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Wednesday, September 2, 1970

SAANICH PENINSULA AND GULY

‘dttMaleh MR. PEARLS

DS REVIEW

[SLAN

The Jack Scott Column

About once every couple of
weeks I set aside a day--this
being it--for the processing and
return shipment of poetry.

You just wouldn’t believe how
many poets we have. in these
parts or how many, seeking an
audience or a judgment,
nominate. your . correspondent.

This puts a heavy respon-
sibility on a man.

Good or bad, poets almost
alwayS express some private
thought and, being trusted with
this, you just can’t toss it lighly
aside as you might less personal
correspondence.

You can’t, anyway, because
poets never give up.

A good many of the stanzas that
arrive’on my desk have been
submitted first to the editorial
page people; © politely and
properly» rejected. and im-
mediately sent to this depart-
ment as an appeal from the
original verdict.

I have, as a result, evolved a
form of reply carefully designed
to avoid any opinion on the merits
of the verse because I have found

that amateur poets ‘are very

easily wounded and I’d no more
criticize. their rhymes than I
would criticize their baby pic-
tures.

~ The subject..was brought. up
recently in the column of Sidney
Harris, the widely syndicated
Chicagoan. whose low-key,
philosophical writing I generally

enjoy, but who turned ugly in

dealing with the bards.
‘Practically anybody who
can arrange alphabet blocks to
spell c-a-t thinks: he is an. em-
bryonic poet,”’ Mr. Harris wrote.
“T have learned through bitter
experience never to.suggest that
their literary efforts stink, which

EVERY FRI. AND
“SAT. EVENING:

in the:

Museum Unit of B.C

Ruan ST. §
SIDNEY B.C.
656-9004,

they do. Only God can make a
tree, but any fool thinks he can
write a passable poem.

“The - dunderheads) who
bombard editorial offices with ©
their hideous hexameters forget--
-if they ever knew--that poetry is
a craft before it is an art and that
a skilled poet requires as much
training and preparation as a
journeyman plumber or car-
penter. .

‘You can no more write. by
sheer inspiration than you can fix
a leaky faucet by inspiration.”

End of Mr. Harris.

Well, now, there may be a bit of
truth in this unkind blast, but it
also seems to me a. waste of
energy to get mad at poets. It is
like complaining about. people
whistling on the street or
yodelling in the bath-tub.

Amateur poetry, it seems to
-‘me,-is something special. It does
not. seriously pretend to be
craftmanship. The writer does
not submit it in the hope of

BCAA Questions
Car Pollution
Enforcement

~ British Columbia «Automobile
Association: president Rowley.
Hastings said today he heartily
approvesof -the® provincial
government’s. move. to require

anti-pollution devices on all new”

cars.

“It’s the only way people will
control |: pollution. * from
-automobiles,’’ he said... ‘‘The
-manufacturers have to be forced
‘to attach these devices to all their.
new vehicles.” -

In this. way, Hastings” said,
‘older, problem:«cars’ will be
gradually eliminated. 9-9 t-

“I don’t think there is any way
.the car manufacturers are going
to clean’ up their motors unless:
the government says they can’t
sell them without effective: anti-
pollution. devices,” he said.

. “This is: starting. at: the right
place.’ We've: “already. gone: ‘on

‘pollution. He can only use what is

his" motor
: “ficiently.”

“the. provincial government* will

‘are put. into effect. He warned
~ that no undue: hardship should be

af placed on the motorist.

national total.

express. some personal con-

-record at BCAA that pollution has ©
0 be. stopped _ at the. manutac-. OS

payment or fame, but. simply
because he hasn’t anything better
to. do with it.

It must be remembered that
anyone who has been embraced
by the Muse has no way of
knowing he has. given birth to a
monster. It looks exquisite to
him, blinded as he is by the bitter-
sweet -joy of creation and so he
sends it off to the editor--or to me-
-and that is the end of it for him.

All he asks is that it be read and
that he may get back an en-
couraging word--for which he
never, never encloses a_ self-
addressed envelope--and who can
be mad at that?

What Mr. Harris has com-
pletely overlooked is the fact that
while the poetry may. be terrible,
and usually is, the motivation for
it is a shining, wonderful thing
and should be rewarded.

These. ‘‘dunderheads”’ and
their vile verse are struggling to

ception of beauty, trying to pin
down a transient emotion or some
imagined glimpse of the deeper
meaning of life.

Often they are groping pain-
fully to. put down words
something. mysterious and
lovely, striving to. pass on. the
feeling of being suddenly aware
of truth. :

They: flop. horribly, of course,
As Mr. Harris. says, inspiration
isn’t enough. ‘Earnestness ‘isn’t
enough. The more you work with
words the more you're aware of
their limitations and their. ob-
-stinacy...

But it’s the trying that counts.
For so long as.a large number of
people are moved by. that lofty
‘desire to express themselves, and
‘soto understand a little better the
“joy and sorrow of life, then all is
not lost.

A CHILD LEARNS TO SWIM

Young Swimmers

Take Exam

| | Of Red Cross

The children listed below took
Red Cross examinations at the
conclusion of swimming lessons
held during the holidays at the

@TSS

Craigmyle. Motel pool in Sidney.
A total of 120 children took part
in the several classifications
arranged by Sidney Recreation
Commission, and.the instruction
and supervision was headed by
Mrs, Eleanor Sowerby, Mrs. Lyn

Sept. 2nd. To

Prices

Effective

‘Sept. Sth.

In Your Friendly Sidney Safeway Store
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES

Gardner and Sid Young:

Pre-Beginners: Ken Gill,
Shannon Hill, Enid Ferner, Linda

a Siemens, Mary Stiles, Seanna

os Green, Holly Jacob, Lisa Bosko,

Tracey Ringland, © Murray

This is the last of ten lessons in which your child has Sutherland, Chris Knudsen,

learned to swim.

You've brought him from the simple exercise of vet
ting used to water splashed on-his face to the point he
only has.to learn to co-ordinate his arms; legs and bre: ath:
ing to be anaccomplished swimmer.

In waist-deep water show him how to push off to-
wards the shore or poolside, arms stretched in front,
head down. Now kick your legs. then start to move your
arms. You'll have to come up for breath alter a few sec-
onds but keep repeating it with the child: beside you:

doing the same thing.

Show him how to turn his head to the side enough
that his mouth will be out of water so he can take a quick
breath. Have him turn his head to. the right as the right
arm is under water and the right shoulder. back from his

head.

Mastering this co-ordination is going to take time
and not a little frustration. However,
the motions and it’s just a question of putting them all
together in asmooth operation.

He’s aswimmer! In ten short lessons your child has
progressed from imitating Freddie Frog and is now. at.
home in the water, enjoying every second with a.sense of

accomplishment.

You're tired, but sure you have. an Olympic cham-

pion in the family.

LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT: Impress on your |
youngster that the strongest swimmers always have some-
-one swimming with them. It's called the “buddy system.”’

Would you like to have reprints of all ten lessons? Send
gu 00:and' a. large. self-addressed envelope to A. CHILD:
LEARNS TO SWIM, clo this newspaper, Room. 1310, 80 King
Street West, Toronto, Ontario.

Margaret Stodart, Greg Siver,
Scott. Jacob, Stasia Gallagher,
Kendall Hart, Russel Tripp: Alan
Mabley, ~ Robbie. Bell,” Ken
Scudamore, Nigel Lawson, Susan
Silberberg, Linda Boutin, Jim
Turner, Jan Mackinnon, Robert
McCallum, Chery! Simon, Greg
Valliers. Terry Tobin.

Beginners: » Bruce —- Larsen,

Rodney. Tonellier, Perry
Wallace... Sharon . Coward,
Stephen -Carter, Vickey Hay,

Idena. Ralph, Michelle Rosko,
Denise McCarthy, Kathy Young,
Leah McCaw, Robin. Braun,
Magdalena Soos, Dolina: Starr,
Anne Snow, Chris. Bell, Stephen
Coupsie, Debbie Ife, David Snow,
Holly Jacob, Susan Housachenko,»
Ian Currie, Gerald Kidson.

Junior: Dean. Hunter, Kathy
Salt, Barbara.Granfield, Karen..
McCaw, Sonja McGoldrick.

he now: knows all

Survival Swimming: Kathy
Salt, Eileen Currie, Tisa Currie,
Karen. McCaw.

“Many other children who did

not take the examination
progressed very well, said Mrs..
Gardner.

turing level of both. motors. and.
*fuels '- the individual motorist is.
‘limited ‘in: his ability. to control.

-available to him and make sure
is. functioning ef-

Hastings was curious as to how

enforce: the standards when they:

fey Ke)
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nyoute smiling —
rloabatts..

The beer
that —
smiles
with you.

acing CARA
_ ate POR MICO, oe

. (Eabartas

horn
LR AT FON BERT

f= The 4,504 miles of main line | fl
railway in British Columbia -
represent over 10 per cent of the

“Hightight of the year for. ex-members of the * WRCNS on Vancouver
Island, their annual birthday banquet and social get-together will be
held at CFB Esquimalt: (Naden).on September. 9. “ &

. The function, commemorating the formation. of. the Service in 1192
has been held.in Victoria every year since the war... : .
: Reservations should be telephoned to Mrs. Isobel Plume (382- 0392) re

Audrey Beales, 166i Earle Street. : 3
Details will be announced at the banquet of: a 1 grand re-union’ n tobe. :
‘held at UVIC at the end of. August next year. for ex x-WRCNS -
throughout Canada. oes :

- CANADA-WIDE REUNION HERE FOR EX-WRCNS NEXT YEAR

Mrs. Bergit McNab. (384-9028) or - Mrs. Muriel Beere (382- »-9170) by
August 29 and the price of the tickets ($4) forwarded to Treasurer Mrse

- PROGRESSIVE

EDUCATION
‘SINCE

he i
sites

A
1080

Mog m,
a Ne

fi
ma

‘and eatin
- begins: in the
Elementary School

[| 30 ACRES OF PLAYGROUNDS AND: MEADOW UND |
|e DAY CARE AVAILABLE FOR KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY PUPILS |
oo : * HOT WNCHES AVAILABLE DALY |
| a. Ste Margaret's School -

Thhs advertisement jg vot published of displayed hy tn tna Einquot Ganttol ;
Board or by the Government af British Columbia. |

\

Medium B.C.

Farm Fresh:

Breakfast Gems

Grade ............

Make a Hot Breakfast
For Cooler Mornings
5 Lb. Bag... 2.2.2. e eee eee @

Another Tremendous “S
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For Snacks. |

Or Hamburger. Sliced
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7 m Me mill at if i"

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~ WUCAS: If.

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