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Wo A, Nh RAR --segment of the crowd in check. Sats » AN - MN 2 _ Editorial Topics Never Again!! For the sake of sanity, may_we never again witness another monstrous and deplorable night similar .to what occurred in this normally quiet Village, Friday night. Even at this point of writing it's difficult' to comprehend what really occurred on a night designed for fun and enjoyment, particularly for the smaller fry. Port Perry and area have experienced damage and trouble during Hallowe'en nights before, but never, never like this. We hear and read about riots and troubles on campuses and in the larger cities, but when demonstrations and destructions :of this kind happen at home and get so utterly out of control it almost becomes unbelievable. Many of the residents of this community place much of the blame on the police officers from the Whitby Detachment of O.P.P. Personally we did not witness what really did happen and cannot allow ourselves to make a statement in that regard. . But it does appear strange that quite a large number of police officers were not able to keep the unruly However, the police officer's lot is not an envious one, and the large crowd of curious spectators did not help matters, and they never do, whether in Port Perry or in some other community. : } -We have heard more suggestions from residents in this community how they would have handled this difficult situation, some absolutely ridiculous, others mote sensible. If those people, not directly involvedin 'the trouble had peacefully left the scene, there is no doubt that it would have improved the situation. But 'how can you make people leave a place where there is bound to be some excitement at first,~followed by unexpected destruction. . Who is to decide whether it was right or wrong to call out the local Fire Brigade. Again some residents praise the idea, and others are of an entirely different opinion. The cause of all this trouble was Hallowe'en, the evening of October 31st, and according to the New Pictorial Encyclopedia of the World, as the eve of virgil of All-Hallows or All Saints day. In Scotland, as related -- in _Burn's "Hallowe'en" the. evening was frequently celebrated by meetings of young people of both sexes when various mystical and playful ceremonies were performed with the view of revealing future husbands and wives. As can be readily seen from this quotation, the only people who at least celebrate the occasion. relatively close to its original meaning, are the little fry, all dressed up in their costumes. . To those young citizens it would be unfair to even "suggest abolishment of their day of fun, but to the -younger adults who cause the damage and make the evening one of dismay and hardship, it should be abolished. However, we suppose this is an impossible suggestion. PORT PERRY STAR COMPANY, LIMITED ys wo BLO Serving Port Perry, Brooklin and Surrounding Areas P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher WM. T. HARRISON, Editor Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Published every Thursday by The Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. y Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 PN prem Rates: In Canada $4.50 per yr., Isewhere $6.00 per year, Single Copy 10¢ Va YOU CHOOSE YOUR GOVERMENTS LIKE YOU CHOOSE YOUR SKIRTS ---- WERE IN FOR ANOTHER MINORITY * Bill Smiley Legionaires' day off There's nothing more boring than listen- ing to a group of old sweats talking about "The War," unless you yourself happen to be an Old Sweat, as we old sweats are called. Then, it's fun. : : This year, I was asked to speak at two different Remembrance Day banquets. I was unable to accept either, and was genuine- ly sorry about that. There's nothing like a crowd of old sweats lying their heads off on Remembrance Day. _ Don't think of it as a brood of middle- aged and elderly men sitting around all day. Nov. 11th, "remembering" their "fallen comrades" lugubriously. Oh, they do that, but it takes place in the morning, at the cenotaph at 11 a.m., when the guns stopped firing in World War 1 and the stunned survivors looked at each other and every man alive could scarcely believe it. : And there's nothing lugubrious or mourn- ful about the ceremony. There's a certain pride as the oldsters step out in something resembling their old quick march. There's a poignancy as the colors dip and the Last Post sounds. There's a lump in the throat and the odd contorted face and a few tears in the 'two minutes' silence. But then there's the . triumphant jaunty sound of Reveillee. And off they swing, purged once more, and ready to get down to the serious observance of Remembrance Day. Back at the Legion Hall, A few of the smart ones, the timid ones, and the wife-scared ones go home for lunch, but most of the old sweats have planned to make' a day of it, even though they might need plasma the next morning. I don't mean it's an orgy. Far from it. But it is a shucking off of the daily rut and routine, a once-a-year get-to-gether where you can retell old stories with fresh embroi- dery, and laugh a lot, and recapture, the feeling that you're 20 again, not 50 or 70. Psychologists, veteran's wives, and other non-old sweats may well look down their Sugar and Spice noses and call the whole thing childish. Of course, it is. But there's a bond there (and it doesn't matter which war you were in), that you can't find anywhere else. It's not nearly as childish as university class reunions, at which a lot of middle- aged people who never did know each other "very well,' get stoned and maudlin and nostalgic trying to recapture something they never had. Nor is it as childish as business conventions where a"lot of people get dunk . and try to capture somethingthey never will have. That's because these men di have some- thing and they retain some part of it, even though it might be 50 years old or more. Lice, mud, snotty officers and military system of incredible stupidity could not quench them. The only.thing that could do that was death. And they licked death. 'So they have something to lie about, and laugh about and bandy insults about, and just plain celebrate. . Canadian Legion celebrations have noth- ing quasi-military about them. There are no officers and other ranks. There are just legionnaires, whatever their color or creed. There is no linking of arms and singing old war songs, as you might find in a German veteran's organization. Anybody who tried to sing "It's A Long Way to Tipperary" would probably be slung out into the alley. There's only one thing that's beginning to cast a shadow over it. They're' beginning to let the women in on it, This is going to enrage the ladies of the Legion Auxiliary, but, girls, why don't you just get a big dinner 'ready, clear out at 6 p.m., and come back and do the dishes in the morning. Even if your husband is a little, green- - around the gills next day, and you don't speak to him for two days, I think he'd appreciate it. ; Taking women to a legion party is like' taking your mother. on your honeymoon. On Remembrance Day, remember, it's once a year, Give the poor old devil.a chance to be 20 again, for a few hours. 50 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 6, 1919 Mrs. Porter who has been conducting a successful bus- iness as proprietress of a private hotel in Orillia for some sixteen years, has botight the Sebert House and the business and will take possession 'this week. Mrs. Porter and her son are having the hotel renovated through- out. A lasting memorial to the High 'School students "who died in the service of their country has been erected in the south-east corner of the school grounds. It isa steel. 'tablet upon which the follow- ing names appear: Lt. Charles Tupper Bruce; Pte. Arthur B. Doubt; Corp: Donald Graham; Sgt. Major Wesley Gordon Hood; Pte. James . Lester Leask; Pte. Garnet Russell McGill; Pte. George Edgar Moore; Lt. Russell Wright Soper; Pte. Amos Wilfred = Stone; Pte. Peter Garfield Tuss; Pte. Thos. Murray Watson; Pte: Arthur Egbert Alldred.' 26 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 9, 1944 Port Perry, Reach and Scugog ~ District "E" has flown its pennant in every Victory Loan so far, indicat- ing that its objective had been reached. ' At the recent Stock Judg- ing Contest held at Brooklin three of our local young farmers took high honours. John Kerry took first prize, Mac Christie took fourth prize and Fred Christie won the Silver Shield for train- ~ ing these young men. Bruce Hull ' and Mervin DeNure the cohveners of the Christian Citizenship had charge of the YPU meeting on Tuesday evening. 15° YEARS AGO Thursday, November 11,1954 A tractor owned by Jim Wilson of Scugog caught fire and considerable damage was done before. the Port Perry Fire Brigade brought the flames under control. Misses Vera Howsam and Helen Innes were in Port Perry Hospital for tonsilectomies last week. Firemen from Uxbridge and Port Perry answered a call to a fire in the home of Mr. Ivan Spencer at Green- bank. Neighbours had remov-. ed most of the furniture before firemen arrived. 10 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 12,1959 Something old soinething new on Wednes: Yeioher 28th at 6:30 p.m. in Port Perry. Many familiar faces and old friends of the Port ° Perry Rod and Gun Club gathered for the annual "Duck Dinner" in the spanking new banquet room of the Boy Scout Hall. The Valedictory address at the Port Perry High School Commencement was presented by Miss Lillian Couves. '®