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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-03-14, Page 34 • • • • CU:WO iNgW A RAGE41 .4;:7:;•tr •• """" / 7 • "7. 7 /7.2r . .54 ...:•§// . 4.4•War, ./ • from pa 2, WI t hem ifigures, were .pregantad to farroWOtiiik.,Withnfthe4Otinr4nnttyi they responfiod oagatThewomen felt that they watild be mare libeiy ..to receive drugs for • etriPti9114 PTOble-Mathan their spou,se;since moo altering drugs would be a safety hazard for men operating equipment. It disturbed the women to think that doctors would prescribe drugs for an emotional problem," Gisele Ireland wrote. ' Self worth. Despite the difficulties with stress, the survey showed that farm women feel more confident, more capable,' more fortunate and more intelligent than their urban counterparts. However, they did feel a lower degree off social standing than urban women. - The survey showed that 69 per cent of the farm_wornen,...hacL..at least. a Grade 10 Half of the women had professional careers teacliing and nursJ.ng being-thernest.poPilaroccupatiOns. • When the survey was taken, 33 per cent had off -farm jobs. The majority, 88 per cent, were bringing in, a pay cheque because of financial reasons and 96 per cent contributed their earnings t� the farm. Women working off the farm reported lower levels.of frustration, perhaps because the extra,-incorne helped tor relieve some of the financial burden. However it was also found that women working away from the' fa rm increased t he i ra lcohol consumption. The woman who remains on the farm is described in the C'FW book, "she) has no status other than "housewife," unless she is registered as a legal farm partner or is part of the corporate farm setup. She is not eligible for pay into the government pension plan unless she receives a wage and files a separate income tax return. A farm wife has no insurance coverage, other than what she personally purchases. There are no maternity benefits or maternity leave. Some of the women considered the week in the hospital to deliver' the baby, a holiday." Forty-three , per cent of the women felt that their dollar worth as a farm laborer Would be $1,001 to $5,000. and 32 per cent estimated their. value at $5,001 to $10,000. Realistically, women were not concerned with receiving wages for their efforts on the farm. • , Children Fifty-three per cent of the women who worked on .the farm took their children Beth Slumskie under 12 years old with them. Sixteen per cent had older children to care for the younger siblings, 10 per cent left the children alone in the houss, seven per cent hired sitters and four per cent left children to play in a field or the barn. Raising children on the farm was seen aS a both a rewarding and- distressing experience. Children on the farm learn about the life cycle at an early age. They hear about financing, learn about the relationship of productivity and wages and develop a sense of value. Farm children also know about work. Youngsters on a dairy farm, for instance, often help with the feeding of calves. Teenagers help in the more complicated operation of the farm and parents hope that their offspring will eventually take over the farm. Children working on the farm can also end in tragedy. Beth Slumskie can personally attest to that fact of life as one of her sons was killed in a farm accident. She stressed that farming is o4en thought Enrolment expected to drop Doris Sweiger to be a good education for children, but she warned that • farms are becoming more mechanized and are using bigger machinery. "Even the best of people can have accidents," she said. Of those surveyed, 57 per cent had children under 16 operating machinery and 74 per cent felt that they were adequately trained. However, on financially distressed farms, 61 per cent felt that their children shouldn't be operating machinery. Lack of hired help and financial pressures were estimated as caused of concern with this statistic. The good life ' Despite some of the troublingsurvey results, many of the farm women also reported that they appreciated their style of life on the farm. Country living, independence, rural values and production were reported as the most satisfying aspects of farm life. "Only 11 per cent of the women surveyed indicated a desire to leave the farm 4 even . . Less students, less_t_each,ing posittons_ Enrolment .at Huron County elementary ---:---and-secondary-sehools-for-this-September- expected to • be deown4y,L5 sthdehtsyshich will result in 10.9 less teathirig-poSitiohsl" The Huron County Board of Education ap- proved a 1984-85 teaching staff of 588 both full tithe and pill: time teachers at its March • 5 meeting. There are presently 598_9 • teaching positions in Huron's elementary and secondary schools and schools for the trainable mentally retarded. • Peter Gryseels, superintendent of person- nel, said the reduction of 5.8 teaching posi- tions at the elementary level are expected to be handled through natural attribution. This means that enough teachers may retire or • leave the Huron County school system to go to another board to make it unnecessary to• . let any teachers go. There are presently 330.8 elementary • school teaching positions. Mr. Gryseels said it is hoped that a • similar situation will happen at the secon- dary level where 7.5 teaching positions will beeliniinated for this September. If not, the superintendent said some -teachers—witbA-emperary-:-contracts—may- have to be let go: Thele are now 239 secon- dary school teaching positions. • Mr. Gryseels noted that there 'may 'be special considerations • made . regarding secondary school teachers, particularly at the smaller schools. As an example, he said if there was a small number, such as 10, of Grade 13 students at Seaforth District High School requiring a specific subject, a teacher may have to be hired to enable these students to receive their diplomas. . There, were staffing -increases • at both • schools fOr the trainable mentally retarded TMR) and student services. The TM! staff will increase by one teacher to 10.5 teaching positions and 1.4 positions will be added at the student services bringing that staff up to 17. Included in the' teaching, staff are fOur co- ordinators which will remain the same. Overall enrolment in Huron County is ex- pected to go down by 1.6 per cent or reduce from 10,029 students to 9,870. -- --- -The elementary- school figures_ show_• Thdecline of 82 stu ts, from 6,132 to 6,050 The secondary chool numbers indicat there will be a decline of 81 students from 3,829 to 3,748. , There will be an increase of four trainable mentally retarded students, from 68 to 72. • Weather March 6 7 8 9 10 1 VP 12 Snow 10 cm 1984 1983 0 -10 12 3 - 8 - 17 17 5 -11 -24 • 13 6 - 7 23 10 1 - 4 ' -23 • '5 2 - 5- -15 0 -5 -10 --23 3 6 • ,ugh 47 per cent felt they were going to lose all. or port of their farm in the • rePortconchillesk The CFW believe that the family will continue to, survive and Susan Glover wrote, "The last decade has seen tremendOtL changes for women in Canada and farn women have not been, untouched be these Yet the traditional concerns for family and farm remain in the forefront of tarn), • women's priorities. The financial crisis and .the farm women's response to it have 'eltemplified the challenges facing farm • women today. Off-farin jobs, changes in marriage and property laws, pressures from urband women's groups and new visions the women's place in the farming - enterprise are bringing new challenges to farm women. Yet the farm remains staunchly a family enterprise; husbands, wives and children all fill integral parts in the success of the family farm, still the mains lay -agrieultur4-1- EACH 'TIME YOU BUY OUR DELICIOUS 15 INCH SQUARE PIZZA *More to Enjoy • • *Easier to Share *Great Subs Tool *Other sizes to Please OPEN Seven days a week 11 am -12 midnight Open Friday & Saturday nights till 2 AM =L. "Homo of the Square Perfect Party Pizza" 28 HURON STREET CLINTON 482-3924 The future Concerned Farm Women began for the support of the family farm and will continue to work for improvement of the farming community. Already their book has sold over 3,000 copies across Canada and in the United States:. The -Feb. issue of the the United. Church Observer magazine published the first chapter of the book. In Newfounclland, the local agricultural representative has ordered 50 copies to distribute to farm women there. The survey presentation that was brought to Varna, is also a popular promotion for CFW. The Nova Scotia School of Arts and Design recently used CFW video-tapes and copies of the book for an exhibition on the use of photography to communicate a social or political issue. CFW founders Slumskie and Sweiger never anticipated this national attention when the group was first formed, but they are now determined to learn more about tho. farming industry, lobby politicans for t: improvements and inform the public, the consumer and the farmer. • They are following the Ccincerried-Farm Women creed: To learn, with concern and sincerity, To teach, with knowledge and understanding, To converse, with pride and determination. To create a better farming economy, For the benefit of families and country. More information on Concerned. Farm Women is available from Box 457, Chesley, .NOG 1LO. Huron County Warden Tom Cunningham was pictured preparing his curling stone in last - weekend's bonspiel in Vanastra. Twenty teams made up of councils from Huron and Perth counties took part in the event. 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