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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-10-21, Page 9,► • • • 4 r I 4 4 +ti 4 ti Symptons of A Bad Disease The outbreak of stupid hooliganism which occurred at the Arena during a wrestling show last Thursday evening is entirely unwelcome in this community, It is so similar in .nature to episodes of the same type in the large cities that we have good reason to give serious consid- eration to the entire situation. Many of the families who make their homes in Wingham have selected this town as a place of residence because it was a quiet and law-abiding community. There is no place here for roughnecks, Supposedly the disturbance started be- Congra Joe Tiffin and the members of his Whitechurch ball team who walked away with another W.O.A.A. championship at the week -end, are to be congratulated. This championship is not an isolated in- stance, nor any stroke of mere good fortune, It is the seventh consecutive year in which Joe and the same group of boys have emerged on top of the heap. The interest in clean sportsmanship which has been fostered by the team has done a great deal for the Whitechurch cause a small group of young people claimed the wrestling was phoney. It would appear they must have expected something of this kind when they paid admission, for they were well armed with tomatoes to throw at the wrestlers. Thank goodness the vast majority of the teen-agers and young adults in Wing - ham are clean-cut, respectable youngsters —a real source of pride to those of us who have passed the turbulent years of adolescence. A very small group of mis- fits can mar the whole picture, tulations community and its young people All too many hamlets the size of Whitechurch be- come pretty sad places for rearing teen- agers. Lack of recreational facilities often leads to real trouble. Not so in this case, however. Joe Tiffin and the other adults who have given their time and interest to keep sports alive in their community deserve a tremendous amount of credit, as do the boys who have made up the teams. Welcome Aboard The Advance -Times is indeed pleased to welcome Robert Shrier as the new owner and publisher of The Goderich Signal -Star. Mr. Shrier is a comparatively young man, though his experience in newspaper work is extensive. He is a person for whom we have the highest regard and one who will lend even fur- ther distinction to the venerable and re- spected Goderich publication. For the past few years, and particu- larly in recent months we have witnessed the purchase of several fine Ontario week- lies by big -money owners. It is a distinct relief to know that the Goderich paper has been purchased by an independent pub- lisher who will operate it in the best in- terests of his community and his country. Despite the protestations of the financiers who buy up independent papers, we grave- ly doubt the objectivity with which they can be operated. R would be a rare man indeed who could edit such a newspaper without one eye on the czar who happens to occupy the business throne. Weekly newspapers are among the very few journals published in Canada today which are still free to express honest op- inion on the affairs of the day. Most weeklies carry a widely diversified range of advertising, placed in their pages by a number of smaller and completely inde- pendent businessmen. It is seldom that any one advertiser assumes such economic importance to a weekly publisher that there is any danger of his journalistic honesty being compromised. As a member of the national executive of the Canadian weeklies this writer has several times been present at an annual luncheon in Ottawa where he and his fel- low -publishers have entertained the feder- al cabinet and the Prime Minister. We have been hosts to both Progressive Con- servative and Liberal cabinets and regard- less of which party happened to be our guests we invariably discovered a deep- seated respect for the weekly press. Gov- ernment leaders recognize the intense readership which is accorded the rural weeklies and the utter independence with which their editors will face national issues. In Robert Shrier, as the new owner of The Goderich Signal -Star we believe the fine tradition of town newspaper and of the weekly press generally will find an able champion. Of Vital interest No doubt most of our readers have noticed and read the high school news which is appearing each week in The Ad- vance -Times. We feel it is somewhat un- ique and that above all it serves to give expression to that very important segment of today's society which is represented by teen-agers and students. The Advance -Times has purposely re- tained the non-professional style of the young people who are doing the reporting and writing at the school. We want these school pages to reflect, as accurately as possible, the interests and aspirations of a younger generation, so you will find most of the writing has been passed on to you in their own language and the pictures are• as informal as the youngsters themselves. In all previous generations of human society it was the laborious and often im- possible task of the younger generation to understand and fall into line with their elders. Today all that has changed. Whether we realize it or not our children are now expected to master fields of knowledge which have vaulted 100 years ahead of the subjects their parents studied. It has become important that the older generation understand their off- spring, rather than the reverse. Naturally we are interested in gaining readership among the young people, but one of the prime objectives of our high school coverage is to permit older folks to know the younger generation a little better. Better Understanding The recent decision of the Vatican's Ecumenical Council to use the native • languages of the various nations in Roman Catholic church services will have a far- reaching effect. After centuries of Latin language services the liturgy of the Cath- olic service now becomes completely in- telligible to the members of that church, • as well as to the adherents of other de- nominations. The television broadcast of a Mass celebrated in Yankee Stadium, New York, by Pope Paul a couple of weeks ago proved a tremendous revelation to count- less millions all over the English-speaking • Americas. For the first time Protestants realized how similar in form and intent are the Catholic services to those of other faiths, In fact the phraseology of many parts of the services was almost identical to that used in several other Christian 4 Churches. For many centuries the Roman Cath- olic Church has been a body completely apart, and therefore completely misunder- stood by the rest of Christendom, Cer- tainly the use of English, and the revela- tion that this great Church is indeed tra- velling the same path, will forward the intent of Pope John and Pope Paul, that all Christian peoples should draw more close- ly together in the battle against paganism and materialism, These two enlightened men have expressed their belief that if Christianity is to survive it must do so through deep conviction and strong faith in the hearts and minds of the men and women who profess the Faith. The world has grown too small and too dangerous for the age-old cleavages which have weak- ened the force of Christian influence. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger grog, Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary- reaaurer Mni'nber Audit Burcau of Circulation: Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation; Member Canadian Community Newspapers Representatives Authorised by the Port Office Department as Second Class Mail and foe payment of postage in cash Subscription Bate: One Year, 34.00; Six Months', OA in advance U.B.A., 00.00 per yeat; Foreign rate, =5.00 per year Advertising Rates on application SIXTH LiNE E. W. SCHOOL --This school was the second school to be built at the top of the big hill on the farm now owned by Hugh Blair. The picture was taken in 1894, The teacher was Miss Sara Irwin. Back row: Charlie Black, Ayres Scott, Annie Edwards, Mabel Naylor, Bessie Wightman, Belle Scott, Ada Nethery, Mary Fothergill, Morton Naylor, David Scott (trustee), Albert McKellar, Gordon Wightman (who wrote the letter to the pupils after this year's Belgrave School Fair); second row: Kit Nethery, Horace Sowler, Laura Edwards, Laura Bell, Mary Wightman, Mary Bell, Clara Jackson, William Taylor, Har- vey Black, Fred Cook, Nellie Anderson, Tena Rath, Mary Corley; third row: Melbourne McDowell, Leonard Cook, Harry Wilkinson, Charlie Anderson, Wilbert Taylor, Harry Cook, Percy Black, Albert Nethery, Fred Jackson; front: Minnie Nethery, Walter Anderson, Roy Black, Lila Cook. bain Abtoncoeimit Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Oct. 21, 1965 SECOND SECTION Gordon Wightman Writes To Pupils of S.S. 13, E.W. The following letter by Gor- don Wightman of Grand Isle, Vermont, was written to the pupils of S. S. 13, East Wawan- osh. Mr. Wightman, who appears in the school picture on this page, went to the United States in 1908. He taught school and preached at Silver Lake, N.Y. He was married in 1912 and for the next five years attended Cornell University, specializ- ing in chemistry. During World War I he held a civil service appointment as a chemist in the Ordnance Dept., U.S. Army. He became a citizen of the U.S. in 1918. From 1919 to 1950 Mr. Wightman was a re- search chemist. He retired that year, and has for some time lived on the shores of Lake Champlain which has played a tremendous role in the history of both Canada and the United States. Six major wars raged up and down it between 1666 and 1812. Dear Pupils: Most of you never have seen me or heard of me but 74years ago I started to school when the school house was on the hill- top about 40 rods east of your present school and on the op- posite side of the road. I finish- ed school in June, 1897 in the Fifth class, which now -a -days is called Grade 10. To keep abreast of the news of my boyhood home, I sub- scribe to the Blyth Standard, and in last Wednesday's paper, September 22, there appeared a prize list of the Belgrave School Fair for 1965. I read thru the entire list and marked the names of all the members of my own family and names of old-time neighbors' children. I felt so proud to read that so many children of East Wawan- osh were exhibiting the prod- ucts which farm folk have been doing for many hundreds of years. There is no occupation more helpful and healthy than life on the farm and in the fields. Both my father and my tnoth- er got all of the school they ever had, in Cast Wawanosh, -- my fattier in the old log school that stood where your present school house stands, in 1865, -- 100 years ago; my mother went to school Section li 6, the West- field school where her father John McClinton was teacher, and 25 years later five mem- bers of the McClinton family succeeded as teachers. In those far-off days of 1891-1897 the pupils divided themselves into two groups, -- those coming down the road from the East, (The Cooks, the Blacks, the Raths, the Pete Scotts, the Wilkinsins, the Dun - bars a:.d the Walshes) -- and those coming UP the road from the West, (the Edwards, the Big Ed Taylors, the Davy Scotts, the Fred Cooks, the Dave Snells, the Wightmans, the Fothergills, the Carletons, the Mortons, the Bowlers, the Lit- tle Ed Taylors, the Robert Mc- Dowells). Each group sort of looked down on the other group, but it never got further than boasting about how good farm - ers their fathers and mothers were. Almost all pupils came from homes along the conces- sions 6 and 7. No one in my day came from the north side - road at your present school cor- ner, and only the Tom Bells and John Armors and the Sam Walshes from the South side - road. The Netherys were the only ones from the sideroad 1-1/8 miles east of you. The Blacks and the McDow- ells of my day were first cousins of mine and the very things in the 1965 prize list, were al- most identical in the products that those families were expert in 74 years ago. It all made me very homesick for the old farm life where no one ever had to hire someone else to fix this or do that. Op the farm "Do it yourself" is a way of life that city folk know little or nothing about. I well know how old folk can be boring to young listeners so I will stop chattering. I just wanted to say the story of the School Fair, the prizes won, and the hundreds of contestants filled me with intense pride in the old school, and also a strong yearning for those gold- en days of my schooling in S. S, No. 13 where so many of you are learning what it takes to succeed in and enjoy life, From an old school -mate of 70 years ago. Gordon E. Wightman. P.S.: My grandpa Wightman built himself three houses, The third is where Ivan and Mary Wightman now live. I was born on the north hundred of Ivan's farm. In Dutch With Daughter My daughter is furious with me. Again. She's at that age, 14, when daughters have very little difficulty in becoming enraged with their fathers. This occurs, of course, only on days when they're not sore as a boil at their mothers. She has good reasons, of course. She claims I'm crabby in the morning and grouchy at night. This is because I'm al- ways hollering up the stairs to tell her to get a move on, in the morning, and hollering up the stairs telling her to get her light off, at night. She calls me an old crock when I refuse to play badminton with her, because of my bursi- tis. And when I do play, and beat the can off her, she is like all women. She accuses me of cheating, or playing like a big bully. She goes livid with rage when I try to help her through some situation I know will be tough. "What do you think I am, Dad, a child?" But she grows purple with passion when I remind her that she's not an infant and can just keep on looking for her lost gym suit and i don't care if her P.T. teacher does kill her an she can play basketball in her underwear, for all I care. She boils with bellicosity when she wants help with her home- work and I remind her that she thinks I'm stupid and she'd bet- ter do it herself. When 1 play the heavy father, SUGAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley moralistic and conventional, she calls me, in disgust, and "old poke." When I get gay and kick up my heels and become the life of the party, she is miffed and makes cracks about my lack of dignity. In fact, about the only time we seem to be on our old basis of true buddies is when she's trying to wheedle some money. Then her true sweetness and my innate generosity shine through and we get along beautifully. Until I remind her that she's t be in at 11 p.m., even if it is Friday night. Oh, well, that's about stand- ard, these days, for a healthy f a the r -daughter relationship. But this week she went off like a skyrocket. I decided to use a portrait of Kim in my English teaching. It was painted, and extremely well done, by Jean Hay, whose daughter Princess and Kim were bosom pals then, about age nine. I took the painting to school, held it up for three minutes for the class, then told the students to describe the impression it made on them. Results were in- teresting. Quote: "Fle wasn't very old, perhaps about ten, but the eyes were those of an old, tired man. An overworked man." Quote: "I think that this child is a bedraggled orphan, wishing for parents to love and care for him." Quote: "Tears of pity and for- lornness could almost be seen dripping down the boy's rusty cheeks." Quote: "It is a picture that Ieaves the viewer with a feeling of deep concern." Quote: "His large, sad eyes, which dominated his thin, dirty little face, told his story better than a thousand words." Quote: "His ears drooped like a dog's, when it knows it has done something wrong and will be punished." Quote: "I got the impression that he was very sad and lonely, perhaps an orphan who had gone without food for some time." Just a sample. 'Titres were such as: The Boy; The Lost Orphan. One imaginative lad called it The Last Jew and sug- gested the child was waiting to go off to the gas ovens. What young lady of 14, who is dabbling with lipstick, wears a brassiere, and has been out on a date, wants her name bandied about the school as: an old, tired man; an orphan; a sad dog; a dirty -face; a rusty - cheeks. And worst of all, a boy. Ninety per cent, of thein thought she was a boy. Maybe she had some excuse, after alt, for coming home from school, those brown eyes like boiling chocolate, with, "DAD! I could murder you!"