The Times Advocate, 2005-02-02, Page 4TIMES ADVOCATE
4
Exeter Times—Advocate
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
=CNA
Editorial Opinion
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EDITORIAL
Local tragedy
remembered
It was 125 years ago this week that the
Donnelly tragedy of Biddulph placed Lucan
and the surrounding area forever in the
annals of Canadian history. In fact, bus tours
through the various sites will be held the
night of Feb. 3 to mark the occasion.
Most locals are, of course, well versed on
what happened in the early hours of Feb. 4,
1880 — five members of the infamous
Donnelly family of Biddulph were brutally
murdered by a vigilante group. In a terrible
miscarriage of justice, no one was ever con-
victed of the murders.
The story still fascinates, with new books
published all the time on the subject, claiming
to offer "the true story" of what really hap-
pened that night. A documentary of the
Donnellys will air on History Television this
month.
While it was a topic many Lucanites refused
to discuss for a long time, residents today are
more open about their local history, going so
far as to plan a new nearly $1 million muse-
um on Lucan's Main Street on the former spot
of the historic Central Hotel. Had the
Donnelly tragedy taken place in the U.S., the
town would have long ago become a major
tourist spot with several big -budget
Hollywood productions detailing the deadly
night. But this is Canada and we're still learn-
ing about marketing.
Of course, Lucan and Biddulph have more
than just the Donnellys in their past — most
notably there is the Wilberforce settlement of
the early 1800s, which marks the first black
settlement in southwestern Ontario. Lucan
also has a rich sports history.
But it's the brutal Donnelly murders that
people are most interested in and that's what
will be the major drawing card for the new
museum when it opens. Major promotion will
be needed in Canada and the U.S. to make
the museum a success.
In a country shamefully ignorant and non-
chalant about its past, the Donnelly story is
one tale that refuses to fade away. Nor should
it, as it marks a dark chapter in our nation's
history.
IIN LUCKY To
FIND A MAN WHO
ISN'T AFRAID OF
COMMITMENT''
Y w0
2005 Distributed By Canadian Artists Syndicate Inc.
Gone Country
Growing up on the second of Arthur, back in the day,
there wasn't a wide (or any) selection of music to choose
from. Pop kept the radio dial fixed firmly on swinging
Wingham, with its own voice of doom John Strong, with
an occasional twist across the dial over to Big Country.
As far as we knew, live entertainment went no further
than the Shelburne stepdance and fiddle contest and if it
didn't start with the words `Grand Old', it wasn't serious
entertainment. As for records, we always had the latest
chart topping truck driving albums.
And when it came to TV entertainers, it didn't
get any better than Tommy Hunter, Don
Messer and something called the 'Pig and
Whistle,' that couldn't have been worse than it
sounds.
But sometime in the early '80s, Rock `n' Roll
made it to the second of Arthur, bringing a
force called MuchMusic complete with Erica
Ehm.
Raised on a cultural stew of rhinestone shirts
and fiddle music, it was more than a cultural
shock when the first video was Freddy Mercury
declaring he wanted to break free while doing
his housework wearing a maids outfit.
Freddy, Rod, Elton, George and the even less manly
George, and the rest of male British singers aside, the
80s were mostly about Anything But Country.
But the first seeds of a return to classical music started
sometime in the late 80s, as rock moved to the oldies
station, Sting tried to chain himself to every tree in the
world simultaneously and musicians decided it would be
easier if they didn't have to learn how to play any kind
of instrument.
And although I didn't know it, Dolly and Tammy and
Conway had finally been put out to pasture, it wasn't
called Country and Western anymore and a chubby
country singer was jumping through fire to put country
back on the map.
A table dance put country music back in the main-
stream as Shania strutted across the screen in
the mid '90s but it was after Sept. 11, I was offi-
cially, as Alan Jackson sang, "gone country,
back to their roots."
As the towers smoldered, with half the U.S.
blubbering and the other half speechless, Toby
Keith, with his heartfelt and thoughtful song,
"The Angry American" made me realize I was
back where I belonged when he sang "we'll put
a boot up your ass, it's the American way."
Keith followed up with his ideas on crime pre-
vention, "take all the rope in Texas, find a tall
oak tree." It's been a steady diet of Clint, Tim,
Kenny, Alan and Terri ever since.
And the seed for the next generation has been planted
in my nephew, who has already memorized his first
truck driving song. As for the radio dial, it's back where
it started out Thanks Pop, I wish we could listen to it
together.
PAT B
BACK 40
VIEW
OLEN
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