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vw "ote Un V « ww Ww vw Iv NW WV TR RET PORT PERRY STAR -- Tues. February 24, 1987 -- 19 Take a Look Back This week's photograph is an excellent one showing some of Brooklin's fine female athletes of yesteryear. The picture is of Dr. McKinney's baseball team, taken in 1932. Although the girls had no actual sponsor, they were well-known in the Vicinity as a win- ning baseball team. In the above photo, they posed after winning the Junior Farmers Championship in Uxbridge. The team also ® and Blackstock, participating in area field days. Shown in the picture are, top row: Dorothy Lockyer, Mary Luke and Vera Magee. Middle row: Florence Rahme, Irene Spears and Lillian Bailey. Front row: Hilda Harris, Doris Love, Elinor Mackey and Mar- jorie Grice. Ea travelled to Port Perry, Greenbank, Whitby Viewpoint by ROXANNE REVELER Last week our family joined together tc celebrate the 19th birthday of my son, and as I sat there watching the festivities, I took note of my little boy, all his friends surrounding him, and realized that he was a boy no more. but a-young man. It wasn't just because he had reached the magic plateau referred to as the age of majority, it was his whole being; his character, the way he dealt with the cir- cumstances of life and the way he carried himself. Yep, he was more of a man than a child. ) And then I noticed my daughter. At 13 (closer to 14), I thought for one split instance that I still had my "baby." But again, wat- ching her enjoy herself, not knowing that | was watching, I realized that she too was no longer a child, but a self-reliant, intelligent (if not scatterbrained) young woman. And in that moment, my heart ached. Not that I hated to lose them, because I know that would never happen; we have been too close for that. As a matter of fact I think my biggest problem will be getting the two of them to leave the nest. Probably will have to use dynamite. ~ No, funnily enough, it was not the loss of their childhood that gave rae cause to be sad, rather the loss of my own many years ago and I thought that just for a minute, I would love to be a child again. It seems like it was not that long ago that I had those feelings, but they/? slipped away one day when I neglected to remember them. If I might just once again _... Walk home from school kicking a rock and dragging a stick, amazed by the tiny buds on the trees and the earth's awakening after its winter sleep. .... Hear the bat smack the ball into left field, feel my hands sting, the cardigan tied around my waist flapping against the back of my legs as I run. .... Press my nose against a rain-washed win- dowpane, reluctantly allowing the aroma of blueberry pie baking in the kitchen to pull me from my watch. .... Push damp hair from my hot face, cheeks streaked from dirty hands that had built roads, lakes and towns in lumpy flower beds. .... Stomp through puddles in spring's light rains until my boots and stockings are soak- ed. (Maybe there shouldn't be a punishment when there is no guilt). ... Crouch behind a bush in the darkness dur- ing a game of hide-and-seek, heart pumping loudly, breath tight in my chest. ... Wobble down the sidewalk on my new bike, biting my lips in concentration as I ride for 'the first time. .... Pull a small tooth with a pleasantly gory root under my pillow and snuggle into the warm quilts, fighting sleep for one magic glimpse of the tooth fairy. | .... Climb onto my father's lap, smelling familiar after shave and pacing my own breathing with his steady rhythm until I fall asleep. Lift my face, eyes squeezed closed and mouth wide open, to catch huge snowflakes on my tongue. CC Make a fort out of tall sweet-smelling grass by tying the tops together to form a shelter that would protect the pioneer that I was from marauding Indian attack (Turn to page 20) Reflections of a golden age Wish Me Luck by Mabel M. McCabe In the, middle of this month | am taking my courage in my hands and going once again to Florida. | have not been down there since I lost my husband six years ago. I've had the chance but was a coward. - : When we were down there in 1976 we spent our time with his cousin and her husband. We went to every city within driving range of home base and enjoyed every minute of it. Now they are all gone and | feel like the last survivor of the Titanic. | know this is silly and I've decided to take myself in hand and just plunge ahead and see how it turns out. If I'm followed by a few ghosts | know they will be friendly ones. | think I'm ready to return into the world of places where we had good times and not fall apart in the process. I will be away for a month and to be honest I'm looking forward to leaving the snow and cold behind. | intend to make a whole new set of memories that will carry me through the coming years. I'll be meeting new people and of course you all know I'm a people wat- cher at heart. I'm trying to work out enough copy so that I'll not miss any papers but if I'miss count please excuse it. You realize it is difficult to find something to write about that will interest folks all the time. I'm sure there are some of these articles that you are bored with and do not " | A n enjoy. Sorry about that. We each have our favourite subjects and if I have missed yours I'm sure I'll get to it eventually. It took me almost fifty years before | ever left Canada and | found travelling very exciting. If you can possibly take off somgtime | ad- vise you to do so. One thing comes through clearly and that is the planning and getting there are a good deal of the fun. Once you ar- rive at your destination it is a question of making friends and explor- Ing your new surroundings. This is also great because you can look helpless and ask questions. For older grey-haired ladies it gets a lot of attention and before you can blink you have made a friend. Some people | correspond with | met on a trip out west in 1981. They are from all parts of the States and Canada. We don't see each other often but in letters we keep up with each special thing that hap- pens in our lives. Once you have made a friend don't ever let go easily for they are very precious. True friends are. not to be taken lightly. I'm making a point of taking my address book with me so that | won't lose those little pieces of paper | write folks names on. | hope to fill it to capacity. There is one small sarrow about all this. I'll miss my new grand- son's christening and the family get together that goes along with it. I'll also miss all my friends in the building where | live. You know we have quite a group here and try to look out for each other, it's nice to know that someone down the hall or across from you cares how you are. I'll miss that close contact. But all that aside I'll bring home some good stories to tell and some laughs to share with my friends and neighbours. : : 'It is strange to say but I'm a bit nervous as | prepare for this journey. It's a good feeling though like waiting for Santa on Christmas - Eve. Expectation is what it's called so here | go full of lofty expecta- tions for a happy holiday. Wish me luck. Editorial ~~ Getting Out Of Hand Last Friday, Immigration Minister Benoit Bouchard announced a long-awaited crackdown on the flood of refugees who have been inundating Canada. And the first phrase that comes to mind is 'It's about time." '. It is amazing how a plunge to 22 percent popularity in the polls can open the eyes, ears and clear the sinuses, and scare the Mulroney * government into doing something that should have been done many, many months, if not years, ago. The immigration mess has been the subject of-media scrutiny "for well over a year, highlighted last summer by the high-handedness of 155 Tamils lying and buying their way into Canada on a charter ship from West Germany. And now, there remains still another threat that another boat-load is on its way. Canada has been a sucker-country for far too long. It appears that anyone who desired to live here has just barged in and announc- ed their refugee status. More the fool us for allowing it to happen over, and over again. Particularly supportive were immigration officers, who have been forced by weak regulations and politically inspired orders from above, to let the line jumpers through. Not only that, but they have been automatically entitled to free welfare payments, food, clothing, housing, medical and dental care, education and gven free travel to the destination of their choice. And it has all been paid for by we, the taxpayer. {Turn to page 31)