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Claude Desroches, 8e année, et Denise Lefaive, 7e année, €leves de 1'ecole Sainte-Croix, Lafontaine, sont' les gagnants du concours oratoire de francais pour notre région. Ces deux - ¥ 'x Paul Marchildon, a student at St. Joseph's School in Penetanguishene, was the setond place finisher in the boys' division of the French public speaking contest held in Lafontaine last Wednesday night. Shown here with his I The runner-up Les vainquers étudiants se rendront 4 Welland, le 17 avril pour la Grande Finale. Ce con- cours est organisé par le Club Richelieu. B Staff photo Le 'es 5S French teacher, Mme. Anne Gagne, he advanced to the Lafontaine contest by virtue of his showing in a similar contest held at St. Joseph's a couple of weeks ago. : Staff se | BE: ~ snow related work done s French committee confident =< a a a ee ee ae Ge ee Me ee ee eee Education study will find answers Further details of a study to be conducted on secondary education in Penetanguishene by the Simcoe County Board of Education, were discussed at a meeting of the French Language Advisory Committee last Thur- sday night. The director of education for Simcoe County, Dr. Jack Ramsay, was in attendance at the meeting, held in the library of St. Joseph's School in Penetanguishene, and he explained the position of the board with regard to the study. He told the committee the study would take about a year, and would involve everyone from members of the board and the com- mittee to teachers, students, parents and support staff at area schools. "We probably have all the problems here they'll ever have in the rest of the province," he said. He added that he was confident such a study could solve all the difficulties which now exist with regard to both French and English language study in the area. He said, "we could settle things here better than in Essex", referring to the problems involved in the establishment of a French language high school in Essex County in Southern Ontario. Ramsay said the study would be a joint effort of Simcoe 'County and the Ontario Ministry of Education, but with the county controlling the directions of the study. He said he could see three alternatives for making sure French and English students in Penetanguishene get the education they want in the language of their choice. One would be making Penetanguishene Secondary School a truly bilingual school, a second would be to establish a separate French secondary school, and the third would be to have a separate French wing at P.S.S. Ramsay said he was confident that the right answer could be found with sufficient study of the problem. P.S.S. principal Don Beatty, who was also present at the meeting, told the committee he was all for the idea of a study. Ramsay assured the committee members that once they came up with the right an- swers, they would have no trouble getting the cooperation of the ministry in implementing them. All of the members of the committee present at the meeting agreed that as many people as possible should be encouraged to participate in the study, so that the answers arrived at would be acceptable to as many people as possible. The only complaint about the study came in a humourous vein from committee Snow subsidies look doubtful The people at town hall are not too hopeful that Penetanguishene will be able to cash in on the additional subsidies for winter maintenance announced by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications last week. The subsidies are being offered to _ municipalities which can show that they were exposed to abnormal winter control conditions since January 1 of this year. In order to qualify, the town has to compile the actual winter maintenance expenditures for the first four months of 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. These figures are then corrected for inflation, and a value for normal winter maintenance cost is established. If the cost of 'winter maintenance for the same period this year exceeds this figure by 20 per cent, the amount by which it exceeds the 20 per cent mark will be eligible for the subsidy. Shirley Bellehumeur, at the town office, said yesterday the figures for the past years show an expenditure of nearly $22,000 in 1973, nearly $37,000 in 1974, $40,449: in 1975 and $42,676 in 1976. In January and February of this year, the town spent $42,000 on winter maintenance, and there hasn't been much in March. School board budget means mill rate up The Simcoe County Board of Education has projected a 12:48 per cent increase in the town's mill rate would be necessary for the town to meet its $366,467 share of the board's 1977 budget. me E eae : At last Wednesday's board meeting, trustees approved a record $69,726,398 operating budget $28,320,390 of which will have to be raised through municipal levies on taxable assessment. Budget committee statistics reveal an estimated increase in the mill rates for municipalities throughout the county averaging 7.96 per cent over 1976. The actual amount of each municipality's mill rate increase depends on increases in that municipality's own operating budget which includes the 1977 school board levy. Although the public school board's budget has increased 9.65 per cent from 1976, budget committee chairman Bill Straughan pointed out the majority of cost increased are necessary if the board is to restore the level of services to that offered by the board in 1975. Drastic cutbacks in provincial funding last year forced the Simcoe board to curtail building 'maintenance projects, purchases of supplies, furniture and equipment, and reductions in non-teaching departments, to name but a few. With the exception of an improvement in services to students with learning disabilities (the trainable retarded program for 157 students has been increased $101,715) the board has, for another year, deferred introduction of any costly programs or services Teachers' salaries and student services again make up the largest share of the budget - over 70 per cent of total operating costs. Budgets for instruction in elementary schools are up 11 per cent and in secondary schools up 10 per cent. Teachers' salaries though will only increase by the 6 per cent allowable under this year's anti-inflation board guidelines. The remaining increase can be traced to the hiring of additional staff because of, the anticipated increase in enrolment. An additional enrolment of 350 students, mainly in the secondary school expenditures, will add $650,000 to costs and substantial increases in the price of utilities (30 per cent. estimated increases in electricity, 18 per cent in natural gas and 20 per cent in fuel oil) will 'bring the board's estimated utilities costs to over $1.8 million or 30 per cent of its $5.9 million budget for plant operations. Maintenance costs up Among the largest single increases in expenditures for 1977 are plant maintenance costs which, in elementary schools are up 2 ver cent from 893,686 in 1976 to 1,505,287 77, and in secondary schools will in- crease 40 per cent from $630,412 to $887,378. Although Straughan admitted some ex- For the Irish at heart.. It's time to get out the shamrocks and green clothes again; the Chamber of Com- merce will be commemorating St. Patrick's day this Saturday with a dance at Baymoorings Cruising Club. The cost is $10.00 a couple, and the dance will feature the pop-rock and country music of Doug Walles and the Drifters. The social hour runs from 6:00 to 8:00 p,m., and hot and cold buffet foods will be available from 8:00 to 10:00. The music begins at 9:00. penditures in maintenance could be cut if absolutely necessary, he emphasized that other boards had lawsuits on their hands because of improperly maintained equip- ment. "If we consider students' safety, we have to keep these expenditures in the budget," Straughan told board members. In reviewing the 1977 board budget, chairman Bill Brown emphasized that provincial assistance, up 1.43 per cent to $39 million or just over 55 per cent of the 1977 budget, still fell far short of the 60 per cent plus offered previous to 1976. Brown com- mended the budget committee on being able to hold mill rate increases within 8 per cent. Municipal taxes represent just over 41 per cent of the Simcoe County Board of Education's budget, the remaining 2.3 per cent coming from other fees and rentals. Midland trustee John McCullough told' board members the 7.96 per cent average, county-wide increase in the mill rate, was Tenders called commendable in view of 12 to 14 per cent increases introduced in other Ontario school boards of comparable size. Budget committee chairman Bill Straughan also pointed out that, with the exception of capital expenditures, the Simcoe school board's costs were just over half those of other boards and that, because of this low cost per pupil, it was "difficult to reduce costs further without curtailing essential educational services." The board, for example, spent $102 per pupil for transportation costs, despite cut- backs in provincial transportation subsidies from 90 per cent of operating costs to 75 per cent. The provincial average for tran- sportation costs for 123 Ontario School boards was $133 per student. The Simcoe public school board transports almost half of its 44,000 students to and from school, covering 23,350 route miles per day Subdivision to be serviced The Town of Penetanguishene is calling this week for tenders for the servicing of the first stage of the municipally owned sub- division on the "sand-pit" property north east of Church Street. The construction being tendered for in- cludes building 4,350 feet of roads, laying a total of 5,177 feet of sanitary sewers and 4,457 feet of watermains, and regrading the sand. pit. The tenders are for the construction work only; all materials will be supplied by the town. The area to be serviced is the first phase of the municipal subdivision; it and the second phase are being subdivided at this time, although only the first phase is being ser- viced. The phase one area, When it is completed, will include a total of 311 housing units, in- cluding 55 family units, 10 semi-detached units, 50 senior citizens' units, 111 townhousing units, and 85 apartments. While The Penetanguishene Police Department will look into the safety and legality of school buses disgorging their young passengers on' Poyntz Street near St. Joseph's School, as a result of a meeting last Wednesday night of the Penetanguishene Traffic and Safety Committee. The problem is basically one of logistics, as committee member Frances St. Amant pointed out later. She said with the high snow banks along the street, there was not much place for the buses to go to drop off the young students. The buses now stop on the street, in front of the school, but it is difficult: for motorists to see clearly because of the snowbanks, and with the law stating that when the lights are flashing on the bus, traffic in both directions has to stop, the Safety committee questions bus unloading procedure one is by far the largest, including just over half of the total number of housing units to be built in the entire subdivision. The project has been in the works for three years now, and, according to town clerk Yvon Gagne, it is one of the biggest municipally owned subdivisions in the province, on a per capita basis. The town had to assemble two large blocks of land for it, and over the past few years, $100,000 worth of land has been acquired by the town in addition to the land it already - owned in the area. When the whole subdivision is completed, it will include a total of 616 new housing units, with a potential population of 1035 people. The tenders will be accepted until 12 noon on Wednesday, April 6, and will be opened at 2:30 the same afternoon. Each tender must be accompanied by a $15,000 deposit, and copies of the contract documents are available from Gagne upon a deposit of $25.00 which is non-refundable. See, & 4 practice has been causing snarl-ups on Poyntz Street. St. Amant said so far there hasn't been an accident involving one of the young children at the school, but the committee didn't want to let another winter go by without trying to do something to improve the situation before an accident occurs. She said the committee was unclear on exactly what the law on school buses is, and she said she didn't know exactly how close to the school the buses have to drop off the students. She said that is what the police will now be looking into. There won't be time to do anything before the snow melts this year, but St. Amant said the committee wants to see what can be done for next year. SEER With the snow rapidly -- melting, Bellehumeur said she can't foresee any large expenditure between now and April 30. On the basis of her calculations, she said, she can't see much likelihood of the town collecting any of the additional subsidies. She said although the snowfall in the early months of 1977 was heavy, it was the snowfall before the end of 1976 which was unusual. Psychiatrists say he's member Dr. Germain Gauthier, who Suggested that the board try to find something better to call it than a study. He suggested that most people, on hearing that some government body is going to implement a study, immediately assume that it means nothing will get done. 44 pages Wednesday, March 16, 1977 The group considered it for a moment, but couldn't comeup with a better word for what they intend to do. Ramsay said the final details of the study will be released after the board has had a chance to contact all those who will be ex- pected to take part in it. 8 page: Colour Vol. 10, No. 11 20 cents - Jury finds Ronald Buttineau, the man accused of second degree murder in connection with the slaying last year of Emily Dorsey of Penetanguishene, was found not guilty by reason of insanity, in Barrie yesterday af- ternoon. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, took about an hour' to reach its verdict. Buttineau, 20, will be sent to the maximum security Oak Ridge section of the Ontario Mental Health Centre, on a Lieutenant Jean "John'"' Marchand has been working at the Hotel Brule for 20 years this month. He psychotic Buttineau Governor's warrant, and he will probably remain there for at least ten years. The evidence of the crown, a statement of fact and a statement taken from Buttineau admitting that he killed the woman; was not contested by the defense. The defense at- torney, Midland lawyer John Gignac, presented evidence from a number of psychiatrists who had interviewed Buttineau over the past' year. The evidence showed that Buttineau had a om He's served a lot of people learned the business while working with his father, another long-time Brule employee not guilty severe personality disorder, and was on the verge of becoming psychotic at the time of the.act. Common to the evidence of all the psychiatrists was the fact that Buttineau had been difficult to communicate with and some of the witnesses said he had grinned when he recounted the story of the killing. The judge, Mr. Justice J. Keith, the wit- nesses, and the jury all agreed that Oak Ridge was the only appropriate place for a man with Buttineau's problems. who retired in 1972. Staff photo Jean Marchand-serving tall cool ones for 20 years Anestimated 1,500 different staff members have been employed at the Hotel Brule in Penetanguishene over the past 20 years, but through it all, there has been one man, Jean Marchand, better known to his customers as John, who has been working at the hotel through thick and thin, and he has no in- tention of leaving now. He started 20 years ago this month, when he was 21, and according to his boss, Ken Davidson, he is "a real gem". Davidson, who has only been at the hotel a little over a year and a half, says "I'd like to have about 10 more like him." Davidson says it is unusual to find an employee in a hotel anywhere near as long as 20 years, and he also says it is unusual to find a bartender who doesn't drink much. But John says he hadn't even tasted draught beer until after he had been working at the hotel for about five years. John started working at the hotel along with his father, Romeo Marchand, another long term employee who retired in 1972 at the age of 71. He says he didn't know much about drinking when he started because his family didn't drink much, so he had to learn as he went along. When he started the hotel did not serve any mixed drinks, only beer. A few years later, the establishment began serving mixed drinks and decided to open a preferred lounge in the front area. They decided they wanted John and his father to take care of it, but John, knowing nothing about mixed drinks, didn't want the job. The management con- vinced him otherwise, and with the help of someone brought up from the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, he learned the art of mixing drinks. He and his father worked on opposite shifts in the lounge for about 15 years. When the lounge closed down about three years ago, John was transferred to the bar at the back, where he became the bar manager, the position he now holds. John says the hotel has gone through a number of changes over the past 20 yuears, and he has seen it transformed from a place where people came to get drunk and let off steam, into a place where people come to have a good time. He says he thinks part of the reason for the change is that people are becoming more educated about the effects of alcohol, and how to use it properly. St. Laurent visited Over the past 20 years, John has seen a number of customers come and go at the hotel, but one of the ones he remembers most is former Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. He says it was about 19 years ago that St. Laurent came to visit, and the management asked John if he would show him to his room. John says it was one of the big thrills of his career. Why has he stayed at it so long? John says it's the people he meets. But in his present position behind the bar, he doesn't get to meet as many people as he used to. "I always like to work with people and see people,"' he says. 'I wish I could have more contact with people than I do at the present ime." He could meet more people if he went back to being a waiter, but he says, "If I went back to being a waiter, I'd have to work many nights a week. After you hit my age, you'd sooner spend nights at home with the kids."' And he does have a family life which is important to him. Married 21 years, he has daughters 19, 14 and 9 years old, and a son 17. Born in Lafontaine, he lived in Penetanguishene for a number of years before moving back to the country where he now lives. He drives back and forth every day, rain or shine. ; "TI enjoy my job so much that there isn't anything I don't like about it,"" he says. One of the things he does like is the constant exposure to other people which he says keeps him younger than his years. He says it was the same with his father, who, he says, is really much younger than his age would indicate. The fact that John is still at the Brule is certainly no, indication that other better paying jobs have not been offered to him. He says number of years ago the Sheraton chain approached him with an offer of a job in Toronto, but he turned it down, as he has turned down other offers, because he wants to stay in the area. "There's no money in the world that could get me to work in Toronto," he says. After his 20 years at the Brule, John says he only has one regret. "'If I was to do it over again, I'd learn a lot more about wine. I've always been interested in wine, but I don't know too much about it," he says. Oh well, you can't have everything, and if John's past record is any indication, he'll be at the Hotel Brule for some time to come.