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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1967-10-19, Page 4Don't leave that special gift until the last moment The selection is at its best right now! Earrings for her A small deposit will hold your selection until Christmas art -Cattlfiteti JEWELLER. • • EXETER,ONT. BOOTS from 5 SHOE niyth 5 STORE LTD, Phone 235.1933 Home of Savage Shoes Poi. Children Exeter, Ontario time for We agree this time, Derry We've had a few differences with Reeve Derry Boyle this year, but we agree wholeheartedly with his stand that tax money should not be used to pay for a trip to Expo by members of Huron County council. True, an amount of $340 does not appear of great consequence to a group whose budget runs into thousands of dollars, but it's the principle of the mat- ter that is of prime concern. Despite some of their thinly-dad arguments, the county council trip to Expo was nothing but a holiday for members and their wives, and they should expect to pay for their holiday the same as any person who enjoyed a holiday at Expo this year. They are correct that a trip to Expo is educational, but it's a personal education and has little to do with edu- cating them in their positions as county councillors. The manner in which some of them were trying to justify using the taxpayer's money it is a wonder that taxpayers t h r o ugh out Huron weren't asked to pay for their munici- pal council's trip to Expo too. Just flick the faucet and you have all the hot water you need Treat the family to all modern conveniences with LP gas. It s safe, thrifty and we deliver everywhere. Surely they're not suggesting that only the reeves and deputy-reeves of the various municipalities in Huron are the only members of local councils who could benefit from an "educational" trip to Expo. Or are they saying they're the only ones who need some more "education"? The most disturbing comments on the issue were presented by Hay Reeve John Corbett, who in effect said coun- cil had a budget for bus trips and he didn't see why they couldn't spend the money for what they wanted. While federal and provincial gov- ernments are urging citizens to curtail increased costs where possible, it is not very encouraging to see that some mu- nicipal officials have the idea that if money is in the budget it should be spent. That's not the responsible attitude we should expect from our elected of- ficials and it suggests that some county councillors don't have to look too far to see why regional government is be- ing strongly advocated. 238.2005 GRAND BEND • ,:t f ; 41( 4r./41 Apathy demands responsible men During the recent Ontario election one of the statements that cropped up in most political speeches was "people are concerned . . ." and then the speaker went on to detail exactly what people were concerned about. The list included housing short- ages, air pollution, water pollution, ris- ing taxes, rising food prices. increased labor costs, etc., etc. To an extent the politicians were correct. Some people are concerned about these things, and rightly so. But the fact is, the number of people really concerned is very small, and you don't have to look very far to back up that opinion. First of all, consider the large number of Ontario residents who didn't even bother to go to the polls. They apparently weren't concerned about anything, even though the programs outlined by the three parties were so divergent that every resident should have taken the responsibility to decide which of these platforms he favored. In Huron County, one of the major issues in the election should have been the question of farm income. Yet, a meeting sponsored by the Farmers Un- ion to hear the policies of the three Huron candidates attracted about 70 Photo of Bill Gossman by Jack Doerr farmers. That hardly indicates there's much concern. Similar signs of apathy on the part of the electorate could be gleaned from any riding in Ontario. The same signs are evident at the municipal level. People just aren't vis- ibly concerned about how their tax money is spent and their affairs hand- led. When they do complain, it's gen- erally about petty things. In general, it's a sad commentary on our way of life, brought about in great measure by the general affluence of our society. The solution isn't as evident, but the situation points up the need for strong and effective oppositions in fed- eral and provincial governments to question, on behalf of the apathetic citizens, the programs instituted by the governments. It requires honest, con- scientious leaders at the municipal level to continually question their own pro- grams. We have been fortunate in this area to have such men in past years, and it appears that the need could well intensify in the coming years until such time as people are prepared to get involved and play a part in their own destiny. Area loses its 'character' Now for a good snooze Most communities have a well- known "character" within their midst, but there are few which could boast of having a more colorful one than Bill Gossman, who died last week inSouth Huron Hospital. With very few exceptions, there was no person better known throughout this district than Bill, as he was always part "of the scene" at community events and in latter years at most of the Santa Claus parades in area com- munities. Bill was a man who enjoyed life and on occasions brought some enjoyment to other people as he always had a new joke or riddle to share with those who had the time. Bill's name appeared in this newspaper frequently. He was al- ways finding something "un- usual" in his garden or along the road in his travels and he often dropped in to report on a weekend outing at which time he had been interviewed on TV or radio in some spot. He was a man who enjoyed life and he travelled widely and saw more of Canada and the Unit- ed States than most of us will ever see. Many of those trips were taken in vintage automobiles that few of us would trust to take us across the street and the jaunts were financed as he went, either by sharpening scissors and knives or by selling raffle tickets. He often had tickets for more than a dozen draws and the success of many of those draws for com- munity and service groups throughout the area was a direct result of his salesmanship. While working in Grand Bend in 1962, we did an interview with Bill and parts of that story are reprinted below, as a final tribute to the area's most colorful per- sonality. On Wednesday afternoon, PC Harold Doupe came walking out from his coffee break at the Dawn Tavern when he met Dash- wood's bearded Bill Gossman walking along the street. "Just on my way down the street to see the horse with the wooden leg," Bill reported to the young officer. "The what?" came the reply. "The horse with the wooden leg," Bill stated again. "Where is it?" came the seri- to," he reported, ,.and I didn't want to." However, he did point out that boys in those days who lived at home were expected to give their parents all their earnings until they were 21 years old, "We got our clothes and lodg- ing and a bit of spending money," he stated. pointing out he was working for sums as low as 25 cents a day. He recalled "the good old days" when he was a youngster and he and some of the other boys were given 25 cents to go to the Zurich fair and they walked both ways. ''It cost 10 cents to go in and we had plenty of fun and still had enough money left over to take some candy home with us," he said. When he turned 21, Bill struck off on his own and went to Lon- don where he was employed in a cigar box factory owned by Sir Adam Beck. He also did garden- ing for the noted London indus- trialist. Bill, from German stock, re- called once that he offered to make Beck some sauerkraut and he cooked it himself because the cooks didn't know how. "They almost chased me out of the house", he reported, "but Sir Adam really enjoyed it, and the cooks even ended up cleaning up the rest of it." Bill then moved to Grand Bend where he sold vegetables and operated booths for close to 30 years. "I was a big shot down — Please turn to page 5 ous question from the OPP con- stable. "Down on the m err y-go- round," Bill quipped with his usual hearty laugh. The incident was just one that has been repeated many times throughout the district and even to the Canadian West and as far south as Florida in fact, just where Bill Gossman happens to be at any particular time. At present, Bill is on the "heard-growing circuit" and just recently walked off with top prize for the shaggiest beard in a cen- tennial celebration in Yale, Michigan. There is little doubt that the judges made any mistake, be- cause Bill hasn't had a shave or a haircut since fall and hasn't even bothered to trim his whisk- ers in that time, However, when he does hit out for some contest, his wife curls his shoulder-length hair into a neat roll to put under his hat. It's just one of the hats that has provided Bill with one of his other riddles that has pro- voked people for being so foolish. "Know where I got this hat?" Bill will question. And, when the reply comes that the person doesn't, Bill quickly replies, "right here on top of my head." Bill was born 70 years ago in Dashwood (although he answered that he was born in bed) where his father was in the dry goods and grocery business. One of 15 children, Bill re- ports he got only as far as "the second book" in school. "We didn't have to go to school in those days unless we wanted But, I told one of them in my most ferocious manner, they were acting like old maids who have had their first martini. We got the 75 boys "settled down" in one huge dormitory about 1:30 a,m. the first night, At three I was awakened. Nipped out and caught two seniors sneak- ing in the back door. Pointed a trembling (with rage) forefinger at one and said, "Kelly. Do you want a one-way ticket home tomorrow, with a phone call preceding it?" "Nossir." "Well, that's what you're going to get, and that goes for anybody else who even peeps like a little bird." Miracle. They went off to sleep. It wasn't exactly visions of sugar- plums dancing in their heads. It was visions of enraged parents and an irate principal. Second night, boys were bushed and it was the girls who goofed around half the night, giggling, singing and talking. My own daughter was right in the thick of it, and looked like a ghost at breakfast. It was the other three percent, of course, who made the jaunt somewhat less than a picnic. One bird on my bus got into the booze, barfed all over the back seat and floor of the bus, He did it so quietly that we didn't find out about it until morning. He was torn into small strips and given the job of cleaning out all the buses. He was a lamb for the rest of the trip. Three little guys in Grade 9 went to the Tunisian restaurant for a meal. It cost them $21. They gleefully admitted as how the carafe of wine they had with dinner might have put the price up a bit. What surprised me was the calibre of the culprits. On my bus I had a pretty tough crew. Mostly Grade 12 tech boys. I had along my rhinoceros-hide whip, my brass knuckles, sand- bag and the special revolver which shoots tranquilizer darts. Didn't need anything. They were angels. Real trouble-makers were the so-called "1 eader s" of the school. Whether it was sheer gid- diness from exhaustion, or a de- sire to show off, I don't know. You think you're' tired? I've been home for three days from my second trip to Expo, and I'm still whimpering with fatigue. Any Expo trip is a back-break- er, but when you are shepherding a gaggle of teen agers, it's gruel- ling, You wind up a three-day trip with blistered feet, hollow eyes and the stunning realization that you are really, at last, over the hill. Picture your faithful corres- pondent lurching out of bed at 6 a.m., to catch the bus at seven. Repulsive, isn't it? But you should have seen the same body some 21 hours later, after a nine-hour bus trip, hours of trudging the asphalt of Expo, and more hours of getting the kiddies to bed. And to sleep. Some of those "kiddies" are 20 years old. It was past the repulsive state by then, and was merely pitiable. We averaged 19 hours a day in action, five in bed. It wasn't all that bad, though. It seldom is, As usual, 97 per- cent of the kids came through with flying colors. We didn't lose a single body, and they were punctual at the buses, which floored me completely. tarigaMMTWAYMNSVENNONSIDEMBF, Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 15 YEARS AGO Doug Smith, 27, of Espanola has been hired as recreational director of Exeter. His main duties will be managing the arena, Exeter citizens will observe November 11 as Remembrance Day and all places of business will be closed for the entire day. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hendrick are moving to Exeter from Grand Bend into the new ranch-style home on Highway 4, south of Ex- eter. Pupils of Exeter Public School purchased a radio this week from funds received for a drive on coat hangers. The pupils collected over 6,000 hangerS. 50 YEARS AGO Rodd--Squire — At Whalen on October 10, Myrtle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Squire of Blanshard to William Rodd of Usborne. Russell Clark has accepted a position with the local branch (Crediton) of the Bank of Com- merce. The Exeter, Das h wood and Zurich hydro systems are now under the care of Mr. H. W. Doerr of Exeter, Mr. W. J. Statham and Mr. E. A. Follick attended a meeting in London Thursday of the bakers of the district to discuss ways and means of saving wheat for the boys at the front. tuferZimesiksocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC III Ly'_LL • Fi ,Lr; • i Z-e"" w. Publishers: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott Editor: Bill Batten Advertising Manager: Howie Wright Phone 2351331 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, Ottawa, and for Payment of Postage in Cash Paid in Advance Circulation, March 31, 1967, 4,379 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $5.00 Per Year; USA $7.00 But it was a good trip, all in all. A kink here and there, to be ironed out. We learned a lot. One thing; keep them starved. Stop for food, and it doesn't matter whether they're on their last legs. You'd swear Gabriel had just blown the trumpet, They come to life with a vengeance and yack, sing and horse about as though they'd been given speed Pills, About Expo. It's losing its gloss. With the season nearing its end, the staff is growing steadily more surly and sloppy. Can't blame them. The excite- ment has worn off, the big show is losing its momentum, and most of them are bored silly with their jobs. Found my son, anyway. Ap- propriately enough, he's working In a building where they have Monkey cages, We spent a happy half-hour watching the monkeys. As usual, he was broke. As usual, I was took. v. 25 YEARS' AGO Mr. and Mrs. Luther Oke re- ceived word from their son OS Ross Oke that he had landed safely in England. Fire drill was observed at the Exeter High School Friday and the school was cleared in 40 seconds. Miss Hatel Elliot of Preston and PO Harold Snider of Arn- prior spent Monday evening with Mr. and Mrs. A. 0. Elliot, Mrs. Carfrey Calm and daugh- ter Patricia left recently for Vic- toriaville, Que. to join Mr. Cann who is with the RCAF at the ITS there. 10 YEARS AGO Contract for construction of a Bell Telephone power and term- inal equipment building on Huron Street, Exeter has been let to C. A. McDowell and Co., Cen- tralia. At least four public schools in the area have been closed because of the flu epidemic. Dr. R. M. Aldis, Huron Medical officer of health said South HUron was the "hot spot" for the epidemic in the county. A former Much-beloved teach- er, Miss Mattie Ellis with 36 years of service in the teaching profession had the honor of cut- ting the ribbon at the opening of the new $120,000 Hensall Pub- lic school, ,,e8Profse, OftttaitkVattlitteMr.. this Sunday, Wednesday afternoon and during the evening throughout the week. 1 • HAVE HOT WATER WHEN YOU WANT IT THE LOW COST LP GAS WAY! Hotson Propane