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60 YEARSAGO Thursday, December 29, 1921 On Scugog Council the-following were elect- ed: Reeve George Sweetman, Councillors James Crozier, Johnathon Aldred, Frank Dowson and Clarence Hood, Mr. Harold Jackson who is attending Medi- cal School in Toronto was home for Christmas holidays. Mr. Philip Figary has bought the business of 'Farmers Union Milling Company. Mr. Clarence Medd of Sonya sold his team of horses to McMillan Brothers for a handsome price. The formal opening of the new skating rink at Port Perry will take place on Monday, January 2nd. The rink will be opened by the president of the rink committee, Mr. George remember when ...¢ Jackson. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 26, 1946 At the close of the final day of free chest X-rays survey sponsored by the Lions Club 3280 residents of Port Perry and the surrounding area received examinations. Rev. Harley Balfour of Hearst officiated at the christening service in the Anglican Church of Kenneth Wayne Lade, son of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Lade of Toronto. Miss Jean Crosier, R.N. of London, Ontario spent Christmas with her parents Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Crosier, Utica. Her sister Mrs. Bruce Beare .of Port Perry was also a guest over the holidays. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 27, 1956 i The 1956 Council of Port Perry honoured two members of the 1906 council, Mr. H.G. Hutche- son and Mr. L: Parrish, who have given a great deal of time to the progress and growth of Port Perry. The delegates to the Annual Soil and Crop Improvement Convention to be held in Toronto are Murray Holtby and Roy Ormiston. Earl Redman of Port Perry suffered two broken ankles, a broken nose and minor injuries when he was struck by a car on King Street. 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 28, 1961 Morley Davidson of Blackwater was elected President of Port Perry Junior Farmers. The Ontario County Junior Farmers under the direction of Mrs. Elsie Dobson were heard on a CBC broadcast on TV on the program Country Calendar. Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Smallman of Port Perry celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary at a family gathering in their home and a dinner at Flamingo Restaurant. Mr. Robert Baird was elected President of the Ontario Ploughman"s Association. 10 YEARS AGO Wednesday, December 29, 1971 Two babies were born at the Community Memorial Hospital during the Christmas season. The proud parents of a baby girl are Albert and Jill Leach of Cochrane Street and a baby boy born to Andy and Jane Fletcher of Brooklin. According to statistics released by the clerk- treasurer's office there were 38 marriage licen- ces issued in Port Perry during 1971. The annual Christmas Choral Service held at the United Church, Port Perry was attended by many church members, friends and congrega- tion members from other communities. Mr. Glenn Taylor, United Church Organist and Choir Director assisted in this fine performance of both Senior and Youth Choirs. PORT PERRY STAR -- Wed., December30, 1981 -- 5 letters 'Hydrorates... Dear Sir: Regarding the increase in the Scugog Hydro Rates; according to the article in the Star, Port Perry people are getting a smaller increase than other areas such as Oshawa. In my opinion, the property owner should thank the people who rent dwell- ings in Port Perry and have a deposit with the Commission which is kept in an interest-bearing account, the interest from which, to my understanding, is used by the Commission to pay off bad debts etc. It is my understanding that Oshawa pays 10 per cent on deposit money, and I presume they write off bad debts from the profit received. Robin Hood stole from the rich to feed the poor. In this case, I think the Hydro Commission believes in the opposite. 1 feel there are many people in this community who could use the interest on their deposit for Christmas. Yours truly Charlie Foote Port Perry ® UOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS Z* This is the last column for 1981. It's a tough one to write. What does one say about the past year, or about the New Year that will soon be here? There's no shortage of things to write about: the Constitution, the economy, the crisis in Potand; the crisis at Maple Leaf Gardens; Joe Clark's personal crisis as a few Tory malcontents continue to sharpen their long knives and point them right at his back. Good gracious, as this peculiar year moves ever closer to its inevitable end, newspaper columnists everywhere have a wealth of subject matter to thrill or bore their readers. As is a custom at this time of the year, a lot of newspaper columns will be filled with the trivial such as how I spent my Christmas; or here are my resolutions for 1982; or here are my predictions of what will unfold in the universe in the coming 12 months. "Sometimes, it seems as if it has all been said before, and who really cares if one of my resolutions is to go on a diet, and another is to give up smoking. Does anybody want to know how I spent Christmas Day; or why I believe Pierre Trudeau will step down (voluntarily) and Joe Clark will do the same (involuntarily) in the coming year? Writing a column at this time of year can sometimes be a lot of fun. There is a great potential for humour, sarcasm and irony. And events in Canada and around the world are serious enough to warrant columns of serious analysis. But I just don't feel quite up to a column on a humourous tack or one with a more serious approach. "Sitting at the typewriter staring at a blank page, I'm trying to put my finger on exactly why this last column of 1981 is so damn hard to write. Since it is two days before Christmas, maybe my mind is pre-occupied with one (or all) of a hundred last minute things I just have to get done. Yet, I made a solemn pact with myself more than a month ago, that this year I would not allow myself to get frazzled and jangled over Christmas shopping etc., etc; And so far, I've kept that pact. If I forget to do something by the time the stores and the shops close December 24, that's tough. The world won't come to an end because of it, and Idon't think my . Christmas will be any less merrier. No, that's not the reason why the words for this column are grinding painfully from the typewriter. The more I think of it, the more I believe I am suffering the same malaise that has the year 1081 in a stranglehold; a kind of battle fatigue. There has been so much happening in the last 12 months, and most of it bad. Good grief, anybody who can read the front page of a daily paper, or tune in the 11 o'clock news can't help but be worried about what's going on in this world we live in. I kind of feel as if I just want 1981 to come to an end; to run its course in the hopes that when the sun comes up on January 1, things will somehow look different, brighter, more hopeful. I'm almost wishing that the world can wipe the slate clean on January 1, and start fresh in a new and positive direction. If only we can creep quietly through these final few days. Several years ago, a very elderly gentleman told me something about the way the human mind works, and I think there is a lot of truth to what he said. He referred to it as a circuit and like any circuit it transmits impulses or information, if you like. But, like any circuit, there is always a danger of overload. In the case of the human circuit, information overload can cause it to run down, especially when the information coming in cannot be understood or assimilated and simply keeps running around the circuit. The old gentleman said the mind reaches a point where it won't accept any more information: the circuit is clogged, slowing down and in danger of stopping altogether. It's a defense mechanism the mind has to protect itself from system overload. Take a good look at 1981, and some of the events, which seem incomprehensible. Interest rates, stagflation (don't you love that word) the quest to patriate (or is it re-patriate) a constitution, martial law in Poland and the threat of a Soviet invasion, supply-side economics, the Toronto Argos, world hunger, the nuclear arms race. There are hundreds of experts with all kinds of information to explain these phenomena of our times, but when you cut through all 'the bull crap, you are still left asking the questions: "Why do these things happen?" And if you are honest with yourself, you reach the inescapable conclusion that when it comes down to the botton line, rational and logical explanations are just not there. There is no shortage of information, but a dearth of understanding; plenty of expertise, but ver little wisdom. And so it is that as I spin out the words of this final column, the year itself spins down. And I'll be only too happy to see the end of it. If there is one thing in 1981 that stands out, it is the paradox of unlimited information and virtually no chotterbox ...... understanding. If there is one wish I have for 1982, it is for less information "and more understanding. The old gentleman I referred to in this column told me that when the mind is close to information overload, the only way to take the pressure off is to concentrate totally on something that doesn't demand explanation, like a cheap novel. That sounds easy enough, so with a couple of days off during the Christmas period, I'm going to exercise my brain with one murder-mystery; one romantic comedy and maybe even a Western. In any event, here's to better things ahead in '82, and newspaper columns which are easier to write than this one. port perry star Company Limited oO 9) { CNA M1 J.PETERHVIDSTEN Ee Publisher J.B.McCLELLAND AdvertisingManager Editor Member ofthe Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Published 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 cash payment of postageincash. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: inCanada $10.00 per year. Elsewhere: $30.00 per year. Single Copy: 25*