Declining enrolment no problem with 2944 pupils Declining enrolment may be a major problem In other areas of the region but overall there has only been a decline of seven pupils for the eight Acton and area schools in Hal ton Four schools Acton High School Robert Little and St Joseph all showed enrolment hikes last week while the number of students at Z Bennett and dipped slightly Enrolment went up by 51 pupils at four schools combined and down 58 in total at four others In all nearly students 2 to be exact went back to classes last week Robert Little enrolment dropped about puptis between the and the school years but is up to this year from last year And the future looks even brighter for the school after kindergarten pupils registered when the school was expecting enrolment has also taken healthy turn upward When the school was twinned with Robert Little a few years ago student population had slumped to the range but it has been steadily coming back Last year had 152 pupils and that figure is up to this fall One of the most interesting enrolment situations Is at St Joseph which has been surrounded in con troversy much of the summer because of the par cnts battle to have a new facility built St Joseph enrolment is up from to but not up as much as There has been talk of pulling students out of St Joseph and sending them back to public schools but that t happen Principal Sean Brigga noted he had projected a student population of at St Joseph but moved away from Acton during the summer Another two missing students are now going to other area schools one to the French separate school in Georgetown and one to Robert Little Neither students transferred because their parents were concerned about the present school building said he was glad to see there a boy of St Joseph but wondered if there might have been more new pupils enrolled if there wasn so much publicity about overcrowding at the school He thinks some parents who want to send their child or children to a separate school decided to wait another year and see if a is built Enrolment at Acton High School where It been declining In recent years is always tough to nail down As of Friday there were students at How ever that growth could disappear because of drop outs Semestering also causes fluctuations in enrol mental AHS Bennett expected a slight enrolment decline and a slight decline materialized Enrolment is down from 383 to Principal Doug Magwood said enrolment at the school has been dropping in dribs and drabs for a few years now He noted it has had an Impact on the school as now Z Bennett has one less teacher than In but that could change when staff is redistributed around Hal on later this month New McKenzle Smith vice principal Gordon Eagle said that school suffered another decline pupil enrolment from last year lo 358 this fall The decline has been on for a few years now but was greater this year than expected The school had projected an enrolment of Declining enrolment caused McKenzle Smith to lose teachers this year yet but a teacher y wind up being moved later this month s declining enrolment problems resulted In one less teacher being assigned to the school this fall enrolment has been drop ping a bit each year for several years now The projected It would have students and wound up with down from last year Declining enrolment has had little impact on school since it was twinned with Joseph Gibbons in Georgetown a few years ago Enrolment dipped from pupils to a little higher than the expected this year An Inland Community Newspaper One Hundred and Sixth Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER I960 Twain TwoFagts Twain I in Cents 100 years young Margaret Buchanan centre celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday at Maple View Lodge To help her celebrate were her grandson Barry Buchanan great Tars and daughter Margaret who flew in from Saskatoon Saskatchewan for the occasion Mrs Buchanan has eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren See story on page 2 Photo by HELEN MURRAY Fall fair in 9 days by Jennifer Bigger and Better that seems to be the theme of next week Acton Fall Fair Considered one of the beat fairs in Ontario and certainly the largest in Ha I ton the Acton Fall Fair will attract thousands of visitors to town September and For years the Fair has provided competition for area farmers and entertainment for urban residents Now contestants come from all over Ontario Quebec and the States for the widely ac claimed event Fair president Brian Evans feels all directors need to make the I960 fair the greatest ever Is three fine days of weather Changes for the fair include a full Friday program this year as the Arabian Horse Show starts at A mini boat show takes to the tractor pull is now a mint tractor and antique tor pull and the Canada Packers Quilt Display will be here Changes Implemented last year including new park layout pet show wutcrball contest will be continued Directors and visitors alike agree more efficient planning found extra room in the water bound Prospect Park location of the fair Advance passes are now available for the entire weekend for and can be purchased at any Acton bank includinglheCrcdit Union A bus route will be travelling the streets of Acton at regular intervals see bus map on back page of Town residents are encouraged to use the bus as parking Is very limited and nonexistent within the park on Saturday and Sun day Happyland midways arc appearing to offer fun and games for all who brave the rides and arcades junior sized rlden will be available for small fry The fair kicks off Friday with the Arabian horse show commencing at 10 a An opening parade with Acton Citizens Band will declare the gates officially open at noon The midway wilt bo fully inside Acton children have been sent to the penalty box Turn to page Betty Fisher has changed her mind and will run for trustee in Georgetown instead of Acton More on page 2 operational Exhibit hall will be opened for a full view of prize winning baking flower displays domestic science exhibits handcrafts canned and preserved prod ucts junior exhibits school work fruits and vegetables The poultry building will be open to show off the varieties of exotic birdsa remarkably colourful display and one of the best poultry shows around The birds will be on display for two days Rabhits take over the building on Sunday At the popular heavy horse pull will take place featuring teams from Quebec and the S as well as many from southern Ontario Over 20 teams are expected this year The fair will be officially opened by Otto Jclinek The annual Variety Show and Miss Acton Fall Fair contest will be in full swing by in the Community Centre Fifteen contestants are expected to enter the well attended Miss Acton contest Two runners up and one reigning fair queen will be chosen by a panel of Judges who include Judy Welch of the Judy Welch modelling agency Gunther den berg film producer and production coowner and Dave Johnson CFGM country radio disc Jockey The girls will compete for In prize money and numerous gift vouchers and prizes and the winner will be entering the CNE Sweetheart contest next August Last year winner will be on hand to crown the winner Saturday morning the bright and early with the English pony show commencing at a m featuring classes for young equestrians and their hunter ponies At noon the grand parade will move slowly from the middle school grounds down Mill and Main streets to the Park One of the biggest fair parades in Ontario this year It will Include the renowned Acton Citizens Band Georgetown Girls Pipe Band and Sandhill Band Prominent local dignitaries and politicians are always a welcome feature The Wagon and Belgian eight horse hitch will attract hundreds of delighted eyes Also included are a wealth of bicycle riders horses and ponies dozens of floats clowns and other par ticlpants Children pony games and a full fledged gymkhana will take place Saturday afternoon In the English horse ring Continued on page Marathon of Hope reborn in Acton Acton is again responding to Terry Fox Mars thonofHope Details were sketchy at press lime with very lit tie In the way of formal fund raising taking place but all indications arc Terry has again touched Act on hearts and wallets Terry Is on everyone s lips and donations are gathering steam Acton and area greeted Terry warmly when he came through town early on the morning of July during his crosscountry run to raise funds for can research The community responded to the bone cancer amputee runner call and donated about 500 to Terry continued his run until last week when he reached Thunder Bay His marathon of hope has been shelved while he battles cancer again this time in his lungs Terry has become a national hero and there has been on outpouring of donations and sympathy to the young man from British Columbia Acton t been any different than any place in Canada People here arc slowly climbing back on the Marathon of Hope bandwagon Some called in and made donations during the hour telethon Sunday night Real Estate of the Acton Condo League is sending in a donation and challenging all of the other men ball teams in Acton and Georgetown to match their pledge Jake of Halton Hills Furniture Ap pliances will donate two per cent of his sales during September to Terry Fox and cancer research Acton High school students arc also chipping In to raise more money for the Terry cancer fight Some students have set up boxes in the school with the aim of collecting from everyone fellow dents and teachers in the building There are 766 students enroled at the high school ElmaBraida an Acton cancer official said there has been quite a reaction in town the last few days to Terry campaign for funds and it Is gathering Actons downtown was Jammed that early that Wednesday morning In July when Terry Fox ran through to steam morning she was swamped by calls and over was donated to the cause White was mil collecting money from people on the street even On Monday she reported she had received six invite donations a couple of hundred more dollars and even received collected by a little girl People ire getting enthused all over again declared Former area minister dies A former Rector of St Anglican Church in Acton and St Johns in Rock wood Rev Philip Arthur Sawyer week Sawyer was in Acton In late June along with hi- daughter Rev Elizabeth Kilbourn to help St bun celebrate its 100th anniversary He was the rector of St Albans Sawyer died Monday at St Catharines Gen i I Hospital He is mourned by his daughters Elizabeth and Nancy Steele as well as 13 grandchildren and three treat grandchildren He was predeceased by his wife Violet and a daughter Peggy Kingston A graduate of Trinity College Toronto he served diocese of Niagara as Rector of the following parishes St Alban Acton SI John Rock wood SI Paul Caledonia St Johns York St Johns and as honorary assistant and hospital Georges Sawyer was honorary vice president of the hosier Cathedral Old Choristers Association I he family is receiving friends at St Johns this afternoon and evening as well jr last night William A Lamb Funeral Chapel Scenes like this tilled with hippy smiling people have been common for years at the Acton Fall Fair This September and there will be even more reasons to enjoy the fair many conilder lobe the its slie In Ontario Free Press file photo by JIM DILLS