ps yr b Wf Vol, 107 No. 43 Ryan Gryskevicz showed his feelings at last Friday's special school board meeting with a sign. By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff DALLAS - The entanglement of sports, politics and a father's con- cern for his son's welfare has re- vealed a widening rift between supporters and detractors of the Dallas High School football pro- gram. On the one side are Gridiron Club members and other enthu- siastic fans of the program, more than 500 of whom turned out Oct. 18 for a special school board meet - ing at which the suspension of assistant coach Brian Brady was temporarily lifted. On the other are school board members and parents who think the football program is overemphasized or perhaps out of control. In the middle is Ron Pietraccini, who had no idea his complaint against discipline proscribed by Brady on his 15-year-old son, Aaron, would lead lo the largest meeting. turnout in recent memory. “I'd like it just to go away,” Pietraccini said Sunday, Dallas, Pennsylvania still reeling from days of media coverage that he couldn't antici- pate. “I made the complaint because I was concerned about my son,” Pietraccini said. "My criticism wasn't of the punishment. Being a father, I understand punish- ment. But with physical punish- ment, the punishment should fit the individual.” Pietraccini said his son had been assigned 25 ZR 33 ’ Unpaid bills may shut street lights at Lake Silkworth By MICHAEL TWICHELL Post Correspondent LEHMAN - The lights may soon be going out for some residents of Lake Silkworth. According to Lehman Township Treasurer Alvin Cragle, “There are some residents of Lake Silkworth who are refusing to pay their share ofthe street light cost in that area. They have been sent a notice to remit payment by November 30. If they do not comply, the town- ship will put a lien on their prop- erly.” As for the possibility of elimi- nating the street-lights, Cragle said, “If this continues, they'll be shut down due to lack of funds.” In other business, Attorney Benjamin R. Jones, representing the Clark, McDade, and Moyer families of Lehman, requested the township look into a water drain- age problem on old Route 115 which has been causing damage to his clients property. “These people have lived on their property for several years, and this problem has only come up in the last three or four years,” said Jones. The supervisors plan to have the township engineer investigate the complaint. “We need to find out what caused this,” stated chairman David Sutton. The supervisors also approved the purchase of two sets of por- table road spikes for the police department, toaid in cutting down on high speed chases in the town- ship. Roadmaster Douglas Ide also announced that Fedor Road will be closed from November I through the end of April for re- pairs to the bridge and to widen the openings. Brazilian visitors take a tour of farmingin the U.S. By CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Post Staff TRUCKSVILLE - Will and Frank Conyngham will soon be going to Brazil, thanks to a visit last week by Marcos Espnhiera, ‘national president in Brazil of Partners for Americas, and his ‘delegation of 16 dairy farmers, ‘veterinarians, professors and en- gineers. Frank and his father, Frank Sr., ‘walked the group through their Hillside Farm barns last Fri- day as part of the Partners for Americas program coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy, retired dean of Wilkes University's Graduate {School, but now president of their education and training center. “The program is supported by the U. S. and Brazilian govern- ments as an offshoot of the ‘People ‘to People’ project started in the '60's,” Dr. Fahmy explained. “Busi- ‘ness people from the northeast state of Bahai in Brazil come to visit and learn from people in the northeastern United States. From these visits the relationship be- tween the countries is improved and the people (rom, for instance, Brazil learn of new technologies that they can take back with them, perhaps ordering machinery {rom this country and encouraging in- ternational cooperation.” The delegation was “Very happy, very impressed with the Conyngham farm,” said Dr. Fahmy. So what are these farmers and business people so interested in? Victor Souza, a Brazilian farmer, asked Frank Conyngham Sr. how many times a day the cows are fed, and how many times they are milked. Pennsylvania State Co- operative Extension agricultural agent Donna Grey took the group on a tour of the Manzoni farm in | See BRAZILIAN, pg 2 POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Frank Conyngham Sr. showed Victor Souza through the barns at ~ Hillside Farm in Trucksville. Sixteen Brazilian visitors toured the farm last week on one leg of a trip to observe U.S. farm practices. Discipline incident exposes rift in view of football program “hit-its,” in which the player runs in place and then [alls to the ground at the coach's signal, Tues- day, Oct. 8, and 30 Wednesday. Neither he nor his son com- plained until afte Thursday's practice, when Aaron was required to do 60 of the exercises. When he got home, Pietraccini said his son's arm was curled and he was breath- ing unnaturally. Angry, Pietraccini sent a letter to the school board threatening a lawsuit il Brady wasn't immediately dismissed. “If they want to crucify me, crucify me [or being a father,” he said. Frank Galicki and Anthony Martinelli, principals of the high school and middle school respec- tively, investigated Pietraccini's complaint, and recommended Brady be reprimanded, but not suspended. Superintendent of Schools Gerald Wyecallis, under pressure from some school board members, chose instead to sus- pend Brady. That incensed foot- ball partisans, who saw the in- [ringement on a coach's authority See RIFT, pg 8 Special meeting defuses tension By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff DALLAS - An angry but re- strained crowd of over 500 people — nearly all of them passionate supporters of the Dallas High School football program — got much of what they came for from last Friday's emergency meeting of the school board. With row upon row of the middle school auditorium filled, the Dal- las Gridiron Club made its case for reinstatement of suspended assistant coach Brian Brady, though his name was seldom mentioned. Instead, speakers vouched for the integrity and con- who earlier in the week had threat - ened to stay home from the Moun- taineers’ homecoming game the - next day, even announcing that the game wouldn't be played un- less Brady was reinstated. The atmosphere in the hall shifted from concern for Brady and Jackson to enthusiasm, as thunderous applause followed each speaker from the Gridiron Club. In some cases, it was al- most a festive occasion, with chil- dren and adults displaying hand- made signs of support for the embattled coaches and trading words of encouragement. The Gridiron Club had re- quested the meeting, and helped plan the agenda, which brought seven speakers to the microphone. First, though, school board presi- See SPECIAL MEETING, pg. 8 Parade Sunday, October 27. The parade forms at noon at in Dallas. Judging begins al 12:30 p.m. in the following cat- egories: prettiest, funniest, ug- liest, most original, and best group. The parade moves out at 1 lot where prizes will be awarded. In the event of rain, the pa- old Dallas Township School. The Back Mountain Business and Professional Association is sponsoring a free Halloween party for the children immedi- ately following the parade at the Eastern Star Building. There will be a magic show, music and lots of cider and goodies. Sunday's Halloween Parade to include party The Dallas Kiwanis Club will sponsor their annual Halloween the old Dallas Township School on Church Street and Route 309 p.m. down Church Street, to the Eastern Star Building parking rade will be held indoors at the Kasey Corbett of Dallas made a perfect Little Bo Peep, complete with lamb, at last year's Halloween Parade. B® Crumbling school ina walking tour, problems at the Lake- Lehman Middle School are obvious. Pg 3. B® Unhappy home Dallas crushed in home- coming game. Pg 9. 14 Pages 2 Sections Calendar.......... 5. 14 Classified............... 12-13 Crossword........ 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