HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-09-05, Page 111"7-fr‘
,
FIRST SECTION
' • `-' 2.:• • —77-7, •
Wingham, Ontario, Tuesday, Sept, 5,1989 '
••••• „ „ • • • . . .
• • • "•-•'..:•••••.'"-• " • -• • • • ••.- • • - ,••'• • •
....‘
... • •
.••••
•
----4=111101111=111111111111111.11111
FAREWELL TO SUMMER—Children all across the province head back to the books today, the
first day of a new school year. For Cheryl Burchill of Wingham, right, it Means saying goodbye. to
daughters Elizaileth, a Grade 5 pupil at Wingham Public School and Stephanie, who enters Kinder-
garten.
Winghani woman recalls
first days of World War IT
Editor's note: Fifty years ago, on
Sept. 1, 1939, Nazi Germany
invaded Poland. Two days later
Great Britain and France declared
war on Germany and on Sept. 10,
Canada followed suit, marking the
beginning of the most horrifying
and bloody war in the history of
mankind.
By the time of the war's end in
1945, more than 50 million people
world wide had last their lives —
two-thirds of them civilians.
Like many local people, Mar-
garet Wormworth of Wingham
well remembers the events that
led up to the famous conflict and
its early, heady days. Working as a
librarian in London, England, she
was in her early twenties when
war was declared. This is her story,
as told to Margaret Stapleton of
the Advance -Times.
The street I was raised on was
partly in London and partly in
Kent. The house was a large Edwar-
dian structure with six bedrooms
upstairs and 18 -inch thick brick
walls.
My father worked at Covent Gar-
den as a fruit broker. 1 had two sis-
ters and a five-year-old brother,
whom people used to mistake as
my son, probably because we both
hadTed hair.
Storm clouds were gathering
throughout Europe. Many of the
British people regarded Adolf
Hitler as a fanatic, so when Prime
Minister Neville Chamberlain
returned home waving a piece of
paper and promising "peace for
our time" in 1938, nobody believed
him.
In fact, my family got leather
muzzles for our Alsation (Gertnall
shepherd) dogs long before the war
started because our neighbors had
Warned us that the dogs would
bark their heads off when the
bombs started falling.
"Suddenly there was a god -
awful crack, I put my hands
over my head to shield myself
and stood there for several
moments in the dead silence,
listening to the tinkling glass."
The pattern of appeasement con-
tinued for several months — Hitler
would add some new territory to
his conquests, promise that would
be the end of it and everyone
would turn a blind eye. The pattern
continued until he invaded Poland
and the threat could no longer be
ignored.
Like most residents of the United
Kingdom, my family listened to the
brief B13C broadcast on the Month%
of Sept. 3, 1939, which saki, "We
are now in a state of war With Ger-
many."
Immediately after the broadcast,
the air-raid sirens blew even
though it was not an actual hid.
My mother never would have
been caught uttering a swear wont;
but after that broadcast she 'sintply
said, "God damn them. That's the
Huns for yott"
The next day, everything was
rationed and b1:4.r.101,gs were put
into effect almost immediately. I
had a new 12 -ampere light on my
bicycle --r very expensive — and I
rerneritberiaVing to tape black
cardboard on it and thereflector.
As a librarian,' My job was con-
sidered necessary and so I -contin-
ued working, Life ?Went: on •-1, not
quite asusual — but withaurpriS-:
inglylittleuiheaval. •
Near the start of the war, my
younger brother was sent live in
the country,.to North Wales, with.
relatives. The train stations in those
days were filled wall-to-wall with
children, all wearing nametags and
destined for some spot in the coun-
try my brother was gone Until the
end of the war.
As secures war was declared, all
the men volunteered for service.
They were all Very enthusiastic and
had a let Of figlittingapirit.Z0ere
was no way we were Ong to give
in; The sad fact was, the country
Was unprepared for war.
Once Once the .blitikreig started, there
irereliorablitit raids every night
and 41ii414titaAttY0 smoke trails, in
the sky indkated "deg fights"
between RAF and Nazi airesen.in
fiat our neighborhood .eanite to be
Otte night, we were all atianne.
The sirens had gone attd Mother
• Wiii.trying 1-4 hurry us outside to
the rente.nt bornbsh1ter. Suddenly,
ere was a creek. 1 put
-fny hands over y d •t� 0 4d
1, etat
ten
enta in the dad 0,1004,
y, 1 ask , 31,
and rniraculousl
"Only my girte
rid Ott
di
1/V10, an- 'Teiry Fox Rixo,
ii-.siated for S':;e-P•t,.
WinghaM's second annual Terry
Foxiturt is slated for punday. Sept.
17.
In 1900, over 84 participants took.
part in the- first 104ilornetre run
and ahnoat $9,000 was raised.
This year marks the nititi,'.
anniversary of 'Terry rex Runs
across Canada, keeping alive the,
dream _of the young man whose
goal was to run across this country
to raise money for cancer research.
His run was cut short when he fell
victim to a recurrence of the dis-
ease,
Although Terry Fox died several
years ago, his dream remains alive
in the hearts and minds of those
who organize and participate in
runs right across this country.
- Last year, over 350,000 partici-
pants across Canada at 2,400 run
sites, raised over $5.8 million for
cancer research.
For the second year in a row,
Dale and Linda Edgar of Gerrie are
coordinating the Wingham run. The
money raised is used strictly for
cancer research; says Mrs. Edgar.
There are no expenses on the day of
the run as everything is donated. ,
The money is used to help fund
special programs and important
research -projects in the search for a
cure for cancer.
Last year, Lloyd "Casey" Case -
more, a cancer patient in rentiesion,•
was chosen as Wingham's official
"Terry's Team Member".
.;
-
In 1989, little Aimee Leishman of
RR 5, Brussels, is the team member,
symbolizing hope for those whose
cancer is in remission and as a sign
to Canadians that the money raised•
is producing results.
Two -and -one -half -year-old
Aimee will participate in this year's
run for those who cannot and will
help to kick off Wingham's 1989
Terry Fox Run. For further details
of Aimee's fight against cancer, see
inside this week's edition of the
newspaper.
Sponsor sheets for this year's run
are available at all local Canada
Post locations, Shoppers' Drug
Mart and' Triangle Discount, both in
Wingham.
The official opening ofthis year's
run will,be at 10 a.m. on Sunday,
Sept. 17, at the picnic shelter at
Riverside Par, with registration
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Refreshinerits
and Itotdogi will be atippliedt6-4
participants.
Nominations sought for
Junior Citizen program
The Wingham Advance -Times
and other members of the Ontario
Community Newspapers Associa-
dory; ttY aseeking •13.944,1*
*$t, to4ttinftlot'
Z.f
Sponsors of the :malt no only
want to Two •or so
o $14 0 will
bio phut -t t give
a pat on th back•tOdrds of
others who. represent the 'good
kids" we all know.
in 1986, Barry ivIcArthur of
Wingham was chosen es a Junior
cppo for his *Kw, pf twg Young-
sters; from the *eters ottlie Carrie
•
dg}. •
lugflcial nonaination forms are
available at the office of every
member community newspaper in
Ontario, including The Advance -
Times. -
These nominations are accepted
up to Oct. 31 of each year and any
resident of Ontario, aged six to 18,
is eligible to receive an aWard‘
• a tsk indhridualSmaybenorti4:..
These young people may be
involved in worthwhile community
service, have overcome disabling
physical or psychological limita-
tions or have performed acts of
heroism, like Barry McArthur.
A committee selects award recip-
ients and the lieutenant governor of
the province makes the ,presenta-
tion of awards at the OCNA con-
vention in March. These young
award winners receive a plaquetit-
ing their accomplishments, a Junior
Citizen of the Year lapel' pin, $200
and a family portrait with the lieu-
tenant governor.
'.••• ei 4 9'
• "*'''
:Page 4A
Lette'rs'
• . • . Page
Classifieds •
, . . Page 8A
Conrimunity News
. . . . Page 11A •
Sports
Page 48
Recreation Guide
•. • • • • Page 513 •.
team this year-
Wirtshaln's Junior 'C' hock*
club, the Ironmen, has folded, at •
leapt for this season.
A number of factors entered into
the decision to fold the team,
including the availability of play-
ers, coaches and executive. Last
season the Ironmen challenged
Hanover for, the league champi-
onship, but lost.
Port 1E1 g i n also has dropped out
of the league this year, but there are
new entries from Brussels and
Grand Valley.
• PEOPLE SPONSORS—Jeff Henderson (left) and Jayson MacLean (right) worked all surruner at
the plirth Festival' thanks to the sponsorship of Western Foundry Company Ltd. of Wingham. With
them. is.aurtan Resources Manager Wayne Phibbs of Western Foundry.
o le' sponsorship
lyth Festival
Threegh
fl ' frig
work at,
LgC technitians, induct.-
? 'Iliad a season's
a,
IthrifeenrItiPf
*it Western
C6 '
• IX -
. „
• 1, .0.
!•
!!!
'
Jok
to
another Ryerson student, and Alli-
son Dunn of Bayfield, who is cur-
rently studying Theatre Arts at
York University. All three had the
opportunity to work on every Blyth
pmduction summet
'This is me first dine we've put
together a 'people sponsorship'
" , says fund-raiser Linda
. Veliterrt,Votindry was the
&est itimpany to pick up on ”
TO sponsorship was worth
500 toward the salary of the
ii..)Kiihrticiattea says Wayne
;, • t
Phibbs, human resources manager
at Western Foundry.
.,The Festival people approached
companies who have shown an
interest in the festival in the past,"
he explained. "It sounded like a
good idea to us."
• Last year Western -Foundry
donated $10,000 toward the Blyth
capital building fund.
' Other "people" sponsors this
season were Clinton Community
Credit Union and Canadian Agra
Holdings Ltd. of Kineardine and
Wingham.