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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-10-18, Page 4PAGE 4—GODE RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1979 1 ♦CNA Goderich SIGNAL -STAR The County Town Newspaper of Huron Founded in 1844 and published every Thursdoy at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance •16.00 in Canada, •31.00 to U.S.A.. 'JS.00 to all other countries. single copies 75'. Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Card No. 9 effctctive Sept_ 1, 1979. Second class mall Registration Number 0716. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item, together•wlth reasonable allowance for signature.. will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for et tho applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price. goods or service may not be sold. Advertising Is merely en offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. Tho Slgnal.Star Is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Business and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 524-833) area code 519 Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER — editor DONALD M. HUBICK - advertising manager Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich Second class mail registration number — 0716 Watch out for children School is back in session. Have the drivers of Goderich noticed? Around 9 am, 12 noon, 1 pm and 3 °30 pm,' drivers are terrorized by yqungsters who bound out onto the street from just about any angle around Goderich schools. Some are tramping along the sides of streets where there are no sidewalks, totally engrossed in conversations with friends or caught up in personal thoughts. They may encroach on the travelled portion of the road without even noticing they are doing so. Some are horsing playing tag or running somebody spills off the around on the sidewalks, and wrestling. Accidentally sidewalk close to or onto the roadway. Some are waiting for rides. When they see the family car approaching, they throw caution to the wind and dart out to cross the street, possibly anxious to show mom that special painting done in class. A great many are on bicycles. A few are younger cyclists with only minimal control of the vehicle and a whole lot of courage and determination when it comes to getting out into the thick of things. More are older boys and girls who like to show off their trick riding skills ..., wheelies and spins are popular with the crowd. There, are the buddy cyclists ... the kids who like to ride 'in clusters: -Two or more abreast makes for easy conversation. There are the taxi cyclists ... someone on the seat behind you or on the crossbar in front of you is no hardship at all. There are • the anti-Elmer's-safety-rules riders who forget that regulations of the road are meant for bicycles as well as for'cars and trucks. There's nothing like a few encounters with these types of school children oil the way -to or from work to put grey hairs on drivers' heads. It isn't un - 'common to see drivers stopped, shaking their fists at thoughtless youngsters. A few drivers even take it on themselves to get out of their cars and try to teach a little respect for safety. This newspaper regularly writes editorials of this sort, pleading with those people in authority in kids' lives to do something to correct this dangerous situation. Likely teachers and parents and police officers get tired of these warnings. Kids will be kids, they probably believe. Everybody knows you can tell a youngster something today and find the lesson forgotten tomorrow. Still it is a matter that must receive attention daily in the schools, in thehome and in the com- munity. Today's children grow up; a new batch takes their place tomorrow. Instilling safety in children is,an ongoing, deadly serious business. Once -again this newspaper requests school staff in Goderich to step up the safety lectures, par- ticularly where they pertain to walking and cycling in traffic. With winter coming, the bicycles will be put .away ,in the garage but other coveyances will take their place. And much more walking will be the order of the days to come. And this newspaper asks parents to have regular safety talks with their children. Most parents are also drivers who can easily explain to their children the kinds of feelings drivers have when they see children carelessly walking, running, riding and playing in traffic. Use every opportunity possible to show your sons and daughters exactly what can happen when a pedestrian or a cyclist collides with a motor vehit'le Finally, this newspaper urges the local police to continue their surveillance in the school zones at peak periods. As well, the police force is invited to think of ways and means to make safety more meaningful for youngsters of all ages in Goderich. Whether it is in the schools, through municipally sponsored events or via children :s. organizations, let's have more emphasis on safety while walking, running, riding or playing near traffic. And just a word to the drivers of Goderich and area. Watch out for the children. Be ever alert, especially when driving in the. vicinity of the schools. Nobody wants to have an injured, crippled or dead child on his conscience. -SJK Fresh faces needed There wasn't a large crowd at last Friday's meeting on behalf of Meals on Wheels, but it was an interested group. Once -again, it was the organized community clubs that came forward, and offered the greatest amount of public support. There was the Ahmeek Chapter of the IODE; Branch,109 of the Royal Canadian Legion; the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority; the Kinsmen Club of Goderich; the Knights of Columbus; the hospital auxiliary; the Anglican Church Women of St. George's. All had representatives at the meeting to determine the best way to help out with this• much needed service to special citizens. There wasn't a doubt in the world that Meals on Wheels would get sufficient support to keep it going. • • There's always, a segment' of society in Goderich that simply will not allow a worthwhile cause to be lost. But it was a little disappointing to see only the same old faces at the meeting. How nice it would have been if men and women in Goderich who aren't otherwise contributing to the community's service fabric would have come forth tosee what they could do. .This town can certainly be grateful for the doers among its population, but must surely regret that the same list of doers must be pressed into service at every turn. Some fresh ideas and assistance wouldn't hurt now and again. - SJK Training? What training? Many Canadian schoolchildren spend more time with the driver of their school bus than they do with any single teacher during the whole school year. The school bus driver is not a qualified educator. The school bus driver has not likely entered any university or. college - and may not have finished high school. In some instances the school bus driver is a part-time employee. The school bus driver does not spend time in the school staff lounge - in fact, seldom is the driver of the school bus a school employee at all. The driver most often works for a school bus operator, though in a few cases the driver may be self-employed, The Canada Safety Council notes that the driver of a school bus should be a well trained, safety - conscious individual, but not a teacher. Not an individual with training in taking care of kids... but a safe driver whose attention must be given to the task at hand... delivering up to sixty children to their destination. • Few teachers can or would care to control up to 60 boisterous children in a confined area for an hour or two each day, and most parents would throw up their hands in despair at the prospect. Everybody just leaves it up, to the school bus driver. Is that right? • AR EDITOR Thanks drive by and loop at the unfinished field. What has happened to Dear Editor, our recreation corn - I would like to take this mittee? Don't they care opportunity to publicly about the lights or why thank all those players in they're not installed yet? the Goderich Slow Pitch League who sold tickets this past summer for the raffle which was con- ducted for my benefit. Specifically, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the members of the Teachers team, and in particular, team manager Bruce Baker, who spearheaded the effort. The success of a ven- ture of this sort likewise depends upon the public response to it. Accor- dingly then, I wish to thank all those people who bought tickets for the draw. As a result of their generosity, the total amount raised represented ap- proximately two thirds of my law school tuition. Once again then, thanks to everyone who made this undertaking such a success. Sincerely, Ernie McMillan A disgrace Dear Editor: What has happened to our new ball diamond in Goderich Township? The latest reason given for not having it done is just another in a long list of excuses. • • The new lights laid at the township shed for two years, and a local con,-. tractor was paid $3,750 to level and apply top soil to. the .d.i.a-mond so -he -re a re- ---- some questions, I would. like answered: Why wasn't work started on the diamond in the spring instead of the fall? Was the $3,750 paid to the contractor to in- clude the topsoil, or just the levelling? The government ap proved a grant of $6,500 in 1977 for an athletic field in Goderich Township, and here it is the fall of 1979 and it's a disgrace .to Because of the recreation committee's inability to make decisions, our township won't have four slo-pitch teams next summer because the men have to do chores and must play under lights. Also two ladies' team and a young men's team can't play either because there's no grass on the diamond, and it's getting too late to sow it now. Finally, iff the recreation board feels they want to get rid of all responsibility of building a ball diamond, just give Turn to page 5 Fall fishing By Dave Sykes 75 YEARS AGO So far the arrival of grain vessels at the Goderich Elevator has reached 18 and the building is now prac- tically full and the trade has come to a stop just now as cars are not furnished for shipping out grain. Jonathan Miller is getting ..hi's East Street livery in shape and has already placed in stock some handsome new outfits. Mr. St. George Price and family have returned from Hamilton after two years business residence in that city. Mr. Price will open a grocery store in Goderich in ashort time. The House of Refuge Committee of the County Council met in Clinton on LOOKING BACK Tuesday to inspect the work. The famous "Minnie M" was expected to arrive in Goderich harbor yesterday. The town bylaws should be enforced and people stopped from driving through Court House Park. A lady in St. Patrick's, - ward lost ali her garden stuff lastweek by the ravages of a cow, thus showing that bovines are allowed to roam at large. 25 YEARS AGO Estimated damage of at least $.10,000 was caused to the new bridge being . built across the Maitland River at Auburn as the result of Hurricane Hazel which swept through Ontario last Friday night dum- ping.tons of rain. Digging operations have started for con- struction of a ten -unit motel being built just north of Goderich by W. Hume Clutton. With nomination day little more than a month away and municipal election day set for December 6, indications are that almost every member of this year's council will be in the running for a seat in the council chamber next year, including Mayor J.E. Huckins who has held ,, the . chief magistrate's post for the last three years. A Goderich Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society, Perth -Huron ,Unit, was formed here at a meeting in MacKay Hall, Tuesday night with Robert Sperling named as president. Huron County's grand old man, William H. Campbell, celebrated his 98th birthday on Tuesday at his home near Auburn. 5 YEARS AGO According to a reliable Ontario Government .s-4lurce, Rockledge Properties -Ltd. has received notice it can now go ahead with plans for construction of a- 'shop- ping plaza in Goderich Township if the company still has such plans to do so. During last " week's regular council meeting, Mayor Harry Worsell announced that he will not seek re-election in December: Ontario Municipal Board hearings into the proposed shopping plaza for Goderich may be temporarily postponed pending the outcome of a public meeting. Dave Sykes, a third year journalism student at Conestoga College, Doon Centre, will be working as a reporter - photographer for the Goderich Signal -Star for the next month. A Women's Day Out program has begun in Goderich for women who want to get out of the house for a little while each week. Terry Worsell, son of Mayor H.E. and Mrs. Worsell, recently won the Ontario Department of Labor Award for the highest standing in the Apprentice Chef program at George Brown College, Toronto. DEAF REALE BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER Children are wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Last week, The Goderich Signal -Star had the pleasure of hosting four young people from the area and what a Marvellous experience it was __for eyexybody. The children were the winners of our first Editor For A Day contest. While only four out of seven schools invited to participate, took part in the essay writing exercise, the four represen- tatives we did have were bright, alert kids who restored everyone's faith in the future. Speaking of that contest, it is an interesting aside to consider that the entire community may benefit from one suggestion put forth by an essay writer who wasn't a contest winner. John Empson's thoughts about a skateboard park have been taken to heart by municipal politicians and recreation planners. The skateboard park is likely to become a reality in 1980, much to the delight of kids and adults alike. For kids it is a natural fun -place; for adults it is a much appreciated safety measure that should defuse a good many potentially dangerous situations. Who says children don't have some great ideas? Actually, Signal -Star is doing more and more all the time to reach the young citizens of the area. Captain Comet's birthday club has been a regular feature of the Signal -Star for just abo'ut two years' now and has been widely accepted by kids and their families. Signal -Star also offers a• regular library column written by teacher Caroline Cass especially for junior readers. .• This newspaper has just purchased a new children's column entitled "A Place For Kids'. It is an all -Canadian column designed for the education and enlightenment of the young reader. Just as soon as this newspaper can find space to run this weekly piece, it will begin appearing. And this newspaper is'always•looking for pictures and stories about children. From time to time we carry news items about kids doing things. We think that's a very important part of a well-rounded newspaper format. But it isn't alWays the newspape going to the kids. Sometimes th kid ,,cprr1 to then ews paper . It isn't uncommon to find groups o children touring through The Signal Star plant in Industrial Park. The come from the schools; from th children's organiations in the area from the churches. And they come with inquiring minds and new ideas. We even go into thg schools now and again, at the invitation of teachers and students, to explain our business to the classes and to answer their questions. When you think about it, Signal -Star invests quite a bit of time and effort in kids. And we think it is worth it. Children grow up. When they grow up, they are potential advertisers, potential readers, potential staff, potential contributors. f they are accustomed to reading th's newspaper and contributing to it; if they un - r ei s vertlsers in_ the derstand how a newspaper works and are excited by it; if they appreciate this newspaper and the job it does in the community, our chances of main- taining a good relationship with a growing number of readers and, d - _future will beil- proved. f y e Earlier this year, Signal -Star proposed that more businesses, municipal officials and 'community organizers accept the challenge of allowing greater participation by children, even for one day in a year. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, no one took up the suggestion. And a tremendous opportunity has been lost. If you think children should be seen and not heard, think again, Children are the hope of this great nation. They may be skipping rope today, but tomorrow they will be- making the decisions that will control your destiny. Surely you will agree it is wise to enlist their support and their un- derstanding now. The sooner the better, wouldn't you say? 1