Loading...
The Huron Expositor, 1987-12-23, Page 2••• 40-leizsitor SINCE 1 8 60, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST Incorporating • The Brussels Post Published in Seaforth Ontario Every Wednesday Morning The Expositor N brought to you' each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes, Nell Corbett, Terri -Lynn Dale, Dianne McGrath and Bob McMillan. ED BYRSKI, General Manager, HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor Member• Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc, Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Pres1 Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada '20.00, a year, in advance Senior Citizens • 97.00 a year in advance Outside.Canada '60.00 a year, in advance Single Copies • .50 cents each Second class mail registration Ntimber 0696 . • • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1987 Editorial and Business Offices -10 Main Street, Seaforth Telephone (519) S2T-0240 Address.--P.0.-Box..69—Seafort.11...Ontsulo—NOKAWO The- spirit is there The Irish when they're celebrating St. Patrick's Day, have a saying which goes. something like this: "Today there are only two type of people- those who are Irish and those who wish they were Irish." When Christmas comes around, one can hardly help thinking that many people who aren't Chris- • tians;, or who aren't true believers, wish they were. For sure, many of us lament the fact this commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, isn't what it, used to be. There's too much hustle and bustle. It's become too commercialized. We worry our children, raised as they are on television, are fcicused on the things that can be purchased for them and not on the real spirit of Christmas which comes from giving and sharing rather than from receiving and consuming. Still, we have ohly,to look around us to see the spirit of Christmas, despite the heavy commercialization of the seaons, does shine through. In this area, at least, anyone with a son of daughter in school will know the children are being taught to 'appreciate the meaning of Christmas - through their singing of Christmas songs, through studying and discussing how the season is celebrated in different countries, and through the crafts they do and the skits and pageants they perform. The outpouring of seasonal music, through Seaforth's Main Street P.A. system, the sounds of the area choirs, both youthful and adult - attest to the living spirit of Christmas among us. The giving by high school students of toys and foodstuff to those in need, the annual donations by Service groups, church groups and individuals, to the annual Christmas bureau, and the visitation by still other groups anctin- dividuals to the homebound or the institutionalized all of these indicate we haven't, as a society and as a community, lost touch with what Christmas should be. And we need merely to look within ourselves at this time of yearto know that even amidst all of the distractions and distortions - which are, eerhaps, the inevitable result of our times of plenty - that we can't help but reflect on 'where we stand with respect to our friends, family members and social responsibilities. Christmas, if we let it, can be a reminder the really fulfilling things in life are not, as the mainstream culture would have it, to be found in efficiency, abundance, prestige and power. As the German theologian Hans Kung has written:"The Christian message can make something clear which is apparently not envisaged at all either in the economic theory or in the ,practical scale of values of the modern consumer - and efficiency -oriented society—(that) it makes sense not to be always striving, not always to be trying to have everything; not to be governed by the laws of prestige and competition; not to take part in the cult of abundance..." While we take time to contemplate the significance and meaning of the humble birth of Christ some 2,000 years ago - and the essence of the teaching about him which has been passed since then, we might do well to think about the relevance today of poverty in spirit, in Kung's words "In- • ward freedom from pocsessions (and) contented unpretentiousness as a basic attitude: FROM THIS ANGLE by Patrick Raftis Even the politicians are singing Christmas is a wonderful season. Everyyear at this Hine, people put aside their differences, overlook Minor • an- noyances, make special efforts to be extra pleasant and generally maintain a more theeful outlook on life. Part of the reasim•for this, aside from the basic festive nature of the season, is that at Christmas time the eh. around us abounds with the sound of Yuletide music. I mean, how could anyone manage to keep a frown on their face when everywhere they go, somewhere in the background they hear the sound Of Bing Crosby singing Whitt Christmas, or some choir or other doing Silver Bella? It s lint:log.4We. - The only problems with the conatant stream of carols and don't, get rile "Wong; love 'em is that they're the same ones every year, without fail. Some Of these songs apparently date back centaries. They're still greet Sega, htittorrie of then could use some updating. And so, without hirthet ado (or aderift).. GOOD KINGBRIAN (To the trine of GocidlCing Wenceslaa) Good King Brian once did frown,. Oh the Gallup pollsters, "The Voters, they with me clisent, Now I trail Ed Broadbent?" "Never inind that," Riegritan said, Free Trade, it is Craning, That piek Our party iipt And se -Ye you froth a dirt/Ming." "But what if Reagan does not Sign? While he is still the president. • Will 1 still Live at &Wet &Me? Or Will it. be that Breariberit? See that I Maui? Sartre catchy ttilit, but with characters a Mtn incirefeOghitable, Let's try again. GOD REST YOU WALL STREET DENTLEMEN (To the tune of C;ed Rest Yon Merry Gentlemen) God rest you Wall Street Gentlemen, Expenses you'll defray, Just because the market bottomed out, Shouldn't turn your feet tb clay. You brokers all have made a buck, • More than you like to gay, When all the trading started up, It was your ludky day. So what if a few sands lost their shirts? Along with their life tailings, "The tomputers' Milk, it was" you Den't litter: to their reVings. Sell than shares of IBM, Since the crash, the price dropped some, Tell them that very soon, you think, The stock WM split up two for one. JOY TO TiE WORLD (TO the tune 4:130. te the World. What else?) Joy to the werld, Glasta hag come,_ • And with it, Mikhafl and Resit:, They Caine to see dennicrecy, Was all that it's cracked up to be. . , And sign a finagle treaty, And sign a missile freitty, And Sigh, yes digit, 11511151110 treaty. Yet While the deal was signed, The Persian Gulf was Mined, And the fighting still geed on, Until all the bombs are gone, So keep Working on it Ron. Turn to page 17 • It's Christmas time so soon I'm feeling a bit like Scrooge these days, and I don't know why. For some reason or. another I'm really finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit for more than an hour or two at a time. It seems unfathomable to me that Christmas, that day I've been plan ning and preparing for for some time now, will arrive in three short days. I still feel as _though I'm programmed for a more distant time of arrival. Either that or all the pre- planning caused my Christmas spirit to peak too early, and I'm now suffering the post-Cluistmas blues, again too early. But, maybe that's because I've still got quite a bit to do before I'm ready for the big event, or at least I feel as though I do. Oh, I don't mean Christmas shopping - that's done, although 1 do have a bit of knitting to wind up - and quickly. I've also got to squeeze in a date with my oven, in order to get the pies I promised for Cluistmas dinner, completed. Then .there • are the social obligations - people I need to . see before I head home for the holidays. But that's not what's .bothering me. What I'm finding most is I'm lacking time to get organized. Because.' don't really know what all I have yet to get accomplished before ' Christmas, I'm feeling overwhelmed with it • all. No doubt when I sit down andligure it all worry about no matter what the situation. —outrilifitidihave_morethannnouglitimeto_And-in-this-ease-Until-the-last-pie-is baked SWEATSOCKS by Heather McIlwraith get it all done. So maybe in all honesty, Scrooge -like is not really the right word to describe how . I'm feeling. Maybe the phrases - "hard-pressed to get prepared", or, "in a panic" would more 'appropriately address the situation: And no doubt • there are a lot of people who feel the same way. Christmas is a hectic time of year. And as I'm finding out, no matter how far in ad- vance you begin your. preparations; there are some things that can't be done until the last minute. And that makes you feel unorganized and ill-prepared. But I guess that's the norm. Personally I've been running a daily men- tal checklist of the things I have yet to do, but I'm not sure if that's been a good idea or not. To date the list has not gotten any shorter, and that hasn't exactly mademe feel more secure about my situation. Then again, when have I ever felt secure about my situation?. I'd find something to and ibe last gitt wrappeu 1 won't even come close to relaxing.. And when I do,it- won't be for long since there's also the worry about of whether or not everything will fit into the c.ar, whether or not I'll forget. something, or whether .or not my pies wM be edible. But despite all that, I really am looking ' forward to Christmas. It is after all a time ' when my entire family is all together for a full day, without anyone having to run off to do this, or do that. And it is the day, when . finally the worrying is over, and the relax- ing truly begins. • So no doubt as December 25 grows closer, my Christmas spirit will grow. After all no one can be 2 Scrooge forever, especially when they're surrounded on all sides by the fervor and excitement of the Christmas season. And there really is " no 'place like home for the holidays"; So, in all sincerity, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy, .Healthy and Safe, Holiday Season. Merry • CM:tannest "•••:••••:•: 0.1 Joe • ROTATING 4U,3 11in'te wry SATILIL LAUNCHER .PLATRORA russiLe THRUSTER 1 ih CARRIER. POO, SuPert GOe.OT MAULS., • riol. TANK • LASER 00. • DRACsonba MLA STNR CDPIS • 3E1 VEHICLE IN‘SAULTAR PCARfti OCATTY ryuK.E. Su55. Everyone To the Editor: I would like to thank all who took part in the 1987 Christmas Santa Claus parade. There have been a great many Christmas parades but none that were as well done as this one. A great deal of thought and work were put into each float. There were many floats with the true meaning of Christmas the birth of Jesus - we even had Mary and Joseph with the donkey and many, many more. And then the fun floats, clowns etc - so much fun and then lot but not least dear old Santa - what a great Santa - we will all remember this Jolly old fellow. It was a great parade, everyone is talking about iL Lovely at night when everyone could relax and enjoy it great lighting. You are all to be congratulated. Thanks again from all of us. Betty MacLean • One of the Pacemakers GI ,JOE AIRCRAFT CARRIER COA3R/2 ER11.61 VIE A PCH) 5ET • eAll 03013 •71./EYVE PULLED fl/E/ R OORT • RANGE 14/0/Z64, BUT 'ARE NOW DEPLOY/NG 22 VIDEO BEAM BLASTERS aR;m6 cii" 4 •' • • ' ogRow or Fx.6,-ATAArRozzeow1 4 • talking about the parade LETTERS TO THE EDITOR War toys destroy dreams To the Editor: On behalf of the students at St. Michael Secondary School, we would like to express our concern about the effects of military' toys on today's youth.• , Toys create dreams for children and war • toys destroy these dreams. Toys are mostly Imaginary but when children play with war toys, they don't realize that war is real and not linaginary, also that it is painful and not • going to help anyone. • When children constantly .play with war toys, It is drilled into their minds and they think that this is the way life should be. We feel that it is our responsibility to take action against this, and we are asking for your support in buying educational, playful toys rather than those of violence. This Christmas we want to be united In love and not divided by. violence. REMEMBER, WAR LS NOT A GAME! • Sincerely, • Sandy Claessens On behalf of the Grade 10 Students St. Michael Secondary School Horse sales scheduled monthly IN THE YEARS AGONE from the Archives DECEMBER 23,1887 It has been decided to hold a fair for 'the purchase and sale of horses in Brussels on the first Thursday in every month. Master Edward J. Crawford, aged 18, recently threshed for Mr. James Mc- Certnell, on lot 31, 13th concession of Hallett, 321/2 bushels of oats With a flail in one day. Who can beat this? At the last meeting Of the West End Tuckersmith, Farmer's Club, the sub - Jed "resolved that liquor is a greater evil than tobacco," was discussed. Wm. Elcoat, negative, and Frank McDonald, affirmative,. were captabis and being followed by a good number of other speakers a very lively debate took place. The President Mr. Wm. Land - aborting'', occupied the chair and gave decision in favor of the negative, as there was a greater number of 'points brought forward by this side. Mr. Peter McEwen, of McKillop, and Mr. Wm. Campbell Of Harpurhey, returned from their hunting expedition to Muskoka on Friday last. Although they were both hunting in the same township each was on his own hook. Mr. McEwen Was away a month and suc- ceeded in bagging twelve very fine animals. The best streak of luck he had Was to shoot four, one right after the other. He had abet three in this way before. Mr. Campbell, who was gone about six weeks got sixteen. They are all very fine Marries: Both gentlemen, however, report game of every kind is scarce this fall, and Mr. McEwen says that for the last ten days he was itt Oakley township he could not get within sight Of a deer at all. DECEMBER 20,1912 The old Presbyterian Church building in Walton, which was sold by auction last Week, was purchased by Mr. monizziamsawsameemenallsrmagm, George Williernson for $240, and the wood furnaces by Mr. William McCall for $26. On Thursday evening of last week fire broke out in Harpurhey in a house • belonging to Mr. James McNamara and the Muse and contents were con- • sone& 'the fire is supposed to be the result of a defective chimney or an overheated stovepipe. Mr. McNamara was living hi the house at the time, and . had retired for the night. Wheti he awoke he found the house full of smoke • and blazing around the ehirnney. The night was quite windy and the fire spread ao rapidly that all efforts to save the building were Unavailing. There was. Settle insurance on the house but flC�flthecOntefltS. There will be given in Cardritee °Pere Hciuge Tuesday and Wednesday , evenings, December 24 and 25, the great photo play "Queen Elizabeth" by Mate, Betitardt's coMpanY. This photo play Will be one of the events of the ' Sson, corripternithig eV& -000 feet Of fih • Mr: J.J W. Beattie this week sold a very fine young shorthorn brill to Mr. Ed, Jarman of the Hardt. read Trieltergibitil. It is a Mari, two years old, and was sired by Royalist. He IS a very. promising animal and will be a valuable addition to the :tertian herd as Well as art advantage te the tieighbOrhotid. The Ode paid WAS $100, He Was bred froni Mr. Beattie% OM herd, and dila is the second he has geld this fall, hating diatioaed of a good eite a few weeks ago to Mr, John Daley of • DECEMBER 24, 1937 ' Santa Claus arrived in town on • Wednesday and played host to nearly six hundred boys and girls of the district, presenting each With a stotk- ing filled with candy, nuts, and an orange. Inutediate action is being taken by the Seaforth Public School Board to en- sure the safety of the building. Chair, man John Hotham of the Board told The Expos.itor Wednesday, Reports current in town during the past week have in- dicated that the building was in a dangerous condition and was in need of immediate attention. The building is over 70 years old. The Lions Club 'gratefully acknowledges the recept of a cheque width will assist materially in pro- viding Christmas. cheer for the needy iaMiliei in town. , The Stratford District Advanced Registry Yorkshire Club, at its annual meeting in the agricultural Office, Stratford, Friday afternoon passed a Motion asking that in the future, and commencing as soOn as govertunerit regidations make it possible, all ad - vended registry pigs be fed et central fetklifig itations. W. L. Whyte, Seaforth, is padded Of the club. • DECEMBER 27,1962 Conatritetieti of a new subStatieir wait advanced a stage when the Public Utilities Commission at a recent Turn to page 17