4 - The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, June 7, 1995 a ken , 3% 8% 3 $ : The Dallas Post For '95 graduates, a dose of reality ‘Yawn...it's time once again for the annual orgy of graduation speeches and editorials. You know the type, semi-inspiring words about the great future that awaits the Class of "95, mixed with ominous warnings of the pitfalls that stand in the way of success, happiness and perfect fulfillment. Well, you won't read any of that here, at least not this year. The truth is, the world has become a tougher, not gentler place since the end of the Cold War, at least for those of us on the winning side. No longer will the populace stand for more spending on schools and science, absent a nuclear threat from the Big Bear to the east. Forget the inspiration that sprang from the Sputnik launch, and the subsequent dash for scientific excellence. This is a new day, a day when squeezing savings out of the aged and infirm is more important than plotting invest- ments in the future. Inthis confused, cynical age, gutting laws that aim to provide clean water is called the Safe Drinking Water Act, the very name implying that citizens won't know the difference between that proposal and the original intent of the Clean Water Act. Sadly, political figures who come up with such drivel — of both parties — may be able to fool enough of the people enough of the time to further weaken our already shaky democracy. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water, though. There are still a lot of upstanding, conscientious people in government and other positions of authority, and they deserve your respect and support. So here’s our advice to the Class of '95. Get smart! Hopefully, the degree you hold is a symbol that you've already begun to do so. But keep getting smarter, if that’s your bag, because only the most highly-educated and well-trained will thrive in the 21st century. Unless you're pursuing a useful trade. If you are, be the best. Don't settle for getting by, cutting corners or hoping that things will get better on their own. They won't, and your odds of winning the lottery are lower than of discovering a long- lost rich uncle. Figure out what you do well, and can enjoy a good part of the time, and do it. Don't accept low standards from yourself, your teachers, your friends, even your family. You can do better than any of them if you put your mind to it, and if you're pursuing a worthy goal. ‘And don't forget to apply the same rigorous approach to general knowledge as to your specialty. America needs a well- rounded, informed populace to thrive, so be part of it. Then you won't be fooled by pie-in-the-sky political promises. ~ Ifthis sounds mundane, most of the time, it is. So, you'll have to learn to make your own fun, too. But you know what? Taking control of your life, setting your mind to achievement, becom- ing exceptionally good at what you do, is worth it. Then do one more thing. If you bring children into this world, teach them how to become responsible, caring adults, like you've become. If everyone did that, we'd have a lot fewer problems in this world, don’t you think? | Publisher's notebook Ron Bartizek I must give Grace Dove credit for last week's story about Chase prison inmates who have failed to return from weekend furloughs. She goes through the mail looking for items that will go in the paper, and noticed that a weekly Crimestoppers feature was a former Chase inmate. A few weeks later the featured criminal was another one, so she checked out the story. I was shocked to read that convicted murderers can qualify for furloughs after completing half their sentence, which in one case was a mere 3 3/4 years. Oh, and they have to behave themselves for the nine months before the furlough. I'm not ready to vote for bread and water, but this seems far too lenient a system for people who have taken a life. 000 A little shoptalk. We appreciate the many articles, calendar items and photos that are submitted, and get as many of them in the paper as possible. You can help to make it most likely your item will appear by following a few guidelines: 1. It's best if items for the following week's paper get here by Friday. We're open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also can leave items in the drop box next to our front door. 2. If you are submitting a photo, make sure it is predominantly of Back Mountain people. We have to be parochial about these things. 3. Please identify each person in photos. You wouldn't believe the number of people who know one another by sight but not by name. The easiest way to do this is to list them from left to right. If there's more than one row, do it this way; front row, from left; second row, from left etc. Don't forget, we always must reserve the right to edit submissions, in part because by doing so we can get more of them in the paper. We plan to work on some design and format changes soon, with the goal of making The Post easier toread, more useful and more entertaining. We'll keep you posted as we make progress. The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 717-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek Charlotte E. Bartizek PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Peggy Young Grace R. Dove ADVERTISING ACCT, EXEC REPORTER Paul Rismiller Olga Kostrobala PRODUCTION MANAGER CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING Jill Urbanas OFFICE MANAGER o£ rer NIN 2] IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPER REORTADER ASSOCIATION Ir) is As The Alderson Depot once graced the northeastérn corner of Harveys Lake A Case for Conservation A Last week I spent a night in a motel in Columbus, Indiana. On the desk in my room was the usual brochure advertising local restaurants, shopping opportu- nities, historic sites, etc. But, the thing that captured my attention was the map of the town: it fea- tured pathways connecting all the town parks—from the large river commons to the smallest baseball park. What a marvelous idea, I thought. I wish our area could do something like that. About a month ago The Dallas Post featured a front page article about thé ‘efforts of our local rails- 'to-trails group, the Anthracite Scenic Trails Association. The work that they are doing to re- store the two mile railroad grade between Luzerne and Trucksville is part of a much larger national effort by groups large and small to provide greenways for public rec- reation and wildlife protection. One successful group is promot- ing a trail along the full length (approximately 40 miles) of the Lackawanna River. The first six miles of the Heritage Valley River Trail will be opened to hikers and bikers this summer. There are many advantages to the “greenway” concept. The most obvious is that often the “path” is already there. Sometimes that is a man-made path such as an abandoned railroad bed or drained canal. And, sometimes it is a As Iwas | saying ...A column of mine last year, intended mostly for seniors who were ‘Notch Babies’ - born be- tween 1917 and 1926 and who are victims of a faulty formula which lessened their Social Secu- rity incomes - implied that those unfortunates had better not “count their chickens until they were hatched.” A cutsey way of saying that I thought none of the so-called “notch” bills in front of the House Ways and Means Committee would pass. I felt that even if Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, the Illinois Demo- crat then under investigation by Federal officials for 17 counts of fraud and hanky-panky, were to be jailed those bills never stood a chance. I never read what happened to Danny Boy but I did read what happened to the Notch contro- versy. A congressional Commis- sion on the Social Security Notch Issue has stated flatly payments to those persons involved were not inequitable as they had claimed. Chairman Alan K. Campbell in the commission's final report Systems of greenways and trails have many benefits natural feature such as a river that is excellent for canoeing. Many times these two exist to- gether because railroads tended to be built along rivers or lake- shores. : Then, of course, greenways tend to be accessible. They often con- nect communities with each other and with towns or cities where people shop or work. Since they often pass near homes and apart- ments, families and individuals can decide to go for a bike ride or awalk and then doit. They do not have to get into the car and drive to some distant park first. Green- ways are also very often acces- sible to strollers and wheelchairs so that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the fresh air and see the birds and wildflowers along the route. There are trail systems which are somewhat less accessible but nonetheless important. These are the growing list of hiking trails that make up the National Scenic and Historic Trail System. Many of us have hiked portions of the Appalachian Trailwhich stretches along the “backbone” of the Appa- lachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine. But, did you know that there are many other trails in the United States including the 3700 mile Lewis and Clark Trail (Illinois to Oregon) which connects to the 3200 mile North Country Trail (New York to North Dakota)? Although these trails now have the “national” label, they are all maintained and protected mostly by dedicated volunteers in a wide variety of local and national or- ganizations. Cities as different as Portland, OR, Chattanooga, TN and Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia have all dis- covered that preserving green spaces and making them acces- sible to the public can improve the health, economic opportuni- ties, and quality of life for their citizens. Chattanooga is a mod- ern-day success story. They have gone from the most polluted city in the United States thirty years ago to one of the nation’s “most livable cities” today. One of the leaders in that renewal, Graham Hawks, says, “People here feel such a strong connection to the land and the landscape. That's the common bond shared even between the person of lowliest means and the person of greatest privilege in this town. It’s a spiri- tual bond. And I believe it's a sustainable spirit of connection.” It is sustainable because pro- viding green corridors is not sim- ply a benefit to humans. Itis also quite beneficial to many species of plants and animals. Corridors that connect to larger parks or preserves are particularly useful because they allow safe passage for animals (and the, plant seeds that they carry with them) which would otherwise be confined to one refuge. streams and rivers provide nest- ing and feeding areas for a wide variety of birds. Other birds use greenways as stop-over points along migration routes. Green- ways tend to cool the water and thus make it more hospitable for fish, especially trout and salmon. They also tend to protect woods and swampy areas along water- ways which provide natural flood conrol. In an area that is already quite densely populated, greenways and trails appear to be a most reason- able approach to providing open space for all of us. Let's all help wherever we can to make theise dreams come true and to enhance that “spirit of connection.” More on the 'Notch Babies’ and other neat odds 'n ends admitted that “the notch babies are not going to be happy with this.” He claimed persons born in earlier periods received an “unin- tended windfall’ but congressional efforts in 1977 to “hold down benefits was aresponsible action.” The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) agreed. Legislative rep Evelyn Morton said, “Raising benefits for some benefi- ciaries would have created a seri- ous threat to the long-term integ- rity of the SS trust funds. Notch proposals would have siphoned off reserves that cushion today's retirees against an economic downturn. They also would have threatened retirement benefits of the baby boom generation. Now. Matter put to rest. Told you so. 00 ...Rostenkowski may have been found not guilty. I did not see anything about him but I have seen our glorious legal system at work when I watched the Simpson trial and observed the so-called “Dream Team" in action. Then I ran into a lawyer know and I said to him, “Hey! I've been watching the trial on TV and I want you to know I have a whole different perspective on your profession! He raised his palm to me, and a pained look crossed his face. He said, “I know exactly what you are going to say, and I want you to know I agree with you one hundred percent!” (1 1] ...Checking on the Simpson circus now and then, whichIshall probably be doing a year from now, I must admit developing a mild crush on Marcia Clark, even though I miss those silly curls, but I gave her up when Dr. Robin Cotton appeared as a DNA wit- ness expert. Does this mean lam fickle? (1 1] ...] have a “Letter to the Editor” to share with you. I like these things. They always make good reading, especially the angry ones. This one is from a Mr. Bob Rozakis to the editor of a leading stamp journal: “As the executive direc- tor of production at DC Comics, I take offense at the Readers’ Opin- jon letter in your April issue. The writer complains that he dislikes the art on a few recent stamps, saying that they look like artwork from a comic book. He also says the whole iness looks trashy. Well, I don't know when he last looked at a comic book, but I doubt it was recently. The artists working on our maga- zines and those of most of our competitors are skilled profession- als who take great pride - right- fully so - in their work. Neither they nor we consider what they produce trashy. In fact I think most of them could produce quite attractive postage stamps. The writer is entitled to his opinion about the art chosen for stamps but we request that he not condemn our work in his attempt to express it.” That's telling him Bob! Greenways along - - Only yesterday . o 60 Years Ago - June 14, 1935 CREDIT ASS’'N GETS NEW ADDRESS The Production Credit Associa- tion, which serves farmers of this section, will be moved from Scran-- ton and will establish a new office under the name of the Wyoming Production Credit Association in ; EC) will effect a conventence for local, | Tunkhannock onJuly 1. Change farmers. 2 The committees appointed by . Dallas Business Men's Associa- tion last month to investigate several important community problems will report at the first . supper meeting of the association June 21. : Dallas Township High School : baseball team, which led the Back Mountain Scholastic League, lost its chance for the Luzerne County high school championship on Tuesday, when it was defeated by Swoyersville, 9-16. 50 Years Ago - June 15, 1945 ~~ NEW DALLAS TEEN CENTER OPENS “JiveJunction” Dallas teen-age center opens Saturday evening. The name was picked and plans made for the opening at a mass meeting of the young folks Tues- day night in the Dallas Borough High School. Membership isopen to all young people in Dallas Bor- ough and Township from seventh . - grade'to 19years of age. Dues are | - $1.00 a year. G. Harold Wagner, Auditor -, General of Pennsylvania has ~ named F. Gordon Mathers, Trucksville, contractor, special. investigator in the Bureau of i; Corporation Tax, Department of : the Auditor General. He has been - + assigned to the Wilkes-Barre of- fice for Northeastern Pennsylva- nia. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Rowlands, : : Main Road, Trucksville, celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary June 13, surrounded by mem- bers of their family. They are the * parents of eight children, two of + whom are deceased. 40 Years Ago - June 10, 1955 MANY NEW HOMES GOING UP AT GOSS The new section of Goss Manor +. is enjoying one of its busiest sea-. . sons. Two homes are under con- struction and six more will soon . be started. There are presently 80 homes in the new section with . space available for an additional 30. New streets have recently been opened and others will fol- low. ; Robert A. Eyerman was ap- pointed architect for the $30,000 additon to St. Paul's Lutheran. . Church, Shavertown. The addi- tion will be erected primarily to provide much needed Sunday School rooms, but it will also. provide greater seating capacity . . for the busy seasons of the year. _ You could get - Ground beef, 3. Ibs., $1.00; short cut 7" standing rib roast, 59¢ lb.; lemons, 12/ 35¢; lettuce, 21g. hds. 15¢; Swiss: © Cheese 69¢ 1b. 30 Years Ago - June 10, 1965. BORO BUYS LOTS OF NEW EQUPMENT Borough Council opted Tues- day evening to buy a new police car, dump truck and front-end loader, the latter two replacing. present equipment. To buy the new equipment the officers were empowered to take out a $25,000 _ loan payable at $5,000 per year for a period of five years or less. William DiBuo formerly associ- = ated with the Forty Fort Ice Cream Co. will hold a Grand Opening of his own buisness in the former _ Bolton Diner, Shavertown tomor- row. The establishment will be open 7 a.m.-1 a.m., seven days a week. and Mrs. A. DeWitt Smith, Sale of Goodleigh Farm to Mr. Elmcrest, has been an open se- " cret for weeks as records were searched at Luzerne County Court House. A number of other pro- spective buyers have been inter- ested, but present owner Mrs. = Dorrance Reynolds wished to have the property passed into hands which would conserve the wood- lands and watershed. 40 Years Ago - June 12, 1975 NEW FOOD MARKET TO COME TO AREA Employment opportunities in o the area have become available through Royal Swan Foods, whole- salers for Holiday Markets. The .. chain announced they will soon -. open a new supermarket in the site of the old Dallas A & P. Mr. and Mrs. Knaiser gave been named to manage the store. on » 4 > & 9 9 » 0 Oo ol. o
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers