Loading...
The Huron Expositor, 1968-11-21, Page 14• • $ince 1860, Serving the Community Firat Puhlishe4: SEAVORTil, 011Tj4UO, every TbiarsdaY morning by McLEAN OROS., Publishers Ltd- • ANDREW Y. McLEAN, Editor .idember Can9dian Weekly Newspaper Association Ontario 'Weeldy• Newspaper Association Audit Bureau of Circulation and Class 'A' Community Newspapers s•c Subscription Rates: Canada (in advance) $5.00 a Year community newspaper Outside Canada (in advance) $7.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 12 CENTS EACH, Autiforized as Second Class Mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa and for payment of postage in cash tt's SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, NOVEMBER 28, 1968 Basic Facilities Concern of New Board Some helpful advice for new boards of education as they begin. their duties in counties ajtross Ontario next Jan- uary is contained in a recent comment by the St Marys Journal -Argus. At the same time the way in which a:deci- sion made concerningimp centre may effect other communities is emphasized with. a proposed Stratford swimming pool being used as an example: A few short months ago, St. Marys residents could not have cared less whether Stratford Central Collegiate students had a swim pool or not the Journal -Argus says and adds, , indeed, we werenot too concerned *whether they came to school with a dirty beck or a clean one. Certainly we had no in- tention of, paying for anything that Stratford pupils might wish to splash around in. . The information 6f the new county board changes ,the picture, however, and now, if :the pool is approved by the new board, we suddenly become con- cerned about the water habits of Cas - sic City youth, because we will be cal- led upon to help foot the bill under the new system. Let us hope the new board makes an auspicious beginning by turning thumbs -- down on such items as swim pools and other gee-gaws that have no bearing upon the educational standards achiev- ed by the students. The paper goes on to recall that Oxford, University, a hoary institution which probably still has the original gushing -type plumb- ing, continues 'to turn ottt pretty fair students without any frills other than a profusion of ivy-covered walls, which come practically free of charge. In this country, and the U.S.A., edu- ') cational authorities have for some years been carried away by the notion that learning may only be accompltoh- ed in plush quarters. During the last war, trades were taught to green troops in bare wooden shelters, often without so much as a coal stove to warm the premises. We still managed to win the war. A code for the new board could well be "less cuddling and more ; geniune imparting of useful knowledge," the paper -con- cludes. You, Just Can't Win. Newspaper, people and editors are human beings and periodically behave like human beings. They are, at such times, subject to the moods and fancies of all" people. They can drop into the pit of self-pity, and newspaper people can suffer the stings released by well - Meaning but sharp tongued critics. • A colleague has written a brief edi- torial that 'could only have been com- posed in moments of dejection. It was titled "You Can't Win," and there is a strong element of truth to be found in the following sentences: If we attend -a meeting, we've been nosy. If we don't, we're not interested. If we take sides on an issue, we're prejudiced. If we don't, we're cowards. If our clothes are clean and/pressed, Let's Write (from the Wingham Advance -Times) We believe that most•Canadians will agree with Postmaster -General Eric Kierans' decision to do something about the annual deficit of some $68 million which is incurred by our country's pos- tal service. In fact it would be hearten- ing t6 hear the same good news from more government departments. — However, the news .'rgease about changes in the post office department have carried only one suggestion—that the rates for mailing letters and all other classes of material will have to be increased. " Whenever a business is losing money similar action has to be' taken. Sotte- thing has to be -done to balance the bud- get. Most business managers, however, are sensible enough to attack the prob- lem from two directions at the same time and the obvious course of action is to take a long and searching look at the costs of operation. • It's Different ,(F1'074 th Bramalea, Out-, Guardian) Like ot er freedoms, freedom of the press is relative to the nee4s...of a well - ordered society. The old hell -fire and damnation -type editor has been replac- ed by the rational, responsible, well-bal- anced individual highly -skilled in jour- nalese. • we think we're big shots. If they aren't, • we look -like movie -land newspapermen. li,we've been around for awhile, it's time for a change. If we don't stop and talk" (deadlines, you know),- we're too big for our britches. If, we do, that's all we've got to do anyway. If We ask for dvice, we're incompet- ent. If We don't,' we're knOw-it-alls. If we make a mistake, we hear about it for weeks. If we don't, we never hear _ about it. If we express an opinion, we want to run the show. .If we don't, how were we ever raised? If we misspell your name, you never forget it. If we don't, you didn't read that story. .(From the Camp Borden, Ont., Citizen). More Letters Perhaps it is time to alter some of its forms of serviCe. For example, if the letter rate is raisedxtsitagix cents, every Canadian who posts a letter will be' required to pay the same fee. Yet not all Canadians get the same service from the post office. .If you happen to live' in a city the mail .is. delivered .to your home once or even twice a day On the other hand,if you live in Wingharn, Ontario, Strathmord;" Alberta, of Eekum Seekum, Nova Scotia,—or any one of the thousands of Canadian towns which do not have pos- tal carrier service, you have to get your mail at the post office. If you happen to be an old lady or an arthritic cripple you have to find yourself a neighbor or a friend or pay a young boy to do the running for you. Maybe the time has come to Cut some costs by letting everybody go to the neighborhood post office. In The Country kind of reporting. • Every newspaper reader can help en- sure he retains his right to know what's going on. no „newspaper is, TOURS. You have the right to a say inIt,just like anyone else. Did you disagree with something? Did someone fail to get his facts straight? Don't bellyache over .the back- yard fence: Write them a letter. Or make a telephone call. Your newspaper may be interested to know yon -are in- terested- That's what "letter to the editor" col- umns are all about. They're a public forum open to everyone's use. Our ad- vice is, use them, because when freedom of the press becomes unimportant in a country, it usually is quickly replaced by such literature as Mein Kampf and the Thoughts of Chairman Mao. „ The individualls important and must he treated with caution as far as the press' is concerned. The criminal must not be treated as one until the law es- tablishes his guilt. It may well 'be that freedom of the press has survived in such excellent shape beeause of responsible reporting, as opposed to, sensational scandal-Mong- • ering. iitthiltoet - legal bounds bays been 044 on the press over the .yearS •niere � placed because Of the Utter 4e-0 sArril Q14 LEAVIE oFe poVIN6 WEEK PecoireR iszszsmis?,;z, 1 SAFE DRIVING WEEK proves that lives can be ‘co,./ed if a let of people take a little extra care in traffic. During the 12 years S -D Week has been observed, traffic deaths in Ontario during December 1 —7 have been neatly a quarter less than the 7 -day average for.November, and Docember 8— 31. ' - Sugar and Spice — By _Bill Smiley — THE* DO REMEMBER Recently I wrote 'V column about Remembrance Day. It may have had a touch of bitter:" ness in it. But so many things have came up -since then ,that I thought you might be interest- ed. • First of all, a light note. A lady in Ontarioremembers something from away, k back there. " During the First World War, my husband came home on furlow from Belgium. Al- though his pass said he -was clean and free from lice, while we were riding on the under- ground in London, I watched the lice. crawling up and dawn on his coat collar. sp 1 had to scorch all the seams of his clothes as soon as I got him home, .and shave all his hair off him everywhere to get rid of them." Next, at our school we had the usual Remembrance Day service. But it wasn't the usual one. This year, we let the stu- dents plan it. They threw out the draggy old hymns and a lot of other things. Instead, against a background of old songs from hoth world wars, a student read a corn- „ mentary he had written himself. It began with, "In Flanders fields, the poppies blow . .” It was simple, and moving and honeSt. Then everybody sang that haunting folk song, "Where have all the flowers gone?' hey went to young girls, and e young girls went to grave- yards and the graveyards went to flowers. Then the Roll of Honor from our school. Some of the older teachers"can't take this. They wentto school with the boys on the list. Last Post, silence, Rev- eille. Over. The students' were silent and solemn and involved. Afterwards, in the classrooms, we discussed the service and the day. I'd brought along some photos and souvenirs. They were fascinated.. After an incredulous look at the cocky young black - haired fighter pilot, and then oneat the harassed, gray-haired teacher, they pelted me with questions. Then came that magnificent CBC documentary onOorld War 1, with Raymond Massey, old soldier, wounded on those fields, narrating. It was spellbinding and horrible. I kept looking for one of my five uncles who were there, driving mules, dragging through mud. Finally, came the followirt letter. Because it's personal, no names, no address. " Dear Mr. Smiley: I have just read your article entitled 'I Shall Never Forget', and . . . I must write to you. "I an 33 years old and 1 do not consider Remembrance Day 'a drag, a sentimental journey for old and Middleaged squares.' My father fought through many of the worst battles in the World War 1. He was a machine -gun- ner. He never talked abdiit his experiences, except for once, When he told me of a little vil- lage that he' had seen far be, low him; hi a Valley in Frame . ...Ile said only that he wished he could have died and been buried there. He never said any- • thing about the "war, but he drank. , "Life was hell for him and for all of us. Mamma said' he was terribly changed when, he came home from overseas. He died when he was 61, I almost hated him for drinking and the trouble. But I began to under- stand him and. by the time he died," we knew and liked each other. "Since then I've learned more aboirt it too. So, on ,Rememb- rance Day, we go to the -par0e, and pray at the Cenotaph dth the veterans, and the kids k that it is not just for a Grandpa they never knew, but for all the people who fought and suffered in all wars . . ..And even the youngest boy, four ,under- stands a little bit of it all. • "It will be a long time _be- fore everyone forgets. Thank you so much for a very- touch- ing article." Thank you, for a very mov- ing tribute. in the From Tho, Hurt* Expositer riac; 3131,, 1943 , Vire from an overheated pipe, destroyed the frame residenee of Mr. and Mrs. James Love, on lot 4,con. 7, Tuckersmith, only a few 'pieces' of furniture were saved. One of the big social events of the year was held at the home of Mr. and ,Mrs. Wilfred - Coleman whin sixty relatives and friends assembled to hon- or Miss Alice Hudson, bride - elect. Sgt. Frank Cason of MeKil- lop is one of the Western On- tario wireless airgininers who received their wings at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery school at Fingal. The ninth Red Cross Blood Donor clinic held in Northside United Church was the most successful yet held in Seaforth. One hundred and sixty-five men and women reported and, 151 were accepted, One of the surprising sights of this was that of a man doing some of his plowing in the snow. Mrs. Clarence Trott entertain- ed Miss Alice Hudson, bride -el - eat, when 50 girl friends were present: Miss Audrey Cochrane read an address and Miss Flor- ence Robertson presented her with a tri -lamp and Miss Thel- ma Forbes presented her with a walnut table and booktwnds. Wallace Ross was in TorOnto attending the beekeepers' con- vention. • The euchre and dance held.in Walton Community Hall in aid of .the blood donor clinic, was a real . success. The prize win- ners were highest score ladies, Mrs. Wm. Humphries; gents, Joe liolmage; lone hands, Yoe Dolmage; consolation, Mrs. N. Schade; gents, Murray Dennis. At nominations for trustees .) "Bradburn, do you realize it's been over six months since you- mede a significant scientific break.; through?" "You've got to learn to reiaxr I tot Bids t9 nispt MO him fot the liat hick Years the village of Bayfield; Wm. L: Verguson, Leslie Elliott and James Robinson were elected by acelatnation. , A gloona was east over the villag,e when it was learned that Bob Hess, one of the most be- loved and popular youths of Hensall, had passed away. A good crowd attended the Tuxis concert in the United Cairn: A smart puppet show was given under the direction of Miss Winnie Savauge. -A solo by Lois Whitney, piano selec- tion Ernie Clarke and a guitar duet by Harold and Bob Knight brought hearty applause. * * # From The Huron Expositor Nov. 29, 1918 Messrs. Peter Hawthorne, Mil- ler_ Adams, Hugh Campbell, T. Pollard and Dr. Fowler Of Con- stance have returned home from their hunting trip in Northern Ontario, bringing with them six fine deer. D. McIntosh of Brucefield held a successful sale when there was a large attendance and ev- erything sold for good prices. An impressive memorial ser- vice was held in Egmondville Presbyterian Church when Rev. 'S. McLean 'delivered a most ap- propriate sermon., Out of 47 names, five of these made the supreme sacrifice, Andrew Ar- chibald, Bernard Brown, Wm. Hart, George Weiland and Frank Weiland. Daniel Kinsman who has been engaged, at the Bell Munitions Plant for a year or more, left this week for Chiselhurst where, he will spend time with his brother on the farms. George Lilly has purchased the special delivery business of Marshall Stewart. .We are pleased to learn that McKellar, the. Canadian Ex- press agent who has been ser- iously ill for some weeks, is recovering and_yfe hope to see hall in the office again. We have to, thank P. Haw- thorne for a alicious roast of venison. Miss Norma Hartry of town, has accepted a position on the staff' of the Coldwater High School. The Seaforth Lawn Bowling club wound up a most success- ful season when some 40 mem- bers attended .a smoker in the council chambers. The 96 'acre farm belonging to the estate of the late John McElroy, Morris Township, has been 'sold to John McNichol of GM, TownshiP. The price paid gone was *NO: D. NC00111101 of: Crenterty. who has been in the Mercantile business for the past 11 years, has -moved to Dublin. Mr. and MrS. Bovington �f Toronto, have taken up resi. deuce at the store in .Chisel- hurst and are opening for busi- ness. * * * From The Huron Expositor Dec. 1st -1893 • John Beatty of Varna, has been engaged for net year to teach in Porter's Hill at a sal- ary of $450. Mathiai Glew has recently bought 50 acres on the 3rd con- cession of Hullett from Wm. Mil- ler for the sum of $1,650. A new' harness shop is to be opened in Londesboro by Mr. Brown from Clandeboye. Joseph Sproat has spent some weeks in this neighborhood and has been looking for timber along:Lake 'Huron shore line. A large raft being towed' across Lake Huron was broken up and sunk dining a storm. He thinks he has located about 1,000,000 feet of the lumber. • James Archibald of town shipped several very nice driv- ing horses to Toronto. Miss Fergus Campbell, niece of R. Lunesden has received an appointment as teacher in the intermediate department of Blyth Public School. John McMnrin, Huron's horse • king, has shiPped 33 horses, of these 18 were sent to the old .country and 15 to Detroit. Walton people will be pleas- ed to learn that clay of the best quality, suitable 'for making bri"atd tile, has been found n the fa of David Campbell.. Mesus. Edward and,Levi Ma- kins of 2- 'ch did soine remark- ably good work on the farm of John J. Smith. In two days they split, sawed and piled 14 cords of two -foot wood. On both days they started at 7 o'clock and quit at 5:30 P.m. John Ireland of Egmondville has gone into the milk business with Mr. Aberhart. Wm. Dynes of McKillop, has purchaged the proPorty 4:of D.9 McGregor, in Harpurhey for $425 and intends coming here,, to live. ' Weare sorry to learn of a . very serious accident which be- fell John McLean, who resides near Kippen; he was at work on the barn floor when he in some way stepped backward . through the trap door. This Weekand Next Goodbye and thank you It is now five years that I have been writing every week to fill this space. You may not have read this column for that length of time, because itis published in many papers across the country, and not all have carried the column since it be- gan. The reason for inentioning this milestone is that due to other work, this is the last week which I shall be able to write for this space. During the five years of col, umns (a total of about 250 artic- les), I have commented on pro- bably just abo,ut every type of news event which has occu- pied Canadian interest. I have tried to provide a, seriousdis- cussion of the issues of the day. This 'has not always made for brightness because there are many Subjects which are deadly serious and require deadly ser- iou discussion. I have left it to others to comment whimsically on the state of the world and thank Ged we have people who can look at z the lighter side of weed affaiers; if we had. always seriouS we'd have to stop the world and. get off. We wouldn't be able to stand it. Becatise I have hid to write these colitmns several days be- fore their publication, it's been difficult to be as timely and as up-to-the-minute as I would have liked. When dealing with sit- uations whieb could change al- most overnight, I've had to pro- " ject my thinking ahead, and re- strict my comment -to- things which could not Charige.,, Glad to say, I've been caught but only once that hcan recall. I was convinced that Prime Min- ister Trudeau would not announ- ce akta election when he did. So as . the Prime Minister was telling the country it would soon be voting again, there was I saying that Mr. Trudeau would be sure to wait until the fall, and his first Throe Speqh, before call. lag votei : • tut against that, my crystal ball Was mere often clear than t , cloudy. I cdinmented on the pos- sibility of President Johnson deciding to quit some weeks be fore he actually announced he would not be seeking another term. I picked Mr. Trudeau as the successor to Prime Minister Pearson five months before the Liberal convention. And I cor- rectly called the outcome of the elections. The column' which I still feel • the best about, however, was the piece I wrote in the spring of 1966 drawing attention to the fact that we had bettered the peace -keeping record be- tween World Wars 1 and 2. Peace between those -two wars lasted jUstoinder 21 years: We equalled that mark in 1966 and since then, have avoided global war for more than 23 years, com- pared to the 20 years and 10 months between the end of the First World War and the out- break of the Second World War. This is not to say, of course that the world has really been at • peace , these last 23 years, but at least It has avoided world wide war, • The most sorrowful column I had to write — and I am sure anyone writing on world affairs during this period would agree with me — dealt with the as- sassination of President Kenne- dy, Writing these 250 -columns I have tried to balance my topics between matters of strictly Can- adian concern-, and international 'Subjects. The reaction I have had from readers convinces me that Canadians are indeed interested in foreign policy. When combin- ed with a_ humanitarian angle, this can produce a burning issue, such as the subject of Cana- dian aid to Biafra. It would be nice to say my columns have influenced_ opin- ion or changed government pol- icy. They haven't But they've had a following of readers in many, Canadiantowns, which halre apOreciaaed, 1 think all the readers, and the editors WhO have vermitted these 'article!, to see the light 'of My.