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\ f I Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, September 25, 1985 3 c Editorial Comment School Board Wide Open The race for positions on town council is certainly heating up. But the field is still wide open in the board of education contest. Where are the potential school board candidates? It's true that the elections are almost two months away. But usually by this time most of the candidates have come forward. forward. Indeed, the majority of council contenders have probably announced announced their intentions although there's still time to throw a few more hats in the ring. But, to date, not a single volunteer volunteer has emerged for the Ward Two (Bowmanville) school board seats. Bowmanville will elect two individuals individuals to serve on the Northumberland Northumberland Newcastle Board of Education. Education. And neither incumbent will be standing for re-election. Trustee Hal McKnight has set his sights on a local council seat, while the other incumbent, Donna Fairey, has announced that she will not be seeking re-election in this ward. She is now residing in Port Hope and will seek a trustee's position position for the Hope Township/Port Hope area. To date, the only incumbent to announce announce his intentions is Bob Will- sher, the Ward Three (Clarke, Orono, Newcastle) trustee. Especially in Bowmanville (Ward Two) there will be plenty of opportunités opportunités for newcomers. The board of education is, after all, a stepping stone to many senior political responsibilities. responsibilities. There are many mayors, councillors, MPPs, and MPs who have served an apprenticeship apprenticeship on their school board. But we hasten to add that the position position of trustee is an important role in itself. Traditionally, it has been seen as one of the most minor jobs in the political hierarchy, ranking below the category of town councillor. councillor. But, in fact, it isn't the Durham Region or the local council which spends the largest share ,,of taxpayers' taxpayers' dollars. Even if regional and local council spending are combined, they will not equal the portion of the taxpayer's dollar which goes to education. And from a theoretical point of view most of us would be quick to agree that the schooling of an entire new generation of citizens is far more important than repairing potholes, rezoning land, or scrutinizing library board budgets. Good representatives are needed just as much on the public and separate separate boards of education as on council. It's up to qualified candidates and informed voters to see that we get that sort of representation. BALLOT BOX If the majority of readers who replied to last week's question had their way, Bowmanville's proposed southwest shopping mall would become a reality. Opinions ran 60% in favor of the project and 40% opposed. "We need a shopping mall within easy walking distance for southend residents. Also, so many in this area take, the 401 to Oshawa, why not keep the shopping dollar in Bowmanville?" said one reader. Another respondent offered the following observation: "Competition improves improves any business. We have been so fed up with the poor selection or no stock that we go to Oshawa many times." "How long will it take this wonderful but bigoted backward country to mature?" asked one reader who indicated support for the new mall. But the survey revealed that the opinions on the mall are by no means unanimous. • "There are vacant stores now in Wavérley Mall, the East Bowmanville Mall and uptown. Bowmanville cannot support any more malls," wrote one reader. "With two malls and empty stores, no new sections (are needed)" said another. This week's topic: capital punishment. Many American states have re-introduced re-introduced the death penalty and executions of convicted killers are becoming becoming accepted in many jurisdictions. Should Canada bring back capital punishment. YES # NO QUft Canabian Statesman 623-3303 (*CN, Durham County's Qraal Family Journal Established 130 years ago In 1854, Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second class mall registration number 1501 Produced every Wednesday by THE JAMES PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 82 66 King SI. W„ Bowmanville, Ontario L1C3K9 1 l D O i A JOHN M. JAMES Editor -- Publisher GEO. P. MORRIS Business Mgr, RICHARD A. JAMES Assistant Publisher BRIAN PURDY Advertising Mgr. PETER PARROTT Associate Editor IIOP Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition ol advertisements produced by the employees ol The Canadian Statesman, The Newcastle Independent and The James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and must not h«t reproduced without written permission ol the publishers. S15,00 a year -- 6 months 16 00 strictly In advance foreign -- $50.00 n year Although ovoiy pmiMiihon will tin inkon lo avoid mini, îhn (î.mitilMn Slntovniin itm'ph udvuiiiMng on (ho unih'if,landing that it will not bo liatiin loi imy mini to lltn advi'ilhoiiumt pubiishod hnnmodi'i m Mich ailvnitiM'iiinnl is inriiimihMl in witling hy Ihn wlvwliw'i and ii'hiim-d to lltn ('.in.iifian Mat»' oIIh.o duly *iigw'd by Ihn odvmlifuu unit with am h mini nr voiioclion'i plainly mill'd in willing tlimiMin. a il any mini mi noted h not nmi'i led by Ihn (Ninndian fllalowiinn il'i liability nliall not «'«rood Midi a pmli «nil id Midi ailvmliMmunl an Ihn f.paiin occupied hy Ihn nolmt mini bnam In Ihn whn'o *.p,un vu ndvmh'.enient , i el,ii a pmo Inc in Hi d ( the I by Giant Sunshine SUGAR and SPICE As Years Pass Us By By Bill Smiley I was going to say, "There's - nothing more boring than old people talking about the 'good old days' when they were young." Then I realized that I was out in... left field, with nobody at bat,! the ' pitcher chewing tobacco and spitting juice, the catcher fumbling around trying to adjust his athletic protector, protector, as they now call a metal jockstrap. jockstrap. There are many things more boring. Little children who want one more horsey ride when your spine feels fractured in eight places from the 10 previous jaunts. Teenagers babbling endlessly about rock stars, boyfriends, girlfriends, girlfriends, and the money they need to keep up with their friends. "How come we only have a 21 inch TV? I'm 16; why can't I stay out till 3 a.m. if I want to? I'm the only girl in the class who doesn't have construction workers boots!" University students, perhaps the most boring creatures in our society. After the initial chirps of recognition: recognition: "Oh, Mr. Smiley, how are you? How's it going?" And then 40 minutes of straight, self-centred description of their university courses or their jobs, their professors, professors, their disenchantment with their courses, their unspoken admission that they can't hack it, as you knew they couldn't in the first place. I manage to brush them off after about eight minutes with a cheery, "So long, Sam, great to hear you're doing so well, and best of luck. I have to go to an orgy for senior : citizens that starts in four minutes,- with the pornographic movie." It's great to leave them there with their mouths hanging open. Next worse, in the boring department, department, are young couples who have produced one or two infants, and talk as though they'd swum the Atlantic, or climbed Mount Everest. "Let me tell you what Timmy (or Kimmy) said the other day. He was sawing wood in the nursery school, and his saw slipped, and he pointed at his saw, ana he said, 'Don't you dare do that,' and the teacher told me, and she said it was the most hilarious thingshe'd ever seen, and blah blah blah, and..." Boring B-o-r-i-n-g We can all top that type of story. My daughter, age 7, Grade 2, just getting over the Santa Claus bit, came home one day and told my wife she knew what a certain familiar four-letter word that she'd seen scrawled on the sidewalk meant. At the time, rather absent- mindedly, with Dr. Spock lurking in the background, she enquired, "And what does it mean, dear?" The response was, "When men and ladies lie down on top of each other and go to the bathroom." That was the end of any birds and b,ees instruction. Next in a descending line of boring conversationalists are middle-aged grandparents. The women, young enough to still elicit a whistle on a dark night, the men old enough to suck in their paunches when a bikini walks by, they act as though they had invented grandchildren. grandchildren. They whine exchanged whimpers about the baby-sitting they have to do. They brag that their grandchildren are the worst little devils in the world. Boring. And finally, we get to the elderly. Certainly some of them are boring but they are the ones who have been bores all their lives. But the others, the salty ones, even though slowed by the body's increasing increasing frailty, retain their saltiness, and even improve on it, because they don't give a god damn anymore. anymore. They can say what they like and do what they like. And they do. I've met or talked to three men in their late 80s recently. My father-in- law, 89, seemed rather frail when we arrived for a visit, at 3 p.m. At 11 that night we were still arguing religion and politics, at top form. I've told you about old Campbell, the 85-er who dowses wells and is set to go to Paraguay. Talked to my great-uncle, riddled with arthritis, and his voice and welcome were as warm and crackling as a fireplace freshly lit. This whole column was inspired by a clipping my sister sent me about 88 year old Lawrence Consitt of Perth, Ontario. Lawrence was present when the last man was hanged in Perth. His comment: "It was strange." The man had turned to the crowd and smiled just before his death. He had murdered his wife. Today he'd be given a manslaughter and six years. Lawrence started playing piano 79 years ago, at dances, at the silent pictures theatre. He got five dollars a night for a dance. The talkies knocked him out of a job in 1930. But he kept on playing ragtime and jazz wherever there was an opening. I listened to him improvise for the silent movies. I danced to his piano at country dances, with his nieces and great-nieces. He always had a crock. Took the pledge in 1925. It lasted 13 months. Got sick on a ship to France in 1918, and was too late to be killed. He never married; "But I drank a lot of whiskey." He's in one of those Sunset Havens now, but when they ask him when he'll be back from a day in Perth, he says, "It depends on who I meet." That's boring? Hang on, Lawrence. Lawrence. You gave great pleasure to many people. I hope I can stay as salty as you. Letters to the Editor September 13,1985 Dear Mr. James: The Durham Region Federation Federation of Agriculture would like your involvement in a special noon luncheon on Monday, October 7, 1985, 11:45 a.m. at the Georgian Motor Hotel, 800 Champlain Ave., Oshawa, Ontario (corner of Champlain Ave, and 401) to celebrate Agri Food Week, and to recognize the importance of Agriculture in our Region. Senior governments keep telling us about the need to create more employment for Canadians, Agriculture has the answer to the creation of more jobs for Cnnndlnns. If we look around us at the number of businesses Hint depend heavily on the spending spending of farmers for their success, we can soon sue what Impact u strong, hculthy farming community could have on the vest of our businesses. businesses. When farmers are spending money on new equipment, equipment, new buildings mid other supplies, the entire community community prospers, However, when farmers aren't making enough money from the sale of their produce to cover the costs of production, production, all of us suffer financially, financially, and otherwise, "Agri Power," as we have chosen to call the influence of agriculture, holds a lot of potential for all of us. With the support of all businesses and individuals that depend on agriculture, Canadian consumers can be convinced to buy Canadian • produced food. Tills will improve the financial situation of the primary producer of food, and eventually all of us in agribusiness, agribusiness, As these improvements take place, farmers and all connected connected witli agriculture will be able to hire more workers, lending to the solution of many of this country's economic and social problems. Think about it, "Agri Power," Huy The Food Your Neighbour Grows, holds the key to a successful future for all Canadians. This program lias been enthusiastically endorsed hy UFA President Harry Pellssero, Regional Chairman Gary Herrema, and the farmers and businesses of the Durham Region. Please join us Monday, October 7! Yours truly, J.oe Christl Publicity Chairman Dear John: On behalf of the Bowmanville and District branch of the Navy League of Canada, I wish to thank you and your staff for the excellent coverage coverage given in your newspaper to our Sen Cadet Corps since its formation, -Hi- years ai o. I also wanted to give you some information about moving our quarters from Bowmanville Legion to Central Central Public School. It is a good sign that the corps outgrew the space available to us at the Legion thus prompting us to look for other quarters. The move lias enabled us to change our parade (meeting) nights from Monday to Tuesday, Tuesday, thus avoiding the holiday Mondays. We will now he able to hold all our parades on a Tuesday night at the same place every week which was not possible at our former location. We still have the use of one room at the Legion for storage and Branch 178 remains as our local sponsor for which we are very thankful. thankful. We hope to see you at our official opening of the new quarters on September 24. Yours truly, Rite Abernethy Chairman, Sea Cadet Committee P.S. Congratulations on the super looking float your people entered in the Goodyear Goodyear parade! Re: Goodyear Parade Congratulations to Goodyear on their 75th anniversary. It was a fantastic parade and all who were involved In organizing organizing it deserve a big hand, especially Hugh Litlng whom I dealt with personally. A job well done Goodyear and it's nice to see a firm so proud of its history in the community. I was really Impressed with lhe way the people of Bow- mnnvllic turned out fur the parade, Your people are obviously very proud of your town and Goodyear and really know how to show it. Other communities take note. I'm glad we were able to participate in a small way and thank you very much. Brian Seaton R.R. 4, Oshawa L1II7KG 723-5394 Dear Sir: He: Fire Prevention Week • October 6-12. Fire Prevention Week this year Is October Gth ■ 12th, Sunday through Saturday. This week gives Fire Departments Departments throughout the country an opportunity to do a wide variety of tilings to gain the attention of the general public and try to prevent fires and deaths, That's just fine as far as it goes, hut in our opinion Fire Prevention Week is 385 days long. I have a strong feeling that Fire Prevention Week starts not on Sunday, October 0(h, hut with the enactment of adequate life safety and fire prevention statutes, laws, codes and the enforcement of these throughout the year. This special week gives us "Fire Departments" a chance to promote ourselves and also take a realistic, factual evaluation evaluation of all that we have done in the past year, as to the development of proposals to rectify possible errors of judgment, eliminate oversights oversights and strengthen our influence in achieving life and fire safety. We arc continuing to learn what we can do to reduce the incidence and danger of fire and put more effort in these directions. I recognize the need to use our limited manpower where the payoff is greatest, Fire Prevention. Your Fire Department is dedicated to results • saving lives not traditions. Please make an effort to visit with your Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week, J. Aldridge, Fire Chief