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The Huron Expositor, 1979-11-01, Page 211 14110 1864* 'Seining the Community irst ItNigisheci a StAFORTH,,ONTARIQ eYerY Thttr.40(AY morning tekLEAN fil3f4P1.111LISHERs LTP. ANDREW. Y. McLEAN• .PoOlither suSAN WHITE, Editor ALICE GII3B, News Editor Member Canadian Community N.ewspaper Associaton ontario Weekly Newspaper AsseciAtrin and Audit Bureau of Circutnti Subscription Rates; Canada, (in advance) 513.00 4 Year Outside Canacht(n advance) $25.00 4 rear S.14GLE COPIES — 30 CENTS EACH SeeOnd, ClaSS Mail BegistratiOn NuMber Ot Telephone 527-0240 SEAFOOTH, ONTARIO, NOVHIVIHER 96 1 1979 e right to ow Its a rare occaSien when we Pee the. three major parties in the House of Commons in agreement about anything. But they have agreed to support Canada's on awaitedFreedom of Information Act - at least in principle. • Canadian citizens have been traditionally denied the right to information about what their government is deing, in spite of the fact our Country calls itself a democracy, row while this denial of access might be Understandable in. matters of national security or personal information about an individual, it hasn't been understandable in other areas. Under the Freedom, of Information legislation that has long existed ,with our neighbour to the south, the American government has to prove that certain information should remain private; otherwise it's Made available to the public, the press and other levels of government: Even members of 'parliament, Who ,are the government, have complained they've been denied nformation from .government department's because some overly cautious bureaucrat has stamped it secret. , Jed Baldwin, PC PeacefilYet., started the campaign for.alreedern of . Information Act years ago, and for a long time. he seemed to be a Solitary voice ,cryingin the wilderness. But now the government is taking the first step in passing legislation that will make nearly all -gonernment information avallablelo citiZens as a matter of right, After all, it's our tai dollars that are paying for government expenditures, and surely we have a right to know .hew our money's being handled or mishandled, according . to our political bias, While the proposed legislation: giving the public more access to government fileS still has a few too many. holes with the numerous exemption clauses, at least the government is taking a step in the right direction. .. • The public Will . now have the option of appealing to either an ombudsman or the the Federal Court of Canada when access to information is denied. . After the bill's _second reading in the house, It will move on to , the justice and legalaffairs committee, and that's when the public has achance to Make its views on the subject Rnown. Why not drop a letter to our loical. MP, letting him know you think, the bill is long overdue?. :The government isril.just themen and women we elect:to occupy a seat in Ottawa's Housed. CorriMonS.. We; the taxpayers, are also the government, Now, for the first time in history, our right to know about how our country is being governed will become law. It should mean be.ttergovernment in the future when the press, Public and. members of the opposition will know the right questions to ask. The men like Jed Baldwin . who waged a sometimes lonely campaign for this right deserve our thanks.. Behind the Scenes • by Keith Roulstop The ghost of the Stephen Truscott: Affair refuses to die. One cauld almost feel a collective shudder last week as the 20 year-old murder again took over the front pages of daily newspapers. The people of Clinton have to go through it all again. It was 20 years ago this past summer • that the body of 12 year old Lynne Harper was found in a bush outside Clinton. Since then Clintonians have barely had a chance to forget the subsequent events of a murder trial before someone is bringing the subject up again. And so last week again the reporters descended on Clinton to question the natives about their memories about the murder. The latest round of interest is caused by the newly -released book Who Killed Lynne Harper. by Bill Trent, a writer who has made a mini -career out of the Truscott story. For the second time he pleads that Truscott WAS not guilty and that justice was not only not done. but • deliberately sabatoged. Was Steven Truscott guilty? I don't have enough of the facts to know for sure? Innocent people have gone to jail 'before because important evidence was somehow overlooked. Guilty people have gone free before, Guilty • people have proclaimed their innocence to the end. "Growing up in the area 1 remember. the Truscott case, I was young enough that didn't know what it was about it that had some of the older boys snickering bi t I do remember thinking how horrible it would be to be that boy, only a couple cv years older than me and being put in j I think that's part of the reason So many people will rush out and buy this riewhook. Many of Us want to believe the boy was innocent, , that. a 14 year Did bey was incapable of such a horrible act. He was a small-town boy, a kid just like your Own son, your own brother, the neighbour's kid, maybe even like yourself. Hew could someone like that do such a thing? Surely it must have been some demented vagrant who carried out this dastardly act and let the boy take the rap. Well Steven Truscott, guilty or innocent has taken the rap and is free from all but his memories. He lives today under- it different name with only his family knowing his past. But the town Of Clinton still suffert. And every time the people try to put thermirder behind them they only do more to keep it alive. Reporters descend on the town and Start aging questions of the locals and the locals are tight-lipped and the reporters immediately think it it some small-town conspiracy to hide the truth and go back and write stories to that account givirig credence to the theory that people are hiding the truth that could set Steven Truscottfree. During the years I lived in Clinton I saw the near paranoia that had overtaken the people of the town of Clinton, I was there when another murdertook place with another young boy charged. Out cable the comparisons in print to the Truscott affair. Out came the stories that talked about two murders in 10 years and made the town sound like Murder city. Out came, the reporters asking everybody in sight about this Murder or the one just over 10 years earlier. People began to think that the only time A reporter' from•outside the town came to Clinton was wheii:he was snooping for scandal. The mere sight of a television news car or a daily reporter with photo- graphers at his side was enough to make people nervous. Here we go again, they said to themselves. • • Por awhile all the fusS since the original trial has been in favour of the idea that Steven Truscott was innocent, it has also been that the town. itself was somehow guilty or something. The various books have Cat doubt on the local medical authorities, the jurors, local pcilice officials, everyone in any way connected .with the eaSe. Books such as the new Trent book seem to hint that there is a tonspiracy, that there is even fear in the community, that people know who really did the murder but •want US pin in on the boy. The irony of it all is that 99 per cent of the population had probably never even heard of either Steven Truscott or Lynne Harper before the murder, They lived in that other world at the air base south of toi,vn, a separate town With its. Own housing, recreational facilities and even its owe school. The murder didn't take place in the town either but in the country between the base and the town. The provineial •police were involved in the investigation tiOt the local police. The town of Clintoti was hardly involved at all and yet it has carried the stigma for the last 20 years. • The supreme irony for the hist deade has been that the Truscotts, the 'Harpers and all the other air force personnel are nOvir gene. The old' air base is no* turned to other uses. The people most involved in the ease are no longer there. But it's the people tit Clinton Who Still suffer. Pardon them if they want fit) forget Steven Trustott. ANYONE YOU KNOW? --Velma M Beyette of Dryden, Ontario, who describes her4elf as '"deep in genealogy" had grandparents and great-grandParentS who lived in the Seaforth area, many of whorr, moved to Manitoba in the 1880's or '90's. They were Anguses, Murrays, McLeods, McCloys, Fishers and RinnS, She'd like to hear from Expositor readers who recognize the family in this old- photo, taken by Baxter McArter, Blyth. Expositor -asks: What ore your favourite childhood memories? School day, •sehOol days. Good' Old golden rule days. Everyone is reminded of that saying every now and then, as they remember some event in their lives that happened at sehool. With that in Mind. Expositor Asks this week decided to ask local people. "What are some of your TaVoUrtte memiiries oryour childhood -day -s- at 'school?"' Mrs. T.J. Hussey of RR4 Seaforth said • when she was very little she lived in a kind of slum area and went to a Montessori (free) type of school, She said they started 'school at five, She said that class was in a lovely room with a: big fireplace. The teacher had a rocking chair and there were little rocking chairs around for the students and Mrs. Hussey Said they .h ad toys that the Y borrowed and put baclrafter they were done with them.: • It was • realty lovely -a nice kindergarten type of thing." She added that they used to have one teacher who used - to make syrup tarts (something like Granny tarts) and if a pupil had been very goad they were invited to have a piece. Although she didn't say whether or not it was her favorite memory, •a Seaforth woman who wished to remain anonymous said, -1 remember I had a long walk. We lived two Miles from the school. We had to walk to NO. 12 in McKillop," she. said. Joyce yanstone said, "1 guess when I was in a one room school for ayear, and. listening to the teacher telling the older children what to do. Pam Megens of RR 1 Hensall. said, "I remember we used to have a music teacher corning Around to the school every week giving singing lessons and square dancing lessons," Marie Wallace of I3rucefield said, "I stipposethe thing I remember most are the friends you make at school. I have managed to retain some of those friends over the years." 'Ark, Brian Murray of R.R4 Walton Said her favorite memories were high school ones. "My favorite memories are the football games at high school." When asked why, she said, "probably because my husband played on the team.** Her favourite memory of football was when her high school, Central Huron $econdary School in Clinton, won the Huron Perth Football Division in 1975. Mrs. Annie Howe of RR2*Staffa attended a one room school and said one of her favorite memories was the school parade to the fair. • That was the only outing we got, she said, nother of her favorite memories was , the Christmas concert. The one room.. schools always had a Christmas concert. Therewas no hydro and all the farmers • would bring their gasoline lanterns and OCTOBER 31, 1679 Corn hatVesting IS now in operation at Lumley. The farmers intend fattening their hogs on it this ,fall instead of peas. S. Hetherington, of Osborne has purchased a farm of one hundred acres from his neightnnir Thos. McFarlane for the sum of $6,200,00. The farm is a good one. Mr, Pendergast's large brick hotel at Dublin, will soon be ready for occupancy, Wm. Debson of McKillop sold to Mr. Eby, an American buyer, a span Of heavy draught. horses, for $400.00. The boy who caught the water hen, on the Auxsauble a few days ago has pcchanged it for a pocket knife. On Friday last at Lumley snow fell to • depth of six inches, We understand that the waterworks have completed the purchase of a lot on which to erect the necessary building for a water works. It was purchased from the Gouinlock estate for $150.00 and contains one fifth of an acre, • • NOVEMBER 4, 1904 John Britton of Constance has now two windmills, one of which he has had erected on the wall on the second farm and the other on the barn on the home place. Politics, turnip lifting and working on the railroad occupy the time of the people at the Walton vicinity. The worthy public in McKillop will be pleased to learn that Miss L. Lawrence is re-engaged in school no. 4 foe the year 1995 . at a greatly increased salary. Many tons of sugar beets* are being shipped from Kippen: station and help to increase the bustle in our busy little town. McMordie of Kippen, made a clean sweep of his grass fed steers. There were 2 car loads and they were purchased by Gilbert Oleic. •- R. McNaught, who has been employed in J. Bolgers jewellery store for the past few months ' has purchased the stock of W.R. • Counter. . John McMann Jr. his Purchased from his father, Me. John McMann Sr. the fine farm on which he has been residing for sane years.. • Albert Hart met with a bad accident a few days ago in the woollen mills, when a sheep shear fell on him, the points penetrating his arm. A very enjoyable musical was given by, the 'Ladies .kid of First Presbyterian Church at the residence of Mrs. LL McFaUl. The proceeds amounted to $45.00. • The teacher of the Public School, aided by the board, .i$ establishing a library for the USC of the pupils. Adam Crozier, whohas had the Robt. Goventock firm on the north road rented for the past few yearsis this week moving to St, Marys Where he will work the homestead farm. A meeting for the purpose of reorganizing the curling club was held in the Commercial Hotel when the same officers were elected. • you'd go the cpncert on the sleigh or cutter she said. NOVEMBER 1, 1929 Mr. and Mrs. Haroid Hunter of chisel; hurst were honoured at a pleasant evening when the Saintsbury Dramatic Club and members of St. Patricks Church gathere4! there to present them with a handsome walnut mantle clock. An address was react b„Y lyfiss Wilda Culbert and AlbertDicier made the presentation. Robert Penhale of Bayfield left Sunday fur Quebec where he has shipped a car load of apples. Work is progressing rapidly on the cottages being built for Mr. Burch on the property he purchased north of Deer LOP Park from Donald Galbraith. The young people of Manley met at the .borne of Anna Manley of Manley 414 gave her a kitchen shower. During:the heavy windstorm one night last week, Robert McBride of Stanley Twp, was awakened by the barking of the dog, It was found that the straw stack at the barn had blown over and: buried one of his cows. ' Wm. Kearcher of Zurich has Purchased the 25 acre farm from Wm. Bauman, W.J. Bickell, produce Merchant of town', received delivery of some chickens this • week. They were brought in by Mr. Jefferson of Tuckersmith and there were 160 in the lot,_ which topped the scales at 1,038 pounds. „ In the death of Geo. R. Cardne, Seaforth has lost oneits most 'prominent businessmedl Miss Alice Devereaux was successful in winning five dollars in gold as a prize from the Carter McGee scholarship fund for her essay on "Chaniplain.7 • NOVEMBER 5,1954 . The Seaforth Highlanders Band is practic- ingund.er the ,new band master Lieut. E. Wetton Judge J M Costello was fatally injured in car truck crash near Bothwell on Friday. He had been County Judge in Huron since 1951r M. and Mrs. John' Campbell. R.R: 4, Walton, were honoured on their 45th wedding anniversary and were presented with a tri light lamp and an 8 day clock and other gifts. Eric Collins, Seaforth, who is stationed' at R.C.A.F. station, Clinton, had his right arm amputated at Owen Sound Hospital, follow- ing a shooting accident 6 miles west of Tara. Work is getting underway at Bayfield, by volunteer labour, on a new Evangelical Baptist Church., ,. Mrs. Robert Dalrymple, who is widely known throughout the area, celebrated her 87th .birthday. The Fireside Fellowship group of First Presbyterian church met in the school room and took theform of a masquerade partY. Prizes were given to Mrs. Ralph McFadden, Mrs. D. _Glenn Campbell and Mrs. K. 'McLean. The modern new addition to the County House was officially opened on Friday last. To....the.edior Reoroitioii:iforHs00441..0e..ed4.:-p.rogram.: • In 1978, the Township of Tuckersmith applicd for a Canada Works Grant to provide Recreation for Special Needs. Three persons were hired for nine months to provide a Spetialized program of aquatics and fitness for individuals who are unable to fit into a regular aquatiC and fitness program. Chew tele includes mentally handicapped, Senior CitizenS, arthritics, stroke patients, or Persons with any other disability. One condition to receiving the Canada Works grant was that Vanastra Recreation Centre be renovated to accommodate physically handicapped persons who would be involved in the program. It was found that the way the building was laid out, any renovations would immediately ;incon•-• venience the people who vee presently using the facility. Eicarnple, to make the washrooms aecessible to a • person in a wheelchair one of the existing facilities would have to be removed. This would reduce the total capacity of the hall in respect to requirements of the Liquor Control Board. Example, to accommodate a wheelchair in the shower area of the change , morns, the two small shower 'areas would have to be combined to form one. This again would inconvenience the numbers of persons using the facility. • Example, for any :person in a' wheelchair or with a walking disability, manoeuvering in the existing exercise room would be extremely difficultbecause of the small space and large amount of equipment. Therefore, it was. decided that the only practiCal solution to make the Vanastra Recreation Centrea accessible to the physic- ally handicapped would be to build an addition. - - • The addition would include a larger exercise room, an activity room, accessible washrooms, showers, and change areas, Application was then made tothe Ministry of Culture and Recreation fos grants under Wintario and Community Recreation Centres Mt. Thete grants based on estimated costs when approved will cover 78% of the building costs. Of these costs 11% Must be raised through public subscription to mat(h the Wintario,Grants. It . is anticipated that the total amount will be raised in this Manner. To date, these grants have not been given final approval from the Ministry. Without these grants, the Town.. ship could not hope to finance thit 'large a • venture' on their own. The addition to the Reereation Centre will be of benefit to persons other than Special Needs Groups. The new change and shower areas will alleviate overcrowding that now exists. The activity room will be available as a meeting room for local groups such as Cubs, Scouts, Lions, Community Association etc. An increase in memberships is anticipated with a new exercise room in which there is space to rnanoeuver. Recreation for Special Needs now has approximately 250 persons registered in the program. Special Needs Groups now using the facility include Arc 'Industries -Dashwood Bluewater: Centre for the Developmentally Handicapped, Goderich; Goderich Gronp, Home for the Mentally Handicapped; Day Centre for the Homebound, Huronview; area nursing homes, Senior Citizens, Physically handicapped children and adults; stroke victims; individual referrals, etc. The Potential of the program will be expanded greatly if the proposed addition is extended. This ' could include' emotionally disturbed children and adults; post cardiac Care; day programs for Seniors; increased Mdividual referrals; and much more. . These services are found in urban areas, but until now have not been available in a rural area, such as Huron County. Vanastra Recreation Centre would have the potential to become one of the leading programmers of recreation services for Special Needs if facilities become accessible: Diane DUrnin Recreation Director Vanastra Vanastra Curling Club answers charges • It 'llaS beconie . apparent that certain citizens are concerned about the operation of the Vanastra Curling Club and in particular about the unique relationship between that curling club and the council of the Township of TuckerSmith. The exceptive of the Vanastra Curling Club recognizes that at this time of controversy over recreational facilities in the township it, is fitting for the public to take an special interest in Our club. However, we are distressed at many of the uninformed comments •quoted iri last. week's story, .‘Tuckersmith Council On Ho t Seat". In that 'article, Mr. Rathwell questioned whether it was good management for the township t� rent the eurling club for $1.00 per year. On the surface, be seems to have a Valid point. However, it should be Made clear that the curling club members have invested heavily in the club since they assumed full responsibility for its operation in 1975. Since that time,, the capital expenditures in the club have.come to 523,537.52, A total of $8213.00 alone has been spent on maintaining and improving. the ice -making equipment, Thus it has not cost the curling club' $1.00 per year for the use of the facilities; rather it has cost over $4,700.00 per year If it had not been for the willingness of the curlers to assumethese finaneial burdens, they would have been the responsibility of the township. If that had been the case, perhaps the curling link would have dosed, . Councillor Brown tOrnmented that there was once it plan to: tite the structure as a small skating rink and curling club. Per the 1978/75 'curling season the operating expenses kr the club Were $12,286.13. Not only would thete costs increase dratitatically if the club Were uaed for a dual purpose, but also the viability of combining skating and. curling canbe seriouslyquestioned. If this alternative had been chosen, the ending club would now be as empty as the Vanastra Arena. . Further, the insinuation was made that Our club is an exclusive or private one dominated by local farmers. Please note that government regulations require us to be chartered as a private club. Of course, we actively encourage new members and those members comp both from Vanastra and the surrounding area. .Mr, Eisler is quoted as asking why the members did not purchase the curling club, In the spring of this year, it was widely publicized that the building has been condemned because the roof is inadequately supported: One immediately Wonders what a fair price for a condemned building would be. Despite that fact that the, repairs to the building have been estiarnted at over 5100,000.00, the curling club at a general meeting committed itself to raise the funds necessary to bring the township's structure up to present building codes. The executive feels that at this time the additional expense of purchasing the curling rink could not be borne by its members. The executive of the curling club thinks that its , partnership with the Township of Tuckersmith has been a beneficial one to the community. The township council in its desire to provide recreational opportunities ' purchased the curling rink; the curling club has, protected and improved the township's investment: The result is a fine rectiational facility. •, • Yours truly, The Executive The Vanastra Curling Club Beechwood School memories Sometime ago there 'appeared in your paper a copy of picture taken of S.S. No. 1 McKillop also known its the Beechwood school. I wish to thank Mike Eckert of Dublin for resurrecting such a relic and submitting it to you for printing. I also wish to thank you, the Editor for re -producing it in your paper. 1 remember that day quite well: 1 was eleven years old at the time. Over the years since I haVe Made the North my home I hive retraced my foot steps down memory's lane many times to that old white brick school house. 1 remember the old wooden pump that was fabritated by the Welch Brothers of Seaforth. This pump was replaced by an iron pionp bought it Billy Hill's Hardware store in Dublin. 1 often thought how pleasant it would have been if we could have spent an afternoon near the old school site and reminisced and chatted about the many things that took place during our school days and where we had wandered off to after that old school door closed behind Us for the last time. But looking over that picture more closely I think that there would net have been too Many of us present to enjoy our get together Unfor. tunately many of those in the picture have answered their Master's call. 1 remember very well our teacher. Miss Agnes Pope from Parkhill Ont. I am comatitted to say that she was one of our beat teachers. She was a very conscientious dutiful teacher who took her obligations to (Continued on Page 3 ) _2 '