Clinton News-Record, 1977-06-30, Page 4- PAGE 4--CLINTON.NEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1977
.It's Canada week
Taking Canada for granted is one of
our national pastimes, that and
discussing the weather, the latest
sports scores and what's for supper.
It is'no secret that Canadians are
apathetic, at least on the surface, when
it comes to expressing ourselves about
Canada. But that is changing.
Canada Week 1977 from Jule 25 to
July 1 is the eighth consecutive year
that Canadians from coast to coast and
in the northern territories will be
celebrating all things Canadian.
Through the happy celebrations of
Canada Week we are forging a new
kind of nationalism. A unity out of
diversity.
Last year Canadians in, about one
thousand communities all° across this
great land participated in hundreds of
activities in celebration of Canada.
This phenomenon must surely
represent one of the greatest grass
roots efforts by thousands of volun-
teers from one end of the country to the
other. The spirit that motivates these
people is as diverse as the activities of
Canada Week itself.
To some, it is fostering pride. Pride
in the accomplishments of their
community and the country. -To others,
it is a time to remember. To reflect on
our cultural heritage and diversity. A
time to show off the skills and the
culture their ancestors brought to this
country.
Or it is time to meet others, from
neighbours to people across town or
across the country. A time to realize
that there are things which bind us
together as Canadians.
To others, it is a celebration. A party.
A time to set aside the day-to-day
problems and concentrate on the
positives.
To some, it is a simple and quiet--
manifestation.
uietmanifestation„ of faith. Faith in the
country and a renewal of a deep
determination to keep Canada united
come what may. To recognize that
there is a bedrock of unity which can
never be shaken. That problems of
graphic differences, regional
disparities, language and cultural
differences are present but will never
shake the foundation of one Canada.
Hundreds of thousands of people
around the world would like to live in
Canada, because Canada is a country
with a dazzling potential. Canada is a
blend of the old and the new. It com-
bines North American initiative with
the qualities of other civilizations to
make a unique Canadian way of Life.
We must make certain it stays that
way. And that is why the Council for
Canadian Unity organizes Canada
Week and encourages Canadians at
this birthday period to show pride in
Canada, promote national unity and
encourage dialogue and understanding
among Canadians.
Canada Week can be a remarkably
positive force. It is a time of tolerance,
goodwill and understanding. It is also a
time for thanksgiving - Canadians have
much for which to be thankful.
As a Canadian, what can you do?
You can fly a flag, or dance, sing,
twirl a baton, or march in a parade.
Say hello to your neighbour from
across town or across the country.
Take a trip or sponsor a student ex-
change.
But, whatever you do, put your heart
into it!
Sugar and Spice/By Bill Sm
ey
Why I hate June
June is not my favorite month of the
year. Maybe it's because on the second day
of that month, about 80 years ago, it seems
like, I was ushered into the world,
somebody gave me a slap on the bum, I
started to cry, and I've been a bit jaundiced
about June ever since.
It certainly has some advantages over,
say, January. There are no ten -foot icicles
hanging from the, roof. You don't have to
fight your way through snowdrifts to get to
the car. But it has its own plagues. .
As I write, a three-inch caterpillar is
working his way across the windowsill to
say hello. I know he'll be a beautiful but-
terfly any day, but last night I stepped on
his brother, in my bare feet and the dark,
on the way to the bathroom. Ever try to get
squashed caterpillar from between your
toes?
No, I don't live in a treehouse. The little
devils come up from the basement, or
through a hole in the screen. And they have
friends and relatives. Just as I typed that
sentence, a black ant, about the size of a
mouse, scuttled across the floor and under
a chair. He looked big enough to carr,y off
one of my shoes and masticate it in a quiet
corner.
Insolent starlings strut about my back
lawn, scaring the decent birds away, when
they are not trying to get into my attic
. through a hole the squirrels have made, or
pooping all over my car, as it sits under a
maple tree, which is also making" large
deposits of gook and gum on the vehicle.
Wasps and bumble bees are as numerous
and noisy and welcome as gatecrashers at
a cocktail party, if you dare take a drink
into the back yard for a peaceful libation.
If it's humid and stinking hot, as June so
often is, it's like courting carnivorism,
whatever that is, to sit out in the evening.
The. ruddy mosquitoes turn you into a
writhing, slap'ging, squirming bundle of
neurotic frustration in ten minutes.
Go up north into cottage country and you
wish you were back . home with the
mosquitoes. The blackflies up there can be
heard roaring with laughter as they slurp
up that guaranteed fly dope you've
plastered yourself with, and come back for
more. They'll leave you bloody. And not
unbowed.
I have never yet seen, or heard of, a June
when the weather was right for the crops.
It's either too wet and hot for the hay, dr too
dry and hot for the strawberries, or too cold
for the garden to get a good start.
Only dang thing June is any good fords
the grass you have to mow. Stick your head
out §ome evening, with your mosquitoe net
firmly in place, and you can hear the stuff
growing.
June is murder for young mothers, trying
to get their infants to go to sleep at their
usual hour. What kid of two in his right
mind is going to settle down in bed at eight
o'clock, with the sun streaming through the
drapes, the birds yacking at each other,
and the teenagers, who have come alive
after a six -month's torpor, squealing their
tires at the corner?
For mothers of slightly older kids, it's
even worse. On a nice, cold,"January night,
they can feed the kids and stick them in
front of the TV set, or nag them toward
their homework. No problem.
On an evening in June, those same kids,
from six to sixteen, take off after supper
like salmon heading up to spawn, and have
to be hollered for, whistled for, and
sometimes rounded up physically, with
threats, after dark.
In January, even the hardy teenager will
hesitate to venture out into the swirling
black of a winter night. In June, the same
bird will esitate to venture in from the
balmy black of a summer night, where sex
is as palpable as the nose on his face, and
probably a better shape.
June is a time when the land is infested
with not only tent caterpillars and other
pests, but an even worse virulence of
creeps: politicians, with instant remedies
for age-old ills. I'll take a plague of tent
caterpillars any day.
June is also the time for another of the
institutions that tend to maltreat the in-
mates: marriage. Why anybody, of either
sex, wants to get hitched in sticky old,
sweaty old June, with all its concomitants,
I'll never know. But they do, and people go
around with vacuous looks talking about
June brides and such. (No offence to my
niece Lynn, who is getting married this
month. Boy, that'll cost me.)
June is a month when all the ridiculous
organizations with which we surround
ourselves have their last meeting before
the summer break. It's too hot. The turkeys
who always talk too much at meetings
seem to go insane because they'll have to
shut up for two months, and go on until
midnight.
June is a time when people go out of their
minds and buy boats and cottages and
holidays they can't afford and new cars for
the big trip and fancy barbecues that will
rust in the backyard all winter.
June is the month when I have to sweat in
a boiling building through my most un-
productive work as a teacher: counting
books, stacking books, ordering books,
fiddling marks, planning course outlines,
when I could be playing golf or drinking
beer or doing something worthwhile.
Lead on July, with some of that hot, dry
weather, some big, black bass, lots of fresh
vegetables out of the garden, and an end to
the vermin of June, human and otherwise.
Member, Ontario Weekly
Newspaper Association
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Thursday at P.O. Box 30;, Clinton, Ontario,
Canada, NOM ILO.
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Odds 'nends- by Elaine Townshend
Green thumb?
I wish all you flower lovers out there
could see my mother's African violets.
For as long as I can remember, violets of
all colours and sizes have brightened
Mom's house. They fill the window sills
in the kitchen and the tables and book-
cases in the hall. The ones that she
thinks "aren't as nice" are hidden in the
upstairs' bedrooms.
The colours vary from deep,purple to
mauve with two or three shades between
and from deep pink to pale pink to white.
Some flowers have double petals, while
others are single. Some petals have frilly
edges; the rest are smooth.
Some leaves are dark green with veins
that look almost purple. Their edges are
straight, and they stand atop stems that
are tall and strong. Others are a light
shade of green with almost im-
perceptible ribs. Their edges are
scalloped, and they curl around the top
of the flower pot. All the pots are
crowned with a mass of colour, and a few
are almost hidden with the leaves and
flowers hanging over their edges.
Many of the plants have bloomed for
years, but Mom always has young ones
coming along. When she thinks one kind
is beginning to look bedraggled or when
she wants to give a plant to a friend she
just snaps off a leaf, puts it in a jar filled
with water until roots appear and then
pops it into another pot. Soon new leaves
are thriving.
Although each plant goes through a
"rest period," there are lots to take its
place, and violets bloom in Mom's house
all year round. She must have at least 20
..plants flowering beautifully now. I wish
you could see them. If you don't see them
soon, it may be too late.
Mom and Dad are taking a well-
deserved vacation, and Mom. is leaving
me in charge of her violets. She didn't
entrust me with the job because of her
abounding faith in my green thumb. She
didn't have anyone else to turn to.
For the past month, she's been giving
me directions in the care of African
violets. She gives them fertilizer only
once in a while, and I probably won't
have to bother. She waters them every
.second day, but she conceded that every
third day would probably do. They
should be watered from the bottom not
the top: I will find, containers on the
cupboard in which I can save boiled
water.
"Using boiled water is the trick to
abundant bloom," she claims.
At least I don't have to worry about
making the mistake a fellow made last
winter. Three days after his mother left,
he dutifully went over to her house to
water her plants. Then he lowered the
thermostat and froze them.
What are the chances of Mom's
African violets surviving under my
care? Not good! I killed a cactus.
From our early files .
• • •
• • •
10 YEARS AGO
June 22, 1967
Hon. John Robarts,
Premier of Ontario; Hon.
George J. Mcllraith, Federal
Minister of Public Works and
R.B. Ingalls of the Special
Projects Branch of the
Centennial Commission,
simultaneously cut a red
ribbon in Clinton and District
Community Centre on
Wednesday afternoon to
officially open Clinton's
$225,000 Centennial project.
On Monday evening at the,
regular June meeting of
Clinton Branch 140 of the
, Royal Canadian Legion, Mrs.
J.M. (Margaret) Wood
became the first woman
member of the branch. Along
with her husband J.M. Wood
and three other RCAF men,
the group was initiated into
the Legion by past presidents
r'1-Iec Kingswell, Ed Porter
and Ed Dale and Cliff
Saundercock.
A slight decline in the total
population and at the same
time, an increase in the total
assessment of the county,
featured the report of County
Assessor A.A. Alexander to
Huron County Council in
Goderich last week.
Total population again has
dropped from 49,297 to 49,234
a decrease of 63 for the whole
county. These figures do not
include those living in
defence housing, hospitals or
institutions.
The .aver -all assessment
has increased by $979,250 in
the past year.
'25 YEARS AGO
June 26, 1952
Effective July 1, 1952, there
will be a change in ownership
and management of the
Clinton News -Record.
R.S. Atkey, who has been
editor and co -publisher of the
paper since September 17,
1945, when it was purchased
from G.E. Hall, has sold his
interest in the business to
F.M. and J.J. McEwan, and
they will carry on as partners
with A.L. Colqhoun, who has
been a partner since March 1,
1948.
Messrs. Colqhoun and
1VtcEwan have been residents
in Clinton since their
childhood, with the exception
of a period serving in Canada
and overseas during World
War II.
Sale1of the $310,000 school
debenture issue to a Toronto
investment firm was the
principal business tran-
sacted at a special meeting of
Clinton Town Council Monday
evening.
Council accepted the offer
to purchase all of the Town of
Clinton five percent serial
debentures maturing 1-20
years for purpose of
providing funds for new
public school as made by
Dominion Services Cor-
poration Ltd. June 23, at the
rate of 98.50 and accrued
interest, subject to conditions
set out in written offer.
50 YEARS AGO
June 30, 1927
Tomorrow we celebrate the
sixtieth anniversary of
Confederation, when young
and old will make merry in
their endeavor to show their
appreciation of the
achievements of the past and
their faith in the future of
Canada.
In conversation with Mr.
and Mrs. Robert 'Fitz-
simmons the other day, The
News-Recordlearned how
Minton cielebrited the first
Dominion Day. Mr. Fitz-
simmons, who was a youth,
said the town was gaily
decorated and a big com-
munity picnic was held on the
river flats,. the whole `town
nearly turning out: A large
platform was erected for
speakers but he didn't
remember who the speakers
were. "I wasn't much in-
terested in the speaking," he
said.
"There were other forms of
sport which amused me
more," There was dancing
too, for those who wished to
indulge. and of course, plenty
of good things to eat. "You
could get a community
together then," remarked
Mr. Fitzsimmons, "as they
didn't have cars to take the
people away."
Are you all ready for
tomorrow's festivities?
The Grand Parade com-•
mences at 9:30. If you are not
in it, be a spectator. "Twill be
a sight worth, seeing. The
committee would like to see
as many cars in this parade
as possible, decorated or
undecorated.
. At one o'clock the Public
School Children's Parade will
start from the school and
march to Recreation Park,
where the presentation of
medals will be made to all the
children taking part. Also at
,t -itis time the prizes given by
The News -Record for an
essay on "Canada" will be
presented to Mrs. Marion
Snell of No. 5, Hullett.
An address will also be
given by Mr. T.J. Hannigan,
president of the Chamber of
Commerce, Guelph, and this
will be followed by an af-
ternoon's sport, softball
games, races, etc.
75 YEARS AGO
June 27, 1902
The coronation proceedings
are indefinitely postponed.
His Majesty, the King, is
suffering from perityphlitis.
His condition last Saturday
was such that it was hoped
that he could go through the
ceremony. On Monday
evening a recurrence became
manifest, rendering a
surgical operation necessary.
The King's condition since
then may best be seen from
the following extracts taken
from the official bulletins:
Tuesday, 2:46 p.m. -
Operation successfully
performed. A large abscess
has been evacuated. The King
has borne the operation well
and is in a satisfactory
condition. 3:40 - King
progressing very satisfac-
torily. 6:00 - Progress
satisfactory; the King has
been much relieved by the
operation. 11:10 - His strength
is maintained, and his
Majesty has taken in a little
nourishment.
Wednesday 4:45 a.m. - The
King has enjoyed some
refreshing sleep. 8:30 a.m, -
His Majesty passed a good
night. There are no com-
plications. 6:30 - His Majesty
passed a fairly comfortable
day. His general strength is
well maintained.
Thursday, noon - The King
passed a comfortable. night.
He is cheerful. The wound is
doing well.
Perityphlitis is in-
flammation, including the
formation of an abscess of the
tissues around the veriform
appendix, and is hard to
distinguish at once from
appendicitis.
On Sunday evening about 10
o'clock the large belt in
connection ,with the electric
light plant, broke, leaving the
streets and many of the
residents in complete
darkness. . .The large arc
light in the town hall has been
replaced by a beautiful 40•
light chandelier, which is a
great improvement. It is not
only Much prettier, but will
distribute the light much
better.
Snow and sleet fell for a
short time on Sunday.
100 YEARS AGO
June 28, 1977
Last Thursday morning
Mr. Hugh McDonald, of
Tuckersmith, had a horse
killed by lightning. It was a
fine animal, being valued at
$150.
On Friday night' a severe
frost was experienced in this
neighbourhood, and on
Saturday, 'the lamentations
were "loud and long" but a
trifle premature. So far as we
can learn, the principal
damage inflicted was on the
potatoes, quite a number of
which were: blasted. It was
feared that fall wheat would
be injured, but from the many
inquiries made, we believe
such is not the case.
We would once more
remind our readers of the
celebration of Dominion Day,
to be held in this place on
Monday next, the
preparations for which are
extensive, the anticipations
great, and the arrangements
complete. Do not fail to come
to town on this occasion and
make it a point to be early, so
as to witness the processions
that are to form an important
feature of the day. ,
What you •
think
Help
Dear Editor:
This letter is to clarify fa
some points raised in your
article of June 23, "Volunteer
Bureau Needs Help."
There is no "board" of
directors as ,stated in your
article. Thi s is due to the lack
of active commitment the
part of the three committee
members who chose to take
responsibility for supervising
a summer student. There are
no plans at the present time to
register the organization as a
charitable association,
because there is no
association. There IS student
working out of the bureau
office under the Experience
'77 program. He will be able
to provide some direct ser-
vice to the community if the
committee members provide
adequate supervision.
As of Friday, June 17, there
was no more operating
money for the bureau. It will
be understood that the
summer student's salary is
paid ` directly by the
provincial government's
Experience '77 program to
employ students in the
summer months, and that
other costs necessary to the
student's employment must M
he provided 'by the agency
hiring the student. This
means that there is no money
available for such,.basics as
telephone, postage stamps,
transportation, stationery,
etc. It is therefore,.
unreasonable to expect the
student under such conditions
to provide even minimal
service to people in need.
Obviously the bureau cannot
meet or expand its original
obligations.
It takes time to develop any
viable community service,
and to establish community
awareness of it. Six months is
not long enough, and thwi
bureau in its present state
cannot possibly dem1onstrate
its effectiveness.
In studies done in 1972 and
1976, a volunteer bureau was
recommended for Huron
County. Certainly the need is
there - and greater than yet
known - but those persons and
groups who recommend a
bureau will have to put a lot'
more into it if they really„do
want one. The scope of their
concern will be easily '♦
measured if the Huron
Volunteer Bureau is allowed
to die for want of funding and
community support - and if
another study in two years
time still "recommends” the
establishment of a county
volunteer bureau.
Furthermore: when
established social service
agencies in the community*
begin to recognize the total
need of their clientele, and
the true value of a central
volunteer bureau, they may
consider budgeting as a co-
operative effort with the
bureau, for the provision of
these services.
Mary Ann Kowbuz M.S.W.
Reginald Thompson
Ex-to-ordinators, -/
Clinton
*
r
Parade change
Dear Editor:
Reference my previous
letter to you regarding the
Sesquicentennial Parade of
Goderich on July 9th.
We originally scheduled the
parade for 2 p.m. but owing to
the vast number of entries
(230 with over 2,100 people)
we have had to advance it to 1
p.m.
All entrants who have
submitted their entry forms
have been informed of the
change. This is to advise
those who planned to watch to
move their times forward one
hour.
h
Yours truly,
Patrick D. King,
Parade Marshal
Jubilee -3 Celebrations
Goderich, Ontario.
News -Record readers are
encouraged to express their
opinions in letters to the
editor, however, such opinions
do not necessarily represent
the opinions of the News -
Record.
Pseudonyms may be used
by letter writers, but no letter
will be published unless it can
be verified by phone.
If the doors to the world are
closed to you, a volunteer
could open them again. Call
the HURON VOLUNTEER
BUREAU at 482-3037, office t
hours.