Sitting Pretty at the Clarke Museum
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Volume fi5, Number 33 GST Included Wednesday, Orono Town Hall August 22, 2001 lllllllllHi 1 1 i IIi Bill Sitting Pretty at the Clarke Museum The story of the humble pipes to fill a small reservoir toilet, from chamber pots and for a latrine that dumped privies to sparkling porcelain waste into a stone drain, stools, is the newly featured It was not until the nine- exhibit at the Clarke Museum. teenth century that people in “Not' only is this an inter- Western Europe and North esting story, but one that has America had the techno logi- not been told,” said Sandy cal know-how to mass pro- Graham, curator for the duce a working toilet at a Clarke Museum, in an inter- cheap price. Until that time, view last Friday, as he began people all over the world used assembling the components of privies, latrines and chamber the borrowed display. pots as they still do in many The exhibit includes an rural regions and developing introduction from an interac- countries, tive toilet seat, a life size out- Location of the privy was house outfitted with humor- determined by climate, soil ous outhouse stories, an item conditions, water supply and on the evolution of toilet exposure to public views. Pit paper, a section that explores privies were excavated any- chamber pot designs, com- where from three to six feet- modes and close stools, and a deep, and the pit was lined, panel exploring the history of Solid liners helped prevent public washrooms. cave-ins and facilitated clean- “The more I learned about If cleaning became too the exhibit, I realized it had a arduous, the whole privy was sense of fun to it,” said moved to a new hole. Quite Graham often the privy hole also “The h istory of the modern served as a garbage can so toilet goes back about 4000 that old privy sites have stim- years,” explained Graham. In ulated great interest among the 17th century palace of archeologist today. King Minos on the island Of Vents on windows on the Crete, archeologists have dis- old privies often doubled as covered a sophisticated water signs. Luna, the crescent system, which used terre cotta (continued page 3) Durham Central Fair back for its 149th year Mark Your Calendar for September 6th -9th Organizers ofthe upcoming guarantee the exciting fare Durham Central Fair are opti- folks demand, mi Stic about matching the “Entertainment doesn’t come excellent attendance and free,” says Robinson. “To put superb weather enjoyed last on a show that we want people year to be proud of, well, you have The 149th edition of the to'pay for it.” annual fair is just around the Adult admission, which has Chamber pots were used before the development of indoor plumbing. Emptying chamber pots comer (September 6th - 9th), been $5 for several years, goes was not a pleasant job, explains Sandy Graham, (pictured) curator of the Clarke Museum. and as fair manager' Gord up to $6. Students and seniors Robinson notes, the local event will pay $4, and children under can’t be beat for entertainment 12 pay $2. value. ' An estimated 20,000 fairgo- Canadian wins GTS class at Mosport “There’s team, penning, ers are expected over the four which is much the same as a .days from September 6th to Mississauga’s Ron Fellows duo of Frank Biela and finished second followed by rodeo, the pony pull, the light September 9th to- take in the the Cadillac team of Wayne drove his Corvetteto winthe Emanuelo Pirro, with their and heavy horse pull, you’ve midway, agriculture displays GTS class in Sunday’s first series winof the season. Taylor and Christopher Tinseau, got a fiddlers’ contest, a cham- demonstrations and contests, American Le Mans Series at The heavy rains stopped pionship steer auction - where The biggest crowd magnets Mosport. Fellows’ teammate NBC Sport televised the just in time for theestimated can you go to getall this?” in recent years have been the Johnny O’Connell took over 30,000 fans to enjoythe two race both here and in the Of course, such a crammed demolition derby and the truck the wheel with less than an hours and forty-five minutes States. hour remaining. of racing. The Vintage Motorcycle slate of top-notch events does- and tractor pulls. Tins year, The overall champion for The Panoz , team of Festival is scheduled for this n’t come cheap. The admit however, fair board members the Gran Turismo 3 Grand Magnussen and Brabham coming weekend at Mosport. price for all ages has been are betting the new team pen- Prix was the prototype Audi bumped up slightly this yearto (continued page 3).