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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-06-01, Page 1G 135 YEAR—22 1 v--1 STA GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1,1983 50 CENTS I'ir7l COPY Principal reties after 31 years at GDCI By D. Kloeze The end of this school year marks the end of an era at Goderich and District Collegiate Institute. The school principal, John Stringer, will be completing his final year at GDCI, after 31 years in Goderich. It will be quite a difference for the school, and for Mr. Stringer. He came to the school in 1952, the same year the present building on South Street was opened. At the time there were only around 20 teachers on staff, and he acted as both a history and English teacher. Stringer was only eight years at GDCI when he became head of the history department in 1960. Five years later he became principal at the school. Stringer's own education was received at Queen's University in Kingston. He was born in a small town east of Kingston called Lansdowne, and he went to high school in Trenton. He joined the navy immediately after grade 13, and spent two years in the North Atlantic on.. convoy duty during the second world war.. After the war, heawent to Queen's, and then to the Ontario College of Education in Toronto where he received his teacher's certificate. During the 1960's, Stringer returned to the University of Toronto to study for his masters of education. Stringer got his first teaching position at GDCI, and he has been at the . schoolever since. It is unusual for a teacher or administrator to spend such a long time at dne school, and as a result, Stringer has become well-known in the Goderich 1 community. As a principal, Stringer did find his job more administrative work. He was in charge of the staff, the curriculum, and all other ad- ministrution... According to Stringer, "The roleof a principal is to try tb maintain a good staff morale. And the main role of any 'executive is to try to com- municate well." Establishing good com- munications with the teachers was an important part of his job. Stringer also tried to keep some contact with the students. "I missed the classroom," he says. "As principal you don't get to know as many students!' He has closely supervised the courses offered in the school, and is proud of the balanced curriculuin. The students have a choice of .vocational, arts, phys ed or music options, as well as the basic required courses. Stringer is also "a great believer in ex- tracurricular programs." He says, "It's there a student gets the chance to lead and mature." Activities in sports, drama and music in recent weeks show that the extracurricular programs are working to their full benefit. Stringer has enjoyed his years, in Goderich, years which happened to be important ones for education. The 1960's were characterized by tremendous ,growth in the schools, and the , 970's Stringer feels that "a principal's role is a role for a young man." That is why be is retiring now, • , at 57. "I could stay on for a good rnany years, but I Stringer plans to remain in Goderich, and to stayactive in the 'community. He is a member of Knox Presbyterian Church, and a past -president of the Lion's club. He also belongs to the Legion, .and is on the executive of the navy's veteran organization. • "Retirement is going to be a challenge," he admits. He will have a lot of time to practise up on his golf game, play some bridge, or maybe catch up on some of his reading. Stringer says he will miss his work, though. He will miss especially the "optimism of students, and of youth. They keep one yqwrig, and theY age on e at times." John Stringer by adjustment to this growth, and stabilization. Stringer attributes the successes his work may have achieved in Goderich to two main factors. "I was fortunate that education had a high priority in the province," he says. As well, the parents, and the community as a whole, are "very positive and supportive of education, and that is absolutely necessary." But there are a lot of changes that are coming in education. The future -years will be characterized by declining enrolment, and lower education budgets: Stringer"thinks''the plans to''eliniinate., grade 13 will also have a big impact on education, because schools will lose the leadership and stability that the older students provide. Town asks Ministr to delay project PUC needs time to build up reserve Town of Goderich officials will ask the Ministry of Environment to delay funding of the $1.1 million expansion of the water treatment and distribution facilities when they meet with ministry officials in Toronto Thursday. The eight members of the joint council -PUC committee will meet -with ministry officials Thursday to determine if the ministl is willing to defer the project until 1984, giving the town adequate time, to straighten out its finances. The projected cost of updating and expanding the water distribution system i $2 million. The town's share of the cost is $1.1 million while the ministry chips in with $900,000 or 46•per cent of the total. The town made application to the ministry for the grant last fall and the oin committee was to have worked out the financing details in the meantime. Recently the ministry approved the $900,000 grant allowing the municipalitysbcweeks to respond or lose the funding. The municipality needs time, however, to build up reserve funds to finance the project or face heavy debt charges. At a special meeting 'tuesday, the committee agreed it could finance the project if the starting date was moved to April 1984 with a completion date in 1987. Iathe meantime, the committee would raise the bulk of the town's share of the costs by Imposing an additional $2 per month fee on the regular monthly water bill. Utility customers already pay $1 month on their regular monthly bills for expansion reserve which totals $37,000 annually. However, at that- rate, the town would have to borrow between $600,000 and $700,000 to finance the project which would result in yearly payments exceeding $10 ,000. If the town took out a 700000 debenture Rye :_payback .5 Million $ � $1 -` .`in principal end interest; :.adminiSttator "Larry' ivicCabe said. The alternative, the ,committee. believes, is to ask each customer for 'an $2 per month which would raise $111,000 annually. With interest, McCabe estimated the town would'bave'$650-,000 in the bank by the end of 1985 if the $2 surcharge was in effect next month. Despite the increased monthly charge, which will be pro -rated for metered customers, the town would still have to borrow $300,000 or less to complete the expansion project. That money, McCabe said could be borrowed internally with Ontario Municipal Board approval at a fixed rate of interest. The reserve fund would look after the payments. The ministry had wanted the town to proceed this year and expend a certain amount of money before April 1983. Town engineer Burns Ross explained that the ministry does not release any of its committed funds until the contract is awarded. "The issue has been studied to death and the need (for expansion and automation) is there by ministry standards," he said. "The town should go to the ministry with a proposal, tell them what you want to do and ask if it can bedone." If the ministry agrees to delay the 'start of the project until next year, the committee will ask council to endorse the $2 monthly increase on the water bills. Councillor Don Wheeler of the committee said the $2 monthly fee would be a saving compared to debenture costs. "If we didn't increase the monthly bill and borrowed for the project it would cost the taxpayer $6-$7 monthly in the end," he said. "We must tell each householder. what this means to them. If we are going to spend $1.1 million they must have some tangible benefits. We will have to tell them it will improve the water situation in summer and theyy may not have to live with restrictions or controls:"J a' Herb Murphy. said the �nnmitteeshoW d. pregeati the; publte Witti 'a i plete pacltage;< ail itflmg itie costs and benefits. He suggested the town could not facilitate a water -using industry with its present pumping, storage and distribution system. Fire' call� to be answered by police dispatchers The Goderich Police Commission has approved a request from the Goderich Fire Department to have the police dispatchers answer fire calls and relay these calls in a prescribed form. Police Chief Pat "King will co-ordinate the mechanics of the new system with Fire Chief Bill Beacom. The police commission has stipulated that the initial hook-up costs for a telephone connecting the police department to the fire department should be absorbed by the fire department with future funding still to be decided. The commission has also stipulated that once the new system is in order, the police dispatchers within the system will be the only ones to answer fire calls. Task forceto meet here June 8th An Ontario Liberal task force studying problems confronting rural municipalities was to have opened hearings in Goderich Wednesday, June 1. However, due to changes in the legislative schedule and thebeginning of estimates at Queen's Park, the task force meting has been postponed until Wed- nesday, June 8. The meeting will still take place in the council chambers on West Street beginning at 10 a.m. The task force, formed by Liberal leader David Peterson to address the socio-economic needs of Ontario's rural municipalities, is headed by John Eakins, the Liberal MPP for Victoria-Haliburton. Eakins said he hopes the task force can uncover ways in which the Ontario Government can help rural municipalities survive the recession and recover. The task force will hold a series of meetings across the province and its members include; Herb Epp, Waterloo North; Jack Riddell, Iluron-Middlesex; Gordon Miller, Haldimand-Norfolk: Robert McKessock, Grey and Earl McEwen, Frontenac Addington. The task force has invited various municipal representatives, service groups, boards and com-t. missions and 'civic leaders to make presentations during the day -long session. Time will also be aside at the end of the day to entertain presentations from any interested citizens. Separate board buys three buses The Huron -Perth Separate School Board met on May 24 and dealt briefly with the following: The tender of McNab Bus Sales in Ingersoll was ac- cepted for the purchase of three school busses at a total cost $69,490 including provincial sales tax. Two of the school busses, a 48 and a 54 -seater will be for St. Mary's separate school in Hesson and a 60 -passenger bus will go to St. Boniface in Zurich. Resignations from four teachers were accepted, all effective Aug. 31. The teachers are Sister Audrey Dummouchelle,' principal at St. Michael's in Strat- ford; Jim Nigh of Sacred Heart • in Wingham, Carmella Marione of. St. Michael's in Stratford and es of Our d Mount el in l;m'e t ,CRf!t Y_ of 'INSIDE THE Symposium participants SIGNAL -STAR tour Goderich salt mine Seventy-nine people representing the salt industry in 21 different countries were in Goderich on Satur- day to tour the Domtar salt mine, development laboratory and evaporator plant. The tour group was part of the sixth International Symposium on Salt held at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto from May 24-28. The symposium was sponsored by the Salt Institute, 'Solution Mining Seventy-nine people representing the salt industry in 21 different countries toured the Domtar salt mine, development laboratory and evaporator plant here on Saturday as part of the sixth International Sym- posium on Spltbeld in Toronto May 24-28. Chatting together before the noon luncheon at the Bedford Hotel are, left to right, local mine manager Jack Brady, Goderich mayor Eileen Palmer, Yasuji Shundo of Japan, Miguel Vianna of Brazil, Nigel Sutherland of South Afriea, Vasubiko Nozaki of Japan and Gunguk Tuneer of Turkey. ( Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Research Institute and the Northern Ohio Geological Society. This was the first time forthe symposium to be held in Canada and the second time ever outside the United States. The first symposium was held in Cleveland in 1961. In 1978, the symposium was held in Germany. Particippa�nts at this year's symposium were given the opportiu►ity to review improvements in mining technology as 135 papers were presented on geology, dry mining, solution mining and environment. The tour of Goderich's mining facilities on Saturday also included a noonluncheon at the Bed- ford Hotel. Mayor Eileen Palmer brought greetings from the town at this time.. . • Mine manager Jack Brady said that during the tour, he received many favorable comments on operations here. Police receive five per cent raise The 1983 police contract has been settled with a five per cent raise according to provincial guidelines outlined in Bill 179. ' This means that the two sergeants-on•the•loeahfi►rce- are now each earning $28,720.59 and the rest of the force, all first class constables, are each earning $27,404.74. Police Chief Pat King, whose contract is negotiated separately with the town, is earning $34,934.64. The police dispatchers are earning $16,093.54. The chief dispatcher earns $19,523.89. Town council has approved the 1983 police budget of $437,136. The police communications system budget for this year is $133,557. This budget is shared by the five towns in the county. Kippen man heads Lung Association A Kippen man will head the Huron -Perth Lung Association for the coming year. Michael Connolly steps up from his position as vice- president to take over the , president's chair from Wiliam Leney of Stratford. Mr. Connolly took over the position at the association's annual meeting held in Stratford on May 25. biker members of the executive council include vice-president, David Wall of Stratford; financial ad- visor, Mark Hipkins of Stratford; medical advisors, Dr. D. J. Thompson and Dr. David Tamblyn; com- munity services, Edith Brothers of Stratford, Ellen Doyle of Dublin, 'and Dorothy Siberry of St. Paul's; health education, Eileen BeauchenSin of Goderich and Salim Remtulla of Goderich; public relations, Mary Dodds of Stratford; secretary and bookkeeper, Delphine Dufton of Stratford; and executive director, Marybelle Ford of Stratford. Unique show Since last September a group of 10 high school students have been providing local residents with a unique form of entertainment. The studenta, who have organized a mime group, have entertained at hospitals, schools and banquets. Signal -Star reporter Darrell Kloeze talked to the group and the story appears on the front page of the Recreation section. Seniors' activities Lately the MacKay Centre fqr Seniors has been humming with activity. During the past few weeks the centre held a variety concert, a luncheon and an open house. During the concert the audience was entertained by a newly formed group, The Foghorns. The story about the musicians and the other MacKay Centre events appears on page 8 of the Recreation section. Birthday celebrated Relatives, friends and neighbors of Bernardine Kinney attended an open house on Sunday in order to wish the Kingsbridge resident a happy 80th birthday, The octogenarian has- been active all her life and is presently a member of the Gaol Board, the Huron Historical Society and the Genealogical Society. The story about Mrs. Kinney's life appears inside the first section.