« VOL. 83 NO. 37 Photo by Jim Kozemchak Warren G. Harding used the phrase “retul to normalcy’ in his successful bid for the Presidency nearly 50 years ago, and in this election year the phrase has been resurrected by Clarke Bittner to herald the upcoming Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction. “It’s been a difficult summer for all of us,”’ avs Mr. Bittner, auction chairman, “and Nvhat we need right now is an old- fashioned fun weekend. Traditionally, the Library Auction has provided that kind of fun, so this year’s auction may well prove to be one of the most important we’ve ever held.” "The decision to re-schedule the auction after Hurricane Agnes drowned plans to hold it in July was not made lightly. There was talk at first of cancelling it outright, of saving the accumulated new and used goods until next year, of dipping into capital to provide the necessary operating expenses for the Back Mount- Stheet Valley La unches Drive For Ambulance The sleek metallic gold ambulance in which members of the Sweet Valley Am- bulance Association take such pride will soon belong wholly to the community if the enthusiastic fund drive solicitors have their way. (continued on PAGE FOURTEEN) ain Memorial Library. It would have been the easiest way out, but the auction committee and the library’s board of dir- ectors decided that the easiest way out was not necessarily the best way. “During the past quarter century, countless Back Mountain residents--as well as our many friends throughout the (continued on PAGE EIGHTEEN) \ Dallas -- Lake Lehman FIFTEEN CENTS ‘“We’ve got too many kids—but we can handle the situation,’”’ said Robert Z. Belles, superintendent of Lake-Lehman Schools, in describing the opening day enrollment Tuesday afternoon. ‘“At the elementary level we’ve picked up 71 new students, some 50 of whom are flood victims,” the superintendent said. “We’ve had classrooms as crowded as they were today, but not so many of them.” He reported that he had been in contact with an architect and that the school dis- trict has applied for three portable class- rooms to help alleviate the overcrowding. The portable units would most likely be placed on property behind the Lehman- Jackson Elementary School, with students who are to attend the temporary man school. When does he anticipate receiving the portable classrooms? The superintendent chuckled wryly and suggested that ‘‘if they’re here with Santa Claus we’ll con- sider ourselves lucky.”’ With total enrollment in the four elementary buildings at 1,303, Mr. Belles said, ‘“We’re holding our own, but if we got 15 or 20 more kids in critical areas we might really have a problem...”” The possibility of additional registrants is not far-fetched, he added, pointing out that flood victims may choose to register at Lake-Lehman if they decide that the bus trip to Wilkes-Barre or Kingston is too long. Both Mr. Belles and Anthony Marcha- kitus, assistant superintendent, insisted that the ‘‘trial day’’ held last week was important in assuring smooth opening day operations. At the high school, Mr. Marchakitus reported, there were ‘‘no great crises’ and much of the over- crowding was seen as a result of natural school district growth. Enrollment at the high school will most likely level off at 984, Mr. Marchakitus said, with 18 stu- dents listed as flood victims. ‘““We’ve been crowded at the high school for the past two years,”” Mr. Mar- chakitus said, ‘“and we’re again holding classes in both the cafeteria and audi- torium.’’ Built for 887 students in 1962, the high school building will this year house designed to have. “We knew we’d have problems and we tried to anticipate them as best we could,” the assistant superintendent explained. “Of course, starting with an experienced staff is a big help and we have only one new teacher at the high school.” Mr. Marchakitus laughed and added: ‘For the first time ever on opening day, our lunch line went without a flaw!” At Dallas, the picture was much the same: Over-crowding to be sure, but a determination to deal with the problems in bold and innovative ways. Dr. Linford Werkheiser, superintendent of Dallas Schools, reported that the total enroll- ment for the 1972-73 school year was listed at 894 junior, 751 senior and 1,911 elementary school students, with figures expected to rise as registration continues on into the week. Overcrowding exists in the elementary schools, concentrated in the first and second grades where classes presently number over 30 students each. Another heavy area of enrollment persists in the intermediate level, largely in the fifth relocatable space is available, these classes will be re-arranged to the optimal number of 20 or 25 students. rollment situation. As it stands there than anticipated. Some space still remains in the junior sections, whereas the senior count is estimated at maximum capacity. Additional teachers are expected to be hired for the first, second, fifth and sixth grades. The present number of teachers adequate. (continued on PAGE EIGHTEEN) Plans for a sewer system in Harveys Lake Borough appeared to inch closer to reality following announcement by the community’s municipal authority of a tentative agreement with the Dallas Area Municipal Authority for metered sewerage service. According to terms of the agreement, which are still open to change, Harveys Lake Borough would become a customer of D.A.M.A. at an estimated annual cost of $15,000. Announcement of the agreement came at the regular monthly meeting of the Harveys Lake Municipal Authority last Wednesday night. Authority members also revealed that solicitors, engineers and chairmen of the neighboring author- ities had agreed on certain ‘‘engineering changes” and a system which would pro- vide for the metering of sewerage as it leaves the vicinity of Harveys Lake Borough. The cost to the borough would be proportional to the amount of sewer- age treated at the D.A.M.A. facilities. An increase in the projected cost of the proposed Harveys Lake sewer system was outlined by Jack Glace, president of Glace & Glace Engineers. Mr. Glace suggested that a change from the for- merly planned eductor pumps to more conventional pumps will result in a cost increase of $158,243. Total construction on costs for the system were put at $4,115,027, with engineering and legal fees, land acquisition and bond market- ing raising the total price tag to Does anyone really understand what “Home Rule’ is all about? Realizing that there are still many questions to be answered about this complicated subject, the Kingston Town- ship Taxpayers Association sponsored a seminar last Wednesday night to provide voters with information about the contro- versial form of government. On hand to outline the implications of Home Rule for Back Mountain residents—and to explain the referendum question which will appear on Kingston Township’s ballot this November—were three experts: John Hibbard, president of the Economic Development Council; John McGowan, Pennsylvania Depart- ment of Community Affairs; Andrew Shaw, acting head of Wilkes College’s political science department. Uppermost in the minds of the asso- ciation members was the referendum question for which Kingston township voters must cast their ballots in the general election Nov. 7. Considered to be the first step in evaluating the merits of Home Rule for the community, the ques- tion will ask voters to establish a seven- member government study commission. The commission, members of which will be chosen by lot from a list of persons who have circulated petitions throughout the township, will study Home Rule, six other optional forms of government and the ‘“‘code system’’ under which Kingston Township presently operates. The com- during its study period and must keep its constituents up to date on its progress. Members of the commission serve without pay. Finally, when the study commission has satisfied itself that it has completed its homework, it recommends whether a new form of government— or the present system— is best suited for Kingston Township’s needs. The commission’s re- commendations must be made within nine months of the election date and if rejected by the voters, the existing form of government is retained. In commenting on the question which will appear on the Kingston Township ballot, Mr. McGowan indicated that the wording of the referendum question is excellent. “In some communities the study commission may consider only Home Rule,” he said. ‘“The phrasing of the Kingston Township question permits far-ranging study of many forms of government. It gives the voters a choice.” All three speakers stressed the im- portance of ‘‘getting out the vote’ to establish a government study commis- sion. Without this essential first step, they stated, no changes can be made to make local government more effective and more responsive to the needs of the people. The turn-out for the seminar was des- cribed by one officer of the taxpayers’ association as ‘‘very disappointing,’”’ with fewer than 35 persons attending the even- ing session at the Dallas Junior High School. $5,350,000. In response to questions about the availability of State and federal grants to help defray the project cost, Mr. Glace reported that the authority was hopeful of obtaining $1,780,000 through such assis- tance. At least one grant—from the EPA for $992,280—seems virtually assured, he added. If all grants for which application have been made come through, Mr. Glace stated, the cost of the sewer project to Harveys Lake will be $3,560,000. What do all of these million dollar figures mean to the little man, to the individual property owner? According to Mr. Glace, it’s just too soon to tell what individual front foot assessments and rental rates will be. “Much depends on the interest rate at which the bonds are sold—and we just don’t have those figures yet,” Mr. Glace maintained. FVAC Pledges Picket Protest A coalition of Wyoming Valley citizens, still faced with desperate circumstances since the June flood caused by tropical storm Agnes, promised to begin picketing government offices in the Valley this week in protest to what they call “government doubletalk.” Calling a mass meeting of all flood vic- tims in the Wyoming Valley tonight at 7 p.m. in the Host Motel, the Flood Victims Action Council made three major demands from government to prevent flood victims from what the group calls “living worse than pigs.” Kleinman told Greenstreet News that the organization made up of flood victims + both state and federal, after the meeting, while demanding that all cutoff dates for federal and state aid to flood victims be stopped; that the U.S. Army be brought into the Wyoming Valley for the huge re- covery project which has barely begun; and that a strict and accurate accounting of money donated to flood relief be ac- counted for. Mrs. Kleinman said that the coalition considered it unfair that any cutoff dates for relief be set with so many flood vic- tims still - unsettled, and that her organization will actively seek to stop deadlines for flood relief being announc- the worse single civil disaster ever to hit the United States, could only be handled (continued on PAGE FOURTEEN)
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