4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, August 5, 1992 EE [8 Harveys Lake officials must take aggressive action ¥ "Harveys Lake Borough and its police department are in the spotlight, and will continue to be there if Luzerne County District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski has his way. Olszewski is pushing to widen a probe of the borough that began with charges that Assistant Police Chief Ronald Spock accepted a baibe. Rumors of illicit conduct by police and public officials in Farveys Lake have made the rounds for years. It now appears that the DA wants to find out if any of them are true. But so far, borough officials have treated the matter lightly; that isn’t good enough. Spock's defense lawyer doesn't deny that Spock accepted a television from the friend of a man who was arrested for drunken driving, or that Spock announced that fact to his fellow officers. But he claims that taking the TV and dropping gharges aren't linked; that the charges were withdrawn before the.television arrived at the station. = That argument seems tenuous at best, but even ifitisjudged terre, why are Harveys Lake officials so quiet about the case? By failing to condemn this act — whether or not it’s technically found to be bribery — officials give the impression that such. éonduct may be acceptable as long as you don't get caught. LeTt may be a long, hot summer in Harveys Lake. One way to €bol it down would be for officials to take a firm stance on all fhproper conduct by public officials and employees, and not wait for the District Attorney to take the lead. SRA Let's teach needed 4 skills 1 in school fp s easy to find people who think America’s schools fall short bi expectations in one way or another, while some defenders oint to the number of international students who attend our gniversities as proof of their high quality. That is true, but it's 4lso a reminder that, as in our health care system, those who to afford the best can get it, while others may have to settle ra much inferior product. * As candidates and parents slog through an election season Sis education is a hot topic, here are a few suggestions different from the standard rhetoric about what our class- Fone (and parents) should accomplish. B FINANCIAL LITERACY. Too many Americans are incom- etent Mi basic reading and math; many more are financial gliterates,@nd that costs them and‘our society dearly. How ghany of your friends and neighbors know the advantages and frie of long and short term mortgages? How many an figure out whether leasing or buying a new car is in their lest interest? Do you know the difference between common d preferred stock, and bonds, and which is the best invest- gent for you? Where do you find out? Too many of us are like the man who thought his checking account couldn't be over- rawn because he still had checks left to write. #¢in addition to seeing that every child knows basic math, our secondary schools should teach the practical aspects of every- ‘day financial matters, and the rewards of discipline and responsibility. If more of us knew them, there would be less wasted spending and more investment in our nation. : HW CIVICS. Judging by the low level of in politics among the woungest potential voters, it’s easy to draw the conclusion that sthey didn’t hear much in school to inspire them. That's a sshameful situation in the world’s most open society. Political life should offer exciting possibilities to young people, and it is important that they grow up understanding both how our isystem works and how it can be changed when necessary. ; The young aren't the only ones to be faulted on this point; ‘when was the last time you attended a meeting of a local igovernment body? ‘ It’s convenient to say that these aren't subjects to be taught {in school, they should be learned at home from caring parents. ‘But the truth is that many parents now and in the past haven't ‘heen competent or taken the time to instruct their children in ithem. That leaves us with two options; continue to let some children grow up without important, basic knowledge or try to give all young people the opportunity to prepare for life on their flown. As we hurtle toward the 21st century, too many of our Fcitizens are ill-prepared for a world that will punish those who lack the knowledge and discipline to keep up with rapid kchange. In fairness to ourselves and each other, we must try to help. Do you agree? Disagree? Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post. fF We welcome your opinion on contemporary issues in the form of letters to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never k hear a contrasting point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, k P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Please include your name, address f and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. t We do not publish anonymous letters, but will consider withholding k the name in exceptional circumstances. We reserve the right to edit h for length and grammar. Tee SDALLASCP0ST Publishea 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 Eric Foster Reporter 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 Paul Rismiller Production Manager Olga Kostrobala Classitied/typesetting On a Back Mountain pond Photo by Charlotte Bartizek Letters Library Auction says thanks for coverage Editor, The many organizers of the 46th annual Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction wish to thank you for telling the story of this year's Auction which was a great suc- cess. With your support we raised the much-needed dollars for our li- brary to nh new books and peri- odicals, support library staff sala- ries and programs and maintan the health of our facility. The Dallas Post and the many people who bartered and bought at this year's Auction helped keep the vital mission of the Back Mountain Library alive and well in the face of reduced state funding. Many thanks to you and your readers. Connie Scott Chairperson Bill Jones Co-chairperson Chris Miller Public Relations A. Case for Conservation Yes, children can learn about science By ALENE N. CASE In this complex technological culture, parents and teachers have often assumed that they just couldn't teach science to the chil- dren in their care. The problem here is not with the complexity or the technology; it is the focus on the word “teach.” Generally, when one person teaches something to someone else, that person must first know a great deal about the subject. Therefore, if we don't know much about science, how can we possible teach it? It has been my experience that small children do not need to be taught science. They merely need, to be exposed to it in a variety of ways and then their natural curi- osity takes over. In fact, actively teaching science can (and often does) take the fun out of the learn- ing process. It is our duty as par- ents to see that our children main- tain the “sense of wonder” that Rachel Carson celebrated in her lovely book of that title. Learning about the world is an instinct present in all healthy babies. So, let the wee ones ex- plore, keeping truly dangerous objects out of their reach. Take them outside in all kinds of weather. Of course, if it is snowy and cold the outing will be shorter than when it is warm and sunny. But, the sheer joy of an 18-month- old feeling snow for the first time cannot be equalled by any amount of TV viewing. My older son used to beg to go out in the rain so that he could play in the downspout, often clad only in jacket, diaper and boots. As children get older they begin to ask questions - lots and lots of questions. Even the best parents run out of answers eventually, but it is important not to squelch this curiosity by also running out of patience. Remember the motto of my high school science teacher who always insisted that “there is no such thing as a stupid quesi- ton.” Helping the child find the answer can be more effective than simply telling her/him what you know. This is a good time to introduce your children to the local library. Buy them books and toys that are informative as well as fun. There are many new books on nature and ecology for readers of all ages. A special favorite of our family is a beautifully illustrated tale with the unlikely title Fish Is Fish by Leo Lionni. We also found that ency- clopedias and dictionaries make ideal picture books because the answer to “what's that?” is printed right next to the picture. Find out if one of your neigh- bors is a “walking encylopedia” who doesn't mind talking to kids. When my sister and I had ques- tions that our father couldn't an- swer, we went to ask his business partner because he knew “all the whys.” Take the children with you when you travel. Visit museums, parks, zoos and aquaria. Take nature trails that are marked with names of the plants or visit botanical gardens. Encourage the children to attend a good summer camp where counselors are trained to help them learn about the natural world. These travels and outings do not need to be done in fair weather. A beach or lake can be most exciting and interesting in the winter or during a storm. Wild flowers are especially beautiful when spring rains drip off their petals. Most of all, follow the child's lead and encourage specific inter- ests. Many scientists started out as collectors. Perhaps your child gets excited by dinosaurs or wolves or butterflies or rocks. Even a baseball card collection can help them learn the basic scientific principles of sorting by category and using statistics. Guidebooks on all sorts of creatures and habi- tats are available at libraries and bookstores. Use them. Finally, don't protect your chil- dren from the realities of environ- mental problems and issues. If you are concerned about some- thing talk about it with them. Let them get involved in feeding the birds, recycling, tree planting, or writing letters to legislators. Help with school outings and encour- age the teachers to take the chil- dren outside to experience the “real world.” The great naturalist Aldo Leo- pold once wrote the following thought-provoking paragraph as he recalled his youth: “When I call to mind my earliest impressions, I wonder whether the process ordi- narily referred to as growing up is not actually a process of growing down; whether experience, so much touted among adults as the thing children lack, is not actually a progessive dilution of the essntials by the trivialities of liv- ing. This much at least is sure: my earliest impressions of wildlife and its pursuit retain a vivid sharp- ness of form, color and atmos- phere that half a century of profes- sional wildlife experience has failed to obliterate or to improve upon.” So, let's allow our kids to have these experiences, and in the proc- ess we might all learn something exciting. Letters invited The Dallas Post encourages its readers to share their opinions with the community by writing a letter to the editor. All letters must be signed and include a telephone number so that we may verify their authenticity. We will not publish anonymous letters. Send letters to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Only Yesterday 60 Years Ago - Aug. 5, 1932 F.D.R. WINS POST PRESIDENTIAL POLL Gov. Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York, Democratic candi- date for the Presidency this Fall and his running mate John Gar- ner, vice presidential candidate are winners in the Post's presidential poll which ended yesterday. Forces favoring repeal of the 18th Amend- ment continued to pile up votes to win the four week poll with a number twice as big as the volume of votes cast by Prohibitionists. Dallas residents who are un- able to pay their personal tax will be given an opportunity to work out this tax through employment on the borough streets according to arrangements made by Dallas Borough Council This move on the part of council should not be con- strued as a permanent plan but will be a temporary assistance for those who prove that they are fi- nancially unable to pay their per- sonal taxes. Kingston Township baself \ team was handed a bad beating at the hands of the leagues’ leading Beaumont team on the local school grounds by a score 20-4. 50 Years Ago - Aug. 7, 1942 J RATIONING BOARD WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR BACK MOUNTAIN A rationing board for the whole Back Mountain will be established in Dallas it was learned on reliable authority this week. Establishment here will remove the necessity for frequent inconvenient trips to Wyoming and Shickshinny on the part of local residents and §™I greatly speed-up allotment of ti, 8, sugar and gasoline for those who are entitled to them. With all types of road surfaciiy material frozen by the government, Mathers Construction Co. has closed operations for the duration and sent its trucks and road work- ing machinery out on Army ard Navy work and found jobs for all of its former employees in other in- dustries. Ray Henner, one of the best known poultry men in the Dallas Area and former head of the vous tional-agricultural departmen(§" the government vocational i Bi in Baltimore, Md., will head the newly established voccational- agricualtural department at Lal I? Township schools. He will intef- view parents and students to de- termine what courses are needed, outline his course of study and organize the department for actual work in September. You could get - Nabisco Shred: ded Wheat 11¢ a pkg.; Gold Seal flour, 24 1b. bag, 79¢; 2 1g. loaves of Supreme bread, 17¢; home grown sweet corn, 25¢ doz. 40 Years Ago - Aug. 8, 1952 DALLAS BOROUGH ENDS RENT CONTROL 5 Rent control in Dallas Boroug: // is a thing of the past. Expressing opinion that no substantial short- age of housing exists locally, Dal- las Borough Council at its meeting refused to request extension of the Federal Rent Stabilization law here. Appointment of A.O. Perry, Chicago, as general manager of Commonwealth Telephone Co. is announced by Andrew J. Sordoni Sr., Chairman of Commonwealth Board of Directors. Perry who has been closely associated with the telephone industry will assume his new position in September. " Regional Red Cross Blood Cen- ter last week issued an urgent plea for blood donors ofall blood groups. But especially for donors of Type O, positive and negative. This type is sent directly to Korea where over 200,000 pints have already beer received. Se J 30 Years Ago - Aug. 9, 1962 BACK MTN. IN LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS Back Mountain Little League Al Stars meet Williamsport Friday in a semi-final game for the State Little League Championship. Postponed opening of Lake: Lehman schools will affect not only high school students but elemen- tary pupils according to Lester E. Squier, supervising principal ofthe five way jointure. First possible date for occupation of the new Junior-Senior High Schools given as September 24. The 13 lostschool days will necessarily be made UE by curtailed vacations Sought the year. " 20 Years Ago - Aug. 10, 1972. DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPECTS 700 NEW STUDENTS An additional 700 children are expected to attend Dallas School District schools this year it was reported to the Board of Directors at a special meeting August 1. Majority of children lived in flood areas and presently are living in trailers at Frances Slocum State Park, and relatives and friends ih the local area. > w - Spl - » [) Vv. “ ] % ] LL) w EE ————————SSSGSSSSEEEET
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers