HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-12-28, Page 17(16ve.
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This is the end of the line folks.
Yes, it's time to put the wraps on
1976, reflect on a few gccomplishrnents
and aet new goals for a brand neakr year.
And this reporter in his continued
inimitable style of infallibility has
offered, for your entertainment and
amazement, some pungent
prognoSticatiq.ns:
Now you're probably looking for
some intelligent and carefully
researched insights into the coming
year. Accurate weather forecasts,
shocking predietiqn of changes in the
political climate or perhaps sensitive
and interpretive insights into unusual
happenings that have yet to
materialize.
Sorry.
That just isn't my style. Rather, this
humble correspondent will dazzle
Another one one of Jim Hagarty's features was on Donald the Goose. Donald, a
pet, is owned by Alison Scott of Goderich. Donald chases cars and eats grape
popsicles. He's a real smart goose.
Una Costello was chosen Queen of G.D.C.I, In
April of this year.
the
()clench
IGNAL
readers with his prognosticatians for
1978. You see it is much safer to predict
on the past year and with all due
modesty, my accuracy rate has been'
phenomenal in the past.
In Net, 60 percent of my predictions'
turned out not to be just wild and
unimaginable fallacies, but the real
thing. So here are some predictions for
1978:
A 'man in Goderich, whose brother is
a plumber, would be elected mayor
over two other candidates whose
brothers are not plambers.
The New York Yankees would
probably win another World Series,
defeating another team from the
United States.
An aging black boxer from the
United, States would win the
heavyweight title of the world over
•
another black. boXer by,n4Pningig914nd
the ring „; and 0014ing'Aim for 4
rquncis. it wduld fie labelled as a classic
be)attit match by the winning boxer.
A truckload of cattle would take a
fancy to the scenery, around the
Prettiest Town in Canada, jumping off
a bridge to munch our luscious grasses.
Their visit was a brief one.
A beauty contest would be held in
Goderich in connection with Founder's
Day celebrations and nobody would -
win.
The council of the Prettiest Town in
Canada would undertake the ambitious
project of redecorating the Square and
everyone would be pleased with the
expenditure.
Goderich, famous for its salt
produced by the Sifto Salt Company,
would hold an exhibition of its products
• rl
near the beach on a cold January
afternoan. Authorities termed the
display „A success as hundreds of
townspeople f Welt tothe exhibition. "
Teachers in Goderich and Huroti
County, educators of our young people
would leave for March break holidays
and forget to return on time disrupting
classes for weeks.
Members of the, postal union would
refuse to go on strike for the third year
in a row, resulting in an investigation of.,
the Postmaster General's office.
The worst snowfall in history would
blanket Huron County over the
Christmas holidays, disrupting all
services.
Again in all modesty, my talents are
amazing.
S -TAR
131 YEAR --52
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1978
SECOND SECTION
Signal -Star is a people paper
Just see who we featured in '78
BY
JOANNE BUCHANAN
How the year has
flown! It goes especially
fast in the newspaper,
business. It seems we just
get one week's edition out
and already we're
thinking about the next
one.
It's been an important
year- in my 4ife. I was
married in September
and my name change is
still confusing people who
read the paper. It's
especially confusing
W.E. Elliott, Goderich historian, wrote many
popular features on Goderich's past this year.
Mr. Elliotes•featutes received many favorable
comments from interested readers.
' because there is another
girl in town (a cousin by
marriage) who has the
same name. Many people
have asked her if she has
joined the Signal -Star
staff (although she's only
in Grade 9) and many
have asked me if I have
,quit.
But no. I'm still _here
and jea tlifor me .to
sum up the various
features I've had the
chance to writeduring
1978. It's amazing when I
think back on all the
interesting ,people I've
had the opportunity to
meet through my job this
year. I think Goderich
must be 'exceptional
ecause many of,. its
citizens are exceptional.
JANUARY
January 5 was the date
of our first edition in the
new year. The features
page featured — you
guessed it — pictures of a
snow storm which hit the
area the first week in
January.
There was also a story
on Family and Children's
Services (formerly the
Children's Aid Society).
It seems that at the time
there were a greater
number of children in
care than had been ex-
pected when the budget
was struck and director
John Penn said a sup-
plementary budget would
have to be requested
from the Ministry.
On January 12 I wrote a
feature on Goderich's
Meals -On -Wheels
program. This very
worthwhile program
Which started in 1974,
involves the delivery of
hot meals five nights a
week by volunteers, to
people needing proper
nutrition but who, for
some reason, are not
getting it. I travelled with
Isobel MacDonald, the
co-ordinator, as she made
her deliveries one
evening. I was surprised
and a little bit sickened
by what I saw. Even in a
town as affluent as
Goderich it seems there
are still many poor and
helpless people around.
A 'quick check with
Mrs. MacDonald recently
revealed that the
program is still going
strong but volunteer
drivers are always in
need. Why not make it a
new year's project, to
become a volunteer?
Also in the January 12
- edition, there is a story by
-Jeff. Seddon on Louis
Stadleman Who -operates
a weather station on his-,
Colborne Township
property where he has
documenting facts
andfigures on the
weather since January of
1959.
The 1978 New Years
baby also appeared in
this edition. He was
Robert Elton Pfrimmer,
born on Thursday,
January 5 to Ernie and
Liette Pfrimmer. I
wonder who the 1979 New
Year's baby will be?
On January 19 my
feature story was on 13 -
year -old Martin Maurer
of Goderich and his ex-
periences as one of 22
Pages serving in the
Ontario Legislature at
Queen's Park, Toronto
from October 17 to
December 16 of 1977.
Martin 'is one of three
students from Goderich
as who has ever served as a
Page. The other two were
Anita Shrier and Jennifer
Harper. I'm 'sure Martin
still has some fond
memories of his ex-
periences at Queen's
Park.
Also on January 19 I did
a small story introducing
a husband and wife team
of pharmacists who
joined Rieck's Pharmacy
on The Square. Vi and
Dan Stringer are still
with that pharmacy.
On January 26 I did a
feature story on Don
Cartwright of Auburn, a
aaw_n.
muzzle loading guns (old
fashioned guns used in
the 1700 and 1800s before
cartridges were in-
troduced) and attends
numerous shooting
matches often dressed in
period costume. While M.
Cartwright has a keen
interest in guns, he also
has a keen respect for
them too.'
". FEBRUARY
Steve Ross, son of Gary
and Rita Ross of
Goderich, was the subject
'• or one of my features on
February 2. Steve is a
t. young cartoonist who has
contributed his works /to
the: paper on several
occasions.
.Another feature on
:February 2 was on
CASTLE or Children's
tAid Society Teen Living
Experience program.
This is a program unique
to,Huron County designed
to give teenage girls (in
;.this case) an opportunity
fto live independently.
.'These teens (often wards
lorthe C.A.S.) are usually
Jones who have had
; problems in their homes
or in the community.
Chris Martin has been the
social worker in charge of
this innovative program
since it was set up with
his help in February of
1976.
At the time I did the
story, seven girls were
living together in a • big
old rented house and
seemed to be successfully
accepting all the
responsibilities of any
"normal" household.
Perhaps a time will soon
come when other com-
munities can set up
similar programs.
Also on February 2
there was a photo feature
.ha,ng-glialing. and
was decided after
meeting some of the
jumpers, that perhaps
you don't have to be crazy
4.
to want to jump off the
cliffs of Lake Huron
afterall.
On February 9 a story
on Esther Ross appeared
in the paper. Mrs. Ross
had just retired after 261/2
years with the Children's
Aid Society as a social
worker. This lifelong
area resident, foster
parent. „and actlye lady,
graduated
Bachelor of Arts degree
in English from Western
Turn to page 2A •
Martin Maurer, 13, was one of 22 pages serving
inrithe Ontario Legislature, Queen's Park,
Toronto from October 17 to December 16, 1977
and still has many fond memories of that time.
He was the subject of a feature inJanuary.
Well -it's almost time for you chubby
people to wash down your last cold
turkey sandwich (what's that about 15
now) and you Mayo Clinic specimens to
get out the sweat suit after wheezing
and puffing because you launched
,yourself out of the Lazy Boy to adjust
the color on the television. It's New
Year's Resolution time. A time when
some vow to take off 15 pounds, some
make a concerted effort -to get back in
shape and some swear to never again
leave the cap off'he toothpaste in.the
morning. 11'
Next Tuesday 1, e 'majority of adults
on the North AnWerican continent will
face_ the unpleasant task of actually
doing the things they told everyone at
the New Year's Eve party they were
going to do. That's right folks, Tuesday
is the day you give up the dessertd, do
40 push ups before work or take the kids
tobogganing instead of watching
National Football League playoffs on
the weekend.
P6rsonally Pin riot big on New Year's
Resolutions. I've fonrid that it is much
easier on my psyche to simply tell
' everyone I'm happy with my per-
formance in life and, plan no major
changes in 19791 I admire anyone who
says they are going to drastically
change their lifestyle and then does it
but I've found few people to admire for
that reason. Most of the time 1 end up
listening to true confessions from
people trying to ease` a guilty con-
science by Offering several hundred,
good reasons for not keeping their
resolutions.
TO be honest I do have a couple of
things that I plan, to do in 1979 but
they're not major undertakings and I
don't have to do them at any particular
time. They're just little things that I
can do any time during the year.
Some time in -1979 I plan to head down
to the army surplus stere and buy a
grenade launcher. I plan to have the
launcher, installed on the hoed of my
-car and then sit at the cornerof
toric and Nelson Street. I'M going tO
1)ark on Nelson Street theft eagt With,
the launcher aimed at the intergeOtiOn.:/
After a feW minutes some yahoo will be
heading north on Victoria and will go
through the first'set of lights at the end
of Hamilton Street when those lights
are yellow. Rather than stop for the
second set the dude will hit the gas and
be doing about 50 miles per hour when
the second set turns red. When he bits
the middle of the intersection I'm going
to put him at the bottom of Judith
Gooderham Pool.
That done I'm going to turn in the
launcher and buy a flame thrower.
hope to join the Goderich Volunteer
Fire Department and when the first
alarm is turned in I plan to take the
flame thrower and ride on the back of
the fire truck. When all you thrill
seekers jump out of your easy chairs
and beds and get in your cars to follow
the trucks tosee if Rome (or GOderich)
is burning I may toast your buns.
Those pet peeves taken care of I then
hope to turn in my flame thrower and
with the cash pick up a half dbzen used
black and, white televisions. I'm going
to line them up in the living room, turn
them on, pour a coffee, bot4oWt. a
shotgun and some shells and sft back
and wait. Sipping the coffee and ap-
plying the best hunter's skills I have
I'm going to stalk television com-
mercials that drive the -round the bend.
Television one goes when the battery
operated egg scrambler (the obe that
lets you scramble the egg while ft's still
in the shell) commercial conies on.
Number -two goes when those two
broads come skipping through the fall
leaves after having a Iaxtive party.
Number three goes when the woman
tells me"she can jump out of a plane' in
comfort because she has sttecially
designed sanitary napkins. Numher
four goes when the cleanser coMpony
tells me I can clean up a year'Slfilth in
seconds. Five when the teibthless.,-.
grandmother haminers her plumber
son-in-law for not bailing (Mt the
plugged sink and six whep lioward
Cosa tells me -some superstarr called
him at home at three o'clock Sunday,
morning to tell him what really hap-
pened that afternoon in the, NFL,
playoff game his team lost.
Thus satisfied I will then turn him in
my arsenal, clean up the mess and
return to my peaceful ways.
jeff
seddon