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DALLAS POST/Wednesday, March 9, 1988
Editorial/opinion
The Post asks: “What's your favorite thing about spring?”
SHIRLEY MAHLE x
TAMMY MAHLE
Shirley Mahle
Housewife & Choir director
Dallas
“To be able t go outside and
not slip or fall.”
Tammy Mahle, 22
Unemployed
Idetown
“The warm weather and
summer is just around the cor-
ner.”
Off the top
BY DEBBY HIGGINS
Post Editor
This past week, Luzerne County District Attorney, Cory Stevens,
addressed Lake-Lehman Jr. High School students about some
aspects of the criminal justice system.
Here, here, D.A. Stevens. You're on the right track and what
your trying to do can only increase awareness for our children of
e world around us. Awareness is knowledge and knowledge is
ammunition in the war against crime.
Because young people are exposed to so much of the seedy side
of society; drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, relaxed morality,
and in many respects, there is a noticeable absence of positive
role models. We need programs like this one in our schools now,
more than ever.
Any issue can be discussed if it is presented on shecific age
levels and if it is done with the intent to impart useful knowledge
to listeners. Perhaps parents should consider hearing about some
of these issues, too. There is nothing ib with constructive,
informative discussion and who better to listen to than an expert
.in the field.
Children are growing up faster today and even though.their age
says “young”, their minds are experiencing external stimuli that
years ago would be considered for adults only. If our young
people are listening, watching, and learning, let them learn from
someone who has something beneficial to teach. A little knowl-
edge does not have to be a dangerous thing. :
Girls Scouts take the lead
March 6 to 12 is Girl Scout
- Week and this year’s celebra-
tion focuses on the theme, Take
The Lead!, emphasizing an im-
portant objective of Girl Scout-
ing -- to prepare young women
to become tomorrow’s leaders.
This commitment to the devel-
opment of leaders comes at a
time when there is cause for
concern; when many young
people are disturbed by world
events, are involved in self-
destructive behavior, and are
insecure about what the future
holds for them.
Thinking about the future,
filled as it is with so many
unknowns, can create anxiety.
Yet the Girl Scouts forge
‘ahead. They can be found dis-
cussing global issues’ with their
peers from Third World coun-
tries -- issues such as women
and poverty, hunger and econo-
my. Or their roles as women in
a rapidly changing society can
engage their minds and shape
their conversation.
Tie SDALLASCPosT
DAVID F. CONNER
General Manager
A Publication of Pennaprint, Inc.
DEBBY HIGGINS
Editor
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CATHY GARBUSH
Cathy Garbush, 10
Student
Sweet Valley
“I like when the birds sing,
the flowers are out and you
don’t need heavy coats to go
out.”
MICHAEL SOLECK
Michael Soleck, 21
Cook
Dallas
“I like Summer better,
Spring is kind of a mess, it’ s
all wet and muddy out.”
The “Gipper” sure
knows what to say
BY DONALD KAUL
Special to The Post
Did you catch the Gipper’s
act the other night? No? Too
bad, the Great Communicator
was in top form. Mr. Reagan
looked hale and vigorous and
completely in command at his
press conference Wednesday.
He did talk gibberish and non-
sense, of course, but you can’t
have everything.
Oh, you don’t believe he
talked gibberish? Listen to him
as he took one more shot at
explaining why the arms-for-
hostage swap with Iran wasn’t
an arms-for-hostage swap:
¢...I think it’s time for me to
point out what the opposition
was based on of anyone who
did oppose. Particularly, it’s
been revealed that Secretary
(Caspar) Weinberger and
George Schultz both objected.
They did not object the idea of,
that we were trading arms for
hostages. Their objection, they
knew what we were trying to
do...Their objection was, what
we had done, we'd gotten this
request and, in dealing with it,
in this conversation with these
private individuals, we pointed
out our feelings about terror-
ism and so forth. They agreed
with us, and the thing was that
they, the Hezbollah as we
know, is philosophically attuned
to Iran. The idea was that they
could perhaps influence the
Hezbollah to give up some of.
our hostages and, indeed, as
the talks went on, they did...We
weren't dealing with the kid-
nappers at all, and this was
what the whole situation was.
But it turned out that George
and Cap and those who had
doubts were right in that, when
it did become known by way of
a henchman of the ayatollah,
VIEWS ON READING PRESENTED —
then everyone just automatical-
ly said that, and to this day are
saying, it was arms for hos-
tages.”
Thank you Mr. President.
That certainly clears up any
doubts I might have had about
the matter.
More relevant than the lb
berish, however (for who
among us has not spoken gib-
berish), was the nonsense.
Asked about Israel’s use of
force to suppress the riots in
occupied Gaza, and the West
Bank, Mr. Reagan said:
“Well, we have had, it’s a
little difficult for me because
there are some things that I
shouldn’t be saying, but we
have had intimations that there
have been certain people sus-
pected of being terrorists, out-
siders coming in, not only with
weapons but stirring up and
encouraging the trouble in
those areas. Now that isn’t
something you can go out and
say we absolutely know, but
certainly the violence is both
ways.’
Does - that sound familiar?
Isn’t that what George Wallace
and his ilk said back in the ’60s
when the blacks of the south
began to fight for their consti-
tutional rights? It was the work
of “outside agitators,” always.
That’s what the white rulers of
South Africa are saying today,
what the Soviets are saying
about Afghanistan. It’s always
the work of outside agitators.
It’s not. As a matter of fact,
the day following the press
conference the President’s men
said as much, trying to cover
up for the old man. There may
be outside agitators in the Mid-
dle East, as there were in the
American south, but the real
reason for the turmoil is inside
agitation.
Professor Joan
Pallante, College Misericordia instructor, addresses Evans Falls
Elementary educators on the benefits of reading techniques.
Seminar stresses reading
Professor Joan Pallante,
reading and early childhood ed:
ucation teacher at College Mis-
ericordia, recently addressed
approximately 75 educators at
Evans Falls Elementary School
in Tunkhannock. Professor Pal-
lante explained her views on
the benefits of ‘‘real reading”
beyond phonics- oriented learn-
ing.
An authority on reading de-
velopment, Professor Pallante
teaches Misericordia’s four-
year education degree students
and coordinates the College’s
Reading Development Pro-
gram. She has made presenta-
tions to local, regional and na-
tional reading associations and
has taught adult education
classes on reading and study
skills.
Booklet available
MARTY GRIFFITH LEON STRATTON
Marty Griffith, 22 Leon Stratton, 18
Self-employed Dishwasher
Nanticoke Dallas by
“It’s nice out, I can work on = “It’s getting warm. I hate
my car, go walking, smell the cold. The birds are coming
fresh air. I like the "Sunshine
back, the flowers are coming
daydreams.”
out, it’s a lot prettier.”
Fiegelman says... The
Smurls played it right
BY RICHARD FIEGELMAN
Special to The Post
For a West Pittston family, the horror continues. All of Be
havoc of notoriety, publicity, fame, (or infamy depending on your
viewpoint) and greenbacks are being heaped on these seers of |
Satan. One family member was bitten on the ear by parties
unknown. A daughter was thrown down a flight of steps. And to
top it off, their 75 lb. German Shepherd was slammed into a wall.
Can you imagine? I have a large German Shepherd, and if
someone or something slammed him into a wall they would
certainly be seeing the angels. The family in question also claims.
that they have heard screams, grunts, and had a foul ordor
pervade their house. If you grew up or lived in West Pittston as I
did, most of these ‘‘supernatural”’ occurences are easily expla;
ble, which come to think of it reminds me of a story...
It was a hot, sticky summer night. The year was 1975, and I
was just about to begin my senior year in high school. My
parents were away and the boys were going to play. The horgor
was moving closer. 9
The Susquehanna River which flows a few blocks from my
ina-
oo
family home emitted its foul stench, as it did on hot nights in
August. The swirling wind blew dust around the twilight streets
and the house creaked eerily. Suddenly there was a knock at the
door. There they were, the Boredombusters bearing liquid
refreshment. I waved them in and like banshees they descended
on my kitchen which would never again be the same.
After a few minutes, another knock, and several of our female
counterparts made their appearance. We hadn’t heard them
coming up the drive and were startled. A truly ghostly experi-
ence. After the usual salutations and pecks on the cheek, we sat
down in a circle to take care of business. Jack the Ripper was
about to make a guest appearance in my living room. Dead 4
in person. We all shivered with adolescent expectation.
The candle was lit, hands were grasped, the lights dimmed, and
cautiously one of the girls began to implore Jack the Ripper to
leave his safe domain in Hades to come and join a bunch of
delirious teenagers. We tried and tried, but ol’ Jack must have
been quite comfortable or cruising the River Styx because he
wouldn’t give us the time of day. Finally, insatiable thirst
prevailed and everyone gathered back in the kitchen to partake in
bottled spirits.
After an hour or so, as teens in a festive mood will do, couples
began to pair off and seek refuge in the deep recesses of the
house. The house became strangely silent except for the low
resonance of Emerson, Lake and Palmer synthesizing on the
stereo. Everyone was at peace with the world. x
Then it happened. One of the girls screamed and ran to
living room. She had been bitten on the ear by something in the
darkness. A lively spirit no doubt. As everyone made their way to
the front room, grunts of disgust could be heard echoing in the
stillness.
Later, when the girls left the real party began. Swilling in the
spectred chill the Boredombusters embarked on their own
Magical Mystery Tour. The folks weren't due home for 48 hours,
and we had not a care in the world, save that we be protected
from the adult elements. i.e. the cops.
Just after four a.m. the party disbanded. The Great Gig in the
Sky was history. As the Busters left, I walked out into the carport
to catch a breath of the crisp night air. The foul stench of the
river though now barely detectable was still present in the pre-
dawn atmosphere. At this hour even the spirits were dormant, or
so I thought.
When I walked back into the house, strange melodic sounds
were floating out from the living room. Slowly, I crept through
the dim kitchen and peered around the corner. What I saw is
revealed today for the first time ever by word or print. There
they were in all their psychedelic glory. The Beatles, live and in
person jamming in my living room. They did a medley of ‘“‘A Ra
in the Life’, “Penny Lane’”’, and ‘I Am the Walrus’’. Then, wii
the music stopped George Harrison walked toward me and said,
“Hey mate, we picked your house for the reunion”. I was in my
room with the door locked and under the covers before you could
say Beelzebub. If anyone is interested in my story, please contact
me for the book and movie rights, they’ll go cheap.
One final comment. If this haunted West Pittston family was so
frightened, so terrified, by these morbid and grisly events at their
home, why so soon after their occurence do we have a book on
the market and a movie on the way? Don’t you think the spirits
would be a little offended at second billing? I guess this is just
one of those things that you have to Smurl about. See you next
week... :
It’s tax season, the time of
year when millions of Ameri-
cans grapple with 1040s, EZs,
and IRAs in an attempt to take
advantage of changes in the
tax law which may mean per-
sonal savings.
For a free copy of “Tax
Tips’, send a stamped, self-
addressed, business size enve-
lope to the PICPA, 1608 Walnut
St., Third Floor, Philadelphia,
PA 19103.