almost on a par with being an Un- touchable in India. If you Were not openly scorned, you were quietly ignored, which was worse. The big, publishers, most of them British or American, with an affiliate in Canada, shied away from Canadian Writers as though they had the plague, at the same time fostering in- significant American and British writers.., One of the exceptions was Stephen Leacock, who made a lot of money and became a well-known character in this country, after his first book had been accepted by a British publisher. . Typically, Leacock was ignored, if not despised, by the people of Orillia, Ont., when he was alive. He had a summer home there. Many Orillians detested him because he poked wicked fun at some of their leading citizens in his Mariposa tales. Not so today. Some sharp people finally realized that Leacock was commercially viable •as a tourist attraction. Nowadays you'd think Leacock had walked downfrom a mountain with stone tablets, into Orillia. It is thein -thing to belong to the 'Leacock Society. There'is a Leacock Museum, with a full-time curator. There is • a Leacock annual award for humour, a Leacock medal, a Leacock weekend culminating in'��a-huge dinner at which the saint is, .paidproper homage.. - I'll bet the old guy is doubled up in his grave, laughing. It was all so Canadian, in its approach to writing, that it would befunny, if it weren't a little sad. Canadians are builders. They'll spend billions on railroads and transconti'nen-- •tat highways and canals and ` dams. But when it comes to culture, the approach is always - a two-bit one. A_few dedicated souls formed the Leacock Society. They had no money. But every year, they'd persuade a- few people to act, as judges, and, these idiots would pick outthe funniest book published in Canada that year. I know: I was one of those Phone 524-8132 DAY OR NIGHT Agent for 24:hr. FILM DEVELOPING idiots for about four years,, which {.have me some insight into Canadian humour. Most of the books submitted were about as funny as a broken leg. Let's say you are Eric Nicol )f Vancouver (a very 'funny ,writer, by the way). This would be about " 15 years ago. You are informed by wire that you have won the Ledcock Award for Humour and are asked to at- tend the Leacock Dinner receive the Leacock Medal (worth about 60 cents in a pawnshop), and make a witty speech which will take you hours to write. The dinner is absolutely free, but you pay your own way from and back to Vancouver. Today of course, it's dif- ferent. The dinner price has gone up from $2.50 to $7.50 and the drinks from 45 cents to whatever. I believe that at long last, some brewer has actually put up $1,000 to .go, with the Medal. Big deal. So much for that. I digress. During the long, painful aridity of the '20s, 30s and '40s, the names of Canadian writers were not exactly household words. - --- --- -.. A few writers toiled on in the Canadian `desert. Morley Callaghan, a fine writer with an international reputation, plugged away. When he produced a new novel, it would be avidly snatched up by as many .as. six or seven_ hundred of his fellow countrymen. To make. a living, he had to do hack work in journalish, radio,. and later -TV. Ironically, _ Callaghan, at about the age of 70, was, given two whopping great cash prizes by a brewer and a bank for his contribution to Canadian literature. He was also awar- ded •'a Canada Medal or something like that, which he refused, in. disgust., And good for him. Then, after the war came, not a spate, but at least a surge, of new writers, bold writers: Hugh Garner, Mordechai Richter, Pierre Berton, Farley Mowat. They knew they were good, and they demanded recognition. And money. And they got it; though it was like prying diamonds out of a rock. After them came another rash of writers: Alden Nowlan, Al Purdy. Robert Kroetch, Margaret Atwood. A few courageous „ independent publishers gave them a voice. They sell. Now the younger ones are corning on, pell-mell. After years in a cultural desert, oases are 'springing up everywhere. - - This entire .diatribe was triggered by an announcement sent out to English department heads from an outfit called y, b DON'T. .BURN CANADA'S FORESTS Kodachrome FILM PROCESSING 'Kodak FOR ALL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC NEEDS CAMPBELL'S y BIi.L SMILEY Platform for the Arts. It will send "poets, novelists, jour- nalists and playwrights" right into our classrooms to read and discuss their works with the students. Good show. At only $30 each. Yet they can pay these people $75 a day and ex- penses, owing to government grants. ,One paragraph in the letter fascinates me. "Please indicate whether you would like a poet, prose writer, or playwright to visit your school. Choose one, two or all three separate tours." Okay, chaps. Send us a poet, and I. don't want Ethel Kartof- felt°i of Hayfdi-k',Centre.-Send a handsome guy with a smashing beard. And one blonde playwright with a large bosom. That'll keep the `students of both sexes happy. As for a jour- nalist, send along any old one. I'll handle him or her. In this field, you can scarcely distinguish between the sexes, anyway. Say. _At a second look, that whole tour looks pretty good, at $75 per diem and expenses. I'm a journalist,, of • sorts, if .you want to stretch a point or three. Maybe I'll quit teaching and join the tour. Jv. 0 GODERICH SIGNAieSTAR, THURSDAY, `OCTOBER 24, 1917.1- A( UCW mosey raising schemes questioned by rally speaker Mrs. • Emily Marquis of others into the under�tancling Toronto, a member of Steward- of sharing our gifts with ship Services of the United -others," she said. Church, told 125• delegates to ' "Why do v,e have :uppers? the 13th* East. Huron Regional Qften because the Board of Rally of Huron -Perth Stewards. come to us and say presbyterial ,held, in Egmond- th'ey need money for 'the ville Tuesday that she -has 'building. fund or surnething else e grave,, misgivings about the in the Church," she stated. money raisingprogram*. of the MrsMarquis suggested th United ChurWomen.. ' -, UC:W` would raise the vision of She said sheis annoyed When the entire church membership men, and women as well, make if it said in revp/,nse, "Let's sit dis paraging remarks about down together 'and assess the bazaars and suppers. value of the ('hurrh rn this "The UCW is the rummage community ... Row effective are sale,. ham and scallop suppers, we in this place? What morals flower arrangements. Very lit- and standards are higher in tle is said about the fact it this community because of our seems to be (and to the shame Church here?" of the Church0t•he one and only ' She asked what iswrong group that does any kind of' with the approach when it is organized depth study ... Bible study, mission ' understanding; the caringaharing study," Mrs. Marquis said. . "Because we are a group who necesr»ary to cry so desperately for' funds to carry on or is it because there is not enough Study and understanding of the importance of projecting the cares, who studied, who really gospel. want to know what the mission Mrs. Marquis wondered if . of the church is all about, our church members are too willing sense of stewardship, the'' for- to approach membership "with ces us "in many vulnerable apathy rather than the glowing positions. It forces us, for one heart. "Do we latch on 'to ex - thing, 'to become missit►naries cuses to stay,iway from church right where we are ... defining' ....froze assuming the privilege, the mission and helping to lead • opportunity, responsibility • of membership?" She urged the delegates to "Never feel you must apologize for being a member of the Christian 'church or of • any, o'r'ganization in' iL But to feel this sense of pride demands. something from each of us ... stewardship." She said this was living as a Christian anct giving what a person has - "It may be the treasure 'of our time - the treasure of our ability and mind and heart, the treasure of material possessions, even as small a thing as Our money." Mrs. Leonard Strong pt'a jded over the rally ;which had the theme "With Glowing Hearts.," More than '220 blind Canadians talk to hams across the world through 'their arnateur radio stations. Special classes'are held each year by The Canadian National 'In- stitute for the Blind in co- operation with more than 100, amateur, radio clubs in Canada. Sighted hams act as instructors and sponsors who assemble, modify and , install equipment in the homes of blind hams who pass' their government tests. 5B INSURANCE George Tartan. LIFE, AUTO, FIRE AND ALL OTHER LINES 319 HURON ROAD -GODERICH • 5247411 Stay where you're to, till I see's where you're at. THE If you want Newfie products. Com! to where it's at! VILLAGE STORE RR 4, GODERICH (SALTFORD) HWY. 21 TURN AT BRIDGE Sait..Cod, Fresh Cod, Saltmeat Candy, Biscuits, Seal meat Salt Pork, etc. It's some good!. 1.9 • DAYS ARE GETTING SHORTER ,LEAVES ARE FALLING . FALL IS HERE AND WE HA VEROUNDED UP SOME BARGAINS FOR THE SEASON ft DIMMER SWITCH Create a soft, inviting atmos- , phere in your home at this low price. Push -on, push -off operation with 600 watt capacity. . AUXILIARY NIGHT LATCH The Burglar Baffler — with 5 pin tumbler cylinder locking.. action for maxi- mum security. ELECTROHOME HUMIDIFIER An -excellent bargain at this -price. Deaigned for small homes"and apartments, the cabinet is walnut finished and has a-4 gallon capa- city in'the plastisol lined tank with 2 - speed control. This unit uses the Hurnidi- Pad method ofwater distribution for maxi- mum efficiency. 3 88 O'CEDAR JUMBO SPONGE MOP Extra large sponge on this mop makes short work Of, •spills and floor cleanup. The squeeze handle and�head are in colorful plastic. Zop2y-ter INTE•RIVIATIC LAMP LYTER This 24-hour automatic plug-in 'timer turn's house lights on and off while'you're away giving an empty house an "at home" Iopk. Police and insur- ance companies 29 recommend this device. SPRING -BRACED LAWN BRUME RAKE Efficient sweeping, action will rid your lawn 01 -leaves and - clippings • quickly. 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