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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1982-12-01, Page 3alit' littron owli.e. «xpositor Since 1860, Serving the Community first Incorporating Brussels Post t founded 1872 12 Main Bt, 627-0240 Published at 6EAFORTH, ONTARIO every Wednesday afternoon by Signal -Star Publishing Limited Jocelyn A. Shrler, Publisher Susan White, Editor H,W. (Herb) Turkhelm, Advertleing Manager Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper" Association and Audit eureeu of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subscription rates: Canada 817.75 a year (In advance). outside Canada 360. a year (In advance) Single Copses - 50 canto each Second class mall registration number 0896 SEAFORTH, NTAfeOO, DECEMBER 1, 1988 t inv at, Not all the action in local government Is on council. Increasingly towns like Seaforth benefit from the services of ordinary citizens who are appointed by council to a series of boards and committees. They range from the area conservation authorities to Seaforth Community Hospital -board and the recreation committee. Their power, their function and hoolu much input a town appointee has can vary a great deal, But what they all have in common is they are excellent places to "get your feet wet" in the sometimes murky waters of municipal politics. You can learn and be of a great deal of service to your community by serving on one of these bodies. You can also test whether or not you're interested or qualified for heavier, more all-encompassing roles like serving on council, (If you decide you are, the voters will have the final say. Next chance Is Nov, 1985,1 Unfortunately these appointments in the past have been used in many places as plume or pastures for retiring or defeated politicians. Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with a forn'ler councillor filling such a post, in fact often he or she has valuable experience. But he or she should also be the best qualified candidate for the post, The former councillor should not be appointed simply because it's a nice thing to do. In Seaforth we should probably be grateful to former politicians; in the past often they've been the only citizens with enough dedication to be Interested in the Jobs. But if the interests of ratepayers is to be best served, that situation ought to change. Seaforth council will be advertising soon, asking .interested citizens to apply to serve on these boards and committees. If you've had some faint glimmer of interest In a particular area, why not get in there and find out what it's all about? London last week had the enviable experience of having a large number of candidates for appointments to that city's public boards. It's interesting that they didn't automatically go to retired politicians. It would augur well for the future of Seaforth If our new council were faced with a similarly large choice when it makes appointments, (many of them for three years, remember) In January, S,W, People care If there's one word that sums up the attitude of Seaforth and area people towards the future of the Agricultural Society's roundhouse, that word would not be indifference. For we've received several letters on the eubject, and people have stopped us on the street to ask If there's been much response and what letter writers and other interested citizens are saying, The letters are reprinted on this page and we're euro the Agricultural Society, and the management of the new community centre, will be Interested In the writers' opinlone. We'll print letters on the subject again next week If you want to have your say, At the same time we want to pass on some of the things other people have made a point of saying since the story on the roundhouse appeared. Two or three young Seaforthites, people who work and are raising their families here, were debating the Issue at a social event one night, All agreed the roundhouse should continue to exist, but commitment ranged from "It would be nice" to an insistence that the building could be an asset to the community, fixed up and sitting In Its present location. A senior citizen drt ped In with Witt we think Is a great Idea for fixing up the building, 'Surely,' he said there are enough handy senior citizens around to do a few hours work here and there and get the building back In shape," It would be a great project for those who don't want to spend all their spare time at cards and they'd be contributing valuable skills and experience to the community. It wouldn't be too difficult, Did you see where 5,000 Jehovah Witnesses built a huge church recently, over a weekend? "It could be fixed up gradually," he says. "A few trees, then replace the windows with plexiglass and get the trim painted. And put a flagpole on top," As well, he thinks the roundhouse is an asset right where it is now, "maybe with a fence around it," a tribute to the rural -urban co-operation that got it built In the first place. "It won't interfere with the new building," he adds "it just makes the story that much more interesting." That's the story of how Seaforth and district raised well over half a million dollars for the new complex, This senior made the point that such a forward-looking action oriented community still cares about its past too. Is he right? S.W. Tear it down I have many ideas on your article as to what to do with the building that sits in the parking lot of the new arena. I. Tear it down first of all. 2. Let your barn builder make a miniature one for a museum. 3. it's had its day; why not let the high school learn something on restoration and let them rebuild it in the Agricultural Park by the cattle barns as a class project. 4. Too much money is being spent on old buildings. Let a senior citizen's group take it over and see how they would restore it. ' I have many more, hutjust cannot put them in words. A Concerned Citizen -The roundhouse could have lots of uses I would like to indicate my support for the round house. The building has been designated as a heritage property and I would like m see the community build on improving and making it a functional building. I can't help being impressed with the round house even in its state of disrepair as it sits nut in foil view in its relationship with rhe spanking new arena, Many ideas come to mind for its future as a building for the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, the Horticultural Society. flea markets, auction sales, besides use at fair time. The old ice surface could be developed into an outdoor roller rink like Grand Bend; shuffleboard and other sports could be considered. What a chance for some uniqueness' That could attract people to our town. Why not request a feasibility study before Absent councillors a problem NOVEMBER 24,1882 There was no meeting of Seaforth town council last Monday evening because a sufficient number of members did not attend to .form a quorum. This, unfortunately, is no unusual occurrence as this Is the third time in succession because off not having a quorum. It has also frequently occurred during the past year that the Mayor has been forced to appeal to members of Council, personally, in order to get them to attend a council meeting. We understand the Grand Trunk authori- ties are anxious to sell the old station building. The town should buy It, and set fire to it. 1f it will burn, that is the only way we will get rid of it. John Kerr of McKillop, delivered to Frank Case, a dressed hog, not quite a year old, which weighed 452 pounds, He received seven and a half cents per pound, This Is the third year in succession that Mr. Kerr has delivered to the same gentleman, porkers weighing over 400 pounds each, IVlessrs.• Louis McDonald and Co., of Walton, are having a stone foundation placed under their mill and are adding new machinery, which will greatly increase their facilities for producing sawn lumber, Also in Walton, Wm. Beirnes has opened a butcher shop and is bound to supply citizens with the best nourishment for bone and muscle. DECEIhKERdo, 1907 A.T. Currie, butcher of Brussels, shipped to James Broadfoot of Antagonish, Nova Is C cotia, 150 pounds of choke beef last week. This is the second shipment in three weeks, Some time ago th'e people in the vicinity of Walton petitioned for a mail service on the Guelph and Goderich branch of the C.P.R, Mr, Archibald Bishop, M.P.R., now has the assurance of the Government that a mall service will be s plied on that branch as speedily as possible. A well known horse importer of Hensail, T.J. Berry has disposed of a grand three year uid Clyde stallion, Lord Armstrong, to James Campbell of Cargill, for $2,000. He will make a first class stock horse and at the present time weighs close to 1900 pounds, Joseph Keating, when arranging to place a plate glass front on Crich's confectionary store, had a narrow escape from serious injury. He was jacking up the sill to take out one of the old iron pillars, when the pillar broke in the centre, The top, weighing several hundred pounds, fell to the ground, grazing the side of Mr, Keating's head. Sleighing has been excellent this week, but George Nesbitt of McKillop says we are going to have a "green" Christmas. A number of Brusselites went on a bear hunt recently when Bruin was spotted near Wroxeter. No trace of him could be found by the hunters, While the media was making a big fuss over the release last week of the Applebaum - Hebert commission an the future of Canadian culture one could almost hear a huge yawn arising from the general public from coast to coact, In fact about the only thing many people would be thankful to Messrs, Applebaum and Hebert for was that they got an extra half-hour's sleep the night Barbara Frum devoted the whole of The Journal to the report of the commission. A large proportion of the population will consider this latest commission h new scam on the part of a lot of lay-abouts who are artists at convincing the government to give them a living instead of going out and getting a real job in the real world, What are we talking about once again with the Applebaum -Hebert commission recom- mendation is the price of being Canadian. Canadians are in general agreement that they want to have their own country but the agreement lessens when the price tag for having their own country is shown. L Canadians from the guy in the street to organizations like the Canadian Consumers Association often rebel at the cost of being Canadian. The Consumers Association is constantly battling, for instance, with Canadian farm marketing boards because they say the Canadian price for food is too high compared with the American price. While chickens, for Instance, are raised in it c51 �G'J QI©'=1_1t,I DECEMBER 2, 1932 The Government report of the Medical Officer of Health for Seaforth, Dr. F,J. Burrows, shows the population of Seaforth is 1.721, an increase of 33 for the year, The number of registered births was 60, 21 of these residents and 39 nonresident. There were 35 deaths during the year. William Jamieson of Londesboro recently paid his 55th annual subscription to The Expositor. The Seaforth Fire Brigade were called out on Saturday afternoon to attend a small chimney fire at the home of Albert O'Reilly on Chalk Street, Damage was slight. Through a mixup in reading the alarm indication at the Sire hall, the department travelled north on main street to the outskirts of town before learning they were on the wrong track. John Edmunds, formerly of Seaforth, has purchased the garage business of S.L, Demerlutg of Mitchell. Mr. Edwards is a son of Mr. and Mrs, W.G. Edmonds of Seaforth. The bylaw relating to hawkers and pedlars was amended at a special meeting of Seaforth council. As now anrended, pedlars will pay $25 a year if non-residents and $15 if residents, Formerly, the fee was $10 per day. W,C. Barber offers a great Roger's Special for Radio Buzers. A Rogers 9 tube, CS@Itth RONJOkStt©1y the warm climate of the southern U.S. for less than Canadian farmers who must build expensive, insulated and heated barns can afford to charge, the Consuthers Association suggests that we're not being competitive and perhaps we should get out of the chicken raising business altogether and import our chickens. That's the kind of argument that threw thousands of workers in footwear factories out of work in the last couple of years when the consumers' lobby finally convinced the government that we'd be better to import cheap shoes from third world countries rather than to continue to support our own industry, The very nature of the cultural industry creates even more problem for those trying to keep the industry alive in Canada. If cars that coat 810,000 to make in Japan suddenly started appearing in Canada showrooms being sold for only 81000, outrage would arise from car companies and workers alike. But that generally is what happens in Canada, livingbeside a huge country with a dominant cuture. U,S, television, for instance, can make hugely expensive shows that no other country in the world can afford to make because there are more than 200 'million people to share the costs, Because rt those costs are already paid for in the U.S. the product can then be dumped into Canada and other countries around the world at a fraction of what it cost to make, Whatever is picked up in foreign sales is pure gravey. U.S. MOVIES In the movie industry, Canada is not even considered foreign territory but is part of the U.S. market. To make matters worse, the majority of the large movie houses in Canada are owned by the same movie studios that make the movies in Hollywood, Their interest in helping a Canadian movie industry that might provide competition for their dollars in Canada is less than overwhelming. The problem becomes even worse when cable and Satellite transmission of television becomes involved. Canada is already a small market. Even if every Canadian alive was watching television at the same time it would be impossible to recover the advertising revenue the American networks pull in for a show. But what cable and satellite pay-TV do is split the audience even further. With 30 channels to choose from, the number watching any one channel is lessened to the point that even giant American networks are worried, superheterodyne radio, 579.50, complete. Features automatic volume control; Rogers spray shield tubes; dynamic speaker and walnut cabinet. DECEMBER 20, 1957 When a sprinkler head in the Ontex building released, the building.fire alarm system was set in motion. Seafrth firemen arrived to find water pouring from the sprinkler system, but no sign of fire. The large three-storey former C.F.M. factory and more recently the home of Hesky Flax and Ontario Textiles Ltd., has been accommo- dated by Ball -Macaulay Ltd., since fire destroyed their plant Aust spring. Following the election last week off John Lavender .to a vacancy on Hensail village council, news stories emphasized that Mr, Lavender, 26, was the youngest person to serve on council. Cle'rk J.A. Paterson said that while Mr. Lavender is among the youngest to serve, the youngest person to be elected is W.D. Spencer of Hensel) who was elected in 1931, at age 24. Members of Seaforth Legion named Harry Nesbitt president for the new year. He succeeds John Holland, M.M. Other officers include: 1st vice-R.S. Box; 2nd vice - Hartman Huisscr; secretary Ken Powell and treasurer, Archie Dobson. Two Mitchell men were injured when the car they were driving was in collision with a Seaforth Motors tow truck near St. Colum• ban. The truck, operated by John Onbelet, was pulling a car out of the ditch at the time. Injured was. Ross and Scott McKellar. savi • What the commissioners are saying is an old story: if we want a Canada it must be more than. a difference of government. it must mean that we have the way to know ourselves better and that way comes through culture, through movies and television and plays and books and music. That, in a country our size often means subsidizing the institutions_ that help us know ourselves. Everybody in this country is subsidized somewhere along the way, Truck drivers, for instance, are subsidized indirectly because government provide the expensive network of roads that make it profitable for their companies to transport freight and indirectly we all benefit everytime we buy something that has been trucked because it costs us less than if the product had come, say, by train where the railway has to pay its own cost to upkeep the tracks. The commissioners, on behalf of the workers in the cultural industries are asking for the same kind of subsidies. • But the artists need to face facts too. Perhaps in reaction to the number of people who consider artists lazy bums, the arts have often catered to the elite who appreciate them, thus ignoring a huge part of the population. Culture only matters if it reaches the whole population, A culture for the rich and educated is not worth protecting. Only when artists realized that they must reach the truck drivers, the farmers, and the miners will we really have a Canadian culture worth saving. Gifted children will get attention No great theme this week, so will chew around at a few shorter items. One of the recent events that did not exactly send a surge or pride or joy or trust through me was Pierre Trudeau's addresses to the nation. They were depressing, not for their content. which was as stale as yesterday's news, but for their lack of it, Where was the old wit, the charming shrug, the coy smile, the candyfloss philosophy? All missing. Nothing left but an aging and unwanted politician desperately trying to hang on, 1 found it deeply ironic that the man perhaps least trusted in all of Canada should be pleading with us for trust. He was barking up a hollow tree, The average Canadian has lost his old trust in government, the banks, the cconom;sts. This wide distrust has filtered down into our n ational being until we find it difficult to trust anyone outside our immediate family. And even there, you never know when your wife is going to open your mail or go through your pockets. Trudeau was right, of course, but I wish the idea had come from someone else. We must regain that trust in our leaders. our institutions, and each other, or the way ahead is one of darkness and despair. But do you really 'rust the so-called skilled worker who docs a job for yott? Do you trusl tate car salesman: Do you trust the Post Office? Do you trust the Department of Revenue. with its nifty. cold.blooded cam 5ugoo and $pkG) by NOD 5m004,y puters. its warnings, its speed in snatching your money and its tardiness in returning it, without interest? How about your doctor? Your lawyer? Your dentist? Your husband? Your wife? Your children? Do I really trust my grandson when he sends a tetter to me. through his mum, that says. "I love you very. very much, and I hope you don't die for a long, long time,"? After all, it is getting close to Christmas. Do you even trust yourself? That's about as close to home as we can get. and I certainly don't always trust myself, Enough. But answer honestly. Went to a Professional Development day for teachers recently. Sat near the back of the auditorium while an attractive, highly intelli- gent woman who had raised seven kids and holds a high past in educational circles tried to inspire us. She did her hese, but I wondered how much of it was sinking in, when I looked out over the heads of the teachers, The bald. white heads of the majority. I couldn't help thinking of my first P.D. day. more than twenty years ago. Then, the majority of teachers. was young. dedicated, keen, militant, Innovative. In 1982, the groupwas middle-aged, conserva- tive. perhaps ust as dedicated, but tired, hanging on, a bit disillusioned, At the afternoon session, went to a seminar about gifted children. it was enlightening, and rather frightening. Many. many parents believe their children are gifted. when they arc merely bright. By the time the poor little devils arc put through I.O. and dozens of other criteria, it turns out that there are darn few truly gifted children, and that teaching them is a whole new hall game. At least 1 am pleased that governments are finally going to pay some attention to the gifted child, and nurture its creativity. Therein lies the future of the world, because thew young people are analytical, critical. questioning, not content to swallow the same old flabby ideas and concepts that society tries to stuff them with, For years. all the money has been poured into helping slow learners, a worthy and necessary cause. while the truly gifted were allowed to dull their minds, become bored or frustrated, and frequently drop out of the scene. It's a welcome turnaround, but it's been a long time coming. and the previous waste of these people has been appalling. I can think of dozens of kids, former students. whose innate giftedness was so thwarted, frustrated or suppressed by the school system and a hypocritical society that they literally dropped out of both and became failures. in the eyes of the world at least. It's too late for my own children, but 1 hope my grandhoys, and yours, and your children to come, will benefit from this latest] awakening from a long sleep of our' educational leaders. This column is too dang serious. Let's turn to something a little more lively. I get quite a few fan letters, but not too often a fan in the flesh as it were. The other day, a tiny bundle of cheer and energy dropped in: Vikki LePage of the Port Colborne weekly. She pumped up my ego. smoothed my ruffled feathers, and left me feeling quite benign toward the world. She was brought round by a relative, Mrs. .tones. and we had a great time remembering all the .loneses I'd taught: John and Nancy. Bill and Barbara, nice kids all. Vikki and I posed for a picture, arms around each other Hope it turns out. and thanks for coming around. Vikki. You made my day. 13© i @s c, parking takes priority. Perhaps an applira• torn to the Ontario Heritage Foundation for assistance for funding of the study could he considered. Let's save the Let's try to savr'the round house. Sure. it's only been used at fair time. hut I can think of no other building so well suited to hosting displays from flowers to art. Many communi- ties have a location for shows and displays. This may he an opportunity for Seaforth. Several years ago a theatre group wanted a building where a rotund stage could he set up. The circular interior could he used to great effect for theatre. lectures. concerts. meet Ings and other social events. Please ask our Recreation Committee and the Agricultural Society not to be too hasty in their decisions and lose out on a unique development. Betty C'ardno roundhouse the old ice surface, still good. could cor"rS•)91•ement the building's use with outdoor events. It could he used as a games surface with the round house acting as a rest area, Roller skating is great outside and could provide bonus revenue, what about street or floor hockey? The possibilities are more numerous than those mentioned above. So let's get together and think about beneficial uses for structures we already have. .iaane Cardno A new country needs it's heritage 11 was with interest we read your article on the round house. -Our feelings are to save it. After returning from the British isles and seeing the preserved architecture of hun- dreds of years and having it explained to us by a Brit who now lives in Canada. she felt England did not place great emphasis on its linildings which have stood for many years, but due to the abundance enough remained to have a good cross section of heritage. Canada. on the other hand. being a new country and not being familiar with heritage. is under the impression new is more functional than old. We feel, even if the round house is used but once a year. we should repair rather than despair (e.g. Whitman house). Let's boast about having only one of 2 roundhouses in Ontario. If people place importance on buildings. vandalism won't OMIT. Suggestions: summer flea markets, crafts area for local talent, summer house for Boy Smuts, Girl Guides. Rose and Piet l.00mans More businesses Last week I sent you a list of local businesses which are taking part in our Work Experience Program. I inadvertently left out the businesses that are taking the girls from our program. I would greatly appreciate it if you would extend our thanks to these businesses in this week's paper Kilharchan Nursing Home. Seaforth Manor. Seaforth Restaurant and Steak House. Seaforth Community Hospital, Hensail Queen's Way Nursing Home. Thank you, George Cull, Head of Special Education. Central Huron Secondary School. It's human nature to peek I object to what happened at Canadian Tire's shopping party in Seaforth last week. Letters were mailed out to people with little envelopes in them that contained slips of paper with discounts on them. The letter said you bring it to the store and when you make your purchase the envelope will he opened and you will receive that amount of discount, There were 50 envelopes that contained discounts of 15 to 100 percent. Now it is only human nature that nearly everyone who received one peeked to see. This could be done by holding the envelope up to the light. I live in Dublin and the people of the village did not receive these letters. i know people who received them, one had 75 per cent off and the other had 100 per cent off for purchases totaling no more than $1,000. When people arrived at the store they had to put their envelopes in a barrel and then when they made their purchases draw out an envelope. The letter did not say this at all. The letters should have been given out at the door when you were at the store, or like Canadian Tire dict in Stratford, when you made your purchasevou scratched a card to see what your discount was. i think this was a terrible way to do things, and from what I hear was said at the stores. everyone agrees. If a person won a lottery ticket then had_ to throw it in a barrel and pick one out to see how much they won. who would buy lotteuv tickets? The letters were just sent out in the mail so no one knew who the lucky one would be, and like I said, Vu's human nature to try and peek. How many people try to peek at Christmas presents? Mrs. H. Robson, Dublin.