HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1949-09-23, Page 21jshedr .$60
Lean, .Editor ..
t Seaforth, Ontario, ev-
ar 'afternoon by McLean
ea. of Canadian
y Newspapers
Sedation.
ISer tion rates, $2.00 a year in
�t ce; oreign $2.50 a year. Single
sp. .,6 ;cents each.
Cvertising rates on opplication.
Authorized, as Second Class Mail
-Post Office ,Department, Ottawa
ile poute aye d proposals
oarCale• �. ,daa refo as ve beep. ad
vamced threu,g' Ole tea 0« ' h,; rash
simple and' practieal.at : believed to be
that of the World Calendar Associa-
tion an international organization
in which Canada has long been inter-
ested.
Briefly, what the Association advo-
cates is to make five one -day changes
in the present 12 -month calendar and
to add one or two "stabilizing" days.
The year would be divided into four
quarters of three months each. Each
quarter would begin on a Sunday,
(the two remaining months follow-
ing as they do in the present calen-
dar) and end on a Saturday. The
"stabilizing" days would be two in
number, one added at the end of
June in leap years (just as F(ebruary
gets an extra day then in our present
calendar) and one taking the place
of December 31. The suggestion is
that, with a universal canlendar,
this day should be known as "Worlds -
day" and the Association believes
that the celebration of this day as a
holiday all over the world would be
an additional bond of fellowship
among mankind.
There are certain manifest advant-
ages in the proposed plan. Days and
dates always agree from year to
year, thus ending much confusion
that now exists. Each month has 26
days, plus Sundays and each month
has the same day arrangement ev-
ery year, also a simplification. ' Each
quarter has 13 weeks, making up 91
days. Holidays and anniversaries
are stabilized on their regular days
and dates.
Calendar reform, designed to
eliminate the more or less informal
manner in which the days now fall,
would be particularly important un-
der modern conditions. It may well
be that improvements may not be too
far removed.
•
Some of the Glories of Farming
.FORTH, Friday, September 23
'hen and Now
When motorists decide to take a
drip today—whether it is ten .miles
Or ten, thousand — little if any
thought is given to the tools and
equipment in the car. The usual pro-
cedure is to drive to the nearest ser-
vice, station, tell the attendant to fill
her up, kick the tires, perhaps wipe
the windshield, and you are on your
way. Thoughts of a tool kit and
what might be in it never cross your
mind.
But it wasn't always that way, we
were reminded recently when we -
read of the Herbert A. Hovers.
Mr. Hover, now 81, and Mrs.
Hover, 72, were the first married
couple to cross the continent by
automobile. That was in 1908, and
their car was a two -cylinder Max-
well.
This is what they took in emerg- _
ency equipment: 10 extra tires, 30
inner tubes, 300 feet of rope, block
and tackle, shovel, axe, crow -bar,
cross -cut saw, 20 spark plugs and, a
half dozen five -gallon gasoline cans.
The Hovers are starting out again
this year from the East Coast on a
50,000 -mile trip. The only equipment
they've got in their 1948 sedan is b,
bumper jack.
•
Dangerous Conditions Should
Be Eliminated
For the second time in the past
three weeks the condition of the
highway at the eastern approach to
Seaforth resulted in accidents, which
could "easily have proved fatal. For-
.tunately there were no injuries in
either case, but the position of the
ear involved Sunday afternoon was
such that its passengers were lucky
to have escaped.
Always a dangerous stretch of
highway because of the hills and
poor visibility, the conditions during
the past summer have been made
worse by a drop of several inches
from the paved road to the shoulder,
caused by fill having been washed
out. If a wheel of a car drops off the
pavement, it is impossible for even
the best of drivers . to bring the
vehicle back on the highway without
endangering not only his own
vehicle, but also any other traffic us-
ing the highway. A few minutes
work by the Department of High-
ways could correct the trouble.
Another factor leading to the dan-
gerous situation that exists is the
speed at which traffic enters town at
that point. While a stranger may
not be aware he is entering the town,
there is no excuse for those motor-
ists who, familiar with the area, con-
tinue to drive at speeds of fifty and
more miles an hour. With the high
pedestrian traffic at that point, par-
ticularly during the summer months
when the Lions Park is operating, it
is 'fortunate that there have been no
serious accidents or no loss of life.
But luck may not always be with
us. There will come the day when
some innocent victim may be called
On to pay the price of lack of main-
tenance or lack of enforcement of
traffic laws.
•
Calendar Reform
An increasing interest in calendar
reform is evident with the placing of
he matter on the provisional agenda
d:the nett meeting of the General
ser'ly of the 'United Nations. If
from provision -
to
e stl�b est assts aro the o
1 'to the permanent agenda,, it can
en come up for discussion by a
coal committee and may possibly
# ilbn itted for a final vote. Thus
he that some improvement: in
eg rias sySte: , ' which has
fla�lidl> red+ Sittee ,the 16th eentulry,
be inlet std in date course.
What would we de around the
farm without cats. They keep the
place free of rats and Mice, That's
the first purpose of having cats
aiound. Just the same they pro-
vide us with amusement and veom-
fort and there's also something
soothing about their, preseeee. At
first glance, that may sound- like a
strange statement. laxamihe it,
however, and you'll find how true
it actually is.
When I was milking to -night
they lined up for the rite of get-
ting fresh milk. The three barn
cats, who live on a somewhat low-
er social scale than old Tabby, the
house cat, also have the added ad-
vantage of fresh, warm milk.
Squirt it at them and they'll dodge
but a minute later after licking it
-off their sleek coats, they're back
for more. When you pour the milk
out in the saucers they cluster
around and 'lap it up. Later, when
the chores are done you'll see
them crouched comfortably on the
chop bin, purring in a contented
way and settled for the night.
Tabby, on the other hand, has
decided to move in from the back
woodshed where she has rested
during the summertime. The nights
are getting a little chilly now and
she waits on the veranda until you
open the kitchen door. She dodges
in nimbly and settles herself in
the space, between the back of the
kitchen range and the woodbox.
Later on, when the work is finish-
ed in the kitchen, she moves out
and settles down on the mat in
front of the stove. This signifies
that she has joined the family cir-
cle for the evening. The tea ket-
tle sings and the cat purrs, and it's
truly a comfortable duet.
(By Albert Hines in The Nashville
Tennessean)
I am a farmer. Lam the mostinde-
pendent chap on earth, being able to
go and come when I please, and to
stay a spell between if I, want to.
I don't have to look up to anybody.
I don't have to punch a time clock. I
can sleep till breakfast if I want to.
I can` plow by sunlight or moonlight
or both, or not at all. -
Mother Nature provides my every
want, provided I cater to her whim
and fancy. Daily I commune with
her and she tells me all that I need to
know.
She lulls me to sleep with the pat-
ter of raindrops and with the sigh-
ing of the wind and the chirp of the
night things as they come .and go
outside my window. She wakes me
with the rosy tints of dawn, stealing
over the mountain and filtering
among the treetops.
When I feel the pangs of hunger,
I go to the smokehouse and cut down
a ham or I drop a handful of corn on
the ground and gather up a fryer, or
if I am a vegetarian, I go out into
the garden and garner a sackful of
cabbage and beans and beets and
tomatoes and corn.
I am the envy of all men, and at
least 87 per cent of the women, and
fully half tura small fry. I don't know
how lucky I am, living out here
among the birds and the bees and
• the grasshoppers, sniffing the sweet
scent of the wild flowers, secure in
that peace of mind which the rest of
mankind seeks in vain.
Unlike the politician and the
statesman, I am not harried by day
and hounded by night. I can look the
whole world in the face and smile
that smile,,of superiority. My .heri-
tage is one to be proud of.
I feed the world. I clothe it. Should --
I go on strike, everything else would
go to pot. My corn crib is more im-
portant than a bomb plant and my
pig pen more essential than silver
and gold. My hoe handle and plow
handles bring more genuine happi-
ness than pearls and diamonds.
I am a farmer, and there is nobody
like me and I wouldn't swap places
with anybody in any 10 other call-
ings I ever heard of.
I.S.: That's the way farm life is
drummed up by the poets, the phil-
osophers and the city slickers. Actu-
ally, fa ming is a buntvh of hard
work that will kill a man before his
time, and leave him broke to boot,
unless'' he learns early in life how to.
avoid at least 89 per cent of it.
By Harry J, Boyle.
I like Tabby in the wintertime
on a blustery day when she hops
up on the sofa and, . then manages
to make the window sill, She'll
sit there for hours basking in the
comfort of .the kitchen and still
aware of the storm outside. She's
smug about the fact that she is a
privileged cat.
Most of us don't laugh enough.
Just the same, there are few Peo-
ple who can ignore the anticsof
kittens at play. 1 like it when
two or three kittens are allowed
to romp on the slippery linoleum
of the kitchen floor- They wrestle
and fight playfully, and they never
seem to tire. Maybe, it's just be-
cause of the natural show-off quail
ties of a cat.
Tabby, for instance, delights in
the times when 'Mrs. Phil discov-
ers a mouse in the pantry. Tabby
is summoned. She. stands up,
stretches and arches to get the
kinks out of her system and then
walks with a careful stance to-
wards the pantry. She glances
around to see if she is being watch-
ed and then goes to work. She'll
crouch and perk her ears up, walk
around the pantry, freeze like a
statue and all in all put on a real
performance. It's a cinch, too, that
sometime during the night when
the house is silent and the mouse
comes forth looking for a midnight
snack that she'll catch him. Next
morning you can almost see the
smile on her face and she'll preen
herself with smug satisfaction all
day.
Cats are an essential on the
farm. ..Sometimes I'm positive that
they are in many ways more in-
telligent than humans.
Just A Smile Or Two
Husband: "You're not economi-
cal enough in these times; you will
have to alter or else you will ruin
me."
Wife: "Well, if you don't call a
woman economical who haves her
wedding dress for a possible sec-
ond marriage, I'd like to know
what you think economy is!"
•
A woman travelling by train was
talking to a man in the next seat.
In describing her holiday, she said
that she had visited San Jose.
"You pronounced that wrong,"
said the man. "It's San Mosey, In
California you pronounce all the
J's as H's. When were you there?"
The woman thought a moment,
then answered: "In Hune and
Huly."
No powder was ever invented
that could make as loud an explo-
sion as that found on a man's
coat.
•
"How's your aunt today?"
"She can't complain."
"Heavens, I didn't know she was
that sick."
•,
said a man' to bis wife ane
fine day • our lawn stems to be
mostly hay . if that lawn I must
mow • lots of brawn I must grow .
so fted me some meat every day •
mita Of NATIONAL HIALTN AHO wl.•!•1-
Two men were discussing a
mutual acquaintance.
"Nice fellow," said one, "but
have you noticed how he always
lets his friends pick up the dinner.
bill?"
"Yes," replied the other. "He
has a terrible impediment in 'his
reach."
• Huron Federation of
Agriculture Farm News
Potatoes Useful Livestock Feed for the increase, as Western Can -
While potatoes normally are not ada, although showing an upward
trend, was still 19.7 per cent below
grown as livestock feed, each year last year. Comparable figures for
there is a considerable tonnage of the month of July showed Eastern
small and off -grade (and occasion Canada up 10 per cent and West -
ally surplus) potatoes that can be ern Canada down 28.5 per cent
disposed of profitably through live -
stack. However, if good results
exercised in feeding. them. Pota-
toes stored under favorable condi-
tions can be fed raw to cattle and
sheep but should be sliced or pul-
verized before feeding to avoid 'nay
damage of choking. For pigs the
potatoes should be cooked. If the
potatoes have sprouted, the sprouts
should be knocked off before feed-
ingaas they are often poisonous to
livestock. Sunburned, frozen or
decayed potatoes should not be fed
to any livestock.
Potatoes are about 80 per teat
moisture, and low in protein and
essential minerals. Frank Whiting
of the Dominion Experimental Sta-
tion, Lethbridge, Alta., reports they
should be fed in .conjunction with
high quality feeds like legume hay
and gtain or protein mineral ;,up-
plements added to the ration. Fa--
tening cattle or milking cows
should not be fed more than thirty
pounds per head daily while lambs
and breeding ewes should not be
fed more than two to three pounds
per head daily. Pigs may be fed
up to six pounds per head daily
depending upon the size of the pig.
If more than these quantities are
fed, severe scouring may result,
Experiments were carried out at
the Dominion Experimental Sta-
tion, Lethbridge, during the past
winter to determine the compara-
tive feeding value of potatoes when
fed to milking cows and to fat-
tening Lambs. Groups of lambs and
milking cows that were fed pota-
toes in conjunction with alfalfa
hay and grain were cg iapared to
similar groups of lambs and, milk-
ing
ilking cows that received only alfalfa
hay and—grain. The cows were fed
30 pounds of potatoes per head
daily while the lambs received one'
to two pounds per head daily. The
results of these experiments show-
ed that between four to five
pounds of potatoes were equivalent
to one pound of grain. Some off -
flavors were detected in the milk
from the cows fed potatoes, even
though the potatoes were fed after
milking. Apart from this the pots
toes proved to be a satisfactory
feed.
Trend is Upward in Hog Marketing'
The upward) trend in Canadian
hog marketings, noticeable in July,
became more marked in Augdst,
the first Month to show an increase
over last year. Marketings in Aug
ust Were 7.4 per cent above mar-`
ketings in August, 1948, while lit
Jtl'iy, they were six per cent bell&
June, 17 per Bent) the sable
menthe of 1948.
The Aiigltst marketings in East
ern Canada., --91.9 per cent higher;,
than in • Attgttst, 1948—accottntth
from July, 1948.
While the Wiest as a whole was
down nearly 20 per cent from Aug-
ustt, 1948, the Province of Mani-
toba had an increase of 10 per
cent. Quebec continued to hold
the spotlight in the East with 33.6
per cent increase over August last
year and Ontario and the Mari-
times were each up around 17 per
cent.
Nearly 74 per cent of the Aug-
ust marketings were from Eastern
Canada.
The quality, quantity and strength
of the fleeces of sheep are directly
affected by the kind of feed ration
used. Under -nutrition or sickness
frequently cause weak spots in the
wool fibre.
To Keep Bacon Longer
Bacon made from tired hogs
does not keep as well as bacon
from rested hogs. But the remedy
is not more rest but more sugar.
That may sound a little unusual,
but food biologists in England re-
port definite findings that bacon
made from hogs that were fatig-
ued at the time of killing develop-
ed brown color on the cut surface.
This was the result of fatigue and
the attending loss of muscle sugar
and has brought complaints on the
British market.
The researchers have concluded
that, while resting the 'hogs is de-
finitely a solution, it is not nearly
as rapid as feeding sugar to hogs
eight to twelve hours before
slaughtering.
Start in Fall to Control Squash Bug
Now is the time to stop the
spread of the squash bug, accord-
ing to the Dominion Entomological
Laboratory at Chatham, Ont. This
pest goes after squash and pump-
kins as well as other members of
the cucurbit family such as canta-
loupes, cucumbers, melons and
gourds.
One of the most important steps
in the control of the squash bug
is cleaning out and burning all
remnants of the crop in the fall.
This will destroy the insects in
the field and, what is even -more
Vital, will destroy the winter shel-
ters. The squash bug is almost.
impossible to control duringg the
growing season, so, by doing away
with all traces of winter shelter,
much of the problem will be soly-
ed.
Other control measures, report's
the . Chatham laboratory, inolude
thbraugh cultivation and the pro
(Continued On Page 7)
Years Agone
Interesting Items Picked From
The Huron Expositor of Twen-
ty-five and Fifty Years Ago.
Former Pastor Hospltallxcd
Rev. Arthur Page, a former pas-
tor of James Street United Church,
is a patient In St. Joseph's o
tal, Loudon. His many friends
will hope for a speedy recovery.
-Exeter Times -Advocate.
Wholesale Slaughter of Pullets
It has been brought to our at-
tention by the police that dogs are
running at large killing chickens.
One man lost thirty-five pullets at
one time and others,'lesser quart,
tities. Unless these canines are
kept tied up the officers of the law
promise drastic measures will be
taken.—Mitchell Advocate.
From The Huron Expositor
September 19, 1924
Miss Mary Calder left for Fergus
where she is going in train-
ing as a nurse in Fergus hospital.
Miss Beryl Ashton, of Gorrie,
Las re-engaged with Mr. E. Ronnie
at Hensall as milliner. This is her
fourth or fifth season.
Miss J. Knechtel has taken
position as choir leader in Pa
erston.
Reg. Kerslake and Arthur Deem
are spending a few holidays in
Flint, Mich.
Dr, F. J. Bechel•y and Ross J.
Sproat are in Guelph this week at-
tending the Scotch doubles -bowling
tournament, while another rink of
Seaforth bowlers, composed. of J.
M. McMillan, Harry Stewart, J.
MacTavish and Jack Beattie play-
ed in the tournament at Paris on
Wednesday.
Mr. R. Frost is erecting a new
cement block bungalow on North
Main .St -
A large number of members of
the Seaforth Golf Club turned out
on Wednesday for the driving, ap-
proaching and putting competition.
The prize winners were: Ladles'
approach and putt, Miss V. Graves,
Mrs. J. C. Greig; ladies' driving,
Mrs. T. S. Smith, Miss N. Hartry;
gentleman's approach, D. H. Wil-
son, W. E. Southgate; gentleman's
driving, F. S. Savauge, J. C. Greig.
The president and Mrs. Geo. D.
McTaggart donated all the eight
handsome prizes.
Seaforth Highlanders Band sup-
plied the music for the street
dance with which the new street
pavement was opened in Blyth on
Wednesday.
The new two -manual and pedal
organ, recently installed in the
Methodist Church, Seaforth,now
complete, and will be official)' ded-
icated on Sunday. The organ has
13 speaking stops, seven couplers
and about 700 pipes.
Miss Ria Hills, of Egmondville,
leaves on Monday to attend Lon-
don Normal School..
The family of Mr. Reuben Hart
gathered at his home on Sunday
in honor of his 57th birthday.
Those present were Mr:' and Mrs.
W. Saundercock and family, Hul-
lett; Mr. and Mrs. Angus Carmich-
ael, Grey Twp.; Mrs. Hanna and
Annie, Seaforth; and William and
Harry Harty He was presented
with a gold ring with the Orange
Order emblem set in red enamel.
Business College Opens
Goderich Business College open-
ed last week for the new term with
a fair enrolment of students. Any
others who wish to join the day
classes will be welcomed at any
time and will receive careful at-
tention. A larger number have en-
rolled for the night school, with
classes in bookkeeping, typewrit-
ing and shorthand on Tuesday and
Thursday evenings of each week.
•
From The Huron Expositor
September 15, 1899 .
One hundred and eighteen tick-
ets were sold from the station at
Brucefield on Tuesday of this week
for London Exposition.
Quite a number from Brucefield
and vicinity attended the Toronto
Exhibition. Among others were
Mrs. George Baird and her son,
James; Misses Aggie and Katie
Hart and John Snider.
A meeting for the purpose of re-
organizing the Seaforth Collegiate
Institute football team for the fall
term was held Monday afternoon,
when the following were elected:
Honorary president, Dr. F. J. Bur-
rows; president, H. S. Robertson,
B.A.; vice-president, H. S. Stone,
B.A.; secretary, A. S. McLean;
managing committee, L. McDonald,
H. Welsh, G. McMann, J. Blake;
manager, R. C..Cheswright,
Mr. Thomas Casey met with a
nasty fall recently when he was
picking plums at E. C. Coleman's
and when some 14 feet from the
ground the limb broke, letting him
down heavily, causing some broken
ribs.
The electric . light company is
placing lights in St. James' Church
in town.
Mr. S. A. Dickson goes to Toron-
to on Monday to take a position
IA' a law office there and to attend
lectures.
The Broadfoot & Box Furniture
Company is preparing to erect a
large addition to their warehouse
on Main St.
Master Frank Sills returned to
Sandwich on Monday last to re-
sume his studles in Assumption
College, after spending 'his holi-
days at his home here,
.On Wednesday afternoon last
Merrer Bros.' evaporating factory
at Zurich was burned to the
ground. It started In one of the
rooms and in 20 minutes' was a
total loss.
Miss P. Hatton, of Owen Sound,
has been engaged by J. W. Or't-
wein, Hensall, as his milliner for
this seasoifi.
Mr, F. Gutteridge has a large
force of men at work on the new
granolithic sidewalk on Main St.
The track on the new driving
park is now com-pleted,. 'The work
Was done under the hand of, Mr.
Qeo. Murray and he has made a
s»"sendid job of it. It Will be the
bust halt -mile track in the province.
W'eptek .'0100raity, irondon, when:
t't Opens' til month, We wish her -
continued aaceese Z.ur'ieh Herald„
Fell Devito Cellar -Steps
Mrs. laeorge Grilehrlet, coneesaieni
4, Kinloss, suffered Severe injuries
and facial illieeratioli a when she
tripped and fell" down the cellar
steps at her hgnhe white carrying
a load of tireserving ueai$Fs• id's,
Giilchrist upas taken to Winghanr
General Hospital where 30 •etjtq es
were required to close facial, outs;•
She also suffered a. fractured nose,.
fractured wrist and; broken fingers.
--Wingham AtivaneeTi►ftes.
Staffa Dairy Wins Prizes
With most of the prizes going to
Western Canada, Hibbert Co-oper-
ative Dairy of Staffa, with Harvey
Leslie as manager, maintained
their record for the finest of but-
ter when tey took the special prize
for the best finished pritit of but-
ter and prizes for quality in one -
pound prints and 14,pound June
made boxes at ,+estern Fair.—Mit-
chell Advocate.
Present Medal To Entrance Pupil
Have Sold Farm
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Oswald of:
the Bronson Line South, have dis-
posed- of their farm to Mr. Roman:
Meidinger of Kitchener, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Alfred Meidinger. Pos-
session
ossession will be given Nov. 1. Mr,
and Mrs. Oswald intend, to have an'
auction sale on 'Sept. 28 and intend'
to reside in Zurich with the lat-
ter's mother, Mrs. Makt'tin Wurm.
We will welcome thexh and wish,
them health to enjoy theft retire
ment. Zurich Herald:
Brie Honored Prior Iv Marriage^
Prior to her marriage on S•atur=
day to Mr. Mackenzie Graham
Hodgert, of Exeter, Miss Helen
Howatt was the honored guest at
several happy events to honor the'
occasion. At the Londesboro Coma
munity Hall the- neighbors of tlie`•
13th concession of Hullett gather-
ed for an enjoyable evening of
crokinole. Helen was the recipient
of a beautiful electrical Aladdin '
table lamp and chesterfield table.
Lunch was served. Helen was also
the recipient of many -lovely gifts
when friends and neighbors of tlie
Boundary met at her home. An ad
dress was read by Jean Glousher,
to which Helen replied, suitably.—
Blyth Standard.
Chosen Miss Western. Ontario
A former Dashwood girl, Edith
Spicer, was chosen "Miss Western
Ontario" for 1949 at a beauty con-
test held in Windsor last Thursday
night. Chosen from among a field'
of twenty-two contestants from all
parts of the Western Ontario dis-
trict, blonde,. blue-eyed Edith won'
the plaudits of a jam-packed crowd
of nearly 25;000 who witnessed the'
event. The shortest contestant
(five feet one inch), she entered'
the contest as "Miss Oxford Coun-
ty," having recently received that
honor as a native of Thamesford;
(ten miles east of London), where
her family lives. She works in
London as a hairdresser. The Spic-
er family, eleven in all, formerly
lived in the converted hotel at Sar-
epta, one and a quarter miles east
of Dashwood. Edith attended Dash-
wod public and Exeter high schools
while she was' there. Her father,
R. C. Spicer was a poultry rancher
and market gardener. — Exeter
Times -Advocate.
A former resident and teacher
of Wingham public school, Mrs.
Marion Inglis McPhail, of Gode-
rich, has arranged for an annual
presentation of a gold medal to
the pupil in Wingham public school
receiving the highest standing on
the year's work. The medal will
be known as the "Marion Ing-
lis Medal." — Wingham Advance
Times.
Hurt At Planning Mill
Mr. Henry Flaxbard met with a
very painful accident last Saturday
afternoon at the Kalbfleisch Mills,
While working at a saw a sharp
sliver of a board hit him in the
back of the hip, penetrating a
nasty deep gash. Medical aid was
given at once by Dr. P. J. O'Dwyer.
Mr. Flaxbard is confined to his
home and is progressing favorab-
ly. His many friends wish him a
speedy recovery.—Zurich Herald.
Trip To Quebec
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Klopp, Lorne
and Lloyd Klopp hada most pleas-
ant trip to Trois Pistoles, Quebec,
where the former's daughter, Miss'
Marjorie had been attending sum-
mer school in conversational
French for about seven weeks. She
returned home with them and in-
tends to follow 'her studies at
School Reading
(By E. K. Brown in the Winnipeg Free Press)
As schools reopen I have been
thinking of the meagre results of
the literary study that goes on in
them. Year after year a boy or
girl is required to read books or
parts of books that most people
think valuable and interesting, and
that some of us think as valuable
and interesting as anything on
earth.
The teaching is done by people
who have studied these works, or
works sufficiently like them, un-
der the best instructors, and have
also studies how to teach. But
does the boy or girl at the end of
his years of schooling go on read-
ing books like those he read in
class?
The answer is to be found in tae
absence of bookstores in all hut
the largest -cities, and in the selec-
tion of books in the few stores
that ccntrive to keep going.
Hopeful people say that at leant
the schools encourage the "read-
ing habit." No doubt they do. The
reading habit is so widespread that
it can be regarded as a trait of our
civilization. But I do not see that
the fact a person reads is a result
that anyone can crow over. Mat-
thew Arnold was quite right—'and
he spoke from years of contact
with schools and children—when
he said that perhaps no time was
more completely a 'waste than that
given to aimless hurried readiig.
One of our mistakes is in not
understanding that literature is an
art. An understanding of a work
of art can be imparted only by
some one who feels it.
No one should be permitted to
teach literature unless he has
shown his understanding of it as
an art. No one else can make the
teaching of a book an experience.
Older readers will recall editions
of Shakespeare intended not for
research scholars but for school-
children in which the notes filled
more pages than the text, and the
notes were not primarily aids to
understanding the art of Shake-
speare, but learned divagations on
+amds, sources, historical allusions.
Those editions were prepared by
people who did not have much un-
derstanding of Shakespeare's art.
They were chosen byadministra-
tors who had even less. They were
taught by instructors who were
better than the administrators, no
doubt, and perhaps no worse than.
the editors, but not good enough
for their job.
No wonder the boy or girl ex -
Posed to that sort of approach to
Shakespeare was turned against
the "late Swan" for the rest of his
life, or most of it.
Recently there has been a turn
towards books that are more like-
ly to appeal to the student. But
this is no certain gain. Often the
books selected are not in any real
literature, but merely ephemeral
printed matter.
What I should recommend is
that we appreciate that this is an
unpoetic age. The greatest writers
of our century are not poets, but
novelists, dramatists, biographers,
historians.
This is not a:n accident: and in
choosing books, or parts of books
for study in school we should re-
duce the proportion of poetry and
make sure that among the works
of prose there are some of the-
very
hevery best things in the language,
ancient and modern. ,
These great works of prose are
no less artistic than' our greatest
poetry, although anyone who is
devoted to literature will probably
draw nlost pleasure and insight
from the poets. But a school course
that finds its centre in the great
novels, prose playa, biographies.
and histories, some of them the•
work of men still living, is more
likely to persuade a boy or a girl
to go on reading after he is on his
own.
Who knows? Perhaps we might
have a book series of our own, and
it might be profitable. The schools.
have ,the key to the problem. But
who has the key to the schools?'
School Lunch Is
A Vital Problem
One of the most important items,
of the fall school opening, and one
of the countless worries it brings•
to the homemaker, Is the prepara-
tion of school lunches. Not only
do the lunch-toters demand varie-
ty, but they must also have nutri-
tious food.
The Consumer Section of the
Dominion Department of Agricul-
ture suggests each school lunch
contain mills; some meat, fish,
eggs, dried beans or peanfit butter;
a vegetable or fruit, or other
breads, fats, or sweets to round It
out.
If the school child cannot buy
milk at school or where Iunch is
eaten, include it as milk, soup or
cocoa in a• thermos. The 'home
economists of the Department sug-
gest milk fit puddings can be taken
along in a small mayonnaise Jars
or waxedi paper containers, but be
sure the lid is on tight!
To handle the demand for varie-
ty, praduce Odd "designs in sand-
wiches—cut them with cookie cut-
ters
utters or like jigsaw puzzles. Try a'
new tiller once in a while.
The Mackenzie River is the'
longest river in Canada, although
it rands only fourteenth in the-
sense
he
sense works of art. 'They are not,1>tolith
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