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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17,1987, PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN HISTORYCAN BE FUN Who says Canadian history is dull? Just because you had to en- dure the solemn analysis of our past throughout your schooling doesn't make it dull - it's the way it's taught that makes it dull. I attended the annual conference of the Ontario Historical Society in Woodstock this past weekend. The organization tends to be dominated by academic historians (they're the dull ones), but the history discussed was far from boring. Even the academics are waking up to the fact that if they don't put some more life into our past, Canadians will inevitably read (and watch movies and television shows) about American heroes and our culture will to all intents and purposes disappear. The problem with the academie approach to our history is that they stress the conciliation, the negotiation and the agreements that have kept our confederation alive and prospering. When last did you read a gripping novel about conciliation and negotiation? Therein lies the problem. People read novels because they're about murder, sex,·violence, intrigue and people larger than life. History is full of such stuff and, not surprisingly, historical novels comprise the largest group of best seller fiction. But only rarely is it Canadian murders or intrigue that people write about. But that may change! The keynote speaker at the conference was James Reaney, poet and playwright speaking "In Praise of Old Murders" - and Canada has had its share (the shame of it!). And a lot of them were centred in.Southwestern Ontario where the con- ference was taking place. Most of us have heard of the "Black" Donnellys who have now been popularized (and discussed and dissected... - why cant we leave a good story alone?) in several books and TV specials. Another Woodstock expatriate who has recently been immor- talized for television is Betsy Bigley alias Cassie Chadwick (and any number of others that suited her at the time) who led a life as wife (a few times), mother (briefly), madam (when the need arose), and swindler par excellence. Her coup de grace was to per- suade several New York bankers (all male, of course) that she was Andrew Carnegie's illegitimate daughter. She forged his signature to a $2-million dollar promissory note (this is back in the 1890's When $2 million was equivalent to perhaps $50 million today) and spent every penny of it and a lot more before her creditors caught up to her. (Carnegie himself never pressed any charges against her - he was delighted to know that his signature was worth so much.) Ah, the stuff of legends - if you read it in a novel, you would consider it more than a bit far-fetched. And then there was the swamp murder... - but that's too long a story for this column. It was, however, recently enacted by the lit- tle theatre group to the delight of the local citizenry. And what about the good guys - Woodstock spawned one of Canada's greatest. If he had been an American, there would have been a movie starring John Wayne. As it is, the incredible life of Joe Boyle has spawned a few biographies by the academics but the great mass of Canadians have never heard of him. Known best perhaps as Klondike Joe, the King of the Klondike, his exploits go far beyond the Yukon goldfields. He shipped aboard a clioner ship out of New York City (Canadians have to leave home to become fanfous) and when he returned three years later he owned the ship,... and then the fleet. He became a boxing promoter, but when his protege lost the heavyweight crowi; they both shipped for the Klondike. Not satisfied with the traditional manual gold extraction technology, he invented and built the huge gold dredges that changed the Yukon landscape forever. Later he organized and coached a Yukon hockey team that challenged for the Stanley Cup. When World War I broke out, he organized, recruited and financed a machine gun battery. On the front, he displayed an unparallelled take-charge bravado. In Russia, he took charge of the disorganized railway system and got the supplies moving to the front. He took charge of retreating Russian forces at Tarnapol and held it for five days thereby saving five Russian divisions. He organized supply trains to Romania which saved both the Russian and Romanian armies. In so doing, he became known as the Savior of Romaia and became the confidant (and some say the lover) of Queen Marie, a granddaughter of England's Queen Victoria. Énough material for three of four John Wayne movies! But Joe Boyle was a Canadian and.our history is dull - right? It was left to the Woodstock Little theatre again to liven things up. They com- missioned a play to be written and it premiered last Thursday to a sell-out crowd of 300. There was no place big enough to put it on, so they set up a large circus tent for the performances. By now you're thinking, "Gee, didn't Woodstock spawn a lot of colorful characters - too bad Whitby didn't have a few." Well we probably do - maybe not a Joe Boyle but lots of color nevertheless. The main difference between Woodstock and Whitby is that for 75 years Woodstock has had an active historical society which has been ferretting out the scandals and intrigues of their past. Peter Perry, Whitby's founder, was undoubtedly a larger than life character. Certainly his accomplishment over a brief period of history mark him as a man of great charisma, but apart from the bare clinical facts - newspaper accounts, tegal records and obituaries (obits neyer include the intrigue and scandaIs) - we know very little about him. And May Irwin, a great Broadway ac- tress of the late 1800's was from Whitby. And Harry Hatch is reputed to have done rum-running out of Whitby harbor during Prohibition. And what about the politicians - there must be some dandy stories there. Yes, history can be fun but only when you get away from the clinical academic facts and find out what REALLY happened. To the editor: On June 2, 1987 at 2 p.m. my son Charles (Chuck) was sent home from Whitby Senior Public School. He came home and went to bed. When I got home Chuck was com- plaining of a severe pain in his ab- domen and told me that he had vomited. On June 2, 1987 I took my 13-year- old son toWhitby General Hospital at approx 5:30 p.m. We had been in the emergency ward approx 1½ hrs. before he was checked by a doctor who ordered blood tests. At approx. 8 p.m. I heard the PA announce that visiting hours were over. After 8 p.m. a nurse told me that they were trying to get in touch with a general surgeon as they were sure my son was having an appendicitis attack. About 8:30 a nurse told me that they were not successful in contac- ting a surgeon and that they were going to call a doctor at Oshawa General, as Whitby General did not have a general surgeon on staff or on call. Around this time a girl from Whitby Senior Public was brought into Whitby General. She had been hit by a car while on her bicycle. At first they were going to send my son to Oshawa General in the ambulan- ce that brought the girl to Whitby General but then it was decided that this ambulance was booked and called for another ambulance. Chuck arrived by ambulance to Oshawa General about 9:15 p.m. and was checked out by a doctor by 9:25 p.m. The doctor confirmed the first doctor's opinion and told my wife and I he would be operating on Chuck about 11:30 p.m. as he had two other appendicitis victims to operate on first. But this turned out to be a while longer than expected. The doctor finished the operation and came to talk with us at 12:50 a.m. We were told that all went well and that the appendix condition was acute and also twisted around the bowel. Al has gone well since then with Chuck. This episode raises some alar- ming questions: 1) Why did Whitby General Hospital not have a general surgeon on duty? 2) Why did Whitby General Hospital not have a general surgeon on call? 3) Why are people from Whitby telling me not to waste my time at Whitby General Hospital but go to Oshawa General as they do with their families? 4) Why was I told when I was complaining at Whitby General on June 2, 1987 by a hospital employee to lay a formal complaint and that this would help everyone. 5) Why as residents of Whitby do we deserve third-rate service? In reply Copy of letter to Ian Brow trustee on Durham BoardE Education. Dear Ian: In response to your letter th appeared June 3 in The Free Pre regarding the Education Acti Committee's letter on the propos administration building, I wou like to express. my opinions as concerned parent. 1. It is my understanding that t] need for new schools in Whitby w identified in some areas over' years ago. We are still waiting an overcrowding has become a ve. serious reality. 2. Most current schools in Whitl were built many years ago an were not designed to hold the nur ber of students now enrolledi them. Not many schools have bee built in the past15 to 20 years. 3. Most of our schools now a commodate 400 to 800 students ai are "extremely" overcrowded. 4. Most schools in Whitby hav five to 10 portables on the site ai are occupied by students. The does not appear to be any reliefi sight. 5. Come September, childre from the Bellwood area will b enrolled in a school that does n exist. These students will be hous Third -rate service from hospital 6) Why, as residents of Whitby, do we have to leave our own com- munity to get proper medical atten- tion? If a business was-to operate under these conditions without em- ployees they may as well lock the doors. 7 Why does a doctor at Oshawa General have to finish up his day after working 18 hours by operating on a sick child? May I suggest it was because Whitby General Hospital was not doing their job. We would like to thank the staff of both hospitals that attended to Chuck during this crisis. Sincerely, Charles & Barbara Gottfried, Whitby, Ont. to Brown ýnf in at three separate locations, of creating problems of com munication and co-ordination and thus preventing the possibitity of at any real school spirit. It will also ss create a situation where families on wilt have children enroled in three ed separate school locations. ld 6. Taxes are "very" high. I do not a view the expense of a new ad- ministration building as beneficial he to the system. as 7. Overcrowding of-schoos with 20 substandard gym, library and nd washroom faciities is creating ry major problems. 8. If finances are available as cy your letter states, then I take it we md can expect to se an enormous im- n- provementiwithin our school in system for the coming 87-88 school en year. 9. A final point I would tike to ex- c- press is that as an elected official, wd you are expected by the people to represent their needs, views and ve concerns and to meet and provide id the students of Whitby with the best re possible education and facilities. in I hope my concerns wi l meet with a favorable response. en Yours truly, yrtr Margaret Merela ot Concerned Parent ped Whitby