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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-03-06, Page 4NAL -MAR, TU1 SP" MARCI' 6 f 19+jiq Godericne-. SLGNAL—STAR The County Town Newspaper of Huron • founded in 1048 and published every Thursday of Goderich, Qntarlo. Momber'pf the CCA and OlpfNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions, payable in advance '16.00 in Canada, '35� 00.to U.S.A., '75.00 to all other caun/ries, single copies 35'. Display advertising rotes available on request. Plepso ask for Rota Cord. No. 9 effective Sept- 1, 1979.. Second class mail 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 the bolance of the edver<Isement will be paid for of the- applicable' rale. ,.In the event of e typographical•error advertising goods or.serrlces eta wrong price, goods or service'may not be sold. Advertising Is merely an offer to sell. and may be withdrawn of any time. The Signol.Stor Isnot respq/tsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscr lets' or photos. Business and Editorial Office TELE PHONE' 524-8331 area code 519 Published. by Signal -Star' Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER — editor DONALD M. HUBICK - advertising manager iGlatITh y'�CcTrTr'ess: P :1.'BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich Second class mail registration number — 0716 Need bitter ICU locally Elsewhere'in •this newspaper this week, there's a story by Cath.Wooden on the need for an improved - and if possible, provincially funded - Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. If you're interested in things medical, take time to read the article. The story points out that the local ICU is doing a 'very reasonable job under conditions that aren't ideal. When one considers that hospital statistics show that one in every 10 patients admitted to AM&G goes through the ICU, one gets a better'. picture of the desperate need for a facility that is well equipped arid adequately staffed, The ICU, of course, deals with the critically ill, the emergency monitoring of people in crisis. It is a no-nonsense business there, especially if it is you or someone you love who is confined there. • The• general premise.. of . the provincial govern- ment'iis that a hospital the size- of AM&G doesn't' really, warrant a fully outfitted ICU. From the towers in Queen's Park, it seems feasible that critically ill patients from this area can be cared for: in the larger hospitals in the vicinity where there are indeed some truly excellent' facilities. In practise though, there is often a real and vital requirement for a modern ICU right in Goderich. Doctors and other medical support staff know from firsthand experience the importance of intensive round-the-clock. nursing care for a variety of patients; patientsunderstand the trauma of worrisome and to them, unnecessary transport to a London•hospital; families fear the delays and the needless upsets that could be costly in terms of discomfort, danger and possibly even death. There is every reason to suspect that a proper ICU for AM&G. might be a low priority with the Ontario Ministry of Health. That's predictable at least. But there's every reason to believe a proper/ ICU is a top priority item for citizens of Goderich and area. -If that is so, it maybe essential for,the people in and around Goderich to get together on this 'project with the -board and staff at AM&G, tosee how an adequate ICU can best be funded, supported and staffed for the greatest benefit to all. r'-'-It'isrcertainly-something to think about. And what better time than right now, when we're just setting. foot into The ExcitingEighties where thegoals are high and the challenges stupendous? - SJK The church helps out The church - that long standing, long suffering, long misunderstoodhaven for sinful humanity - has often been criticised for -its lack -of Charity. It's. classic. Someone remembers when he -Was young • and his family was starving ,,and "the church" • did 'nothing to help. Or soniebdd +''cam: "plains That "the church" is always wanting money, but that when there is a crisis in the community, it is seldom "the church" that comes forthwith the goods. 1 There are lots more examples, of course, but the point is that "the church" is many times accused of 'Tailing to practise what it preaches. The ridicule is generally directed at "the church" by those people who seldom, if ever, darken the doors, but it has always been a source of embarrassment to chur- chgoers that all too often, the criticism is justified. There is a reason. Though "the ,church" does much good inthe world, there is never ever a time • when there isn't more good that could be done. And sad to say, the workers in "the church" are diminishing while the problems in the world mount. Just recently though, the church's stock should. have risen 'in the eyes of- people in and around Goderich. Two refugee families have arrived in the town just recently, and both have been sponsored by "the church" - the first by KnO:x Presbyterian Church, the second by nine area churches including Victoria Street United Church,No"rth Street United Church, Benmiller United Church, St. George's Anglican Church, First Baptist Church, the Free Methodist 'Church, Berea -by -the -Water Lutheran Church, the Salvation Army and the_ Pentecostal Church. St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church is also awaiting as refugee' family and three 'churches in Clinton. are simply biding their time until their family arrives. While certain,other individuals in the area have sponsored one or two refugees each, these church sponsorships ,are. the first family groups brought into the district. This newspaper most assuredly Speaks for the entire community when it extends a large "thankyou" to the Christians hereabouts who have taken on this worthy project. While, some Canadians question the wisdom of accepting refugees into the country, there is no doubt that Canada is large enoughand diversified enough to make room for these homeless men, women and children. Could. Canada actually do less and still call itself "the strong north and free"? " It now behooves every citizen of Goderich and area to make these newcomers feel welcome and to work with all th'&churches here to complete the job that has been begun. Is it worthwhile? Just look at the beaming faces of some of the people who have 'most recently arrived here. Just ask the folks who have been closest to them in their first few days and weeks here. And maybe you could ask yourself what you feel deep down is the measure of a human being in this great country called Canada. - SJK Time for a change In Toronto boys are dissappearing from minor hockey •registration and their ' numbers are becoming obvious in less competitive ranks. Players are leaving the all-star..teams for less competitive -le -agues liek those offered in the high school ranks claiming organized hocke-y. is pressure -packed and rigid. - Last week a step was taken towards taking that competitive edge off minor hockey and returning to the basic skills of the game. Last' vet.n the gover- nment announced it would reorganize the .Ontario Hockey Council and allocated $2 million for a three- year program to improve basic hockey skills in young players and upgrade coaching and refereeing to eliminate violence. The plan is working in the right direction and parents -and coaches should offer support. Exploration By Cath Wooden OPEN LETTER TO MAC CAMPBELL Dear Mac: Enclosed is an editorial (see Dear Renders .this week - !editor). recently published in the Bay City Times which i believe will be of interest to our Sister City.. I'have long been of the opinion that United States could be mijr'e active in promoting 'stronger ties with .:its neighbours C a n a dpi tually, my wife and I have peen' frequent visitor, to Canada for civet' twenty years, particulary to London and Toronto in Ontario. The enclosed editorial ,was written by the editor of our paper, Thomas E. Fallon,, and is indicative DEAR of a revived spirit among letter writing c our citizens towards our to its Sister Cit friends in the North, Township of I would suggest that which I rep you might like to give a initiated a copy of this to the editor communit of your local newspaper -and the mayor of your pton s town. As of the. first of the . establi year we have elected a relati new lady mayor, Anne M. In Hatchel, and we have inte seven new city corm- fr missioners with only `two t carrying over from the dldoernmission. • Althou..gh 'the news media has done a fair jo »of reporting, the -no famous "Can.adi Caper I doubt .Canadians are r aware of how Americans feel a matter. • Appar City of Mi promoting an EDITOR mpaign y and the Hampton., resent, has ea"rch for a in Canada nam_e...of . Ham-. that it can h some direct nship. any event, I would be rested in hearing. m you and would like do what I can dotto help promote and foster the reawakening of the Spirit of friendlt�__th Metric..ok ' Dear Editor, In the February 21 issue of the Goderich Signal -Star was a poem; "No Mr. Metric you ain't for me". The sentence in the fifth• line says: "The tables do not .directly relate". What is more related than: 1 metre is 10 dm or 100 cm or 1000 m metre, 1 K, Metre is 100:}4, metre. at • or 10 D metre or 1000 metre (1 metre is the 40,000,000 part of the circumference of the earth.) 1 Kilogram is 2 pound or 1 Kilogram is 1000 gram, 1 pound is 500 gram. Is there any relation in the Imperial system which tells us 28 gram is Americans have had for w • so'm any years with their an Canadian neighbours. that After all we have the sally ..longest .,unguarded deeply. common boundary in the bout the world, if my information ntly the is correct, dland is Milton E. Higgs, individual Bay City Michigan one ounce.- 16 ounces is .one pound or 454 gram. We accept every daythe pound as 450 gram, shorting ourselves with three gram or a little more because the pound is just. under the 459 gram (453.6). Is it not simpler to accept that zero' or 0 means it is the point between freezing and not freezing and that . any degree above is a war- ming ...indication_ and lower than zerois a reelingindication? -- r• know by , experience that many born Canadians are Confused •by how many grams is one pound or how many - ounces are in one pound. Sincerely yours, A.Zonneveld, Goderich. 75 YEARS AGO John T. \k 'stcott, the Well known }Itiron County Constable of Exeter, in addition to the charge of extort ion, admitted by hind was on Tuesday last committed for trial on another charge of , the same kind, attempting to extort money 'from Mrs. Dart, wife elf w•hi;le,ale ,utc ter Thtim•is Dar t.-hy_. threatening to prosecute him on a charge of selling diseased meat Many" citizens took a tumble yesterday; the icy walks being unusually lippc'ry. For a day tlr two it was 'amusing to notice how the ruhhcrs of pedestrians LOOKING stuck. to the.walk in front of the post. office. Good and ill tempered. people were' treated alike. The damp rubber coming in contact with the frosty walk was the cause of the trouble. St. George Price, who a few• months ago removed here from Hamilton and opened up a grocery business is -selling out, Having engaged to travel lilt' lite WhTitesale fifth Of J,.H• Eckhart and Co. 25 YEARS AGO • .An official from the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests will be asked to come to Goderich to make a survey of trees in Court •House Park to see which 'ones:.if any, should be cut down and replaced. That was the decision reached by town .council Friday night. Spread of influenza scented to he abating at two Goderich schools -yesterday although about 25 per cent of the. pupils at Goderich Public School were reported absent -mi9 ugTi-iriness. . Traffic in front of Goderich Public Schdol on Gibbons Street posed a problem for town council Friday night but no solution was found 'a'nd the matter was deferred for further consideration: Young people from three counties divided honors fairly evenlyin competition at an annual music festival held last Friday night at Goderich Baptist Church. • Town council is ex- pected to receive an estimate of the cost of paving the Square at its. next meeting. 5 YEARS AGO After walking over 30 Dti miTes and stopping at over 100,000 homes in the lastmll years, George Currell retired as a mailman at the Goderich post office last Friday. Town council agreed Monday nigth - to reconsider who will use Agricultural Park on Labor Day weekend. Co -until decided two weeks " ago to grant the Lndust.rial Softball. tournament the, use of the park in favor of the Goderich Trotting Association which would normally, be operating harness racing that night. A reminder that the County , of Huron has. an obligation until 1985 to see that Sky Harbor Airport continues to--Qperate.as_a _—__ airport, . has clinched a request from the town for support to help maintain the premises. A report to the Board of Education from, superintendent, J.W. Coulter, has indicated that phasing out North Ashfield school could save the board $2,000. SEAR READERS BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER There has been much ' written, and much said, about the "Canadian Caper" - the heroic deeds of the Canadians who helped six United States citizens escape the grasp of Iranian terrorists. A recent editorial's in The Bay City (Michigan) Times called for Americans to do "something to com- memorate" this act , of friendship between Canada and they USA. The writer pointed.out that "we take each other so for granted and make so little effort at enhancing our relationship". To my surprise the writer went on: "Canada has exhibited a great patience with its overwhelmingly powerful American neighbor, biting its tongue more often than;not as massive US investment , interests have pulled that cover rgn nation -into a sphere of economic domination." The writer continued: "Investraerrt, jobs for Canadians? True. But the stream of profits still flows out of Canada to the US and, for a nation striving to'retain its own identity, its own place among the world's• leaders, that fact isn't always easy to choke down." I was even more surprised to read this: "It is to the • credit of 'the Canadians. that they. despite the powerful influence* of US culture, have manager) to -keep a distinctive national flavor and to build on the pride of being- (''.anadi1fl-• The editorial asked the question: "How can we really show our gratitude n a manner that speaks from our heart There were some surprising suggestions. One was to "direct the free world Olympics hack to Montreal this summer, to the place which at- tained such success in hosting the 1976 Olympics", The editorial suggested Americans could commit their money, their technical help and whatever else is required "to,achieve a great athletic event for those'hoycotting Russia". Another suggestion was to initate an exchange student program with Canada, a program patterned after the USA's present international student exchanges with Germany, Sweden and .Japan. That suggestion was hacked up with this statement: "Too long now, it has baffled us that we, trade students with so many otht'r countries and not with Canada. Our young people in the United States should understand the traditions: the thinking, of Canadians. Maybe, to us, it's even more important that we hring the youngsters of our neighbors here to live with us, to know more -.about us. And surely, our studets should study in Canada." I found the editorial enlightening in some respects, and confusing in others. As a Canadian, I was delighted to learn that 1 and my countrymen are so distinctive in our culture that it is noticed by Americans. Here in Canada we tend to think otherwise - that our culture is lost in all that American gdbblyguok on radio and televiysion, and that we do little else than mirnmick our neighbors to the south: And i was in a bit of a quandry over the matter of US investment in Canada. I know full well thatlIsome people abhor the'thought of AmeHcan ownership ifi Canada, hut then, by far the majority of. Canadians seem to be perfectly content with it., Afteralf, if we use American capital and American know- how, there's less risk for Canadians. As a nation, we're not gamblers. And bring the Olympics for the free world to Montreal? Hmmm. Might well be that all the Canadian athletes would be out of the country, at the Russian Olympic site. Truth is, many Canadians think the Olympics should be completely separated from political or international disputes and would heartily support sending atheletes to the summer games in Moscow. Now an exchange of students is a cracker -jack idea. It's not neW, of course, but it could be expanded. I'm all fur Americans learning more about us and about our country. I really believe we're a little ahead of them when it glomes to solid knowledge about our neighbors and their land. Could it -be, though, that if,we got to know each other a whole lot better we wouldn't be quite so friendly? Probably not a realistic concern you say? Maybe you're right, but then I always was a bit of a skeptic about such things. That's not necessarily correct - but it is Canadian,