The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

County to introduce family life program A family life or sex education program will be introduced into scholts across Simcoe County ay s Week and will be open 4 {udents from grades *n and eight rustees of the Simcoe Counts Board ol Education held a special meeting last week to discuss and study-course guidelines in detail The program entitled "Human Relations" will eventually be integrated into all grades The course will -- on- centrate on four basic clements: developing positive self concepts, human growth and development, human sexuality, and family life" The grade seven students will take part in a course entitled "Learning to be Human" which will concentrate on the individual, his view of himself and his ability to vet along with others In grade eight the course will continue to look at. developing self awareness, growing up with others, and friend ship The students will then move onto sexual maturity dating, puberty, maturation and the birth process The course should last 20 days and at the con clusion the students will look finally at the nuclear family, the family today, family confliets and aging Jean Mockford -- of Banting Memorial High School in Alliston said teachers will first establish a sense of trust with the students so they wilt feel at ease in discussions They will then discuss values and value judging Director of Education Jack Ramsay said the course is not designed to stress or teach one set olf values but to show the children different people hold different values There will be no right and Wrong Abortion is a good example, he said. The concept of abortion presents extremely different outlooks he said However, abortion would not likely be brought up in the early grades. Ramsay explained all teachers will use diseretion in conducting the course The board proposes the course be optional and parents may withdraw their children from the course if they find the subject matter ob- jectional \ system will be set up whereby students and teachers may say "pass" if they are not com- fortable in answering a certain question. Stu- dents will not have to accept handout niaterial if they do not want it The board decided last year that a program such as this was necessary in the schools A special professional development day will be held at Portage Public School on I'viday in order to explain the course to teachers. No teacher will be given the program until he has attended this professional day One respresentalive from each school is ex- pected to attend. Each school is also expected to inform the parents of the program In addition to course outlines, the Simcoe County program supplies teachers with a variety of back up material, in- cluding books. audio visual presentations, and activities here 1s; "a> new monopoly-type game which reviews the birth process Teachers working in will be cooperation with parents said elementary school teacher Terry Olaskey. He said overall aim of the program is to promote family life education in the county. Trustees supported the program at the end of the session and the program will be further discussed al tonight's board meeting Simcoe Georgian Task Force strength tested Developers and huilders are testing the strength of the Simcoe Georgian Area 'Task Force report Simcoe County Is asking for support from the province in com- batting growth pressures Two council members, John Forbes of Mara Township and John Fennell ol Wes| Gwillimbury told council last week their areas are facing growth pressures Council was discussing implementation of the task force recom - mendations with Eric Flemming and the provincial ' members -- of the task force Flemming, who ts chairman of the mini-task force, told council con- trols have to come from the local iiunicipality He said the provincial government has never reversed a decision made provincial at the local level to stop a subdivision "The prime control is with the local niunicipalities -- themse Ives," he said Flemming said representatives of the task force will sit down and discuss im plementations with local councils But, he added, the group is not ita position to make any policy changes to the report prepared by the Simcoe Georgian Area 'Task horce If county council is not happy with the allocation of population it" should take its problem to the provincial government He said the proup. which consists of nine members from different ministries will act as a liasion between the local governments and the County to take part in computer project Simcoe County will be taking part in a province wide pilot project designed to test the feasibility of a computer system in the county's social services depart- ment Simcoe County was chosen by the govern ment as one of four test areas for the project An on-line computer system will be installed in the county building in the social services depart ment which will be tied in to a computer system al Queen's Park in Toronto Eventually the compute: would be tied in with all Major social services units In Ontario The purpose of setting up such a system would be to determine the level of social services required in the province Social services ad- ministrator Gordon 'Tucker is in favor of the project and tried to eliminate any queries the councillors had concerning the in- stallation of a computer in Simcoe County "This is something we are going to get even- ually whether we like it not. Being part of the 4 lot project will give me Fr: opportunity to put feedback into the project I'd be proud to know Simcoe County pioneered this project,' said Tucker 'The province and the county will share the costs. "J think it would be a cost saver to the county," said Tucker "The maximum Cost is $5,000 and then the rental on it. The purpose of the project is to help ad- ministrators help those who need help and to get rid of those people who come to us for help just because they won't help themselves,' said chairman of the social services committee Harry Cross. Some councillors said they felt the council should not approve this project without previous consideration of the finance committee "If this council passes it today it would be cir- cumventing the finance committee. Anyway, this council cannot committ any incoming council to expenditures,' said Penetanguishene reeve Lionel Dion "That is ridiculous," said Midland reeve Moreland Lynn. Lynn went on to say he did not feel the computer issue had any relationship with any of the other depart- ments. "I think this is a social services issue.' Administrator Tuckei said he felt the pilot project would begin early in the new year and the full scale in)plementation would be initiated by next September One councillor asked what the county would do if after the pilot project is complete and Simcoe County has a computer for social services, the province decides the project is not feasible "I don't believe this project is going to fall through. The government has sunk millions ol dollars into this already," said Tucker iSure mortgage in- terest rates are higher than they were, but so are the market values of homes and land. Financing for other purchases often costs twice as much -- and these things depreciate while a house usually grows in value. Check the trade-in value of your car when you turn it in for a new one. Also, ownership of real estate .is the best possible protection a family can have to combat soaring in- flation. Its value historically rises faster than the annual cost of living and it recedes slower than other prices during recession. In this sense, real estate is the most Kworth-while in- real estate todap ~ vestment you can make, and your best protection against economic adversity. And don't forget the priceless dividends your family will enjoy as you live in your growing investment. For an appraisal or an evaluation of your property please call me at 526-4211 or at my home at 526-4310. "In my considered opinion, real estate is a better buy than anything else you can Purchase with borrowed dollar, even at today's higher Prices and higher, interest rates.' Ronald T. Hughes Area Representative for wate +> Real Estate Limited, 212 King St, Midland e-TvTerey OO TE OOS OP OO Te We also have some Terrific Bargains on e Parkas ¢ Winter Jackets ¢ Windbreakers WALLY ' Sri ircisiar PENETANGUISHENE MEN'SSHOP ."..:: "always in Style" Wednesday, October 27, 1976, Page 5