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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1987-09-09, Page 26Page 6A CLINTON NEWS -RECORD- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1987 TRYING FOR A RINGER horseshoe pitching Vias another of the contests held during the sunny afternoon last Fri - da' . here, Niel Edgar, of RR3 Wingham, makes a toss during the Huron County Plowing \latch. (Anne Narejko photo) Tirne for education to o back to basics, says Larry Grossman Whether it is portables in Oakville or Gores Landing or high school drop -outs in Toronto, Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Larry Grossman is concerned about the quality of education in Ontario. "The problems in our education system are as basic as having a classroom," says Grossman. ''We cannot afford to equivocate away the future of our children and theM future of our province." From redefining course content to restor- ing the provincial share of education fun- ding, Grossman says a Progressive Conser- vative government would introduce a series of long overdue reforms to both the primary and secondary school systems. "We are for getting back to basics," he says. "In other words, putting some quality and common sense back into the school system." At the top of the PC list is a greater government role in mandating course con- tent at each grade level. A "core cur- riculum" would ensure province -wide skills and knowledge of subjects, says Grossman. "It would also ensure greater equity in the education system," he says. A PC government would also administer each year province -wide tests in at least one of the core subjects. The PCs have designated language arts, mathematics, Canadian history and computer literacy as core subjects. ' "Each year every student.at each grade level would be tested in one subject, such tests would evaluate the system — not the individual," says Grossman. In keeping with the introduction of core curriculum and province -wide testing, PCs would also develop standardized methods of evaluating and reporting. "Parents, students and teachers should understand how student performance is assessed and what that assessment tells them about the individual student's strengths and weaknesses," says Grossman. Grossman would also: *establish a minimum standard for teacher upgrading that would be equivalent to four months every five years; *organize P.D. days for students as well as teachers. "The nine professional development days each year could be used to take students into the community," says Grossman. "Students could learn about job training and the work- ing world, the role of police and law enforce- ment agencies, different faiths and cultures, the operation of local businesses, the impor- tance of protecting the environment." For Grossman reform to the education system also means eliminating the need for portable classrooms by better planning for future schools. "We would change the Ministry of Educa- tion policy for approving capital projects to allow school boards to plan new schools at the same time as sub -divisions," says Grossman. "School boards shouldn't have to wait until the students are in portables or bused out to another school." Grossman would also allow municipalities to require developers constructing new sub- divisions to set aside land for schools, the same way they currently set aside land for parks. None of this can be accomplished, says Grossman, without proper education fun- ding. Currently the province provides 44.9 percent of education funding and the municipality, through property taxes, pays the rest. "Liberal cutbacks in education funding have forced local education taxes in some areas up by 8 percent - 22 percent," he says. Ontario PCs would restore the province's share of education funding to 60 percent over the next five years. As well ,a PC government would close the $911 a student gap between lower funded elementary and secondary education over the next five years. These actions, says Grossman, will pro- vide much-needed relief for beleaguered property taxpayers who are suffering under the burden of increasing education costs and declining provincial support. "We can take funding back to basics as well. We can develop a new method of deter- mining 'approved costs' to more closely reflect actual costs of delivering educa- tional programs. "Education is the key to personal growth, equality of opportunity, personal satisfac- tion and social stability," says Grossman. "For the sake of.our children, for the sake of Ontario, we must reform the education system." Farm - Start to assist new farmers An eligible new farmer will receive $38,000 in grants over seven years under a new $97.5 million initiative announced by Agriculture and Food Minister Jack Riddell. Ontario Farm -Start will provide new farmers with the cash flow they need, par- ticularly during the difficult first years of farming, because of high capital re- quirements, fluctuating commodity prices and incomes, and the cost and availability of credit. Treasurer Robert Nixon announced a commitment to a new five-year program for first time farmers in his last budget. New farmers will receive a total of $38,000 in grants over seven years with an initial grant of $11,000. The amount will be reduced each.year by $2,000 until years six and seven when the grant will taper off by $1,000, with the final grant in the last year worth $1,000. The program is effective January 1, 1988 BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Phone: 482-7741 GLASS / ALUMINUM rte: 4'041 See us for your building projects •Gloss and Mirrors •Energy Efficient Replacement Windows •Seamless Eavestroughing l , •Complete Range of Aluminum or Vin•, 1 Siding and Building Products _ 0 •Window and Screen Repairs +Door Service and Repairs t=1.4 COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL Cflnt®Il GlE,k00 24 Princess St. West, CLINTON 482-3322 DEMOLITION.SERVICE — DON NICKEL — tRFF FST/MA /FS TREE DEMOLITION OF SOME BUILDINGS VANASTRA DEMOLITION SPFCIAI IZING IN DEMOLITION OF HOUSES & BARNS REASONABLE RATES USED BUILDING MATERIALS SEASONAL HARDWOOD AVAILABLE IN BUSH OR FACE CORD ;ih AvfNLJf VANASTRA R R 5 CLINTON B. 482-5533 Res 482-7451 LENNOX effreastwesaraintmtiAM CBA IAL 8/ to Remember About Home Comfort All You Need L3AHEY 8 262-2020 Heating and Air Conditioning Were proud to be Your LENNOX Dealer Serving from Lucon to Blyth GLASS LOW CONTRACTOR PRICES Full Selection Of WINDOWS Storms Replacement New Construction DOORS Entrance Systems Mirror & Patio Aluminum Storms RESCREENING PLEXIGLASS ALL GLASS WORK SALES - SERVICE INSTALLATION D&DGLASS Located in Vonastra 482-7869 INSURAN McKILLOP I MUTUAL NSURANCE COMPANY 91 Main St, Soyth, Seaforh Office S27-0400 FARM, HOME, COMMERCIAL, AUTO COVERAGE — AGENTS — E.F. "Bill" Durst 527-1455 Bob McNaughton 527-1571 Graeme Craig 887.9381 Banter & MacEwan Insurance Brokers Ltd. 524-8376 JOHN WISE INSURANCE BROKERS LTD 482 3401 OPTOMETRY R.W. BELL OPTOMETRIST The Square, GODERICH 524-7661 JOHN LONGSTAFF OPTOMETRIST Seaforth 527-1240 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 5:30 Saturday 9:00 - 12:00 noon Closed Wednesdays BY APPOINTMENT Free parking on premises 1111111ETEMIll Clinton Electric - -h rt p rn* t Appliances Sales & Service APPLTANCE, REPAIRS 'TOAUL MAKES Electrical MoIntenafCG Weekly Instoro Specials See Eric Scbollonber®er 90 Albert Se„ Clinton 482-3646 and is expected to help more than 2,000 peo- ple become new farmers in Ontario. "Farre -Start is for new farmers. They are the foundation of Ontario's agricultural future, and this government intends to see that they have every opportunity to make that future their own. We decided that straight cash grants are the most realistic and helpful form of assistance we can give as it gives farmers maximum flexibility," said Riddell. Farm -Start applicants will be allowed to register with the program and spend up to three years preparing for full-time fanning. During that period, they would receive assistance in financial management from the ministry. Grants would begin following this preparatory period. Farm -Start applicants will also be able to participate in the OFFIRR I Ontario Family Farm Interest Rate Reduction) program which reduces the interest rate on debt down to eight percent "Participants will benefit from the educa- tional value of providing financial statements to the program administrator on a regular basis," added Riddell. "The pro- gram will go a long way toward ensuring the viability of those entering agriculture." Ontario Farm -Start will replace the Beginning Farmer Assistance Program I BFAP i, which provided rebates on part of the interest on farm loans over a five year period. The initiatives include $90 millions for On- tario Farm -Start plus $7.5 million for a sup- plementary fund for current HEAP participants. Current BFAP participants will remain in that program until the end of their five-year term and then will receive two annual flat - rate grants equivalent to Farm -Start grants available in Years 6 and 7. These payments would be $2,000 and $1,000. — 7 (-47v `C- ., —:. — r A .ha. - .�tt p • " l " • 4; .tLrr,r+.+.,7ffi at.x..Pn!': 7'4. `.:1i`tT4,..�,,.1 .0, ;+y i tg one of a kind Designer' 4k Gold and Sterling Silver Jewellery •Complete repairs to all Jewellery & Holloware, also Diamond and Semi -Precious Stone repair. •Pearl Restringing • 72 THE SQUARE GODERICH. ONT N7A-1M6 (519) 524-4509 .s:_ TO Mark Wammes, R.R. 2 Seaforth Eric Renkema, Londesboro Sarah Sellars, R.R. 2 Bayfield Ben Lobb, Clinton Launa Renner, Clinton Christopher Ve nLoo, Clinton Mark Phillips, Egmondville Jessica Baker, Guelph Simona Dykstra, R.R. 2 Clinton ON September 9 September 9 September 9 September 10 September 10 September 11 September 11 September 14 September 15 HAVE YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY AT Patz SALE and SERVICE Installation and Parts KEITH SIEMON FARM SYSTEMS LTD. R.R. 4 Walton Phone 345.2734 or 482-7971 FOR FREE PLANNING AN i> ESTIMATES JOHN WISE INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. General Inst rance Guaranteed Investewents Clinton Office: 482-3401 Res-: 482-7265 APPLIANCE and REFRIGERATION RE Al SERVICE Jim Br•Iidfo:,t 482-7032 We can supply — CAKE - H' TS - GAMES AN=t: A H STESS. CaII for details! 482-7337 40.E trodib._d .,____