HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-06-07, Page 3. { . m th
B4.sani white
hi 1
Were yea-, :dear reader,
among the 2094 plus, hardy
souls who went.Put to see the
circus when .it played in
Seaforththanks to the Agri.
cultural. Society last week?
Our family was there, and
so by the looks of the
crowded tent, was most of
Seaforthand area, The better
half and I are lucky about
things ;like circuses now. We
don't have to sneak in: with
the other adults who are still
children at heart or borrow
somebody else's, kid with the
excuse that "we decided to
take little Johnny to the
circus and give :his parents a
break,"
No, we have our own real
life child now and were ,able
to walk, nonchalantly into the
circus, claiming that our year
and a half year old had been
bugging us for weeks to
attend, Ill adritit that there
were adults unattendedby
children in the audience but
obviodsly they were ob.
Y more •
confident types than we were
in our previous childless.
lives.
With Gabrielle much in
evidence as our excuse for
attending we sat right down
in front and enjoyedthe show
very much. The magic and
the high wire acrobatics were
especially impressive but
what I really liked was the
way the performersall wore
several hats.
UP IN THE,AIR' Deanna McLeod is off to ;a
flying start in the long jump event at Seaforth
Public School's Field Day. Students competed
in'a Variety of events from races, to the Charlie
Chaplin relay and scoop ball. _ b`
(Expositor Photo)
N
r
it reminded hie of this.
newspaper 1 guess to. see . a
lovely lady who'd been part
of a balancing act a few
minutes .earlier. come around `•.
dressed normally . selling
colouring, books.
Animal trainers sold bal-
loonsi,, and the backstage
crew, peddled popcorn. They
all seemed .to do everything
with good grace too.
Everyone looked like they
were - enjoying themselves
and working with each other.
From all evidence at 'last!
Tuesday's show here : the
Martin and Downs 'circus,:
aforth
the all; Canadian show, •iS; a
ggod place to work,
CIRCUS LIFE:
"We're from all over
Mexico, Florida, you, name
it", the popcorn seller, ticket
taker, souvenir booth oper-
ator told my. husband'. '''Not
too many from Ontario. You,
people don't seen', to. take to
circus life."
1 know of one Canadian
though who spent more than
one summer with, the Martini
and Downs circus and 11 asked
his mother, a local lady, how
he liked it, "He loved it, the
travelling, the animals,
everything," she said, add-
•ing that he'd learned how to.
handle a couple of elephants
during his time withthe big,
tented :show.
1 haven't heard about 'any
local people who succumbed
to circus life last week but a,
year or so ago '.I happened. to
see part of an award winning
documentary on the Martin.
and Downs circus on TV that
chronicled the coming and:
going of a couple of employ-
ees. '
They are green, most of
them, the show implied, kids
who join up when the circus
hits their town and -stag with.
if for varying lengths of time;.
Martin and Downs trains,
them to do almost anything. 1
remember a kid who pro-
gressed from back stagehand.
to clown to fire eater arid
sword swallower over a,
seriesofperformances.
They've get,team work and
enthusiasm going for them,
the circus performance here
showedthat, and 1 wish them
continued. success as they
bring` the big top to small
towns and villages all over
Canada..
PUSHING TOO: HARD
While the circus: was well
received here, .many parents
were heard to remark • they
wished the.: Martin and. ,
Downs people had. • been a.
little less enthusiastic in their
nafvE
rt appointed
A Vittoria County land
registrar has been appointed.
the new Huron County land
registrar by the province
passing over a° local man.
David Hill' is the second'man
appointed to fill' the contro-
versial. :position in less than
" six months:
Frank Hagan, the deputy
'registrar and a Seaforth. nit -
.0 • ive, had beenthe acting•Iand"
a , registrar for.some time
before and immediately after
the retirement of former
registrar Eugene Beaver.
A ministry spokesman'said,
Mr. Hagan did compete for '•
the job but. Mr. Hillwaie.
hired due to his experience.
Mr. Hagan has .worked in;
the Goderich office for eight
years, working his way from
clerk to deputy registrar.
A graduate of SDHS, Mr.
Hagan is a son of Leo Hagan
of Seaforth.
The ministry of consumer
and commercial relations
appointed Jim :Lindsay, a
senior deputy .registrar in.
Toronto to head the office in
Goderich in November: Mr
Lindsay resigned a , month
` t'•r
ti
EVERY OUNCE OF EFFORT . Brian Riley
em
se s to be strain'tg every muscle i
n his jump
during Seaforth ;Public School's Field Day on
Thursday.
READY, set GO Linda 'Ellis starts off
n
runni.. � in the long .jump event at Seaforth
Public Scheel's Field da.. on Thursda
(Expositor Photo)
you're
invited
You're invited to a
meeting of all' area ' Senior'
Citizens at the Kilbarchan
Nursing Home June 12 at 2
p.m.
Hospital Auxiliary
members and women
institute members are re-
minded of the annual• dinner
meeting.. to be held ,at. the
Seaforth Golf Club on.
Tuesday, June 12. at' 6:30
O'clock, Come and hear
about good nutrition.
June meeting Seaforth WI
Seaforth Golf Course
following smorgasbord
dinner ' with hospital
Auxiliary, Roll Call - name an
article I threw in the dump
and wish I hadn't. Motto.
What I would like to know
about womcns 'rights- Ladies
are asked to bring a sample
n g .
p
Of needlepoint or any other
hobby,
later to take :another job in,
Toronto:
At the time of Mr. Lind-
say's appointment, the
Huron, County Law Associ-
ation protested' the ministry
decision'to hire Mr. Lindsay
without •allowing', Frank
Hagan to apply for the job..
The officials explained Mr.
Lindsay's apppointment by
,Saying he was hired on the
recommendation of 'manage-,
'ment in the property rights
division based on his senior-
ity.
When Mr. Lindsay • re-
signed as registrar, the
ministry did open the posi-
tion for competition, and the
law association protested;
-again, saying 'Mr. Hagan had
already shown he could do
the job and should have been'
appointed without having to
compete.
Before his appointment as.
registrar for Victoria, County,''';
Mr. Hill was a registrar in
Alexandria • and senior
deputy registrar in Stratford.'
Mr. Hill will start working;
at the Goderich deep in July
and Will earn S23,475.
annually:
pushing or food Items and
souvenirs,
A parent with: three little
kids ,under six canbe hard;;
pressed to continually say no,
when faced with pretty high
pressured selling of very
expensive candy; popcorn;
(75e), balloons 05e again);
and. knicknacks (S3'. or so).
This parent, and likely
many more would have glad-
ly ,paid more than the two
dollar entry ticket and been
spared the constant hawking
of almost everything that
wasn't nailed down, Our
Gaby was more delighted by
the balloons than anything..
else in the whole show but
she's young enough that
buying one didn't occur to
her, (She's still playing with
one from the Ball MacCaulay
opening a few weeks ago.)
But other patentswe sat
near were under a great deal
of ' pressure from anxious
offspring to buy . this, that
and the other: thing that left a
bad taste after an otherwise
enjoyable show. •
If we look on the bright
side, though, the circus big-
sell gave parents an excellent:
chance to talk to their kids
about value for money, high
pressure sales and other
topics of survival in the
seventies.
Like _Otte mother I heard
said when her young daugh-
ter wanted a plastic animal
for a cool $3.: "$3.j ! !,That s•
more than 1 earn in a week."
h EXPOS!
1!71
A TOWN TOUR — Mernbers1 of the SDHS;
1955-56 class board a bus for a tour of Seaforth
dur :ing their reunion
here Saturday,
(Exppsitor Photo.)
classes hpve reunion
Laughter and lotsof
memories were the order of
the day on Saturday when
the 1955-56 .class of Seaforth
District High School got
together for a reunion.
The reunion included
members of the SDHS Grade
12 and 13 class, as well as
any of the teachers who could
attend.
The former student..' who
came the furthest to renew
acquaintances was Dora Ann
Stinson, who flew in from.
Halifax, Nova. Scotia for the
day's event.
.other students came from;,
Toronto, Kitchener and the.
local area.
The class memberswho
attended. Saturday's event
included Rose ` Siemon
e _o ,
Lise Gunby,
New summer reporter
BY LiSE GLINB'i' • '"home' when I return from
Monday morning I drove the city.
up, and down Main Street I was in Toronto for a year
trying to memorize the town. and then'. studied journalism
it was my first day at the at Durham -College in Osh-
Huron Expositor and my awa..
official introduction to -Sea- .. The school work .was the
forth. • easier'. part... Now, ^I'll ' :'be
Although 1.spent 18.` of m stud" in Seaforth its'people
Although y y g ..::: p p.
19' years growingupon a • and the serroun t arca .for
Y dng
farm neat Dungannon, I'm the summer. '` -
still lea_. l_ ..
p sant y surprised by I can hardly wait. ,4
•
You'rei , invited......
The June Meeting of the..
Seaforth Horticultural
Society will be held at the
Seaforth Public , School on
Wed. June 13th at 8 ;p.ni..
Slides from • the
international Peace Gardens,'
xpostor asks:
Boissevain ,Manitoba will be
shown, Everyone welcome.
A draw for a Redwood
Planter will be made. A.
decision will be made on a
bus trip to Guelph, if enough
members are present.
What's Your idea of 7a good summer holiday?
BY DEBBIE RANNEY
Now with the warmer weather approach-
ing, Expositor Asks thoughtit might be a.
good time to find out from local readers
what their idea of a good summer holidy is.
Although she's not planning on going
anywhere this year, Joan Harrison of
Brucefield said "Camping is a good
holiday. Going across this country, seeing
our own country and camping along the
way.,,
Mrs: Marilyn Kalbfleish of Varna said
her family likes going, to South Carolina.
during the March break which could be
considered a summer holiday since it's like
summer down there,
"My idea of a good summer holiday is to
go someplace where you have a pool to
win' in. We go to Myrtle.Beach.. Therc'S
plenty to do down there," she said;
Some of the things she nitentioned we're
that yeti cangolf Cf...
y play or tenors, go roller
skating or go to nightclubs.
"The beach was beautiful there. We
had very good accommodations. 1 find
Americans are very friendly. They make
sure you have a good time," she said
Mrs. Elizabeth Burns `of 59' East William
St., Seaforth said, "I think I'd just like to
take it easy for a while, maybe go to the
lake for a few days."
. E..Barningham'of R.R. 2, Staffs said, "1
would say a cruise to the Greek islands. 1
thinka cruise is a great thing. You :have
everything, scenery, luxury. and com-
fort."
Jeff Dolmage of R.R. 2, Seaforth said,
"Going to Florida, because of the swim-
- ming and there's a whole bunch of stuff to
do."
One person from Hensall said, "A trip
some place," and added, that she was
going on a trip to England 'this summer,
'Otherwise we :play golf and enjoy the
summer anyway,' she said.
Janet Kipper', ._ ..
ne Smile of Lit. 2, lCtppen, said her.
Idea of a good summer holiday Would be to
spend the 'summer sailintt,
"';..`, 3i�..�,. ..;,... sC�.,.=4'rl4ftr.•: mow.,.
R.R.4, Walton; Joan
Somerville, R,R.2, Dublin;
Lois Ann Sommerville of
Kitchener; Dora; Ann
Stinson; Don Dodds, R.R.1,
Seaforth; Wayne McMichael
of Kitchener; Bill Scott of
Seaforth; Patrick Sloan. of
Lakefield; Hazel Bannerman
of Toronto Joanne
Beuermann of Toronto;
Arlene Diegel of "Toronto;
Betty Goudie of Kitchener;
Joyce Jewitt of Varna; Sheila
McFadden • of • Seaforth;
Helen McGonigle • of
Seaforth: Janet McGregor of
Fordwich; Lois Roe of
Kitchener; . Maja. Roobol of
RR.2. Seaforth and Peter
Spittal of Kitchener. Several
other classmates who were
unable to attend sent best
wishes for the event.
• The three teachers who
attended the reunion were
Larry. Plumsteel, James
Slattery and Miss Florence
Elford.
The reunion guests
observed, a minute of silence
in memory of another
classmate, Bill Flannigan,
who died a few years•ago.
The reunion started
Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m,.
with a re -acquaintance hour .
when the former classmates•
could lookat their school
yearbooks and . compare
pictures of themselves: in
"the good old days." Larry
Plumsteel acted as guide for .
this partof the program,
The next event was a bus
and walking tour of Seaforth
followed by dinner in the
school cafeteria. Themaster
of ceremonies for this event
was Neil McGavin of Walton.
After dinner, the reunion
guests danced, visited and'.
exhcanged some more
mem, cries of the days when.
they were "bobbysoxers" at
Seaforth District High.
School.
The "'committee of three"
who helped' organize the
event -was, Sheila Morton,
Maja Dodds. and Rose
Robinson:
Ag ;Society pleased
with response to circus
The Seaforth Agricultural., Society
realized a profit in excess. of 51,000 from
Tuesday night's two performances of the
Martin and Downs circus • held at the
Seaforth fairgrounds.
Ken Moore, . president of thea Seaforth
Agricultural Society; said 1472 tickets were
sold for the two performances. of_the show.
Mr. Moore said the agricultural society is
"real happy with the support we '.received
from the community." •
The Martin and Downs Circus is one of the
last surviving travelling' circuses in Canada
and were, featured .in ; :the National Film
Board production "High Grass Circus".
Among the most popular attractions at this
year's circus was, Jewell the elephant who
provided rides for a nutttber of area
youngsters.
On Monday night, the circus -performed
Exeter, and the Exeter Agricultural Society
made about 5400'. from the .shows,which
attracted 1,048 locaiaresilents.:
Sugar and spice
By Bill Smiley
One thing that was peculiar, among
many others, in the recent federal election,
was the shortage of female power. Where
was it?
Oh yes,. I know. Thousands of women
were out workingfor their;; local candidate,
probably far , harder than: their male
counterpoints, or their reluctantly -dragged
along husbands.
And, yes, I know the NDP made a big bid
for. the women's vote by demanding: all
sorts of things for; women— which already
exist, except t iminds
p n the : and buisnesses
and, hearts of the male Chauvinistic empire
that still rules this country. .
Where was the women's movement?
Where were the women ` candidates?
Where was the surge of feminist emotion'
and rhetoric, that could have swept the
election? bid you hear the faint sound of
fizzle, as I did? •
True, there was a scattering of women
candidates, mostly, except for the few
cabinet ministers, in ridings where they
didn't have a hope in Hades of winning.
tat h 't s to women in politics,'
this country is still in the boondocks: and
election results show it.
What's wrongwith the women on this
continent? They talk a lot, but when it
comes down to voting; they cast either:
with their husbands, "Because`. I don't
know anything about politics," for Pierre
Trudeau because Margaret has deserted
him or against Trudeau because she has
declared her independence; for Joe Clark
because he seems a bit slow and "Needs a
chance" or against him because he has.
jowls and sense of humour; for Ed
Broadbent because he seems like a
younger, or older, brother who speaks out
and is cute, in a sort of homely way.
Where in the holy world are the incisive,
emotional, hard -thinking, straight-
forward -looking women of The Movement?
They've turned into a bunch of plain old -
women, that's where.
In the mysterious East, where women
are supposed to cringe around in veils,
subservient, waiting for a kick in the rear of
another impregnation by the macho male,
we have had a prime minister in Sri. Lanka
(Ceylon to you old-timers) and India. Both
have been tough, charming, ruthless.
In the not -so -mysterious Middle East,
we had a tough charming and ruthless.
Golda Meir, who ran one of the most
abrasive and beleaguered' countries in
the world Israel — for a few years.
Even the ultra -chauvinist. (male) Brits
have elected their first female prime
, minister in history, and there's evidence
that she'll do no worse, if no better, than
her male predecessors, Maggie Thatcher.
Of course, the Brits brought B up on the
idea of a Nannie, respond well 10 a female
boss. Elizabeth the First was probably
their favorite monarch of *11 time- the
Virgin Queen.:Victoria.established an era
named after herr 'morals, manners, hang
ups. Elizabeth II is a model of decorum,
good sense, and hard work vastly alit tired.
despite . the attacks of •ar few
anti ij onarchists.
Backto. rhe Point. Where was Women's
Lib when' the election campaign began?:,
Leaders of all parties were males. At least
as far as plumbing goes.
Is Canada a pale shadow of the : U.S.,
where the thought of a female president
Would m . half' natio °s ite:overni ht?
udtur a on..ivhi. g.
Surely not; Then how explain the sound of
silence from les dames de notre'pays?'
1 just don t understand it. e ma es are
harped at, and nagged at, and niggled at.
And when the women have their big.'
chance, what do they do?`They make coffee
' and sandwiches. -
Ifwomen couldget ` organized,
8
politically, they'd
d -have more vote power
than all the :farmers; unions, fishermen,
and all the other groupsthe polls court so
assiduously. Quirky, • isn't: it?
From personal. experience , with
sisters , a mother, a wife, a mother-in,-
law,
orther-in-law, a daughter, and various female
acquaintance, I know, absolutely, ' that
women could run; this .country far better
than men. They are less sentimental,
physically tougher, morally more integral,
emotionally , more compassionate, finan-
cially more abler. At least my women are:.
They are less concerned with making;•
everybody happy. They go to the point,
rather than around it. They probe. Oh, how.
they probe, into sensitive areas that most
weak males skirt.
They are much better at organizing their
time. None of 'these three -martini, three-
hour lunches, at which nothing is settled
except that everybody's a jolly good fellow.
They'd probably open government offices
at 8 a.m, which would immediately solve
the problem of a swollen citril service. Half
the incumbents would drop dead within *
week. •
They have a nasty habit of insisting that
things be done; done right, and done right : 9
away. This too, would create, almost
overnight, a new Canada..
They will fight like tigresses to look after
their own. If we hada dominantly.female
government, they'd probably hang on to
the few industries Canada still controls,
and barefaeedly demand' from foreigners'
that they give the others back.
And What a blessing to have them in
Ottawa, running the country, and letting
out weaker sex get on With a bit of Of,
fishing, hunting.
Know who I'd like to have seen running
is the election? Flogs MacDonald'-
Maureen McTeer and Margaret: Trutleau1
With no men allowed to vote. Aird ho holds
barred. -