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Page 4 THE OAKVILLE-TRAFALGAR JOURNAL The Oakville- Trafalgar Journal Published Every Thursday~Morning in Oakville, Ont. by Oakville - Trafalgar Publishers, Ltd. Colborne St. E. (Next Post Office) Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association S. Casey Wood, Jr. Vincent H. Bawey. Managing Editor Advertising Manager Phone 1298 _BUT IT MUST COME UP AGAIN We have no idea of the rights or wrongs of the present unsavory situation with regards to the high school. But we want to know. We want to know fully what the situation is at the present time, and we feel strongly that the high school area board should immediately, and publicly, take steps to inform itself completely on high school conditions . . . and take whatever steps are necessary to straighten matters out to the satisfaction of parents, students, taxpayers and the teaching staff. Following the recent private meeting a statement was issued that the meeting had heen called at the re- quest of one member of the board. When the meet- ing convened it was discovered, we are told, that this was an error and this member had not requested a meeting. Details concerning plans for the new addi- tion were then discussed, the board adjourning in time for the ball game. There would have been nothing wrong with this situation had it not been for the unfinished business left over from the previous meeting--the meeting which created a situation publicly and where nothing was settled, and a decidedly rank atmosphere left for all to build into engrossing topics for tea-tahle gossip. Under such conditions there should have been one among the nine members of the board who would have brought this matter up for discussion at that time. If none of the board members thought it their place to do so--and this is hard to believe, as there are wise men in municipal affairs sitting on the board--then it surely was the duty of the chairman to raise the sub- ject. It is unbelievable that the chairman, and board members, are not aware of the furor which, at the present time--two scant weeks before school com- mences--is giving students and parents alike a feel- ing of lack of confidence in our school, hoard, prinei- pal and teaching staff. At the meeting where the letter ofithe principal's secretary was read, there was a recorded vote, which resulted in a tie. The chairman of the hoard cast his vote with those members who wished to have the secretary appear before the hoard. Yet, following last week's meeting, he stated in a press interview that he saw no necessity for the matter of the letter to be discussed again. Why has he changed his opinion? Have the other two members who voted with him also changed their opinion? Have the two members of the board who were not present at the first meeting no opinion on the matter? These and other questions demand an answer. 'While holding no brief for either side in this mat- ter, we should like to point out that the conduct of the board with regards to the secretary's letter has placed the principal in an apparently most unfavour- able light. If the board leaves matters as they rest at this time, and as the chairman says he is content to let them rest, then this matter will he raked up again and again, constantly keeping Oakville in the public eye, and the difficulties under which principal and staff will work will only be exceeded by the diffi- culty any future hoard will find in securing teachers of any true worth, should posts become vacant. No teacher would knowingly take a position under a board who permits controversial matters to reach the public without insisting they be carried to the logical conclusion of bringing the full facts before the public --that is to say, insisting that both sides of the matter be aired. When this has been done, the board can then take suitable action--if any action is neces: ary. A word on behalf of the teaching staff, and the principal. Men and women who take public positions which require them to work with young people need constant and ungrudging support from thos: authority over them--for the problem of d ipline rests upon a fine point. Only when their actions or abilities prove them unsuitable should this support be withdrawn--and they should then be released for other positions. We, among many others, are not satisfied that this matter be left in its present state: We are in- clined to feel that the town and township councils-- Who are, in the final analysis, responsible for the in- tegrity and scholastic standing of the high school, for they make the appointments to the board--should in- sist on having the full difficulties explored by the board alone, or in conjunction with them. A petition from parents that such action be taken would be a serious charge of oversight against our councils. The members of the board need to hold a meet- ing, and it should be public and adequately handled to dispose of the situation satisfactorily. WATCH NEXT WEEK Lecal Radio Program - STARTING SEPT. 2nd - WANN afalgar By Bessie Cairns CROW LAND of mine nursed for some years in a large children's hospital in Philadelphia. One night after a little negro patient had said his prayers, thinking y that with' some small toy she JIM An aunt quired, "What did you pray for, Tommy?" "T prayed to be white, nurse," he replied with childish serious ness. Until last week I never heard of a white person wishing to be black. Time carried the story of Ray Sprigle, alias Brother Crawford, the shrewdest reporter on the staff of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. After futiley try- ing iodine, walnut stain, argyrol and even an infusion of mahog- any bark, Sprigle shaved his head, got a Florida tan and crossed the colour line. As an account of man's inhumanity to man -- and man's capacity for enduring it-- his resulting series of articles made Gentleman's Agreement seem gentlemanly indeed. Only his negro guide, his family and his editors knew what Sprigle was up to. "From the time I climbed aboard a Jim Crow coach until T came up out of the south four weeks later I was black and in bondage--not quite slavery but not quite freedom, either. My rights of citizenship ran only as far as the nearest white man said they did." Being well coached, Sprigle never caused an incident. In Geor- gia he found even the Atlantic ocean reserved for whites with- out a single foot where a negro could stick his toe in salt water. He talked to hundreds of his tem- porary race; sharecroppers, pros- perous professional men, school teachers and families of lynch victims. "Strangely enough," he wrote, "the negro in the south doesn't hate the white man. But what he does hate with all his heart is the discrimination and oppression that dog his footsteps from the cradle to the grave. He hates most of all the fact that he is but half a citizen. As for what he wants . . . two things. First--the ballot. Second--prop- er and adequate education for his children." Doesn't seem too much men are born equal. Bitter Ray Sprigle will never again feel proud to be white. "Give me another couple of months Jim Crowing it through the south --forever alert never to bump or jostle a white man--careful al- ways to "sir" even the most be- draggled specimen of the master race--scared to death I might en- counter a pistol-totin', trigger- | might brighten his days, she in-] to ask in a democracy where all ti Letters To The Editor The Editor, Oakville-Trafalgar Journal. Dear Sir: Many people have commented concerning the fact that, appar- ently through an oversight, no provision was made for ladders, or to inset rings to hold safety ropes when the new pier was built. It has been pointed out that should someone fall off the pier, it would be impossible for him to climb back to safety. While strolling on the pied last week-end, 1 noticed that, at in- tervals of about 25 paces, heavy mooring stanchions have been set in the cement to acommodate vis- iting craft. Would not a rope line, attached to these stanchions, and dropping to the surface of the water in loops down the side of the pier, offer a certain measure of protection? I realize these metal mooring pins are on one side of the petty only. But~ I would suggest that it would be better to have half protection than none at all. Perhaps the "council committee with jurisdiction over the har- bour might look into" this matter. Yours truly, MUSIC ALBUM By Irven Fell JAN SIBELIUS--1865 "Finlandia" Most people interested in sym- phony music have, at some time or another, heard Not only have they heard it, but they remembered it. And that is more than they can say about a lot of symphonies. Sacred and secular words have been put to part of Finlandia, and it is used a good deal by school choirs and church choirs. Actually, "Finlandia" is the 6th tableaux of a series, written in 1899 and was "Finland Awakes" It formed a part of the Sibelius series, the Past." Sibelius was born in Finland in the year 1865 and was chris- tened Johan Julian Christian Si- belius. He is often callen Jean but mostly Jan. Long before he] took any lessons in the theory of music, he was composing, but at he age of 15 he started taking lessons on the violin and had hopes of becoming a violin virtu- oso. He kept at the violin for 10 years and during that time he did more composing. Several of his numbers were well received and he started to attract atten- tion. It has been so often said that artists of all types do their best work in the face of adversity, His Tone Poem "Finlandia." called "Tableaux of Though the articles are power- less to change any man's colour and may not alter anyone's con- victions, still if there were more people of the calibre of Ray Spri- gle there would be fewer children saying Tommy's prayer. REASON FOR POLITENESS I was reading a copy of the Statesman yesterday, a newspap- er published in Calcutta and Del- hi. It carried an account by a Hindu of his impressions of his first trip to England. What pleas. ed him most was the London bhob- bies. . . . Strangely enough, my first impression of London was also the politeness of the police, I, however, was put smartly in my place by a Londoner who re- marked, "Naturally they are cour- teous. For all they know you might be a real lady. Perhaps the same caste system prevailed where the Hindu was. concerned, .. . They may have mistaken him for the Rajah of Baroda, DEERHAVEN KENNELS (Reg'd) (B. K. Snider) . A HOME for your Dog|| while you are away, WASHING - WORMING GROOMING - DEFLEAING CONDITIONING UPPER MIDDLE ROAD Oakville - Tele. 457-4 happy drunken deputy sheriff or | poverty and privation. A sort of a hysterical white d | do-or-die at . This was I'm pretty sure I'd be hating the | not the case with Sibelius because whole d - - - d white race." the Finnish government gave him a grant of 1,500 marks and a scholarship when he was 25 years of age. On the scholarship, he went to Berlin for study and made great strides. He was never rich, but he never wanted for the iti r=) = THE EST THE TIME HAS COME, THE WALRUS SAID... . 1 CSN Vicky, in The London Daily News-Chronicle _(Independey Thursday, August 2, 1 in structure but equally popular, is the Sibelius "Valse Triste." Once heard, it is always remem- bered. There are many more compositions by this legendary and world-famous composer, but it is doubtful if there are any which will be remembered as long as the two mentioned. Nearly 83 years of age now, his birthday is on December the 8th, he-is still living happily in his of logs in the forest, He iy man physically and almost gon, ig like in appearance, He hus ye little hair, and what he nag | Kept clipped Short, the oppog, to a lot of musicians. Jovig y| spirit, he is intensely patriy likes his cigars and is a bit getful. Many stories have be told of his absentmindedness, py music will keep his name gy] as long as there are hearers uf native Finland in a nome built |listen. Check Your Car! O\. Check Accidents! A minor adjustment that is overlooked can cause a major accident. Have your car thoroughly checked by trained ex- perts. LET US GIVE YOUR BRAKES, TIRES, LIGHTS and OTHER MECHANISMS A COMPLETE INSPECTION! Stop in today . .. remember a safety check may save your neck. . . . Look for the big Maple Leaf Sign a OAKVILLE MOTORS CHEVROLET & OLDSMOBILE SALES & SERVICE -- PHONE 460 -- Colborne St. at Reynolds Oakville Notice Mr. J. Birch, Bronte, who held First Prize Winning Ticket No. 10322 in our recent Cdrnival Draw, has not called for his prize. THIS WILL BE HELD ONLY UNTIL OCTOBER 25TH, 1948 Canadian Legion Branch 114 OAKVILLE, ONTARIO of life, nor even some of the lux- uries. In 1897 the increased his grant to 2,000 marks. About this time Finland was able to break away from the domination of Russia and the Fin- nish senate again increased his grant, who by this time, had be- come almost a legend with his own countrymen. The fact that he did not worry about income enabled him to take his time with his composing and that is probably one reason why all the Sibelius music is so highly re- garded. He not only became a national figure but a national in- spiration. It has been said that his "Finlandia" did as much for Finland as if he had trained and equipped 10,000 men. Hard- headed military men would prob- ably have scoffed at this state- ment, but any of them who have had a little psychology mixed with their training will know that the best way to get recruits, espe- cially in time of war, is to send a smart military band to the re- cruiting meetings. Patriotic marches stir the people and that is what "Finlan- dia" did to the people of Fin- land. This remarkable tone poem is said to have swept the Finnish forces to victory in the struggle against the Bolshevists after the fall of the Czarist regime. "Fin- landia" was barred by the Rus- sians at one time because of the exciting effect it had on the Fin- ish soldiers. -- - An old expression that holds well under many conditions that's why we say "Safety First" in recommending our pre- scription services to you. You can rely on us to carefully fill your prescriptions by graduate phfirmacists and with only the best ingredients. REFRESH YOURSELF -- VISIT OUR MODERN SODA BAR ! Limited Phone % Oakville Drug Co. Len Hope, Mgr. OAKVILLE Another composition, different