HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-08-09, Page 13dave
syks
Inside this section!
Goderich woman attends LWML convention in
Omaha, Nebraska Page 2A
Huron Country Playhouse is staging Broadway
comedy this week Page 3A ,
Columnist admits her age is showing now that
she's reached 20 Page 4A
Jack Riddell reviews Liberal tourism policy in face of
tourist lag Page 6A
Obituaries Page 8A
Captain Comet Page 9A
Farm page Page 11A
Bring on the sun.
The interesting thing about hot
weather is that it brings people out-
doors in myriad states of dress and
undress. -
Over the long weekend I .had the
opportunity to spend a bit of time at
Sauble Beach in Northern Lake Huron,
blending my little white body in with
the sand.
Now I am not keen on spending a
great deal of time near the water. Lay
around in the sun for a bit and if by
chance I' am struck with a sense of
adventure and the water is close to
boiling point, I will slip into the lake for
a bit.
But that's about it.
I have norespect for people who walk
into the lake, while there is still a thin
layer of ice onit, and can splash around
for hours` as if it was the bathtub. I've
been fooled too many times.
Friends have stood in water up to
their neck and enticed me to join them
claiming the water was 'just right'
d
while their body turned shades of every
colour imaginable.
With only their head sticking out of
the water it is most difficult to deter-
mine whether they are standing in one
spot because it is enjoyable or their
body refuses to move from the shock of
cold water.
But I am too trusting.
I have ventured out on such oc-
casions after much badgering and lived
to regret it. To be honest my little bod
can't handle it.
Cold water is something I detest and
when my scant frame begins shiNtering
the clanging of bones can be heard for
miles down the beach. So I don't
venture into the water much.
That hasit's advantages• and
disadvantages.
Tli,e advantage is that there is much
to see on a crowded beach such as
Sauble, if you get the drift of what I'm
hinting at.
From my infrequent observations it
is not difficult to state that both men
and women are vain about, their ap-
pearance on the beach.
It doesn't matter if they weigh 40
pounds or 400 pounds, everyone at the
beach tries to pack their anatomy into
material that wouldn't even make a
decent size hanky.
Maybe I'm a little behind the trends
in swimwear or suits may have become
so expensive that beach goers have
opted for a few hankies. held together
with string. I can't 'say that I mind
though.
The major, disadvantage of laying on
the beach for any appreciable amount
of time, I have found, is that the
eyeballs tend to. get too much sun. Not
intentionally of course.
And I often suffer from severe neck
disorders the following the day, trying
to make sure that nothing within a 100
yard radius passes without a furtive
glance or two.
Which is also the reason, I don't
venture to the beach that often,
otherwise I would suffer from a per-
manent neck ailment,
I have never thought much about my
own swim suit, but have never leaned
towards the loin cloth variety: My
tastes, perhaps, are more modest.
But I always do try and wear a suit
that is colourful and easily
distinguishable for safety reasons. No
one has ever kicked sand in my face but
with a bright suit on people can at least
see me lying on the beach.
It is rather embarassing to have my
two skinny little legs mistaken for
driftwood, what with people grabbing
at them and all. And if you lay on 'the
beach without a tan, people tend to step
on you, which is also the reason tor the
bright suit.
If you don't see many skinny people
at the beach, now you can understand
why. It's dangerous for us.
Maybe next year I will buy a suit with
reflectors on it.
te
dench
132 YEAR -32
IGNAL
THURSDAY; AUGUST 9, 1979
STAR
SECOND SECTION
Family historian writes book on -Huron
BY JOANNE
BUCHANAN
"I felt right
that
start
from the
it was
something that needed to
be done and I'm glad I did
it," says Elmer Farrish,
79, of Gorrie referring to
his book, Then and Note.
After two years of
writing, Mr. Farrish had
his book published in
Mildmay in 1978. It is
about the changing times
in rural Ontario, more
specifi.c,ally Huron
County and Ashfield and
Howick Townships.
"With each generation
memories- fade and
things are forgotten if
they are not recorded,
he states as his main
reason for writting the
book.
Mr. Farrish has been
writing his memoirs for a
number of years. He has
Shane Armstrong, df 156 Newgate Street in Goderich, winds up to the one getting wet at the Penny Carnival in J.G. Park last
pitch a wet sponge at a slightly dubious target. Judy Langridge is Thursday. (photo by Cath Wooden)
kept a diary since 1952 in
which he includes items
from all over Western
Ontario. He has written
numerous letters to
newspapers and has kept
travelogues on all, of his
trips. He is his family's
historian and has a
complete family tree on
all of the Armstrong -
Dickson descendants who
carne to Canada from
Scotland in the 1800s.
Although it would seem
that he had a natural
writing ability, he didn't
attempt to write his book
until the Tweedsmuir
History Book committee
of the local Women's
Institute suggested he
give it a try. The
Tweedsmuir History
Book committees are
dedicated to . preserving
the local history of their
various communities.
Mr. Farrish wrote a lot
of his 153 -page book from
memory but also
received enthusiastic co-
operation from everyone
in the area whom he
sought information from.
He also took all of the,,,
pictures which appear in
the book except for three
or four. He bought his
-first camera when he was
18 and has been taking
pictures ever since. He
has between 5,000 and
6,000 slides and snapshots
in his collection. Many of
the slides were taken on
his various trips. He has
been on all the continents-
and
ontinentsand has visited 52 dif-
ferent countries,
"Geography was:. my
pet subject in school. I
learned about a lot of
places but never. thought
I'd be lucky endugh to see
so many of them, he
says.
Perhaps one of his
favorite visits was to
Scotland where he saw
the tombstones of some of
his ancestors on the—
border
he-border between Scotland
and England. He has in
his possession, a picture
of the house where his
grandmother, Anne
Dickson was born. The
house was built in
Scotland in 1792. A.family
member is now
renovating the house for
a summer home.
'Family history is very
important to Mr.. Farrish.
Every year . at the
Armstrong -Dickson
family reunion he up-
dates the family tree and
adds . things to the
family's history book.
The late George B.
Armstrong of Teeswater
started the family history
records and later turned
them over to him.
"Why he turned them
over to me, I'll never
know. But I've done the
best I can to keep them up
to date," he says.
He even has a copy of
theboat ticket purchased
by some of the Farrrishes
when they ' came to
Canada from Scotland in
1851.
Mr. Farrish took on a
bigger form of history
book when he wrote Then
and Now. He went from
one family to whole
communities of families.
His 'book represents
conditions all over the
Turn to page 3A th
Elmer Farrish, 79, of Gorrie, Ontario has written a book about the changing
times in rural Ontario. It specifically deals with Ashfield Township where he
was born in 1899 and with Howick Township where he later lived and
operated a hatchery. He wrote most of the 153 page book from memory and
took all of the pictures in it except for three or four. (Photo by Joanne
Buchanan)
I think it was one of those weekends
I'll be able to tell my grandchildren
about. It was too unbelievable to be
upsetting. It could only be called a joke
of sorts.
It all started several weeks ago when
I arranged with a friend of mine, who
happens to be a professional roofer, to
replace the porous roof on my house. I
was to be his labour and over the three
day weekend we were going to tear off
the old roof, replace some rotten wood
and put on new shingles. A big job but
we figured with any luck and some
good weather we would be able to get it
all done.
It turned out we needed more than
•luek and bad weather. We had to ignore
what was happening on'the ground. The
place was something between a resort
area, an orphanage and a zoo.
The weekend started off a little
strange and t should have realized that
ncjt'everything would go as planned.
My sister and brother-in-law both
went away and we agreed to babysit
their two children and their dog. Along
with that my mother-in-law surprised
us with a visit last week and was to be.
on hand over the holiday to help
manage the place.
That brought the population to three
adults, four children and three large
dogs.
Despite the occasional emergency on
the ground and stifling heat Saturday
was productive. We made good
progress on the roof and still managed
to settle battles between children and
put away the mountains of food my
mother-in-law insists a working man
should eat.
But Saturday afternoon an unex-
pected guest stirred up some trouble. A
very large, very docile and very stupid
German Shepherd pup decided our
place looked like a good home and
declared squatter's rights.
The dog created more havoc in half
an hour than the rest of the tribe had
created all day. He started chasing my
daughter's kittens, lovingly smothered
my youngest until she screamed in
panic and forced his way into the house
every time the door opened a crack.
It was tough to ingore the pleas from.
the . people on the ground wanting
something done with this unwanted
guest.
Sunday proved to be the cruncher.
Things had just started running
smoothly. The roofing was coming
along fine and the new dog managed to
fit in quite nicely. Then the phone
started ringing and minutes later
guests showed up.
The first, call was from my sister-in-
law. She and her family had rented a
cottage which proved to be a resort
area outhouse. They cut their stay
short and called to say they were
coming fora quick visit.
They were also bringing guests. One
of their sons was bringing a friend and
they had their dog with them.
Population now five adults, eight
children and five dogs.
The next call was from a longtime
friend of mine. We grew up as neigh-
bors and hadn't seen each other in
years. He was in the neighborhood
taking a test cruise in his new
motorhome and wanted to get together.
He, his wife and of course his dog were
going to drop over for a couple of hours
if that was all right.
I figured no problem he would blend
nicely into the crowd. Population now
seven adults, eight children and an
even half dozen dogs.
When I left the house Tuesday
morning for work the population was
down to five adults, six kids and four
dogs. I can't help but wonder if in the
confusion any of. them will be left
Behind. he last census showed a
populatio i of two adults, two kids and
two dogs.
At least i got the roof on.
jeFf sddon
1