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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,1991 Bank Employees Look "Through Other Eyes" 5 New Exhibit on Display at Clarke Museum 7 Young Apple Lovers Offer Advice for Growers by Laura J. Richards What happens when you let 60 children loose on an apple orchard? Well, the apple grower may lose some apples to bruising. But, the kids gain a different perspective on apples. Last Wednesday afternoon, afternoon, Sept. 11, children from Dr. Emily Stowe Public School in Courticc arrived at a local apple orchard orchard in an attempt to learn more about one of their favorite treats-- apples. They were taken on a guided lour of the orchards owned by Kirk Kemp. Mr. Kemp's mother, Billie Kemp was their guide. With her help, the children learned many facts about apple growing. This area of Ontario continues to be famous for the apples it produces. Of course, the children assembled some of their own facts throughout the afternoon. For instance, did you know that apples taste like honey? That is what Meghan, Meghan, in senior kindergarten, kindergarten, says about apples. Most of the children agreed apples are sometimes sometimes hard and crunchy. And sometimes they are soft and dry. But, that depends on where your mother buys them, one child added. Although many of the children knew that apples grew on trees, many of them, including this reporter, reporter, were surprised to see dwarf trees. "Actually they are semidwarf semidwarf trees," Mrs. Kemp explained. "They arc pruned off at the top so they won't grow taller." While at the orchards, the children learned how, when handling apples, "you have to be careful or else you will bruise them." "When you pick one off the tree, you put your hand around it, then tip it upside down," said Mrs. Kemp. "If you don't do it that way, the apple will bruise." The children also learned how many apples it takes to fill up a pint, quart, six quart, halfbushel, halfbushel, and full-bushel basket. Mrs. Kemp had set up two learning stations for the three groups of children. children. One group painted, while another group count ed and measured apples. A third group went into the orchards. At the measuring bins, the children learned that it took eight apples to fill a quart basket and 16 to fill a handled basket. It took many more to fill the bushel bushel basket. In fact, it took two boys, without help, about 10 minutes to fill a bushel basket. And then they tried to lift it. Using language children children understand, Mrs. Kemp, who is a former school teacher, introduced the children to tire differ- So, how do you like them apples? There were bins and bins one group went to visit the trees in the orchard, another group of apples around. But the children were allowed to perform was to measure and a third group was to paint pictures inmeasuring inmeasuring experiments at only one of the containers. While spired by their study of apples. eiu types ui appics giuwn on her son's farm. She talked about Spartans, Spartans, Red Delicious, McIntosh McIntosh and a variety of others which are grown at the two Kemp family apple orchards. orchards. All the children were invited invited to pick apples off the trees and to take them back to school with them. The three groups took about six appics of each kind. These were to share with the other children, Bonnie McQuarrie, one of the kindergarten teachers told the children. The kindergarten students students also learned that the apples arc not harvested by machinery, but by people. They watched the apple pickers, including Billie's husband, Doug, and her son, Kirk, pick and sort apples. apples. Then they got to see Kirk take the apples away in the huge bins with a tractor. So how much did the children enjoy their trip to the apple orchards, painting painting and playing? "I liked the tractor ride," said Amanda. "I like apples." Another youngster enjoys enjoys juice and seemed to find being interviewed fascinating. fascinating. "I like this a lot," said Arron. "I like apples that are juicy." Crunchy, sweet, round, smooth and red are the ways in which most of the children thought about apples. apples. ' Of course, not everyone enjoys apples for the same reasons. There was even one student who said he likes applesauce better than the crunchiness of apples. apples. But, he refused to be interviewed. interviewed. So, maybe he was just pulling this reporter's reporter's leg. Hmm! Got to remember just how to do this. That's what this kindergarten kindergarten student from the Emily Stowe elementary school seems to be thinking as he prepares to pick an apple. Most of the children did remember to treat the fruit with gentleness so it would not bruise. And all of them were delighted delighted with the fresh, crisp and juicy apples they got to take back to school following their visit to the Kemp apple orchards near Bowmanville last week. It was just over a year ago that Allan Pilkey, the newly-elected MPP for Oshawa and Gord Mills, winner of the provincial election in Durham East, congratulated each other at a victory celebration. Gord Mills' association with Mr. Pilkey continues. The Durham East MPP is now the Parliamentary Parliamentary Assistant to Mr. Pilkey who is Solicitor General in the provincial cabinet. cabinet. Since then, he has been trying to show Durham East residents that he does try to represent people without bias. by Laura J. Richards Winning the Durham East seat for the ■ New Democratic Party on Sept. 6, 1990, came as a shock for this Town of Newcastle Newcastle resident. "The shock of being elected took several several months to wear off," recalled Durham Durham East MPP Gord Mills. However, before he could even recover recover from his surprise victory, he was put right into the political sphere. He remembers the telephone call he received from the Premier's Office asking asking if he would like to be the Parliamentary Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General. Reflecting on his background, Gofd said, he would be willing to give it a try. This call came before he was sworn in at Queen's Park as the member of the While campaigning before last year's election, Gord said he thought the NDP was the only party which would govern with a conscience. Coming from a strong labor background, background, the ideology stuck. "Ideology apart, I try to represent people as well as a representative of their own party would. I am trying my best." " The first few months, I felt that to a certain degree some people resented me being there (in government)" provincial legislature. In fact, Mr. Mills' victory was a close one. And it took a judicial recount to confirm the results of the Durham East vote. However, when the day for his swearing-in swearing-in finally came, the new MPP found himself in awe. "I remember it as being scary. You realize the (Legislative) chambers are awesome themselves." During his first three-minute speech to the Legislature, he had shivers running running up his back. <( The shock of being elected took several months to wear off." "There I was hoping I wouldn't forget what I was going to say. "I had to pay respect to the former member for Durham East. That is something something you're supposed to do. I also had the opportunity to profile this riding." However, he just wasn't allowed to speak the entire time about his riding. He had to preface his remarks with a discussion on the sales tax. "You speak about a bill and then veer off to talk about something else." Since his first time speaking in the 'house, Gord has had 38 other occasions to say something. "I now feel comfortable and used to it." One of the tilings that he has felt, besides besides being scared, is that some people resented his victory at the polls - especially especially earlier in the year. "The first few months, I felt that to a certain degree some people resented me being there (in government)." How hard is he trying? When he first got in to his job, he decided decided he would have to appeal to many people, not just those who had voted him in. So he sent out questionnaires to which 2,000 people responded. Based on those replies, he has tried to cover a lot of ground. "I'm not one-dimensional," the Durham Durham East MPP explains. When the government began looking at publicly-owned car insurance, people here told Gord they didn't like the idea. "If that had gone ahead, there would be a lot of people here without jobs. I took it (my concern) to the Minister and the Premier." Making government work is more than merely playing party politics, he explained. However, he does have to toe the party line "to a degree," he added. Gord said he works his hardest when the Legislature is not in session. "I work hard to keep on top of the issues." issues." He goes, into Toronto on Sunday evenings and his work week begins with him pressing his suit and reading the stack of material on his night table. His work-days are filled with committee committee meetings. When the house is sitting, the days can be long too. u Evenforall the work and aggravation -- I wouldn't give it up." All of this is different from what he imagined his retirement to be like. "When I retired, I.did some work at The Orono Times. Now I'm working 80 hours per week. "I always say people would give their right aim to represent people in the legislature. legislature. "For me from a working class background background the impact is greater." Gord, who tossed his hat into the ring last year just days after he signed his NDP membership card, is not a stranger to politics. He first entered politics in Barrie as a local councillor. He served in that capacity capacity until his job as a provincial tax auditor auditor took him to Oshawa. So how docs he like his newest career? career? "Even for all the work and aggravation aggravation -- I wouldn't give it up." Durham East MPP Gord Mills talks with Joyce and Richard Hackwood, of Courticc, in his Town of Newcastle constituency office on Friday. Mr. Mills tries to spend his Fridays at his office to catch up on what his constituents need to talk about. Mr. Mills has been the Durham East MPP since September of 1990.