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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, December 9, 1966 -- 5 Viewpoint . ..-= McClelland WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS A sense of humour is a great thing to have when the going gets tough. I got a big chuckle last week from a statement at- tributed to Roger Neilson, assistant coach with the Chicago Black Hawks. To say the least, the Hawks have been struggling this season. Neilson was apparently sitting in an airport coffee shop recently mulling over his team's problems, when a woman came up to him and said: "My ten year old son is a real hockey fan and some day he wants to play for the Black Hawks, his favourite team." Replied Neilson with a straight face. "Just bring him down to the arena tomorrow morning. I think we can find a spot for him right now." Ah, yes. Having a sense of humour can help one over life's rocky roads. Sad to say, there isn't much humour in some of the letters to the editor which appear in this week's Port Perry Star over the Fairground-school site issue. Frankly, I've about had it with this issue, but from the tone of some of the letters (and comments I've heard in the community' this one is just not going to go away quietly. My own personal views on whether or not the Fair Board should have given up its lease and moved to a new site (to make way for a new school) have been spell- ed out in this space more than once over the past few months. : However, the decision was made and I don't think there is anything that can be done to change it now. term and will not have long range implications for the future of the Fair. It would be a shame for this com- munity to see the annual Port Perry Fair suffer further. If ever the Fair needed community support, it will be in the coming year. This issue has evoked a bitterness of feeling even more severe than the angry library issue of a few years ago. It took a long time for the library wounds to heal and I hope the festering over the Fairgrounds comes to an end soon. Simple economics dictate that the Fair needs the support of the community to survive. If the cash flow dries up or is greatly reduced, it will spell disaster for the Fair as we know it. In an ironic twist of faté, the Durham Board of Education may have something to do about the future of the Fair. If the Durham Board can come up with a new school site quickly, unveil the plans and so on, that may take the edge off the way a lot of people feel about the dispute and in turn they may have put their ill feel- ings aside by the time the Fair comes around next September. Time will tell. LIL] " Speaking of lack of humour, there are few chuckles coming out of the White House these days where Presi- dent Ron is up to his neck in the Iran arms deal fiasco. A lot of people who view this world through rose- tinted glasses are wondering how the United States could get involved in such a "sordid' deal whereby weapons are shipped to Iran and the money then routed through Swiss bank accounts to the Contras in Central America. "The answer is siinple. In the world of hara ball politics, Iran is a critical player. It is in the interests (nationally and strategically) to court favour with the Ayatollah's regime. Iran, with a large population and vast resources, has the potential to be the power broker in the Middle East. And a quick glance at the map reveals its enor- mous impertance as a neighbour of the Soviet Union. The country has been involved in a war of attrition with Iraq for the past six years. Iran will settle for nothing less than military victory. To achieve this, the country needs weapons. It should come as no surprise that the United States is somehow involved in supplying these weapons. There are no good guys and bad guys in that part of the world, 'only winners and losers. Iran will be a winner in the long run, and when the country returns to internal stability, the Americans want to be damn sure Iran remembers who helped. Arms deals are sordid, messy and they stink. The international market in weapons is Morally reprehen- sible, but that's the way the game is played. It's called "realpolitick" and it's not for bleeding hearts. Anyone who thinks otherwise simply does not understand the way the international system works. The behaviour of nations, from the most powerful to the puny is a function of their own self interest. Iran is the sleeping giant of the Middle East. When that giant (Turn to page 6) I hope that the bitterness surfacing now is short Yesterday's Memories 60 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 9, 1926 : Mr. Grant McMillan, Port Perry, has secured a position with the T. Eaton Co., Toronto. Ruth Brent and Patricia Jackson were the twe top students in the First Book examination results at Port Perry Public School receiving 348 and 346 respectively; 100 percent being 400, 75 percent being 300. Boy's Champion for fall sports was George Dowson; Girl's Cham- pion was Betty Cawker. Mr. Cecil King, Seagrave, has returned home having spent the summer in Manitoba. Mr. Jas. Harding and Mr. Harry King were elected Manager and Captain respectfully of the Seagrave's Hockey team. Mrs. Jas. MacBrien and Mrs. Spurr, Prince Albert, have gone to the city for the winter. 35 YEARS AGO : Thursday, December 6, 1951 Congratulations to Mrs. H.R. Frise, Port Perry, as her son-in- law, ex-Alderman Wm. Collings of Toronto, has been elected M.P.P. for the "Beaches-Danforth" riding, Toronto. "Reach municipal elections took place on Monday. Local officials were Chet Geer as returning officer and Frank Kendall as Poll Clerk. Donald and Grant Beacock, were in Toronto on Tuesday, enjoy- ing a brief visit with Santa Claus in Toyland. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 7, 1961 Al Gibson was elected Reeve of Cartwright, defeating Lawrence Malcolm, 397 to 281. Merril VanCamp was returned as Deputy-Reeve by acclamation. Fire completely destroyed the barn, contents and crops of Mr. Milton Fisher, Caesarea. 42 head of cattle were also lost and 3 were badly injured. Arnold Kerry and Mac Couperthwaite of Morrow Farm Equip- ment, Massey-Ferguson dealer in Port Perry are attending a one- week advance technical course at M.F. Service Training Centre in Detroit, Michigan. 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 8, 1966 Joseph Dowson was elected the first deputy reeve of Scugog Township on December 3. He defeated Ray Fralick in a two-way con- test with a margin of 40 votes (193-153). Robert D. Carnegie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Carnegie, Port Perry, has received his M.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. He is presently on the teaching staff at - Queen's University, a position he has held for three years. He receiv- ed his M.A. attending summer courses at the University of Michigan. 10 YEARS AGO Wednesday, December 8, 1976 One of the most exciting elections in many years returned Mayor Lawrence Malcolm and councillors Reg Rose (Regional Councillor), Vernon Asselstine (Area councillor), and Jerry Taylor (Ward 3) to office on Monday. The three new faces on council will be Richard Drew ( Ward 2), Don Crosier (Ward 1), Neil McLaughlin (Ward 4). Letters Let's build the school anyway! To The Editor: I find it most amusing that Bev Muir felt it necessary to prepare a letter to the editor (coincidentally in the same Star edition that publish- ed the vote results on the Fair Board lease) defending the poor fair board that has been done some injustice. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. From that letter it would appear the board is either begging for sup- port or apologizing to thé communi- ty. I choose to believe the latter. The simple fact that only 38 per cent of the eligible fair board members chose to state their posi- tion, clearly indicates the weak ef- fort and minimal interest the board members truly have regarding the issue. I will agree that the democratic process was properly executed, but the frightening part is the fact that .people who lack the proper creden- tials are permitted to cast a vote on such a serious matter affecting so many. I am sure the majority of the peo- ple in this community believed that in the 11th hour, common sense would prevail. However, the out- come of the vote on the fair board lease certainly verifies that some board members have only their own interests in mind and care less about this community as a whole. Today's school children are the future of this land. It just boggles my mind to witness how some fair board members can get their priorities so reversed. I am appealing to all Scugog residents to boycott the fair. Perhaps this just might bring a few fair board members to their senses. Yes, you may have a legal right to maintain the lease, but morally Vote divides community To The Editor: Since the inauguration of our com- munity over 100 years ago, I believe that it has been managed in a most _ responsible manner, by many com- munity minded citizens. The results of the recent vote by the Fair Board would indicate that this group has only considered their own limited interests and has not considered the interests of our com- munity as a whole. When this issue first developed between the Council and the Fair Board, I could understand why the Fair Board was reluctant to sur- render their lease, due to not hav- ing a firm commitment from the Council, as to the provision for alter- native facilities. The present offer to the Fair Board from the Council was in my opinion, a fair one, and if it had been accepted, it would have resulted in the construction of a much needed school in an ideal location. A positive decision could also have led to the construction of a new Fair Ground in the vicinity of the Scugog Arena, which would have been far superior to the pre- sent facilities. (Turn to page 6) you are dead wrong. By your deci- sion you have alienated yourselves and the fair, from the majority of the people of this community. You can rest assured this is the beginning of the end of the Port Perry Fair. ] The. fair board lease has been maintained only because of a weak municipal government in this Township. Let us not forget in who's name the deed to this property is registered. Is this Township being administered by an elected council or by 22 representatives of a fair board? To you Mr. Mayor and council, 'you were elected by the majority of the people, now start representing the majority of the people. I am not normally a proponent of disobedience, however, the issue is no longer who is right or wrong. This decision will have an everlasting ef- fect on this community and it is im- perative that the correct decision be made. Let's get on with building the school on the fair ground site and let the courts settle the matter of the lease. Respectfully, Roy Dixon Port Perry to the editor. While we enjoy receiving letters from our readers, we must continue to insist on knowing the identity of the writer. Letters to the Editor ... our policy It has always been the policy of this newspaper to encourage our readers to make use of the letters to the editor column. Our readers have a right to freely express their points on just about any subject, and we feel that a lively letters column helps make a better community newspaper. We insist, however, that a letter writer sign his or her name. On rare occasions, we will agree to with-hold publication of a letter writer's name, if we feel there are very good reasons to do so. Under no circumstances will this paper print an anonymous letter opinions and view-