The Wingham Advance-Times, 1976-03-25, Page 1f
s e
25e Single Copy Wingham, Thursday, March 25, 1976 hal- ar i'" !wi
Hospital t fight high
costs duringc ming year
The annual meeting of the ions to 95 patients; 84,789 labor- years and has made frequent re-
Wingham and District Hospital story tests, 1,519 electrocardio- decorating necessary when water
Association attracted a fairly graphic examinations, 666 at- leaked through into rooms and
good attendance last Wednesday tended the cancer clinics, 75,161 corridors.
evening and the gathering heard units in physiotherapy treatment. Public Relations
reports from all departments. The average length of stay for all Mrs. Ross Procter, who chairs
Vice-president Jack Hodgins pre- patients over the year was 8.2
sided in the absence of the as- days as compared with 8.6 in the
sociation's president, DeWitt previous year.
Miller, who was W. Finances"`
The hospital's executive direc- The report of the finance com-
tor, Norman Hayes, briefly out- mittee indicated that the hospital
lined the activities of the year had operated at 4.4 per cent be-
1976, commenting on the fact that low the approved budget, and
the institution was fortunate to ended the year with an excess of
have emerged from the current expenditure over income in the
program of government re- amount of $16,031. Total revenue +xss-.0 ,
straints with the loss of neither amounted to $2,576,644 as com-
budget allowance nor number of pared with $2,185,383 the previous
approved beds. Mr. Hayes said year.
that 1976 would of necessity be a Chairman Jack Hodgins of the t
year of carefully controlled Management Committee said
spending, because costs continue that several meetings had been
to rise and health ministry assist- held during the year to examine
ance will obviously be strictly the role of the hospital in present
limited. He also pointed to the day health care requirements
significant fact that the local hos- and he pointed to the fact that the WW
pital's facilities and staff have work load, or number of patients
achieved high standards, taking in care had declined as the result _
care of 94 per cent of the area's of a calculated effort to discharge - = �"-
health care needs. The work of patients to less costly health ser- r
medical, nursing and ancillary vices where possible. The Victor -
staffs is exemplary, said Mr. ian Order of Nurses and Huron's
Hayes. Home Care Nursing service had
Statistics been the recipients of some of
Accompanying the director's these cases. /
verbal report was a printed out- Wallace Conn, chairman of the
line of the hospital's statistics for Property Committee, outlined
the year. Admissions totalled the major maintenance and im-
3,218 as compared with 3,275 the provement projects which had
previous year; 81 deaths, and been carried out, including the
28,585 patient days, down five per extension of oxygen lines to all k
cent from 1974. In the outpatients' treatment rooms in the hospital
department 10,635 people were and the improvement of lighting
treated, an increase of over 500 in some areas. With the valued
from the previous 12 months, in- assistance of the Hospital Auxili-
dicating that more patients were ary much of the hospital had been
being handled on an emergency redecorated. The biggest prob-
basis without being admitted to lem facing his committee in the
hospital. t will be the f
the public relations committee,
described the several ways in
which the hospital's services and
activities have been related to the
community, such as the work of
the "candy stripers" who work
s
1
-7W!"_ - r
on a voluntary basis to aid pa-
tients. Mrs. Procter also express-
ed her appreciation to The Ad-
vance -Times and to CKNX for the
time and space devoted to items
of interest about the hospital and
its work.
Mrs. Procter also reported for
the Hospital Auxiliary and out-
lined the very broad program of
activities by which funds are
raised for hospital assistance and
the work of the Auxiliary mem-
bers in hospital -oriented ser-
vices. N
Dr. J. C. McKim reported for
the medical staff and extended
the doctors' appreciation to the
board and the hospital staff for
the capable co-operation of all
departments throughout the
year Dr McKim outlined th
1 }
44�a" I+t Y
e
various committees which make
FRED SNOW, manager of the Wingham Toronto -Dominion Bank, and incoming manager
Nick O'Donohue,
up the medical society and the
a
right, o over ledgers and accounts which la an important
g g g play portant part in
subjects with which they deal
t
today's banking business. Mr. Snow leaves his post at the end of the month after 45 years
frequent intervals. said there
with the bank. He said he plans to return to hobbies and to do a little travelling with his
are 11 active medical staff mem-
family.
bers and 16 consultants.
of Wingham. Elected with one
year still to serve J. Hodgins,
Mrs. Jean Ellacott, director of
ployee, a lot of little pranks would
the training school reported that
1975 was a year of change. Mrs.
Retirement of Fred Snow
Janet Fielding, who had been
find a job, let alone hold on to it."
director of the school for 15 years,
o live off their salaries alone in
•-- ----- had retired. Twenty-two trainees
` were graduated last year and the
ends 45yearprofession
now.
school was placed seventh in the
financing their homes, cars and
also absent and that two teachers
entire province in terms of effici-
WAGES FAIR
ency. When examinations for
After 45 years as an active came when he joined the Air rarity to find more men than
provincial registration were held,
banker, Fred Snow of Wingham's Force and served for four years. women working in banks. "The
21 of the graduates were success-
Toronto Dominion Bank retires "When I got back from the Air technological aspect of.banks has
ful. A new class of 22 was selected
at the end of the month. He leaves Force I resumed my career in changed drastically too. Every -
from 60 applicants after the sum-
his post as manager with many Sarnia for seven years, then to one used to be burdened with
mer break.
memories — both good and other- Seaforth for seven years, Elmira never-ending manual work but,
Board Election
wise. and then Wingham." He said with today's advanced equip -
Final business on the evening's
Relaxing in the bank's coffee most of his life has been spent in ment, this is almost eliminated,"
agenda was the election of mem-
room and reminiscing about old southwestern Ontario. Mr. Snow he said.
bers of the board of governors.
times, Mr. Snow reflected how has been with Wingham's TD When asked whether women
Placed by appointment were Dr.
difficult it was to obtain a job Bank for nine years: are more efficient in banks, his
L L. Clarke, Dr. John Ping and
back in the Depression. "I took Having been a junior clerk answer was yes.
♦L 46
presen year t'epair o Dr. J. C. McKim, by the medical the first lob that came along," he more an 30 years ago, Mr. Snow Banking in this age is not as -
Lst year there were 239 units a section of roof which has been rte- society; J. V. Fischer, by the said." In, 1930, jobg were very sympathizes with those starting expensive as it was. In the past,
administered in blood transfus- creating problems for several C t f H M Ro difficult to find and because I out today. "The breaking -in of a there was a lot of industrial loan-
Lucknow Doctor pioneered
advances in family practice
Friends and colleagues over a
wide area acknowledge with
gratitude the life of service which
ended with the death of Dr. Wil-
liam Victor Johnston of Lucknow
at the weekend. He was 79 years
of age.
Dr. Johnston commenced his
medical practice in 1924 and for
many years was a beloved physi-
cian in the Lucknow community.
Always alert to new develop-
ments in the field of medicine, he
was employing an electrocardio-
graph machine for the assess-
ment of heart ailments before
any of the hospitals in this area
had such equipment.
His devotion to the betterment
of family practice led to his ap-
pointment in 1954 as the first
executive director of the College
of Family Physicians of Canada.
In 1972 he published a book which
gained instant popularity and
recognition. It was titled "Before
the Age of Miracles" and re-
counted the role of the country
doctor before the discovery of
such life-saving aids as insulin
and penicillin and the myriad
other drugs and antibiotics which
play such an important role in
medicine today.
Among the honors accorded
Dr. Johnston were the presidency
of the Ontario Medical Associa-
tion, being named as the first re-
cipient of a medal struck in his
name by the College and an hon-
orary doctor of laws degree from
the University of Western On-
tario.
Funeral services, were con-
ducted in Lucknow on Tuesday.
HAROLD FRANCE, a well-known figure at the Post Office,
retired Tuesday after 10 years as a staff member. Although
oun y o uron, rs. as
Procter, by the Hospital Auxili-
I
seemed to be aggressive, I got
junior clerk was a little cruel but
ing being done but more and
he didn't work at the Post Office on a full-time basis, he
ary and Mayor Jack Revie, Town,
my first break at a London bank.
There was a lot of unemployment
a lot of fun."
He said if a bank had a new em-
more people are approaching
their banks for residential
leaves his duties as a mail sorter with many memories. Mr.
of Wingham. Elected with one
year still to serve J. Hodgins,
then and you were fortunate to
ployee, a lot of little pranks would
loans," he said. "And people used
France also works part-time at Wingham United Church as
-the
DeWitt Miller; elected, two
find a job, let alone hold on to it."
be staged as part of the initiation
o live off their salaries alone in
a caretaker and will retire from that post at end of April.
years, Boris Milosevic, J. R.
now.
act. The junior, he said, would be
financing their homes, cars and
also absent and that two teachers
Kaufman;
WAGES FAIR
asked to wind u the safe time
p
furniture — self-reliance you
proportions. "Nothing very dras-
Elected by acclamation to rep-
Starting as a junior clerk at the
lock and would follow the instruc-
might call it. Now there are more
Harold France retires
resent the surrounding rural
TD Bank, London, in 1930, Mr.
tions.
That wasn't all they did to a
people than industries inquiring
about loans."
tell if it will,
area: Teeswater and Culross,
Snow was earning about $400 a
wouldn't be noticeable. "As far
that they have been hit, but not
after O ye arS aS CIe rk
Douglas Button; Howick, Robert
g
Gibson; Brussels, Gerald Gib-
year or 58 a week. 'Wages were
pretty fair and holding a job at all
junior, Mr. Snow laughed. "We
1 g
would also send him to another
bank to bring back verbal agree-
Effective next month Nick
O'Donohue becomes new mana-
ger for Wingham's Toronto -
12 students of an estimated 560
son; Morris, M. J. Craig; Blyth
was an accomplishment it itself.
look at statistics from othc
"We haven't had a high percent-
Harold France, who has been years before being employed by
and East Wawanosh, Howard
Waller; Turnberry, Harold El-
A job was a job. It became so
goa.] that I stayed with it in the
ments forms. We would also keep
him busy cleaning out ink wells,"
Dominion Bank. When asked
what he will do with all the free
working as a part-time clerk in the post office,
liott; Kinloss and West Wawan-
hope of gaining more experi-
he said.
time on his hands, Mr. Snow said
the Post Office for 10 years, re- From 1961 to 1965, he worked at
osh, Wallace Conn.
ence," he said.
WOMEN NOW
he plans to do a little travelling
tired Tuesday to "take it easy." Lloyd -Truax Limited on the night
First meeting of the board of
And experience he got. He was
He said most employees of
with his family and pursue hob -
Working at various jobs since the shift, making doors, but had to
governors, at which a board
transferred to Toronto in 1936 and
today's banks are women rather
bies which have been dormant. "I
age of 13, he now feels it is time to leave because of the dust prob-
chairman will be elected, will be
then moved to Hamilton. In 1941,
than men. Mr. Snow said he has
operate a ham radio, enjoy oil
ease off. lem. For 14 years, he has been
"At
held Wednesday, March 31.
a break in his career as a banker
noticed, over the years, the
painting and fishing. Perhaps
the age of 13 I took any job caretaker at Wingham United
steady increase of women in the
these activities will keep me
that came along but most of the Church and retires from that post
banking system. Today, it is a
busy."
work I have done is in the farm- in' April. "I started with the A
ing industry," he said. He was church in 1962 and work there
once a wood cutter and did mainly afternoons or whenever
gWral farm work. He spent someone needs me there." he
even years farming near At- said, f F
wood and another three years on 10 YEARS AGO
a poultry farm. Mr. France also Mr. France started at the old
managed his own farm for seven post office in 1966 which is now
Goderich board sees
the Day Care Centre. At that time
his part-time hours were .5-8:30
a.m. and 7-9 p.m. Now he works
useful from a.m and 7 p.m
Whilele working att the church
Mr. France wanted an additional
part-time job to fill in his spare
The board of governors of the
hospital in Goderich is seriously
cogcerned about the fate of its
sister institution at Clinton. In
order to clarify its position the
chairman of Alexandra Marine
and General Hospital called a
press conference on Monday
afternoon.
On March 8 the council of the
own of Goderich passed a resolu-
tion asking the hospital board in
that town to "do everything pos-
sible to assist CHri.ten innlu,iinn
the closing of beds at Goderich if
necessary."
After three meetings at which
the resolution was discussed, the
Goderich board came to the con-
clusion that the sacrifice of 16 to
20 beds which might be required
to keep the Clinton hospital open
would be impossible if the health
care requirements of the Goder-
ich area are to be adequately
served. Instead, the Goderich
board proposed possible alter-
natives in cost savings which
would leave a viabie roie for Clin-
ton.
After the health ministry an-
nounced the intended closure of
the Goderich Psychiatric Hos-
pital a further decision from Tor-
onto indicated that 20 beds would
be kept open for psychiatric care
in the G. P. H., but administra-
tion of this facility would become
the responsibility of Alexandra
Marine and General Hospital.
After its recent deliberations
the Alexandra board recom-
mends that the 20 psychiatric
beds be housed at the Clinton hos-
pital and that the Clinton institu-
ti6ii 6Iso cOiitiiiiie w piovide
emergency treatment facilities,
laboratory and X-ray capabilities
and four to six "holding" beds.
(This latter role envisages trans-
fer of patients to other hospitals
after emergency care.)
As an alternative to the fore-
going solution, the Goderich
people would support the estab-
lishment of a "community health
centre" at the Clinton hospital
plus an out-patient department
for psychiatric referrals.
Final paragraph in the Goder-
iu`� i�fu'i► siuiC�uvii sisies,
"The Board of Governors are
prepared to accept their
responsibility in a tangible way to
ensure adequate funding for such
a "community health centre",
based on a commonalty of con-
cern from the other hospitals and
surveyors of health care."
D. A. McNeil, chairman of the
Goderich board, emphasized that
Owe is no intent to "slough off"
the 20 psychiatric beds which
have been assigned to them. The
offer was made purely with the
purpose of leaving a viable role
for the Clinton hospital.
The Goderich hospital has al-
ready been informed of a budget
cut of $52,000 and finance com-
mittee chairman, Peter McEwan
says they will accept further
budgetary limitations if • these
cutbacks will assist Clinton.
Dr. A. B. Deathe, chief of staff,
believes that if the Clinton hos-
pital is closed no doctors will
locate in that town in future. He
also sees the need for a central
planning committee to study
health care needs in Huron, but
shies away from the idea of a re-
gional health council to cover
both Huron and Perth.
a ex en a ours In t e
summer when full-time em-
ployees were on holidays.
During the past 10 years, Mr.
France helped with the dispatch-
ing of misil agi with incoming
mail. He said he 3xas earning
about $1.32 an hour when he first
started and claimed he still
possesses his first pay slip from
the post office.
The training period to be a
clerk was hard for anyone, he
said, but added it was more diffi-
cult for him because he was a
farmer at heart. "it was very
difficult to get to know the ropes
of the job. Although it was hard
training, especially for a person
like myself, it was of a good cali-
bre. i found it particularly diffi-
cult because I didn't have' -any
clerical background which was
essential for.lhis job," he said.
When asked what he plans to do
after he retires, Mr. France said
he has no plans as yet: "i would
like to travel for the first year
hopefully and do a little work
around the house. i'll have a lot of
time on my hands but i don't have
any hobbies i can pursue," he
said.
SCOUT LEADER Jeff Croskill presented the Pathfinder
Award to Scout Bruce McIntyre last Wednesday in the
Wingham Public School gymnasium' The award, desig-
nated as the major achievement in Stouting, is gained
through the badge system. To qualify, a Scout must have 14
or more cnaiienger awaras ana a minimum quota of six
nnlri hadnea RrtirP is the cornnrl Smut to hP awarriarl with
the badge this year.
Most area schools
escape the flu. bug
Everyone knows that Wingham
attendance is about 22 per cent,"
•moments,
he said. "In other weeks, about
and that's when the
role
or
Clinton
hospital
post office opening came along.
the flu bug is having some affect
was more localized in the Wing -
on the percentage of children who
ham area. "We are definitely suf-
Although working part-time, he
fering this year," he said. He
Some schools have been noticing
added the school has never ex -
lower attendance while others
h d t d d h h
The board of governors of the
hospital in Goderich is seriously
cogcerned about the fate of its
sister institution at Clinton. In
order to clarify its position the
chairman of Alexandra Marine
and General Hospital called a
press conference on Monday
afternoon.
On March 8 the council of the
own of Goderich passed a resolu-
tion asking the hospital board in
that town to "do everything pos-
sible to assist CHri.ten innlu,iinn
the closing of beds at Goderich if
necessary."
After three meetings at which
the resolution was discussed, the
Goderich board came to the con-
clusion that the sacrifice of 16 to
20 beds which might be required
to keep the Clinton hospital open
would be impossible if the health
care requirements of the Goder-
ich area are to be adequately
served. Instead, the Goderich
board proposed possible alter-
natives in cost savings which
would leave a viabie roie for Clin-
ton.
After the health ministry an-
nounced the intended closure of
the Goderich Psychiatric Hos-
pital a further decision from Tor-
onto indicated that 20 beds would
be kept open for psychiatric care
in the G. P. H., but administra-
tion of this facility would become
the responsibility of Alexandra
Marine and General Hospital.
After its recent deliberations
the Alexandra board recom-
mends that the 20 psychiatric
beds be housed at the Clinton hos-
pital and that the Clinton institu-
ti6ii 6Iso cOiitiiiiie w piovide
emergency treatment facilities,
laboratory and X-ray capabilities
and four to six "holding" beds.
(This latter role envisages trans-
fer of patients to other hospitals
after emergency care.)
As an alternative to the fore-
going solution, the Goderich
people would support the estab-
lishment of a "community health
centre" at the Clinton hospital
plus an out-patient department
for psychiatric referrals.
Final paragraph in the Goder-
iu`� i�fu'i► siuiC�uvii sisies,
"The Board of Governors are
prepared to accept their
responsibility in a tangible way to
ensure adequate funding for such
a "community health centre",
based on a commonalty of con-
cern from the other hospitals and
surveyors of health care."
D. A. McNeil, chairman of the
Goderich board, emphasized that
Owe is no intent to "slough off"
the 20 psychiatric beds which
have been assigned to them. The
offer was made purely with the
purpose of leaving a viable role
for the Clinton hospital.
The Goderich hospital has al-
ready been informed of a budget
cut of $52,000 and finance com-
mittee chairman, Peter McEwan
says they will accept further
budgetary limitations if • these
cutbacks will assist Clinton.
Dr. A. B. Deathe, chief of staff,
believes that if the Clinton hos-
pital is closed no doctors will
locate in that town in future. He
also sees the need for a central
planning committee to study
health care needs in Huron, but
shies away from the idea of a re-
gional health council to cover
both Huron and Perth.
a ex en a ours In t e
summer when full-time em-
ployees were on holidays.
During the past 10 years, Mr.
France helped with the dispatch-
ing of misil agi with incoming
mail. He said he 3xas earning
about $1.32 an hour when he first
started and claimed he still
possesses his first pay slip from
the post office.
The training period to be a
clerk was hard for anyone, he
said, but added it was more diffi-
cult for him because he was a
farmer at heart. "it was very
difficult to get to know the ropes
of the job. Although it was hard
training, especially for a person
like myself, it was of a good cali-
bre. i found it particularly diffi-
cult because I didn't have' -any
clerical background which was
essential for.lhis job," he said.
When asked what he plans to do
after he retires, Mr. France said
he has no plans as yet: "i would
like to travel for the first year
hopefully and do a little work
around the house. i'll have a lot of
time on my hands but i don't have
any hobbies i can pursue," he
said.
SCOUT LEADER Jeff Croskill presented the Pathfinder
Award to Scout Bruce McIntyre last Wednesday in the
Wingham Public School gymnasium' The award, desig-
nated as the major achievement in Stouting, is gained
through the badge system. To qualify, a Scout must have 14
or more cnaiienger awaras ana a minimum quota of six
nnlri hadnea RrtirP is the cornnrl Smut to hP awarriarl with
the badge this year.
Most area schools
escape the flu. bug
Everyone knows that Wingham
attendance is about 22 per cent,"
and the surrounding townships
he said. "In other weeks, about
have been hit with the worst wint-
nine or 10 have been absent on a
er in a number of years. With the
normal day." He said attendance
inclement weather still with us,
was usually good but said the bug
the flu bug is having some affect
was more localized in the Wing -
on the percentage of children who
ham area. "We are definitely suf-
are attending township schools.
fering this year," he said. He
Some schools have been noticing
added the school has never ex -
lower attendance while others
perienced this high rate of absen-
have escaped the infection for
teeisrh before. Mr. Statia said
now.
last week three teachers were
F. E. Madill Secondary School
also absent and that two teachers
Principal Robert Ritter said the
had been affected last Wednes-
bug has not reached epidemic
day alone.
proportions. "Nothing very dras-
tic has been noticed yet and no
And all remains normal at
impact on the school has occur-
Wingham Public School accord -
red." He said the bug hasn't
ing to Principal John Mann. He
peaked and that it is too early to
said probably some students
tell if it will,
would be absent from class but it
Howick Central School reports
wouldn't be noticeable. "As far
that they have been hit, but not
as I know, attendance here is
that much. According to Prin-
pretty normal. No teachers have
cipal Bruce Robertson, about 10-
or are absent and attendance has
12 students of an estimated 560
been pretty well stable. When we
enrolled are absent frdm classes.
look at statistics from othc
"We haven't had a high percent-
years, the percentage figures ar
age out of school so far, it has
much the same for this time c,r
been about average. One reason
year," he said,
for this is because we have a
Mrs. O'Malley of Sacred H(-.
healthy lot here," he said.
Separate School holds the son.,
The only school apparently suf-
opinion. "We haven't had an,
fering from the winter weather
problems here." she said. "Wee
and the flu bug is Turnberry Cen-
have the occasional absence bu'
tral School. Principal Paul Statia
this rate has been pretty norma
said 47 students were abseni fruii, - as :: other years Our teacher~
scbml last WMnosday suffering
have Apparently �cfl - the Map
from the flu -cold. "The drop in
also."
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1.
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