Times-Advocate, 1980-02-06, Page 4Mainstream Canada
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The Exeter fall fair has seen many
changes over the years, but one of the
most noticeable next year will be the
fact that veteran secretary Garnet
Hicks and his wife, Olive, will not be
handling their usual chores.
The two have capably handled the
most arduous facet of the fair for the
past 20 years, during which time the an-
nual stipend almost fell below the
meaning of the word honorarium.
To many people, Garnet was the fair,
and on many occasions they found it
easier to approach him with their
problems or questions than attempt to
locate the director in charge of the area
in which they were engaged.
Throughout those 20 years, of
5010/ING,cANAPA'S REV .pAittottANg
CAVA Q.W.H,A . CLASS 'A' and ARC
14.11144441 44- IN.Eady Publications Limited
LORNE fElPro POLISHER
Editor Bill Batten
Assistant-Editor — Ross Hough
Advertising Manager Beckett..
Cerseseriniers Manager — Harry 13•Vries
Bud.ness Manager — Dick Jongkind Published Each Wednesday Morning
Phone 235-1331, at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class MO •
aselstration. Number 0386 .
stipsonprroN RATES:
Canada $14.00 Per Year; USA $30.00
+CNA
Valued service
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course, the people involved in the fair
have come and gone and Garnet. and
Olive served to provide the continuity
needed for such an event.
In many cases, no doubt, their ef-
forts were taken for granted and
probably only Pauline Simmons will
know for certain the amount of time
they labored as she takes over their
responsibilities.In case she didn't
know, durability is one of the prime
requirements for a fair board
secretary, so we'll wish her well for the
upcoming 20 years,
For the community, and fairgoers
in particular, we add our thanks and
commendation to Garnet and Olive for
their faithful and conscientious service.
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Lock your doors
Can you image it? Canada being in-
volved in some international intrigue?
Well, the nation's reputation for be-
ing staid and colorless was severely
shaken last week with the announce-
ment that Canadian officials in Iran
had assisted in the cloak and dagger
smuggling of half a dozen U.S. citizens
out of that strife-torn country.
While there was no gunfire, suicide
pills or James Bond antics involved, it
was obviously a well-prepared plan that
was carried out with secrecy and preci-
sion. Bravo, bravo!
Despite the threats of reper-
cussions, there is little doubt that most
Canadians will cheer the efforts of their
diplomats in the intrigue without
hesitation.
Given the world situation, many
may even welcome the opportunity to
join the millions around the world who
are forced into the habit of looking over
their shoulders as they walk along the
streets.
One warning: be sure to lock your
door tonight. Canadians have finally
joined the international set.
,Newfies bet
On face value, one of the few things
to escape inflation is the $2 bet.
However, some Canadians give in-
dications that inflation is not hurting
them as much as suggested.
The group includes horse players,
who last year put a whopping $1,417,-
689,655 through the pari-mutuels, an in-
crease of 7.49 per cent. That increase
was accomplished despite the fact that
attendance at the tracks was up only a
negligible amount.
In fact, the horse players bet an
average of over $100 each at the tracks
in 1979. The amount placed privately, is
known only to the bookies;
While ,Ontario bettors led the way
by plunking $696,142,584 on their
favorite nags, their cousins in New-
foundland were quickly catching on to
the sport and increased their wagers by
the largest percentage in the nation, a
whopping 20.84 percent.
People in the habit of ripping up
part- mutuel tickets will now realize
why the Newfies are the butt of so
many jokes.
Generate jobs
The myth that immigrants 'steal'
jobs is widespread. And it's not sur-
prising.
We see someone who is obviously
new to Canada at work on the job, then
we hear the latest unemployment
statistics and,— click! — we put one and
one together and come up with ... the
wrong answer.
The Montreal Gazette cites a new
study by the Quebec Minister of Im-
migration that analyses the performance
of 720,000 landed immigrants between
1951 and 1974, more than half of whom
were workers. The study showed that
while these new immigrant workers filled
22% of the new jobs which were
generated in the Quebec economy dur-
ing this period, they were also responsi-
ble for generating 25% of these new jobs.
Another of the study's findings
were that the province's gross national
product for this period would have been
11% less were it not for this influx.
Why? As the study observes, im-
migrants often have a marked desire,
will and need for _work and an en-
trepeneurial spirit.
Such statistics do much to show the
common sense of maintaining an open
door immigration policy. It made this
country what it is today, and it makes as
much sense now.
Quick now! Name a sport
that can involve the whole
family, costs less than the
price of anew snowmobile to
get started in; is tremen-
dously exciting, and doesn't
show any signs of going out
of stylewhen anew fad comes
in .
Not likely have you
guessed that Fm talking
about miniature standard-
bred racing. *Unlike the
purchase of a contender in
the standard-bred horse
racing world, a miniature
trotter or pacer is a much
more reasonable way to find
out if one likes the fast-
growing sport, one which has
grown so popular in Lamb-
ton County that a new track
\ "
by
VD FLETCHER
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is being opened up at
Wyoming this year using
existing facilities at the town
fair ground.
Miniatures are crosses
betweeen ponies and regular
standard-bred race
',horses. As long as they
are kept below a certain
height they are still eligible
to race and believe me, some
of these babies can movedlot
faster than you would think
possible for such a small
animal. Then again you just
have to look at the lines of
these cross-bred littleihorses
with their fine, muscular
legs and narrow- barrelled
bodies to realize that they
ate a different animal than
the stocky little Shetland
ponies that you would see at
the early pony tracks,
Indiana is apparently
where the good horses are
coming from at this point. It
seems that that area is
where somebody took a real
interest in finding, good-
Perspectives
blooded stock. Now though,
you will see almost as many
Canadian license plates on
the horse-trailers; at horse
sales ,Ithere as you see
American, and the tracks
back here arebeginningoisee
quality horseflesh. pounding
down the stretch in times
like one minute, fifteen
seconds or less for a half-
mile. It all makes for ex-
citing racing.
What is happening too is
that wives and daughters
and sons are getting the bug
and are acting as trainers
and drivers. Many tracks
have powder puff events
which are just as com-
petitive as any other race.
With the advent of the
energy shortage, maybe its
time we took a look at some
entertainment intareasjsuch
as this, where at the end of
the racelyous just have! tolpour
some oats into the feed-
trough, instead Of heading
for the gas barrel,
While the writer has no inclination to
eat goldfish by the hundreds or. engage
in any flute marathon, there is every
indication that my name could be in-
cluded in next year's edition of the
Guinness book of records.
The claim to fame *ill not be as
novel or inspirational as barrow
pushing, balancing on one foot, brick
throwing or any of the other thousands
of feats listed in the record book. It will
simply be for occupying the most
number of abodes.
Last Thursday,with the assistance of
some poker 'playing buddies, my world-
ly goods were transferred to 77 Main
St. That was the 21st residence in
which I have hung my hat, with. 12 of
those being in this community.
The crazy part is, the bill collectors
continue to track me down, although I
profess to having officials in the up.'
coming federal election completely
mystified as to my whereabouts.
You know that extensive advertising
campaign they've been running regar-
ding the need to have a notice of
enumeration card? The only people
with whom they are having any great
difficulty are those who have moved
since the May 22 election. So, you can
imagine their chagrin at trying to keep
pace with a fellow who has (resided in
four different locations since the lasts
election.
To help simplify the matter, I have
taken up residence within eye-sight of
the polling station at Whiting's Fur-
niture. In that way, I'll be able to point
to my residence to leave no doubt in the
poll clerks' minds as to whether I'm ac-
tually in the correct spot.
It seemed to be the least I could do
for them! k * *
While the record may attain some
status from Mr. Guinness, there is
every indication that it will be virtually
impossible to extend the record should
it be challenged by anyone else in the
foreseeable future.
The poker club members have let it
be known in no uncertain terms that
they are not the least bit interested in
playing an instrumental part in gaining
entry to the world book of records,
despite the fact they have been assured
u ar ari
The joys
One of the favorite extra duties of a
high school teacher is "trough patrol."
The euphemism for this is "Cafeteria
supervision."
It's such a lively, colorful and varied
activity that you get teachers vying for
it, offering to trade off one dance
supervision for a week of trough patrol.
Of course, dance supervision is pret-
ty dull stuff. All you have to do is check
the girls' purses for mickeys of vodka,
look to see who is throwing up in the
washrooms, make sure that no one is
setting fire to the stage curtains while
enjoying a crafty drag, call the cops if
you find someone with dilated eyes try-
ing to fly instead of dance.°
And there are too many teachers on
supervision. We sometimes have
twelve teachers to supervise only about
three hundred dancers. the only real
probletn with dance supervisions is try-
ing to retain your hearing under the
assault lof a rock band.
But trough patrol is another kettle of
fish. It's exciting, dangerous, and tur-
bulent. Never a dull moment.
Oh, it's dernanding.You need the
resourcefulness of Thomas Edison, the
judgement Of a Solomon, the tolerance
of a saint, and the ability to wash your
hands of the whole Matter of a Pontius
Pilate. Not to mention eyes in the back
of your head, a strong stomach, and a
thick hide.
nness, take note.
ttat their names will be included along ,
with the writer's among such outstan-
ding personal endurance feats as can
top collecting, card throwing, coal cut-
ting, coin balancing or even cow chip
tossing.
However, they will be surprised to
learn that their lack of cooperation in
any future moves could well earn them
a spot in the book as the most
successful complainers. That achieve-
ment is now held by Ralph Charell who
between January 1963 and June 1977
amassed a total of $80,710.46 in refunds
and compensations and has authored a
book on "How I Turn Ordinary
Complaints into Thousands of Dollars".
The local moving brigade may never
turn their complaints into much
money, but they have possibly eclipsed
„the world record for most beer con-
niped after one move.
Some of the complaints are through
omission and some are by commission.
Those in the former category include
the chaps who suddenly have important
meetings to attend when they are
notified of moving time. One of them
attended his first BIA meeting in six
months to escape the latest ordeal,
while another searched diligently
throughout Western Ontario Co find a
Lions club meeting on that particular
night on the excuse he had a meeting to
make up.
However, the least plausible reason
for not showing up belongs to a beef
farmer in Usborne Township. He
developed an instant head cold, which
was even accompanied by a fake
sneeze when advised that there was
some furniture to move.
* * *
A couple of those who did agree to
assist, albeit rather hesitantly, may
possibly gain entry into the record book
for the latest arrival for a scheduled
event. The moving time was set for
7:30 p.m. and one arrived just under
two hours later to help re-hang the door
which had to be removed to enable the
larger piece's of furniture to be ex-
tricated. His comment about the poor
time kept by his watch is one that will
never make it on a Timex commer-
cial.
The other entries for most successful
of. 'trough patrol'
But that's why we trough patrollers
feel we are a special breed. Like the
first men on the moon. Or lion tamers.
Or sewage experts.
Take a huge cafeteria, once a gym-
nasium, Put in it 500 exuberant
teenagers just released from four bor-
ing, monotonous periods in the
classroom. Arm them with everything
from plastic forks to hard apples.
Throw in two teachers, and stir with a
mixture of sex, high spirits, the desire
to shots off, and a hardy streak of latent
vandalism. Interesting,
Lively? Oh yes. Over in this corner,
two grade-niners are flicking potato
chips drenched in gravy at each other.
In the middle of the arena, a group of
seniors is screaming with hilarity at an
off-color joke. In another corner a pair
of young lovers IS just on the verge of
having sex. As you move to break
something up. an apple splatters
against the wall where your head just
was.
Colorful? Well, I guess. Here a
squashed orange, festooned by french
fries and garnished by Sticky ice, cream
wrappers, There a trampled banana
topped by a dropped, melting ice-
cream bar. On the pastel walls some
abstract art manufactured by flung
apples, peanut butter sandwiches, half-
empty cartons of chocolate milk, and
other viands.
$15Eri Leon
OB5Cuntiy* tigApiwo
PoRogt,tVtoh
complainer come from these who think
dishes should be packed before the
movers arrive. However, they could
claim some.fame to ingenuity by mere-
ly moving the entire set of kitchen cup-
boards from one residence to another
to allow the writer to use his own im-
agination on how to get the cupboards
returned and assembled before the
landlord discovers the bare kitchen.
Certainly, the most serious threat to
any existing Guinness record will be
for sofa-bed carrying, which in itself
could be accompanied by some type of
endurance record for the sofa itself in
staying in one piece through five
different moves in which it has been
turned six times on each end to deter-
mine the only angle in which it will
pass through any given door at any
given time.
"That's the last time it's being
moved," one of our assistants advised
as he checked his hernia incision for
wear and tear. That all sounded rather
strange, particularly in view of the fact
he was the guy who sold the monstrous
thing to me in the first place. He could
obviously gain entry to the record book
through some claim to the most lack of
foresight by a furniture salesman.
* * •
In conclusion, the writer' has one
item on which to fall back in case the
most moves by an individual falls short
of the existing records submitted to the
Guinness people.
That will probably be in the category
of the longest search, The longest
search, that is, for people to assist in
the next move. The present record was
set by Frank Jones of Lowestoft, Suf-
folk, who ended a 68-yearlong search
by locating his missing brother, Arthur
Jones.
Let me see,now, that means I should
be able to schedule the next move for
January 24, 2048. Already I can envision
some friends marking the date on their
calendars to ensure they'll be out of
town that eight! I can't understand
them at all, especially the guy who has
some Kleenex set aside to handle his
head cold on that particular date.
Adding a nice touch of cool are the
green garbage bags, surrounded by
brown paper bags, thrown, and missed,
from as far away as fifty feet, In the
garbage bags, bulging, are about two
hundred lunches, made up in the dark
of an early morn by a loving mother.
They are intact, including sandwiches,
apple or oranges and cookies. The
Owner is downing his second plate of
french fries and gravy, or his third ice
cream bar.
Besides the color, there is a great
appeal, to the senses, something we
English teachers try to instill in the
writing of our student's. For the eyes,
there is Mary Ellen, bouncing braless
around the perimeter of the zoo,
pretending nonchalance and drinking in
every whistle.
For the nose, though I can't smell,
they tell me there is a pervasive aroma
of cooking oil, onions, bodies and feet.
For the ear, there is a cacophony,
ranging from a noisy group singing
"Nappy Birthday" with some new
Words, to a squealing, giggling bevy of
young girls. to the triumphant shouts of
the poker players as they slam down a
full house over three nines.
For the sense of touch there is of
course, the stepping on a banana that
shouldn't be there, or the picking up of
It. Could Be .TOughert
By: Roger Worth
All the Indicators, suggest
it's going to be a tough year.
No MOW* which political party
Is elected in the Feb, 18 trek
to the. polls, Canadians can
expect to pay markedly higher
,prices for energy,
Inflation is expected to
again surpass solo. And the
breadlines °of unemployed
Canadians will get longer as a
result of a long-forecast re-
'cession In the U.S., cutting
exports to Canada's largest
market.
Interest rates are expected
to remain high for some time
to come. As a result, house-
building will drop sharply and
retailers may be hurt as con-
sumers bite the personal bullet.
• Roger Worth Is Director,
Public Affairs,
Canadian Federation of
independent Business.
At the same time, the na-
tional debt has now passed
the $68 billion mark - that's
about $6,500 for.each working
Canadian - and is rising at
the rate of about $10 billion
per year.
Not a pretty picture at all.
Neither is there much room
for optimism on the interna-
tional scene.
55 Years Ago 20 Years Ago
The annual meeting of the Twelve-year old Shirley
Loyal Orange Lodge was Sander, Exeter won the
resulted as follows: Master
held in Exeter on Tuesday. The election of officers Times-Advocate spelling bee
Tuesday night. Her
classmate, Elsie Gosar, was
Rev. A.A. Trumper, D.M.A. runner-up.
Hodgins, Chap. Rev. Gowan, SHDHS graduate Bill
Recording Sec: H.H. Hanley, Pollen took part in debates in
Financial sec. H. Powe, defence last week between
Treasurer G.Davis, Director Rochester Institute of
of Cer, Mr. Castle, lecturers Technology and the
Mr. Brenner and Mr. Rath- University of Western
well. Ontario.
The proposed $60,000
Mr. and Mrs. Alex storm drain 'on Pryde
Hackney of Farquhar Boulevard won't be tackled celebrated their 65th an- for several years at least, niversary. • town council indicated
Doctors Jas and Dan Bell, Friday night.
well known in the Hensall Mrs. R.S. Hennessey has
district recently left New returned home from Nova
York for a cruise through the Scotia after visiting her
Panama Canal from where daughter.
they will• go to South. 15 Years Ago
America and the West
Mrs. Kate Meidinger, a
Indies, resident of Quee,nsway
Nursing Home, Hensall 30 Years Ago '
marked her 94th Birthday on Exetd Kinsmen's first Valentine day. 4 president signed the ap-
Mrs. Robert Fletcher was plication for 'a charter at a named Beta Sigma Phi
supper meeting Thursday Sorority Sweetheart at the
night when the election of annual dance. Mrs. Fletcher officers took place.
is president of the sorority.
A carnival to officially
Baked goods were scat-
npen Woodhom's Com- tered over a wide area near
munity Rink was held the Huron Street CNR
Friday evening, crossing Thursday when a
snowplow train smashed into
The Canadian Legion has a bread truck owned driven started to excavate for the
by George Joseph Pratt, basement of its new building Exeter. Pratt escaped
to be erected at the rear of
uninjured. the Lyric Theatre.
an empty milk carton only to find a quarter pint running
down your arm.
I mentioned some qualities the teacher requires.
Resourcefulness. Like knowing how to keep your eye on a
group that is going to ge,t up and leave their table looking
like a trough, and simultaneous breaking up a fight
between two banty' roosters from grade nine.
Judgement? You see a kid sitting alone, sucking on ice
cream bar, at a table laden with debris. "It ain't mine. I
ain't pickin' it pp." He may be right or lying through his
teeth. Do you act the petty martinet and snarl, "Pick it up,
anyway!". or do you mildly do it yourself?
Tolerance? Absolutely. You have to remind yourself con-
tinually that some of these kids don't learn manners at
home, and others are just forgetful or careless.
You need eyes in the back of your head or you'll either be
beaned by an apple or have an entire group of boys who
have eaten about ten dollars worth of junk food move swift-
ly and silently to another table when your back is turned,
leaving something looking like the town dump at their
original table. •
You need courage, when you see four bearded hoodlums
in the cafeteria, casing the joint, and you have a gilt feeling
they are not students, Tackle them and get a shot in the
mouth, or run for the vice-principal? I opt for the latter, it
says here in small print,
All in all, a varied life with a myriad of attractions,
trough patrol. I only hope that, when I retire, the school
board will let me come in a couple of times a week to do it,
free, just for the fun of it.
Johh DoottiSalety Sevvy
To avoid a costly mistake,
turn it off during a rest break.,
skssalSW stSISISS‘ss*SeKssrsEs ssssOSSAsSssit
Mr. Gui
In the midst of a Russian
invasion of Afghanistan and
hostage takings and revolu-
tionary upheaval in Iran, we
are faced with the sorry plight
of hundreds of millions of
starving people in the so-called
developing countries.
There's little wonder pee-
pie are losing their faith in
paper currency, driving The
price of gold to an unbeliev-
able $700 perourice.
For Canadians, 'though,
the outlook for 1980 may not
be as bleak as it ,is in many
other countries.
While inflation, unemploy-
ment, and energy costs may
rise, the increases will prob-
ably. not be as dramatic as
those in neighbouring,nations.
In addition, new though
costly - energy sources are
being developed and Canada
is blessed with greater self-
sufficiency in food than a lot
of countries. It should also be
noted that Canadian food
prices are among the lowest in
the- world.
'Like others, Canadians
may be in fora tough year.
But it's worthwhile pointing
out that the standard of living
here ranks with the world's
leaders.
Things could be a lot
tougher.