The Huron Expositor, 1975-09-18, Page 22How to Save
Valuable Time s
Next Spring . . . .
Plan
Fall Plow-Down
) Now
Plowing down your Phosphate and Pot-
ash Fertilizer this fall can really put you
out in front next spring. Spreading equip-
ment is available; there's usually more
time in the fall, and you'll know that the
oPhosphate and Potash are ready to go to
work in the root zone next spring!
Many farmers are including fall Plow-
Down in their management schedule. It
simply makes good sense to them. It pro-
bably makes good sense to you. So, why
not phone now —
W.G. THOMPSON
& SONS LTD.
Agromarr
Mitchell 348.8433
and
"Helping Things Grew" Henson 262.227
Tuckersmith native
Volunteer to work in Philippines
A. W. Archibald of Torrance,
Ontario, former senior vice-
president, agricultural division,
Maple Leaf Mills Limited,
Toronto, did not remain long
inactive after his retirement in
1972 and has left for Quezon City,
the Philippines, to resume his
highly .specialized career on a
voluntary assignment for
Canadian Executive Service
Overseas.
A native of Tuckerefinth, Mr.
Archibald is a graduate of
Seaforth Collegiate Institute. He
is a brother of Robert Archibald,
R.R.4, Seaforth.
It follows a request to CESO
from a diversified company in the
Philippines which is anxious to
expand its poultry and livestock
feeds divisions and has asked for
a volunteer advisor to assist in the
economic planning for this new
development. It stems from the
increasing demand for poultry
products due to the efforts of the
people to improve their
nutritional standards in the area
of high protein food, Mr.
Archibald is accompanied by his
wife.
A non-profit , organization,
Canadian Executive Service
Overseas was established in 1967
by a group of business leaders to
assist business enterprises in
developing countries . by
recruiting senior Canadian
executives and technical experts
who volunteer their expertise
when assistance is requested. It
has over 1,500 volunteers on its
roster and has completed more
than 1,000 projects. Most of the
volunteers are retired, and the
normal assignment lasts two to
six months. Volunteers receive
no salary or fees for their work,
but transportation for the
volunteer and spouse is provided
by CESO and living expenses
underwritten by the host
organization with whom the
volunteer works.
A Bachelor of Science
(Agriculture) from-the University
of Guelph in 1934, Mr. Archibald
had a long association with Maple
Leaf Mills, latterly as corporate vice-president, agricidtural
vice-president. in 1972, and senior division , since 1964.
Buyers of
Timothy,
Red Clover and
Birdsfoot Trefoil
--SEED-
Maple Leaf Mills Ltd.,
Seed Div.,
Exeter, Ont.,
Phone 235V0363
( Jones u- ton
A. W. Archibald
xpositor
Additional,capacity is now available at our new
modern plant at Seaforth which provides even
more' convenience for area bean growers
YOU CAN BE
ASSURED OF
* Fair prices
Honest weights
* Reliable grading
* Patronage return
on profits
* Courteous service
Make The Farmers' Elevator
Work For You!
WHITE BEAN GROWERS
ONTARIO "'BEAN 'GROWERS.
COk•OPERATWE y
Two locations
LONDON
SEAPORTH
I
or
gr
2 : Remem'_„,.; riser }tip 110 err MBER 18,, 1975
V
ne foot in the
furrow' bYai,,,e,
When it's corn cuttin' time in the county, I'll cuddle close
to you.
It's a great time of the • year fOr the agricultural com-
munity.
The haying is done. The grain is harvested and only the
corn is left, For a great many farmers in the areas of the
province where heat units are adequate, corn cutting time
is the biggest harvest of the year. For the most part, though,
it isn't nearly as tough as handling bales of hay for eight or
10 hours a day or even manhandling bales of straw.
Granted, it takes a lot of time, especially for those who
have dozens and even hundreds of acres in corn.
It's a good time of year because I know of no other'job
where that great feeling of satisfaction comes, the satis-
faction of knowing that another growing season is over;
that the barn is full and the silos are bulging. Fall plowing
can be done, if not at the farmer's leisure, certainly with-
out the pressure of seeding and harvesting where Weather
plays such an important role.
Even with my little hay storage and horse barn, that warm
glow of contentment is' I'm sure, inspired by the Almighty.
We did some badly-needed repairs on the shack that we
call a horse barn this summer. The new floor will be much
warmer and keep the animals dry. The roofing repairs will
stop those annoying drips in the rainy weather and during
the spring thaws.
It had reached the point where the horses in the box stall
huddled into one corner during wet periods — and we had
a lot of them this summer — trying to dodge the drips.
To know that there is enough hay to last the winter months
and enough grain for a few weeks gives me a sense of plea-
sure almost unmatched. Compound this feeling about a small
horse barn by a huge dairy operation or a beef feedlot or a
well-filled hog barn and you get some idea of why many
farmers stick to the land even though they are struggling
„to maintain a standard of living that many of us would not
consider adequate.
It is part of the reason why farmers love the land. It is
Lanett. ere appreciated by Bob Trotter, R0 Box 267, Elmoe
part of the reason why they still remain fiercely indepen-
dent when most other major sectors of the economy are or-
ganized in unified bargaining units. You can, I'm sure, un-
derstand to some degree why they can withstand so many
setbacks.
Beef farmers, for instance, are getting less for their pro-
duct than they got 10 years ago. How many people are work-
ing for the same wages today as they did 10 years ago? I
know of none, How many sectors of the economy are faced
with such tremendously high input costs?
If there is one single farm issue in Ontario today it is in-
put costs. I talked with a beef farmer just the other day.
His combine had broken down crossing a shallow ditch. A
part of the steering mechanism broke.
Ten years ago, he would have gone to town with a $10 bill,
got the part fixed and received $2 in change. Not today. He
got $2 back in change but he had to fork over a $50 bill.
Costs on the farm front. particularly for machinery, have
risen 30 to 50 per cent since January; in some cases, the in-
crease has been as high as 70 per cent since February for
some parts and repair costs.
Yet, farmers remain on the land because it is a way of
life than cannot be duplicated. Recent statistics indicate,
too, that more younger men and women are getting back to
the land. In a recent survey from Ontario Agricultural Col-
lege, figures indicated that more graduates went right into
agriculture this year than in the past 20 years.
That says something about the quality of life on the farm.
They — those graduates — obviously know they won't get
rich, They know a farmer must work long, tough hours at
certain times of the year. They know they will have great
trials, troubles and tribulations getting a reasonable return
on their labor and investment.
Part of the reason, I'm convinced, is that wonderful, warm
feeling that comes when you walk away from the barn at
night knowing that all is well, within the walls, the haymow
is full, the granary is overflowing and the silos are bulging.
And all is right with the Lord.
(By Vit.O.Strong)
(Continued From Last Week,
The lazy or dull-reader mud°
haste slowly. Learning was WO often the
mark of a sissy in those days and, star
pupils frequently had to endure the butt
of teasing and ridicule. The senior
pupils came to school because the whole
of society seemed leagued against
them. They did not understand that the '
school was the chief agent of sociali-
zation nor did they realize that there
was any need for 'improving their
present state. To suppose that there
was a small flame ef intellectual
purpose in their soul was to suppose
every charming and misleading fiction.
Those who came up through such
seats of learning recall that all the
pupils had to supply their- own text
books - a reader, a speller, an arithmetic
text, a grammar text, a geography and a
history book. Other articles of stationery
included a copy book, a drawing book,
pens, pencils,_ erasers and exercise
books or scribblers. Every one used a
slate and slate pencil. Remember those
fancy slates with the red felt-bound
frame laced with black cord to silence
their movement on the desk or muffle
their fall on the -floor! While many
pupils cleaned their slates with water
stored in a small bottle fitted with a cork
through which ran the butt end of
ahen's feather and wiped it dry with a
mal-odorous cloth attached to the iron
frame of the desk with a length of
string, some careless folk resorted to
common spit and used the sleeve of
their shirt or handkerchief to do the
trick. Care had to be taken on Friday
afternoons in winter to empty the water
bottle lest its contents freeze over the
week-end and break the container. Ink
bottles were left uncorked and too often
on Monday morning's each bottle saw
the liquid contents protruding from the
neck. Many, too, will recall the copy
books which were prepared with the
headline shown in medial or vertical
slant. The teacher preferred those with
the medial slant since it was supposed
to promote freehand movement rather
than the stilted up and down style.
The curriculum was simple,
unadorned and, in the light of the
future, inadequate-reading, writing,
arithmetic, literature, spelling,
composition, grammar, history and
geography. Fancy subjects like
domestic science, industrial arts, social
studies, natural science, music and art
were unknown subjects and were
considered a major part of the home's
share in the educational process.
Classes were heard up front before the
master's desk where he remained
seated in his arm chair. Liberal use,
however, was made of the bllackboards
for assignments. Much memorization of
poetry was required as well as
geographical -terms, countries and
and capitals, counties and county
wns, world capes, bays, rivers,
oontain ranges, islands; .ete, Juniors
had to learn by heart the names of The
townships in their respective counties
and practised , draining a map of the
home county indicating' the location of
the townships, the railway lines, the
staions thereon, the rivers and other
pertinent information, The writer pan
still draw from rn emory dn Outlinednap
of HuronCounty showing the townships
in order from Stephen in the south-West
• corner to Usborne in the south-east.
Occasionally a spelling match
was arranged for Friday following the
afternoon recess break. Two captains,
usually seniors, lined up along opposite
walls and chose the respective members
of their team alternately. The juniors
were always the last to be selected. The
teacher had to use extreme caution in
order that the word announced was
within the comprehension of the child.
When a word was missed, the loser
bashfully and slyly retreated to his or
her seat to wonder at the ability of his
friends and looked forward to the day
when he or she might be among the
winners and a captain.
An Aroma all Its own
Boys and girls who attended these
rural schools will never forget the musty
tang which gathered in the school's
closed, quarters during the summer
holidays. It was unforgetable as was the
odour of the classroom on a winter's
snowy day when the stove glowed with
heat. The aroma of wet jackets, woollen
mitts, scarves, stocking caps drying out
on the wood-box where, too often,
remnants of noon lunches found repose,
pervaded the enclosed area.
Midmorning, midafternoon recesses
and lunch hours were highlights of the
day.' ' Weather conditions helped
determine the activities planned. E,ach
season seemed to have its own
appropriate games. Such parlour games
as Lost Heir and Old Maid were popular
with the girls while the boys loved
euchre. Jacks and tops amused the
juniors. Spring brought forth the girls to
skip on the narrow board walk leading
to the front door while the boys made
holes in the soft earth with the heel of
their boot and challenged all arid sundry
to a game of marbles, winners keepers.
While venturesome lads climbed high
among the branches of the trees, the
lassies made . use of the swing
suspended from a stout horizontal limb..
Football was rarely played unless some
fortunate.kid was given such a plaything
on the occasion of a birthday or as a
reward for faithful labour around the
barn.Softball, however, was a popular
sport with both sexes. A soft rubber ball
some four inches in diameter was used
while the bat was homemade using a
six-inch wide board about thirty inches
long with the handle skilfully shaped by
dad or an ,older brother. Box and the
Goose, tug of war, leap frog and crack
' thewhip were jgaines in which the.
boys indulged. London Bridge an, firop
the handkerchief were suitable mixed
Iales. In Win*, anoW forts were rolled
together and snoviballing WaS- the. order
'of the day. Usually the forztS were Witt
No far apart that there was little danger
of the beleaguers being hdrt by flying
missies. , ;
The school bell was sounded at 9100,
12:00, 1:00' and 4:00 dictated much of
farm hours and the respective; dutieS.
An .interesting story is related
concerning air immigrant farm worker
who did not possess a time-piece..One
morning before going afield to the
• • fathermost portion of the farm near the
bush, he was instructed to unhitch his
team whenever he heard the school bell
ring at noon. True to, his instructions,
despite the fact that he was at the far
end of tile field,he did as he was told
and drove his hungry steeds to the barn
leaving the harrows in place near the
bush. When asked whyrhe did not bring
the implement to the near end of the
field he replied, "My mother always
told. me to do what I was told."
Lucky were those who lived on farms
near the schoolhouse. Some had to walk
two miles and more through rain on
muddy roads or through snow, knee
deep on drifted concessions. Often in
'winter when the days were short,
darkness came down before the farm
home was reached. Evening chores
followed. The woodbox had to be filled,
kindling made ready for the morning
fire, the waterpail filled, feed put down
for the animals, pens cleaned,
mangolds and turnips pulped for the
morning and feed mixed for the
squealing porkers. yes, education came
the hard way in those days but, if you
stuck with it, it paid off.
Tuckersmith was fortunate in the
early 1900's to have a number of
experienced teachers, m any of them
males. Ma,ny readers will recall such
stalwarts as R.J.Beatty, T.N.Forsyth.
B. Hoggarth, G. Holman, A. Scott and
T.G.Shillinglaw. They were men of
moral soundness, free from corruptive
practices or influences, strict 'in the
fulfillment of their contract at some
$650•per annum. They were honoured
and respected, possessing
mature imagination, mature perception;
judgment and mature human interest.
Although brick schools replaced
many of these frame structures, some
were privileged to have attended both
types. These larger buildings with
spacious- basements, hot-air furnaces
and portable desks existed well into
1960's when centralization of
educational facilities became the order
of the day. A small group of trustees
gave way to the larger Board of
Education, principals became
administrators, inspectors superin-
tendents but the teacher rem ..ined the
wor orse,
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