4 .- The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, November 5, 1997 - ETE Drug tests at Dallas should be all or nothing Things are changing fast in the Dallas School District, and many of the changes are for the better. It seems the intensified schedule at the high school is running more smoothly in its second year; a security system that at first appeared to resemble confinement more than education is accomplishing its goal; even the high school parking plan, which seemed at ° first blush to step too far toward regimentation, has been a blessing to both students and administrators. (Although we'd guess principal Frank Galicki wished someone else could man the gates morning and afternoon!) For the most part, the administration has tightened the ropes, so to speak, and students who are serious about their academic and athletic lives are probably glad of it. But then there's the latest bit of news — the school board wants to institute a two-pronged drug policy. The more com- prehensive portion of that plan, occasional searches of the school for illegal substances using trained dogs, seems reason- able, even if the circumstances that led to it are regrettable. - Whether the searches can be extended to automobiles is another question, since it would seem a violation of privacy rights. But that is a small matter compared to the second leg of the plan, mandatory random drug testing for student- athletes. The school board has been considering tougher anti-drug policies for some time, but had to await the outcome of court cases before implementing them. A recent state court ruling allows schools to single out athletes in part because they may injlire themselves or others if playing or practicing while impaired. That small bit of logic notwithstanding, the district will err if it discriminates against one group of students. A discriminatory policy is only one blemish in this picture. The other, and perhaps more important, is the school board's habit of making significant changes in procedure without inviting public comment, or even providing a comprehensive explanation for the moves. And we don’t mean aphorisms like “It’s in the kids’ interest,” we mean hard data that confirms the need for changes. In this case, that would include the number of drug incidents at school, their severity, and a comparison over time, so parents and other interested parties can see for themselves the need for tighter controls, if indeed they exist. No matter how high-minded school board members’ motives in proposing this policy, it will be a point of division unless it draws support from parents and taxpayers. The only way to build that support is to hold informational meetings that include the specific reasons for its adoption. We've gone this long without clamping down in this manner; a few weeks delay in which to fully inform the public is surely not too much to ask. Publisher's notebook If you browsed through the financial pages of The New York Times, or the Wall Street Journal last week, you couldn’t miss full-page ads from major stock brokerage houses, with copy meant to soothe the nerves of shaky investors. All of them said about the same thing: Don’t panic, stocks are still the greatest investment, and maybe you should even buy some more. I've noticed the direction of the stock market makes no difference in the advice big brokers provide. Can you recall large — or even small — ads that read, “Sell now, stocks are going to fall. Then park your money in the bank.” Me neither. And while we're on the subject, how about that guy on the radio, shilling for everything from phone cards to heating oil futures. This guy was obviously chosen for: his folksy, but urgent style that makes you think the “opportunities” he’s pitching are sure things, for those smart enough to get in now. I'll bet he keeps his own money in a mattress, like Ross Perot does. But seriously, folks, the U.S. stock market really is the most efficient and open in the world. Unlike in foreign markets, domestic companies must abide by a pretty strict accounting code, and the link between government and industry is rela- tively weak. Notice I said efficient and not rational; that’s a word I don't think applies, especially lately. By the way, I have a surefire tip for you: Buy whatever I sell; it’ s sure to go up within just a few days. Ll 5 ] Your news is welcome The Dallas Post welcomes submissions about Back Mountain people and events. In order to plan each issue, we must adhere to self- imposed deadlines, as well as those of our printer. To have the greatest likelihood of publication, items should be received at our office by 4 p.m. the Friday prior to each issue. Items will be accepted until 4 p.m. Mondays, although much of the paper is already assembled by that time. Send or bring items to: The Dallas Post, 607 Main Road, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Our normal business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. A deposit box is located at the front of'the building for after-hours submissions. L [1] The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. g P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 ‘ 717-675-5211 Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ronald A. Bartizek ) PUBLISHER Jessica Appolo ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kylie Shafferkoetter REPORTER Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER Olga Kostrobala CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING - 2) PRINTED WITH =7|SOVINK|_ Jill Gruver, OFFICE MANAGER MEMDER oes. ITE ] 4 NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION Fall pastorale, Hillside Farms. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. LETTERS Proposed drug testing is discriminatory Editor's Note: The authors of this letter asked The Dallas Post to publish a copy, so the entire com- munity could know their opinions. The Post agreed to withhold indi- vidual names. - To the Dallas School Board: We, the parents of the student athletes; feel compelled to write this letter because of the con- cerns we have about the safety of our children should you decide to implement your plan to randomly test student athletes for drugs. We do not feel any of you have fully thought out all the potential problems that could arise by dis- criminating against our children. First of all, you are going to ask every parent to sign a permission slip which gives you the legal right to discriminate against our chil- dren. You already know our chil- dren are going to basically force us to sign something that we do not agree with because of the love they have for the sport they play. Many of our athletes are receiv- ing letters from colleges which involve scholarships to further their education and athletic abili- ties. How many of you on the board have actually thought about what will happen to our children if someone in the school who has drugs decides to plant them in one of our children’s lockers, car, or even puts it in their food or drink, because they know the stu- dent athlete is the one that is being checked. Can you guaran- tee that even if the cars and lock- ers are locked that an illegal sub- stance can not be planted either in the wheel wells of the cars, or in the fenders, or that an illegal sub- ‘stance can’t be slipped through the vents in the lockers. Do you realize that all the years of dedica- : 5 ‘tion and hard work of realizing his or her dream of receiving a schol- arship to college has just gone out the window because you want to discriminate against them. It ~ would be very unfortunate to see this happen, and could easily de- prive an innocent child from the benefit of further education. We the parents, are all in favor of drug testing, but we are in favor of the entire district being tested including board members, admin- istration, teachers, coaches, jani- tors, bus drivers, and all students. We know the current law prohib- its this, but it will be changing shortly. So in the meantime, we are asking you, the board mem- bers., to do the right thing by not discriminating against the stu- dent athlete. Concerned Parents of Student Athletes School applauds coverage of Old Shoe came Editor, On behalf of the entire Dallas School District athletic family, I would like to thank you for your coverage of the 50th Old Shoe Game. I was particularly im- pressed with your insert that de- tailed the whole series, game by game. (Special thanks to Jill Library news Nancy Kozemchak The latest update on the children’s wing construction is as follows: the exterior brickwork is 50% complete, now working on east wall; first floor sheetrock is complete, exceptat windows; duct work virtually complete, ducts insulated conduit and rough wir- ing inspected and approved; en- try doors at north stair tower in- stalled, brickwork complete; book chute door installed; interior demoliton complete; water ser- vice hookup at south and being completed; rooftop HVAC unit in- stalled and gas line hooked up. Windows have arrived and four windows on the west wall have Gruver for that extensive en- ° deavor.) You were with Lehman and Dallas every step of the way as we celebrated what has become the biggest game in the Wyoming Val- ley Conference each year. Once again the Post has done an outstanding job of covering events in the Back Mountain, and I know the fans of both schools join me in thanking you for a job well done. Jack Wolensky Athletic Director Dallas High School Children's Wing making huge strides to the finish been installed. The construction project is on schedule. The library staff would like to wish Carl and Rita Rusnak a very happy golden wedding anniver- sary. They celebrated their 50th on Saturday, Oct. 25. They have two daughters: Susan, married to Drew Long; and Jeanne married to Eugene Fehskens; and four grandsons, Nicholas and Steven Long;' Andrew and Michael Fehskens. Rita is one of our faith- ful Tueday morning volunteers. New books at the library: “The Fortune Catcher” by Susanne Pari isayoung woman's story, a haunt- ing tale told by many voices. Dariush’s fanatical grandmother tells you of Layla, a sightless for- tune-teller, with her reviled Ameri- can background who does not belong. Dariush’s husband who adores her; he is abducted and sent to the, ran-Iraqi front. a desperate flight for freedom. “Flood Tide” by Clive Cussler is a hero of Dirk Pitt in a crafted tale of villainy on the high seas and the Mississippi River. The coin of the realm for the Chinese smuggler is human lives, much of his fortune has been made smuggling Chinese immi- grants into countries around the globe, including the United States. Tracking his activities leads Pitt from Washington State to Lousiana. “Cat In a Golden Garland” by Carqle Nelson Douglas is a Mid- night Louie mystery. The black tomcat detective with a nose for the notorious, is back covering the escapades of everyone's favor- ite feline. This Christmas season, there's more then merriment on Louis’s list—there’s a nurder to be solved, and Louie’s on the move. They are visiting the Madison Avenue ad agency that made Louie a star. _ the first December meeting and | - ‘COMMUNITY WORK DAY TO (0 li 4 YESTERDAY 60 Years Ago - Nov. 12, 1937 i NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS TAKE SEAT ON BOARD Seven school directors will end - ~ their service on the school boards of Kingston Township, Dallas - Township and Dallas Borough at ; @® their successors, elected last week will step into their places. Despite | the great changes in the person- - nel of local boards as a result of the election, the Teorganization will be quiet. Refusing to accept any Blanes for the delay in the construction. of the Luzerne by-pass, the County Commissioners this week adopted: a resolution approving that project. The Commissioners did, not however make any move to . appropriate the funds which will - be necessary for damage. That action they said, must await the . completion ofa survey being made -, by the State Highway Department.. @ 30 Years Ago - Nov. 14, 1947 DALLAS BAKERY OPENSITS DOORS BACK MOUNTAIN | Two new schools will be repre-- - sented in Back Mountain athletic :- circles with the opening of the :l basketball season. They are Mountaintop and Huntington : Mills. F Dallas Bakery opened its doors : this week with Jim Slavin as owner" and Lew Baron as baker. The building located between Kuhn's. :.. Drug Store and Charles Says %: building has been leased for a: year. : : You could get - Center cut pore chops, 59¢ lb.; stewing chickens, . 39¢ lb.; Supreme bread, Ig. loaf, > 12¢; Cranberry sauce, 19¢ can; 7. Sterling Salt, 9¢; Peter Pan pea- nut butter, 12 oz. glass 33¢. 40 Years Ago - Nov. 15, 1957. SMITH ACT TO PREVENT i" PETS FROM STRAYING Anew pet ordinance sponsored: - by Burgess H.A. Smith and Chief of Police Russell Honeywell was ge passed by Borough Council at its meeting. The Ordinance known as the Smith Act, prohibits the | | owners of any dogs, cats or other | | pets, whether licensed or unli- (J censed from allowing them to run on any other property than their - ; own. The act subjects the owners! to a $10 fine or on refusal to pay .: the fine, to five days in jail. '«!\':: A complete new set of drums valued at approximately $580 has been ordered for Lake-Noxen High + ‘School Band as one of the firgt- projects of the newly organized Lake-Noxen Band Parents Assn. - Gate of Heaven School addition 9 will be dedicated Sunday, the Most + Rev. Jerome D. Hannon officiat- ing. Father Kane who has seen phenomenal growth of the Schaol« paralleling an equally remarkable. growth of his parish feels that the '-* present addition to the school is a i major goal achieved. 30 Years Ago - Nov. 9, 1967 ROUTE 309 LIGHTS UP WITH. HELP FROM DALLAS BORO. - = Dallas Township Supervisors" 9 . are trying to install lights along 309 as rapidly as possible to in- sure safety for Dallas Area stu- dents who must cross the danger-* ous thoroughfare. Commoh- * wealth Telephone Co. has already installed eight poles on which the lights will rest. or 4 Papers have been signed for dads transfer by purchase of property belonging to Trucksville Method-* ist Church to Eastern Division of Assemblies of God, according to an announcement by the Rev. Grove Armstrong. ih 20 Years Ago - Nov. 10, 1977. J BUILD TOWNSHIP PARK Through the cooperation of the | Board of Supervisors of Dallas Township, the Back Mountain. ° Recreation Council has an- nounced plans for a Community Work Day to begin work on the” new Dallas Township Park Nov. 12. The Dallas Town Park is a project to be developed in the town- ship owned property bounded by Old Goss Manor and Route 309, sometimes known as Girvan's Field. According to a letter read at Wednesday's meeting of Lake Township's Board of Supervisors beginning Jan, 1978, the town- ship will have to provide unem- ployment compensation for its - employees. This will cost the town- ship approximnately $120 per year per employee. Pb ped gm gm pede pb pmb TA OAY AN FN ed TS pe pe J 9 29 ™~ Crd NN bed pret PrN Ped pe AE Dt INC Lp Tal mga ONE pe 5 ANNE SNK Sanh b> tl NS ING ah LRN ay
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers