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Tragedy in Rhodesia felt keenly in Rockwood CHRIS SINCLAIR By Lorraine What was to the outside world an international incident was to residents of a personal tragedy when Wednesday word was received that two of the village finest young girls had been slain at Victoria Falls In Rhodesia leaving behind them memories of school time par tlcipatfons and friendships which are being relived by endless numbers or village people this past week Marjan bom and raised In the Village was a quietly outgoing who made deep friendships with her peer friends and residents In the neighborhood who looked for ward to casual visits and talking with her An outstanding student throughout her academic career she attended public school In took grade at John Ross Collegiate In was moved to Centennial CV1 and finally completed her grade at John Ross Collegiate as an Ontario Scholar She had spent last summer working on ihe SWEEP program prior to her trip overseas and during that time had made many friendships with the Grand River Authority Park staff as well as with park visitors An avid swimmer and outdoor she had also worked at the uelph General hospital as a candy striper Minister daughter Christine Louise Sinclair of was an equally convivial who had movea with her to the village In 1966 when her father Rev Donald Sinclair took over the Presbyterian Church res ponslbilltles from Rev Joseph Taylor Christine the third youngest member of a com m unity minded family was a doer who Involved herself in Christian Young Peoples work had followed up through the Brownie and Girl GuldeB organizations was an avid camper who had attended Ontario Leadership Training Camp at Bark Lake and had spent as a leader at the Presbyterian Church Camps of lona and Glen Mhor She attended her final public school year In Rockwood cen tennlat until her family a move to two years ago required a change to where she completed her grade and entered spring semester at University Carefree friendly and en joying people the two girls struck up a friendship In public school which developed In their latter post high school graduation months with their interest In travelling and seeing more of the world Together had visited London Holland Germany France Spain and the Canary Islands stopping off at the places of Interest and visiting where Ihey could with relatives and friends In October They left Canada last October and all during their adventures have hod eyes of their community friends upon them in Holland they visited grandmother on her father side and In Germany they stayed with friends to Spain they Ml for the Canary Islands where via boat they wended way to Africa They visited cousins In Durban South Africa during which time they worked one In a book store end the other In a boutique shop After a short stay they moved on to Lyttellon to visit Marjan the two girls were having the fun of a lifetime and latest word was that they were enjoying a safari sponsored by a travel agency In Cape Town and they would be going north through Africa and up through Europe London And then It was Wednesday May Radio reports were saying at two Canadian girls had been killed and what was a marvellous adventure Tor two well motivated local girls had turned Into tragedy While the incident has gained worldwide publicity as International event Is to Ihe friends and associates of two wonderful families one of their cum deepest tragedies Friday last a parents Oscar and left for Britain and from there flew to Victoria Falls arriving Sunday A telegram home related that they had been treated like royally by the Rhodes Ian government They have gone to South Africa to reaffirm reports that maybe their daughter is still alive Confused accounts Indicate that their findings at their destination could be one of several The homes of both families have been with friends and visitors with flowers cards and many many favours only partly displaying Ihe tremendous attitudes or caring and sympathy extended to them both When the left they shared the trusting conviction that maybe their only daughter Is still alive wllh them they carried Ihe prayers and love of the Rock wood community What they have learned has been clearly indicated but what Rockwood has learned In that once again any passing In a small community Is not just a blow to Immediate family but almost as great a one to the families of the community involved DRIJBER Ninety Eighth Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY MAY Sixteen PogeiFlfteen Cents Babysitter attacked seek suspect A composite drawing of a suspect wanted In connection with an attempted robbery and strangulation of a 17 yearold girl hat been circulated to police departments across the province by Milton OPP The wanted man allegedly broke Into a Guelph Line Borne near 20 last Thursday evening and attacked a girt babysitting some small children White he was trying to the girl with an electric Iron cord the telephone rang and scared him away police said Police said the attacker may have been a drug addict He reportedly told the girl he needed money for a fix She was looking for some money to give him when he grabbed her and threw her to the floor then tried to strangle her Police said her face was burned by the hot iron The girl has been Identified as Catherine Eleda Ward She Is a student at Acton high school To hospital The man fled by car after the telephone rang The frightened Have you seen this man Milton have circulated this picture police forces across and anyone In should contact the or any police force The man aged at least six feet tall I wanted In connection with an attempted robbery and attack of a IT yearold Nassagaweya girl on Thursday evening teenager summoned help and was taken to hospital for treatment With he picture of the suspect police circulated a description of the wanted man Ho Is 18 to years of age six feet to six foot two in height medium build wllh dark brown mod styled wavy hair The girl described him as clean shaven with badly pock marked checks He was wearing btuo leans and a Jacket over a dirty T shirt at the time of the attack He was also wearing black racing type gloves with no knuckles on the back of the hand muffler His car Is described as a large darkcolored car with square tall lights and a noisy muffler Anyone with Information on the suspect or the vehicle Is asked to contact Milton OPP or the nearest police office Meanwhile police suggest homeowners should keep their doors locked and babysitters should be warned to be wary of strangers who appear late at night REV BETTY GRIFFITHS of Halifax Nova Scotia greets a young friend at special services at United Church township Sunday evening marking the anniversary of the congregation Mrs Griffiths husband was pastor of the charge from to 1961 when he transferred to and from there to the Maritlmes When her husband died Mrs Griffiths decided to become a minister Sunday she told the overflow congregation some of the reasons for her decision A reception followed in the church basement Coles Photo Bell survey shelved by council The principal thing Saturday Plans for Principals Recognition Day are reaching their final stages this week Saturday is the big day and hundreds of people will be sharing In the unique program Many from outoftown are expected and one of them Is Miss M Z Bennett who preceded G as principal of the school here She retired In 1839 and now lives In Manor Waterloo Miss Bennett will attend the afternoon reception Another teacher of nearly years back Is Miss Lulu Warner who sent for tickets As well as many returning teachers the two new principals will be at the dinner and dance Gary DawklRs and Allen Former school board members will be here too Weather permitting the day will start off with a parade leaving the library area about Acton Citizens Band will lead the way and people may join In all along the route to the high school River St to Willow Bower to Mill over the tracks to the school There picture displays class lists and photos refreshments and lots of talk from to so with no charge Children are particularly welcome here About banquet tickets are sold Tables and chairs will be set up by the caterer In the com centre Rev Mike Ben nett will be master of ceremonies for speeches and fun presen tations Many more are expected to come along for the dance which begins at ft Music a by the There are plans to have the different graduating years beginning with 1940 lead off the dancing Tickets for the dance may be purchased at the door that evening One of the highlights according to the decorating committee will be a fancy gazebo in the centre of the dance floor This committee has been plotting for weeks The high school students have invited all former pupils to their dance Thursday evening which has been called a Homecoming Dance in honor of the principals Adults may obtain tickets at the school The committee organizing the day Is delighted with the A big percentage of the town population will be Involved in the Recognition There will not be a Bell survey here to determine Acton wishes until there is more public reac Hon to the matter Area manager Lloyd attended a council committee meeting and explained that Bell would conduct a survey to see whether Acton area residents would be Interested In having their rates Increased to be able to call Milton or Guelphor both at our expense MM tag Deputy reeve Marks reported Tuesday to council that the committee was not mending the survey which would cost the town Wo He said the matter would be reappraised if there is enough public reaction The matter first arose when councillor Bill Coats expressed his opinion at a council meeting that with the advent of regional government he felt Acton should be listed In the same telephone directory as Georgetown His opinion was reported In the Free Press Subsequently Mr and Mr Travers of Bell Canada at tended the administration committee meeting on May May get books Mr said then that anyone wishing a Georgetown directory may have one on request Reeve McKenzle said he thought there should be some type of card in the Acton Informing the public of this According to Bell latest surveys Mr reported they still feel that the Acton area is more oriented toward Guelph for shopping medical reasons etc Ifthisistnecaseand Acton Is placed in the Georgetown directory Bell feels there would be more requests for the Guelph directory than there are for the Georgetown directory now New costs Mr told the committee that present cost for a private line In Acton Is SO per month and if we wanted to call Milton as part of the free calling area this would increase to IS a month calls to would be a month and calls to both would be a month At this week council meeting councillor Coats whose com plaint had reopened the whole question regretted he wasn t a member of the committee that met with Mr Why do we have free calling to Georgetown when they claim we re oriented to Guelph Mr Coats asked Deputy reeve Marks recalled an earlier survey which had rejected a Guelph area More planters Acton Development Com mission will be placing additional planters and hanging baskets in town this summer to Beautify the appearance of the main streets u any citizens have suitable plants they would like to donate please get in touch with Mrs Laura or Ted Tyler at Collision takes life of Neil Gibbons An accident on Highway in Toronto took the life ActonUn Neil William Gibbons Mam St S Saturday evening as the Gibbons family returned from a visit to Peterborough Mr Gibbons was riding ut the rear seat of his son Denis a car when It was hit front behind by another vehicle at about pm Denis Gibbons and bis mother Kathleen riding In front suffered only minor Injuries In the crash which completely demolished their car The accident occurred in the middle lane of Highway near the Leslie St entrance Parts of the car were found In the nearby collector lane Deals had to escape the wre car from the front window which was broken as did his mother They were both treated at North York General hospital for shock and minor Injuries released and taken to Mrs Gibbons daughters home It believed Mr Gibbons died instantly from the force of the impact Constable Campbell of the OPP Investigated Neil Gibbons was born to Acton April 1903 was educated in Acton schools and St Jerome a Kitchener He joined the office staff at Beardmore and then transferred to the plant where he was foreman of the Welding Department for many years He retired from the company in A well known sports figure in early year Neil was a member of the first intermediate hockey team which won an 0 group championship He pitched baseball the star pitcher on the Acton team which won the Halton county junior baseball championship in 19 Neil Gibbons was one of the Acton alltime greats named to the Halton County Sports Han of Fame an promotion in 1KB He married Kathleen Treanor in Georgetown and she survives him as well as a son Denis and Madeleine and brothers Frank and Thomas all of Acton also survive The funeral mass was celebrated at St Joseph Church on Tuesday morning by Father Michael Bennett of Guelph a family friend Father J gave the homily Pallbearers were Peter Marks Artie White Charles Kirkness Don Lindsay and Hartley Coles all of Acton and Gregory Gib- bom of Toronto Interment was In St Joseph Cemetery FIVE YEAROLD Jennifer Mines kick the soccer ball at the goal in Saturday practice session while the awaits the blow She s the first gal in minor soccer H Coles Photo Jennifer Hines 5 invades allmale soccer league Soccer got an unexpected shot in the arm from the lib movement when five year old Jennifer Hines appeared to register in the Squirt division of the Acton minor soccer league recently Needless tosay the executive did not know quite what to make of itJennifer was the first girl who ever appeared to want to play soccer with the boys They suppressed fears that the all male soccer bastion would never be the same ac cepting Jennifer registration and assigning her a team with which to play Saturday morning Jennifer was out scrimmaging with the other players in a practice at the M Z Bennett school grounds while her Doug Hines an Acton school teacher who resides at R R Acton looked on with approval She expressed the wish to play the gome likes to kick the ball around and why t she be playing the game with the boys her father said in effect And why t she John Toebo a member of the minor soccer executive admitted they had reservation when Jennifer first appeared wondering whether she wouldn get hurt when the going gets rough They suppressed their objections when they found out the parents were encouraging Jennifer to play But John wasn sure just where tos leaa He wanders Recently a girl in Michigan was signed to play League baseball and the resultant furor became a national issue The national headquarters of Little League baseball said that if the female centre fielder was not dropped from the roster team would be suspended until they did But the soccer people here run their own show and they are not perturbed They just wonder