THE OAKVILLE-TRAFALGAR JOURNAL Page 6 . {4 U/W NAY) Z The Oakville- Trafalgar Journal Trabalgar Tales Merabor Canadian: Weekly Associati BY BESSIE CAIRNS p pers Published Every Thursday Morning in Oakville, Ont., by Oakville-Trafalgar Publishers, Ltd. 7 Dunn Street North S. Casey Wood, Jr, Vincent H. Barrey Managing Editor Advertising Manager Bill Cotton, Editorial Assistant Phone 1298 Education Is Everyone's Business Of all the weeks singled out each year for some specific purpose, this week devoted to education pro- bably has the most value. In this district an expansion program in our schools is nearing completion. The high school additions will be opened officially this spring, the additions to Linbrook school will be ready for next fall's opening. Plans are underway to in- crease the capacity of Westwood school. Similar ex- pansion programs are underway in most communities across the nation. But larger and more efficient school buildings is only the beginning. It is the human facilities that will be a part of these educational plants which should concern us most. There has been much talk about lowering the standard required of teachers in the public school system. This is proposed because it has been found difficult at present rates of pay, 'to induce sufficient people to enter the teaching profession--resulting in schools without teachers. The idea seems to be that if the educational level required of teachers is low- ered, then enough people will become available, be- cause a new group of individuals will be attracted by the pay, which will be higher than they now receive. In effect, this is saying that people who can't earn a certain income because of their educational lack, should be permitted to do so by bringing the re- quirements for earning' that income within their reach. % 2) If the sole problem was to place an individual in the class room to see that pupils behave themselves, then there would be nothing wrong with such a plan. But the individual would have responsibilities for also imparting education to children. It is impossible to visualize someone who does not have the educational training giving that which they lack to someone else. It has yet to be proved to us that those who can't speak grammatically them- selves, can satisfactorily teach our children to speak and write grammatically. That is but one example, but is as good a one as any other. We would like to see taxpayers, parents and ad- ministrators devote education week to considering the absurdity of this suggested lowering of standards, and having honestly faced the fact that what is sug- gested is a debasing of education . . . and thus a de- basing of the future of the country . . . come to grips with the truth--a higher rate of remuneration is re- quired for teachers. The teaching profession attracts people who have a desire to impart knowledge, knowledge that they have gained in preparation. But the intelligence that is required to have such knowledge, is of a level which also recognizes that, with the rates of payment offer- ed teachers today, it would be imposing hardships on themselves and their families if they were to follow this profession. So the qualified people turn to other more remunerative means of securing a living . . . and we talk about lowering our standards so that we, can staff our schools with "individuals." In our business or in our homes we would not consider purchasing indifferent services, just so we' could have those services. We would either do with- out, or tighten our belts so we could afford the best. It seems to us that we face a like situation today with regard to education. We would like to see the Home and School clubs across the Nation militantly undertake the mainten- ance of teaching standards, and the raising of salar- jes in the teaching profession. Bumbling around about Crime Comics--essentially a home-influence problem _ instead of coming to grips with the real problems of education is wasting 'the abilities of groups of peo- ple who should be chiefly concerned with constantly improved educational standards. Increased grants for educators' salaries would be an achievement for these clubs. It is time that we tightened our belts, raised our taxes for education, and offered salaries commensur- ate with the services required in our schools. His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor pointed out in his address at the opening of the hospital that hospital costs had not risen. He stressed that today, because of the advances fn medical science, patients were confined to hospital with most. complaints for better than half the length of time they were only a few years ago. True, daily rates are higher, but 1% the quration of stay is cut in half, the over all cost Te- mains the same or lower. When hospital bills are rendered, it might be an idea for the bill to show at the bottom the amount the same illness would have cost at the former rates. While it wouldn't make the payment any easier, it might provide some consolation, and would certainly point up the fact that, in the case of a wage earner, (the period away from gainful employment was shorter and thus meant a con- siderable over-all saving. ° There have been attempts to breals the restrictive DyJtaw in the Linbrook-Lakeshore Highway Bast area. "Phore have been pleas for exceptions to bo made in specific cases. So far the by-law, intended to preserve tho private residential and farming nature of the area, hin wisely been maintained by the Department of Nnicipal Affairs. Owners of the property in the area When they decide to sell, should consider theo purpose of the by-law, and do all they can to main- tain the status of the area. Those charged with the maintenance of the by-law should not, permit thom- "etves fo be placed in a position where they Will be opening the doorway for one possibly acceptable, but i i t, for ome exception breeds hor» , and finally the by-law will be nullified \ ad this, aren could become like the lakeshore areas Tn the contres to the east of us. No Oakville or Tra- faigar resident would like to see this happen, We arc sure. \ DO YOU REMEMBER? I don't know what happens in your home each morning but in mine Monday through Friday I have' to deal with a blouse that lacks a button, socks that don't match, unco-operative zippers, lost galoshes, wet mittens, missing. books, two little faces all sticky with jam, then finally the young- sters are off to school and I sit back and silently toast Egerton Ryerson as I enjoy my morning coffee. A cleverly prepared little book- let left at my door to-day by one of the pupils at Linbrook School reminded me that this was Ed- ucation Week and high time that I forgot my petty problems and thought instead of the thousands of children who trudge to school each day willingly or reluctantly as the case may be and return each night = hiding quite often from us, their parents, their own little victories or defeats. Be- cause children are subject to the domination of teachers or par- ents ( a statement that at times is open to question) we are apt to forget the happiness they derive from things that to us may seem unimportant, a gold star, or per- fect spelling, the hurt they feel when we show little interest in their work. I have been sitting by the fire to-night thinking of my own school days. The times the tea- cher praised me or showed me a kindness, the times I was scolded and tried hard to hide my tears. I remember the kindergarten teacher who dried my socks and rubbed my little feet in a towel when I arrived soaked to the skin; the teacher who wrapped my knuckles with a ruler every time I used my left hand and how mother and I struggled every morning until I learned to use my right one; the sarcastic teacher of whom I was so frightened that I failed in practically every test the first month. I was in her class. T had never had such a bad report and when I showed it to mother, with- all the ugly little red-lines, my heart almost stood still. Mother was not a teacher, but she proved herself a good psychologist, her words were music to my ears, 'Never mind dear, you'll do better next time," was all she said. I stood first in the class, I just couldn't let mo- ther down, what is more I was never afraid of a teacher again so though that particular one stands out in my memory I bear her no grudge. You all must have sim- ilar memories and I think it is IT SEEMS TO ME ||| By P. W. Thompson with the problems that confront every peace of mind. In Thursday, March 9, 1950 Augument The Old The Toronto Star ves, for contending successfully individual, current practised and encouraged more than it is today in patience. Peo- ple hymn the praises of such vir- tues as courage, enterprise, self- confidence, but patience is large- ly overlooked. That is easy to understand, for it is not a glam- orous nor exciting characteristic, and it hard to develop. It is nat- ural for us to "want what we want when we want it," without any delay, and to be annoyed and upset if we can't get it. But the conditions of life are such that patience is essential for the at- tainment of worthwhile object- should move along swiftly and smoothly, with no interruptions. But human nature, with its in- grained habits, its frailties and passions and prejudices, is not as easy to shape: and mould as are inanimate substances. Hence so- cial progress is a long, Slow, dif- ficult process, beset with many pitfalls and setbacks, Those who would improve our society need, above all else, to have patience. True social reforms are not ac- i merely by passing ed, Rematched and Dispatched. that comes easily much, We need patience in deal their wilfulness ourselves with patience to with good at times to revive them. It is easy to forget one was ever young and children have a ten- dency to think we never were. I still remember the blow to my pride the first year that I taught school. I was nineteen at the time and one Saturday morn- ing I took the whole class skat- ing. A friend of mine who was a stranger to the children went along and as we had the rink practically to ourselves I sug- gested a relay race. I entered in- to it with the children and start- ed off in what I fancied was a pretty fair sample of youthful speed and skill. When the race was over my friend, who had watched from the side-lines said, "You'd be amused at the remark I overheard when you skated down the ice." I threw out my chest expecting a compliment and said, "Let's have it." Laughingly Alice said, "One lit- tle lad turned to the others and said, "Look at the old girl go. My ego was somewhat deflated but I had learned a lesson. No matter how much children may like you they do not consider you one of themselves, in my case even at nineteen I was in the old girl class. From that time on I read to myself each morning a little poem that I had in the front of my register. "Could he know and under- hand, - But he's young and hasn't learned, how life's corners must be turned." I sincerely tried to the end of my teaching days to guide the children around the difficult corn- ers. As a parent I have yet to learn to cope with winter cloth- ing. Perhaps some reader can suggest a motto for my kitchen because I admit my education is far from complete. PUFFS FROM THE COTTON GIN "In March, the month of pain: ful facts, its time to figure in- come tax. And never, brother, should you fail, for if you do . . . you go to jail! And speaking of March winds and income tax. many a man (yuk, yuk) will be blew in the face. March is also a month for dreaming of those sunny, balmy April days, when plans are al- ready under way for summer va- cation. and the whistles in front of the corner drugstore hit a full octave above high C. But there is nothing that can bring back the March, for the most part, realization 'that, winter is still comes roaring in like a lion and |the occupant of our doorsteps this year, by beetle browed | better than to wake up of a John L. Lewisan decree, will pro- bably go out leaving the coal bin empty. In fact, if John had kept up with his bituminous shenan- igans, everybody but his miners would have been underground. Last week, before it was announ- ced that he had reluctantly de- cided to let his boys recoup their wage losses at the rate of some 70 cents per day, I even got around to composing my epitaph which, but for John's last minute public spirited gesture, might have been carved thusly: The gin belched one last frozen puff, Then groaned to its last stop. Beneath ground, Cotton now is fluff, But John's still on strike up top. Ah well, perhaps the day is not too far off when I may enjoy the ecstatic pleasure of scrawling an epitaph for Mr. Lewis. My neighbour tells me we are going to have an early spring this year, but I've heard that one be- fore. They spring it every year about this time, so don't let any. premature mild spell fool you. Of course, it's seed catalogue time again and, as we always say, this year the garden is going to be different. Personally, I'm going to plant weeds this summer just to see if the flowers will push through and choke them out. morning to find those pesky wa- ter pipes frozen up, the milk cap perched jauntily a full inch above the rim of the bottle, and the merury outside the window dip- ping right out of sight below the sill. Everybody goes slipping along the street saying hopefully, between tumbles, that yes, sir, this must be just about the last gasp and then spring will be just around that well known corner. Two weeks later, they are still saying the same thing. "But not nearly so hopefully, for hope, while it may be a soothing poul- tie, really doesn't wear too well over ice bruises. There used to be one encour- aging thing about March, though. The old bromide told us that, if March came in like a Hom, it would go out like a lamb. That was all right away back when, but have you priced lamb lately? Better the lion should hang on to the bitter end. Ah well, no doubt youll sur- vive. Always remember, happy is the person who warms his heart --and epidermis--with the sun- shine of his smile. And while you're following that sage bit of advice, keep in mind that you are far luckier than I am. The way my teeth sit IT just don't dare smile that widely. Lugubriously Yours, BILL COTTON stand, he would need no guiding [}~ laws. They require years of pa- tient investigation, trial, experi- ment, revision. The great reforms were not brought about over- night. We need to practice patience in our everday lives as well as in the larger realm of human af- fairs. Intelligence and ability in themselves are often insufficient to solve the difficulties that con- now and then, it is more rather tience that the world needs. KILLER DILLERS you ever Have patience in abundance. We require . a often 'cook the same way? notes that and for Orly. pyiths, Marriages and Deaths tabbed for so many years dy the Detached, Rematched, [Redetach- -.- patience in our work. The success and without much effort is often not worth ing with our fellow-humans, pa- tience with what may seem to us and weakness and stupidity. We should fortify stand the blows of adversity, the disappointments and failures and perplexities that are the lot of most humans. There may occur, situations where j the practice of patience is out of |S the question, and there are times 1 when it can be carried too far. But generally speaking, we think than less pa- front us. Patience i noticed | that nce is also needed, | ou "on habitually dress té kill snails our vent civillzatioh, |p ptone, Arizona, Slab under = -- [reat em is is placed on init- |, Uy ings "Hatched, Matohed [WF ne qual at deserves to be |i; i Becaus! % quality iative, aggressiveness. Because| w. pn tched" can be elabor. i fast, mechanical processes are SO ated these divorcetul days. Now we take it for granted that af- fairs in every department of life[¥® could say, Hatched, Matched, ORDER NOW For Spring Delivery MILLWORK Be Sure Of Delivery "When You Are Ready! Screens Frames Sash _ Combination Doors Picture Windows Cupboard Doors = = Garage Doors Expert Advice Gladly. Given Chas. F. Doty & Son DUNDAS ST. N. After Hours: PHONE 76 558-W or 670 ' Heart Disease anda y nal Normal Life | Do you worry about your heart?--Suffer the haunt-§ ing fears that can undermine both your physical and § mental well-being? A visit to your doctor may well Prove your fears to be foolish fancy. But if they are real, isn't it better to know and to obtain the benefits of medical science which has made such great strides in the treatment of heart ailments? Through faithful observance of the physician's advice, the person with "heart trouble" can live a long and practically norm: al life. Today, countless thousands that advice. are doing Jus! thanks to proper medical diagnosis a1 * Oakville Drug Co. Limited Phone 94 Colborne St. Ei Len Hope, Mgr. ugs, (Eurnit Bortat