Zurich Citizens News, 1971-04-08, Page 4PAGE FOUR- .
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
Easter's Affirmation
"Oh, yet deathward -going tribes of men, what do your lives
mean?"
So Sophocles the ancient Greek philosopher asked and in all
the centuries since, other men have echoed his query in the
language of their day.
Easter is a reply.
Ultimately all our readings of the meaning of our own lives
are variations on two answers.
The first affirms that human life is only a froth on the
cosmic yeast and that, therefore, human beings are of r.o more
significance than flies in a summer.
The second affirms a human life is something more than
complicated chemistry, that it passes from what we inadequat-
ely call matter to what we inadequately call spirit - and that,
therefore, human beings are of infinite value.
The reading we choose affects primarily not our thought
about the extension of life beyond death, but about the meaning
of life, here and now.
The Easter faith, in its essence is an affirmation that beyond
the material the ultimate reality is spiritual. It is a conviction
that though visible things may change, though our bodies return
to the dust, though the sun grows old and the stars be cold, yet
the things which are not seen are eternal.
It is such a faith which leads us at Easter to declare, as it
is put in modern translation, "We are God's children now; and
it does not yet appear what we shall be."
Age of Communication
Periods of time acquire names. The "Gay Nineties" ended
the nineteenth century, though one wonders if gaiety really was
the chief characteristic of those who lived through that decade.
An earlier period has been tabbed "Mid -Victorian, " a
tribute Queen Victoria might not have appreciated if aware of
all its implications.
This kaleidoscopic twentieth century has seen the First
World War, the Great Depression, the Second World War and
the Cold War pass into history.
What name will finally attach to the present period, which,
beginning in the sixties, has seen the coming of space travel,
the contraceptive pill, the drug craze, long hair and beards,
talk of a generation gap, awareness of environmental pollution,
political assassinations and the questioning of every once -
accepted system of tenet of religion, phisosophy or morals?
"Space Age" and "Age of Aquarius" seem so far the leading
candidates in the field, the latter disconcertingly indicative of
the revival of astrology, a superstition the human race thought
it had abandoned a century or more ago.
"Space Age" is the optimistist's title. Pessimists counter
that historians will dub it the "Age of Madness, " the "Era of
Insanity" or something equally unflattering, or even speculate
that at its end no historian will be left alive to naive it any-
thing.
A compromise choice could be "Age of Communication, "
a neutral title not in itself indicating whether world wide dis-
semination of news and ideas at the speed of light helps solve
or helps create the multiple problems of the day.
Auto Insurance Overhaul Needed
New increases in average automobile insurance rates in
most provinces of Canada - ahnost an inevitable annual event
in recent years - should be incentive enough to the insurance
industry to go all out in concerted action with the auto makers,
governments and the public to solve the complicated problems
of this service which go far beyond the mere issue of cost.
It is all very well for the Ontario auto insurance industry
to be girding for a campaign to educate the public on the basic
reason; for high premium costs and to resist the threat of comp-
ulsory government -operated auto insurance, a development
which could drastically affect thousands of members of the ind-
ustry in Ontario. It should not stop there.
The public is not only interested in knowing why their ins-
urance rates are high and what the objections to government
insurance plans are, it wants to see results in improving both
the value -factor and the workability of the present insurance
system.
Certainly problems in auto insurance in Ontario cannot all
be laid at the door of the industry. The cost of repairs to accid-
ent -vulnerable cars is one major factor. The bad driving habits
of many car owners is another. Recent surveys were to the effect
that 91 per cent of all insurance claims in Ontario were in the
$1, 000 or less bracket, and a primary reason was flimsy and
ineffective construction of bumpers.
Surely, there is good reason for the insurance industry, the
manufacturers and government to work with more determination
on a common problem.
The improvement of the auto insurance system is certain to
be an issue in the next Ontario election. All parties are address-
ing themselves to it. The answers are not as simple as they
sound. The party which offers the most realistic and practical
program to give not only better value but better protection and
service to Ontario motorists can score strongly on that point.
(London Free Press)
ZURICH Citizens NEWS
PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH
HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher
Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 pi44181811t���
Member:
Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association lig'P
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association 4,1As
Subscription Rates: $4.00 per year in advance in Canada;
$5.00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 10 cents
Take my advice. When your
kid comes home from school
and says breezily, "Hi, Dad. I
have this project to do...'; don't
take the bait. Don't say a word
beyond "Hrummph" as you flip
your newspaper up for a shield,
or better still, head for the
bathroom and lock yourself in.
Never, ever reply, "Well,
what's it all about?" or "Is there
anything I can do to help?" If
you do, you'll discover, inevit-
ably, that you have a project
to do.
Projects are all the rage these
days, in education. Give a kid
a project and he'll learn every-
thing there is to know about the
Persian Golf, the origin of sand-
paper, or the sex life of the
blow -fly. He may never learn
anything else in school, a strong
possibility, but he'll always
be an expert in one field.
For the rest of their lives,
these kids will find some way,
at cocktail parties or formal
dinners, in casual conversation,
to drag in the Gulf, the sand-
paper or the blow -fly.
Which is good. Most people
know practically nothing about
practically anything. Thus,
they can easily be put down by
a forthright statement like,
"But that's exactly what I've
been saying. The whole thing
is in direct contrast to the
solemn, sedate, secretive sex
life of the blow -fly."
They simply can't field that
one, it it's properly delivered.
And you can always change your
adjectives to suit the situation.
It could be, "The wild, exotic
orgies of the blow -fly, which
comes in heat only on leap
years."
Actually, projects are nothing
new, although some young
teachers act as though Moses
had just been up the mountain
again and come down with a
great stone slab inscribed "Pro-
jects."
We had projects when I was a
kid. I remember one in agricult-
ure. I chose to build a model
of a henhouse. Wisely, as I was
perfectly aware, even at that
tender age, that I couldn't nail
two boards together without
making a hand sandwich. And
equally aware that my father
was a master craftsman.
Even so, "-it took a lot of time.
I had to spend about five even-
ings in his basement workshop
praising, admixing, and fetching
cups of tea, before the job was
done. It was a beautiful little
hen -house, with windows and
a swinging door. I got an A -plus.
Despite my experience of
the whole fiasco of projects, I
got myself hooked recently.
Daughter Kim was home from
university. Out went the bait.
"Dad, I have to do a project in
anthropology. Sounds interesting.
Warily, ready to run, I asked
what it was, fairly secure in my
utter ignorance of the subject.
It turned out to be a project on
folklore, any area. I breathed
easier, I was still swimming
free.
She let out a little more line.
Said sh'd considered doing one
on the legends of the Ottawa
Valley lumbering days, with
particular reference to my great-
uncle, Mountain Jack Thomson,
reckoned to be the toughest
lumberjack in the Valley, rep-
uted to have killed four men
in fist -arid -boot fights. I got
excited, nibbled the bait and
began spinning yarns about
Mountain Jack, She responded
with the appropriate, "Wow!
That's really great, Dad."
Then it emerged that she had
to go direct to human sources,
not the printed word, and we
realized there wasn't time to
round up all the relatives and
talk to them. Both downcast,
Suddenly, under the influence
of the excitement and too many
coffees, I came up with a new
project and tossed it at her,
"The Curse of the Great Lakes ! "
She raved. That was IT.
Sl 'd been born and raised on
their shores, and of course I
knew all sorts of interesting old-
timers, don't you Dad? We talk-
ed long and feverishly, and it
looked better and better. I had
swallowed the bait. All she had
to do was set the hook.
Next morning the whole thing
looked insane. But when I
started to swim quietly away,
I found I still had the hook in
my mouth. And the line was
taut,
Hundreds of miles and a
couple of weeks later, we had
talked to regional historians,
commercial fishermen, light -
keepers and lake captains. Kim
had a stock of stories: ships
sunk without trace, Indian leg-
ends, mysterious murders and
exotic anecdotes, like the pianos
floating ashore at Duck Island.
Must admit I enjoyed every
minute of it. Old friends were
generous with time and invalu-
able with memories that reached
far back into the 19th century.
But it's my last project. At
least until my first grand -child
sidles up and says, "Uh, Grand-
dad, I have this project at
school..."
THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1971
CARL DOUGLAS MURRAY
Carl Murray, RR 3 Zurich,
passed away in South. Huron
Hospital, March 24, 1971 in his
38th year.
He is survived by his wife, the
former Mary Margaret Cook, and
his children, Kevin of Smith
Falls, Douglas, Kenneth, Scott,
Rose Marie, Joyce and Lisa all at
home.
Mr. Murray is also survived by
his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
James Murray of Varna, and
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
William Pickett of Clinton; two
brothers, Gordon of Hull, Quebec,
William of Wroxeter, two sisters
Mrs. Victor (Patricia) Morrison,
Prince George, B.C., and Mrs.
Richard (Sheila) Lernowich,
Clinton.
The funeral was conducted by
the Westlake Funeral Horne,
Zurich at St. Boniface Roman
Catholic Church, Saturday, with
interment in St. Boniface
cemeterv.
Photography
Children • Portraits
• Weddings •
COLOR or BLACK & WHITE
HADDEN'S
STUDIO
GODERICH
118 St. David St. 524-8787
Business and Professional Directory
OPTOMETRISTS
J. E. Longstaff
OPTOMETRIST
SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE
527.1240
Tyesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat-
urday a.m., Thursday evening
CLINTON OFFICE
10 Isaac Street • 482.7010
Monday and 'Wednesday
Call either office for
appointment.
Norman Martin
OPTOMETRIST
Office Hours:
9.12 A,M, — 1:30 - 6 P.M.
Closed all day Wednesday
Phone 235-2433 Exeter
Robert F. Westlake
insurance
"Specializing In
General Insurance"
Phone 2364391 -- Zorleh
Guaranteed Trust
Certificates
1 Year -- 61/4%
2 Years — 61/2%
3 & 4 Years —
5 Years — '71/2%
J. W. ILABERER
ZURICH PHONII 236-4346
AUCTIONEERS
ALVIN WALPER
PROVINCIAL
LICENSED AUCTIONEER
For your sale, large or small,
courteous and efficient service
at all times.
"Service That Satisfies"
DIAL 237-3300 — DASHWOOD
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
WESTLAKE
Funeral Home
AMBULANCE and PORTABLE
OXYGEN SERVICE
DIAL 236-4364 — ZURICH
ACCOUNTANTS
Roy N. Bentley
PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
GODERICH
P.O. Box 471 Dial 324-9521
INSURANCE
For Safety ..
EVERY FARMER NEEDS
Liability Insurance
For Information About All
Insurance — Call
BERT KLOPP
DIAL 236-4988 — ZURICH
Representing
CO.OPERATORS ININA ANC•
ASSOCIATION