HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-07-20, Page 1btal gri
Huron taxpayers will be paying a higher tax
bill next year to foot the cost of the county's 273
secondary school teachers awarded 6.75 per-
cent salary increase.
=Phe increase was awarded by David John-
ston, dean of law at the,University of Western
Ontario. He was appointed arbitrator by the
]Duran .Copnty.. Board, of Education and the
Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation
(OSSTF) to resolve the remaining monetary
issues after the 31 -day strike -lockout situation
ended April 13.
The arbitrator'sreport dated July 19 covers
the 1978-79 school contract and is binding on
both parties.
Board chairman John Elliott said at a press
conference Tuesday ratepayers will be faced
-with a tax increase next year, as the teachers'
salaries exceed the school board's budget and
provincial funding.
Mr. Elliott said the 6.75 percent increase
works out to be a total grid cost to the board of
9.18 percent, with increments .for experience
and qualifications.
He said with the grid cost a qualified teacher
achieving 10 years experience will receive a
$3,000 raise.
"I'd say that is a pretty significant increase,"
he said.
ike of
Education director John Cochrane said
taxpayers will be responsible for the over -
budgeted. amount because "anything over
provincial ceilings` is picked up 100 percent
locally."
• However, board representatives refused to
say what the contract will cost, only that it is •
over the amount the bi�o rd had budgeted for
teacher salary increas;a'
Since the board cannot appeal the settlement,'
Shirley Hazlitt co-chairman of the negotiating
committee, said the only avenue left for the
board is "pass the 'bill on to the taxpayers."
Defending the increased tax burden, Shirley
Weary, spokesman for District 45 of OSSTF
said taxpayers in other counties have already
paid additional educational costs and it has just
taken a "little longer" for the situation to reach
Huron.
"I don't think the 1-luron taxpayers want any
less,education for their children than anywhere
else," she said adding that "better education is
one of the by-products of more money."
The report follows two days of arbitration
hearings in Goderich last month, where both
sides presented their cases.
The teachers demanded between a 10 and 11
percent pay increase, based on a two percent
across the grid raise and an increase based on
the cost -of -living.
C
The board offered a 6.4 percent total increase
including a 3.2 percent increase for increments
or $905 more across the grid. '"
With the new wage settlement, teachers'
salaries will now range from .$12,27.6 to $27,275,
compared with $11,500 to $25,550.
Dean Johnston awarded the county's five
principals and,vice ,prin is{,�_
raise, inc•resi - a Fpirtipal's maximm•
u
salary fxtasrr.,S3F," `;4e . h4,re is only one
principal eligible for maximum salary just $950,
less than the board's three superintendents.
A vice-principal with two years experience
will earn $33,175 compared with the current
$31,T900.
he board had offered a 3.94 percent increase
for principals a d a 4.79 percent increase for
vice -principals. The teachers salary demands
also covered principals and vice -principals.
All salary increases are effective September
1 and are not under anti-inflation guidelines.
One of the major stumbling blocks in the 31 -
day strike was sick leave credit gratuity, which
was settled in the teachers' favour.
Dean Johnston agreed not to alter the clause
which allows a teacher with 12 years of ex-
perience to collect up to half a year's salary at
resignation or retirement.
The board wanted to add an age restriction of
50 years before a teacher could collect,
- reducing the eligible teachers from 108 to 38. -.
He argued. for retention of the clause as it has
been part of the contract in Huron since the
-board's inception in 1 e% and the board did not
offer anything in its place.
Mr: Elliott said it is difficult to determine the
cost of thisolause as no money is budgeted for it
but,. `cif .1DS teachers decided. to:41ah eigA
esignations, the'sTfrp wotifd sink.
"tris a' contingent liability that has got out of
control," he said.
Mrs. Weary said she is pleased with .what she.
calls a "fair" settlement.
"I think it is a kind of settlement both sides
can live with and neither one should be unduly
'upset:"
The board chairman, critical of the report,
said the settlement was a "preconceived
decision by the arbitrator" with the arbitrator
basing his rationale on previous contracts in
other counties.
He said the arbitrator did not pay attention to
the board's arguments concerning the
agricultural community's economic situation
and ability to pay.
Mr: Elliott said the report's findings confirm.
the board's reluctance to go to arbitration.
It is expected the settlement will effect the
remaining contracts being negotiated,
especially -the elementary teachers.
Never agreement
Office staff , and hourly employees of
Champion Road Machinery Co. Ltd. voted to
accept a one-year collective agreement last
week that affects 830 employees.
The two settlements voted on affect 750
hourly employees and 80 salaried employees all
members of the Association of. Machinists and
Aerospace; Workers, Loca1,1863.
The new agreement raises the wage for top
rated hourly employees in the plant to $9.33.per
hour from $8.67 and the minimum starting rate
was raised from $5.07 to $5.51 per hour.
The top classification for office union em;
plo'yees will pay a maximum rate of $368.12 per
week. The previous top office rate was $342.
The minimum start rate for office clerks has
bee -n raised to $153 per week from $141.85.
The
e increase -for bothe tan and office 8
percentplantffice
workers.
J
1'
131 YEAR -29
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1978 •
30 CENTS PER COPY
�hr allace M.D.
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
A bench that sits outside the iron fence at 35
Wellington Street South helps this week, to tell
the story of Dr. John William Wallace, belove
Goderich physician who died suddenly Friday
July 14 at his summer residence in Colborn
Township on Lake Huron. That bench
fashioned by the doctor's own hands, wa
placed there as a resting place for people who
passed by. People who might be weary and in
need of a spot to sit. People to whom Dr. John
Wallace devoted his entire lifetime.
From the four corners of the community
served by Dr. Wallace throughout his life, come
the tributes.
A very humble man. A shy person. A prince
among men. A- wise man. Always the same.
Truly the most wonderful human being. So
human. A sincere -man. A marvellous sense of
humor. A very private person. A home body. A
very practical man. A wonderful friend. The
greatest humanitarian I have ever known. The
most understandingieart. Sogood to everyone.
So wonderful. A legend in our time. -
The 74 -year old family physician was buried
Tuesday, July 18 in Maitland Cemetery with the
Rev. G.L. Royal officiating. But for hundreds
and hundreds of-Goderich and area people, the
memory of Dr. John Wallace will live forever.
"The biggest heart in the medical profession
is gone," said one who knew him well.
"He was so dedicated to his professi",.said
=amoifrer•�ra�ls "greates`rcaon,
pTheity tor'
-understanding people. He took time to talk to
people and to listen. He had great wisdom and
he could impart it. -
There are all kinds of stories about John
Wallace, the man. Many:many of them are tied
directly%to John Wallace, the family physician
who was respected and revered by anyone
whose life he had touched.
There was the elderly patient who was
confined to bed for whom John Wallace made
dinner every evening. There was the lady in
hospital who had peace of mind because Dr..
Wallace dropped in at her home every evening
to feed her pets. There were the dozens of
patients he drove to the hospital in his own
private car, 'personally delivered to their
hospital rooms in a wheelchair and transported
home 'again when treatment was 'complete.
There were the flowers sent to elderly patients
on their birthdays. There were the bills for
service that were newer sent...and the times
when the doctor sent the patient away with
more money than the patient had come in with.
There were the housecalls he made without
ever being summoned. There were the nights
he spent with dying patients, just to be certain
they wouldn't be alone when the end came.
"He is the end of an era," one friend said.
"There won't ever be another like him."
BORN IN GODERICH
John William Wallace was born May 23, 1904
at 35 Wellington St., S., to William and Rachael
(McSween) Wallace. He attended St. Andrews
Ward School, Victoria Public School „ and .
Goderich Collegiate Institute. He graduated•,
from the University of Toronto in 1929 and in-
terned at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, and
Royal Victoria -Hospital, Montreal. He prac-
ticed ,for two years in Orangeville" and
Shelburne before returning to Godericho
As a young doctor, returning to his home
town, it tdok' a while iiefore people inthe
community trusted enough to • become, his
patients. The story is told that in those first few
weeks, Dr. Wallace often sat alone in his office;
waiting for someone to seek his services:
It wasn't long thauglh before John Wailace's
d
e
s
ability as a diagnostician and family physician
became known in the community, At one time,
before he moved his office to 65 Colborne
.Street, patients filled the waiting room in his
home and spilled over onto the frdnt steps and
all the way up the stairway indoors.
Until he died, Dr. Wallace's work load really
didn't slow down. At his death his large prac-
tice consisted 'nYainly of older people who had
been his patients for years and years, but he
saw many younger people - new patients who
had heard of him and wanted to be in his care.
In recent years,- Dr. Wallace did not take
obstetrics patients a.nd he no longer served as
anaesthetist in the -operating room. But he was
still in his office four days a week from 2 pm
until 5 pm... and often in the evenings. He made
hospital rounds and housecalls on Wednesdays
and. Saturdays and only in the last couple of
years, had given up taking his regular shift on
call at the hospital emergency department.
•-Dr. Kenton Lambert recalls that the doctors.,
in Goderich decided about three years ago to
relieve Dr. Wallace and the late Dr. Norman
Jackson of their responsibilities on "the duty
roster".
"It was a point of gratitude," said Dr.
Lambert. "They had served the community
long enough on the duty roster and deserved to
be excused."
Dr. Wallace was, of course, reluctant to
—ac,cert,the.gff rFe£.- 5.41k: ral4aas ates�
take some `time off
no avails`
end of an era
to enjoy his hobbies, but to "He was all heart," said one friend, who
v •M-->�-spointed'out-that- Dr. Wallace was a devoted
husband and father. He was married on July 3,
1943 to Dorothy Linklater at the Linklater
homestead in Colborne Township. Surviving
besides his wife are one daughter, Ruth of
Bayfield; and three sons, Robert John of
Fordwich; James Bruce of Goderich; and
William Roy of Fordwich. Dr. Wallace is also
survived by one brother, James Wallace of
Corunna.
While Dr. Wallace was not involved in clubs
and organizations in Goderich, he was a
MANY HOBBIES
Known to his friends as a very. practical man
and a private person, Dr. Wallace loved to sail
and to be near the water. His summer home on
Lake Huron north of Goderich was a joy to him,
and provided an outlet for his talents as a
handyman and gardener. He planted a variety
of trees and was proud of his vegetable garden.
He also had a complete smith shop at the cot-
tage and was well known, for his exquisite
wrought iron work, some of which was
displayed in the garden adjacent to his home on
Wellington Street.
-His office on Colborne Street featured the
replica of a ship in a glass case which sits on a
marble stand, .handmade by Dr. Wallace from
a piece of marble from Miss Hogan's soda
fountain which at one time was located where
Ormandy's jewellery store is now situated on
The Square. .
John Wallace wanted no part of fuss and
enjoyed nothing better than to get out in his
Jeep for relaxation. But he loved beautiful
things, too, and turned his hand to oil painting
from time to time, and to refurbishing and
preserving architecturally sound homes and
buildings in Goderich.
"Patient care was all important to him," said
Dr. Lambert. "There's no question 'from our
collective points of view that Dr. Wallace will
be missed most dreadfully. He was the last of
the oldtimers. Dr. Taylor, Dr. Jackson, and
now Dr. Wallace. The last of an era."
"He was an unusual person who always put
patients first," continued Dr. Lambert. "He
was a super obstetrician. A super fracture
man. It has been said that if you gave John a
fracture it was amazing what he could ido with
the bones. He had a feel for medicine. O.ne of his
great gifts was his intuitive ability to come up
with the right diagnosis most times. fie was a
very special person. The way he cared for his
patients. I feel very badly that he's gone,"
SERVED IN THE WAR
During, World War II; Dr. Wallace-s-erved as a;
Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian .Air
Force and was stationed at Toronto, St.
Thomas, Sky Harbour (Goderich), Dartmouth,
N.S. and Gander, Newfoundland,
Following the war, the Royal Colleg,e of
Physicians and "surgeons was established, and
Dr. Wallace was advised that by simply ap-
plying, he could have a specialty certificate
because of his outstanding abilities as a doctor.
But in true John Wallace tradition, he declined,
feeling he was a general practitioner -and happy
'with that role.
' "He was an 'extremely good practitioner,
says Dr. A.D. McLachlin of University Hospital
in Londgri, a longtlihe friend and admirer 'of
John Wallace, and a very'decent fellow. He
was a very good physician, an awfully good
diagnostician, a real good practitioner. I
couldn't rrmakerit stronger,
In recent years, Dr. Wallace's `own health
was failing.' He had a severe heart attack in
the winter of 1953-54 but had learned to cope
with his problem. He was also plagued with—
back problems which at times caused hire to
stoop in pain, but he continued Withhis Work.
"John devoted his life to people," said one
person. "He wanted to work until he dropped."
"Looking afterpeopile was his major player,"
claimed 1 r,: Lambert. Dr. Lambert said he had
personally often 'encouraged Dr: Wallace to
The John Wallace Memorial Trust
Fund was established this week to
permit friends of the well loved family
physician a meaningful way to show
their deep appreciation and gratitude to
a departed friend.
Gifts are tobetaken to the information
desk at Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital. Cheques are to be made
payable to the hospital, but specifically
marked for the John Wallace fund. All
monies are to be earmarked for the
separate holding account. Interest from
that account will be used to purchase
needed equipment for the hospital.
-member and a supporter of Knox Presbyterian
Church and of course, gave generously of his
time in connection with Alexandra Marine and
General Hospital. Although in recent years he
-did not. want to get embroiled in the politics of
the hospital, he served on committees at the
hospital as requested with his greatest concern
being for the continuing quality of patient care.
• The great respect of the doctors and the`
board of Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital 'for Dr. John William Wallace is
demonstrated this week in the establishment of
the John Wallace Memorial Trust Fund. People
are invited to contribute to this tribute to the
late Dr. Wallace. It is understood the money
will be invested and the interest used to buy
equipment for thethospital.
The -funeral service was at Knox
Presbyterian Church Tuesday. The Rev. Paul
Linklater, curate of Trinity Anglican Church,
Galt, and a nephew of the doctor, assisted the
Rev. G.L. Royal. Pallbearers were John Sully
Jr., Ed Giesbrecht, Peter Bettger, John
Hughes, Jim Vance and 4'•G-regl Reynolds:
Hundreds of bereaved and devoted friends
called at Stiles Funeral Home Sunday and
Monday to pay their last respects.
• "He.had the most understanding heart," said
one woman, tears in her voice. "He was so good
to everyone."
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A doctor for nearly half a century, John Wallace served Goderich- t d area fb1Tks for oyer 4
_.:. ,e 7 years