HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1931-10-16, Page 1'Whole Number 3331
Seventy-second Year
SEAFORTH, FRPAY,
Colonel Anthony VanEgmond and the Rebellion of 183T
In Huron County.
(By W. B. Kerr, M.A., Oxon., Ph.D.,
Tor.)
CHAPTER IV
AN EARLY VISITOR TO HURON
In the year af grace, 1833, a tray -
eller set foot in the Huron Tract,
Patrick Shirreff, man of means and
,gentleman farmer of Musgeswells,,
East Lothian, Reflood. Being intee-
ested in the pioneer communities of
the American continent, Patrick had
crossed the ocean in the spring of
than year, heel landed at New York
and bed spent the summer visiting the
.outeosts of settlement, as he ,viewed
them, in New York State, in Lower
and Upper Canada. He had ascended'
the St. Lawrence River, inspected.
Kingston and York, and had reached
Guelph after the middle of August.
Thence his travels took him into the
Huron Tract, of which he writes -a
comparatively full account. In own -
(piny with a friend, he left Guelph
(apparently) the 26th of the month
by the Huron Road, made stops at
Smith's Creek (near New Hamburg),
at Avon Creek, which seems to be our
Stratford, and at Seebach'ehtavern by
Sebrirrgville. Late in the afternoon
of the 27th, •the two arrived at Van
Stgmond's tavern, for which Patrick
has words of tepid praise, neverthe-
less the only words df that nature
which he has for •anything in the
Tract. Van Egmond'she found "a
Wealthy -looking place for the coun-
try 'with a store of. miscellaneous
goods, 'large barns and , a tolerably
good garden," all of which were rare
indeed in Upper Canada west of Tor-
onto in 18331 He makes no mention
of the Colonel •or the Colonel's numer-
ous family, from which fact it is per-
haps to be deduced that they, or the
more important portion of them, were
not at home. At all events, Patrick
and his companion had dinner at the
tavern, after which, they travelled by
night. to Goderich, a distance of "five
or six miles." This curtailment of
the actual mileage between Clinton
and .Goderich by more than a half
would seem to speak well for the qual-
ity cif Van Egmond's dinners if not
for the accuracy of those who made
the estimate. At Goderich he had
completed a sixty -mile journey from
Smith's Creek, two-thirds of which
wai'performed aver corduroy or cross-
way and .none of which had roused in
him any sensation of pleasure. He re-
marks that occasionally a tree had
been left standing in the middle of
the road as if for the purpose of at-
tracting attention. The • hypothesis(
that these trees, usually rock elms of
the blest description, had •been left
for future' conversion into timber he
thought unlikely, in view of the fact
that trees equally good'couldbe ob-
tained a few yards from the edge of
'the road. One may be permitted to
guess that it was nothing less than
the physical difficulties of removing
formidable rock elms which induced
Van Egmond and his men to refrain
from disturbing ethern. The problem,
however, was yet unsolved when Pat-
rick IShirreff and hist companion ar-
rived at their temporary destination.
Once in Goderich, they sought ac-
commodation for the .night at the best
hotel, Reid's, but here they received
information that there was nothing
for them unless they were willing to
share a bed between them. The pro.s-
pect of such restricted space did not
greatly attract Patrick and his friend,
who sought elsewhere, in the second
hotel of •Goderich, Fisher's. Again,
however, beds 'were mete be obtain-
ed; but the; landlady laid a pallet for
them on (the floor, meanwhile infer/In-
ing them that ,Goderich .was a poor
the Eagle's Nest (Gairbraid), a name,
he remarks, quite characteristic of the
owner. He discovered the doctor him-
self in° the office of the Canada Corn -
pant with his brother the captain,
only recently arrived in Goderich, and
made himself known to his fellow
Sootsmen. But he found the doctor
busy, little, inclined for conversation;
and in a short while Patrick took his
departure, consoling himself with the
thought that he eould, and should, see
with his own eyes everything of im-
portance in that community. With
memories of Fisher's butter in his
mind, he went for dinner to the prin-
cipal hotel, Reid's. There he receiv-
.
e.d an invitation to be seated at 'the
same table as the twelve or fourteen
inmates, boarders and travellers,
oompany not altogether to his 'liking,
but obligatory if he were to dine. Dm -
lag the meal a diversion was preve.ded,
an adventure of Mr. Reid's fingers
immersed in the soup as he stirred
'it with a short -handled ladle, but a
diversion ignored by 'the worthy host,
who promptly and courageously serv-
ed out the soup so flavored. It is not
e -matter for wonder that Patrick
fount/ the "entertainment" or fare
poor; nevertheless, he took consola-
tion in the not extravagant' price, six
pence.
By this time Patrick was ready to
sum up his impressions of Goderich,
obtained on this 28th of August, 1833.
There were about forty "mean wood-
en houses" scattered irregularly over
a considerable space. Half a dozen
of these stood on the shore near the
pier, the rest of the village on the
height two hundred feet above the
lake 'level, partly situated on a cedar
swamp through which ran a street
of corduroy. There was a "coarse
rawness" about men and things at
Goderich, which the visitor found far
from agreeable. The' land of the
Huron Tract, however, he found ex-
cellent, except e few miles around the
village. During his journey to Lon-
don, commenced next day, he formed
a very favorable impression of the soil
from Van Egmond's tavern south,
"particularly fine clay, especially near
the Hayfield River. The whole sur-
face level excepting the margins of
the creeks," The roads were simply
straight lines formed by felling trees,
the branches and trunks of which had
been burnt or made into corduroy,
the stumps, two or three feet high,
left standing. As for the corduroy,
he -continues, "most travellers speak
with' horror; but, without meaning to
praise it, I must say it was the best
and smoothest portion of the Goderich
roads. The roots projecting from the
stumps in a 'slanting direction kept
the wheels watt axles of the wagon
moving up and down like the beam of
a steam engine," a movement which,
with good reason, he found "annoying
to us, fatiguing to the horses, espec-
ially 'between Van Egmond's tavern
and London." Only near Goderich
was there better prospect, where peo-
ple were burning out. ate stumps and
throwing earth from the sides into
the middle of the road to make a con-
vex surface, a turnpike, as they call-
ed it in American fashion. It will be
surmised that Patrick saw little to
praise in the Huron Tract; nor is it
a matter of wonder that a gentleman
of East Lothian should find the cir-
cumstances of a pioneer community
not to his taste.
Of some importance are the worthy
Patrick's remarks about the Canada
Company and its' settlers. He found
Dr. Dunlop a favorite with all, but
the company unpopular, and the set-
tlers "of the poorest clase, without in-
dustry or energy of any kind." The
Company charged seven shilling six-
pence per aore, payable in instalments;
place, an estimate with which Patrick if the settler took a. certain minimum
was probably not inclined to quarreld area, they allowed him travelling ex -
The good lady, however, produced a penses out of the second instalment.
moderate refreshment in the -form of
tea and cream. Patrick and his com-
panion at once searched for the sugar
but without success until an enquiry
elicited the information that the seg-
ar was present but invisible, having
beer- mixed with the cream. The in-
novation must have seemed doubtful
to Patrick, a heretical disturbance of
the natural order of things; but from
the fact that he makes no disparag-
ing remarks about the resulting bev-
erage, we may conclude that he was
not displeased. At the time workmen
of all descriptions, probably laborers
for the Canada Company, crowded the
hotel. The noise occasioned by their
presence and the roughness of the
pallet troubled the newcomers so that
they "slept uncomfortably." In the
morning, however, they received an
invitation to breakfast with the fam-
ily. This honor resulted probably
from an extraordinary effort ,at hos-
pitality on the part of the excellent
Tikr. Fisher but it met no due apprec-
iation ,since Patrick soon found the
butter nauseous. Lest this be inter-
preted es a unique quality of Mr.
Vieher's butte:, Patrick hastens to
.add that the butter of Upperi Vanada
- generally was of the worst quality.
Breakfast over, the soul of gentleman
Patrick yearned for a shoeshine, a
/ luxury denied him for several days
while he had been travelling in the
wilds of the Huron Tract. The re-
quest must have seemed unusual to
the proprietor of the Fisher Hotel,
who nevertheless found ;meant- to
rant it for the sum of threepence.
orse than the price was ther fact
that a few minutes' walk in the deevy
grass made the shoes as brown as
ever to the ehtire wastage d fully
theeepence, which must have been a
sore blow to this good Seatem.an.
In the morning Patrick atoned the
Maitland which he found dieappoitit-
ing, a mere brook, unable to float a
canoe, and approached Dr. Denhep's
Mew cottage on the north tide called
t in the first three years it was
dif-
It for the settler to do, more than
keep his farnily, a real strain ,to make
the payments. Even when all the in-
stalments are paid, Patrick adds, the
price of the forest land, quite un o-
ductive, remains an overw ing
burden on the few acres cleared. To
make tnatters worse, the first settlers
were people of limited means, mostly
paupers, who eoon became so involved
with the Company that they abandon-
ed their holdings. In fact only one of
the original settlers continued to oc-
cupy his land in 1833. The people
were apt to despair of overcoming
their pecuniary difficulties, to fall into
indolence and dissipation. They lived
in habitations "of the meanest des-
cription, equal in wretchedness to the
worst hovels in Ireland and Scotland,"
the poverty of which be attributed in
part to the notions of the settlers,
their shiftlessness and lac & of desire
for anything better. The 'Company
had modified its policy, however, and
was now permitting forty or fifty of
the recent purchasers to work off' part
of the price on the roads, by which
means only the settler could pay.
Nevertheless Patrick found the source
of the evil in the system under which
the settlement was being made, in
the plan of absentee landlords, of a
monopoly of land in the Company's
'hands and the consequent enhance -
met of the price. •The Company, he
predicted, would soon lobby in the
legislature for favours to itself and
for the rejection of ally projected lo -
cel improvements which threatened its
pbeition; it would, in short, act as an
obstaele to arogrees.
It is evident that Patrick looked
with no favourable eye on conditions
in thel Heron a 1833. Yet he makes
it clear that antagonism had sprung
up between the settlers and the Com-
pany in the Trait. He reveals a state
of effaies which left something to be
desired; payments oh insufficient time
allowance, diseoutagetrient on the part
of the settlers, a transient population,
ill -will to the Company in spite of the
personal pepularity of Dire Dunlop.
The decter's dawillittigness to talk to5
his fellow-Sooteraan seems another in-
dication'that something was amiss in
this little pioneer cornmeal -4% The of-
ficials of the Company doubtless would
have. pleaded that they had not un-
limited money to spend, that they
must have regard to their profit -and -
loss accounts, that they were. doing
their' best for settlers who expected
too much. But right or • wrong, a,
'general conviction that:the -System of
company settlement was not the best
that could be devised even if share-
holders, directors and agents were
men of excellent intentions had de-
veloped by t833 into a feeling of posi-
tive hostility.
In this sentiment Van Egmond be-
came involved. He had a private
quarrel (with the Company in 1833, in
that they were refusing to pay him
the balance duet for his road contract -
ting; and he appears to have filed an
action over the matter at law. But
this affair seems insufficient to ac-
count for the bitterness with which
ne henceforth assailed the Company
in all its works endways. Probably
he entertained motive s in great part
disinterested, believing like Mr. Shir-
ref, that the Company was not dealing
fairly with the settlers and was re-
tarding the development of an excel-
lent section of the province which, of
course, included his own holding.
Whatever the motive, Van Egmond
.became a determined opponent of the,.
Company. He proceeded from senti-
ment to action; as the:Misses Lizars
inform us, in 1833 he "tried' to disaf-
fect" the•Eas•thope Highlanders and
to that end summoned a meeting of
the settlers at Helmer's Inn, where
all discussed and presumably de-
nounced the high price of land in the
Comparny's territory. The Easthope
men appointed a delegation who went
to Toronto -and visited the Company's-
Commissioner in his office. But this
man overwhelmed them with his
words and his presence and ordered
them out, after which they retired
ignominiously. This affair was a
small humiliation for the men, a re-
buff for the Colonel who had evident-
ly chosen his men badly, and a small
.y,ictory for the Company. But this
petty skirmish had opened a war be-
tween Colonel Van Egmond and the
Canada Company.
Meanwhile the agents of the Com-
pany at Goderich had decided that all
was not well with their settlement.
Mr. Prior found the root of the evil
in the character of the inhabitants,
and took two steps, one negative, the
other positive. According to his state-
ment to Mr. Ferguson at Guelph
(Tour in Canada, 1831) he sent for a
vessel and shipped off by force four-
teen families, who he had decided,
were undesirable. Next he made re-
presentation to the Company to be
much more circumpect in choosing
its settlers, to serve none but "sober,
moral, correct men for a good neigh-
borhood." The Company accordingly
changed its immigration policy end
directed appeals to the better class of
Englishmen anti Scotsmen. Thus it
happened that after 1831 Huron began.
to receive an influx of settlers of high
quality, who established standards
which have .left their mark to the
present day.'
How. MY WORLD WAGS
By That Ancient Mariner
Caledonian games were Held at
Kamloops, B.C. Even the serious Scot
likes to have his fling—his highland
fling.
* * *
To ee-stock water around Timmins,
Ont., the Fisheries Department re-
cntly sent four truck loads of trout
firtgerlings., There's be some hand-
ling.
* * *
A crabapple tree at Vegreville, Alta.
bloomed four times this seasa: Sure-
ly, after that, the blooming thing has
nothing to crab about.
* *
"The McIntosh Red movement com-
menced Monday night," reports the
CRevelstoke, B. C., Review: "Migosh!"
exclaimed Obtuse -Oswald, "are the
Soots tinning Bolshevik, or is it mere-
ly that raincoats are blushing?" -
ose
lberta,
Goal
The Proper Fuel
For Present Use
N. CLUFF & SONS
When the old stove smoked,
And declared that the beans
swell.
* *
Fantaisie-Impromptu.
(Not Exactly by Chopin)
A friend of mine among the pub-
licans, bohunks and sinners, that I
sometimes. associate with, called vvith
his vvife to she me the other day.•
"Pliz, Mista Hurindy, my man want
ver' bed getta jop," his lady pleaded.
His name is Petros Mickowski, or
something. Anyway, we call him
Mike.
Of iron physique, a hard, wotker;
born in Canada, he has. ahnost 'no
English, seemingly from a bewildered
lack of ability to acquire it --but he.
has the heart of -a child. His wife is
his mouthpiece. Having several small
youngsters, their need, appeared ur-
gent.
Mike supplemented hie wife's ap-
peal with an energetic hut unintelli-
gible salvo.
"S'ure Mike," says I, "I'll help you:
You go 'to Mr. Doe and he'll register
you, and 'probably put you right to
week. He'll ask you three questions.
Whate- your nettle? Married or alio
gle? Where *ere your born? I know
John Doe. He's a good fellow, al-
though a bit cranky. Don't be afraid
to speak up when he questions you."
His wife translated.
It struck me I'd better coath' Mike
a bit. "Mickowski" sounded pretty
bad, so I -changed it to "MacKenzie."
The ne-are-st Mike could get to that
was .."MacKensakie." When he got
excited, trying hard, it almost sounded
like "MacKenzie King."
To the question, "married or single,"
his answer sounded like "marred" Or
evee "mud." I had to let it go at
that'. Sometimes they're all much the
same thing any -way.
In attempting "born in Canada,"
Mike seemed obsessed with the idea
that the phrase was "born at 'Can-
ada." He made it sound like "bonnet
can't." And sometimes produced
sounds like "Bennett can't."
Well, I gave Mike a package of
arettes, told him to be of good cour-
age, 'and sent him on his way. Here's
what -occurred, as bystander§ after-
vrards related it.
Mike enters' timidly, offering
arettes placatingly to all and sundry.
Doe (gruffly), "Who the heck told
you to pass around cigarettes when
you're out of work?'"
Mike (brightly), "MacKenzie King."
-Doe (getting mad), "Hey, no more
of that cheek, or your name will be--"
Mike (yelling excitedly), "Mud."
Doe (getting clovvn from his stool.
Fire in his eye), "I'll show this guy
how to smoke cigarettes."
Mike (running for his life), "Ben-
* *
The Graphic, of Campbellton, N.B.
contains a despatch stating that the
lost ten tribes of an.cient times have
been found. Well, by the jumping
bull frogs, is this another bunch of
unemployed to look after?
* * *
Indians and Eskimos were thrilled
at their first View of a locomotive at
Churchill, Manitobah northern sea -
poet. Better beware of that strange
complaint "locomotor ataxia," Or pay-
ing taxes for locomotives.
The New Glasgow, N. S., Eastern
Chronicle in delving into the mean-
ing of the ancient word "cordwainer,"
dismisses the idea of its applying to
rope -making or cordwood -surveying,
and declares it referred to a worker
in cordovan leather. Our philology
may be a we bit oobwebby, but we
aren't averse to taking a shot at de-
riving the word. "Coed" is evidently
an Englishman's unaspirated version
of "chord," therefore "English mus-
ic." And "wain" is the ancient term
for "wagon." Thus "English musia-
wagon." Or translatin,g freely, "an
Englishman riding on the band wag-
on." Selah.
* *
Our Own Thanksgiving.
We couldn't afford a turkey,
We couldn't afford a goose.
We couldn't afford a chicken,
We couldn't—oh, what's the used
But all of tie kids were together,
And Mother and Dad as Well.
And we bantered and joked
47
nett cant."
eeeea.e< ;
q•A<<V,'" Aff
were
—Dean B. Hurmdy.
become efficient. • It •ie pd* busineee:
to fam: land that is lacking in UM(
and stavagly acid in rp4otio; Ttio
produetive power of the' soil ie. mew-
ed Wien it becomes acid. Comae -ling
this eendition. with ehe use of ground
limestone• increases the efficiency of
the • manures and fertilizers applied
and therefore contributes to the cut-
ting down of costsofcrop production.
The Ontario Agricultural College
annual auction sale will be held on
Thursday, Odeber 22nd. A very
choice bot ef Sock are in this
year's offering, which should prove
attractive to the buying' public.
Plans are going ahead for, the
tenth annual 'Royal Winter 141e,
termed the Commemeeative Show,
November 18th to 26th, when the
choicest of Canadian field products
and livestock will be on display.
The International "Plowing Match
is being held near Peterbaro this
week, Oct. 13th to 16th. A good
piece of land was selected a few
miles south of the city on the high-
way running toward Port Hope. As
the location was central far several
counties, the usual local events were
thrown open to residents of Peterboro,
Durharne Victoria and Northumber-
land. The last three days of the
competition are open to the world.
This event never fails to draw a great
throng of farmers and the present
year is no exception.
Injurious to Wire Fence.
Many times the advice is given in
the fall of the year to "burn out the
fence rows" to e get rid of harineul
weeds and insects. This, no doubt, is
a good policy from those standpohits,
but it should be kept/ a mind that it
is distinctly harmful to any type of
wire fence. Zine melts at a camper-
tively low temperature and the heat
from burning grass or weeds is often
sufficient to scorch the protective
coating and will probably shorten by
several seasons the useful life of the
fence.
Tobacco Prices Lower.
Purchase of the record flue -cured
tobacoo crop in the Norfolk -Elgin -
Oxford area began last week. The top
price has dropped from 4.0 cents ast
year to 30 cents a pound this
will the prices for inferior gra. es r:
respondingly low. Owing to the fact
that the tobacco is of uniformly high
quality, the average price sheuld
at least 25 cents a pound. While the
price is a disappaintneent to the grow-
ers and will have serious results in
many instances, it will have a salu-
tary effect upon the industry in that
tt will prevent undue expansion next
year. The acreage in this district has
climbed from 200 acres in 1926 to
20,000 acres in 1931. The crop this -
year was estimated at 16 million
pounds and the anticipated revenue at
four million dollars.
ROYAL BIRTHDAY CARDS
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Every boy and girl in Canada whose
tenth birthday falls between Novem-
ber 18th and 26th, inclusive, will re
ceive a personal birthday card from
the Royal Winter Fair Toronto, if it
is requested. This is because the
Virinter Fair on those dates also cele-
brates its tenth "birthday."
This year the Fair is designated a
"commemorative show" to recall the
inspiriting influence it was to Canad-
ian agriculture when founded ten
yaars ago. And it is to help in
spreading a cheery outlook respecting
agriculture that the birthday party ie
being held.
Ai joyous birthilay greeting, neatly
engrossed with the child's nanie, will
be sent if parents or guardians will
write to the Royal Winter Fair of-
fices, Toronto, giving clearly the
childs full name and address, with
the exact date of birth and year. In
addition eligible children who are able
to attend the Winter Fair will be giv-
en a complimentary ticket in their
own -name entitling them to free act
miesion to every department of the
Fair.
The Hog Market.
A review of the hog market sit-
uation states that there is no juti-
fication for the practice which has
been all too general this season of
trying to beat the market by selling
off light -weight unfinished hogs to
gain a few cents per pound at cur-
rent prices. The principal effect of
sueh practices has been to demoralize
the market and force prices much be-
low what they otherwise might be.
With Canadian hog prices drastically
realigned both to suit domestic condi-
tions and export market prices the
common sense practice at present is
to finish hogs up to the proper weight,
around 200 pounds, This is one ef-
fective way in which to develop a
steady hog market, to regularize mar-
ketings and at the same time to im-
prove quality.
PLOMEN
erowd estimated et 5,00011.1t49,
out last Thursday to witnees the
on County Plottrmen's Acede/lion;
aehl at the farm of Thonate
6th line, Morris.'
There were 35 teems and nine
Iractore at work during the day and
fine plowing was done by the various
cconpetitors.
The prize for the youngest boy
went to Gordon Seett, aged 15, of
Cron:arty; and the best dew' teara
was won by Frank Hamilton, Crom-
arty,
The awards in the regular classes
were as follows:
High cut plows—Alex. McKercber,
Wroxeeer; Beira Hemingway, Brus-
sels;WIlliam Dennis, Walton; Gor-
don Yeo, Wroxeter.
General purpose plows (10 entered)
—James Hoggarth, Cromarty, (best
crown); W. J. Linton, 1Vlitchell, (best
.finish); WilliTn Mitchell, Molesworth,
Balto, Q,
mon Itarleurrii
Dennis, Pang •
Chaffe,
Under la, stubtla
Fadden Milbank ; retne
Cannerly; IVICNeiete
tele; G. Edert, Milbank, ": athe
Sngle riding eleetet atthblat•.;),
William McMurray; Hruipeis ;
uether, Crabrek; Glen Sinith;-'
Brussels.
Open tractor or me Me
e../ , •
a ti`'41/4, •
Walton (crown); ' Paul , Axneetrong,
St. Mexys (finish); T. P. CriVral4te
Teeswater; Thernap Miller, Ipiss,a1a.:
Heavy tractor, sod—William ePer-
rie, Cranbrook;' Res§ ,Ca -diff; %ire -
gels; Everett Hoover, Brussels.
EAST HURON TEACHERS' ANNUAL CONVEN110N
The fifty-eighth annual convention ton Normal School, who spoke On
of the East Huron Teachers' In- "Literature andWorldPeace." She
slitute was held in the Owen Mem- deplored the fact that teachers do
oriel Hall, Clinton, on Thursday and not read more than they do. In op -
Friday, October 8th and 9th, with a ening her address MissMoCreatly re -
full attendance of the' teachers of ferred to the dark side of world con -
the Inspectorate as well as a num- -ditions, the Eastern countrieg ap-
parently ready --to fly at each others
throats, the Wrld's finances in cha-
otie state, and even solid eid Britain
in turmoil. On the other hand the
League of Nations continues to func-
tion with some degree of suecess,
conferences on disarmament a r e
being called, and thousands are sign-
ing a demand against wax and pet-
itioning for disarmament. In liter-
ature, peace sentiment is to be found
in the Bible, in Shakespeare, Milton;
Dean Swift, and much of the older
literature. Longfellow, Bryant and
Whittier deery war. During the
Great War literary men wrote of
war themes, but have new turned to
producing books of peaceful senti-
ment. This trend in literature caus-
es a hope to spring up in bur breaste
that the war spirit, if not dead, is at
least dying.
President Kenneth Ashton with a
beautiful set of slides gave an littera
esting travelogue. 11 -Ile conducted the
ber of visiting teachers. Mr. Ken-
neth Ashton, erindpal of Blkth Pub-
lic School, president, occuttied the
chair. •
Rev. K. McGoun Anglican rector,
of Clinton, conducted the opening ex-
ercises, and in the absence of Mayor
Cooper, actingenayor Reeve George
B. Elliott, welcomed the, convention
to the -town of Clinton, and expressed
his good wishes for the success of the
Convention.
The records of the last convention
were read by the Secretary, and
adopted.
Inspector Field then named the fol-
lowing committees:
Nominating Committee; Miss Viola
Fraser, Miss Agnes Mahod, Mist
Minnie Wheatley. Resolution Com-
mittee: Mr. Peter Moffat, Miss Edna
Jamieson, Mrs. Aitken. Manage-
ment Committee: President and Vice-
Presidept of 1931-32, staff of Brus-
sels Public School Miss 'Christens,
Dickson, Mr. Kenneth Edgar. teachers on an imaginary journey
Mr. Jack Edgar, Breese1s, delegate through Canada from the shores of
to the Ontario Educational Associa- the Atlantic to the fastnesses of
tion from the Institute, gave the British (Columbia, visiting points of -
teachers an account of some of the interest and beauty in the various,.
proceedings of that body at their pro-inces of the Dominion. This ex -
Easter sessions. He suggested . that hibition closed the session for the
owing to the size of the Association day.
t might be in the interests of the 1 On Friday morning the teachers
Institute to send two delegates in- convened at nine o'clock, when re -
stead of one, as it is impossible for . ports of committees were received.
one to attend all the sessions whose The report of the nominating com-
proceedings might be of value to the mittee, given by the chairman, Miss
teachers of the Inspectorate. Fraser, presented a elate . of officers
The diseussion of "Discipline in for 1932, which was adopted by the
and around the School" was led by convention es follows:
A. L. Pasliff, Principal of Wingham President, Normen Hoover, Bees -
Public -School. He stressed the im- eels; vice-president, Ella Elder, Sea-
portance of Discipline in building forth ; secretary -treasurer, George H.
character. The home iS the place for 'Jefferson; Delegate to 0. E. A., Lydia
discipline to begin and the teachers" Reid, Blyth; Eorecutive (Committee,
difficulties in this direction a r e Staff of Brussels Public School, Ken-
neth Edgar, Christina Dickson.
Next place of meeting is to be Bras,
tele
The .report of the Resolution Com-
mittee was presented by Mr. Moffat,
Seaforth, as follows: Resolved -
1. That the thanks of the hti-
tute be tendered Rev. Mr. McGoun,
aid Acting -Mayor George H. Elliott
for his kind words of welcome; also
to the managers of St. Paul's Church
for the use of Owen Memorial Hall.
2. • That the thanks of the Insti-
tute be tenered Rev. Mr Foster for
his excellent address to the teachers,
also to Mrs Daugan and Mrs. Ag-
new, who delighted the audience
with their pleasing music; to the Blyth
orchestra for their relightful selec-
tions, and to the Girl's' Club of Wes-
ley -Willis Church for the excellent
dinner provided by them.
3. That the thanks of the Instie-
tute be tendered the staff of Clinton
Public School for the splendid music
rendered so creditably by their pupils.
4. That the thanks, of the Insti-
tute be tendered to all those who so
ably assisted in the programme, es-
pecially Miss McCready for her ex-
cellent addresses.
5. That the memorization selec-
tions for entrance he changed fre-
quently.
T
ntl
yhat a moratorium ' be declared
in regard to second year Normal
Course allowing those teachers with
Second Class certificates two years_
extra teaching and those holding first
olass certificates four years extra.
teaching before having to return to
Normal School.
7. That the third readers be re-
vised as many selections are too dif-
ficult. . That the
grants be revised as
they are working to the disadvantage
of the counties.
9. That the teachers of East Hur-
on forward to Mrs. Trealeaven a let-
ter of condolence in leer bereavement.
10. That the by-laws governing the
Superannuation Funds be revised to
allow teachers to withdraw money
paid into the fund after four years
rather than after five years teaching
as at present.
Miss McCready'
was
again heard
in an address on "Helpful Hooke for
Teachere." She gave in brief outline
eeme of the best books for school
mueic, plays; poetry, gegraphy,
history, refernce, esychology„ Bib-
lical lore fairy stories, gauttnat*
Nature .atudy, health, garnets and
art: She was listened to WW1 %tel. -
est, and could not fall'to have belie*" s'
fitted her audience.
(Continued on page 4)
Crop conditions throughout On-
tario -continue very satisfactory as
far as yield is concerned. Excel-
lent crops of potatoes, roots and
corn, both for ensilage and green, are
being harvested. Sugar beets have
been moving to market in good condi-
tion and tobacco growers were favor-
ed with excellent weather for har-
vesting their crops. New fall wheat
is showing a greater amount of
growth of top than usual and will go
into the winter iri good condition.
There is a fairly largei yield of small
seeds such as Red Clover. In most
counties fall plowing and after -har-
vest cultivation is well advanced.
PriceFl for such crops as potatoes,
turnips, grains and the majority of
farm products, as reported by repre-
sentatives, are very discouraging.
FARM NOTES
When to Apply Lime.
A test of the soil should be made
to make sure that it requires lime.
If the soil proves 'to be acid then the
answer to the question when to apply
lhoe might be "when you have time."
Lime is for the benefit of all crops in
the rotation, but particularly of bene-
fitto legutmes. The best time is pos-
sibly just before sowing a grain crop
that. is seeded down with altalfa .,or
clovers. Liming land plowed far fall
wheat which is "to be seeded with
clover in the -spring is a ceervenient
and satiefactore paetiee. Lit* is not
a fertilizer, but aimply Ineatralizes
the acidity a the soil and eliould be
thoroughly worked bay the soil dur-
ing the preparation bf a Seeded to
greatly increased when the home neg-
lects or fails in this important re-
gard. He would make good discip-
line the reason for reward, rather
than that bad behaviour should be
the reason for punishment. He de-
plored the lack of courtesy, some-
times displayed' by the youth of to-
day, and attributed it to lack of pro-
per discipline in home and school.
He gave a short account of his meth-
ods of dealing with some difficul-
ties coming up in the common round
of his daily duties.
Pupils of Miss Cud:more and Miss
Courtice of the Clinton Public School
staff, under the direction of Prqfes-
sor Anderton, enlivened the morning
session, and the work of these little
ones received merited applause.
At the noon hour a dinner was
served in Wesley -Willis Church by
the ladies of the Girls' Club. While
dinner was being served, the Blyth
Orchestra, of which President Ashton
is a member, rendered much appre••
dated mitsic. Mrs. Dougan, soloist
of Clinton, rendered beautiful and
well chosen vocal numbers, accom-
panied by Mrs. Agnew, and their
music delighted the audience. The
dinner speaker wasthe minister of
Wesley -Willie Church. Fr. Foster,
himself a former public school teach-
er, in hie address, h4 called for
whole -hearted service of the teaching
body in the life of the community,
more eepecially in the church life.
His address was listened to with in-
terest by all preserit.
Resuming their deliberations in
the afternoon, Norman Hoove-r, of
Brussels, spoke on "Agriculture in
the 'Public Schools," urging its adop-
tion in rural schools because of its
possibilities in developing the power
of observation, providing real and
practical information related to the
particular community in which the
pupils reside, and tends towards pro-
ducing a sympathetic attitude to-
wards plain farming. He tecom-
Mended the use of concrete material
whenever possible, and pictures for
things impossible to obtain. He recommended the making of collec-
tions of weeds, weed seeds!, woods,
and insects, as well as carefully kept
notebooks and scrapbooks as inter-
esting and beneficial. He felt that
there should always be a definite
time for this study on the time -table
and that short periods were much
preferable to long, Miss Arnett and
Miss Jamieson continued the diseus-
sion describing the methods used in
organizing ane conducting school -
gardens, and the benefits, derived
theeefrom.
Dr. Yield then introduoed Miss
MdCready, Librarian of the
amil-
Proper Ration Needed.
A hen may lay a few eggs early
in the spring witheut receiving
much feed or attention or she may
lay at the end of the season when
feed may be picked up in the fields,
but the ben has not yet been devel-
oped that will lay without the Dee-
per ration during the fall and winter
months. A good mash is. important
if the hens are to) ly, and it should
be before the birds all the time. If
any one of the necessary elements re-
quired for the making of eggs is ab-
sent, production is impaired. Pullets
require a little different mash' than
the old hens and it is a mistake to
house them together and have them
feed from the same hopper. Home-
grown feeds with the addition of some
purchased concentrates may be mixed
or a commercial mash may be pur-
chased that will supply the neeessary
inkgredientt to the bird. Chickens will
pay dividends if properly housed and
given the right rations.
44