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GaorgeiownActon Wednesday Match TELEPHONE and OMce In 1 every MtunUnd fa Lid Wwi Si Ml Aton Telephone IS1SI Single each par Canada S30 other then Canada and The Don Ryder Director of Advertising Ken Bellamy Hartley Coles Ma nag Editor The Acton Free one of lh and include Tha Whitby Pickering Newt Aurtxa Banner The Boll on Eniercnsa Brampton Guardian Tha Bu The Weekend The Elobacoke Guardian The Independent The Hamilton Thomhel Economnl no Sun The Milton The TheNowmarkel Econonwt and Sun The Champion The The Newmarket Era The North Minor Beaver Friday Beaver Week Weekend The Richmond Hil ThomhJI Liberal The Scarborough Mirror The Slouttville Tribune The fa News EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT EeMor Murray New Editor Helen Murray Sport Paul Nolan Chart Payne Darkroom Nancy ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT ftetaA A4vattiino Manager Cook Davy CkHatftadAdwartWnp Carolyn Debbie BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE Manager Jean Circulation Put up or shut up Last year when the board of education announced there would be a hefty tax increase to keep the school system operating a wave of shock spread across the region This year when the board announced they would be able to keep their budget to an almost acceptable 7 per cent increase some parents are demanding the Pupil Teacher Ratio PTR be lowered even if taxes are higher The demand is being fuel ed by the elementary teachers who have been working without a contract since September because they want the of students per teacher lowered A salary settle has been reached but the PTR still stands as the major issue in a settlement The board says the PTR has already been lowered between and as enrolment in elementary classes across the region declined by per cent while the corresponding number of teachers fell by only one per cent The teachers say they will not allow school children to become pawns in the between board and pedagogues noting Halton has the highest or one of the highest in Ontario Figures show should have 1250 teachers for elementary classes across the region but when every one is taken into account principals consultants etc it leaves only 856 tea chers for classroom work in the region Too few say the teachers However in a view of escalating tax demands for education in and the recession it is obvious we cannot have it both ways We must either knuckle under and pay extra for more teachers or put our collective feet down and say look our taxes for education are too high now If we must have a lower PTR we would suggest the teachers come up with a workable formula which would not increase the tax bill and lower the PTR at the same time If they can do this then we would further suggest they shut up and settle Neighborhood Watch This past week there were six break and enters in Acton as welt as an attempted burglary Considerable amounts of cash and possessions such as jewelry were stolen Also last week there were several cases of vandal ism to private property such as cars There s nothing ularly new and earthshat about this news They re just more in the endless stream of reports this paper carries about break ins and vandalism in our quiet little town However this weeks crime reports do carry a bit more meaning than usual because todays Free Press also carries lengthy coverage about ef forts to bring a new crime prevention program Neighborhood Watch to town Since the program was first announced earlier this month there has been some interest in it from Glenlea and the Peel St areas of town In all counting both the people who initiated the effort to launch Neighborhood Watch here and the citizens who have responded maybe a dozen people are now looking at this program as a way to reduce cnme in Acton That seems almost unbelievable One would expect every homeowner and merchant who has been victimized by a break in or vandalism would have called the police Councillor Rick Bonette or Pat Little of the Acton Social Services and Information Centre about Neighborhood Watch Neighborhood Watch does work It helped reduce crime in Halton 5 3 per cent in 1982 Us operating successfully in Burlington and and now taking off in Milton too Some will think they cant be the victim of vandalism of a burglary Hundreds of other residents can prove them wrong Even if you re not overly concerned about this pro blem or shy about getting involved in setting up a Neighborhood Watch in your area go to the meet for planned for next month and take the National Crime Test and view the home secun ty presentation by the police You may just find out how much your street needs Neighborhood Watch and become quite passionate about the program G M Our readers write Praise the Rockwood volunteer firefighters Dear Sir On Sunday March 13 at about 1 the Rodkwoott Volunteer Fire Department received an emergency call o the Township hamlet of Barrie Hill As a result of a two car dent one the injured driven was trapped inside her demoli shed automobile Despite the efforts of tbe Ontario Provincial Polk and the team from the ambulance the driver could not be released Tots writer observed the arri val of and efforts of the member of the Volunteer Fire Department to remove tbe injured driver Using special equipment which had only been acquired by the Fire Department a short time ago they were able to remove the injured driver with a minimum of delay Following her removal from the car she was taken by ambulance to a Guelph hospital What was impressive was the well organized and professional manner in which they handled a difficult and dangerous situation Those members of the Rock wood Volunteer Fire Department who to this e call did their Job and they did it well From your fellow residents in Township congratula tion We re proud of you John Clark ONE AH ONE HEART TWO SHAMROCKS CLUBS TOUGH PATRICKS From the editor s des Baseball great spring tonic by Murray Free Press editor In spring a young man thoughts turn to baseball At least mine did for the past two weeks I Just returned from louring six baseball camps in five Florida and taking in 10 games involving 13 teams I long planned this trip and It turned out to be Just as much fun as I always imagined though it would have been better if the sunny south had been a little more sunny and a less damp All and all though I was pretty lucky only lost one inn of ball to the showers I plan to write a couple of columns about the teams I saw and the prospects for the rapidly approaching season combining my own observations with every thing I gleaned from pouring over four ball magazines and the dally papers in Florida which cover the camps like a blanket This week though I just go ing to deal with general Impress ions of spring training and some highlights of camp and Grape fruit League activities First off it a myth that all you see in the early stages of spring training are the reserves rookies and noname fringe pi you see a lot of guys you won hear about in April may never see or hear about again But the stars are out too as well as most of the regulars and the rising stars of the grand old game of summer In the first week I saw starters for three or four innings and by the second week most clubs were letting their regulars perform at least five or six frames I visited Sarasota White Sox Beach Dodgers Cocoa Beach Astros Fort Lauderdale Yankees and West Palm Beach Braves and Expos Besides seeing the home teams I also caught a number of visitors whose camps will have to wait until next springs Journey Kansas City Detroit St Louis Minnesota Boston Baltimore and Texas Save the Rangers Houston and Twins they all look like contenders though the Expos White Sox Yankees Orioles and Dodgers appear the most promising And as I said I saw the top names these clubs boast I saw Carlton Fisk catch and Floyd Bannister this years big free agent catch Jack Morris and Vida Blue old and tired pitch while he was in Sarasota for two games I also saw guys like Willie Wilson last year American League batting champ hit and run George Brett Ron LeFlore Harold Baines Lance Kirk Gib son Greg Frank White Alan Trammel Lou and Larry Herndon Payne Park winter home of tbe White Sox for the past l sea sons is a real Incentive to top per formances It an old decrepit light green structure that looks Just like any of the fabled minor league parks guys like Jim Both ton have bemoaned books One look at the place should be an inspiration to work bard to make a club a complex across the state In Vero Beach la Just the opposite Numerous well kept playing fields surround Hol- Theres also a golf course and a luxurious looking housing complex Besides seeing the Expos four times and the Yanks twice in eluding crazed owner George Steinbrenner twice I have to say my two afternoons at Dodgertown were the highlights It s quite a place There no outfield wall palm trees with ye llow bands around the trunks about half way up mark the out field boundary beyond the warn ing track It a very comfortable stadium to watch a game In not a bad sea tin the place though that t a problem for me since one day 1 sat in the first row be hind the Dodgers uncovered bench and the other day I was six rows back of the Expos bench It was the best time for star gazing too I saw Jerry Reus pit ch Andre Dawson smack a homer Pedro Guerrero look uncomfortable at his new posi third base Sieve Sax and Bill Russell turn double plays like it was second nature to them which it is Dusty Baker and Rick Monday Tim Raines steal second and then third Smith dazzle with his play at shortstop Willie streak around the bases Keith Her Oliver last years National League hitting champ and Chris Speier KenLandreaux and other top players star But the off field activities were the real highlights of these two games Because I was sitting so close to the Dodger bench I could hear a lot of what was being said ex when they whispered Tom Lasorda and the coaches giving the rookies like Steve Garvey heir apparent Greg Brock In structions and advice Lasorda shouting across the diamond to give Whitcy He nog some Jibes arguing with the after one of his was called for a balk for the third time In one inning etc Lasorda is quite a guy always cheering his players on and warmly congratulating them for doing any little thing right was there the day they marked the 30th anniversary of the Brooklyn Dodgers making their winter home in Vero Beach as well as the day old manager Walter Alston was named to the BaseballHallof Fame They had a ceremony with Alston and other surviving members or the last Brooklyn club to win the world series In addition I sat just a few seats away from Walter Molly the Dodger owner and listened to him chatting it up with the bench Ball broadcasting great Joe Gargiolla was silting right behind me and it was interesting listen ing to his observations He also enjoyed debating recollections with other veteran fans and disputing their points I didn t talk to him I t feet I knew enough about the game to discuss it with someone who has seen as many games as he has I visited Cocoa Beach home of the Astros on a cool blustery day when they opened their spring seasonagainsttheTwins I really planned to go to this game but I heard on the radio Nolan Ryan was to pitch so I figured it would be worth the drive to sec a future hall of famer and fire- ballcr who Is expected to break some strikeout records this sea son even though neither club will likely do much this season Ryan did something to his arm wanning up and was scratched There wasn much in the way of stars on the field either I did see free agent Omar Moreno stink in the Astro outfield and at the plate he sure t earn his fat contract that day He even dropped an easy fly The Cocoa stadium was even worse than Payne Park Dull and drab colored the wind was blow hard and the metal roof clanged away I really wondered if we were going to make It through theaftemoon No wonder the Astros want to move by next year to a new town further south Stuart if the community will build them a new park In West Palm Beach I saw the NL west champs Atlanta Braves and Expos They share a modern park with great seating the Expos having moved there from Daytona Beach a couple of years ago I saw the rest of the Expos starters there Tim Terry Gary Carter Doug Flynn Warren Cromartie as well as Dawson Oliver and Raines again I also saw the bulk of their pitching staff Jeff Rear don Ray Burrls who looked aw ful In three appearances Dan Schatzeder the guy Montreal Continued on Pa SSL Back issues 10 years ago March Actons Centennial Commission announced It would dissolve in favor of a larger centennial committee with representation from all service organizations in Acton During its existence the commission has planned a large number of activities to celebrate the town centennial year in chairman Jack Carpenter told Acton Chamber of Commerce last week Acton high school students bound for Spain were delayed en route high school students and chaperon missed their Montreal flight due to an over loaded aircraft at Toronto Inter national Airport Bert Hlnton a former Acton Reeve on the board of governors at Sheridan College objects to a plan appearance of prostitute Hollander visiting the campus to promote her book years ago March 1963 Acton Town Council is debating how to replace the town mayor George Bar beau resigned Tuesday to accept a promotion with his employer A P Green Fire Brick Co A new mayor will be chosen next week from council members and Lowe who received the next highest number of votes in the last council election will fill the vacancy on council Five Acton high schoolers marched into town Saturday even after a mile walk from Rich mond Hill along Highway The walk resulted from a student challenge John Allan Hall Gerry Murr Dye and Keith mode the walk Two other participants dropped out along the years ago March IBM Last Saturday Jimmy Marshall the seven yearold son of Mr Earl Marshall narrowly escaped losing the sight of his right eye The little chap was playing game and run ning with a sharp stick whim he fell On Si Patrick Night the three- act play My Irish Rose was presented in the Town Roll here under the auspices of St Josephs Players Mr Hurry Gibbons celebrated his birthday on Tuesday Owing to Ihe illness of Mrs Gib bons the day was quietly observed and in the evening a few close friends gathered to wish him birth day greetings and spend a social half hour with him 75 years ago March IB In view of the increasing duties Graham the Librarian her salary was increased to per year After 14 weeks of continuous sleighing Bcardmore and Co teamsters have returned to wheels again An electric wire with Insulation threatened to fire the roof of Bear dm ore leather ware houses at the T Elation A couple of young men have been seen throwing dice for money In the smoking room of the G R station Several others were playing a game wlih quarter dollars for stakes on the bar at one of the local hotels with the consent of the bartender Surely the of fenders are unaware of the fact there arc heavy penalties for such offenses years ago March IB 1SSJ Council agreed lo exempt from taxation the tannery property and stock of Messrs G and Co for the term of ten years The town hall bell will now be rung at six a every morning except Sunday The annual report of the village auditors is published in full Receipts from taxes licenses clergy reserve fund grant for lock up etc totalled Town hall expenses contractor A McCullaU272 J Mallory and Son architects court of chancery for site BOO McGarvin duty on bell Kb painting of roof and tower flagstaff Salaries J McGarvin clerk constable ISO AbramMaUhewi collector Fox and A E Matthews auditors HP Moore returning officer Smith was paid for tramps