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Editorial public Assertions last week tit that The Free Press is misleading the public about the condition of arena were brought into sharp touts at last Thursdays meeting of the Board of Parks Management when engineer Art Johns was about the condition the building Mr Johns said the steel structure of the arena is in excellent shape but the timber on the south side is in bad shape and needs repairs An examination of the south side of the building indicates repairs arc needed immediately The engineer said the work should not be done because recommended repairs are interlocking In the first place Parks Board asked the engineers to make their report using safety as the criteria The board felt the engineers report should be followed and requested 1 to make the repairs deemed most urgent although the engineers estimated it could cost as much as Acton council recognized there was some degree of urgency about fixing the arena since they voted for repairs but also felt the Board of Parks was exaggerating the need In line with policy to exercise restraint and postpone major expenditures asked the Parks Board to do the best they could with the grand suggested local contractors might be able to do it at that price tte fell the the Free Press had seen at the previous meeting of Parks Board it was read aloud reveal an urgent and so disagreed with council J questioned editorial comment who was going to decide whether the arena needed repair job since It whs council did not put too much stock in the engineer report This newspaper suited Mint sine the safety the been tiled into question the was entitled to know whether there was doubt about the structural safety of the our minds the report indicated stands on the south side where customers sit were in ihngcr of collapsing We said we thought lie steel beams in the arena were solid hut not being engineers would itc to comment The engineer said the steel in the arena arc solid safe Amen We also said the inside of the arena arc decaying rapidty and would require attention if the budding is not going to degenerate into the same condition it was several years ago A quick look inside is all that is needed to confirm this Although the engineer was very guarded in his comments on the arenas condition he made it clear that the ramshackle look of the wooden stands revealed some of the condition underneath Council last week said in very strong terms should there be any doubt the safety of the arena they would not hesitate to see funds were made available to make needed repairs We have never questioned the good faith of council or individual councillorsor tried to pose as we feel it is now only fair to ask just who is misleading the public and Pepper by hartley c I s THE SIGN SAYS OPEN but condition of the old shop seems to loovo much to bo desired This piece of attracted tho lent Jim Jennings camera when ho cruised around tho Cataract area on a Sunday proving con bo humor even In buildings Sugar and Spice by bill smiley aaaBBPMBsaBSBsaasEBassinir make difference It is surprising what a difference a street sweeper can make in a Canadian town after winter has piled the streets with refuse Acton streets were not any dirtier than they normally are each spring but what an amazing difference when the street sweeper made a few passes up and down Dust which transformed street scenes into a miniature when Spring winds blew or large trucks went by suddenly was all gone pavement reappeared and there was an aura of tidiness that is sure to inspire the emulation of the good burghers of town Litter can make or break a village or town in the eyes of the casual visitor who may take his impressions by the attitudes of the inhabitants Dirty town The people dont care are slovenly indifferent Clean town The people do care and make sure streets are neat orderly well kept and swept A little effort each spring turns winter doldrums into spring symphonies and sets the pattern for the remainder of the year the Can you whistle a Bach prelude and fugue without a memory slip Can you hum a Beethoven sonata without sliding into falsetto or basso pro fun do Darn right you cant But I can Almost And it cost me only about 1 Trouble is and this is a touchy point in April none of it is deductible That what it has cost over the years to provide a musical education for my family After all that I can whistle and hum both of which I could do before There something wrong here but I cant quite figure out what it is I wish I had the in bonds at eight per cent But my wife agree We could have taken a trip around the world for that but she still doesnt agree As far as I m concerned I could have taken that 1 thrown it off the end of the dock and been just as far ahead Once again the only one who agrees with me is I Both my kids have degrees in piano Both were talented Near but not quite at the concert pianist level Both eschewed 1 like that word a career in music because they wanted to be first And they wanted to be free Well theyre free Hugh broke his middle finger and can play 1 Went Down To St James Infirmary with only a few bum notes think Kim could play The Happy Farmer with a couple of days practice But perhaps it s all been worth it They learned something Hugh has realized that you can t practise the piano when you re waiting table at the Chateau Frontenac or selling vacuum cleaners in Calgary And Kim has realized that her piano won t quite fit into a three room pad in Toronto unless you want to sleep on top of It What brings all this to mind jnd without bitterness is the fact that my wife a former piano teacher has become hooked once again after a lapse of a couple of years on the local music festival Shes going every day and listening intensely to her former students Though she a bit miffed that some of them arc doing extremely well despite the fact that they don take lessons from her any more But her reports have cheered Things are just the same as they always were went through years of them and 1 know the scene intimately The festival mothers arc still as friendly as an C bishop ind a Mormon lay preacher The adjudicator is still rotten giving the first place certificate to the girl who played worst Except when it your daughter or your pupil Then he or she shows an insight into music that is superb The kids arc still sailing into their pieces at breakneck speed wlmli they can possibly maintain and breaking down in the middle while their mother and teachers turn purple as the youngsters fumble and throw up heir hands and burst into tears But perhaps the Old Lady is right Those moments at the music lestival in other years were the to heaven and hell that I ever experienced with the possible exception of shooting at a concentration of German tanks which were firing back at you with bigger guns than you had I stopped brealhiug for as much as a dangerously long two minutes while my son or daughter wealed through a sonatina I have gone out afterwards and smoked a complete in two drags 1 have called the a slob a cretin moron and sometimes a brilliant judge of music Maybe the Old is right Maybe it was worth SI Anyway I can whistle three bars of Tschaikovsky something or oilier MARTHA teacher for three which up Dorothy AmoU Fran Chlsholm Orga Port Dorothy for the photograph In First row Tom Watson Beverly orb Marie Bnmelle Georgma Evens Arnold Gordon Bill Ivan Vicken Owen I fourth row Jean Brown Dorothy Bill Mantes Bob Harry Swage second row Annie Buchanan Gordon Marshall Herb Cook Harvey Elmer rrma Daisy Buchanan Ruby Smith Kay Sweeney Ruth Lino Marzo Lome Mosaics Allan John Hubble Irene Fryer Marjory Allen Bertha third row Jack Margaret Striven Cripps Mary Turkosz Kathleen THE ACTON FREE PRESS PHONE and Office We loiter unit for Ihle mid In up on some of III Mini ill a lime when Is the world down ty cull thai only In unite Ik ok mid fnrlcw inlliiN iwo I you like tin limn by Audrey SIS Sir Hi nic over ihe in toll drinks Jut focmed on Ihe rcteirili work ml by a led by Professor it University of Aided by a gnnt ihe mined Professor hi minimis ire Undying Ihr harmful effect- lie dinger pre willed by unbridled me of water known scientifically at Die first findings of the have now released they make reading The professor states thai in one test 12 rati Were held under water for a period of three minute At the end of this time all had succumbed undnpuijblc proof that water lethal In anolhcr experiment a quantity of water Was subjected to a temperature of degrees I for two hours after which it was dropped from a height of one foot on the head of a volunteer junior assistant Professor reports that the assistant suffered a slight concussion lasting for some minutes As you know said ihe Professor water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen The first is violently explosive ihe second highly inflammable hardly the of stuff one should be drinking and washing children with It is understood that Dr Short on Mulman will exhibit a bottle of water in the Assembly week and ask the Minister of Health to ban its use in the interest of safely Professor Dumkopf is well known in scientific circles for his thesis of Dumkopf fcffcct which postulates that the removal of the legs a flea trained on command induces deafness in the flea Signed Kidding Second item which came in the mail bags was a reminder from British that clean car can sometimes get you off the hook if you are under police surveillance If you had a policeman hanging around the comer watching you lately it might be in order to out and have your car washed It surprise drivers lo learn that making sure car is frequently washed and slimed cm ward unnecessary police perusal A senior Malm Toronto police officer says rained officers are automatically and Immediately suspicious of a dirty car particularly when conditions are dry mid moil can arc clean king experience has shown us that in many case the driver behind the wheel of a grimy car may be up to no has l been up no good A quick look outside where my bucket of boll convinced me I was a prima suspect for this dirty vehicle syndrome of the police Then the rain came- and was again clear that I had not been up to no grind One traffic patrolman has said If 1 see a laic model car in mud or salt splattered condition dim window visibility I will be on guard 1 will watch this car like a if I notice the slightest driving confusion or uncertainty over it comes and 1 will make a I ho rough checkout of the driver So you sec if you have any ideas about robbing a bank or exceeding the speed limit it might be wise to skip up to the car wash and clean up first THOSE who are convinced they arc being treated tike dogs home it may come as a surprise to learn that this is the year of the dog The Chinese year arrived on February The Oriental lunar calendar established more than 2 years ago and runs in I2ycar cycles Each of the 12 years is named for a wild or domestic animal The animal of Ihe year in which a person is born is thought to influence the personality So here a list of animal years which you can try on for size 1924 1936 1948 I960 Yean Keen mind clever resourceful 1923 1961 Yean Good lire It worker 1926 1938 1962 Tlg strong 1927 1963 Rabbit Yean Ckci 1940 192 1964 Dragon Yean Win fortunate 1929 Snake Good 1930 1954 1966 Hone Yean Strong witling to work 1931 1943 195S Sheep Yean Quiet devoted 1932 1944 I96S Monkey Yean Active quick worker Rooster Yean independent 1934 1946 I95H 1970 Dog Yean I honest 1935 1947 1971 Pig It turns out that I am a rabbit a name my better has not yet seen fit to label mc except for accusations of going down a hole when ever she has something to say Oh well you know whal ihey say about bunnies They sure add but how Ihey can multiply 20 years ago Taken from issue of the Press Thursday April 20 IWO Work started this week on construction of a new building for Micro Plasties which will double their space on Wallace Ave Many friends regret learn of the mishap sustained by Mrs W J Wolfe when she suffered a critical injury to her right eye which may mean a permanent injury to the sight thai eye She was playing badminton in the when her struck her glasses and Ihe broken glass injured her eye She is in Hospital The special holiday program winch functioned daily at lasi week was successful from every standpoint All classes arc polishing up their ads for Ihe annual circus The Teen will hold another party Saturday The members and friends of the Acton Home and School Association enjoyed an evening of euchre and square dancing in the games room of the The president Mrs R Parker introduced Ihe new oft iters president A 1st vice president Mr R R Parker 2nd vicepresident Mrs Stewart Sinclair recording secretary Mrs corresponding secretary Mr Heard treasurer executive committee Mrs Mrs Mrs W Wolfe Mr 50 years ago Taken from the issue of the I ree Press Thursday 1920 One evening last week at a gathering in St Joseph hall Mr John Kennedy was rewarded for 1 7 years of faithful service as a steward of the church The address was read by Peter and Rev Father Goodrow added words of appreciation He was presented with a purse of gold and a reclining chair Shut up your hens now Mr Poultry man Your neighbors have begun gardening operations Theres nothing slow about Actons reeve It two weeks now since he planted his early potatoes so rumor goes There too much shouting and boisterous conduct on the streets these days for the comfort of old citizens and the reputation of the lown The students of presented their retiring president Dr with a gold watch Home made candies Wiles Saturday specials humbugs bulk chocolates solid chocolate Ounce cream parlor is now in operation and a soda fountain is running McLean and Mills Big Store Mill St time is near Look over ou curtain scrims bungalow nets lace curtains floor oil cloths English linoleum A special in navy serge S3 yard cream serge soap Egyptian long cloth double fold fine free from dressing 12c tabic damask SI 50 yard Circular pillow cottons good values in towelling yd 1xira heavy feather ticking 75c yd Also fancy vesting ginghams voile and prints 75 years ago Taken from the issue of the Free Thursday April Acton Checker Club wound up its business and disbanded for the season During he winter Club furnished a quiet comfortable room for heir members away from bar room influences and many an enjoyable evening was spent together working out the intricacies of this brainy game Much credit for the success of the winters pleasure Is due Mr H S Holmes who acted as secretary and manager Acton Cornel Band is again having regular practice a fact which a few members have perhaps overlooked There was a typical Irish eviction at Crewsons Comers when poor widows few household effects were seized for rent and she was evicted from he house The sweet young men who made a midnight raid of a neighborhood sugar bush seemed to enjoy themselves immensely although they had to gather their own sap The owner of the bush is sorry he did not know they were coming Ik could have left more convenient for them