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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUG UST 19, 1981 PAGE 23 Swimming grads Metrie makes more sense "Prejudice is a great labour saving device - it enables you to form an opinion without ha ving to dig up the fact.s." Dr. L.J. Peter. PERVERSION VERSUS CONVERSION When 1 took Grade 12 science, the first thing our teacher did was to laugh off ail those inches, chains, avoirdupois pounds, drams, drachms, penny- weights, gills, hogsheads, pecks, bushels, etc., ad nauseam. "If we're going to truly grapple with scientific methods, we need to change to a much simpler method of measurement than the old imperial systeni, we must change to metrîc," he said. During the course we phased out the imperial system gradually enough to realize what a laborious and crude mess the imperial system is when compared to metric when really heavy use of accurate measuring and calculating devices becomes necessary. To begin with, the metric system more than decimates the work in calculations by the simple fact that the mere moving of a decimal point can convert meters to millimeters or kilometers or kilos to tons or nilligrams when similar operations using the old iniperial measures could take many painful minutes. Since we have inherited our numerical system from the ancient Romans and Arabs, and since they founded it on "base ten", we are stuck with the decimal point as the sanest basis for figuring. The fact that math began by counting on our fingers, and the fact that most persons own exactly ten digits each has a lot to do with ten being the most consistent factor in figuring throughout the world. Why then should we bother with a thousand messy factors like 62.73 sq. inches in a sq. link, or 6 firkins in a hogshead, 7.92 inches in a link?! Can you imagine the excedrin headache the poor account- ants must have had with such chaotic factors (especially before we decimalized our money). When we were still saddled with 12 pence to the shilling and 21 shillings to the guinea, there were yet more factors to make accounting laborious and time-wasting beyond belief. In those days they. didn't even have electronic computers or calculators to alleviate the chaos. Nobody could retain ahl of these countless factors, whereas ahl you need to remember for the metric system is the number of fingers (digits?) you have on your hands! You can imagine the surprise and shock I ex- perienced when I carne across an edîtorial in the Toronto Star dated 18 April 1981 with the heading, "Drop metric conversion plan"! The editorial is full of threadbare arguments trying to incite a rebellion among the misled people who haven't even learned the imperial system too well. This attempt to scuttle the Canadian metrifi- cation plan by a wel-educated editor after ahl the money that Canada has already invested in it is in- comprehensible. "The cost of rescaling packages ... and reçesigning labels has been undertaken -- and passed on to the buying public," says the editorial. Well, anyone with their eyes open can see that packaging is eternally being re-designed quite irrespective of metrification. Certainly the cost of conversion is considerable, but it is a wise investment in the future of Canada. Almost ail leading countries in the world have gone metric and world trade is going to become pro- The following young people graduated from the survival, junior, in-. termediate and senior levels of the swimining program sponsored by the Whitby Branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society. They graduated from the program held by the Whltby Department of Parks and Recreation. SUBVIVAL« DerreBan RW Mllburn Dean AMander Brian Heiler Nancy Slawskl Paul Enrlght LosI»ey Debbi huch 1 nda Tarak Kare rxoe Jule Rberts Jane Stuart Nancy Peame StephaneAnderson Loai ScOtt Connie Kelly Jlm Raaphorst $100 for Rotary Bonanza Night tic kets The Whitby Rotary Club will be holding its first annual Bonanza Night on Saturday, August 29 at the Iroquois Park Arena. Tickets are $100 per couple, for which a $50 tax deductible receipt will be given, and en- tities the bearer to a sit down roast beef dinner and an evening of dan- cing to Sammy's Capris. The tickets are also good for a draw, the fir- st prize of which is a 1981 Chevrolet Caprice. The second prize is $1,500. Some 98 other prizes wiil also be given. Ail proceeds from this event will go towards various community pro- jects including the pur- chase of a new Handi- Transit van. Tickets are available fromn the Kitchen Cup- board, 3U8 Brock Street South; Victoria and Grey Trust, 308 Dundas Street West; the Bank of Montreal, downtown; DeHart Real Estate, Whitby Mail; and from any meniber of the Rotary Club. Police say they were told that the lamb died after being discovered and the smail goat was not found. They added that Routcliffe said that dogs could have dragged the goat away. The farmer's loss has been estimated at $98. mark Veaters Leo Bu Stiphen Divéâteyfl David Townl Robet Ln jim Hamn Stacey Raya. Flemming NialSo IUa Nielson Mlcbelle Shook Jen2fiferSmith Charlette CR"h Andrew O'Relly MiChe. OviRemly Kim Oayn Michelle Letner Loti Scully Rhonda Scuily Saralake JUNIOR Shawn Vigges Andy Brant Gu~y Boyer Chis PRddkt Brian Luff Chis Haris Joy vole John Hewltt Krlsta Davidson Michael Dalnty David Flook BiliVillano Ruth VilUano Peter Ousenek Linda Lee mark0'Deil Brenda Wilde Cindy Gagnon Jason Smith Andrew Brown Kevin Rankin Jini Bratton Shannon Flynn Linda Roue Michelle McGreefly Troy Scanga Ann-Marie Morra Melissa Higgs Julie Doyes Lise Myers Mlsay Blyth Clinton Goodwln Mark Batemnan Terra Quinn Tammy CarpenterT Coralee Carpenter Dianne Coates Marni Davidson Bob Drago INTERMEDIATE Tom Weny Richard Gibson Colin Melnlchuk Peter Jarvis I * lA DUaM Dorfmaf Quris Csklw Scott Mclntoch Nancy Haldooe Sbefly Ann Carke LS. Ko"lff Kam Clark Greg Atkimmo Drew Rankin Jenifer Ashby Robyn Grant Bod Nicholis Nicole Brooks Reg Grant CofleoeDunino Amdrea Cook Tracy Simlth David Moffatt WendyUmmor SENIORS PattiHeuter Lesle Wilson JohnmMofatt Gloria Brownhill Uiza Heming Kim Crump Andrea Cook Chris Donneily Wayne Short Shannon Jervis Robin Epstein Andrea Bagnl Kristi Ferron AndreaMegher THERAYCLEI 4DudatWst.29LE., Wfhiby 668-7797 Hours: Mon. - Sat. & Evenings By Appointment Only (across .from Beer Store) SNAP SERVICES LTD. are temporarily set up at 607 Palace St., Whitby pending the rebuilding of our existing location. WE ARE PRESENTLY OPERATING THE RADIATOR REPAIR, GLASS & SUN ROOF BUSIN ESSES. 607 Palace St. 579-80481 SUMMER FILM SP ECIAL I Bring a roli of film in to be developed and receive a 2nd SET 0F PRIN.TS AT HALF PRICE Lurger 4" ý'Studio' priut s now uvuiluble ut the same Iow price. E]BENJAMI1N MBM PUBLISHING £L DUI'ATfICmMA Liv mir% 131 BROCK STREET NORTH WHITBY 668-6111 1101R : [l . u es.. - Fr,. 1) - -. Sal. 10- Kp < i-cep ie,> IL O