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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Advance-Times, 1977-08-24, Page 11• Good neighbors meet After enjoying the visit of the citizens of Standish, Mich. to WIngharn at the weekend, one might well wonder why It has taken so long for international neighbors to meet. Certainly it is an experience rich in new understanding. Mayor Bill Walden and Councillor Angus Mowbray accepted an invitatipn to visit the town of Standish a couple of weeks pre- viously and came back full of admiration for the people of that small (1,200) community. Not only were they delighted by the hospi- tality extended to them, but they saw first- hand, what co-operation and energy . has been able to accomplish in the Michigan town.'' Whether the men of Standish were. equally impressed by our accomplishments in Wingham may be a good question — but they, did appear to be enthusiastic about theirvisit. With exchange visits planned for the future, it certainly should prove an interest- ing experience for the citizens of the "sister" • communities. As this column has so frequently observed, marry, many of the world's problems would never have arisen had antagonistic people taken the time and trouble to seek personal acquintanceship with those they believed to be their enemies. Lack of communication, within families, within communities, between provinces end between nations is the fulcrum on which dis- putes have been escalated to full scale battles. Very naturally this pleasant gesture of goodwill between the people of Standish and the residents of Wingham leads to speculation about how different relation- ships between Quebecers and the rest of Canada might now be had more of us made the effort to know each other personally — to enjoy interrelationships as human beings rather than as foreigners who spoken an alien tongue. All we can now hope is that it is not too late to overstep that , unnatural barrier. Sensible concessions Although the provincial premiers did not arrive at anyreally earth -shaking conclus- ions during their recent conference in St. Andrews, it is our belief that one important accommodation was achieved. Premier Rene Levesque went to that meeting demanding reciprocal agreements on language education with the other provinces. He wanted treaties which would promise that if greater freedom of education is permitted English-speaking students' in Quebec, the same freedoms and oppor- tunities should be guaranteed for French- speaking students in the other nine pro- vinces. Levesque appeared to be less than surprised whenhe failed to get signed documents but he was happy that he received verbal assurance from his fellow - premiers in most of the provinces that they agreed with his request and ,would do something practical about equality of oppor- tunity for their French-speaking citizens. Mr. Levesque, of course, had no legal mandate to speak f6r the French in the other provinces. None of them had voted for him on November 15. But the general agreement that he had a right to act as their self- appointed champion is a step in the right direction. It has long been obvious that the price of Quebec's future within Confedera- tion will have to be some form of concession to the French fact of Canadian life. None of the premiers and only a handful of Canadian citizens actually believe that we can provide Quebec with special status under which concessions would be made that are not open to the other provinces. There is nothing at all wrong, however, with agreeing to a logical argument that access to education in the language of a family's choice makes as much sense in Ontario or Alberta as it does in Quebec. if an equal spirit of understanding prevails in future questions of equality the pressure for separate nationhood will become secondary. to that of national unity. Students need. Latin A retired classics professor. at Queen's University has just completed a pilot study in . Kingston and she says .that when the results of the study are completed Latin may once again become a classroom course. Purpose ofa re -introduction of Latin would not be for its use as a second language, but to provide a better knowledge of the English language. That contention is one which we have repeated many times. Today's students, none of whom have an opportunity to study Latin, are being deprived of any knowledge of the foundation stones on which so much the English tongue is based.. It is true, of course, that present day English does contain numerous words that have an Anglo- Saxon origin, but they are outnumbered many times over by words which came directly to us from Latin or by the more roundabout course, through French. Latin was the language of scholars for centuries after the rule of the Romans had disappeared. The Celtic tongue, once spoken in France, was entirely replaced by Latin and over the centuries was so localized that it became the French language. After the Norman conquest of England in the tenth century French became the language of state and the courts and the Anglo-Saxon tongue all but died out. Latin, however, remained the ianguage.pf the church and the universities. Thus our present form of English is ' largely derived from . Latin through two strong avenues. Those of us who learned Latin in high school never became proficient in its use as a spoken word, but we did become knowledg- able about its usefulness as a reference point for English spellings and proper under- standing of English words. We would not recommend a return to the very time-consuming pursuit of Latin liter- ature, nor, indeed, any very deep study of, Latin sentence structure. Perhaps a modern course of study in Latin would do best to concentate on that language purely as it relates to English, to emphasize those words from which so many of our English words derive. Whether or not the widespread return of Latin in our schools is ever achieved remains to be seen. Without that back- ground, however much has been and will be lost to those who would employ the English tongue correctly and appropriately. Is football dangerous? The other morning a chiropractor from Sudbury appeared on the CTV national network and right there, before all those millions of dedicated mothers and fathers and schoolteachers, dared to say that in his opinion football should be abolished as a high school sport. The chiropractor stated his opinion that the injuries which are suffered by teen-age football players are much more serious in their consequences than similar accidents suffered by older players, such as those in \the professional ranks. The speaker con- tended that a teen-ager's bone development is not complete and that what may seem to .be only a minor injury may develop, in later life, into a serious and untreatable condition. Not being a bone specialist we don't have any firm convictions one way or another. What the discussion did bring to mind was the fact that a person takes his life in his hands to dare public criticism of any of our sports which fall into the sacred cow category. Similarly with the boy who has the' fortitude to say that he doesn't want to play one of these games. Even his parents are likely to suggest at worst that he is a coward and at the least that he is proving to be a disappointment. In many schools the same attitude is prevalent. The kid who happens to like working with his hands or reading history may not be openly criticised but he gets the message when all the hero worship is poured on the young muscle man who has .scored the most goals or touchdowns. Some parents — and particularly some mothers — can take the cake when it comes to building poor sportsmanship. They may be a small minority but we have often heard parents screaming from the sidelines tb a favorite son 'and the message is an un- qualified "get the kid, never mind the puck." Harsh words, yes. They are not intended to condemn sports, but rather a plea to keep games in proper perspective. They are a useful and usually pleasant adjunct to the process of growing up — but they are not the be-all and end-all of a child's development. Glance back at the life stories of the world's great leaders and you will find little or nothing of athletic prowess. Most of them were too busy with their brains to have any great amount of time for the playing fields. The old phrase which referred to "a keen mind in a healthy body" is the concept which should be operative in the development of any youngster. If the sport contributes to bodily wellbeing and if good sportsmanship on the field or the ice teaches the merits of fair play and good citizenship — all well and good. But if there is any chance at all that the game can lead to physica) injury of perma- nent nature it deserves a careful examina- tion. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited Barry Wenger, President Robert 0. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Member — Canadian Community Newspapers Assoc. Subscription $12.00 per year Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 Ontario Weekly Newspapers Assoc. Six months $6.50 Returnpog a guaranteed uara ntee d ..• z !�•:Sl .... 44• 1, • , r A page of editorial opinion Wednesday Au .. 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Must, accompany the 90 -day notice of increase, which the landlord must give under The Landlord and Tenant Act. A tennntor landlord now has 21 days instead of 15 in which to file an appeal against a rent review officer's decision. The other party to the appeal must be noti- fied within seven days after the notice has been filed. The minister urged landlords or tenants who have questions about their rights and protections under the act to contact the nearest regional rent review office. ews Items from OId Files AUGUST 1930 Wroxeter's places of busines are being :spruced up. The, spli pea mill has been repainted improving the' appearance con siderably. The front of the jewel lery store is also getting afr coat of paint. The Province of Manitoba las month celebrated its 60th birth day. Where 60 years ago the buf fel()reignetd alone, 14tanitob�a fafiner''s reign are now pasturing 360,000 horses and 680,000 cattle The prairie dweller, instead o returning to fort or wigwam from his day's work, spends his eve- nings in his radio -equipped home or motors over good highways to the nearest city. Community life hereabouts is due for a genuine upsetting at Wingham when Cole and Rogers Circus comes to town for two per- formances. There will be an excellent collection off wild and rare animals. Lithe and sinewy girls will fly 'through the air or prance gaily on the backs of beautiful horses. Among the rare and curious sights will be the tiny horse, "Peewee", weighing only 40 pounds and standing 26 inches high, the smallest horse in the world. • Canadian poultry are• rapidly being recognized throughout the world as reaching unusually high standards. Recently the SS Em- press of Canada, clearing from Vancouver to China, Japan and the Philippines, carried 60 head of registered white leghorns con- signed to , Manila to be used in building up the poultry industry of the islands. At the regular meeting of East/ Wawanosh council, claims were received from Peter McDonald and William Fitzpatrick for dam- ages to cars received while driv- ing on the township roads. The claims were turned over to the in- surance company for a settle- ment. Every indication points to the fact that the Western Fair in Lon- don this year will be the greatest in history. No less than $50,000 will be spent for prizes and at- tractions in 1930. • AUGUST 1942 For a two-week period com- mencing August 24, the rural areas of Ontario and Quebec will resound to shouts of "Any old rubber today?" as country dwel- lers and summer residents of these provinces are asked to hand . over the scrap rubber on their premises to local mail couriers who will act as rubber salvage collectors. Seriousness of the rubber situation in Canada and the need of rubber scrap for reclaiming purposes means that every scrap of rubber article is needed. Charles Scott, who has been on the staff of the Department of Labor, Civil Service Commission, in Ottawa for the past two Years, has resigned to accept a position in the offices of the Ford Motor Company of Canada at Windsor. Mr. Scott is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William C. Scott of Bel - grave. Hospital patients who are con- fined for more than seven days must bring their sugar, ration s cards with them. Also special t duty nurses must bring their own sugar ration. This is by order of the Price Control Board. The new lighting standards on es h. main street are being painted. Some have already received the t finished coat of green. When all - 36 standards have been painted, - the appearance of our main ,, street will be much improved. • Howard Wylie of Wroxeter has • been appointed an officer in the f Second 99th 'Battery RCA (Reserve Force) with the rank of second lieutenant. Elliot M. Little, director of National Selective Service, an- nounced that national registra- tion of women would start early in September. He said the registration would show how many women are available for war industry. Ultimately, he said, the percentage of women employed in the majority of war industries would exceed that of men. Ross Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson of Belgrave, reported for military training in London. The separator belonging to the threshing outfit of the late James Thynne, formerly of Bluevale, has been sold to a firm near Dub- lin. Mr. Thynne had operated a threshing machine for over 50 years in this community and the . service will be missed by many farmers. After a lifetime/spent in Blyth as a blacksmith and proprietor of a grocery store, James Sims left the village to reside in Seaforth with his daughter. About 20 children and parents were present at the home of Mrs. James Craigen when Karen Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hartley Smith, received her certificate for the completion of the Kelly -Kirby Kindergarten course for piano. The course is designed for children three to eight years of age. Jane Cruik- shank, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B- Cruikshank, ,,and Patsy. Coulter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Coulter, had previous- ly completed the course: AUGUST 1953. Mrs. William Scott of Langside, who has been taking a summer course in music at Toronto, returned home last week and. will teach in several Kinloss schools this coming year. Dr. Forde is having his office built at the left side of his resi- dence at Fordwich. This will be a great' Convenience to him and allow this family to havetwo extra rooms in their home. One of our town's adventurous types last week climbed the water standpipe on John Street just for something to do. Accord- ing to reports, he wanted to see the view from the top. Farmers in the Whitechurch district are having quite a time to harvest their good crop and with the scarcity of labor, many women are driving tractors. On the Anderson • farm in West Wawanosh, owned by Sam, Thompson, seven tractors were drawing in from one field one day last week. Three of these were driven by boys 13 years and under, George Naylor, Bill TODAY1'S CHILD BY HELEN ALLEN THE TORONTO SYNDICATE Brenda, just turned 10, is an attractive girl with shining dark hair, brown eyes and the winning smile you see. She very much wants to be adopted because she wants to belong to a family. Brenda is now living in a small institution for children with emotional problems and her's have been largely resolved. Shp is ready to leave as soon as a family can be found who will welcotne her as their daughter. - .Though she is behind in school, Brenda is enthusiastic about learning and she tries hard. She is popular with teachers and schoolmates and thrives in an atmosphere of praise and encouragement. • With a'naturally sweet, happy disposition Brenda is usually pleasant company, though she can be temperamental and un- cooperative when she is upset. Active, healthy Brenda likes dancing, swimming, baseball and hockey. She is a keen camper. Brenda needs a family where she will be the youngest and where the parents can be patient till she feels 'she really belongs. To inquire about adopting Brenda, please write to Today's Child, Ministry of Community & Social Services, Box' 888, Station K, Toronto M4P 21-12. In your letter tell something of your present family and your way of life. • For general information about adoption contact your local Children's Aid Society. Thompson.. and Cameron' Robin- son. Y. Wingham bowlers went to Stratford and captured another trophy. The Faille Trophy was won by the rink of Mrs. J. Kerr, Mrs. E. Sturdy and Mrs. A. Lunn. Second prize was won by Mrs. DuVal, Miss Y. McPherson and Mrs. C. Lloyd. Cadet Jack Elliott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Elliott of Blue - vale, was named the best shot in his company at the Cadet Train- ing Camp at Camp Borden this summer. Jack passed his course in signal training while at the camp. Glen Foxton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Milford Foxton,' last week received his discharge from the army and is now back in Wing - ham after serving, three years in the forces. Glen is planning on staying in Wingham for the winter at least and hopes to find a ' job here. AUGUST 1963 Principal Frank Madill of the Wingham District High School said this week that he expected enrolment at the institution to be about . 800 when the' fall term opens September 3. .He an- ticipates about 250 children will, enter Grade 9 this year which will require eight classes, with a similar number of Grade 10. classes. All former pupils, their fami- lies and friends are cordially in- vited to attend the official closing ceremonies of SS No. 17, Howick. A $4,000 cheque was presented to the Riverside Parks Board by the local Kinsmen Club as its donation to the changehouse at the Riverside Park swimming pool. President Matt Boyd of the Kinsmen Club made the presentation. • J. E. Wilson, manager oklie National Employment. Office at Listowel, reports as of July 31; there are 82 people in receipt of unemployment insurance bene- fits. This is the lowest'number-on„ claim at this period in the last two years. The Listowel office ser- vices the townships of Wallace,` Elma, Grey, Turnberry, Howick, Minto, Arthur and Maryborough' and includes the towns of Listo- wel, Wingham, Harriston and Palmerston. Several weeks ago 50 youths from Wingham, Walkerton and ..• Listowel District High School en- rolled in the Student Militia course ,conducted by the 21st Field Regiment, RCA (M). For\ the majority it marked their first taste of military life. FridayYthey emerged fully trained gunners. Gnr. J. D. McDonald of Wingham was named the best militiaman in the course: A remarkable life of service to community and town life ended with the death of Mrs. Harold Burrell in the Wingham and Dis- trict Hospital. At the August meeting of Wing- ham Town Council, the tender of Joseph Kerr Limited was ac- cepted for the, reconstruction of Catherine Street. Friends and neighbors honored Miss Betty Ann Lapp before her departure to Toronto Bible Col- lege where she is enrolled in training. WANTS TO BELONG •