The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-02-18, Page 9Is Our System Complete?
The Wingham Public School Board
is giving consideration to a problem
which is not new, but which is being
faced openly by the parents of some
school children for the first time, The
problem is that of the slow learner, who
fails to make worthwhile progress in
regular school classes.
Such children are not in any way
mentally retarded; they are simply those
whose minds do not accept instruction
at the same rate as their fellows. In
years gone by both parents and the com-
munity closed their eyes to the lack of
results in educating these youngsters,
being unwilling to admit that their child-
ren were less acute than their neighbors'.
Today, however, most people are a good
deal more realistic. The future of the
child is the ail -important thing.
A recent issue of The Toronto Star
carried an article on this subject by T. J.
Allen, education editor, in which the
writer tells of the special "opportunity"
classes which are conducted in Metro
Toronto, as well as in many communities
throughout the province, some of them in
towns not far from Wingham.
These classes are smaller than regular
grades, for the pupils must be given in-
dividual attention by the teacher. With
• one child the problem may be in reading
and spelling; another may find mathe-
matics very difficult. In some instances
physical handicaps account for the child's
slower -than -normal progress and aids for
eyesight or hearing are provided,
It seems that teachers and school
authorities are hesitant to open opportun-
ity classes because in a few cases they
find that parents are extremely resentful
of any suggestion that their child is not
"bright" enough to accept the same sort
of training as the average child. How-
ever, some Wingham parents have faced
the facts and have asked the board to
give consideration to a special Glass here.
We understand that the board will seek
to find out how many parents are in-
terested in the project.
Apparently a minimum number of
pupils must be available for an oppor-
tunity class before it is approved by the
department. The suggestion has been
made that such a class might be open to
pupils from the nearby rural munici-
palities as well as those from town.
The interest which has been evidenced
by parents here is encouraging. It be-
tokens a spirit of co-operation and an
earnest desire to see that every member
of tomorrow's society will be able to
take his or her place in a useful capacity.
Gratifying Results
It was indeed gratifying to attend the
annual convention of the Ontario Weekly
Newspapers Association last week -end,
and to accept not one but two awards.
As we mentioned last week this news-
paper was judged second in the com-
petitions for general excellence among
• those published in towns with population
between 2,000 and 3,500. Naturally we
were pleased. A lot of effort is poured
out in the course of a year to produce a
good newspaper, and we would like to
acknowledge publicly the fine efforts of
our staff, for their contribution was the
important factor.
The second award was not made to
the newspaper, but to Mrs. Dustan Bee-
croft, who, over a period of 40 years
wrote the day-to-day happenings of her
community for the columns of The
Advance -Times. III health forced her re-
tirement over a year ago but her work
will long be remembered. A committee
of judges, reviewing the work of the cor-
respondents in Ontario newspapers de-
cided that she should be named "Cham-
pion Weekly Newspaper Correspondent,
1965," in recognition of excellence in
rural news reporting.
The award is made by Ontario Hydro
and your editor received it on behalf of
Mrs. Beecroft from James A. Blay, dir-
ector of public relations for Hydro.
The citation which was read by Mr.
Blay at the time of the presentation point-
ed out some truths about the importance
of the task allotted to country corres-
pondents. Mr. Blay said that no small
part of the credit for the developing life
of smaller centres can be attributed to
dedicated correspondents who, week by
week, make sure that their villages and
local centres are kept on the map. Their
news stories serve to bolster and en-
courage civic pride and the net result of
their work is certainly worthwhile to the
communities they serve.
We would like to acknowledge, too,
the great debt of gratitude we, as news-
paper publishers owe to all our rural
correspondents, and particularly to Mrs.
Beecroft. They are the people who pro-
vide the news of the outlying areas which
it would be all but impossible for editors
and reporters to secure unaided. They
certainly don't make any great fortune
for their writing. In fact most of them
continue to send in the news because they
are proud of their own communities and
want to keep them in the public eye.
Our congratulations go to Mrs. Bee-
croft along with our best wishes for
many years of happy retirement.
"Are We Not All One?"
A committee of the Commons is
wrestling with the task of framing a law
to prevent dissemination through the
mails of hate literature without infringing
on civil liberties and the right of free
speech. The task is a formidable one
and, unfortunately, even if all the legal
obstacles are surmounted not much will
have been accomplished.
The fact that such a law is considered
necessary is a forlorn admission of the
susceptibility of humans to this particu-
lar type of venom. Nobody feels the
need to protect us from literature urging
us to buy things we do not want, to take
trips we cannot afford or subscribe to
health cures we do not need. It is taken
for granted that we are all enlightened
enough to make intelligent decisions on
such matters. It is, however, conceded
that we are not similarly propaganda -
proof when it comes to racial and relig-
• ious bigotry and, unfortunately, this is
true.
The only reason certain demented
groups spend time and money sending
hate literature through the mails is that
many people read it and in some it pro-
duces the desired result. In far too many
of us there seems to be a strongly de-
veloped tendency to believe the worst of
other races and religions, no matter how
implausible the allegations against them
may be.
This is why the situation can never
be corrected by legislation. Even if it
proves possible to stop the circulation of
hate -mail, no government will ever find
a way to prevent the spreading of
bigotry by. word of mouth. The only true
defence against such poison is for each
individual to immunize himself against
it, This requires honest soul-searching
and an earnest resolve to cleanse the
heart of spiritual grime.
There is no better time than this ob-
servance of Brotherhood Week to under-
take such self-examination. If we con-
cede that we are not qualified to question
the wisdom of the Creator in putting on
earth peoples different to ourselves,
where can we start the process of ac-
cepting them as brothers?
THE WINGI-IAM 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-
alien; Member Canadian Community Newspapers Representatives
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SEPARATE SCHOOL pupils gathered at the front of the
school at noon on Monday for a flag -raising ceremony.
Part of the student body watches as the old flag comes
down and the new one is readied for raising.
nit ingbam UtanceffEimito
Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Feb. 18, 1965
SECOND SECTION
SUGAR
AND SPICE
by Bill Smiley
From Everywhere They Come
I've had a preview of what
I'm going to feel like when my
daughter is married. I've just
been through two piano recitals.
Not by Glenn Gould, or Van Cli-
burn, or Artur Rubinstein. No.
By Hugh Smiley.
Marrying off your daughter
must be just like it. A heady
brew of emotion and exhaustion,
bills and bouquets, that leaves
you feeling like a caterpillar
that has been run over, but not
quite killed, by a tractor.
In short, you wind up abso-
lutely flat, but rather proud that
you're not dead.
The first recital was at the
Conservatory, in the city. We
picked the date six weeks be-
fore. And, boy, can we pick 'em.
It was 18 below zero. And the
humidity and wind gave it a dis-
comfort index of 47 below.
The Old Girl was sick. Physi-
cally, mentally, spiritually. I
was sick sympathetically. We
figured 35 relatives, tried and
true, and five friends to whom I
owed money, would turn up.
Bless the human race, and all
dear friends. We had 150 bodies
in the place, straggling in, on
such a night, from all over the
country. Some made a round
trip of 500 miles to hear the kid
play.
It was a curious combination
of characters in the audience,
Basic were the relatives who
live in the city, and their
friends. They made up the two
score we had expected.
But then they Started to tric-
kle in: old college friends; old
fighter pilots; old weekly edi-
tors; my son's former public
school principal; the chap who
has the mortgage on my house;
the fellow who handles my col -
u m n; the orthodontist who
straightens my daughter 's
teeth; a girl I hadn't seen since
we went skinny-dipping at a
beach party 20 years ago. And
they all, bless them, brought
their wives, and, or husbands,
children and friends.
Last but not least came my
sisters. One drove for six hours,
in 20 -below weather, with her
daughter, to make it. The other
came the same distance by
train, with two kids. Neither
knew the other was coming.
Neither had seen the great artist
since he was picking -up -and -
kissing size.
It was heart-warming, to say
the least. And I was a very
proud father and husband, when
it was over. A proud father be-
cause my son showed a poise
and polish I wish I'd had at that
age, and a competence I've
never had at any age. A proud
husband, because my wife had
crawled out of what she claimed
was her death -bed, to get there,
and looked better than anybody,
despite the facts that she's lived
with me for 18 years, and
coached the kid for ten.
Next day at noon, we hiked
for home, 90 miles, and went
through the whole thing again
that night. A recital in the home
town. It was not 20 below, for a
change. It was 30 below. But
500 people left their television
sets, and shivered through the
knifing night to hear my young
virtuoso, as he doesn't like to be
called.
What impressed me most
about the whole weekend was
the kindness of people. My sis-
ter-in-law wanted to hold a re-
ception for the whole mob, in
the city. Our neighbor insisted
on making the sandwiches for
the bash at home. Even my wife
got carried away and told me,
during one lapse, that I was a
good husband and father, which
shook me up a bit.
The only thing that's bother-
ing me is the kid's attitude. One
of my misguided friends sent
him a bottle of champagne. A
dear lady sent him ten bucks.
And perhaps worst of all, he got
a clutch of fan mail.
After the weekend, we had a
heavy fall of snow. I told him to
get out and shovel the driveway.
1 handed him a shovel. He hand-
ed it right back and asked,
"How many fan letters did you
get this week, Pops?" I sho-
velled.
STRANGE BEE,HAV1OUR
An old hired man was em-
ployed to thin turnips on a
farm owned by a woman, who.
though wealthy, had a reputa-
tion for meanness. When din-
ner -time came around, he riot-
ed with disgust that the only
food on the table, in addition
to bread, butter and tea was a
tiny spot of honey in the centre
of a large plate. After eating
in silence for some moments,
he looked hard at the honeyand
remarked ever so politely: "I
see, Ma'atn, you keep a bee."
Reminiscing
FEBRUARY 1915
On Wednesday evening, Feb-
ruary 3rd, Mr. and Mrs.Walter
Tisdale of West Wawanosh gave
an "At Home" to about eighty-
five of their friends. Early in
the evening, to their surprise,
a number of young people of
the vicinity gathered and pre-
sented Mr. Tisdale with a rock-
ing chair and Mrs. Tisdale a
pearl handled cake knife.
At the Methodist Church on
Sunday evening last a very in-
teresting service was held in
commemoration of the one
hundred years of peace between
Great Britain and the United
States, The pastor, Rev.J. W.
Hibbert, discussed the question
in a very excellent and appro-
priate address. Mr. A. H. Mus-
grove, M. P. P. , in a short ad-
dress gave a short resume of the
various disagreements and
treaties during the past century
and also gave an interesting
account of some of the chief
events.
On February 10th a very
pretty wedding took place at
the parsonage when Margaret
Jane Baird was united in matri-
mony to John Sails Hayes, both
of Turnberry. Rev. J.W. Hib-
bert performed the ceremony
after which the young couple
took their departure to their
home in Turnberry where they
will reside.
FEBRUARY 1929
Miss Nina Haugh, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. James A. V.
Haugh, of Wingham, Ontario,
and Raymond Arthur Bonner,
son of Mr. and the late Mrs.
Bonner of Sherbrooke, Quebec,
were married on Saturday, Feb-
ruary 9th, in St. Paul's AngIi-
can Church, Stratford. Rev. H.
W.Snell officiated. Mr. and
Mrs. Bonner will reside in
Windsor, Ontario,
A quiet but pretty wedding
took place on Saturday even-
ing at 8 o'clock, at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. McLaugh-
lin, 65 Davisville Ave., Tor-
onto, when Nellie Doris, sec-
ond daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Isaac Walker of Wingham, be-
came the bride of Mr. Harry
E. Saunders of Toronto, son of
the late Mr. and Mrs. Saunders,
The friends of Miss Caroline
Wellwood will be pleased to
learn that she arrived at her
destination at Chentu, West
China, shortly before Christmas
An encouraging feature of the
return of the missionaries is the
very warm welcome accorded
them by the Chinese people,
Miss Wellwood is supported by
the Women's Missionary Society
of the t'nited Church of Can-
ada.
FEBRUARY 1940
At the regular meeting of
the Town Council on Monday
evening it was decided to ac-
cept the offer made by the
Minister of Defense for the
heating of the Armouries from
the Town Hall. It is not expect-
ed that any heat will be sup-
plied until next Fall. On mo-
tion of Reeve Hetherington and
Coun. Sturdy instructions were
given to have the agreement
signed by the proper officials.
Lord Tweedsmuir died early
Sunday evening, plunging Can-
ada into mourning for the first
governor-general to die in of-
fice and for a man known to
Canadians everywhere. Death
occurred at 7;13 in the Mon-
treal Neurological Institute
where he had been brought Fri-
day evening in an attempt to
save him from the concussion
he suffered when he fell in his
room at Government House,
Ottawa) Tuesday last week.
FEBRUARY 1951
Mrs. Gordon Walker who
moved to Wingham only a
short time ago, was the winner
of the electric stove drawn for
at Thomson Appliances store
on Saturday evening. Mayor
Gurney did the honors.
Police, parents and friends
of the family spent anxious
hours Sunday evening and Mon-
day morning as they searched
for 12 -year-old John Seddon,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred
Seddon of Wingham.
On Monday morning he was
found in a bush near Teeswater
by the police chief in that
town. He had apparently spent
the night there. Though suf-
fering to some extent from ex-
posure, he was not seriously
the worse for the experience.
Fraser Forgie of the ninth
concession of Turnberry Town-
ship, fell while going to his
car last week. As a result he
fractured his ankle and is now
a patient in the Wingham Gen-
eral.Fiospital. He will be there
for some time.
A regular meeting of Wing -
ham District high School Board
was held at Wingham on Wed-
nesday afternoon last week.
Miss Many McCosh of Toronto
was engaged as teacher ofphysi-
cal education for girls as from
September 1st, 1951, An ap-
praisal of the school buildings
has been made by W. [1. Raney,
The main building has been
valued at $229,000 and the 11 -
Hut at $26,600, Present insur-
ance was 6100, 000 and 617, -
500 r espectively,