The Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 2uran
Since 1860, Serving the COrnmunity First
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ANDREW Y. McLEAN, Publisher
SUSAN WHITE, Editor
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SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, JUNE 26, 1975
We need Conestoga
It's berry picking time The •whole idea behind • the
establishment of Community Colleges
by the provincial government a few
years ago was decentralization.
Colleges were to be set up even in
'small rural areas like Huron County
where previously students had had no
access to higher education close to
home. Education was coming to the
people, the government said.',
The adult population in areas like
our county was to be sery by
community colleges too. Night shool
courses were to offer older people a
chance to continue learning without
having to drive long distances to the
big cit ies.
That's why we are upset -at the
suggestion that the Clinton Centre of
Conestoga College may be closed
down. Apparently the president of the
central college in Kitchener has
suggested the closing of ,the local
centre in order to help reduce
Conestoga College's overall operating
deficit. In recommending the facilities
be moved to a large population centre
Conestoga president is, denying the
highly publicized intentions with
which the government introduced the
program.
College President Ken Hunter has
proposed closing the Clinton centre,
now located at Vanastra, because the
. site there is' unsuitable and
inconvenient. He suggests that the, ,
Vanastra • bit Ilding , a former
elementary 'school, be sold and its
courses shifted to major population
centres. We hope he means centres
located in this county and
geographically convenient to area
residents. '
' Much of the blame for the lack of
enrollment at the Clinton centre
which seems to have made it
uneconomical lies with the college.,
The Huron centre was established
only after persistent reminders of the
government promises and there has
been a gradual but steady erosion of
the courses offered there over the
college's short history.
How 'much effort was made to
really push the post secondary
courses that were once offered at the
Clinton ce ntre before they were
dropped or moved to the College's
Stratford centre? How hard did the
Dear Editor:
Random thoughts of a 64 year old
Seaforthite re Centennial.
1914 Old Boys' and Girls' Reunion:
—The snake charmer in front of where
Habkirks transport is on Main Street with
the Merry-go-round across from there.
— My cousin Harry- Pierce spending
almost all his money trying to win, for me,
the huge White Teddy Bear at a game of
chance down at the, "Rec.".
— The band tattoo with bonfi-es at the
race track where the 48th Highlanders got
the word that war was declared' and they
had to leave.-
1914-1918 - The feeling of deiolation
I shared when my uncle Charlie Sills,
cousins Ray Carpenter and Harry Pier ce,
Joe Dorsey (he worked in the Sills' tinshop)
Fr. Frank White of St. Columban (a
classmate of my fathers) and Billie Cliff,
his houseman, the Westcott twins (they
lived actress the street and we watched
them march off from their mother's home
to go to the station, (One never came back)
and many others we,didn't know so well,
went off to war.
-- The false Armistice and then the real
one.
—The terror of starting to school as I did
not knowing many there.
The fun in collegiate, dances, sports
.days, at home and Clinton even becoming
Huron County Senior, girls' phampton.
The class corn roasts, with tomato
Soap to warm us, at Case's Grove.
The snow shoe parties around the
five Odle biotic in a ShOwttortn, then to one
of our homes to Change, eat and dance
The end of sclidial picnics at Snowden's
GroVe. Gerald Stewaft and his fiancee
Ann *Nay chaperoning.
The indignation of the farmers where`
we caught rides on the runner ends of their
college try to develop a night school
program that really attracted and
served the needs of Huron's adult
community at the local centre, before
a night school program was dropped?
There may be a case for moving the
Huron County branch of Conestoga
College from Vanastra to another
Huron location. As the current
director, Bruce Cook says, perhaps
more students would be attracted if
they could walk to school rather than
having to form car pools as students
have to do now.
But then Vanastra and Clinton are
thecentre of the county. How many
prospective students would want to
drive every day • from Dublin and
Exeter to say, Goderich?
It would, be a betrayal of the
promise that community colleges
would offer equal educational
opportuniity to the people 'of this
province who don't live in the big
cities, to close the local , Conestoga
College down entirely.
The present Clinton centre.serves
only a small number of students, from
all over the county. We don't need a
branch community college here that is
only a token effort or a sop to rural
voters.
We need a revitalized' community
college in the county that really tries
to interest and serve a cross section of
the people who live here, not one that.
offers only academic upgrading,
mostly to students on 'Manpower
_retraining programs. There's a need
for that too, but the local need for
higher education is bigger than that.
Why else are local people driving
,miles to London or Wa terloo every
week to take courses? Other people
are dreaming about the further
education they'd like to get but can't
because it's too inconvenient for them
to get to the big cities for either full or
part time studies.
If the Board of ,-Governors of
Conestoga College really is
considering doing away with the
Clinton Centre, they would
undoubtedly like to hear what the
community thinks about the matter.
We say keep Conebtoga in Huron, but
make it a revitalized college which
meets this county's needs.
cutters.
— The funat Hallowe'en - nothing
destructive.
— The time Mrs. Laidlaw told my father,
Frank I. Sills, that if he would shoot the
noisy blackbirds up John St, she would
cook them. He did and she did (the breasts
were very tasty) but the B.B.s hit old Mr.
Gillespie in the seat as he was bent over
raking farther up John St. and Dad was
nearly sued. "Grupp" was almost called
in on that.
— Catching rides, when small. on
Cardno's bread wagon, driven by Phillip
Harris, the hot bread smelled so good.
— Mr. Grummett delivering our milk
wearing leather leggings and rather
English working suit.
— The 1924 Reunion. 1 on youn t, for
night revels, but many interesting day
events. The two men, acrobats, which Mr.
"Chummy" Cresswell hired to promote his
"largest frog contest". They were dressed
as frogs.
— The C4th ';:ghlanders Band dressed
in authentic C4th tartan, the McKenzie.
The kilts were bought from the C4th
Highlanders of Scotland by "Tiny" Parks
who had a connection. Frank • was nine
when he joined the band and the kilt went
up to his armpits. Toni was 11 and Der 15.
—Band practise night was a blast at our
house. Just before the boys went they
madly practised, all different pieces, one
on the sousaphone, one on the alto and one
on the baritone. The rooms they used were
usually the bathroom, living room and a
bedroom Too bad C4th no longer has a
Kittle bat..: as of yore...,
—Speaking of the band. Col R.S.Hays
died on Christmas Day about 1930 , I
believe, He had the first Military funeral in
C4th since the World War. The great coats
were dug up out of the A rmory (in the Post
Amen
by Karl Sch uessler
I've carried my eye glass prescription
around in my pocket for a week now.
I can't bring myself to go to the optician to
get my new glasses.
'Cause I don't want what he has to give me.
Bifocals.
Bifocals. They're the bane and blight of
middle age. They belong in the same class as
false teeth, receding hairlines and sagging
double chins. •
And 1 deny the reality of them all. I want no
truck with them. I'll do about anything rather
than walk into that optician's shop and order
up a pair of bifocals..
I'm willing to put up with a lot if I don't
have to wear them: -
I don't mind walking around and looking out
on a fuzzy world. It's sort of a Renoir painting
come to life. Indistinct outlines. Blurred
images and splashes of colour. So what if I
don't recognize my, friends on the street?
And 'I doiftriiind moving back and.Jortlethe • '
book in my hand. Trying to get it -Mb) focus
with my arm stretching out farther and
farther.
And I don't mind taking my glasses on and
off all the time. Say, something like twenty
times an hour. That's when I try to read
lecture notes and then look up and talk to my
class.,
I don't mind any of this. It's better than
bifocals.,
But I did get awfully close. I hung around at
the optician's door. Looked at his window
display. I even dared to go inside and let him
tell me all about the bifocal possibilities. The
obvious half moon shape-. The straight line
across the middle bifocals. He called those the
executive style. And they came with an
executive price too.
Then he showed-ne an even more expensive
pair. You don't see the glass difference at all.
He said he'd never fit that kind -off -a man
before, Only on women-for cosmetic purposes.
I tried to tell h im that vanity had nothing to
Office). Frank was so small the coat
reached to the ground making him look
footless. It was so cold that all the horns
froze up,, leaving only one playing when
they reached the end of North Main.
—Seaforth always rallied to the colours
during war. One never saw many men over
17 out of uniform in Seafi rth during the
last war, many women volunteered and the
people on the home front worked hard
helping as best they could.
— Canada's Centennial had a bang up
celebration as did C4th's other centennial
the following year.
- Seaforth has had Guy Lombardo's
Orchestra twice, What other small town
can say that& I remember being lift ed up
by my uncle Joe Sills to look over the
curtain at the G.W..V.A. to see the
Lombardo boys. I believe Seaforth was the
first town they played in outside of London.
A few Seaforth stories I have been told.
H ere's one.
— 'The BAttle of Duncan's Crossing".
Mr., Bert Cluff told me he once had a long
poem, written by a Seaforthite about the
light between the Salvation Army Band
and the Seaforth Band. The Seaforth Band
had been accustomed to play on Sundays at
Duncan's crossing ?the location was in
front of the Dominion Bank, I believe) but
the Salvation Army decided they were
going to play there. The local band always
carried the flag and finally the flag bearer
lowered the flag and charged into the
Salvation Army Band as though the flag
staff was a lance. Then the Donnybrook
began with onlookers joining in as
supporters of one faction or the other. One
business man thought this was a golden
opportunity to. get back at another one,
whom he detested, so he sneaked up
behind the other gentleman, and felled him
with one swoop of his came
do with my glasses. Not wanting bifocals was
a practical matter. The practical matter of
adjusting to two different glasses in front of
my eyes.
Sure he admitted. Bifocals take a while in
getting used to. I'd have to change my ways.
Watch those stair steps. Move my head more.
Far more than my eye balls.
H e smiled when I asked about two separate
pairs of glasses: one for reading and one for
distance.
As I say, he only smiled. He said he thought
I have far better things to do than keep track
of two pairs 'of glasses and all that switching.
I didn't want to complicate rhatters by
telling him I'd have a„.,,,third pair. My
prescription sun glasses.
When I fingered a, pair of Alen, e
'PrarildinsLthose half glass glasses--he only
kept on smiling. He wondered what I'd do •
about my far seeing. He noticed by 'my
prescription I needed strong ones.
I liked the idea of Ben Franklins. At least
they're different. And most of all they're not
bifocals.
When I walked out, I had my prescription
back in my shirt pocket. I told him I'd think it
over.
And I am.
But there's one more possibility.
When the eye doctor tested my eyes,he just
sighed when I started to grumble about
bifocals.
"Karl", he said, "The only thing, wrong
with you is that your arms aren't long enough.
You'll have to grow longer arms."
And that's what I'm working on right now.
Longer arms.
And if that doesn't work, I know I'll have to
go back to that optician and suffer.
As a result of the battle many' were
called into Magistrate's Court. The
Magistrate was theMayor and I believe the
court house was across from the Senior
Citizen's apa rtments.One Salvation Army
female complainant wishing to dramatize
and emphasize the magnitude of her
complaint, dressed in her tattered dress
(outcome of the battle) but the 'magistrate
roared at her and berated her for her lack
of modesty. Apparently it must have been
a real battle.
All of us will wish we could celebrat e the
Centennial with many relatives and friends
who have died, many prematurely.
It would have been nice to have seen
Mid Turnbull, Louis Jackson, Gib White,
Murray Savauge, Gerry Snowdon, Basil
Duncan and many, many others. We will
remember them particularly on Monday
when we go back to schools.
May June 27th — JUly 1st be a great
success! Many thanks to all the workers
from one who hopes to attend.
Mona Sills Enzensberger
No expansion planned
To the Editor:
Topnotch Feeds have Contacted me to
explain their position on the possible
expansion of their experimental barn to
which reference was made in a report of a
recent council meeting in, your paper. Mr.
Cunningham of Topnotch was quite
emphatic that in making an informal
approach to the town it was by way of an
enquiry only and not a formal application
and that due to the adverse publicity the
matter received, they will not be pursuing
the matter any further.
Jim Crocker
Chairman General Government Cetrimittee
Town of Seaforth
n the Years Agorte
JUNE 25,11875
F. Seigrailler of town has sold his residence and the 4
adjoining grounds to Jonathan Carter for $2,000. The grounds
comprise four lots of a fifth of an acre each.
The Seaforth Volunteer Company left for camp at Guelph.
They were escorted, to the station by the Firemen's BOW.
They were in' charge of Major Coleman, Captain, Charles
Wilson and Lieut. John Wilson.
The contract for kintinishing of the interior of St, James
Catholic Church, of this Own, has been let. The carpenterin?,
painting and finishing has been awarded to James Walsh of
town, and the plastering to Mr. Williams, St. Marys. When
completed it will amount to about $3,600.
Some parties passing along Main Street noticed the store
occupied by Wm. Ault to be on fire inside. The goods in the
store were not damaged.
A very severe accident happened to a young man by the
name of Thomas Smith, who works in Mr. Van Egmonds
carding mill. His hand was caught in one of the wool
"pickers", and it was terribly lacerated.
J. S. Roberts has removed' his drug stock to the shop
opposite Powell's hotel, occupied h W. Allen, Grocer.
Work on the new oat mill in town is being pushed forward
as speedily as possible. The entirstructure is to be of red
brick, and when completed will, be, one of the finest
establishments of the kind in the country.
JUNE 22,1900
Thirty-seven tickets were sold at Kippen for the Guelph
excursion to the model farm.
Isaac Jarrott of Kippen is building a fine' new residence on
his new farm. Mr. Cudmore of Hensall is the contractor, while
Mi. Paterson, also of Hensall, has the carpenter work.
James A. Baird, son of Mrs. Geo. Baird of Brucefield, has
passed his -final examination with honors; at McGill Medical
College, Montreal.
Wm. Cameron of Tuckersmith has sent us several stalks of
fall wheat, which measured over 41/2 feet in length.
Wm. Somerville has been awarded the contract for carrying
the mails between the station and the post office. S. Dickson
had the contract for 30 years and he didn't care to renew it.
R. Ransford, who has been ledger keeper in the Dominion
Bank in town, has been removed to Belleville where he was
promoted to the po sition as teller.
Miss Ewing of town met with a pain ful accident when she
was lifting a board, when it flew back bruisingher fingers so
that she was unable to take her place as organist in First
Church.
Henry Cash of Roxboro, McKillop, has left with the
Expositor a box of as fine strawberries as we have ever seen.
A letter from John McMillan M.P. has been shown in which
it states that the Seaforth and Bayfield mail route via
Brucefield, will be continued as it has for so many years.
There were 125 tickets sold for the farmers" excursion at
Guelph at Seaforth.
Mr. Papaneau the popular fisherman at St. Joseph, had a
very successful week's fishing, averaging from $20.00 to
$35.00 a day.
S. Cleave of Drysdale, is getting his stone wall built. Chas.
Meyers has the contract.
The joy bells and whistles of Seaforth could be heard on the
occasion of the relief of Mafeking at Leadbury..
Thos. Leeming of Leadbury has built a large addition to his
barn.
• 11
1,1 •;1 i'11111:1 I 1 OA
JUNE 26, 1925
Lloyd, son of Frank Walters, had his breast scalded by
upsetting a pail of water on himself. „,
Extensive improvements are being made to St. Marys'
Church, Dublin. A new foundation is being placed, the roof
reshingled and a fresh coat of paint.
Quite a heavy shower of rain fell at Winthrop and also hail.
The stones were big enough to puncture the bean leaves.
Death claimed another of the pioneers of Walten in the
person ofames Cunick. He was 80 years of age. •
DennisD John barn raising at Walton was one of the most
successful ever held in this district.
A most successful garden party under the auspices of the
Union Church, Brucefield was held on the lawn of J.W.Elliott.
Seaforth, Highlanders Band was in attendance.The total
proceeds amounted to $200,00.
Early last spring the Seaforth Lions Club fell upon the idea
of converting the pond on the farm of J.R.Archibald at Silver
Creek known as the "Quarrie" into an up-to-date swimming
pool. The work was completed last week.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gordon Willis, Seaforth
was the scene of a pretty wedding when Olive Elizabeth was
united in marriage to Francis J. Bechely, D.D.S. of Seaforth.
Edward Pryce, McKillop, has about 50 steers on his pasture
lots which he purchased from J. J. Irvine.
Many who •read of the daring bank robbery in Detroit and
over $27,000 in cash was stolen. Two of the bandits were
effected a short time after, with the assistance of Raymond
Glinski, who is a son-in.law of Mr. and Mrs. John Sproat of
Seaforth.
JUNE 23,1950
Miss Marguerite Dunn was chosen "Lady of the Year", by
members of the Seaforth Division of the C.W.L. and was
presented with a gift of jewellry by Mrs. John Hotham Jr.
Ralph (Cooney) Weiland, son of. Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Weiland of Egmondville has been named varsity hockey
coach at Harvard.
Frank R. Marshall, Walton, was this year an honor
graduate in civil engineering from the University of Toronto.
Mr. M arshall is the son of Mrs. Luella Marshall.,
The nurses of Seaforth sponsored a garden party on the
lawn of the nurses' residence, M:A.Reid introduced the cast
of the Fivorite Four from Rondeau.A refreshment booth with
Mrs.J.W.Free in charge was on the grounds.
James Flannigan had his jaw broken while in a scuffle with
another boy at the Lions Park swimming pool.
Rev. H. Douglas Stewart, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Stewart ?!,f town has accepted a call to Victoria Presbyterian
Church Toronto.
Manley Jinks, Manager of the Hensall Co-Operative has
purchased the Petty property recently occupied by Mr. and
Mrs. J.L.Scott.
Robert Dayman, of Tuckersmith, while assisting with the
roofing of the barn met with a painful accident which required
the services of a doctor. He received a gash in his hand at the
base of his thumb.
The Seaforth Male Quartette and the choir of First
Presbyterian Church will assist in the service of praise at
Knox Presbyterian Church. Goclerich at the 75th Armiyereary.
Ronald Rennie and Kenneth Willizs• left for Sundridge
where they will spend a month before going to camp.
Mrs. Geo, Troyer of Kippen passed away at the home of her
son, Gordon, following a month's illness.
Mrs Dede Vickers of Croydon, fuland was a guest of Mr.
and Mrs. W. r Bennett, Walton.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Ennis, Ruth Ann and Ronald, were
in Stratford for their 16th wedding anniversary.
Clendon Christie, Cromarty, has purchased the general
store of bon Mackay. He intends moving to the village soon.
To the editor
Seaforthite remembers boys marching off to 1914 war
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