The Huron Expositor, 1978-03-02, Page 1because committee chairman
John Henderson said' those facts
will come out at the board's
March 6 meetittg since a
committee can't give information
• to th.e public before,,..h:sgone to
the board.
.He told • the meeting that his
committee had planned to meet
wth--"parents to discuss the
Sha' said.
Mr. S'haw said the school is
open now and course outlines are
available so students can .find out
what they should be doing. 'The
library is, also available and.
students can use the facilities for
study purposes.
BRIDLING THE HORSE E --4,1Vierthe Siberry 'Mitchell gets some helpful
advice On how to bridlea horse from Rbss Leenhardt as some of the pupils from the
UpperlThames Elementary School from Mitchell, came out to the Twin Bells Stables .
for their' weekly riding.' leaschIast .Erlday. Mr. Leohhardt's ciatiohter Kathy teaches
the chIldreii 11/4/Jore preturet on the Oublin page). (Expositor Photo)
I
Public supports •-laoth
sides in teo.z:ithert.strik
CONCERNED .'FACES — Parents in the crowd
listened attentively last Wednesday night ,when
trustees explained a Board of Education committee
plan that would see Walton Public School closed.
The committee .will propose to a board meeting
Monday that the Walton. students be bused to
Seafcirth and Seaforth, PS Grade 7's attend .classes at
SDHS. (Exriosit-a Photo)
• •
tend
increase of four cents over last band. equipment truck whe n an
year,. for all the sewage that goes orchestra is • playing • at 'the ;
into the lagoon, . It • is estimated 03m:tunny Centfe. •
there, will be about 92 million ' . 'Mayor Says •
gallons this year. • 'Mayor Cardno Said. the' offieial
.keeve. John Flannery asked for. • from • the' • Minis•fry of .
the engineer's... eopipteticiii. report• Transportation • who met • with •
on the sewage system'completed some council members last week,
in...Septembet.:19_7.6.....This4111 -be-- • --informed- hem Abe- grade-at. .the.".
reque,sted by council. , Mr.
Flannery said it should'have'bcen
received . a 'few Months after
completion of the 'System.
• Council authorized an
application-for the 1977'provin•cial
road subsidy from the Ministry of
Transportation and Communi-
cations'. The total subsidilable
amount is $119,000 of which the
government gill. pay 50 per cent.
Ron. Johnston of the .'works
department will be sent to the
four-day Mahoney road school to
be held at Guelph University in
May. • . • •
Councillor A William Bennett,
chairman of the arena committee,
asked if a parking. space could be
reserved for a caterer preparing Johnston, Chairman of police
for a meal at the arena. He cited •• committee, said the police are
the problem' of 'getting food into • getting many complaints .of dogs
the 'arena when the . caterer's running at large. .
vehicle can't ,be located near the
entranceway.'
Council authorized two, spaces
to be reseryed in' addition to the
one already theryfor the police
car. The other (space is 'for the
eastern outskirts of town at .the •
hospital entranceway is not such
as to wari•ant a left turning lane
into the, hospital road.
Council has made several
attempts recently to get the
turning lane because of the
danger when slOwing down
vehicles make a left hand turn. into
the hospital at the bottom orthe
hill.
Council will ask the town police-
to use radar more at this location
in an effort to slow down the •
baffle' A "hidden intersection
" sign and "Hospital turning','
sign will be considered.
In answer to a question from
Mayor Cat-duo, Councillor Irwin
Councillor Kenneth, Roth said
the dog problem has been getting
worse the last two weeks.
Council is seeking a dog
catcher and someone to sell dog '
tags.
Inside this week
4xvost or
Easter Seal Campaign starts locally P. 3
Horse Club learns safety ,• . P. 4
Brotherhood Night -.c ,, P.10
Centenpires stay alive P.11
SEAFORTH,S*TARIOrTIIIIJRSDAY, MARCH 1078
1'
• Whole No. 5730
119th Year AGES
, $12.00 a Year in AdvntiCe
Single copy 23 cents •
•
Area parents oppose
closing of Walton school
Ing the closing of Walton Public
! School. , •
'.The parents didn't get any
details on how the closing will
save the board money though
rucefield I
marks 100 yecirs
By Debbie Ranney .
The Upper Thames Elementary
School in Mitchell may' have
found a Unique technique for
more enjoyable learning.
Recently they 'started a program
where,as one of their electives,
children can ' choose horseback
riding.. They ride at Kathy
Leorthardt's • Stables, near
BMdliagen'.
As for support for theteacheC•s
position in the. strtke she said it
seemed to vary from area'to area.
"Some seem to Solidly for the
teachers and some seem to be
more pronounced in their support
for the board,"` she said. ' ••
Jim • Moore, SeafOrth,
representative fin-. the- teacher's
federation saicL-much the, same.
"The federation is ready and
willing to negotiate at any given
time," he 'said.
He thought , the strike was
harmful to the students especially
,the senior students who were
contemplating ppSt secondary
cducation. • '.,
'Mr. Moore said-that personally
the feedback he .had gotten froth
local ratepayers AtaS shwon that
there'S a great deal 'of support for
• the teacher's position. \•
He said, that once people had
the'position, of teachers tegatding
working'eonditions already in the.
• contract explained to 'them and
learned that thc.board is trying to
take those away Twin the teachers
then they've been quite
supportive.
Bruce Shaw, principal of the'.
Se,aforth'District High School said
• at this point he didn't know—
Whether there, would be ally.
tutoring classes but.' "1. think the
federation 'will be looking at. this
situation in the near future, l am
sure the teacher's federation will
be making provision for tutorial
Work of sonic kind," he. said.
He - said it would appear that.
the activities .planned during the
,year will. be-suspended but that
they don't know what's going on
to happen m June. •
Students, who didn't have to
before won't be made to write
exams only those who had to
write them in the first-plate. Mr.
About 200 parents packed ten
main halt at. Family Paradise last
Wednesday night to hear Board
of Education trustees confirm that
a board committee is recommend-
Both. Sides say. they have
public support 'in the current
dispute over contract negotiations
betWeen Huron County 'teachers
and the Huron COUnty Board of
Education the teachers
'continue with their strike and the
boardWiithiVes with their lockout,
against ,thc-letreb4s; • e'..4.
•
':1*
John Elliott,. of Blyth, chairman
of 'the Board said he had no
comment-at 'the present time on
91egotiationS, but that 'that could
......./ch.ange at . any time.
He said the board didn't know
. of any tutoring. classes that would
•
be. made available for students
.who are. out of .clasS but that
course material is available from
the principal's offices.
Asked whether he felt , the
strike was harmful. to the
• students, he said, —Certaihly I '
think any',strike is harMful -te.any
' sector but the innocent party in'
this . case. happens to the,
• students." •
As for support for the board's
position in the strike from • the
ratepayers he said he can only get
•the. Personal observation front
each trustee and. "by '-and latge
the support from the ratepayers is
there," he said. • • •
• We ;
negotiator for the , teacher's
fedel-ation, said they've made iio
formalized plans for negotiating.
"We're still willing to, meet
with the board if they're willing to
meet with us. There .have been. no
formal requests for negotiation"
she ,
Will the. .strike and lockout he
harmful to the students? • "I
suppose if it goes on for a long
period of time it will, but at. the
Moment, .1 don't , think there
should beany real problem."
Mrs. 'Weary 'said. •
James Armstrong, William
Forrest; John H. 1-Tiscock;
- William Mellis and Ebenezer
Walker?
Thomas Fraser was a fanner
and lived most of his life on ,the
farm - now owned
W.W.Caldwell.
Robert Yuill was a farmer 1- on
the farm where Watter_Bdird new
lives.
John Young was also a farmer
and lived on the Watson farm
south of the—village, presently
owned by Gordon Thompson.
Alex Thomson, owned the farm
11/2 ,iniles west of the village. It is
presently owned by his grandson,
(Continued on Page 13)
The riding elective is - the.
brainchild of Roy Beuerman, of
Monkton, a . physical education
teacher, at Upper 'Thames. Mr.
Beuerman trains and shows
horses himself and he said his ,
own personal interest in horses
was probably the seed. •
Mr. Beuerman went to ' tl2e
principal of Upper Thames who
agreed That if done properly it
would be a good idea. The Perth
County Board of Education
also approved it.
Mr. Beuerman then took his
proposal to Miss Leonhardt,
operator of the' riding stables at
. (Continued on Page 5)
recommendation that it's making
to the board: that WPS students
, be btised to- Seaforth Public
School and that SPS Grade 8's•
attend classes in Seafoarthk
'District High School, beginning in
September, but that the par ents,
called. a meeting first.
"Things. have come, along
faster than wo...,thokight they.
would'", said Walton'area trustee
Don McDonald. "Our -committee
is.quite a bit at fault because of
poor public relations.- Most
parehts learned of the,proposal to
close-Mahon School by word of
' mouth.
John Elliott. the board -
chairman who is a trustee •for
Morris and Blyth assured parents
as did Mr,--Henderson that the
March-6, board meeting will not
see the final vote on the future of
the school. The parents will send
a delegation to that board
meeting. "My personal opinion is
that the committee should look at
boundaries alone at the present
time," Mr. Elliott said.
Displace Portables
"First we should displace the
portables we're renting before
getting rid of physical facilites we
already own," the chairman said.
If McKillop students had gone
to Seaforth. seven years ago and
left Walton School as it was, the
school would now have 79
students from GradeS 1. to 8 and
f fricKindergarten in a four room'
school, Mr. Henderson told the --
Meeting. "I agree Walton has a
tlandy little set' up but it can't
last because • there's room in
Seaforth. It's• as simple as that,"
the longtime trustee said.
"A four -room school:today is as
14,i,)solete wone;rtiont .w,as seve,n
is !g4." .• ' • s, ,
A stanW-V616'
parents at the Meeting were
unanimously in favour 'of leaving
both 'elementary schools as they
are now: "
One parent,, Leo. Greidanu.s of
the 7th of McKillop suggested the
board close SDHS and send all
the high , school students to
Clinton rather than interfering
with the two elementary schoOls,
Another patent; Sia-san•Wheatley,
also---of McKillop, .asked Mr.
Henderson 'why the two empty
' classrooms at SDHS couldn't
simply be closed off. "Then they
cold be opened. again when this
great enrolment from WPS. and
• SPS gets , to high schoOl age."
Quality education
Several parents suggested that
the qinility of, education , that
grades K through 3 receive at'
WPS more than make up for the
lack of a library, .gym and otherr,
facilities that are available in
Seaforth.. Other parents asked
the trustees for the economic
information that Mr. Henderson
d justified the closing. "We're
ratepayers and have a right to
know the costs," said Laverne
Godkin of McKillop.
Since there are no empty
classrooms at either WPS or SPS,
Larry Wheatley of McKillop said
."You'll have a hard time selling
me..en the, economics of this."
Another parent, Don Pletch of
Seaforth' confirmed. with board
members that SPS Would have 54
kindergarten students next year if
WPS, was bused to the town
school. 'That's two kindergarten
clasSes and would mean a third if
just one more student moved to
the area since 27 is the largest
number allowed in one K class,'
yr..Pletch said.
"There's a chance students
might move put too," . Mr.
Henderson said. "I think you're
taking a big chance closing a
school,," replied Mr. Pletch. '
11;etty Beuttenmiller, of
Seaforth, spokes person for a
group of parents of SPS Grade 7
students • suggested the board
look at changing school
boundaries. "That's what we're
trying , to do . now," Mt..
Henderson, who represents
Seaforth and Mct(illop said.
Have a say
Do parents have a say in this
decision, Mrs. Beuttenmiller
asked and • was told byMrt
McDonald, "We get a-pretty good
idea what your thinking is by
coming here tonight."
'In--answer to questions'-from
ratepayers Tom. Stevenson of -
Grey and Joan, Beuerman trustees,,
said the WPS building would be
offered to other boards and local
governments before it was sold
and that WPS teachers would not
(Ciintinued on Page .3)
(By Wilma Oke) • • ......
Within 'a few weeks—tenders
for the 16-unit seniors apartment
building will he called by Ontario
Housing Commission.: The
architect's plans have been"
received and reviewed• • by
Seaforth's building . 'inspector
Herman' Van Wieren.• council_
rtied Wednesday night. • •
Clerk 'James Crocker informed
council at its special • meeting
Wednesday night that the plans
were as specified with only pne
change to be made. In the one
'unit designed for a handicapped
tenant the five doors were
considered too narrow at two
feet; eight inches .and the
architect Will require them to be
'three feet. Mr. Crocker said many
wheel chairs. take up a three foot
wide dootway.
Council approVbd a declaratiOn
Making West Branch, Michigan,
a sister town, On February 13 a
delegation hop West Branch
read . to council a declaration
making. Seaforth then' twin. In
turn 'a •delegation from Seaforth
will attend a council 'meeting in
West Branch on March 6.
The question of twinning came
up, late in 1977 when West Branch
approached .Seaforth Council. A
Meeting followed , in Sarnia
between representatives of the
two municipalities where the
friendship blosschned.
Mayor Betty Camino 'said 'They
are looking at an exchange of
recreation - a ' mini summer
olympies."
COuncillor Bill . Bennett
reported that 'the delegates from
West. Branch were impressed
with the curling rink and• the
-arena for hockey as they do not
have an arena for either.
Much in Common
Mrs, Cardno said .Seaforth and
West Branch have much in
common and are ab out the same
size with a population of just over
2000. She said they call their
municipality a city. It is 50 miles
north of. Bay City and about 400
miles from Seafortli.
Council accepted the sewage
service primary rate of SO 1/2 cents
per 1000 gallons for 1978, an
lBy Wilma Oke] '
Over '200 'guests attended a
birthday party Tuesday night at
Brucefield United Church to •
celebrate the 100th anniversary of.
the' Brucefield- Lodge 'of the
independent Order of,
Oddfellows.
The Ledge was formed on
February 28, 1878; with . five
charter members who , were
installed as officers: Noble
Grand', Thomas FraSer;-• vice-
grand.. Robert Yuill; recording
secretary, John Young; treasurer,
Alex Thomson:, warden,. John
Murdock. •.
Other charter members were:
John • Btiggs, John Cameron;
Riders takes. class _.
in .Brodhopgeti' stable
Dogs •causing
trouble again
It's dog days Aline again in
Seaforth. Local police report
receiving seven complaints of
dogs running at large-on Sunday'
alone.
"Catching- them is the
problem". said Chief John Cairns
who added ,,that although he'd
heard talk on the street that a'
woman had been attacked by a
stray dog, there'd been no
complaint to the police.
Six of the 'seven dogs running
at large Sunday had no collars or
tags and p6lice . hope that dog
nabbing will be easier once the
Town hires someone to sell tags
in -town. The position is being
advertised now.
The finelor allowing a dog to
run at large , is $50, the police
chief noted, once the dog can be
traced to its owner.
ci5ctri .Nit4t,p — The problem that area sqndbl, boards are talking
about, a lack 'of students, was illustrated g•rap.•hiCally boys and
three girls registered Thursday for the Kindergarten class at St. Jarries' School in
Seaforth. In the top photo - the three boys try out the toys they will be playing with
in September -- Terrance (Scottie) LaFramboise of Main `Street; Patrick Brown 'of
R.R.#2, Kippen; and Edward (Teddy); Sillos of North Main Street The girls in the
lower photo are Tracy Bisback of Chalk Street, Carol Ann McQuaid of . North Main
Street and Deborah White of Side Street. (Photo by Oke)
Council Learns