Clinton News-Record, 1978-04-27, Page 4PAGE 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1978
What we think
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Lessons of the past
"History repeats itself" is one of the
best truisms ever written.
Again and again people seem to
forget the lessons of the past and fall
into the same traps all over again.
We're seeing that at present in the
farming industry with the problem of
soil erosion.
About a year ago a concerned
Londesboro man, Norman Alexander,
started getting a hearing for a long-
time concern of his that our farmland
was being swept down the river
systems to Lake Huron. He was like a
voice in the wilderness at the time and
was feeling pretty frustrated because
no one seemed to care, particularly in
government.
Today his plea seems to have been
heard because for the first time in
years, soil conservation is the topic of
meetings and seminars and magazine
and newspaper articles.
The big question is: how could we
ever forget about conservation in the
first place? As a school boy growing up
in Bruce county, this writer can
remember studying all about soil
conservation practices: about crop
rotation and contour plowing and such
techniques. That wasn't all that many
years ago but the lessons learned by
the past generations, the lessons
learned in the west during the dustbowl
years, etc. were still fresh in people's
minds.
But somehow, the lessons were
forgotten and we plunged ahead with
new kinds of farming that ignored our
knowledge of the fragility of the top
soil, the soil that keeps farmers in
business. Government was a major
offender, paying farmers to take out
old fence bottoms and enlarge their
fields and do other things that
promoted erosion problems.
But farmers shouldn't try to blame
all the problem on governments as it is
so comfortable to do. Farmers must
share the blame because in most cases
they grew up on the land and learned
lessons from their fathers but ignored
them.
Luckily thanks to the concern of men
like Norman Alexander the problems
have gotten a good deal of attention
before they reach crisis proportions
but we're still a long way from solving
them.
Some farmers resent the fact that
they may lose a bit of production by
conservation practices. They say they
can't afford to till less, to leave grass
waterways etc. That kind of argument
is enough to bring back the idea of the
farmer as a stupid hick. As Dr. Dick
Franks said recently, what good is it in
getting a few more bushels to the acre
now if it means you lose the top soil
that is your very means of existence?
The soil is the farmer's heritage. If
he doesn't protect it, it won't matter if
farm prices go up or down or the
government builds hydro corridors all
over the place because there will be
nothing left to grow on. There won't be
any farmers to protect. — from the
Rural Voice.
Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiley
Canada's birthday
If .you were broke and out of a job, and
deeply in debt, and, your family was
squabbling bitterly, and your house was
falling apart, and you had a fairly
meaningless birthday coming up, what
would you do?
Somehow, I rather doubt that you'd plan
a birthday party, to be financed on
borrowed money, and invite everybody.
That may be a little shaky in spots, but
it's a fair analogy to the government's plan
to spend 4.5 million dollars on Canada's
birthday this coming July 1st. –
The late C.D. Howe's famous bit of
arrogance in Pa"rliament, "What's a
million?" almost brought down the
government of the day. But at least he was
talking about something solid, a trans -
Canada pipeline.
But this present outfit in Ottawa is all set
to fork out four and a half million green-
backs for a BIRTHDAY PARTY. It fair
boggles the mind. Talk about Nero fiddling
while Rome burned!
w' -Unemployment is the highest since the
Depression. The Canadian dollar is the
lowest since the Depression. Inflation
merely stopped to take a deep breath
before zooming off again. Government
expenditures and the national debt in-
crease simultaneously and ominously.
Quebec has cut out from the rest of
Canada in every way except con-
stitutionally. The Maritime provinces are a
disaster area, economically. The prairie
provinces hate the East, and with reason.
Ontario can't understand why those greedy
Albertans want a fair price for their gas
and oil. B.C. looks with an alien eye at the
whole country east of the Rockies, and with
a flirtatious eye south of the border.
By all.means, then, let us have a birthday
party. And why not make it a decent ode?
Why not spend 4.5 million, which was
probably the gross national debt about 40
years ago?
After all, you can't take it with you, and
at the rate we're going, we're not long for
this world, as we know it, so why not blow
4.5 of the taxpayer's money? There's no
question about it: a birthday party may be
just the ticket to solve all the problems I've
mentioned.
It's a sure sign of becoming ancient but I
can't help remembering the July 1st
celebrations of my boyhood.
That, of course, was when the occasion
was known as Dominion Day, rather than
the July First Weekend, as it is now usually
called.
Man, they were simple times, looking
back. It wasn't the occasion for a mad
exodus to the beaches, with hundreds of
thousands of irritable, perspiring motorists
jamming the highways and polluting the
atmosphere. It might surprise you to know
that in those days the average worker
didn't have a car.
There were no rock concerts, no clashes
of cops and motor -cycle gangs, no massive
assaults on the beer and liquor stores the
day before.
It was just a nice summer day that
happened to be a holiday. For an adult, it
might be the beginning of his one or two
week vacation. For a kid, it was school out
and a feeling that the' holidays were
forever.
In the morning, you got up early, year-
ning to be out in that boundless, golden day.
Maybe you went fishing. If' you caught a
sucker, there was a certain party who
didn't give a diddle that sewage flowed into
the river, and would pay a nickel for it.
That was a real nickel, good for a bottle of
pop or an ice cream cone. If you caught a
pike, you had struck gold. It was good for a
dime, which translated into a movie, a
hamburger, or ten tailor-made Turrets, if
you were one of the delinquents who
smoked.
Abdut 11 a.m„ there was usually some
kind of ceremony down at the park, and
half the town was there. Town band with a
couple of rousing marches, windy speech
from the mayor extolling our fair land,
ceremonial planting of a tree or some such
exotic symbolism, God Save the King, and
home for dinner.
In those days, we didn't have lunch at
noon, we had dinner. Meat and taties and
the works.
In the afternoon, everyone went to the
ball game, or went swimming, or went for a
picnic, or went for a drive, or, among the
elderly, went to sleep for a couple of hours
on the old divan in the screened -in porch.
Suddenly it was suppertime. Pea soup,
green onions galore, home-made bread and
flagons of cold milk to wash down the
chocolate cake or rhubarb pie. Bingo! After
nine hours on the trail, you were born again
and ready for another five or six exciting
hours.
In the evening, there would be a street
dance or a combola with gambling games,
or at the very least, a band concert. Many a
life of married misery was begun strolling
around the park, arms around, while the
band played Strauss waltzes.
Bed time. Exhausted but too excited to
sleep. Clop -clop of hooves as farmer heads
home after the big day. Low voices drifting
up from the street as late-nighters ambled
home. Peace. Sleep.
That was how much it cost and how we
celebrated our national birthday day way -
back -when. Couldn't Trudeau and company
be satisfied to plant a tree, or even a
thousand trees?
Better still, how about planting Mr.
Trudeau? And -or Rene Levesque?
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"Say Ralph — do we take blood in payment?"
Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend
Thoughts of Spring '78
"How do you think of something to
write every week?" I'm often asked.
The answer is simple: I don't. When an
idea strikes, me. I jot it down. If I'm
lucky a column evolves in one sitting; if
not, I file it for future reference.
I try to stay at least one week ahead of
schedule to allow time for mailing.
Sometimes ideas flow and I write three
or four columns in. one week. Then I
don't have to write another column for a
few weeks and can gather fresh ideas.
Having three or four columns on hand
sounds extremely organized, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, it doesn't stay that way.
This week, for instance, I have no
column and no concrete ideas on which
to build.
I'd like to write something witty that
will tease your mind for days. Or I'd like
to compose . something of global
significance that you will refer to from
time to time. (Dreamer!)
What topics come to my mind? One
suhiect is the plummeting dollar, but
that won't cheer any Canadian.
I also think of the millions of wives in
Canada and the U.S. who have become
widows to their TV sets. Between hockey
playoffs and baseball openers, it's dif-
ficult to find other programs. Even if you
do find a good movie or variety show,
someone in the house will probably
admonish you with the cry, "It's the.
playoffs. I gotta see the game!"
To be honest, I admit I'm on the latter
side. In our family, my father and I are
known as hockey nuts and are outranked
only by my brother-in-law and niece who
are baseball freaks.
Another thought that comes to my
mind is mud - not the kind that may be
slung in the upcoming election, but the
kind that sucks our shoes into the ground
and mires our cars. We can station
ourselves at the door and order everyone
to remove their boots before coming in,
but somehow the mud still sneaks onto
our floors.
If mud is all we have to worry about,
though, we shouldn't complain. Flooding
has caused serious problems for home
owners and business proprietors in
many areas.
Experience* should teach me to avoid
the subject of weather. If I complain
about mud for example, sunshine may
be pouring over dry land by the time you
read this. But, like many people, I seem
to rely on the weather when I can't think
of anything else to talk about..
At least in Canada we have variety. As
one fellow mused, "What do people talk
about who live in places where the
weather never changes?"
Mud and floods, hockey and baseball,
election guessing and a faltering dollar
may not all be cheerful or extremely
important subjects but they are on 'the
minds of most Canadians in this spring
of 1978.
• Maybe next week I'll come up with a
brilliant, witty, gem of an idea - or the
next week or the next week...
From our early files .
5 YEARS AGO
April 26, 1973
Fairholme Dairy of Clinton has
ceased processing their own milk
and starting today (April 26) the
dairy will be handling the Maple
Lanefranchise for milk and dairy
products.
Gerry Holmes, of Fairholme
Dairy said the move became
necessary because of the high
costs of updating equipment in
the dairy. Two weeks ago the
Fairholme pasteurizer broke
down and lack of increased
business would not justify the
purchase of new equipment.
Members of the Bayfield's
Lions Club are calling their first
annual Bunny Bundle Canoe
Race a success despite hostile
weather and confusion among
entrants.
There were 17 entries in six
classes and despite wind and
rain, all managed to finish the 12
mile race.
Mr. and Mrs. Gregor
McGregor of Brucefield
celebrated their golden wedding
anniversary Saturday with a
reception held in Brucefield •
United Church attended by a
wide host of friends and neigh-
bors.
The new Bayfield Post Office is
nearing completion as workmen
ready the structure for the
bricklayers this week. The
building will be ready sometime
in May.
Dance at CHSS auditorium on
Friday, May 4, 9 till 12 p.m. to
Copper Penny.
10 YEARS AGO
April 25, 1968
At the rate of $100 a week,
Clinton's 160 six -month-old
parking meters are ticking away
the minutes.
Not only are the meters
bringing the town an extra $50
weekly revenue (the other half
goes to the manufacturer) but
they have solved the problem of
people using the main streets for
all day parking.
More than 100 artists and
people interested in painting
turned out for the annual show of
works of students in the high
school class at CHSS.
The course was initiated four
years ago and the teacher, Mrs.
Mabel Middleton, R. R. 2,
Bayfield, said about five from the
first year are still taking the
course.
April 20, Mr. and Mrs. George
Carter, Mullett Township,
celebrated their golden wedding
anniversary at the home of their
son, Glen Carter, Londesboro.
25 YEARS!'AGO
April 30, 1953
The 29th annual convention of
the Huron Presbytery YPU of the
United Church of Canada was
held in Wesley -Willis Church on
Tuesday evening, April 28; Clare
Vincent, president, from Lon-
desboro was in charge of all
sessions.
Charles Hanley, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Hervin Hanley, Clinton has
been awarded a National
Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.
This award makes him possible
one year at Oxford University,
England, where Charles has
already gained admittance to
Corpus Christi.
Today a new clothing store
opened in Clinton under the name
of Schaefer's Ladies' Wean. Not a
stranger to Clinton the owner of
this new business is George W.
Schaefer, Goderich, who was a
member of the famed 161st
Battalion that trained in Clinton
and fought in the First World
War.
The new ladies' wear store, of
which his son Bill will be
manager is in the location until
recently occupied by Pickett and
Campbell, just opposite the
theatre.
Playing at the Roxy Theatre in
Clinton for one whole week of fun,
"Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation."
The Kettles are off to Paris as
guests of their daughter-in-law's
parents. Here they become in-
volved in an international spy
ring. From there on things
happen fast. Forget your cares
and come along for an evening of
fun by Marjorie Main, Percy
Kilbridge and others.
50 YEARS AGO
April26, 1928
Buy goods, "Made in Clinton;
in Ontario; in Canada, in the
empire." So shall you bring
national prosperity.
This is Empire Shopping week,
are you asking for "Made -in -
Canada" or "Made -in -the -
Empire" goods?
Mr. Milton Wiltse has pur-
chased a new Chev. car and Mr.
Wilbur Notta Ford coupe.
The one play, "Are You a
Mason?" presented in the town
hall, Clinton on Tuesday evening
by Arthur Circle, Knox Church,
Goderich, under the auspices of
Ladies' Auxiliary of the Clinton
Presbyterian church, brought out
a good house and was voted a
success by those who attended.
The Hydro is not far away from
Bayfield now. Last week
members of the construction
commission staked out the
village.
Brucefield Chopping Mill will
run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays only, after May 5th,
until further notice, Cornish, and
Dalrymple.
I will be at the Hotel Blyth, on
Friday, April 27th aid at the
Graham House, Clinton, on
Saturday, April 28th to sell a
permanent cure for heaves in
horses. For particulars apply to
John H. Maurer, Paisley,
Ontario.
100 YEARS AGO
May 2, 1878
A number of items are going to
rounds of the press stating that
someone has made a quilt con-
taining a great many pieces, but
we beleive the palm must be
given to the family of Mr. John
Brunsdon of Londesboro. A
daughter of his person, not yet 15
years of age, has made a log
cabin quilt containing 4,067
pieces, exclusive of the lining and
binding and another quilt, con-
taining 1,570 pieces, most of
which are not one-half of an inch
square, was made by his
daughter before she was 10 years
old.
Mr. George Knox is the first to
introduce broad tires in this
place, he having had his bus
fitted with new wheels, having a
tire almost four inches wide.
Did any of our readers ever
experience the pleasure of
arising to sing a hymn in church
and then find that the choir had
got a wrong one and had to hunt
up another? If they have they will
know how the.congregation in a
certain Clinton church felt last
Sabbath.
Garden vegetables are already
being hawked around town.
There are 12 teachers em-
ployed in the schools of this town.
What place of 2,700 population
can say the same?
The attendance of children in
the eighth division of the school is
so numerous, at present, that
the teacher can scarcely do
justice to them all. It would be
well if parents would send the
least ones only part of the day.
There is a number at present
attending who are scarcely five
years of age, which makes the
school room appear ;tike a
mammoth nursery,
On Monday morning last, Miss
Marath Boyd was taken from
Blyth to the asylum in London.
She has been out of her mind for
six weeks, a freight is supposed to
have been the cause of it. Great
sympathy is felt for her, as she
was a very fine girl. We hope
before long she' will be back
amongst us well again.
W. J. Henry, blacksmith of
Chiselhurst, and Mr. G. Latta,
made a set of iron harrows with
12 belts and 60 teeth in eight
hours, out of straight iron bars.
Mr. Smyle, shoemaker of
Blyth, last week, "went away on
a visit." Several wholesale
merchants mourn his departure.
Mr. Paxman, plasterer, has alto
done likewise.
What you
think
unmmlu sionsiulIIuunlilivaiullm
Graditude
Dear Editor:
I wish to express my
gratitude to you for your
encouragement and advice
with regard to the article on
the teachers' strike.
The page was beautifully
set up and complete in every
detail. I feel you served tj}e
public well in the publication
of such a fine article.
Yours truly,
Irla Stewart,
Goderich
Trudeau danger
Dear Editor:
While those long-time
political cronies, Pierre
Trudeau and Rene Levesque,
shadow-box over "national
unity," the situation in
Canada becomes in-
creasingly dangerous.
Canadian editor Ron
Gostick has now published a
booklet, "Canada: The
Moment of Truth," exposing
the alliance between Messrs.
Trudeau and Levesque and
providing a fully documented
account of their ideological
backgrounds, methods and
objectives. Freedom -loving
Canadians who value their
future and that of their
children must read and
circulate this booklet.
"Canada: The Moment of
Truth" is available at $1 a
copy from: The Canadian
League of Rights, Box 130,
Flesherton, Ontario NOC
1E0.
Very truly yours,
Malcolm Patterson
Tusket, Nova Scotia.
Last word
Dear Editor:
Well, I concede that you,
like Ann Landers, get a
tremendous personal
satisfaction out of having the
last word.
I would, however, like to
clear up one thing and that is
that any mistakes in spelling,
etc. which appear in my
correspondence as it appears
in your paper are the fault of
your paper's staff ONLY.
I am sufficiently literate to
know that the term "per
cent" is spelled just exactly
that way: as two words, not
one, as you would have it. It is
an abbreviation of the Latin
"per centum" and means
"by, in, or for one hundred" ;
the two Latin components are
"per" ("through") and
"centum" ("a hundred").
I'll overlook your changes
in my punctuation -- I guess I
should confine myself to basic
things like uncomplicated
periods.
I wonder how many people
caught the error in the titles
over the letters to the editor
last week? Tsk, tsk. You
should consider simplifying
things for yourselves; the
more complex the task, the
greater the chance for error.
As for your editorial on
functional illiteracy: let him
who is without sin among you
cast etc. etc.
R. J. Thompson
Clinton
Editor's Note: We don't
normally like to have the last
word, Reg, but per cent (or
percent) can be spelled either
way, depending on which
dictionary you consult.
aton blasts Riddell over Bill
Bob Eaton, MPP (P.C.,
Middlesex), Parliamentary
assistant to the minister of
consumer and commercial
relations, today released a
critique of recent activities
by the Liberal party's
agricultural critic, Jack
Riddell. In his statement, Mr.
Eaton said.
"There has been much in
the news recently concerning
Bill 70, the new Occupational
Health and Safety Act. This
Act was designed to bring
together a number of existing
pieces of legislation which
covered occupational health
and safety in some industries,
and the construction and
mining trades. It is a major,
piece of legislation and one of
the most progressive in North .
America.
"The Bill was designed to
cover industry, construction,
mining and logging but was
not designed to cover every
work situation in the
province. Other groups would
eventually come under health
and safety legislation and to
this end the Minister of
Labour, the Hon. Bette
Stephenson, had made a
commitment to a number of
groups, employers and
employees, that she would
work with them closely. The
aim of this consultation would
be to bring them under the
Act by regulation which they
together agreed would be
appropriate and workable.
"However, during the
Committee stage of this
legislation, the combined
Liberal -NDP Opposition
moved to include everyone
working in the province under
the Act. Of course a great
many people can see the
impossibility of such ex-
panded coverage, par-
ticularly for such sectors as
agriculture.
"The Liberal party, after'
helping the NDP put through
the amendment, are now
proposing a further amen-
dment which would exclude
only agriculture. Jack Rid-
dell, the Liberal agriculture
critic, has gone around
saying that the NDP and the
Conservatives won't support
his amendment and are
causing agriculture to come
, under the Bill.
"While I as an agriculturist
recognize that we in
agriculture could not operate
under the proposed
legislation, I know that there
are many other industries
that cannot either until
suitable regulations can be
worked out with the Minister
of Labour.
"To play games with the
interest of agriculture by
pretending that he is the one
trying to get agriculture
exempted is completely
irresponsible on Mr. Riddell's
part. It was his party who
voted for the inclusion of
agriculture - and others - for
whom the 13111 was not
designed.
"This is a case where
agricultural interests should
unite with other sectors to
apply pressure to the Liberal
opposition and not take the
attitude that agriculture
along should be exempt from
the Bill. The Liberal inep-
titude should be seen for what
it is."
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