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The Huron Expositor, 1970-12-17, Page 26urn (Nositor Since 1860, Serving the Community First iNibitsthed act SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN BROS., Publishers Ltd. ANDREW Y. ItteLEAN., Editor Member Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation Newspaers Subscri p ption Rates: Canada (in advance) $6.00 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $8.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 15 CENTS EACH Second Class Mail Registration Number 0696 Telephone 6=74240 SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 24 1970 Long ago, one quiet night, the 07t 14 Message came, and in its spirit of Hope and Peace we send all our friends warm Christmas greetings! FROM I I Luke 2: 1-10 And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Ceasar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazar- eth, into Judea,.unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his es- poused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she could be deliver- ed.'And she brought forth her first-born son, and, laid him in a manger; be- cause there was no room for them in the inn. DECEMBER 27, 1895 Chris Parker, Hayfield, met with a serious accident, as a result of which he may, lose the sight of one eye. He wah chopping grain on the farm of Mrs. Sparks, Bronson Line, when the belt broke and struck him in the eye. Chas. Aitzel of town having disposed of his interest in the hotel at Brucefield, to Mr. Graham of Stanley, intends return- ing to Seaforth to reside. F. G. Mitchell, inspector for the Boiler Insurance Company of Toronto, was in town. Fred is an old Seaforth boy and like most Seaforth boys is a credit to his native town. Geo. Bethune, who is employed in the Michigan Central Railway offices in Detroit paid a flying visit to his home. Alex Brown of town has invented an ingenious machine for cutting corn in the field and it works very satisfactorily. Geo. Turnbull has shipped several car loads of fine horses to Michigan this fall and is still buying for that market. A young son of George W. Sparling of town had the misfortune to ,get his left arm broken at the wrist while play- ing with other boys. Christmas was a quiet day, there being neither skating, curling nor sleigh- ing and the atmosphere was nearly as mild and balmy as in June. Messrs. R. Luatsden, W. D.Brlght and M. Y. McLean, were re-elected Public School trustees for the north, east and south wards respectively. Messrs. Donovan, Winter and Stewart, shipped a car load of horses to the old country. W. Elcoat of Tuckersmith is prepar- ing to enlarge his home next summer. Hugh Ross, of the gravel road north of Winthrop, had a wood bee in which boys from the neighborhood as well as friends from Tuckersmith took part. A very pleasant evening was spent. The "Merrie dance" was kept going until it was light enough to travel with safety on even the roughest road. Hoggarth, of Egmondville, teacher, moved to his new field of labor at Staffa. The town council have decided to submit a by-law for the approval of the • electors of Seaforth for the purpose of raising the sum of $1,500 for the purposes of purchasing and erecting a fire hall; erecting an electric fire alarm system and purchasing additional hose. DECEMBER 24, 1920. A Social evening of unusual impor- *ice and pleasure to those participating was enjoyed at the home of Mr. and A. A Sutherland when the choir of ,Pirat Presbyterian Church gathered to offend the evening with John Scott who is SeVering his connection with the clpir sitidl going to live with his son, Arthur", in W1tIdear. During the eVening he was treitented with an address and a gold tifito The address was read by L.T. bob Lacey and Mrs. J. d. Mullen made Ole preliebtatiOn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,"Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to 50d in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men." THE no. A very successful Christmas enter- tainment was held in No. 13 school Roxboro when Mr. John Scott was presented with a safety razor. Mr. John McDowell acted as chairman. Anniversary services were held at Cavan Church at 'Winthrop when Rev. Geo. Telford was the speaker. A fowl supper was held and an entertainment was presented. The silver cup offered by the Bank of Commerce at Walton, for the school taking the largest percentage of prizes at the school fair was awarded to Turn- bull's school. Remodelling of the Town Hall at Hay- field is nearing completion. Dining room, kitchen and serving rooms have been furnished in the basement and it is ex- pected that all will be in readiness for a dinner before Xmas. Large crowds thronged the town in Hensall to participate in the unveiling of a handsome monument erected in front of the Town Hall in memory of nursing sisters and men from Hensall who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War. Forty-three years ago last Monday, Cardno's Opera Hall was first opened to the general public. The hall was christened by Mayor Dr. Coleman and the opening address was given by M. P. Hayes, in the absence of Rev. Goldsmith. The christening performance consisted of sprinkling the walls and floor of the stage with champagne. Edward Horan of Beechwood, met with a p ainfal accident, by being kicked on the knee by a horse. DECEMBER 28, 1945. John Beattie, widely known Seaforth businessman, this year marks the 56th Christmas as a merchant on Main St. Mr. and Mrs. T. N, Forsythe, widely known and esteemed residents of Kippen and district, celebrated their gold- wedding .on Christmas day at their home in Kippen, The occasion was marked by residents of Kippen presenting them with an electric lamp and a gold fruit dish. Mrs. Elston Dowson and Miss Mabel Whiteman doing the honours. Seaforth will close the year with a cash surplus of $993.45 according to the report of the treasurer, D. H. Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Williamson, of Grey, celebrated their 35th wedding an- niversary on Christmas Day. The bride was formerly Gertrude Forbes of McKillop. Daniel Frederick McGregor, for over three decades, one of the most widely known municipal officialsin Huron County, passed away at Scott Memorial Hospital on Christmas morning. He held the position of Clerk of Tuckersmith for 25 years. Lieut. Stewart Geddes, who has I1een overseas for nearly three years returned home on the "Queen Elizabeth". Capt. E. D. Bell , of Wingham and Cpi.Kenneth G. Powell also returned home on the same boat. Wind and snow for two days preced- ing Christmas, followed by rain and sleet on Christmas morning, made motor travel heavy for those spending the holiday away from home. Christmas seems to emphasize our basic natures. If we're slightly skeptical, we become deeply cynical the closer the day approaches. If we are inclined to be• optimistic and cheery, we are apt to begin wallowing in sentimentality. It seems to get me both ways. My natural skepticism hardens into a surly misanthropy as the annual parade of gifts and greed, cards and carols, begins creep- ing toward me. Not to mention the holy old jumpin' putting up of the tree, my annual struggle to avoid insanity from frustration, and hell from blasphemy. But my natural optimism sneaks in, and once the dirty work has been done, I wax sentimental to the point of tears over the wassail bowl, the log in the fire, the smell of singed spruce needles, and the loved faces around me. Neither attitude is right, of course. Both are base. Christmas is a celebration. It should be neither cynical nor senti- mental, but joyous, in the real sense of the word. I t could, and should be the one day in the year when we can creep closest to the warmth of the basic teachings of the man- god: love and peace. It should be a day marked by solemnity and jollity, prayer and cheer. It doesn't really have much to do with turkey and trimmings and tinsel, though these don't hurt anybody. Nor does it have anything to do with the number of cards you receive, or the value of the presents you garner. Indeed, two or three cards mean more to some people than two or three hundred to others. And a home-knit scarf from someone can mean more than a mink coat from someone else. (Hope my family doesn't read this.) Easy enough to say what Christmas is not. It's more difficult to say what it is, because it is intangible. You can't reach out and grasp the spirit of Christmas. You must feel it. If you don't, you're dead, spiritually. Naturally, children get most out of The hour is late. It is actually after midnight and I am still sitting at my typewriter in the diningroom of my home churning out copy for the next edition of the newspapers to which I contribute. It is on days like this that I often ask myself why I ever took on the work of a news reporter and more especially, a column writer. Then I look up and see the Christmas tree twinkling brightly in the corner. I see my youngest son's sock already hanging where Santa will be sum to find it, I note the special kind of glow that is all around me despite the fact that my family is upstairs fast asleep, That's when I know why I chose writing as my career. It is because I get the opportunity once in a long while to push home• my ideas and to air my favorite hopes and dreams. Every year at Christmas, as long as I have been writing this column, I use this space for a kind of sermonette. I know there are few of you who like tribe preached at. I'm not really crazy about it myself... but still, I would like to encourage each one of you to forget about the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and decorat- ing and cooking just long enough to hear the little voice inside of me which is crying ((thank you". For it is at Christmas, more than any other time of the year, that I am reminded what a great gift was given when God sent His Son into the world to do for us what we could never do for Ourselves. And it is because I am so grateful for this wonderful sacrifice that I am truly thank- ful for many other blessings I enjoy. I have a tremendous husband, I remem- ber. He's not just any ordinary guy for he has a heart which is full of love for me and that makes him mighty special to me. He is not rich or sauve or sophisticated or even handsome. He's just there whenever I need him , giving kind- ness and gentle support everyday of every year. Who wouldn't be grateful for that? And I have three fabulous kids. Some days I could wrap their necks tightly with silk cord, but most times I get a big lump in my throat just looking at them and knowing they are my own flesh and blood, born out of a quiet kind of love I share with my husband. I note that my children are all physically and mentally sound and I give thanks that such an imperfect creature as I could produce such truly perfect specimens as they are. What a miracle I shout inside me. Thank you God, I whipper in my heart. I look around my home, usually clut- tered with all kinds of mislaid articles It. Perhaps it's because they don't look for gimmicks. There is a wonderful combination of the mystic and the materialistic that entrances them. Little realists that they are, they are fascinated by the thought of goodies. They love the hide-and-seek aspect of gifts. There's a great thrill in opening the stockings, and squeezing and rattling things under the tree. But they are equally enchanted by the aura that surrounds these material jollies. The carols, the pageants, the never-stale story of the birth in the manger, the very smell of Christmas: all these increase their inner excitement to the bursting point. It's also a day when they can get away with anything short of murder, and they know it. This year, after the big family gather- ings of other years, we'll have a slim crew, but three generations. Granny won't be there, but we'll be thinking about her. There'll be just Grandad and us and daughter Kim. (At time of writing. We might wind up with eighteen.) There'll be early church. Then the opening of gifts, and thoughts of son Hugh 1,000 miles away, and the smell of turkey, and music, and perhaps friends dropping in for a drop. There's too much talk about drop-outs tfe- days, and not enough about drop-ins. We'll have a big fire and lie on the rug, groaning, after dinner. I hope it won't be as big a fire as last year, when my wife set fire to the evergreens on the mantel and nearly burned down the house. This is all qualified by the word "hopefully", It could be a complete schmozzle, like the year I dropped the turkey -on \ the kitche n floor as I took it out of the oven. But I hope it's peaceful. And I hope with all my heart, whatever your situation, that your Christmas will be blessed by peace and love. and dotted with uncompleted jobs. I see it not as an untidy bunch of rooms but as a warm, comfortable haven away from the world where I can take off my girdle and speak my mind and be alone with myself when I like. It is the only place in the entire world where I know I am welcome any hour of the day or night and there is a peace and contentment here for me that just isn't found some- where else. I watch my fingers as they move over the keys of the typewriter; I twitch my legs which though tired right now, will probably carry me b:!, my job tomorrow. 'see. I hear. I tcincli0 'taste;; I can even detect the scent of a rose. What luck. What terribly good fortune! I glance out onto the street and remem- ber that the country in which I live is free. I have the freedom to come and go as I please without fear of any kind. I can take a crack at the Prime Minis- ter of Canada or I can shout to high heavens about the inequitable tax levies for education, What a privilege I enjoy. I am content. May I take this opportunity dear read- ers, to suggest you count your bless- ings, too. I f you try to make an actual list using pencil and paper I'm positive you will be short of space long before you run shy of blessings. I don't have a Merry Christmas be- cause of the gifts under the tree or even a few days off from the office. I get my kicks from realizing what a well-blessed woman I am and I know that even if Santa missed my house entirely this year, right now, I wouldn't lack for anything which I absolutely need to make me happy. Merry Christmas to all of you. May the joy that is mine be yours too. Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley • 0 0' 0 • 0 • . In the Years Agone From My Window — By Shirley J. Keller — To the Editor Through the medium of your news- paper I would like to extend on behalf of Canadian Forces Base Clinton our hest festive greetings to our many friends and associates in Seaforth and the sur- rounding area. This will be the last Christmas ,at Canadian Forces Base Clinton. To military personnel and the people in this locality, it is truly ((An End of an Era.", I wish to thank yon one and all for the kindness, courtesy and co-operation that you have extended to this Base and its personnel over the twenty-nine years that it has been in existence. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Yours truly, 5. A. Golding, MaJ. Base Commander, CFB, Clinton. Hope you and your family share an old-fashioned Christinas decked with friendship, fellowship, festivity. 0 I R. R. 2, SEAFORTH An Authorized Associate Hatchery Franchised to Produce Genuine Phone 527-0847 • ir • 10 0 May Christmastime jay and laughter be yours on this happy holiday . . . and may we gratefully thank you for your patronage. Compliments' of the .Season FROM THE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF VICTORIA AND GREY TRUST