HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1977-07-13, Page 6Page 6
Citizens News, July 13, 1977
Golden Anniversary
After fifty years, she still manages the store
'Margaret Hess has clocked 50
years on Zurich's Main Street as
merchant and resident.
When she married Albert Hess
a half -century ago, she moved to
town from the Fuss family farm
one-half mile south of Zurich into
the apartment above the Hess
Jewelry Store. She has never left
and cannot imagine living
anywhere else.
Since Albert's death nine years
ago this month, Mrs. Hess has
run the business alone. The store
is closed only Wednesday af-
ternoons and Sundays.
The Hess store is probably the
oldest business in continuous
operation in town. It was
established over 100 years ago by
George Hess, a German clock -
maker. Clocks made by him can
still be seen in Zurich Lutheran
Church, Exeter Town Hall and
Tavistock Lutheran Church.
The business has been in the
family for three generations, run
first by George, then by his son,
William, then by his grandson,
Albert. Neither William nor
Albert made clocks, however;
they repaired them. Jewelry,
china and crystal were added to
the stock over the years.
Main Street has experienced
many changes in the past 50
years, Businesses have come and
gone. Landmarks, like the
blacksmith's shop, have . disap-
peared. Some of that past is
echoed in the old pocket -watch
trademark of the Hess store, its
high embossed tin ceiling and
sturdy old show -cases.
Nothing could be farther from
the present owner's mind than
retirement. "I'll keep on as long
as I have my health", says Mrs.
Hess, The store has been closed
only once in the last nine years —
"when I had an attack of phlebitis
in my legs", she explains. That
was -two years ago. She simply
hung a sign on the door for three
weeks, reading "Closed on ac-
count of sickness".
Exercise gets the credit for her
good health. She likes to walk and
work in her garden. There's also
plenty of hiking up and down the
stairs between apartment and
store. At one time Mrs. Hess used
to walk out to the first concession
road north of town every day
before 7 a.m.
She hasn't been on holiday
since 1971; when she went to
Europe with a niece, Doreen
McLachlan, and two friends,
Marlene and Glenn Deichert of
London. That was the fourth
European trip in a row. They
began in 1968, following her
husband's death. In 1968 she
accompanied a local group to
Zurich, Switzerland. It was the
first time a group from here had
visited this town's Swiss
namesake. •
Her knowledge of German
came in handy on that trip and
the others. Mrs. Hess, like many
others here, has been bilingual
from childhood.
It was inventory time when the
Citizens News visited her on
Monday. Daughter Kathleen
Rydall had come up from
Belmont with one of her children
to lend a hand. Mrs. Hess took a
minute to run upstairs. She
wanted us to see the water colour
painting Iva Datars had done of
the store, as it looked in the old
days, before the addition was
built at the back. Besides that,
one of her friends had baked a
special 50th anniversary cake,
In summer Mrs. Hess
sometimes slips off for a few
hours at her cottage near St.
Joseph, In winter, she's one of the
faithful at the arena, cheeringon
the home team. That, she says, is
a kind of tonic, "Helps keep you
young. " She might have added
"And in business for 50 years."
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FIFTY YEARS IN THE BUSINESS — Margaret Hess has been living over her jewelery store and working
in it for fifty years this summer. Mrs. Hess holds a cake given to her by a friend congratulating her for
her fifty years of service in Zurich. Both Mrs. Hess and the jewel ery store are still going strong.
Photo by McKinley
11 A.M. . 2 P.M,
BEVERAGE & DESSERT EXTRA
Report against provincial exams
A report released last week by
Education Minister Thomas
Wells recommends against the
reintroduction of province -wide
examinations in Ontario's school
system as the sole means of
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promotion,
The 13. -member work group,
composed of mostly teachers was
established by Mr. Wells last fall
to consider evaluation and
reporting methods. Their report
stated that province -wide
standardized testing should form
only one part of a broader
program of student evaluation.
The work group also recom-
mended that the evaluation of
student achievement primarily
remain the responsibility of
classroom teachers and that
considerable effort should be
made to improve the evaluation
and testing skills of teachers.
Mr. Wells said that some of the
work group's recommendations
can be implemented very soon,
specifically that a bank of tests
related to specific curriculum
ofjectives be developed and made
available to teachers to help
them diagnose pupil strengths
and weaknesses,
Mr. Wells said that because of
the work group's stand on
province -wide .testing and on the
basis of the Ministry's own
analysis of province -wide and
state-wide testing programs now
in use in the United States, the
Ministry will give further study
to determine what course of
action is in the best interest of
Ontario pupils.
I can honestly say that since I
married my wife I haven't looked
at another woman. I'm com-
pletely discouraged.
TRIE
AY
July
29 and 30
in '
DASHWOOD
FRIDAY, JULY 29
6 p.m. Sauerkraut/Sausage
6 p.m. Bavarian Garden
6 p.m. Midway
8 p.m. Talent Show
SATURDAY, JULY 30
Noon - Bavarian Garden
Noon - Sauerkraut/Sausage
Noon - Midway
1:00 - Judging Floats
2:00 - Colossal Parade
3:30 - Arm Wrestling
4:00 - Pet Show
4:30 - Tug of War
7:00 - Spoils Finals
8:00 - Bingo
9:00 - Dancing
Blue Heavens
German Band
11:00 Beauty Queen