4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, October 21, 1992 Tie SDALLASC0ST Improve the image of trades, as well as vocational education Among the many challenges facing America, providing good jobs and qualified people to fill them is perhaps the most critical. It’s clear that our education systems are frequently in- adequate; what is less well-known is that they often are misdirected. Ellen Nagy, a member of the Dallas school board, thinks part of the problem is that our society undervalues career education aimed at anything other than a four-year college degree. She has a point, and the fact that only 48 students from the Dallas district attend West Side Vo-Tech illustrates it. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. In much of the United States in 1992, anyone — trained or not — can hang out a shingle and claim tobe an auto mechanic, a carpenter, a plumber, even a counselor. That means that anyone who wants to pursue a career in these and many other fields must compete with others who are cut rate, untrained and unsupervised. The result is shoddy workmanship that costs more in the long run, and undeserved bad reputations for many fields. That perception may be as discouraging as anything to a young person contemplating a vocational career. »: Improving the image and effectiveness of vocational educa- tion is important, but it won't work unless licensing and enforcement are equally strengthened. That should be the goal of the educational community, business and workers. In many nations, principally in Europe, there are strict requirements that must be met before anyone is trusted to perform compe- tent work. The strength of unions was at one time as much due to their high performance and training standards as it was to their collective bargaining power. A large percentage of college graduates end up with jobs that do not require anything approaching the full use of their education. Instead, they learn necessary skills through on-the- job training, which often is exactly what vocational schools at the secondary or college level provide. Computer work is a case in point; many — perhaps most — of the who people took a degree in programming found the jobs were in operations and repair. ., There are plenty of other examples. But until vocational education and the jobs they prepare people for earn more prestige, it's hard to see how they'll attract more interest. World Series reminds us of simple virtues ‘ That great American institution, the World Series of Base- ball, is underway, and this year it really is the championship of more than the United States. For the first time in the history | of the game a Canadian team, the Toronto Blue Jays, will play In a Series. ‘. In their 15th year, after ten straight winning seasons and three divisional titles, the Jays finally have vanquished the ghosts of October. Right up there along with the team’s spirits must be some individual ones, especially Dave Winfield's. At the age of 41, Winfield hasn't played in a Series since 1981, having spent the majority of his impressive career with the underachieving Steinbrenner Yankees, a team that exhausted itself fighting battles in the sports pages instead of on the field. For the most part Winfield stayed above the mindless fray, only to be traded first to California and then to Toronto. In a year when he set the all-time record for runs batted in by players his age, Winfield richly deserves the opportunity to display his talents in a World Series. . There have been, and surely will be, many heroes in this post-season. Some of the names are familiar; Alomar, Carter, Smoltz and Justice. Others seem to rise to the occasion; such as Lemke and Borders. It's that kind of game, a mixture of talent, individual effort and team spirit. This year, in contrast to the election campaign, we can find in the Series an uncom- plicated and unchanged competition in which the winning team will be determined on its own merits and where “spin doctors” are throwing a ball and not bull. It's a great escape, and a timely reminder of simple virtues and rewards well- earned. Do you agree? Disagree? Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post. We welcome your opinion on contemporary issues in the form of letters to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never hear a contrasting point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Please include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. We donot publish anonymous]letters, but will consider withholding the name in exceptional circumstances. We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar. Tie DALLASCPosT Published Weekly by Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 Telephone: 717-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek Charlotte E. Bartizek Editor and Publisher Associate Publisher Peggy Young Advertising Acct. Exec. Grace R. Dove Reporter Jean Hillard Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION Bill Harper Reporter Paul Rismiller Production Manager Olga Kostrobala Classified/typesetting Hillside barn Photo by Charlotte Bartizek Letters Clean up broken glass to help bicyclers Editor: Alen Case had a nice article about bicycling in the October 7 issue of The Dallas Post. She wrote about some of the improvements that might be made to encourage bicycle travel in Northeastern Pennsylvania. One improvement that would particularly benefit bicyclists would be to get rid of broken glass on the roadway. It seems that many find particular pleasure in smashing beverage containers along the side of the road. (The Susquehanna River bridges into Wilkes-Barre and Nanticoke are virtually carpeted with broken glass!) Unfortunately, this is the part of the road used by bicyclists. As a consequence, Pennsylvania bicyclists suffer frequent flats and are estimated to spend thousands of dollars, annually, to replace dawnaged tires and tubes. Peter Chokola, a Wilkes-Barre beverage bottler testified recently concerning the proposed “Bottle Bill"before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I think his testimony was particularly important to those who are concerned with a cleaner environment - especially bicyclists! Hugh P. King Dallas Library news New system By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The Back Mountain Memorial Library has purchased a new computer system called Magazine Index Select on INFOTRAC from the Information Access Company in Foster City, California. The system allows patrons in seconds to search magazine issues from 1986 through 1992 in more than 200 magazines for articles written on a specific’subject. The printer will print the listing of articles available. The system is always up-to-date because a new database with indexing of the latest issues is delivered monthly to the library. The database is recorded by laser on a compact disc, which is similar to those used for audio recordings. Asingle disc in the InfoTrac system contains more than 500 million characters. This connection of the laser disc with a small computer to gain access to the recorded information has revolutionized library research. speeds magazine search The new system is situated in the reference room of the library with a new computer desk and a new chair. There is also a list of the magazines that are on file at the library for reference. The entire InfoTrac system is a memorial to Earl W. Phillips of Dallas, through memorial donations made to the library on his behalf. Mr. Phillips was an avid patron of our library and contributed to its fund raising programs. He was a stock broker with J.H. Brooks; an investment officer and senior vice president with United Penn Bank and most recently an officer with Penn Security Bank of Scranton. He was ‘a member and past president of the Dallas Rotary Club, having received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International. He also served as director and past president of the Dallas School Board for six years. He was a tremendous human being and this computer system is a perfect memorial to a fine gentleman. A representative of Discovery Toys will be at the library on Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 9:30 to 2 p.m. to take orders for the items on sale. The proceeds will benefit the children's room at the library, with a percentage. Deliveries will be made to the library in time for Christmas gift giving. A nice time to choose some special gifts. New books at the library: “The Stars Shine Down" by Sidney Sheldon is a passionate novel set against the glamorous world of international business and features a complex and compelling heroine faced with a series of life- shattering decisions. A cliff-hanger. “The Copper Beech” by Maeve Binchy is about eight dreamers who carved their declarations of love, hope and identity on the mighty copper beech thatembraces the school yard in Shancarrig. Now grown, yet shaped by their years in the schoolhouse, they lead different lives. Lives intertwine just as names crisscross on the trunk of the copper beech. Safe hunting is no accident With many people hitting the woods and fields for the fall arch- ery, small game and turkey sea- sons, hunters should remember to follow common sense and safe hunting practices. * Be sure to wear at least 200 square inches of fluorescent or- ange clothing during all required seasons: small game, turkey, buck, antlerless and muzzleloader. * During turkey season, avoid wearing red, white or blue, as these colors are often found in turkeys’ plumage. * Don't shoot before you have positively identified your target. Hunters occasionally mistake other hunters for deer or turkey. ¢ Shoot only when you are abso- lutely certain that it's safe to do so. ¢ Assume that every noise and movement in the woods is another hunter. When in doubt: don't shoot. If hunters are nearby, make sure that they know where you are, especially during fall archery season, when hunters wear camou- flage instead of fluorescent orange. * Respect the rights of property owners. Don't hunt on posted land without permission and avoid safety zones, farm buildings and homes. * Don't leave a trail of garbage behind you. * Hunt safely and ethically and be on the alert for those who don't. e Always handle a firearm as if it's loaded. Many firearms acci- dents have been caused by “empty” guns. e [t is against state law to trans- port a loaded gun in a vehicle. e Never lean a gun against a tree, fence or car. It can go off if it is knocked down. Unload the gun and lay it on a flat surface. Keep the safety on until you're ready to shoot, so that the gun doesn’t fire accidentally. e Alcohol and gunpowder don't mis: never drink or use substances while hunting. Only yesterday 60 Years Ago - Oct. 21, 1932 NEW PLYMOUTH CAR TO BE SOLD IN DALLAS Republicans of the Back Mountain region will hold a rally next Tuesday in Dallas High School auditorium. Asa Lewis will preside. Lee Tracey of Shavertown, successful movie star has been asked to pay RKO Radio $10,000 in action begun before the concilliation committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. Studio executives insist that Tracey was absent from the studio during the shooting of “Phantom Fame” which cost the studio considerable sums. RKO Radio asks that it be reimbursed to a certain extent. Rumors that a new Plymouth car shortly to be announced would be a 6 cylinder automobile of lower price than that of the current Plymouth models was confirmed today byJames R. Oliver, car dealer of Dallas. Oliver stated that the new cars would make their appearance here within a fez: weeks. Lig wg 50 Years Ago - Oct. 23, 1942 STUDENTS COLLECT SCRAP ITEMS FOR WAR The last of 35 tons of scrap gathered by the Dallas Borough schools during the Scrap for Victory Campaign was hauled away with the schools receiving $239.24 from the sale of the scrap. Immediatel , a corps of students set to wor gathering nails, rubbish and other debris that might make the schopl grounds unsuitable for parking purposes. Small game season opens e than has been the usual custor gets underway Oct. 31 and og Tale ‘Nov. 28 giving the hunters and Tare extra Saturday to hunt. . The 2nd Annual Halloween and Block Party will be held Oct. 31. The Block Party is a new feature this year and will take the place of festivities which were held last year in the Dallas Borough High Schoal auditorium. Members of ‘the General Committee decided on the change because the auditoritith will be too small to handle the expected crowd. You could get - Potatoes 1007 bag, $2.39; chickens, 35¢ . Supreme bread, 2 large loaves, 17 ¢; carrots 2-1bs., 9¢. 40 Years Ago - Oct. 24, 1952 & DORRANCE NAMED DISTINGUISHED WOMAN Miss Frances Dorrance named recently as one of 10 distinguished women of Pennsylvania and presented with a gold medal by Gov. Fine was honored at a tea at Hotel Sterling given by the Wyoming Valley Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department Fall Festival and Turkey Supper was a sellot” Saturday with a promise of a fA house tomorrow night. Nearly 2,000 patrons responded to the ticket sales with receipts of $2500 applied to the new building. 30 Years Ago - Oct. 25, 1962 | COLLEGE BUILDS NEW": STUDENT UNION Aone and aquarter million dollar general contract for .the construction of a single story student union building and a three story dormitory on the College Misericordia campus has been awarded to Raymon R. Hedden Co. The buildings are expected to be ready for occupancy at the opening of the Fall Semster in 1963. ~ 7 Two hundred pheasant cock birds have been released in all Back Mountain townships in tinge for the opening of Small Gaff ) Season according to Ed Gdosky, Game Warden. 20 Years Ago - Oct. 26, 1972 BOROUGH OBJECTS TO D.A.M.A. POLICY Dallas Borough Council agreed * to make known their objections to a policy of DAMA which. provides for advance billing to its customers. Solicitor Charles D. LemmonddJr., agreed to look into’! the legality of both the pre- payment of bills and the penalty . clause in the DAMA agreement. | Commonwealth Telephone Co. has reached the milestone of. having 150,000 telephones in’ service according to John B.: Hibbard, president of the, company. Hibbard attributes the record increase to the efforts: company employees have made to meet the demands caused by * the rapid business and residential growth in areas served | by Commonwealth Telephone. The Children’s Annex of the Back Mountain Memorial Library, hosted the first session of the’ story hour Oct. 11. The story ladies were so pleased with the; large attendance that they are now holding two sessions each Wednesday at 9:30, a.m. and 10:45 a.m. toaccommodate all of the children.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers