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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-09-12, Page 4It's up to parents Bicycle safety appears to be something akin to the weather , . everyone talks about it, but no one does anything, at least no one does anything that shows results. The police have certainly attempted to change some of the poor riding habits evi- dent in Exeter, but unfortunately the youngsters are similar to their elders in that police warnings are heeded only as long as the policeman is in sight. Safety classes and instruction have also been held, but again the lessons learn- ed are not followed faithfully and all too often those who are the worst offenders don't bother to show up for the courses any way. The main problem is that the people who have the greatest control over the situation don't accept their responsibilities to the degree required. Those people are, of course, parents. When was the last time you took the lit- tle effort required to jump in the car and follow one of your youngsters just to see how he or she obeyed the safety rules? That's about the only way you know for certain, because youngsters generally ride around in a safe manner when they are in your neighborhood. It has the same effect as them spotting a policeman. Sure, we're suggesting you have to be a bit sneaky, but isn't that what the kids are doing when they put on a "good show" for you and the policemen. And, don't be naive enough to think that the police and others are talking about "someone else's kids" when they talk about having their hearts in their mouths watching young cyclists. Chances are they're talking about your youngster on occasions, Unfortunately, the only time most parents become concerned is after a serious accident involving some local youngster, For one mother and father that's too late. That mother and father could be you! + + + At the same time, the police should in- stitute a program of impounding bicycles when they find cases where youngsters are flagrantly violating the rules of the road. This would appear to carry more weight than a verbal warning and no doubt would correct some of the problems. This should particularly be the case where cyclists—both young and old—are out after dusk without the proper lights and reflective materials on their bikes. New dangers arise In Canada's pioneer period the dangers the average Canadian faced were much more personal and individual than they are today. A pioneer could perish by being lost in the forest, by freezing to death in a bliz- zard, or he could face extinction when liv- ing conditions deprived him of sufficient food, clothing and the necessary warmth to sustain life. Today we have little to fear from such threats to our physical well-being, thanks to the creature comforts, which are primarily the result of mankind's technological progress in the past century. Yet, ironically, we suffer from the by- products (as we might describe them) of our industrial progress. Apparently, every technological ad- vance is accompanied by a new threat to our safety and well-being, More cars and speedier ones increase the incidence of death from accidents. A man In a pioneer woodland was less likely to face extinction from a dangerously enraged bear than hi's modern counterpart does in trying to cross. a street in the face of swift motor traffic. Even in his bed, man isn't safe. Recently developed petro-chemicals, like the urethene foam, commonly used to stuff mattresses and sofas, when acciden- tally ignited gives off hydrogen cyanide, the gas of the Hitler death camps. Even our cup of tea can induce lead poisoning from water boiled in lead-soldered tea kettles. These are the dramatic examples. Yet their effects are minimal in comparison to the increasingly widespread air pollution from industry, the threat of dangerous radiation from nuclear fallout, pollution of seas, rivers and lakes from chemical wastes which pose threats, not only to mankind, but also to animal, plant and bird life. Moreover, these modern dangers are not the individual ones which the early pioneer, by taking care, could probably evade. These modern threats to our well- being cannot be resolved as individuals but only through group action—first on a com- munity basis—in other instances, as through radiation threat, through inter- national action and cooperation. It is important to remember that we are much more dependent today upon one another than earlier mankind ever was. • • , . • "--"‘""-•.• ,-..."1---•••••-••• • • . ftiMMWMAIMBISEBBESSMNIMEMINfliMarla Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Itite totefercZimes-Atwocate Editor -- Bill Batten — Assistant Editor Women's Editor Advertising Manager -- Ross Haugh — Terri Irvine SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C,W.N.A., O.W.N.A, CLASS 'A' and ABC MI`Y. rarrwr t " " z.• - L.Ifr , 4 • 1-, Phone 235-1331 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386 Paid in Advance Circulation March 31, 1974, 5,309 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $9.00 Per Year; USA $11.00 itamemeasamsomazwaggailasa,.., ' ' . ' ''''''''' ' BIN RIRRON AWARD ''7' Main St. Exeter • • When you're working morning, noon and night, so are we... ... providing Texaco Farm Fuels which give you all the horsepower you paid for and Texaco Lubricants to protect your equipment. JAMES E. ROWE TEXACO DISTRIBUTOR WELLINGTON ST. EXETER CALL US 235-28402:Pa Some like going to jail the vision Few end of summer notes End of summer notes: back to work; babies; the speed limit; and anything else that crops up. It's good to get back to work. For a month. At first there's a general feeling of excitement as the fall term begins at school Bonhomie among the staff as summer experiences are ex- changed and tans are compared. The challenge of facing a hun- dred and some new faces in the classroom. The fine September weather. Even the students are happy to get back. For a month. They too, exchange summer anecdotes, greet old friends, and begin making new ones. There is a feeling of liveliness in the air. One of the favourite pastimes for the students as school re- opens is sizing up the teachers. "Yeah, he's not a bad guy, but you can walk all over him. His classes are mob scene." "She's a good teacher, knows her stuff, but she's so dull, no sensa humour, it makes your teeth ache." "He's a real mean (deleted), Makes ya work like a dog." And so on, They're usually pretty shrewd in their assessments. What they don't realize is that their teachers are doing the same. "There's a bad little devil; have to keep an eye on him. Oh, no, not Joe repeating his year. Why did they put him in my class again? There's a bright girl; good-looking too." And so on. Utterly bewildered for a month are the new kids in Grade 9. They come in all sizes, from tiny shrimps to hulking giants. Some of them come from small country schools. To be dumped in a huge, complex building housing daily about 1700 people, including staff, is rather frightening for them. They get lost. That's reasonable; even some of the teachers get lost. But the kids lose their books, forget where their lockers are or if they find them, have forgotten the com- bination for the lock. They have to unravel all the do's and don'ts of a huge and baffling new system. But they get sorted out and after a month they're old hands just as cocky as all the others. Now for babies. Thank good- ness I'm not a young mother. We've been having a visit from our grandbabby, and when it was over I felt ten years older. He's a beautiful child and a healthy one. But he's as active and agile and slippery as an eel. Unfortunately, his gran had cracked ribs, was in considerable pain and could scarcely hold or lift him. As a result she wasn't much good, as an over-sized toy. That's all grandparents are, when you're eight months old, They're softer (in more ways than one), they make the ap- propriate noises, they pick you up and kiss you when you fall down, they sing to you and joggle you on their knees and so on. Well, Nicov Chen "took a shine," as they say to me as his new toy, "Ah, look. He loves his grandad," the women would coo, when he'd crawl straight to me, look up imploringly and beging to ascend me as though I were Mount Everest. His technique was impressive, I was wearing nothing but shorts most of the time. He would reach up from the floor, grab me by the hair on my legs with a grip like an orangutan, pull himself with triumph and swaying around, ready to fall, bump his head and start yelling. Another beseeching look, and I'd hoist him onto my knee. Then he'd turn around, grab me by the hair on my chest, and pull himself up for a little jump, jump, jump, facing me. When he got tired of that, he'd start grabbing my nose, and trying to. Over 6,500 people went to jail in Goderich this summer, Before you jump to the con- clusion that the residents of the county town ran completely afoul of the law, it should be explained that visiting the jail in that community is on a voluntary basis. After months of haggling a save-the-jail committee managed to have the jail opened for tourists and other interested parties and the project appears to have been successful, thereby silencing the many critics who had doubted anyone would want to visit a jail. The county jail, of course, is of a unique design and has a couple of things going for it as added attractions. It- ;was the scene of Canada's last public hanging and also housed Steven Truscott during his murder trial. Plans are underway to improve the attraction for next season to entice even more visitors. It probably won't be too long before someone cashes in on the attraction and we'll see youngsters on the street with "I was in Goderich jail" , em- blazoned on their t-shirts. + + + Glancing through the St. Marys Journal-Argus recently we noted an item that stated members of the recreation committee in that community receive a stipend of $15 per meeting, as do members of the planning board and committee of adjustment. There's never been a serious move in this community to pay any appointed bodies, although it does seem unfair in view of the fact elected officials do receive a stipend. We've never been able to comprehend why some people get paid for undertaking work on the part of the taxpayers, while others are expected to perform their duties free of charge. At the same time, elected of- ficials receive payment for meetings of council, but don't receive any pay for the meetings they attend as a council representative on the various appointed boards. Because most taxpayers won't "take their turn" on these ap- pointed bodies, it may well be time for serious consideration of pull it out, or poking at my eyes, or tearing at an ear. Suddenly, he'd squirm around and want down. On the floor, he'd head, at startling speed and with a demonic grin, straight for a standing floor lamp. He loved it because when you shook it, from ground level, it made a nice jingling sound. It is also heavy enough to brain a baby. , So grandad leaps across the room and grabs the lamp in the nick of time, points the kid in another direction and sinks wearily into his chair. Sixty seconds later, he feels a painful twisting of the hair on his legs, and off we go again. One of us never got tired of this little routine. He's a happy babby, but, on the occasions when he isn't you could hear him two blocks away. Whenever his Mum went shop- ping I baby-sat and enjoyed it thoroughly, but did my sitting in a constant state of fear that he'd get unhappy. I'm glad,onceagain that I'm not a young mother, but an old grandad. Finally the speed limit. There is a proposal that it be reduced from 70 on the big highways to 55 m.p.h. . This was done in the US and Germany, among others, during the oil crisis. There is quite a lot of opposition here. I'm all for it. It's been proved that it cuts the carnage on the high- ways. Save lives, save money, save energy. How can anyone be against it? And what's the big rush, anyway? It's time we Slowed down, having those non-committed taxpayers paying some stipend to the few volunteers who undertake their work for them. At the same time, there has been a suggestion that officials to planning boards, recreation committees, etc. should be elected and given more autonomy. That too is worthy of some public debate, at least to the point of considering the fact that people who may be interested in serving on appointed boards have never been given an opportunity to submit their names for con- sideration. Perhaps this fall, council could ask ratepayers to submit their names if they are interested in serving on appointed boards and committees. There may well be capable people anxious to undertake such duties but who hesitate in coming to volunteer their services or who don't know what avenue to follow to volunteer. Too often, perhaps, it is assumed people aren't in- terested, when in fact they .may be, if, gfven an opportunity to present their names without appearing to be too forward in their actions. + + + For some unexplained reason, most people appear to have natural "attractions." For some, it's good luck, and,for others it's bad luck. Some even have the ability to attract money. For the Batten family these days, it appears to be the ability to attract cats. Readers will recall that earlier this spring our basement was invaded by one of the neigh- borhood strays as a home for her newborn litter of three kittens. Much to the chagrin of our youngsters, the kittens ended up as permanent residents at the Winston Shapton farm. All appeared to be settled 50 Years Ago Service last Sunday morning was taken by E. Aldworth, L. Statham, B. Tuckey and H. Dignan of Main St. Church, Exeter. They were accompanied by W. G. Medd. Several from town attended the fowl supper at the Grand Bend Methodist Church, Monday. They were Rev. Clysdale, E. J. Christie, Misses E. Huston, F. Follick, E. Follick and Mrs. W. Martin. The annual Crediton school fair took place on Thursday October 2 and was the best held in its history. Rev. W. E. Donnelly, Exeter will give a lecture in the Evangelical Church on Friday evening, taking for his subject, "Scraps." 25 Years Ago An open house for the new Bank of Montreal building at, Dash- wood will be held this Saturday,. The new county bridge at Elimville on the St. Marys road was officially opened last Saturday when Mrs, William Morley, the former Leona Pym, cut the tape just after her wed- ding. Frances Taylor is attending normal school at London. A former Grand Bend pastor, Rev. Stephen James Mathers, BD, MA, has been appointed principal of Alma College, St. Thomas. 15 Years Ago The third annual reunion of the descendants of Mr, Sylvanus and the late Mrs. Cann of Hayfield, formerly of Exeter was held at Queen's park, Stratford, last Sunday with 42 in attendance, South Huron Hospital board announced at a special meeting away, but about a month ago a stray kitten showed at 64 Sanders St. It found our four lads congenial hosts and stayed around for about one week and then departed the scene, again much to the dismay of the family. However, a couple of days later our two youngest tribe members came home with another kitten following at their heels, He was returned to the location at which they claimed he was first spotted on several occasions, but usually managed to beat the kids home after they dropped him off. A week ago, the lads went jogging around the block after dark and spotted a cat on the street. Thinking it was their "Sam" they went to investigate. It wasn't Sam, but the similarity indicates it could well be his father. At any rate, the cat joined the jogging team around the block and decided to take up per- manent residence. Then, a couple of days later, what appears to be Sam's brother appeared mysteriously on the scene, no doubt completing the family circle. — Add to these three cats another half dozen strays in the neigh- borhood, and you can readily see that things are getting out of hand. The question arises as to what one does with cats. Four of them are quite tame and would make pets if anyone is in the market. The other half dozen plague the neighborhood and should be trapped ,before winter sets in. If you know how to catch stray cats, contact one of the residents on Sanders St. West and we'll gladly give you the job. As a reward you can keep the cats. Hopefully Exeter's animal control officer may also come to our rescue. Friday night that it was preparing plans for an addition to relieve congestion of the present quarters. SHDHS graduates of '59 have won more scholarships and bursaries than any other class in the school's history. Principal H. L. Sturgis reported to the board Tuesday evening. Mr. & Mrs. William E. Lee celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by holding open house for their many friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Ross Ballantyne returned home from their honeymoon Tuesday and on Saturday were treated to a rousing shivaree. 10 Years Ago Approval of the Federal government has been given for the new $660,415 vocational ad- dition to SHDHS, a lab, a car- pentry shop, an auto shop, drafting room, and an addition to the cafeteria. Tenders will be called in November. Official opening of the new bridge and highway im- provement at Grand Bend was held last weekend. The $552,000 project included a new bridge, widening Highway 21 and in- stalling traffic lights at the corner, Robert S. Hetherington, Q.C., has been appointed Huron County Court Judge, he will succeed Frank Fingland, Clinton who was forced to resign due to ill health. Mr. Hetherington has been Mayor of Wingham for the past three years. Harvey Stringer, 27 RR 2, Hensall, was acquitted on a charge of criminal negligence by a Supreme Court jury in Goderich Wednesday afternoon. Catch There's a story about a mother who was having a hard time getting her son to go to school one morning. "Nobody likes me at school", said the son. "The teachers don't and the kids don't. The superintendent wants to transfer me, the bus drivers hate me, the school board wants me to drop out and the custodians have it in for me. I don't want to go," "You've got to go," insisted the mother. You're healthy. You have a lot to learn. You've got something to offer others. You're a leader . . Besides, you're 49 years old and you're the prin- cipal. You've got to go to school!" Like this poor belaboured man, many of wake up some mornings sure it would be better to stay in bed than to face the routine and knotty problems of our daily lives. There are a few, un- fortunate people ,who waken feeling this way every morning, and these, I believe, are the persons who have failed to catch the vision of God's plan for their lives. Glen Clark in his book, The Devine Plan, says this, "I believe God has a Plan for the life of everyone and that it is a perfect part of the larger Pattern for the good of all, not something separate unto me alone, I believe that it has ramifications and interweavings that reach out through all the persons I meet and all the events that come to me, and that the best way to put myself in harmony with this Plan is to accept with radiant acquiescence all the individuals and events that are drawn to me, seeing in them perfect in- struments for the perfect un- foldment of my perfect Plan." When a person can truly accept this kind of thinking how much differently they react to the dawning of each day, with con- tent of both joy and disap- pointment. Often we pray about a difficulty and our prayers are not answered usually because we try to do the thing ourself instead of letting God do it. We want to rely on our will power rather than on the will of God. The operator of one of those huge construction hoists would never dream of trying to pull up his load with the use of his ;muscles. Though he tired himself., out and probably seriously hurt himself; as vre'll, he would make little impression on the task at hand. However when he easily and gently throws a small switch the electricity raises the load to any height with no effort or fuss, So it is that when we open the switch to God's power and let it flow naturally and evenly into our lives we can attain success over our difficulties, Someone has said 'there is no personal problem tliat cannot be overcome by quiet, persistent, spiritual treatment, and the appropriate wise activity!' It's also been suggested that if you have a personal disability that seems to keep you from success, don't accept it as such, but capitalize on it and use it as the means for your success. Just recently I read. that Thomas Edison refused an operation to correct his deafness because he found it easier to concentrate on his inventions. We know Beethoven wrote wonderful works of music in spite of his deafness. Gilbert wrote 'Pinafore' on a sick bed wracked with severe pain. And how much poorer the world would have been had Robert Louis Stevenson given in to his illness instead of filling many books with his superb stories. Life is much more exciting and rewarding when we believe we are placed here not by chance, but that each of us has an im- portant part to play in the Great Plan God has for his world, The readers write Dear Sir, On behalf of the Exeter Area Fire Deptartment I would like to thank all the 70 skaters who skated in our first Skate A-Thon for Muscular Dystrophy which brought close to $1300.00 in pledges. Special thanks to Cindy Horn who helped get the skate a-thon going, along with rec director Jim McKinlay and his staff for devoting their time. In appreciation for the effort given by all those who par- ticipated, the members of the department wish to invite you to the Fire Hall for a Bun Feed to be arranged later in the month. We will be in contact with you. Again our sincere thanks. Yours truly, , Gary Middleton Chief ,EiCeterA'rea Fire Dept. ."1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111VUMII !WM 11111111111111111111111M- ''''''''''''' GORD'S VARIETY Mon., Sept. 16 to Fri., Sept. 20 u11u1111111111n w • • • - -••••••.