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Speeches last week by an Ontario cabinet minister and the chairman of the Metro School Board gave a clear indication that the future will see a closer link between a commun- ity’s educational system and its rec- reation program. ,1 . A, ____ lyu VIVA: I" -5- v. Speaking before a school design workshop sponsored by the Depart- ment of Education and held in To- ronto, Thomas Wells, Minister With- out Portfolio in the Robarts Govern- ment said the province would prefer to see community recreation pro- grams under the control of boards of education and making full use of costly school facilities. At present recreation and parks are under the control of the municipality. In Rich- mond Hill, for instance, there is a sevemmember recreation committee appointed by town council which in- cludes five citizens and two members of council. Mr. Wells, who was chairman of the workshop, pointed out that in Flint. Michigan the complete com- munity recreation program is under the direction of the board of educa- tion. He said the provincial grant system for education may be changed to force recreation facilities into school design. Mr. Wells thought there was merit in changing the leg- islation to make recreation more closely associated with education. At the present time recreation is under the complete control of a municipal council. “Perhaps this responsibility should be changed to make a school board responsible for establishing a recreation committee and carrying out a recreation program in a comâ€" munity”, Mr. Wells said. In a forceful address Barry Lowes who heads Canada’s largest board of education said the public should assert its right to use school facilities which principals and trustees too often regard as their personal propâ€" erty. Mr. Lowes who is chairman of the Metro School Board said: “I would take issue right at the start with the educational point of view that the schools belong' to the students. The schools are for the use of the community, and the stud- ents are a part of that community, but only one part. “For too long, people have gone to the schools and the school boards with their caps in their hands, so to speak. seeking the use of school facilities. For too long, principals and trustees have said ‘It’s my school.’ “It’s not their school, it belongs to the community, to the peOple who built it and paid for it.” Mr. Lowes said he thought schools should play a far wide1 1ole in the affairs of the community, becoming ”community education centres" cat- ering equally to the recreational and learning needs of young and old. To this end, they should design th eir auditoriums â€" the greatest “white elephants” in the schoolsâ€"â€" to suit community needs; build street entrances to their libraries so the public can use them at will; and de- velop day-care nurseries so mothers can enjoy educational and recrea- tional facilities without worrying about their small children. IlniIe Parks And Recreation In addition. the Metro chairman said, schools should remain open for much longer hours and for 12 months a year to benefit the community and give students something to do after classes. After considering the matter for some time Richmond Hill Town Council has decided it will amalga- mate the parks board and recreation committee effective Jan. 1, 1970. At present both counciLappointed bodies have a membership of seven. This includes five citizens and two council representatives. In deciding in favor of amalgamation, council is not only following the recommendations of a three member committee (William Ruttle. Parks Chairman Shaun Beggs and Recreation Chairman Angus Philip) which was appointed 1W Mayor Thomas Broadhurst to study the matter but. also the trend in other Ontario communities. Subscription Rate $4.50 per 3 Although some members of council and the parks board had doubts re- garding the feasibility of amalgam- ating the two bodies, a new joint board of directors will come into being in 1970 instead of 1969 as first suggested. Under the present arrangement with two separate bodies there often has been an overlapping of duties and a lack of communication. Certainly if they were to be kept separate then there should be a clearer division of responsibilities between them. Rec- reation and parks are natural allies Hecrealion Under Schools? THE LIBERAL, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Thursday, Dec. 5, 1968 “Authorized v 7 An Independent Weekly: Established 1378 4 \â€"/ CULA‘ tion Rate $4.50 per year; t6 United States $6.00; 10c single copy Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Published by Richmond Hill Liberal Publishing Co. Ltd. W. S. COOK, Publisher as second class mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa” 0W liberal The problem, he said, was not just keeping primary students busy. but providing some alternatives to the 14 and 15-yearâ€"olds “who get into glue- sniffing or what you please" because they have nothing to do after 3:30 pm. Finally, Mr. Lowes urged the. schools to become the focal point of a community’s health and counselling services. “Most people can’t afford the services of a psychologist, but they need someone to counsel them. The ideal place is the school.” ' This suggestion to combine educa- tion and recreation has already met its first opposition. The Ontario As- sociation of Mayors and Reeves in a meeting with Education Minister William Davis complained bitterly of any move that would further weaken the structure of municipal govern- ment by turning all recreation facil- ities over to the school boards. How- ever, in reply, Mr. Davis said his de- partment was interested in integratâ€" ing recreation programs with the school operations. Mr. Wells said the government favors more money being spent on school gymnasiums and auditoriums so the buildings could be used more in off-hours by community groups. An expanded recreation program which would include the hiring of trained personnel and Saturday and holiday programs for children would mean the councils would lose control over another major municipal ex- penditure. The huge investment most com- munities have in elementary and secondary School facilities simply means these buildings should be put to maximum use by the local resi- dents. Recreation programs should be planned to provide recreation not only for the young but also for those who aren’t so young anymore. It must be said that school boards in this area have been very co-operaâ€" tive in making their facilities avail- able to various community organiza- tions. One of the greatest problems facâ€" ing municipal councils in rapidly growing areas is to be able to raise sufficient funds to finance the edu- cational system and at the same time provide among other municipal serv- ices a proper recreation program to meet the needs of that particular community. With some 60 cents of every local tax dollar collected going towards the support of our educa- tional system, it is obvious the mun- icipalities have very little left to channel into recreation. For this reason alone school buildings and play areas should be the focal point of any recreation program. It'is to be hoped that this availa- bility of school properties will con- tinue in the same way when the new county board of education takes office next January. Mr. Wells predicted that in the future, education and recreation will be so closely entwined it will be im- possible to distinguish between them. However, on the local scene, with the introduction of county school boards in the rural and suburban areas in January, the trustees will be kept busy for the next two years just meeting the demands of their new responsibilities. Certainly t h e y should not be called upon to assume the additional burden of providing a recreation program for some time. and it would therefore seem logical to assume that they would operate well together. One of the fears expressed by the parks board was that a joint board might become parks or recreation oriented to the detriment of the other. The new joint board which will be appointed by council will have to realize and appreciate its dual responsibility and attempt to co-ordinate both depart- ments. If both boards meet together during 1969 as has been suggested then there should be a smoother transition in 1970. Any suburban community such as Richmond Hill needs an advanced program in both parks and recrea- tion. However, faced with the high cost of education the town has often been short of funds for many worth- while municipal services including parks and recreation. Increased local emphasis on both will likely develop in the years ahead. The new board will face a challenge in providing additional facilities to meet the de- mands of increased leisure time. At present parks and recreation receive their annual budgets from the town treasury and therefore the future will to a large extent depend on just how much tax money is available. THE HIGH SCHOOL BOARD AND ISOC Regarding the Richmond Hill nomination meeting on Novem- ber 18, had I known before the meeting that candidates would only be allowed to speak for five minutes, I could have condensed my speech to my opinion (the high school board do not want parents to voice their opinions â€" confirmed by Robert Ross at the November 25 candidates meeting) instead of sticking to facts and letting people judge for themselves. Dear Mr. Editor The York Central District High School Board approving the letter and questionnaire in- formed me on November 13 (after the previous day thereby l â€" uuu lcua "cal llUllI Jvu. d‘ “mmmuuum\ummuumuumumummmum“uuuuumuumunnuuumuulnuuu“m\m“umm1mmunuuu11ulltumult“uuuuuuumum1mm“mul1luum\m\lIlumummumuummnmlunuuuumm Illlll“lululllllllll“\lll“lllllllll“ll“lull““llllllllll‘““111“ 'F Browndale Aims To Free Disturbed Child By DYLAN CROSS Just south of Oak Ridges. opposite Bond Lake, is' a large house perched on a hill in a pine wood. Outside the entrance is a sign with the name “Browndale” painted on it. It is from here that 34 Browndale homes for emo- tionally disturbed children in Ontario are administered. This is the headquarters of the Browndale organization, which is the successor in the province to the better-known Brown Camps. Browndale was formed July 1 this year to supersede Brown Camps. It is virtually the same operation except that Browndaie is a non- profit organization, whereas Brown Camps was a private company. Brown Camps was estab- lished by John Brown, NDP MLA for Beaches-Woodbine. in 1966 following the absorp- tion by the Ontario Govern- ment of the Warrendale In- stitute for emotionally dis- turbed children in Etoblcoke and Newmarket. of which Mr. Brown had been execu- tive-director for 13 years. It operated a number of homes for disturbed chilâ€" dren /using an unorthodox treatment method pioneered at Warrendale by Mr. Brown and Dr. Martin Fischer. 3 Toronto child psychiatfist. Mainly because of the high fees charged by Brown Camps and the fact that most of the children in its homes were wards of the Children's Aid Society. the WE GET LETTERS â€" and we want more. If you have a comment on a current event, an anecdote to relate. grouse to get off your} chesf, drag us_ a line. All-ieitersvxhfietwbear the wr-iter’s name and address. although a pen-name will be used in the paper if re- quested and at the editor‘s discretion. The editor reserves the right to cut or publish portions of letters if necessary. We our": return your letters. Sharpen your pencils â€" and let’s hear from you. There is a real thrill in of the pottery class which meet: Andre Bouter, (centre) demons and Mrs. Betty Harris. Pottery is only one of the many creative arts offered by Richmond Hill YWC-A 1n its programs for every member of the family. Underway at present is a campaign for funds which will ensure that present programs of this active group will be continued and others added as the need or demand arises. Be generous in your donation to help the “Y” continue to serve your community. A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever a real thrill in creating an object of beauty with one's own hands, members lass which meets every Tuesday evening at the YWCA have discovered. Instructor (centre) demonstrates the technique for creating bowls to Mrs. Aileen Blake (left) costing us an extra $30 for paper) that they felt ISOC had no right to ask for people's “hopes and fears for the fut- ure” and they therefore would not guarantee that ISOC would receive the completed question- naires. If needed ISOC did overstep their jurisdiction, they did so very publicly and we cannot therefore understand why “the- powers-thatâ€"be" did not point this out as early as June of this year when the first briefs were handed in. Only when a par- ents‘ brief was bemg organized handed in. Only when a par- ents‘ brief was bemg organized was the ISOC jurisdiction ques- tioned. organization was the subject of sporadic criticism. It's perhaps because of this unfavorable publicity that Brown Camps was convened into Browndale, a non-profit organization, by John Brown and his associate Stephen Lewis NDP, MLA for Scar- boro West. At an open-house held November 21 to publicize the new set- up, Brawndale offi- cials would, however. not say whether this was the reason for the change. There has been no change in the organization in Sas- katchewan and British Col- umbia. where Brown Camps also functions, and remains a private comoanl'. BROWNDALE Browndale caters for 222 children. and young people in age from 5 to 22. in vari- ous homes in Scarboro. New- market. Cooksville. Windsor. in a lodge at Muskoka and on five small farms in the Hali- burton area. These homes are not large institutions but family-type residences where the chil- dren live in small mixed- sex, mixed-age groups of five or six under supervision 0f two staff members. who really play the role of "fos- ter" parents. The object. one gathers. is to establish as normal a family situation as possible. “The child is treated as a child." says Mrs. Deborah Brown. director of Browndale and wife of John Brown. By this she means that a child is treated normallr‘ not made to feel different not MRS EILEEN DINNING, 328 Kerrybrook Drive, Richmond Hill. arts offered by Richmond Hill YWCA in its I Was A Commuter For Three Weeks I had never occupied an apartment alone before. I had never passed a night without a single human being around some place. That very first night my senses were honed to the limit. ‘ They say a new experience is good for you and whoever they are I believe them. When my son asked me to keep an eye on his city apartment while he went to Scotland to marry his girl, I jumped at the chance. n.“ ,_ , , Never had my hearing been keener. I heard every sound magnified a dozen times. I wondered at strange shadows and the curtain weaving gently at the open window was enough for me to take action. I closed the window. naturally. I lay awake in the daik listening to the persist- ent dioning of planes overhead. I can’t remember when I fell asleep. Rambling Arquqd1 made to feel a "special" child with “special” prob- lems. The vast majority of chil- dren at Browndale come from the Children‘s Aid Society and are "mostly kids who have failed in foster homes or institutions.“ and theréfore mostly children with severe emotional prob- lems. What is an emotionally dis- turbed child? To judge from a film shot at Warrendale by Allan King. and shown at the open-house. it is a child in whom emotions are very strong and very easily inspired. but who is other- wise normal. The conclusion one draws is that these emotions are related to deep fears and inhibitions. which build up hostilities, suspicions and obsessions that obstruct the child's relations with others. All children are subject in fears and inhibitions. but in emotionally disturbed chil- dren they are more acute and deep-seated. In the words of King‘s film: “the problems faced by the emo- tionally disturbed child are only exaggerations of those faced by children every- where." The aim at Browndale is to purge the child of its fears anl inhibitions by means of “residential treat- ment." In conversation with Browndale personnel one gathers that home attempts to provide a child with two essential things â€" security with and love â€" both of which it has lacked previously. Security is established through the provision of' basic needs â€" food, shelter, clothing â€" and through a daily routine. The love is provided by the “foster" par- ents and nurtured through deep involvement in the life of each child, and through close nhysical contact. PHYSICAL CONTACT The therapy used at Browndale is based very much unon John Brown’s theory of constant physical contact between the children and those caring for them. This theory has its most dramatic implementation in “holding sessions“. when Children in a fit of emotion are firmly held by a staff member and encouraged to give vent freely to fears and angers. The idea behind the phy<i- cal contact theory was ex- pounded by John Brown to Life magazine recently. and explained by the author. Richard Schickel. as follows: “As infants we all experi- ence the world through touch and taste at first. The other senses take in more information than we can process. We gain our "basic humanizing experiences". the sense of being loved and wanted, through touch . . . Undoubtedly some chil- dren at Warrendale need to be held precisely because no one ever did. Still others. whatever happened to them in infancy. have come to so (Photo by Stuart’s Studio) Continued on Page 16) by Elizabeth Kelson Young Canada Book Week, an annual celebration throughout the country, was celebrated by the Richmond Hill Public Lib- ra1y with an emphasis on intro- ‘ductory visits to the library by class visits from many local schools. Children were invited to toui the “brew and with the iassistance of staff. members in 1various departments we1e given a ‘behind the scenes" insight into the many processes neces- sary in order to get a book on the library shelf. from selection to cataloguing and processing. Students learned about the many services available for their use in the library. includ- ing the use of the Xerox ma. chine for reproducing reference material, and the availability of a teleprinter communication system enabling the local lib- rary to borrow books from other libraries on an inter-lib- lrary loan, By MAUREEN STEPHENSON Proof of the speed of this service was shown in a demon- stration as messages were transmitted to connecting lib- raries in Brampton and Oshawa. and instantaneous replies were received sending greetings to the children of Richmond Hill and conveying best wishes for a happy visit to the library. An enthusiasm shown by stu- dents for this type of program was pointed out very clearly in a letter of thanks received from the students of Grade 6 of St. Mary Immaculate Separate School who included in their letter a little poem. “Roses are red Violets are pure Thank you for The Library tour". Children from five kindergar- ten classes in Beverley Acres Public School had their own very special day of puppet shows and story hours, and a very informal “on the floor chat" with the librarian about the books in their library, and the very important section that belongs “just to them". For several weeks past the library auditorium has echoed to the sound of hammer and saw, interspersed with horrific screams and bellowing sound of “Fee-fI-fo-fum", as junior staff members under the direc- tion of David Phillips, made preparations for the puppet show that was to climax book week celebrations. Jane Doris, Lynne Freeman and Peta- King busied themselv- es making stage settings and costumes, and dressing and painting puppets. Pu'fipeteers Alistair Riswick, Patty Peters, and Pat Collins, Brenda Havi- land and David Phillips were busy rehearsing their roles in “Jack and the Beanstalk". and “Santa Claus comes to Rich- mond Hill". At long last the great day ar- rived, the library staff waited with excitement and anticipa- tion for the first children to ar- rive. Would we have a “full house”? The art of puppetry was perhaps quite unknOwn to many of the children â€" how would they react to the simple presentation of a fairy tale in this age of sophisticated televis- E YANGTZE PAGopA ITAYOERN E 2! Richmond Hill WW.--------l-_â€"_ ._ r g Yangtze Pagoda 4 TIPPET ROAD QUICKLY! SAFELY! BUSINESSMEN’S LUNCHEONS Acress the street, or across townâ€"- and economical. anu ecumunuuaii You are moved in, tooâ€"TiRXs trained men lay rugs, set up beds, and place furniture for youâ€"getting you settled wiih a minimum of inconvenience and maximum efficiency. Phone today and learn how T.R. efficiency can save you money. -“.«_o.n.o.o.n-u.u.o.o.o.n Young Canada Book Week Richmond Hill Public Library Ranging from 90c to $2.25 Choice of Chinese or Canadian food ENTERTAINMENT WED. TO SAT. CATERING TO ALL KINDS OF BANQUETS & PARTIES b. .‘ -DDV-h.‘ ”The Friendly Movers TIPPET-RICHARDSON LTD. MOVING DINING LOUNGE 0 STORAGE 0 PACKING 0 SHIPPING Reservations phone 884-4278 \ " 0A ( l ed children‘s programs? Our young staff members were not disappointed. Almost' 200 children sang along with the clowns, chuckled at the an- tics of Santa Claus and his friends. and sat in awe as Jack battled with the giant. and as the beanstalk toppled slowly to the ground. An exciting finale to a busy week. bringing obvious enjoy- ment to so many children in Richmond Hill. this in itself a fine reward for the young mem- bers of the local library staff. Illillilillil“lililiilliiilliiii\iill\lliilillllillililliiliililliiii“lilliiiiliil\ill Postage Increase In somewhat typical manner. the Post Office Department at Ottawa has issued a commemorâ€" ative stamp bearing the portrait of Henry Bourassa. founder of Le Devoir; and in the same breath, has announced its in- tention to adjust mailing rates of second class matter. Most newspapers are. regisâ€" tered as second class mail, and it must be admitted in all fair- ness that the post office rev- enue for handling such mail is not excessive. In fact. the dis- tribution of newspapers has added to the annual deficit of the department. However. what must not be overlooked is the fact that newspapers are a means of mass communication. and are. requisite and necessary for the general good of the country. This was recognized long ago by governments. and there is no reason to suggest that the pic- ture has changed. despite the inroads of television. The CBC for instance. costs each and ev- ery Canadian about seven dol- lars a year. and it, matters not a whit whether one has a tel- evision set or not. nor does it matter whether one lives near the American border or never turns his set to a Canadian pro- gram. A recent survey in Lambton County indicates that only 30% of the homes subscribe to a daily newspaper but more than 70% do have one of the coun- ty's weeklies. The weekly newspaper is recognized as the ideal communication medium for rural communities whose people are closely knit into the fibre of community activity. It would be regrettable. in fact nonsensical. to price flu weeklies out of Canadian home! by raising the postal rates a the point where a subscribe! would debate renewing his subâ€" scription. Some revision may be necessary; some tightening of the general mailing rules may be desirable from the post office viewpoint, but let the rate revision be reasonable. A postal deficit on newspapers and magazines can be classed as “In“ “0.0..-." a subsidy if so desired. but the principle is the same as sub- sidies on hogs, grain and other commodities . . . they are nec- essities. and so are the weekly and daily papers of our country. muuummmumuummmmmtummy“lmnmummnumumn (North Kent Lender) T.R. moves are swift, safe, Agents: Allied Van Lines 638-3530 0-87 A