PAGE 8, THE TOWNSMAN, Friday, November 25, 1977 CP news features ACCOUNTS SAVINGS GROW TORONTO (CP) — The Canadian Bankers’ Association says there are more than 23 million personal savings ac- counts holding $43.2 billion in Canadian chartered banks. Last year there were 22 million accounts holding $36.4 billion. ABILITY RECOGNIZED STRATFORD, Ont. (CP) — Bryan Grimes, a publicity worker at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, is the first winner of the Artistic Director’s Award established this year. The r — ; award, with its cash grant of $700, recognizes exceptional enthusiasm and ability in someone who has had little or no previous background in theatre. MEMBERS REMEMBERED KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. (CP}.— In the future, deceased mem- bers of the Kirkland District Horticultural Society will be re- membered by the planting of a nursery- grown flowering tree, to be planted at public sites designated by the town, with suitably inscribed plaques. Kirkland Lake city council recently approved the idea. BUSES POURED IN HALIFAX (CP) — A record number of bus “Irs came to Nova in the spotlight She Serry Widow Public television wiil present a new English-language roduction of Franz Lehar's zesty operetta ‘THE MERAY IDOW' starring Baverly Silis Monday, Nov. 28 on PBS, taped as it was presented earlier this fall at the San Diego Civic Theater. Appearing with Miss Sills in this all-new San Diego Opera Company production will be Alan Titus, Nolan Van Way, Glanys Fowles, Ryan Allen and David Rae Smith. Miss Sills said the production, which was conceived and directed by Tito Capobianco, is '‘the most beautiful ‘Merry Widow’ production I've ever seen and will appeal to almost every taste." A large part of that appeal, Miss Siils explained, will be the new English-language tyrics in the operetta. Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick, who wrote the lyrics for ‘Fiddler an the Roof,’ ‘Fiorello!’ and other musicals, turned a new translation of ‘The Merry Widow' into the frothy and frequently funny operetta that was taped forthe special. “The operetta is delightful,” executive producer David Prowitt said. ‘The sets are grand, the costumes delicious and the new English lyrics are genuinely funny.” Based on a French comedy by Henry Meilhac entitled 'L’Atlache,’ ‘The Merry Widow’ is a classic love story and became the pattern for tater operettas: in Act! he is ardent bul she says no, in Act Ii the lovers' positions are reversed and in Act lll, when they are bolh willing, the Operettaends. . Miss Sills, the first lady of American opera, made her firat appearance in ‘The Merry Widow’ when she was only 17 years old, while touring with an operetta company under the aegis of Groadway producer J.J. Shubert, She first appeared with the San Diego Opera Company In 1970 and hes been featured with the company three times since then. \ Check your locat PS station ‘or broadcast day and time. y Scotia between June and September this year. Tourism Minister M.E. DeLory said a total of 1,022 bus tours brought Canadian and groups to the province— 102more than at the same time last year. The growth resulted from increased advertising, he said. CONVENTION PLANNED * VANCOUVER (CP) — The British Columbia Science Fiction Association has an- nounced its sixth Van- couver convention will be held May 26-28 at Uni- versity of B.C. The guest of onor will be Canadian-born science- fiction writer A.B. Van Vogt. BOOK SELLING WELL VANCOUVER (CP) — Mayor Jack Volrich has announced that proceeds from the sales of Van-. couver’s First Century, the new picture book on the city’s past, will be used to establish a special ublications fund for ks relating to Van- couver. Aldermen were recently told the book will earn the city royalties of $10,000 by Christmas. NEW CHIEF ELEC- D Nelson River about 90 miles northeast of Thompson. Chief-elect Mike Garson will take over from retiring Chief Ken Wastasecoot, 32, Dec. 26. talking about TV PRIME TIME SCHOOL TELEVISION As each holiday season approaches, the television set overflows with specials about Santa, reindeer, Scrooge and Tiny Tim. All are designed to remind us of the Christmas spirit. This year is no exception because we will be treated lo a very special Christmas story calted THE GATHERING, Sunday, Dec. 4on ABC-TV. THE GATHERING is the emotion-packed drama of a man who learns that this Christmas wilt be his last. Adam Thornton, estranged from his wife and children, lives the Nife of a rugged individualist unti] h@ learns that he is incurably iil. Realizing his death is imminent and time Is running out, he seeks urgently to mend his ways, particularly with his sorely-divided family. The family reunion al Christmastime, with only Adam knowing of his imminent death, is indeed a tense gathering. The bitter teflovers from years of no communication are not easily erased in the minds of his children. And so the struggle is theirs. Each must rationalize his own reasons for needing and wanting to remain part of a very closely-knit group, the family. Al must forgive each other's failings and recognize that the intimate bond that holds them tagether is greater than time or space or distance. The positive lesson ol life, learned through death, and the ability of men and women to graw and change within the timeless order of the family as portrayed in THE GATHERING are not simply lessons for this holiday season. They are lessons to be talked about, thought about and lived in allseasons. Prime Time School Television (PTST), a national non-profit organization that provides educational material to hep young pecple get the most out of programs like THE GATHERING, has a thought provoking guide for you | and your childdren on this very serisitive. program. It explores the questions raised by young people when faced with the death of theirloved ones and contrasts the artificial Images of life and daaih so often portrayed in “cops-and-rebbers” TV shows. The PTST guide suggests ways to consider the quality, not the length of tife. It reminds students that the problems which confront the Thornton family affect all of.us at onetime or another. To make sure that you-and your family get the most: out of this special Christmas story, send for the PTST June Rosner, PTST, 120 5. LaSalle St., Chicago, {{I. 60603... une! guide on THE GATHERING. Il’s free..Just write to MONDAY os sand (NBC) MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: 9:00 PM - E.S.T., P.S.T. -8:00 PMC.S.T., M.S.T. “The Hunted Lady" Donna Mills, aspiring Presidential candidate was under Investigation. CHRISTMAS SPECIAL » Christmas Is in the air and Jackie Gteason and the Honeymconees will "< gelebrate that holiday with a version - of ‘A Christmas Carol’ ihat Dickens would never have dreamed of in nis wildest nighimare in ‘The Honeymooners Christmas Special,’ airing Monday, Nov. 280n ABC-TV. Jackia Gleason (left) and Audrey Meadows as Aatph and Alice Kramden and Art Carney (right) and Jane Kean as Ed and Trixia Norton hava been fighting life's little frustrations ever since their days as elevision's favo ite iriends on ihe old ‘Honeymooners.’ . Ralph's bogs believes that Aalph is ' the perfact man to direct the company's Christmas play. Ralph wants the assignment because the j fast diractor was promoted to Vica Prasident. Ralph, of course, has never in his ile directed a play, but that doesn’t stop him as he casis Norton (Camey) in the roles of Tiny m Tim and Scrooge in 'A Christmas e Carol’ and selis commercial plugs ty ia, help pay the production expenses. Robert Reed. An undercover policewoman must flee for her life when she is framed for a murder by mobsters whose illegal hold over an- t ,Georgea * Catherine McKinnon, @ SEATTLE TONIGHT @ UTTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE "The Wolves" BOBBY VINTON SHOW Guasts: Mary McGregor, Irwin Corey. 9] MACNEIL LEHRER REPORT 7: HOLLYWOOD SQUARES HEADLINE HUNTERS Guest: Abby Hoffman. @ THE AMERICAN HOUSE 8:00 LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE @ BETTY WHITE SHOW THE WALTONS As a loner constantly jost in his own dreams, Jim-Bob has never identified with people his own age, until he befriends a runaway orphan. (60 min.) GQ NOVA 8:8 (3) FRONT CHALLENGE 9:00 NBG MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE _ SUPERGPECIAL ‘The Irish Rovers on Prince Edward Island". {t's a wonderful hougeful of music as the Irish PAGE Rovers host a folk gathering © at Will Millar's house at Mon-- tague, P.E.l. Guests include Hamilton {V, John Allan Cameron, The Calamity Brothers. ’ @ GRAND OLD COUNTRY Guests: Sammi Smith, Wilf Carter, Free Spirit. @ THE MERRY WIDOW 0 @) SOAP Jeasica shows her moxle when she takes a firm stand against Chester, and Corinne confrants Peter about his behavior. * 10:00 @ NEWSMAGAZINE @ SWITCH “Dancer” Pete takes on the role of a studio security officer while Mac tolls before the camera to find astar's would-be murderer. 1 0:30 @ MAN ALIVE "The Million Dollar Men" 11:00 NEWS THE NATIONAL EWS @ THE TONIGHT SHOW GNO, HONESTLY @ 00 MINUTES Host: Peter Gzowski. Tad and Alice” 1999 Natalte Wood, Robert CP @ TOMORROW 2:0 MOVIE MOVIE "This Gould Be The Night” 1957 Jean Simmons, Anthony Franc ea. NEWS a ; 4:10 €) IRONSIDE NETWORKS AND STATIONS .RESERVE “THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES Wet saw Ua tee ceo et