Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-03-04, Page 4i PAGE 4—GODERICH SIGNAL STA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1%1 . BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1979 Second class mail registration number -0716 SINCE 1848 THE NEWSPORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT founded In 10s: and published every Wednesday at Ooderich. Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OWNA. Adver- tlslns rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance' 17.30 In Canada, '35.00 to W.S.A.• '33.00 to all other coun. ",cies, single copies S. Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Cord No. le effective tabor 1. PAW. . Second class mail Registration Number e71o1. Advertising Os accepted on the condition that In the event of typographical error. the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item. together with reasonable allowance for signature. will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be poid for at the ap- plicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a vtrong price. goods or service may not be sold. Advertisingis merely `n offer to sell. and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signoi-Stor Is not rasponslble for the lou or damage of Unsolicited monvacrlpts, photos or other .r %viols used for reproducing pur- poses. PUBLISHED BY: SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED ROBERT G. SHRIER. - President and: Publisher DONALD M. HUBICK - Advertising Manager DAVID SYKES - Editor P.O. BOX 220. INDUSTRIAL PARI G HUCKINS ST. GODERICH N7A 4136 a. FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 The system has changed How can you keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paris? That's the gist of a Huron County Board of Education dilemma that has the; potential to develop into a major confrontation affecting hundreds of students, teachers, ratepayers, board members and administrative per-. sonnel who simply are not communicating well enough to avoid bitterness and misunderstanding. Tom_ put it_OAn!yi tho Enron County „ad ational system.. is in a grim financial bind. Some things have to change drastically and swiftly if ratepayers are to avoid the penalty of education tax bills in 1981 that are out of sight in relation to last ysaar. . Stated another way, any extra education dollars that are spent on anything from now on will have to be collected directly and completely from the pockets of Huron County residents. That's 100 percent. Ministry.oducation-grants are petering out..The-thrust of education in thepublic schools in changing again. There , is just no additional ministry funding for the wide variety of programs until now offered in some Huron schools. Unless .curriculums are. changed to meet ministry financial guidelines and unless costs can be contained, Huron County people are going to have to dig much deeper than in past years for the money to pay for their ex- travagant expectations. Extravagant eapertlans have been programmed into' people over manylong years of affluence. They've come to believe they are entitled to an ever- expanding smorgasbord of educational goodies at an ever- constan price. They've _learned to insist on what they think are their rights without any serious long-range consideration of the- compounded affects on the public purse. Recent graduates have comeup through a system that was far_sweeinuto.the, rsteaa-tliciic parents remember: - Now they want their children to have something better or at least equal to what they experienced as students. • " Today's pupils are quick to protest any threats. to what they consider to be their rightful demands. Why not? That's what they've been taught through word and deed by their elders. And through it all, the Huron County Board of Education has remained aloof and aloft. They failed to communicate to the people the dangers they saw.. They stubbornly refused to develop a solid rapport with the people of Huron. Now when the board desperately needs the un- derstanding and co-operation., of • the average citiien, board members are being met with bitter resistence and deep-seated resentment. The stage is set for even more ugliness as upcoming ministry directives threaten to take their toll on a misinformed populace. Trustee Eugene Frayne lamented at Monday's board --__-mea g-that_the_people af.Hu_ran Cou_naydonliu derstand-_r. the "obstacles" faced by today's board. How could they" understand? What effort has the board made to explain • those obstacles to the people? There was some indication at the close of. Monday's sessions that the board may now be ready to examine ways to communicate more effectively with the people of Huron County. ' It is not too late. It is never too late for some straight, discussion;Tet S-liope someone -from the H ran County Board of Educatiop takes the initiative to open the lines of •communication before much more time has elapsed: Hats off toGDCI Hats off this week to John Stringer; principal of Goderich District Collegiate Institute, Bill Murdie, vice , principal at GDCI and the teaching staff. While all other high schools in the county suffered ' course cutbacks this week, GDCI emerged unmolested by .,1 ��, a board'.s.surgicalteam. T e.reason?- . GDCI was cited as having a "core curriculum". .According to board officials, staff there has had an ef- fective ongoing policy of eliminating courses that had low enrollment. In fact, it was pointed out at the board of education's meeting that GDCI has never offered the wide course selection some schools in the county have enjoyed. Looks like plain ,good management at GDCI which deserves the commendation of taxpayers in this part of Huron -SJK A little restraint please If there is a particular word or phrase that would ar- ticulately sum up attitudes of the 80s, restraint could be a prime candidate. Never before has man been urged to exercise restraints in all areas of living. Restraintsi are placed on the con- sumption of certain foods and additives. -Everyone_is urged- to -exercise restraint -in Me use of eiergyancl fuels. And-there-appearsto be much 'agency to practice restraint within the family budget. The government advocates it and that message is passed on down the line. Everyone must cut back. Spend less, eat less, use less electricity, use less gas, use lessoil and live less. - Considering several socio-economic factors, unem- ployment and inflation for instance, restraint is more of a way of life than a pious resolution. Many are forced to live a life of restraint without option. Perhaps it would help it there were some leadership•in this respect from the federal governrnent. A good exam- ple as it were. However the government often preaches of standards it cannot maintain itself. Last week Canadians learned that government spending would exceed $67 billion in the next Prince Charming has finally found his Sleeping Beauty. With a kiss on the cheek and a rock on the finger, he shall transform her from a pretty little schoolteacher into a elegant Queen How nice for them. How nice for the Empire, which is going to stand up and sing Hail Britannia until the wedding is all over and then sit back down and complain about the Leafs, or do whatever it is they do when not talking about royalty. Do I sound a trifle cynical? Well, maybe I am a little miffed but that is just because Prince Charles did not choose moi to be the one to, help him into his sword in the mor- ning. I've always had a healthy fascination for royalty and would do nearly anything to get the inside track on the whole darned bunch of them. Not because I'rn a monarchist or anything, but for the reason that this lowly commoner has never truly believed that the wearers of blue and gold are real live human beings. • Now come on. Be honest. You never year. It represents an increase of 13 per cent over the $59.5 billion spent in the fiscal year ending March 31. Much of the increase will go to pay astronomical in- terest charges on the public debt but there was also a major increase in military spending. Treasury Board President Donald PhrsL frsvai that despite the-- ease-, the -figures show a definite com- mitment to restraint on the part of the government. Last year government spending increased by 13.2 per cent compared to the 12.8 per cent forecast for 1981-82. John- ston said the increases will be d wn to 10.1 per cent in two years. But in essence there is little ifference between the numbers. A 13 per cent increase in spending this year is just about equivalent to 10 per cent in a few years. As the spending numbers increase a slight decrease in per- • centage will not alter things drastically. It's the debt that is causing problems as interest charges mount. This year Canadians will pay $12.8 billion on the public debt or 19 cents on every dollar spent. It's a vicious circle that Canadians will be chasing for years. Perhaps a little restraint would work D.S. believed that either did you? I thought not. But you know, I've studied pictures of their highnesses and haven't been able to figure out where they hide their wind-up keys. (All except for Prince Edward. One never sees pictures of Prince Edward. I wonder what's wrong with him?) One "of my favorite things to db is to imagine the magestic ones performing everyday acts of humanness. I mean, can you imagine: Queen Elizabeth II going to the bathroom? Prince Philip saying, "Who stole my un- derwear?" Anyone calling the Prince of Wales by the name of Chuckle? A member of the royal family rinsing out a pair of sweat socks? Prince Philip going on Hollywood Squares or doing an Alpo commercial? Break up EAF� READEm BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER . • Winter holidays are my very favorite holidays. I simply love to. get out of the cold of Huron County and into the' sun of some southern climewhere every day is at least warrri if not sunny Winter holidays give me a lift. They take me out of the doldrums of a blah Southwestern Ontario February and give me a new outlook that carries •methrough until the firsPspring robin appears on my -porch But this winter holiday was just about the greatest thing that happened to me in modern memory .Everything about it - even the bad parts - were just super. • , . Maybe you've seen an advertisemeet_-pour paper this winter for a place called' Indian River Plantation on Hutchison Island in Florida. Well, I took that ad to heart and booked into the resort for one week of sheerdelight. Tryit. You'll like it. Maybe it was because the weather was perfect. It was. From the moment of arrival to the final departing seconds, the sun shone •brightly on my vacation. Temperatures hovered between 75 and 80 (what's that in Celsius?) during the days with the nights a little.chilliet'°but still very pleasant. Maybe it was because the accommodations at the resort were exceptional. They were. A fully equipped, beautifully decorated, absolutely sparkling clean. apartment with a view of the ocean. So luxurious. Maybe it was because the people at the resort ',were so helpful. They were. Cheery message takers, patient guides, easy-going maids, cheerful diningroom 'staff and conscientious security men catered to my every whim. So pampered. Maybe it was because the resort itself was so ' excellently planned: It is-:-The--res swimming, golf and tennis on site for those who indulge in such things. Butfor less aggressive holidayers like I am, there is plenty of beauty to see from a bicycle that is easily and conveniently rented at the resort. There is ample opportunity for nature hiking within minutes of the complex itself along with miles of deserted .beaches to comb and to stroll. So ex hilerating. Teacher responds to charges Dear Editor: Over the past year or so, I have reviewed a tremendous amount of material regar- ding the teaching .of evolu- tion and creation in the school. The last two issues of the Signal -Star have carried one-sided arguments against evolution -and have promp- ted me to respond. The issue that stands out most—in my -mind - as an educator is the ignorance and biason both sides of the argument. Being a biologist, I do tend to be supportive of the evolution theory, BUT, and let me repeat, BUT, I do not force the theory down students' throats as sug- gested by Minaker in his comparison to Hitler's Nazism. As an educator, my objec- tive is to present all theories on my topic. It is interesting to note how the creationists remain so extremely bias in their opinions, failing to recognize any miler thews other than that stated in the Bible. . Of further interest is the 'fairy tale' comparison to evolution, failing to recognize that the Bible was written a number, of years after Christ was on the planet Earth...the 'once upon a time' ..idea seems equally applicable to the Bi- ble. And why is it that there are- so -many versions of that great book? - To claim that ev lution has not occurred is 'almost blinding. Docreationists really believe that we look the same as we did say 5,000 years ago? And what about the increased milk and egg production and crop yields as a direct result of the evolutionary process? And how do ,you account for ,the new viral and bacterial diseases? The creation school of thought fails to recognize one very important aspect in Prinee Edward bugging his mom at break- fast breakfast to get a perinission slip signed so he can go with his class to see the Tower of London? Queen E. lounging about the palace in jeans, sneakers, sweatshirt,"and crown? Prince Andrew cutting the lawn? Prince Philip shouting from the front door of the palace, "Honey, do you have any money to pay the paper boy?" 71 Prince Edward chanting, "Charles and Dianna slttin' in a tree, kay eye es es eye en gee. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Dianna with a baby carriage," when the Prince of Wales brings his betrothed home to dinner? Princess Anne calling up her mother in the middle of the afternoon to discuss what had just happened on The Edge of Night? Prince Philip going out for a beer with the boys from work? (Does he have a job? He probably only drinks cognac with the boys. I don't even know how to pronounce that. ) Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and her family, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward sitting around the living room at night fighting over who gets the conch and what channel they are going to watch? Really, I find this whole concept rather mind-boggling. Lady Dianna Spencer does not know what she's getting herself into. How would you like going through' married life wondering what the heck your last name was? And she is also going to have to practice waving. Her Magesty is going to retire to needlepoint and gardening soon, and Dianna will simply have to fill that crown and crinoline. - What a pity. the education of their children and that is that the course in which evolution is most appropriately taught is Biology - a discipline of Science ( which creationists even challenge in its in- vestigative technique) which has as its backbone, or 'Bi- ble' so to say, Darwinian evolution. The place of crea- tion theory in Biology is only as a comparitive idea, just -as -those : of spontaneous generation and' cosmozoan are. Students wishing to be educated in religion should enter such courses or attend church service. The push to have equal time for creation in a Biology course is totally ridiculous - just as the teaching of evolution would be in church. One final question - How much time is spent during a church se%mon on Darwi- nian evolution theory? If you want equal time, how about equal time both ways? Dave R. Cloet By Cath Wooden Maybe it was because the food at the resort was so good. It is. There's a strawberry and, onion salad that Would tempt a gourmet. A fresh pineapple with sour cream dip that is sinfully. delicious. A selection of main courses, all of which are reasonably priced,, elegantly served and as tasty as homemade. And a champagne breakfast on Sunday morning that sounded exceptional but just didn't fit into my plans. Or it could have been because the nearest town, Stuart; Florida, has some very nice- shopping districts along with a whole bunch of rntriguing places that welcomed.browsers like me. There was one yogurt spot that served a fruity 'concoction. that was addictive. There was a big scoop: of frozen yogurton the_bottom,_smothered in fresh pineapple, strawberries, oranges and bananas, topped off with another scoop of yogurt and laden withhazelnuts and coconut. Ambrosia. There was a Japanese restaurant that invited guests to wander through its Oriental gardens on the banks of the Lucie Inlet, or choose an authentic Japanese gift from a tiny boutique nearby. Like a trip abroad. There was a German haus that had a sour meat specialty that would turn the head of any Duet- schlander. And there were a bevy of Bavarian desserts like the chocolate cream nut pie I sam- pled that would bust the britches of any robust lad. There was a Hawaiian restaurant closeby that featured a popular -priced 'luncheon along with a free - that's right, free -• fashion show. Models simply wound their way among the diners and frequently stopped to talk about the clothes they wore or to discuss prices and sizes with anyone who was interested. And there was a friendly little hut by the Indian River where for $6.95 you could feast from a smorgasbord of homemade soup, homemade bread, complete salad bar, hot table offering five different hot meats, three vegetables plus potatoes, flair .tidbits plus hushpuppies and a nightly _Italian dish AND a fantastic build -your-. own -dessert bar with pecan pie, lime pie, ack Forest caltte, sundry otheer cakes and pies, fresh fruits with the specialty being milk chocolate tart - shells and a variety of yummy cream fillings and whipped cream to stuff inside. All you could possibly eat and more with coffee or tea included. Wow! Does it sound to you like I didn't do much else - but eat and sleep on my holiday? You're dead right and I loved every minute of it. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way a vacation should be - minimum hustle and bustle, maximum rest and relaxation: - And a wonderful place to do it is Hutchison Island and more specifically Indian River Plan- tation. It does pay to read the advertising in your Local newspaper.