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C iscc All material pt e le Beaver is protected by copyright. Any Tim Coles: Production Manager reproduction in whole or in part of this material is ';'?uy Torbidden without consent of the publisher. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographica! error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, iogether with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement wil paÂ¥d for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize and reject advertising. in the event of typographical error, advertising goods or services at the wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising i ely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. sn c c o t ied Z2 8 Tan Oliver Publisher Robert Glasbey Advertising Director Norman Alexander Editor Geoff Hill Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles: Production Manager Are you in favor of combining the Goods and Services Tax with the Ontario Provincial Sales Tax? Yes: 12 No: 6 From an efficiency standpoint, it also doesn‘t make sense to have students and teachers away from classrooms for two weeks during Christmas and New Year‘s either. Both the board and the Ministry is really cagey about even talkâ€" ing about this idea. On the one hand they have deâ€"Christianized the public school system but on the other, they want their employees to have a ‘winter break‘ that was only created in the first place to mark Christmas. If the Ministry is serious about costs, it must also seriously examine the school year from a human resource perspective. No business could possibly have their employees off the job for upwards of 15 weeks a year while earning their full wages yet that‘s the reality of the teachers‘ world. It‘s unreal, it‘s archaic and it should be changed The larger question here is whether or not the Ministry or the province‘s boards of education have the guts to address some of these fundamental issues. We‘ve long opposed Professional Activity days being scheduled during the week and counting them as instructional days under provincial legislation. These should be teaching days in class. As any parent in Halton can attest, the number of full week instruction in the schools during the year is laughable and to further disrupt a school year with more breaks doesn‘t make a lot of sense. But this concept has the potential for being even more disruptive than the current scheduling and the onâ€"again, offâ€"again concept doesn‘t make a lot of sense from a continuity of learning perspective. If the Ministry and the Halton Board is serious about saving money and betâ€" ter utilizing staff and physical resources, they should consider more sweeping and logical changes to the Education Act and teacher contracts. Without meanâ€" ingful changes in these areas, education reforms are just too limiting. The Ontario Public School Board‘s Association has suggested that an alterâ€" native might be divide the school year in such a manner as to have more breaks but for shorter periods. One idea is to have classes for 45 days and then have a 15 day break. There are a number of reasons why such a plan isn‘t particularly viable. The biggest stumbling block is the physical restrictions of the schools themselves. Very few Halton schools are airâ€"conditioned and this makes the idea of sumâ€" mer classes instantly unthinkable. Many schools, by their very design, become nothing more than sweat boxes during the heat and humidity of June, let alone July and August. Parents too have traditionally planned their year, including vacations around the summer period, especially given the fact that July and August repâ€" resent the two best weather months in Ontario. Business and industry too has used the summer period as a time to schedule the bulk of their staff holidays at a time when production and business slows. cation to save money, a variety of options are being explored to achieve these goals. One such measure being considered is the concept of yearâ€"round schooling. The idea is that it‘s not a good use of resources to have school facilities idle for 10 weeks each summer. Proponents of the scheme believe it‘s an idea that should be examined closely, while opponents see it as more of a planning nightmare with dubious benefits for students, parents and teachers. fi s the provincial government puts more pressure on local boards of eduâ€" Historically, the only reason Ontario schools were closed during July and August, was to allow youngsters of then largely rural Ontario, to assist their families in bringing in the crops. That entire concept means nothing in today‘s context. And since the Ministry of Education has shown absolutely no inclination to free up funding for the retroâ€"fitting of schools for summer use, the plan is an immediate nonâ€"starter. Winds of change RESULTS OF LAST WEEK‘S POL 467 Speers Road, Oakville, Ont. L6K 354 845â€"3824 Fax: 845â€"3085 Classified Advertising: 845â€"2809 Circulation: 845â€"9742 or 845â€"9743 The Oakville Beaver, published every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, at 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Distributing Lid. group of suburban newspapers which includes: Ajaxâ€"Pickering News Advertiser, Barrie Advance, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Collin Connection, Etobicoke Guardian, Georgetown Indigeog:ammdon Free Press, Kingston This Week, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist and Sun, Stoutfville/Uxbridge Tribune, Milton Canadian Champion, Mississauga News, Newmarketâ€"Aurora Eraâ€"Banner, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Orillia ;m Oshawa/Whitby This Week, Peterborough This Week, Richmond Hi/ Scarborough Mirror. Would you support some kind of yearâ€" round schooling plan in Halton? Cast your ballot by calling 845â€"5585, box 5008 to vote. Callers have until 12 noon Thursday to register their vote. Results of the poll will be published in the next Friday edition of the Oakville Beaver. Committee chairman Ivor Mansell feels a netâ€" work of bicycle paths in necessary in the town but "it would be irresponsible to spend the $50,000 until we get some response from the peoâ€" ple to make sure they want the paths and would § YÂ¥ s a EK L The town hall site, , apart from the building, will cost $426,500 and is located on 100 acres north of the North Service Road of the QEW, at the Seventh Line. Only 25 acres will be used as the town hall site, the remainder being sold at prices which the town hopesâ€"will yield enough profit to offset its own costs of the 25 acres. the land was formerly owned by the T. Eaton Co. 20 years ago A decision on where to build $50,000 worth of bike paths in Oakville was deferred after only four members of the public attended a meeting of the cycleways committee to offer input. The three day hearing resulted in a direction from the board that the CNR should come up with a short term plan for service improvement within fifteen days, and a long term plan for the study of a possible network of commuter lines to serve the entire metropolitan Toronto area. The committee had asked for public input to help determine where the greatest need for cycleâ€" ways exist. 40 years ago ; he Oakville Commuters Association preâ€" sented an application to the Board of Transport Commissioners calling for 1mproved commuter service from the CNR on the grounds of discrimination. The Oakville group‘s complaint was based on the fact that Montreal commuters, who get 15 trains a day instead of the four in operation here, are getting "undue preference." 30 years ago The Town of Oakville received approval from the Ontario Municipal Board to build a 35,350 squareâ€"foot town hall costing $597,590 on a site on the Seventh Line, north of the QEW. * PAGES OF THE PAST #A#2*, Commuters sought better deal from CNR in 1954 Alook back at the events that made headiines in Oakvile. NY ki en m The court heard that between August 1981 and December 1982, Watt, 25, forged bank releases, promissory notes and fraudulently obtained $16,000 in private loans to shore up his failing business, The J.S. Watt Clothing Store on Lakeshore Road. gagadod : Former Oakville businessman Jaime Watt pleaded guilty in Milton County Court to 13 fraud and forgery charges stemming from a $16,000 swindle of 14 victims, including three Oakville town councillors. Watt‘s youth and inexperience with business matters were contributing factors to his crimes, said defence lawyer Bruce Hillyer. _ "We can‘t regulate morality, but we can reguâ€" late exposure," commented byâ€"law enforcement officer George Derrick. Mall coordinator Ron Cooksley told town counâ€" cil he was confident the mall committee would stay within its original budget of $30,200, despite running three weeks instead of two. 10 years ago The battle against pornography reached new heights as the town‘s general committee recomâ€" mended a bylaw requiring all local store operators to display their adult magazines and books at least five feet, six inches above floor level. As well, they approved obscuring the covers of the magazines and books with only the name showing. If the council passes the bylaw, all operaâ€" tors must pay a $35 fee for a licence to carry the goods. agdo Oakville‘s downtown mall received a oneâ€"week extension to operate from town council. Almost oneâ€"third of the money spent on the mall will be returned in the form of reusable benches, sunshades, banners and topsoil. use them." Councillor Peter Waters suggested it would be a good idea to consider Kerr Street as a possible site for another mall. .i M#