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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-05-23, Page 4Incorpe�rutln ITHE BLYTH STANDARD) Jo HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher SHE1LEY MCPHEE - Editor GARY HAIR - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HOLLENOECK - Office Manager MEMBER MEMBER 09wleyr adveylldny rotas .rail.►Ie se request. Ark fee awe Cori. No, 14 .H.calr. October 1, 1443. Family-alive and well. Despite the gloomy talk of the past two decades, the favily is still alive and well in Canada. In fact, according to 1981 Statistics Canada figures, 87 per cent of the Ontario population still live in a family situtation. Statistics Canada 19133 report that while 40 per cent of marriages do end in divorce, 60 per cent do not. Statistics also show that 75 per cent of all people who divorce, eventually remarry. May is Family Unity Month and the Ontario•governrnent's Secretariat for Social Development, says 'that, contrary to common belief, the family is not on the decline. Their studies show that the. family unit is more diversified now, but it is still a highly valued and stable institution which has changed and evolved with time. Family structures have evolved over the years as economic and labor force con. ditions have changed. Large, extended families which were almost essential in pre -industrial times, became less functional as•families became more mobile and the workplace shifted from thehome to the factory and shops. Women's increased independence within and outside the farnily has also in- fluenced change. Better. education for women, more work opportunities and modern methods of family planning have allowed women greater participation outside the family. The female labor force rate in Ontario increased from 38 per cent in 1966 to 56 per cent in 1982, according to the Ontario Manpower Commis- sion. In 1951 an estimated 15 percent of married women in Ontario worked out • side the home, but today the trend is towards increased, participation by women with children of dll ages: The size of the family is also changing. In the middle of the 19th. century the average family had seven children. In Canada today,.the average number is 1:4, The Secretariat for Social Development explains that this trend towards smaller families can be attributed to some extent to industrialization, urbanization and effective methods of ,family planning. High geographic mobility has also made the family a mobile unit, able to change residence often and easily. Gone are the days when generation after generation worked and lived off the same land. Still, despite ,geographic mobili- ty, extended family ties with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins remain very strong for most people. It is estimated that 90 per cent of Canadians will marry at least once in their lifetime, but marriage. is 'no longer the undissolvable union it was• once. Ben Schlesinger, researcher of family issues in Canada, said that 75' per cent of all persons who divorce eventually remarry, resulting in "reconstructed" or "blend- ed" families which are now common in our society-. • The family has changed and today family relationships are mare complex and varied than those of earlier years. With the change has come increased awareness of family •violence, marital stress, broken homes and divorce. However public and professional assistance with'these problems are helping to, remedy the situation. Locally the Family and Children's Services and the Huron Centre for Children and Youth help to provide quality, professional care and con- sultation for family difficulties, particularly problems encountered by children in the upset home. • ''The Secretariat for Social Development says that outside help, from agencies• and other institutions is important to the success of today's family. Many func- tions previously carried out by families are now shared with 'a vast network of organizations, from day care to family counselling. The family may no longer be like it was 50 or even 10.years ago, but the in- stitution 'is still fundamental to the health and happiness of our society. Today flexibility is the key to the continued success of the family and the Secretariat for Social Development says that Family Unity Month serves as a time . to reaffirm our commitments to the family and •to strengthen family ties,' By understanding the transitions the family is undergoing in our society today, we may be better equipped to overcorne .,the difficulties associated wide some nf these changes. • Behind The Scenes. 13y Keith Roulston Fireworks, better today Driving along the other day I saw a sign that brought back old memories. Fireworks, it read. Back came the memories of when the 24th of May was firecracker day. The number of stores selling fireworks are few these days. There are still some families that buy fireworks and set them off but mostly, the Queen's Birthday celebra- tion these days- either goes off without a bang, or the fireworks displays are big, community -sponsored events with hundreds or thousands watching. But back in those days, oh so long ago, of my youth, firecracker day meant firecrackers, those little red, explosive cardboard tubes that made a little or a big bang depending on whether you got the tiny ones or really splurged and go the "canons". We could hardly wait for firecracker day to arrive and as soon as the stores started stocking firecrackers in the spring we rush- " ed out with every spare nickel we could af- ford to buy firecrackers. For the life of me now, I can't remember what it was about them that gave them such a powerful attrac- tion to us. Oh there were minor pleasures. I remember sand piles (or more likely just dirt piles) where we used to have miniture road -building projects and we used the firecrackers as dynamite to blast our small stones. Fascinated as we were in those post- war days in the middle of the Cold War with weapons, we'd sometimes build paper airplanes and fling them aloft with a burn- ing firecracker as payload, then watch them disintegrate in mid-air when the explosion came. There were other, even stupider uses of firecrackers. Luckily 1 was never present when it happened, but I know of friends (and have heard of others) who used to put a firecracker down the throat of a frog. Great fun huh? Mostly though firecrackers were just lit and exploded, mostly one at a time but, if the kid was particulaly affluent, a whole str- ing at a time. There was the element of sur- prise, trying to sneak up behind someone and watch them jump when the bang came. This also led to throwing firecrackers at each other with resulting injuries at times. There • were completely thoughtless people who stuck lighted firecrackers in the back pockets of unsupsecting people. More than once the resulting explosion set off a package of firecrackers stuck in the pocket and resulted in bad burns for the unlucky victims. There are probably those who regret the passing of the firecracker, who think to- day's children are denied something in not having easy access to. these ' "toys". It is fashionable these days to regret the many laws that have been passed to protect us from ourseives, but I don't regret this one. I can't see that my kids \have had a miserable life although they've never know the bang of a firecracker. I know that they will not be missing an eye or patches of skin from injuries inflicted through thoughtless use of the dangerous little weapons. And if anything,, kids have gained. Real firework displays were few and far between in the older days. 'We wasted our money on the bangers. Today if money is spent it provides the beauty of sane and safe fireworks displays. •t Trillium splendor Sugar and S'p.ice by Shelley McPhee Growing: old comfortably How to supplement your income when you go into retirement? This is an occupational hazard of potential retirees, who, after liv- ing in this country for the past thirty years, know full wellthat their paper money is go- ing to be good for starting fires with, and not much else, in a decade or so. Canadians are extremely security- conscious. They don't give a diddle about growing old gracefully. They want to grow old comfortably. It's hard to believe. These are the same people whose ancestors came from the fogs of Scotland and the bogs of Ireland and the smogs of England, with plenty of nerve and not much else. They paid their dues with hard work, tak- ing chances, raising and •feeding huge families. The last things in their minds were pensions, condominiums in the south, the falling dollar, or Ayrabs. They didn't need oil; they cut their own wood. They couldn't even spell con- dominium. There was no such thing as a pension. The old.man was Grampa, and he hung onto his land, bullied his sons, and made most of -the decisions, until he retired to senility and the fireside. The old lady was Gramma, and she helped birth her grandchildren, bossed her daughters; had a wisdom that only hard liv- ing can give, and was buried thankfully, but with copious tears all around. They lived with a certain ugliness: brutal work,vicious weather, cruel child-bearing by the women, until they were warped and arthritic and sick in body." Few pleasures like music and books and drama and automatic dishwashers and television and milk in a plastic carton in- stead of a cow. By Bill Smiley But they didn't need two martinis to give them an appetite for dinner. They didn't need a couple of Seconal to put them to sleep, or a couple of mood elevators to relieve their depression, or a couple . of Valium to relax their muscles. They ate like animals because they work- ed like horses. They slept like animals because theywere exhausted. They didn't need mood changers because they had only two or three moods: angry, tired out, or joyful. They didn't need muscle relaxers because their muscles were too busy to relax. Now you may think I'm making a pitch for "The good, old days." I'm not. I think they were dreadful days. I remember the look on my Dad when he couldn't even make a pay- ment on the coal bill. I remember watching my mother, who never cried, weeping over the sewing machine at midnight, when she thought no one was looking. But in those days, people grew old with a certain dignity, if not beauty. They accepted their final illness as "God's will." Most peo- ple today say, "Why me?" when they are stricken. Today people want to be beautifulwhen they're old. They want to be thought of as "young at heart." They want to be comfor- table. They don't want to be ill. They dread the cold. They fear poverty. They search, sometimes desperately, for some sort of womb, or cocoon to you back to, where they will be safe and warm and fed, and never have` to look that grim Old Man straight in the eye. - And modern economy lets them down. Their hard-earned, and hard -saved dollars dwindle into cents. They come close to heart attacks and strokes when they have to pay $3.80 for a pound of beef, 89 cents for a lousy KalqidoscOPQ head of lettuce, over a dollar for a pound of butter. They are disoriented, confused, and frightened. And it's not only the old who are frighten- ed and insecure. I see it in my younger col- leagues. They don't talk about Truth and Beauty, Ideas and Life. They talk about pro- perty and R.R.S.P.s, and the price of gold, and inflation, and the terrorizing possibility of losing their jobs: Some of the smart ..younger teachers bought some land when itwas cheap. (they're not so young anymore, eh?) and built on it. The smarter ones have a working wife. The smartest ones have both. Most of them, even those in their thirties, are already figuring on a second . income when they retire: selling real estate or boats; do- : ing the' books for some small businessman; market gardening; antique shops. Who can blame them? But I have the answer for every one of them. No problem about retirement. Just follow Bill Smiley around, do exactly the op- posite to what he does, and you'll come out healthy, wealthy and wise, when it's time to put your feet up. If Smiley ' buys equities, buy blue chip stocks. If Smiley bays gold mining stock, buy a swanip, If Smiley calls the Tories to win, vote Liberal. If Smiley buys an ounce of gold, dump yours fast, because it will drop $200 overnight. If Smiley gets into seat- belts, because they are compulsory you get out. The law will change. I could go on and on, but I won't. Just watch what I do, and do the opposite, And. have all the papers to prove it. But I'm charging 20 per cent of everything you make. And that's how I plan to weather in- flation and retirement. Last time I travelled- down one of my.. favorite Goderich Township sideroads, I ended up in the ditch. I've since recovered from my mid -winter slider and decided to venture down that same road again on Sunday, this time under more favorable weather conditions. My afternoon jaunt reminded me why I've always liked Sunday drives in the country. They revive memories of family back road excursions after church and childhood hours spent bicycling up and down sideroads, simply enjoying nature. Sideroads, unlike our busy highways, offer a slower pace of travel, a breath of fresh air and a chance to get a little closer to nature. On Sunday l stopped the car and took a stroll through the bush. The trilliums were blooming, the birds were singing, the forest was covered in a coat of soft green. Mind you the black flies were biting too, but compared to sitting sideways in a snow filled ditch, the sights and sounds of nature in spring was an appreciated moment. It's fortunate that we have such short memories when it comes to winter's pains By 'Shelley McPhee and. problems. It seems so long ago that we wereknee deep in the white stuff, even though it snowed on Mother's Day. + + + Memories, however, hold fast and long with the Clinton Public Hospital. It's nearly a year ago that the hospital opened its new emergency and out-patient wing. The official opening of the addition on June 2, 1983 marked a major milestone, as many still vividly recalled earlier government attempts to close„ -the local hospital. Today the Clinton Public Hospital is a top quality, thriving medical centre.. Later this week I'll be meeting with hospital administrator Dan Steyn to talk about the people and work at the Clinton Public Hospital. In upcoming issues Of the News -Record I'll be reporting on a behind the scenes look at the hospital. Remember too that the hospital annual meeting will be coming up on June 19. We'll have more details on that meeting in future issues of the News -Record. +++. • Over in Great Britain, some . mad Welshman has come up with a new ipotato chip - hedgehog flavor. I . cringed when ketchup and dill pickle potato chips hit the market here and hedgehog chips sound just as bad. Hedgehog chips, contrary to the protest of animal lovers, do not come from hedgehogs. Welsh pub owner Phil Lewis dreamed up the chips as a joke for his pub patrons and the fad has caught on with crisp lovers across Great Britain, ' Only in Britain you say? Thank heavens. ++ + Over on this side of the "ocean, our trend crazy neighbors to the south are having a tough time coping with the latest fad in the country. It seems that the Canada originated board game Trivial Pursuit is in hot demand in the United States and black market buyers are smuggling in carloads of the popular game and selling them for $50 each. Perhaps they'd be interested In moose flavored chips tool rr Wiveyour 943r Editor Pornography concenis Dear Editor, Greetings. We are writing to you at this time to draw your attention to a concern that we believe is of great importance. Many communities have responded with alarm to the issue of pornography, and in particular, its availability in local stores. Its defenders, however, argue that any limiting of access to "pornographic literature would be a threat to the fundamental freedoms of thought and expression. Our United Church of Canada has many times gone on record to defend human rights and freedom of speech. Yet, we do not see the easy access to pornographic material as an exercise in freedom of speech, but rather as a dangerous step into the field of hate literature. We believe the distribution and sale of pornographic material promotes and celebrates an ex- ploitation results in the denia of the bashat ic human rights of dignity and freedom. Therefore, we urge your town to enact a by-law which would limit ' access to nographic material. Specifically, we s t. gest that the by-law include a height restri tion of 1.5 metres and the stipulation that all pornographic material on display in stores be placed behind opaque barriers. We understand that some 'communities have also included a licence requirement in their by-law, so as to facilitate the monitor- ing of stores selling pornographic material. Our United Church Pornography Task Force has provided ''a working definition of pornography that has been most help to us and may be helpful to you as you identify pornographic material in your community. It reads as follows: "Pornography is material that represents or describes degrading, abusive or violent behaviour for sexual gratificationso as to endorse and/or recommend the behaviour as depicted". Yours sincerely, Rev. Susan Eagle, London Conference, United:Church of Canada. Sprucedale reunion Dear Editor, We are planning a twentieth year celebration of Sprucedale Public School in Shakespeare, Ontario. The festivities begin on Saturday, May 26 at 7 p.m. with an OPen House at the school. Sunday's events will include a potluck dinner at 12:30 p.m. followed by family entertainment at Shakespeare and District Optimist Community Centre at 2 p.m. We would appreciate your assistance in relaying this information to your readers. Thank you. -- ( Mrs.) Judy Barton, , 20th Anniversary Committee, Sprucedale Public School, P.O. Box 70, Shakespeare, Ontario, NOB 2P0 Centennial year Dear Editor: 1984 IS CENTENNIAL YEAR IN TOT- TENHAM! ! A Cordial invitation is extended to all former residents of the area to come and participate in the various events ',scheduledthroughout the year: Several special weekends are planned in- cluding a Reunion Weekend July 6 - 8, with a host of exciting activities. July 7 could be your best chance to meet old friends and make new ones. A welcoming committee will be hosting a "meet your friends" social in the afternoon followed by a buffet dinner and a dance. If ' you lived' here, shopped here, went to school or church here, we would like to see you again. Your presence will help to make our year a memorable one. For further information, please write to: The Centennial Committee, P.O. Box 310, Tottenham, Ontario, LOG 1WO. Sincerely, Ralph Hatton, • Reeve, Village of Tottenham. Thanks from chairman Dear Editor: A special thanks to the following: T.B. Allen Ltd., Londesboro; Wm. Gerrits, R.R. 1, Clinton; John Haverkamp, R.R. 1 Brucefield; Export Packers, Dublin, Ont.; Corries Red & White, Clinton; Fleming Feed Mill, Clinton; Mervin Dietz, Brodhagen. • Clinton Klompen Feest 1985 was a resoun- ding success. • Many people- from many different walks of life joined together to plan, formulate and supervise the various parts of the event, In order to bring it all to its satisfactory con- clusion. There is a special group of people who assisted in no small way to bringing Klompen Feest 1984 to fruition. The Barbecue Chicken Dinner did not just happen. This special group of people made it happen in this , manner. Wm. Gerrits donated the Chicks, T.B. Allen Ltd. provided the feed, John Haverkamp grew the birds, Export Packers dressed the birds, Corries 0 Red & White cut them up, Fleming Feed Mill did the actual cooking and Mervin Dietz 'supervised the cooking. Bill Fleming was in charge of the serving tables, manned by mai,y local volunteers. The Clinton Klompen Feest Committee extends to all the above, the heartfelt thanks for their part in making the Feest the suc- cess it was. Thank you very much. Yours truly, Bob Campbell, Chairman Clinton Klompen Feest.