HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-10-05, Page 4PAGE 4—THE ODDER ICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, OCTOOE.R 3, 1978
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G4!;.derich
SIGNAL STAR
The County Town Newspaper of Huron
Founded In 111411 and published every. Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CWNA
and Q.WNA. Advertising rates qn request. Subscriptions payable In advance '14.50 In
Canada, '35.00 to U.S.A.,'20.00 to all other countries. single copier 00 cents. Display adver-
tising roles available on request. Please ask for Rate Cerd No. 0 effective Oct. 1. 1071.
Second class mall Registration Number 0710. 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 balance
of the advertisement will be paid for at• the applicable rate. In the event of a
typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price. goods or service may
not bo sold. Advertising 1s merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. Thi—.
Signal -Star Is not responsible for the Toss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos.
41,
Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLER — editor
EDWARD J. BYRSKI — advertising manager
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich
Second class mail registration number — 0716
Business and Editorial Office
TELEPHONE 524-8331
area code 519
Ptthlic...iI pt t ould be problem: -
The idea of teaching morals in the school isn't
new. For sometime now, teachers have been urged
to use. whatever opportunities arise in the
classroom to instill sound moral values in their
students. But --in Perth County Board of Education
trustees are preparing to meet with the public to
discuss the ,teaching of moral and religious
education in that county's schools, and that could be
opening a whole new can of worms.
The Perth board has already held a series of six
public meetings to find out the views and ex-
pectations of the parents, the students and the
communityat large concerning moral and religious
education. From. those meetings, the, board's
special committee has come up with a series of
recommendations which deal with the kind of
program that would be best suited to the Perth
schools.
Drawing the public into such discussions is ideal,
of course, but unfortunately past experiences in
many places show that the public really isn't a very
good judge of how to handle things in the classroom.
Prejudice and bias infiltrates the atmosphere at
most public meetings and tends to destroy much of
the good that was intended to come from it.
It is interesting that so much money is spent
training teachers only to have laymen called in to
set not only the policies for the classroom, but the
curriculum as well. It is one thing for the public to
suggest that teachers should teach sound moral
practices at every opportunity ... and quite another
thing for the public to say exactly what those
morals should be and how they should be taught.
It makes sense for a teacher to comment on a
situation that comps up in the conversation in the
classroom setting. "For iri'stance,' 'the—top-le-of
blasphemy could surface'in class when some over-
zealous ,and perhaps excited student would spill
forth with some language not fit for human ears.
Much worth could come from a trained teacher
expertly explaining the fact that many people are
needlessly embarrassed by such talk and .firmly
suggesting that the student watch his tongue in
future.
It is even possible that such an opportunity,
properly handled, would be a better lesson on
morals and religion that anything else could be in
the same setting.
The same could be true of other questions of
morality 7 matters involving drinking or sex or
stealing or brotherhood. A timely comment by a
professional .who is alerted' in the right situations
could be a very beneficial kind of learning ex-
perience for a good many young students.
At the same time, teachers should not be ex-
pected to echo the exact sentiments of the public ...
because the sentiments,of the public are as varied
as the faces found there. Teachers are ordinary folk
with ordinary viewpoints, yet, they are
professionals who must be trusted to impart to their
students only, those things which will help them
toward growth and maturity, high standards and
good citizenship.
Th reason religion isn't taught in the public
schools the way it was at one time, is because
people are less united now than ever before about
what is right and wrong. As the public has become
informed, as thought has been stimulated and
freedom of expression encouraged, more and more
differences have been noted in people. Everybody
has an opinion of what is truth...and everybody
wants his own version taught to the youth.
Perhaps religion can't be taught in the schools,
except where it is a parochial school founded and
financed by one particular denomination. Perhaps
religion doesn't belong in the public' school
classroom where children of all walks of "life
congregate.
But certainly a teacher has' an obligation to guide
students toward acceptable social practices...and
'se'ris�e"`'thydt" morals. Not necessarily the
morals of the -individual parents or even the in-
dividual teacher.. Rather the morals which are
,generally thought to be acceptable.
If the public understands this and can agree with
it; the board of education in Perth is on the right
track. But if the public there is like the public
everywhere else, there will be much dissention and
much dissatisfaction before all is said . and
done.—SJK (q(
Road safety a personal matter.
Canadians are killed in automobile accidents at
the rate of more than ten a day and it has been
estimated that between five and ten per cent of the
beds in our general hospitals are occupied by
traffic -accident victims. Our highways are awfully
bloody.
Faulty design and mechanical failure have
contributed significantly to the blood -sacrifice
exacted from us for the privilege of having
automobiles. Manufacturers, prodded by public
opinion and governmental action and probably by
their own consciences, are 'showing increasing
Check your flag
Flags. Yes, it's flags again.There are still flags
in this town which should come down. Some of them
are tattered and torn, a mere faded replica of their
once crisp appearance.
If you have flags at your home or at your
business, check them today. If they don't look their
best, take them down. Evenif they aren't replaced
with new flags, at least they won't be flying in
dishonor. - SJK
responsibility in the design and making of
automobiles. Most garagemen seem to be men of
basic honesty and competence, but there is ample
evidence that some of them do careless work on our
cars and trucks.
But if every manufacturer and garagernan
agreed not to put a vehicle on the road until it had
received Ralph Nader's personal stamp of ap-
proval, we would still have serious road safety
problems. When we have said all that there is to be
said about the makers and maintainers of
automobiles, we still have to come to terms with
responsibilities of drivers, your responsibilities and
mine.
We are all proud of our driving ability: one gets
the impression that about 95 per cent of all drivers
consider themselves above average in driving
ability. Many of us, perhaps most 'of us; undergo
subtle personality changes when we get behind the
wheel of a powerful automobile - and a false and
dangerous pride is an important element in these
changes.
Road safety is not merely an engineering and
legal concern,: It °is also a significant issue in per-
sonal morality, a matter of personal integrity. —
Berwick Reporter
Another- long, cold winter
We are glad to read the professional
meteorologists, now in The Cdunty Press, as they
discuss the weather and sometimes explain their
miscalculations. We are told that more Americans
listen to and read weather reports than any other•
type of news or entertainment.
Bat what we need in this country, along with a
return to juicier apple pies and woodhurning
stoves, are men who will fearlessly foreetistl the
weather or a full season ahead. ` -
We're ready With our own long terra prediction.
We have checked the woolly caterpillars, the
thickness of onion skins, and the rnoss on the north
side of the pines. •
We have also watched the chipmunks beesuse.we
have found that nothing equals the angle of chip -
flunks' tails' dnr;ipgilie r oiilth of SeptombOt r 'a
11 �
chipmunk carries its tail floating backward, it
means a mild winter.
If the tail is ,carried straight up and down, it
means a normal six months ahead. If, however, the
chipmunks carry their tails curved over their back,
it means an old-fashioned, cold and Snowy winter.
And so we tell you this: It's going to be a long,
rugged season before the maple sap flows again.
We can tell you about tie et summer too. It won't
be 'like this summer becailse no perfect summer
ever repeat"§ itself. Friendships must die, good
times must always end, and the years melt people
and beloved places.
It's a sunimpr we' won't see again, and because
we know that, we feel a little older, —The Lapeer
Cot,inty Tess. .
t
I.'3
Let's take it down
by Dave Sykes
BY
SHIRLEY J. KELLER
By the time you read
this, I will be far away
from Goderich on a much
await' d holiday.I
haven't had a vacation
from my desk at the
Signal -Star since May of
1977...and I'm really
ready for a change.
Holidays are wonderful
things aren't they? I'm.
really happy today for the
person or persons who
made holidays com-
pulsory things for
workers.
It wasn't that long ago
that holidays were only
for the rich...or school
children. When we were
first married, thy
husband and I never
knew what a holiday was
like, especially a holiday
with pay. In those years
about the only break we
had from work was
during a layoff - and I
must admit, there
seemed to be plenty of
those.
Then all of a sudden my
husband had a _job where
a week of paid holidays
came with the other
benefits. It opened an
entire new world to us
and we learned it was
possible to get away from
home for several days
without risking our
financial security.
It was since we came to
Goderich that we had our
first real holiday - two
whole weeks travelling
D.;EAR READERS
from place to place and
never once seeing a
relative or a friend. Once
we had that taste of wfiat
a holiday cart really be
like, we certainly planned
carefully for the next one.
,,; Weplanned this one too:
- two maybe three'weeks'
travelling to the west
coast. We were going to
be gone the first two
weeks in July. But alas,.
fate intervened and Our
holidays were postponed
until now. Our son's
wedding toqk priority.
Needless to say, we're
not going to make it to the
west coast this year. Our
holiday will include a few
short jaunts ere and
there, making` home our
base. To tell the truth,
we're looking forwaid to
the whole idea.
Not many companies
get by without some
holiday plan for its
employees. Everybody
seems to get at least one
week and in most cases,
employees are entitled to
two weeks after the first
year of employment.
I remember, of course,
when a two-week holiday
was a marvellous thing.
But now, employees are
asking for policies which
will give them three
weeks holidays after five
years of employment;
four weeks after• ten
years; five weeks after 15
years; six weeks after 20
or 25 years. To be sure,
some people already
enjoy these kinds of
benefits. -
Employees have been
known to go out on strike
to get improved holiday
benefits. Not long ago I
heard a radio corn-
mentator talking about
that sort of thing and he
said if it is good enough
for the workers, it should
be goodenough for the
employers. He was
suggesting that em-
ployers should be able to
strike - to shut down their
plants and offices if they
are not satisfied ,with the
deal they are getting
from their employees.
And then there are the
people who have several
weeks of vacation in a
year - and wish it was
different. They actually
wish they could'work and
get paid for working,
while at the same time
collecting their holiday
pay. Sort of double -your -
money.
That way, people who
have six weeks vacation
in ayear could work two
of them and save enough
money to have a bang up
holiday in the remaining
four weeks. The biggest
complaint of people who
have six weeks or more of
vacation is that they don't
have the money to enjoy
it...and I suppose that can
be annoying too.
-I- f -1-
I think sometimes that
people misunderstand
75 YEARS AGO
A MacDonald intends
to remove to Brussels
next week and commence
his law practice there,
succeeding 'G.F. Blair`
who comes to Goderich.
One important matter
before the meeting of the
council of 'the Board of
Trade which was held on
Monday was the proposal
of N.B. Smith of Smith
Bros. and Company to
erect a factory, in
Goderich early in the new
year for the manufacture
of ladies' garments and
jackets.
James A. Strachan of
the Victoria Street
machine works, has been
awarded the contract for
the placing of handrails
up the steps of both en-
,
trar►ces to the post office
`building.
l
what holidays are sup-
posed to do for em-
ployees. Vacations are
supposed to be times of
rest and relaxation which
will put the employee in a
better frame of mind to
return to. work. Holidays,
as you see, are to be as
beneficial to the em-
ployer as to the em-
ployee.
That's. why I honestly
believe that 'a three-week
period is the ideal length
of time for a vacation,
providing of course the
vacation is taken in three
consecutive weeks and
not broken up into three
periods of one week each,
for instance.
I find that on a two
week vacation, it takes
'me several days to
"unwind". The first few
days of my holidays, I'm
still at the office in mind
add spirit. I'm wondering
if the• assignments are
being handled; if there is
enough copy to fill the
paper; if anybody
thought to mail out.those
pictures that were
promised.
By the time I have
finally shed all the
shackles of the office, I
have only about four or
five days of completely
relaxed vacation before it
is time to start gearing up
Again for the job. I really
believe that if employees
had three weeks vacation
all at once, they would
return to work at the end
Amommosommimmismommumgr:
of that time more
refreshed and more
eager to work than under
any `other combination of
days off.
There's another
problem with vacations.
At the Signal -Star as in
many other companies,
the majority of people
want to take their
holidays during the
summer months. That's
prime time of course,
because the weather is
ideal. It's also easier to
holiday with the children
because school is out.
But not everybody can
be away at once - and not
everybody can have their
holidays during e
summer. Many people
have taken their
vacations in the fall or the
winter - and if the
children are to ac-
company parents on the
holiday; it is necessary to
take them out of school.
At our house, taking the
children out bf school for
a holiday isn't a major
problem. Fortunately,
our children have always
been able to catch up
easily on their return to
class and so we've never
really worried about
them missing classes.
Still, it isn'T the best
situation in the world.
Teachers are justifiably
disturbed when kids miss
time unnecessarily in
school. It often means the
Turn to page 5 •
LOOKING BACK
The imposing figure of
Constable LS: McMath in
the uniform of the `Nor-
thwest Mounted Police,
should be enough to keep
the peace. 1 -le is filling
Constable Phalen's place
during the latter' ab-
sence on holiday'
25 YEARS
Early con5ide ation of
work on Number 8 High-
way between Goderich
and Clinton was assured
here yesterday by
Ontario Highways
Minister. George H.
Doucett.
Workmen are
proceeding On schedule
with ,,work on the new
swimming pool in Judith
Gooderham. Memorial
Playground.,
Ramona McKay, drum
majorette of the Goderich
Blue Water Band plated
first as the best dressed
majorette during the
Canadian amateur baton -
twirling championship
finals at the Norfolk
County Fair on Tuesday
of last week.
Looking like a couple of
flies silhouetted against
the sky, two Welland
steeplejac"ks are at-
tracting the interest of
harbor visitors as they
dismantle , a chiinney at
the Goderich Elevator
and 7'iansit Company
property: They expect to
take about a month to
finish the job on the 160 -
foot chimney.
5 YEARS AGO
For the sixth and final
year Alex 'Wilkins is
locking up and saying
goodbye to the Goderibh
Municipal Marina at
Snug Harbor. Managing
� 4
the local small boat
harbor has been a
seasonal job for Mr:
Wilkins' since he went into
semi -retirement but now
he's calling it quits
altogether and settling
down to full retirement.
During the ' annual
-commencement and
graduation exercises held
at G.D.C.I. last Friday,
Kim Ainslie presented
Peter Frayne with the
William Cutt Memorial
Scholarship for the
highest standing in two
languages other than
English in Year 4 and 5.„
Valedictorian Murray
i ghtman was the
tient of 'the A.J.
Moore Scholarship. Soan
Coulter and William
Errington shared the two
part Veterans' Memorial
AWard';\ Marilyn Wagner,
received the Peter
Adamson award; John' •
Warr received the
McKim Memorial Award
and Douglas Culbert
received the ' Robert
McKay Memorial Award.
Despite misgivings by
some board members,
the Goderich and Area
Planning Board has
agreed to recommend to
Town Council the
rezoning of property off
.Gibbons Street for the
construction of a row
housing complex on the
site.
• Dungannon held its
,15th annual Fall Fair
last Thursday. Although .•
rain threatened at times,
the weather remained•
fine and approximately
2,500 persons enjoyed the
one -day event, tl