The Citizen, 2017-03-23, Page 19rumrc Sit 01_
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Last room standing
The demolition of the standing structure of the former Blyth Public School building was
completed Tuesday morning, with plenty of site clean-up left still to be done. The final room to
be brought down was the school's gym, which had seen decades' worth of Blyth children
playing sports and learning the basics of teamwork until the school was closed several years
ago. The site will soon make way for the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity and the
headquarters of the Blyth 14/19 Initiative. (Denny Scott photo)
Letter to the Editor
Column triggers memories
THE EDITOR,
What vivid memories were stirred
in my mind by Keith Roulston's
March 9 column titled "How
Quickly We Forget Progress"!
I recall very clearly the fear that
surrounded polio season each
summer. On July 14, 1949, my 17 -
year -old sister, Grace Gilmour,
became a victim of that devastating
disease, passing away after only four
days illness. I will always remember
how hard it was on my dad to see her
in that iron lung in the London
hospital. Hers was the first death due
to polio in the London area that
summer.
As polio was a greatly -feared
contagious disease, there were strict
Department of Health regulations
concerning it: there was no
visitation allowed prior to the
funeral; the service had to be a
private funeral and the burial had to
be done shortly following her death.
It seems like a trivial precaution
now, but my mother was told to wipe
down all the furniture she possibly
could with carbolic acid in hopes of
stopping the spread.
As an extra precaution, our family
was placed in quarantine on the farm
for two weeks as we had been in
close contact with Grace. Because
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eetekation
Please join us to celebrate
the anniversary of
No► Sim d Anne W,ittiamton
Sunday, March 26, 2017
1:00 pm
Celebration begins
4:00 pm
Vow renewal
Brussels Legion
620 Turnberry St., Brussels
No Gifts, Light Lunch
Best wishes only
sir .eoued qau then, •Ccwe yacc atiti,
110 CM:aa/A flaue, aura . miff.
of the quarantine, no one was
allowed to come near us at the burial
service in the Wingham cemetery
following the private funeral
service. However, bless their hearts,
many friends, relatives and
neighbours came to pay their
respects, standing as close as they
were permitted on the far side of the
wrought -iron fence at the cemetery.
I can still see, as if it was
yesterday, those dear loyal folk as
they joined our family gathered
around the Gilmour family gravesite
on Friday, July 15, 1949 - all of us
united in mourning the great loss of
a vibrant, talented young woman:
Grace Catherine Gilmour.
My family too rejoiced when Dr.
Jonas Salk later developed a polio
vaccine. My father made sure that I
was quickly vaccinated.
Your column struck an additional
common chord in our lives: like you,
East Wawanosh 150th
Anniversary
Ambassador Competition
Saturday, May 27
2-4 pm
Belgrave Community Centre
Crowning of the Ambassador
during a dessert and coffee
social time
7:00 - 8:30 pm
To enter the Ambassador
Competition please contact
Kim Walker 519-357-3237
ki mwalker@ hu rontel.on.ca
Contestants can be male or female
Must be 17-23 years of age
Currently live or have lived in
East Wawanosh Township
Deadline to enter is April 3, 2017
I too am "a walking medical
curiosity" because just one month
after Grace's death, I was diagnosed
with rheumatic fever at 11 years of
age. The fairly recent development
of penicillin for general use in
treating bacterial infections at that
time proved to be a real benefit in
treating my condition. I spent three
months in bed and, much to my
sadness, missed a year of school.
We must never forget nor
downplay the blessings of the
progress that has been made in the
field of vaccines and medicine
which has resulted in the eradication
of many deadly diseases.
We enjoy very much The Citizen
each week and read it from cover to
cover. Congratulations on a fine
newspaper.
Sincerely,
Audrey Gilmour-McKague.
BUD THE SPUD
STOMPIN' TOM TRIBUTE
Performed by Stompin Jon,
one of Canada's premiere
Stompin Tom performers.
Sunday, April 2
3:00 pm
Wingham Knights of Columbus Centre
99 Kerr Drive, Wingham
This Tribute will also feature
Rick and Aaron from Squid Row
and Aaron Solomon - fiddle player
from Cape Breton.
Tickets - $2500
Tickets available from Ernie King Music
Wingham & Goderich
or by calling 519-357-1270 or 905-325-5704
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017. PAGE 19.
Festival Singers to
host Seaforth show
Come celebrate Canada! The
Blyth Festival Singers kick off this
year's 150th Anniversary
celebrations with a rousing and
inspirational concert in Seaforth on
Sunday, April 2.
The program will feature songs to
celebrate the 150th birthday of
Canada as well as other great
international music, from traditional
folk songs to modern tunes that are
known worldwide. Expect
everything from ballads celebrating
the unifying influence of the
railways to Canadian music written
for the movie Passchendaele - an
iconic World War I battle that helped
define Canada as a nation. Don't be
surprised to hear lively African
rhythms and beautiful Cuban
melodies, as well as music in both
official languages. The eclectic mix
of Canadian and world music,
traditional and contemporary will
keep you on the edge of your seats,
wondering what comes next! Do
expect to hear soloists and groups
from the choir highlighted in our
celebration of Canada and the world.
The program is family friendly
and a wonderful way to celebrate the
country's 150th year with your loved
ones!
"Around the World in Song", the
Music of Canada and the World,
will be presented on Sunday, April 2
at 3 p.m. at Northside United Church
in Seaforth.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $6
for children 12 years and under.
They can be purchased from any
Blyth Festival Singer, or online from
the Blyth Festival box office.
www.blythfestival.com or by
Continued on page 20
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