The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Free Press Wednesday July5 1978 BIT Not too people can of getting their post secondary education in the same room which w is their kindergirten environment started school in Iheoldlnwn Hill Council Thirty one liter in the same lot my post sccondirv two is Acton m in Believe me his kind of ilion one docs not it university It yields lasting si hut no form Itssifc to report tint I look courses political economics mil I Inked in he hummer through sessions that on until In winter we mil cluttered i mohrs if happened to be sealed too far rim Oil pot In wlic councils were not required 1 look twice itcverydolhr the room is renovitcd almost pisl recognition In lim of irem indfire it w is dingy but no one As one of the I unpaid we scant htcd our surrounding except when the temper got out if hind which it did frequently mid is result f If the old w ills could speak would report ivigi debates tint liter illv turned blue litciall the td the ferociously puffed their figs ind pipes llin as when I is old enough know much 1 hooked nicotine in If defence Jusl f bellied heat in the I ml of historic post I is elected in 1J lie tin Mills Hen next tunc Ihii I ventured third term I w hive it is collector So much for public fivour isl m political experience iucht me his much never run for public ifficc if you re certain of booted the posterior It s i isle of time ind these d lys also of money 1 imnci suceessfulornot sloodlolosc little in elections of fifties If I pid for one idvertiserntnt in for public office minimum nil i for ill I irntd on the streil in council hers ijuilifie did I brine the job of municipal councillor Well I id for subjuls I studied it home school without a teller those were Hie if I lion Sell Hopefuls ride llel hid to travel to 1 funds depression sob sobl leelh did it the bird on m own plus some math help from another student a year ahead of me So I had this formal education which worth a dam in helping one lo land a job In I was armed with high ideals about honesty loyalty and the rewards of public service All in all I was one of the most naive would be politicians that ever took of office To be blunt very dumb in some areas A late bloomer as always it took me two years to learn what cannier ore born knowing It was an ition right enough one don regret because I needed to learn that politics although fuscimltng can be a dirty cutthroat game may be drawback THE CERAMICS OF Del and Ed Howse were part of the Senior Citizens Week display in the library last week James Hennessey Mrs J Hargrave Tom and Jessie Ware Laura Florence Wilker Nellie Beatty and Anna Miller also exhibited their art in the library display case BRINGING BACK MEMORIES an old fire engine took part in the parade on Saturday Deb Thornhill and Mrs C K Browne are seen waving to spectators on the sidewalk in a successful political career and it suicidal to espouse unpopular causes During my first year as of properly arena park and fire we bought new fire pumper Still shockingly green behind the ears I failed lo savvy when a in invited trie out to dinner in the course of negotiations fortunately I refused the invitation not realizing until much later Ih this was i bid to buy my influence Also during my first term a delightful rumor went the rounds thai council had accepted lib bribe from i local industry for favours received by the latter Funny never did see dollar of that money nor did my colleagues The took a long lime to languish and die An unpopular move that council was the decision buy a snow blower Wow What a furore sparked Those or us who voted for infernal machine had to live il for rest or our months on council In due time I discovered that a town councillor must develop a thick skin in order survive Although we were unpaid public servants we had suffer considerable bud mouthing because our fellow citizens were begin nint to take more of an in in public ifTairs Gone forever were the years when nomination meetings were held in the council chambers sometimes with such sparse attendance those present went out into the streets looking for more bodies The meeting at which I was first nominated was held upstairs a record attendance of 150 Times were chunging and people with them It was my luck to serve when our streets were torn up for installation of sewers approved by a slim majority of If I remember correctly Irate citizens nailed us left and right on he streets and at council meetings One of the most savage battles in which I was In voived at council level con he disposal plant and payments the contractors That session boiled on until 3 a m I recall one councillor calling a colleague an SOB Perhaps it s Jusl as well that historic walls can not speak of the past My first year I sal at council table with Wood Ray Thompson Jack Greer Fryer The late Ted Tyler was mayor Jack reeve and J J Stewart deputy reeve In the 1951 election Tom defeated Mr Tyler but had resign in mid December because of ill health This necessitated another contest won by Ben with a seven vote lead over former mayor Ab Irwin and Clarence ildsnn were new councillors Newcomers and veterans we continued our educ ition in sociology political science psychology economics and survival Sometimes as light relief the town fathers took turns hiding the size ten foot wear of the socalled Lady councillor It surprising how many hiding phces they found in old Council Chambers by brick two by four by two by four the downstairs room in the old Town Hall is without a doubt the most historical place in Acton I hope it and ihe rest of building survive because hey can never be rephced Memories are fine but even the mosl vivid memories iile with time NEED MONEY sT SUMMER IVACATION There may be a gold mine in your Attic Basement Garage Items you no longer need may by wanted by someone RAISE CASH NOW Sell them through Phone now 8532010 KIM MeLEAN AND CHRISTINE Couture got into the spirit of M Z Bennett Circus with their floppy hatted clown outfits and their winning smiles