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the fm Pun April Two Oakville parents plug French Immersion line Two young Oakville parents landed In Acton Monday to drum up support for a French Immersion program County schools as the result of a decision by the Halton County Board of Education to reconsider an earlier decision to drop the program The French Immersion program would provide a voluntary totally French language program in the first two primary grades and the gradual phasing in of English Object of the program Is to create an op port unity for those who wish to become fluent in both French and English For any child growing up in Canada It is more than desirable Pat Webster told the Free Press In some esses she believes it could become a necessity Mrs Webster acknowledging there was some opposition to the program said there were many practical reasons for their en including the federal and provincial governments policies on bilinguallam She says that students who wish to con into professions such as diplomacy or businessmen will be hampered In the future unless they have a working knowledge of French especially In our highly mobile society Their reasons for being in North Halton and Acton Isn t this purely a southern Halton concern By no means said the other young Oakville parent Marilyn She said they were aware of support from the north but had never been able to pinpoint It Support in the south end of the county was not wanting but they felt the trustees on the board from the north could not support the program if it Is offered only in adopt a resolution bo the program can be offered in any school where the demand warrants it Mrs Webster explained Some success The efforts of three parents have already produced up the earlier survey by the board which showed only parents Interested In their children taking the course Mrs Webster admitted the name for the course was un and turned people off French Immersion some people may even confuse with the Buffalo Sabres French Con nectlon line so they were in the North to explain It to anyone who would listen Yea they had already talked to school trustee Tom Watson He had not blessed their efforts They suggested It took 14 to educate a civil servant In French Why not educate them when they are young and learn so much easier they ask They pointed to similar programs in London Ottawa Toronto North York and Samia and said It was now under consideration in Wellington County Those who are plugging the French Immersion program feel strongly about It they told Free Press and are sometimes amazed at parochial attitudes displayed by those who dont feel the other language could be In Counly They point to other compulsory school subjects which are never used after school days either as an answer lo that complaint They don I know how much support they wilt gather In Acton ana district but supporters of Ihe program can phone them at MIS- and and reverse the Program outline Early grades in the French immersion program arc con ducted by a teacher whose mother tongue Is French she uses only that language but children ore not pressured speak French back to her They spend the kindergarten year speaking English to each other and to teacher but never thcless by the end of kin arc expected to a great deal of French In Grade One the children are supposed to spontaneously begin to speak French to the teacher and to each other Progress Is considered rapid from that point By the end of Grade 4 they are considered bilingual By the end of Grade they are considered permanently bilingual Orally no say the experts of French Immersion since he will be speaking English at home and at play but his Grade reading skills will not be as good as those of counterparts In all English system However Ottawa educators have discovered that by the end of Grade Ihe French Immersion student Is not only as good In English reading as his counterpart but In some cases better math classes county board target A Georgetown teachers complaint about the ratio of students to teachers In math classes at senior school has raised the ire of County director of education Jim Singleton Singleton noted high school teacher J Bellamy had gone to the school but hadnt visited the class in which his daughter studied math Im amazed you t go the extra 100 feet I did and I was very favorably impressed Singleton said He declared staff of the school had spent all summer organizing the special math program and commended It as excellent Two to 100 Bellamy said he approached the board as a parent and ratepayer not a teacher and wasnt happy with the Stewart town experiment where several classes operate with children In a class with two teachers He said the ratio should he reduced It Is staggering thai this arrangement should be regarded as anything hut an emergency situation Unsatisfied with answers lie got from the principal and assistant superintendent of the area he approached the board suggesting also that the to a county board had moved the decision making process away from the people and Ihey lacked people Input as a result He the board should consider establishing local advisory words to keep in touch with the people they serve dame of number Singleton asked Bellamy if he thought education was a game of numbers where children to one teacher Is good one far GO bad and for Is terrible He pointed out the opportunity had been there for Bellamy to remove his daughter from class and put Into a smaller more conventional program Meanwhile Jack Reed principal of the school has in vltcd anyone Interested to visit and see the classroom and work being done here At a meeting Monday night with members of the group and three board members from North Halton advocates of the program received little support Two or the three trustees said they would vote against the program while a third reserved a decision The advocates known as the Parents for Bilingual Children felt they have their strongest support in Oak ville but growing support in Burlington Mrs Webster indicated after the Monday meeting that some of the trustees have some doubt about how educationally sound the program is even though administration says it is sound At a recent board meeting the board rescinded the earlier motion defeating the program and agreed to consider the matter at the meeting tomorrow Thursday in Burlington What started out as a few mothers protesting a decision by the County Board of Education to turn down a French Immersion program has snowballed Into a considerable lobby involving parents of about 120 children Morrow protests shuffle Cartoonist contributes to Free Press This week the Free Press is Introducing a new feature car toons by Dave Waddell Dave has had previous ex perience as a cartoonist on the the University of Guelph student newspaper Recently he moved to Acton where he employed at the Building Products plant on Main St He has agreed to periodically supply the Free jwith cartoons on pertinent Issues as he sees hem the local news Daves first drawing a lam of the steam train proposal through Is on the editorial page Georgetown Reeve Morrow protested a proposed ad minlstrattve shuffle at Halton County administration offices at a Halton County Council Wed ncsday Morrow objected to the passing of three bylaws that would see assistant clerk John Byrne ap Deputy Clerk James appointed Treasurer and Assistant Administrator and Garfield Brown as Clerk Administrator and Deputy Treasurer Morrow argued that the proposed promotions carried considerable raises with them When Warden Anne MacArthur and chairman of that session Tom Hill suggested the matter would be better discussed In camera Morrow said he wouldn t mention dollars or names The names however are outlined clearly in the bylaws eventually passed that day Report made A confidential report from county personnel manager John Watson was available at he meeting and had been at a closed meeting of the administration committee which recommended the passing of the by law Even though the report was available Morrow tried DOCTORS In the early part of the century there were only three qualified doctors between successfully to have the matter Toronto and Hamilton deferred until the personnel of Port Credit manager could attend the Nathaniel Bell of Nelson meeting and answer any Township and Dr James Cobban questions that might arise Milton Obituary Stay alive DRUGS r JESUS WHICH HAS THE FUTURE BRETHREN OF MESSIAH BOX 132 ACTON ONTARIO DAVE Submit final brief on region Halton County Council sub mitted what councillors hope to be the countys final brief on regional government last week Councillors discussed and heard presentations from the seven last month and own submission Friday The brief outlines the areas of responsibility the feels should be handled at each level of authority They suggest planning be a split function with overall planning at the region and sub division agreements done locally Water and sewer service la recommended to be handled at the regional level Public transit Public transit should be bandied locally and provision made for regional takeover at some point in the future the brief says The brier recommends a regional police force take effect Jan and be governed by a police commission with a majority of the members being councillors Council deliberated at great length about store closing hours whether or not they should be common throughout the region The brief suggests hydro be a regional responsibility The province has suggested It remain local for the time being Assessment The brief also suggests and was heartily endorsed by all members that legislation be passed allowing the assessment function to be passed back to the region from the province immediately after actual market value Is established The assessment function has been a sore point with municipal officials ever since it was taken from local control and put In the hands of the province The county brief along with other municipal briefs and an Individual effort from Councillor J C Mclntyre have been submitted to the province for consideration While there appears a possibility of regional government being delayed In area It Is thought will go ahead in as scheduled FOUNDED INS King Calcium Products a firm involved in the production of insecticides was founded In In by W O Morse It is now owned by Glenn The firm still operates from Campbellville Stephen Backwell A glass cutter with of Canada who had 38 years service Stephen died Wed April 18 in San Diego Calif following a short illness He lived at Dr Born Oct 1S1B in Acton he was the son of the late Mr and Mrs Peter He went lo Oshawa from Acton years ago He was a member of St Ger Church and was the leader of the Steve Trio His first wife the late Irma Mario died Jan 23 1970 He Is survived by his second wife the former Anne Nekorek Fuller Mrs Frank Connors Janet of Oshawa one son Ron of Oshawa two step daughters Mrs V June of Toronto Miss Christine Fuller of Oshawa one stepson George Fuller of Burlington five brothers William and Pete of Jim of Kitchener Mike of Ottawa John of Alberta and three grandchildren High Mass was celebrated In St Gertrudes Church Oshawa with interment in Resurrection Cemetery in 75 County Board of Education Chairman BUI practiced one- upmanship at a board meeting Trustee Dick reporting on a meeting of the Joint Conservation Committee told colleagues the group was promoting planting of trees Goodin said the slogan this year is Plant A Tree In 73 and for next year Plant more in suggested the following year could be Stay alive in Goodin noted the Oakville Tree Committee In and Royal Botanical Gardens In Burlington were making trees available to schools In those two towns SECOND DOCTOR Dr James Cobban second doctor was located In an office on the banks of the Sixteen south east of Milton THE ACTON FREE PRESS Author as Second Clan Mall Postal Registration or Jon Thru Thurs a MILTON and Sat J and I CHARLES BRONSON THE MECHANIC THE GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB OF COUNTY Invites you to Its 11th Anniversary Dance APRIL 28th pm am Pine St Union Hall Milton Music by the AMAIN CONN QUARTET Anew band of Ukrainian Background from Toronto COLUMBIA PICTURES I INWOODlOBfCN SCI- an atoucmh MONICA Youll Like My Mother Thriller Mult PRICE EFFECTIVE THROUGH SATURDAY APRIL KINO OF ROASTS STANDING RIB ROAST Cot CMC PRIME RIB M STEM LIQUID BLEACH 49 sib Bag WHITE SUGAR Caneda Dry Hon Returnible Bottles J J GINGER ALE Wagitaffe ASSTJAMS 3 89 Powder Detergent King Six PORK CUTLETS MINCEO CHUCK We Sell Only Tenderbest Grade A Red Brand Beef Food lnd CHOICE peas KERNEL CORN EXTRA BREAD Good Food 3 BREAD MKIRV Chrlitiei CRUSH BREAD 3I75 Arctic Garden French Style I House at 27l Jonnpnt Sum Retail BABY POWDER 77 sum Retail BABT SHAMPOO 09 Pck Sugg Retail arc ASPIRIN TABLETS Sum Retail ft If SKIN CREAM 89 PRICES SLASHED MORE BEING DONE EVERY WEEK III