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Clinton News-Record, 1974-09-26, Page 4eiA Member, Canadian , Community Newspaper Association Member, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association THE CLINTON NEW ERA Established 1865 A innlgamated 1924 THE HURON NEWS -RECORD Established 1881 IHI HOME OF IIADAIF IN CANADA" Published every Thursday at Clinton, Ontario Editor James E. Fitzgerald General Manager, J. Howard Aitken Second Class Mall registration no. 01117 SUBSCRIPTION RAUL CANADA $10.00 U.S.A. $11.50 SINGLE COPY .250 ,11;111\ 46 HUB OF HURON COUNTY Although the recent disclosures that the Canadian Egg Marketing Board is destroying some 27 million eggs can in no way be condoned, but the whole situation has been blown way out of proportion by the mass media, and by the Food Prices Review board under the guidance of Befyl Plumptre. Gordon Hill of Varna, president of the Ontario Federation of agriculture said on Tuesday that the whole thing was a plot by the egg graders and wholesalers to get a bigger piece of the action by for- cing the government to disband the Egg . Marketing Board, and thus force the egg prices down, huhing the already crip- pled farmers. We can't help but partially agree with Personal violence Most of us, unless we've been in a brawl, raped or knocked over the head for our money, don't relate personally to violence, says the United Church. Violence is something editorials deplore, television showcase, and theatres exploit. We're insulated by distance from far-off wars, revolutions, racial demonstrations and labor unrest. Or are we? What about the violence around us in which we wittingly or unwittingly take part? The salesperson who puts one over on the customer, lawyers who cut ethical corners, stockbrokers who "pump up" stocks, executives who squeeze competitors, advertisers who misrepresent; politicians who convert Mr, Hill that there seems to be some kind of plot especially in the daily media. For example, the media seems to be using' two different sets of rulers when they talk about eggs. First, they say 27 million eggs were destroyed, not 21 /4 million dozen. Then they talk of'the price of eggs going up by five cents a dozen, not 4/10 of a cent per egg. Strange mathematics. Then the other day, we didn't even see one single mention made in many of the daily newspapers of the severe frost that destroyed nearly $4 million worth of vegetables in Southern Ontario. It just depends who • is losing the money. half-truth to truth, teachers who ridicule? What about the thousands of thoughtless social violences — an alcoholic's effect on the family, the review which demolishes the artist, the person who never quite makes it into the club or social group she yearns for, parents too busy and tired to hear a child's plea — the violence men do women through heedless paternalistic practices and attitudes the hurt caused by not sensing, seeing other's needs? Violence is intensely personal. It begins with individuals and it can end through individual action. Can any one of us look into our soul and plead im- munity? Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiley Here's a book worth reading I've just finished a book called "Ten Lost middle-class family would spend in a month on Years". In my opinion, it should be required clothes and treats. People died, not of starvation, reading for every Canadian under twenty-five, but of malnutrition. and pleasantly, if occasionally bitter reading, for Oh, I remember! I was only a kid at the time, everyone over fifty. The rest are too old to care, but I remember. It all happened sort of and too late to save. gradually. My father was a fairly prosperous With another depression coming up, and merchant, bUt he was too kindly a man, bless remember, you read it here, it might serve as _ him, to crunch people who were hard up. He gave some sort of survival chart for the young peop,le them. credit. He lost 'his business. He had too heading into the next depression',,4ha Et'"ffiuch rfioney'on the boOkS".and not enough in the' Cita justification for the older people, who are so till to meet the mortgage. Stunned, in his late forties with five kids, he sank into depression. There were no jobs for anyone, let alone middle-aged men. My mother took over. She took in boarders. In the summer, we ren- ted rooms to tourists. A clean bed and a huge breakfast for $1.50. She sold homemade baking. She was an Avon lady. And we went inexorably into debt: the butcher's, the grocer's, the coal man. But there was no way WE were going to go on relief. It was shameful. Somehow, we staggered through. My older. brother got a job in the bank at six dollars a week. My sister got a job in a store at eight dollars a week. They kicked most of it back to my mum. That was the deal in those days, everybody pulling together. But it was mighty hard ,on the young workers, who, today, would be going to college on government grants. We never went hungry. A lot of hamburger, at three pounds for a quarter. A lot of baloney. A big, perpetually simmering pot of soup. If the porridge wasn't finished in the morning, it went into the soup pot. And I remember the odd time when we had something I've never tasted since. This was when the butcher would advance 'no more credit, and there wasn't a cent in the house. Potato-skin hash. I wouldn't mind a good feed of that tonight. You take some baked potatoes and put their through the meat grinder. With the colour of the potato skins, it comes out looking like meat and potatoes. Fry it up in a pan with some onions, dirt cheap, and you had a pretty good dinner. Top it off with home-made bread and raspberry preserves, and you'd had a gourmet dinner. It beat hell out of the riv:dern frozen TV din- ner, both for nourishment and flavour and was probably better for us than most of the garbage modern kids eat. No, we never went hungry, and there was always a bowl of pea soup and home-made bread for the hoboes who arrived at the kitchen door, half-frozen and half-starved. But I never realized what miracles my mother and father performed in those days, and I wish I had, sooner. ymie about such things as electric lights that aren't turned off, food scraps that are thrown out, and clothing that is perfectly good, but ten years out of style. It's impossible to tell young people about your own experiences in the Great Depression. And it deserves the capital letters. When you try to tell the rising generation about your own Depression experiences, they merely groan, roll their eyes, and think, "Yuk. Here goes Dad, or Grandad, again, whining about what hard times are really like. What a drag!" That's why the young people should read the book. They simply can't realize, as they scoff their two-bits worth of french fries, that grown men worked ten hours a day for that same two- bits, during the Depression. They can't realize, as they shoot a quarter into the pop machine for a Coke (capital C) to wash down their french fries, that if you took out a girl during the Depression, and had a quarter in your pocket, you were rich. According to the book, the hardest hit areas were the Prairie Provinces, the Maritimes and Quebec. Ontario and B.C. were the only provin- ces in those days which weren't in really desperate condition, and they were bad enough. This is a very credible book, to anyone who lived through those Ten Lost Years. The author went out with a tape recorder and interviewed hundreds of people who went through them. The results are funny, tragic, and ,extremely Canadian. It could never be misunderstood as a British or American book, though these countries suffered equally. Canadians then, in their pawkish, stubborn and often stupid pride, would go to almost any lengths to avoid "going on relief." This was almost a sin, and always a, last resort. And "relief" could be ten or twelve dollars a month, for a family. A nickel had to do the work of a dollar. After three years of drought and grasshoppers, many prairie farmers just walked away and left evM'ything: house and machinery, The average cash income from farmers in the Maritimes, in- cluding the wealthy ones, was something like forty dollars a year. What a modern kid from a we et etters PAGE 4-0ILI1' TQN NEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, .$SP-1$1v113gR 26, 1974 Editorial Comment A matter of priorities junior hockey needed Dear Editor: In reply to the letter concer- ning this year's hockey in Clin- ton, which appeared in last week's News Record, we, the players concerned in this letter would like to voice our own opinion. First of all, the writer men- tioned that it is the same boys who play ball that should be nueclus for Clinton hockey teams. This point is totally wrong! For one thing, baseball ability does not reflect hockey ability and if the truth be known, only six players from the All-Ontario Juvenile Baseball team are even out to play hockey this season, Two of these are of midget hockey, and we don't want to rob our midget team do we? One question that is bothering this individual is, "Why is there no juvenile hockey in Clinton?" Suppose Clinton had juvenile hockey. It too would drain midget hockey players. Without them we couldn't ice a full team with players in the proper age group. Next question - if we had a skeleton juvenile team of home town boys, what league is there near for us to play in? Or would this person like this team to follow the Goderich juveniles' example and play in the CHHL league. We think that having to do this would cause more harm than good to the players. Let's face the facts, Junior hockey is flourishing in this area and we 10 YEARS AGO Sept. 24, 1964 More than 700 persons came from far and wide Saturday to the first Clinton Hobby and Craft Exhibition sponsored by the United Church Women of Wesley-Willis United Church. Winners in the Sheaffer Count-the-Cartridge contest at Anstett Jewellers Limited were announced this week. They were; Brian Lockhead, first; Margaret Trewartha, second; and Debra Anne Gibbings, third. Kindergarten teachers never know when they're going to be taught a lesson themselves. On Friday, teacher Dorothy Williams had told her class about how God made the world and put a man and a woman on it and gave them names. On Monday, she reviewed' the lesson. She was correctly infor- med that the woman's name was Eve. When she asked who the man was she was told his name was "Evil". Huron County council does not favor an open season for deer in the county this fall. It was felt by the committee that the deer population was'not too great and it would be better if we did not have an open season this year. Mr. and Mrs, Wilbert Taylor of Egmond St., Auburn, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home by holding an Open House on Wednesday. Clinton Public School is to have four additional classrooms added, Clinton Con- tractor Cale Doucette told the News-Record that a steel shor- tage could delay the completion of the project from its estimated completion date of Eastertime this year, 25 YEARS AGO Sept. 29, 1949 A number of carloads of Western stockers arrived in Huron County this week, and other farmers are making preparations to purchase cattle from the West, Pasture conditions are fairly good for this time of year, because of the frequent rains this fall, according to Mr, R.G. Bennett, Clinton, agricultural representative for Huron County. Quicksand, just like jelly, is a delaying factor in the construc- tion of Clinton's new asphalt pavement, Several bad spots have been uncovered during the past few days on Vinegar Hill, requiring several feet of extra digging at these points. George Rathwell, Toronto has returned to his home after visiting his sisters, Miss Mabel Rathwell, Clinton, and Mrs. William Foster, Rensall. Mr. nd Mrs, John Moyter (nee Manly MacKinnon) have returned from their honeymoon in Bermuda and spent the weekend with their aunt, Mrs. W. Jackson and Mrs. MacKin- non. Mr. Moyter is a fourth year student in electrical engineering at the University of Toronto, Miss Marjorie Stanley has been appointed recently by the Minister of Agriculture as clerk-stenographer at the Department of Agriculture of- fice in Clinton. Edighoffer's store "The Woollen shop" closed last week and Mr. and Mrs, Schaef- fer, who have managed it this year, left to spend the winter in Vancouver. The possibility of an all-time record wheat crop being seeded this fall is seen by the Ontario Department of Agriculture in its monthly crop report. 50 YEARS AGO Oct. 2, 1924 J.L. Kerr and R. Tasker were in Goderich umpiring a ball game. Miss Jean McMurchie played for a shedding in Blyth yester- day, Edgar Maguire has returned after a visit of some months with relatives in Buffalo. Miss Rose Schoenals has been holidaying in Kitchener and Port Dalhousie. Fred Wallis has returned from New York where he was employed with a firm of ar- chitects for the summer and now has resumed his studies at the University of Toronto. David Kay has bought the Barge house on Fulton St. from Jacob Taylor. Harry McCool has bought the property of the late Mrs. McCool on Frederick St. Mrs. J. McMurchie, Mrs. H.R. Sharbe, Mrs. F.A. Axon and Miss A. Howson challenged Ezra Pickard, Fred Rogerson and William Brown to a game of bowls at which the ladies proved victorious. Mrs. Thomas Herman and children, Helen and Gordon, have been visiting relatives in Londesboro. Improvements include: J.E. Cook has had a verandah built at his home on Albert St., Mrs. H. Warren has had her hbuse painted; C. Connell has added a verandah to his home on Albert St, and has also had the house shingled; Mrs. Steeper Ontario St, is having a veran- dah erected at her home; John Cuninghame has a new barn, garage and storage shed built at his Huron St. home. 75 YEARS AGO Sept. 28, 1899 Mr. John Bell returned on Wednesday night of last week from Manitoba after an ab- sence of a month minus a day. He has been up there several times before and as he moved about leisurely he was amply able to form conclusions foun- ded upon experienced obser- vation. A moon was visible in the heavens between twelve and one o'clock Tuesday night. It stretched from north to south across the western sky and shone for nearly an hour with unusual brilliance. The heavy frost on Friday night did considerable damage to corn, potatoes and tomatoes in the area of Po'rt Albert. Last week, a curiousity could 'be seen in Mr. Cousen's or- chard, on the corner of Patrick and Minnie streets. On the same limb were to be seen matured apples, full-sized blossom, fruit just formed, and blossom buds apparently soon to open out. A large gang of men are em- ployed on the improvements to be made to the Grand Trunk Station in this village. The building is to be moved about 124 feet south of its present position, and it will be lowered to the ground so that it will not be necessary to climb so many steps as before, Last Sunday Blake was blessed with one of the heaviest rains of many rains they have had this year. This should step all grumbling about the scar- city of water for this fall at least, Mr. and Mrs, James Parke of Paradise Villa spent the 54th anniversary Of their wedding day at their daughter's, Mrs. J. Cluff of Elayfield Line. believe that last year the fans got their money's worth. The writer of last weeks let- ter .knocks the idea of Junior "C" hockey in Clinton, but is it not the idea in hockey to play in the best class possible? This individual claims that midget should play in their own class but what happens to a player who doesn't move up when he is capable?' In the last two years, only five midgets have played on the junior team, but four, of these five went to Junior "B" camps this fall while other midgets have not been invited to camps. , The writer of this letter believes that the fans would flock to support home town boys. OK, then, who crowded the arena to watch the bantams and midgets. Just a few parents. On the other hand, the Junior team drew over a thousand fans on more than one occasion, and had excellent attendance during the whole year. Toward the end of last week's letter, the author com- ments on our • coach, Bill Weber, and uses a derrogatory remark about him. This person thinks that it is Bill's fault that midgets play Junior. Bill of- fered each boy the choice of what they would play, and all players picked the higher calibre of hockey, What this town needs is more coaches like Bill Weber, because he is ex- perienced and he is the best coach anyone of us has had. If minor hockey in Clinton had coaches like him in novice and pee wee, we are certain that the calibre of Clinton's hockey would improve - and then maybe we would have All- Ontario Champions. In closing, we all wonder why this individual remains anonymous. If he believes in what he wrote, why did he not sign it? We, the Junior "C" team hope that whoever wrote this letter will come out to the arena and give us a chance. We hope our team can give this person the championship team he or she is in dire need of - that we will be working at for the next six months. Signed, Randy Miller, Dan Colquhoun, the Clinton Mustangs. Weeds Dear Editor, I have just read in my Clin- ton News-Record that the town council may order those who do not clean up their property to do so or be prosecuted. Can anyone tell me who they will prosecute for the con- ditions of the streets and lawns in the downtown area. Weeds growing up beside buildings on the streets and two almost em- pty lots full of weeds. Also, a 'street which is almost always covered with dirt from birds, also caused by litter. All the Planning Boards in the world cannot make the town look attractive under these conditions. Most tourists driving into Clinton come up to the lights and are greeted with a view of litter and weeds. I must admit the answer to these problems is not easy, but there must be an answer. We are not Clintonians born and raised but having been here ten years we like to be able to say with pride "we come from Clin- ton" but it is not always easy to say so under the circumstan- ces. Yours truly, D. Elan. Clinton Centennial Dear Editor: Last week's Clinton paper contained a letter criticizing the Clinton Centennial Com- mittee and even the idea of having a Centennial next year. In reply I would like to say 'if you haven't tried it, don't knock it'! Anyone who has participated' in a Centennial in any way, knows how much enjoyment can be derived from the festivities. The people of Clin- ton will see only ONE Centen- nial for our town and that will be next year. So instead of putting down the efforts of the Centennial Committee, help them to make 1975 a year to remember. Even if all you can do is enjoy your- self next year, And let the Cen- tennial Committee for the year 2075 show slides of the 1975 Celebrations just in Case they want to let Clinton's 200th bir- thday pass quietly, Yours truly, Marj, Dobson Clinton The Jack Scott Column Ell 0111 The Yummy Life The alarm clock exploded at 8 a.m. and instantly the Adver- tising Man was wide awake. He smiled broadly at the ceiling. "Man!" he thought, stretching luxuriously, "this new Foamair Pillow gives you the sleep of your life. No other pillow affords such satisfying, sleep-easy comfort. Doesn't sag or hollow out and so-o-o-o nice to be next to, thanks to the pure air flowing through its myriad, dust-free cells!" He sprang out of bed and strode down the hall to the bathroom, whistling gaily. "Breakfast is ready", his wife called from the kitchen. "Just takes a jiffy, darling, for the 30-second workout!" the Advertising Man called to her. "Say, you can fee-e-e-e-1 the dif- fereirefn your scalp when you use St. Vitus, the live action hair,tonie,Stimulates, invigOiates, gives that natural look, yet St. Vitus contains no harmful ingredients. Just pure vegetable oils and lard." "Women adore its tangy flavor, too", his wife called back. The Advertising Man shaved and dressed and bounded to the kitchen. He paused in the doorway to admire a charming domestic scene. Little Rollo, his year-old son, sat in his high chair. His wife was dressed in an attractive house-coat and looked like a movie queen. In one corner sat Fido, an im- maculate wire-haired terrier. "We're a Zing-up family!" the Advertising Man cried. "Yes!" his wife cried. "We're a Zing-up family since swit- ching to All-Grass, the natural laxative cereal with the locked- in goodness that helps you back to youthful regularity lost because of a lack of bulk in our diet." "Zing-up families free themselves from laxative slavery", the Advertising Man chuckled. "No longer fired from guns, it's broken up by atomic power to bring you that extra grass flavor!" , "Me, too, Daddy", lisped little Rollo. "I love its Yummy goodness!" As the Advertising Man spooned his All-Grass he looked at his wife with open admiration. "Men notice the little things about a woman", he said. "I adore my wife after two years of marriage!" "That's because I'm Double-Lovely today", the Advertising Man's wife said. "Feetlebaum's new skin creams penetrate deeper, gently floats away dust and grime. Why? Because Feetlebaum's 'contains the scientific magic ingredient doctors call `Lardogin', made of lard and gin. No other skin cream can make that statement!" "And your lipstick", exclaimed the Advertising Man. • "It's the new color, Kelp, stolen from the mermaids", hid wife replied. "Men adore its sultry low-tide flavor, made on a formula that seems to last forever." "Even children love it yummy, locked-in goodness", little Rollo cried. The Advertising Man got into his overcoat, kissed his wife and child and hurried to the door. He paused momentarily to reach down and pat-the head of Fido, the wire-haired terrier. "Art! Arf!" Fido barked. "I love my boss because he feeds me crunchy Posties, the yummy dog biscuits that taste like mailmen. Yes, it's Posties for this smart dog for they keep a canine's teeth and gums in stop condition, Yes, I'm a happy dog these days since my boss switched to Posties!" "Good dog", said the Advertising Man and went out the door. As it clicked behind him the Advertising Man's wife reached into her bodice, pulled out a Colt .45 and quickly shot little Rollo and Fido in the head. "I'll get him tonight", she mused, "because I sure can't stand any more mornings like this." From our early files . • 0 • • • •