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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1983-04-06, Page 2t (!xpositor Since 1860, Serving the,poMmunItyllrit Incorporating BfUS%VIS Post founded 1872 12 Main St. 527-0240 Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO every Wednesday afternoon by Signal -Star Publishing Limited Jocetyri A. Shrler, Publisher Susan White, Editor H.W. (Herb) Turkhelm, Advertising Ma, agdf Member Canadian C.mmunity A(ewspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper Association and Audit Brau of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subscription rates: Canada $17.75 a year (In advance) outside Canada $50. a year (in advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1983 Second class mail registration number 0696 Opktrion Let's make them safe If you have children in that in-between stage, too big for infant car seats but too small for adult seat belts, you'll be interested in a new development from Transport Canada. That federal agency has approved the sale here of automobile booster cushions, in use for some time in the US, Aurstralia and° Europe. Every parent who drives knows the main problem with kids who outgrow their car seats is keeping them safe in the car. Adult seat belts don't fit these small fry very well and kids are especially unhappy on long trips because they are too small to see out the car windows. The booster cushions offer both safety and a view of the road for young children. Those approved for sale in Canada come without harnesses; they're for use with adult safety belts. The Consumers Association of Canada isn't happy about the lack of harnesses, but Transport Canada says its tests showed children slid out from under the harnesses in crashes, leading to abdominal injuries. It also cautions parents never to use kitchen -style booster seats in the car. They fold up like accordlans when there's a collision. We can't speak authoritatively on whether or not harnesses are necessary. But certainly car booster seats are better than nothing, which is what many four to nine year olds ride around in a car with now. The booster seats for kids are available now from two manufacturers, BoPeep Nursery Products in Toronto and Stork Craft in B.C.. They are priced from $20 to $30. It's a reasonable price to pay to keep your child safe and happy when he or she rides in the 'family car. -SW Times are hard on all , A study has recently been done on the effects of inflation and recession on more than 1,000 American. families. And, guess what? The poor suffer more than the rich. In every way. They are laid off more often, for longer. They can't find jobs. When they do, they don't rate much overtime. According to a sociologist, speaking at the University of Guelph about his research from the mid -seventies, the poor respond to hard times by cutting back on food, travel and recreation. Medical expenses are cut back (in no medicare USA, they can't afford to get sick) Kids leave school early and clothing is bought second hand. The rich and how much you have to earn to be in that category isn't mentioned, adapt to tough times by putting off the purchase of that new home or sw(mming pool. It should be no surprise to any of us that the poor suffer a lot more mental stress too. The expert things the rich feel more stable and secure because they are homeowners. But interestingly, both poor and rich remain strongly committed to the principles of capitalism and both reject the notion that governments should guarantee jobs for all. Despite the fact that they suffer more, the poor remain `loyal to the system. Perhaps that's because they are somewhat protected by social welfare programs (at least they were until the current Reagan stress on weapons over people), more protected anyway than the poorest citizens were during the last tough times, the Depression. Or maybe the answer is that those who are hurt and those who suffer minor inconveniences are much alike under their designer jeans and theilf second hand clothes. To paraphrase an old saying: "The rich are different from you and me.'' "Yes, they have more money." - S.W. Two injured in 1883 n nam agorae APRIL b, 1883 Mr. and Mrs. John Dufus were seriously injured while driving along the 8th conces- sion of McKillop in their horse and cutter. The road being bare. caused the horse to strain against the collar. The horse fell against the railing of the bridge it was crossing. It gave way, and the horse and cutter with its occupants rolled off the bridge and fell to the ice below. a distance of about 10 feet. Mrs. Defus was unconcious when picked up, but soon revived with no bad effects except nervous shock. Mr. Duffus had his leg fractured, his wrist badly sprained, and possible internal injuries. The horse escaped with no injuries and the cutter with a broken shaft. APRiL 10, 1908 The skating rink was open to skaters for the last time this season on Friday night last and to the curlers on Saturday morning. Two rinks chosen by club president James Dick played two rinks chosen by the vice president John Beattie. 1t is not often we have skatine and curling as late as April 4. APR11,7, 1933 The clock in the tower on the Cardno block which has been famous as a time -keeper in Seaforth and district since I8'" ran down on Sunday night at 9:05 and will not he British. Bulldog ONLY IN CANADA, PiTY—Seaforth public school students spent Easter Monday afternoon playing a game they call, "British Bull Dog". A game similar to tag, with the difference that the person who Is "It" or the"bull dog", yells "British". The opponents rush towards the "bull dog", attempting to run to the opposite field without being tagged and tripped. Any who are caught become "bulldogs". Not one of the players questioned knew the origin of the game. They Just play it and love R. As with any sport, it is obviously tiring, as seen In Trevor Fortune's expression. (Wassink photo) Did the whole world watch The Thorn Birds? It was the topic of conversation last week. it broke up families, temporarily at (east. That's because The Thorn Birds, the special that filled the TV screens four nights in a row last week, seems to have polarized people. In an informal poll taken at this office, one thing became abundantly clear: you either loved it or you hated it. Most men 1 canvassed hated it; while most women were great fans. It's not often 1 line up with the men, and i've-taken much criticism from my colleagues at work already about this, but that l0 hour orgy of death, religion, romanceand family politics left me decidedly Lukewarm. My main problem with the show (besides Richard Chamberlain....1 think he's a wimp...with apologies to the women I -work with) was its length. Ten hours was about eight too many. A few years ago I plowed through the book. put a severe strain on my arm carrying it around in fact, and came to a similar conclusion. That huge book would have made a nice short story. In a magazine. WEIGHT OF WORDS But you can't argue with success. Author Colleen McCullough has made millions so rewound. Mr. Cardno made this decision after council questioned the expense of paying $40 per year for the upkeep of the dock. This was paid to Mr. A. Westcott for winding and looking after the clock. Some ooucillors maintained that the post office dock was sufficient. Mr. James R. Scott of Scott's Poultry Farm found in his yard last week a carrier pigeon with a band around its leg. The Eemondville hockey team, winners of the McMillan Cup, had their picture taken by the Jackson Studio APRIL 11, 1958 Hensel! public library has moved across the hall to the former council chambers. Some new shelving and painting are being done. Possibility of street lights for the hamlet of Harpurhey comes closer to reality following the monthly meeting of Tuckersmith council. Thieves have broken into two Seaforth businesses. For the second time in a month a safe was taken from Cleary's I.G.A. One was also taken from Reliance Petroleum ware- house on Jarvis Street. They were both found in a gravel pit north of Seaforth by town police chief Edward Ehrardt and Constable Martin. k)sone Ong 4O o© f b 7 5M3©f'( IVCrlt uI ® there have got to be a lot of readers who want sheer length and weight of words to justify investing in a book. So, why did 1 watch it, you ask. Mainly because i didn't want to be entirely left out of conversation with all my friends and acquaintances for a whole week. 1 mean, this show had an audience. An otherwise sensible friend, who rarely watches TV, extolled the virtues of the show, and Richard Chamberlain to me on the phone for 15 minutes Monday night. Long distance. She felt obliged to fill me in. because 1 missed the first episode. The better half, who on this occasion, like so many others, lined up firmly with his fellow man, insisted we watch a football game that night. American football, in some rinky dink league, but i quote "it's better than that trash." WANDERING Other husbands apparently shared his feelings. 1 imagine attendance by males at local watering holes went up substantially Sunday through Wednesday from 8 or 9 till 11. One husband I heard about spent the nights in question wandering around Eg- mondville. Other men i spoke to attacked long -dormant projects in basement work- shops or evenqook work home from'the office. One he understood I was serious about keeping the boob tube tuned to. The Thorn Birds, my nearest and dearest started wallpapering our daughter's bedroom. He finished it too, so the show was not all bad. A lot of the women i know, however, simply wallowed in the show, and although I fail to see the attraction, in Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph. Maybe that's understandable though. Many women spend their nights cleaning, ironing, or on other household chores. The Thorn Birds was, in the words of one of them "a great chance to sit, snack and relax:: In peace and quiet too. since most husbands exited, and who would let the kids watch that sexy stuff? SEXY? Sexy it was I guess. Although I admit the love scenes on the tropical island paradise looked pretty good to me, 1 had trout identifying with either Meggie on Fathe Ralph 'tn their "will we or won't we" dilemma.' i mean. Father Ralph should have either left the church or told Meggie to forget it. And Meggie was such a victim that it was hard to take her seriously. Spending your life waiting for a priest? That's begging for trouble and tragedy and she got it. Women have at long last started questioning that sort of self-destructive behavior, and it's about time. Seeing Meggie as a heroine could set us back generations. "If you can't have the love of your life, you don't want anyone at all," a Thorn Birds fan explained to me. Maybe, but if that was the message of The Thorn Birds, here's one viewer that it failed to convince. Mr. Righteous will put Canada back on track The list of candidates for the Progressive Conservative Party leadership has grown again with the emergence of a new candidate, Marvin Righteous of Loyalty, Alberta. Mr, Righteous said he entered the race because he felt his party And the country needed an alternative to that "communist, fascist. quiche -eater who has run the nation into the ground for the last 13 years". He characterized his rivals as bleeding 'hearts and fellow travellers and claimed even Peter Pocklington was "pandering to the weak- kneed, simple-minded public" by saying that he would not destroy the social systems of the countcy. Mr. Righteous. in a news conference attended by three reporters from the Loyalty Reporter, said if he becomes prime minister one of his first duties will be a privatization campaign to put as much of the economy as possible back in private hands. He plans to sell of Petro -Canada. the C.B.C. and many other crown corporations. He also revealed he has a plan to sell off the Trans -Canada Highway to private interests who gill erect 1908 TRA/NWRECK—Not many readers of the Expositor will remember the 1908 train wreck, west of Seaforth, which was chronicled In last week's Years Agone column. Reader Frank Sills loaned this photo of the Incident, viewed by a number of Seaforth people, which was taken by his mother. the late Dora Daly Sills. ae]tind •ire ogoneo by !UM QOMllMlnl toll booths every mile from coast to coast ("and that's not every 1.6 kilometres, damn it," he warned the reporters.) TURN THE TIDE His government. Mr. Righteous said, would turn the tide once and for all on the creeping communist influence in Canada. He would work out a deal with companies such as Domtar, he promised, to secure ''inexpen- sive inexpen- sive labour" by shipping all Lada owners to Goderich to work in the salt mines. "Let them sec what it's like to be a Russian," he said. His anti -communist fight would go farther. From now on furniture stores would not be allowed to advertise china cabinets for sale, These would be renamed Taiwan cabinets. ' On the subject of foreign investment, Mr. Righteous said it is needed to get the country going again. He was working on a proposal. he said, that would see the entire federal government bureaucracy sold in one package deal to an American -based multinational conglomerate. included in the deal would be a plan to turn the Parliament buildings into an exclusive summer resort hotel. The Canadian people could rent the facilities back for two weeks each winter which, he figured, would be about all the time Parliament really needs to sit under his new plan to de-emphasize government. One law and order, Mr. Righteous said he was in favour of bringing back the death penalty: for shop -lifting. One the environment. Mr. Righteous said that he was all in favour of pollution. More acid rain. more leaking chemical dumps. would create new jobs in companies Set up to bottle and sell clean air and water. he said. "What's the use of an environment if you can't make money from it?" CRUISE? SURE Mr. Righteous said he was all in favour of the U.S. plan to test the cruise missile in Canada but would' propose some small alterations in the current plan. First of all,, instead of having the tests in Alberta, he would propose they be moved to Quebec. He would also suggest that real warheads be used. This. he said. would not only .give a really good test to the weapons system but would make sure the Liberals weren't in a position to win an election again because of their strength in Quebec, would cure the separatist problem once and for all and would "Get them damn French off the cornflakes boxes." Finally, he said. his very first act after being sworn in as prime minister would be to appoint a representative from each province to a firing squad to shoot Pierre Trudeau. "That'll make sure the communist, fascist quiche -eating (explicative deleted) doesn't conte back and get me in seven months." Sure I'll miss teaching; like a toothache Nothing annoys me quite as much as the dear souls who, when I'm telling fhem about my retirement, beam sympathetically, and exclaim gushily, "But you'll miss the students. won't vou?" They are shocked and a little indignant when 1 tell them that 1 will miss the students the way I would miss a bullet•hole in my sternum, a punch in the mouth, a massive coronary. ` "But -1 though you loved your students." they croon bewilderly. And of a they're tight. 1 do love my students, n the abstract. 1 also love apple pie and is cream, rye on the rocks, lilacs, ra a music. and women. But that doesn't mean I've got to eat nothing else, drink nothing else, smell nothing else, hear nothing else, and feel nothing else, for the rest of my days. imagine one day of sitting around eating apple pie and ice cream, washing it ddwn with Canadian Club under the lilac tree with the tape recorder blaring rag -time, and a beautiful. soulful woman on your knee. You'd wind up with pie tasting of rye, sickly•sweet music, and a woman screaming because she had an ice -cube down her decolletage and ice-cream (chocolate) all over her bikini. One could cope with one day of that. it might even be interesting. The combination has many permutations. RDgaQ and opke bSI 00@y But try it three days in a row, or ten. and you'd wind up in the white jacket. What if the woman started smelling of rye, the apple pie tasted like lilacs, the rye was hotter'n a firecracker, and fhe music started sounding like strawberry ice-cream? And that's how I feel about my students. As we used to say in Germany, "Genug ist genugl", or something along those lines. Does the lion tamer miss the lions when he retires and goes into extensive plastic surgery on his scarred face, his torn legs? Does the janitor miss his broom? Does the sailor miss puking into the wind? Does the housewife miss the ironing? Does the plumber regret not having scabs on his knuckles any more? Does the doctor miss head colds? Does the lawyer miss the people at parties who ask him if their wife/husband is divorceable? Certainly i'll miss my pupils. Just the way I miss the old rubber boots for fishing that i threw out 12 years ago. Just the way I'll miss being a prisoner -of -war on bread and water. it's not that 1 don't like kids. i do. But 1 don't go on and on and on being their father end their mother and their baby-sitter and their friendly local policeman and their ineratiating psychiatrist and their grand- father and their jovial uncle. 1 know perfectly well that the moment 1 retire, my potential students will be plunged back into the Dark Ages. None of them will be able to read or write or scribble graffiti on the desks or go to the washroom twice every period. What is to happen to them? It ilriay seem heartless to you, but it doesn't bother me In the slightest that good ole Mr. Smiley won't be there to suckle them at his literary breast, watch them blossom into language that only a sailer wouldn't shrink from, and steer them into courses that will drive them to suicide. • They can go and cry on someone else's shoulder about the rotten parents they have, and the terrible turmoil of being a teen, and the "fact" That all their other teachers are down on them, and that's the only reason they are fifty-percenters instead of eighty- percenters. They can tell some other gullible that' they didn't know that their assignment was due, that the reason they missed the test was that they'd missed the bus. They can give somebody else the big blue or brown stare of utter sincerity while they lie through their teeth about why they have thrown someone else's book out the window, or why their desk has suddenly overturned, or why their desks are covered with pornography•. Don't get me wrong. As individuals I love them. Who could be sweeter than Shawn, wide-eyed, who tells me that the reason he didn't write the test was that he hadn't (in two months) read the book? Who could be more appealing than Lisa as she explains that the reason she is falling behind is not her boyfriend, perish the thought, but her parents„ father a wife - beater and mother a drunk (both of them turning up for Parents' Night; the father a milquetoast, the mother a Sunday Schpol teacher)? What can you say when Greg mutters, shamefacedly, that he didn't get his essay done because he, heck, was skiing all weekend because, like, it was the only decent weekend all winter? Maybe the reason I'm so soft is that I never told a lie, was never late, never slept in, never missed an assignment, and sat like an angel In class, when I was a studnet. • Whatever, I'm gonna miss them exactly as much as they're gonna miss me. in both cases, like a tooth -ache. • 1