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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-05-08, Page 3R 444. 1 (continued from page 2) and to the two Boards of Education who allowed the schools to participate. Although, the weather was cold, I think many of us felt a different kind of warmth. The top credit goes also to the Parks' and Public Works' crews Whose tinting and part in the activities was so very well organized under Stan Meriam and Pete Spain. Much too often we take their good work for granted, but they have a very important part in making this town a pleasant place to Call one's home. -, Our warmest thanks <,to the Legion Ladies who did a , marvellous job in donating, making and service 450 ,san- dwiches to hungry, students and also supplying coffee to the rest of the rather chilled crowd. With the same gratitude we would like to mention. Andrevy and 'Gardiner's Dairies who generously donated all the milk. for the picnic, and the A & P store who donated the oatmeal cookies. The GDCI band played throughout the picnic in the Harbour Park and contributed greatly ° to - the festive at- mosphere. We were also very pleased to see some .of Mrs. Telford's Highland Dancers and have the presentation of a lovely poem by Miss, Una Costello of GDCI, Our thanks also to Rev. Royal for his timely address urging us. to increase our quality of life by taking better care of our en- vironment. , As to the very enjoyable civic lunch, the bill was picked up by the Bank of Montreal whose -'generosity--- i s - tri n aha pT preciated. Among our guests we were pleased to welcome the prin- cipals of Goderich schools, local" school trustees,.. representatives of GDCI student council; members. of the press and others who are - either associated with the Town Council or had contributed to the ceremony in some capacity. The Honourable Robert Welch,` Minister of Culture and .Recreation, was presented by Mr. Don Reid, whose presence added greatly to the meaning of the occasion. In the same manner we are much indebted to Mr. R. McKinley, Mr. J. Riddell and Warden A. McKinley for having left their busy schedules to be with us. The Goderich Signal -Star has given us much appreciated support and encouragement and helped create interest in environmental, subJects by sponsoring an essay contest among the students. The local press keeps a finger on the pulse of our community and we are grateful for the interest and co-operation which goes well beyond duty. The Arbor Day- gave the Parks' Committee and the Recreation Office a good op- --portunity to work together. We :would "like to thank Mike Dymond, Recreation Director, who was closely involved in the preparations and -contributed much to, the success of the occasion. We are also fortunate to have Mr. Bill Wisser's great interest, knowledge and help in adding birds to our parks' program. By the .way, . there are already bluebirds in the boxes donated by Mr. Wisser and no doubt the purple martin houses will not stay empty long. As,for our own part, my collegue on the Parks' Committee, Councillor Dave Gower, and I enjoyed every • minute of working on the project. The expression of thanks and appreciation,comes from both of us. And you ought to know that the "green and clean" buttons which became so popular immediately are the idea of Mayor Shewfelt. Yours sincerely, Elsa Haydon, Chairman, Parks. persons or precedents often give a bad name to a group of good ones. A lot of people used to condemn long hair as filthy - just because they saw some dirty hippies who had long hair first. A lot of people thought women who wore skirts above the knee were sluts - that fitted their mental picture of a "faller}, woman". And just last year, many people thought we were all going to hell ire a barrel because of the streaking fad. Well, we may be headed that direction, but we haven't hit Wrongly accused bottom yet. Thank heavens those first Dear Editor: Women's Libbers did not giye Normally I scorn the low up their cause. practice of rebuttals, but Elsa, The concept of equality has Haydon last week.attacked• my , only begun to catch on in this prevk5 is Tetter in such a nat- area within the last two years. tering manner that I feel a It is still slow going. Elsa, do return "shot" to be in order.,you think treating events, such Anyone who read my letter asas-the parks' department hiring it was written — not as 'Elsa a female employee, as did, with personal impressions novelties, does anything to help in mind - would have received the drive for equality and my` message. My reference to positions as `,;,housewives, nurses, teachers, and child- care workers" being the nor- mal scope for females' career development, was not intended as a slur: It was a fair statement of the situation as it exists. Far be it from me to knock these positions, but Elsa, there are tens of thousands of different careers = and don t let us lie to ourselves that girls are encouraged to enter, these various 'fields. We know the opposite to" be true. And also, from the other hand, how many )pen are encouraged to be domestics, or nurses, or child care workers? Or secretaries? I also do not 'care, to hear any of this self-deceiving garbage- you leapto assume I meant this about the courses girls can take in a degrading way? Please in school. So they can take only interpret my actual words. physics, chemistry, biology. So Do not add ideas which are not what? Those are pretty stan- directly stated. dard courses for both male and female students, and have been I intended the word "in - so for quite anumber of years. cidentally" to mean "as it What are the other courses? happens". Roget's Thesaurus .How .many females taking defines "incidentally" as: "not drafting, agriculture, building pertinent, having no relation construction, auto shops, to" or "by the wAy." The point,I electronics?. HQW many males hoped to make was' that being, are enrolled in home female was not'a requisite for economics, typing, shorthand, the job. I ° am sure both her music? _No student should feel gender and her prettiness are pressured by teachers, peers, of some importance to the new or social custom, to choose employee, and I surely hope certain subjects and shy away she didnot think I was being from others. personal merit? I certainty never suggested that the news story should not have been written; I just said the angle was a bit off. Susan Brunk's new job is not strange. and she is not a curl gity; She likes the work, and the crew has -learned that she is a good co-worker this, to me, seems like progress. A few years ago, remember, a female would not even have applied for such a job — for the simple reason that' it just wasn'idone. And that fact, is what makes the event newsworthy. , You wereupset that I said the new employee was "in- cidentally" female. Why did nasty or min_ imizing • these Officially, our society features of her individual recognizes the sexes as equal. person. • Yet by subtle words and looks But, as my previous letter and tones of _voice, we define suggested, it hardly seems • separate roles for reales and right to blow up' the matter of females. Children pick these up , gender or attractiveness -,--. at a very tender age, and such 'after all, this'was not supposed conditioning is very hard to to be a story about sexuality or erase later. We have gained a beauty secrets. Surely the great • deal of human un- reporter didn't think the out- derstanding and com- door work would ruin Susan's munication through the . un- , looks or make her appear tiring efforts of dedicated masculine! L persons (most of them female) during the, last five years. This is still a somewhat rural area;'we'have not yet caught Women's Liberation has up on a few things — one of meant People Liberation. these is accuracy in media. Everyone gets 'involved, ' Only truly relevant information everyone shares. I feel sorry " Should be included in any news ,for those idiots who say "I'm story. Old-fashioned folk may not a women's libber." They think reference to a- persons associate Women's Lib with thelooks is a compliment. burning of undergarments — Not so in all cases, however: Sometimes it is condescension— or a lamely stated filler, with no relation to the point of ,the article. Fob• instance: in an iteth about a female doctor's discovery pertaining to\ hereditary eye defects, do you really think it is relevant to mention that she is tnarried, "attractive", and has three behind the times they are! children? Remember; a few unsavory I do not like rebuttals, and I which was a shock tactic, an attention -getter, used, at a few rallies several years ago. Well, Women's Lib is a heck of a lot more than that! It is too badthat those who ~think they are not "for women's lib" chose to close\their eyes and ears, on. account of a few sensational incidents. a Now see how far am going to end this with a couple of thoughts: (1) I hope Susan Brunk ignores everything that everyone has said, and con- tinues with her job because,she enjoys it. To her, it is not a cause, it is a'job. That is how things ought to be. (2) I hope things are clarified for anyone who read my other • letter and wasn't sure what was my point. And Mrs. Haydon, maybe you and I will see things more eye to eye now. When , starting this letter, I felt kind of snappish and prepared to' say nasty things. That's easy to do, I guess, but people' often do that, and fail to achieve ef- fective communication. (3) One last thing: Remember a few years ago it was common at a testimonial. dinner to introduce the male celebrity and his ac- complishments? And someone would throw a sheaf of red roses at his wife, while, mispronouncing her name into the.,, microphone. And frequently (very frequently)) the emcee would nervously mumble a few words of recognition in her general direction winding up with the untouchable tribute, "Behind every successful man, there stands a good woman." Well, if you've .looked lately, you'll have noticed, she isn't behind him any more. She's right up there beside him. Let's hear it for the liberated woman's touch! Econom PIMP •••••••••••••••••••••d•.•••••••••••••••••4••••••S•• AINSLIE MARK,ET LIMITED .. � EXTRA SPECIAL - SAVE 30c LB. Loin Pork (hops (CENTRE CUT) $ 1.19 LB. FRESH - LEAN Ham Steaks 89c Le Freezer Spee'1a (CUT FREE) HIND QUARTERS OF BEEF s V7 Includes all steaks, Boneless Rump or' Sirloin * Roasts, Lean Stewing Beef & Ground Beef. LB. Sincerely, Reenatd Thompson. Clinton, Ontario Readers are cordially ThThi eed to express their opinions of local, provin- cial- and federal issues through the ' Letters to the Editor column of The Goderich Signal -Star.. All letters 'must be signed to ,be published, although pen names are permissible: providing ` it is understood that upon request from another, reader, the letter writer's true name will be revealed. While there Is no limit to the length of a letter which can be offered for publication, the editor does'reserve the right to delete portionsof any copy submitted for in- clusion In this newspaper. Take an active interest .In your hometown 'newspaper. Write a letter to the Editor today. Last Saturday Guides and Br'bwnies from Goderich, Clinton and Bayfield participatednin music and dance instruction from photo) several leaders from the Kitchener -Waterloo area. (staff - This young lady performs a little dance number'of her own and all her friends soon followed attempting•to perform the same step. (staff -photo) Photos by Dave Sykes We have to stop meeting like this. Guides and Brownies attending the music and orientation day learned dances of different countries. (staff -photo) Swing your partner round and round! These two eager young Browniea'swing each other around the dance floor. (staff -photo) 11 y'� Dancing was an interesting part of the program offered to the young giri§ at 'Mkt � Saturday. These young Brownies take delight In learning some new steps. (staff -photo)