Huron Expositor, 2001-05-09, Page 4Opinion
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Wednesday, May 9, 2001
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Editorial
BIA, community
needs better
support
from members,
citizens
A typical lack of attendance at Monday night's
emergency Business Improvement Area meeting is
discouraging for business leaders who are trying
to get events off the ground while dealing with
concerns about vandalism and arson fires
downtown.
Of approximately 100 members, 35 turned out
Monday night after being informed of the
emergency meeting last week.
That was considered good turn out compared to
regular meetings.
It has to be nothing short of frustrating for BIA
leaders who are trying to plan for events with a
limited amount of support.
BIA members are used to have a great deal of
support from Town Hall staff but since the
amalgamation, that support has not been available
leaving the BIA somewhat directionless.
Chair Liz Cardno has said there are only a few
volunteers actively involved right now.
That's not enough.
Without town support, more people are needed
to come forward and assist planning and
organizing the upcoming traditional events such as
the town -wide yard sale and Moonlight Madness.
And without more support, new ventures are all
but impossible.
There seems to be a trend that sees a handful of
volunteers doing all the work, not only within the
BIA but within the community.
Without volunteers, new projects cannot take
place to help strengthen the community and the
downtown.
Remember Skunkfest?
The ideas were flowing for an event with huge
potential but there was no one to take on the
leadership of the project.
And sadly, at last night's meeting, only two
people volunteered to join a Citizens on Patrol
Group to assist police and lessen the chances of
more serious incidents like the arson fires of the
past month.
It's sad that in a town with more than 2,000
people, there aren't enough willing to help protect
the community or help it grow.
Scott Hilgendorff
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Commentary
Huron East working
diligently on first.budget
We've survived the first four
months of Huron East and
while there have been bumps
along the road, our journey is
progressing.
Policing has been a difficult
decision. With the
amalgamation into Huron
East, the Province says we can
no longer receive two different levels
of service.
I believe the decision taken May 1st
to put in place a contract service for
the whole of Huron East is a good one.
To continue the type of service from
previous years would cost residents
about $912,000. The OPP were
suggesting a service that would cost
$1,033,000. Council has taken a mid-
line position with a contract for
$959,000.
It is expected the Community
Reinvestment Fund (CRF) money
provided by the Province will help
Mayor's report
By lin Steffler
Council address some of this cost.
We have formed a "Personnel
Committee" comprised of Deputy
Mayor Bernie MacLellan, Councillor
Dick Burgess and myself. Clerk
Administrator Jack McLachlan and
Treasurer Brad Knight will act as
resource members of this Committee.
It is our wish to ensure all
employees are treated fairly and with
respect and dignity. We are presently
developing an Employee Information
Booklet and we hope to have it ready
for employees in the near future.
Please be patient with us. It's on its
way.
At this point, administration is
working diligently towards the
completion of Huron East's first
Budget.
I expect this Budget will take
more time to review than budget
preparations and reviews of the
past.
Your council will want to take
a long hard look at each section to
determine what has been the practice
of the past and what our new
municipality is planning for 2001 as
well as the future. Amalgamation did
generate considerable dollar savings.
However, it is impossible to run
Huron East on those decreased dollars.
Rest assured, the needs of the whole
community will be taken into account
and prioritized in order to ensure value
received for the money spent.
Work is ongoing. Your council
meets every Tuesday evening starting
See COUNCIL, Page 9
Some kids will never pass the test under pressure
When I was in Grade 7, I
was the president of the
math club.
Before you line up to
congratulate me, let me say
that the title was bestowed
upon me by my teacher, not
because of my
achievements, but because I
repeatedly scored the lowest
in my class on a 100 -
question, five-minute math
test on multiplication,
division, addition and
subtraction.
To pass the test, a student
had to score 80 per cent or
higher in the five minute
time period allotted and the
test had to be repeated until
By Susan Hundertmark
you passed. Each time you
failed, you had to write out
all of your times tables from
zero to 10 an increasing
number of times.
I never passed the test. By
the time the test stopped
being offered, I was writing
my times tables out at night
about 15 times.
And, the month I
repeatedly failed that test
was the most stressful and
humiliating month of my
public school career.
It's not that I couldn't
succeed at mathematics. I
went on that year to get the
highest mark in math in my
combined Grade 7 and 8
class and gradtlated Grade 8
with the school's academic
award. And, I got As in
math all through high
school.
Obviously I went on to
succeed at many other tests.
But, if you offered me that
test again tomorrow, I'm not
sure I could pass.
There was something
about that pressure cooker
time limit, along with all my
previous failures at the test,
that I couldn't get by
psychologically.
Instead of filling in the
answers, I ended up
spending most of my time
glancing at the clock,
chewing my pencil, twirling
my hair and telling myself
to concentrate. And, before I
knew it the time would be
up.
I offer up one of my
childhood scars for
examination in light of the
mandatory Grade 10 literacy
test and Premier Mike
Harris's plans to institute
See STANDARD, Page 9
Cable television arrives in Seaforth, 1976
May 5, 1876
Huron Notes: While
assisting at the raising of a
barn near Londesboro, a boy
named Blanchard Harrington
had the top joint of his finger
snapped off by a beam falling
on it.
Londesboro: A ewe
belonging to James
Shobbrook of Hullett gave
birth on April 6 to one lamb
and on the 27th of the same
month three weeks later -
gave birth to two more, one
of which was dead.
Tuckersmith: At the close
of the weekly prayer meeting
held in the red school house,
Tuckersmith; Messrs. Robb
and Sinclair in the name of
the neighborhood presented
Rev. H. Cameron of Kippen
with a purse containing
between $30.00 and $40.00
as an expression of
appreciation of the meeting
held among them.
Brussels: The
organizational meeting of the
Brussels Cricket Club was
held at the Queen's Hotel, E
C. Rodgers was chosen
president; John Leckie, Vice
President; and J. Wright,
secretary -treasurer.
Cattle Shipment: Mr.
Robert Winters shipped from
Seaforth a carload of 20 cattle
which averaged in weight
about 1220 pounds. Each
showed a shrinkage of 120
pounds in Toronto. These
cattle were from the farms of
John McMillan, John
Thompson, Wm. McMichael
and Mr. Mrs. McIntosh.
These cattle were purchased
at an average price of 3113c.
per pound live weight.
Clinton: Yesterday a small
party of farmers from Hullett
composed of Messrs. T.
Palterman, H. Hunking, J.
Howson, J. Taylor, J. Govier
and Wm. Stevenson started
on a visit to their friends in
England.
Birth: Hannah - In
McKillop on the third inst.
the wife of Mr. Heram
Hannah of a son.
Goderich Township: At a
barn raising on the farm of
Mr. J. Shaw, a man named
James Dunkan was struck on
the head with a piece of
scantling about a foot long
which fell from the top of the
building rendering him
insensible for some time.
May 3, 1901
Varna: Mr. F. Martin of
Guelph has bought out the
hotel furnishings from Mr.
Murray of the Varna Hotel
Years agone...
and moved in. We feel
satisfied Mr. Martin will cater
to the wants of the travelling
public and fully sustain the
high reputation of the Varna
Hotel.
Staffa: Miss. McCallum of
Mitchell is the guest ' rMiss.
Nellie Drake. Mr.' . Fell
has sold his driver to r.
Hugh Norris for a good
figure.
Brucefield: Mrs. Elder of
Stratford is visiting at the
home of her mother Mrs. A.
Ross, her husband Mr. Elder
is at present in Manitoba.
Mr. John Kaiser and Mr.
Robinson have opened up an
implement shop in the
building Mr. Kaiser lately
purchased from Mr. Peter
McGregor.
Hensall: Mr. A. Short while
working for Mr. Welsh,
received such injuries as
caused his death. He was
engaged at a circular saw and
while attempting to remove a
board he was ripping, it was
caught in some manner and
was thrown striking the
unfortunate man on the side
near the hip. Miss Lawson of
Auburn is visiting Miss.
Youngblut.
Cromarty: The following
were appointed when the
boys organized the football
club; Honorary President, R.
W. Jowett; president, Hugh
McLachlan, Managing
committee - Wm. Hamilton,
Roalnd Crawford, Hugh
Wright, and John Couley.
Mr. Wm. Armstrong and
Miss Lottie Upshaw of
Kippen were nest at the
Hamilton homestead on
Sunday.
Winthrop: John Morrison,
the jolly clerk of McKillop is
on his rounds this spring
again gathering up the hen
fruit. He says it is a good job
and the ladies like to see his
smiling face when taking
away the eggs and paying
them the dimes for them.
Tuckersmith: Mrs. Dick of
Blyth is visiting with W.C.
Landsborough. Mrs. Hall of
Clinton preached at Turners
and Alma on Sunday. Mr.
and Mrs. R.E. Turner and son
visited friends here on
Sunday.
May 7,1926
Miss Marie Benninger,
Miss Theresa Carpenter, Miss
Elizabeth Hicknell and Miss
Angela Shea took in the show
on Saturday in Seaforth.
Mr. George Dundas had the
misfortune to have his house
burned last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. J.
McLaughlin celebrated their
20th anniversary on Monday
May, 2nd.
Mr. W. C. Benngtt has his
truck repainted. and has
started on the road katftering
cream and eggs.
Mr. Emmerson Smith, of
our village, had the
misfortune during the past
week to loose a good cow.
Ladies Night at the Lions -
Last Thursday evening was
ladies' night at the Lions
Club dinner, held in the
Commercial Hotel.
Messrs. G.A. Sills & Son
have erected a new gas pump
in' front of their hardware
store on Main Street.
Mrs. J. H. Broadfoot had
the misfortune to fall in her
home on Monday and sprain
her ankle.
The proceeds of the Old
Times Easter dance and the
Old Times dance on Fair
Night, amounting to $151,
have been given the Turf
Club to help pay a number of
accounts owing from last
year.
Cadet Inspection a bitter
northwest wind with gusts of
driving rain made the annual
inspection of the Seaforth
Collegiate Institute Cadet
Corpse most unpleasant for
the members of the corps and
greatly curtailed their
maneuvers.
While engaged in taking
down the old foundry, which
is being removed to the
canning factory, Mr. Fred
Smith was accidentally struck
by a brick on the head, which
inflicted a wound which
required five stitches to close.
Mr. Wilmore Scott held a
very successful ploughing
bee on Monday afternoon.
May 4, 1951
At the regular monthly
meeting the Seaforth Juniuor
Farmers and Junior Institute
members began laying plans
for an all -sports day, to be
held in Seaforth some time
early in July.
Dr. R. M. Aldis of the
Huron County Health Unit,
said in his monthly report the
measles are prevalent
throughout Huron County.
Ernest Clarke, son of Mr.
and Mrs. M. E. Clarke ,
Seaforth, has been advised
that he has received four
awards as a result of this
year's examination.
A $35, 000 aluminum
trailer factory, to employ 12
men will be built in Hensall
by the Clipper Coach
manufacturing Co. Ltd.,
Ilderton, Norman St. Cyr, the
manager said.
Clifford Lowrey, formerly
of Seaforth, landed a seven
and a half pound brown trout
Saturday evening at
Goderich.
Louis Bolton was elected
president at the McKillop
School Fair at a large and
enthusiastic kneeting at
S.S.No.6 Last Thursday night.
The first steps in town
planning and zoning, are
appointing a committee on
land use and to create a list of
the towns assets, advised Dr.
E. G. Pleva, of the University
of Western Ontario at the
annual dinner meeting of the
Seaforth Chamber of
Commerce Tuesday evening
in St. Thomas Parish Hall.
A pleasant evening was
enjoyed by many Huronites
and their friends at the annual
euchre and bridge of the
Huron County Old Boy's
Association of Toronto,
which was held Friday April
20, at Robertson's Hall.
In the recent contest
conducted by the Toronto
Daily Star, Mrs. K. I.
McLean won $5, Mrs. Joseph
R. Mason, 13 and Ed Melvor
$3.
May 6, 1976
If everything runs
according to schedule,
Seaforth residents will be
able to have cable TV in their
homes by the end of July.
The charge for cable which
will also be available to
people living in Egmondville
and Harpurhey will be six
dollars a month with an
installation charge of $15.
The Seaforth Horticultural
Society's annual plant sale
was well attended. Memebrs
donated plants and cut
flowers to the sale and gave
out a lot of advice to new
gardeners Saturday at
Rathwell auction center.
About $170 was raised.
We were sorry to hear CArI
Vock and son Doug were in
an accident. They have both
returned home from Stratford
General Hospital. We wish
them a speedy recovery.