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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1983-12-14, Page 4PAGE 4—CL1NTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1983 The Clinton Stuart -81e cord go pobliohod meth Illkeineettliay et 2.0. Sam 39. Clinton. Ontario. Canada. 511.0119 US. Tci.: 402-3443. Subocriptio,e Totts: Canada - 419.79 Sr. gigaton - 014.79 per year af.S-tB. foreign - 099.00 per year Of Oe registered es second class avail by Ma pout office nouveau, the permit number 0017. The Rgevro-&ocord incorporated On 1924 the Huron Hours-Deettrd, founded an 1)41, cud The Clanton Blears arc. fonndc d On 1409. Total prose runs 3.700. Incorporating THE BLYTI STANDARD) Jo HOIIWAR ITIKEN - Publisher SHELLEY MitPHEE - Editor GARY HALO - Advertising M®nogor MARY .NN HOEUENBECII(- Ontice Manager MEMBER Display advertising rates avalleble on request- Ask for Date Cara. No. 11 effective. Octobeer 1, 1903. It pays to buckle up A MEMBER Legislation requiring children to buckle up may be a relatively new law, but statistics are already proving its worth. A two-year study undertaken by the League of General Insurance Company in Michigan has shown that children who have been secured in safety seats suffer fewer injuries in traffic accidents. In the study, the insurance company offered its policyholders with children under the age of four, a free infant or child restraint. The results were outlined to the Ontario Safety League and the Family Practices Services of the Toronto General Hospital. Results showed that from June 1979 to June 1981, injuries due to car accidents in the test group children declined by 45.7 per cent compared to the 24 -month period immediately preceding the study. The injury rate among children reported in safety seats at the time of an accident was 5.7 per cent, in contrast to 12.5 per cent for unrestrained children in a control group taken from the general public. None of the injuries sustained by restrained children required medical attention, while 28 per cent of injuries suffered by children not in safety seats were more serious, one resulting in death. The study also showed that parents were more likely to consistently use children's car safety equipment when it was available at no chdrge, or for a small rental fee. Programs like the safety seat rental service at the Clinton Public Hospital help to support this concept of low-cost infant restraints. The service is well used, but unfortunately the hospital is unable to provide enough safety seats to meet the need. While low -costs programs like this are ideal for a family, parents must not ignore the child restraint legislation beta e of the cost of purchasing safety seats. The price tag on a child safety seat is surely minimal when compared to the price of an innocent young child's life. -by S. McPhee Worth quoting "There are a lot of technocrats lined up in front of computers that continue to vomit out new directives on reams and reams of paper." William Manning of Blyth uttered those words in criticizing "the government bureaucracy" within the London region of the Ministry of Natural Resources. Mr. Manning is a member of the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. Complaining about the inactivity of his fellow authority members, Mrs. Mann- ing said: "Some sitting here are like deadwood. They never ask questions." Whether or not Mr. Manning is justified in his comments, we cannot say. What is clear is that Mr. Manning doesn't pull his punches - and that, where warranted, is a quality to be admired.—from the St. Marys Journal Argus. Behind The Scenes By Keith Roulston Universal peace For Christians and non-Christians alike, there is one element of the Christmas celebration all can support; the wish for peace on earth, goodwill toward man. And yet despite the universal craving for peace, despite the support for the ideal, peace on earth, goodwill toward men has not caught on in the 2,000 years since the words were first spoken. Even while the new religion of Christianity found new converts all over the world, peace was often sadly lacking. It is particularly sad how often arguments over Christianity itself, either with other faiths or between various sects of Christianity, have led to bloodshed. And so at Christmas 1983 Christians, and people of all faiths all over the world, are more worried than ever before about the prospect of war, a war that would not only lead to death and misery, but perhaps the extinction of the planet. It's easy to lose hope in the wake of the daily news that seems to go from bad to worse. It is sad that even so-called Christian na- tions, have not embraced the teachings of the gentle man from Galilee, teachings of forgiveness, of turning the other cheek, of not accumulating material wealth on earth, of avoiding the sin of pride. And so we have had wars over mineral riches or farmland riches. We have had wars of revenge for past misdeeds. And to- day we have two powerful nations so tied up with pride and an inability to turn the other cheek at any imagined slight that we seem to be moving ever more steadily toward war. I used to be a nationalist when I was younger. One of my proudest moments as a teenager was getting out of school on February 15, 1965 to see the new Canadian flag raised. Earlier than that, I can remember my first knowledge of interna- tional affairs were two wars, the rebellion in Hungary that the Soviets put down and the conflict in the Middle East. It was with a surge of Canadian pride I remember, that I heard Lester Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize. I recalled the Pearson years the other day and went back to read about that crisis in the Pearson memoirs. I had forgotten how close we came to a World war then too, as the worry that the Soviets and Americans might get drawn in on opposing sides grew before the Canadian delegation at the United Nations worked out an acceptable solution that saw a United Nations peace force placed between the two warring sides. For a brief period there was, just as when the original United Nations charter was signed, the hope that international action might bring peace. But national pride got in the way as it always did. Within years we went on the Cuban missile crisis and shortly thereafter the Israelis and Arabs were at war again. The only real hope for lasting peace in the world is that countries will eventually relin- quish some of their own national pride and allow for international courts and perma- nent international police forces. That, of course, would mean that nations must ac- cept, as each of us do in our private lives, that there is a set of rules that is larger than our own. Until nations are willing to relin- quish the sole right to police themselves either to the United Nations or to regional international police forces and international courts we will face the continual fear of war. Only by accepting Christ's teachings of peace at the highest levels of our nations can the hope for peace be realized. Slimmer Earth has shorter days The earth has been losing its equatorial "spare tire" and is now sporting a trimmer figure. But this slimmer earth has shorter days, says a researcher from the University of Toronto. Actually, the planet has been slimming down ever since the last ice age ended. Fifty thousand years ago, when the ice age was at its peak, the earth bulged out at the equator. The enormous mass of ice that pressed down on Antarctica and the northern con- tinents caused the land under the ice to sink and the equator to expand. (The ice that covered North America alone had a mass of 20 billion -billion kilograms. ) But ever since the ice melted, the nor- thern continents have been rising and the equatorial bulge has been shrinking. A geophysicist at the University of Toron- to, Dr. Richard Peltier, theorizes that the shrinkage of the earth's waistline is causing days to become shorter. Dr. Peltier uses the analogy of a spinning figure skater to explain why this is happen- ing. A spinning skater draws in her arms -to speed up; in a similar manner, the earth's shrinking waistline is causing the planet's rotation to speed up and faster rotation means a shorter day. — (Canadian Science News) Finishing touches by Wendy Somerville Sugar and Spice The long nights By Bill -Smiley "Morning, dear." "Hi sweetie. Did you get some sleep?" In- somnia was the big bane of an otherwise healthy life. "Hardly any. I was sick all night with a cold. Let's make the bed. You have to get away early today." It was Professional Development Day for teachers and I had 30 miles to drive. We began the bed -making. She gasped, and said, "I'm sick" and fell to het knees. I tried to lift her onto the bed, but couldn't, with only one arm useful. "I'll get you a glass of water," and I head- ed for the bathroom. I heard a heavy thud, rushed back to the bedroom, and she was ly- ing on her back, bleeding from a cut on her head, where she'd struck the sharp corner of a chest of drawers. "Did I fall? Why did I fall?" I was alarmed, but not panicky. I got a cold compress and tried to staunch the bleeding. "Stop putting your fingers in your cut it only makes it worse." She rolled over onto her face and said, "Don't leave me. Don't leave me." By this time I was panicky and spent ten minutes trying to get our doctor through an answering service, then through the hospital. I thought she was just knocked out by the blow on the head. Stupid people kept asking how old she was, and whether she was breathing. I tried to find a pulse and held a mirror in front of her mouth, but my hands were shaking so much I couldn't tell anything. I finally phoned an ambulance. The young men did everything they could, then took her to the hospital, still in her dressing - gown. I can't believe the insensitivity of hospital administration. While the medical staff was trying to save my wife, I was told I must sit down and answer a lot of ridiculous ques- tions: address, her age, telephone number, insurance number, all that garbage. Not a single personal note. I almost told the clerk to stuff it. - Our doctor appeared, a nurse took me gently by the shoulder, and I groaned, "Don't tell me. Don't." He did. I hadn't left her. She'd left me. I've always thought I was pretty tough. I shed a few leaky tears when my mother and father and brother died. During the war, I had a buddy one day and an empty bed the next. But this time I cried like a baby, despite ef- forts to pull myself together. Every time someone said a kind word, my face would crumple and I couldn't speak. Could barely get a word out. The rest of that day is a blur. I took a last look at my sweetheart, my Old Battleaxe, my constant support, my favorite bickering companion, the oft -upset mother of our children, the scolder and spoiler of our grandboys. I kissed her, touched her cheek, and wept. And wept. Took a taxi home. No jacket, just a shirt. It wasn't home. I vaguely remember people, old friends, coming in. Jeanne Sauve held my hand and stroked my head and didn't say anything foolish. Perrie Rintoul put his arm around my shoulders, insisted I eat, and made soup and peeled a banana. I had to laugh, amid my sobs, at the banana. Typical man. One of the worst ordeals was calling the kids and my wife's dear and close sister. I'd get to the phone, blurt the news as quickly hs I could, then choke up completely. I've always admired people who could cope with grief, without a lot of hysterics and sentimental nonsense. I couldn't. The Kaleidoscope next few days were spent in limbo or some such territory. I was useless. Everyone else pitched in, neighbors and friends brought vast quan- tities of food. My big sister arrived and took over, and kept things on an even keel, washing dishes until her hands were shrivelled, ironing shirts, putting things away until I still can't find anything. I did manage to hold up pretty well at the funeral home. The only problem was that all the men patted me heavily on my broken shoulder, and all the women hugged me, fur- ther increasing the agony of that wing. My brother-in-law delivered one of the finest, most honest eulogies I've ever heard. Phone calls came from all over North and Central America. Donations flooded in to a scholarship in y wife's name for piano students. Reader of my column who don't know me, nor I th m, wrote consoling let- ters. My son, Hugh, carte up two weekends in a row from the city, ju to keep me company, and did, in his od-hearted, ham-fisted way. He carefully put away in the tool -shed my old lawnmower, which had been left out to go to the dump. He shovelled the sidewalk for the first time in 18 years. And my grandboys were great. They knew what it was all about. They knew their beloved Gran was gone. They stayed out of the way, didn't fight once, and only showed their feelings by taking my hand, or curling a little arm about my neck. Broken shoulder in September. Broken heart in November. But don't worry. Shoulders heal. Hearts are just pumps. I'll survive. But it's lonely in the big, brick house. The days are very long. And the nights are longer. Ronald Reagan's not taking any changes. This week a cache of ground -to -air missiles were placed near the White House to protect President Reagan from a surprise air attack and a concrete barrier was installed to keep out terrorists. Time magazine reported that from a command and control centre near the White House, security officers closely monitor all aircraft using nearby National Airport. They have less than one minute fo decide whether to fire the missile if a plane deviated suspiciously from an established flight pattern. The metre -high concrete barricades replaced landfilled dump trucks that had blocked the gate after the White House received threats from Shiite Moselum terrorist groups. Well at least Ronnie is well protected, but what about the rest of us? + + + This Christmas many of us will give some By Shelley McPhee extra thought to the questionable future of the world we love. Perhaps we all could take some advice from the words of Henry Ford 11. "No society of nations, no people within a nation, no family can benefit through mutual aid unless good will exceeds ill will; unless the spirit of cooperation surpasses antagonism; unless we all see and act as though the other man's welfare determines our own welfare." + + + The staff at the Clinton Public School have considered others this Christmas season. Instead of holding their annual gift ex- change, staff members decided to gather money to help worthwhile causes. They were able to raise $120, half of which will go to the Clinton Public Hospital and the other half to the Family and Children's Services Christmas Bureau. + + + Yes Christmas is fast approaching and we're busy at the News -Record covering Have y firs y et;; t Editor CPR people are special people Dear Editor: A very successful Heart Save Week was held at Central Huron Secondary School last week. The week-long campaign held a three -fold purpose: 1. to spread the gospel of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to as many people as possible in the Clinton area. 2. to make people aware of the many aspects of healthy living habits. 3. to raise money to help purchase man- nequins for the Clinton CPR committee. I believe we should approach the young people, not only in the high schools, but in the elementary schools as well. We are also trying to put together a series of lessons on the hazards of smoking at all age levels. Huron County produced $250 -million in farm production last year and with the multiplier effect, this is at least $500 -million. I think the people of Huron County should have a right to expect to get CPR in their local community centres and churches. They should also have literature readily available to them regarding healthful living. People take courses ususally for their own pleasure or profit, but anyone taking CPR cannot use it on themselves. Therefore for my money, CPR people are "Special People." Wallace Montgomery, Clinton, Education Chairman Ontario Heart Foundation, Huron Chapter Aid the blind Dear Editor, Christmas approaches quickly but many destitute people Will not see Christmas this year simply because they are blind! Do you know that thousands of destitute blind peo- ple can have their sight restored by a simple 10 minute cataract operation costing no more than $20! But only if we care about their suffering. Christian Blind Mission 'can turn $20 into new eyesight. Twenty dollars pays for the cataract surgery, hospitalization and cataract glasses. Nowhere can more be done for less! This honest, efficient use of each dollar donated allows blind beggars to have their sight restored and . to become 'hard workers able to support their families. Can you imagine a poor child born blind with cataracts staying blind all his life because nobody cares enough to give him this simple sight restoring operation? Can you imagine yourself doomed to a life of darkness because nobody cares? Christian Blind Mission has worked with and for the blind since 1908 and in the last 12 months gave the gift of. sight to 105,960. destitute blind people in 91 of the poorest countries. Think of that! 105,960 blind people now able to see because we cared enough to help them. On top of all these sight restoring cataract operations, Christian Blind Mission saved hundreds of thousands ofdestitute people from going blind. Altogether, CBM gave medical and surgical help to 2,111,232 poor people through CBM eye surgeons, doctors and nurses. CBM also dispensed 146,000 pairs of glasses to people who desperately needed glasses to see properly. In Canada we receive the best of health care and we are indeed fortunate but overseas people go blind simply because of eye infections, lack of Vitamin A, and cataracts. All of these devastating eye pro- blems are so simple to remedy. I have travelled throughout these poor countries and have seen with my own eyes the indescribable joy on each person's face when they are given the gift of sight. I have seen children's faces light up in unbelievable wonder when they see for the first time in their lives. A 'little nine year old blind girl, Nooria, about to have a cataract operation asked the doctor, "What„; color is the wind?" Dr. Herbert Friesen thought about it while he examined Nooria's sightless eyes. "You know, he said, in a couple of days you will be able to see what color the wind is. I'll just do a small operation and everything will be clear and colorful." A few days later Dr. Chip Parker, one of CBM's optometrist's fit- ted Noria with cataract glasses and she saw - with crystal clear eyes the flowers, the but- terflies and her new school books. But she never saw the color of the wind! Take away this prison of darkness - give the gift of sight, the gift that lasts a lifetime and allows a person to see the sun, the moon, the trees, the flowers and all the other beau- ty that God created, God has commanded us to help the suffering in His name. Let us follow His command by giving this gift of sight. If you would like to give this extraor- dinary Christmas Gift of Sight, please send in your tax-deductible donation and any unused glasses you have to the Christian Blind Mission, P.O. Box 800A, R. R.4, Stouff- ville, Ontario, IAH 1IA. Yours on behalf of the Christian Blind Mission Int'l Art Brooker, Canadian Director. school concerts and preparing for next week's special Christmas issue. For us, Christmas means a little extra work, but it's enjoyable work. If you get a chance, do take in some of the Christmas concerts that are being held this week. One special performance that I highly recommend is Central Huron Secondary School's evening of music on Dec. 16. I had the opportunity to hear the choirs and school band play earlier this weekend quite frankly I was surprised to hear how good they ac- tually sounded. The high school drama club will also be on stage on Dec. 15, presenting their musical - comedy. The play is produced under the direction of Steve Oliver and guarantees to be very funny. + + + Mr. McTaggart of Huronview was the lucky winner in the Clinton IODE draw. He won $75 and proceeds from the draw will go to help finance the purchase of Ultra Sound equipment at the Clinton hospital. Avoid tragedy in your family It's the parents' responsibility to keep children safe, says the Industrial Accident Prevention Association. To avoid this tragedy in your family, the IAPA has these suggestions: • Keep poisonous materials well marked and out of the reach of children. • Never store materials . containing poisons near medicines or foods. • Keep cosmetics away from children - some are poisonous. • Keep all cleaning fluids and agents stored out of the reach of children. Many are poisonous. • Keep paints, detergents, polishes, medicines and especially aspirins out of reach.