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The Acton Wednesday Doc 30 TELEPHONE and Editorial Office Founded In 1875 Published Wednesday by Priming Ltd K Willow Street Acton Ontario L7J Tetophorra Subscription SuiqId copies each Canada Acton Praia Is Publishing Ltd of nowopopora which Includes Whitby Pickering Now Aurora Newmarket Era Aurora Banner Newmarket Era Ed Th Enterprise Brampton Guardian Burl Post Consumer The Independent I Economist and Sun The Hon Champion Now News Weekend Edition Tha North York Consume Tho North York Mirror Beaver Friday Beaver Oshawa This Week Tha Weekend Pod Consumer Richmond ill Thorn II Scarborough Consumer Tho Scarborough rror SloulN On Tribune Don McDonald Publisher Advert in a is accopiod allowance for signature w Post The paid for cable in the event typographical error 3 erroneous Horn together with reatonabN the balance the advertisement w a typographical error ng not bo sold Advert sing an Canadian Community Newspaper I Tho Ontario EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor Gord Murray Editor Helen Murray S porta Dave art Contributor Jennifer Bert Darkroom Peter Mills ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Manager Bill Cook Sales Jennifer C la utile Advertising Carolyn National fiolea top Dan 4161363 BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE a Manager Rhone Marylin CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT Acton councillors come out on short end of stick will be year Actons three councillors Dave Whiting Ross Knechtel and Terry Grubbe wont soon forget It might be best described as so close yet so far To be sure there were minor triumphs around the council table for all three on dozens of issues and problems brought to their attention by constituents But on the two issues they battled longest and hardest to see passed they came out on the short end a very short end of the stick Those two issues were of course property tax reform through Section of the provincial Assessment Act and municipal restoration of the town hall But they should take solace the fact that while they began on both fronts as voices crying in the wilderness they wound up being able to per suade three of their colleagues from other wards over to their points of view After Knechtel and his in committee came in with a neutral report on Section the ward one trio began lob bying for support for tax reform through Section Dur ing a span of a few months while council delayed the vote repeatedly they- campaigned for their view When the vote finally came their motion lost on a tie vote six to six Esques- ings Sheldon was absent though she indicated later she would have been opposed It was the same result on the town hall The Acton coun cillors lost by a single vote 76 though they had convinced two Georgetown councillors and the mayor to back their position In neither case was their stand easy to take or univer sally popular in Acton They had to vote their gut feeling their personal view their conscience There were many citizens for and against Section and the same was true of the town hall On both issues theirs were persuasive yet conflicting arguments from their constituents They could hardly be ex pected to simply parrot the community view because there was no consensus They were forced to weigh the pros and cons and make their own deci sions something we expect of our elected officials So while they were un doubtedly disappointed by the outcome of both battles they can take comfort from the fact they learned something and proved something Acton will never be able to exert its will at council by force of numbers But the councillors did discover that with effective well prepared presentations at council and laborious behind the scenes lobbying with their colleagues Actons influence can be felt While they wont get another chance at the town hall issue the Section 86 cause will live another day maybe even this year and maybe that time around theyll prevail Clergy Comment by Jean Be not afraid for behold I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people Luke 10 Wc live In a very sophisticated age Our world is advancing and technologically at a pace which is foster than the average human being is capable of keeping up with Advances have been made In all areas of life Rather than playing hide and seek children spend hours upon end with electronic and video computer games Television documentaries describe yearold children who by playing on computers at home can patch into computer systems of major banks and companies and withdraw large sums of money Medical research has enabled us to extend the length of normal life expectancy Recent strides In fields such as genetic engineering produce debate over the moral ethics in volved in predetermining the breed of people who could make up our future world This year we have seen a new escalation of the arms race the decision to deploy the neutron bomb and hints of the possibility of a limited nuclear war Scientists used to say Give us time and well build the world Now realizing that technology la spinning out of control scientists are saying Give us time so we can keep ourselves from destroying the world Our world is caught In a web of its own spinning and it is a very sophisticated web indeed In the midst of that sophisticated web perhaps we can be reminded of Ihe fact that Christmas is hopeful In spite of all the worlds endless spinning we can live out the Christmas season and all our days remembering that God never forgets us God knows the state of our world and He cares about It God has always cared for our world Sometimes we wish God would demonstrate that care by removing the spinning web and lifting us out of our helpless and seemingly hopeless situation But Instead God demonstrates His care by coming Into the midst of It and shoring It with us Over two thousand years ago God cared enough to provide he birth of a child His own Son who became the Savior of the world This child was a vulnerable expression of just how much God does love us The message of Bethlehem Is clearly hat God Is with us Unmis takably God has revealed his for our world situation and declared in His coming to us that He will be our constant companion Even in the apparent hopelessness of our age the message of Christ mas la that we can be hopeful Be not afraid for God In Jesus Christ has declared I couldnt care more Life in a wheelchair Submitted by Mary Author Unknown So few care for those in a wheelchair Who sit at the bottom of the darn stair And wonder bow to get up there Certainly not in this old wheelchair Today the visiting hockey team came Wed like to go to see the game But we must stay home Its a shame They forgot to the ramp again The church the bank and even store We cant get in theres a step at the door Across the street Is the barber Herb We can get a haircut no ramp at the curb The Post Office too wed feel much better If we could get In to mall a letter And pick up our mail or buy a stamp But vie cant get In there is no ramp To enter the coffee shops a mighty big chore The steps even worse than the one at the store So there at the door our coffeebreak ends only way in Is with help from some friends So down the street well merrily go I guess well just take In the show But when we get there we find in despair Yes you guessed it another big stair And when we come to the great golden stair Well sit and gaze away up there Well It we know very well So well just give up and roll down to hell On the 1 Wrth Helen Best wishes and good luck go out to St Josephs Separate School teacher Sharon Bradley who Is heading next month to South Africa on missionary work Sharon who is in her third year In Acton has signed up for two years with V1C3 Volunteers in Christian Service She finished her teaching Job in Acton last week and heads to Africa on Jan Farewell is also extended to Jenny Acton Rotary exchange student from Australia Jenny left today for home but will be spending a few days In Kamloops British Columbia with an aunt and uncle and then a few days in San before actually getting home She been in Canada a year liv ing with Terry and Ken and Lynda Nellie Doug end Janice and Jack and Anita Meinen A story In this paper last week said Jenny was disappointed by the shortage of snow since her arrival last January There was only a skiff of snow on the Ihopeshe satisfied now Beat wishes to Jenny In her future Ac ton a shortest street Burba St in subdivision finally has a street sign so everyone can find it Seems everyone was having trouble finding It except the tax assessor Dave and Heather Whiting George end Sue Paulsen and Keith and Jane Smiley ravelled to Sudbury recently for the wedding of former Acton base ball player Rob Cameron Rob played ball for three years here communtlng from Brampton to do so He married Betty Flesh and will live In Fort McMurray Alberta Rosemary Cook of Churchill headed west for Christmas to visit with daughter Betty Ferguson and family and son George Cook all In Whltecourt Alberta Also on the same flight was Acton resident Don Ryder who visited his son David and family in Edmonton George Cook la readying for a month- long slay In Saudi Arabia in the new year as he stands In for another oil company employee who is coming home for a visit Holiday visitors this week with Terry and Ken and son Kevin ore Terrys parents Mr and Mrs H Jackson from Sarnla University and college students ore pouring home for the holidays Janice Is home from school In Peter borough and Laurie Pierce is home from North Bay Sister Julie is home from Thunder Bay Nancy Shoemaker Is home from her nursing post in northern Ontario and Rick now a teacher in La Pas Manitoba Is spending the holidays with Acton family and friends Steven Duls grandson of Mr and Mrs Hilton Elliott Bower Ave made It home from Drayton Valley Alberta for Christmas to visit with his parents Jim and Shirley Dills Milton Steven Is well known in Acton and la a news paper publisher in Joe Clarks home riding Know of else home for Christmas Let me know There are others who might be interested Mrs Eva Murdoch town was the lucky winner of gas barbecue in a draw held by newly I opened Country Gentleman propane centre on Highway cast of town Acton firefighters recently held a Christmas Day for Firecrackers First prize of five firecrackers went to Brian RR Don Matthews Mill St won second of four and Bert Fowler Acton took third three firecrackers Debbie Weston won two fire crackers which was fourth and winning fifth prize one firecracker was Geoff Alcorn London General Hospital reports no babies this year Even though there were Acton babies born December the hospital doesnt con- alder hem Christmas babies Santa made an early appear in town last week and could be seen walking the streets of subdivision Wednesday night Rumor has it he was seen also In the Glenlea subdivision Santa was very good to me this Christmas but the best gift of all wasnt even to me but to Gord It was a photo graph album full of pictures of me as I was growing up My parents spent hours putting It together Included in it are class pictures from my school days What fun that was looking at all my old friends in and wondering what they are doing now Some are living as close as and Brampton while others arc out west or just lost end out of touch Tragically there are pictures of those killed in car accidents or those now in jail or Borne other less fortunate future But for the most part good memories came flowing back One item in the book I had never seen before nor did I even know It was a small newspaper clipping dated August but I dont know what year It had picture of my father in his youth and a story explaining ho had been wounded In Franco in World War The article made me realize how lucky we are in 1981 at tho Free Press not to have to write stories about home town boys being shot or killed while fighting for the freedoms we have all taken for granted But as much as I love the clothes I got and the books and the boots and the other goodies I will always treasure that photo album the most It provided and a few friends with a lot of laughs at seeing pictures of me while In high school or younger it is a good testimony to what I consider has been a not toobad past Hopefully it will be even a better future I join the entire town in wishing Esther Taylor all tho best in her retire ment from the Acton library Esther has been around for years checking books in and out giving quickie book reviews helping a reader find a book etc Best of luck in your retirement Esther Well miss you as we hunt for books Acton Citizens Band entertained around town Wednesday evening playing Christmas carols This wintery weather has got me down Its not that I dislike snow act ually Ireauytlkeltaslongastheroads arc cleared and the driveway shovelled I have been a ski fanatic for almost years and lake advantage of the white stuff as much as I can The problem is I need my Florida fix Even as enthusiastic about snow as I am I like to escape to the sunny south for a few weeks of year and It has been months since my last visit My skin has lost Its summer tan and Is in dire need of some nice hot rays on it to make It feel healthy again I haven had salt water away at my hair for almost a year and the palm trees are growing without me I desperately need a fix What Is worse Is that my next trip lsn planned until next October when a friend and I venture forth without That will make It almost two years between trips a record since I first started going My first trip down was with my parents for Christmas March was next and then January 1978 The sun found me again in January but dldn see me again until May I960 That was a good year Four months later I was back again with my parents In October Then my last trip to Florida four months that in February of this year It Is not that we have hordes of money to blow on Florida vacations It really helps when your folks have a place down there to stay in Weve had good weather and cold weather Weve eaten alligator meat and got stung by sling rays Weve come back as pale as when we left and weve been so burned we couldnt walk or put seat bells on ve picked oranges and grapefruits and sun bathed and shopped But no matter what we have done or whatever the weather we always love It So why am I It this yearT Now that Christmas is over and the snow Is here to stay for a few months I realize Just how spoiled I am at being able to hop in the car or catch a plane and head to my second home I guess I will just have to for a glass of orange juice this winter but next fall look out Fort Meyers here I by Mabel Bar km an Beach Towels You may think it strange that I talk about beach towels when wo have wintery weather Sometimes I find I am using them more now than in the summertime When I wash sweaters by band I don like to wring them out and so I towel dry them In fact anything that is bulky and I wash by hand I towel dry on beach I dont put the towels In the dryer or a few hours because the humidity is very good for our dry houses I believe one has fewer colds the houses are more humid When summer comes again and you arc thinking of picnics a colorful beach towel Is the best tablecloth one can use for a picnic table It is usually large enough blow away soaks up spills and tho edges can even be used to wipe sticky fingers Laundering la easy and no ironing is necessary So If you take a beach towel on your winter vacation be sure to bring it backl Back issues years ago December 29 1971 A spectacular two car crash Christmas eve on Highway at Crewsons Corners res m an estimated damage and sent lo persons to Guelph hospital Nine were treated for minor Injuries one child was admitted to intensive care and is exp ected to be released from hospital today Wednesday Deputy Reeve Pat McKenzlc thinks Ac ton Council should make a New Years res to conduct their on a more orderly fashion Chairman for the committee of the whole session of his years final regular meeting the deputy reeve suggests meetings could be If councillors took more care to direct their remarks to the chairman He also mentioned the possibility of having councillors stand whenever they wished to speak Speakers always stand at county council meetings Veteran councillor Jack Greer saw only one disadvantage to McKenzies suggestion Peter might get flat feet he chuckled in obvious to Councillor Marks who usually t hesitate to speak up 20 years ago December ll A Toronto man learned just how ate a woman intuition can be When Tor onto resident John Jong used a false name and gave a Rockwood address while returning goods for a cash refund at Simp son Scars office In Acton store manager Miss Jessie Coles became suspicious the goods were not purchased from the Simp son Sears company She trailed the man to his car took down his lisence number then notified police After an investigation Jong was arrested his home and lodged in Milton jail He was later released on ball Mrs wan richer when her name was drawn from a large drum the final merchant Free Living draw at the post office Mrs Lasby rccelv vouchers redeemable at participating merchants stores to a value of She was presented with her prize by merchant Paul Nell en 50 years ago December 24 1931 Just oclock the fire alarm led the Acton Brigade ton fire that had got ten under way In the attic at the Rectory of St Joseph Church on John Street The blaze had made considerable headway be fore being discovered by Miss who is housekeeper at the Rectory and fa ther Bride was summoned from the church It is the damage to house and contents will run in the neighborhood of which is covered by insurance The most accurate man in town at guess Ing weights would appear to be Charles Holmes or he guessed the exact weight of the big candy cane in Wiles window to the fraction of an ounce The cane weighed lbs 3 ounces and that was Charlies 75 years ago December 190G Rather a serious accident took place at the corner of Mill and Elgin Sis which res in the loss of a rather valuable horse belonging to Mr Arch McPherson Mr Hugh McKay driving the delivery wagon was turning the corner when he met the team being driven smartly in the other by Arch McPherson Councillor Robert Harrison of died at his home near Rockwood His teen children though widely scattered were all gathered at his bedside and he was able to say to each an affectionate farewell He was born on the farm where he died in 1836 His father was one of Ihe pioneers of the district having emigrated with his young wife from county Antrim Ireland Homestead regulations for the North West are published Nominations next Monday at noon Election matters arc exceedingly quiet 100 years ago December 1SSI The nominations for reeve and council took place on Monday and owing to the fact it was a public holiday the attendance was much bigger than usual There were three candidates nominated for the reeveshlp and for council Due to Messrs Henderson and Storey declining CS Smith was elected reeve by acclamation For council there arc in the field M Spei D Campbell James Moore Rich Hamilton John Kenney Nlcklln T Hill Running in Esqueslng Clay and Lindsay first deputy is J Warren councillors David Cook John Brain James Early Stephen Elliott and David Cross During tho past few weeks no less than ten little ones In this vicinity have bed to diphtheria Yesterday an operation was performed on he throat of a child of Mr Williams by Drs Lowry and For a tube being inserted In tho windpipe which promises lo be a successful ment