HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-05-30, Page 4THE BLYTH STANDARD)
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Incorporating
J. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher
SHELLEY MCPHEE - Editor
GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager
MARY ANN HOLLENBECK - Office Manager
MEMBER
Meier advertising nes
assailable on request. Ask
Siete Card. No. 14 effective
October 1, 1942.
A
MEMBER
Testing society's limits
Societal seams are being stretched. Increasing numbers gorge themselves on
self-indulgence; moral corsets are abandoned; once -sacred and absolute boun-
daries are fuzzed.
Old ways are not necessarily better, only familiar. Change does not have to be
for the worse. Greater flexibility and permissiveness is not evil and a sign of
decadence.
However, the restless, almost driven pursuit of happiness through self -
gratification which seems to characterize many in our society is cause for con-
cern. Those individuals and groups willing to sacrifice some self'interests for the
sake of principles and responsibilities are still the life -blood of society. But alas,
their numbers are diminishing.
The present seduction of the masses by affluence and consumerism does not
foster such as self-sacrifice and restraint. When the only goal is to rnuximize
one's own pleasure, anarchy threatens. When the only purpose is gratification
and titillation, moral and spiritual hollowness is inevitable. As' the search for the
ultimate consumptive orgasm intensifies and becomes more frantic with each
generation, the feeling of a lack of any real meaning to life becomes more per-
vasive. Bitterness, anger and frustration follow in the wake.
Objectionable behaviors are the most noticeable manifestation of the underly-
ing disease. Readily apparent is the increase in .petty theft., white collar crime,
disrespect for authority -- of whatever kind, at whatever level, corruption. van-
dalism and the increasing use of drugs -- liquid or other.
The malignancy and its symptoms seerns to be spreading. Prescriptions vary.
Some favor a hard line-- clamp down, spell things out more clearly, repeat the
law and order .code more forcefully. Such tend to have little sympathy with
analysis of underlying factors.
Those at the other end of the scale dwell heavily on searching for the root
cause, tending to minimize present behavioral problems -- whether or home,
school, in the community -- until they can 'arrive ai. the solution. Both positions
tend to be impatient with the other.
If society -- whether focused in the home; school, country or'globe - is to sur-,
vive there need to be"some short-term boundaries transgression of which is•
unacceptable. Those -guidelines -- whether officially the legal system or not •-'will
not produce responsible or respectful people. They will only minimize the
damage that irresponsible arid disrespectful people can do to others. However
long-term solutions must not be neglected. The underlying disease must be.at-
tended to or else the cycle will continue with only cosmetic -changes to the'unac•
teptable behaviors.
. The long term solutions must be implemented very soon,
Take a friend boating
During the week of June 3-9, over two
million Canadian boaters, from Vancouver
Island to Newfoundland, will take to the
water to mark the official beginning of the
1984 boating season and to once again
celebrate National Boating Week.
Fishing buffs will share their favorite
haunts ... runabout owners will introduce
newcomers to the thrills of water. skiing ....
sailors will demonstrate the art of challeng-
ing the elements ... and cruising families
will share the joys of tranquility on the.
water - all,, when they 'Take A Friend
Boating' during National Boating Week.
The National Boating Week program is
sponsored by the Allied Boating Association
of Canada, the national non-profit organiza-
tion representing most major manufac-
turers, importers and distributors of boats,
engines and boating products, in co-
operation with marine trade associations in
Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.
Also actively participating in the program
are such, national water -sports oriented
organizations as Canadian Red Cross, Royal
Life Saving Society, Canadian Power
Squadrons, Canadian Water Ski Association
and Canadian Yachting Association.
To be part of National Boating Week, con-
tact your local marina or marine dealer,
yacht or boat club, or Allied Boating
Association of Canada, 5468 Dundas St.
West, Islington, Ontario M9B 6E3, (416) 236-
2497.
Behind The Scenes
By Keith Ro-ulston
Rolling down memory lane
What is it about trains and railway sta-
tions that makes them so fascinating?
Thousands of people take train excursions
every year, others restore old railway
equipment, more build elaborate models.
And even for those of us who don't get so in-
volved, there's still a tug at the heart strings
when we hear the whistle of a steam
locomotive or look at an old railway station.
The fascination started early for me. We
had a railway line go right through our farm
and every morning we awoke to ,the blast of
the steam whistle as the train signalled for
the crossing at the edge of our farm. I
remember a huge grain train with six
engines and excursion trains the local public
schools used to -take each spring to places
like Niagara Falls. I remember the .first
time a diesel engine hooted through the
farm sending the cattle galloping in panic.
Today the little station we used to go to is
gone. I saw the other weekend that the
railway now ends abruptly where a new
road has been built and they tell me the rails
will soon be pulled up.
All these memories come to mind when I
glanced through a copy of Elizabeth
Wilmot's "Meet Me at The Station" recent-
ly. The book was first issued by Gage
Publishing in 1976 and has now been
reissued -in less-expensive paperback for-
mat by McBain Publications Inc. of Kit-
chener.
Elizabeth Wilmot has her own fascination
with railroads and spent years travelling
around Ontario photographing old stations
and collecting stories about the people and
the history behind them. Our neck of the
woods is well'represented in the book. Sta-
tions from Clinton, Blyth, Goderich, St.
Marys, Kincardine and Palmerston are all
included. Sadly, many of the stations have
disappeared over the years. It's 10 years
now since the Clinton station vanished.
There's no trace left of the station that used
to sit on the beach at Kincardine.
Some stations are Left still, including the
old CNR station on Dinsley Street in Blyth
which the author once told me was her
favorite of all the stations she photograph-
ed. It's been converted into a residence
these days.
The story on that station and the Clinton
station includes the story of my favorite
railway, the old "Butter and Eggs" as the
London, Huron and Bruce Railway was
known to local people. The train had one of
the most relaxed schedules around and the
engineer would stop to pick up people who
wandered to the trackside and flagged down
the train for a ride to London to market. It
was one of the early casualties of the chang-
ing times, however when itclosed from Clin-
ton northwards in 1941 and the tracks were
torn up so the steel could be recycled for the
war effort.
The reissue of Meet Me At The Station is a
boon to all those people infected by railway
nostalgia. The book is especially interesting
now with the news that Elizabeth Wilmot
has now moved to Clinton (it's becoming
quite a literary centre isn't it? ).
The book is available at some local
bookstores or directly from the publisher at
70 Otonabee Drive, Kitchener, N2C 1L6.
Elizabeth Wilmot will be speaking at the
Blyth Booksale on either May 26 or27.
Book worms
by Wendy Somerville
Sugar and Spice
A time of promise
In the mind's eye of the poet, the painter,
the composer, Spring is hot stuff. It is Oh to
be in England now that April's there
(Browning). It is a bunch of gals in long
nighties scattering petals as they dance in
the gladsome glade (Boticelli) . It is lambs
gambolling to the notes of the shepherd's
pipes (Beethoven) .
Now, that may be all very true in Europe,
where those birds operated, and where Spr-
ing is indeed a bewitching seductress that
makes the senses reel. But I am not, to my
regret a poet, the only painting to which I
can point with pride is my storm windows, I
can barely make a tune discernible on 'the
kazoo, -and most important of all, I ane, a
Canadian.
So I'm afraid I'll have to go along with
Samuel Butler, who had a more prosaic
view of Spring. Of course, Sam, though he
was an Englishman, had visited Canada, as
witness those immortal lines "Oh God! Oh
Montreal!" He stated flatly that Spring is
"an over -praised season more
remarkable, as a general rule, for biting
east winds than genial breezes."
Spring, for the average resident of On-
tario, is like heaven, :something to be looked
forward to with a certain hearty optimism,
mingled with a slight doubt about its even-
tual appearance.
By Bill Smiley
Only. about once is 10 years does Spring
actually materialize in this country. Then
the natives go conipletely haywire. Forget-
ting the other nine Bold, dreary springs, they
whip off their long underwear, go for long
walks in the woods, and fall deeply in love,
though not necessarily in that order. Of
course, they catch severe headcolds, get
blisters and lost, and marry people they nor-
mally wouldn't be seen dead in a ditch with.
It's also a time of promise. Every Spring I
promise myself I'll put in a garden this
year, and a few weeks later promise myself
again I'll get at the garden right after open-
ing day oftthe trout Season, and later still
that I'll get the screens on. This goes on
right through until fall, and ,even then I'm
promising to get the storm indows on. My
mother told me I was a promising boy one
time, and it went to my head. I've been pro-
mising ever since.
There's no denying, though, that spring is
a time of resurgence of life. There's nothing
so heartwarming as then sight, of the annual
spring crop of babies, out on display in the
pram parade on the first sunny day. Their
slim young mothers, who were girls just last
fall, have a new beauty and dignity as they
sail along three abreast, pushing honest tax-
payers into the gutter.
For our senior citizens, spring is -the most
�Iei-d osco.p.Q
wonderful gift of all. They have been dicing
with death all winter, and as the sun warms
their old bones, they know they have won
another toss, and a' welcome respite, before
they have to pick up said bones and shake,
rattle and roll them again.
For the kids, there are drains to make.
Boats to float, puddles to wade through, and
lovely 'mud that squishes underfoot.
Threats, orders and imprecations from
their harassed mothers, trying to cope with
the annual flood of muddy footprints and
wet shirt-tails, have no more effect than -
rain on a duck.
Fot the 'farmer, spring means another
nine months of breaking his back for
peanuts. For the sailor, it means leaving the
wild scramble of family life for the com-
parative calm of life on the deep. For the
housewife, it is a time to attack the house
like the Assyrian coming down on the fold.
For young lovers, it is a time to act even
sillier than usual.
Whatever it means - to us, and even if it
doesn't arrive until the 30th of June, to be
immediately transplanted by a hot summer,
it's the only thing that makes it worth while
to battle our way through the winter. The
year spring fails to arrive at all, I want
somebody to take me out quietly behind the
barn and shoot me.
The buzz around Clinton this week is
centering around one 15 -year old, Bonnie
Turner.
Bonnie, in her quiet, smiling way, has
brought great honor and recognition to the
area with her recent win in the national
Legion Remembrance Day Literary
Contest.
Ronnie's success began at the local level
last fall when her essay on Remembrance
Day won at the Clinton Legion. From there
it went to compete against thousands of
other entries at the district, zone and
provincial levels. Her essay was chosen to
represent the province at the national level,
against other senior finalists. A Grade 10
student at CHSS, she competed against
Grade 11, 12 and 13 'students across the
country.
Bonnie is a top student at CHSS, last year
earning a 90 per cent average and she has
won many academic awards before. This
award was unlike any other however and
when Bonnie learned of her success she
said, "I was sort of jumping around
slightly."
The win marks a -mew. major
By Shelley McPhee
accomplishment for Bonnie Turner and
Clinton and area residents are equally proud
of this young lady's success.
+ + +
Down at the Clinton firehall, there hasn't
been any success at fixing the siren system.
The siren sounds very sick and isn't working
at full force.
And there have been problems with false
alarms. On Monday, the system backfired
three times and the fire brigade was called
out at midnight, 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. I was
commenting to fireman Steve Cooke about
the sick sounding siren and he noted that the
sound of his fire call beeper, at' 3 in the
morning, sounds even worse!
+ +
This weekend than annualpton Spring
Fair will take place down at Community
Park.' This marks that 130th year that the
fair has been held:
Events and times were detailed in last
week's News -Record, but some of the
highlights are worth repeating. The exciting
demolition derby gets underway at 7 p.m. on
Friday night and the Queen of the Fair
Contest will take place in the arena after 8
p. m.
On Saturday the spring fair parade will
wind its way through Clinton Streets at 1
p.m. and in the afternoon the fair will
feature a variety of events, including the
midway, concession booths, judging of
livestock classes, homemaking displays and
a spring fair favorite - the baby show.
Last week we reported that a mini -band
tattoo would be held this year, but this event
has not been scheduled.
In any event, the Spring Fair promises a
full weekend of inexpensive fun and
entertainment. Let's hope Mother Nature
pulls through at her end!
+ + +
Despite the dreary weather, I got my
garden in. Will it grow? Who knows?
Anyone driving by the McPhee and Haist
residence on Sunday would gave seen quite
a spectacle. We rcunded up a work crew of
half -a -dozen to help get our gardens in
shape. Passers by could see women battling
with giant hydrangea roots, men wrestling
an old evergreen tree to the ground, leaves
and dirt flying through the air, digging,
pulling and general bedlam: ,
The joys of gardening!?
OFA criticizes provincial .budget
The provincial budget blatantly ignores
the immediate, critical needs .of the farm
sector, the president of the Ontario Federa-
tion of Agriculture (OFA) said in Toronto
recently.
"This budget has no news as far as
agriculture is concerned" Harry Pelissero
said. The money for the programs outlined
in Treasurer Larry Grossman's budget, like
the property tax rebate program, the Begin-
ning Farmers Program and the red meat in-
itiatives, was all committed well before the
Jiudget was released. "The 16 -percent in-
crease in the bpdget for agriculture is
substantial. B it' extra dollars for ex-
isting programs
"We see that the Treasurer is trying to
deal with the long-term concerns in the
economy. But he has totally ignored the
urgent needs of a growing group of farmers.
They're in severe financial difficulty
because of present economic conditions."
Pelissero said the OFA brought the needs
of this group -to the attention of the govern-
ment "on many occasions". He said, "It's
obvious that Mr. Grossman has chosen not
to respond to these needs."
Pelissero said many red meat producers
are among those having the most financial
trouble. They have been waiting for a new
stabilization plan. "Grossman said progress
is being made in negotiating a plan. Unfor-
tunately, for some farmers, that progress
has not been good enough," Pelissero said. ,
"They have needed help for about two
years. And all they get is a message saying
negotiations are continuing."
Pelissero said since the government's
main concern is youth employment and job
training, he will be meeting with the
Minister of Agriculture to make sure that
some of the programs will be available to
Deas Edltar
Horne grown
talent
Dear Editor:
This 'past weekend our Central ' Huron
Secondary School Drama Societye presented
a truly superb piece of entertainment. If you
did not attend, you missed a terrific "upper -
crust" acting performance.
The two act play "Squabbles" was equal
to some viewed at Blyth in past years and it
was almost unbelievable as these local
youngsters flowed from one act to another to
result in a most enjoyable evening. It was.
also a first for the school as a delicious din-
ner was served by students to the delight of
all prior to the play.
I was so impressed with the outstanding
acting that I took liberty in calling the Blyth
Festival to suggest a talent -scout attend to
see for themselves.
It is just great to have such "super talent"
in our area.
An Appreciative Clintonian
School reunion
Dear Editor,
This year marks the 25th anniversary of
the opening of Onondaga Central School,
and since the school will be closed in June of
this year, we have planned a reunion to be
held on Sunday, June 17 from 1 p.m. to 4:30
p.m. at Onondaga Central School in Onon-
daga.
The closing of this school will mark the
end of any formal education in Onondaga
Township. As a result, we are trying to con-
tact anyone who lived in Onondaga
Township and attended S.S. No. 1, Seneca,
S.S. No. 2 (Middleport), S.S. No. 3
(Mulligan), S.S. No. 4 (New England), S.S.
No. 5 (Onondaga), S.S. No. 6, and Onondaga
Central School.
We are hoping any former teachers will
also attend.
We are asking anyone who would have old
school pictures or information to bring them
along with their lawn chairs.
For any further information call either
Mrs. Harvey Featherston (Marj) at 416-765-
2178 or Mrs. Ed. Sharp (Mary) at 519-752-
1392.
The short suffer
Dear Editor:
I am an adult who is short in stature. I
sign myself "Shortie" because over the
years 1 have had a lot of fun.poked at me and
I do not want any more because of this let-
ter. What I am writing about is the bylaw
that puts certain magazines 1.5 meters
above the floor Why, should a.tall 1 ygar.old
be able to look easily White, I wouiltiaye;to
ask the clerk? There was a song a few years
ago called Short People which made fun of
short people and caused quite a stir about
prejudice against short people. I think the
Charter of Rights in the new constitution
would test whether this bylaw is legal when
it has a, built in prejudice against some
classes of people.
What I would like to know • is what
magazines they are going to put out of reach
so to speak. Playboy and Hustler and Pen-
thouse are mass circulation every bit as
much as a newspaper and if they were por-
nographic there would be a case against
them. So everybody is going to want to know
what is on the high shelf. That is where I
come in. Will I have to make myself look sil-
ly by asking the clerk? Also I would like to
point, out two things. First there is such a
thing as separation of church and state even
if it isonly the town council of a small town.
And secondly the government is carrying
out a royal commission on pornography so
why doesn't the town council wait for that
instead of being told what to do by oneof the
churches?
Very sincerely,
"Shortie"
young people who want to get into farming,
and for farmers who want to be retrained:
Pelissero said he was "disappointed" that
no special programs were created to res-
pond to the immediate demand for affor-
dable credit, but added he was "encourag-
ed" by the province's commitment to agri-
bonds.
The OFA originally brought the agri-bond
concept to the government's attention. In
his budget speech, Grossman said Timbrell
is taking the lead to consolidate national
credit programs under a Canada -wide agri-.
bond program.
"That's a positive initiative," Pelissero
said. "The OFA will meet with the ministry
immediately and ensure that agri-bonds
become a reality."
Farmers who incorporate will get some
relief as well, Pelissero said. They will be
exempt from Ontario corporate income tax
for the first three years after incorporation.
OIVIMB opposes
rate changes
The Ontario Milk Marketing Board is ask-
ing that recent increases in Farm Credit
Corporation interest rates be reversed.
In a letter to Ontario's 95 federal MPs, the
OMMB warns that the increases reflect
changes in FCC policy that could help
destroy the family farm and raise consumer
food prices.
Farm Credit rates jumped from a uniform
13 per cent to between 14 and 15 per cent
depending on the term of the loan. Accor-
ding to a release by Agriculture Minister
Eugene Whelan, the increase was needed in
part to offset anticipated loan losses
resulting from the recession last year. The -
OMMB is concerned this means 'the Farm
Credit Corporation will become a lender of
last resort with higher interest rates to mat-
ch, and won't provide the kind of stability
the Board sees as necessary to agriculture.
In an earlier submission on farm credit
policy, the OMMB pointed to research that
showed high interest rates hit small
business and farms hardest, while big
business was sheltered. The submission also .
noted that farmers L. ' ' invest more
money than any other kind of business to
generate the same revenue.
The OMMB's letter is in support of efforts
by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
to bring about changes in Canada's farm
credit policy.
Weather
1984 1983
May .
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Rain 62 :rim
26 , 12 19 8
20 8 19 11
23 12 19 4
20 9 15 5
6 2 7 3
16. 4 14 - 2
12 5 19 5
Rain 30mm