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The Huron Expositor, 1979-12-06, Page 3Somethi g by Susan White I like christrnaa- Any .daY now lea time to get the bags and boxes of treasured Christmas ornaments up from the basement and scat- tered around the house, strategically placed of course to hide stains on the table- cloths and scrapes on the furniture. Probably like the orna- ments you trot out Christmas after Christmas at your house, each of ours has a history. I try to add a couple each year too and last year a paper creche made its appearance, Is it my imagination or are there more lovely and un- usual Christmas ornaments, for the tree, the mantle, the ..•• • buffet and the window sill this year than ever? This IT^T,TT.T.ATTII , HERE THEY COMM—This group of kids waited for the Santa Claus parade to go by them on North Main St. Saturday morning. From left are Jason Henderson, Susanne Dinsmore, Christopher Marion, Chrissie Dinsmore anthlennifer Marion. (Expositor Photo) Brussels mah:.•hedds (Continued from Page 1) in May. He said ht e board would then have to be ready to deal with the situation. He said dealing with declining enrolment may cause trustees to make decisions that would affect their future as trustees. "I ask you to do what you „feel is just and fair," he said. Outgoing chairman John Elliott told trustees much the same thing in his final remarks. He said the board ' had been through some tough times in the past two years but added there were tough times ahead. • Elliott conceded that it may be unrealistic to raise the kind of public interest trustees would like but added , that at least the board will have a plan to go public with. • He said the board had • enjoyed some success in rasing public interest in educationladding a lot more work was needed.. But he pointed out that no• longer will the board be handling the problem of declining enrolment in a 'piece meal fashion". Seaforth trustee John Henderson was acclaimed vice-chairman of the /board when Dave Gower, Goderich trustee, with drew •his nomination. • Gower said he did not feel his one year's experience on the board qualified him to serve as vice-chairman. He said the reason he declared You're Christmas meeting of the Seaforth Women's Institute will be held in the Seaforth Public School, Thursday eve- • ning, Dec. 13. Family pot luck pper at. 7:00 p.m.. (Please bring dishes and • cutlery). A gift exchange for all to thevalue f S2 00 R�11 call to be - "My Favorite Christmas song or carol." • Viola & Lorne Lawson will show pictures of their trip to California. Supper convenors Mrs. E. Papple, Mrs. J. interest in the post was to motivate other trustees to • stand for election. As vice-chairman) Henderson will be chairman of the board's management committee. Zurich trustee personnel committee and Ashfield trustee Marion Zinn was acclaimed chairman of the education committee. An Expositor Classified will pay you dividends. Have you tried one? Dial 527-0240. • o ted Keys. e ospi a uxi lary wi have their Xmas party •and pot luck supper at Dorothy Hays' residence on John St. on Tues. Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Come & meet Santa. Everyone is welcome to attend the 4.h Annual Open House and Christmas Sale at ARC Industries, Dashwood, on Thursday, December 13 and Friday, Dec. 14. Time: 10 a.m. to 12 noon, -1:00 p,m. to 4:00 both days. Marcy heads HPRCSS Rev. TonySonderup, habit of thinking 'small is beautiful? Can we Dean of not think more positively anti think of larger Straford Deanery, askWingham ed, "How can we get f " Classified Ads pay dividends. • the enrolment? Have we gotten into the amines'? • g• panne.ere 000 Christmas I hardly need to start •hauling up from the basement. , ;I've bought enough new decorations to do very nicely. That's because I'm a suck- er for anything that says Christmas, and now that I've got a daughter with an angel's name, for everything angelic, .. (we keep hoping the name will influence her behaviour). Probably the nicest among the old ornaments we've gathered in 11 Christmases together are a few that used to belong to the better half's grandmother. “I .remember that bird when I was a little boy," his dad says every year when he sees our tree and we all bask in that continuity. say u got your , ,• How Grandma MacRae (she had three husbands before an untimely death at 87 Dr so) would have liked a book I've temporarily re- moved from Seaforth Public Library shelves. Fr there, on page 135 in full glowing colour is her, now our, fragile glass bird, complete With a spun glass tail. That's what attracted me to "The Christmas Tree Book" by Phillip Snyder (Viking Press) first, but once I got the book home I learned enough about 200 or so years of Christmas trees and orna- ments to keep my end of Christmas party conversation up for many years to come. The tree, I learn, devel- oped in Germany and is pictured with lights and toys on its branches in a Christ- mas Eve engraving dated 1796. The idea gained popularity in England in the middle of the last century as Victorians imitated their Queen and her German husband Albert, but the Christmas tree never became as universal there as here, probably because of a scarcity of evergreens. America, as is its habit, did things bigger and adopt- ed a floor to ceiling Christ- mas tree, in contrast to the table top sized European ones. Ornaments for many years were imported from Germany. They were expen- sive and early photos show the average tree with very few store bought ones. The lucky family added one eagb Christmas. The Christmas Tree Book says that while only one in five American families had a tree at home in 1900, they were nearly universal by 1930. A number of decor- ations in the old days were • edible and since trees stood in place until Twelfth Night the chance to eat the decor. ations softened the blow kids, felt when the trees had to ;erne down, Embossed cardboard and. spun glass (we have one, an angel inherited from the same grandma) and fragile blown glass ornaments hit it big in North America after they were imported from Germany, the latter by the five and dime, king, F.W. Woolworth. Although he had to be convinced they'd sell in the beginning, Snyder says the sale of glass Christmas tree ornaments eventually con- tributed "a substantial part" of the Woolworth fortune. Ornament making was a delicate cottage industry and in Lauscha, now in East Germany, whole families worked 16 hours a day from June till November. Details like gold wire rigging and tiny cardboard sails were added to free -blown glass boats and each ornament was a work of art. Fridays, according to the author, the wife packed the week's family production of ornaments in a huge wicker basket, strapped it on her THE HURON EXPOSITOR. DECEMREI1 es 4110 back and travelled by train to the big town where American buyers gathered. After the second world war for a few years people snuck hand blown ornaments across the iron curtain into West Germany but the art is apparently now close to dying out oil both sides of the border. Though it rarely occurs to; is now, Christmas trees were a dangerous commodity until the electric light be- came popular. Old papers are full of stories of tragedy like those in Chicago and New York when nurses in uniform backed into candle lit trees at hospital children's ward parties. My grandmother siways talked of the beauty Of a candle lit free, and she had, one when I was small too. It was a table top wood and paper creation with claw like hooks on its branches to hold small white candles. It was, never lit though in my time, • and just as well I guess— . imagine how quickly it would go up in flarnee, Surprisingly. the Christ- mas Tree Book says there weren't many editorialists who condemned the candlelit tree as unsafe. What was a raging controversy early in this century though: was, whether or not families should have Christmas trees at all. • Forest". were) being' de- *tett and• it was CAW to blame the Chrttouts tree. Consservationsts and the tree industry argued fur years and finally Chrlatmaa tree farming and sensible, planned tree cuttinp Were' practised. • But not before The Ladke Home Journal came up with an idea, the magazine hoped would be a popular alter- native to the Christmas tree. It was a Jacob's Ladder, made from a step ladder covered with cheese cloth, greens and candles. Presents were arranged on the steps, Now if I can just find a corner for that definitely original decoration in my house. k •th takes • (Continued from Page 1) day care centre committee be disbandedand the day care centre director, Miss (Karen) McEwin run it Jand be answerable to council only. No one would second the motion. It was pointed out govenrment regulations required a committee to direct the centre. The remark was made that the director needed the committee or she might do as she wanted and then brain wash the council. The statement was made that no commit- tee runs the recreation centre, and it was pointed out that government regulations do not requirea committee for this. • Then the question was asked, "Do you think the recreation director doesn't brain wash, you?" Reeve Sillery, stated his position, "If flak conies back, he (Brown) was not agreeable False alarm Tuesday with them (Committee) and council voted to remove him, then I'll go along with council." • • • Councillor Brown repeated, "I feel I should The fire Marin which sounded Tuesday contacted Bell Telephone supervisors and have been given a reason". the wires are going to be put in order. The chief said the alarm will be shut off all next Wednesday. Someone will stay at the station all day to activatethe portable paging systems carried by the volunteer firemen in the event of a fire. during the noon hour was a false alarm, according to Seaforth fire chief Harry Hak. • Bell Telephone crewmen were working behind the fire station, and it is assumed they triggered the alarm. • Fire Chief Hak said there is a whole mess of wires behind the station. The chief • • Council adopts new assessment In a quick meeting before last Wednesday night's ratepayers' meeting Seaforth council adopted the new Section 86 assessment for the 1980 tax roll and approved site plan change in the area of the Main St. lot it sold earlier this year to Lansink Construction Ltd. Council's adoption of Section 86 means some change in individual proeprty assessments but almost none in assessment totals. Public meetings' will be held to explain how property owners will be affected. Sefaorth's is one of the 3 last Huron municipalities to consider the change. The change on the Main St., property. to be the site of a new Roth's supermarket and a new home for Robert Plumsteel Interiors •invovled the lose. of two. parking. spots and a change the dimensions of the grocery' store to 76.' x 120' from 80' x 120'. Herman . Lansink . of the development • compnay explained the changes had to come to council because the town had owned the adjoining lot, • . • Councillor Bruce Hoelscher declared' a conflict of interest and left the meeting. The Deputy Reeve Bell will replace Councillor Brown on the committee. In other business council passed a by-law authorizing the 5250,000 addition to the Vanstra recreation centre and will send it to the Ontario Municipal Board for approval. • When this is received council will then be in a position to accept the tender for the construction to start.. ' Council approved the acceptance of the new 1980.81 Seaforth Fire Area Board • agreeemnt which will • go into effect on January 1 after the five participating municipalcouncilssign-- c ' op, Tucker - smith, Hullett and Hibbert townships and the Town of Seaforth. - Council appreved the subdivider's agree ment with Rod and Ken Doig for the Doig subdivision on the eastern outskirts of Egmondville. A request from Union Gas Company was accepted to install along township roadways remaining councillors approved the change. a running pipe line for gas from a main line located near the Hydro plant east of Seaforth to Hensall. It will supply more gas power for the large grain companies located in Hensall. Council approved applications for four tile drainage loans for $66,200, , Passed for payment were accounts amounting to 580,875.29, including Vantstra recreation centre, 57,036.51; Vanastra day care, 54,436.93 roads, 541,427,41; and general accounts, 527,974.44. Council is concerned about a beaver dam on the Bayfield River near the Broadfoot bridge, Lot 27, .Concession 2 (HRS) that it might cause serious flooding when the spring ice break-up occurs, and the bridge could be badly or totally damaged. An investigation will be carried out to consider destroying • the dam and trapping the occupants. Council members said it was the first time they have round beaver in the township. Council renewed its contract with Bud Chamney of Auburn for garbage removal for the householders in Vanastra. The garbage is taken to the landfill site at Holmesville. He will get 5175. a week in his tvvo-year contract, up from 5150. He will continue to take the recreation centre garbage out at a cost of 56.00 per week. The contract calls for weekly pickup and,two specialpickup • in May and October, as well as a Christmas tree pickup. . Council endorsed a resolution from the. • City of Banie which supports the position (Xebec's White Paper takcenoubnycithl agreed egPreeremid teoraofcceOpnttaraniooffeinroPfromPodalltbs • Town of Clinton that the two municipalities meet to discuss recreation --the co-operation and co-ordination of recreation programs. Robert Bell 'd "I think DeputyReevesai , we should attend a meetingto let th knew • what, we have to offer, and see what they have to offer." The meeting was adjourned shard y after midnight. Council also agreed to offer free parking in•• - - • W e warden downtown Seaforth for the month of December. an amage $40 Terry Johnston, SDHS coach and a be built on the high school grounds. • committee of local residents are planning a Ivan Nielsen, a local contractor, is heading , • sports event they hope will become a up the campaign to build these facilities. Mr. " • tradition in Seaforth. Johnston said it's ho ed the o tr ti The event is the Nielsen Field Classic, • be done with volunteer laboi.r, and that the named after local athlete Johnny Nielsen. materials will be donated by contractors. The meet will be an "elite" meet for the fry Also, the community will be asked to billet.. high school athletes from southwestern the visiting athletes in homes. • Ontario, and perhaps the northern United Another committee member, Grant Cur - States rah, is investigating what funding is • Terry Johnston said he hopes the meet, available for the field meet through Wintario scheduled for May 10th, will be one of the grants. Mr. Johnston said he is also hoping best meets, outside the province -wide for some support from the Huron County OFSSA meet held annually. school board. While the meet will be held on the high • The meet will be under the sponsorship of c ns uc on can • A stray spark from a snowmobile is blamed for causing the fire that levelled a McKillop Township barn shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. Robert Duffy, R.R.1., Dublin, owner bf the barn, said a snowmobile was started outside the barn on the gangway and it's believed a spark sta, ted the fire in the upper part of the barn. Tom Duffy, a. son, discovered the fire, and the family was able to rescue four cows and four calves, and 32 of the 50 pigs housed in the barn. Also. !ost in the fire, which caused approximately $35,000 - 540,000 damage, was the season's crop of grain, hay and straw and wagons, a seeder and other machinery inside the barn. Seaforth Fire Chief Harry Hak said the fire was beyond control when firemen arrived on the scene. He said it was fortunate the "Wind was in our favour" so the family's nearby home wasn't threatened. school grounds, Mr. Johnston said he's the Seaforth Legion Track Club which ' • than a school event.- athletes. 1 2 peop•e attend thinking of it more as a community rather involves local public and high school • Anyone interested in serving on the For that reason, he and a committee of • • local citizens have already begun a campaign committee planning the Johnny Nielsen Classic is invited to at tend the committee to involve the town, the Chamber of Commerce and other area organizations. • meeting at the Seaforth Legion, Tuesday, The cost of the first meet will likely be in Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. Also, anyone wishing to make a financial contribution to the meet can the 55-7,000 area. Mr. Johnston said proper Three candidates havedeclared interest in • An Usbometownship farmer, he :uict his the Huron County warden's job. Bill Morley, reeve of Usborne; Eileen • Palmer, Goderich reeve and Tuckersmith reeve Ervin Sillery will seek the warden's chair for 1980. inaugural meeting on December 11. Tuckersmith reeve, Ervin Sillery, • has The new warden will be named at the served 18 years on municipal council and has been a member of county council for the past seven years. He told council members he would be pleased to represent the county as warden. Mr. Morley recently served on the Committee of Management of Huronview and has been on county council since 1975 c)uncil hosts rate • concrete shot and discus circles will have to contact Grant Currah or Terry Johnston. TheMississauga: Saga (Continued from Page 2) After expert observation Soon declared the city "clean." Mississauga. Mississauga, Shudder at what might have been. In a week, "All clear" was sounded And, the people soon returned. They were thankful that so few were hurt And that no home was burned; But, they are apprehensive As they contemplate the spill, Hoping 'twill not be repeated, But, they fear it likely will. Mississauga, Mississauga, Trains transport chlorine still. • If such dangers must be present , It behooves someone to see, That it safely be transported To.wherever it must be. • Lelislation must be fashioned, • Safety standards to attain, • So the Mississauga mishap Never can occur again. Mississauga, Mississauga, With some new friends after dark. Mississauga, Mississauga, Meeting new friends is a lark. While resting by a neighbour, Head to foot upon the floor, Like sardines, crowded in a can, 'Till it will hold no more; Complaints and arguments arise, • And make an awful din, But become somewhat diminished, When free food is carried in. Mississauga, Mississauga, Free food is carried in. If it were a dress rehearsal For a future great disaster, Then, perhaps the operation Could be processed even faster; With a plan for the survival Of the harried human race, E'er a nuclear explosion Decimates this earthly place. Mississauga, Mississauga, Trouble that we yet may face. , It must not occur again. When thc chlorine tank was emptied And the fires did all subside, • A new song to an old tune, "Ghost And the train again was righted, Riders in the Sky". Composed by Evelyn Ready on the rails to ride; A. Brown, Seaforth, Ontario. A former Then, the chemical technicians resident of Mississauga. • Who had gathered,at the scene, ••(Sunday, November 11 13, 1979 Sewage rate increases, the town's new loitering by-law, lighting at the arena and grants to the lawn bowling club were some of the subjects of questions at last Wednesday night's ratepayers' meeting. • About 12 people heard reports from council committees and PUC commissioners in the council chambers. Seaforth's loitering by-law has yet to be tested in the courts, although several charges have been laid, police committee chairman Bob Dinsmore told former councillor Jim Sills. Mr, Dinsmore praised the new county dispatui system and commented Seaforth's crime rate is among the lowest per capita in Huron or Perth. Audience member Henry Ziler was told that if there's a sewer rate increase the mill rate will be lowered by the same amount. Clerk Jim Crocker said new figures from the ministry indicate sewer rates might increase to only 56 instead of 58.70 from 55 per Councillors agreed that gallonage going through sewage treatment should be reduced this spring once that are found and corrected. (A study to decide whiCh areas to look at more cies* is going on now.) Councillor Henry Mere, chairman of the public works committee said his first year on council had been an education and a disappointment, because he'd expected cotintil to act much More quickly. "Now I see why that can't be", he added. Councillor Mero said he'd like to see a Neighbourhood Improvement Program for the south end of town to take advantage Of •government grants for paving, curbs and gutters, etc. He also praised town foreman Harvey Dolmage. . "he saves us a pile on maintenance in a year's MIT." Former mayor Betty Cardno thanked council for having curb cuts made on Main St. for the handicapped and Mayor John Sinnamon said further cuts may be possible. Mrs. Cardno also raised the question of why the lawn bowling club pays neither taxes not rent on its property. The mayor said the club, mainly composed of senior citizens ,faced especially high upkeep and improvement st last yearend that it was a case of grantior. something or the club considering closing. He added the club's pleasant appearance was :an asset to the south end of town. No decision has been made on the matter for 1980, the mayor said, PUC chairman Gord Pullman provided a lighter moment when he asked councillor Gerald Groothuis, chairman of the arena committee, to have more lights on during summer roller skating at the arena. It's a question of safety, he said "in more ways than one," The whole questiOn could be skoaidk,,d at in the spring, Mayor Sinnamon Mt Members reported that tom' rates son is willing to take over management of , their farming operation during the corning year so Mr. Morley can devote his time to the wardenship..• Eileen Palmer has served on various committees and board during her four years on county council. She asked county council members to vote in a knowledgeable fashion when they make their choice for warden. She • asked that they judge on merit, not political patronage. • All three candidates said they were prepared to give the time necessary to represent the county as warden and.they would be honoured to fill the position with the respect and prestige it represents.. will go tip, probably in April or May by an estimated 10 per cent, less than Ontario Hydro's 16.2 percent increase to the town • which is corning in January. That brought a spate of questions from councillors on how the PUC could.afford to defer the increase. Manager Tom Phillips • explained that the utility tries to keep one bill ahead and a cash flow of 525, - 530,000. "It's good eash management," said PUC • member Doug Fryett praising the manager and Mr. Phillips said other municipal PUC s do the same thing. • "1 wantt� make it clear that the PUC is not making any money" and is in a break even position at the end of the year, PUC chairman Pullman said after presistent questioning from council on how the utility managed to defer the hydro increase. He cited the PUC's new well, building and newly inspected water tank as accomplish- • ments over the year. New pumping controls ate being installed now and "when finished • Seaforth's in as good a position to entice an industry here as any (place) in Huron," Mr. Pullman added, "We spent a lot but we've been able to keep water rates the same since we lowered them," he said. • Reeve John Flannery repOrted from county council on new uniformity in hospital grants while councillor Bruce Hoelscher, rep to Seeforth Cosemeeity Hospital board, !surfed its efforts at fighting Mayor Sinnamon listed finishing James • and Adam St. reconstruction; preliminary engineering on Railway St.; a 16 unit senior citizens apartment building; a Fire Area agreement; an effort to attract industry the new assessment for 1980 and a continuing tree planning program as some Of the year's accomplishments. He also paid tribute to former councillor Sills. Reeve John Flannery reported from ' council on a new uniformity in hospital grants while councillor Bruce Hoelscher, rep to Seaforth Community Hospital board, lauded its efforts at fighting higher energy costs. Councillor Irwin Johnston chairman of the Fire Area Board praised firemen and chief Harry Hak. Mayor Sinnamon reported for finance committee chairman and deputy reeve Bill Dale, who was ill, that buying Crombie St: property, selling a lot on Main St. and the official plan updating, with public meetingii. in the spring, were its main activities over the year. Councillor Bill Bennett, Orte4.thOrith • veteran of the current council, provided the meeting's moat optimistic note. He paid tribute to the citizens who vohanteet tei -Outten committees. "It's a good to set tone, dThriaertrerneanretsnoWeillinemptly sinicottsCIOicoaltumebitnontty:. .There's lots cif %Wass goesg es tows," he summarized. A