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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-11-25, Page 1Frank 0 . ▪ q 1 CI aJ 'j 52 lipii°1;r Ozi BY DAVE.SYKES . Frank Waikom eased : back into the large chair,. set the crutches aside and pr-eppedup an injured ankle. "It's time to relax Trow.," he said. "My wife and I have been engaged in ac- tivities in the town for over 20 years." And the relaxation will come as welcome relief to arrian whose teaching career. spanned 39 years and whose municipal interests led to 20 years • service on town council. For the first time since 1954 Frank• will not seek election to towncouncil. His • interest was sparked in the early • 1950's when he was appointed to a local housing authority board. Frank said he. had always attended; the nomination meetings prior to,elections. "I used to go to the nomination meetings but there seemed to be much more interest in theelections then," he said. "Well at one of the meetings my name was nominated ;wand I .just let it stand. - Nominations now are conducted through a signature procedure as .op- posed tothe open meeting format which. Frank claimed commanded more in- terest. He added that there was no back biting at the nomination meetings but now candidates seek more publicity and are always ready to pounce on con- troversial issues.• Frank was elected to council in his first election and recalls that heserved four years as a councillor before moving _up to deputy-reeve,_reeve and a term as mayor. He served as mayor .of the town for two years . efore being narrowly defeated while -king a second term by Dr: Ft•ank Milk Following' that defeat he focused his ttentions to the council tables' and ab oned further hopes of running for mayor:. ' • Frank was employed as a school teacher for 39 years and taught at. Goderich Collegiate for 26 years. He cited the co-operation of the board of education as a major factorin his longevity of council service; "While I was . teaching I received, Ppermission from the board to go into politics," he said. "Politics required my being away from school for several days which werejust taken from my sick leave." During his council career Frank has served under five mayors as well as -. serving as tew*+axg ayor.-for:;.a ttwo :year term himself. He said he was pleased with the progress of council during the past 20 years. As he reflected on his lengthy highlights career he referred to several highlights of previous councils. He was particularly proud of the work done to upgrade the postal service in town and cited, the property deal the rading locations with the old town .offices The offices and, garage were located on -East Street in" the present Post' Office location' while the post office was located ;in the present town hall. Frank had to travel to Ottawa to close the pbst office deal and noted that the, town redeived.,a. gratuity of $14,000 in the exchange. • He was quite pleased when the.town • qualified• and received mail delivery, a project Council had worked on for some time. Following the new town hall acquisition council purchased the police and fire station. ' Later council'purchased 160 acres of land on Highway 21 south that serves as the Industrial Park: The land was purchased approximately 14 years ago. Past councils • also investigated new a► water and sewage systems for the town and a new collegiate was built and later •. required two additions. Councillors seemed more stringent with tax dollars and Frank said that his first term on council netted $4 per meeting and at that time He was required •to attend four meetings per month. One councillor put forth a motion suggesting that the fee be raised to $6 , per meeting but the motion, died without a seconder. The Goderich police force and Frank . Walkom .... retires from politics The staff of t•Schootin erich honored toretirementefteacher if8 at sdintelaidsocial hour`on:friday enig hi recognition of her ater • years work in education. Signing the guest book is former principal Harry Shackleton as past inspector GAG. Gardiner and Mrs. Cory look on. (staff photo)., • 9, after 20 cou volunteer fire department have 'evolved over the years and Frank recalled that at One: -time the force was only four in number and without a cruiser.. At the same time that the council gradually increased the 'police force they : also purehas_ e.d afire truck in Woodstock and Frank elaimed•.the people• of the town thought council .was squandering tax money. ` But Frank claims there was . more . interest in the many dealings of council years ago and cited the example of the meeting for the' . propo,•sed collegiate addition which drew 150 interested citizens. He also recalled how interested the citizens were in the. construction of a new arena.:in town Awhile realizing that it was . not likely ever to become- self. supporting.. . • "As I canvosseri forthe new arena I told the people that it would lever pay for itself," he said. But the people were. interested and got behind the project. • Frank said that his 20 {years of municipal life were most .....9yµble''but added that his last two year term was not as pleasant.. . "I guess. since I taught school for 39. years I became regimented in my ways and council meetings were 'clisciplincfi and were attended on time, he said. have been provoked at council's actions as they are out of order -and un- disciplined." But Frank also admitted that council oberttb come much more • tedious and ;editlx. overthe.ears. The budget?'•a so kept stride y �S;and a believeswith the town s p�'o� t}..treisrmfore� piture eas:Godech hasp "ossed rapidly. and possibly too fas for" its capabilities:;gift looking at the Awa .e problem and the increased .watt: su plY.• needed for in dustry,",he sa'd: Councils debt load is too much' ion' expenses could be cut. A =councillor ni.w makes as much as a -whole counci did years ago." Frank enjoyed his 20 years of service on the municipal council, an interest that was sparkec' as a member of the housing ,. , athority and as he reviewed his 20 years of quiet service he added: "I guess I -just wasn't made to be a riprOaring politician-'" and its dealings he" 1 129 YEAR -48 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1976 SECOND SECTION Met Store Manager Bob' Taback directs operations as. Kinsmen Dave'Cloet, left, and Dan McHardie, centre, move a Kinsmen Club Toy.Box into positionat Met Store in the ,. Suneoast:Mali •For .thesecond year the Kinsmen,:..in co - operation with the Huron County Children's Aid Society, are . setting up drop boxes throughout Goderich foil residents to deposit toys and gifts for underprivileged children. (staff • photo) Kinsmen seek toys or ! nK� •ti Once .again this year the „Goderich Kinsmen Club, in association with the Huron County Children's ..Aid ,Society, will be operating project "toy drop". - The project is designed to give the children of underprivileged families in .Goderich an enjoyableand meaningful, Christmas. Kinsmen organizers request citizens of Goderich and surrounding areas to place unwrapped gifts for ages one to 18 in large bones which the club hasset-up at the' local Canadian Tire Store, -Breckenridge Home Hardware, Metropolitan Stores, Peoples' Store and Woolworth's. , Project chairman Dave Cloet..reports that in 197.5 the project, was a big success• with a number of donorsdropping en." - ' n=' velopes containing money:' which was used to purchase, additional gifts for the children. In addition, the student council at Goderich and District Collegiate Institute 'has appealed- to students to support the project and a box .has been placed in the main lobby at the school. Mr. Cloet said he was hoping for as strong a response this year as last. Mrs. Emily Cory retires -after 28 teaching years Over 60 teaching associates were on hand from London, Toronto and Huron County when the staff of Victoria Public School in Goderich held . an informal dinner and social evening on Sunday at Knox Presbyterian Church in honor of the retirement of Emily Rolson Cory. Mrs. Cory first taught at Grand Bend during the school term of 1998 and then came to Victoria Public School in, Goderich where she worked for 27 years. At Victoria she taught Grades 3, 4, and 5 in the acceleration program as well as the primary ,.grades. Since 1962 she . specialized in kindergarten. During her year§ of teaching Mrs. Cory took part In many innovative and experimental ' programs within the crassroom •and saw many changes result throughout the school systetn-. In addition to her classroom work she gave much of herself to extracurricular school functions and was interested especially in sports programs and tournaments for students. Mrs. Cory also ser ,ed as the teacher representative for three years on the salary negotiation committee. She was an active member of the Federation of . Women Teachers of Ontario as well as past president of the local unit and was honored by the Federation at an association meeting in June. Mrs. Cory was also a gues-t at a dinner given to retiring teachers by the Huron County •Board of Education in June. The presence of all• her farmer in- • sadtorprincipalssuperintendents, andmanyammberather retirement dinner was indicative of the high esteem in which she is held by those in her profession.. • Mrs. Cory continues to pursue her hobbies and interests in antiques. Since liver retirement she has been making plans to travel and a trip to Florida this winter is planned as the first of many anticipated jaunts. Don O'Brien on behalf of the teachers, presented Mrs. Cardy with a matched set of luggage and a specjal album of the dinner guest list and photos to which she can add her collecti$n of - school mementos. • Among the special guests honoring Mrs. Cory were past inspectors G. G. Gardiner of Toronto and James Coulter of Goderich, principals J. Witherspoon of London, Harry Shackleton • of Goderich, Ralph Smith of Goderich,, John Kane of Goderich and ID. L. O'Brien of Zurich.