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Wire and roofing company to set up shop in Milton; location for its operations The Canadian Champion, Friday, June 28, 2002-7 OUR READERS WRITE Milton parent voices frustration over what he sees as inadaquate education in Ontario 'Time Capsules' are gems of information extracted from past issues of The Champion and other publications to pro- vide window into Milton's past. Explanatory comment is sometimes pro- vided to place the situation in context. January 1897 We are happy to be able to announce that Milton will have a new industry in opera- tion within a short time - the Milton Wire and Roofmg Co. Ltd., with the necessary amount of stock having been subscribed and an application made to the govemment for incorporation. No place is more favorably situated for industry than Milton is. Land is cheap, rents are low and it's con- veniently close to the two largest cities in Canada. It has low freight rates, a first-class water works and fire protection with moderate fire insurance rates, low taxes and excep- tional healthiness of the locality. G. E. McCraney, barrister of Milton. in a letter to the Toronto Globe last Saturday suggested that in this year of Her Majesty's jubilee the 24th of May be decreed a pub- lic holiday for ail time to come and that it be called Victoria Day. Mr. McCraney said that it would not only be fitting to do this as a memorial of the Queen's long and glorious reign, but because the date of her birthday is particu- larly suitable for a public holiday. February 1897 On Friday a party of Miltonians were treated to a Tallyho drive to Campbellville and back behind a spanking four in hand team composed of J.B. Scott's 13 and a half hand pair and that of Finlay Chisholm, 14 and a half hands. W.A. Lawrence handled the ribbons and Bob Dewar tooted the horn. On Tuesday Mr. Lawrence took a party to Acton, the team doing the twelve miles to that village, a stiff up grade, in an hour and thirty min- utes. The anniversary services in connection with the Methodist Church were held on Sunday. Conductor Snider preached at both services and his sermons were intensely eamest. Milton Time Capsules The attendance at both services was large, particularly in the evening, when the church was crowded. The subscriptions and collections of the day amounted to $300. The Canadian Pacific Railway Co. has leased, at a nominal rental, a piece of ground 80 x 120 feet just east of the C.P.R. station and close to a siding, to the Milton Wire & Roofing Company Ltd. and on it the new building of the manufacturing cor- poration will be erected at once. It will enclose three sides of a square, the centre portion measuring 120 x 36 feet with two wings 60 x 30 feet each. It will be a wooden structure and will be covered with metal manufactured by the company. John Somerville is the contrac- tor. He will commence building operations today. The building will be ready for machinery within a very short time and some of the machinery is ready now. Our citizens have reason to congratulate themselves on the establishment here of this industry which will be a particularly safe one financially as it will produce noth- ing but staple goods. As it will employ a large number of men, a substantial increase of the population of the town may be expected. Should anything come of the scheme now on foot to erect a power house close to the grist mill, from which water can be got for steam, the building of the Wire & Roofing Company will be removed to its vicinity and other manufactories may be expected to locate here. A C.P.R. engineer will, within a few days, make a survey for a siding to run down to the mill in the event of it being needed. This material is assembled on behalf of the Milton Historical Society by Jim Dills, chair of research, who can be reached by e-mail atjdills@idirect.com. (The following letter was sent to Ontario Premier Ernie Eves, Ontario Education Minister Elizabeth Witmer and Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh and a copy was filed with The Champion.) Dear Editor: l'm writing this letter to the gov- emment of Ontario to express con- cems that I have regarding educa- tion. I managed to attend local meet- ings and speak with an elementary school principal, I've leamed that our education system is in need of immediate attention and repair. The Elementary Schools Tracking Report 2001 had 800 respondent schools. Thus, it's sta- tistically relevant and it clearly shows that there are many prob- lems. About 37,000 elementary stu- dents/children are waiting for spe- cial education services, which rep- resents a 15 per cent jump since the 1999-2000 school year. That's the entire population of Milton. This is because a profes- sional must assess a child, yet access to these people has declined. Over the past four years, there has been a 41 per cent decline in schools reporting access to the reg- ularly-scheduled visits of a board psychologist. A local principal said that a staff of nine was involved in the assess- ment, but now it's down t1 four and the professional comes only once every two months. Tbis is so infre- quent that the process is essentially halted. The report continues showing an obvious decline in specialist teach- ers - for example music, ESL, or guidance. In fact there's no provin- cial funding specifically designated for specialist teachers in elemen- tary schools. Two-thirds of schools report that students must share texts. How can homework be done? Schools with ESL programs are down from 58 per cent to 45 per cent from 1997-98 to 2000-01. Yet it's common knowledge that immi- gration is up. I presume this is the 'common sense revolution'. School librarians have been cul as well. In 1996, a local school had one full-time librarian. Now with a third more students and a nearby subdivision, some- how there's a librarian working there less than half the lime. That version of common sense is revolt- ng. I tind this all rather sad and pre- ventable. We don't need another $200 tax rebate, but proper funding for our future. We all know that our children are our future. That's common sense. Tbis government must leam that education is an investment, not a cost. Improving education can't occur using a funding formula from the previous century. Funding amounts from 1977 simply can't provide education services in 2002, but that's what's happening despite total enrolment being up 4.7 per cent in Halton. Is this is common sense? Our teachers are valuable. They fill our children's absorbing minds. Why does the government insist upon simply ignoring our educa- tors? Is it because, all along, the goal bas been to create a crisis? I have one daughter in SK now and two will follow soon after. I want them to have a sound, well- rounded education. I don't believe that can occur as we are led down this road of regression and confrontation. I don't want to believe that you have permitted the situation of Thomcliffe Elementary to occur; wherein there are 450 4 and 5 year- olds. That means 20 kindergarten classes in one school. Such a deplorable environment is akin to the third world and is unacceptable in the GTA. Let's put people, especially chil- dren, first before tax cuts. lIl believe that things are better once groups like People for Education don't need to exist and they don't need to do tracking reports. Derek Gilham Cedarbrae Avenue Strip joint will bring 'trash' to Milton, says reader (The following letter was sent to Mayor Gord Krantz, Councillor Art Melanson and Councillor Wally Hunter and a copy was filed with The Champion.) Dear Editor: This letter is in response to The Champion's front page article June 14, and particularly Councillor Wally Hunter's hope that a new strip club "won't see enough business to stay open." Unfortunately, il will gel lots of business from truck- ers and bikers like Hell's Angels and Satin's Choice. That's exactly the kind of trash we don't want in Milton. We already have gambling and ils related criminal activities, then an adult-only movie store opens with- out a licence - and now strippers. Why not just put hookers on every comer? Town Council has already destroyed the small town flavour with ail the development that's being crammed mn. Growth is one thing, but mindless, over-develop- ment is nothing short of destructive. Halton Region had better increase the police budget so we can have extra patrols for when the bikers and other criminals move in. How sad. M. Krey RR1, Campbellville Thanks for voting us Favourite Dry Cleaner. 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