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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-06-05, Page 2P4P Z OPER CR I ,ANAL -S.' ' ;, ITIURSDAY, J1`lN1, 5,1975 anted: Awards for grads At Monday's, awards day at Goderich District ' Collegiate institute, it was abundantly clear that the local high school has a host of talented young people - students 'with aptitudes for academe endeavours, sports, music, drama, art and perhaps many more areas :yet unexplored. It is also plain that given some reason to be enthusiastic, Goderich and area youth can'be among the most zealous and interested' young people in the country. It is true that Goderich and district's greatest assets is the youth. If they cannot be kept herein rewarding fields of their choice, then -at` -least this community should work to export young people 'whose excellence is tlnequalied. GDCI and its feeder . schools are ' doing a creditable job of turning out graduates with ° a high degree of maturity and ability. Unfortunately, the achievements of only a few graduates from GDCI are presently recognized in a tangible expression of the community's pride in their efforts. A quick check of the high schools in ' Exeter, Clinton and Seaforth _will reveal that Goderich±s list of locally sponsored, scholarships, bursaries and prizes falls far behind. In Exeter, for instance, two scholarships valued at more than $2,000 each are given to the top boy and girl in the graduating class going 'on to higher learning. In Seaforth, through a generous gift of the rate Bruce Scott, every Year 5 student going on to university receives $500. As well, there are about 13 bursaries worth $100 each offered at Seaforth to graduates for proficiency in various subjects made possible through a gift of the late Miss Elizabeth Scott. In Clinton, over $1,300 is available in scholarships to Year 5 graduates in- cluding the W.D. Fair awards which also provide attractive incentive to students in ,Years 3 and 4. Perhaps not enough effort is made pn the part of GDCI department heads and other staff -to. seek out scholar- ships,. bursaries and other prizes. for" their students. It may be necessary to actually go out into the community to solidi4 service clubs, industries, businesses and .private individuals with money or merchandise to donate to deserving young graduates of GDCI each year during the annual com- menc.em.ent ceremonies. It should be the goal of .this munity to support and encourage scholastic achievement as well . as participation in all school activities, - particularly among GDCI graduates who .w i t l soon go forth as ambassadors of Goderich and district. ,One of the. most meaningful methods by which to stimulate the kind of involvement is through gifts of hard cash .and prizes. Consider itnow - in time for this year's commencement in September. -SJK Prevention is best There are now two regular- Family° Planning Clinics in Huron County - one in Exeter and one in Clintbn. Sad to ,say, the purpose of these clinics is often, misunderstood by some Huron citizens who may feel they encourage promiscuity among young people. Nothing could be further, from the truth. The Family Planning Clinics serve people of all ages - not just teenagers looking for contraceptive devices. They are designed to help • young mothers space their children for emotional, physical and. economical well-being; they provide advice to young' married women without children who would like to become pregnant;, they counsel, on_ occasion, couples with 'specific problems related to family planning;. they offer all types of service and information -tomarried and single women related to family planning and gynecology. Work with young people, even very , young teenagers, is indeed a large part 'of the service. But it` must be clearly understood that while contraceptives are available (in some cases free of charge) to young girls, they are not dispensed without adequate coun- selling and investigation. Qualified medical and counselling staff is always available to talk, to advise, to guide, to suggest, to solve problems which may seem insurmountable to young people. Only after, ,lengthy discussions and careful assessment of individual needs is a decision° reached to hand out -a contraceptives to ' young women 16 years of age without parental' consent: • In this sense, Family Planning Clinics are merely facing up to the niodern . truth that more and more - young people are sexually involved at an earlier. age. Their objective here is to provide ,a calm, unbiased ear for youngsters .who can't or won't talk to their parents or guardians; to en-' courage sexual respons'Sility; and prevent pregnancies in unmarried, immature young women. Figures are available 'which. will 'dramatically., attest to the fact that millions of dollars are spent annually on abortions, legal and illegal.''In this ,regard, most p-eople are generally agreed that prevention of unwanted pregnancies -is a much more sensible. approach " than • to terminate pregnancies and wrestle with a decision of an even more rt'traun atic nature. Family planning clinics under -score this common belief. That's a 'positive step for any ,community to encourage ' and-. to support.—SJ K C ongrats A huge tip of the hat this week to all the generous people in Goderich and area who put the local cancer ' cam- paign for funds over the top. Ross McDaniels, campaign chairman -for Huron County, said this week that Goderich and district's objective of $7,000 was met and surpassed with $8,426 being turned into ,headquarters in Clinton. Mr. McOaniels said that similar successful campaigns in Wingham and Clinton helped the, Huron County Unit of "the Ontario Cancer Society to reach 102 percent of their objective - the goal for Huron was $29,800; the money raised amounted to $30,359. .. To all the people of Huron County - especially those who -supported the 'local solicitation for donations - a hearty "thank, you". Cancer is a dreaded disease but it can be beaten. Every day, because of ' the gifts, of people just like those in Goderich and area - cancer researchers are moving closer and closer town answer and a cure. There is hope - and there is reason to be hopeful. Congratulations everyone! —SJK vr�ic,eo c..ncui AtICI v afjc eoaerich SIGNAL -STAR —0— The County Town Newspaper of Huron —0— Founded In 1848 and published every Thursdayit Goderich, Ontario, Member of the CWNA and OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance 610.00 In Canada, $11.50 In all coun- tries other than Canada, single *copies 25 cents. Second clan mall Registration Number 0718. Adver- tising le accepted on the condition tnet, in the event of typographical error, the advertising space oc- cupied by the erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for stgnature, will not be charged for but the Deistic* of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable tate. in the went. of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or service may not be 'Did, Adtifrtising Is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time, The Signal -Star Is not respon- sible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. . rlr'Utin lss and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 524.8331 *NM code 510 Malting Address: P.O. $O)( 120 dindsrlch Wit* mall r igi'slratlon number -0116 Published by Signal -Star Publishing ttd. ROBERT G. SHRIER--president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER--editor JEFIr SEDD0N—editoriak,staff DAVE SYl tS--•editorial' staff EDWARD J. BYRSKI---advertisiiing manager DAVE R. WILLIAMS--advertising representative 9 t..TEi(1LL votsn'T stirs ID SE iiDMSELf 1bVAY GESS WHAT 1 MADE'WITN MN' ,CHEMISTRY SIT, DAD?. DEAR READERS The subject of the nation's health is a favorite topic for discussion both , in this • newspaper and 'almost every publication in the country. That's understandable too, I suppose. Everyone is con- cerned about health. Now the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is getting .in on the act. That organization has submitted a brief to the Hon. Marc Lalonde,,. Minister of National Health and Welfare, urging an intensive promotion of health alnd physical fitness programs, especially. c centrating on young people' The Chamber believes $;tba developing- an .aggressiv physical 'fitness policy in the schools of the nation, with an emphasis on fitness skills which can be continued after graduation, would be mast beneficial to the health of Canadians in the years to come. On the giiiestion of efficiency of health ',care services, the Chamber . endjrsed the government's . proposals for greater research - both medical research and research as to the system for delivering health care services. But the"Chamber called for .a high ,priority for research on the system ' for delivering services, and made three additional suggestions: that there be more co- ordination of research in Canada; that there be better dissemination of research results Aso that they 'will more often be applied at the level of the practicing doctor; and that there be more „ shared in- ternational research. Very wisely, the Chamber noted in its brief that resources - human as well as, -financial - are not unlimited. They urged the government to establish some priorities such. as broadening the definition of health beyond the mere ab- sence of disease or infirmity; assessing ratios of health resources employed to results obtained; and establishing co- ordination withother countries, especially in research. The Chamber was probably speaking for all Canadians. when it acknowledged that "Canadians would not tolerate a reduction in personal health care"." At the provincial level, there is some concern in Ontario that "personal health care" ser- viaes may be so altered that people will be totally dissatisfied with it. The now famous Mustard Report leaves one wondering whether the valuable ,doctor -patient relationship 'will be further deteriorated by the plan if it was put into effect. Sometimes you really cannot improve on a good thing. And in my opinion, it is very difficult to <improv9, on the way things used to be .... whenyou went to see. the doctor° of your choice, told'him your problem, had an on -the -spot examination plus in -the -office lab work and received your prescription from the hands' of that same n those rases, the Actor was '.ent'rally a family friend who inl'w your iittlo quirks. He had your complete confidence because you felt he was genuinely interested in you. Maybe you waited an hour or so to see him, but you didn't have to make a stop at the hospital' for blood work or at the drugstore for medication after you left his office. It was all done at the doctor's office .... .and you went. home feeling satisfied and content. • If the Mustard Report was implemented in Ontario, even the doctor -patient relationship, 'as we now know it will be li.reatened. T,heeri s, ,,a great 'Meat of doubt wheth t%, patients wodld ha�yetthe sane ichoice of doctor er the same personal contact with their doctor that is stilt possible today. And faith in the doctor is not just a small part of the cure as we all know. There is much good con- tained in the' Mustard Report ... such as making wider use of the. nursing profession in the whole field of health care. When one thinks about, it, these medical professionals as well as other health care workers, could truly handle more of the responsibility for health ser- vice. ' But still, there is a special relationship between the doctor - and the patient which must be honored at all costs. It is irreplaceable. + -1- -I- At the county level now, • health care is getting the once- over as a Huron -Perth district health coupcil is in the "delivery" stage. At this point, a"steering committee is making ready to study the health care scene here and make recom- mendations as to the mem- bership on a proposed district health council. .But it seems fair to say that Huron County Council and , Perth County Council as well are far from sold on the idea of a corrabined district health council. 'rhe Bayfield reeve Ed Oddleifson made a strong point when he asked the health ministry's representative at the' last meeting of Huron County Council about the sanctity of numbers". Reeve Oddliefson was most sincere when he asked Stephen Skorcz why a minimum population base of 100,000 was so necessary in the government's eyes, to the formation of a district health council. -• Mr. Skorcz was, of course, filled with the usual govern- ment stock phrases which taken in total mean very tittle more than "Toronto decreed it and it will be thus". There really didn't seem to be an adequate answer to Mr. Oddleifson's question except perhaps that Toronto needed a "broader scope" of study than would be possible 'in an area with fewer people's opinions and needs to consider. It was made very clear by Mr. 'Skorcz throughout' his presentation that the gover- nment ,would not force any C(tI$'ty into, .a district health c OUflci I....., but it was just as ��� Ident khat raoI ody w�15 too . ready to aCcept that statement at face values in fact, 1).cpltty•re'eYe Bill 9 • 'Clifford of Goderich ' asked a very . pointed question about just that statement. -He asked what the implications were if. the County of Huron decided not •to form a district health council with Perth County. The answer he got was veiled in the: normal gobbly-gook of politicians and their aides, but what Mr. Skorcz was trying to say (I think) was that counties or areas outside- a district health council would not be furnishing the input into the Ministry of Health, would tb refore.not be -as valuable to. the Ministry of Health .... and wouldprobably (this is myown conclusion now) not qualify for the same generous grants as those counties or areas within a district health council. No pressure, Mr. Skorcz? + + + Goderich Township Reeve Gerry Ginn is a pretty thoughtful man. He's a progressive ,thinker .... Huron County style. As far as Gerry is concerned, the moveto a district health council for Huron and Perth should be more gradual. In Gerry's opinion, it is too much to expect 15 people from Huron .,and Perth counties - especially It people who are presently on. the fringes of any involvement with health care at all - to sit down together, and assess all the various heath d, health- related services i the two counties and come up with any reasonable plan for co-' ordination of those services. At ,least notforseveral years. Gerry Ginn told Mr: Skorcz that a much wiser course of action would be to pull all the health and health-related services in Huron County together,,, first (Reeve Oddliefson suggested this could be done through the present hospital boards). The goal Bg Shirley JA Keller would be to assess, services here; to co-ordinate services.; to outline priorities. I. suspect Gerry feels the same type of activity would be taking place in Perth County si mu ltaneously. In the interim,' the provincial government might just see - as Reeve Oddliefson predicts . that given the responsibility and the authority,to go with 'i Huron County would show the government "a district health council that r=eally works". If not, Reeve Ginn suggests amalgamation of Huron. and. Perth into. a district health council could take place ... with a sound and -experience base from which to work. Mr. Skorcz then ' said an iin- teresting but predictable thing: "I don't say you're incorrect but I don't think it's the 'directio'n the' Ministry is looking at the presenttime," he told Reeve Ginn. To put it more ,plainly, the provincial Ministry of Health in its wisdorri has set down a method of decentralization (or what the government 'sees as decentralization) with which it is satisfied. There.may be other ideas that -would work but the one put forward by the Ministry is the one which will be utilized unless otherwise specified. . It is understandable that the, provincial government, having` the total perspective on things, must surely have good and -.valid reasons for their .decisions. Yet after listening to ,-the debate at Huron County Council recently, one really wonders whether the provincial government readings- are all that accurate as to the real needs of the people. Or for that matter, if the people really know what their needs are? DEAR.ED.ITOR 4 Let's determine ownehip, (An, open letter to . Robert McKinley,.- MP, and Jack Riddell, MPP) 4, Gentlemen: Many of us await with in- terest your reactions, as our parliamentary represen- tatives, to last week's press and - radio announcement than Keith Homan, of Goderich, plans to request "up to $200,000", df ' government assistance to erect a marina 'on Indian Island, near the mouth of the Maitland River." • Mr. Homan is a member of the local family which has been the 'subject of much con- troversy, over the past thirty ,years, -regarding their claim to sole ownership, including water -rights, of the entire mile or so of sand beach nor i of th"e Maitland's mouth, both shores , of this river up to the CPR ' bridge, and the • above- mentioned Indian Island. They ' have rigorously en- forced their claims with padlocks, "No Trespassing" signs, and . threats' of prosecution. Right-of-ways and roads, she, wn on early maps as public, have been blocked off. Colborne Township and Huron County officials have shown a deplorable "count -me -out -too" 'attitude towards getting in- volved. The net result has been that Goderich residents, plus thousands of summer visitors crowd into the -few . rods of always -polluted and often sewage,str , n south -pier beach. To tl Unorth, the beach is usually desert You probably .recall, a few years ago, the confrontation between Dr. Frank Mills, then mayor of Goderich, and Mr,, and Mrs. Ben Homan, when br, Mills was attempting to open a� (eontinaed on page 6) LOOKINO BACK 75 YEARS AGO The water works .chimney is near completion and when finished should make an ex- cellent - tower for a harbour light should a 2000 -watt electric light be placed there. After next week it will be legal to catch.bass, so it should ' be time to get your worms and leeches ready. The tug Marlon, now 'building, is finished outside up to the rail. A full view may now be had of her lines. In our opinion she is one of the finest craft ever built in this harbor. Her machinery seems to be the latest and .of sufficient power that she ought to be able to set a record on her trial trip. She should be launched in a few days, but there, will beno ceremony ' as there have been., with other.boats this years. ' The Star.is still exercising its political beliefs. Mr. J.T. Garrow, whom the courts declared,' quite falsely was 'illegally elected MPP for, Huron West stated at the Dungannon Liberal Convention that "whateverwrongdoing was done by the Liberals in the last election was learned from the Tories." The Signal replies, "Perhaps he will explain from whom he and his Grit friends got the trick of .keeping J.T. Linklater ' out of reach of a summons for so many mon- ths." Several ballots were stolen in several Huron elec- tions, yet'the men charged with the theft deny any knowledge of . it on t.he,.witness'stand. 60'YEARS AGO The Canadian courier is out for a three -cent, stamp to take the place of the two stamps that are 'necessary since- the imp- sition of the war tax. 'The Canadian courier says, "We are all willing to put in as much time as possible to 'lick' the Germans, but why fritter away our energies licking postage stamps when the government ,p can make it easier and cheaper?" The Sarah Gibney Co. closes a two week engagement at the Victoria Opera House on Saturday evening with a- per- formance of "Uncle Tom's Cabin". It will also be shown at 230 Saturday. On Friday evening the . thrilling play "Monte Christo" will be produced. The company has put on a very interesting series of plays in a creditable style. Although the houses have ''not been ' large it is not because of .lack of appreciation of the company, but because of the many calls that are being made now upon people's purses. Goderich theatre -goers hope to v have thecompany here again soon under more favourable' conditions. - ' Thequestion. of holding elections on New Year's Day may now be. considered by every municipal council previous to the fifteenth of November, the latest date on which a bylaw can be passed for that date. The nominations would be on December 23 and elections on January 1. If either day is a Sunday, the following day is substituted. 5 YEARS AGO Goderich ' council last week accepted a tender of $20,000 for Victor Lauriston Public School from a firm in London 'who will erect a large apartment building on the site. It was to be saved and used as a, 'youth centre. Allan Schade, chairman --- of the Goderich Youth Centre Board rstated that the job of finding a new youth centre rested with council. Coun. Dave Gower was 100 percent in favor of the young people having a youth centre but could not see ,the town turning down $20,000 for the old building. Council had earlier rejected a bid by the Goderich Youth Council for use of the school up until Sept. 15 fearing delay would lose the town the tender price. Dr. G.F. Mills pointed out that ,the subject under discussion was whether the young people were to have use of the building or not, and that the tender was part of the discussion. By vote there were seven in favor of the ` tender arld three opposed. Several specials are on this week at local grocery stores. Bread is 20.cents a loaf, wi ere are 59 cen s apotind an tt ree dozen oranges are 97 cents. Goderich), Council last Thursday approved a •,capital expenditure of $10,000 for rertovatians to Judith Gotderha Park swimming pool. Th ' project was vetoed last mon by council during budgetd cussions and became posslhlts{?when council learned that ori County Board of Educe' would need $12,000 less t aske1& for in April.