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Tin: Canadian Statesman. Bowmanville. Scpieinher 3.1997 Pace 4 file Canadian statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and YV. R. Climie 1854 -1878 M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 -1947 • Dr. George YV. James, 1919 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited P.O. Box 190, 62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 905-623-3303 Internet - slatesman@ocna.org Fax-905-623-6161 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. For 143 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher - John M. James Assoc. Publisher-Rick James Plant Manager - Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Supervisor - Ralph Rozema, Suzanne Bennett, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Jim Snoek, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Editorial Laverne Morrison, Wanda Partrick Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfrcdo, Laura J. Richards Office Supervisor - Angela Lusclier, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford Hounded to Death? There is, as one commentator observed, blame enough for everyone in the death of Princess Diana. But first, of course, we must recognize the overwhelming tragedy of the death of one who undoubtedly was the world's most famous woman. Docs the responsibility for this tragedy lie with tabloid- style news photographers who pursued her vehicle? Docs it lie with the driver, whose blood alcohol level was over the legal limit? Is it the fault of the readers of tabloids who feed the demand for celebrity gossip? The arguments and court cases surrounding this horrible day have barely started. And, there will be countless books, articles, and documentaries after the fact. One thing is certain: It will be difficult for tabloid-style journalism to avoid shouldering a large share of the blame. Even if there is no legal responsibility, in the minds of most folks, there is some ethical responsibility. \ We wouldn't be surprised if there arc restrictions placed on the media or tougher laws against the invasion of privacy as a result of this tragedy. There will be predictable complaints to the effect that regulations regulations will restrict freedom of the press and freedom of expression. It boils down to the fact that the concept of freedom of the press grew out of the concept of a democratic government. Press freedom originally meant freedom to report the proceedings proceedings of government and comment on those proceedings so that the voters could stay informed. In historical terms, it isn't very long ago that it was illegal to report on the activities of the English Parliament. As time went on,The concept of what the public had a right to know expanded to include almost everything. Those who originally fought for a free press had no idea that some day it might result in the aggressive pursuit of movie stars, rock stars, sports heroes and anybody else who has become a celebrity. Those who fought for a free press undoubtedly had no idea that such pursuits of the famous could contribute to their injury or even their death. • The concept of freedom of the press has somehow come to cover those who would stalk famous people with long camera lenses, hidden cameras, stepladders, helicopters, motorcycles and cars. Is it time to lighten the leash on the news media? Or is it merely a matter of enforcing existing laws which pertain to trespassing and privacy? And if the media are restrained, will that give them more difficulty in going after legitimate game, such as the crooked politician? These are questions for wiser heads than ours. And they won't be resolved until the issues surrounding this latest tragedy have been fully explored. ' . ' ' In the meantime, the most respectful thing anyone can do is to mourn the victims: New Report Cards Deserve an A Ontario's new report cards will be providing parents, students students and educators with the kind of information that can be more readily understood. More specifically, we point out that the new guidelines from Queen's Park now declare that the "A" will once again make an appearance on report cards in Ontario. And, for the senior students in grades seven and eight, there will be a return to number grades as well as the posting of an overall grade average. Among junior elementary grades, the A had been banished on the old system, in favor of three letters which were: G, S and R. At least, that's what happened locally at the school board, although we understand that there were wide variations in report cards across the province. The A was the gold standard standard of education. Nobody argued with an A. It meant you had done a good job and mastered the material in the course. What is more important is the message that it is all right, in fact desirable for students to strive for excellence. It seems to us that the previous grading system created an atmosphere not unlike a hockey game without a net or a tournament tournament without a trophy or an Olympics without gold medals and all those elusive 5.9s and 6.0s in the figure skating competition. competition. Can you imagine what would happen if, instead of posting a score during the hockey game, there was merely a verbal assessment of each team's strengths and areas for improvement? improvement? Now, it will be argued that the ranking of students according according to specific grades and marks will subject them to undue pressure. But, it seems to us that this merely introduces students students to the realities of a world in which excellence is rewarded. rewarded. Perhaps, some day, there will be a world in which nobody keeps score in a hockey game and where everyone's pay cheque is equal. In the meantime, it is in the interest of parents and educators educators to introduce students (gently and humanely) to the real world. Wisely, there is no talk of restoring the dreaded F to the report cards of Ontario. Instead, the letter R will indicate that a student requires improvement. While it's one thing to encourage even grade ones to strive for excellence, it's another another thing to declare them a failure merely because they need a little extra help or encouragement. The report cards have also been praised for being created with input from parents and for fostering communication between parents and teachers. The reports will also give parents parents indications early in the year of their child's progress. Despite the changes associated with Ontario's new grading system, it's still a kinder, gentler report card. Quote of the Week "They (the urban areas) seem to forget that we provide provide their aggregate which builds their highways and their office lowers. We provide the food. It's our agricultural land that feeds them and we provide the headwaters, which is the basis for the healthy and safe drinking water. If we ever put a wall around our rural municipalities and slopped sending our aggregate aggregate and our agricultural products and our safe drinking water, they would shrivel up and die." -- Clarington Mayor Diane Hamre All's Quiet on the Newcastle Lakefmnt The Fabulous "Ridges" From the pretty puff petals on lupines to its kettle lakes, the Oak Ridges Moraine serves up nature by the ton. It also offers aggregates (sand and gravel) in equal amounts. The moraine's supporters carry a double edge sword. One group supports maintaining maintaining the moraine as it was before development began in this area of Ontario, while another is eyeing the resources it holds within its hills.. ■ The 'ridges,' as many people people call this area of Ontario, were created during the last great ice age. The 200-kilometre 200-kilometre ridge runs from the Niagara Escarpment to almost the Trent River. In some places the ridge is 200 metres thick and over 300 metres in elevation. It was formed as glacial ice and meltwater from glacial ice moved over the area. Retreating glaciers deposited silts, sands, gravel and rock. In the book "Oak Ridges Moraine" compiled by the STORM Coalition, beautiful pictures, simple diagrams and easy-to-understand articles are combined to draw a reader reader into the story of the ridges. An article by John R. Fisher and Donald H.M. Alexander delves into the cultural cultural landscape of the area and the invasiveness of man. Another by Christopher Conti discusses the Purple Woods Conservation Area which is north of Oshawa. At Outlook by Laura J. Richards Staff Writer 12 hectares, this piece of heaven is on the'crest of the moraine and j's'jhe,headwater of the Oshawa-Creck. One of the interesting aspects about Purple Woods is that, on a lovely spring day, you can head out to this acreage to watch how maple sap is collected and processed for a delicious maple syrup treat to put on pancakes or to put into cooking. In Clarington, residents are more acquainted with 'Long Sault Conservation Area' and the Ganaraska Forest. Long Sault is located in Clarington's north end, near Mosport Park. Dale Hoy notes, "entering the deciduous deciduous forest from the north entrance is like entering a cathedral. The canopy, comprised comprised of sugar maple, American beech and red oak, soars high above the sparse ground cover." Doesn't that sound like a place to relax on a hot summer or early autumn day? Many people have been to . the Ganaraska, Forest. ,School, children from'the.'two local ' boards are visitors, as are many adults for a number of activities, including skiing and .an international orienteering orienteering event held several years ago. _ Jim Tedford and Niva Rowan's article on this conservation conservation area says the 4,500 hectare forest is the largest forest on the moraine. It may also be the most well known of those on the moraine due to the reforestation plan set into motion 50 years ago. 'Oak Ridges Moraine,' the book, is presented by members members of the Save the Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition, also known as STORM. It celebrates everything the moraine means to those who live in its shadow and those who live with it on a daily basis. . 1 "Gurfent!y, 1 STORM continues continues to lobby the government to address, through legislation, legislation, the environmental needs of the ridges' eco-system. To get your copy of this book, check with members of STORM and/or The Book Studio in Bowmanville. Fred said he'd try to get in a few copies. Successful Summer for Champions Of Change Dear Editor, 1 would like to take this opportunity to thank The Canadian Statesman for their support of the Champions of Change Youth Leadership Camp. This summer was a huge success due solely to the many members of the community and their endless support of.our program. A special thank you to Ontario Hydro for their strong involvement with a donation from their Corporate Citizenship Fund and their special special problem solving workshop put on by the staff of the Bowmanville Service Centre. The workshop organized by Carolyn Scatterty was a hit with everyone involved. Yours truly, Jennifer I. Gray Camp Director Champions of Change Cross Country Cyclist Discovers lowans Know About Bicycles This letter represents the latest news front John Veldltttis, o retired teacher, who is cycling around North America lo raise funds for scholarships lo support Haitian University students. This year the State of Iowa celebrated the 25th anniversary of one of the best known long distance rides in North America. In 1972 the Des Moines Register, the biggest newspaper newspaper in Iowa, sponsored a bicycle bicycle tour from the Missouri River separating Iowa state from Nebraska to the Mississippi River which is the Iowa-lllinois border. The event was initiated by a total of 300 bike riders that first year and has grown every year. This year, 1997, the committee committee only accepted 20,000 entries from the many more that were sent in. The event is a huge success. Although the event is strictly strictly an amateur cycling event it is planned and executed with Olympic Games precision and planning. Towns vie for the honour of being on the official route and plan all kinds of social activities activities for the individuals and groups who participate in the ride. Imagine the impact on a small town of 3000 citizens when over 20,000 people come to stay overnight! Showers, meals, laundry facilities, garbage collection, camp sites, entertainment, first aid are just a few of the services services stretched to the limit. Where do 20,000 go to use a toilet? I arrived one week after the completion of the bike tour but people here were still talking about the success of the 25th celebration of the event. Each ride is about 70 miles per day and the whole ride lasts for seven days. To add lo the drama of the tour (Americans are good at dramatizing events) all riders dip their front wheel into thé Missouri at the start of the event and end it --(you guessed it) -- by dipping their rear wheel into the Mississippi River. Soon I will be on my way again but I will cross the Missouri without dipping my bike. This week the Iowa State Fair is being held and the agricultural agricultural history and presence is being celebrated. The big competition seems to be for the biggest pig and there are some huge contestants contestants in the line up. This is after all Iowa, known for corn, beans and pork production. Within a 2 mile radius of where I am staying are three excellent and very large bicycle bicycle stores. Thoughts Unlimited by Rick James Outside Looking In As wc slowly settle into the new home, we're learning all the little things that make this place much different from our former abode. Of course, there's the squeak in the upstairs hallway floor that you have to jump over to avoid waking up the kids in the middle of the night. And, there's the honeycomb in the basement basement that I stuck my finger in to see if it was still a hive of activity. A swarm of yellow-jackets yellow-jackets came out to remind me that I'm the new guy on the block and that they were there first. The kitchen lights have stopped nickering now that hydro crews have replaced the service, but the cable TV wire is still beautifully strung through the spindles of the banister from the upstairs bedroom lo the downstairs family room. Re-wiring it through the basement is on this week-end's agenda, provided the bees have returned to their docile stale in the hive. But, the biggest challenge we seem to have is dealing with locked doors. At the old house, wc rarely used the front door since access was much easier through the garage. Push the remote control in the vehicles, the door goes up and you're in. There was even a digital entry pad in case you got stuck outside without the control. No such devices at the new place. It's equipped with locks that arc spring-loaded as opposed lo the dead-bolts that require you to use a key. I knew it was only a matter of lime before wc would be on the outside looking in. And what better time lo have it happen than the first day of school. After the usual morning rush, Morgan was off to start Grade One. Miranda doesn't start nursery school until next week, so Kim had some time to unpack more boxes and rake up the mounds of grass clippings that came from the hayfield wc call our front lawn. Miranda was doing her best lo help, but decided her talents talents could best he used in front of the television watching Barney. That was fine, until she locked the door. Miranda's inside, Kim's out. Now, you would think the easy solution would be to go to another door and use the key to gain access. That would work if you had the keys. You could gel in a window, but one of the great security features of this house includes windows that can't be opened from the outside. In frustration, Kim called me at work to see if 1 had keys. No, but I did have tools that can take any door of its hinges. Well, almost any door. The previous owners must have been security conscious and thoughtfully added some extra screws to prevent bad guys from removing the hinge pins. Maybe wc should go to the somte of the problem. If the two-year-old is smart enough lo lock the door, surely she's got the ability to unlock it for dear old Dad. After dozens of attempts lo explain the problem, it was clear that her little fingers weren't strong enough to release the latch, It was also becoming increasingly clear to Miranda that Mommy and Daddy couldn't get in, Sensing an opportunity to exercise some freedom, she headed lo the refrigerator for something sweet. As wc watched through the door, Kim and I yelled at her to put the milk pitcher back on the shell'. It was safely returned, but was quickly replaced by Miranda's favourite vegetable...ketchup, If the new neighbors were wondering if wc arc a quiet family, that image has pretty much been eliminated ketchup yelling contest. Finally, Miranda's hunger attack settled on a slice of cheese. She worked tediously to unwrap it while I tried just as hard to slip a credit card between the door and the jamb. Neither one of us was successful, but she had a backup plan. She walked over to the door and slipped the slice of cheese through the mail slot. "Open, please." I ordered her lo do the same, but her attention was focussed on that cheese. There's no way she's going lo open that door until her cheese was returned through the slot. In desperation, I checked the remaining windows windows of the house. Surely, one of them Was left open enough to bypass the security feature. Finally, some success. I found a way in...sort of. The window was open a bit, but not far enough lo gel my backside through, There's no way 1 was going to fit, but Kim was finally able to justify the number of times she goes to the gym. She could squeeze through with a little help from me. Just to make things a little more embarrassing, the hydro crews were still on scene repairing the service, As I hiked Kim up and through the window, wc had a full audience watching as we broke into our own home with all the style and grace of Laurel and Hardy, The new house security caper was finally over, Keys for all the doors have been placed on the key rings and the windows have all been secured. As for Miranda, the jury is still out on her fate.