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4--PORT PERRY STAR, THURS. DEC. bth, 1963 Editorial Viewpoint On Lowering the Voting Age to 18 The federal government apparently believes the vot- ing age should be reduced from 21 to 18 years for some reason or other. As yet few have been able to determine the reason unless the federal Liberals look on giving the franchise to so many more new voters as a chance of getting back into office for another term. Other than adding to the cost of federal elections, it is doubtful there will be any benefit to the country. Actually, if this age group does not take any more interest in political affairs than many of their elders, there will be no good served by their votes, yet at the same time every new vote will cost the country about $1. In defence of the lower voting age, some will say if young men are old enough at 18 to fight for their country, they are old enough to vote. That is trueand any young man in the armed services at 18 is given a vote, but the number is few indeed compared with the 450,000 young men and young women on Civvy Street who will be added to voters lists. i Maybe lowering the voting age will get young people interested in politics earlier in life, thus the possibility of them being better informed than their parents today about politics. If that is the end result, then votes for 18-year-olds and the cost thereof will serve some purpose. Otherwise, not. It is an amazing thing the number of people who make no excuse for knowing little or nothing about main cabinet ministers. In fact, some adults actually are not too clear on whether Jim McBain is at Queen's Park and Jack Spence at Ottawa, or which riding--Elgin or Kent East -- either represents. Too, the number of people who never read daily newspaper editorial pages, or commentaries in national magazines to become inform- ed on political affairs, is deplorable. When you realize this is the case with so many adults, how seriously can we expect 18 fo 21-year-olds to take politics when they are se busy with girl friends and driv- ing like crazy around the country? This may sound as a strange approach from the pro- prietor of a printing establishment which does quite well printing voters lists, with each new name bringing just that much more business, but you cannot blame anyone for trying to be objective! == --The Rodney Mercury Breaking The Chains Habits of all kinds, good, bad or indifferent, are indifferent ones, such as the routine one follows in dress- ing, putting on the left or the right shoe first, shaving - different areas of the face in the same order every day, may be the most important. = The actions become auto- matic and leave the mind free to pursue a train of thought or, more likely in the early morning, to drift aimlessly. . If one thought about each routine-action as it was per- formed, the process of dressing would take one at least twice as long and the final result might be less satis- factory. . The chains of bad habits, most people will agree, must be broken. This only requires will power. -- The word "only" is invariably 'inserted in that sentence by those. who have been successful in giving up smoking or drinking or staying up too late. Those who are still in the chains may well believe that the word makes the sentence a deplorable understatement. There is one aid to acquirement of the necessary will power. If one analyses the habit one wishes to break it will usually be found associated with a good or inno- cent habit; if the first cigarette of the day is associated with the breakfast cup of coffee, one can omit the coffee and the craving for the cigarette will vanish. The habit of watching those old westerns may be conquered by im- mersion in a good book. oo Altering good or indifferent habits may return un- expected rewards. If one is accustomed to going to lunch at one o'clock, for example, one will meet the same per- gons at the club or restaurant every day. Alter the time to half an hour earlier or later and one will see a whole new set of friends or acquaintances whose lives are bound by a different chain. --The Printed Word "politics, what government is in office, or who are the" "part of the equipment of every normal human being. The ~ | Port Perry Star Co. Lid. Serving Port Perry, Brooklin and Surrounding Areas WM. T. HARRISON Editor P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher Member of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Assoc. v ¢ Published every Thursday by The Port Perry Star Co. Ltd. Part Perry, Ontario. Authorized as second clase mail by the 'Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash. Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Assoc Subscription Rates: In Canada $2.50. per yr., Elsewhere, $3.00 per-yr. Single Copy 7¢ - SORRY OLD CHAP .... FM A STRANGER TOO a gg | Eh WESTERN ~ AI 0 GZ A oY G22 Sena ZZ 9%8 PRESIDENT |. _}. JOHNSON LEADERSHIP PRIME MINISTER ALAA AI | Lees fll A HE, Remember When? Sugar and Spi 50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, December 3, 1913 Council Meeting At the meeting held on Mon- day evening the following ac- counts were received and or- dered paid--C. L. Vickery, coal for weigh scales $3.45. Cawker Bros., watering streets $172.00. Jos. Britton, making irons for , bridge 50¢. Geo. R. Davey for poor fund 70¢. : 'Seagrave-- Mr. Tommy Harding is busy preparing for the coming win- ter sport. Tommy is building a skating rink, which will be ap- preciated by the young people of the village. --25 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 1st, 1938 Mr. H. H. Stone was called to Barrie on Sunday to identify some of the goods stolen from "his store recently. The goods were found in a summer cot- tage where they had been left by the robbers. Two young men were under arrest. Russell Carter, Scugog, was the setting of a quiet but pretty wedding on Saturday afternoon when Helen, -their second dau- ghter was united in marriage to Mr. Campbell McMaster of Port Perry. Rev. F. G. Goblin officiated. 10 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 3, 1953 Drs. G. M. Rennie and M. B. Dymond are pleased to ans nounce that Dr. S. Kandel is now associated with them in the practice of Medicine, Surgery, ete. Dr. Kandel is a graduate of Bucharest University and has done post-graduate work in En- gland and Canada. Miss Doris DeNure has won a Carter Scholarship, provided by the late J. I. Carter of Sar- hia and is awarded to the three candidates who obtain the high- est marks on not more than 10 Grade XIII. Examinations in each- county of Ontario. : --The home of Mr.--and--Mrs.-- . a - wunnerful - time - do - w done - tomorrow ?" ce | H H ] J By BILL SMILEY Ce time. This was my only possible reaction after another shot at enriching the lives of some of our students. Every year, when it's over, I sign an oath in blood, sweat and tears that I'll never do it again. . And a year later, there I am, up to my thick head in the swamp of cultural enrichment. It all begins innocently enough.....I learn that there is go- ing to be a production, in a city theatre, of one of the plays the kids are studying in school. The date is a month away. "Wouldn't it be grand," I coo to myself, "if the youngsters could see the'real thing? It would be an' experience they'd never forget. It would kindle a real interest in the drama. It - would show them that Shakespeare (or Shaw) is exciting, sad, funny, romantic, not just a whole lot of stuff like rising and ---falling action, memory work; -suspense, pathos and dramatic irony." Y o ="; --- . *x "hk kx "Right!" I say to myself, firmly. "We'll do it. - These kids are going to have their chance." I contact the other teachers. contact the principal. board. The teachers ask the grade elevens how many would like to-see "My Fair Lady," the musical based on the play "Pyg- They are enthusiastic. 1 He is not, but clears it with the school --malion," which they are studying. About half the hands go up. When it is announced that we'll be attending a matinee and will miss half a day's school, the rest of the hands go up. - Then, with the speed and skill of a spavined water-buffalo, Mr. Smiley, the old impresario,.lumbers into action. Phone the theatre. Yes, they can give us 142 tickets for that date. Call the bus company. four buses on that date. Fire off a confirmation letter to the theatre, accompanied by the down payment, a cheque issued on Mr. Smiley's personal Yes, they can shoe-horn us into overdrawn account. Everything is' running like oil. And just about here, gravel begins to get into the gears. _Six_kids who didn't want to go have decided they'd like to. Culture? It's wunnerful! And it gets wunnerfuller all the Vials They are added to the list and a phone call produces tickets | for them. For three weeks before the big day, teachers accost Mr. Smiley in the halls and hand him amounts like $29.83. This is for ('nine tickets for the show and three bus fares except George Jones lost a dollar so I loaned it to him but I had only 83 cents and Mary Smith's mother won't let her go and she wants her money back but I haven't her name ticked off so I don't know if she gave it to me and what should I do?" In the ensuing three weeks, Mr. Smiley, who gets a very small allowance at home, spends miscellaneous bits of ticket and bus money on lunches, cigarettes and raffle tickets, and quail inwardly as he contemplates the coming showdown with - his wife, who looks after theirjoint account. * Two days before we're to go, the bus company informs tht only three buses will be available. Mr. Smiley raises hetl-and 'another bus. The day before we leave, eight of the kids haven't produced a nickel, three of them have changed their minds and won't go, and four are at home, sick. Mr. Smiley, the poor old divil, flies about like a dart in a windstorm, trying to make tickets, bus seats and bodies come out even, % But, somehow, the cavalcade is sailing down the highway on Wednesday afternoon, the students singing merrily, Mr. Smiley, ashen and muttering to himself, slumped in one of the buses. Only two kids have forgotten their tickets. Only one is bus sick. Only three have tried to sneak a smoke. Eight hours, 200 miles and one cultural experience later, Mr, Smiley is delivering to her home, 14 miles out of town, the girl who forgot to tell her parents to meet the bus on return. Eestatic and bright-eyed, she babbles effervescently, "Thanks - very - much - Mr. - Smiley - I - really - enjoyed - it - and I had e - hafta - have - our homework .. ==The Toronto. Telegram News Service