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FLASHBACK: 50 years ago in Powell River

The photo above and article below appeared on the cover of the Powell River News on October 30, 1969.
Powell River News archive photo
PARENTS PROTEST: Three place cards greeted Powell River school trustees when they made their annual trip to Texada Island Monday. Parents are protesting a school board decision to cut bus service along High Road and have kept children home from school since Thanksgiving. Parents with signs are Mrs. Peggy Schima, Mrs. Prima Gendron and Mrs. Mary Szumilak. Powell River News archive photo

The photo above and article below appeared on the cover of the Powell River News on October 30, 1969.

One third on drugs: alderman

Irresponsible remark, says principal

“One third of the students at Brooks are on pot or LSD,” alderman Norm Hill told council Monday night.

“The question has been plaguing me all evening,” he said.

“I had a distraught mother talk to me whose daughter has taken off. Never before has this been so prevalent in Powell River. I read a letter by a girl under the influence of acid, very sickening,” said the alderman shaking his head.

“I’m told by good authority that drug pushing is going on in Brooks. One third of the students are on pot or taking LSD. This woman I spoke to feels her cause has been lost. But the problem should be brought to light. 

“A public meeting should be called. It’s time parents showed an interest. Drugs were being brought into the municipality,” he said. “For some reason or other we’re not doing anything. It’s high time parents were brought together and made aware.

“Kids 10, 11, 12 and 13 are involved,” he said, “right here in Powell River.”

“What you say is shocking to hear,” said mayor Court, “though it may be exaggerated to a small extent.”

“I agree with everything alderman Hill has said,” said alderman Gerry Gray. “It seems all we do is throw up our hands and say, ‘This is awful.’ I spoke to the same woman alderman Hill spoke to. I spoke to another four in the last few days. Police seem to be doing all they can. Teachers seem to be doing all they can.”

Gray said Hill was not exaggerating, “he is probably understating the problem.”

Mayor Court suggested PTA groups be urged to activity to combat the problem.

“I think municipal council has a responsibility here,” said alderman Frank McCloskey. “Perhaps the administrator could discuss the question with the probation officer and the medical health officer. We should provide a public panel in Dwight Hall. Then it is up to the public; if they want to do something it is up to them.”

Alderman Dave Pike suggested taking advantage of the initiative taken by the Saanich police department, who prepared a brochure for distribution among parents so they could readily identify the symptoms in their children.

Gray said there is good material available in Powell River schools, “but unfortunately they show it all to the kids, not the parents.”

BROOKS

The News contacted Brooks Junior Secondary principal Fred Doupe. He called Hill’s statement “irresponsible.” He said it is improper for an alderman to give such a figure “off the top of his head.” Doupe said enquiries are underway, but “our information is not complete.”

He would not give a figure of what he considered the percentage to be at Brooks.

“But from talking to the kids we have a fairly good idea. We should know in a few days. But it’s certainly not 30 percent,” he said. “Trouble with remarks like that is the kids tend to get angered by them. One lad asked me the other day if it was possible to sue the person making such a remark for mass libel.

“These youngsters feel adults should know more about the problem before they make such statements.”

ACTION

One local store owner has removed nail polish remover from his store shelves following reports that students were buying the liquid for “glue sniffing sessions.”

Tom Fairweather, who operates a grocery store/coffee bar adjacent to Max Cameron School, said he recently noticed rapid increases in nail polish remover sales.

“I took the whole lot off the shelves,” he said. “Now youngsters won’t be able to buy it all. Sale will be to adults only.”

Fairweather, past president of the chamber of commerce, said he was contacting other local stores suggesting they take similar action.

“Glue sniffing” as the practice is called, destroys brain tissue; inhalation cuts off the oxygen supply resulting in a feeling of euphoria.