4. The Dallas Post Dallas, PA
Wednesday, January 22, 1997
ry : “1
| EDITORIALS
Gerry Wycallis leaves
a legacy of giving
to the community
Gerald Wycallis, who died over the weekend, did not have an
easy tenure as superintendent of schools in the Dallas School
District. His term began with the district in turmoil, and ended
that way as well. Through it all, friends and associates say he
was a man who put the good of students above all other
considerations, and who had a vision for the district's future
based on what was best for students.
That vision is most easily seen in the computers found
throughout the school district. Wycallis saw the potential value
of computers as a teaching and learning aid, and spearheaded
efforts to make them easily accessible to all students. He also
was savvy about the schools’ foundation, their curriculum,
having served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and
instruction before taking the lead role in the district.
But vision isn’t everything. The world is littered with creative
failure, the frequent result when good ideas lack the basic
support system to implement them. In a school district, the
financial footing must be firm or the governing body will be
reluctant to venture into new areas. That hasn't been an issue
in Dallas for many years, because Wycallis was also a skilled
fiscal manager whose administration hadn't required a tax
increase for six years.
Today's school superintendents must satisfy diverse con-
stituencies, and that sometimes leads to complaints of “poli-
tics,” the universal condemnation of those who recognize that
compromise is the path to progress in a democratic society.
That charge was hurled at Wycallis many times, but those who
knew him best testify that he consistently worked for the
betterment of the schools, not his own position.
Perhaps most impressive, Gerry Wycallis recognized that he
and the schools were part of a larger community, and that his
role as citizen wasn’t limited to his work, no matter how
important that might be. He helped young athletes in baseball
and basketball, was an active member of Rotary, and could be
spotted at any number of school and community events, as
often as not lending a hand on the front lines. And he was a
good friend and champion of others, both in and outside the
school family.
“Gerry Wycallis’s life was too short, but he leaves a legacy of
family, friendship, professional accomplishment and commu-
nity involvement that will be sorely missed.
»
Publisher's notebook
fron Pareet.
LAs I write this, I'm listening to a wounded but game UConn
men's basketball team play Kansas, which sits at the top of the
NCAA rankings. For my money, college basketball is the most
exciting spectator sport, although I may be prejudiced since it’s
the one my home state team is best at. The Huskies hold the
best winning record in the past five years, even if they haven't
— yet — won the national title. But, like all big-time college
teams, they've recently had problems, in this case with two star
players accepting gifts. That seems like a petty offense when
compared to the roster of criminals on some top college football
téams, but NCAA rules for scholarship athletes are extremely
strict.
*.For those who think they have a budding college star in the
house, there's a cautionary tale in a preview of this year’s Final
i Four hopefuls published by The New York Times. The paper
listed 24 teams thought to have the best chance of making it to
thie! championship game, along with the graduation rate for
scholarship players enrolled from 1986 through 1989. Kansas
was listed as a Final Four team, but had a graduation rate of
ohly 30 percent. That sounds pretty bad until you compare it
with Cincinnati, home to hoop thugs, which graduated not a
single scholarship player. Providence was at the top of the list
with a 91 percent graduation rate, followed by Stanford at 86
and Villanova at 79 percent. I was surprised that Duke
graduated less than 60 percent of student-athletes.
So, choose a school wisely if your son or daughter is a sports
standout, and don't forget that very few players from even the
best teams will make their living playing games.
es ka a a Ul es a i A
Do you agree? Disagree?
Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post,
and are wrilten by the editor unless otherwise indicated. We
welcome your opinion on contemporary issues in the form of letters
to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never hear a
contrasting point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box
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name in exceptional circumstances. We reserve the right to edit for
Jorgen and grammar.
The Dallas Post
Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc.
: P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612
8 717-675-5211
Ronald A. Bartizek
PUBLISHER
Charlotte E. Bartizek
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Winter scene, pond at Newberry Estate. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek.
The economic
viewpoint
id 5 8, N
Howard Grossman
Who speaks for the silent in
Northeastern Pennsylvania? Is
the region blessed with prosperity
so that the sp called silent major-
ity does not have to be spoken of
or for in relation to their future?
Clearly, the answer in the Back
Mountain, the Abingtons,
Mountaintop, and the urban cen-
ters is that the region contains
people who have the abilily to
take care of themselves but also
contains others who cannot.
There is a need to continue an
aggressive strategy of finding the
resources to help the people of
Northeastern Pennsylvania.
These include the poor, the disad-
vantaged, the disabled, the un-
wanted, the handicapped, the il-
literate, even the gifted, allof whom
who have a need which is con-
stantly being challenged by the
falling distribution of resources.
The best legislation, the best
intent, the best volunteer com-
mitment cannot replace the f[i-
nancial resources which are re-
quired to meet the needs of these
components of the region's soci-
ety. For example, despite the
strength which exists today rela-
tive to Northeastern Pennsylva-
nia and its strategic position on
the Atlantic Seaboard, and de-
spite substantive changes which
have occurred over the last 40
years to warrant great optimism
about the region's future, the sta-
tistical base of the region shows
that as a metropolitan area, the
Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton
metropolitan statistical arearanks
as the second lowest income based
region in the Commonwealth.
NE PA must help give
voice to silent majority
It has a gross regional income
which includes approximately
15% in the form of transfer pay-
ments or direct payments by the
government such as Social Secu-
rity, Black Lung, and veteran ben-
efits to individuals. The region
becomes significantly hard hit if
subtle, let alone significant shifts
are made in the available finan-
cial resources at the federal level
as well as state level, to support
badly needed services.
This is not to say that organiza-
tions have not identified prob-
lems along this line in the past.
For example, a recent publication
of the Economic Development
Council of Northeastern Pennsyl-
vania, (EDCNP), as part of its
award-winning NEPA 2000 Re-
gional Visioning Reports, identi-
fied human services as one of the
five most critical affecting the 2 1st
Century Pennsylvania. In this
landmark publication, a series of
recommendations were made {or
each of the [ive critical areas as
well as specific recommendations
dealing with human services.
Sometimes, in the heat of pas-
sion for taking care of personal
needs, forgotien is the action nec-
essary lo strike against poverty
and the other manifestations of
the silent.
While United Ways do an ex-
tremely effective job of helping to
find private sector resources to
combat major human service is-
sues, they are only part of the
financial apparatus necessary to
meet the great demands facing
Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The volunteer movement in
Northeastern Pennsylvania is not
dead. In fact, it is vibrant, alive,
and an astonishing link to the
chain of actions needed to meet
the needs of the silent. On the
other hand, il is increasingly dif-
ficult to oblain volunteer support
atl the level and capacily neces-
sary to meet late 20th Century, let
alone futuristic century needs.
Northeastern Pennsylvania, as
it continues to battle for economic
competitiveness. may need to in-
crease the opportunites to help
many of the groups noted in the
above paragraphs. It cannot be
taken for granted, however, that
all of these needs are likely to be
met.
Anew, bold, and ambitious plan
should be undertaken built
around the NEPA 2000 Regional
Visioning Project to create a hu-
man services strategy, region-
wide, which would meet all of the
needs of Northeastern Pennsylva-
nia well into the next Century,
whether they be urban, subur-
ban, or rural.
It is particularly striking that
rural Northeastern Pennsylvania
was identified in the regional vi-
sioning process as being an unde-
served part of the region. This
may not be unique to Northeast-
ern Pennsylvania, but it is some-
thing which needs dire attention.
It becomes even more striking
when the statistical base of the
region shows that the rural areas
of Northeastern Pennsylvania are
the major growth areas of the
state, including Monroe, Pike and
Wayne counties.
How the region copes with the
meaning of its human service
function may well be the measure
by which Northeastern
Penmnsylvania is held up in soci-
ety as a hopeful, striking example
of dealing with the needs of the
silent in the life and times ahead
in the 21st Century.
Howard Grossman is Executive
Director of the Economic Develop-
ment Council of Northeastern
Pennsylvanuia. He lives in Dallas.
LEGISLATORS DIRECTORY
Federal Officials
Representative Paul E.
Kanjorski (PA 11th District) (D)
Wilkes-Barre: 825-2200
Washington: (202) 225-6511
Address: 10 E. South St., Wilkes-
Barre PA 18701-2397
or 2429 Rayburn Building, Wash-
ington, DC 20515
Senator Arlen Specter (R)
Wilkes-Barre: 826-6265
Washington: (202) 224-4254
Address: 116 S. Main S., Wilkes-
Barre PA 18701
Senator Rick Santorum (R)
B-40 Dirksen Building
Washington, DC 20510
Washington: (202) 224-6324
Fax: (202) 228-4991
State Officials
~ State Sen. Charles D.
Lemmond (R)
(717) 675-3931
22 Dallas Shopping Ctr., Memorial
Hwy., Dallas PA 18612-1231
Lemmond’s district includes the
Back Mountain.
State Rep. George Hasay (R)
287-75050r542-73450r474-2276
(ON HI ¢
YESTERDAY
or 477-3752
369 South Mountain Boulevard,
Mountaintop PA 18707
Hasay's district encompasses:
Harveys Lake, Lehman Township,
Jackson Township, Lake Town-
ship, Franklin Township, Ross
Township, and Dallas Township's
north voting district.
State Rep. Phyllis Mundy (D)
283-9622 or 655-3375
Suite 107, 400 Third Avenue, King-
ston PA 18704
Dallas Borough; Dallas Township
except for the north voting district,
and Kingston Township.
60 Years Ago - Jan. 29, 1937
COMMUNITY HELPS FLOOD
VICTIMS IN NEED
A volunteer organization was
formed quickly in Dallas this week
to collect contributions of money ©
to be forwarded to the Red Cross
for flood sufferers in the stricken -
Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. With
the memory of the Susquehanna'’s
rampage last march still fresh in
local citizens re--’
their minds,
sponded generously.
You could get - Round ston.
33¢ 1b.; rib end pork loins, up to
31/2 1lbs., 21¢ 1lb.; Gold Medal *
Flour, 24 1/2 lb. bag, $1.11; or-
anges, doz.25¢.
50 Years Ago - Jan. 31, 1947
LOCAL OFFICERS ATTEND
FBI COURSE IN PLYMOUTH
Five local officers are attending
an FBI course being held at Ply-
mouth High School during the
The course is *
designed to teach all phases of
police work that a small town .
next 10 weeks.
officer will encounter. It's spread
over a period of 12 consecutive
Tuesdays, to enable all officers to
attend as many meetings as pos-
sible.
With a promise to do “the best
job that I can” Joseph Hand will
assume his duties as Dallas Bor- |
ough Street Commissioner, Feb.
1. He fills the vacancy left by the
resignation Jan.
the past three years.
Pettitions bearing the signa- |
tures of 500 citizens who want a.
traffic light installed at the Center -
Street intersection will be pre:
sented to Kingston Township Su-
pervisors at their meeting tomor-
row night.
40 Years Ago - Jan. 25, 1957
BROWN ACCEPTS JOB AT
HANOVER NATIONAL BANK
Robert Brown, note teller at the *
Dallas Branch of Miners National
Bank has resigned to accept a.
position in the installment loan =
department of Hanover National |
Bank, Wilkes-Barre. An employee
of the local institution for the past -
seven years, Mr. Brown's resigna- ..
tion becomes effective Feb. 1.
Dallas Methodist Church Build-
ing Fund chairman Lawrence
Updyke, in close cooperation with
Rev. Russell Lawry is setting the
wheels in motion for the intensive
two week drive which is expected
- to raise $115,000 for expansion
and an additional $15,406 for the
annual budget.
Bowling news: Evelyn Roberts
has the highest woman's score
that’s been recorded a terrific 243
game. Cliff Garris has posted a
256 score in the men’s division.
30 Years Ago - Jan. 26, 1967
60 APPLY AT NEW GARMENT
PLANT ON LOWER DEMUNDS
Approximately 60 applicants
turned out on Friday to apply for
jobs at the new garment plant
opening in the Fernbrook area on
Lower Demunds Road. Opera-
tions are expected to begin Mon-
day morning with about 20 opera-
tors placed on the job.
Billy Berti followed in the foot-
steps of his dad Norti, Tuesday
evening by being elected fire chief
of the Dr. Henry M. Laing Volun-
teer Fire Co. Berti succeeded
Donald Shaffer.
Dallas remained in contention
for North League Class B honors
Tuesday when. they downed
Wilkes-Barre Township 71-50.
Winner of tomorrow night's game
will take the first half champion-
ship in Class B.
20 Years Ago - Jan. 27, 1977 «
DALLAS MAYOR STEPHEN
HARTMAN DIES
Stephen F. Hartman Jr., 50,
Dallas Mayor died Jan. 25 at Val-
ley Crest following an 18 month"
illness. He was originally a pa-
tient at the Veterans Administra-
tion Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, be-
fore he was transfered to Valley
Crest. A former councilman, he
held the office of mayor for two *
terms.
Increased unemployment in the
Back Mountain area, a fluctuat-
ing stock market, and concern
over high interest rates did not
prevent construction of new
homes, non-residential buildings
or remodeling and renovations by
local residents during the year
1976.
18 of Ralph '
Eipper, Street Commissioner for :
Lod