OUCH! TOUCHE - the Quesnel & District Museum and Archives

1 2- THURSDAY. DECEMBER 21, 1967 - THE QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER
Is Red Power Solution For
As we relax this Christmas week with full
stomachs in the warmth of our gas-heated
houses, it mi^t serve us well to think of our
nei^ibours. This is not an appeal for charity,
for charity is not the answer. These are, in
truth, some facts to mull over. Some facts for
those who glibly say, "The pli^it of the Indian
is his own fault." Some facts for those who do
not yet recognize that today there is not so
much an "Indian problem" as a "White problem."
These figures, taken from theCanadian
Churchman, the organ of the Anglican Church
in Canada, may open a few eyes. At worst,
they are ammunition for those who recognize
that the future of the Indian pec^le in B.C.
depends on economic as well as a cultural
solution. Here then, some facts:
Almost 50 per cent of Indian families earn
less than $1,000 a year.
About three-quarters earn less than $2,000
a year.
Nearly 40 per cent of the Indian population
is unemployed (about 10 times the national
average).
About 57 per cent of the Indian families live
in houses of three rooms or less (national
average is 11 per cent). Only 44 per cent have
electricity, against a national average of 92
per cent.
Average life expectancy of the Canadian
Indian is 33 years.
Mortality rate of Indians, compared with the
Indian People?
national rate, is, for pre-school children, eight
times as much; for school children, teenagers,
and adults, between 2-1/2 and three times the
national rate.
About 24 per cent of Canada's Indians are
flmctionally illiterate, which describes a lack of
even the most elementary reading and writing
skills needed for the most unskilled jobs. This,
despite a jump in high school enrolment from
611 in 1948 to 4,761 in 196S.
* * *
Have you heard of Black Power in the United
States? Will the Canadian Indian have to form
Red Power blocs to draw attention to his dreadful
economic plight in Canada?
The Canadian Churchman puts it succinctly:
"Things haven't changed much-yet. The Indians,
by and large, still are a depressed people,
whose amibitions are submerged in a cloud of
futility at any prospect of "making it" in an
alien ciUture. But there is hope: For the first
time educated, articulate, often bitter leaders
and spokesmen have arisen from among the
Indians themselves, demanding recognition of
the needs and hopes of their people."
Red Power. Until we recognize that there is
a "white problem" where the Indian is concerned,
as well as an "Indian problem", the
anger and the bitterness inate in the Indian
people will be well justified.
Think about it as you relax with your full
stomachs this merry season.
— M.M.R.
CERAMIC HINTS Births
By MYRTLE SWAFFIELD
Here are more ideas from
Saskatchewan artist Myrtle
Swaffield. This winter, if you
are in the clay modelling and
sculpture class at art school,
you may like to try these ideas
for use next summer:
While browsing through a
shop that featured ceramic sand
pottery, I was attracted by a
piece that was called simply
"Clay Construction".Ihad seen
things of this sort before but
none that thrilled me as much
as that one.
It was tall, about 6 feet and
was constructed of a round pole
about 2 inches through of some
dark wood and fixed to a round
base about 18 inches in diameter
and highly polished. The
pole was hung very closely with
small clay pieces ranging in
size from 2" to 6" in the
shape of pots, some tall and
thin, others round like an apple,
and masks, leaves, flowers,
fruits, and other things which
I will call "non-shapes".
These non-shapes were flat
with turned up edges and resembled
nothing I can think of.
Some of the gourd-like fruits
had curved necks and the leaves
were varied, some long like
reeds and some like grape
leaves. Each piece had a small
hole near the top through which
a leather cord was passed
whereby it could be su^ended
by small hooks in the pedestal.
The non-shapes had the hole
through the centres.
All the pieces were glazed witl
a matt finish in wood tones
from the darkest mahogany to
Be A Fussy
Consumer And
Make If Pay
Sometimes it's the little
things that count. And in selecting
and buying food, the alert
com sumer can save money by
preventing spoilage, can save
discomfort by preventing illness
and can build a healthy
and happy family by being astute.
And it's little things that
doit.
A basic rule When buying persihable
food is to keep it below
40 degrees Fahrenheit if it is
fresh, and below zero if its
frozen.
Federal and provincial regulations
are, on the whole, oh
the side of the consumer as far
as inspection and protection
are concerned. But between
producer and your refrigerator
it's mainly up to you to make
sure there's no spoilage.
Select your fresh meat, poultry
and processed foods (such
as sausage or luncheon meats)
from clean, refrigerated cases.
Cleansliness — and this includes
no dust on shelving, no
garbage on the floor, no broken
packages and no leaking display
cases — is an indication of
the way food is being handled
in the store.
Refuse to take products if
the package, plastic wrap or
vacuum seal is broken or pimctiured.
If you are buying frozen meat,
apply thumb pressure and don't
buy it unless the meat is frozen
hard.
At the checkout counter ask
to have all frozen items put
together in a separate double
bag. On arriving home, promptly
put fresh meat and poultry
in the coldest part of the refrigerator
and frozen food in
the freezer.
Loosen or remove wrappings
from fresh meatandpoultrybecause
good air circulation and
some drying of the surface retards
bacterial growth.
Leftovers, an economical and
often tasty effort — should be
cooled quickly and refrigerated
and not let sit around the kitchen.
From the Canadian Consumer.
palest cream including all the
tones touching on red and green
and grey and very dark brown
and wine. They had the appearance
of being carved from wood.
Such a clay construction
would require a lot of work
but it could be done over a
period of time until one had
enough pieces to construct it.
The little pots could be wheelthrown
but I think the fact that
each piece was done free hand
added greatly to its charm. Another
'thing which might be of
interest to the small ceramist
is that the pieces could be fired
in a small kiln.
It should be possible to make
smaller "clay constructions"
perhaps for a conversation
piece for your living room,
perhaps glazed to compliment
a color scheme. A large construction
of the dimensions I
have described would be more
at home on the patio.
NORAAAN H. FOX, O.D.
Births at the Baker Memorial
Hospital:
MILLER — To Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Miller, Quesnel, on
Dec. 14, a daughter.
HARNDEN ~ To Mr. and Mrs.
Ronald Harnden, Strathnaver
on December 15, a son.
McC ANN — To Mr. and Mrs.
Gary McCann, (nee Janice
Scott) Victoria, on Dec. 16,
a son.
SMITH — To Mr. and Mrs.
George Smith, Quesnel, on
Dec. 17 a daughter.
O'DARE — To Mr. and Mrs,
Leo O'Dare, Quesnel, on Dec.
17, a daughter.
Optometrist
992-7123
Tues. thru Sat,
Above
Cunningham
Drugs
PRICE
TOY SALE
50% OFF AIL TOYS
DECEMBER 22 and 23
20% OIF
HOCKEY STICKS, SKATES,
GLOVES and PADS
SLEIGHS &
TOBOGGANS
20% OFF
M A R S H A L L WELLS
"Find the Name" Mrs. Marilynn Aitken.
DOLLS AND CHRISTMAS GO TOGETHER — and this doll Whh
. . U I I U tills UUII Willi
iter golden curls and golden harp seems to symbolize the happiness
of the season. She's one of more than 8,000 dolls in the Samuel F.
Pryor International Doll Library*, Greenwich, Conn.
were there, the days wete accomplished
that sht should be delivered.
Aixd she hrought forth
her first-born son ana Wf^pf^d
him in swaddling clothes^ and laid
htm m a manger^ because there
was no room tor them in the mxu
And there were
in the same country she|>herdj$
abiding in the field, keying watch
over their flock hy night.
And, lo, the angel of the tord
came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore a6raid.
Senior Cifizens
Enjoy Spirifed
Carolling
"Never", said a listener,
"have I heard carols sung with
such enthusiasm and spirit."
The listener was referring
to the singing of some 15 pupils
from Riverview Elementary
school who entertained Senior
Citizens at Fraser Village
Tuesday night.
The youngsters, along with 10
adults who are attending the
music classes of Adult Education
night school and have
formed a Glee Club, sang the
Christmas songs in the common
room of the Village. Mr. B.
Gifford, musical director for
S.D. 28, was conductor for both
choirs. The two groups have
been training under his
direction.
There was also solos from
the Uhrich twins, and from the
Glee Club, the selections
"Carol the BeUs", "O Holy
Night" and other old familiars.
The two singing groups had
planned to tour the town with
their carolling, but at the moment
it is much too cold.
Aluminum Christmas trees
should be floodlit. Never use
lights attached to the tree. The
whole tree could become electrically
alive if a short circuit
develops.
* * *
How much time do you save
by speeding? If you drive
through a town for one mile at
40 instead of the posted speed
of 30, you save atwut 30 seconds.
This ccntcnniiil year, wc colubrafc
C:iii;\dii\ one hundred and firs! ChrisJma'i, and there's small douhl that
the Christmas of today is a far cry from the first Christmas in our country's
first cenfur>. While the ways and means of celebrating may chanue with time and custom,
the essence of Christmas will remain constant as lon\i as we hold its message
of goodwill in our hearts. And so, fr