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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-05-25, Page 4U,. PAGE'4 --GODERIOHSIONAJATAR, wErmEspxy, MAY 254983 e 1‘ KES There are thousands, well maybe millions, ofthings in . life that are well beyond my simple and uncluttered com- prehension level. While deep thinkers may ponder the meaning of life, human relationships, the potential of the human brain, the theory of relativity and other stimulating stuff, I am left to consider much more relevant, albeit mundane, matters. For instance today I wrestled with the office stapler, trying desperately to jam oversized staples into an under -sized carriage, Certainly there must be poeple trained for such work around this organization. I don't understand staplers or anything mechanical for that matter, including my lawnmower which refused to start on the weekend. When something refuses to start despite persistent cajoling and grovelling on my part, I simply take it apart and have a IOW . Of course I don't have the least hint of a mechanical inclination and am at a loss as to what to look for when I take things apart. The better half looked puzzled when I *foaled her that I was taking the lawn / mower apart. Save yourself the aggravation and take it straight to the shop, she said matter of factly, knowing that after I take things apart, they require further repairs. I ignored her experienced pleas and took the lawnmower apart piece by piece. I could have been missing a carburetor and not noticed but I just get somle sort of satisfaction from taking things apart and having a peek. There must be something about the male ego that makes a man want to aspire to mechanical genius. I do not suffer from illusions of grandeur and know that once I take the lawnmower apart, I won't have a notion what procedure follows. So Friday evening I unscrewed everything on the lawnmower that succumbed tol the aggravated twists of the wrench. Pieces of **motor lay askew and hundreds of screws and bolts littered the picnic table. I had a sinking feelingthat I wouldn't find a hole for all the screws and my fears were realized at the conclusion of the useless exercise as one screw poked conspicuously from underneath an army of tool$. I am not even familiar with the names of the tools used for the dissambly. As indicated earlier, once the lawnmower was reduced to a pile of metallic pieces, my mechanical abilities surfaced and after a lengthy survey of the doodads and wires and stuff, I concluded the lawnmower was void of any mechanical difficulties. Having pronounced it mechanically sound and fit, it was time for re -assembly, a til I discovecess red t the delinedquent suite crew ayfter I presumed the Job was epmplete, There was a semi feeling of elation until that one lousy screw surfaced from beneath my nameless tools. Having concluded that it was just an extra anyway, I spent the next several minutes pulling the cord from the lawnmower and trying in vain to coat a sputter from the old girl Much to my surprise the shower coughed, wheezed and sputtered into action and I spent the proceeding two hours cutting 10 miles of lawn. All of which impressed the heck out of the missus who contends that I would screw up a wheelbarrow if given the time. I know I didn't fix anything. But since I've gained a new respect and am now revered at home for my mechanical acumen I don't think I'll say a word. BLUE RIBBON AWARD Second class mail registration numbe 0716 SINCE 1848 THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT rounded In 10611 and published every Wednesday at Ooderlch, Ontario. Member of the CCNA end OWNA. *direr. Using rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance '19.90 In Canada, '30.00 to U.S.A., °30.00 to all other count - tries, single copies 30C. Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rote Card No.13 effective Oc- tober 1. 1112. Second class mal! Registration Number 0716. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for signature. will not be charged for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the ap- plicable rote. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at wrong price. goods or services may not be sold. Advertising 1s merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal -Star 1s not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproducing pur- poses. PUBLISHED BY: SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED ROBERT G. SHRIER-president and Publisher DONALD M. HUBICK-Advertising Manager DAVID SYKES-Editor P.O. BOX 220. HUCKINS ST. INDUSTRIAL. PARK GODERICH N7A 4B6 ,FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 Plans not mixed Certainly most citizens of Goderich and area have been regaled with the tales of Jcf'hn Galt and the Canada Company and the opening of the Huron Tract. - One of the more famous fables concerns the unique layout of the centre town square of the town of Goderich, which legend recalls.was originally drawn up as the plans for a town by the name of Guelph. The plans were mysteriously mixed up and Goderich inherited, by chance, the centre square design intended for.Guelph. The street plan for the city of Guelph, one was to assume, was originally intended as -the plan for the town of Goderich. The entire situation was one of chance or fate historians would suggest. However, Guelph University history professor Gil Stelter recently discovered the original John Galt master plan of Guelph that lays the Guelph-Goderich myth to rest. According to Professor Stelter, the confusion arose from the fact that John Galt was enthusiastic about the location and future importance of the city of Guelph. In fact, it was Galt himself who decided to name it after the royal family despite the Canada Company's conviction that the city by the Speed River would never amount to anything. Professor Stelter explained that Canada Company . officials were somewhat keen on saving the name of Guelph for the far greater city they were certain would build up on the Huron Tract. They thought that Gait's little town on the Speed River should be called Goderich in honor of the colonial secretary. Company officials continued to call the town Goderich in letters to Galt. Galt simply ignored the name and continued to call it Guelph until his persistence won over. So, to set the historical records straight, it wasn't the town plans that were switched, it was the names. Stalter discovered that while Galt had plans drawn up for the royal city by about 1829, plans for Goderich did not exist. The actual plan of Guelph was produced in 1829 by . Canada Company officials after Galt had been fired. That plan, however, was pasted overtop an original produced by Galt. While Company. officials used a basic concept of the Galt plan they drop$ed his vision of a truly beautiful city on the banks of the river. So the plan of The Square is unique to the town of Goderich. But if Canada Company officials had had their way, the town would be known as Guelph. Not negotiable While marriage may be a long-standing and noble in- stitution, it has suffered severe cracks at the foundation in recent decades. The gap between marriages and divorces is closing at an alarming rate. Many colLlples are living together before or instead of making a final commitment. The govern- ment, however recognizes that arrangement as a legal commitment and the couple is considered married. But, marriage isn't all that idle and romantic school -girl dreams make it out to be feminist Laura Sabia has. warned. In a recent speech in Brampton the famed feminist offered some words of advice to long-suffering wives and bride's to be, claiming that marriage should be in the form of five-year renewable contracts. There is nothing sacred .about the venerable institution, Sabia warned while insisting that people should have the opportunity to renew their marriage contract every five years. She suggested that people will not be happy married and that it should not be a goal for young girls. While conceding that marriage is obsolete, Sabia says people should pick a partner based on their needs early in life, switch partners for muddle age needs and then find someone you would like to live with in old age. The former chairman of the Ontario Status of Women Council claims relationships would be bearable if people knew going into them they would last only five years. Some people may be advocates of Sabia's philosophy but even the five-year renewable marriage would have its pitfalls. It takes longer than that just to break in a good husband or wife. y Darrell Kloeze • DEAR READERS SHIRLEY KELLER Last week was for me one of the most heart- warming weeks I've had since I came. to live in Goderich 14 years ago. I attended three events last week, and felt wonderfully close to the peo- ple at each of them. It was the first time since coming here that I felt as though I belonged to this community in a somewhat spiritual sense. On Monday evening, my husband and I attend- . ed The Soimd • of Goderich program at Knox Presbyterian Church. Maybe it was the beautiful music. Maybeit was the feeling of joy which permeated the entire atmosphere. Maybe it was simply that I was aware for the first time in a long time how many people I could recognize and share conversation ryith at that gathering. Whatever it was, I went away feeling happy - happier than I have foralong, long time. The concert itself was pure pleasure. The quality was excellent; the variety was superb. It isn't often one finds so many talented musical' leaders in one town. The Laketown Band is chucked full of people who are fine solo in- strumentalists in their own right. The Craigellen Singers have tremendous depth of experience as does the group of men knowjj as The Har- bouraires. • Among the Teen Tones where the freshness of youth is the main feature, the potential for new musical leadership is exceptional with several of the girls able to step out and take their places in several roles for a number of musical groups in Goderich. The leaders out front on Monday evening were Blake Smith, Irla Stewart, Lorne Dotterer and Ila Worsell, but I got the feeling theywere simp- ly the more visible faces from among the 110 or so performers. +++ On Wednesday evening, I went to the music night at GDCI. Those kids just get better and bet- ter with every show. Even the first year music students gave a first rate performance under the direction of Hugh McGregor. McGregor and AI Mullin took turns parading their music students before a packed house of proud parents, good friends and music lovers. Again, there was something for every taste as' the musicians moved around from percussion to brass and strings and, back again as easily as pie. A fairly new feature at GDCI are the two choirs - the stage choir and the jazz choir with Eleanor Robinson at the podium. I recognized severaVTeen Tones from among the ranks of the choirs and the bands. And always, always, I am intrigued by the ar- my of parents who pitch in to help and encourage the students - selling tickets, baking cookies, organizing fund raising events, providing transportatibn, you name it. We have a son in the choirs at GDCI and I know from firsthand experience just how much extra- curricular time the teachers of these music, students offer to their enthusiastic charges. The next time you are tempted to criticize the teaching staff for something, maybe you should check to see that you really know ,what's going down at GDCI among the very men and women with whom you are finding fault. If there was ever any doubt in the minds of parents and taxpayers about the value of music education in the schools, it should have been dispelled Wednesday evening by the com- petence and confidence shown by those kids. I was impressed. +++ Earlier Wednesday evening, I had the honour to be a guest at an event to recognize Helen Vi - dean, a former Victoria School teacher who has retired. Many teachers and former teachers from across Huron and other areas, were pour- ing into the Maitland Country Club to give their regards to Helen. Helen really does belong in this column about musical treats and fine leaders and dedicated teachers. She's a woman who has been deeply in- volved with music and with schools for many years, and she's left a great legacy with a great many young people. I was particularly pleased to be there for Helen's big night- to peek into her interests and her loves so neatly packaged in a scrapbook on display. And as she took my hand to welcome me, I felt like a friend. A special friend, privileged to be a small part of her life and the life which is peculiar to Goderich. It was that kind of a week,' and I'm indebted to the many, many people I met at those three outings who made me sense that at last, my heart belongs to this town and its people. What on earth are "women's issues"? I have no idea, although I nave been a woman all my life. My ignorance on the subject is even more appalling if you con- sider that the expression is so extensively. and exuberantly thrown around nowadays and the whole thing must be of such im- portance that the Minister of Energy Robert Welch has been appointed the provincial guardian-of---these---m nous women's issues", with the possibility of seeing a whole separate ministry established in the future. An explanation is offered that Mr. Welch would "provide a needed focus and a co- ordinating role in the delivery and com- munication of programs and policies designed to assist and encourage women in all apsects of life". Would it provide a dating "service? Just wondering. This is only on ,the provincial level. Then ' "-"there-is-the-C-aClardian�i 'dvlsory ounce on the Status of Women; the National Action Committee on the Status of Women; a whole ...-.number of Status of Women Action Leagues and a range of other organi''ations with defined specific areas in which they aim to enforce their particular brand of tunnel vision. This covers anything from "guidelines on the portrayal of women" ( news media, advertising, text books, art in different forms, etc.) to vocabulary screening (you always had problems with words such as "mankind", "stewardess", "spokesman" etc.)_to other forms of cen sorship in our private lives. You know that I am not kidding. Good grief! There is no end to the new forces of preaching, stereotyping, patronizing (matronizing?), cajoling, scolding, molding, and huffing and puffing by those who are determined to know best what is good for us women. Old stereotypes are bad, new stereotypes are good. What? You just want them to let you be? That is rabid -bus. You just got yourself a minister __to_be-responsible-f or -your -issues ! What about all the other ministries? Are they dealing with "men's issues" or are men to be trusted to be responsible and clever on their own? No two men are alike. No two women are alike. Why separate women for a different "collective" handling? I do not expect to see any sorrier and sillier stereotyping than taking half of the population and pretending that it is a disadvantaged and disabled minority whose fate and fortunes must be protected and directed by a gaggle of guardians in the _ _shape _of --- -domineering - "feminists" who - appear to be feeling badly about doing their own thing unless_everybody else does more or less the same. Upon this flimsy scenery the stage managers place "Yes, Minister". Are we allowed to giggle? A spokesman for the London Status of Women Action League was quoted as saying recently that "she would like to see men more involved in raising children" and that "Women have to recognize that they have to support themselves". Would it be sucha_bad -idea to let men and women decide for themselves? One of Monday morning papers carried Laura Sabia's statements that "an ap- palling number of yoij women are still making marriage their primary goal", but she hopes that this will change soon. "Instead of paperback romances women should be reading Hansard", she added. Should the women not decide for themselves what they want to do? These and many other comments made by "important official ladies" invade other women's privacy, but_• they are too -busy -to notice. Equal pay for equal work is equality in the workplace.. Nobody wants it differently. However, what sort of independence or inter -dependence a woman picks for herself and her family is no outsider's business. My husband is waiting with a nice cup tea. Whilst I dash away, those "women's issues" remain an enigma to me. But not to worry - it say here that the whole subject is a form of apartheid and all the status of women c,ourcilsrcommittees-and-action-leagues-are— sexist institutions far beneath the cheerful dignity of ordinary female intelligence, initiative and independence.' P.S. The Hansard makes rather boring reading most of the time. ELSA HAYDOf\ 1.0