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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1981-12-23, Page 4PAGE 4 --CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23,1981 ark The Clinton Newe./lacori la published each Thursday at P,0. eon St, Clinton. Ontario. Canada, MM p1®. T®I,: 4122-394.1. Sekscrlpt0on Rate: Canada -'OM Sr. Citizen - 98.110 per year U.S.A. & foreign •'8x.20 per yeaar It Is registered as second clasp mall by the peat office under the permit number NO. The Neetallacord Incorploreted In 9121 the Nuron Naama-R*cord. founded In 18119. Brad The Clinton Nets Na, founded In INS. Total press run 8.3Se. Clinton News -Record A MEMBER JAMES E. FITZGERALD - Editor SHELLEY McPHEE-HAIST - News Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager HEATHER BRANDER - Advertising MARGARET L, GINE - Office Manager MARY ANN HOLLENBECK - Subscriptions @i sur a lo MEMBER plepley advertising ratea available on request- Axa for Rate Card, No. 12 effective Oct. 1, teat. Don't blame the weather Winter weather gets the blame for o lot of accidents. But, according to the On- tario Safety League,the real culprit in most cases is the driver who fails to adjust to cold weather problems. Here are some of the causes of winter wrecks and the defensive driving measures used to avoid them. "Too fast for conditions is all too frequently listed as an accident factor. When the road is slippery you can't stop as quickly or as safely. Lower your speed when the road surface is hazardous. The Ontario Safety League states that you should stretch your following distance to even double or triple the usual road interval. Abrupt turns, lane changing and sudden acceleration or deceleration can cause bad skids on ice and snow. Anticipate turns or speed changes and make them slowly and gradually. Limited visibility is a, major problem. A driver who scrapes only a little peephole in his ice -covered windshielf isaskingfor it. Clear your windshielf com- pletely of ice and snow and keep it that way. Also, scrape outside mirrors dear. Be sure your defroster is in good shape. Poor traction has caused many a crackup. Check tread wear on your snow tires and keep them inflated correctly. Tire inflation should be checked more frequently during the winter months to be sure pressures are at recommended levels; cold weather reduces tire pressure approximately one pound every 5 degrees celsius drop in temperature. There's only one trick to winter driving, according to the Ontario Safety League... take it slow and easy, frornr start to stop! Council has a battle As members of county council listened to the candidates for warden speak before the election, they were told that times were tough. Both candidates, Howick Township Reeve Harold Robinson and Goderich Township Reeve, Grant Stirling, told colleagues the toughest problem facing the council was that of inflation. Inflation affects everyone and while it puts . a strain' on personal budgets, homeowners and families must adhere to strict budgets. Costs must be cut in cer- tain areas to live within that budget. says the Goderich Signal Star. The same can apply to government spending. With prices rising relentlessy council must take the initiative to trim budgets where necessary. The county has done a good job of that in recent years and the increase in the county requisition has been modest. The council has been trimmed in recent years, with deputy -reeves taken off the roster. The move hasn't seemed to alter the efficiency of government on that level and it has also saved the taxpayer money. These days, the word inflation is on everyone's lips and certainly it should be on the mind of governments, regardless of the level. While the warden was cautious to mention that he wasn't sure what could be done about inflation, a decent effort would suffice. Cost cutting without chopping essential services is not an easy task and ultimately someone does suffer to some extent as a result. But as long as government is committed to a certain measure of restraint, it is at least taking a responsible approach with the money of the tax- payers of the county. And restraint does not mean government is Tess efficient or tan accomplish as much, says the Signal -Star. A policy of restraint, as advocated by the warden, is merely a commitment to the public that funds will be used wisely and items will be prioritized and phased when necessary. Following the swearing-in ceremony, County Judge F.G. Carter, told council that times are not as tough as those experienced in this country dur- ing the depression adding that council certainly had the capacity to do something about the present situation. While the task may feel like a heavy burden as county council enters a new year, it can easily be dealt with at each committee meeting and each general council meeting. The little things add up. Snowy window decoration remembering our past. 5YEARSAGO December 30, 1976 About 250 guests from across Huron County met at the Vanastra Community Centre on December 17th to honor Elgin Thompson, the retiringreeve of Tuckersmith Township. He is retiring at the end of December, following 20 years on Tuckersmith Council, the' last 15 of them as reeve. The 70 -year-old Tuckersmith far- mer served for nine years on the former S.S. No. 3 school board as well. 10YEARS AGO December 30, 1971 Allan Howes of Clinton last week was voted the most valuable player in the Holiday Festival Hockey Tournament, at Madison Square Gardens New York. The senior at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York played his minor hockey in Blyth, Clinton and Goderich before going on to the U.S. on a hockey scholarship. Hullett Central School was filled on December 20th when the pupils presented their Christmas program under the direction and supervision of teachers and staff. Principal Mr. McKay welcomed all and Paul Gibbings was the master of ceremonies with Mrs. Allan Bosman as pianist. Wayne Lyon gave accordian selections. 25 YEARS AGO December 27, 1956 Friends, neighbors and relatives gathered for a surprise party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Baird of RR 1, Brucefield on Saturday evening December 22, to mark the silver anniversary of their hosts. Progressive euchre was enjoyed by all. The lovely modern home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Grigg of Queen Street in Clinton was the first prize winner in the Home Christmas Decorating Contest. Biblical scenes depicted on two of the large livingroom windows of the Grigg home were highlights of the decorating scheme, and of course, 'Rudolph leading the rest of Santa's deer gained a lot of attention. Moose burgers proved surprisingly popular at the Epps home on Christmas by Jim Fitzgerald a look through the news -record files Eve. Prepared especially for the occasion, they had an eager sampling crowd and serving went on from five o'clock well on into the night. Billed as "Phine's Filharmonics," members of the mixed brass and string orchestra, was intended to be a comedy routine. However, under the expert leadership of Miss Cathy Haig the band turned out to be quite acceptable in amateur music circles and a joy to those attending the commencement at CDCI. The band members include Fred Lobb, Ken Magee, Ross Crich, Gordon Johns, Victor Denomme, Frank McCowan and Larry Powell. 50YEARSAGO December 31, 1931 The heavy rainfall of last week caused the river to rise rapidly and the unusual flow swept away the temporary bridge over which traffic for some months past has been detoured, while the new bridge spanning the river at the southern ap- proach to Clinton on No. 4 highway is under construction. On Monday, Mr. Higgins, inspector of applicants for work on the government road in the north, arrived in town to in- spect the men who were volunteering for the work. Their destination being somewhere west of Fort William the men leaving are: Wm. Inkley, E. Walton, Stewart Md3rien, Wm. Watkins, Robt. Lavis, Bert Gliddon, Bert Fremlin, Asa Deeves, Wm. Glazier and Fergus Carter. 75 YEARS AGO December 28, 1906 Tradesmen of all sorts say that Christmas business was splendid, and they have no reason to complain. The sleighing was as good as any we are likely to have this year, while the clear air was stimulating. Christmas day was an ideal the readers Special thanks Dear Editor: A few yeas ago Meals on Wheels was organized in the Clinton hospital to help needy people. Everyday from Monday to Friday, the needy people receive a hot meal at noon. "Who is delivering this? Believe It or not, the voluntary ladies and gentlemen are doing this job. What nice people they are. They have a lot of feelings and un- derstanding toward needy people who are sick or advanced in age. It is not an easy job in wintertime and the cost of gas is so high today. We appreciate from the bottom of a hearts what they are doing for us. Sincerely, Frank Floskowic z, Clinton. one, not being too cold for comfort, cutter riding and skating forming the chief pleasures in town, while family gatherings were in evidence everywhere. The necessity of having music at the skating rink has been met by the use of the merry-go-round organ. It is a good sub- stitute for something better. The Christmas Tree entertainment on Monday evening at Turners was largely attended by young and old and a very enjoyable evening was spent. The proceeds amounted somewhere in the neighborhood of $15. 100 YEARS AGO December 30, 1881 A reward of $5 will be given for the first victim in the new Bayfield lock-up. On Friday evening last our butchers made their usual display of Christmas ;Heats, as farasquality was concerned, we are bound to say would be a credit to some of our cities. Messrs. Couch and Emmerson had their shop beautifully illuminated and decorated. They had on exhibition a heifer fed by themselves, two steers, one cow, five pigs, one sheep and five lambs. They also showed a large wild duck, rabbits, poultry, geese and sixteen turkeys weighing on an average about 12 pounds. Geordie Sampson, the veteran tramp printer, was in town this week looking up a "job." Geordie seems in need of some necessary comforts of life. Active family Sometimes, when my family gets par- ticularly active, another word for manipulative, I wish I were a crusty old bachelor, living in a shack up north somewhere, smoking my pipe, reading my old favorites, communing with nature, and quietly and philosophically facing the only sure thing in this world: death. These moods don't last long, and they are not indicative of deep depression. I'm not a wrist -slitter or a pill -taker. I'm just a poor old guy, slogging away at his daily chores, Caught in the web of a nutty fami- ly. My daughter, after eight years of alter- nating between having babies, collecting degrees, and moving from one sleazy place to another, seemed to have reform- ed. A little over two years ago, she got a job, teaching in Moosonee, one of the armpits of Cana:.. But the money was good, she enjoyed her work, and she swore, "I'm never going to be poor again." That sound- ed pretty good to me, having bailed her out on hall a dozen occasions and spent a good- ly few thousand on tuition fees, living ex- penses, baby presents and such. She was offered a department head's position, ac- cepted it, and seemed ready for another. year in the north. Three weeks later she informed us that she was quitting the teaching game, mov- ing to Hull, Quebec, and looking for a job. Three months later, she's poor again, and hasn't a job. That's about standard in our family. My son is equally impervious to the fact that we live in a capitalist society. Perhaps that's not quite accurate. But he doesn't exactly ooze with the work ethic. He's not afraid of work, but he's an idealist. That_ and 40 cents, will buy a cup of coffee in this country. o. At present he works two nights a week as a waiter in a classy restaurant. Makes good money, but working more at that would cramp his other life. On the side, he treats people with reflexology, a type of rnasage, at $25 a rattle. So he's not broke. But he rents a piano, takes lessons in music composition and jazz, and recently forked out $500 for a course in healing people. All he wants is about ten thousand bucks to go back to Paraguay, buy some land, build a centre for the dissemination of Ba -Ha -i and healing by natural methods. When he has money, he blows it. Expen- sive gifts (to his parents) long-distance calls, but buys his clothes at second-hand shops. Recently gave us a beautiful book, and a week later applied (to us) for a $300 loan interest '.o be paid. He was "a little short" Only after the cheque was written and gone did we find out what for: to visit an old friend in a hospital in New Jersey. I wept a little, but not for long. I'm insured. One thing about Hugh. He brings us in- teresting guests. The last one was a diviner, 84 years old, as spry as a cricket, end full of either super -sensitivity or you - know -what_ This octogenarian's name is Campbell. I never got his second name because he never stopped talking of divining. He'd brought his divining -rod with him, and went dowsing around the house. He discovered that there were six streams flowing under our house, sending off radia- tion that was making my wife insomniac. Immaculately dressed, he'd flop on the floor in his expensive grey flannel suit, assure us that you had to sleep with your head to the east, leap up, and do some more dowsing. Claimed he could find water, minerals (oil for all I know). Then he and Hugh went out and pounded stakes into the ground atestrategic spots around the house, to destroy the radiation (I think) . Campbell was in both world wars, slogg- ed it out on a prairie farm in the depres- sion, worked in mining, and is all set to take off with Hugh for Paraguay, "just for the hell of it-" He's a little deaf,in one ear, a little blind in one eye, and just plain lit- tle, about five feet six. But he's full of ginger and has more interest in life than the average 16 year old. Then, of course, there's my wife. Time and again she has laic' it en the line: "Ne more money to those kids. They've been bleeding us for years." Then comes a woeful phone call or a down -m -the -mouth letter, and all her resolution flies out the window. Or down the phone line. She thinks nothing of $100 a month long-distance bills, when the "kids", 34 and 30, need help. Last weekend she phoned my daughter three times, told her she was coming to visit, to take her out to dinner, to take her to a super hairdresser, and to buy her a new wardrobe. Then she asked me if I could scratch up a grand. And I don't mean a grand piano. We have one of those. And yet I hope she carries out her pro- mises (threats?) It would be worth a cool thousand, which I don't have, to get the old lady off my back for a week, buck up my daughter's morale, improve the grand - boys' manners, and crash the daughter in- to a job as head of the CBC or something, which my wife is not incapable of doing when she gets rolling. Just today comes a letter from a nephew in Costa Rica, telling me his mother's estate is still not settled, even after my in- tervention, and that he thinks he's being screwed by a Toronto lawyer, who refuses to answer the boy's letters. So I have to dig into that one and do some bullying or threatening. My Uncle Ivan is still the patriarch of the family, at 90. They say I look just like him. I don't want to be the patriarch of the family. I just want to be a crusty old bachelor, etc., etc_ odds 'n' ends Christmas Day 1901 No one slept much last night_ The parents were up late preparing for the day ahead_ The children were just too excited to sleep, even Bob thought he was too old to admit he was looking forward to another Christmas as much as the younger ones. When Edward, Sally, Ben and Theresa ripped down the stairs and peeked around the parlour door in the morning, they weren't disappointed. The four red stock- ings, hung on the fireplace, were bulging. Santa had emptied the plate of ginger- bread cookies they had left for him. In their place, he filled each stocking with packets of butterscotch wafers and handles of licoiriice sticks There were practical things, too - a lead pencil and an eraser for the older children for school; crayons for the younger children; and a pair of socks and warm knitted mittens for each of them. In the heel of each stocking was stuffed a huge orange_ The orange made a special Christmas breakfast treat after a steanning bowl of hot porridge. Mother insisted they needed a nourishing breakfast to keep them warm on the long sleigh ride to church. After breakfast. everyone scurried into their finest Sunday clothes and bundled up in coats, scarves, hats, mitts and boots. Mother and the younger children huddled under a buffalo robe in the -sleigh with hot bricks at their feet. The buffalo robe was a prized gift from Papa's father. The drive to the church in the Village took three-quarters of an hour, but no one minded. It was a beautiful morning. A light snow was falling, and the bells on the team's harness rang merrily. The children passed the time by singing carols and try- ing to guess what presents were waiting at home for them. Every pew in the church was filled_ The children tried, but it was hard to concen- trate on the minister's message. They did enjoy singing the carols, though, and wat- ching the candlelight flicker on the rough wooden cross at the front of the church_ When the service was over, they headed home again waving and shouting "Merry Christmas" to all their friends. The drive home seemed to take an eternity. Excite- ment mounted with every smile. At last they were all gathered in the parlour, and Papa was handing out the gifts. Emily's eyes shone when she opened the new dress Mother had made for her. It was pale blue, cotton with a satin bow at the waist. She had never worn a dress so pretty. She understood little Theresa's squeals of delight when she opened the wax doll that seemed so lifelike. Emily remembered how she felt when she got her doll. Bob had made good use of the jackknife Papa had given him last Christmas. He whittled a wooden horse for Ben and a train for Edward. When Bob opened the hammer with the strong wooden handle and the quarter pound of nails, Papa could tell he was already planning what he could build. As usual, Mother and Papa were the last to open their gifts. They always took pleasure in watching the youngsters open theirs first. Mother was delighted with the wooden glove box that would sit on her dresser and the linen hankerchiefs with the lacy edges_ Papa said the plaid flannel shirt would keep him good and warm for the winter. Emily helped her mother clean up the wrapping paper from around the tree_ Then she rushed upstairs to try on her new dress. The younger children played with their toys in the parlour, while Bob disap- peared - no doubt looking for pieces of scrap lumber. Papa stoked up the fires in the parlour and the kitchen. Mother would spend the rest of the day in the kitchen preparing the Christmas feast for her family and the guests that would soon arrive. 1 •