The Wingham Advance-Times, 1974-11-21, Page 4•••• :• • s`:::',•••.4.. ••••"'' :\s'z•••••••' • •
Where will all this end?
Relation, between Canada and the
United States have run along so tranquilly
for fh* past century and a half that the rest of
the world has marvelled. The thousands of
miles of undefended border lying between
the Iwo countries hs been an eighth wonder
Of a warring world. Proof against all the
military pressures of the past, that border
takes on ugly dimensions under the weight of
economic inflation.
Most Canadians were dismayed at the
weekend to learn that the President himself
would place the seal of approval on an
American ban on the import of Canadian
beef and pork. In .additithM) the four -legged
beasts, chickens and eggs are also threat-
ened with expulsion.
Quite frankly, we see no reason for sur-
prise on this side of the line. The Americans
are simply doing what we have been doing
for some time. American agricultural pro-
ducts have been allowed into Canada under
strict limitations for some time. Unfortu-
nately, a parallel action across the border is
immediately branded as "retaliation". Per-
haps Americans prefer to call it self-protec-
tion.
To separate the truth from the fiction,
the facts from the fancies in today's agricul-
tural scene would take someone much
smarter than folks like us. The apparent
combination of surpluses tied to record retail
prices; financial losses for farmers and
baloney diets for average wage earners is
beyond the comprehension of the average
guy who only wants to make ends meet.
One factor, however, is obvious to even
•:•'<••;.•
the simple-minded the two countries have
embarked on a childish game of "you hit Me
first, so NI bit you back". And it is a 94M0
that can have no profitable outcome for
either side,
.The economic fate of both Canada and
the United States can never in the foresee-
able future be broken down into two inde-
pendent parts. We are all of one piece es far
as our economies are concerned and there
will be no winners in an import-export war.
If retaliation is to be the watchword of
relations between the two countries the bat
-
tie could go on forever. The States has
capital funds badly needed here (despite all
you may have heard tocthe contrary). The
Americans have business know-how that has
and will continue to prove highly beneficial
to Canada. The Americans have invested bit -
lions in space and defense programs to gain
experience in fields which are vital to our
well-being.
Canada has resources which are equally
necessary to the U.S. oil, minerals, timber,
nuclear energy developments — and above
all else, water. From time to time we even
manage to ship them some good people, such
as teachers, brewers and actors.
On a couple of occasions the Americans
decided to acquire our potential wealth of
opportunity by force. They failed to make us
the fourteenth colony and in 1812-14 lost a
second try — but better judgment prevailed
and they decided we could be valuable as
allies. Surely a temporary hassle over a few
thousand pounds of hamburg steak should
not set us back 150 years?
Ontario has a problem
It must have been a sickening blow to the
government of Ontario to learn that an in-
veStment'of $1.3 billion has just gone down
the drain. The controversial monorail proj-
ect in which the Davis administration placed
so much hope, has blown most of its fuses
with the downfall of the German corporation
which was building the prototype. Ontario
was repaid some of its investment by the
foreign firm but is stuck. with a very ex-
penSIVe property in Munich and a semi-fin-
iShed development in Toronto's CNE
grounds. , •
• • -
•
.,Give the government credit for imagina-
tion at least. The heavy Investment was au-
Thorledtq allbut Buck R.
Ontario into a transportation
*Yeltim *was" es in con
aeptioatied magrOialevitation. ttaiOterit;
would have employed cars suspended on
oVerhead,single tracks, operating without
.drivers and controlled by computers. Such a
means of travel is the dream of all transpor-
tation engineers but it is now obvious that the
inventOrs.— and the investors — were ahead
of their time.
The goverflrnenrs dilemma is accentu-
ated by :the fact that the Davis government
was elected on a promise to abandon, the
Spadina Expressway a project which was
backed by Mr. Davis` predecessor. And the
iateSt word from Queen's Park is that the
expressway will not revived, despite the
galling fact that the right-of-way for that
transit corridor cuts through hundreds of
valuable Toronto properties and lies use-
lestly growing weeds as a reminder of gov-
ernment folly.
Mr. Davis' contention that another ex-
pressway would only add to already over-
crowded conditions in downtown Toronto is
valid .— but the German monorail would
have done exactly the -same in numbers of
• people, though without the further conges-
tion of motor vehicles.
The common sense solution, but also the
one no politician has the courage to support,
would be a legal limitation of the growth of
the city itself. Toronto is already too big
from every aspect — economic and social.
• Its very size has fostered a thousand new
problems and a whole new range of criminal
elements.
We sympathise with farmers and plan-
ners who priiteSted-gb stebribly ffktrOct.ion
g Airei towersOod f 1 '18 '1' id'.
fIYthey arlettiVing lard,
g.. . "e un:
checked growth of our cities on prime agri-
cultural land eats up more food -producing
soil in a day than Hydro could usurp in a
year. If you are in doubt, take a look at one of
the neW signs along the highway north of the
City of Waterloo. It announces yet another
industrial park, occupying how many acres
we do not •ow — but we do know those farm
lands are among the most productive in
Canada.
Many authorities contend that our laws
provide no means of dictating where- new
homes and industries can be erected. That is
a lot of ballyhoo. If a zoning bylaw can force
a Wingham property owner to erect only
those structures which are in the best public
interest the same thing can be done in a
modern city.
Let's put the emphasis where it belongs.
English is our language
Arecent meeting Of 300 high school and
college English teachers brought out some
pretty harsh criticisms of the language skills
possessed by the average high school gradu-
ate. Several of the teachers complained that
Ontario secondary school students are often
"literate cripples, barely capable of filling
out a job application form".
Malcolm Kay of Fanshawe College said,
"Large 'numbers of communications casual-
ties. are discovered in their first year in col-
lege. By the time they reach us they are on
the verge of being terminal."
Judith O'Shea, who heads the remedial
English prograM at the University of West-
ern Ontario, told the meeting that language
skills among some students and even faculty
members are so bad as to be unbelievable.
The teachers place the blame for the
situation on the ministry of education which,
five years ago, eliminated English as a man-
datory cr ' it for high school students.
It is un ikely that high school teachers
would whol i eartedly agree with the college
teachers' assessment of this basic lack of
communications skills, but in our own
experience as an employers of those who de-
pend on the use of English for their living,
and who therefore must be presumed to have
given language special priority, the college
teachers.are right. Nor would we limit our
observation to high school students. Elemen-
tary schools, in many cases, are graduating
students who can neither spell adequately
nor construct a basic English sentence cor-
rectly.
Concepts in education have gone through
some drastic changes in the past 25 years. In
many circles "memory work" has become a
dirty phrase. Consequently spelling, and
even mathematical tables were downgraded
—and youngsters were bereft of the essential
tools of the learning process. It is now appar-
ent that these disciplines must be learned
early in life, for students are too busy in the
secondary school grades fo go back to the
humdrum of memorization.
Although the field of human knowledge
has broadened miraculously in the past
decade or two, and despite the fact that
today's students will be required to know a
great deal more than their parents, there
will never be a time in history when society
can function without an accurate and under-
standable means of communicating
thoughts. And that is what the study of
language is all about.
THE WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES
Published at Wingham, ()Marjo, by Wsngor Bros. 1.1initid
Parry Wenger, President . Robert 0. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
Member — Canadian Community Newspapers Assoc.
Subscription $10.00 per year. Six months $5.25
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Assoc.
To United States $12.50
,Second Plass Mall Registration No. 0821 Return postage guaranteed
INNISFIREE
William Butler Yeates, opt of.
Ireland's greatest lyric wets,
sang of the joys of the Lake Me of
Innisfree:
I will arise ancl go now an4 po. to
Innisfree
And a log abin build there of
clay and wattles made.
Nine bean rows will 1 have there
and a hive for the honey bee
And live alone in the bee loud
glade. '
Now it seems that the peace of
Innisfree.has proven too peaceful
and unproductive for its youngest
inhabitants. For news has lust
reached us that the last young
plan is departing from thishaven
of peace on the edge of the broad
Atlantic Ocean. -
His name is Charles O'Donnell,
21 -year-old, who is setting sail for
a life on the mainland.
Once a hundred idents lived
there on this Irish -speaking is-
land. Once too the cottages rang
with the sound of children's
laughter, and the beat of the
Ceilidh bands. But the laughter of
children is heard no more. And
the beat of the bands is stilled.
Today six men and four woinen
are all that remain — and their
average age is over 70 years.
They have been born there.
They intend to die there. They are
determined to stick it out to the
end on ,their almost deserted is-
land without shops or electricity,
water mains or roads. They will
go on living as their ancestors liv-
ed before them. Fishing for lob-
sters in homemade boats. Tend-
ing their bean rows. • And living
alone in the bee loud glade.
The one thing that depresses
them — a bit — is the thought of
sickness. But if and when that
eventuality genies they'll simply
light a beacon to summon help
from three Mile" away on the
Donegal coast.
Meantime they will live in
peace till they rest in peace.
Any takers for the quiet life?
RETURN OF THE
WAIMEA VISITORS
Time was when the Northern
Irish seaside resorts werepacked
with summer visitors. Portrtisil
and Bangor, Ballycastle (County
Antrim) and Newcastle (County
Down) were once favourite
"wateriniplaces" forour friends
from overseas. But due to the re-
cent "troubles" overseas visitors
have been changing the "Costa
del Northern Ireland" for the
Costa del Sol,.
However this year rip roaring
inflation has meant that many
holiday makers from the British
mainland have been holidaying
nearer home — rediscovering the
delights of their own homeland.
It's a strange irony that while
British tourists -have been content
this year to tour their own towns
and villages, continental tourists
from many European countries
like Holland, France and West
Germany have been enjoying the
English, Welsh and- Scottish
countryside 7- much to the de-
light of hate' proprietors and sea-
side landladies.
Northern Ireland too has bene-
fited from this inflationary spin-
off. Stay-at-home holiday makers
have been encouraged to redis-
cover Ulster throughout the sea-
son. And increasing numbers of
British visitors, particularly
from Scotland, have been coming
over. Tourist centres, have re-
ported increased booking along
the North Antrim coast.
Our visitors seem to think that
if 1 millions continue to live
here despite the troubles then the
A
trublescan'tbeasbadu the
news media havemade them..
Meantime all kinds ol. au
Pologista, sociologists, psychot,
, and the rest have come to
examine the situation. In depth",
Standing and staring like child-
ren gazing 1440 a goldfish bowl.
How la it, they're asking, that
despite the disruption of the loft
five Years Northern Ireland's in-
dustry is booming, production is
rising at a faster rate than the
rest of the United Kingdpm„and
the program of home, hoepital
and highvtiky building is ac-
celerating? Somebody, •they
reckon, must have faith in the fu-
ture of this wee province.
As a famous Scottish minister,
Rev. Norman S. Boyd Scott, said
durh% a recent tour, "The pre-
sent developments in Ulster must
be seen to be believed. Many a
time I could have wished that I
had with me some of the people
who keep knocking Ulster, just to
show them what industrious,
friendly people the Ulster folk
really are."
—Miss Lydia Greenwood of Mi-
ami, Florida, is visiting her 'sis-
ter; Mrs. Stafford Bateson, for a
week.
—Mr. and Mrs. Keith Finnigan
of London and Mr. and Mrs. Lynn
Finnigan and family of Bay
Ridges visited on the weekend
with Mr. and Mrs. John Finnigan.
—Mr. and Mrs. Lee Simpell of
California have taken over
ownership. of Finnigan's Grocery
Store formerly owned by Mr. and
Mrs. John Finnigan. Mrs. Sim-
pell is a sister of Scott Reid of
town. ,
TODAY CHILD
BY HELEN ALLEN
You can tell from the expression that Dick is an imp. At nine
lm is lively and miachievous and tnost engaging.
Anglo-Saxon in background, Dick is a husky youngster with
brown heir and hazel eyes. His health is excellent. He is '
somewhat shy on meeting strangers but soon becomes his
uninhibited self. With people he knows, he is lovable and al- •
fectionate,
Because he is hyperactive and excitable, school has been hard
for Diek, as it is for any child who finds it difficult to stay put. He
lain Grade Four.
, Dick 10'05 the outdoors. His 'foster family camps regularly
"and Dick has become an enthusiast. He likes any kind of
energetic game, especially hockey but is fond of musiciand has
started to play the guitar,
'Dick needs young, energetic parents who will enjoy his
liveliness and give him love, stimulation and control,. .
To inquire about adopting, Dick, please write to Today's Child,
Ministry of Community and Social Services, Box 888, Station K,
Toronto M4P 2112. For general adoption information, consult
your local Children's Aid Society.
0
NOVEMBER 1927
Jerry Brydges has purchased
the cottage in the village of Bel -
grave, .which was owned by Miss
Fanny McCrae.
Douglas Campbell, son of
Councillor W. F. Campbell of
East Wawanosh, who was suc-
cessful in the judging contest held
at Clinton, is in Toronto as a guest
of the governinent at the Royal
Winter Fair.
Wing- ham's' broadcasting. sta-
tion is making quite a popular hit
with many in a radius,of 35 miles
of the town. The last two Sunday
afternoons from 25 to 35 phone
messages came in with com-
plimentary messages.
0-0-0
NOVEMBER 1939
The Wingham Ski Club plans a
big season and elected officers at
its inaugural meeting. George
Mason is president and Mrs. Ola
Colborne is vice-president. Har-
old Mitchell is secretary and
treasurer is Carl McKay.
For a pair of injured kneecaps
resulting from a fall on a God-
erich shiewallt, Mrs. Ida Barbour
of Goderich, formerly of Wing -
ham, will collect $3,000 and costs
from the town of Goderich.
It would. now appear that the
dread disease, rabies, is under
control in this district. The 'last
case in Wingham was October 20.
A large audience sat in rapt at-
tention as they listened to the
.well-known authoress; L. M.
Montgomery, in St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church. The writer
of "Anne of Green Gables" is the
wife of a Presbyterian minister,
Rev. Ewan MacDonald of Tor-
onto.
•
Mr. Birges of the Northern
Electric Ctimpany, is this week
installing in the Fordwich central
office a new switchboard, said to
lbe thimost modern of its kind. It
•is of the magneto switch type.
FM. Samii has disposed of the
Creamery business in Brussels to
Roy Cousins of Bradford who
takes possession November 25.
Adolf Hitler escaped death by a
few minutes in an explosion that
wrecked the famous Buerger -
bran, beer cellar in Munich after
he had completed a fighting war
speech.
• Wilson James -Thornton, Mel-
ville Mothers, Earl"Hamilton, R.
J: Forrest, W. J. Peacock and
George 0. Thornton were elected
officeri, of the Bluevale L.O.L.
No, 766.
Local artist, Mrs. (Dr.) T. L.
Torrance has been successful in
having a water color study;
"Woods in Autumn", accepted by'
the Royal Canadian Academy for
the annual exhibition held at
Montreal.
• 0-0-0
NOVEMBER 1949
The Ontario Department of
Health is establishing a hospital
for the treatment of alcoholics at
Erindale. This can be regarded
as an acknowledgement that the
liquor situation has worsened
under the Government's Liquor
Control Act.
During the month of October,
there were 107 admissions and 24
births at the Wingham General
Hospital. Forty-nine out-patients
were treated and there were 54
operations. and 156 x-rays.
The officers of iluron Chapter
No. 89, Order of the Easter Star,
were installed. They are Mrs. T.
R. Henderson, Murray Taylor,
Mrs. W. C. Murray, Mrs. T. A.
MIK RN,C1O1H1t tVt TOIRMIP, NT Wt TO MIT MESS% WM Tit titCBS1115, 113 Ulf Mg!
Currie and Mrs, W. C. Adams.
The Industrial Arts and 'Crafts
instructors of the London District
met at R. Vogan's shop in the
Wingham High School. Mr. Vo-,
gan was named president of the '10
grollp.
Howick Ladies' Auxiliary No.
307 held its meeting in Gorrie
with Mrs. McCann, Mrs. Reg
Pacey, Mrs. George Dane, Mrs.
Hockridge and Mrs. Jack Wilson
named officers.
One of tlehnore's pioneer resi-
dents, in the person of Miss Min-
nie Jeffray, passed away in the,"
Wingham General Hospital. 7.
M. L. 'Tory' Gregg oi Wingham
was elected president of the On-
tario Minor Hockey Association
at its meeting held in Wingham.
Other officers include Glen John-
ston of Fordwich, Miss.Jean Ter-
vit and Alf Lockridge of Wing -
ham.
The interior furnishings of the
former United Church at Orange.
Hill, near Gorrie, were sent by
truck to a church. at Minnow
Lake, an appointment of the
Creighton Mines-, Church, of
which Rev. Walter Horsburg has
been minister.
0-0-0
NOVEMBER 1960
The Wingham District High
School football team, the Mus-
tangs, won the W.O.S.S.A. Senior
'B' football championship' when
they defeated Kingsville to OA
tune of 57-7 for the title. The Mus-
tangs won all their games in the
North Huron group when they
came up against teams from
Goderich, Clinton and Seaforth.
Matt Boyd, a local hydro line-
man, has been appointed sales
and service representative for
Ontario Hydro in the Wingham
area.
Robert Higgins, Glen Coultes
and James Coultes of the Ontario
Agricultural College, Guelph,
placed second in the livestock
judging teams. They are all from
the Whitechurch area.
It has been announced that
Brock Davis of Drayton will be
the new federal returning officer,
replacing Arthur Wilson of Wing -
ham. The latter has held the post
for several years. Mr. Davis will
be in charge of the conduct of
elections in the federal con-
stituency of Wellington -Huron of
which Wingham, Turnberry and
Howick are a part.
Robert Elschner was elected
Worthy Master of the Gerrie
Orange Lodge. Other officers are
John Strong,.T. L. McInnes, J. G.
Underwood, Harry King and
Ross King.
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