The Times Advocate, 2004-06-16, Page 5Wednesday,June 16, 2004
Exeter Times—Advocate
5
Opinion Forum News
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
I OYEARS AGO
June 15, 1994 - Dan Masse of
Zurich, at 20 years of age has
been drafted by the Cincinnati
Reds and will play this summer
in the Advanced Rookie Baseball
League as a pitcher in Princeton,
West Virginia.
Students of the year were cho-
sen just after midnight at the
SHDHS formal Friday night.
Selected from 10 nominees were
Sara Wallis and David Morlock.
25 YEARS AGO
June 13, 1979 - The new executive of the South
Huron Big Brothers Association was named
Wednesday including president Jim Chapman,
vice-president Rob Grant, past president Marshall
Dearing, treasurer Bill Driedger, secretary Bruce
Shaw and directors Tony Miller, Dee Beuerman,
Kevin Short, Gary Eagleson and Jarle Fisher.
Debating teams from SHDHS won the Huron
senior and junior championships. The seniors
were coach Colin Lowndes, Paul McCauley, Anne
Dearing and Sue Chapman while the juniors were
coach Colin Lowndes, Kevin Glasgow, Matt
McClure and Ilona Schaufler.
Specials at Darling's IGA and Betty and Art's in
Grand Bend include extra fine white sugar at 89
cents for two pounds, water melons at $1.99 each
and cohoe salmon at $1.19.
40YEARS AGO
June 15, 1964 - Ed Brady of Exeter recently won
the western jumping class at the Southwestern
Ontario Horsemanship club show at St. Thomas.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Learn and Fred and Mrs.
Norah Taylor flew from Mahon airport Thursday
for a ten-day visit to England and then on to
Germany.
45 YEARS AGO
June 15, 1959 - General Coach displayed their
5,000th trailer home on Hensall's Main street this
week. The large 10 foot wide mobile home attract-
ed many visitors.
Council passed a bylaw exempting Exeter
Legion's Memorial Hall from all taxes except those
for school and local improvement purposes for a
period of 10 years.
The Grand Bend Lions Club has completed
arrangements to present TV songstress Joyce
Hahn as the feature attraction at its annual ball to
be held in July.
50YEARS AGO
June 15, 1954 - The Zurich Lions Club has
donated a refrigerator to South Huron Hospital.
Club president Ed Gascho made the presentation
to hospital chairman L.J. Penhale.
55 YEARS AGO
June 14, 1949 - Mr. William Sillery is in
Kitchener this week attending the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church as a commis-
sioner from Caven church.
Mr. Harry Sparling with six other teachers of
Usborne township took their pupils to London
Saturday.
Grading for the site of the new $25,000
Community Centre in Hensall is being done this
week.
Lucan High School graduated its final class this
spring and now Lucan students will travel to the
new East Middlesex Collegiate at Arva.
60YEARS AGO
June 15, 1944 - The long-awaited "D" Day when
the Allies invaded Europe was heralded in Exeter
early Tuesday morning with the ringing of the
town hall bell and the chimes at Trivitt church. In
the evening, a public prayer service was held at
Trivitt.
80YEARS AGO
June 17, 1924 - At least three town children
have been successful in winning a big "mama doll"
in the Advertiser contest. The winners are Jean
Walper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Walper,
Jennie Passmore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
William Passmore and Helen Penhale, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. L.J. Penhale.
Warren, the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred May
had a narrow escape from being poisoned on
Wednesday morning last. He was out playing and
ate part of a toadstool thinking it was a mush-
room. A doctor was called and proper antidotes
administered and the little lad was soon himself
again.
Seniors' Perspective
By Jim Bearss
ADULT ACTIVITIES CO-ORDINATOR
2nd Annual Trade Fair Notes:
At this time, I want to thank all the volunteers, 65
exhibitors, entertainers, speakers, staff at South Huron
Rec. Centre, staff at the South Huron Municipal office
and approximately 400 people who attended the trade
fair on Wed. June 2nd. The fair was a 7
real success! Mark your calendar now JN
for June 1st, 2005 for our third
Annual Trade Fair. Also note, next
year, sound and music will be provid-
ed on the arena floor.
Door Prize Winners:
Coldwell Banker All Points Realty
Gift Certificate - Clare Wright,
Centralia
Rona Cashway: BBQ tools - David
Cameron, Exeter
Rona Bird Feeder - Carolyn Rose,
Dashwood
Canadian Hearing Society: Gift - Irvine Armstrong,
Exeter
Hospital Auxiliary: Cook Book - Mona Stephenson,
Varna
Holtzmann IGA: $25 Gift Certificate - Jean Ford,
Dashwood
Canadian Mental Health Society: Calculator - Mr.
Zoutman, Holland
Canadian Mental Health Society: Pen Set - Margaret
Stewart, Exeter
Red Hat Society: Present - Jeannine Tucker, Exeter
Red Hat Society: Present - J.Rader, Dashwood
Exeter Flowers: Hanging Basket - Nancy Tweddle,
Ailsa Craig
Quadro Communications Kirkton: Submersible
Phone - Verna Lovie, Grand Bend
Quadro Communications Kirkton: Surge Protector -
Merle McLelland, Exeter
Times Advocate: Cook Book - Cliff Allen, Mitchell
Drayton Entertainment: Gift Certificate, tickets for 2
to see Patsy Cline - Robert Hern, Exeter
$10 Cash: Aldene Skinner, Centralia
$20 Cash: Helen Shute, Kirkton
$20 Cash: D.G. Moffatt, Exeter
$50 Cash Barb Fleet, Exeter
$100 Cash: Vera Fletcher, Kirkton.
Canada Post Coin Collection: Christiane Verlinde,
Exeter
Health Nut: Health Cook Book - Howard Ross, St
Mary's
Wellesley Apple Products: Gift Basket of food prod-
ucts - Maida Baynham Exeter
Town & Country Support Services: Travel Bag - Erin
Gibbings, Clinton
Chamber of Commerce: White Squirrel Gift - Mabel
Hern, Exeter
Upcoming Events:
june 16th "Cooking for Kids with Barbara"6-
8:30 p.m., Cost $12.00 Call the Grand Bend Youth
Centre to register: 238-1155.
June 17th " Diabetes Program" Everything you
need to know about Diabetes" in this morning session
from 9-12 noon at the Grand Bend Area CHC, 69 Main
St East. Call Aileen Knip at 238-1556 ext #4 Everyone
welcome!
June 19 "Fathers Day Special" Exeter Legion is
hosting a Father's Day special on Saturday, June 19,
2004 Don Harvey will be providing the entertainment.
Note this will be the last meat draw until October.
June 22nd "Diabetes Meter Class" Do you know
what your numbers really mean? Do you know how to
properly use your meter or would you like more infor-
mation? Then come to our class at the Grand Bend
Area CHC, 69 Main St East for the latest info. Contact
Aileen Knip Diabetes Nurse Educator 238-1556 ext #4
June 23rd "Huron Country Playhouse Guild
Lunch" Sandhills Golf Club 12:30 pm. New members
welcome; call Mary at 238-5640
June 24th "Understanding Cholesterol" Grand
Bend Area CHC, 69 Main St East 9:00-12:00. Learn
how to lower your cholesterol in this morning class.
Call 238-1556 ext # 4
September 24th " Gaither Homecoming
Concert" Grand Bend Golden Agers would like you to
join them in attending this great inspirational gospel
singing concert at the John Labatt Centre in London on
September 24th 2004. For prices and motor coach
details contact Marjorie Love at (519) 243-4036
September 30th " Grand River Dinner Cruise"
Grand Bend Golden Agers are arranging a Motor
Coach Tour to the Grand River Country. For more
information contact Marjorie Love at (519) 243-4036
December 2nd " Simcoe Panorama of Lights" Contact
Marjorie Love at (519) 243-4036 to guarantee a seat
Jim Bearss
on a comfortable motor coach to see a spectacular
selection of Simcoe's Famous Christmas light displays
on December 2, 2004. An enjoyable meal is also
planned Contact Marjorie Love at (519) 243-4036
Exeter Legion Auxiliary Bingo:
Have a good time and a chance to win good prizes.
All games start at 7:00 p.m. and are held on June 10,
& June 24th. The bingo is played at the Exeter Legion
Hall.
Usborne Central School 40th Anniversary:
Reminder: Usborne Central School's 40th
Anniversary is fast approaching on Saturday July 10th.
Please get your registration package returned to
Laurie Dykstra. Meal tickets are now available. All the
community is welcome to attend this celebration.
Contact Judith Parker or Sharon Pavkeje for further
information, tickets or if you have memorabilia to con-
tribute.
Summer Reading Program:
If your grandchildren are visiting you this summer,
keep in mind the Summer Reading Program at the
Exeter Library. The theme this year is "Fire Up Your
Imagination — Dragons, Books & Quests." Two students
have been hired to nm the programs, which will be on
Friday afternoons. Children must be pre -registered.
More details are available through the library at (519)
235-1890.
World Champion Crokinole Player:
Congratulations to Joe Fulop of Exeter, who won the
world singles crokinole championship. This event was
won in Tavistock Ontario.
JIM'S JOTTINGS:
The Pickle Jar
The pickle jar, as far back as I can remember, sat on
the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom.
When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pock-
ets and toss his coins into the jar. As a small boy, I was
always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they
were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry
jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones
gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I
used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire
the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's
treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom
window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the
kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to
the bank.
Taking the coins to the bank was always a big pro-
duction. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the
coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of
his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the
bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. "Those coins
are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You're
going to do better than me. This old mill town's not
going to hold you back." Also, each and every time, as
he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the
bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly.
"These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work
at the mill all his life like me."
We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping
for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad
always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream
parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the
few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home,
we'll start filling the jar again." He always let me drop
the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled
around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each
other. "You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes
and quarters," he said. "But you'll get there. I'll see to
that."
The years passed, and I finished college and took a
job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I
used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the
pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had
been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at
the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always
stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lec-
tured me on the values of determination, persever-
ance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these
virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of
words could have done. When I married, I told my wife
Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar
had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined,
more than anything else, how much my dad had loved
me.
No matter how rough things got at home, Dad contin-
ued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the
summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and
Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week,
not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the con-
trary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring
catsup over my beans to make them more palatable,
he became more determined than ever to make a way
out for me. "When you finish college, Son," he told me,
his eyes glistening, "You'll never have to eat beans
again...unless you want to."
The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was
See PERSPECTIVE page 6