Loading...
The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-04-15, Page 91 r New Era for Country People After examining the displays of arts and crafts on exhibition at the Howick Central School a week ago, we have come to the conclusion that an entirely new phase of rural ilfe has opened. Surely it must be exciting to many country people to realize that a fresh range of activities and interests lies before them. Feelings have invariably run' high wherever central schools were proposed, not only in Howick, but in most other townships of Ontario as well. For many years the small one or two room school was the centre of local community ac- tivity. It was not hard to understand why so many in the rural areas were dismayed at the prospect of their abolition. How- ever, in an age when transportation is so much more swift, the fact emerges that one school section is no longer a defensible area of community interest. Today rural residents can think and travel in terms of a complete township . . . and we believe the change is for the better, With broader fields of interest before them discussions tend to find higher levels. There is Tess interest in petty squabbles and more attention is given to the finer things in life, as the Howick night class results so fully demonstrated. Now the farm wife is able to indulge an interest in painting or some other form of art, Perhaps she has always wanted to learn typing, Her husband may long have harbored a secret longing for some professional training in the use of tools. Or perhaps he has wanted to improve his bookkeeping techniques. Night classes provide an outlet for these ambitions — an opportunity which has never before been available to farm people. The central school is the focal point about which many community ac- tivities will be centered in the years to come. Certainly some autonomy has been lost, but it will be more than repaid by the advantages which have been gained. Dreams to Become Reality After months of planning and discus- sions, the directors of the Wingham and District Hospital last Friday evening awarded the contract for the construc- tion of a new wing and the renovation of one of the older sections of the building. Perhaps there are people in the area served by the hospital who wonder why another building project is necessary, when it seems only a few short years ago that the last one was completed. It should be fully understood that the present program is not intended to en- large the hospital's bed capacity, essen- tially its purpose is to modernize the service areas of the hospital, such as the operating and delivery rooms, recovery rooms, etc., so that patients under treat- • ment here will have the very latest ac- commodations and equipment available to them, and so that the doctors can carry out their work under the most favorable conditions. Another, and perhaps the most im- portant reason for the building program is to provide additional space in a second storey above the north wing so that the old, original brick structure which was the first section of the hospital, can be demolished. That section of the building no longer meets the requirements of a public hospital. The fire hazard, alone, demands an end to its use for the care of sick people. Total cost of the project will be some- thing over $750,000. Provincial, federal and county grants will cover the major portion of the outlay and the hospital's own reserve fund plus a long-term loan from the Ontario Hospital Services Com- mission will cover the balance. When the work is completed Wingham will have one of the finest smaller hos- pitals in Ontario and the residents of the town and rural district will have. the assurance of top-level care in times of emergency. Need for Understanding This writer has just returned from a couple of days of highly interesting meet- s ings in Montreal, where directors of the Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association engaged in several hours of joint con- ference with directors of the French Weeklies Association. . In these times, when there is so much talk of separatism and Quebec's demands upon the rest of the nation for freedom and possible independence it was gratify- ing to talk with this group of French- speaking publishers who are just as deep- ly concerned about Canadian unity as their English-speaking compatriots. They • quite frankly admit that only tragedy could result from a separation of the two language groups and are seeking ways of demonstrating our solidarity. It was at their suggestion that we entered into detailed talks on the possi- bility of holding a joint convention in * 1967, while Canada's national birthday is being celebrated. The difficulties of find- . • t ing sufficient hotel accommodation in the same city at the same time may prove in- surmountable, but it was decided that a "national weekly newspaper day" will be held at the World's Fair in Montreal at that time. Our French friends expressed a keen desire to use this occasion as evidence to the rest of Canada that Ca- nadian unity can be and is desirable. Canada's cultural differences are the result not of insoluable economic factors or bitter hatreds, but rather a complete lack of personal relationships between the two groups. We in Ontario are very slow about starting a concrete plan for French instruction in the early grades of our public schools—and the same thing in reserve may be true in Quebec. As soon as the two races are able to mix freely and to talk to one another about their hopes and fears the greatest barrier to national unity will be overcome. Understanding of the other's language is the first need. Stepping Backward The Remembrance Day Act 1965 has been presented to the Ontario Legislature and has been given first reading. Section 2 of the Bill states: "Except as herein provided no person shall on Remembrance Day, (a) sell, offer for sale or purchase any goods, chattels or other personal or real property; (b) for gain or reward, engage as an employer or employee in any industry." The provincial government is tread- ing very questionable ground when it seeks to legislate the days on which either employers or labourers may earn their livelihood. Officials would be well advised to look at the precedent provided by the Lord's Day Act, under which it was found impossible to impose such regula- tions, even on the Sabbath. 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 Newspapers Representatives Authorized by the Post Office Department as Second Class Mail and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Year, $4.00; Six Months, $2.25, in advance U.S.A., $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 per year Advertising Rates on application THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CONCERT got underway in the high school on Friday with the junior pupils forming up for a mass choir to sing several songs for the packed house. They were joined by senior pupils who were in the galleries at the time. bbancoZimit Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Apr. 15, 1965 SECOND SECTION Reminiscing APRIL 1915 For the past fifteen years, while many flax mills were closed, Mr. Amos Tipling has kept the Wingham mill in oper- ation penation every year. This year about twenty men have had ;teady employment and at full time. With his partner, Mr. J. A. Mills, he is preparing to put in about 300 acres of flax this /ear. Mr. Hector Mutton, who was visiting his uncle, Mr. Geo. Ross, has returned to the Strat- ford Normal. There are now two classes in the Kindergarten, the elder ones going in the afternoons and the new students in the mornings. Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Busch have returned from their wed- ding trip, and are comfortably settled in their residence on Frances St. A quiet wedding took place in Stratford on Wednesday, April 7th, when Margaret E., eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Reid of Wingham, became the bride of Henry W. White of Detroit, the Rev. Mr. McLean officiating. The young couple left immediately for their home in Detroit. A very pretty house wedding was solemnized at the home of Mrs. Wm. Baptist on Centre Street, when her eldest daugh- ter, Miss Mabel Dowse, was united in wedlock to Mr. Arthur Edgar of Culross. APRIL 1929 Dr. and Mrs. Perrie attended the 85th Convention of Knox College on Tuesday evening, when their son D. K. Perrie, B. A., received his diploma. Mr. Perrie won the Jean M. Hislop Scholarship No.2, $20.00,this being the second scholarship he annexed in his theological course. Mrs. Richard Stone returned to her home in Kincardine after spending a week with Mrs. J. Stone. Mrs.John McGee has return- ed to her home in Ilelgravc after spending the winter with her daughter, Mrs.Simpson, in London, APRIL 1940 A large number attended the Rush Ready -to -Wear Fa- shion Show on Friday afternoon and evening. Miss Irene Hea- ley, of Toronto, along with local ladies modeled the gowns, coats and other apparel. Dur- ing the afternoon, Mr. H. V. Pym entertained at the piano, and in the evening Mrs. Gordon Davidson and Mr.Jack Herd of- ficiated at the piano. The door prizes were won by Mrs. T. H. Gibson and Miss Irene Ellacott. As a part of their training in connection with the work of the Stratford Normal School the following students of that institution are teaching and ob- serving in the public school here this week: Verne Walker is in Grade 8, Mr. Gordon Kidd's room; Margaret Coulter is in Grade 7, Mr. G. Wheeler's room; Dorothy Golley is in Grade 6, Miss MacDonald's room; Ileen Galbraith of Gorrie is in Grade 4, Miss V. McLaugh- lin's room; Jessie Little of Brussels is in Grade .2, Miss P. John's room; Marie King of Brussels is in Grade 1, Miss A. Williamson's room. APRIL 1951 At its regular meeting last Friday night at the Queen's Hotel, the Wingham Kinsmen Club heard an address entitled, "Whither Kinsmenship" by Dis- trict Deputy -Governor Dr. Fras- er Hay of Listowel. President Scott Reid handed out a num- ber of fines collected by ser- geant -at -arms Kin Charlie Crossett, and asked for a num- ber of committee reports. Vice - Pres. Ross Ilamilton reported that the next salvage drive was on April 21st and that a box- car of 40 tons' capacity was being reserved to ship out the salvage. The marriage of Florence Catherine llaldenby and Nor- man Gilchrist Fry, Wingham, was solemnized at Exeter Pres- byterian manse, with the Rev. Donald Sinclair officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs, William 13. Hal- denby, Teeswater, and the groom is the son of Mrs. Fry and the late Norman Fry. Mrs. Douglas Fry was the bride's only attendant and Douglas Fry was his brother's best man. AND SPICE by Bill; Smiley With A Splash A chap from a paint company phoned the other day and asked me to write an article on house - painting. At first I was a little nonplused, as I have never painted a house in my life. Then I remembered the ham. One time the hog farmers asked me to write an article about pigs. I agreed. My wife snorted, "What do you know about pigs?" "Exactly," I retorted. I sat down and wrote an account of the life and times of a hog that for sheer ignorance of the sub- ject has never been surpassed. But the hog farmers Liked it. And that Christmas I received a twelve -pound ham from a pack- ing company, as a gift. While I was chatting with this paint man on the phone, my mind began to race along these lines. "If a little feature on hogs produced a beautiful ham, sure- ly a few hundred words on house -painting would be good for a house. Or at least some paint. And I have to paint the trim on my house this spring. So..." While it is a fact that there isn't likely a man in North America who has spent more time not painting houses than I, it is not quite true that I have never painted a house. At the same time, it is not quite true that I have painted a house. Let me explain. One summer, in a period of acute mental depression, I spent my entire vacation trying to paint the trim on the ancient, sagging heap of first and second mortgages we'd just bought. It was during the first nau- seating bloom of the do-it-your- self sickness. The whole country was full of sweating, cursing, frustrated men struggling to as- semble everything from golf carts to 50 -foot yachts from their "handy home kits." I was hooked, too. I decided to paint the house myself. Achieve personal satisfaction; bask in my wife's praise; save all that money. There didn't seem to be much to it. "A few gallons of paint and you won't know the old place. Probably double its val- ue." l rented a ladder, bought brushes, paint, and turps, as we old house -painters call it. The house trim was about 60 feet off the ground. I climbed up to have a look at the old paint. Half an hour later, my wife came out to call the kids and found me there, clinging with both arms and both legs to the top of the ladder, white as chalk, moaning piteously. She had to call the fire department to get me down. I lowered my sights and de- cided that, for that year, it would be enough to paint the window frames on the ground floor. First, I had to scrape, where it was blistered and cracked and peeled. Did you ever try to scrape flint? In hell? It was the hottest summer in 30 years. I'd scrape for half an hour, clear a patch four inches by four, then climb down, dripping, and go in and fetch a cold beer. As I emerged, instantaneously, three or four neighbors would emerge from hiding behind their hedges and join me, tongues hanging out. To cut a long story short, I got two and a half windows done that year. It cost me about $200 for dried -out brushes, spilled paint, ruined clothing, and all that beer. The next summer, I sensibly hired a couple of painters. They did a bang-up job and didn't even charge extra for all that paint they put on the brick- work. the window -panes, the lawn, the vines, and the chil- dren. But the whole business gave me a lasting interest in house - painting, and I formed a few maxims I'm happy to pass along to the novice. First of all, you must have the proper equipment for house - painting. Two basic items are a house and some paint. A third thing that makes the job beara- ble is a wife who likes painting. Oh, yes, one more thing. You should have a swimming pool. Drain the water and fill the pool with turpentine. You'll need it, every drop. Happy house -paint- ing.