Loading...
Zurich Citizens News, 1975-02-20, Page 1Tkg NO. 7 - FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1975 CLOWNS ADD TO THE DAY - A couple of unknown clowns added to tyre attraction at tne Crippled Children's Day, Sunday at Pineridge Chalet. The two actors are shown in this photo trying hard to coax the two children. of Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Thiel, Zurich, to go with them for a snowmobile ride, but they were not successful in their efforts. MASTER CHEFS - A couple of the master chefs producing pancakes for the big breakfast at Pineridge Chalet on Sunday morning were Bob Baker, left, and Lloyd Mousseau, right. Along with a half dozen other cooks the men prepared enough pancakes t9 serve about 1, 000 people at the big day for crippled children. Trustees accept pay increase (by Ross Haugh) Members of the Huron County Board of Education gave them- selves a pay raise Monday but members were divided on the amount of the increase. After considerable discussion, by a vote of nine to six, the monthly trustee salary was set at $300. They previously rec- eived $150 per month. Under new Ontario legislation the Huron Board with about 12, 000 students under their jur- isdiction could receive as much as $400 per month for" each member. Goderich trustee Dorothy Wallace opened the discussion and opposed any increase for board members. She said the proposed increase was of ext- reme concern to her. "It will create a bad image with our ratepayers, The Inc- rease will make little dint on our 14 million dollar budget but it's the image I'm concerned about, " she added. Marian Zinn of Lucknow supported Mrs. Wallace saying "we'll get a lot of flak it we raise our pay too much." Mrs. Wallace continued "I don't think trustees should be paid. But there's enough polit- ician in me that I will accept a compromise." She proposed an increase of $75 per month to $225. Trustee Clarence McDonald of Exeter commented, "I have to support the ladies, I worked for nothing on the old board," To this Molly Kunder replied, "It's a paying job as set out by the government. Vice-chairrnan Herb Turk - helm said he was in favour of the pay raise due to a heavy workload. He added "Last year l attened more than 70 meetings if that amount of work isn't worth $300 per month we shouldn't be trustees."' Mrs. Wallace proposed the $225 increase but this was foil- ' owed by an amendment from Cayley Hill of the eventual rise to $300. Trustee Charles Thomas of Brussels originally suggested a per diem pay arrangement say- ing "I like the idea of being paid for the work we do. I would like to see a flat $2400 per year with an additional $50 for each extra meeting. Failing this my next closest compromise is a flat $300 per month." Board chairman Wilfred Short - reed will receive an additional allowance of one-third of his (continued on page 15) 200 PER COPY Huron trustees oppose provincial attit:Le (by Ross Haugh) The Huron County Boatd of Education voted unanimously Monday to disregard a suggest- ion from the Ontario School Trustees' Council that trustees "fight fire with fire" in salary negotiations. The Trustees Council meeting in Toronto Saturday asked the 141 school boards in the province to refuse to enter into salary talks with teachers in 1975. The proposed refusal to barg- ain would continue until approp- riate provincial legislation is passed which defines the terms of reference for collective barg- aining with teachers in Ontario. After hearing from 1974 board chairman Cayley Hill and pres- ent vice-chairman Herb Turk= helm members agreed to carry on present salary talks with teachers. In referring to a headline in Monday's Globe and Mail which read "School boards urged to shun teacher pay talks, " Hill said, "It was shocking and sick- ening. " Hill continued, "It's a sad commentary on the education structure. We have first class relations with the teachers in Huron." In referring to the statement made by London trustees Judy.. White that boards "fight fire witl Fire" 1-1111 said, "This tactic won't solve any problems but only make more. The only losers will be our children." "If this attitude of the Trustee Council is continued, I would ask our Huron board to disassoc- iate from them" he added. Turkheini reiterated Hill's comments saying "I'm compl- etely disgusted with the trustee group. With the guidance of Cayley we have built up a feel- ing of trust with our teachers." He continued, "In Toronto the suggestion was made that we fight across the bargaining table. In Huron we don't barg- ain across the table but talk in a very informal manner in the lounge here. We trust each other." In his concluding remarks Cayley Hill said "Trustees were terribly upset about a situation in Windsor, but remember two wrongs don't .make a right." Huron board chairman Wilfred Shortreed said a small minority of the Toronto delegates felt friendly talks across the table were still needed, "but it was very small." Computer courses will. soon be available (by Ross Haugh) Computer data processing equipment is being purchased by the Huron Board of Educat- ion and will be installed at South Huron District High School in Exeter. Cost of the equipment is estimated at $35, 000 with grants of 95 per cent available. Trustee Molly Kunder, chair- man of the education commit- tee presented a report recom- mending the purchase. The equipment will be used for data processing courses and for use by all Huron secondary schools for report cards and time tables. Up to the present time, computer work is being done in London and the arrangements are being handled by Willard Long, a teacher at South Huron. In answer to a question from Dorothy Wallace, Mrs. Kunder said South Huron was chosen because Mr. Long seems to be the most knowledgeable on the subject. Huron Director of Education D.J. Cochrane replied, on the same question, "this equipment is not being purchased primarily for administrative work but for a computer science course. Typing is a requisite for this subject." Marian Zinn said she had some misgivings ori the subject. "How many students will go on to use their talents. Are we here just to give a taste in a subject or should we concentrate on more subjects needed in everyday life?" she asked. Cochrane answered with, "we have to either get in or out and quit playing around." Cayley Hill gave a brief out- line on the use of computers in industry today. He said comput- ers provide means for rapid analysis. As a business grows date can't be sorted manually. Industry is really forced into faster means of compiling infor- mation. REVERSE MEETING PROCEDURE As the result of recent changes in the Schools Admin- istration Act Huron Board meet- ings will be held the first Mon- day of each month instead of the third Monday as has been the practice in the past. The Act now states "the meet- ings of a school board except meetings of a committee of the school board including a com- mittee of the whole board shall be open to the public. On the motion of Cayley Hill the board decided to hold the March meeting on Monday, March 3 at 2 p.m. Hill continued "This will be the reverse procedure on every- thing with all matters coming to the board first and then pass- . ed on to the proper committee, Charles Thomas said, "I would like to think our meet- ings should be public is good before we make our final dec- isions. In the same vein feedback from our ownboard members would be helpful." Mrs. Wallace suggested going back to the two meetings per month system. To this another member commented "anything is better than two meetings a month." (continued on page 10)