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DITORIAL PINION Canada lost a great son Possibly the greatest Canadian statesman ever lived, Lester B. Pearson now lies buried in a small snow-covered graveyard in the Gatineau Hills, north of Ottawa. Nationally as well as internationally, the 75-year old former prime minister of Canada was well known and held in high regard by all, "'foe'" or friend. Prior to becoming the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Pearson's career was primarily of international nature. He was a skilled and influential diplomat and proved this to the World in 1956 when he convinced UN to establish a peace-keeping force, following the Israel-Egypt war. This also earned him the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. : During his five years as the top political figure in Canada, Mr. Pearson created a new, distinctive flag for Canada, produced the Canada Pension Plan, medical care insurance and pushed through a great many important pieces of legislation. The death of Mr. Pearson is a great loss to Canada. He was a man of many talents, possessed many human qualities and was able to settle the most difficult situation with skill and quiet humor. He will be missed, not only by Canattians, but by a great number of people around the 'World who learned to enjoy and respect him. Passenger responsibility A gulf of bitterness that-may never be crossed flows between many once friendly families. The boy from one home killed or mutilated the girl from the other when she was flung into the windshield in an intersection crash, or crushed during a roll-over at a curve that was being taken too fast. Yet she may have been partly, even mainly to blame for the crash that took away her youth, and scarred the minds of four parents. Many a girl who has never touched a wheel has steered a car to disaster. If a boy is attracted to a girl he feels a constant urge to win her approval at every possible moment. In a car he often tries to excite her admiration for his superior skill and "courage". : As long as she keeps up her part in this game, th danger of collision mounts. If she shows she is not . impressed by 'kid stuff' driving, she may avert an accident that could kill or maim several people, and permanently destroy the self respect of the boy driver. Every passenger in a car has a responsibility towards the driver, and all other road users, says the Ontario Safety leadue. It is a responsibility to see that his own behaviour does not contribute to unnecessary distraction, or tension. And a responsibility to use quiet in quiet influence to discourage any attitude or behaviour of the driver, or other passengers, that could constitute or develop into a hazard. The responsibility weighs heavily on an attractive girl, out in a car with an impressionable boy. -- en PORT PERRY STAR Company Limited RO ee, © Sa cw C5 ou): 1,7, ») "Ens . re Serving Port Perry, Reach, Scugog and Cartwright Townships P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher J. PETER HVIDSTEN, Advertising Manager WM. T. HARRISON, Plant Manager Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association [ Member_of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Publichad P every Wednesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of 'pcstage in cash Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 © Nave A Qood Ne. W Ne CAN MILEY 'UGAR ano = v. Srice | Winter struck swift, sure and without mercy this year. Five days" before Christmas we'd had about two feet of snow in these parts, along with the usual combina- tion of blizzard-force winds and a generous sprinkling of freezing rain. Today, with my driveway plugged again and my sidewalk drifted in a foot deep, and myself still nursing a deep cold contacted two months ago, I'd be just as happy if somebody marched me out, stood me with my back against the garage, and shot me, right under the flower-box. It was a pretty uncheery holiday at our place. it wasn't planned; it just turned out that way. I'd bought the usual pair of trees, a spruce and a Scotch pine. Too sick to put them up and they sit by the back door, forlorn, covered with snow and ice. The Old Lady caught her second round of 'flu and just didn't feel like coping with family, deocrations and the whole Christ- mas scramble. She was even too sick to lash me on to greater heights, which is mighty sick. We had hamburg for our festive dinner. . Missed three holiday parties and had to cancel our own. Didn't even get out to church. Thought desperately of fleeing the whole thing, going to Montreal to spend Christmas with number one son, and eating out. _ Couldn't get a plane or train ticket and didn't feel up to dgiving. Thought even more desperately of fleeing south, whatever the cost. Same thing. No seats. Didn't get our cards started, let alone finished. Didn't get the wreath of holly on the door, or the mistletoe up. In fact, you name it, and we didn't get it done. This is a solemn warning to whoever is in charge of things. If they don't get better smartly in-1973, there's going to be trouble. I've been through two rounds of anti-biotics and about 300 pounds of calcium tablets, in an effort to shift my cold. It worked. I shifted it from my head to my" chest and back again and now it's penetrated as far as my big toe. My, this IS a dreary little recital of woe, isn't it? Come on, Bill, surely something remotely pleasant happened. Well, yes. We did enjoy getting cards from" - all the old friends. It's good to know that not everyobody has one foot, both physicaly and metally, on the edge of the grave. And there is the cheering throught that everything has no place to go but up. Lucky that came out spelled right. Typed it with all my fingers crossed. And there is one thing to hang on for. We're going to go south for a week in March and try to make the sun and the rum put some life back into the reluctant bones. There will probably be a revolution on our Caribbean island the week we're there. But I - don't care. By March I'll probably be quite happy to be planted under a palm tree, even if it's permanent. It's a better way to go than a snow-shovelling heart attack, or getting lostin a blizzard between the house and garage and being frozen to death. Even the calendar conspired this year. School teachers can usually count on a week's holiday to recharge the batteries - before plunging. back into the long winter: term. Wouldn't you know it? This year, with Christmas and New Year falling on Monday, we got exactly-three days of holiday, aside from the legal ones. I know what you're saying. "Eat your heart out, teach." Oh, well, you can't win them all, and I've won some good ones. I do admit that I'm feeling a bit like Job except for the boils. But then, of course, my hemorrhoids are acting up, so we're even. I guess, until we see what 1973 has in store, we'll just have to go around muttering things like: "Hang in there, kid" and "Keep the faith, baby" and "We shall overcome" and "Next year, Jerusalem." There's no use complaining, is there? Expecially when you've already been doing so for some six hundred words. . Whatever befalls me and mine, I want to end rotten old 1972, which seemed eight years long, by thanking all the readers who sent cards and letters during the year, and wishing all readers a great big, beautiful year to come, with unexpected pleasant surprises and lotsa luck with the tax collectors. - event took place at the home * toria, daughter of Mr. and ~ to thaw water pipes. * Thursday, January 3, 1963 50' YEARS AGO Thursday, January 4, 1923 An interesting Christmas of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur At- kinson, uncle and aunt of the bride, when Gertrude Vic- Mrs. Wm. Copeland, Mari- posa, was united in marriage to Harold Ross, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Fralick, of Scugog. One of the well known citizens of Port Perry died at the Oshawa Hospital after a short illness. James Smith, familiarly known as "Jimmy", lived in Port Perry for many years. He was an industrious and good living man who had many difficulties to contend with. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, January 1, 1948 A brisk blaze destroyed a large brooder house and a hundred young chicks at the Brunton Farm on the sixth concession of Reach. The fire started from a blow torch which was being used The Christmas season was saddened by the untimely death of Mr. Fred Reesor, Reeve of Port Perry. Mr. Reesor's interest in munici- pal affairs was practical and far-seeing. Dr. M. B. Dymond was nominated for the office of councillor at the nomination meeting. Dr. Dymond spoke in high praise of the work done to bring pure water to Port Perry. He was con- vinced that this was an essential move, and should be followed by the instal- lation of a sewage system. 15 YEARS AGO Thursday, January 2, 1958 The Christmas Tree Dance held in the Public School by members of the Teen Club was very successful. Lillian Couves and Danny Reesor were the conveners while Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Goode acted as chaperones. The winners of the gaily wrapped Christmas presents were: Spot dance, Beverley Sweet- man, Wallace Foster; and Elimination dance, Clau- dette Boulangei and Floyd James. x : The. Star's New Year's editorial began : with. the words; 'Not since: the dark days of the past war when the Nazi: power was at its height have we" faced the future with quite so glum an outlook."" One cause for this pessimism appaiéntly was the fact that new cars were not selling well. 10 YEARS AGO 'Rey Cornish was elected President of the Principals' Association for: the third successive year. Mr. Cornish has been an ardent supporter of the Association since its inception, The Inaugural meeting of the Port Perry Hydro Electric Power Commission took place at the Municipal building.. Mr. John F. Raines, Municipal Clerk, was present and initiated three new commissioners; Arthur T. Cox, J.E. Jackson and J.J. Gibson. The co-operation and quick thinking of some Port Perry citizens enabled the local police to apprehend a sus- pect in regards to a quick- change trick pulled with a & $20 bill.