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fei Yesterday's Memories 60 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 15, 1925 A Greenbank farmer, James Lee, well-known in plowing com- petition circles for many years started his career 50 years ago when he won second prize in class two *'sod, open to all who never won a prize in a plowing match before." He also won the Township Special for Reach. John W. Platten, a former Port Perry boy and president of the United States Mortgage and Trust Company, was honoured with a testimonial dinner on the occasion of his 20th year of association with the Company. A pulpit of Gothic design, created by a local craftsman, E. Brookes, will be dedicated Sunday evenings October 18 in the Church of Ascension. The pulpit is made of oak and is an excellent piece of work. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 19, 1950 Competition was keen for the Port Perry Public School annual field day. The champions are as follows: Senior girl-Helen Williams; runner-up Marilyn Walker; Senior Boy - Garnet Warriner, runner- up Dale Warriner; Junior girl-Beryl Palmer, runner-up Valerie Fralick; Junior boy-Robert Carnegie, runner-up Billy Cornish. Hugh Baird, Blackwater and Donald Dunkeld, Claremont, both members of the Ontario County Junior Plough team won the Inter- national County class trophy. The Shirley Women's Institute held their 40th anniversary this week at the home of Mrs. Allan Moore with an attendance of 47 ladies and 10 children present. Mrs. Fred Toms proposed the toast to the chartered members, Mrs. Sinclair Robertson replied. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 20, 1960 The new municipal building was opened to the public for inspec- tion on Saturday, October 15. The interested were welcomed by Reeve J.J. Gibson, Deputy Reeve W.T. Harris, and Councillors Cox, Boyd and Kenny. Clerks John Raines and Brison Cox and the secretaries Mrs. Margaret Hayes and Mrs. Wendy Bateman were also present to answer questions. The winning touch-downs were scored by Frank Fielding, Wayne Powell and Phil Clark in a football game with Uxbridge High School where the local boys were victorious 19-14. Mr. Harold Honey, Seagrave, received the top price for a female at the 18th All-Canadian Holstein sale at Oakville, October 18th. $2,700.00 was paid for the three-year-old heifer, Honeyvale Nancy A.B.C. Reflection, purchased by Romandale Farms, Unionville. Bob Timbers, Mount Albert, placed fourth in the World Ploughing Championship, won by Britain's John Gwilliam. 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 21, 1965 Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hope entertained the staff of the IGA store (Turn to page 6) PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 22, 1985 -- § Letters Lousy marks for the Star .... Dear Sir, Away back, on August 13th of this year, your newspaper editorially lamented the fact that you are often surprised and a little dismayed at the amount of public ignorance about the local political scene, how the system works, even who the councillors are and what wards they represent. You also state in the same editorial that part of the job of community newspapers is to generate interest in local politics. To that I would add, local government. For recognizing the above men- tioned facts, you get good marks. For doing very little to correct this dismal situation, you get lousy marks. The coverage by the Port Perry Star of municipal affairs as carried on at the Township and Regional level is very poor indeed. Locally, no agenda is printed. No names of those who appear before Council on matters of their interest are printed, no roll call, no Chairman, very lit- tle budget information and the list goes on. Add to that, no reports from Regional Council even though we have two members sitting on that Council, each drawing fifteen thou- Voters should ignore poison pen Dear Sir: I have been dismayed in recent weeks by the on-going character assassination of our Mayor by Joel Aldred. Though I am not a personal friend of Jerry Taylors, I have had many exchanges with him, both in his of- ficial capacity and through his in- surance business. Through these dealings I have come to know him as an interested, intelligent, and hard-working individual, whose in- tegrity is obvious. I don't believe that this community could find a better person for the Mayor's office. Mr. Aldred's attacks on Mr. Taylor are lacking in fact but are in- tense in their vindictiveness. I suspect that a personal vendetta is the source of Mr. Aldred's mean let- ters and ads. If this is true, Mr. Aldred should grow up. And the voters of Scugog Township should ignore his poison pen. 'Sound and fury' should not be confused with fact. On behalf of the rational people of this fine Township, I hope we are to enjoy another term of Mayor Jerry Taylor's excellent stewardship. Yours truly, Glen E. Morehouse, Seagrave. BELVEDERE sand six hundred dollars per annum on top of their Councillors salary of seven thousand four hundred dollars and eight thousand four hundred dollars respectively. Surely, the Port Perry Star can report more thoroughly on Local Council matters and the Regional Councillor and the Mayor can report to you about the "goings on" in Whitby. Taking steps in the direction indicated, would go a long way towards easing the pain in your lament. Your "Allegations Unfounded" editorial of September 10th is another matter entirely. Your spirited partisanship in support of the actions of Mayor Taylor and his "Conflict of Interest" position, is not a piece of unbiased clarification of the issue. If anything, you not only muddy the issue, you do not seem to understand the issue. If you had taken the time to thoroughly study my full page ad, you would not, I am sure, have composed your editorial in the manner in which it was published. For the Port Perry Star to attempt to denigrate the real con- cerns of myself, Mr. McMorrow, whom I scarely know and Mr. Kemp (Turn to page 6) * 1 HAVE TO (GO NOW, BLANCHE. I THINK BELVEDERE WANTS LI6 DIHIIER. THE WORLD OF Bill Smiley READERS HAVE THEIR SAY - AT Time some of my readers had a go at me; good, bad or indifferent. To tell the truth, most of them are indif- ferent, but I still have hopes of building my fan mail from three or four a week to maybe ten. I'll just take them as I pick them off the pile. Way back, a chap called Jeff Elliott wrote to the Belle River North Essex News. It goes away back to a Father's Day column, written with tongue in cheek. I guess it as too far in for Mr. Elliott. Any, I'll quote bits: ** ... obvious- ly he is a chat vinist fool." He goes on to say that without women in the labour force Toronto would financially col- lapse. So? Let it collapse. It wouldn't be the end of civilization, as we know it. He also accuses me of at- tacking the Queen and the family. I have never attack- ed the Queen in my life. Here's a cute little note from Mary Shantz (I think), but I've lost the address: "As a rule, man's a fool When it's hot, he wants it cool When it's cool, he wants it hot Always wanting what is not." I don't know what triggered that one, but | agree, wholeheartedly. A lovely letter from Lilian Bumford of Sheffield, England, who reads me in the Georgetown Independent, senior citizen: 'When I come at Christmas, come to dinner and I'll get Pat to make you a Yorkshire Pudd." Bless you, Lilian. 1 presume Pat is your daughter. Maybe I should check with her. Can we have Brussell Sprouts? Here's another lady so mad she didn't even sign her name, just 'I am an insulted reader.' Apparently, I had made some remarks about today's loose morals. Her letter is long and indignant, but I'll quote just a bit: "Maybe there were a few who indulged in pre-marital sex. BUT the girls in those days had the strength of character to say NO to the boyfriends, and mean it." You're right, lady. They not only had the strength of character, but they could almost break your wrist before dropping it back in your lap. Here's a nice change. It's signed: "Gentle reader," Stonewall Manitoba. He (or she) wants me to stir things up. Again, it's a long letter, but thoughtful and in- telligent: "Why aren't young children still taught at an early age the precepts and homilies we were taught ... if good, like evil, grows with a small first step shouldn't our children be presented with small and gentle choices early in their schooling? Is there any reason why this is avoided in our schools? And a little further on: "Is there some reason why this is so carefully avoided in our schools? No wonder you didn't sign the letter, Jack. You sound like that idiot in Alberta. In the first place, it is not the job of the teacher to teach morals. He/she teaches a subject and at the same time tries to pass along a certain standard of ethics, de- cent manners and how to avoid stinking in public. Morals are for parents. And they, being what they are, are noticeably lacking in training. Don't lay it on the teachers. And whose morals are we discussing? Maybe mine aren't so great, but they're mine, not somebody else's. And the kids know it. I never tried to impose some "maorals" belonging to someone else. Enough. I could go on about that for hours. Here's a sweet letter from Ingrid Bassett of Georgetown who assures me that they have none of that new-fangled stuff (videos, microwaves, etc.) and has asked me for din- ner or breakfast or lunch: 'Your thoughts are echoes. Life is so simple, yet so complicated. I used to work for Peter Newman, but your philosophy is simple." Well, thanks a lot, Ingrid. Here's another one from Bob Love, Clive, Alta. He lost his wife, too, and urges me to marry again, as he had, and have a happy life. Bless you Bob, and may you be happy. I couldn't. You've earned it, with all those tough years farming. And here's another from Bill Baird, Petersfield, Man. He's 78. *'A good column is next to a good editorial. Sure, there's lots of news columns. We read, or let them go by. Facts have an uncanny way of being wrong a cou- ple of years later ... At 78 1 feel I've been through it all _.. from bush clearing, the horse age, hundreds of good beef cattle, then dairy cattle.' Good health, Bill. Sweetest letter « ..l came from the Amherstburg Echo, signed by Andrea D'Angelo (reporter, 27 years old) and Anne Eldracher (secretary, 19 years old). It was so nice that I can't quote it or I'd go all red. In short, it accused me of having morals and principles. Such an accusation makes me break out in bumps. Thanks, kids. And the most frightening missive of the past few months has been one from my daughter. Get this: "Nikov said he necked with a girl before leaving Bracebridge. Not just a goodnight kiss, but an actual necking session! If he's doing that at 11 ...."' Well, it's better than dope, I guess. The only reason I didn't do it was that I didn't have the nerve.