Times-Advocate, 1982-02-17, Page 3•r
Exeter marks Heritage Day, honors Sir John A.
Blast urchins, bud
"This was one of the most
colorful evenings I've ever
had," commented Mayor
Bruce Shaw as he brought
down the gavel to officially
end council's celebration of
Heritage Day and Sir John
A. MacDonald Day, Monday
night.
Members of council and
town employees were
dressed in period costumes,
.and with oil lamps lighting
the council chambers, re-
enacted a council meeting of
1901 which resulted in an 8:00
p.m. curfew being put on the
village to curb the activities
of urchins and hoodlums,
bylaws establishing shooting
galleries and the ex-
penditure of $1,628.42 for the
purpose of constructing
granolithic pavement on two
streets.
The budget for the year
was turned down amid cries
of "excessive" as it called
for raising $2,746.46 for
school purposes and another
$3,896.68 for municipal
purposes.
Prior to the raucous
debate, .council observed a
minute's silence in memory
of the late Queen Victoria
who had died just a few
weeks prior to the 'January
1901 session.
Council had intended to
mark Heritage Day with a
public holiday, but when
they found they were the
only community in Canada
planning to de so, changed
their minds and opted for the
special celebration to mark
the nation's and com-
munity's heritage.
Prior to the meeting, they
met at the Burkley
Restaurant for dinner and
were then piped to the
council chambers by Carl
Mills, where they were
greeted by • CFPL-TV
cameras.
The first order of business
wasbroached by Councillor
Bill Mickle who quickly
moved to have the two
female members of council
and the clerk removed from
the. business area.
"This is a man's job and
we should look at it in our
own proper way," he said in
urging that it was no place
for ladies.
"They're not persons in
the eyes of the law," com-
mentgfi,7,Shaw, .-over the
protestations of Councillors
Lossy Fuller ler -and - Dorothy
Chapman.
"Half the population of this
town is female," Mrs.
Chapman protested. "Some
day the voice of the ladies
will be heard," added Mrs.
Fuller as they were escorted
to the public~ gallery along
with clerk Liz Bell.
Shaw remarked that he
feared there could be
problems in the future with
ladies, but then noted there
was presently one in that he
didn't have a clerk to read
the minutes and Reeve Don
MacGregor gallantly moved
to have the ladies sit in on the
. deliberations.
"As I'm broad minded, I'll
second the motion," Deputy -
Reeve Alvin Epp interjected
with Shaw saying he hoped it
would be a precedent that
would never be repeated.
Several male members
than lighted cigars, much to
the displeasure of the female''
members, while at least one
was also seen nipping at a
flask pulled from his long-
tailed coat,
"For medicinal purposes
only," Mickle was -heard to
explain to his seat -mate
Fuller.
On the matter of shooting
galleries, Epp said it was
time the village council
controlled when and where
people could shoot as he had
on sleighs and wagons and
throwing snowballs at
elderly people.
"In general they're
making a nuisance of
themselves," he reported,
adding tltst complaints had
also been recewed about
improper language and the
smoking of a bunch of good-
for-nothingewho hang out in
ront of the livery stable.
Police attended a brawl at
the Central Hotel, he con-
tinued. It was a disgraceful
scene and inebriated persons
were getting thrown ' and
punched about and the
cursing and swearing was
atrocious. Two of the
hooligans were arrested and
encarserated and the other
participants sent home.
A horse owned by Syd
to constantly duck due to
people using their firearms
in the streets.
However, Mickle con-
tended the village had a
problem with wild life and it
needed to be controlled so
shooting had to be en-
couraged to that end.
Reeve MacGregor's call
for $1,628.42 for granolithic
pavement was termed
"excessive': by Shaw,
although he indicated some
pleasure in knowing ,Pryde
Boulevard was one of the
streets on which work was
planned. MacGregor said
people had to use canoes to
get out of the street on oc-
casions and noted that the
new pavement was such that
horses wouldn't slip on it
although ladies wearing high
Yi
heels may have some
problems.
Mickle raised his usual
concern about whether
engineering fees were in-
cluded in the price and Shaw
said the same questions
would probably be asked 80
years hence.
McGregor said the
engineering fees of $12.60
were included.
Councillor Tom Hum-
phreys called on council to
take some action regarding
the outbreak of small pox in
neighboring townships, but
Shaw questioned whether the
council would be interferring
with people's rights in the
matter.
The budget drew loud
complaints from all mem-
bers, although Mickle said
a pound and pork just over
three cents, it was not out of
line with current times.
Shaw decried the high $640
salaries being paid to
teachers and Mickle noted
that fringe benefits were an
additional $19.95 per annum.
Hall asked if the building of
out -houses had resulted in
increases in the school
budget.
"Yes, they had to drill
another hole," Mickle
reponded.
The nayes easily won the
vote on the budget and
Mickle was asked to come up
with something more
reasonable.
Police Chief Ted Day
reported that boys had been
a major problem by jumping
Sanders was stolen from the
Commercial' livery stable
and the culprit and horse
were last seen heading .west
towards the lake.
Day said police were at-
tempting to cut down on the
furious driving on Main St.
Advising that some people
were driving at twice the
legal speed of 7 m.p.h.
Hall said some youths
from as far away as
Rodgerville and Elimville
were coming to town and
engaging in boisterous ac-
tivities.
Day concluded his report
by saying he could probably
do a better job if his pay was
extended above the current
$325 per year.
As usual, there were
complaints about press
inaccuracies.
Mickle said he would like.
to see the press report
council's deliberations more
accurately. "He hasn't done.
it for a long time," he
charged.
T -A editor Bill Batten
quipped that his problem
stemmed from a case of
coccidiosis contacted from
his turkey quill pen.
In a serious vein in com-
memoration of the occasion,
Shaw said the purpose of the
evening was "to say thank
you to our ancestors, to our
former leaders and to all
those who toiled, planned
and sacrificed themselves
for us:"
"It is fitting that we should •
smile and even laugh with
Sir John A. and enjoy to the
utmost his colorful per-
sonality;his wit and his bad
habits." -'
Quoting Edwin Guillet, ife
said MacDonald ranks high
among Canadian statesmen
and not only because of his
unrivalled skill in managing
et
men an softening an-
tagonism in a most im-
portant period of history; his
achievements include the
safe -guarding of law and
order under difficulties, the
conciliation of French and
English and Roman
Catholics and Protestants,
the union of the Provinces,
the building of the Canadian
Pacific Railway and the
continuance of the British
connection. Not without
faults, he had among his
great qualities vision, tact,
patience and common sense.
"Sir John A. brought us
into being, not through
violence and bloodshed (as
was and has been recently
the example in other parts of
the world) but through
debate, discussion and sheer,
force of personality. He . is
obviously an example to be
followed by our con-
temporary leaders.
"May his wit, his wisdom
and his personality infect us
all and make Canada a
better place in which to live.
Shaw concluded by noting
council may be looked upon
as a bunch of kooks for their
heritage day celebrations, or
perhaps as forerunners in
recognizing Canadian
heritage.
"I hope people will un-
derstand the intent," he said.
At the conclusion of the
meeting, all members ex-
pressed pleasure at the
events of the evening and
most indicated they hoped it
would be continued ' next
year, and greater public
participation.
"It's stimulating to laugh
together as well as work
together," commented Mrs.
Chapman, who
congratulated Gassy Fuller
for spearheading the
program. .
Times -Advocate, Februa 17, 1982
OLD STOGIE - The no smoking rule at Exeter council
chambers wasn't in effect for the re -staging of the 1901
meeting and so Tom Humphreys took full advantage
of the situation for a good cigar. Dorothy Chapman was
among those pleased when the rule was re -enforced
later in the regular session.
TURN BACK CLOCK - Councillors Lossy fuller and Bill
Mickle turned heads as they strolled along Main Si. ear-
ly Monday evening as part of Exeter's celebration of
Heritage Day.
REMEMBER HERITAGE -Exeter council members paid special tribute to Heritage Day and Sir John A. Mac-
Donald Day, Monday, donning period costumes and staging a re-enactment of a 1901 meeting. This formal
portrait was token at the session. Back left: Lossy Fuller, Tom Humphreys, Dorothy Chapman, Morley Hall,
Bill Mickle. Front, Don MacGregor, Bruce Shaw and Alvin Epp, Gaylen Josephson was delayed due to writing
on exam and missed the photo session which couldn't be delayed as beards and moustaches were falling off.
FURRY CHIN • Reeve Don MacGregor had a problem,
Monday. "I ran out of glue". Donna Glanville came to
his rescue and re -attached his chin whiskers.
•
•
•
IMBIBING TOM - Some of the well-known bad habits of Sir John A. MacDonald
were revived by Exeter ca'.ncillor Tom Humphreys, much to the delight of Don-
na Glanville,LaurieDykstro and Elaine Baynham. The flask belongs to Bill Mickie,
who claimed it was strictly for medicinal purposes.
J'
OFFICE STAFF OF YEARS GONE BY - Staff of the Exeter town municipal office
came to work Monday in costumes familiar in yesteryears. From the left are Donna
Glanville, clerk -treasurer Liz Bell and Laurie Dykstra.
REAL CUT-UP - If Mayor Bruce Shaw could cut dough
to get back to the budget of 1901 local taxpayers would
probably be quite pleased. The Mayor did show his dex-
terity with a knife on Monday and may be prompted
to show the same deft movements come budget time.
escorts Elaine
m
o the
np A MEAN STICK
PoheritageChiefce eleb anion, while building inspector ortBrian
dinner preceding Monday's
Johnston lacks only a violin case to make him appear on the chief's most wonted
list.
PIPED TO MEETING - After dining at the Burkley Restaurant, members of Exeter council were piped to the
council chambers by Carl Mills. They're shown in front of the town hall and later in the mock re-enactment
of the 1901 meeting, approved a sinking fund for that structure.
.SAY WHEN - Deputy Reeve Alen Epp one of the few
members of cou.ncil,who did.) t nt''J glue to keep his
beard attached. pours 11 iuy f.. i les y Fuller
at the banquet preceding Monday s session of council.
t