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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1955-02-11, Page 2HURON EXPOSITOR Established 1860 Published at Seaforth, Ontario, every Thursday morning by McLean Bros. A. Y. McLean, Editor Member of Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association. PHONE 41 Authorized as Second Class Mail Post Office Department. Ottawa SEAFORTH, Friday, February 11 Farm Income Means More Jobs No matter how aware we may be of certain truths, it seems it is nec-, essary to remind ourselves from time to time because otherwise hu- man nature being what it is, we would soon forget. It was .for this realn then, we were glad to see a farm Ieader speak out recently and remind the public of the relation between farm income and city jobs. The speaker was W. B. Rettie, of Fergus, retiring chair- man of the Ontario Cream Produc- ers' Marketing Board, who appealed to city workers to join the farmer in his struggle for improvements in agriculture, since such improvements would be to the benefit of both. "When the farmer's income starts to dwindle," said Mr. Rettie, "he buts off as long as possible the buying of a new car, truck, tractor, combine, or even shoes. "And, since the farmer provides the market for a good percentage of these products, the effect is soon felt in industrial centres. When the farmer's buying slackens, it isn't long until industrial workers find themselves faced with layoffs." There is no doubt that the average city worker realizes the extent to which he depends on the farmer for his food. There will be fewer, how- ever, who realize the relation be - between jobs and the farm. Mr. Ret - tie's warning will do much to remind the public the extent to which 'the farmer's welfare affects the national economy. On the Farm The extent to which programs de- signed to provide farm youth with a greater appreciation of activities of the community at large have re- sulted in an apparent change in the way in which these same young peo- ple regard a career on the farm, is scorning increasingly apparent. Not only have the programs had the ef- fect of indicating the place which farm youth should occupy in the community, they also have shown how an increased knowledge can make possible a more productive ex- istence. The Rural Scene, noting the chang- ed situation, has this to say: "The best farm youth of Canada are de- veloping themselves through con- 4structive competition and intelligent co-operation in their own activities which comes to public attention through local, provincial and nation- al fairs. "The betterment of farm people and farm life is the objective of these capable, self-reliant young folk who are employing science and intelli- gence to increase their rewards by better production and greater co- operation. "Building a better life and improv- ing their environment are personal and co-operative achievements. As they apply the lessons learned through participation in agricultur- al and home projects, they discover the possibilities of free personal growth. They are planning their own futures and forming the future of Canadian agriculture as they Make individual progress on their home farms. They are learning that it requires unusual intelligence to earn the unequalled rewards of farm life lived to the full" - WHAT OTHER PAPERS SAY: seriously enough to adopt it. Across the border something is being done about it. A New York State senator has introduced legislation requiring safety belts and pads in all cars and trucks used in the State. It will be interesting to note which way this bill goes. .CHEESE WITH YOUR APPLE. PIE (Ottawa Journal) This is not a new issue, but it is good to see that in all this talk of aggression and defence and nuclear weapons such a basic question as how to get cheese with your pie is not being overlooked. A correspon- dent of another newspaper puts the whole thing neatly: "When you go to a restaurant you can find a pretty good piece of pie, but to find a piece of cheese to accompany that pie is another matter." ' Pie, and especially apple pie, with- out cheese, is like bacon without eggs or coffee without cream, but hosts of people still have to make themselves familiar with this culin- , ary refinement. One might say that a good apple pie is cookery's finest flower, but add a slab .of good cheese and it becomes clear that even the lily can be gilded. Any pie is improved by the addi- tion of a bit of cheese, but it is 'true that some are more adaptable than others to this treatment There is something rugged about cheese which might seem to clash with the frivolous and unsubstantial type of pie that goes under the name of chif- fon. A juicy berry pie paints the cheese in unfamiliar purple, it may be, though the flavor remains. But the blend of apple pie and cheese is perfection itself: there is harmony in the color scheme as well as in the taste and each of them in the pres- ence and co-operation of the other comes to its true glory. SAFETY BELTS (St. Catharines Standard) "lacing safety elts and crash pads in ears is a good idea. In fact, it has been widely advocated for some time, t automobile manufacturers do hp. ear to take the suggestions-- �rr de�elo ed in trade o�rna l — f lir� j. ONE WORLD WORD: OK (From the Aramco World) There was a time when one word enjoyed the distinction of being the same in any language and in any country and that was the French originated "passport". While this still holds true (even the Russians use it), it is now sharing its distinc- tion with a fine old American term, "OK" The sands of Arabia, the deserts of Egypt, the South Sea Islands—no place has remained aloof from OK's encroachment. Possibly American -soldiers did much to further its use in the places where they served dur- ing World War II. All of Europe knows it. People of remote villages in the east, as well as those in the larger cities, have incorporated it in their vocabularies, and children and their elders alike use it with a free and authentic in- flection. Perhaps to many an American bent on presenting our cultural stan- dards abroad, the prevalence of OK, as well as the addiction to that other all-American institution, chewing gum, has caused sincere wincing of the soul and spirit. But it is a flex- ible, useful little word that adapts well to the moods and attitudes of many different people. Best of all, OK has a charm all its own that is essentially American and introduces, wherever it is used, a typical relaxed American freedom from anything strait laced or pom- pous. And where did the term OK orig- inate? rig- inate? One legendhas it that it probably o sprang from the Choctawp Indian language where oke or hoke means "Yes, it is". Another story relates that Andrew Jackson, as a youth, was employed marking boxes for a shipper, and could not grapple with the spelling of "all correct" which was supposed to clear each shipment. So he abbreviated it to OK. Still another source is attributed to the OK club, a Democratic organ- ization of the last century. The club was supporting President Martin Van Buren in 1840 for re-election. This president was born in Old Kin- derhook, N.Y., hence the initials of his supporting faction. To an American far from home, the term has a reassuring sound. Wherever in the world he is, when he hears OK he knows that there is room for international understand- ing. He also feels, in a way, that OK achieves what linguists have defined to be the fundamental requirements of an international language .�d TIt? UURON EXPOSITOR SEEN IN THE COUNTY PAPERS May Organize Spotter Group Organization of an aircraft ob- servation group in Exeter as part of the civil defence program is being considered by the Exeter Legion. Similar groups have been organized in the district. The Leg- ion recently donated $50 towards the expenses of the New York City trip being planned by South Hur- on District High School. — Exeter Times -Advocate. Wages Set For Town Employees Wages for town employees were set by council meeting in special session last Friday night. The road foreman receives no increase, but receives two weeks' vacation with pay. Assistant to the foreman works 46.5 hours per week at $40, and one remains on call over the weekend. The janitor is to receive $40 per week, assist in caring for the Community Par, — Clinton News -Record. Breaks Hip in Fall Mrs. George Stewart, Bruce St., was taken to Victoria Hospital in London for treatment last Satur- day after she slipped on a floor at her home and suffered a brok- en hip. Mrs. Stewart, who lives alone, was resting on the chester- field when the doorbell rang. When she got up to answer the bell, she slipped on the living room floor, but was able to call the visitors, who came to her as- sistance.—Goderich Signal -Star. Car Plates To Be Purchased Clinton Fire Brigade at their regular monthly meeting on Mon- day evening re-elected their offi- cers for another year. Identifica- tion plates that will be attached to the license plates of cars belong- ing to the members of the com- pany will be purchased. The plates are resigned to help police who are directing traffic near a fire to identify firemen's cars and so aid them in traffic. Chief Rath was directed to purchase the plates as soon as a supplier could be contacted. — Clinton News -Re- cord. Hospital To Discuss Action A special joint meeting of the Wingham General Hospital board and the board's publicity commit- tee was held at the hospital on Friday night to discuss the future role of the publicity committee. During the past two ,years the publicity committee has been ac- tive in raising money for the new hospital wing under the pro -rata scheme. Several members of the committee felt that their job has been completed since the var- ious municipalities in the hospital area agreed to underwrite the pro - rata scheme with payments to the hospital building fund.—Wingham Advance -Times. Huron Jobless Up 19 Per Cent Number of unemployed- in Hur- on is up about 19 per cent over Iast year, J. D. McLeod, manager of the Goderich office of the National Employment Service said Tuesday. Total on claim as of January 31 is 735, compared to 619 last year. This year's figure includes 541 male and 70 female. Mr. McLeod said he expected that the construction industry will speed up quite a bit in the near future in Goderich and Clinton, Some of the unemployment is a result of the strike at the Ford plants as quite a number of the feeder plants had to lay off. These will probably be called back soon. —Exeter Times -Advocate. Cash Proposal Out Proposal of the South Huron District High School Boars] to pay cash instead of issuing debentures for construction of an addition, has been quashed by the Ontario government. The province, which pays 75 per cent of the costs of high school construction, said it could not afford to pay this amount in a lump sum. It con- tributed grants over the period of the debenture issue. Board Chair- man C.'S. MacNaughton made the announcement to the board. He interviewed the Department of Ed- ucation last week on the proposal. If the government approved the scheme, the board intended to interview municipalities to see if they were willing to raise their share of the costs during the next two years.—Exeter Times -Advo- cate. Says $600,000 Provided in Budget One of the largest amounts in several years, $600,000 for harbor repairs at Goderich, is provided in. Federal Government estimates for the 1955-56 fiscal year tabled in the House of Commons. The amount includes $206,500 voted by Ottawa a year ago, but not spent. Included in the work proposed by the Engineering Branch of the De- partment of Public Works are re- pairs to the north breakwater, re- construction of 640 feet of the south pier in steel sheet piling, and tied back sheet wall, 700 feet in length, in front of the harbor wall, and dredging. According to the estimates, the government in- tends to spend $2,124,000 in harbor and wharf imrrnvements at West- ern Ontario r' ts. The amount to be spent here is t!:e largest. Also included in the estimates is a vote of $38,000 for extension of a re- taining waII at Bayfield.—Goderich Signal -Star. Agricultural Society Elects At the annual meeting of the Blyth Agricultural Society, held in the Memorial Hall, Blyth, on Monday afternoon, William Gow, of Auburn, was elected to succeed Simon P. Hallahan as president of the society. The complete list of officers are as follows: president, William Gow; past president, S. P. Hallahan; first vice, Wallace Bell; second vice, Walter Scott; secretary -treasurer, Mrs. Jean Berthot; directors: Bruce Falcon- er, Archie Young, Orval McGow- an, George Watt, James Coultes, Keith Webster, James Walpole, A. Bacon and Bill Taylor; honorary directors, Gilbert Nethery, Harry Sturdy, Orval Taylor; auditor, Frank Tamblyn.. ..Various com- mittees will bet set up at a direc- tors' meeting to be held at a later date. The election of officers was presided over by Harold Baker, assistant agricultural representa- tive.—Blyth Standard. Council Refuses Requests In special session Iast Friday night, Clinton Council refused a request for a raise in wages to the town's constables, and voted six to–two in favor of an earlier agreement which lowers the per hour wage (approximately) seven cents. The motion made by Depu- ty Reeve Burton Stanley' and sec- onded by Reeve Mel. Crich, stat- ed "having due consideration to the general wages in Clinton, the increase in the overall casts for the police department in the Last • five years and the mill rate in Clinton be it resolved that the wages and conditions as set out in the letter to the police constables on January 1.4, be adhered to." These conditions stipulate that the annual wage of $2,450 per man be raised $50; that each member of the force maintain a telephone in his residence at his own expense; , that the three men give complete 24-hour a day protection to the town; two weeks holidays with pay; each man on duty to be in the office when not patrolling the streets. The agreement setting forth these conditions had ,been handed to the constables with the i request that they either sign the agreement, or resign. — Clinton News -Record. CROSSROADS (By JAMES SCOTT) THOSE HEAVY DRINKERS For a long time now I hdve been somewhat disturbed by the ac- counts which I keep reading about of how our forefathers had a tre- mendous capacity for alcohol in almost any form you could imag- ine—and in quite a few concoctions which you might never even dream about. As far as the pio- neer records go, there is no doubt whatsoever that grog—in copious quantities—was present at every celebration and gathering of any kind, except church and prayer meeting. At any bee or barn rais- ing or dance or social meeting, the whiskey flowed like water and our ancestors drank it down by the tumblerful. The taverns were at every cross- roads and they all had a bar. When a pioneer wanted to be hospitable he usually .passed the refreshment around by the bucketful and his guests ladelled out their potions by the dipperful. This is what the records say, and yet Well, I know that it is quite likely that we are not the men our forebears were, but somehow I have always been a lit- tle suspicious of those mighty draughts which the men of yore were supposed to consume. It has always seemed to me to be in- credible that the heroic men who tamed this vast wilderness manag- ed to do it on a diet of raw whis- key. It just doesn't seem to be physically possible. But now at long last, the mys- stery has now, cleared up. I hate to tell about this because with it will go a legend which has been long in the annals of Canadian pio- neer life, but there comes a time when the record must be kept straight. My friend and fellow writer, Merrill Denison, has been busy these past few years writing the history of the MoIson family since it came to Canada in 1786. As many a tippler knows, the Molsons have been making beer for Cana- dians ever since but not so many realize that during the nineteenth ial�at�w, �; liau century they were also one of the largest distillers in the country. Naturally, if one is writing about the history of a distillery, he is going to look into how things were in the early days. Merrill Denison went right back to the very beginning of whiskey -making in this country and he discovered a remarkable thing. He found out that what our ancestors called whiskey was not the same thing at all as what we know by the same name today. In actual fact, whiskey is a rel- atively new kid of drink. As late as just one hundred years ago there was no standard process for making the stuff. The usual thing was simply to distill some alcohol from some kind of cereal mash and to add any flavor to suit. There were absolutely no regulations which specified the percentage of alcohol which went into whiskey inthose days at all. Working back through the Mol - son's records, Mr. Denison began to do a little mental arithmetic. According to his calculations—and they look accurate—the product called whiskey which our fore- fathers drank, was just about the same potency as what today we would call a fortified wine. Since the Molsons were in open competition with all the other dis- tillers of the country, and since they were one of the biggest, it is only reasonable to conclude that the whiskey which they made would be just about the same strength as that which was made by everybody else. In other words, the plain truth of the matter is that if one of our so-called hard -drinking forebears was to take a swig of the stuff which is on sale today, he would probably be knocked for a loop. I must say that this has shaken me considerably. There goes an- other long -cherished myth but, just the same, I'm glad to know that the men who settled the Hur- on Tract Were not a bunch of soaks after all. YEARS AGONE Interesting Items Picked from The Huron Expositor of 25 and 50 Years Ago. From The Huron Expositor February 14, 1930 Mr. Clifford Broadfoot, Bruce• field, has purchased the garage business from Mr. L. Forrest. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Adams, Constance, have installed a new radio. Miss Mildred Hillborn, Blyth, went to Kitchener on Monday to attend the golden wedding cele- bration of her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hillborn. She will also visit her sister, Mrs. A. Lak- ing, of Freelton, before returning. Austin Dilling, west of Hensall, is stopping with his sister, Mrs. Maurice Quance, while attending the short course on machinery, etc., being held in the Town Hall, Exeter, this week. Milton Brock, a farmer who lives east of Exeter, near Zion, has a flock of 450 White Leghorn pul- lets, from which he has been get- ting from nine to eleven dozen eggs per day. This is considered good from a young flock for this season of the year. Miss Jean Barbour, Staffa, spent the weekend with her sister, Mrs. William Drake, Stratford. Mrs. Andrew McLellan, Staffa, is visiting her daughter, Mrs. R. Buttonham, in Hamilton. Messrs. Richard and Daniel Kinsman, of the West, arrived in Chiselhurst on Saturday, bringing with them two carloads of horses and a carload of cattle. Mr. Percy Manning, Londesboro, purchased two very fine cattle from Mr. Frank Wood last week. Miss Anna Love, of Hillsgreen, spent a few days recently with her brother, Mr. Stanley Love, of near Kippen. 1fr. William Jarrott, Hillsgreen, is attending the threshermen's convention in London. Mr. and Mrs. Henry McGavin. celebrated the 66th anniversary of their marriage on Saturday, Feb. 8, at their home in Tuckersmith. Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Hess, of Hensall, are spendingo the week with relatives and friends in Zur- ich. Mrs. Hess is assisting at the home of Mrs. Gertrude Hess, who is seriously ill at present. The latter celebrated her 87th birth- day on Monday and received the good wishes of her many friends. Miss Eileen Eckert, of Manley, left Monday for Oakville to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Eckert. Mrs. Hugh McEwen, Hensall, left on Thursday for an extended trip to the West Indies and South America, sailing from New York on Tuesday on the C.P.R. steam- er, Duchess of Bedford. Mrs. Mc- Ewen expects to be away about six weeks. Miss Byrl Ashton, of Gorrie, has been visiting her sister, Mrs. E. A. Radford, in Walton, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Stapleton and babe, of Marden, spent Sunday with Mrs. M. Meagher and other friends in Dublin. • FEBRUARY 11, 1955 CANADA'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS (Some weeks ago editorial refer- ence was made to a Royal Bank News Letter which discussed the part the weekly newspaper plays in its community. Queries receiv- ed suggested a wide interest in the subject, and for this reason the New Letter is now being re- printed in full.) Canada has 963 weekly news- papers, with a combined circula- tion of 2,475,140. Some distribute a few hundred copies every week, while others have circulation in the thousands. Singly or taken to- gether, these weekly newspapers have a great influence on the thought and action of our people. Everybody, in a sense, lives two lives, one in a small and the other in a great circle. He belongs by birth or choice to various intimate groups, like his family, bis neigh- borhood, and his cluster of friends. He is also a member of the whole society of Canada, and he is liv- ing within an interdependent sys- tem of nations. The weekly news- paper belongs to his intimacy. It is not safe to generalize about newspaper, because of the wide difference in the thoroughness with which newspapers fulfil their function. We are not without jour- nals that debase public taste and warp public opinion. It can be said, however, that the majority of Canadian weekly newspapers conscientiously maintain the high- est standards. Every newspaper is at one and the same time a business enter- prise on which the owner and his family depend for their daily bread and an agency of mass communi- cation bearing public responsibil- ity. In this land, where the press has freedom under the law, the weekly newspapers discharge their public functions with credit to themselves and benefit to the country. The average paper represented in the Canadian Weekly News- paper Association, said William H. Cranston, publisher of the Midland Free Press Herald, in- an article he wrote for. The Financial Post last August, covers 82 per cent- of the homes in its trading area, has a net paid circulation of under 1,500 copies a week, and is pro- duced by a staff of fewer than ten. The staff usually includes the owner, who may be publisher, edi- tor, printing foreman, advertising salesman and general caretaker combined. There are few millionaires among the 535 publishers who are members of the C.W.N.A., but every weekly newspaper repres- ents a respectable amount of capi- tal for the size of its town. It is, usually, a family enterprise with strong bonds of community loyal- ty. Mr. Cranston pointed out that 95 per cent of editors of weekly, twice -weekly and tri -weekly news- papers had served one or more terms as president of the local Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade; 45 per cent had been mayor or reeve, or had held other high elective office; 97 per cent were members of a service club, and 90 per -cent had served as club president. From The Huron Expositor February 10, 1905 Mr. John Arnold, Beechwood, is suffering from a bad case of blood poisoning. It got quite a start be- fore medical aid was summoned. The patient is suffering greatly, but we hope to hear soon of an improvement. Mr. John Holla.rid, Beechwood3ois fitting up the shop for chopping and grinding and will be ready shortly, He guarantees to give the best satisfaction. Mr. John Dale, of the Huron Road, near Clinton, has let the contract for the building of a new residence to Mr. S. S. Cooper, of Clinton. Messrs. Richmond, of Blyth, have obtained a patent for their combined cutting and threshing machine. Mr. Samuel Carter, Brussels, has purchased the house and lot on Elizabeth St. from Robert Ander- son, paying $350 for it. Mr. Robert McMillan, of Kin - burn, visited Mr. J. King, Blue - vale, last week. Mr. McMillan was on his way up north to speak at a Farmers' Institute meeting. Mr. Richard Wright, of Seaforth, imerly of Hensall, has been spending the past week or so with relatives in Hensall. The people of Hensall are pleas- ed to see that Mr. Bernard Thom- son, who got his leg so painfully bruised while teaming some weeks ago, through an accident, is get- ting around nicely and like Dr. Chesney, is almost ready for a foot race. Floy Edwards, Bayfield, met with a painful accident on Friday morning last. Just as she was ready to leave for home, she slip- ped on the "airway, falling three or four steps, two other girls fall- ing with her, with the result that her leg was broken. Mrs. H. Stelck, of Blake;last week sent us her 34th renewal subscription to The Expositor. This is the kind of friends we like. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Chesney, of Cartwright, Man., who have been visiting friends in Seaforth and vicinity for several weeks, left for their home on Tuesday. Mr. Chesney has a large farm adjoin- ing the village of Cartwright. He has been in Manitoba for 13 years. Mr. John Ketehen, administra- tor, of Brucefield, has disposed of the farm on the second concession of Stanley, belonging to the estate of the late Thomas Penfound, to Mr. S. Thompson, Jr., of the Town- ship of Hay, for the sum of $5,100. Inspector Robb, Brussels, con- templates building three new resi- dences at the south end of his ter- race during the coming summer, and is now asking for tenths. Editor Bradwin, Blyth, who at- tended the printers' Convention at Toronto last week, was elected as- sistant secretary -treasurer. Mr. Bradtvin takes a great interest hi this association, and we have no doubt before long he will be ap- pointed president. Community Worth In a world where the quiet, in- timate, stable pattern of the small community has been so severely shaken, Canada is fortunate in the manner of her growth. Throughout our development, from isolated farms to clusters of hous- es in villages serving wide farm- ing areas, and then on to towns and a few cities, we have manag- ed to keep one foot on the soil. For a time people flowed from rural communities to the cities. This response to industrial evolu- tion built crowded urban centres that have exploded during the past ten years particularly, into myriad suburban satellites, each with its own interests, prides and headaches. Reconstitution of the small (ace- to -face community can be of sig- nificant assistance in restoring a vigorous sense of human dignity and worth. There is no other en- vironment that can nourish the intimate values of life and the acts of sympathy and mutual aid and the warm appreciation of person- ality that together go to make up the spirit of democracy. It is the small community that gives root and reality to what Canada does in the world of nations. The weekly newspaper has its home in such a community. Its readers are not anonymous crea- tures in great impersonal aggre- gations, but the people in the next house, or the next street, known and understood. The weekly newspaper knows that its great strength lies in get- ting itself read. To make itself widely readable the press must be free, and to he free it must be self-supporting financially. Much has been written about "freedom of the press'. Those who think , without hysteria. realize freedom is not an end in if 'but a means to the end of free society. Where men cannot freely convey their thoughts to one another, no other liberty is secure. A "kept" press has abdicated its function and its privilege of informing truthfully and advising honestly. It can be said that on the whole the weekly press of Canada re- alizes its social responsibility, has maintained itself financially and economically so as to be able to withstand official or other inter- ested pressure, and does its best to use its freedom actively in the interests of its community. The weekly newspaper does not, as a rule, lose itself in political or other controversy, but rather seeks to bridge the.gap between the citi- zen and his government by direct- ing its public service enthusiasm at positive benefits to be sought. Improvement of health and living standards, preservation and util- ization of natural resources, de- velopment of its neighborhood ac- cording to the superior qualities it has: these are domains in which the weekly press • makes its con- structive contributions. Revenue From Advertising So that it may publish its news and opinions free from the neces- sity to eater to some institti'tional or economic power, the weekly netwapaper needs to sell advextss• ing space. As a medium, a good" Weekly paper provides a unique way of reaching the public quick- ly, with thorough coverage of the market, and with undoubted value for the dollar cost. Advertising rates in the weeklies are low. They are based, mainly, on steady use of good-sized space by local advertisers. You can buy an advertisement ten inches deep and two columns wide for an av- erage of $11 per insertion. Some, of the larger papers - published weekly, twice • weekly and three times a week, associated as the "Class A Newspapers of Canada", have been cultivating the national advertising market, and 58 of them carried a total of 18 million lines of national display advertis- ing last year. In the same period there appeared in their columns more than 200 million lines of lo- cal retail advertising. (In news- paper measurement there are about 14 "lines" to the inch, one column wide, so these totals re- present more than 1,285,000 and 14,285,000 column -inches respec- tively. Use of the weekly newspapers for advertising has been growing steadily, not only among local merchants but among' concerns that advertise in all parts of the country. These national advertis- ers are realizing that the good coverage given local tradesmen would be equally good for them. This is not to say that the week- ly press is something new, but on- ly that it is entering upon a new era, with advertisers and their agents showing new appreciation of its worth. The first newspaper published in Canada was the Hali- fax Gazette, dated March 23, 1752, and the first paper printed entire- ly in French was Le Canadien of November 22, 1806. The years be- tween those two dates and today have witnessed a satisfying growth in the number and quality of our newspapers. What is News? There is no unanimous agree- ment among newspapermen on a definition of news, and when acad- emic people and philosophers add their opinions the confusion be- comes compounded. For any editor, what is news depends upon the time and the place and the people involved and the significance of what happens, all viewed through the eyes and from the environment of his read- ers. If something occurs at the other side of the world that vital- ly affects the lives of people in a 200 -person Canadian village, that is news, and the weekly paper will try to extend its readers' kl}owl- edge by showing the relationship. There is, however, a further fac for to be considered: timeliness. The editor of a weekly that is pub- lished on Thursday knows that the events of last Friday were report- ed in the daily press, by radio and perhaps on television. They may Y, even have appeared by now in theme news reels. While not ignoring the unlikely fact that some of his read- ers do not see television, news reels, or daily newspapers and do• not listen to the radio news, the editor will avoid loading his col- umns with old news, important though it may be. An alert editor knows how to get around this difficulty, as can be seen in every issue et' a good weekly newspaper. He cannot avoid mention of a declaration of war, the assassination of .a presi- dent. the destruction of part of a city by flood. These are news, and nothing any newspaperman can do will alter the fact. The thing to do is to take the news and relate it. to the people in the territory cov- ered by the weekly newspaper. What effect will these events, have upon local life, economically and socially? How are community in-. stitutions affected? What local families and individuals have been caught up in the event? Answers to these questions make the far- off happening o1' last Friday news here today. Another thing known to the alert editor of a live weekly is that he cannot sit in his office waiting for news to come to him. A news story doesn't just happen. It de- pends upon organization of sourc- es, on looking ahead so as to an- ticipate coming events, on prepar- ing questions that will bring out the covert implications, on plan- ning the routine connected with. publication so that fitting atten- tion may be given some unexpect- ed event near deadline. He is a wise editor who recog- nizes and caters to the everyday interests of his readers in addition to satisfying their curiosity - about unexpected happenings and "big" local events. For example, he will give space and deserved promin- ence to regulations designed tot prevent loss of life, to articles be believes will contribute to the bet- terment of living conditions and the spread of happiness. He will not ignore so commonplace a thing as the weather, but he will try to make it interesting by informing his readers authoritatively about its current significance in their farming and business prospects: what has the state of the weather during the past week meant to the economy of the community? Local News In Canada, "news" is still large- ly local or regional in character. We inhabit half a continent, and we cannot possibly keep track of everything that is happening ev- erywhere in it. Our interest in what is near and our preoccupa- tion with what is familiar is not parochialism, but a necessity im- posed upon its by conditions. The weekly newspaper, if the editor is a lively, inquisitive person, minis- ters ideally to our needs. People in small communities, whether rural or suburban, have keen interest in whatever they see that is out of the ordinary. The commuter walking home from the train wants to know why the men are digging up the street; he is interested in when the new school will be opened, how long it will provide necessary. accommodation and on what facts and speculation' the council bases its judgment; he is curious about every ckange in his neighborhood? whether i't. is big or little. There is, in fact, no in - (Continued on Page 7) 1