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The Huron Expositor, 1984-07-25, Page 16Huron xpositor SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE BIBB° J. AWARE, 1983 Incorporating 10 Main Street Published In SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning Brussels Post 527-0240 JOCELYN A. SHRIER, Publisher RON WASSINK, Editor JANET MACDONALD, Advertising Manager Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc 'Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press (council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada $18,75 a year (In advance) Outside Canada $55.00 a year (in advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1984 Second class mall registration Number 0696 Wi` Give us the details The campaign for the federal election is gaining momentum. And that momentum is due In''Rart to the televised debate between the three candidates, Prime MlnlsterJ'ohnTurner, (LI B),; Brian Mulroney, (PC)and Ed Broadbent, (NDP). The debate, though a week old, is still receiving much publicity. Canadian voters are still trying to judge from the debates, who will be the best leader for Canada. The political leaders themselves are still talking about it, but It's more like arguing. The media have trled to determine a winner In the debates. But there was no winner. The three leaders gave their speeches and argued 'amongst themselves, trying to convince not only themselves, but the viewing public on the best strategy to better the Canadian economy, provide new jobs, and give equal pay for work of equal value. • The leaders hinted at programs they would implement If elected. They had programs for the jobless and programs to redut;e the mounting deficit. Canadian voters ware interested In such programs, but not once did Messrs. Turner, Mulroney or Broadbent explain the programs in detail. That's what we Canadlans are Interested In. We're not Interested In yet another question, this time by media panelist Peter Truman, on how Mr. Turner can explain away bum patting. And we're not Interested In listening to clothing snobs tell us that Mr. Turner wasn't wearing the right color or cut of suit in the debate. New programs could mean old programs will be axed - a decision that will be hard to make for any of the three parties. We as Canadians and the three political leaders have to face that fact. Cutting expenditures In the past has meant fewer votes. The only way our economy will improve is by cutting programs - but trot essential service programs. We've been spoiled with free money, but It's breaking Canada., It's time politicians stopped buying votes, announce what their programs really are, and let Canadian voters decide who will best serve Canadians as prime minister. - R.W. Three gold m dais! It's taken a long time and`a lot of hard �rerk-an erseverance, but It's-• paid off. Canada has produced gold medal winning athletes at this year's Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Capturing the gold medal in the women's sport pistol event, Linda Thom, of Ottawa became the first Canadian gold medallist In 16 years at the Summer Games. And, swimmers Alex Baumann and Anne Ottenbrite have won the first Olympic swimming gold medals in 72 years. On the road to the Olympics, the athletes have overcome obstacles and made sacrif ices to earn the right to stand on th'e highest podium and listen to their national anthem. Linda Thom, the mother of two young children, says her family has made huge sacrifices while she trained and travelled in preparation for the Olympics. Anne Ottenbrite overcame a dislocated knee to win the women's 200 metre breaststroke. Alex Baumann managed to win the gold medal and set a new Olympic and world records In the men's 400 metre individual medley despite the fact that his brother and his father died In the past four years. These gold medallists are special people who have made Canadians proud. Way to go! - S.H. Unscrupulous farmers? COUN TRY CORNER by Larry Dillon Senator Herbert Sparrow. the head of a senate committee which released the study on farm land use entitled "Soil at Risk" has been a central figure in the news lately. The study and his comments to the media may have a profound effect on future farming practices. It's common knowledge among farmers that present cropping practices result in some soil erosion. Most people who are not involvedin agriculture are not aware of this nr do not care. The report Senator Sparrow has published indicates that erosion is occurring to an alarming degree. It claims there is a reduction in corn production in some parts of southwestern Ontario of as mucb as 40 per cent.as a direct result of soil ero§ion. "So much topsoil has disappeared in some places that farmland has gone out of production," said Senator Sparrow. He goes on to criticize current farming practices: "The farming community is getting onto the land too early." He said row cropping is the primary cause of erosion. He criticizes the removal of fence rows and other windbreaks. He's right, we are suffering soil erosion at an alarming rate. Even if his estimates are exaggerations. there is too much erosion and we can expect problems in the future. • What can we do? One newspaper editor told me that it's in the farmers best interest to follow sound conservation practices. He believes farmers will make more money that way. That is where 1 disagree. The cropping methods being followed by today's farmers are a direct result of economic necessity, Yes we can conserve soil by using 10 acre fields surrounded by windbreaks. Staying away from row crops will also help. Senator Sparrow recommends grass or forage crops. If we do follow these guidelines, who is going to make the mortgage payments on the farms? The farm itself will be worth more in the future. but not to the conservation conscious farmer. He will have lost it, He Must make money now in order to continue to operate his farm and to support his family. But I'm somewhat confused about Senator Sparrow's position concerning the matter. In the London Free Press. he is quoted as saving that public money should be used to assist farmers in conservation practices. In the Toronto Star he is quoted as referring to "unscrupulous farmers" who do not worry about the soil. He suggests that legislation could be passed telling them what could be grown. This situation can he frightening for the farmer. About 12 years ago we had a provincial grant that would pay farmers 40 per cent of the cost of removing fence lines. But in the last few years we have been facing criticism that we have not been efficiert enough in nur production practices.\ Now that we use farming practices that our government has recommended and that the economy has forced us to use, we are condemned for doing so. Farmers are not unconcerned about soil erosion. Organized farm groups have been upressing concern for .years. individual f5df'mers are experimenting with different methods to conserve soil and still allow adequate production. Perhaps the report and the publicity Senator Sparrow is enjoying will do farmers some good. Soil erosion is a problem. Farmers know that. Senator Sparrow said that it is not just the farmers problem. in the long term it affects everyone. To find the best solution, the farmers need help. Erosion conscious cropping practices are expensive and they do reduce short term productivity. If the people want to conserve farm land as much as the farmers want to, they will have to expect to share in the cost. Higher food costs now, either in the form of government grants or higher grocery store prices will be the price: Conservation practices now, even if they are expensive for both the farmer and the consumer, will pay off. We will have better farm land in the future than present practices will allow and fool costs will be much less than they would be if the land becomes infertile and non-productive. OPINION FIFTEEN delegates from Red Deer, Alberta were entertained by fellow 4-H members at the Lion's Park In Seaforth on Sunday afternoon, About 7.0 participants played games, went swimming and enjoyed a barbecue, (Hundertmark photo) 4-H Day Smoking out behind Every so often, a buddy of mine, Arthur Carr, sends me news clippings and other verbal dtarrhea that serves no useful purpose. And with most articles, he's hammered out on his typewriter, some trivial anecodte. Most times, they're hilar- ious. Who's Arthur Carr, you ask? He's the elderly curmudgeon who gives a three minute' commentary CKCO•TV - calls himselthe Countf , Editor. His commen- tary, shown every Saturday night at 11:30 are tidbits of unusual news items found in weekly newspapers throughout Ontario. Yes, he doe$ use the odd Expositor article. But like I told' him, "Art, 1 write something for you every week, but you don.': always use Art's a loveable guy. Just enjoy talking to him because he does all the talking, But since he's so generous in sending me trivial the barn SENSE AND NONSENSE by Ron Wassink bits of information, I just thought 1'd pass one to you. Here's one of what he calls, "pump primers." STRANGE PIPES As long as they had tobacco and some way of lighting it, some African tribesman found a way to smoke it, In east Africa, a rifle's cartridge chamber would be filled with tobacco and lit and the smoker would draw from the business enti-of the barrel. In woodless and desert regions of Africa, the shortage of pipe making material was overcome by earth smoking. A bowl shaped hole was dug in a clay soil and a long thin stick was used to work a hole to the base of the 'bowl', which was Filled with tobacco. Then, lying prone on the ground, the tribesman would inhale the smoke through the long, thin hole. In a recent issue of Tobacco Observer, Albert Marrin, chairman of the history department of Yeshiva University in New York City, wrote of the lasting impression tobacco made an African natives after they learned to smoke from Portuguese mer- chants in the 1600s. As in North America, tobacco often played a role in cultural and religious rites of a tribe, or was used for medicinal purposes. Tobacco was precious and hard to get, often paid for with nuggets of pure gold, Prof. Marrin says. When tobacco was scarce or more costly than they could afford, natives stretched their supply by mixing it with dried chicken or cow dung. If that doesn't appeal to your taste buds, a more exotic mixture was used in eleph.{.nt country. The dung of this large animal was either mixed with tobacco or smoked straight. Some claimed its scent and flavour resembled the real thing, the professor reports, Speaking of tobacco, I'm sure most of you can remember sneaking out behind the barn, of if you lived in town, out to Munn's bush to experiment with cigarettes stolen from your dad's pocket. SMOKING ON PAGE 3 Media can affect election outcome The election campaign is now on and although the politicians may have few messages to send to the voters, the messengers, the members of thc media, may have more influence nn the forming of the next government than the politicians themselves. it's a frightening the to he in media at times like these - frightening and satisfying at the same time. For those interested in power, now is the time when the media has more power than ever. particularly national televi- sion. For the more conscientious reporters it's a slightly frightening restinnsihtliry to inform people correctly. It's f;ig tcnink toknow that your perceptions, or lack of perceptions. could influence what government we'll have in the next four or five years. And every decision you make is made amid the pressure of daily deadlines, of political handlers who are trying to manipulate what you report and of peer pressure. When so many reporters are travelling together. there's a temptation BEHIND THE SCENES by Keith Roulston to go along with the consensus other reporters have reached about speeches. trends and issues. Such problems don't usually worry report• ers on small papers in ridings like ours. For one thing, there's' hardly ever been a election close enough in Huron County for mistake of the press to make a difference I had a taste of what the big press goes through though a few years ago when we did have a rare close election. As editor of a newspaper, I attended an ail•candidatcs night and took a number of pictures of the candidates answering questions. When it came time to choose a photo for the front page of the newspaper 1 found that all but one of the pfiotos were unacceptable for one reason or another. But that one photo showed one of the candidates in an unattractive pose that made him appear arrogant. With a deadline pressing, 1 made the decision to un the picture anyway, The candidate's opposition was ecstatic and delighted in showing the front page around, The candidate himself was naturally not pleased. Did the photo affect the outcome of the election? it would be pushing things 10 say it did, but the election did go against the Candidate and i've squirmed many times since thinking about it. The stakes are much higher for national media typ'bs. Minutes after the national television debate between the leaders ended reporters and "experts" were deciding -who "won". Now research on past debates has shown that it's the perception of who won, spread by the media that has more effect than the actual debate itself. The debate should have stood by itself since the whole purpose of the exercise was to let the . andidates talk directly to the people. But thc media couldn't let it go that way. Reporters had to turn it into a championship boxing match. Who scored the most hits, the most knockdowns. who's footwork was the hest? Only a minority of people saw the debate anyway so the majority will have their opinions of the winner established by the media. Even those who did watch may doubt what they saw when they hear all the "experts- saying something different. I'm just glad I'm not one of those "experts", Universities went along with deception in 30 plus years as an editor. a parent. and a teacher, 1 have been inundated ;though not quite drowned) by several waves of self- styled "reform" of our educational system, especialN that of Ontario. Each wave has washed away some of the basic values in our system and left behind a heap of detritus, from which teachers and students eventually emerge, gasping for a ..breath of clean air. Most of the "massive" reforms in our system are borrowed from the U.S.. after 30 or 40 years of testing there have proven them dubious, if not worthless We have borrowed from the p-agmatist, John Dewey, and American. who had some good ideas, but tried to put them into mass production, an endearing but not necessarily noble trait of our cousins below the border. We have tried the ridiculous, "See, Jane. See Spot run. Spot, see Jane vomit," sort of thing which completely ignores the child's demand for heroes and witches and shining maidens, and things that go bump in the night. We have tried "teaching the whole child', a process in which the teacher becomes father/mother, uncle/aunt, grandfather/ grandma, psychiatrist, buddy. confidant. and football to kick around, while the kid does what he/she damn -well -pleases. And we wonder about teacher "burn -out", ' We have tried a system in which the children choose from a sort of Pandora's box what subjects they would like to take, and giving them a credit for each subject to which they are "exposed". whether or not they have learned anything in it. SUGAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley That was a bit of a disaster. Kids. like adults. chose the things that were "fun", that were "easy". that didn't have exams, that allowed them to "express their indivi• duality." New courses were introduced with the rapidity of rabbits breeding. A kid who was confident that he would he a great train surgeon took everything from basket -weav- ing to bird -watching because they were fun. And suddenly at about the age'bf 1', he discovered that it was necessary to know some science, mathematics. Latin, history and English to become a brain surgeon for a novelist, or a playwright. or an engineer, etc.). There are very few jots open in bas: -^t - weaving and bird -watching or World Reli- gions or another couple of dozen 1 could name, but won't, for fear of being beaten to death by a tizzy of teachers the day this column appears. The universities, those sacrosanct institu- tions, inhere the truth shall make you free, went along with the Great Deception. They lowered their standards, in a desperate scramble for live bodies. They competed for students with all the grace of merchants in an Armenian bazaar. Another swing of the pendulum. Parents discovered that their kids know something about a lot'ofthings. but not much about anything. They got mad. The universities. a little red in the face suddenly and virtuously announced 'that many high school graduates were illiterate, which was a lot of crap. They were the people who decided that a second language was not necessary. They were the people who accepted, students with a mark of 50 in English. which means the kid actually failed. but his teacher gave him a credit e Nobody in the new system. really failed. If they mastered just less than half the work, got a 48 per cent. they were raised to 50 If they flunked every subject they took. they were transferred to another "level". where they could succeed, and even excel. The latest of these politically -inspired. slovenly -researched reforms in Ontario is called SERP, and it sounds iust like, and is just like NERD. Reading its cont�nts carefully. one comes to the conclusiop-tKat if Serp is accepted. the result will be a great leveller Out of one side of its mouth it suggests that education be compressed, by abandoning grade 13. and out of the other side, that education he expanded by adding a lot of new things to the curriculum How can you compress some- thing and expand it at the same time? Only a cornmisstomon education could even suggest such a thing. There will be lots of money for "Special Education" in the new plan. There will be less money for excellence. Special Education is educational jargon for teaching stupid kids. Bright 1Nds are looked down upon as an "elite" group, and they should be put in their place. The universities would enjoy seeing Grade 13 disappear. That would mean they'd have a warm body for four years, at a cost of abouf $4.000 a year. instead of three. 1 am not an old fogey. I am not a reactionary I believe in change. Anything that does not change becomes static. or dies. ideas that refuse the change become dessicated. I am not against spending lots of money to teach stupid kids. or emotionally disturbed kids. But 1 am squarely against any move toward squelching the brightest and best of nth youth, and sending off to university people who are in that extremely vulnerable stage of half -adolescent, half -adult, and turfing them into classes of 200 or 300, where they are no more than a cypher on the books of a so-called hall of learning. And 1 have the proof right before me, in the form of several brilliant essays by grade 13 students. better than anything 1 ever write, who have had a chance to come to terms with themselves and with • life, in a small class, with a teacher who knows, likes, and encourages them, rather than a remote figure at a podium.