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Georgetown Herald A Division of Homo Newspaper Company limited Main Street South Georgetown Ontario WALTER C BIEHN Publisher GEORGETOWN HERALD THURSDAY DEC IB 1971 EDITORIAL COMMENT Growing Pains A discussion at a recent council meeting spearheaded by the towns reeve concerned whether bigger is necessarily better Reeve Morrow expressed the idea that perhaps council should be spending more time dealing with the town as it is improving facilities for those who live here now rather than planning ahead for a bigger and bigger community with the mounting problems of civic services which this entails His train of thought has come about by designation of Georgetown in a Torontocentred region plan as a slow growth area In a discussion it was pointed out that Georgetown wish to remain a smaller community this could not be possible unless such planning included the neighbouring area of Township which surrounds the town It would seem to us that should the reeves idea find favour there would only be one way to achieve it Slow or not no government can ipose lasting regulations which will force fanners to keep their land as a farm when it is worth many times more for residential or industrial development The government must by necessity be willing to have us pay for green belts by acquiring the land at its market value In the same manner In which conservation areas are purchased The reeve idea has much merit and deserves consideration of council and residents Large communities have their place in the scheme of things and so do small ones As one councillor suggested perhaps the starting place would be a referendum to out what present residents think about it Spreading Christmas Cheer Quietly and efficiently a group of Georgetown men and women have been doing their bit at the holiday season to assure that no town family will be without a Christmas dinner and other amenities which go with happy time The Georgetown Christmas Welfare committee came into being some years ago when local service clubs found they were duplicating efforts some cases and missing some who could use a helping hand A fortunate choice to head up the committee was Mr Walter Gray at that time a member of town council Ever since Old Age Gone Changing times are no more evident than in the postal service The old adage The mail must go through seems to be gone For instance during the Christmas weekend the federal service has announced a complete shutdown from Friday night December to night December No one will deny that a postal employee is entitled to the same consideration as other industries and it is not uncommon today for in dividual businesses to plan holiday closedowns But not many shut up completely the way the post office has decided Would it not be possible when such Mr Gray has spearheaded the yearly chore which has increased in work as the town increases in population He has had valuable support from some industries and some private citizens in donations to add to the happiness of Christmas for families who otherwise might have a bleak time This year anticipating a larger list of recipients the committee has issued a general appeal for donations either cash or goods suitable for gifts Anyone who wishes may contact Mr Gray who can assure you that your donation will be well used an important public service as the post office is concerned to stagger holidays and maintain some sort of service particularly on the Tuesday which ib a normal business day for others We are perhaps somewhat selfish in our attitude being in a business which depends heavily on the morning mall But we are not alone and there will be general dissatisfaction with an Ot tawa ruling which affects most of the Canadian public Another year we hope a more satisfactory arrangement will be made to accommodate those who count on the mail to keep their business operating smoothly Busiest Fire Committee Has Low Pay Rate Esqueslng councillors will likely receive for each ire area committee meeting Ihey attend in future as a result of a discussion Monday night ving on the Georgetown fire committee have received a flat rate of per year and those serving on the Acton fire area committee per year Milton fire area committee members have been paid per meeting Councillors agreed it Is rid have members of the Goergctown committee It does seem unfair Deputy Reeve Russell Miller com Georgetown has the biggest area and the most equipment to look after Councillor Dick Howltt a member of the Milton fire area committee concurred as difficult as Georgetown for he said The Georgetown committee is usually the busiest and the toughest A flat rate of Is FACTS AND FANCIES THAT HAVE GROWN WITH THE FESTIVE TREE One of the most joyous elements of the Christmas season 13 the tree Yet it is a fact that they were first brought into homes at a time of fear And primitive man thought that they harbored beneficont spirits In the North primitive man watched with mount ing terror the decline of the life giving sun Lengthen winter nights carried the threat of unending cold darkness and hunger Frozen fields held no promise of another harvest Fruit trees stood bare apparently lifeless deserted by the spirits Alone in the bitter cold and gloom the evergreens stood as a document of faith the revival of the sun god and the return of light and life to the frozen world conifers in tubs were brought indoors to prop householders courage and to shelter the spirits These earliest trees of the winter ritual not ornamented They were a testa merit of lift not mere The elements in the social observance of tht Christmas came not from the North but from the Mediterranean countries In Rome the ration of the solstice was an imagined return to the ind brotherly goodwill of the Golden Agt During the week of the which began on Dec 17 all class distinctions and rules of decorum were suspends No business was transacted children were rck from school and truces were imposed battlefields Houses and public buildings were with flowers and evergreens Gifts were exehaneed feasts were and masks and remmul the streets SMILEY Whoever Heard of Bubble Pipes Never foils Had barely written a column extolling the grand mild weather we d been having when the wind came out of ihe north with a bone In his teeth and the snow flow and the car and I both started coughing And almost before I begun rue ing the writing of such a Jinx column my wife yelped something like Holy Old Whackers It almost Christ mas And sure enough it almost is Christmas when we were oil young was something There was looking forward to school holidays associated with sleighs and toboggans and skating and coming In soaking wet rosy as cherub hungry as a hyena There was the anticipation of decorating hanging stockings rustling paper and a vast magnificent turkey dinner a once a year treat Christmas shopping was no problem Nobody had decisfo were there even then I or adults should it be something practical a new or long underwear or should it be something magic and enchanting a game or a book No question of both For kids with maybe hard earned pennies to spend there was no problem A bubble pipe far your Brother and supply his own soap a colouring book for your sister 15c and find her own crayons a beautiful and saucer for your mother at 35c and a purple and yellow tie for your did at If the family on the day before Christmas There was never a frantic thought that the stores might be sold out of bubble pipes or long underwear Then there was the symbolic significance though we didn even know the meaning of either word then There was the church concert usually held in the Sunday school hall There were games and carols a choirs Turkey In the Straw Used to be Their Tune But WITH CHRISTMAS APPROACHING ITS BYE BYE BIRDIE THE DISTRICT AT A GLANCE Honour Dr Bare McG The OrangeviHe Rotary Club was host at a special meeting last week to honour one of their members Dr Bare McGee McGee Is retiring after practicing medicine In for 32 years About 300 people attended the evening held School auditorium received the Order of Merit from mayor Victor Large Liquor Lou n got In Acton ACTON The voters In this town will decide In December of If they favour the sale of liquor there In licensed premise The decision for a liquor vote passed unanimously last week two on the ballot will be l Are you In favour of liquor under a lounge license for consumption with meals on licensed premises Are you in favour of tbe sale of liquor under a lounge license for consumption on licensed premises Deputy Reeve Defeated MTJ Milton voters last week elected Mrs and Dr Ivan Hunter and BobMcCuaif a deputy ejection removed Barr from seat a deputy reeve Councillors Art GordKranti Colin and Sid Ctollds were returned Defeated councillor was Charles Johnson May Share School Facilities ERIN Discussions are being held in Erin and to determine if community facilities can be incorporated in any of the proposednewschoolbulIdingsforthlspaTtof Wellington County At Erin talks have been held regarding joint use of such things as library swimming pool and a community school that would involve an afterschool program In the gymnasia art room shops etc School trustees are reportedly interested ByLows Ban Snowmobiles A bylaw that will ban snowmobiles off Plans for Big Plaza BRAMPTON A giant commercial project spreading over 22 acres and designed to include a department store retail store food store and several small commercial outlets utilizing a total of 233 square feet of floor space was unveiled to Brampton council general committee last Wednesday The project to be developed by Sentry Department Stores Ltd will be located at the southwest comer of Highway Heart Lake Road east or Brampton Hunt Heirs To 300000 residents with the name Halloran might be In line to Inherit That is the amount that Is waiting In an claimed estate in the S while the search goes on for Halloran heirs Patrick Halloran and his wife nee Mary Casey who came to Guclph from Ireland in the lBSOe They had a family or six children It appears the family left Guelph bet ween IBM and may have moved to the United States Gerald Chose of Rice Wisconsin Is conducting the hunt for the Hallorans There were the telegrams from Santa Clous read aloud periodically and with mounting excitement to Bay that he was gelling closer and closer from the North Pole though Donder had come up lame Then the entry of himself the wild clamour and the dispensing of those string bags with candy and an apple In each And the Christmas pageant In the church Ihc nativity scene invariably broken up by a liny igcl piping Hi Mommy me I m a angel while Mommy blushed deeply between embarrassment and pride I still look forward to Christ mas but there a difference Us about the difference with which a prisoner would look forward to a getting out of jail or going to the electric chair Nowadays we anticipate Christmas ail right But what we look forward to is a hectic ex ive scramble with precious of Ihe mystery and delight remaining The Christmas turkey is now a dirty great bird that has to be stuffed and then cuffed into us and then cleared up after A turkey today is not a gruesome fascinating thing hanging head down In Ihe woodshed by its claw like feet It Just something you buy and stick In the anytime during the year in case you have unexpected weekend guests Shopping has changed measurably The panic button is pushed about the end of October and we arc warned shouted at and scorned by the various media until wc have a tremen guilt feeling were not Christmas shopping by mid November The agonizing decisions are still there but most people have some money now which quadruples the decisions Every year at our house we firmly decide about Dec 1st thai there will be no gifts or cards this year And every year at ihe last minute weplungeintoanorgyof both and wind up Christmas Day Everything The trouble Is that he s The Man Who Need Anything He smoke or drink His slippers are good as new And he has at least six shirts In his bottom drawer not even unwrapped bought on previous desperate birthdays and The symbolic significance is still there of course And the Christmas concerts and pageants But what a bag of candy to a kid today He probably collected eight limes that amount on Hallowe en and also has an allowance so that he can buy his own not lhat cheap stuff in the Christmas bog And the pageants more the pity tend to become second cousins to lashings of liquor phoney TV Christmas programs and sheer greed i wanna mobile BUSINESS DIRECTORY OPTOMETRIST LM Brown RO OPTOMETRIST Hamilton R O 1 South Building Please present Health insurance Card GEORGETOWN OPTICAL BARTON Dispensing Optician Main Street South CARPET CLEAN ING CARPET CLINIC Professional Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning In Your Home or In our Modern Plant Free Pick up and Delivery CARPET CLINIC WRONG BROWNIES the Santa parade not Brownies as reported last issue JOHN BOUGHTON J Main St Your Business should be listed in the Directory Column ALPINE HEALTH CLUB 8779531 Evans Chiropractic Clinic 110 Street 7111 By Appoint men CHIROPRACTOR GW CorbettDC Mill Street Georgetown For Appointment PHONE CARR CULLEN Limited Consulting Engineers Ontario Land Surveyors Planning Consultants Georgetown Wallace Thompson Small Claims Court County of Halton ft mi BARRAGERS CLEANERS Shirt 18 Main St S Guelph Free Pick up and Delivery All work done on premises MONUMENTS POLLOCK DESIGNS ON REQUEST Inspect our work In Greenwood Cemetery PHONE 7SM S3 Water North KENNELS Irish Setters Shetland Sheepdogs Boarding for all breeds 17 Maple Ave W