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The Citizen, 1998-06-17, Page 4Time to smell the flowers Photo by Janice Becker C itizen C Ti The North Huron E ditorial Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen June 13, 1968 Dr. K. Zyluk, who came to Brus- sels from England to the new Med- ical Dental Centre in November, concluded his practice and moved to Wingham. Prospects of having another doctor soon looked good. Rosemary Blake, of RR 2, Brus- sels, was one of seven girls chosen to represent Huron County at the Girls' Conference in Guelph on June 25, 26, and 27. To help swimmers and non-- swimmers combat panic in a drowning situation, the Red Cross had a new water safety course called "Survival." June 23-29 was proclaimed Red Cross Water Safe- ty Week. The fees for the Brussels wading pool were 10 cents per visit, or family pass for the season, $2. An area Squirt softball league was formed. Brussels defeated Bluevale 32-10 in the first game of the season. Hughie Nichol was the winning pitcher. June 20, 1973 Blyth taxes were cut by 6 mills. The rates for municipal purposes were 45 mills for residential and 51 for commercial compared with 47 and 55 respectively the previous year. An unusual accident occurred in Blyth, when a car left parked began to move. It rolled down the hill until it smashed into the signal pole at the CPR crossing. No one was hurt. The Huron County Board of Education passed a recommenda- tion from Director of Education D.J. Cochrane that the admission age for kindergarten would remain at five. The Radfords Gravel Giants defeated Manning's Lumber Kings 14-10 in Blyth Industrial Fastball League action. Soccer was the big sport for youngsters in the area. Blyth, Lon- desboro and Belgrave each put two teams on the field. June 18, 1997 The town crier for Brussels Homecoming was arwounced. Wayne Lowe donned the costume for the second time, having done it for the 115th year homecoming 10 years early. Over 375 motocross competitors gathered in Auburn to gain points at the final Ontario qualifier for the Walton nationals. Jamie Emmerich of Walton, Tim Smyth of Auburn and Jason Bradley of Brussels were among the entrants. Peter Hagedoorn of Cranbrook donated two framed watercolour paintings for the annual raffle to raise money for the running of the local community hall. Brussels Public School first- place winners at the North Huron track and field meet were: Claire Mastnak, Lauren Spink, Chris Cor- bett, Adam Corbett, Chase Chap- man, Candace McLellan, Brent Wheeler, Drew Thomas, Jodi Sell- ers. Letters THE EDITOR, "Your head is precious and so is mine". The June 8 front page of The Toronto Star featured the 12,000 cyclists who took part in the "Ride for Heart" fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The photo showed hundreds of adult cyclists all appearing to be wearing helmets except for one person. Most helmets also appeared to be worn properly to protect the forehead. It is good to see adults protecting themselves and being good role models for children. A parent who insists that his or or her child wears a helmet properly is saying, "Your head is precious." A parent who then puts on his or her own helmet is saying, "My head is precious too." Congratulations to organilations Continued on page 6 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1998. P.O. Box 429 P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil CIACIA. AMON The Citizen Is published weekly In Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable In advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A. and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Communities at cross-purposes If Huron County residents want an example of the problems that can he expected if municipal amalgamation creates municipalities that are too large, they need only look at the current reorganization of policing brought on by downloading of police services to municipalities. While communities in the north of the county have voted to retain the Wingham municipal force as a regional force, the rest of the county has opted for the Ontario Provincial Police. What's more, if some communities have their way, the northern municipalities wouldn't be allowed to have their own municipal police force. The county is studying the policing issue and has asked the OPP for a costing for county-wide policing. In response, the Town of Goderich sent a letter to the county in which it suggested there should not be a mix of municipal and OPP in the county, only OPP (Goderich recently disbanded its own municipal force in favour of OPP coverage). Goderich called for an Ontario Civilian Commission on Policing hearing to determine if a proposal was adequate before a municipal force would be allowed to provide service to adjoining municipalities (again, only the Wingham force would be affected). Goderich also suggested that costs of policing should be apportioned the same way any other county service was, based on assessment, rather than by area rating in which rural areas would pay less because they get less service. Meanwhile Goderich felt the administration for a county-wide OPP service should remain near Goderich because the majority of activity such as court duties, was in Goderich. While Goderich opposed moving the police headquarters to a more central location in the county, the Town of Clinton argued the administrative centre should "clearly be placed in the Town of Clinton as it is the geographic centre of the county which would reduce officers meal costs and mileage claims". Clear!), politicians in the major population centres of the county are set on getting the whole county to do what is in the best interests of their particular community. If that is the priority, where are the less powerful communities to be left in the case of amalgamations? — KR When history is forgotten In his new book Who Killed -Canadian History!, Jack Granatstein, retired professor, author of 45 books and curator of the Canadian War Museum wondcrs why Canada is probably the only country in the world that does not teach a positive view of itself. While the Americans, English, French and Dutch all teach of the accomplishments of their country, he says, Canadians teach mostly about their shortcomings — if we learn any history at all. Students planning to go to university in Ontario, for instance, only need to take one history course in their whole high school career. Granatstein argues history has become the Latin of today. What little history there is in the schools is taught by teachers who are ever mindful of political correctness. "The history taught is that of the grievers among us, the present-day crusaders against public policy and discrimination. The history omitted is that of the Canadian nation and its people." Granatstein is on dangerous ground when he appeals for a more positive view of Canadian history. It can be argued that some countries are too ready to bury the evil in their past in the rush to promote national pride. But it is a question of balance. On the whole, Canada is a country that works. We have welcomed disadvantaged people from around the world and given them a chance to make a better life. We have built a prosperous, peaceful and generous society that is, for the most part, ready to help people improve themselves and their country. Though we could do better, we have strived to share that prosperity and peace to others around the world. That story needs to be told if we are to give some perspective to Canadians and make them less cynical. But it's not just good enough to reshape the history that is taught, we much teach more of it. History is the background knowledge on which people base their decisions for the future. By downgrading the teaching of history we are depriving our future generations of the balance they need to make informed decisions in a democracy. If, for instance, people don't know why programs like universal health care were invented, why would they understand their importance? If we do not teach history, if we do not put the events of the present in the context of the past, we'll make mistakes that need not be made.