HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-09-06, Page 1010 — 'HEHUROP. EXPOSITOR $►EPTI MEEK ;fie 199
This weekend I read a sometimesfttnny.
sometimes sad book by a Toronto lawyer
mined Morley Turgov about the joys and;
frustrations of growing •up Jewish in the
Sault Ste. Marie of the 1940's. The book.
was: Called A !Good '_Place To Come From
and it's appal lay in the fact the author's
experiences are universal. Just about
anyone who has grown up has experienced
with at least some of the frustrations of
trying to understand the adu t.wotld. Also,
the adults Mr. Turgov encounter are some
of the Sante •Characters you bump inti no,
Matter Where you live,
I'm not sure if it was Turgov's book or
the fact 1 was back in my old home territory
that made me just a trifle nostalgic fir my
own younger days.
'Whenever 1 get, back within shouting
distance of the St, Clair River, even with
me: foul-smelling smog that hangs over
Chemical Valley, 1 imagine 1 can smell the
river's special Perfume - a mixture of oil
slick. . garbage and that chill feeling • I
believed blew allthe way down from Lake
Superior. Every time I catch the first
glimpse of those brilliant blue waters and
see the first freighter, I feel a little tug back
to the dayswhen you spent your summer
sunning on the dock, waving . at passing
'sailors or pretending you hadn't seen a
plump water rat slither into the water just
when you wanted to dive in.
• Mev hometown, a village called Froome-
'field, built around the intersection of the
river; and a concession known by the
romantic title of LaSalle Road, was named
after two English brothers. Froome and
Field Talfourd, who settled in the area in
the early 1800's. Field Talfourd stayed only
long enough to realize it was going to be
difficult to transport English manners to
the wilds of Upper Canada, and returned to
his native ground. Back in England, he
managed to earn some celebrity as .a
portrait painter, and today his painting of
poet .RSfberf Browning hangs in one of.
London, England'smany galleries,
BOOMING PORT
But Field's brother, who must have been
an optimist, stayed on in Froontefield, and
gradually a settlement grew up. complete
*ith, a small church and a variety of
businesses,, $0.Me of the early settler's
dreamed of turning the settlement into a
,boonting port, and they did sell wood and
Boal: to passing steamers, but the settle-
ment remained a pleasantlittle village
until recent years.
By the time my parents bought a rather
dilapidated; brick farmhouse in the village:•
the church had, long since disappeared -
and so had roost of the businesses, except a
general, store and: gas ,station. But our
neighbours?;thraled anything a writer like
Torgov can produce in his hometown.
First, right next door to our two acre lot
was a small, white frame cottage.
inhabited by a middle-aged lady called.
Martha (not her real name); Now while 1.
can't remember how my parents explained
Martha to us, it wasn't until my school
days started and l boarded the bus. the
hivee of neighbourhood gossip, that I
learned Martha was ,knowln, as "that crazy
lady,''
Until then, I think we'd justbe led to
believe that Martha was slightly eccentric.
Children, like my brother and myself, were
to stay on our side .of the fence, even if the
nice lady offeredus a treat,
Now Martha's eccentricity took a
basically harmless form - she simply
collected things. Usually things ings were
the neighbourhood's stray cats and dogs,
always in considerable supply. But on a
more memorable occasion, on a jaunt
around the back streets, Martha borrowed
a neighbour's child, baby buggy and all.
The baby was eventually found unharmed:
in Martha's backyard, still sleeping, and
when the baby was school age, she could
yp
claim a rather special Status none pf the
test of us could match - after all. how tapan;
of us have been kidnapped?
Now while Martha and ,1 rarely .creaked
peths, 1 felt she did cross the line that
makes good neighbours when she, "collect-
ed" :one of my cats,•
In the"days before my father decided; we
needed a dog around the place, our pets
consisted of a string of cats cats with a
particularly high mortality rate due to our
proximity to the highway. One of my
particular favorites was a fluffy Persian.
but one day the half-grown kitten simply
disappeared. Atfirst there was, the
seigggestion he'd met the same fate as his
predecessors. but then we discovered he'd,
I
sir...Pjoined Martha's collection, For the
...yla ..
next months, we'd see the cat in her
backyard or in her arms,and obviously the
Persian felt he bras receiving a better
standard of care next door, since he didn't;
return.
Then one day, when I was about five,
and sunning myself on the back step,
Martha crossed dividing the line, She; came
over to ask ;if l'd seen HER Persian cat,
The question left me speechless 1
Couldn't talk back to an adult, but the nerve.
of her asking if 1 knew where her Persian.
was, when she'd stolen the cat from me,.
was beyond my comprehension,
Now in :addition to collecting things,
Martha also collected names, each duly
pnttt°,d,•on her mailbox. I' think it was really
her• name gathering that gave her the
special status in the neighbourhood, since
she advertised her latest choice
for all to
see. •
THE DUSS
Our favorite, -and the one which' gave the
community an extra touch of class, was
when Martha declared herself HRH,
Princess Mary Victoria, the Duchess, of
Ennisclaire. She then proceeded to open
only the mails which, addressed her by her
r
chosen bile, rand would sign her cheques in
the same royal flourish. We never did.
•discover if there actually was a Duchess of
Ennisclaire ,living, in some chilly castle in
England, but the title certainly fit;; in with
•Martha's residence on the banks. Of the St„
Clair.. I think Frpo nefield cealdenta, were
secretly disappointed when she abandoned
the Another of Martha'S, choices wa s
' to call.
herself Mrs, Perron. the wife of the
Argentine dictator (after the first Mrs,
Peron died). .This time, not content to
simply be a dictator's wife in absentia, she,
wrote to Mr. Peron somehow, and;
suddenly the RCMP were called in for
investigate the Canadian woman who had.
proclaimed herself' the dictator's consort.
In the years we lived next door to,
Martha, she was also the wife of an
American minister (embarassing, because
he already, had; one) and also, the
daughter-in-law of President' Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, although we were never
certain which son she believed she had
married,
Eventually,: as happens to many of the
people who are slightly different from the
mainstream of society, Martha was placed ..
in a psychiatric hospital.
When neighbours were helping clean the
house for the sale of its furnishings they
found one more of Martha's collections.
Each pet bird, when it passed on, had been
carefully wrapped in a Kleenex shroud and
stored in one of her desk drawers.
Martha spent the remainder of her life as
an outpatient, living, in the London area, in
the care of others. I like to imagine she
believed it was her due..'
Although She left Froomefield when :I
was still young, 1 still picture; her astall and
legal looking, dressed in royal purple,
carrying my Persian cat and:behaving very
much like, well like English royalty should!
18th- Annual
PIONEER.
THRESHER & HO
ASSOCIATION
REUNION
September noir
7 8.9
Blyth,. Ontario •
John Ellacott, President. Simon Hallahan Secretary
London.. Ontario R.R. 3, Blyth., Ontario'.
STEAM ENGINES - TRACTORS THRESHING -.
SAW MILL - .OLD FARM MACHINERY - GAS,
ENGINES'• - SHINGLE MILL HAND FED•
SEPARATOR w HAY PRESS - ANTIQUE CARS -
ENTERTAINMENT etc+.
BANQUET - OCT. 19 BEYTH MEMORIAL' HALL
Constance
Bab
Correspondent
MRS. MARX MERNER
482.7.143
tubs. Jim Thompson and
bair-•daughter Cheryl Lynne
returned home on '
Wednesday from. Seaforth
Hospital.. . .
Mr. and, Mrs.. Frank Riley
attended .the Kincardine Fall
Fair on Saturday,
Mr. and Mrs.. Dave
Preszcatot:, 'Christine, Lisa.
Christopher and Gregory
spent the weekend camping
at the Old Homestead.
Mr. and Mrs. Allan
• Merner of R.R.2 Drumbo
visited on Saturday with Mr.
and • Mrs. Carl Merrier,
Sandy, Julie, Michael and.
Shelley.
Peter .Dimaline and Grant
Morgan of Clinton spent the
weekend visiting in Hamilton'
with Miss 'Trudy Dimaline
and with Mr.. and Mrs. Dave
Hope and Julie. '
Mr. and Mrs. •George
Wed. -Sats.
& Sat.
Matinee
Terra
Show Band
Next Week
Jamie,It the, Delra s
y
Dining Room
Open Daily from 12 Noon
Good Old -Fashioned
Home -Cooked Meals
Continuous Entertainment from 8 p.m. to t a,m.
• HIGHWAY #8 DL'B,Liy: 3.512820
home
Murray and a
d family of
Y
Cambridge - Galt spent the
Labor Day weekend at their
summer home in McKillop.
They held a Murray family
gathering on Sunday.at their
home.
Mr. and, : Mrs.. Terence
Hunter of Colborne .Town-
ship:.visitedi on ,Sunday with
the Jim Thompson and John
Thompson- and families,_
A family picnic was held
on Sunday at the Clinton'
Conservation Area to honour
Ross. and' Bonnie Jewitt on
the occasion of their 10th
wedding : anniversary; those
attending' were Mrs. Elia.
Jewitt', Mr., and Mrs. Ken
Jewitt of Seaforth,, Mr. and
Mrs. William Diwson and
John of Varna, Mr. and Mrs.
John . Jewitt and familyy Mr.
and Mrs, Dennis Jewitt ,and
Kathy of ` Clinton/Mr and
Mrs. Jim Preszcator, Bill,.
Debbie and Michael, Larry:
and Steven Jewitt of Toronto;'
15,000 see'
Blyth shows
The last show of the
season, The 'Death of the
Donnollys, has turned out• to
be the biggest hit of the
season. Playing to packed
audiences for the last two
weeks, The Death 0 of the
Donneliy's plays September
2 at 2 p.m.. September 4, 5.
6, 1, at 8:30 p.m. and
September 8 at .2 p.m. and
8:30 p.tn. at Blyth Memorial
Hall. An action packed story 4full of historical local colour:
this production of the notor-
ious Donnelly family has
' been widely acclaimed as the
best yet. Tickets are still
available for the last week.
The Death of the Don-
nellys doses the Blyth Sum:-
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527-0180
"Lunch Time
Open Daily for Lunch'
e r r
eereere•t
Moo,. Fri. 11 a.m. • 2 p.m,
Sat. at San. all day
22 Goderlch St., Seaforth
ere r lee r e e v e I e e A
ID
OM
•
•
a
•
•
•
-
ON
•
•
:
Mrs. Elma. Jewitt, tit Mr, and
Mrs; Ron Jewitt and family,
'Mr. and .Mrs.. Gary Jewitt
and family,all of Clinton, Mr.
and 'Mrs. Ralph Glew and
boys of Dorchester. Mr. and.
Mrs. Bev Jewittand'. Craig of
Woodstock. Mr. and Mrs.
Jack Snell of Londesboro and.
their.. family.
Mr. and: Mrs. Carl. Mernerl
Sandy, Julie, `.Michael;
Shelley spent Sunday 'with.
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Merner
of R.R.2, Drumbo.
Sharon Thompson left; on
Tuesday for college in
Toronto. She will attend.
Humber College' this year.,
Mrs. Bill Storey
accottipanied Mrs. Hugh
Flynn on Sunday when they
visited , at Huronveiw with
Ephriati Clarke, Luella
Norris and Mrs. MacPher-
son.
1
Miss Margaret. Patrick, . Toronto and, Mr. and Mrs..
Donald Patrick of Pheonix Arizona visited at the home of
Rena McKenzie.
-
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Galligan•and Pat of Matteson, Illinois.
are visiting with Mr. Ken and Joe 'Murray.
Mr. and Mrs. John Patterson had their family .home at
the weekend, Mr. and Mrs.' John Patterson and Jason of
RR#2 Seaforth, Mr. Allain Patterson from Vancouver and.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Beattie, Kimberly, and Kevin from
. ..,Dutton.
mer Festival's fifth success-
ful season with James Roy as
Artistic Director. •The Blyth
Summer Festival. -attracted.
15,000 peoplethis season, an
increase of 3.000 over last
year. :Beginning. Septeinber
1st, Janet Arabs' 'will be
taking over as -Artistic Direc-
tor.
The Blyth Centre For .Thi
Arts wishes to thank the
audiences for their continuer
support and enthusiasm
which made for such
successful season. And wc
recognize those hard working
actors and ;production staff
whose professionalism and
outstanding talent .have.
made the productions so
noteworthy.
Remember it takes but a
moment to place an Ex-
positor Want Ad.. Dial 52"
X40.
Stag
for
Bob:.
HuIIey.
Saturday,
Sept, ember
-8th-
•
REMEMBER THE CIDERFEST — Grave Hussey and Gladys Vast,
Egmond donned some hillbilly garb to advertise the Van Egmond
Foundation's• popular P.Pular Ciderfest, in this float ill the Bayfield' Fair
Saturday.
Aberhart
show
droppeci
.
The Back To The Bible
Hour, the Sunday morning.
program
religious radio ro ram
•:
started in Calgary 54 Years
ago by Seaforth native
William Aberhart, went, off
the air .last week at its
original station.
The show first went on the
air in, the fall. of 1925 when
"Bible Bill" Aberhart, then
a Calgary schooi' teacher; -
convinced W.W, Grant, who.
operated .radio station CFCN,
that radio should be used to
spread the gospel.
The show was broadcast
live every; Sunday afterrioon
from a Calgary theatre and
Mr. Aberhart wassoon
attracting a lar
audience in the south of.
Alberta, Soon he u the
program'. not only as tat-
form for his sermons, but
also to attack big . business.
Gradually the social Credit
philosophy of Major.''
Douglas, :a Scotsman, crept
into Bible Bill's. speeches and
eventually led • to the
founding, of the Alberta
Social Credit party:
The party came to power in;
1935;•
with Mr. "Aberhart as
the province's first Social'',
Credit premier. He
continued braodcasting his
Sunday morning radio show
until his death in 1943. At
that time both his, radio show
and the .premier's job were
taken over by Mr. Aberhart's
protege,, ;Er -nest Manning..
The Back To the Bible
Hour, Will 'Still be broadcast
through' Western Canda
through syndication on 49
other, radio stations,
Brusseusfest '79
(Sept. 22.)
B,M.G, Arena_.
3 p.m, to 1 a.m.:
STRATFORD
FALL FAIR
SEPT- 19-23
OOPER BROTHERS
FRIDAY, SEPT' : 21
$500 per person includesgate entry
GODDO
YSEPT.
$9.00 per person Includes ;;gate. entry
LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS FOR
ABOVE SHOWS AVAILABLE AT
STRATFORD' COLISEUM- & MUSIC,
SHOPPERS RECORD & TAPE MART.
FREE THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE
WITH GATE 'ADMISSION
Campbell Amusements - over 24 rides
Horse shows Wed.-Thurs. Sept. 19-20
Tug. of War Thurs. Sept. 20;
Trans Canada Hell Drivers Sat., Sept; 22
DEMOLITION ''DERBY SUN. SEPT. 23
•ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE AT
STRATFORD: FAIRGROUNDS
FIRST 40 CARS ACCEPTED`
•
Enjoy
Weekly
League
Night
*included in gate admission
FREE! 'GRANDSTAND SHOWS.
•
g 5 mottle `spectaculars
three tunes daily !our trines
pp Sate,rday Sect 8
FREE! STAGE TEN
- Continuous entenalnment
courtesy of CFPL•TV
CBC personalities choirs square
Banc ng puppets • fiddler 5
contest etc
- Ds= contest Syn Sept. 9s
Leagues starting now. Don't miss out!
Open, this weekend
OPEN Friday Nightafter 8:00
Saturday Afternoon 2-5
BOWLING' Saturday Night 8-1 1
Sunday Afternoon 1-5
FREE GAMES
' for;
Npw Bowlers
and 'we'll' help your
-PHONE 521, -0840 -
NOBEL LAN
- at Ontaro•Arena featuring
: Western Senior and Junior
classes
FREE! COMMERCIAL AND
GOVERNMENT E)(HiBlTS
• 'Pres photo eompettuon catenary
arts tine arts horne•eratts.
• wtne•makrng and honiculttuat
displays _
. FREE! COLOURFUL. PARADES
Warnor,s Day Parade.
Sett . Sept 8 at 12 30 P'M
- Shrine Parade
• Sun Sept 9 at 1 P M
- .School Safety Patrol Parade
Sat Sept 15 at t P.M'
FREE! AGRICULTURAL DI•SPLAYS`
AND LIVESTOCK JUDGING'•
•
- Meat cutting demdnstration
- Breed displays of livestock
Al the Agricultural Pavillon
FREE! 'GATE...PRIZES
Nrlrt!"o Park a near oundas WIN A NEW PONTIAC
At
Gate three sl=areowe dairy 1st PRIZE 1980 PONTIAC PHOENIX
FREE! AROUND THE GROUNDS 2nd acid 3rd PRIZES — New 1975':
PONTIAC ACADIAN'HATCHBACKS
- flcmrtg entertatherS ntivetty,artd'
tura tyarades PLUS G 00 Cash S AWARDS
- Five S 100 Cash PnYes
FREE! MARCO POLO THEATRE
- Fredl=utute the an,matedl lad'
- ContinutttiS enterinnrneret.
,rtus;0atrind arety acts