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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, February 16, 1968 -- § ) Viewpoint by John B. McClelland A few people in town have been asking what hap- pened to the skating rink across from the IGA Store this winter. Well, nothing happened to it, except that it didn't get done this winter. And there are several reasons why. First of all the weather in December and January was so un-predictable that it would have been folly to even try to build a rink on the former lawn bowling green. Secondly, just after Christmas, Lake Scugog was transformed into a huge open air rink with near perfect ice and no snow. John Mackie, who runs the Port Perry Marina, has spent a lot of time since Christmas keep- ing a large area of the lake in front of the marina clear of snow. And a fair number of people have been using this area for their open air skating. A couple of weeks ago, on a bitterly cold Thursday evening, myself and several guys from the local Fire Department flooded the area in front of the marina. So, if you like open air skating in the brace of winter, that's the place these days. And the marina is open on weekends for hot drinks and snacks. g Finally, though I hate to admit it, building an open air rink at the bowling green on Queen Street and keep- ing it in good condition for a few weeks is just too darn much work. Last year, I had to keep calling on the same small group of guys to do the flooding. It's a project that really needs a lot of volunteer help. In any event, the way winter is finally settling in over Scugog Township, it looks like the ice on the lake will offer plenty of good skating for the next few weeks. Give it a try. ON THE TUBE I was intrigued to read that in 1986, Canadians, on per week watching TV was 22.1. The figures come from Stats Canada. Twenty-four hours a week is one heck of a lot of TV. If that's the average viewing time for Canadians, there must be a lot of people watching much more than 24 hours per week. After all, there are many (like myself) who rarely watch TV, and a few never watch the tube. To get the average up to 24 hours per week, there must be some Canadians who do nothing else in their wak- ing hours but stare at the tube. I have never been much of a TV fan. During the course of a week I'll tune in a hockey game Saturday night if I'm at home, and I love to watch golf or a good late night movie. But prime time television, in my books, is the pits. American sit-coms, cop shows, varieties, and those so-called mini-series hold no in- terest for me. Likewise the soaps which represent pro- gramming at its very worst. I have over the years, enjoyed some prime time stuff, like M*A*S*H and All in the Family when they first came on back in the early '70's. Recently, I tried watching some M*A*S*H re-runs and found them strangely wooden and stilted. As for ALL in the Fami- 'ly, perhaps it was the sheer novelty that held my attention. My own three kids (pre-teens) watch a fair amount of TV these days, though I've never put a stop watch on them to see if they are near the national average of 24 hours per week. I suppose, like most parents, I fret about the fact they are watching too much TV and wish they were doing other things like homework or just reading a good book. Our household has two TV sets. And both seem to get a fair amount of use. It was against my better judge- ment to buy the second set about a year ago. But the reason we did so was partly because there were so many squabbles over who wanted to watch what. I'm not sure why I dis-like most prime time pro- gramming. I guess I just find it boring and predictable. And also, I wasn't raised on TV the way kids are these ys. I think I was probably 12 or 13 years old before our family finally got the first TV set. And I remember it well: a huge box-like behomoth that dominated an en- tire corner of the living room. I recall the reception be- ing less than clear, and even after cable came to town, there were just two channels (CBC and CTV). Unlike today when cable and converters bring in dozens of channels, there was little choice on the tube when I was a youngster. : I recall watching Hockey Night in Canada with my Dad. The broadcast started at the end of the first period, and Ward Cornell used to interview crew-cut rookies during intermissions. I also remember the family tun- ing in Bonanza on Sunday nights, right after Ed Sullivan. My Dad rarely missed Don Messer. But aside from that, I don't remember much about television in my youth. But I can certainly remember when our house did NOT have a TV set. Once in a while I'd get an invite from the kid next door to his place to see Leave it-to Beaver. That was a treat. My attitude today towards television might be dif- ferent if I had grown up in front of the TV set. But I just can't imagine myself (or anyone else) spending 24 hours each week watching TV. That's well over 1000 hours per year, or 75,000 hours in an average life-time. And that, dear readers, is a long, long time. average spent 24.2 hours each week hunkered down in front of the old tube. Ten years ago, the average hours Yesterday's | Memories 70 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 14, 1918 Thos. Cook & Son, Bell phone 134, will take contracts to supply ice for summer use to householders and others. A $5.00 reward will be given by the undersigned for the name of the party who is circulating that I have left town. I have not and am still doing business at the old stand in the Leonard Block. Dr. J.A. Murray. : .In the rearrangement of officers for the Mission Band this year, Mrs. Botwright was made President, and Miss Minnie Innis, Secretary. 5 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 11, 1943 Hockey fans in Port Perry raised $100.00 last Friday night for the Russian Relief Fund. A double-header hockey match was stag- ed at the arena, and there was a bumper attendance to watch the local Lions Club and Business Men go down defeated 10-8 by the General Motors Payroll. Port Perry has been declared a poultry district and even under the coal shortage, fuel could have been secured through Ottawa to heat poultry buildings. P.O. Murray P. Holtby, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Holtby, Port Perry, recently arrived overseas, He won his wings and commission at Dunnville, December 4, 1942. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 12, 1953 New proprietors of the former Christine Bakery in the Carnegie Building, Queen Street, are Mr. and Mrs. Augefter of Toronto. The business, formerly owned by Mr. Fallis of Toronto was opened last March then closed in the fall due to ill health. Farmers and hunters in Reach Township claimed the second highest total of foxes killed in Ontario County during 1952 with a total of 150 pelts, paying out a total of $450 in bounties. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Nelson whose son was the first baby born in the new Port Perry Community Hospital. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 13, 1958 Mr. and Mrs. Albert Short of Seagrave celebrated their 40th Wed- ding Anfiiversary on January 30 at the home of their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Bryce MacGillivray of Sunderland. Prices from Dowson's Red & White Foodmaster, 1958: Cloverleaf Fancy Pink Salmon, 11b. tin, 49 cents; Valencia Oranges, 5 1b. bag, 49 cents; Chocolate Chipits, 6 oz. pkg., 29 cents; Shortening, 2 lbs, 49 cents. Co Last Monday evening, the Port Perry 1.G.A.'s came through with (Turn to page 8) Letters The other side of abortion issue To The Editor: I have carefully read the letter in your February 9th edition under the heading '"ABORTING BABIES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE" written by Susan Ewing. Perhaps my letter could be placed under the heading of "ABUSING & NEGLECTING BABIES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE." I hasten to add that in a sense I am not in favour of murdering unborn children but I ask you, what is the lesser of the two evils, bringing a child into this warld that is not wanted and will not be loved or terminating the fetus before the child enters into a world of abuse and neglect. The writer asks that if the women in favour of abortion had been given the choice they themselves could have been aborted. Well my answer to that is that if I were not wanted and would not have been loved as I was by the most wonderful of wonderful parents, that I would have wished never to have entered this world if indeed life held for me neglect and abuse. Writer, I ask you to think on that. Consider the plight of the un- wanted children of this world. Surely one has only to pick up the newspaper and almost daily we can read of a tiny, defenceless child that has been battered -- every bone broken in his tiny body by uncaring and unfit parents. Children left alone, unattended in cold rooms while uncaring and again unfit parents have gone out to a "local pub" for "a drink' on- ly to return often many hours later to find that their child has died. How can anyone who has a conscience say that abortion is a greater evil than this??? Much has been said in defence of the fetus -- I speak out for the babies who are born and cannot speak for themselves. This is what they say -- 'Please if a mistake had been made and I was conceived in lust or in a drunken stupor and my Mother has been impregnated either due to rape or incest, Please, why, did you not abort me and save me from this life.of abuse either physical, sex- ual or mental and a life as I grow, of bitterness and anger that I was abused and neglected and unlov- ed only perhaps to conceive myself and continue this vicious cycle." Let's be honest, we live in an unperfect world -- please let us choose the lesser of the two evils. I hope that all against abortion will at least consider the thoughts of us who are in favour of sparing these tiny blossoms a life of cruel- ty and neglect. I know I will not change the thoughts of those who are against abortions and I may not agree with them but I do respect their right to be against abortion. However, one last thought -- if they feel so strongly about preser- ving life -- no matter what it may hold for the child -- would they be willing to take all the unwanted babies that are born and nurture and care for themselves -- if they would, then I too am against abortion! D. Richards R.R. 2, Blackstock NEED PHOTOCOPIES? We can do them for you! Letter, Legal & Ledger. Reduced & Enlarged. PORT PERRY STAR 235 Queen Street 985-7383 to the editor. Letters to the Editor ... our policy It has always been the policy of this newpspaper to encourage our readers to make use of the letters to the editor column. Our readers have a right to freely express their opinions and view- 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 While we enjoy receiving letters from our readers, we must con- tinue to insist on knowing the identity of the writer.