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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-04-30, Page 3NEWS AND FEATURES THE HURON EXPOSITOR, APRIL ;30; 1900 - A3 ti COMMUNITY CALENDAR If you're organizing a non-profit event of Interest to other Seaforth area residents, phone the recreation office at 5274582 or the Expositor at 527-0240; or mall the Information to Community Calendar, The Huron Expositor, Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK ONO well In advance of the scheduled date. Space for the Community Calendar Is donated by The Huron Expositor. Monday, May 5 6 p.m. ladles Potluck Supper at Golf Course 7:30 p.m. Euchre at Legion Tuesday, May 6 6 p.m. Mens Night Opener at Golf Course 7:30 p.m. Darts at Legion Wednesday, May 7 1:30 p.m. Shuffleboard at Arena 5:30 p.m. Soccer practice begins. 5:30 p.m. Squirts vs Optimists. 50 p.m. Atoms vs Mosquitos at High School. Wednesday, April 30 1:30 Shuffleboard 7:30 p.m. Contract Bridge at Seaforth Legion. Thursday, May 1 8 p.m. Mens Ball Hockey meeting at Arena 8 p.m. Spring Fashion Show at Arena • Saturday, May 3 120 • 2 30 Story Hour at Library HOME AND GARDEN SHOW '86 — The second annual Seaforth Home and Garden Show top left, drew nearly twice as many visitors as last year's show. At right, Ken Dolg and Jim Kelly discuss the possibilities of a door frame purchase. Left, Joshua Dale test drives a garden tractor. Far left, the whole family was able to give their opinion on the merits of this particular piece of machinery. Raft's photo Rural groups, voice, concerns.. dwelling may have been built ••at the •-alternative/eh'erat18h'tstheonlyrational way 1 •.., .), t, (Continued irom Page ktL) both in Huron County and•. at a nation-wide level, in his brief to the meeting. "This optimism is shown dearly in that Huron hog producers, in line with those of the province ht general, consistently. reject a quota system for hogs. We feel the government should put more funds in W pork promotion instead,' said Mr. Fear. Mr.Fear also commended the government for its strong stand in favor of tripartite stabilization, which puts a floor under losses without Infringing -on anyone's is to either participate or abstain, or to a new hog enterprise. However hedid express concern about the present financial ciltnate for hog producers. "Margins are small and only the best will survive. Those in the most difficult financial position are generally the new producers 'those who started less than 10 years ago,'' Mr. Fear said. Healso expressed cancan about the effect of foodland guidelines on the producers. "These guidelines work as much against the farmers as for them. 'The new fanner may be only able to build W a certain size. A proscribed distance while the farm build-up went on, and when a certain number of animal units has been reached the farmer is prevented from building up to a practical operation," he said. Rather than restricting severances, Mr. Fear proposed the government strengthen "right to farm" legislation giving farment absolute priority in zones declared agricul- tural. Porky producers "have no fear " of freer trade with the United States, said Mr. Fear, adding it is "imperative for Canadian agriculture to be of the trade negotia- tions,' with the USA. HURON CAT LFJHEN The Huron Cattlemen's Association placed preservation of prime farmland as their number ane priority, fit a brief presented by association president Ron Bennett. There- fore, the association is opposed to the proposed construction of a 500 KV transmis- sion line in the Bruce to London power corridor, Mr. Bennett explained. "increased emphasis on conservation and to mceed, ' he said. On the topic of farm debt, the assodation proposed the implementation of a• 60 -day "stay period." This would mean a farmer could ask for ali action by creditors to be put on hold for 60 days, while a committee of financial and farming experts help the fanner negotiate a package the creditors can accept. "All fanners in financial difficulty should have access to this procedure," said Mr. Bennett. From the cattlemen's point of view, the Idea of frees trade with the USA is an attractive one, according to the brief. "Red meat has always had a positive trade balance with the US. There is a market of 50 million people within 500 miles of Huron County and we want continued access to 1t," he said. Mr. Bennett also voiced the cattlemen's support for countervailing duties on beef imports and the idea of tripartite stabiliza- tion, and the reduction of government budgetary deficits. To BE CONTINUED NEXT W Eft Resident hoards local history in attic archives BY PATRICK RAFTIS Most families have their own unofficial historian – someone who keeps trade of births, deaths, montages, photographs gni documents pertaining to the lives.and times of theirancestors. That's the way it began for Flank Silts, the Silts' family record -keeper, who eventually ended up running what amounts to an unofficial archives of the entire. Seaforth area in the attic above the family hardware stere on Seaforth's Main Street. "1t started off with just family stuff and then some family friends started vingme some of their things to leek after,"' Mr. Sills. "My family's always been a bunds of pack rats. We kept a lot of the kind of things other people would likely throw out," he added. Eventually the donors to Mr. Sills' coiledtkon grew to include acquaintances, former area residents, the Town of Seaforth and a variety of other sources. Now the old building's upper floor abounds with photo- graphs, documents, antiques and artifacts, which combine to tel the tale of this area from the mid -1800s up to the present. While most of the items on display pertain to bygone times, Mr. Sills also takes on the task of adding future . ,11eMahlaa from the resent to the collection. Clippings from the preterit Centenaires' recent All -Ontario hockey diampionshfp and a poem written by a Katimavik program volunteer about her experiences in Seaforth are among the recent additions to tine room "It's all part of Iocal color and history," Mr. Sills said. Reaching the attic storelitainie is a history lessonitself, as you peat thitugh the oftheSills'building, Atthefitstlanding,Mr. SIRS partied to ditplaya few recently -donated ileitis that hadnot yet trade it tip to the attic, suds as' an antique Kentucky squirrell rifle, donated by Ron MacKay • Orth the next floor, visitors pass through the metal work shop, still to use in, the Sills business today, where before the depression as Many as, live tinsmiths could be foetid making pails, roofing supplies and other rnetalgoods, .. The tancked piaster, wall alongside We staircase leadingtothe attic is covered with signatureS,, some dating back to the early 1900s. left; by former einployees tis they carried out -of -season stock up to the attic. Some more recent signatures have been left by later visitors to the storeroom as well. The walls of the uppermost floor are literally lined with history. Photographs of hockey, soccer and other sports teams from the past, prominent citizens from the past and present, as well as historical sites and buildings cover nearly one whole wall in the attic. Otheritem4 of interest are displayed on shelves and floor spate around the rest of the room. A Penny -Farthing bicycle, with a huge front wheel and a tiny rear wheethe l, cubbyholes from the; first Office, programs frormlong ago events held in the heydayof Cardno Vali, one of the earliest electric washing machines, aerial photo- graphs of Seaforth taken byWW 1 flying arcs Billy Bishop and Billy Barker after the war – the list is endless. Mr. Sills is a very knowledgeable caretaker of these relics and can tell visitors the history behind most of the items and Many a colorful story about the past and present area residents pictured in the pho phs. There's the story of old "400" Aberitardt, brotherof "Bible Btll" who is pictured in one photo, and Bill himself is pictured With the 1915 Seaforth Hockcy abb.. A d_n ggist by trade, "400" got his nickname because he was believed to put a 400 per cent markup on his medications, Mr Sills explains: Then there's the "Social 12" a group of local dandies, pietitred diessed to the nines in another of the phtographs. So the storygo the group, known for the elegant social events they hosted, was renamed "The Drunken Dozen" after oneY raucous affair, said Mr Sills With a grin. Although the Sills` family has been collecting many of the heirlooms for genera- trona, Mr. Sills only began showing tient publicly about 10 Sears age. 'When the 'oral Architectural Conserva- tion Advisory Cofimittee asked to tour the Sills' building, Mr St11s' brother D'Orlean Sills made a suggestion. "Why don't you put your junk out," he said. FSanik agreed `clic eonsei ationists lnfght enpyrefa,ang and looltbig through tate old items by the bene they read6ed the if he building, so he set up a miniature ;1'1;1'14 what grew into the present ditp1ay- MEMORIES COLLECTEb Frank Sills, plotured here With a stile of the Sills Hardware buhding portrait of his grandfather. Armstrong, has been collecting archives for the ere. Mr. Shit is W1111am memorabilia about the history of 111s own" family and others in the collection 10 interested visitors, Shc forth area for many years The delf"ectlofi',, which iS kept tn. the "Beidiothat, the tuff nai ymbboxes conte fa see the display, said Mr. ills In andwewot'iidpull it'outf0r'thm • like'the•Old addition" to interested individual.; Torii Boys Reunion and put it itf tete' sore schools and otherorgariizations often arrange windows( Saki 'Mt Sills, giiided through the display, Such tours Although publicized only through word of cart be arranged by contacting Mr. Sills in mouth,, `quito a few people," hear about and advance and *ile sting an appointment. has become a sort of unofficial always pleased to display the Flaftis photo For his part, Mr. Sills has enjoyed tending :lbev archives and hopes it, like the fetidly business' Will be kept up for Suture genera - Norte to enjoy. Ivoehpyed it.Iget akickout of history," he said.