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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1963-12-31, Page 11It Has Been A Good Year This is our last gasp for 1963. - By midnight the old year will be gone and we will be starting down the uncharted paths of a new one. Since we know nothing whatsoever about what the next year wilt bring we will have to face it as we have all the others in the past, with faith and courage. Looking back along the days and months of 1963 no doubt each of us can recall times when things were pretty rough. To many the year brought tra- gedy and sorrow, For Canadians gener- ally, however, it was a good year. You may recall that the closing months of 1962 were frought with deep concern over the strong possibilities of a third and final world war. The Cuban crisis was only a few weeks behind us and none knew whether or not its solution would be permanent. How thankful we may now be that in- ternational tensions have eased to some considerable extent since those black days. It is true that the closing weeks of this year saw the enactment of stark tragedy when President Kennedy was assassinated but there is even some hope that his death was the occasion for some closer form of understanding between international leaders. In our own land we have experienced one of the most prosperous times in our history. Canada has been deeply stirred during the past 12 months by the insistent demands of French-Canadians for greater le recognition. Though it may irk some of us at times, the final outcome of this stirring in Quebec will be a strong and more reliant nation. Our country had another election and one which did not see the return of a government with an outright majority. This is perhaps an indication of a greater awareness on the part of Canadians that the nation is grow- ing up, that old patterns and customs will not be retained forever. In our own community the year has been good to us. Yes, we have all com- plained of high taxes and low incomes, but the truth of the matter is that with very few exceptions we have never had it so good before. Things could always be better, but for the most part we live a rich and full life. Looking out upon the wider scene, and dreaming for a moment of what fine things 1964 might bring, we would all do well to pray and strive for a great improvement in the relationships of men to one another. No longer is the danger of communist domination the greatest problem we face. Mankind has reached the fateful time in history when those who are so abundantly blessed must find some means of easing the misery of the millions who exist in barest want. The color of human skins, too, must cease to determine social and economic status. These points are not mere moral stand- ards. They are vital decisions which, if wrongly made, could blight the entire future of the human race. Human beings have made great strides in the past 20 years. Most of us do have a keener sense of justice and a greater awareness of our responsibilities to . others, but we still have a long way to go. Let us strive to make the next 12 months a true turning point for the better. Thanks For The Boost Special appreciation should be extend- ed to both the Legion and the Business Association for their efforts to stimulate the spirit of Christmas in the community. The Legion provided the prizes and the judges for a home decorating contest, and anyone who has drivenaround the town after dark will attest to the success of this particular contest. Dozens of Wing - ham homes are shining forth the message of goodwill. The businessmen, who admittedly have ulterior motives, provided a real stimulus for trade with the "Santa's Lucky Bucks" contest and the prizes for the weekly draws during the five shopping weeks prior to Christmas. We say "ul- terior" motives, but the word is used in no derogatory sense. This effort to stimulate local business and to urge our people to shop at home is entirely com- mendable. The merchants are not the only folks who benefit from local shop- ping. The prosperity of the entire com- munity is improved, and most certainly the spirit of civic pride is enhanced. A Lot Of Reading Matter Looking back over our files for 1963 we came up with some interesting facts about The Advance -Times and its readers. We knew we had been pretty busy this year, but we didn't realize just how busy. In 1963 we published a total of 874 pages. That they were interesting to a lot of our readers is evidenced by the fact that an average of over 200 more fami- lies read the paper each week than was the case a year ago. One reason for the increasing interest in your newspaper is the irnproved quality of reproduction which was made possible by conversion to the "offset" process. You will have noted, too, that the gen- eral appearance of advertisements in the paper had been vastly improved during the past few months. Credit in this field goes to Budd Vanzant, our advertising manager, who joined our staff last March and devotes his full time to advertising sales and layout. The venture into a radically new and different newspaper format, with the necessity to install new and unfamiliar equipment and to learn new skills was one which we entered upon with trepi- dation. It has taken a full year to arrive at an assessment of public reaction to the changes and we are very happy to report that the reaction has been good. Early in the year we did receive some com- plaints, though not many. This is al- ways the case when changes of any major extent are made in a newspaper. How- ever, comment now is favorable on every hand and it is with a real sense of satis- faction that we enter on the second year of the "new" Advance -Times. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE » TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation; Member Canadian Community NeWapapers Representatives Authorized by the Post Office Department as Second Class Mail and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Year, $4.00; Si* Months, $2.25,. in advance kJJS A., $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 per year Advertising Rates on application REMINISCING DECEMBER 1926 Mr. Ronald Crowley, a fit-, teen year old boy, arrived in Wingham on Christmas Day from England. He is visiting at the hoarse of his uncle and aunr, Mayor and Mrs. Fells. Mr. Cowley will commence his duties as junior at the Dominion Bank next week, Mrs. Belle Murchison of the United Farmers' Co -Operative office staff, spent a few holi- days visiting with friends in Windsor. A pleasant time was spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. David Currie, Glenfield Farm, East Wawanosh, on Friday eve- ning when the neighbors and friends enjoyed a good eve- ning's dancing. Miss Nina Haugh has ac- cepted a secretarial position with the Academy of Medicine at Paris, France, and is spend- ing a few days at her home prior to leaving on an extended trip to Vancouver and through the Southern States. 0--0--0 DECEMBER 1938 Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Jack- son, Minnie St., received a pleasant surprise Christmas Night when their son, Stanley, called long distance from Los Angeles, Cal., to wish them a Merry Christmas. R. S. Hetherington, local lawyer, was appointed a King's Counsel in the Christmas honor list announced by Attorney - General of Ontario, Gordon Conant. Mr. and Mrs. James Lock - ridge celebrated their 59th wed- ding anniversary on Christmas Day. The old couple were married by the Rev. H. Mc- Quarrie at Mrs. Lockridge's home in Lower Wingham. Mr. A. M. (Scotty) Forbes has received word that he has been appointed caretaker of the local armouries. This position entails considerable responsi- bility as under the officers of the Battery he will have the ex- pensive artillery equipment to look after. 0--0--o DECEMBER 1948. Wingham Choral Society, directed by W. G. Burton, visited the Winglfam General Hospital, Christmas Eve and entertained patients by singing a number of carols. Violin selections by Sam Burton were much enjoyed. Mr. and Mrs. Abram Proc- ter of the third con. of Morris township, celebrated their 55th wedding Anniversary on Mon- day, December 2'vth, Both Mr. and Mrs. Procter are enjoying fairly good health and a most enjoyable time was spent, when a turkey dinner was serv- ed, at the home of their daugh- ter and son-in-law, Mr, and Mrs. Bert Armstrong. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gorbutt Sr., of Wingham, also Mr. and Mrs. A. Gorbutt of Syracuse, N.Y., spent the Christmas holi- day with Mr, and Mrs. Russel Sebring of Herkimer, N.Y. BOX 390 Clinton. Ont., Dec. 26. 1963. Dear Editor: Now at the end of the year 1 would like on behalf of all the residents at Huronview to thank, through your paper, all those people living in your area who helped in any way to bring comfort and sunshine into their lives during the past year. Thanks to all those groups who visited Huronview at Christmas and during the year for the many ways they assist- ed in bringing the outside world into the Home. We are very grateful to those individuals who sent cards and gifts that all might have a Merry Christmas. Many thanks for all the flowers sent to the Home during 1963. These bring beauty and cheer to the residents. The wish of each and every- one of us is that the year 1964 may be a happy and prosperous one for each one of you. Yours very truly, Harvey C. Johnston. Superintendent. BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN NO YEAR AT ALL... Attun Attbanciezai :1 Wingham, Ontario, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1963 SECOND SECTION One Moment, Please BY REV. ARTHUR JACKSON Belgrave, Ontario According to the ancient legend, the three Wise Men were Melchior, Balshazzar, and Casper. In his book, "The Other Wise Man", Henry Van Dyke writes of a fourth man, whose name was Artaban. Arta - ban carried as his gifts to the King three precious jewels. On his way to meet the other three he stopped to help an elderly Jew lying ill and weak by the roadside. This delay caused him to miss his appointment with the others, who went on without him. He thus had to part with one of his jewels to get money to purchase the equipment without which he dare not undertake a long jour- ney to Bethlehem. He arrived in Bethlehem af- ter his "King" had gone to Egypt with his parents. While in Bethlehem he was cared for by a young mother with a baby boy, and he gave the second of his jewels to the Captain of Herod's soldiers to help pur- suade him not to search this home. By this means he had saved one baby's life. Then his search for his King began in real earnest. In Egypt he sought among the well-to- do and the nobility but was told by a Jewish rabbi that if he wished to find the baby King he must search among the poor, the sick, the distressed, in the jails, and among the downtrod- den, For more than thirty years his search continued, and during this time he did all in his power to fill need where he found it; getting food for the poor, obtaining clothing for those who had none, comfort- ing the distressed, being a com- panion to the lonely, the prison ers, as he travelled up and down the land, hunting down every clue and rumour search- ing, ever searching for his King. Once again he found him- self in Jerusalem, a gray-hair- ed, aging man, at a time when a mob was following One who was to be crucified. They said he was called a King. As he prepared to join this mob, he saw three soldiers attempting to take a young girl to sell into a slavery worse than death. He intervened, and gave the sol- diers his last jewel for her pur- chase. Just then an earthquake shook the land and a tile from the roof of a nearby building struck. Artaban ora the head. As he fell bleeding to the ground the girl sat beside him, and took his head into her lap. As he lay there, he heard a voice, 1:Iiiig11111tsii11111111111111111111VIIIICIIC!9!ri tt;tio stir !'P19:m 1 IIIIIIIIIIInIi im SUGrA and SPICE II:iIIII11111111111111 By Dii SriiIfey i� lilll!IIGI;�.:!.!!i Well, chaps, 1 hope you get exactly what you want- ed on Christmas Day. And exactly what you deserved on New Year's Day. Here we are, with the whole of another unpredict- able year ahead of us, and even an extra day tossed in. All those bright, shiny days, fresh from the mint of time, not a chip or a crack or a stain on a single one of them. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could wrap them in cotton wool, put them away in a safe place, and bring them out, fresh and gleam- ing, to use when we want- ed them? Wouldn't it be grand to unwrap 10 golden days with- out a tarnish on them, and spend them in one reckless sweep; or just look at their perfection; or give them to someone who needed them? * * * Wouldn't it be lovely, in some gloomy week in some bleak November, when the leaves weren't raked and the taxes weren't paid, and the flu was making the bones melt, to reach into that secret place and pull out just one or two of those sparkling days without a blemish on them? Wouldn't it be fun to walk through a hospital or a mental home or an old people's refuge, with a big bag of clean and shining days, and scatter them among the inmates with a lavish hand? He listened, then said, "Not so my King. When saw I Thee naked, and clothed Thee, hungry and fed Thee, thirsty and gave Thee drink, sick or in prison, and visited Thee? Thirty long years have Isought Thee, yet never saw Thy Face: The voice carne to him again, "Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these, ye did it Unto Me." Artaban had found his King! Wouldn't it be glorious, when the winds howl and the snow flies and the toes snap off underfoot, to reach into the hiding place, feel around carefully, pull out a pristine, silver day a n d exult, "Good old first of July! Am I glad I haven't spent you!"? Wouldn't it be a treat, some day when the old lady was nagging, the kids were bugging, the work was be- hind, the phone was ringing, and the spirit was flagging, to reach casually into the great pile of unspent days and come up with a fine Opening Day containing a glitter of sunlight, a bite, in the air, a lonely stream with the black water rac- ing anti the trout hitting like tigers? * * * Wouldn't it be thrilling, on some raw and roaring day in March, when your rub- bers were leaking, your nose running, your income tax was looming, and your only rich uncle had just married a widow with eight children, to sort feverishly through the pile of unused days, and snatch to your breast the !thole of a splen- did Thankrgiving week end, complete with blue skies, yellow sun, unbelievable foliage, a big turkey roast- ing in the oven at home, and the partridge walking the wood road as thick as pedestrians in Paris? Wouldn't it be joyful to take the whole bag of days so carefully saved, a n d place it in the hands of a dying child or a loved and aging parent, and s a y "Here, these are all for you. 1 don't need them?" Yes, wouldn't it? It is terribly sad, but we can't save a single day of them. But perhaps it's just as well. Only misers hoard. We can build up a treasure of another kind, if we treat each of those untarnished days we are given as some- thing precious, if we spend it with joy on something worthwhile. Shall we?