The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-08, Page 39Attitude can make
BY JACK RIDDELL,
M.P.P.
Last week I wrote
about the so-called "new
North American
phenomenon" of the
elderly and their role in
society.
As I'm sure you are
• aware, the subject of
retirement age has been
under discussion a great
deal. Professor
Parkinson, the author of
Parkinson's Law, which
° proved that the amount of
work done is in inverse
proportion to the number
of people doing it, has
done a study on
retirement ages. He
found that mental powers
and energy show signs of
flagging at age 62 when
the retirement age of a
company is 65. Where
retirement age is 60,
people start to lose their
grip at 57. When
retirement age is 55, the
decline begins at 52. In
each case the gearing
down begins three years
before "retirement" age.
How different is the
rat.titude of the
management executive
who -said, "I am 57-years-
old"and I don't know what
I want to do when I grow
up." Obviously, -he was
having no problem with
the' much talked about
mid-life crisis.
However, for many
people such a crisis is
very real. Nor is either
sex immune. I am not
speaking of physiological
problems - but of career
and lifestyle problems.
"Where have I come
from and where am I
going?" people ask •
themselves.
For women, the dif-
ficulties are frequently
aggravated because they
have spent much of their
time being "wife and
mother". They arrive at
a stage of life when the
young ones have fled the
nest or are about to do so,
and they have to take a
new look at themselves
and their place in the
scheme of things.
As recently as 1900, life
expectancy of a female
was about 48 years - now
it is more than three
score years and ten, and
that mythical creature
"the average woman"
has no children of pre-
school age after she has
reached her mid -thirties.
There used to be two
cycles in a woman's life -
pre -marital and the rest
of her life, given over to
marriage and child-
rearing. Today, there is a
third cycle, between the
mid -thirties and the
Goderich obits...
• from page 10A
one sister, Mrs. Mildred
Donaldson of Stratford
and one brother, Charles
Stokes of Goderich.
He was predeceased by
one sister and one
brother.
Older people...
• from page 16A
number of years, these
people have acquired
tremendousknowledge,
wisdom and un-
derstanding, from which
we can all benefit. They
can contribute to the
guidance and stability
Farm
news...
• from page 15A
potash. The soil test
values indicate whether
the soil is low, medium,
high, very high or ex-
cessive. Thus the farmer
should test periodically to
check the level of these
nutrients. Excess levels
of potash can tie up
magnesium and actually
lower yields.
There's a great deal
more that could be said
on the test. The point
we're making this time is
that the soil test is a tool
to be used by the
manager in conjunction
with his knowledge of his
farm. It has limitations
and often they are man-
made. The test needs to
be better understood by
those using it and that's
the reason for the
aforegoing discussion.
WHITE BEAN
MEETING
A bean program is
planned for the Exeter
Community Centre on
Wednesday, March 7
from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. The agenda includes
production tips on
varieties, planting date,
crop rotation, N rates and
hilling. There will be
other presentations on
anthracnose, breeding
new varieties, root rot
and marketing.
If you're
NEW IN TOWN
and don't know
which way to turn,
call the
cterthint(Vin,
hostess at 524.9676 -
You'll be glad you did.
j
which our whole society
so desperately needs. But
they cannot do this if they
are segregated, "put out
to pasture" or forced to
be almost totally
preoccupied with their
- own basic needs.
We have incredibly
complex problems today.
Enormous pressures are
brought to bear on in-
dividuals and, on
governments. Just as we
need the talents and
abilities of 'our "young
people, many of whom
are frustrated because of
high unemployment and
lack of opportunity, so do
we need the talents and
abilities of our older
citizens.
Just as we must be
careful that we do not
turn off our young people,
so we must be careful
that we do not turn off our
older - citizens. To
illustrate this danger, I
would remind you that in
1978, there was a Senior
Citizens Week, for which
the theme was "Reach
Out". At that time many
older people protested
that the theme "Shut
Out" was more ap-
propriate.
This whole question of
retirement must be
reassessed. We need the
skills and experience of
the people who are forced
out of the labour force
because of mandatory
retirement policies.
Early retirement
provisions also have
considerable efect.
seventies or even later;
when she can pursue her
own interests, and so
many women are using
this third cycle - this gift
of a new life - to meet the
challenge of a career,
rather than a job of work.
For them, the ,patch -
phase "Life Begins at
Forty has a whole new
meaning. For many of
them, this time of
reassessment and new
beginnings is like a
personal renaissance.
There are innumerable
cases of women who have
carved out exciting and
fulfilling careers for
themselves at a time
when they might well
have succumbed to the
so-called mid-life crisis.
Some people have been
able" to make it on their
own. Others might have
succeeded had they been
able to get counselling
and advice. Clearly there
is a need for a
proliferation of agencies
or groups - voluntary or
otherwise - to help people
make this transition.
People well past the
mid-life have also made
exciting new beginnings.
There is one agency in
Toronto called simply
"Over 55". One of their
spokesmen has stated
A funeral service and
committal were held at
Stiles Funeral Home on
Friday, March 2 at 11
a.m. The Reverend Ralph
King officiated.
Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 109 held a
memorial service at the
funeral home on Thur-
sday evening, March 1 at
9 p.m.
. Interment was in the
Maitland Cemetery.
MRS. EDITH
KATHERINE BAIRD
Mrs. Edith Katherine
Baird of Maitland Manor
Nursing Home in
Goderich died in
Maitland Manor after a
lengthy illness on Wed-
nesday, February 28 at
the age of 95.
She was born on August
34 1883 near Welland,
Ontario to Christina
(Martin) and Norman
Alexander McLellan and
lived there for ,18 years.
On December 31, 1910
she married John Roy
Baird in Hamilton. He
predeceased her in 1960.
She w,as an adherent of
Knox Presbyterian
Church, Goderich and- a'
Life Member of the Red
Cross in Woodstock, New
Brunswick.
She is survived by two
daughters, Margaret
Murray of Toronto and
Mrs. Donald (Janet)
MacRae of Goderich.; two
grandchildren and two
great-grandsons.
A funeral, service and
committal were held at
Stiles Funeral Home on
Thursday, March 1 at 4
p.m. The Reverend G.L.
Royal officiated.
Interment was in
Fenwick, Ontario.
Established 1876
McKILLOP -MUTUAL
FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
HEAD OFFICE: 10 MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT.
Mrs. Margaret Sharp. Sec. Treas. Ph. 527-0400
FULL COVERAGE
Farm and Urban Properties
Fire, Windstorm, Liability, Theft '
Various Floater Coverages
Homeowner's, Tenant's Package, Composite Dwelling
DIRECTORS AND ADJUSTERS
Ken Carnochan, R.R.N4, Seaforth
Lavern Godkin, R.R.111, Walton
Ross Leonhardt, R.R.N1, Bornoholm
John McEwing, R.R.N1, Blyth
Stanley Mcllwain, R.R.#2, Goderich
Donald McKercher, R.R.N1, Dublin
John A. Taylor, R.R.N1, Brucefield
J.N. Trewartha. Box 661. Clinton
Stuart Wilson, R.R.N1, Brucefield
482-3354
527-1877
345-2234
523-9390
524-7051
5271837
482-7527
482-7593
527-0687
AGENTS
James Keys, R.R.N1, Seaforth 527-0467
Wm, Leiper, R.R.01, Londesboro 523-4257
CALL AN AGENT OR THE OFFICE,
that firms are indeed
moving with the times
with respect to more
mature workers.
"They're taking a
different view of older
people now and we're
seeing people in their,
seventies being
productive in all fields."
Research and debate
on the role of older people
in society is receiving
world-wide attention.
David Hobman, director
of Age Concern England,
said recently, "When
people retire, we give
them a watch - the
cruellest symbol of all,
for the one thing they are
likely to have too much of
is time."
So much depends upon
attitude - our attitude to
our own age, and the
attitude of society
generally to the older
people within that
society. In this latter
connection, ageism has
been described as the
most prevalent kind of
racism.
As to our own in-
dividual attitude, so
many people are afraid of
growing old. The first
grey hair is cause for
alarm.
As someone once said,
"By all means, if your
hair turns green or blue;
run to the doctor - that's
cause for alarm. But grey
hair is no cause for
alarm. Be proud of it -
wear it like a badge of
honour." Don't let it
affect your self-image or
your lifestyle.
Youth is more an at-
titude of mind than a time
of life. It's enthusiasm,
joy, imagination,
courage. It's a spirit of
adventure, a deter-
mination to live life to the
hilt.
Sir William Mulock,
Chief Justice of Ontario,
died in 1944 at the age of
100. On his 95th Birthday,
he spoke to a very
distinguished group of
people, gathered to
celebrate this event. His
remarks at that time
inspired . his audience.
People in their forties,
fifties and sixties found
themselves taking a
whole new look at their
own lives because of what
he had to say.
"I am still 4t,w.ark, he
said, `"with rriy hand to
the plow, and my face to
the future. The shadows
of evening lengthen about
me, but morning is in my
heart... The testimony I
bear is this: that the
Castle of Enchantment is
not yet behind me. It is
before me still, and daily
I catch glimpses of its
battlements and towers.
differer- GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1979—PAGE 17A
things of today - books,
flowers, pictures, nature
and sport... The best
The rich spoils of my
memory are mine. Mine,
too, are the p-r`ecious
thing of all is friends."
Warm both hands
before the fire of life, he
urged. Live fully and
happily. Make good passage of time.
friends and cherish good
memories. Scorn the
IF YOU THINK TOBACCOALCOHOL
AND.DRUGSARE BAD'IORYOu
IMAGINE WHAT THEY'RE DOING
'TOY0UR UNBORN CHILD.
As parents, you can reduce the
risk of having a mentally retarded
cold -by developing'proper
dietary and lifestyle habits during
pregnancy.
To get all the facts, see your doctor.
Many forms of mental retardation
can be prevented. —
Your child's health and well being
depend on it.
For more information, Write
for a bobklet on the Prevention of
Mental Retardation.
rig OS .i'i>.rOL' S f T6 in.
Write to:
Mental Retardation Prevention
Queen's Park `� y
Toronto, Ontario V4 V
M7A 1E9 °I,J
Ontario
Keith Norton,
Minister of Community and
Social Services
William Davis, Premier
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