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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1966-04-21, Page 2Since. 1860, Serving the Community First Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN BROS., Publishers Ltd. ANDREW Y. MCLEAN, Editor Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association ;► Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association Audit Bureau of Circulation Subscription Rates: n �iU al Canada (in advance) $4.00 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $5.50 a Year U i. R SINGLE COPIES --- 10 CENTS EACH Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, APRIL 21, 1966 Lots of Problems This is Chamber of Commerce Week across Canada, but apparently the word didn't reach Seaforth in time for a C of C meeting Tuesday night. – Called a week ago to discuss a num- ber of matters concerning the com- munity and the part the C of C could play-, the meeting attracted exactly four people—including three members of the executive. Perhaps there hadn't been, enough notice and, of course, the meeting was competing with a NHL game. Still, four people seem a rather small per- centage of the businessmen, the teach- ers, the clergy, the professional men, and all the others in Seaforth who, we like to think, are interested in ways of advancing their community. It is not as if all Seaforth problems were solved. We would find added in- dustry and the jobs that would result most helpful; we have empty stores; despite, a number of approaches after more than two years we have no Cen- tennial project' under way; we face major decisions regarding provision of storm and sanitary sewer facilities; there is the necessity of ensuring that, we'are ready to welcome the thousands who -in less than six months, ,will visit the International Plowing Match here; we have failed to provide the I protec- tion to householders and industry alike which only can come through zoning ; we have given no thought' to. how we _will mark Canada's birthday. -- - These are problems, yes, but prob- lems that can be met and bested, pro- vided we as individuals are interested -- Little Interest • and are given the necessary leadership. And one of the best vehicles through which such interest can be indicated and support channelled is the Chamber of Commerce. .- Perhaps there can be some solace, but certainly no benefit, in the fact that similar situations exist in other towns. The Clinton News -Record last week with becoming modesty, pointed out that "there are not many things wrong with Clinton," and then went on to qualify the statement in these words: "but one thing is wrong, and continues to be that way despite the efforts of a number of people who have tried throughout the years to correct it. "We do not have a thriving, support- ed, and appreciated Chamber of Com- merce." The Clinton editor told of a meeting called in that town wheni the attendance was limited to eight. Suggesting possible reasons for the lack of interest, the News -Record asks: "Is it leadership that is missing? Or: is it lack of a defined purpose? Or just sheer acceptance of things as they are, and laziness .on the part of nearly ev- ery businessman in town? "We look at this `problem of the dy- ing Chamber' and wonder if Clinton is just over -organized (too many meet- ings or too many organizations), or whether we're:just prosperous and sat- isfied, - - -- — - - "We don't know the answer," the Clinton editor concludes, and we must admit neither do we. - .�,y�• $/� 1,/' F / � / CANADA'S CENTURY A news background special on . the Centennial of Confederation A Natio. Of Many Orighis (Second Of A Series) By WALT McDAYTER Although Britain and France are recognized as Canada's two founding. nations, neither coun- try can claim credit for being first to set foot on our shores. The Norsemen of Scandinavia were the first Europeans to step upon our soil, about 1,00 A.D. It took another • 500 years for Britain to plant its flag in Catta- da, but even then ,it was done not by a Briton, but by an Ital- ian. He was' Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot), who sailed for Henry' VII in 1497, landing at New Found Land and claiming it for the English king. Jacques Cartier is often called the first man to explore New Fr an c e, although the credit here too must go to an Italian. Giovanni da Verrazano led the expedition to Cape Breton in 1524, with Cartier merely ac- •,pocnpanying him, and Verra alio *rote "Galli Nova" (New Fiiince) on the map of the world for the first thne. •Not un- til. 10 years later did Cartier lead his awn ship into the St. Lawrence. But if 13ritain and Prance were not the first to arrive here, they were the two who did most to build our country, to give us our laws and customs. For this reason they alone are consid- ered Canada's two trot erlatids, though we recognize the contri- bution ntade by Many ether ethintrieti to ortr Cultural mosaic. In 1887, of Canada's 31/3 Mil- lion population, only about ft per cent, was of other than British (61 per tient:} or Pooch (81 pct• tent,)" origin. rn our lost nation *1 'tousok 1961, the IWtisli{ ratio llad 'Shrunk* 4 e por cont., the • y0 Costumes of Canada'.. , these pretty girls wear the national costumes of three of Canada's language groups. From left, the traditional dress of 'Latvia, Ukraine (with traditional Ukrainian instrument, the 'bandura), and Hungary. French hovered at 30,4 per cent:, while .people of foreign origin now represented an im- pressive 25 per cent. Of this figure, Germans com- prise the largest group, totalling 5.8 per cent., and could date their presence in Canada back to 1753, when a group of 1500 settled at Lunenburg, N.S. Ukrainians Make tip the next largest racial gip, and have added almost 'h million people to our population since the first two Ukrainian pioneers, Vasyl Eleniak and Ivan Pylypin, ar- rived here in 1891. Icelanders were even earlier • immigrants, with 150 settling in Ontario as far back as 1873, and soon after established a thriving corninunity at Lake..Winnipeg, Mennonites Settled' ,in Manitoba in 1874, and after 1880 carne a welcome flood of Hungarians, Nerweglans and Swedes into the Canadian. West. s • Proal Italy, Netherlands, Po. land, Uussia, Austria ... from every tomer of the world they camel' Orantod, Our Asiatic °.pepltlti� tion 3s slight. In 1900, British Columbia excluded Asiatics from the province by law, but this was revoked by Ottawa. Ot- tawa, in turn, discouraged Or- ientals by imposing a head tax of 5500 for each Chinese. immi- grant. Fortunately, our immi- gration laws were revised in 1962, placing stress for entry on education and skills, 'rather than race or color,.) Canadians are proud of their origins, and unlike the United States, do not boil away the tra` ditions and customs of their an- cestors in a massive melting pot. Canada ia, one of the few countries in the world, if not the .only one, which still -tabulates racial origin in its national cen- sus. ' Yet 'Canadians are equally proud of their distinct Canadian identity and heritage. And since Jan. 1, 1947, they have' had a common tie that binds them to- gether. From that date on, for the first tittle in our history we could proudly call ourselves ... "Canadian Citizens." • Throat* t`elearam News Service- ' ervice ' CtIP AND SAVE • theKerslake Sugar and Spice .. -- By Bill Smiley — If You Want a Laugh For teachers on the verge of suicide, puzzled parents, and anyone else who, worn by win- ter, needs an injection of warmth and humor, I have a spring tonic. Buy a copy of "Up The Down Staircase", paperback 95 cents, and read it. I came across it on the weekend and changed my inind about quit- ting the teaching _profession. It's called a novel, but isn't. It's a record of the first term of a young, pretty high school teacher in a huge New York secondary school. It's tender and touching and utterly hilarious. And beneath the fun is a shocked and often bitter indictment of what the educational system is doing, or failing to do, for the vast mass of teenagers. As educators and others have pointed out„ the cream of the crop will rise to the top. The bottom ten per cent is having millions of dol- lars, Spent to help them. It's the great mob in the middle that gets the dirty end of the stick. • Conditions in the school de- scribed are much worse than those in the average Canadian hi h h 1 b t draw theirfat Expositoron. - sul in- volved para e s are - there. Avalanches of paper, most of it unnecessary. Crowded condi- tions everywhere. The admini,.. stration thinks, discipline more important- than learning. The librarian doesn't like the .lib- rary used because the kids don't put the books back .on the shelves straight. The nurse isn't allowed to dispense even an as- pirin. And the counsellor tries to analyze all the kids with phony Freud. And the teachers are there: the workhorses, the whiners, the beaten, those who don't like kids, -and those who, in spite of it all, know they're doing the most important job' in the world. But it is, not basically a bit- ter book. And most of the 'hum- or comes from those . fascinat- ing animals, the kids them- selVes. - The teacher asks the kids to tell briefly why we study an- cient myths and the Odyssey. One answer: "I'm sure there are many reasons why we study these things, but I missed it due to absence." Another: "Because everybody in high school at one time or another had to read it, and now it's our turn." Another: "We read it because it's a classicle." The, young teacher has a "suggestion box" where her stu- dents were allowed to drop ideas, anonymously. Some were scurrilous, , some threatening, some funny. Samples: "My another has been living with me for 16 years but she still insists on cross- examining me." "Don't worry, " we're behind you 85 per cent.'.'.... "Get lost and stay there. Singed, Poisen." "Having sprained my ankle, the nurse gave me a cup of tea. Is that supposed to:help my an- kle? Athalete." "This is the first class I en- joyed failing because of look- ing at you." What emerges from the book? Several things. First and most important, the yearning of the_ young for some contact with some one who respects them as people. This is the age-old in- dividual demand for respect and human dignity. Second: the requisites of a good teacher: physical tough- ness; understanding; mental and emotional vitality; a genuine liking for fellow humans, es- pecially kids; and, of course, something to teach: you can't fool kids with games and gim- micks. Third, the massive, frustrat- ing task of educating the mass- es. The money; the, things: chalk, paper, steel and stone; the teachers: only the best is the aim, but it's too laden with trivia to attract the best. Ah, well, read the book. It'll do you good: Last sample of its flavor is a cartoon the teacher had on the bulletin board. It went: Teacher: "There are two words in -the %English language you must never use. They are "swell" and "lousy ' Pupil: "O.K. What are they?" � 1 ,� i(l i1�1(1111��1 � /014 ►� �I I '.lj\�+.) jl )� �Ij III til ';j�( �''' %(li,,�i�� i\t+' II\1r � l`I � u,l� �1',,I Ij I rl1,.t,/r12•rGHTF,S) / "Yeu're getting cold again." "Why don't you get lost on the beach like other,k4ids?" THE HOME TEAM "The'earldey Streetpole vault competition aris officially closed r