HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-06-12, Page 344
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Workmen were busy last week preparing the town beach near
. the south pier for the busy summer months ahead. Mountains
am 4
Gatekeeper
Dear Editor, ,)
It has always been 'a short-
cut' as long as 1 oan remember
Dear Readers
(continued from page 2)
like 8-10 thousand dollars an-
nually.
Now I know that the ad-
ministrative staff at the Clinton
office of the ,Huron County
Board of Education, the
principals of the five high
sehools, the principals of the
elerrientail'Schools throughout
Huron and all their'' tgaeherg
and department heads, are
sensitive about anyone
discussing their salary set-
tlement or taking what is
sometimes called a
"parochial" point of view, but
let's make only one comparison
here. Let's offer Sbme food for
thought.
The director of education in
Huron County is now being paid
$42,924. When he was hired in
1969 his salary was $27,000
(remember the uproar over
that?) That means his increase
in salary is almost $16,000 in
legs than six years. It means his
increases were abOiit $6,000
more than the average salary
in Huron ' in 1975. (my
estimate).
It also means that the people
of • Huron County are collec-
tively frustrated and cynical
over education in general. They
don't care about ;salary grids in
Toronto. They aeen't paid by
Toronto standards either. Not
everyone can live•in Toronto. It
wouldn't be possible' for
everyone to live in Toron-
to..lnymore than it would be
feasible for everyone to be
farmers. '
So Mr. Wells and the Ministry
of Education accords, the
teachers the right to strike. No
wonder people are shaking
their heads in unbelief. No
wonder the missing enclosure
in Mr. Wells' letter won't be
missed.'
4.0.„izm
of sand were moved in and spread across the beach area. (staff
photo)
DEAR EDITOR
to cross 'the showground -
s' „almost a part of our
heritage.
Would someone who knows
about this matter, unimportant
as it may be to those who have
not been inconyenienced,
please answer publicly this
question: Who is responsible
for the Eldon Street Gate en-
trance to the AgricUltural
Park?
More times than I can count I
have arrived there only to find
it leicked_and not because an
event was taking place, but
because whoever locked it for
the races failed to unlock
it. .this , time from Tuesday
night until Sunday. After
several phone 'calls, I
discovered that nobody knows
who is responsible..it was even
suggested that 'the town' may
have ordered it locked due to
some new Vegula tiiont • I •
'`
tf it hs'become 'Private
property', then shouldn't 'No
Trespassing' signs be posted,„
and shouldn't I be exempted
from having some of my tax
money being spent for its
upkeep? I believe in 'to each his.
own'..whether you are addicted
to• the gee -gees, or playing ,La
ball game, or walking. I don't
believe any one activity has the
privilege to impose restrictions
on another.:and lam fed up
right to here with self--
appointed who run
roughshod -ahead without
consideration for anyone else'.
What price prestige! •
ft amazes me how promptly a
gate can be closed to shut out
another, and how long it takes,
for that same gate to be re-
opened -like a 'closed shop' or a
'social -group' or an
'Agriculture Park'.
I know a little co-oPeration in,
this would be appreciated by
many of us,besiclei it's good
for public relations. ,
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Vera Chambers
Invitation
Dear Editor,
Commander Richard K.
Nesbitt, of Alresford, Hants,
who hast provided the William
Bennett Rich letters published
here, is to give a tai lc to the
Alresford HistorIcal Society on
September 17 on the old box of
letters and diaries he is
researching.
"Of course, the William
Bennett Rich letters will be a
feature of this," he writes. "If.
by any.chance any residents of
.GoderiCh 'were in England at
that time and wanted to attend,
I would make them very
welcome."
• W
e •
Small horse
Dear Editor, • •
I would like to make it known
that the female referred to as
"The. big horse of a woman",
who works at the cemetery is a
very capable and conscientious
worker. (I am 5'7' and weigh in
at 165 lbs.) Pretty small horse!
r have lived at the cemetery
for seven years and aPaied for
this job and was accepted.
I have been insulted aria' feel
that' the remark was uncalled
for, and. makes one think of
male chauvinism, for it came
from a man who seems to think
that I took the job from a man.
If I qualify and am capable, my
boss is happy and the GEN-
TLEMEN I work with agree, I
do not see why people have to
make such a remark about me
or any other woman whO is
doing a so-called man's job,.
This letter is to make it
known that I did riot take' any
one man's job from him, and
my.vieW s of this matter. '
I"am disgusted to think
anyone would make such a•
remark in a public. place.
• • - Sincerely,
Mary Chambers,
• RR 2, Goderich.
Homecoming
•
Dear Editor:
During the months of July
-and August this year the City
and County of Peterborotigh,
Ontario will be celebrating.the.,
150th anniversary of the arrival,
of the first Irish immigrants to:
the area, led by the Hon. Peter
R "nson in 1825.
ii•t: •
To celebrate this event, the
City and Countyhave organized
a giant Homecoming '75 party
and .• are inviting former
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Round
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991
•
residents of the area and
-descendants of the original
Irish - settlers to -return to
Peterborough for- the
festivities, especially during
the weeks of July 15 to August
15. 'During those fear weeks,
events such as parades,
pageants, dances, civic dinners
and muchmore will be heid.
To those former residents
and d?scendants, and all others
interested in helping Peter-
borough celebrate its 150th
anniversary, an invitation is
extended to Homecoming '75.
Further information on
Homecoming '75 may be ob-
tained by contacting the
Peterborough Chamber of
Comfnerce,4.116 Hunter St, W.;
Peterborough, Ontario.
Telephone -(705) 74U881,
C:ome to' 'Peterborough's
birthday party this summer. •-
Yours truly,
, R. Kenneth ArmStrong,
Chairman,
Homecoming '75Sornmittee
- Peterborough, Ontario
No coat yet
Dear Editor:
Re -my article 'in your May 8
paper 'concerning -the issue of
' my new ,,corduroy eoat being
completely ruined in the Royal
Canadian 'Legion, Branch 109,
Godericb. •
After waiting for a written
letter or phone call from "the
powers that.be" for ten weeks
now, it appears that they lack.
the intestinal fortitude to even,,
let me know their findings! I
am still out a new coat through
no fault of my own.
The Lcgi-on claims to make
many. donations to many
causes, how about them
making it a worthwhile project
and buy a veteran a new coat??
As a veteran pensioner, t do not
feel that I can affor,d $48.13 fpr a
coat (on sale at the •tirrie), do,
you not -agree?
I , have received iliany-phorie
calls about this incident' and
they were ALL very favorable,
thanks to your paper. I can
-assure you that some one
sure going to pay' -for this coat,
one way or another.
The Legion is supposedly a
club to help veterans, SURELY
they can do a better job of
looking after their veterans •
than they have done in my case.
ThOre are far too many
"chiefs" and not enough
Indians in this Legion, as. I was
a longime member and I
knowalong with many more
members who realize this now.
There is a. "chosen 'few" that
appear to make all the
decisions, and it sure appears
that no one had better go
against what they 'think,
whether it bebad or good,
Perhaps they will have San
Claus drop me a new coat down
the chimney, if they can get
time to 'Wrap it up instead of
arguing among themselves as
usual. Guess the Committee is
too busy counting the bar
'profits, the building fund-, etc,
'for my case.
Thank you for the space in
yotir paper, Editor. My phone
'number is still 524-7697 for any
of the non -believers.
Sincerely,
A.R. (Bert) Mohring
Reg No. A 43002
Semd your letter
• •
t'oday! -
When the last song is over. Sunny, skies and sandy beaches lured a young man and his guitar to •
St. Christopher's beach last week but there was no one to listen and music was abandoned for
au afternoon of serenity. (staff photo)
•
Irish lady would "twin!
„,
Ireland Canada Dungannons
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Signal -Star's Dungannon correspondent Mrs. Mary Bere
this week received a letter addressed to "The Editor of a
localNewspaper or any senior official, Dungannon, Near.
Lake Huron, Ontario, c anada.” •
The letter was from Mrs. Mollie Whiteside, 59 Killyman
Road, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
It reads:
+++ • ,
"I am a housewife and mother and part-time journalist.
Because I was born in Saskatchewan, I senta recent article
of Canadian memories to the Leader Post, Regina, and the
editor, in, a kind letter of acceptance, told me he had been
• raised near Dungannon, Ontario, called after the N. Irish
Dungannon -in which I now live.
"I found this most interesting and wondered whether it
would be possible, through your local newspaper, school or
church, we could TWIN our two towns. This would, I think be
of great interest to our people here, and I'm sure, to local
Canadians in yotir-part of the world. I will be very glad to
enter into correspondence with, anyOne who thinks this is a
goOd idea and wants to develop it., • '
"You -may like to have•a few details about mend my life.
My father emigrated to Canada from Belfast as a very
young man, sold tea from -a jaunting car in Winnipeg', far-
med near Aurora and finally homesteaded; on the prairie,
fourteen miles or so from Willowbunch.
"My mother, a school teacher, emigrated from Yorkshire
to help with the education of children in the new §ettlements.
They married and raised four children but in the Hungry
Thirties„ after years of drought and crop failure, we
•c -returned to my father's country. I was ten, my sister fifteen,
one brother twelve and the other nine. '
"As soon as we were old enough in the war, we all joined
the Air Force l• my, two brothers as pilots, my sister and I in
the W.A.A.F. MY elder brother, after training in Alabama,
wasrshot down over Holland and lies with his crew in the
Allied Cemetery near Eindhoven. The other brother was
posted, to Saskatchewan, training among our friends there
and serving with a certain c'.'stinction which won him the Air
Force toss, the youngest holder of this award in the whole
Air Force. He iSnow in Americayorking with Lockheeds.
'My sister married a Dungannon solicitor and has three
children, all now grown up. Her elder ,son, serving with the
"Royal Tank Regiment, has recently been transferred from
his station in Germany toMedicine Hat, Saskatchewan, on a
two-month course. We await "his return with great ex -
Ron and reggy Shaw write home
citement as he hopes to visit all the people and places we
loved.so well when we were there. We are very proud of our
. Canadian origins „
"r myself am married to a Civil Engineer -and we have one
son: aged 15. He is in the South Ulster Youth Orchestra, •
playing the violin and also plays the "piano, guitar and
ukulele. He also has great interest in wild life and plans to
study Languages in university when his school days are
over. My husband's father was Minister of Belleville
Presbyterian Church, Co. Armagh, and I am at present in
correspondence with the leader writer of a Belleville
newspaper in Ontario. My husbands father also ministered
for some years in Winnipeg and Nova Scotia, and for a short
time, my husband worked as engineer on the Hamilton dock
extension in Ontario.
"So you will see that our ties with your country are many
and very strong. My husband and I met at university after
the war.
"Our Dungannon is a small town of about 7,000 people. It
has many splendid schools; serving a wide district. My son's
school was founded in 1614 and has produced many very
famous and gifted men. During recent troubles, much of the
town itself has suffered ' grievously from bombing and
burning. Just over a year ago, we had the biggest terrorist
bomb of the whole terrible campaign, when a hijacked
postal van was filled with 800 lbs: of explosive and placed in'
the middleof our Market Square.
"However, the people are full of patience and burage and
much of the damage was repaired almost at once. Now,
hopefully, there is peace. Many pf the protective barricades
have been removed and life returns almost to normal,
though there are still police and army checks to keep us safe.
We have always found that the vast majority of our
population wish to live quietly and in friendship together.
"I hive, particularly, that the young people will try to
think riot just of their place in our small community but of
their place in the world and so, in my writing, I try to widen
their horizons - with, I feel, a certain amount of success. Also,
I have recently had a' 20- minute script accepted by..the
B.B.C.' which was a great thrill to me.. I was able to broad-
cast on Monday of this Week and there has been exceeellent
response, which makes nvery happy.
"I shall look forward to hearing about your town of
Dungannon and perhaps you could send me photograpshs. I
wilLdo the same for you and we might.exchange small news
items, articles, etc. Mollie Whiteside (Mrs.)
Life in outback is good
Another letter has arrived frbm Ron and Peggy Shaw near
Tahoua in Niger. In it, Ron recounts some of the problems
surrounding his work in building an experimental
as well as some of his private thoughts. about life in such a
-primitive part of the world. -
„Forthose who would like to let Ron and Peggy know they
are thin:cing about them, the address is: R,W,. Shaw, Service
D'Elevage, BP 81,‘Tahoua, Niger, Afrique.
- Ron writes:
+
"We've been living up_here in the outback for nearly a
._month now and havene serious complaints. We have had a
few shovers of rain already, andone real downpour, which
soaked everything we owned, but since then I have picked up
the bus I told you about and it is now installed as half our
accommodations and we can- at least get inside out of the
rain. All my hooks, papers and files are a real mess after
that storm. I can tell you,
As of this weekend we will have^ managed two weeks
work on the construction phase of the project (building
barns and. sheds ): It should have been three weeks or a little
better but I had to shut everything down andlay the men off
fin, more than a week due to a lack of drinking water,
'I had sent the driver to the pumping station (over 100
miles away) where we have to get our drinking water and on
the way back (driVing too fast) -he rolled thewater tank
trailer over and wrecked it. We took thelank off the trailer
that night, patched it up, and mounted it on the truck and
had it ready to send him off next morning again.
This time the tatik,•broke the rack and smashed the tank
valve and we lost 3,000 litres of water not 10 kilometers from
camp, Furtherrnbre'that was the day of the cloud burst and
the four ton truck got bogged in the mud ri,ght to it chassis.
-After we finally got it pulled out it took me a 'couple of
days to repair the tank, repair the trailer and reassemble
the unit again in a sort of fa.shion, Then we sent him off again
for water and this time he Made it hack to within eight
kilometers ot camp with a full load but the truck we have
proved too small to pull the three ton trailer up the hill onto
thepl 0 teat' where- thx. ranch is located, •
"Next morning we went out and dug the trailer out and got
it back on flat, firm ground but left itas 1 had th go to Agadez
to pick up my bus. Three daysloner we were back and I sent,
him out to hitch on and take the traile'r round by another
road which climbs the platenu in a series of lower hills. I.
I V,
if
wasn't .with him and he decided to try the big hill. again and
of course didn't make it. '
"Again we had to go out and dig him out and this time,
after much threatening, he agreed to go round by the other
road. That time he Made it. So finally I could „bring my men
back and get back to work. '
"Water, "as , we knew, all along, has proven to be the
stumbling block of work frig so far froth anywhere. Either we
can't manage to carry enough to camp or so much falls that
the trucks get bogged in the mud. Tomorrow he must go for
water again, rhope we have less trouble, thi§ time'.
"In total we have six very long barns, one smaller storage
barn and a .system of eight box stall type buildings to put up. •
The first two large,barns have no,w been framed and they
should finish framing the sprage barn sometime today.
Once that is done we will begirt the mud brick walls, ,
...We are running short of supplies already though and I
really don't know where I'll manage to buy enough mud
bricks (especially at this time, of year) but we're taking it a
step at a time. On paper this stage of the project is set for
completion ih early July of this year but it seems highly
unlikely we can finish it much before September - and even
at that I doubt we can really finish until after the rains when
the farm irig is finished and I can get villagers in the area to
begin making mud bricks again. I estimate we will need
"between 20 and 30 thousand and all that seem to be available
at the'Life m(i)smreenati ryr eq ab30
at gr,e0e0. a
ble up here and I' guess we're
enjoying it.
"Only 48 kilometers away there is the little market Village/
of Kao, a mud hut thwn of about 1,500 people on the shore of a
seasonal lagke, We have a missionary friend who lives there
and when we feel inclined it's only about a 20 minute drive in
the Land Rovei for an evening's visit.
-Have you ever read Henry.David thoreau (Walden in
particular)? Once you begin to live ,with the very basics -no
power. no TV., si mple food "etc. -"you begin to appreciate his
philosophy.ainot
n
n
one of the real' back -to -nature -freaks who is.4.
terribly 6clown on the way of lite we know in the West. I see
both its good and bad pointS,
On the other hand I think Thoreau had a point. It is an
excellent exercise for lid to break from that way of life for a
period of time and live basically as possible. Thoreau
(continued on page 9)
My
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