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The Huron Expositor, 1984-10-24, Page 3N :WS AND FEATURES TO THE EDITOR Impressed by .ga.11up pcIi Dear Sir: . I was impressed by the results of the recent 'Gallup poll on the attitude of Canadiaii parents to French language education. The poll indicates that the majority of parents want their schools to offer bilingualism as a realistic option. The main concern of parents is under- standably economic; the trend towards bilingual employment in both the public and private sectors is bound to intensify. Unfortunately, bilingualism is not popu- lar with some ratepayers in this area. Resistance to early French immersion may delay or even prevent local boards from making it available. What will happen to the children now entering the Huron County school system if early French immersion is not offered? One thing is certain. The bilingualism' option is increasingly popular across the country. Most of the school systems that now offer it have seen a dramatic increase in enrolment. This and the Gallup poll suggest that a significant part off the next generation will be functionally bilingual. This will almost certainly mean some kind of financial advantage in an economy that may be as tight and competitive as anything we know. As the parent of a child already in kindergarten, lam frankly concerned. Early French immersion is the only practical way to ensure bilingualism, but children nor- mally cannot enter it beyond .4 rade 1. I have already heard of one family that went outside the county to get French immersion before time ran out. If the local school boards choose not to offer language immersion.in the next school year, many local parents will have to make a similar decision. This situation should net exist, Local More r i s for school boards should have a responsibility to offer' bilingualism. 1 can't deny the medical, staff Dear Editor: 1 am just home after spending over two months in the Seaforth Hospital, and 1 must say I don't think we are giving the doctors and nurses enough praise for the wonderful care they are giving this community. There may be other good ones but i don't think they can come up to Seaforth. Yours truly John L. Reid obvious financial pressures on rural school boards; if we were discussing an extra -cur- ricular activity or a piece of playground equipment, the "purse strings' argument might make sense. We aren't. Language education is as fundamental as math or history. Immersion is the language educa- tion that actually teaches a useful skill. Please support French immersion in Huron County now. A group of great little people won't get a second chance. Gregory Pillon RRA Goderich History book contains jewels Dear Sir: for and it will be passed on to our future We are members of the Jeschke family as generation family members. shown on pages 233, 239 in the Grey We hope Grey Township and Canada will Township history book. We received the endeavor to preserve other fine reminders book this summer. And we are now living of the past such as houses, farm buildings, far from our roots in Cranbrook, in bridges, fences, country -side as memories Germany. have been preserved in this book. Marilyn Margaret Much of Detroit said the book Engel and her staff are to be congratulated was well worth the long wait. H,er sister, for their fine work which will be a joy to Lydia Mcguire, found the book to be very many for years to come. interesting and brought back many fond Sincerely memories when it was sent to her in Betty Hirzel Kentucky, 1 think It is a treasure chest 6745 Offenbach containing the jewels of the past so they are Seegarten 1 not forever lost to us. It is a book we will care West Germany THE HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOBER 24, 1984 -- A3 Weather balloon found Finding helium led balloons which have travelled hundreds of miles has become a common occurrence in the Seaforth area. But Mr. and Mrs. Lavern Hoegy of RR 1, Dublin recently found a balloon that was unique-- an American weather balloon. "We were eating and my wife looked out the window and asked me what the garbage was in a tree in the field," said Mr. Hoegy. "1 went and looked and'it was a Weather balloon. My son Doug and I used an extension ladder and a tractor to get it out of the tree. It was about 40 feet up." The Hoegy's were equally surprised when they, found, not only the tattered remains of a balloon, but aarachute kite -like device and a "radiosonde". Upon further investigation, they found, according to an attached tag, that the balloon had been released on Oct. 20. Mrs. Hoegy first noticed the balloon that same day, at 10 a.m. - "I can't understand how it got -here so quick," said Mr. Hoegy. "It wasn't that windy on Saturday." Fortunately, more information could be gleaned from markings on the two foot long rectanularcardboard box called a "radio- sonde". The balloon was released from Flint, Michigan. The radiosonde is a device used to measure temperature, pressure, humidity and winds at various heights above the ground. The radiosonde is operated as a radio transmitter which is tracked- to a height of above 17 miles. It's used to obtain upper air information needed for making weather forecasts and preparing storm warnings. Inside' the radiosonde was a very leaky dry cell battery. And attached to the end of the approximate four foot long balloon was a small dry cell battery which was hooked to a tiny flash light bulb. That thing has got to be a little computer, or even a little spy camera," said Mr. Hoegy jokingly. It sure wasn't up in the air very long. 1'd like to know what's really inside that box." Strict instructions were written on the box on what the finder should do if the radiosonde was found. And the first was to disconnect the battery. "It was a big stinking battery and had to be disconnected. The acid had leaked out of it. And when it was up in the tree, it was very hot. The instructions were to take the battery out and throw it away." Further instructions requested the finder that, "if found in the U.S., mail the radiosonde at any post office or hand to your rural carrier. No stamps are needed. Your assistance will permit the weather service to use this radiosonde again." FINDS WEATHER DEVICE—Lavern Hoegy tattered weather balloon he found In a tree. RR 1, Dublin shows the radiosonde and The balloon came from Flint, Michigan. Mr. Hoegy inquired at the Seaforth post office and learned that the return U.S. postage paid tag was valid in Canada. He deposited the paper carton device with the post office. It's the first balloon the Hoegy's have ever found, but "we've seen others floating around," said Mr. Hoegy. He's hoping to receive a reply from the American National Weather Service --via the post office. French students le [Editor's Note: This Is the fourth In a series of articles by Expositor reporter, Heather McIwralth. The feature articles deal with the timely Issue of French Immer4lon in Huron County. Tha.flnal,part ofherag>d;, „bntW s&Meltaschodlitatng the Franc . Immersion system.] For the average parent stepping into some classrooms at Southridge Public School in Kitchener is like stepping into a foreign country. Southridge School is one of several public schools in Ontario that have opted for French education through immer- sion programs. Huron County residents are currently faced with the issue of whether or not to allow French immersion programs to become a part of their school s curriculum. Southridge Public School, like other schools in Waterloo County, offers a "partial French immersion program" where students receive SO per cent of their classroom instruction in French and SO per cent in English starting in grade one. Other counties, like Wellington, offer a "total immersion program" where the students receive 100 per cent French instruction from kindergarten. The programs for both these counties are designed to produce a bilingual child by the time he/she finishes grade six. Since both programs ultimately achieve the same goal, parents and some teachers question the validity of a total immersion program. it's a situation which heightens their fears that a totally immersed child will lose their English language skills. Moyrs Bartlett is a grade three teacher at Southridge School and has taught in both total and partial immersion environments. She concurs with the fact that English skills do suffer. "Itis true. By the time they're in grade three and tatting some English classes, students in the total immersion program have atrocious spelling and grammar,' she said. "Research shows that those children may eventually catch up and even surpass his English counterpart in his English language skills, but i think the half day program is better. It lets a child maintain their English language skills and still become bilingual." in the partial immersion program at Southridge, students receive French in- struction in math, environmental studies and language arts. Other subjects are taught in English. "Math is so concrete. There' are a lot of things to manipulate and because there is so much to see, we don't worry that students will have difficulty with the subject if it's handled in French," said Mrs. Bartlett. "Numbers are universal. We lose some time learning the vocabulary but in general I'd say the math program in the French program runs at the same pace as the English program." in general, the majority of the students enrolled in the French immersion program at Southridge enjoyed it and were very positive in their attitude about school. "It's fun," said grade three student Heather Pilkey. setting the precedent for comments from her schoolmates. am to listen with their eyes "And it's really easy," said Carri Cook. "We're used to it," "It's kinda funny but neat talking in French," said Tim Uttle�y.,�t� ., "'. 1'TOUGH AT MOST But it's not always that easy. Lorraine Morgan teaches the grade one students and she said it's tough at first. , "There are tears at the beginning. , Sometimes quite a few tears. 1t s a big adjustment for a child to come from a "Let them know that guessing is just fine" morning of English to an afternoon of . French. They are very different langu- ages," she said. One of the ways Mrs. Morgan tries to make the adjustment easier for the children is to let them know that guessing is all right. "They don't know all the words and we don't expect them to. Sia we try to let them know that guessing is just fine. By the time they reach grade three, their ability has improved. By grade six they are fluent." Mrs. Morgan said there is no way to determine beforehand whether or not a child would be able to cope in a ,French imriiersibn program. - it depends on the child and his ability to adapt to new situations. An outgoing child wont necessarily adapt better because there really Is no such thing as an outgoing child. They all are. Outgoing - they love songs and love things like show and tell," she said. SOME CAN'T HANDLE IT Mrs, Bartlett said that by grade three, at the latest, it is usually obvious which children can and cannot handle the immersion program. "Some kids just can't handle it. They either have learning problems or just can't cope. it's a pressure situation. In order for a child to continue in a French immersion program, we have to ensure that they'll be able to handle it," she said. Perhaps one of the greatest differences between the standard English classroom and the French classroom is the dominance of visual instruction. The chair is labelled, le chaise, the desk, le pupitre, the blackboard, le tableau, the window, la fenetre and the door, la porte. There is an increased call for students to listen with their eyes as well as their ears and an increased emphasis on music and artistic expression. "It's an enjoyable program'supported by a lot of music and poetry. The kids really enjoy it. We try to incorporate a lot of movement, pictures and action into our lessons to keep the kids attention," said Mrs. Bartlett. ENCOURAGED TO TRY t Tt� an opseryeF there is a definite gip ip the skills maintained by the, Pg ade one, grade three and grade six students:' 'In' grade one students will inject English into their speech quite regularly, and their speech becomes a series of breached sentences. They may not know all the words, but we encourage them to try." said Mrs. Morgan. "And they'll go home singing in French, so we know we ve been successful," By grade three the majority of the .conversation between students and teach- ers and students and students is in French. Any questions concerning vocabulary are asked in French. By grade six the students are bilingual. "it's interesting to see the changes in the children's ability as they go through the grades," said Mrs. Morgan. "After grade one it's often difficult for the child to adjust to a different teacher. They get used to the intonations of their first teacher's voice, their gestures and even their expectations. "That's why it is important for a child in the French immersion program to learn to listen with their eyes. No two people are going to speak the language exactly the same," she said. In Huron County studies are still being done concerning the feasibility of a French immersion program. DIAMOND/ FROM PAGE ONE PAVE LOT Though the paving at the new Seaforth and District Community Centres hasn't been completed, curbing and sidewalkshave been installed, said Deputy -reeve Bill Bennett Mr. Bennett is the council representative on , the community centres management com m it - fee. ice was to have been installed by the first week in Oct. and that deadline was one day ahead of schedule, he said. Two new employees have been hired at the community centres. Gary Gray has been hared as a full-time attendant and Bob Campbell as a part-time employee. "Events are getting more policing and there have been no more skirmishes like the last time," said Mr. Bennett. "A meeting has been arranged with all the groups who use the facility to inform them of the tighter controls. The arena is in business and we don't want it closed down." Revenue for the complex was down this summer -•bookings were down by 53,000 for the year. Roller skating revenue was cut in half and that affects revenue from the food booth, he said. "Last year, revenue was S85,000 and this year, for the sartie time period, it's S78,327. But more ice time has been booked, but last year. ice time was already full. Some broomball games are scheduled as late as 12:30 in the morning. it's very busy in that area," said Mr. Bennett. DIABETICS / FROM PAGE ONE hunger, cramping in the legs, itchiness and weight loss. it's usually controlled by daily injections of insulin, or administration of oral hypoglycemic agents (pills) as well as a regulated diet. Diabetes itself is not a fatal disease, although people can die of its complications if it is not treated properly. Some of the side effects of being diabetic are circulatory problems, which can lead to strokes, heart attacks or blocked arteries, blindness, kidney failure and amputation.. - Because of the high sugars in their systems, diabetics tend to have increased deposits on their vessel walls. This causes impaired circulation to the extremities, causing poor nerve conduction and there- fore decreased 'sensation to such parts as the feet. And because of that, the feet, for one, are an important concern of diabetics in terms of personal hygiene. "If a diabetic got a new pair of shoes and they didn't fit properly they wouldn't feel the blisters as they were and could end up with an ulcer on their " says Mrs. Gordon. Diabetics have a slower heaWlg rate than normal individuals. Thus auch thhngs as Wass, hangnails end even teeth extraction can become a major concern. "You very often hear about a person who gets a sore on their foot and it develops into gangrene and they end up having an amputation. Diabetics take months and months to heal," says Mrs. Devereaux. But these are just distant possibilities if diabetics don't take their condition serious- ly. Primarily, being a diabetic means just accepting a change in habit as far as diet is concerned and taking better care of yourself physically. Famous people like Mary Tyler Moore and Bobby Clark have proved that diabetics can live normal, productive and busy lives. Anyone silo wishes to find out more about diabetes or would like to attend one of the clinics held in the area can contact Mrs. Devereaux at the Seaforth Community H tel, 527.1650 or Mrs. Gordon at home, S27 '7. Spouses and/or family members are encouraged to attend the clinics along with the patient. "Diabetes is not an isolated .Incident: People associated with diabetics should know how to give insulin, treat them If they are sick, know what a reaction looks like and how to treat it," says Mrs. Devereaux. It i Straw pipe invented in 1909 IN THE YEARS AGQNE OCTOBER 24,1884 The Salvation Army has purchased the lot on Main Street North, formerly occupied by Mt. S. Stark and are making arrangements for the erection of a barracks in which to hold their meetings. Last week Mr. S. Laird was arrested for the robbery by D. MacArthur, but on examina- tion was dismissed, it being evident to all that he was innocent even if he did resemble the build of one of the burglars. The High School football team of this town defeated a team from Clinton Model School on Saturday last, by four to one. They played a cup tie match with Brussels on the fairgrounds here on Oct. 25. This will be a very important match, and perhaps the only cup tie that will be played here this fall. OCTOBER 22,1909 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dick have retired from the farm in the township of Hay and have come to Egmondville to reside and have now got comfortably settled in their new home. At the sports and races held in connection with the Goderich fair. Frank Smith, Seaforth's long distance runner, came in third. In the 2:40 peeing race Frank Kling's horse took first money in three straight heats. Mr. W. Cole of the Bell Engine Works has invented and patented a straw pipe for wind stackers on threshing machines. The present pipes cannot be regulated to blow the straw into any desired part of the mow. Mr. Cole's invention is so constructed that this difficulty is overcome. OCTOBER 26,1934 W.H. Golding, present MP for South Huron, was unaniinously named to contest the newly formed Huron -Perth riding at an enthusipstie nominatingconvention of the Huron -Perth Liberal ssociation held in Hensel) Wednesday afternoon. Huron County Plowmen held their 11th annual plowing match on Thursday afternoon last on the farms -of Reeve L.E. Cardiff and David Smith ofthe fifth concession of Morris near Brussels. OCTOBER 23,1959 The legendary bean stalk that Jack climbed has nothing on the sunflower which grows beside the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. John Wammes, near Kinburn, Measuring more than 16 feet the giant plant stretches to a second floor window. Announcement has been made of the sale of Cousin's Dairy Bar located in the Queens Hotel block, next to Maple Leaf Dairy. Damage estimated in excess of 516,000 resulted when flames destroyed two barns. The barns were on the farm of George Powell, lot, 35, concession two. CMMUNITY CALENDAR If you're organizing a non-profit event of Interest to other Seaforth area residents, phone the recreation office at 527-0882 or the Expositor at 527-0240 or mall the information to Community Calendar, The Huron Expositor, Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario NOK iWO well in advance of the scheduled date. Wednesday, October 24 1:30-4:30 p' m. Sr. Citizen Shuffleboard at arena. 1-3 p.m. Parents & Tot Skating at Arena 5-7 p.m. Fowl Supper at Egmondville 'United Church 8:45 p.m. Chiselhurst vs Perth 9:35 p.m. CCAT vs Parr Line 10:25 p.m. Winthrop vs Jr. Farmers 11:15 p.m. Commercial vs Queens The first Cromarty Scouts, Cubs and Beavers Annual Apple Day will be held on Sat. Oct. 27. The boys will canvass Hibbert Twp. Please givens your support. Friday, October 26 Public Skating 1:30 . .3 Sr, House League Practice 4-5 p.m. Sr. 5-6 p.m. Jr. House League Practice. 8:30 o.m. Mitchell vs Centenaires ...".--, Saturday, October 27 9 a.m. - Curl Canada Clinic and Method of Instruction at Curling Club Everyone welcome. Pork roast at Legion 1:30-3 p.m. Public Skating 1:30-2:30 p.m. Story Hour at Library Sunday, October 28 1:30-3 p.m. Public Skating 7 p.m. Penguins vs Bruins 8:30 p.m. Flyers vs Hawks ihursda ®et®ber 2S. yD 7 p.m. Puppet Workshop at Van Egmond House 7:30 p.m. Kirikora vs Grads 8:20 p.m. Jr. Farmers vs Bendix 9:10 p.m. thiselhurst vs A's 10:00 p.m. Egmondville vs 5labtown 10:50 p.m. Easy Riders vs CCAT 11:40 pala,Parr Line vs Winthrop Monday, October 29 Figure Skating 4:30-5:30 p.m. Pre -Beginners & Begin. nets 5:30-6:30 p.m. Elementary, Baiic & • Novice 1-4. 6:45-8:30 p.m. Seniors 7 p.m. Cross Country Ski Club meeting at arena. Space for the Community Calendar Is donated by The Huron Expositor,