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8 - The Cariadian Champion, Tuesday, August 29, 2000 v/Patterson, 90, remembers the good old days By IRENE GENTLE The Champion EIlia Patterson has spent most of her fine decades of life on a 100-acre Milton farm. She has learned Ihat lbough lime puts ils mark on almost everylbing, one or îwo Ibings slay constant. For Ms Pallerson, l'arming ia one of' lhem. "Ail my life I've been a l'armer," she said. "I'm a farmer's daughîer. My son Cecil and bis l'amily are sixlh generalion l'armera." As an adul, Ms Pallerson (ner Peacock) achieved local recognition by wriling a weekly column for The Champion, high- lighling local, l'olksy events like birtbo and anniversaries. "Il' lhey were sick, or Ihere were birlb- days in the communily, 1 îried 10 make lhem happy - Ibal lhey belonged in the communily," shte said. She wrole Ibal column for 40 years, unlil an injury 10 her arm l'orced ber mbt relire- ment. "I lived l'or thal paper," she said.. "1 loved il. It was the joy ol' my life." One reason is il kept ber involved. And despile running a l'arm and raising ber îwo children, Joanne and Cecil, Ms Pallerson made il a point 10 slay involved. So she served almosl 27 years wilh the Hallon 4H Club, as well as various oîher communily organizalions sucb as the Homby Women's Inalilule and îbe Ontario Agricullural Museum. Sbe kepl tbe friends sbe made, and masy ol' îbem aîîended ber 901h birlbday basb held aI Boyne Communily Centre Augual 6. About 100 people aîîended and a large cake was cul. But wben the parly was over, Ms Pallerson reîurned 10 the l'aim shte says in lime will be aacrificed tc, the upcoming James Snow Parkway expansion. And Ihal isn'î tbe legacy site hoped 10 leave behind. "1 feel very bad," site said quielly. "Il was a cenlury farm and I'd boped it would be bere l'orever l'or my l'amily." So as the lown prepares for gmowlb, Ms Pallerson walches the change swirl around ber. "I do shed many a lear. Rigbl below me théy have il ail sîaked ouI for new bousing. A body jusl bas 10 go along wilb Ibera and hope for the besî." "'AU, the people knew each other. The children and the parents would gather every Friday for a party. Now that's ait gone. People corne and go." RU PATTSO But life is ever-cbanging, and Ms Pallerson bas seen a world ol' change in ber day. Event the wealher bas been modil'ied since tbe years wben ber busband, Cecil Sr., delivered milk f'romt Ibeir dairy faima in icy winler aqualîs. "Many's the lime we weoe anowed in," recalled Ms Pallerson. "Years and years ago we used 10 bave five feel of snow." Those were the days wben communiliea weoe closely knit and the local one-room scbool bouse was a regular meeting place. "AIl tbe people knew eacb olber. Tbe cbildren and tbe parents would galber every Friday l'or a parly," said Ms Pallerson. "Now tbaî's ail gone. People come and go." Event the scbools vanisb. "AIl îbe one-room achool bouses disap- peared and tbey went 10 Percy Meny," site said. "Now I bear Ibal Percy Merïy may be closing." Bul if the landmarks ol' ber past are dia- aolving, Ms Palterson was once on the cul- ling edge ol' a quickly-acceleraling era. In 1949, abe and Cecil Sr. were among the l'iraI in the neigbbourbood 10 buy a lelevision sel, wbicb enlhralled ber. '1'ere was a Mrs. Brown demonslraling making tarns from Buffalo, 1 îhink," sbe said. "Oh, and Ihere was the woeslling." Today she largely skips lelevialon in l'avour ol' lalling, a type of old-l'asbioned needlepoinl Ibal some residenîs bave aeen ber demonsîrale aI local evenla sucb as Sleam-Era and the Milton Faîl Fair. Il was another way ol' keeping ber con- necled 10 the lown she bas always called home. "My mollo bas always been I pass Ibis way but once, tberefore il' lbere's any good lbing 1 can say or do for my fellow man, let me do il now, l'or 1 won'l pass Ibis way again."1 She paused, lelling the leasonfsink in. "You don'l gel any second chances." Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Flanked by son Cecli Patterson (left) and daughler Joanne Bauman <rlghl), Muilons$ Elle Palterson celebrated her 90Sh blrthday wlth 100 of her closeat friands and famlly ut th. Boyne Communlty Centre rec.ntly. ~I1~%1~ P7 ~ COGECO 14 Programming Schedule - August 29th, 2000 - September 4th, 2000 M2J, . __________u ___ __ __ _______Rm___,la.b wMWLO ei-NoPgwn * *jog u n bSo P~I Os is ie Fgdh Is 1,s E MPdh *aig4 sruk 62 0 h à oas . 1 iss tu m X 2 73 i l m Acton FOp Iiem".! 21 Main Street North, Ier~h~ Adton, ON L7J iV9 519-85341270, or 853-4700 IFéatue Mh weeiL Fr HOm Gem. Tatoo - Tuesda, 8 LZL- MIIII 17