Zurich Citizens News, 1976-06-02, Page 4Something about revenge and needing volunteers
A small boy stood before a candy counter.
His eyes were wide, the goodies so tempt-
ing. He had to have one. A quick look
around and into his pocket went a handful.
A story so old that it hardly bears repeat-
ing. What kid hasn't been tempted and
given into the temptation, only to suffer
the pangs of conscience all night long to the
point where the candy became tasteless.
But there's more as we were told one
Sunday recently by a pastor who was
witness to the whole thing. Mom was stand-
ing with her back to the kid. She turned
just as the dreadful deed was done. Her
reaction?
"For heaven's sake, Johnny, don't do
that, a policeman might see you."
Perhaps more than anything that illus-
trates the morality—or lack of it—that
threatens the very fibre of our society_
Don't do anything dishonest unless you're
sure you can get away with it.
ins at home
The disease comes in many names—
new morality, situational ethics, passivity,
tolerance—but its face is the same. Dis-
honesty is okay as long as you don't get
caught.
So how does Johnny learn? He only
learns to watch for police more closely
and his conscience will cease to prick him.
After all Dad pads the expense account,
Mom brings home towels from the hotel,
the other kids cheat at school and every-
one thinks they're so smart.
Politicians condone everything but an
open revelation of their actions. Athletes
place wining ahead of all else.
Anyone who disagrees is dismissed as an
old-fashioned square, a common scold.
Expediency is the order of the day.
The moral fibre of a, nation depends on
honesty, integrity and the ability to dis-
tinguish between right and wrong whether
we get caught or not.
And integrity begins in the home.
Wasflng w/cable resource
Of the nearly 700,000 persons out -of -work
in the latest Statistics -Canada figures, al-
most half of these are under 24 years of
age. The grim picture painted by the
statistics still does not fully reveal the anxie-
ty of those who, before they even enter
the labor force, are faced with the kind of
desperation that comes from a lack of mean-
ingful employment.
Add to the already dismal statistics the
influx of students seeking summer jobs
to help them through next winter's studies
and we face a situation that could thoroughly
demoralize and alienate 'some of the most
important people in our society.
Although we subscribe to the theory of
providing jobs for all people who wish to
work regardless of their age or sex, many
teenagers are squeezed out of the work force
because of the length of their hair or be-
cause they prefer to wear jeans.
Homeowners and others will often resort
to uncertainties of the yellow pages rather
than hire responsible summer students
eager to provide services ranging from
babysitting to housepainting.
Society as a whole stands to gain from
young people still within the formal educa-
tional process who receive work experience
from on-the-job training, not to mention
the feeling of independence that comes
from earning one's own living.
We must insist that government and large
employers are provided with the necessary
regulations and incentives that will provide
a place for unemployed teenagers and
students in the work force, for their sake
and society's sake.
Otherwise more and more young people
will drift onto welfare and we will continue
to waste one of our most valuable resources.
Last
Word
by Ted Rowcliffe
•
The•
44: '7'>/
I could never understand the fascination some people had
for watching a horserace. Of course I'd never gone to the
races but I'd watched a few on TV and they lett me cold.
How could anyone get all excited about eight horses pulling
funny little carts around a track a couple of times?
One would think that by this time I'd be old enough to
know better but for some strange reason, I thought I could
make money on the nags. I've learned niy lesson, I promise.
It all started when some friends who are race fans invited
us to go along to the track with them. We were able to dis-
tinguish.one end of the horse from the other but that was
about the extent of our knowledge of the trotters and pacers.
Not knowing a thing about the horses, the racing form was
absolutely useless for us. Instead we picked the horse be-
cause it had a familiar name, because the driver came from
our hometown or because it was the prettiest looking horse
on the card.
As often happens, we were lucky. Race after race we put
money on some of the worst dogs you could imagine but for
one reason or another, they were coming in. At the end of
the night we were just like kids as we counted out winnings.
This was a snap!
"When do they race next?" was the only question we had.
Unable to get down to the track for another week, we
thought it would be a good idea to get a little knowledge and
maybe do even better at the betting.
Armed with notes and facts, our minds buzzing with pre-
ferred handicap, non -winners of 510,000 and a thousand
other phrases used by those more knowledgeable than us,
we were off again.
As you probably guessed, we didn't win any money the
second time out. Well, it wasn't too bad, we hadn't lost
much either, unless you counted the drive down to London
and back, the admission, the programs, the food and drink
required, and of course the wear and tear on our nerves.
• Undaunted, we waited for the next chance to get to the
track. This time we couldn't pick a thing, in fact I think one
of the horses we put money on is still on the home stretch.
It was obvious we were doing something wrong. We talked
about trying to recoup.our losses until we finally came to our
senses and -decided, right then and there, we'd gone to the
races for the last time.
The human body is an amazing thing; amazing in that it
takes ages to get it in shape and seemingly no time at all to
deteriorate again.
Lastyear I realized my paunch was unbecoming to a young
fellow lke myself and decided to get in shape. I knew I'd
never stick at anything as boring as exercise so I picked
tennis as a good way to keep my weight down and have some
fun at the same time.
I didn't win too many games but I was a lot healthier by
the end of the summer and according to some of my oppon-
ents, my game improved considerably as the season ended.
It's a long winter however. My lack of a cold weather
activity seems to have undone any progress that was made
last summer, and then some.
I hit the courts Sunday all set to pick up ri:ht where 1
left off last fall. As a matter of fact, I'd been Going a little
bragging about my game to a friend who took it up only
this spring. The onlydifference was that he has been out
a few times already. esides that, he is one of those annoy-
ing people who is in shape all the time.
Needless ,to say, I got whalloped but good. Huffing and
putting around the court, 1 soon round my timing was off
and while it might have seemed like an excuse at the time
to my opponent, I actually thought I was having a heart
attack and had to quit after six straight losses.
As this is being typed Monday morning, my poor aching
body is getting a message to me. I have resolved to cut down
on booze and cigarettes and set aside a couple of hours
every week from now on for exercise.
I'm sure that in a few weeks I'll be my old self again on the
courts, smashing forehands and making every backhand try.
Who knows, I might even win a game before the summer's
over!
H®wo
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