4 Dallas, PA Wednesday, December 22, 1999 The Dallas Post EDITORIALS | Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus The New York Sun was started in 1833 by Benjamin H. Day, then just 23. The publication - which became one of the great newspapers in America -was the first New York “penny paper.” The Sun ceased publication in 1950, but every Christmas its memory is revived by an editorial printed on Sept. 21, 1897. Virginia O'Hanlon, a New York City youngster, wrote this letter. Dear Editor: I'm 8 years old. Some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus. ‘Papa says. “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth. Is there a Santa Claus?” Virginia O'Hanlon 115 W. 95th St. The letter wound up on the desk of Francis Pharacellus Church. an assistant editor of The Sun. Amore hardened person might have thrown it away, but Church felt differently. He wrote this reply. “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowl- edge. “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. “Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith, then no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world, would be extinguished. “Not believe In Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? “Nobody sees Santa Claus. But that is not a sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. “You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering in the unseen world which not the strongest man, not even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. “Isitallreal? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. “No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now Virginia, nay ten times ten thousand years, from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.” Publisher's notebook President Bill Clinton said recently that America should set as a priority closing the “Digital Divide.” I don’t know about you, but that was the first time I was aware of such a problem. Actually, wondered if he wasn’t maybe slipping into dementia, and had watched one too many Ronald Reagan western movies, with dialogue like this: “Hank, we need to split up ‘til we shake these lawmen. I'll meet ya Tuesday in the Digital Divide.” Or, maybe that was where the Gates party was lost in a blizzard while trying to make their way to Seattle. But Clinton wasn’t talking about cowboys and Indians, instead he wanted to be sure we all knew that everyone in America didn’t yet have a Pentium III in the rec room, and that he really cares about those who don't. I've said before that I once would have been considered a liberal, but ideas like this one are passing me by. I realize that as a middle-aged dinosaur from the age of newspapers I don't stand a chance of becoming a billionaire by the age of 30. Heck, I don’t even have the chance to be 30, but that’s not because my computer's not fast enough. Bill's plan is to provide equal access to the Internet, so in the 21st century everyone can be so rich they'll have trouble getting a plumber, since it’s hard to see how spending six hour a day on ebay will help that trade. You see, it’s easier for Bill to tout a pie- in-the-sky program like this than to support programs that really might make a difference in people’s lives, and — this may be a foreign concept — decide for themselves if they want the Information Superhighway running through their homes. It's true that minorities and poor people have less access to the Internet. It’s also true that the terminally lazy or stupid won't get anything out of it even if you force it on them, and I don’t think we should all have to pay for them to play video games all day. The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 570-675-5211 Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Gregory Culver ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kasia McDonough REPORTER Olga Kostrobala CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER Christine Pizzano OFFICE ASSISTANT PRINTED WITH NZ. PENNSYLVANIA SOY INK - Herter INEWSPAPER A traditional Christmas decoration, in a fresh color. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. The economic viewpoin. Howard Grossman The future of geographic places in Northeastern Pennsylvania such as the Back Mountain is bright and optimistic. Public/ private sector partnerships repre- sent an important ingredient to the overall economic growth of these places. When Census 2000 occurs, beginning April 1, 2000, a telling point will be made. Continuing growth of areas such as the Back Mountain will be demonstrated with new population figures, growth of the commercial sector through private sector invest- ments will be an important ingre- dient, and community develop- ment activities will be a continu- ing part of the area’s ability to be economically and quality of life competitive. Community develop- ment funding occurs in the Back Mountain through cooperative partnering with the Office of Com- Cooperate to make region's future brightere » munity Development of Luzerne County and funding being pro- vided for a variety of key commu- nity projects. In the Back Mountain, the area has seen the development of com- munity organizations, such as the Back Mountain Citizens Council. Serving for a number of years, the Citizens Council disbanded but left behind the Back Mountain Regional Land Trust which pro- vides tremendous capability for land preservation and conserva- tion with a staff director and board looking at a variety of projects important to community life. The Back Mountain Business and Professional Association, the Dallas Area and Lake-Lehman School Districts, the Dallas Area Municipal Authority, and the vari- ous local governments make up the governmental framework for the improvement of community life in the 21st century. Added to this is the work of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Busi- ness and Industry; utility compa- nies such as UGI, Commonwealth Telephone Company, the United Water Company and others which have the ability to be of significant importance to the future of the Back Mountain. Several indus- tries contribute to the life of the Back Mountain, such as Encon; civic associations provide an op- portunity for neighborhood devel- opment and connections between Greater Wilkes-Barre and the Back Mountain through projects such as the Trails Program and other activities represent a great future. Citizens have joined together to form a Back Mountain Recreation group, looking at a major recre- ational facility to serve the Back Mountain, similar to what oc- curred 25 years ago when there existed the Back Mountain Recre- ation Council. What would be helpful and de- sirable, as is the case in other parts of Northeastern Pennsylva- nia, is long-range planning. Each municipality defined as a Back Mountain community should join together with its neighbor to cre- ate a Council of Governments or, at the very least, a loose confed- eration of joint planning to enable the Back Mountain to craft a great opportunity for the future with a substantive planning process de- signed toimprove how and in what manner future development may take place. Back Mountain To- morrow should incorporate the best which planning can provide, looking at the potential which ex- ists to expand the future of the area. As new development occurs along Route 309, special atten- tion needs to be given to transpor- tation, traffic movement, and mod- ern planning and zoning tech niques. Several years ago through the cooperation of the Back Mountain Citizens Council, planning semi: nars were held designed to ¥ municipal planning commissi®- ers, zoning hearing board mem- bers, and others interested in this topic. This process should be reinstituted on an annual basis to enable the best training and edu cational programs to occur in the Back Mountain. Leadership should occur through the involvement of elected officials, private sector part pants, as well as members of the non-profit sector. Public/private sector partnerships represent a strong response to the needs which are likely to arise over the next several years as growth continues in the new millennium toward shaping a creative process which might be best termed Back Moun- tain Tomorrow. < Howard Grossman is cxceufp 21! -f1 director of the Economic Develf) © ment Council of Northeastern Peniv sylvania. He lives in Dallas. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - Dec. 21, 1929 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE OPENS DALLAS TWP. OFFICE Robert Knorr of Dallas Town- ship has opened a new office op- posite Fernbrook Park, where he will attend to his various duties as justice of the peace of the town- ship. The new office is centrally located and will be a great help in the pursuance of his legal duties. Now playing at Himmler The- atre, “Bridge of San Louis Rey” with Raquel Torres. 60 Years Ago - Dec. 22, 1939 HIGHWAY DEPT. PROMISES EFFICIENT SNOW REMOVAL A flood of complaints provoked by the delay of State Highway Dept. crews in clearing roads in the Dallas area after last week's snowfall brought assurance yes- terday from a source close to high- Library news pe 7% Carol King There is a collection of lovely Christmas bells, made of porce- |S way officials that there will be no repetition of last week's delay dur- ing the rest of the winter. The Post's informant explained that the sudden snowfall followed by treacherous sleet caught the high- way dept. without adequate equip- ment and manpower to cope with the situation and as a result some sections were neglected. Precau- tions taken in the last week will assure prompt clearance and ashing of highways. 50 Years Ago - Dec. 23, 1949 O’MALIA’S LAUNDRY PLANS TO EXPAND SERVICES O’Malia’s Laundry is embark- ing on a $100,000 plant expan- sion program which will more than double its floor space and permit the addition of two new services, fur storage and dry-cleaning. O’Malia’s Laundry has experi- enced rapid growth since con- struction in 1937 of its new plant on the Harveys Lake Higheway near the Old Toll Gate. The firm now employs some 70 persons and will probably employ almost as many more when its new dry cleaning and fur storage depart- ments are open., Your could get - Turkeys, 17-20 Ibs., 47¢ 1b.; pork loin roasts, center cut, 43¢ 1b.; fresh oysters, pt. can, 69¢; celery, Ig. stalk, 19¢; mixed nuts, 43¢ 1b. 40 Years Ago - Dec. 23, 1959 BURN VICTIM WILL SPEND HOLIDAYS AT HOME Robert Broody, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Broody will be home with his wife and children for Christmas, the first time he has been out of the Veterans Hospital since his terrible injuries almost two years ago when exploding gasoline turned him into a human torch. Robert will be taken by ambulance to the home of his wife's parents where he will spend five days before returning to the hospital for further treatment. 30 Years Ago - Dec. 23, 1969 DALLAS BUDGET INCLUDES NINE MILL INCREASE Dallas Borough will spend $96,250 in 1970, the new budget passed last week indicated. The budget is to be financed by a real estate tax levy of 9 mills and a $5 per capita tax and the various state and county funds that con- tribute to local government rev- enue. Included in the spending plans for the next year is $9,000 for a proposed playground and $2,000 for the proposed police Happy holidays from the statt lain and glass, on display at the library. Gladys Soss Chapple was given two bells as Christmas gifts in 1963 by her aunt and uncle, and from that beginning the col- lection has grown to over 150 bells, all gifts from family and friends. They're in the shapes of animals, angels, elves, Santa Clauses and Christmas people. A reminder that the library will be closed on Friday and Satur- day, Dec. 24 and 25, and Friday and Saturday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1: The entire library staff wishes all of you a holiday rich with the love of family and friends and the warmth of happy memories! Martha, Marilyn, Millie, Mar- garet, Mary, Melinda, Anna, Bonnie, Debbie, Elaine, Jane, Nicole merger. It has been announced that the former Newberry Estate will be developed into a condominiull apartment project beginning ef} next spring. The Troup Fufd, Inc., which bought the estate early this year, has engaged architect Peter Bohlin of Bohlin & Powell Wilkes-Barre to plan the luxury housing development on 85 acres. 20 Years Ago - Dec. 20, 1979 LEMMOND TABBED COURT OF COMMON PLEAS JUDGE Dallas resident Charlesi§y Lemmond, Jr., was named DJ Governor Richard Thornburgh {0 the Luzerne County Court of Cont mon Pleas Tuesday. Atl Lemmond will fill the unexpired term of Judge Richard Bigelow: who resigned in March. The ap pointment of Lemmond to judge ship caps a lengthy selection pro cess which began several mon ago and which involved both rey” resentatives of the legal commit nity and lay persons. Dallas Township Board of SI" pervisors announced that the nev 1980 police cruiser will be on th road before the Christmas holt days. it is a Plymouth Volare and replaces a 1976 vehicle which wa used as a trade-in. ’ Newspaper office closed for holidays So that our staff may enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays: the office of The Dallas Post will bé closed Friday, Dec. 24 and Fri day, Dec. 31. Items may be leftin. the deposit box at the front of J office. Late news and advertising deadlines will be the following Mondays. ¥ wv St rf 1 Fo 4 oi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers