19660217_Cariboo Observer-2.pdf - the Quesnel & District Museum ...

Editorial Page of The Cariboo Observer, Quesnel, British Columbia/Thursday, February 17, 1966
"Cariboo.^Observer
ESTABLISHED 1908
A Divitton Of
NORTHWEST PUBLICATIONS LIMITED
W. B. Milnar • Pretldant
Publithad avcry Thursday at 24« Raid Straat, Qvatnal, British Columbia
A mambar of Canadian Waaldy Nawspapar Aitociafion, British Columbia Waakly Newspapers Association and
tha Audit Buraau of Circulations. Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for
payment of postage
in cash.
R. N.
Brisson
D. McN. Finlay • General Manager
• Printing Superintendent K gQ^^ . Editor Laidlaw - Advertising Manager
NATIONAL ADVERTISINO REPRESENTATIVES
Armstrong-Dagg Representatives Ltd., 207 West Hastings Street, Vancouver 3, B.C.
Copyright Canada No. B3 • Serial No. 132934.
We're Only A Small Town But...
The inauguration of Quesnel's first
Winter Frolics next week could provide
the town with the opportunity it needs to
stage an annual event of comparable stature
to Prince George's Simon Fraser Day;
Kelowna's Regatta, or the Williams Lake
Stampede.
There has always been something of
a vacuum in civic festivities between the
fall and spring, and it could well be that
our own Jaycees have come up with the
answer.
What they are sponsoring is a good
original idea, in a season when there can
be no excuse for competing events providing
alternative attraction.
Their ambitions, too, are channelled
in the right direction.
An event of this kind can be made
into something other than a purely local
carnival.
For instance the reigning Queen,
chosen on the first day of the Frolics, could
visit festivities in other towns, and this
could include the Pacific National Exhibition
in Vancouver.
In this simple manner alone Quesnel's
voice would be heard in other parts
of British Columbia, while we might do
worse than invite return visits of towns'
beauties.
Monday last our centennial fund got
off to a rip-roaring start with donations
totalling $10,017.00.
Early contributions from clubs, firms
and other organized bodies will be coming
in regularly now for the next few weeks.
In the initial stages such donations will
probably account for about a third or a
half of the target figure. This is the usual
pattern in such fund raising campaigns.
But then they have a nasty habit of
.getting stuck below the target line and. only
struggling over the hump with extreme
difficulty or through the benevolence of
some individual who dislikes a failure.
This must not be allowed to happen
here.
There may be mixed feelings whether
the project chosen for Quesnel is the best
that could have been chosen, but it is well
to remember that there would have been
dissenters no matter what was selected.
Whether we build a swimming pool,
a new civic hall or merely erect a stone
monument isn't really important. It's the
concept of marking 100 years of free
Canadian thought and action which matters
most, and whatever project was chosen
This week we are publishing a number
of articles in support of the "DO IT
NOW" campaign.
The common theme of these articles,
and of this editorial, is the many advantages
to having household work done before
the pressures on labor begin in the
spring.
This paper is not alone in supporting
such a campaign. In last week's issue of
the Cranbrook Courier their edtiorial comment
mirrored exactly our own feelings on
the advantages of winter works:
"Materials are more readily available
with faster delivery and sometimes reduced
costs. The seasonal fluctuations in the labor
marked are reduced, thereby keeping
more workers employed over the normal
slow months which in turn adds dollars to
the economy.
"It also reduces the tremendous waste
of our most important resources, 'Manpower.'
"Homeowners and businessmen can
help themselves — and the country — by
having work done in the winter. This can
range from having a new home built to
having electrical wiring repaired and from
The presentation in Quesnel last week
of Romeo and Juliet by the Playhouse
Theater Company, was a resounding success.
Judging from the enthusiasm of the
audience which packed Quesnel Secondary
School auditorium our town appears culturally
starved of entertainment such as
this.
True our own Little Theater group is
to be commended for its efforts; and our
service groups and church organizations
play an important part in bringing entertainment
to us, but many performances are
limited to members, parents or friends.
These presentations are not enough,
and the organizers will be the first to admit
that they do not compare with the professionals
and the like of what we witnessed
last Thursday.
This Means Us All
"Dolt Now"
The sporting events, too, already
apparently well enough organized in the
Snowmobile section, should be of a high
enough calibre to attract top class winter
athletes.
And there is no reason why the Frolics
should not sponsor a float showing
Quesnel's attractions, good enough to visit
other festivals.
Perhaps this is an overly ambitious
plan, but the sponsors themselves envisage
the development of the Frolics into
a Cariboo event, attracting visitors, and
competitors from all over the area.
True it will require a great deal of
organization and hard work, but the Jaycees
appear willing to devote their time to
it.
We should all support ventures of this
kind which will broaden our town's horizons.
Too often the cry of "We're only a
small town" is heard when some scheme
or other is suggested.
It's time we shed some of our insularity
and broadened our outlook into activities
which will be equally attractive to
our neighbours — who, after all, are pretty
nice people, too.
It must not be diminished one iota through
lack of funds.
Like taxes, people resent the constant
pleadings for contributions to this or that
fund, but if we have any pride in our
country or regard for those that drew up
the blueprints a hundred years ago, then
we must recognize that we all have an individual
responsibility for this project.
Celebrations nejct year will be something
to be talked about long after the dust
of our rejoicing has settled. If, as individr
uals we intend to participate in it, then we
have a duty to help pay for it.
The hard-working Centennial Committee
has gone out of its way to make our
donations as trouble-free as possible. All
we have to do is tell our bank to deduct
one dollar a month for the fund.
Nothing could be easier.
Just one dollar a month is all that is
needed to ensure the success of Quesnel's
centennial enterprise.
Communities outside Quesnel are
joining the town in the project because
they see it as a monument to our country's
past glory and potential for the future.
We must not let ourselves down for
the sake of one dollar.
plant expansion to increased advertising of
products at reduced prices to encourage
consumer buying and thereby maintain full
production at the plant or establishment.
"The federal government has taken
many steps to reduce winter unemployment.
"There is the Municipal Winter
Works Incentive Program, whereby Ottawa
pays 50 per cent of labor costs to the Municipal
government on approved projects.
There is the Winter Housebuilding Incentive
Program, with a $500 grant for owners
of a house built during the winter
months.
"There is intensive advertising to promote
the 'Why Wait for Spring — Do It
Now' theme and there is the scheduling of
federal projects to the winter months as
much as possible, and the making of more
mortgage money available for winter construction.
"This is all paying off, but we can't
sit contentedly."
Honest sentiments, honestly put.
Quesnel certainly can't sit contentedly, not
when there are over 800 persons seeking
work.
Let's Have More of This
We are constantly reminded that
Quesnel is a hockey town. No one would
deny that we are justly proud of our fine
team, but sport alone cannot fill our entertainment
life.
What a good class hockey team can
do for a town so too, can visits from top
class entertainers.
It has been proved that given the class
performers people will turn out to see
them.
If we want to see more of thes professional
entertainers, whether they be
actors, musicians, dancers or painters,
then let's begin by supporting those we
have in town already.
By our very enthusiasm and support
we will then encourage mor^ visiting professional
groups to our town.
rOWN mi SQUEEZE
ON MAM/NG DOGS
crsck down " by-Uw makas tt nac-i
•ofdocs •s'ary for owners to I
ihelr does under proper ,
trol and on their own proper- ,
ty. He also reminded people
that the town employs an offldaljte
catcher.
"fnftf of you tuy's ht Al Oamlnt's cfcttfi^ /ooft Altyit ff7/ ftj^t fpw of th9 hut oH usJ
By B.R« LEBOE
M.P. Cariboo
We (lave had several
speeches lately based on the
need for the auto manifacturers
to add more safety
features in the cars being
built. These are very noble
ideas that are presented and
should not go unheeded. There
are, however, many other
things that add to the danger
on the streets and highways
that need attention.
In the cities there are many
dangers to the motorist. One
hazzard is the lack of good
readable street signs, so that
motorists can readily be
aware of the street they are
seeking to travel on. We all
have, at some time or other,
been guilty of causing a slowdown
in traffic and sometimes
accidents l)ecause we were
looking for a
certain street
and were almost
past it
before we
een investigating
the situation for
some time, and noting changes
in the river current and Its
channel, and that they are In
favor of a change. Every resident,
without exception, has
signed the petition, which was
prepared and forwarded by
Mr. Avison, the local barrister,
and which has the support
of Mr. Stoddard, local member.
It therefore appears likely
that the location of the
ferry will be changed this
spring.
Kiddies Kapers
The Editor,
Cariboo Observer,
Quesnel, B.C.
Dear Sir: As chairman of
the Kinsmen Kiddies Kapers
'66, I would like to take this
opportunity through the use
of your news media, to say a
heart warming thank-you, on
behalf of the Quesnel Kinsmen
Club, to the fine people who
supported the club by their
attendance at this Kinsmen
Service Project and who became
members in the Kinsmen
Dishwasher Club.
Also I would like to extend
a thank-you to the people who
without the slightest hesitation
gave us their complete
support and assistance. To
the following, may I say thankyou,
Quesnel Klnette Club,
First Quesnel Land Rangers,
Quesnel Curling Club, Quesnel
Figwe Skating Club, Quesnel
Legion Twlrlettes, Minor Hockey
Assn., Scouts and Cubs
Assn., Quesnel Hockey Club,
Overwaitea Stores Ltd., and
numerous others such as Miss
Nancy Jean Hall, our Kaper's
Queen, and the judges to name
only a few.
Also, I would like to extend
a thank-you to Radio Station
CKCQ and your fine news
media, the CarilKX) Observer
for the tremendous coverage
of the Kiddies Kapers '66.
In closing, may I say thankyou
to everyone for making
Kiddies Kapers '66, the most
memorable and most successful
to date.
Yours truly.
Kin George T. Owens,
Chairman of Kiddies
Kapers '66.
P.O. Box 630,
Quesnel, B.C.
The Department of Education
will be expanded as well
as vocational and technological
school faculties, and
an even larger portion of the
Department of Education work
will be directed toward the
post Secondary School field.
Reorganization of the Secondary
Schools began In 1962.
Next year will see the graduation
of the first students to
keep their Secondary School
education under the reorganization
programme. Increased
emiAasis will now be placed
upon revision of the curriculum
at the Elementary School
level. We await theBudget to
learn just how great these increases
may be. The recent
report of the Canadian Economic
Council made it abundantly
clear that ever-increasing
productivity is essential
for economic growth. That
productivity can only be improved
by raising the level of
education. It was recommended
that advancement of education
at all levels be given
a very high place in public
policy, and that investment
in education be accorded the
highest rank in the scale of
priority. The British Columbia
Government has asserted
itself to act upon this recommendation.