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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-04-29, Page 9There Is A Sensible Limit Dr, George E, Flower, director of graduate studies at the Ontario College of Education, in an address to the Ontario Secondary School Headmasters' Associ- ation last week voiced a fear that we have held for some years. He referred to the increasing size of educational institutions. He warned against "bigness" in general and pointed out what has for a long time been obvious to some parents. -- that schools can get too large and the attention of staff members to the individual ▪ student's problems becomes so diluted as to approach the non-existent. In this age of rapid acceleration we tend to submit to a theory that the bigger any operation becomes the more efficient it is bound to be. However, experienced leaders in business and industry have al- ready learned that there is a definite level of diminishing returns. The very size and complexity of the operation may more than offset the advantages sought for in the original expansion. In secondary schools particularly, our society is now engaged in the all-import- ant struggle to make every student intelli- gent and productive. The demands of the 20th century leave no place for the "ditch - digger." It will not be acceptable to edu- r •s cate only those who are bright enough and quick enough to assimilate knowledge from some mass -production type of schooling. The standards of training simply cannot be set with the smartest students as the measure. During a recent trip to the armed forces in Germany we were interested in a conversation with the headmaster of the secondary school system operated in that country for the children of Canadian servicemen. He was extremely proud of the high percentage attained by practically all of his students in Grade XIII. Seek- ing the reason, we found that there were only 13 students in the top grade. It was evident that better than average results were achieved when teachers had more time for the individual. Certainly the day of the one- and two - room schools which dotted our country- side is over. That size of school failed to provide the best in education because it was at the opposite extreme, where one teacher had to look after too many grades and where financial support was inade- quate to provide up-to-date teaching aids. It should be recognized, however, that there is a sensible limit to expansion. Wasting Our Heritage It seems inevitable that people who settle in a new land tend to waste the gifts which they have come so far to gain. The histories of Canada, the United States and Australia, for example, are identical • in the complete lack of any type of con- servation during the first century of set- tlement. Trees, water, mineral resources and wild life — all have been carelessly wasted or allowed to become extinct. Perhaps the mental attitude which has permitted this tremendous waste could not be avoided when a small number of people came to live in a land which seem- ed big beyond reckoning. Today, however, we know better. In may ways we are seeking to correct these wrongs as rapidly as possible and the 44. prospects for coming generations seem brighter — although those same genera- tions will have to meet the payments. There is one very important aspect of conservation, however, which is receiving no attention whatsoever, and it may be creating the greatest tragedy of all. We o speak now of the blind waste of food - producing land. A drive through the Ni- agara Peninsula will provide lots of ex - 1 • • ° amples. Here some of the finest farming land in Canada is being ruthlessly bull- dozed to provide building sites for homes and factories. The same thing is true all along the shores of Lake Ontario and well back into the heartland of the province. All this is happening, primarily, be- cause industrialists find that the central areas are a little closer to the markets or sources of supply — in other words for purely selfish profit motive. Their plants could well be operated in areas where the land is less valuable for the production of food, but the inconvenience might be a little greater. Most towns in Western Ontario need two or three small- er industries to properly balance their economies and most of these places have industrial land which for one reason or another is not suitable for farming. The entire province would benefit if industry were more diversified. In some jurisdictions, where legisla- tors are far-sighted, laws have been pass- ed to ensure better use of land resources, including regulations which limit the use of arable land for either industry or housing. We could and should give such laws serious consideration in Ontario. A Sound System The Letter -Review makes an interest- ing comparison between Canadian banks and those in the United States, saying that the superiority of the Canadian branch banking system was brought to mind on reading of the failure of a few (only four to date) U.S. national banks. One was a bank in a community of 850 people and another in a community of 400 people. There are many bank branches in Canada in very small com- munities but the strength of each branch is the strength of all the branches in the system, including the strongly financed head offices. A Canadian branch bank• failure would be simply impossible and under present monetary operations im- pairment of a branch system is well nigh impossible, short of world-wide cataclysm which wipes out civilization. Before the so-called bank holiday in- stituted by President Roosevelt in the great depression, it used to be said that the difficulty confronting small banks in the United States was that if they lent on mortgage they were not liquid, and if they didn't lend on mortgage they couldn't make a profit. They were borrowing short term from the depositors and lend- ing long term to people who wanted the money to mortgage the farm. Canadian chartered banks now lend on mortgage but there is a government guarantee and the guarantee fund is more than adequate for any unfortunate hap: penings in the foreseeable future. A branch of a bank in Canada is one of the items in a great and buoyant monetary system. Unprofitability of one of the units cannot be disastrous. In fact, the public would know nothing of it be- cause the branch would be helped out of its difficulties by other branches and the head office. The main improvement in the U.S. banking system following the holiday of 30 years ago was creation of a federal de- posit insurance corporation which guaran- teed the depositors from major loss. This does not, however, prevent a U.S. bank from going broke. Proof of the Pudding Whether you think so or not, business has been good in Canada for the past year. There can be no doubt of this pleasant fact, for no less a personage than Hon. Walter Gordon admits it as he prepares (Monday) to take his budget to the Com- mons. Predictions are that the document will contain some tax cuts for Canadians, made possible by a healthy decrease in the nation's deficit during the past twelve months. Take it easy just the same. Don't rush out and sign a contract for a new house to be paid for out of your tax savings. 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; Mentber 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, 32.25, in advance U.S.A., 35.00 per year; Foreign rate, 35.00 per year Advertising Rates on application SEARCH FAILS --- Marvin Winhold and Ken Crawford climbed into their diving equipment last Wednesday and made another very thorough search of the waters below the Lower Town dam for the body of Glen Leachman who fell off the dam two weeks ago. Their efforts were to no avail, however, except that it is now certain the little boy's body has been swept down river. Joseph and Bill Clark in the foreground boat and Whitey Brooks. and Dave Wenger in the other assisted the operation. —Advance -Times Photo. Mbie ingbain Uthanceffeinte Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Apr. '29, 1965 SECOND SECT ION Reminiscing APRIL 1915 Mr. Geo. Phippen has re- ceived word from the Immigra- tion Department of his appoint- ment in this district as Employ- ment Agent. His duty will be to supply laborers and mechan- ics for all who need same. The annual spring delivery of Mr. J. J. Fryfoglc held on Tuesday of last week was one of his most successful parades. There were 45 teams in the parade, each laden with -Cock - shut farm implements, and there were quite a number who did not get into town for theirs. As the years roll by Mr. Fry- fogle's trade increases which speaks volumes for the sales- man and his goods that have stood the test of time. Private Alfred Pullen, who has been dangerously i11 at London Camp, is doing as well as can be expected. Mr. R. M. Williams, of Lon- don, is opening a garage in town, and is selling the Fisher and Grant Six Cars. Mr. Wil- liams is an expert and should command a good trade. APRIL 1929 Mr. Carl Lott left Wednesday for Kincardine, where he has secured a position. Mr. and Mrs. H. Saunders, Mrs. A. Walker and S. McLaugh- lin of Toronto, motored up for the week -end. Mrs.McLaugh- lin has been spending a few days with her mother, Mrs. J. Walker, who is confined to her bed. Fred Piper, for some years popular salesman in Hanna & Co.'s Clothing Store, leaves on Monday for Oshawa, where he has a position in the leading store in the automobile town. His many friends in town are pleased to learn of his advance- ment, and to know that his ability as an artistic window dresser, and good salesman, has been recognized. APRIL 1940 Four members of the Domin- ion Bank Staff here, Manager J. R. M. Spittal, Accountant Murray Roberts, Jack P, Cook, and John Lamb, attended the Dominion Bank Social Club banquet which was held at the Royal York Hotel on Wednes- day evening last week. A very impressive induction service took place in Lucknow Presbyterian Church on friday evening when R. Douglas Mac- Donald, B. A., was ordained by his father, Rev. C. H. Mac- Donald, and on Tuesday of this week was installed as mini- ster of Alma St. Presbyterian Church, St. Thomas. The oc- casion was a very happy one for members of the congrega- tion but especially so to the members of the MacDonald family, who have been resid- ing in Lucknow for nearly fif- teen years. APRIL 1951 The broadcast of the CBC Church -of -the -air service came from the United Church, Wingham, at 4:30 p.m. Sun- day. This is a half hour ser- vice carried by CBC and ar- ranged by the National Relig- ious Advisory Council. In this broadcast, CBC had the very valuable co-operation of the home station CKNX. Elmer Purdon was the engineer and Tom Rafferty was the announc- er. Allan D. Bennett, organist and choir master and a full choir provided the musical set- ting for the service. Mrs. R. E. McKinney, Blue - vale, recently observed from her home, situated on the banks of the Maitland River, a fawn being chased by a hound. It took to the water and found refuge in some bushes after swimming diagonally across the pond. The hound did not follow it into the water. An Open Letter To Bill Smiley What a miserable little man you must be. In the matter of Music Fes- tivals you don't give anybody any encouragement, Just because your wife and daughter get in a flap, and you are too self-centered to take an interest, you pour your sarcasm all over the neighbor- hood. You say Festivals are for crazy teachers, pupils and pa- rents, Well, here in Wingham we've just had a Public School Concert. A slightly different thing but the motive is the same. That concert was an ex- cellent one. The children and their teachers put a lot of hard work into the program. We don't think they're crazy -- we're proud of them. They de- serve a kit of credit and have SUGAR AND SPACE by Bill Smiley Untouched By Progress Despite the changes in society in the past 20 years, swift, vast, relentless, frightening, there is one social unit that has proved impervious and oblivious to the march of "progress." While it may have changed its terms of reference slightly, oth- erwise it has altered almost not at all since man first crawled out of the 'ooze. I am talking about the family. I became aware of this during a panel discussion by my high school students. The topic was "Early Marriages." (You'll be glad to know they are 100 per cent. against them!) One panelist referred to the glossy, saccharine, phoney ver- sion of marriage presented on TV and movie screens. She said it gave teenagers a false idea of marriage. A boy promptly snort- ed, "Nobody's taken in by those. We all come from homes with married people in them. Mar- riage isn't like that at all." Everyone agreed. And how right they were. Those cute, comfortable and contrived families we see on the screen are about as much like the real thing as a ketchup - splattered Hollywood war is like a real war, with real blood, real bodies, real terror. Oh, I know. There are broken homes and teenage delinquents and all that jazz. But don't you think there were any such in Rome 2,000 years ago, or Athens 3,000 years ago? It's just that they get a better play in the papers these days. Family life always has been, and still is, a fascinating combination of fun and frustration, comfort and chaos. Six t y -eight thousand years ago, this week, some crazy, hairy woman waded through the guck and bones to the back of the cave, took a look around, went back to the fire, kicked her happy, recumbent, husband and burbled, "Come on, Buster, we're going to clean this place up„ And the day before yesterday, our enthusiastic support. Now get back into your un- made bed. And next time you want to be spiteful pick on somebody your own size. John Lartgridge my wife took me by the hand, led me down cellar, and burbled, 'Come on, Buster, we're going to clean this place up." The only difference, in 68,000 years, was that the first guy merely had to carry some bones and hides out- side. I had to make eight trips to the dump, and then white• wash the cave. Three thousand years ago, So- crates told his wife, Xanthippe. that he was going to a symposi- um. "You mean you're gonna get stoned with all them bums down at the legion hall," she snarked. (This was right after the Persian Wars, and the veter- ans were in pretty high regard, the only outfit in town that could get a license.) The other night my wife said, "And where in the hell do you think you're going? Pray?" "I," I replied with some digni- ty, "am going to a symposium." "You mean you're going to get sloshed with all those al- coholics in your investment club?" she amended. See? The grammar and diction have im- proved. But me and old Socrates got the same lunch when we got home: hot tongue and cold shoulder. Two thousand years ago, Ma- caronius Chesius, a Roman sen- ator, toppled into bed at three a.m., after writing a brilliant speech for delivery in the senate on the morrow. At 6.15 a.m. he was vaulted into wakefulness by these sounds: his son practising on the bucina (a war -horn that sounds like a lady moose in la- bor); his daughter chanting, "Eye -eye and eye -eye makes eye -vee" (II and II makes TV); and his wife, who couldn't sleep, cracking walnuts on the head of a Greek slave kneeling on her side of the bed. This morning after marking essays till three a.m., I was hurled into the world at 6.15 by these sounds: my daughter practising on her French horn, which sounds like a French lady moose in labor; my son chant- ing Latin conjugations; and sty wife, who couldn't sleep, chew- ing (n o t sucking) lifesavers about three inches from my left ear. (Don't ask me where she got the lifesavers, or Mac's wife got those walnuts, at that hour,) -