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/0 e -, 4, ii 7/ 0 Sobering Facts on Booze Reveals Drinking Problems In the midst of this year's holiday festivities, the Addiction Research Foundation offers some sobering thoughts about the drinking habits of young residents of the Durham Region. Alcohol problems were reported among "significant number" of Durham Region teenagers surveyed recently by the Foundation. Research revealed that out of 292 teens responding to a survey, 24 per cent reported at least one symptom of dependent drinking. Symptoms of dependence on alcohol include: a feeling that one should cut down or stop drinking altogether; getting drunk when there is an important reason to stay sober; and blackouts. Of the teenagers whose drinking habits were studied, 8.6 per cent reported some "problem' drinking and five per cent had three or more symptoms of dependence on alcohol. Students taking part in the test were between 14 and 18 years old but most were in the 16 and 17-year- old age group. Findings of the addiction Re- search Foundation revealed that there was a tendency for more males than females to be problem or dependent drinkers. The study states that care should be taken not to conclude that all of those young people with a dependent or drinking problem are alcdholics or need treatment. It was also noted that "there is a tendency for much youthful problem drinking to disappear with age. However, about five per cent of the young people survey reported three or more symptoms of dependency and a further three per cent reported three or more problems. These are the drinkers whose problems are likely to be severe enough to require treatment or intervention. The survey found that of the teenager respondents, 40.8 per cent were classified as social drinkers and 26.4 per cent abstained from alcoholic beverages. A total of 24.3 per cent were dependent drinkers and 8.3 per cent were problem drinkers but without dependency symptoms. Turn to Page Two Interchange At Holt Road A new Highway 401 interchange will be built at Holt Road in the early 1980s at the same time improve- ments are made at interchanges on Courtice Road and Waverley Road. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications informed the town's public works committee Thursday it will include the con- struction of a partial interchange at Holt Road in a contract to uipgrade the Waverley and Courtice inter- changes. Turn to Page Two Santa's H elp ers These cheerful elves were just a few of the students from the Hampton Junior Public School who took uart in a Christmas con- cert held at the school yesterday afternoon and evening. The concert in Hampton included musical numbers and skits by all classes from grades one to six. The elves shown here were from the grade two class. Ask SuP Nèwcastle's Community Services Committee will encourage the Durham Region to give financial support to Oshawa's Senior Citizens' Centre. The committee decided Monday to Elect Clarke Director For Cof C It will be a first for Bowmanville next mdnth when Charles darke take office as a director of the On- tario Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Clarke, the president of the Bowmanville Chamber of Commer- ce, was elected this month as direc- tor of Division 19 in the Ontario organization. As a director, Mr. Clarke will meet at least once during the year with all chambers under his jurisdiction. The director is also ex- pected to take part in several speaking engagements in his own area. In addition to dealing with local Chamber of Commerce matters, provincial directors also meet twice a year with the Ontario Cabinet and the directors meet annually with federal officials. Ontario directors hold monthly meetings and it is a task of each director to represent the interests of his division at these sessions. ,Charles Clarke succeeds Gord Garrison, of Oshawa, as the director., for Division 19. Mr. Clarke is the, business education director at the Bowmanville High School and also the night school principal. He has taught at the high school for 13 Charles Clarke por ,t for ask Regional council to recognize that the Oshawa Senior Citizens' Centre has regional significance and is therefore eligible for a regional grant. Sheila Entwistle, Executive direc- tor of the centre, has told Director of Community Services, Bud Faning, that the centre is overcrowded and groups from outside the city of Oshawa may have to be excluded from using the centre. At present, there are 321 senior citizens from Newcastle using the centre. However, there are only 137 from Newcastle who are paid mem- bers. Entwistle said the paid mem- bers visit the centre regularly, the other 284 come only now and then. Durham Regional council donated $5,700 to the Oshawa Senior Citizens' Centre in 1977 but stopped giving the grant in 1978 due to the existence of other senior citizens groups and organizations. Mr. Fanning said he concluded from his discussions with Centre authorities that they were looking for a grant of approximately $5,000 to $8,000 from the Town of Newcastle to cover town residents who are using the Centre. He suggested that "the time has come when council should be setting their sights in the next two years towards providing a senior citizens' centre in the Town of Newcastle." Mayor Garnet Rickard said he could not agree with the town giving financial support to the Oshawa Seniors' Centre. Such money, he said, should be distributed locally to agencies such as Community Care where literally hundreds drop in. Bits And Pieces ON CHANNEL 7-- Further in connection with the Participation House All Star Telethon for Cerebral Palsy from 10 p.m. Dec. 30th to 7 p.m. Dec. -31st. If your set doesn't receive Global too well, it will also be televised over Channel 7, but the phone numbers for pledges won't be the same. The numbers for this area are 576-9335 and 579-4400. Don't forget, the money raised here goes to the Durham Par- ticipation House. GREETINGS - It will take a little time to read through this edition of The Canadian Statesman, all 48 pages of it. But, the time will be well spent because business establishments and citizens are extending season's greetings to ail readers and there are a great many cute letters to Santa along with regular news stories and pictures. We've done our best to cover most of the Christ- mas events around the area. In fact, there were so many that some may be held over until next week. CONGRATULATIONS - A news release has just come in advising that Harvey Malcolm of Yelver- ton, a Statesman correspondent for 25 years, has been elected to the Board of Directors of United Co- operatives of Ontario. Sincere congratulations, it couldn't happen to a more capable person. BACK 'TO 1923 - The Editor just received a postcard from Gilbert Jones of Whitby, former manager of the Dominion Store here. It shows the Dominion store at that time, located where Bow- manville Fabrics are now, on King St. West with Gilbert and John Delve standing in the doorway. Mixed nuts were 21 cents a lb., walnuts 49 cents a lb., glazed cherries 29 cents a lb., 2 pound box of chocolates 99 cents and Tokay grapes 2 lbs. for 35 cents. Progress in Negotiations between the Nor- thumberland and Newcastle Board of Education and its elementary teachers are making some progress, says fact-finder J.W. Singleton in his recent report on the contract dispute. "The spirit of compromise," he state, "seems to be deeper than is evident certaily on the part of the elementary teachers." This is in deep contrast to his report of three weeks ago on the, Board's contract dispute with its secondary teachers. In it he obser- ved both sides were standing firm and were unwilling to budge. A mediator has been appointed and one item - retention policy - seems close to resolution by means of a joint study process. "Further progress," says Singleton, "could well occur if the mediation attempt was continued." Many items have been settled in the sense that they remain un- changed from last year's contract. Some of the major items that fall in- to this category are the Educational Leave Plan (except for the amount of money to put into the plan) and the Extended Leave Plan. Salaries in Dispute Some major items remain in dispute of which salary is one. DEMOTION - Last week we mentioned that Harry Wade of Newcastle had been named chair- man of the Committee in charge of the Senior Citizens project in Orono. We were in error, he's just a member. HOLIDAY EDITIONS - Both The Canadian Statesman and The Newcastle Independent will be published as usual on Wednesday during the next two weeks. The office will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's, but will be open on Tuesday, Dec. 26th Boxing Day. To compen- sate, the staff will be holidaying on Friday, Dec. 29th. STILL TIME - Tickets are still available for that Toronto Maple Leaf hockey practice at Civic Auditorium, Oshawa, at 11 a.m. on Dec. 29th, with proceeds to go to the John Bosco Residences for Boys in Oshawa. Any young hockey player would love to see those Leafs in action and after their showing this week they certainly need a good workout. KIRBY SLOPES OPEN - So far this winter this area has managed to avoid much snow, but from all reports there may be some on the way shortly. If you'd like to see some just head about five and a half miles north where the ground is covered. There was skiing at Oshawa Ski Club at Kirby last weekend and they hope to be in full' operation by this weekend. WRONG COAT - Somebody who attended the Christmas party Open House at the Museum picked up the wrong coat and is now wearing or has Mayor Garnet Rickard's all weather lined coat in ,his closet. The one he left has epaulets, but the mayor's hasn't. His Worship would like to have his returned please. Elementary Teacher Talks Teachers' salaries are based on a grid of seven levels of certificates and degrees and running through up to 12 years of experience by annual increments. The grid or schedule for 1977-78 starts at $9,712 in year one at 24 Hours to The town's finance and ad- ministration committee approved the final draft of a snow removal by- law for the town of Newcastle last week. It was sent to council for final approval. The by-law requires owners or oc- cupants of buildings which abut any street or highway to remove snow and ice from their portion of the sidewalk within 24 hours from the commencement of snowfall. This time limit, committee members pointed out, would be somewhat flexible. When shovelled, the snow and ice should not be dumped upon the travelled portion of any street or the lowest level of certificate to $26,450 at the highest level of cer- tificate at the twelfth year. Annual increments are part of the salary package as payment for in- Turn to Page Two Shovel So highway. Snow and ice, the by-law states, should be removed without damage to the sidewalk and in a way that does not endanger the safety of people using that sidewalk. It should not obstruct access to fire hydrant either. If a person does not comply with these regulations, the town has the authority to remove the necessary snow and ice and the expense will be charged to the owner or occupant of the building. Anyone who violates the provisions of the by-law is guilty of an offence liable on conviction to a minimum fine of $50 and a maximum of $200. A Christmas Seal? Cecil the Sensible Seal is decked out in a hat, a scarf and a cold weather mask which is offered b the Durham Region Lung Association to persons with respiratory problems. ecil, who serves as a mascot for the Lung Association, is modeling a mask which is designed to warm up air before a person breathes it on cold winter days. This is a big help for persons with breathing problems -- especially the elderly. Masks are available free of charge for persons who need them and they are provided as a Christmas Seal service. With Cecil is Angela Tibbles, executive director of the Lung Assoéiation. Survey