The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanvillc, Wednesday, November 24,1993 Dairy Farmer Remembers the '30s by Lorraine Manfredo A retired Bowmanvillc dairy farmer farmer has had an article published in a collection of memoirs about the Great Depression and war eras. All the stories stories were written by everyday Canadians. Canadians. Arthur E. Hamilton's talc about a mistreated horse caught the attention of editor David Helwig, a one-time writcr-in-residcncc at the Pickering Library. Helwig was on the look-out at that time for stories to include in a book he titled "Back Then: Voices of Memory 1915-1945." Hamilton's story was originally called "And Then There Was Peggy." It's just one of 26 true-life stories in the book that provides a human reflection reflection of those difficult years. "I think it was the elements of cruelty and kindness together in my story that appealed to David," figures Hamilton. It might also have had something to do with his honest portrayal of characters, or the readable flow of the piece. Or, as his wife Betty suggests, it was more likely Arthur's natural knack for story telling that stood out. He has always told stories to his children about his early years working the Indian Head dairy on the Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Prairie Arthur Hamilton's son, Irwin, recalls recalls being captivated by the stories. "I particularly remember at Christ- mas-time when aunts and uncles would be around, how Dad would entertain entertain us for hours. Even today, people people find his stories, and his.method of telling them, fascinating." Irwin Hamilton still treasures the story about how his Dad drove a team of horses through deep snow hauling a building. It was no small feat for a young, inexperienced team-driver. "It always filled us with pride for our father and now, as I am older, it has even more significance. It shows the parenting skills of my grandfather whom I never met. "It also shows the uncanny rela- In those years, even the occupied farms could barely afford to spray. Despite these and other hardships, Hamilton says he was a happy child and not too badly off. He credits his resourceful parents for that. He knows neighbors who didn't fare as well. Many of the writers in the book recall recall situations that leave Hamilton absolutely absolutely misty-eyed, he admits. "Back Then: Voices in Memory 1915-1945" is published by Obcron Press and is available in hardcover or paperback at both Rickaby's and at The Book Studio in Bowmanvillc. Arthur E. Hamilton's stories about his childhood on the prairies during the dirty thirties have always fascinated his family and close friends. Recently, one of his stories about those trying times was published in a new book, entitled "Back Then: Voices of Memory 1915-1945" published by Oberon Press. Week in Review- Shrinking Budgets Affect School Boards From Page One forum held in Peterborough this month. Parent associations, faculty members, college and university representatives, students and business business groups voiced their opinion on the future of education. The Royal Commission on Learning is expected to wrap up its fact-finding mission in mid- December. Sharpe expects the Ministry Ministry of Education to come out with its own recommendations by spring of next year. In the report, the PVNN Separate School Board endorses several changes to the Ontario education system in areas of governance, partnerships partnerships with business and labor, funding, curriculum, the learning environment and teacher training. With regards to societal expectations, expectations, the report states: "the message to the general public must be clear that schools cannot be all things to all people." Another suggestion regarding curriculum urges that more autonomy autonomy be given to teachers in adapting provincially-approved material to meet the needs of their particular students. In the case of Separate schools, New Member for Museum Board Clarington Council appointed a new member to the Clarke Museum Board at Monday night's council meeting. Filling the board vacancy is Simon Packwood-Greaves. He will join fellow board members Ross Campbell, Kathy Dennis, David Wing, Kristin McCrea, Fran Austman and Chairman Donna Robins. this would allow for the inclusion of business and labour groups, the arts "spiritual development as a perva- community, and other interested sive dimension." parties be consulted in the process The report also recommends that of setting curriculum. Don't Miss a Single Issue Catch all the news, sports and advertising that make up our community. Category 1 Subscribers who wish to pick up their own subscription at our offices after 11 a.m. Wednesday. \bu will be given a card to p:.-eaent each week when you pick up your Statesman. Category 2 Subscribers within the Municipality of Clarington. Category 3 Subscribers outside the. Municipality of Clarington in Canada. Sub. Delivery G.S.T. Total $20 0 $1.40 $21.40 $20 $5 $1.75 $26.75 $20 $25 $3.15 $48.15 j Subscription Order Form , 1 Postal Code: _ Telephone No.: i« S|t testera Statesman P.O. Box 190,62 King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario, L1C 3K9 Second Class Mail Permit No. 1561 tionship Dad has with animals." Indeed, at 77, Arthur Hamilton still tends a herd of 16 cattle. His recently-published story is about a deal that alters a horse's fate and how the grateful animal eventually eventually shapes the lives of those around her. It's a story of charity and challenge challenge and of great victory. Other stories in the collection take place in grain fields and small towns all over Canada as well as in the air over warring Europe and in the trenches in Manila. Hamilton is full of stories, he says, about farm life out West. But he hasn't written much about life in Ontario. Ontario. Perhaps that's because life on the prairie was experienced in the extreme. extreme. Winters would freeze folks at 60 below. In summer, the temperature would climb to 105 in the shade. Such extremes prepared people for the worst, but seemed to promise the best. "Westerners are a different breed of people," he said. "They were always always optimistic. You had to be, to live out there. It was always 'next year's country.' They always said things would be better next year." And. it's widely recognized that Saskatchewan had the hardest time in the depression, Hamilton says. "The crop prices were depressed and farms were sold for a fraction of their real value. We had dust storms and grasshoppers." grasshoppers." One year, Arthur's family worked in the fields all day and all night to stay ahead of a locust swarm that turned the sky dark and literally devoured devoured their crop before their eyes "They could eat the clothes off the line and the paint off the houses," Hamilton said. They thrived because there were so many abandoned farms. Cars Parked on Highway Will be Fined by O.P.P. Cars parked along Highway Two in Newtonville will be fined, says an official with the Ontario Provincial Police. Sergeant Ross Nelson, told The Statesman on Friday, Nov. 19, there is no shoulder along Highway Two through Newtonville. Therefore, when people park on the side of the road, they are actually parking on the highway, he noted. "The Ministry of Transportation will be putting up 'No Parking' signs from Oven Street to Paynes Crescent," said Sgt. Nelson. "They (Ministry of Transport officials) officials) arc afraid there could be serious serious collisions due to people parking parking on the road." Echoing Sgt. Nelson's thoughts was Ken Barrie of the Ministry of i Transportation. The 1.3 kilometre stretch lost its gravel shoulder this past summer when sidewalks were put along the north and south sides of Highway Two. At that time, area visitors and 'residents parked on the shoulders. Since the construction along the highway lias ended, the Ministry and OPP have noticed that quite a few individuals have taken to parking parking on the road. Sgt. Nelson told The Statesman' irooplc can and will be charged, and fined. Also, in some cases, people will have their vehicles lowed away. "People whose vehicles arc lowed will be responsible for die towing charges," warned Sgt. Nelson. Nelson. To avoid a warning and perhaps fines, Sgt. Nelson is asking area residents residents to co-operate.