© @ Vol. 105 No. 35 Details SI=ISAVAIN CTE | =RO1O1\V1\V |S] NB RI =ISHO] ml Hw | 3 BYAVS WARSI. WN (=E WM = |\V AW ES edo [6/6] I BI IS) J 21 [04 BSF Dallas, Pennsylvania onpg. 11: 50¢ Aug. 31 thru Sept. 6, 1994 Veterans plan 1,000 mile watchfire By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Since the days of Julius Caesar, armies have set up systems of watchfires to help guide their lost or missing soldiers home. Discontinued during World War II, the watchfires are being revived by the National Watchfire Coali- tion, an area group of veterans of all wars and concerned friends, who plan to light and man fires at dusk October 22 along more than 1,000 miles of eastern waterways — the Delaware, Hudson and Susquehanna rivers. “Caesar began the practice of lighting watchfires because he believed that he was accountable for all of the men in his command,” said coalition coordina- tor John Tasco. “The fires helped lost or captured soldiers find their way home. We want to re-awaken Americans’ consciousness of those soldiers from 20th century conflicts who are still unaccounted for.” More than 89,000 men and women are unac- counted for, Tasco said: More than 1,000 missing, held captive or unac- counted for from World War I; 78,000 from World War II; 8,100 from the Korean War, and 2,100 from the Vietnam War. The National Watchfire Coalition is looking for interested persons or organizations to man the October 22 fires from dusk until dawn - veterans of any war, students, Boy or Girl Scouts, churches or anyone who cares. The coalition will supply complete guidelines and has four strict rules: no drugs, no alcohol, no politi- cal speeches and no outward display of organiza- tional affiliations. . They came, they drove, they won! By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff The sound of well-tuned motors under the hoods of everything from street-legal Volvos to kit cars ech- oed across the Dallas High School parking lot August 28 as 30 drivers competed in a Sports Car Club of America skills event. In pursuit of the best overall time of four runs, drivers tested their skills at maneuvering through a challenging course of S-bends, loops, gates and a slalom laid out with orange cones in the parking lot's three sections. The vehicles were divided into classes based on on their size, weight and the extent of modifications, such as sway bars or special heavy-duty suspen- sions. Cars began to line up shortly after 9 a.m., hoods and trunks open for the mandatory pre-trial tech in- spection: lap/shoulder seat belts, no loose objects from the car and trunk, all cables and connections under the hood tied down. didn’t have them. It passed. Mandatory helmets were available for drivers who Mechanics chuckled at the chain holding down the battery in Kristelle Kocher's 1985 Pontiac Fiero. Drivers and friends swapped inside jokes about See THEY WON, pg 14 A WINNING SMILE — Back Mountain resident Kristell Kocher outdrove her father, Jean Pierre, to place first in her class, C-Stock, with her sleek 1985 Pontiac Fiero. POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE Programs untouched by PSU budget cuts By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff A ripple effect caused by de- clining enrollments and a $12 million shortfall in Penn State University’s statewide educational system has come ashore at the Wilkes-Barre campus, where offi- cials were told in June to trim $750,000 from the budget within the next two years. : In a cost-cutting move, six full- time jobs were eliminated at the Wilkes-Barre campus this year — two faculty positions and four nonprofessional staff members — which will save about $400,000. “The campus budget was some- what bloated,” said acting cam- pus CEO Thomas Winter, PhD. “The only way to trim it was to eliminate jobs. This wasn't based on performance. These were very effective teachers.” The curriculum and programs haven't been affected, although students may see different teach- ers, as some faculty members have been given additional duties. Winter said that some non- teaching jobs have been combined, while other staff members have been reassigned. For example, the registrar's job has been cut to half time and combined with a half- time counselor's job. “This is directly tied to enroll- ments,” Winter said. “Our priority P Penn State facts, pg 2 is recruiting more students and making our campus more visible.” He has reorganized and ex- panded the admissions staff, and planned several high school stu- dent open houses, the first of which attracted so many students that it had to be relocated from the commons to the gym. Winter is also encouraging the faculty tovisit high schools around Wyoming Valley, the campus'’s main source of students, He also wants to expand cam- pus events for high school stu- dents, such as the Newton Math Society contest, History Day and the Science Olympiad, Before leaving his position in June, former campus CEO Wil- liam Pearman said part of the Penn State system's declining enrollment can be traced to grow- ing community colleges, which offer competitively priced tuition fees and programs. While serving as acting CEO, Winter has been relieved of his teaching duties as a professor of physics, although he hasn't aban- doned his research work in prac- tical applications of fusion de- vices for use in the nuclear power industry. He expects the search for anew permanent campus CEO to take about a year. Other than the American flag or the black and A white POW/MIA flag, no other flags or banners may be displayed. : vi 4 v “The focus is on the fire and the missing ones, not on those who are tending it,” said coalition member Cal Tinsley. “People and organizations are welcome as long as they don't call special attention to them- | selves.” . Watchfire ceremonies will be kept simple: tenders ! may read a speech prepared by the coalition, recite | See WATCHFIRE, pg 3 New program targets at-risk students y By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff A vacant Dallas Township school building will soon get a new lease on life as the home for a new Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 educational program. According to IU #18 executive director Kevin O'Connor, approximately 30 students in the alterna- tive education program for grades 7-12 will move into two classrooms and an office area in the former | Dallas Township High School in two to three weeks, after renovations are finished and teachers and staff are assigned. Depending on the need, another two classes could be added. “These students aren't making it in regular classes because of their disruptive, aggressive or inappro- priate behavior,” he said. “They need something other than special education classes, where they don't fit in either. They are are at risk of dropping out of school.” O'Connor said that students displaying behavior : problems, poor academic performance, violent or aggressive behavior, discipline problems or difficul- 7 VA 1 0 o) > N A - & y . A asia i \ d " . > a Ee ee i ai EE = SL BB y A mA Rs as Saba I At! » ¥ ties with the law have been selected by guidance 1 counselors for the alternative learning program, which Dallas superintendent Gerald Wycallis has described as “the last chance before expulsion.” In addition to studying basic skills (also known as the core curriculum) in classes of 15, students will receive counseling and training in social behavior, job skills and civic responsibility. While the goal for senior high students is to finish high school, for junior high students it's to teach See STUDENTS, pg 14 p.m. Friday. Early deadlines this week So that everyone at The Post can enjoy the Labor Day | weekend, the office of The Dallas Post will be closed all day | Monday, September 5. All submitted news material for the Sept. 7 issue must arrive at our office by 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. The deadline for display and classified advertising is 4 eH 4 HB Lehman High Class of '44 noids 50th reunion. Page 7. HB Auction will aid Wyoming Valley Historical Society. Page 9. 14 Pages 1 Section The Dallas Post Calendar................. 10 Classified........... 12-13 Crossword.............. 10 Editorials................ 4 Obituaries............... 12 SchoOk........connusiirs 8-9 . POST PHOTO/ICHARLOVTE BARVIZER SPOS... 11 I'll take this one ‘Alison Taroli or Dallas had her eye on this handmade dress during CALL 675-5211 last weekend's 10th annual Arts at Hayfield Summer Festival on the campus of Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The weather cooperated, threatening rain all afternoon but not producing much. FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366 bd > A hy er Am Ah Sa + Sr ae he Sr {
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