4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, June 9, 1999 EDITORIALS All of grads' lessons aren't found on the blackboard This year’s high school and college graduates are shoving off on a voyage that will determine not only their futures, but the future of our nation and the world. They leave in a confusing climate of overall peace and prosperity that is frequently interrupted by tragedy, and not just headline-grabbing events across the nation or around the earth. As the United States appears to approach economic nirvana, reminders that life is neither safe nor simple raise their ugly heads. Whether school shootings in Colorado, ethnic cleansing in Kosovo or heroin deaths in our own backyard, these events conspire to remind us that even in the best of times, many people are left behind or are mired in circumstances that prevent them from enjoying the good life so prominently displayed around them. Sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren — they’ll all soon hold a diploma that signifies their academic exploits. Some will graduate with honors, others by the skin of their teeth, and still others will not be on stage for the ceremony. While we join in celebrating their achievements in school, we hope they have learned other important lessons as they made their way to this day, such as: +o To give their best effort in school, at work and with their friends and families, not because of what they get as a result, but because they understand that doing less eats away at the standards that allow all of us to live better, more fulfilling lives. e To care for others in word and deed. : To treat everyone with respect, especially those who are by accident of birth at different stations in life then they are. * To appreciate the beauty that exists around them, whether in the natural world, in the handiwork of man or in the relationship between the two. * To value the contributions of others to their own success, and to the health of their community. These lessons may not have been taught in school, at least not overtly. But we sincerely hope they were transmitted by parents, teachers, relatives and friends, so the new graduates can pass them down to the next generation, the one that soon will be looking to this year’s class as examples of how to live a productive, fulfilling life. Congratulations, graduates, and bon voyage. Publisher's notebook You may have read that Providence College has decided to eliminate its men’s baseball team, because under Title IX, which requires equal opportunity in men’s and women's sports, the college cannot afford to spend as much on women as it does on men. Critics, and I'm among them, think this is a sham argument, and the college is hiding behind Title IX rather than facing the challenge of evening out sports funding by either raising or spending more money. Instead, they've chosen to spend less on men, so they don’t have to spend more on women. Now, before you accuse me of inconsistency, since I've made it clear in the past that colleges are first and foremost educa- tional institutions and not sports entertainment venues, hear me out. Providence, as far as I know, does not have a football team, so the biggest inequality is not an issue. Why is football: a big problem? Because in Division 1A, the largest schools, a college or university can offer 80 football scholarships. It doesn’t take a mathematical genius to figure out that number is a tad excessive, considering that a team will have 11 players on the field at a time. If we're generous and allow for 11 offensive players and 11 on defense, plus a few for special teams, it seems 40 scholarship players ought to be more than enough, unless, of course, you expect that many of your players to either flunk out or be arrested before the season’s over. So, what's a college to do? Well, maybe there are too many scholarships floating around in all sports. I don’t want to bore you with talk about the good ol’ days, but long ago and not far away, some of the best college athletes didn't arrive on campus pockets bulging with scholarship money, they walked onto the field and asked if they could try out. If scholarships were doled out a little more selectively, two good things might happen. First, more money would be available for academic and re- search pursuits, quaint as that concept may seem. And second, unheralded student-athletes might have a chance to make the team, and — I would bet — perform just as well as the high-priced spoiled brats that now take up space on the bench do now. : I think the Friars deserve to fry for wimping out on their students, of both genders. = Do you agree? Disagree? Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post. 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 366, Dallas, PA 18612, fax them to (570) 675-3650 or send them by e-mail to dalpost@aol.com. Please include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. We do not publish anonymous letters, but will consider withholding the name in exceptional circumstances. We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar. 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 OFFICE MANAGER Gregory Culver ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kasia McDonough REPORTER Ruth Proietto Olga Kostrobala PRODUCTION MANAGER CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING : Nanette Bozentka OFFICE MGR. 4d PRINTED WITH PENNSYLV/ SOY INK - Member NEWSPAPER The boys of summer, young and not so young, while away an evening. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. The economic vViewpoin Howard Grossman Just because evidence may not be available is not proof of the absence of policies, projects, pro- grams and pertinent actions which drive the economy of a com- munity, county, region, indeed the stateand nation. The economy of a region sometimes is hidden behind the walls of government and the non-profit community as well as the private sector. Also, the income of a region can be significantly reliant on money flow of payments from government to individuals. This is particularly true in a region such as North- eastern Pennsylvania. It is not so much that there is no evidence since statistics can be found to show the above fac- tors, but there is a lack of evi- dence so that the dynamics of the economy become recessed in hid- den ways. Furthermore, economic activ- ity often is misinterpreted since there is a general tendency to write headlines and stories about loss of jobs or closing of plants rather than the slow but mean- ingful increases in jobs which occur in the small business com- munity but notin a dramatic fash- ion. In places such as the Back Mountain, the Abingtons and Mountaintop where the bedroom community phenomenon prevails, there is an absence of evidence but no lack of business develop- ment activities. In fact, as resi- dential development has in- creased over the last 25 years, more commercial development has followed, and while changes have occurred within the com- mercial structure such as closing and opening of supermarkets, no economic analysis has occurred to highlight not only what the present offers but what the future may hold. Places such as the Back Mountain need economic analysis to encourage new eco- ~ nomic growth, to provide a foun- dation upon which taxing authori- ties can balance their tax base, to redeploy tactics and strategies which may prove to be beneficial in the opening years of the 21st century. The Back Mountain and other suburban growth areas of the re- gion are blessed with natural re- sources, and an excellent educa- tional system, higher educational facilities particularly in the Back Mountain, and other assets which can be cited as evidence of eco- nomic activity. On the other hand, if no evaluation or interpretation is given to these assets, the area and the entire region lose confi- dence in their ability to compete and continue to play a dominant role in the history and commu- nity growth which has been a hallmark of these communities. One of the greatest difficulties in coping with a community's fu- ture is the inherent dependence on its property tax base for deliv- ery of expected services. This.is a problem which deserves much study and analysis, well beyond that which has occurred even in so-called tax reform measures which were enacted recently in the General Assembly of Pennsyl- vania and signed into law by Gov. Tom Ridge. While the process was organized to allow some tax reform to take place, it is difficult, cumbersome, and not conducive to true tax burden shifting. Alter- native opportunities should be studied and acted upon by the General Assembly including, but not limited to, tax sharing be- tween and among municipalities as well as new and dynamic legis- lation which would encourage more consideration of joint deliv- ery of services, compacts for ser- vice activity, and even legislation which has been stagnating action since the landmark Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1968 dealing with annexation, merg- ers, and consolidation. There is an absence of multiple examples of mergers and consoli- dations in Pennsylvania. As of this writing, there may be only six to eight municipalities of 2,577 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylva- nia which are undergoing some type of merger or consolidation. T his is not an easy process. Nor should it be easy, but at least it should be more feasible than it appears to be. There is no ab- sence of evidence that there are better ways to conduct the busi- ness of government in relation to administrative structure, legal framework, and direct delivery of some services to citizens of the Commonwealth. It should be abundantly clear Ample evidence of economic health that joint delivery of services, con- solidation and mergers, and other, such techniques do not apply in each and every case. Every situ- ation is different and requires special study and discussion. More updated evaluations need to be made through actions by the Commonwealth, perhaps using the talented resources of the Penn- sylvania Economy League, re- gional service organizations, and others whose abilities can be ap- plied to the generation of statisti- .” cal evidence which would prove _- that options and alternatives should be seriously considered : over the traditional and conven. tional way of doing business in the State. The community of Northeast- ern Pennsylvania is in an excel- lent position to carry out new. directions for economic better- : There is ample evidence . that the future holds significant. opportunity for progress, but re- . lies on leadership of which there . ment. should not be a shortage in the region. A the millennium turns and fresh thinking is given to the abil- ity of Northeastern Pennsylvania to be a highly instructive region,, - the capacity for positive change, becomes crystallized as a mea- sure of positive development well, beyond the region's current eco- . nomic changes. The absence of evidence is no criteria by which to measure the evidence of absence. It is up to all of the citizens of the region, to this generation and the future generations of Northeast- ern Pennsyvanians to be the po- tential leaders for tomorrow's fu- ture. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - June 8, 1929 TURPIN ELECTED TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES On Tuesday last, Luzerne County elected Dr. C. Murray Turpin to represent this district in the halls of Congress. With the election of Dr. Turpin, a Republi- can, the Commonwealth of Penn- sylvania is now represented with a 100% delegation of Republi- cans. Dr. Turpin will leave early Monday and will take his oath of office in the House of Representa- tives at Washington Monday. 60 Years Ago - June 9, 1939 HARVEYS LAKE LITTERBUGS WILL BE PROSECUTED A determined desire to improve sanitary and health conditions at ‘Harveys Lake is underway by Harveys Lake Protective Associa- tion, Township Supervisors and Lake Township Police. Dumping garbage anywhere about the Lake except on the publicly provided dumping grounds will be pros- ecuted with subsequent heavy fines for the offenders according - to Chief Ira Stevenson of the Lake force. Another health measure which will be rigorously enforced | is that pertaining to defective sep- tic tanks which overflow into the lake. If, after a warning to own- ers, these conditions are not satifactorily cleaned up, prosecu- tion will follow. 50 Years Ago - June 10, 1949 PELTON HIRED AS ENGLISH TEACHER AT DALLAS Dallas Township School Board on Tuesday elected Reese E. Pelton as English teacher in the senior high school. Pelton will release principal John Rosser from regu- lar class teaching and will permit him to devote more time to ad- ministrative work and a thorough Guidance program. A parade of antique automo- biles and horses will be but one of the many new added features when Lehman Volunteer Fire Co. opens its 5th annual horse show on Lehman School Grounds July 4, Another feature will be a roast beef dinner at noon in the school auditorium, served by the Ladies Auxiliary. 40 Years Ago - June 4, 1959 DALLAS BOARD DISCUSSES CONSTRUCTION ISSUES Test borings show that the new Dallas High School will require a sewage disposal plant instead of septic tank installation. James Lacy reporting for Lacy, Atherton and Davis recommended an acti- vated sludge plant. The board gave careful study to a suggestion that heating by electricity would eliminate much costly construc- tion of boiler room and furnace. A vote showed a majority in favor. 30 Years Ago - Junel2, 1969 DT SUPERVISORS REQUEST NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL Dallas Township Supervisors will request a traffic light at Hildebrant Road, Route 309 and Center Hill Road to facilitate the large amount of traffic coming out onto this artery of travel. Chair- man Fred Lamoreaux stated it's a dangerous spot for school bus- ses, drivers and children crossing - “the route. “A police officer takes. his life in his hands as he directs - traffic here,” he added. $ You could get - Round rosts, 99¢ Ib.; rump roasts, $1.29 1lb.; _- honeydews, 69¢ ea.; A&P Freeze *. Dried Coffee, 4 oz. jar, 79¢;%:: Waldorf bathroom tissue, 4 roll pkg., 31¢; Kraft grape jelly, 2 1b. jar, 59¢. 20 Years Ago - June 7, 1979 2+: KROMBEL WINS BMT RUN Ray Krombel former GAR cross country star, finished first in the Back Mountain Centennial Run Sunday for the third time in four: years. Krombel ran the 10.3 mile course in 54:49, one minute and 48 seconds off the record setting pace he did in last year’s run. Contracts for alteration to Trucksville and DallasTownship Elementary Schools were awarded by Dallas School Board at a spe- cial meeting Monday evening. Since these repairs are being com- pleted under the emergency con- struction act, awarding of bids is contingent upon state approval. Now you can send items to The Dallas Post by e-mail at: dalpost@aol.com ¢
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers