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Clinton News-Record, 1978-05-18, Page 4PAGE CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1978 What we think Good and evil in life Don't stop now, concerned parents, you've only started. The three novels that you want to take off the English courses in Huron's high schools are only a small selection of the "filth" that is studied in schools today. Not only are these pieces of modern literature filled with the realities of life but in order to hide it from the young adult students Shakespeare, Chaucer, Mazo de la Roche, Joseph Conrad, Margaret Atwood, and many many others must also be banned, in order that the minds of our hi&school students aren't corrupted and any sexual references or scenes don't arouse any erotic behtaviour. Have you ever read Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra, that's quite a tale? Shakespeare's writing leaves a lot to the imagination. Or how about the Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the story of a young man who unknowingly falls in love with his mother. There's more, take history books for example. The tortures that were used on the Jews during World War I I, the study of Fascism, Natzism and Communism, these too are realities and it seems that the concerned parents want to protect their children from such truths of life. Perhaps fairy tales should also be looked into. To think that Snow White lived with seven little men, or the wolf wanted to eat innocent Red Riding Hood. The Emperor walked around the streets of his domain before his public with no clothes on or a woman went to a witch so she could bear a tiny child named Thumbelina. Now these may not be realities, but such stories must play on the vivid imaginations of youngsters. As for the senior students, especially those in Year 5 the concerned parents can at least keep things under the hat for at least one year, and let them study a world of escapism instead. Maybe Harlequin Romances could be introduced to the English courses. After all once they enter college or university their eyes will be opened with such novels as A Clockwork Orange, Lady Chatterly's Lover, Billy Liar, The Canterbury Tales, Beautiful Losers, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, They Shall Inherit the Earth and countless others. Once away from parental super- vision the young adults are allowed to freely study and discuss depraved, perverted unfortunate characters in novels, what they do, why they do it and solutions to their problems. Not only in classes but on the streets and through the media the students are aware of happenings and Sites that are seldom openly seen in small towns. The prostitutes, winos begging you for a drink, the homosexuals, the shoplifters and, the purse snatchers, they're all there in front of your eyes. Does all of this sound somewhat exaggerated and illogical, that, for instance, fairy tales should be banned and students should be thrown into the world of reality at the age of 19 instead of 18? Well, hopefully it does because this in essence is what the so called concerned parents and those pro -book banners are aiming at. Three novels won't protect their children from life as it really is and by banning them the only thing that will be gained is a stab at censorship not a protective cloak from life. For life is what it is and it is better that young people see it with both eyes and minds wide open. Through this the teenage generation will see the good and evil that exists and by seeing both sides of life they will be able to intelligently 'choose the best route for their own lives. By realizing that there are morbid, unhappy, tragic realties in life the good that exists will be much more appreciated and valued. From our early files . • • • • • • 5 YEARS AGO May 17,1973 In a surprise move by Clinton Council last Monday night. Council ordered Clerk Cam Proctor to get keys for them for the town office. Apparently the dispute centres around who should have access to the clerk's office after hours. The action taken by council follows weeks of backroom arguing after Clerk Proctor decided that the clerk's office should be locked after hours and no one other than him allowed admittance. Clinton and area young people are busy this week collecting pledges and sponsors for this weekend's Bowling Marathon being held at the Clinton Crown Lanes. Proceeds from the Marathon will go to the Bunny Bundle to help Crippled Children. The new Marcon Ready Mix plant on the Bayfield Road is nearly installed and could be in production by the first of next week. The plant will employ four men initially. but president Jim Connolly hopes to build a cement block plant next year in the nine acre site and could employ another dozen men. One hundred and ten of' the 180 members of Local 682, Inter- national Chemical Workers met on Sunday and voted unanimously to take strike action against DOMTAR Chemicals' Sifto Salt mine at Goderich. No work stoppage is expetted however before May 22. 10 YEARS AGO May 16, 1968 Maitland Edgar, a 39 year old high school teacher from Clinton had both arms raised in vic- torious salute after being chosen Liberal Party standard-bearer Monday night. The federal government election June 25 will be the second in which he has represented Huron Liberals. The four unsuccessful nominees were Charles Thomas of Walton, Goderich Mayor Dr. Frank Mills, Rev. John C. Boyne of Exeter and' Dr. Archie Currie of Parkhill. Students of Huron Centennial will plant a total of 2,000 trees on a two acre area behind the school this afternoon. The reforestation project, mainly the work of the school's forestry club, involves_ the planting of 1,800 coniferous trees and another 400 deciduous. The club got the saplings from the Department of Lands and Forests through a grant from the board of education. A public school principal who has administered the education of thousands of young children, C.A. Trott, Clinton, will retire June 28 after 35 years in the teaching profession. Mr. Trott has served as prin- cipal of the A.M. Hugh Campbell Public School, CFB Clinton since 1950. OXFAM walkers marched from McKay Hall to Bayfield and back again on Saturday. The more than 300 students and some adults earned about $6,000 from sponsors for the 25 mile walk. About 80 per cent completed the walk while two women, Mrs. William Sallows, 80 and Mrs. Charles Whitely, 77. made it halfway. 25 YEARS AGO May 21, 1953 Letter from advertiser: "Last week I lost my gold watch which I value very highly. Immediately I inserted an ad in your lost -and - found column and waited. Today I went home and found the watch in the pocket of another suit. God bless your newspaper." A delightful presentation was made in Ball and Mutch furniture store on Friday afternoon, May 15, when the firm presented 18 girl graduates of Clinton District Colleciate Institute with a miniature cedar chest. Following the presentation the girls were entertained at Bar- tliff's. Special supplement to this week's Clinton News -Record, the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. By Command of The Queen, the Earl Marshall is directed to invite Mr. John Hanna to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 2nd day of June 1953. John Hanna, Wingham, MLA for Huron -Bruce received the above invitation to be present in Westminister Abbey on June 2 when Queen lizabeth II is crowned. Clinton Public School Board meeting Thursday night, engaged Miss Winnie Gray, Millbank and Mrs. Norma Dixon, Goderich as teachers on the staff with duties to commence in September. They will replace Miss Mary Shelton, Ingersoll and Mrs. Audrey Middleton, Clinton who recently resigned. Monster Frolic, June 2, Princess of Huron County chosen at 9 p.m. Street Dance, Legion draw at 11 p.m. 50 YEARS AGO May 24, 1932 Cars with American license plates are beginning to be seen quite frequently. We are going to press several hours earlier this week in order that we may celebrate the 24th, even as others, so if we have missed any news items, it is probably the reason. The marriage was solemnized in St. Paul's Church, Clinton on Monday May 21st of Julia Alice Bartliff (Jewel), daughter of Mrs. Bartliff and the late Charles H. Bartliff, Clinton, to Harold A. Steven. B. Sc. of Toronto. The bride, who was given away by her brother. Mr. Harry Bartliff, wore her travelling suit, a navy blue ensemble and fox fur, with hat and shqes in matching tones: She carried a white prayer book with a shower of lilies of the valley. Only immediate relatives, of the bride and groom were present. Mr. and Mrs. Steven left for a The Clinton News -Record Is pubnshad each Thursday at P.O. lou H. Clinton. Ontario. • Canada, NNM Member. Ontario weekly Newspaper Association N Is registered as second dans mall by the post office under the permit .amber 5517. The Haws-tecord incorporated In 1524 the Huron Mews -*.cord, founded In 1511. and The Clinton Hew Era, founded In 1552. Total press run 3,255. Clinton Ne\vs-Reco1( 1 iA Conumuntty Newspaper Asaodafon Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for • tete Card Ne. • affective Oct. 1. 1177. • General Manager - J. Howmd Aitken Editor - lames E. 5ttzgarald Advertising Director - Gary L. Heist Neenreditor • Shelley Mdulw. Office Manager - Margret Gibb Orovfation - Freda Mcleod Accounting - Marlen Willson Subscription tare: Canada - •i3 per year U.S.A.-. '17.55' • Other . `2•.55 Middle-of-the-road hog What you think. - Who are you Ladies of Kingsbridge? Dear Editor: Who on earth are the Ladies of Kingsbridge who have been complaining that the youth of Huron are being corrupted by the schools, and who have panicked the County Council and Murray- Gaunt with a letter -writing campaign? Kingsbridge, so far as I have been able to tell, consists of one church and one residence on Highway 21 about 12 miles north of Goderich - nothing motor trip through Adriondacks and Maine to Saint John N.B., where they will spend the sail - mer. The Hydro shop is being painted and redecorated. Messrs. J.E. and Chas. Cook have the contract. 75 YEARS AGO May 21,1903 Mr. W.R. Lough was the first student of the Clinton Collegiate Institute to take the first class certificate. Subsequently he was a member of the teaching staff for a year, but resigned to accept the principalship of the Model school. That was 19 years ago since which 540 students have passed through the Model. in the last nine years every student, 215 in all, has teen successful at the final exams. This speaks well for the thoroughness of the in- struction imparted by the principal. A despatch from Winnipeg says that the rush of young im- migrants has been so great that it is becoming difficult to secure them all employment. Of course in harvest season they will be all absorbed but in the meantime the young man wanting work is better off in Ontario. A McKillop farmer recently went to Toronto and secured ten English immigrants who have been engaged by the farmers in his section at ten dollars per month. Workmen in Auburn are busy clearing away the ruins of the burned mill. Mr. Cullis says he will start at once to put up a building for chopping purposes_ Local market report: wheat, 70 cents; oats, 27 cents; bran $16: flour, $2; shorts, 518; hogs, 55.70 to $5.75. On Friday. Miss Anna Routledge. Holmesville. who has been sick for some time, passed to Eternal rest. 100 YEARS AGO May 23, 1878 On Thursday night last, some one, for a joke took the trouble of putting a wheelbarrow on top of Cantelon's carriage shop. Messrs. Grassick and Cun- ningham have introduced a handsome soda water fountain. Counterfeit four dollar bills on the "Dominion Bank" are in circulation. Our readers should be on the look out for them. It is estimated that at the present time the three bakers in Clinton manufacture and dispose of the large number of 1.400 loaves of bread weekly. They supply neighbouring villages. --Now that the wool season is approaching, farmers should bear in mind that nowhere else can they get their carding done to better advantage than at the Clinton Woollen Mills. The machinery is all of the most improved kind and the proprietor being a practical and thoroughly reliable man. the public can depend on having their work well done. more. The ladies must be a few of the women from the local farming community. Maybe the ladies should publish their names, or at least let us know how many they are. A dozen? Half a dozen. Two? Mr_ Editor, I believe you should publish the words the Ladies are complaining of from Catcher in the Rye and Of Mice and Men in order that your readers can make. a judgement_ I have sanitized the words by removing their vowels_ Here are the bad words, as selected by the Ladies of Kingsbridge, from Catcher in the Rye: g-dd-m, wh-re, h -ll, d-mn. That's the list! From Of Mice and Men: J -s -s Chr-st, b-st-rd, d-mn, G- d Alm-ghty, and cat -house_ The compaints against The Diviners concern rude sexual terms and description of sexual activity. The term "for God Sake" and other such terms with religious reference are listed. I don't find the sexual stuff at all shocking. I heard it all from my fellow students in public school many years ago. So did practically everyone else. Indeed, I think most of us learn our cussing vocabulary before we learn to read- I find it a bit revolting though, to think of the grown up Ladies of Kingsbridge, combing books for dirty passages, writing them down, showing them to each other, and then mailing out two hundred copies. Should we take these anonymous ladies seriously when they say: "These books and our schools are teaching, are molding the lives of our youth in the ways of filth, of vulgarity, of pornography, lewd and obscene; and worst of all and unforgiveable, spitting in the face of God. If we are to save our country from going down to destruction, we must save our youth..." Are the anonymous ladies not being fanatical? They are saying that our country is so fragile that it can be destroyed by the printing of naughty words that everyone knows, everyone hears, and many people use habitually. What nonsense! Sincerely Gerald Fremlin, Clinton Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiley April is lousy month Poet T.S. Eliot once wrote: "April is the cruelest month." I don't know about that — November is no slouch in this country. when it comes to cruelty — but April is certainly no bargain around here. It's a SORT OF ZILCH MONTH. All the other months have some character. except aforesaid November. They're either something to make you look forward with anticipation, backward with relief. or to just plain enjoy. May is golf and fishing and grass greening and flowers blooming_ June is the first heat wave, lilac scent, mosquitoes. and summer just ahead. July and August are summer in all its glory. hot dogs. swimming, camping. baseball, trips, summer theatre, family reunions. cot- taging. September is a glorious month, usually. Warm enough, everybody getting back into the groove. new schoolmates, new in- terests, new friends, new follies to commit oneself to. October is great; sharp air. fresh produce, golden sun. football, magnificent foliage, Thanksgiving weekend. Let's skip ruddy November. But December is exciting with fresh snow. Christmas with all its ramifications. holidays coming up. families getting together. January and February are brutal but challenging. We're right into the curling and skiing. the daily battle to stay alive. and the knowledge that once we're over the hump. about Feb. 20, the worst lies behind. Even rotten March has its com- pensations: Easter. worst of the winter over, March break, and only one or two more snowstorms to survive. Then comes cruddy April. There's nothing to do out of doors. Curling and skiing are finished, and it's too early for golf and fishing. Nothing to do outside except catch a cold in that frigid wind blowing off the ice in the bay. It's a dirty month. There's salt and sand and mud on the streets to be tracked into the house. It's a pain in the arm for housewives. That lousy yellow sun' peers insolently through the windows, illuminating dirty panes, smeared wallpaper, spots on the rug, stains on the chairs, and well -fingered woodwork, none of which showed up in the dear dark days of winter. The home -maker's heart sinks. Male homeowners are just plain em- barrassed as the snow imperceptibly melts, revealing all manner of junk on front and back lawn. This year I watched with growing dismay the surfacing of four daily papers, in their yellow plastic wrappers on the front lawn, where some turkey lfid bad thrown them when there was four feet of snow on said area. Then up crept one disgusting item after another. Lawnmower peeping first its head, then rusty body out of the snow, a reminder of how I was caught short again last November by the first fall. Picnic chairs, lurching out of the shrinking drifts, like a couple of old winos, decrepit, falling apart, disgusting. Fragments of Christmas tree, swept up, minced and thrown all over the lawn by the snowplow in early January. A stack of newspapers, put out with the garbage in February, picked up by that same monster during a blizzard, chewed up and hurled into three -pound lumps all over the place, each solidly frozen into the ice, salt, and sand. Last fall's oak leaves, caught on the ground by the first snowstorm, about three inches thick, looking about as appetizing as the meat in a particularly repellent shepherd's pie. April is also a rough month on teachers. If the sun is shining, however feebly, students gasp wildly, pretend they're dying of heat, throw all the classroom windows wide to the 40 -degree breeze that spells bronchial pneumonia to the less hot- blooded pedant. For university students about to graduate, April is hellish. Final exams loom like the Furies of old, and all the procrastination begins to catch up. And these days, 90 percent of them are quite convinced they won't get a job, on graduation. Speaking of nothing to do outside, as I was away back there, there is'nothing to do inside either. Unless you watch to watch large, young, sweaty, overpaid athletes smash each other into the boards as the pro hockey playoffs and wend their way wearily towards the finals. This year, April was worse .than usual, with a thousand windbags expelling their contents into the air about an upcoming election. Suddenly, all sorts of people who couldn't care less whether you got ingrown toenails or fell into a cess -pool, began showing great friendliness and sincerity, a genuine concern about your point of view and how you would vote. And I think the month of April is pretty well brought to its climax by the income tax return, due on the last day of that miserable month. I always feel that I've been beaten, raped, and left naked by the side of the road, when that ordeal is over. It doesn't cheer me up much to look around and see all the people diddling the unemployment insurance, all the former students, now fairly affluent, who never paid back their student loans. Looking back, all I can say is that April is Awful. Thank goodness for May. Not to mention Pearly, Ruby and Mabel. What you think Unfit novels Dear Editor: John Steinbeck, J.D. Salinger, Margaret Laurence, are all representative, as well as justly respected, writers of the twentieth century. The novels mentioned in last week's letters -to -the -editor - Pride and Prejudice, David Copperfield, etc. - are representative novels of the twentieth century. It is important not to confuse the nineteenth century's stan- dards of what was accept* in literature, with the s dards of all previous cen- turies and all great writers. Before the Victorian Age, writers in English made full and often very witty use of the speech that has always been a part of real life (e.g. the porters in Macbeth, the nurse in Romeo and Juliet, the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales.) Shakespeare and Chaucer and Fielding and Sterne did not avoid sex as a literary subject, and of course some of the greatest -erotic stories in our literature comes from the Old Testament. Homer, Aristophanes, Chauce Shakespeare, Robert Bur Byron, Voltaire: are all thes as well as the best of con- temporary writers to be judged unfit for the protected youth of Huron County? Crime and Punishment, which is quite rightfully cited as a great novel, deals with a bloody premeditated murder. Does it not seem strange that murder, a rather undesirable and unnatural activity, is seen as a fit subject, while sex, which is necessary and quite widespread, is not? Sincerely, Alice Munro Clinton Spring walks Dear Editor: This a very special time of year for walking along our roads and in our woods. One of our favourite roads is what I call the Ban- nockburn sideroad in Stanley Township along the Con- servation Area. Last Sunday there were trilliums, marsh marigolds, jack-in-the-pulpit, May ap- ples, wild ginger, wild bleeding heart, violets, leeks and a pair of Blackburnian "fire throat" warblers_ We rejoiced in this area so near our town that has all these wild flowers. Then as we came close to an area we knew to have an excellent patch of hepaticas, there was the unmistakable stench of dead, animal. Upon closer investigation a petrified carcass of a large pig was visible from the east side of the road. It has not been there long. Someone knew about that pig. Someone is guilty of desecrating our countryside. How could they do this? Where is dead stock removal - if not, at least bury the beast. There are many countries where such a practice would not be tolerated. What are the possibilities of disease? Also is there a group of people interested in our vironment, willing to take big truck and gather the ti cans and bottles that litter that particular roadside? Sincerely, Mildred McAdam. Neighbors Dear Editor: In these fast paced times, much has been written, concerning how neighbours no longer associate with one another. I would, at this time, V' like to give praise to my neighbours and to all others concerned, aboutthe un- fortunate mishap in Vanastrr on Monday. My special thanks go out to the Clinton Fire Department for such quick response and to two Seaforth ambulance drivers who responded so well to a badly burned victim. Mr. Felix Reid, whose family arrived in Vanastra only a week ago, wanted me to express their feeling and in doing so say thanks per- sonally to a number of people. One man in particular, Mr. Don Noble, who entered a smoke filled house to rescue two children, one who was badly burned and admitted to Clinton Public Hospital. To Mrs. Hoskins, Mrs. Dixon and to all their neighbours, the Reids give their sincere thanks. Sincerely, Lawrence Reid t.