HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1973-08-30, Page 4PA GE 4
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1973
pearly gates. From our hotel,
we can throw a stone in almost
any direction and hit a live
theatre. We've hit a different
one four nights in a row. Last
night Paul Scofield in a satire,
the night before Lauren Bacall
in Applause (a great musical),
the night before Kenneth More
in a comedy. We are just now
debating whether we should go
to see Wendy Hiller as Queen
Mary, or Sir Alec Guiness in a
new comedy. Ho -Hum.
Then there are about five
big musicals. The theatre scene
here makes New York look sick,
which it is, and makes Toronto
look like Hayfork Centre.
But perhaps the best entert-
ainment in London is plain
people -watching. The place is
literally crawling with tourists
and they come in every shape,
size, colour and accent.
There's too much in London
for one column, so brace you -
self for another. But you must
admit, gentle reader, that I
have been faithful. Her I am,
sitting in a hotel room, pecking
away on a rented typewriter
when I could be out in that
lovely rain.
However, the pubs are about
to open, and there's bird -watch-
ing to be done, so I'll see you
next week.
In defence of the small towns 1
While we have nothing particular against cities and those
who live in them, we do think government is too much influ-
enced by urban groups and gives consideration to their problems
and neglects those of people living in small communities and
rural areas.
The small community is threatened. Political boundary
redistributions are lessening small town influence in politics.
The concentration of undustry and educational facilities in
larger areas force young people to leave the small community.
There is also a threat to the small town from those people wh.,
move there to escape the city, then want the town to install
all the conveniences of the city, with all the ensuing problems.
However, we believe, the small -:ommunity will survive be-
cause it can offer values not found in the larger areas. The
personal relationship and neighborliness can exist only where.
people are aware of one another and recognize their personal
responsibilities to each other.
This is what we have to offer, and this is what we should
stress; neighborly concern; concern for older citizens who can't
get downtown to shop; concern for the young mother who likes
to get away from the family turmoil for an hour or two; concern
for people living alone who would like to know that someone
checked that they were still about? concern for those whom we
know have worries; concern for those who are ill.
Many people living in loneliness amid the press of the city,
envy us in our community living. We should emphasize the
positive. Instead of comparing ourselves unfavorably with
larger centres we should co-operate with each other, merch-
ants, customers, town dwellers, farmers of whatever ancestry,
politics, or denomination. This is our town and we all have a
stake in it. (St. Marys Journal -Argus)
Bare bones !
The wedding season is upon us. Every week we get several
wedding stories and pictures. And we are glad to get them,
for we believe our wedding reports are widely read. Daily
newspapers will no longer publish these detailed accounts.
They will however print the bare bones of a nuptial story -for a
handsome fee. We think readers want to know more than the
bare bones. We are happy to publish the complete version,
gratis.
Most people want to know all the little details about what
the bridal party wore, and who attended and from where. How-
ever, the detail with which weddings are now written up in our
pages is nothing compared with the following account which
actually appeared in a weekly newspaper many years ago;
"Miss Jennie Jones and Bob Henry were married at the Jones
mansion last night. The bride is a daughter of Constable Jones
who made a good officer and will undoubtedly be re-elected
this spring. He offers a fine horse for sale in another column
of this issue.
"The groom runs a grocery store on Main Street and is a
steady patron of our advertising columns. He has a good line of
bargains in his ad this week. All summer he has paid two cents
more for butter than any other store in town.
"They were married by Rev. Josiah Butterworth, who last
week Bailed at this office and gave us a nice order for handbills.
He is also going to give some time to the real estate business
and will write fire insurance. So say the business -cards we rec-
ently printed for him. Jennie and Bob left on the 10 o'clock
train to visit the bride's uncle, who we understand has lots of
money and a cancer." (The Huron Expositor)
BOARD OF EDUCATION
E. Cayley Hill, Chairman
of the Board of Education, was
recommended to attend the
commencement exercises at
Goderich District Collegiate
Institute on September 28 to
take greetings from the Board
to the graduates, parents and
staff.
J. W. Coulter, Superintendent
of Program and Planning, is to
attend the Ontario Association
for Curriculum Development in
Ottawa on November 8, 9 and
10. Mrs, J.W. Wallace who had
attended other years reported it
a very worthwhile conference
and recommended that Mr.
Coulter attend.
ZURICH Citizens NEWS
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Bill Smiley
I'M BIRD
WATCHING
IN LONDON TOWN
Well chaps, we haven't been
to The Tower yet, nor have we
seen the Changing of the Guards,
and my wife was looking out the
wrong side of the bus when we
went past Buckingham Palace.
But we did have breakfast in bed
on Sunday morning and watched
a dandy American western on
TV, so you might say we're
having a swinging time in Lond-
on town.
This still has to be one of the
most exciting cities in the world,
despite its basic ugliness. I
rather expected to be disappoint-
ed. 1 remembered war -time
London; hub of the empire;
streets alive with young men in
the uniforms of fifty different
forces; pubs jammed; nights
electrifying with promise desp-
ite blackout and air raids; great
theatre despite the bombing.
It's not the same, of course,
but it's still tremendously alive,
at least in the downtown core.
I know there are thousands of
acres of bleakness and ugliness
and even squalor outside that,
but the old heart of the cityis
still thumping away, as strong
as ever.
Despite all her premonitions
of disaster, I think I'm going to
have to use dynamite to get my
wife out of here and off on our
travels.
Her first impression was one
of horror, as we drove in from
the airport. "I've never seen such
a dirty place!" And it is pretty
drab in the suburbs: rows and row
of grimy, grey housing, inters-
persed by grubby little shops
and pizza joints.
I couldn't blame her. No
woman is ecstatic about anything
after 4, 000 miles of travel and
about twenty-six hours without
sleep. I wasn't exactly feeling
like Tarzan myself.
But she's almost fallen in love
with London. She wouldn't want
to live here. Nobody in his right
mind would. But I could spend
a month out of each year in this
ancient pile of stones and never
tire of it.
London has something for
everyone, and perhaps that's
why everyone and his wife and
kids, seem to be here. From
everywhere. Walk along the
street and you'll hear ten diff-
erent tongues. Go into a rest-
aurant and the only English you'l
hear is from the waiter, and
you won't understand him until
the third try, because he's
speaking West Indian English.
If your kick is history, it's
right here, whispering old tales
and old names. Hampton Court,
where Henry VIII pressured Sir
Thomas More to help him get
a divorce so that Henry could
shack up, legally, with Anne
Boleyn. The Tower, where the
same Sir Thomas had his head
lopped off for refusing to help.
And a hundred others.
Supposing you like visiting
graveyards and such, There are
-nine great museums. There are
the homes of people like
Charles Dickens and Samuel
Johnson. And there's the great-
est of all, Westminster Abbey,
where you can tread on the
tombs of some of the greatest
names in British history and
literature. I couldn't be bother-
ed, myself, but every man to
his own thing.
Maybe you are a bird -watch-
er. Well, I am here to tell you
that there is no greater bird -
watching sanctuary in the world
than London. There are birds
here of every race, colour and
creed.
I think I know now why Engl -
ishmen refer to young ladies as
"birds." It's because the girls
chitter constantly, in a very
pleasing manner.
If you're a boozer, this is
heaven. There are pubs of every
shape, size and sound and there
are enough of them to keep
every man, woman and child in
Canada drinking around the
clock.
Speaking of the clock and
boozers, keep an eye on it. If
you decide you need a snort at
four p. m. and head for the pubs,
you'll find yourself frantically
rattling locked doors. They were
open at noon, are now closed,
and won't be open again until
5:30.
But all is not lost. Just go into
that department store, go to the
spirits department, and the
kindly lady clerk will sell you
anything from a cold three -
pack of ale to an expensive bot-
tle of giggly, while extolling
today's special on Beefeater gin.
What a crazy country.
If you happen to be a theatre
buff, which I am, among other
things, you have arrived at the
MINN
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FOR ALL MAKES
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ZURICH
Phone Hensali 262-57
Business and Professional Directory
OPTOMETRISTS
J. E.- Longstaff
OPTOMETRIST
SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE
527.1240
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat-
urday am., Thursday evening
CLINTON OFFICE
110 Issac Street 482.7010
Monday and Wednesday
Call either office for
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Norman Martin
OPTOMETRIST
bffice Hours:
9.12 A,M, — 1:30-6
Closed all day Saturday
Phone 335.2433 Exeter
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