Wednesday, November 14, 2007 • Page 4

The Essex Free Press is an independent weekly newspaper, locally owned and operated by The Essex Free Press Limited The Essex Free Press is published every Wednesday from 16 Centre Street, Essex, ON N8M 1N9 Tel.: (519) 776-4268 Fax: (519) 776-4014 Email: [email protected] Website: http://essexfreepress.reinvented.net Publisher: Laurie A. Brett The opinions expressed on this page are those of their original authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of The Essex Free Press, its Editor or Publisher. Honouring excellence

have a confession to make. Not only was I a member of the Honours Club at Essex District IHigh School “back in the day”, as my kids jok- ingly (I assume) call my youth, but I was also the recipient of at least two, if not three, Proficiency Awards for attaining the highest academic average for the year. Did I just hear a gasp? Yes, it’s hard free press to believe, but it’s true. I was consis- editorial tently at the head of most of my classes and tried my laurie brett darnedest not to be embarrassed by that fact. It wasn’t easy. Back in the day, they didn’t celebrate academic excellence at EDHS like they do today. In the late 70’s they ushered a handful of brainiacs into the library, was having dinner at a I never missed a friends are gone now. bolted the doors from the inside and quickly dis- local eatery a few Bulldogs game on radio Hearing that that the weeks ago, when word Sunday afternoons, unless tremendously talented Laurie Brett tributed the awards without any fanfare. Perhaps I Publisher & Editor came that Irwin Gross had I could find a ride to the Irwin Gross had died they thought if the rest of the student population Daniel Schwab got wind of the special dispensation taking place died. Another link is now game. The play-by-play brought it all back. No one Staff Reporter during regular classtime, they’d want out of class gone from those great who followed hockey Ron Dunn General Sales Manager too. days in the early sixties back then will forget the when an outstanding patented end to end rushes Cathy Campbell Thankfully those days are behind us. Last Accounts & Circulation brand of senior hockey of Gord Haidy, Jerry Wednesday’s Academic Awards Evening at the Sarah Krauter Ciociaro Club was proof positive that EDHS takes brought droves of fans to Serviss shoring up the Office great pride in academic excellence. Our signature the . blueline, the work of Tom Warwick, Lana Garant Graphic Design colours – red, yellow and black – adorned the ban- Irwin Gross was the Wayne Rutledge and leader. Monty Reynolds in goal, Gary Ramsay, Wilber Brett, quet hall, leaving no doubt that Raider pride exists Judy Brett, Randy Chedour, not only in the sports arena but also in the halls of He scored 102 points in or the slick play-making Pam Sovran Production academia. While top athletes train for hours to 45 regular season games of Lou Bendo. condition their bodies, top students study for hours and added 13 more on the Last weekend during his Subscriptions Canada: $37.10 to grasp fine details and identify important road to the in trip to Essex to promote 1963. Gross played on the opinion his book, Walking with U.S.: $100.00 nuggets of truth. They review and revise their (Prices include GST) Bulldogs top line with Legends, Ralph Mellanby Payable in advance to work and seldom settle for “good enough”. In his The Essex Free Press Limited. opening remarks Principal Terry Lyons was careful Bobby Brown and Tom bill gay reflected on the career of to note that good marks don’t just happen. They Walker. Irwin Gross, and said he Advertising Saskatchewan-born, radio voice of the club was one of the best hock- Advertising is accepted on the require hard work and dedication. Stick-to-it- condition that, in the event of an ivism. “Nothing worth getting ever comes easy,” Gross was summoned east, was John Garton, with ey players he ever saw. He error, the portion of the ad occupied along with goalie Glenn whom I worked for a great noted his size – 6 feet, 170 by the error, will not be charged for, he said. but the balance will be paid at the Hall by Red Wings 15 years. Garton was a pounds – hindered his ele- usual rate. It is the responsibility of Mr. Lyons also recognized the important role of the advertiser to check their ads on parents and teachers – the adults in our kids’ lives General Manager Jack superb left-handed pitcher vation to the first publication, and the publisher Adams to play with the who toiled for both . accepts no responsibility for errors in who encourage academic excellence as a worthy multiple insertions. The Essex Free goal – and the town of Essex as the community , then a Leamington and Essex in Once after the Bulldogs Press reserves the right to reject or Wings farm team. He later the semi pro ranks. The defeated a touring Russian edit any advertisement likely to link. The value of being a “community school” offend community standards and/or played senior hockey for colour man was his life- squad decisively, Red the laws of the land. cannot be taken lightly, he said. “Interconnected Display Advertising Deadline: (with the community), I believe our students have Windsor and a final year long friend Clair Gunn, Wings coach Sid Abel in 1963-64, when Windsor and the two made for remarked, “Do you sup- Friday at 4:30 pm all the opportunities for success,” he added. B Over175 students excelled at EDHS last year. joined the International some extraordinary pose the Russians would Copyright League. Prematurely bald, descriptions of action on believe there’s a team any- All layout composition, artwork, That number is amazing! Congratulations to all of news copy, editorial copy and photo- this year’s recipients. And to my fellow Gross was easily recogniz- the ice. Announcer Craig where better than graphs produced or owned by the able on the ice in those Cole was also in the booth Windsor?” And not likely Essex Free Press are the exclusive Proficiency Award winners – Josh Dunn, Andrew property of the Free Press and are Namespetra and Christopher Goodman – welcome days before mandatory and read the commercials. a better player than Irwin protected by copyright law. These helmets. All three of my radio Gross either! materials may not be reproduced to the club! without the written consent of the publisher.

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