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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-01-25, Page 40 r A page of eclitoriol opinion February 1, 1984 Meeting an urgent need Over the 'years the Women's In- stitute movement has proven its value to Canadian life In hundreds of prac- tical ways. Emulating the approaches of the Senior WI members, the Junior Institutes of this area have undertaken a very worthwhile program. A couple of weeks ago the Howick Central School, located near the Vil- lage of Fordwich, was the setting for a course sponsored by the local Junior Institute to provide training for young people who act as baby-sitters from time to time. The course consisted of seven sessions at the school, of which participants could miss only two If they intended to graduate with certificate and identification card. Subjects of,.study included health, responsibilities of the sitter, care of physically handicapped children, home safety, understanding and handling of children, first aid, etc. A changing society has created the need for cornpetent baby-sitters. A few generations back there were fewer op- portunities for parents to be away from home in the evenings,_ ,,Famllles, too, were larger,so that older brothers and sisters, even grandparents, were us- ually available to stay with the wee ones. Today's baby-sitter must be com- petent to meet a variety of situations, as the subjects of the training program indicate. The availability of these trained sitters will be a welcome service for those parents who want to leave their children in safe hands. New divorce laws Justice Minister Mark MacGuigan is pushing a new act through Parlia- ment which, he says, will make divorce easier, quicker and kinder to all con- cerned. In a society where many older people do not believe in divorce of any kind, the new act is, as expected, rous- ing violent opposition. Under the new legislation divorces will be granted, in some cases, without even the appearance of husbands: and wives in court. Separation for a period of one year, rather than the three years presently required, will be accepted as proof of marriage breakdown and di orce will be uncontested. The justice minister bases his de- sire to ease divorce proceedings on the premise that removal of the adversary situation in a public courtroom cir- cumvents needless pain for all con- cerned, including the children., It can be argued, also with some truth, that if the husbands and wives simply cannot live together amicably, they will be better off well away from each other. ;However, the easing of divorce re- quilrements does nothing to improve thepsychological plight of the children of a broken marriage. Every human being enters this world with an over- 111� 1,111 1,1 lig lI �� ,i�l� ;r (llGniso � riding need for protection and reas- surance. Mother and father and some sort of home, provide the sustenance, mental as well as physical, which starts each of us into a world which, in a few years will prove hostile and com- petitive. e' It must be a jarring experience for a young child to face the fact that the two people in whom he or she has had roll^tlete trust can't even trust one anr. The youngster must face ul- timate separation from one of the par- ents. The reality of the present-day situation, of course, has created the necessity for streamlined divorce laws. One in four marriages fall apart in the early years . and the courts are swamped with unsettled divorce actions. Perhaps it is as well that a more practical approach to the prob- lem to become reality. The eventual health and vigor of society as we know it is quite another matter. , No .law -!bakers, so far, have been able to invent a better foundation for a healthy and well -ordered society than good homes, good parents and well- balanced, intelligent children. WHAT U5E1)10 BE PINK, COULD BE.6TRIPEp 6W1-4 IN 'B4 Items from Old Files JANUARY 1937 A tongue of flame which spurted across the sidewalk at a fire in Helen Beattie's Beauty . Shop severely e. burned two firemen, with two other- firemen narrowly escaping injury: Walter Lockridge and Howard Fuller were severely burned about the hands and face. The beauty parlor is a wreck inside. At the annual meeting of the Wingham Horticultural Society, it was announced that the society had 120 members in 1936, less than they have had on their membership roll in some years. Thomas Fells is president of the Society; vice presidents are W. S„. Hall and Mrs. Harry Angus; secre-• tary is Mrs. E. J. Nash and treasurer W. A. Galbraith. Mr. and'Mrs. George Lowey and family, who have been residing in the north end of the town, have moved into the house on Victoria, Street recently vacated by Rev. and Mrs. E. C. Smith. Dr. ' William Fowler of Bayfield has bought , Dr. William Connell's residence in Lucknow and will com- mence practice there this week Dr Fowler succeeds Righting a wrong A healthy conscience is a powerful force for good. All by itself, with no one else to see or condemn, it can frustrate the wrongdoer, spoiling the other wise "perfect., crime" and giving .no rest until the wrong has been confessed and made right. An eloquent testimony to the work- ings of conscience is provided in a letter received last week by a Wingham merchant. Handwritten and addressed simply to Lee Vance, Drug Store, Wingham, Ont., it starts:. Dear Lee, Sometime near Christmas time 1960 or '61 I took two watches from your store and never paid for them. 1 do not know how much they cost now but i think the enclosed bill will cover them. I am sorry I'm so long in sending this. Please forgive me." The letter is un- signed and has no return address, but encrosed was a $100 bill. Mrs. Vance said her husband can remember the incident nearly 20 years ago in which, while he waited on a customer, the watches disappeared. They wrote it off to experience and never expected to hear anything more about it. Somewhere, though, someone re- membered. And ` somewhere a con- science would give no peace until the theft had been made good. You figure it out Last week we received an attrac- tive booklet from the Ontario Develop- ment Corporation, Printed in attrac- tive colorson glossy stock, the subject matter was the many opportunities for development and expansion of Ontario businesses. Selected as an example of the ODC's co-operation in Eastern On- tario was the Harrowsmith Cheese Factory in Frontenac County, where owner Harold Kingston, decided in 1-980 th-arthe profitability in his plant could be maintained only by expanding into specialty cheeses. "With the assistance of Bill Mc- Lean, at the Kingston office of the Eastern Ontario Development Cor- poration," says the booklet, "Harold was able to build a 7,500 sq. ft. building addition and buy new equipment for the production of parmesan, roman° and brine' type cheeses." "After the expansion in 1980, the company found there was a greater market than anticipated for the new products. Consequently, It was neces- sary to build a new curing, drying and dry storage facility to accommodate the increasing product demand. Bill McLean was again called in and ar- ranged additional financing." That's what the book says. Now read what a news release from Toronto last week had to say aboufthe same owner and the same cheese factory: "Kingston's biggest problem is the failure of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board to supply him with' all the milk he wants for his Harrowsmith Cheese company. He's only getting 60 to 70 per cent of the volume he wants." "Yet here in Toronto, the chairman and vice-chairman of the Ontario Marketing .Board were urging dairy farmers to lobby the federal govern- ment to clamp down harder on cheese imports by reducing the current quota of 45 million pounds." Several years ago this column re- counted a conversation with George Keil of Gorrie.•ln Vienna the Canadian trade commissioner told Keil that he could market great quantities of Can- adian cheese if only our milk supply regulations could be eased to permit a higher level of manufacture. Could any of us be blamed for be- lieving that food production regulations in this country are decidedly ;out of whack? tiLlje inaijatrt Abbanee®Otimeo Published at Niniham, (Mario, P.O. Box 390 • NOG 2% (1 h� M cngcr Bros. Limited Barry Wenger. President Henn Hess, 1dwrr Memhcr Robert 0 Wengcr. Sec' Trcas AudrA Currie. Ad‘crnang Manager Member Audit Bureau of (1rculaturns anadian( ummunit% NcN\paper .A..,x• Suhscnrtions S20 MI per vrar Second ( lass Mail Registratntn Nn 61821 ()nfarn'( nmmuntty NON spa per •\ssoc. Sit month. 51 I 50 Ref Orn rtt,tagr guaranteed Lambeth in October. A number of families in Lower Wingham are resting with an easier mind since the high tides of a few days ago have fallen back to normal. This' is a very unusual oc- currence to take place in January. Dr. A. W. Irwin announces that after February 1, his dental office will be located in the Hydro Block, formerly H. B. Elliott's bookstore. JANUARY 1949 More than 100 teensters went to the .polls to elect a ,payor and council for 1949. Mayor of Teen Town is Raymond Bennett and reeve is Arnold McIntyre. Mem- bers of council are Bill Bain, . Patsy Broph , John Hanna, Jean - Hohden., ' Barbara MacKay and Eleanor Wightman. The annual meeting of •the Howick Agricultural Society was held in Gorrie. Roy Strong was renamed president. Vice presidents are Robert Gibson and Harold Robinson. W. E. Whitfield . was elected secretary -treasurer. At the meeting of Huron County Council, it was an- nounced that, during 1948, 223 persons . made ap- Dr. R. J. Bowen who left for plication for old age pen - Snow creates trouble spots Dear Editor, Recently there has been some criticism aimed at the snow removal crew in the Town of Wingham. On the whole, I think they are doing a• fairly respectable job, but' there are a few trouble spots. It was at one of these trouble spots where I was unfortunate enongh to come into collision Ath another car. This corner at Cedar and Water streets is treacherous at any time, but what makes it worse is the lack of sand and also the pile of snow that is left in the middle of the • intersection. It has been this way a/II...minter. Surely this snow could be plowed out of the way. I have been traveling on this road for: many years and every winter, it isone of the worst -maintained roads in town: This :is • a- busy in- dustrial area and there. is a lot of traffic using this road. Proper plowing of this corner and the use of a little sand would hopefully prevent other such accidents from occurring. , A concerned motorist Walkerton ( Name withheld by request) sions. There were 178 pen- sions granted. There' have been 2,778 pensions granted since old age pensions came into effect. A total of 1,035 were receiving pensions in the county as of December 31, 1948. Dr. Hall of Western University stated at Goderich last week that 98 students from Huron County are enrolled at Western University this year. JANUARY 1960 W. Orval Struthers, who has been the popular manager of the Wingham branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, will leave in. March to become manager of the Mitchell branch of the same bank. The new manager will be H. H. Hotson. Tragedy , struck this community when two young people were discovered dead in a•car stuck,in a snowbank on Arthur Street, a few hundred yards south of the B Line of Turnberry Township. Dead are Donna''llhacker of . Teeswater.and Murray Montgomerof Wroxeter. At a meeting of the Wingham Women's In- stitute, a display of Scotch scones and oatmeal cookies was judged by Mrs. George Henderson. Mrs. W. Lapp won the prize for scones and Miss J. Murray for the best • cookies. Mrs. Ross . Vogan was elected president of the Evening Auxilidry of the Wingham United Church. Vice presidents are Mrs. Charles Hodgins, Mrs. Murray MacLennan and' Miss Irene Paton. Mrs. Tom Jardin and Miss Greta Harris are • secretary and treasurer. Dr. Alexander Nimmo officiated for the wedding of° . Shirley Mary Simmons orf Wroxeter and David Henry Rowland Templeman of Wingham.The couple will live in Wingham. George Underwood of Wingham was appointed vice president and Maurice Hallahan of Belgrave was elected secretary -treasurer when the Huron County 4-H Leaders' Association met in Clinton. JANUARY 1970 Helen Clarke is the new president of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Royal Canadian Legion in Howick. Her supporting officers are vice presidents Betty `Bradshaw and Connie Un- derwood, and secretary Sorena Austin. If -anyone doubts ' that education is big business, the action taken by the Huron County Board of Education should prove convincing. The board authorized. the borrowing of $5 million to meet current expenses until revenues cotyle in from th municipalities. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley W. Horsburgh, RR 1, Wingham, • announce the engagement of their daughter, Betty Marie(, to Jon Stafford Bateson, only son of Mr. and Mrs. John Bateson of Wingham. A new' executive wase in- stalled into' the Howick Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Jack Clarke is the new president, replacing Robert Harkness. Vice presidents are Alex Graham and Fraser Lynn. Jim Alcorn is treasurer and Ken Galbraith secretary. ° Friends and former pupils throughout this community 'were stunned when they learned on Saturday of the murder of Miss Katherine McGregor at her home in Clinton. The 70 -year-old woman had spent 28 years as a member of the high school teaching staff. Mrs. A. H. McTavish is president of the Wingham Hospital Auxiliary. Sup- porting her will be secretaries Mrs. W. B. Conron and Mrs, G., Beard and treasurer, Mrs. W. H. • French. • Christmas Bureau is grateful for donations Dear Editor, Family and Children's Services annually sponsors d operates the Huron my Christmas Bureau to st families needing help hristmas time. This is pletely done by volun- rs and in 1983 was under t capable direction of Mrs. Audrey Royal. The bureau in each of the five towns is headed by a volunteer and the assistants are volun- teers. Once again, the Christmas Bureau has been able to operate successfully because of the generosity of in- dividuals, too numerous to name, who donated time and effort to aid their less for- tunate neighbors. In each town, one group took responsibility for helping families in its area and one individual within the group organized donations and met with families. The following individuals and groups merit a special thank -you: Mrs. Nancy Wise and Wesley -Willis United Church Women in Clinton; Mrs: Nancy Rooth and Exeter Lioness Club; Mrs. Phyllis Lawrence and North Street United Church, Goderich; Mrs. Linda Allin and Seaforth Lioness Club; Capt. Borden Linkletter, Co ass at co t dofthefi Editor's Note: Among the Ipdian legends of the Grand River Valley, around what is ' today the modern city of Brantford, there is a strange tale of Klionda, a venturesome brave of the Mohawk tribe _and how he was saved by Nawgeentuck, the groundhog, on what is today called Groundhog Day. Klionda's tale refers to the "great hills and rivers of the beaver" which is thought by historians to be the territory around Mount Forest and Durham in Grey County; also to the "great place of falling wafers and long neck of water", thought to be Inglis Falls and the Owen Sound Bay; while his "great forests and stone cliffs and frozen bays and lakes" aptly describes the Bruce Peninsula, the land of the Ojibway. So ... we may conclude that Groundhog Day actually originated in the neighborhood of Wiarton and Cape Croker on that fateful day many years ago. The following legend is translated from the Mohawk, 0 0 0 The fierce breath of the North God blew over the frozen wastes, its song filled with hate as Klionda pressed ever onward into the Strange Land under the Polar Star. His limbs ached with fatigue for he had travelled for more moons than he could count on the fingers of both hands. The pale winter sun shone dimly through the snow -flecked sky and the great woods were still and silent, except for the sharp crack of the frost in the hardwoods. His hunger was almost forgotten now as his snowshoes continued,,to forge a striated pattern on the white winter forest floor. As he trekked grimly on, his mind drifted back to the familiar Valley of the Big River that he had left so long ago. And the crowded long -houses of his tribe and those of the friendly Senecas, Oneidas and Tuscaroras. Klionda wondered now whether he would see the land of his fathers again. He often thought of the Great Spirit, who was all seeing, and wondered what great famine had passed through this land. There was nothing but the wind, and when the wind was gone — silence. His eyes had strained at dusk for the dreaded shadow of Garou . . the timber wolf, but even he was gone. Klionda's mind told him the land was cursed to all living things, and that he himself would soon live no longer. He thought of the land he had left behind, first his own valley, then the great hills and rivers of the beaver; and the Great Place of the F`alling-Waters, Mrs. Greta Stokes, Mrs. Isabel Bannerman, Mrs. Janet Hubbard of the Salvation Army, Wingham. As in past years, the people of Huron County showed their generosity by donating new articles, non- perishable food and cash donations to the bureaus during the first week of collecting. This enabled the volunteers to distribute during the second week. When a family is referred to the Christmas Bureau, it is assured of anonymity. Volunteer staff help parents choose a toy or gift suitable for children under 16 and assist in selecting a piece of clothing, for example- a T- shirt or pyjamas. In ad- , dition, each child receives a pair of mitts knitted by one of our many thoughtful volunteer knitters. As well, the family receives help. with Christmas dinner. Thank you, Huron County, for being big of heart in giving to help your less fortunate neighbors and allowing them the dignity of receiving anonymously. Donald J. Lugtig-; Director Peggy Rivers, Coordinator . Homemakers say thanks for supporting campaign Dear Editor, need homemaking services The Town and Country but cannot pay the full cost of Homemakers would like to the service and do not thank all those who sup- qualify for assistance from ported our fund-raising any other source. campaigns in 1983. We We designed the campaign especially thank Murray and to run until Christmas. We Pat Gaunt of Wingham for , are still receiving donations. acting" as honorary.. chair.- - The need is ongoing. persons during the course of Donations are appreciated at the mail -out campaign. We any time. appreciate the support of We also want to acknowledge the support given by the community to the successful amaryllis bulb campaign during the Christmas season. We thank the community for the continuous and growing support 'the Town and Country Homemakers have received over the last Thea Trick Acting Chairman Of the Board your newspaper through your enthusiasm and cooPeration in publishing feature' articles on home- making last fall. We are, off course, especially indebted to the donors who supported us ,with their ' generous onations. The dollars are put into a contingency fund and used to help private citizens in Huron C6unty who Personal testimonial to homecare service Dear Editor, Last week's article on Linda Knight really thrilled 'me. I am presently a recipient of her care and visits. Without homecare services, I would be very unhappy. Within four years my body, has weathered five opera- tions and 12 radiation treat- ments, all cancer -related. Thanks to homecare my hus- band and four children are near me, continually giving me love and support. - Degenerative disease pro- duces many adjustments. Respect and love are vitally important. There are many needs to be met — spiritual needs, mental and emotional deeds, physical needs, social needs, etc. "Community Nursing Services" is needed. Many -people will appreciate the personalized, wholistic care available, at home, by qualified, caring nurses. Joy Maier RR 1, Gorrie PRESS COUNCIL The Advance -Times is a member of the Ontario Press Council which will consider written com- plaints about the.publica- tion of news, opinions and advertising. If a com- plaint can't be resolved with the newspaper, it should be sent to the On- tario Press Council, 151 Slater St., Suite 708, Ot- tawa, Ont. K1P 5H3. grounhog from where he could see frozen bays and lakes and silence! The sun was leaving and the stark shadows of winter twilight were sharply etched on the towering rock bluffs by the mighty bays as he made camp beneath the enveloping boughs of the fir tree. Scant comfort, but shelter at least. He knew his strength was failing. Soon he would drift into the sleep from which there is no waking. Klionda thought about his snowshoes. He knew he could get strength from the venison sinews front which they were made, if he chewed them long enough. But to what purpose? With his snowshoes gone, he would be powerless to go further. Again his mind drifted back to the Valley of the Big River and his beloved Ojistoh, whose wild aching breast would forever be lost to him. And thus, Klionda slept . . somehow knowing he would not wake again. But in the sky, the Great Spirit watched as the soft, warm wind of the Spring God swept ever northward bringing softer snow, and thawing trees and it was thus when Klionda awoke to a dark, damp, bleak dawn. Then he knew the Great Spirit was with him. As pale daylight crept beneath his shelter he stood erect to watch the coning of the new day. Suddenly ... before his eyed... the snow moved and a small hole appeared. From it peered a small black nose ... and a brown fur head! It was Nawgeentuck . . . the groundhog! As if by lightning, Klionda's tomahawk struck and in an instant he was tearing at the small, but fat brown carcass that was to mean his life. And thus it is still related today ... the story of Kllonda, the Mohawk and Nawgeentuck, the groundhog who saved his life. And ever since, on the second day of the second moon of the year, Nawgeentuck emerges from his snug lair beneath the snows. And someday ... he may again save a life ... as he did Klionda's ... so many years ago. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The groundhog is considered a sacred animal 'among many Indian tribes. The Ojibway, natives of the Wiarton and Bruce Peninsula area believed that the "Kukageesh" (Ojibway translation — groundhog) was an offering from the Great Spirit and that it possesses spiritual powers that would assure the suryival of human life with the consumption of its flesh.