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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-09-21, Page 4PAGE 4-- 'OD] RIC SIG.,NAI,-ST;AR,.THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1978 Go�decich SIGNAL—STAR A The County Town Newspaper of Huron Founded In 109/ and published every Thursday at Goderich. Ontario. Member of the CWNA and OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance '13.00 In Canada. •17.011 to U.S.A..'EO.N to all other countries. single copies 30 cents. Display adver- tising rates !mailable on request. Please ask for Rate Card Ne.,0 affective Oct. 1. 1977. Second class mall Registration Number 0719. Advertising Is accepted on the condltignAet In the event of typogropbical 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 paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price. goods or service may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell. and may be withdrawn et any time. The SIgnot-Star Is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. • Business and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 524-8331 area code 519 Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ' • ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER —editor EDWARD J. BYRSKI — advertising manager Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich Second class mail registration number — 0716 The/plaque should stay There are few issues that stir up the people of Canadalike the bilingual issue, and last week's story from town council about taking down the existing all -English• plaques on the stone pillars at the intersection of Britannia Road and Toronto Street to make room for new English -French versions has riled the citizens of Goderich. In a word, the people here aren't having any of it. Apparently the government of Canada deems it a priority item to replace all existing federal plaques that are unilingual with plaques that contain both English and French. Goderich's plaques come under the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and it seems there is little choice in the matter. The plaques 'will come down and new ones will go up ... if not in Goderich, then elsewhere in the Huron Tract. Perhaps' even more disagreeable to the people of Goderich is the suggestion that the text of the plaque will be changed when the new one is put up. Although the government has promised that the wording and location of the plaque will be negotiable, citizens here believe that the plaque is historical and that it should remain unchanged. The plaque in question was erected in 1929. It was dedicated to the pioneers of the Huron Tract who opened the roads, felled the trees, built the farms, made the homes and reared the children who would live on to perpetuate what was begun in the Huron Tract during 100 years from 1828 to 1928. The plaque was affixed through the Historic Sites and Monuments '••Board•of^€anada fora purpose'= a -moble purpose, a solemn purpose. To remove that plaque now would be an insult to the honorable intent of those well-meaning citizens of the past. It should not happen. Many people in Goderich feel that government officials are incorrectly mixing historical matters with current federal concerns. It is almost as though the Canadian government is attempting to wipe out what it believes are the errors of the past 150 years with a bilingual push in 1978. In 1929, the bilingual issue was the furthest thing from the minds of the men and women responsible for erecting the plaque on the pillars. Their sole in- tention was to honor the pioneers. Ifthey were wrong, that too is a part of the area's history. Comments have been heard throughout this debate that in cost alone, the federal government is tallying up a siieable account which the Canadian people will have to pay. And for what, people are asking? To destroy those things which are dear to the hearts of Canadians everywhere, whether they are English-speaking or French-speaking?' To attempt to forde the English and French to get together in the future by taking away even the visible reminders of ' those differences that separates them today? There would be little opposition in Goderich if the government wanted to erect another plaque, an exact replica of the existing plaque perhaps, but with a French text: And there should be little concern if in future, any federal plaques erected anywhere in the country must certainly be in both English and French. But to remove an historical plaque - to destroy it as though it never really was there at all -' is tam- pering with the very soil of this country. The plaque -on theppillar at -the- entrance to town -'should remain - there. When the pillars crumble, the plaque should be reaffixed in another prominent .place nearby. It • -BY , SHIRLEY J. KELLER You know the usual questions you get from • friends on Monday morning. "How was your weekend? they ask. "Great," you reply, if it was .... or maybe even if it wasn't. Or,°you might answer," Terrible. The weather was wet for camping, the kids played hide-and-seek in the poison ivy, my wife lost her diamond ring in the drain and the dog is having another batch of pups." Well, this past Monday morning when I got to the office, I had a- batch of news to deliver about my weekend. And what a story it was. + + + It started Thursday morning when I drove to Kitchener for a meeting of the public relations department - of our church, the O1•ario District of the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod. The deliberations went well but when we broke for our usual lunch at the Valhalla Inn down the street, things took a turn for the worse. Having ,had polio as a kid (and being left with one leg shorter and smaller than the other) I'm a little shaky on my feet in some situations. It The Maitland in fall dress By Jeff Seddon is history - as much a part of Canada's complete story as the parliament buildings in Ottawa. It should not be removed. —SJK Doctors plan a team The search for doctors to come to Goderich is bearing fruit. At Monday's meeting of the board of Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, the doctors in attendance -aid they have made contact with several interested physicians. They have been showing them around, making them aware of what it is like to practice medicine in a small town away from a major medical centre. And they have some good prospects. Goderich people will remember that town council offered to help lure doctors to"town by holding out bait like office accommodation and financial assistance to set up a practice if that Was necessary. The feeling of council was genuine -that there is a severe doctor- shortage in town, that people get sick regardless of how busy doctors are, and that town council has a responsibility to the taxpayers even where the provision of adequate health care services is concerned. There is little doubt that the board at AM&G and the doctors of this community would welcome town council's support, but Dr. Ken Lambert pointed out' another aspect of- the 'situation which should be noted. According to Dr. Lambert, the doctors don't want "somebody welcoming with open arms someone who is probably inappropriate". The concern is to find doctors who will fit into the local medical scene and add to it. The object seems to be to build a team,- a medical team with players who will complement eachRother and co-operate to provide the best health care the people of Goderich and area could expect. One pressing need in town right now is for an anaesthetist. There may also be a need for a doctor with special skills in geriatrics, for instance. Or internal medicihe. Or pediatrics. Who knows better than the doctors of the community exactly what is required to make a full team with every aspect of medicine covered as completely as possible with a limited number of doctors in,town. Before a doctor opens a practice in Goderich, that doctor must have the approval of the medical staff and the hospital board. Privileges to practice medicine are not necessarily extended to a person merely because he or she has a degree. That is as it should be, for the protection of everyone involved. It was interesting to hear that even in the city of Toronto where there seems to be a doctor's office in every block or two,' general practitioners are hard to find. There are lots of specialists in the cities, but the family physician who cares for ,patients with scraped khees as well as cancer of the ' colon is difficult to locate in Toronto as well as Goderich. People can take heart. Doctors are expressing interest in coming to town. There are high hopes that there will be two or three new doctors in the community in the next few months. It behooves the people of Goderich and area then, to respect the medical profession and to remember that doctors have private lives and individual needs like everyone else. A little common sense and some extra consideration may make the difference whether doctors stay here or leave in a few short years.—SJK Think about your vote The.federal government can put off an election until spring. The provincial government seems to be limping along with some degree of success and should., be able to continue. But this is definitely election year for the municipal governments of the province and it is time the people of Ontario started to think about it. As the election Jooms for politicians everywhere, it isn't difficult to see that some are campaigning vigorously in anticipation of the event. To be fair, of course, some politicians are on the job for the full two years, but for some the activity . increases noticeably just prior to elections, often soon after the summer recess. Municipal elections will be held earlier this year. Monday, November 13 is the big day. Nominations begin October 16 and end October 23. If you are thinking about seeking election to 'a municipal office, you might want to begin to make plans now. If you are already an elected official, you will probably be weighing the pros and cons of another year in office. But perhaps voters are the most important people at this time of year. Voters should be making themselves aware of what is happening on council and at the PUC. And they should be quietly assessing the worth of their elected people and whether or not they are deserving of support should they seek office in the upcoming elections. It isn't too early to begin to think about the' November 13 contest. Plan now to be an informed elector.—SJK A dash of class Gpderich is finally to get its Coat.of Arms. Next Thursday is the big -'day, and a representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be in town to minake the presentation. It has been a long time since the initial plans were set down. There has been a fair amount of expense connected with the acquisition of the Coat of Arms. Much of the thunder was -taken out of the project when the Coat of Arms' did not arrive during, the Sesquicentennial Year. In fact, the presentation of A the Coat of ALMS niore than a year later IS"i early a non-event. It's something akin to being invited to a marriage feast at the time a couple is engaged and then not actually eating that meal until several years - and several feasts - later. But the Coat of Arms will be distinctively Goderich and it will be officially recognized by the Royal College of Heralds as the only onp of its kind. It is a nice touch in any community, adding a little dash of class to letterhead, doors, council chambers and shoulder flashes. —SJK DEAD READER. might also have had something to do withthe fact I was . in something other than sandals for the first time in a while. Anyway, in the com- pany of five men (four of them .ministers) d went down on the sidewalk, flat on my stomach, taking the left knee out of my stockings and theskin from my left knee in the process. The gentlemen helped me to my feet, trying desperately to keep their faces properly solemn. I don't know which hurt most my pride or my knee. Upon arrival home that evening, I was limping pretty well and suffering to boot. It was bathing. and bactine for the rest of the evening. +++ The next morning, I was .leaving home again. I was off to Kitchener once more this time ,for a convention of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. My knee isn't something of which to be proud at the best of times, but with an ugly looking bruise and scrape, I decided to wear my slacks and a pair of low heeled shoes. My husband cautioned me to be careful. "Stay on your feet," he joked. I arrived at the con- vention to find that I would be working on public relations alone, something •I hadn't ex- pected. I figured I would just organize things and let others do the actual job .... but that wasn't to be the case. So I spent all day Friday and Saturday running ,in 100 different directions at a -convention that had something going on every moment from sunup to wets after midnight. By Saturday afternoon I was bushed, but I had successfully pulled together the required materials for the public relations department. Knowing I was very tired but determined to get home in time to give my family some attention for the first time in three days, I struck out in my car for Goderich. I almost made it. It was just outside Goderich that I met disaster...I was involved in a nasty ac- cident with another car containing two elderly ladies on their way home to Seaforth from Zehr's. +++ What happened isn't really important. Let's just say it was a com- bination of weariness and inattention. The fact remains that our cars collided before my car headed off to the ditch. The damage to the two cars speaks for itself. The three of us were) lucky to get away with our lives but the miracle of it was that none of us was injured at all. Not a scratch save a very minor bruise to the leg of one of the ladies in the, other car. There isn't any doubt in my mind - or for that matter in the minds of the ladies in the other car that God was with us that afternoon. . Nevertheless, I arrived home in a shaken con- dition in a police cruiser, faced with explaining to my family what really happened. That's when the tears came. I'm usually a very weepy person - you know the kind, big wet eyes in just about any situation that is the least bit emotional. At the scene of the accident, I didn't shed a tear but once home, the torrent let loose. My husband had planned to take me to a party Saturday evening ... but I wasn't in a party mood. In fact, I haven't been doing much more than reflecting on life for the past few days. +++ There are some things I've learned and I want to share them. First of all. I learned that accidents can happen in a flash and that there is no way to turn back the clock. For- tunately in this case, there was only serious property damage .... but it could have been lives. In a split second, lives could have been snuffed out for no real reason at all.: I learned that one must be alert every second of the time at the wheel of a car. One must never get complacent about the responsibility of driving a car and must never assume that he knows what the other driver will do. And one must wear a seat belt. All of us were belted in which is probably why none of us was hurt. I learned that the Signal -Star isn't wrong regarding its policy of police news. The agony of being involved in an accident is sufficient without having one's name splashed all over the newspaper.. In my own case, of course, the accident couldn't. be ignored. I'm well known in town. I'm the editor of the Signal - Star. If the accident wasn't reported, someone would certainly have charged that I covered up for myself. I also learned, why it is Turn to page 5 • 75 YEARS AGO The representatives of the Blaine Harrow Manufacturing Company who were here last week have withdrawn their proposition for the location of a factory here. There is a rumor to the effect that owing to the large increase in traffic, the C.P.R, is to build three large- passenger boats for their lake business. It is possible that these boats may run from this port on the Completion of the Guelph to Goderich extension. Now that the rafters of the roof of the library building are up, one can get a good idea of the_ improvement it will be to that corner. Mayor Lewis is urging upon the powers that be LOOKING BACK to have the new Gover- nment steamer Bayfield laid up here for the winter. The steamer is in need of extensive repairs and we have the machine shops to do the work. 25 YEARS AGO The historic Canada. Company, which played the leading role in the dramatic founding and development of Goderich: will pass into history at midnight. on Wednesday, September 30. Although the company came into existence with con- siderable fanfare in the early part of the last century, an obscure notice in a few Ontario newspapers is the only clue to its passing away and the ending of an era. Workmen started yesterday to repair damage caused to the basements of three of the rental homes in the south end of Goderich caused during last Friday's heavy rain and electrical storm. Mr. H. R. Heath has been appointed .manager of the Goderich branch of The Royal Bank of Canada effective today, succeeding Mr. W. G. Dulmage who is retiring on pension. Eighteen new members were sword into No. 538 Maitland Air Cadet Squadron at the regular parade on Tuesday night as the result of a drive for new cadets conducted this fall. 5 YEARS AGO During discussion at Planning Board last week on proposals for a row housing complex on Sunset Drive, board member Gus Chisholm told the meeting he felt the project might look like the low cost housing on South Street, which to Mr. Chisholm's view "is a damn slum." The ublic , Works Comm ttee will recom nd to Goderich Town Council this evening that a parking authority be es,ablished in this municipality. 'Construction began on September 10 on the' Huron -Perth Regional Assessment Office ad> dition which is to cost an estimated $164,551. The addition is to be com- pleted early,in 1974. The Goderich twater tower is currently un- dergoing repainting for the second time since its erection in 1949. The 'project at a cost of about $6,800 is being carried gut by NorVar 'Paint Com- pany of Owen Sound. The tower will probably not be painted again until 1983. Over the weekend stiff winds whipped Lake Huron up to six and 12 - foot swells and as a result forced the ore barge Charles W. Johnston, towed by the tug John McLean out of Sault Ste. Marie to take' refuge in Goderich Harbor. Boa RED CROSS Blood Donor.