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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1983-08-17, Page 2C;1iP 3inron Since 1860, Serving the Pommunity'llrat Incorporating rBrussels Post founded 1872 12 Main St. 527-0240 Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO every Wednesday morning ' Susan White, Managing Editor Jocelyn A. Shrler, Publisher Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subscription rates: Canada $17.75 a year (in advance) outside Canada 550. a year (in advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1983 • Second class mall registration number 0696 ( Only in a small town A year of planning in two communities by two separate groups culminated in the form of Sportsfest and Brusselsfest on the weekend. And what a weekend it was! Both events began Friday evening and ended Sunday. In addition to organizers of any event, nobody knows better than the staff of the Expositor, who spend coutless hours recording the amount of time and work involved to make an et a success - whether it be ball, hockey or lawn bowling tournaments,, 11 fairs or flower shows. Sportsfest '83 was a first for Seaforth. Staging the event is a credit to our community since Seaforth is'the smallest centre to host Sportsfest in its seven year history. Over 2,500 peopl'p�articip,aated in events ranging from darts, horse shoe throwing, baseball and sol'<cer. In all there were 18 different events. Although Seaforth was the main centre for Sportsfest, recreational facilities were used in the surrounding communities of Staffa, Dublin', St. Columban, Winthrop and Walton. "It's nice to beable to rely on these facilities," said Bryan Peter, recreation director. But the participants were not the only people that made Sportsfest a reality. The number of volunteer man-hours is incredible. Although figures are incomplete, the number of hours involved range from 1,000 to 10,000. Just to operate food booths and bars took between 200 to 300 people. This doesn't include the boy scouts who organized camping facilities for 200 campers. Now that's what we call, Incredible. Brusselsfest is another story. Sponsored by the Brussels Optimist club, many events were added, to make the annual Brusselsfest more attractive to the public. A feature was'an exhibition ball tournament which saw former tri -county ball players, digging out musty gloves and stretching unused muscles for the games. The tri -county league was disbanded about eight years ago. Former umpire of tri -county games, George Ste. Marie was brought out of retirement for the weekend. It was evident George was thrilled to be asked. New events included greased pole climbing, greased pig contest, bed races, and a soap box derby. How can people say there is nothing to do in a small town when all of the above events were staged? As the Dutch would say, "They must have their eyes in their pockets." We can also take a line from a tea commercial, "Only in a small town, eh. Pity." All of this would be impossible if it wasn't for the volunteers. If we had to rely on paid help, the success of any community event would. be out of the question. The word volunteer, in a sense, could go back to the days when China built the great wall, or Egypt constructed huge pyramids. They used free labor for what seemed impossible tasks. After all, aren't we doing what seems impossible - holding events which are successful. Unbelievable you say - not in small towns it isn't. — R.W. Cra Soapbox speedsters THE SOAP BOX derby was one of the most popular events during Brusselsfest. Sponsored by the Optimist Club, other events Included a greased pole climbing contest and street dance. Racing to -the finish line, top right is Michelle and Steve Machan. Kelly Workman and Michael SeifiNop left, were the onl-two drivers to crash. Barely tall enough to look over his steering wheel Is Jeremy Albrecht, centre. Proud of his car Is Danny McNeil, right. Drinkers should practise moderation We went back to my old Iteme town a few weeks ago to attend a big celebYation in honor of the 125th anniversary of the town's founding. I'm afraid if you weren't old enough to drink beer. or didn't like the stuff, the event would have been as flat as, well, 125 -year-old beer.. To be fair to the organizers, they had tried to get a midway to keep the kids. busy while mom and dad were inside at the beer garden in the arena. At the last minute, though, the midway didn't show up. Good thing it was the midway that cancelled and not the beer garden or they might have had to call the whole thing off. Today, it seems, people just won't go anywhere if they can't have a drink at it. That celebration shows how much things have changed in 25 years. 1 have vague memories of the centennial celebrations in our town as a youngster. I'm sure there was plenty of booze around then too. it's just that Learn to swim Four-year-old Shannon Dale had a bad scare recently at the Lion's pool, When she was left unsupervised for a few minutes by her older cousins, she got into water over her head and since she was floating on her back and not panicking, lifeguards didn't realize she was having problems. But, luckily, 10 -year-old David Cronin did notice her difficulties while he was swimming near her, and pulled her out. What could have been a tragedy, finished with a happy ending. The incident underlines the importance of swimming lessons for children in Seaforth. Because of the rescue techniques he learned in his swimming lessons, David was able to react immediately to help Shannon. He had practised with mock rescues during swim class and readily knew what to do when faced with the real thing. Shannon's scare can also be traced to a lack of swimming lessons. Because her mother, Hilda was afraid of the water after a similar childhood incident, she had not enrolled her children in swimming lessons. And, Shannon, finding herself in water over her head, had no idea how to get to the side of the pool. She had not been taught the basics which would keep her afloat or move her a short distance in the water. Swimming lessons help children to relax and feel at home in water where panicking can be lethal. It gives children a healthy respect for water while teaching them how to avoid or react to dangerous situations. And, most of all, they involve children in an activity that is good -exercise and a lot of fun. Behold duo og*loo ac�6th L°3oa6otow it wasn't legal. You couldn't get a legal drink in our town in those days, let alone have things like beer gardens. In many ways the changes havd been for the better. Ontario had a tot of silly laws about drinking back then, and still has a few, but things have become a little more sensible on the part of the law. Unfortunately, in reaction against those old silly laws perhaps, the public has gone just as ridiculously to the opposite extreme. A dance without a bar, for instance, these days is likely to be a dance without people. What's more, since the money is made on bar receipts, 'not admissions, it will also be a dance that loses money. People feel deprived if they can't have beer at ball games. at the race track, at• the theatre or at a concert. In fact bars have become so important, that you can often present inferipr attractions to get people there and they do i't seem to mind as long as they can have a drink. 1 was looking forward to the old home town celebrations for instance because I remem- bered outdoor concerts, highland games, and fireworks displays. I remembered the whole family going together to so many tictivities. This time round everything with the excep- tion of the big parade. seemed to split kids from parents and seemed to be a definite sideshow. not too interesting in case it kept people away from the bars. The danger here is that the pendulum will swing so far away front moderation in alcohol consumption that there will be a' reaction back towards stiffer rules. Already the reaction against drinking drivers is starting to build. If it is successful. the anti -alcohol movement could bee6nt stronger. The temperanc movant today conjures up images of li tie old fuddy-dttddies.. (of either sex) who ant to stop everybody's fun? A century ago,l, however, the temperance movement was led by modern far thinking people who are held up as heroes of the women's movement, people like NeWe McClung. They saw temperance as a women's movement because they saw what alcohol did to the men they had to live around. Today. of course. modern women seem intent on proving they can drink as much as any man. If. however, the temperance movement gets co-optotiby one of the influential modern movements, things niay change. It would be a shame to go back to the worst of 25 years ago when it conies to booze. It's just too bad we can't find a happy medium, Not the way history is remembered Too hot. Nothing on TV. Nothing in the papers. Two grandboys, one of whom wants a peanut butter and honey sandwich, the other a jam and banana sandwich. Not the best day for writing a serious column. So. Let's have something on the light side. I am deeply indebted to a faithful reader for the following. a compilation of "boners" or "howlers" put together by historian Anders Henriksson from students at McMaster University and University of Alberta in their freshmen year. I'd love to print the whole thing, but haven't space. so will settle for a few, with the odd editorial comment. First. about the Black Death. "In the 1400 hundreds most Englishmen were Perpendic- ular. Finally. Europe caught the Black Death. The bubonic plague is a social disease in the sense that it can be transmitted by intercourse and other etceteras. 11 was spread from port to port by inflected rats. Victims of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. The plague also helped the emergance of the English language as the national language of England. France and Italy." Now you know about the Black Death. should the subject come up at a cocktail party. Just ask. "Where did you get those boobs on your neck?" Now. all the gen on the Middle Ages. "During the Middle Ages. everybody was middle aged." Well. I'd give him a mark for that. Now the next phase. "The Middle Ages slimpared to a halt. The renasence bolted in from the blue. Life reeked with joy. Italy became robust and more individuals felt the kigsai cmcl Migg by D666 5m110@y value of their human being. Italy. of course. was much closer to the rest of the world, thanks to northern Europe. Man was determined to civilize himself. even if heads had to roll. It became sheik t 6e educated. Europe was full of incredabl churches with art bulging out their doors." that takes care of the Renaissance, Nicely. But the Reformation is not neglecied. "The Reformation happened when German n'bblets resented the idea that tithes were goig to Papal France or the Pope. thus enriching Catholic coiffures...An angry Martin Luther nailed 95 theocrats to a church door. 'rheotogically. Luther was into reorientation ntutation...The Popes. of course. were usually Catholic...the last Jesuit priest died in the 19th century. More. "After the refirmation were wars both foreign and infernal. If the Spanish could gain the Netherlands they would have a stronghold throughout Northern Europe which would include their posetions in Italy, Burgangy• central Europe and India. the German Emperor's lower passage was blocked by the French for years and years... No wonder we had two world wars! Just some other genes. "Louis XIV became King of the Sun....if he didn't like someone he sent them to the gallows for the rest of their lives." "The French revolution was accomplished before it happened....Napoleon was ill with bladder problems and was very tense and unrestrained." Poor devil. The 19th century? "Industrialization was precipitating in England. Problems were so complexicated that ib Paris. out of a population of one million people, two million Able bodies were on the loose." Hm! Always knew the French were loose. but not quite that loose. Politics? "The middle class was tired and needed a rest. The old order could see the lid holding down new ideas beginning to shake. Among the goals of the christs were.universal sufferage and an anal parliament. Voting was to he done by ballad." Well, have things changed all that much?" Culture? "(I1) fomented from Europe's tip to its top. Richard Strauss, who was violent ^ C5 � AO� It wasn't parting with the money so much, (`yam, Q ilSr � it was the principal of the thing. Enough to make one shop in a town where they don't bother with meters. , wary sew Gets ticket! I have a beef about using Seaforth parking meters. Iarked one day at the east end of the Seaforth Automotive building. Being as there was a car parked in the driveway at the end. 1 left enough room for it to back out and put money in the meter for the parking space. When I returned there was 15 minutes on the meter and a ticket under the windshield wiper The policeman was just across the street and I explained the matter to him. He went hack with me and checked it and said "How do 1 know the owner of the car in the driveway didn't put the money in the meter." He then informed me he couldn't tear up a ticket once it had been written but if I took it to the clerk's office and explained it to them the', might straighten it out. Try small claims court I was advised to take it to Small Claims Court. 1 did and 1 won the case, if you figure you have a legitimate claim, and a company has refused to pay. go the way 1 did, to the Small Claims Court. it's worth a try. Signed: -Tired of getting the runaround if someone out there, is carrying any type of accident insurance, and the insurance company has refused to pay, take heart. Sometime ago 1 sent in a claim to a certain insurance Company for an accident. Three tines i sent in the same claim, three times they refused to pay, saying it was a carryover from an accident that i had had six months before. incidentally they paid for the first accident. 1 was getting tired of getting the runaround, because I figured 1 had a legitimate claim. Dublin isn't a bad place business. Dublin and community people also know why there aren't any groceries in Dublin now. Any prospective buyers must be driven miles away after reading the press articles. I can name numerous thriving business enterprises in Dublin. A well-managed. well stock, competitive grocery store would provide a living for some new owner ton. I sincerely hope that some interested person or persons out there gets in touch with the realtor. Dublin isn't a bad place and the people do deserve a grocery store. Marjorie Moore R.R.#2 Dublin, Ont. J but methodical like his wife made him, plunged into vicious and perverse plays. Dramatized were adventures in seduction and abortion. Music reeked with reality. Wagner was piaster of music, and people did not forget his contribution. When he died, they labeled his seat as "historical." Other countries had (heir own artists. France had Chekhov." Moving along. "World War I broke out +mound 1912-1914. Germany was on one side of France and Russia on the other. At war people get killed and then they aren't people any • more. but friends....in 1937 Lenin revolted Russia." And on to World War 11. "Germany was displaced after WWI . This gave rise to Hitler. Germany was morbidly overexcited and unbalanced. Berlin became the decadent capital, where all forms of sexual deprivation were practised, A huge anti -semantic move- ment arose.... "Moosealini rested his foundations on 8 million bayonets and invaded Hi Lee Salasy." Sounds jolly uncomfortable for Moosv. "Germany invaded Poland, France in• vaded Belgium. and Russia invaded,every• body. War screeched to an end when a nukuleer explosion was dropped on Hero- shima. A whole generation had hccn wiped out in two wars, and their forlorne families were left to pick up the pieces." Those arc lust samplings. It's not quite the way 1 remember ntv history, but it sure as hell is more interesting. SSOO nf�i v[ Owg %O k'V Susan White is by $llSow " tNt@ on vacation The Dublin and community people have sure got the rundown."k few weeks ago in the two local papers and now the Beacon Herald (even more circulation). Dublin and community people know that the MacRaes and their friends spent long, long hours preparing that well-built, beauti. ful building for opening. 1t was a booming Got a beef? Write a letter Money t� OWnC@Qom ©gam* poor in 1883 AUGUST 17,1883 Mr. John Doig of Tuckersmlth returned home ort Friday evening from a visit to Scotland. He brought with hint two Clydes- dale yearling stallions. "Royal Topsman" and "Bonnie Scotland" which he purchased near Stirling. The retired farmers residing in Seaforth intend challenging those of Harpurhey and Egmondville to play a football match The match is to take place on the agricultural grounds. An admission of 10 cents is to he charged ss ith the proceeds gMng to the poor. Mr. John Mason, reeve of Hullett met with a very painful accident while driving through u,wn on his war home During the day workmen had been excavating Inc the culvert across the street in front of Mr. Fair's mill. and had carelessly left the open ditch • unprotected. In the dark Mr. Mason did not see the danger and drove into it. He was thrown from his buggy. resulting in a fractured rib and bruises Please turn to page 1 A •