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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1958-05-29, Page 3Hard Top--Big-Top Circus Battle On The great battle of the circus. hi on. It's a battle of the modern Hard Top versus the traditional canvas , Big Top. Spring has come. And the opening salvos of roaring circus '-'atomie" cannons, with their hu- man missiles, have boomed and reverberated across the Hudson River for a month or more, Now, as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey move from Madison Square Garden, on the New York side of the river, to Boston Garden, the Clyde Beat- ty tented circus leaves Palisades Park, N,J., and prepares to in- vade territories which the Great- est Show on Earth has aban- doned. When in July, 1956, this show folded its tents in Pittsburgh, and John Ringling North tersely announced that "the era of the tented circus is over; it is a thing of the past" -(and two or three Others closed) -many got the sad and mistaken notion that circus days had ended forever. Not so. Today, circus business is going very well. About 30 shows are curxentlyy touring the country -the roster about evenly divided between the tented vari- ety and those using permanent arenas, colosseums, ballparks, and fair grounds. Indoors or out? A building or a tent? Each has its points. To those nostalgic parents who dote on relating to wide-eyed young- sters the thrills of watching cir- cus trains roll in at dawn, the unloading of the horses, wagons, and elephants, and the trek to the circus grounds where the eanvas Big Top was being erect- ed -today's circus Is "just not eircusy" any But, those same parents also could well decry the replacing of old-time vaudeville and the "Bickers" with night-club per- lormances, color and sound movies, drive-ins, and television. Time and progress bring many changes. But tradition says the show must go on. And circuses today are still the home of the "real thing'" -live shows where there is no film, or flimflam. Cir- cuses provide one of the few remaining phases of show busi- ness by live performers. Although the biggest circus has moved indoors, there's still the opportunity to see, hear - and, yes, even smell. - the ele- phants. Today's circus business is split -half indoor and half tented - right down the middle on battle lines which sharply divide in the opinion of sponsors, publi- cists, and the public. Many favor one type of presentation; many the other. Those hailing the indoor cir- cus,point to the obvious advan- tages of clean buildings, comfor- table seating, and the indepen- dence from the vagaries of the weather, Advocates of the tented circus still cling to tradition. But history points out that the very word circus, itself, stems from the Latin, meaning 'round,' and that it found its use 1n the rings in hippodromes and the Circus Maximus and the Circus Flaminius-huge buildings erect- ed in Rome before the Christian Era. Later, in England and France, there were the ring -and -stage amphitheaters of Philip Astly, and others- roofed -over build tugs erected in the early I800's, The first American circuses often: were presented in more or less permanent structures or in the open air, with at best a fence or a temporary enclosure of can- vas siding for protection and se- clusion. Rain, wind, and hot sun were hazards for audiences and performers, alike, and the first round -top tented show set out in /830, changing, at that time, the whole course of American circus, history. Today, there seems a tendency toward swinging back to build- ings. Circumstances forced mo- rnentous changes. Motorized equipment replaced horses, and some of the bigger shows travel- led by train. But, railroad cost% also mounted tremendously, - for the Ringling show, up front $150,000 in 1940 to more than $500,000 by 1958 - forcing it to close and to drastically reorga- nize, writes Everett M. Smith in The Christian Science ' Monitor. Since the earliest days of cir- cusing, size Ras been B premium. Just how big is big? Today, Ringling's is still by far "the biggest" -so immense, in fact, that it had experienced growing difficulties in finding lots large enough to contain its "14 -acre city in itself." Housing and industrial devel- opments, along with new subur- ban shopping centers, forced the show to move farther and far- ther from railroad yards. Public transportation to these "show grounds was not always avail- able, and frequently there was no parking space for circus - goers' cars. As these changes have taken place, new construction in the auditorium, stadium, and arena field has continued at a rapid pace. Municipalities are voting bond issues, architects are draw- ing plans, and contractors are pouring concrete in cities all across the country. _ Coliseums, gardens, and con- vention halls are springing up everywhere. All are large enough, for the growing list of automo- bile, boat, and aviation shows, for home-building, sportsmen's, and ice shows, for hockey, bas- ketball, rodeos, and -a three-ring circus the size of Ringling's. The traditional circus season, from early spring to late fall, also has been extended toan all -year-round proposition. Even the Clyde Beatty tented show, which recently closed a month'% successful run at Palisades Park, had arranged to heat its canvas Big Top for the comfort of cus- tomers. And now, with Ringling's defi- nitely an indoor circus, the smaller tented circuses have set out determinedly to claim for their own the areas once domi- nated by "the big one." Snow Dwarfs Haunt The Alps Mysterious dwarfs are report- ed to be haunting the Alps. But they do not inspire awe in the. Swiss peasants who live quietly. In the valleys, below. These dwarfs, whether hiding in crevasses or sitting carefree on the edge of precipices, are credited with supernatural pow- ers. Holidaymakers may shudder in fright when, on a hot summer day, thunder suddenly bursts upon the Alpine ranges, or, in mid -winter, a violent snowstorm rages. Yet the peasants are not alarmed, believing that the ice men are merely beating their drums or dancing. The dwarfs, they believe, are graciously disposed towards all honest men and women. But wrongdoers have reason to stay away from this lovely district. A story, passed from family to family and still retold with abso- lute conviction, Features a reck- less young peasant who, living in Rofental, fell in love with a girl in the neighbouring valley of Schalserthal. He swore eternal fidelity to her, but later, lured by riches, transferred his affections to a wealthier girl. The crisis came when the deserted sweetheart met her faithless lover and.his bride returning from their wed- ding. They had to cross the Niedrjock bridge on their way back to the Rofen valley. But even as the girl wept an ice dwarf intervened. With a loud crack, the bridge collapsed, pitching the bridal pair into the swirling torrent. But this calamity • gave the broken-hearted girl no satisfac- tion. and she died of grief. CROSSWORD PUZZLE Across 1' 14'opd-cn tl Ing tnN0 6. (Tagieal ht. stream/11 9. High inthe scale 12. As retry 14. Totem pole 16. Helps 18. Information 17. T op card IR Flavor ' 20. turned Into 22. 'Reverse curer 24. Wish 20, P.m, away 30, White ant 31. bold over 32. Periods of time ', Sommer Fr 36. L oftY moon tains 38, ]opens. 40. Auto shelter 43 flailed the victory 44. Toren live 46. Telegraphed 60. Flfty-four 51. Large bundle 63. Only 64. Three reknit two 50. T'aradtse. 60. Cretan int: 57. Marry 156. }lugs waves .99. Poverty' 1, Low ga ti r • 2 Trine 3. Small masses 4. Method of procedure 0, float Belittle' 6, Street aryl In 7. 'Regarded li. roollloa 84. Vermnu1 : 9. Auditor log town 10. (rear 37, Had n. (Maly 11. (loddese of 39. Sounding to- misehnef gather 19, fitseern 41. !'aunts 21. Third King of 42, Shirk Judah 45. t'nlony In 28. Understand 111110' 95. (irgm,e of 47. (.meet' nl sight flowers 26 Inns 40. (ether 27. 7i Pe aillr411e 47). Not living 22.97,)ifi r.d 4n, ,.tetchig 22. Ma le shnnp height 12. In,'.xporience,I 7.2 I,xt:denro 1 2 3 4 l'.;'••• 5 6 7 B ..'' 9 10. 11 12 �; 13 15 JI6i7 4" r I0 .- 19 4:3y 20 21 'a .,,,,>,..,, 22 23 24 26 26 271 28 - 2430 31 .w=;'¢:32 6. 33 34 35 36 37 38 • 39 40 41 42. jjb,43. 'O M44 46 144 6 47 48 49 50 " " •.6 51. - • 52 53 54 p'. 65 66 57 O O'P,t 58 . 4-28 64 ... Answer etsewherc on this page TEXAS SHELL GAME -You might know a Texas hen would do it. Linda /Dallas,' Texes Christian University student, .compares n giant egg with an average one. The big egg was laid by a hen owned by W. L. Gatlin, of Grandview, Tex. It measures 81/1 inches around the middle, 14 inches the long way and weighs seven ounces. The smaller egg was rated "extra large" by normal standards. Systox, one of the more recent chemicals tested by Science Ser- vice, Canada .Department of Agriculture, for the control of the green apple aphid in apple Orchards, appears to be highly promising. J. A. Hall, of the Sim- coe Science Service Laboratory, reports that in two years of test- ing, a single application of Sys- tox gave excellent control throughout the season. Other materials such as Guthion, Dia- zinon, Malathion, Phosdrin and Parathion, gave good initial con- trol but a second application'was frequently needed to control mi- grations of the green apple aphid from other 'orchards. * 4 e Although the green apple aphid attacks pear, wild crab, Hawthorn and possibly other re- lated plants, it is most common on apples. The insect occurs throughout all of the apple growing areas of North America but is usually more abundant and persistent in orchards where pruning, fertilization and culti- vation are practised, to excess. The green apple aphid infests the leaves and tender shoots of terminal twigs and water sprouts causing the leaves to curl and the shoots to become dwarfed. Sooty fungus develops in the honey dew secreted by the aphids on the leaves and fruit. Contamination with this sub- stance imparts an unsightly ap- pearance to the fruits and it be- comes unsaleable. * e e This aphid passes the winter in the form of oval, black, shiny eggs on the small twigs, espe- cially around the buds. These eggs' hatch at the time buds be- gin to break open in the spring. Life cycles are short and several generations occur each summer. The peak infestations usually occur during July. * • e The green apple aphid is the most common aphid on apples. In the past few years outbreaks have become more frequent and more persistent. H. J. Maybee, Head of the Livestock products- Division of the Canada Department of Agri- culture, reports that the new grade of beef "Canada Standard" established last January is un- dergoing active observation and appraisal in the trade. Standard is the quality, of beef which. fol- lows Choice and Good. It comes from young steers and heifers and is leaner than Choice or Good. Some reta• il' chain stores in Canada have expressed interest in "Standard" beef and it seems probable that beef in this grade will appear in various places at the retail level during the next few months. The Department of Defend Production and some institutional buyers are switch- ing to "Standard", to satisfy the demand for young palatable beef without too much lat. With respect to consumer pref- erence for certain types of beef,• it is interesting to note some of the comments made at the recent Annual Convention of the Ame- rican. National Cattlemen's Asso- ciation, held recently In Okla- homa City. The United States Farm Journal reports that res- taurant and chain store repre- sentatives 'pulled no punches" in telling the cattlemen what the public was looking for in the way of beef. "Isn't there some way you can produce good -eating beef with- out so much fat?" challenged Larry Hilaire, president of the National Restaurant Association. o e "We're catering to the whims of calorie -counting customers - men as well as women,".Hilaire explained. "They abhor fat, and the restaurant operators, who serve more than 80 million meals a day, are getting tired of pay- ing for suet they have to leave in the kitchen." e • John A. Logan, president of the National Association of Food Chains, echoed Hilaire's plea. "We have just completed a sur- vey in which we interviewed meat buyers for 52 companies operating 8,700 supermarkets and stores. Their No. 1 comment: Ask cattlemen to produce beef that eats well but has less waste f at." e e e During the first three months of 1958 in Canada, the inspected slaughter of beef showed 22.6 per cent Choice, 17,5 per cent Good and 8.8 per cent Standard. SAME SHADE A man had been complaining that he had chosen a wet spell for his holiday last year, when a fried interrupted: " It can't have been so bad = you came back sunburned!" "Sunburn, nothing," he re- plied: "that was rust!" ' You ''yawn More Than Grandmother Believe it or not, ladies and gentlemen, you're yawning more often than: your grandparents did -but nO one knows why. That's the view of a team of investigators who have been checking up on the yawning habits of men, women . and chil- dren. On the whole they think the extra yawns are a good sign, for yawning relaxes . and re- freshes you. it tones up the mus- cles of the mouth, the chest and the back.' Because he found the subject' of yawning fascinating, a United States scientist made a film of an attractive girl pretending to yawn as she stretched herself out comfortably on a settee. The film was shown in slow motion to thirty-five medical students. The girl's fake yawn was so realistic that twenty-five of the students viewing the film in a darkened room yawned fre- quently while doing so. The other ten reported that they "felt like yawning." There are few superstitions about yawning, but the artist, Val. C. Princep, R.A., tells of one he noted when he went to India to paint the Durbar, a twenty-seven foot long picture containing 150 portraits. He was completing one of a prince named Holkar when "hie suddenly got tired of sitting for me and yawned. Immediately, all the members of the court stand- ing round snapped their fingers to keep the devil from jumping. down His Highness's throat," Princep revealed. FAIR QUESTION Pretty as a doll and just as dumb, she floated through the cocktail lounge with a fussy poodle under her arm. She seat- ed herself and, as a waiter pre- pared to take her order, baby - talked the dog into a state of exasperation, Trying to comfort the fidgeting animal she cooed: "There, there, now, Mama's itsy-bitsy baby - nobody's going to hurt 'oo." The poodle settled after a while, and the girl turned her big eyes to meet the icy glare of the waiter, who asked, courte- ously, but bitingly; "Your first dog, madam?" Upsidedown to Prevent Peeking DEMO ©E©© O®0 001a0 MOO NM UNCEUENJOU MEW 1UODU MUNEUM ',WOO OWODOE WOMB= .UDWO USN ODOM DOW MOOD ONDMONO ' MONO© ©©©DE ®00':OBOO ©©H0 ©O©• ©©©a= mono lila .. amore S ©0© JUNDAY SCHOo }LESSON By Rev. R. Barclay Warrens B.A., B.D. Living by God's Laws Deuteronomy 6: 1-3; 11;18-2I 26-28. Memory Selection: H e a r, « Israel: The Lord our God is ono Lord: and thou shalt love ilio Lord Thy God with all thine heart, and will all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5. The ten commandments wean regarded as of such importancrO that the stone tablets on whicla they were written were stored fes the ark in the Holy of Holies. These commands form the basis of the moral law. When Jestsu was asked by a lawyer vehldx was the great commandment„ He quoted from our memory selection, adding a second like commandment f r o m Leviticus 19:18, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." He said„ "On these two commandments hang all the law and the pro- phets." (Matthew 22:40). Only as we receive the love of God fat / our heart through the forsaking of our sins and believing oat Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour„ can we properly observe the moral law. We must be trams - formed within before we calla keep the spirit of the law. The adulterous look and the hating of another are breaches of the law in the sight of God, Israel was commanded 10 keegs God's commands constantly ba'. fore them and thoroughly teach them to the children. They west a subject for conversation while travelling, sitting and eating. Moreover, the lessons were re- inforced by the promise of a blessing to those who obeyed and the pronouncement of e curse upon the disobedient. It still is a fearful thing to ignore God's law. Yet many are doing it. The taking of God's name in vain, dishonouring of parents, stealing and lying ars common sins. A third 01 all men and a third' of all Women who marry in the U.S. have been married previously. Most e them (96 per cent) have formes' spouses still living. No wonder that a third of the prescriptions in U.S, ar e for tranquillizing drugs. "Be not deceived; God le not mocked; for whatsoever es man soweth, that shall he else reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap cor- ruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:7, 8.11 is vital to real happiness in this life as well as in the life to c o m e, to remember God's commands and keep them. Obey the traffic signs - they are placed there for YOUR SAFETY TIRED NAG -An unusual hobby horse, built from old auto and truck tires, stands in a Minneapolis lot. The rubber nag, picked up by a tourist, will be put on display in a park. IN FULL BLOOM -Both the tulips and the youngsters seem to be in full bloom. Framed by the basement window of their home, as they get a close-up look al the flowers, are Barbaro and Christopher Barth.