Cernusca
and Mientus
take office
GEORGE CERNUSCA AND MARIAN
MIENTUS were sworn in last night as
the new president and vice president of
the Undergraduate Student Govern
ment. Cernusca was elected last
Thursday by a margin of twelve votes.
-Collegian
Prosecution
in Boyle trial
rests case after testimony
MEDIA. Pa. (APi The prosecution
in the murder trial of former United
Mine Workers President W.A. “Tony”
Boyle rested its case last night after the
key witness testified that Boyle had
ordered the assassination of Joseph
“Jock” Yablonski.
“We're in a fight. We’ve got to kill
Yablonski. take care of him...," William
Turnblazer quoted Boyle as saying on
June 23, 1969 at a meeting in UMW
headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Turnblazer, the first person to link the
72-year-old Boyle directly to the killing,
said the meeting took place less than
month after Yablonski announced his
bid 5 to unseat Boyle.
The defense was to begin presentation
of its case today.
Charles Moses, chief defense counsel,
has said Boyle would testify in his own
defense.
Yablonski and his wife and daughter
were slain Dec. 31, 1969 as they slept in
their rural Clarksville home in south
western Pennsylvania.
Turnblazer, 52, of Middlesboro, Ky.,
was president of the union's District 19
at the time.
He said that in addition to himself and
Boyle, the meeting also was attended by
Albert Pass, 52, also of Middlesboro,
secretary-treasurer of the District.
“Pass said if nobody else will kill him
(Yablonski), District 19 will," Turn
blazer testified.
"And what did Mr. Boyle say?”
Special Prosecutor Richard Sprague
asked. .
“As I recall, he said ‘fine.’,” Turn
blazer replied.
Turnblazer has pleaded guilty to
federal charges of violating the
Yablonski’s civil rights and has three
state murder warrants against him in
the case.
Pass and seven others have been
convicted or have pleaded guilty to
murder charges in the case.
The government claims Boyle ordered
the killing of his union rival and diverted
$20,000 in union funds to pay the gunmen.
Turnblazer said he had given the FBI
a statement last August.
That statement reportedly was the
Penn State handicapped face architectural barriers
F-ditor's note: This is the second of a
two-part story examining the problems
of handicapped students at the
University.
By ANNS BRUBAKER
Collegian Staff Writer
Sidewalks with curbs but no ramps
and buildings with stairs but no
elevators are no problem for most
students, but for handicapped students
getting around Penn State they are big
problems.
According to John Doolittle, who runs
the adaptive physical education
program, most schools traditionally set
up architectural barriers against the
handicapped.
“Through force of habit and ignorance
most universities don’t plan their
campus with the handicapped student in
mind,” he said.
“In other words, people have the in
tellect to be accepted, but once they’re
here they find it’s impossible to get into a
building. Or they get in the building and
there’s no elevator to get them to a
second-floor class,” Doolittle said.
Robert Stefanko said he feels the
University has realized the physical
planning problem on campus for a long
time but has chosen to ignore it.
Photos by Ed Paisa
basis of murder indictments returned a
month later against Boyle.
Turnblazer, in response to a question
from Sprague, said no agreement had
been made with him in return for his
testimony.
At one point, Sprague asked if he could
identify the man who gave the orders for
Yablonski’s death.
“Yes Sir,” Turnblazer replied and
pointed to Boyle sitting at the defense
table.
Boyle appeared to sit forward in his
chair and stare at the witness during his
testimony.
During cross-examination, Moses
read excerpts from Turnblazer’s
testimony last year at the trial of one of
the men who was later convicted of
murder.
Turnblazer admitted he had lipd then
about his own involvement because at
that time he was trying to protect
himself.
Moses asked if Turnblazer had been
prosecuted for perjury, for making false
statements to Labor Department of
ficials, or for embezzlement of funds.
Each time, Turnblazer replied: “No
sir.”
Turnblazer’s testimony conflicted
with previous statements by Boyle.
Thomas W. Henderson Jr., a iformer
U.S. Justice Department employe, read
into the record portions of testimony
given by Boyle before a federal grand
jury in Pittsburgh in 1972 and at the
murder trial of William Prater in March
1973.
Prater, a former UMW field
representative in LaFollette, Tenn., was
convicted of murder in the case and later
confessed his involvement.
Boyle, in testimony read by Hen
derson, said the suggestion for creating
a research and information committee
within the union was first made by Pass
at the union’s 1968 convention in Denver.
The government contends this was a
phony committee set up in 1969 to
provide union funds for the triggermen
in the murders.
Prater and others had testified they
first heard of the committee on Sept. 30,
1969, not 1968.
“It’s a disgrace that fairly new
buildings like Boucke are inaccessible to
the handicapped only because they lack
a small ramp,” Stefanko said.
Some older buildings like Carnegie,
Sparks and Pattee Library are almost
inaccessible to handicapped students.
In other buildings, loading ramps
normally used for deliveries are the only
means of access for the orthopedically
handicapped.
Once inside the buildings there are
other problems. No elevators,
inadequate bathroom facilities, light
switches and drinking fountains at awk
ward heights, all add up to frustration.
Classrooms with permanent chairs
pose another problem. Many hand
icapped require a moveable chair to
write on, “and the hassle building
bureaucrats cause over moving chairs
from one room to another is un
believable,” Gene Sarson said.
Getting around outside of class is also
difficult for the handicapped. With all
the hills and curbs with no ramps, the
campus is really an obstacle course,
according to Dr. John Hargleroad.
“The lack of a public transportation
system this fall really caused hardships
The transcript also quoted Boyle as
saying he had discussed the committee
with Turnblazer.
Turnblazer said no one had discussed
such a committee with him in 1968 and
that, in fact, there was no such com
mittee.
Turnblazer said that after the mur
ders, Pass repeatedly urged him to stick
with the original story about the com
mittee.
He quoted Pass as saying: “We all
ought to keep our story together... he,
Tax return
shows Nixon
one-third of
WASHINGTON (AP)—An estimate of
President Nixon’s forthcoming tax
return for 1973 shows he will have to pay
more than $lOO,OOO from his income of
$300,000.
Nixon will owe a $40,000 balance with
his return despite regular withholding
from his salary for some of his tax bill,
the estimate finds.
That would be one-more heavy bill
atop the $467,000 he already has agreed
to pay for back taxes and interest from
1969-72 and a $243,660 mortgage and
interest payment due in July on his San
Clemente, Calif., estate.
The estimate-of Nixon’s 1973 tax
return was prepared by The Associated
Press in consultation with a professional
tax expert after complex revisions in
Nixon’s four previous returns were
completed last week by the Internal
Revenue Service.
Nixon’s 1973 return and final payment
normally would be due April 5. But his
accountant says he has obtained an
extension of the filing date due to the IRS
findings. J
The estimated calculation of President
•SSSSfSJSSfS
for those with temporary handicaps like
broken legs as well as permanently
handicapped students,” he said.
Winter is an especially treacherous
time, according to one handicapped
student. “The University staff shovels
the snow but leaves the ice on the
sidewalk. For a person in a wheelchair
or on crutches ice is very dangerous,”
■she said.
However, according to John Miller,
director of planning and new con
struction, Penn State has begun to
remedy the architectural barrier
problem.
Under a state law passed in 1965 all
new public buildings must include
certain features making them accessible
to the physically handicapped.
These regulations, however, apply
only to those buildings constructed after
the law’s enactment. Miller said there is
currently no plan to go back and modify
the older buildings to conform with the
regulations. “We just don’t have the
money for those kinds of repairs, and it’s
really not a top priority,” he said.
However, Pattee Library is one of the
buildings to benefit from these new
regulations. According to Charles Ness,
assistant director of public relations for
Pattee, the new section includes an
University Park, Pennsylvania
Published by Students of The Pennsylvania State University
Pass, myself and Mr. Boyle, that we
discussed the committee in 1968.”
“Why did Pass tell you to stick to that
story?" Sprague asked.
“Because that money was used for the
murders," Turnblazer said.
Turnblazer saids that in May 1972
Boyle had been told that David Bran
denburg, one of the miners selected for
the committee, “had been picked up and
had been taken before a grand jury.”
estimate
and Mrs. Nixon’s 1973 return places his
taxes for the year at $109,310, and his
income at $303,723. According to White
House figures, $67,940 already has been
withheld from Nixon’s paychecks for
taxes, and he also left $l,OOO with the
government from a 1972 tax refund to be
applied against 1973 taxes.
That would leave a balance due of
$40,370.
The calculation was based on personal
financial data the President made public
Dec. 8, findings of the IRS announced by
the White House, a 994-page document
concerning Nixon’s taxes released April
3 by the Joint Congressional Committee
on Internal Revenue Taxation, and
county property tax data in Florida and
California.
Cloudy and cool today with a few morn
ing snow flurries and some sunshine
possible late in the day, high 38. Tonight
partial clearing and cold, low 28.
Wednesday partly sunny and milder,
high 48.
entrance ramp and suitable bathroom
facilities on each floor.
Added to the hassles of getting to and
from classes arid in and out of buildings,
physically handicapped students also
must contend with housing and food
services.
Otto Mueller, assistant vice president
for housing and food services, said there
are no facilities for physically hand
icapped students. “If they have ex
tensive problems and can’t handle
themselves, there is no place for them at
Penn State,” he said.
Other administrators are more
positive. “Usually if a student notifies us
of a specific request in advance, ac
commodations can be made,” Hargle
road said.
Students with orthopedic handicaps or
cardiac conditions can be given ground
floor rooms. Students with companions
can be roomed together. Other hand
icapped students sometimes can be
given private rooms.
“The main problem is we just can’t
guarantee a physically handicapped
student the kind of accommodation he
may need,” Hargleroad says.
According to West Halls Coordinator
John Eakin, while dining hall workers
Tuesday, April 9,1974
Vol 74, No. 131 6 pages
owes
income
Weather
Cernusca vows
unity, openness
By ANNE BRUBAKER
Collegian Staff Writer
Pledging unity of purpose, cooperation
and openness, George Cernusca was
inaugurated as Undergraduate Student
Government president last night.
Cernusca, addressing a joint session
oi the USG Senate and Academic
Assembly, said that this year USG
cannot allow the optimism brought by a
new administration to turn into
cynicism.
“Tonight we begin a new USG ad
ministration...Tonight'also marks an
ending. It marks an ending of amy
division, any animosity and any ad
versity from the campaign whicfuwe
have just completed,” Cernusca said.
Cernusca said he plans to continue
working with the Pennsylvania Student
Lobby.
Cernusca also said one of the major
concerns of students should be the
quality of their representation in
Harrisburg and Washington.
“Whether it is formally mandated by
this senate or not, many of the senators
and I will be actively engaged in in
suring that we have quality represen
tation by aiding in the election of Yates
Mast as Congressman and Marianne
Van Dommelen as state represen
tative,” Cernusca said.
“This will be the year that USG comes
of age. Never again will we have to
apologize for our student government.
This will be the year that we give student
government a new direction,” he said.
In his outgoing speech, former USG
President Mark Jinks said he hopes all
the senators will work together this
year.
“With everyone working together I
hope USG can really get a lot done and
Oh Henry!
A GRINNING HANK AARON shows off No. 715. the home run that broke Babe
Ruth’s record. The immortal blast came at 9:07 p.m. last night in Atlanta. See
story page 7.
are available to help disabled students
during meals, food services cannot
provide for students with special dietary
problems.
“Usually these students are allowed
out of their dorm contracts and move
into apartments where they can provide
for themselves,” he said.
“Penn State isn’t exactly a haven for
the handicapped,” Eakin said. “It’s
unfortunate there isn’t a central office to
handle their problems rather than
forcing them to run all over campus.”
Doolittle said he doesn’t feel
centralization is a major problem. “If
this were a campus with a large,
wheelchair population like the
University of Illinois, centralization
would be necessary. But Penn State is.
attended, mostly by so-called normal
students and the majority’s needs
demand most attention,” he said.
Doolittle said his adaptive physical
education program is aimed at teaching
the handicapped student some sport he
can enjoy later in life as well as during
his college career.
This skill sometimes can help the
student decome better adjusted to
University life. “We have one boy with
braces from the waist down who through
get someplace this year,” Jinks said
Former Vice President Frank Muraca
said he pledged his full support to the
new administration.
Muraca, who received a standing
-ovation from the joint assembly, said, “I
ask that all students on campus rally
around George and Marian and give
them their full support to make USG a
more viable and working institution.”
In other business, the senate passed a
bill creating a Bureau of Town Affairs
and a Bureau of Residential Life.
Paul Stevenson, one of the bill’s
sponsors, said these bureaus are to be
created for political advocacy, not for
service advocacy.
“It is not our purpose to step on the
toes of ARHS (Association of Residence
Hall Students) or OTIS (Organization of
Town Independent Students) but to
complement these organizations. These
groups are not political organizations,
and political advocacy is something both
town and dorm students need,”
Stevenson said.
Dave Brumbaugh, president of East
Halls Residence Association, said he
was “shocked and insulted that the
senate has proposed such a bill.”
“The senate must realize what the
reaction of OTIS and ARHS will be to
this bill. You have been talking about
unity and going places. With this bill the
senate will alienate two of the most
viable organizations on campus,”
Brumbaugh said.
The bill passed the senate 22-4.
In other action, the senate voted to
override Jinks' veto of the marijuana
bill.
By a vote of 19-7, the senate decided to
send the results of a poll stating that 85
per cent of the USG senators had smoked
marijuana to Pennsylvania legislators.
adaptive physical education became
interested in archery, and is now
treasurer of the archery club,” Doolittle
noted.
So-called normal people’s reaction to
handicapped students is a. problem
almost as great as architectural
barriers, according to Doolittle.
“Most people’s reactions stem from
fear. They’ve had no experience with the
handicapped, they don’t want to say
anything cruel, they’re uncomfortable
and they just wish the person wasn’t
around,” Doolittle explained.
“Usually most University officials are
anxious to get handicapped people out of
the office because they sort of clutter up
the place. I guess they believe in the
saying ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ ” he
said.
“It’s time the University community
realized there are people under the
handicap, and that these people are
qualified and deserve an education in an
integrated academic setting. These
barriers must fall,” Doolittle said.
Stefanko agreed.
“After all, we handicapped have been
adapting to the normal society of Penn
State for years. It’s about time the
normal society started adapting to the
handicapped.”
AP wirephoto