cid ra i 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, January 5, 2000 EDITORIALS Student essays show sparks of inspiration, insight Students in Back Mountain schools offered some keen insights when they were asked to write about the most signifi- cant people, events and innovations of the past century and millennium. Their choices spanned a wide range — in people, for example, both Martin Luther and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were offered as the best. While the computer received many mentions in science and technology, some young authors strayed further from contemporary life with suggestions that penicillin, electricity or the microscope have had the greatest impact on civilization. There was a similar wide range in the event category, with World War II, women’s suffrage and the launching of Sputnik vying for precedence. The essays offer heartening evidence that today’s young people possess the ability and interest to look beyond the world of pop music, the mall and professional sports, and to develop areal understanding of key facets of human progress. To make the most of this native ability, they need stimulation, both in the classroom and at home, from teachers, parents, other relatives and adult role models. But with each passing year it seems to become more difficult to keep a focus on what's really important, as peace and prosperity remove us further from the gritty truths of past human existence. As the historian said, those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it. As we strive to provide support and security for our children, -we also need to inspire them with stories of soldiers and statesmen, scientists and civil rights workers, inventors and religious leaders who sacrificed their own comfort for dreams, goals and principles they held dear. If we are to continue enjoying the fruit of their labors — and if our children are to make similar contributions — we need to pass on an under- standing and appreciation of the ways each of us can make a difference, even if we don’t end up the subject of student essays in centuries yet to be. Publisher's notebook Like many others, I'm tempted to ask “Why 2K?” after the turn of the millennium became the biggest disappointment since New Coke. If you're like us, you stocked up on dried foods and bottled water, installed a generator, hoarded hundreds of gallons of gasoline, bought a couple of AK-47’s and reinforced the fallout shelter in anticipation of worldwide — or at least neighborhood — chaos. I'm joking, of course. Our Y2K prepa- ration consisted of going food shopping before the holiday and buying a couple of bottles of really expensive wine. (For me that means more than S10.) That doesn’t mean I wasn’t hoping for a little disruption. I'm one of those people who loves a storm, which means being bored to tears with the weather in these parts, and who secretly enjoys seeing “invincible” man-made objects fail, preferably without anyone getting hurt. So, what could have been better than at least a handful of computers blowing up, a few power grids failing and some high-tech wizards being made fools of? Sadly, it was not to be, with only a glitch here or there attributed to man’s arrogance. Was it all a hoax? Did the computer companies dream this up to send us scurrying to the mall for replacements? Or, was this an example of people responding to a threat in a construc- tive, thoughtful manner? Believe it or not, it may have been the latter, as businesses and government spent billions to check and prepare computer systems. But there was also plenty of hype, such as the worry that cars wouldn't run properly, because so many of their components are controlled by micro- chips. If that was a problem, I would have known about it before now given the number of times our batteries have been dead as doornails, and any mysterious time codes would have been lost. There's still hope for negative thinkers, though. Will every- thing work on February 29, since this is a leap year, which some programmers may have forgotten? Will the end of 2000 throw vital electronics in a tizzy? Will Bill Gates be worth less than Brazil come January 1, 20017? Doubt it. 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 letter to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never hear a contrasting point of view. 4 Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O.Box 366, Dallas, PA. 18612. 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 570-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER Gregory Culver ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kasia McDonough REPORTER Joanna Cease OFFICE/TYPIST/CLASSIFIEDS Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER 4d PRINTED WITH PENNSYLVANIA SOY INK ™ Fon ol NEWSPAPER Ready to set sail on Harveys Lake, in December! Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. One solution to feeder-raiding squirrels Editor, Re: Mrs. Parker's battel (Dec. 29, 1999). My solution to an exact situation may appear to be cruel at first, but it really isnot. [ took electrical tape and pushed thumb tacks thru the sticky side, Library news Carol King Registration for the “Story Hours 2000” (we might as well get used to it) concludes this Satur- day, Jan. 8. The Toddler Program, for 2-and 3-year olds, will be held on Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., from Eebruary 1 to April 4; and Thursdays, from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., February 3 to April 6. The Story Hours for 3-to 5-year olds will be held on Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Febru- ary 2 to April 5; and Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., Febru- ary 3 to April 6. and then wound it round and round like a barber pole. 1 then coated it with axle grease. The first day or so the little buggers tried (with no success) to climb my pole. That was three years ago, I did not even have to grease the pole the last two years. Thy, as we all know, are very very mart creatures, they know theycan't make it. Now they do not eva try. Try it, it works J.F.Cunnirham allas Story hours register 'til Jan.8 Book Store : Ruth Tetshner announces that the Bookstore has reopened and is backn its regular schedule — Mond? and Wednesday, 1 to 8 p.m., ar Sat- urday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Book Listings: The folwing fiction works have been a The New York Times Best Selleiist in recent weeks: Timelin, by Michael Crichton: “Using te lat- est computer technology, group of historians travels back td 4th- century feudal France”; &ving Faith, by David Baldacci: ‘man and a woman get caught ir". B.1. machinations”; and theatest Danielle Steel novel, Irresiible Forces. Non-fiction wos in- clude the Brokaw books ail two other looks at life in the pa cen- tury, LIFE: Our Century iPic- tures, eduted by Richard B tolley and Tony Chu; and TheCen- tury, by Peter Jennings arfTodd Brewster. Librarian's Report for Novem- ber 1999: Martha Butler attended a meeting of librarians on Novem- ber 9 at the Osterhout Library to discuss unresolved issues con- cerning the automation system in local libraries. Some of them went online in December, including the Back Mountain Memorial Library, which inaugurated its system on December 13. The remainder plan to follow suit in January. Remem- ber that our library staff has been trained to help everyone, com- puter novices and experts alike, learn how to take full advantage of the computerized resources now available. Circulation statistics for No- vember: Total circulation - 6,826; books added - 183; new borrow- ers - 46; active borrowers - 12,235. Bill Eimers and his 11 Cub Scouts toured the library on No- vember 23 and learned about ac- quisition and cataloguing of books. LEGISLATORS DIRECTORY Federal Officials State Officials Representative Paul E. Kanjorski (Democrat) Wilkes-Barre: 825-2200 Washington: (202) 225-6511 e-mail: paul.kanjorski@hr.house.gov # 400M, 7 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd., Wilkes-Barre PA 18702 or 2353 Rayburn Building, Washington, DC 20515 Senator Arlen Specter (Republican) Wilkes-Barre: 826-6265 Washington: (202) 224-4254 e-mail: senator_specter@specter.senate.gov 116 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 or 711 Hart Senate Office Bldg., 20510 Senator Rick Santorum (Republican) Scranton: 344-8799 Washington: (202) 224-6324 ax: (202) 228-4991 e-mail: senator@santorum.senate.gov Scranton, PA 18503 527 Linden St., 120 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC State Senator Charles D. Lemmond (Republican) (717) 675-3931 e-mail: smurphy@pasen.gov 22 Dallas Shopping Ctr., Memorial Hwy., Das PA 18612-1231 State Representative George Hasay (Republican) 287-7505 or 542-7345 or 474-2276 or 477752 144 North Mountain Boulevard, Mountairp PA 18707 Hasay’s district encompasses: Harveys LakLeh- man Township, Jackson Township, Lakepwn- ship, Franklin Township, Ross Township, aiDal- las Township's north voting district. State Representative Phyllis Mundy (Democrat) 283-9622 or 6565-3375 Suite 113, 400 Third Avenue, Kingston PA 704 Mundy’s district encompasses: Dallas Baugh, Dallas Township except for the north votiidis- trict, and Kingston Township. Have a bright idea? Share it with your neighbors by writing to The Dallas Post. We welcome letters to the editor and loer pieces that may run as guest columns. Send yours to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612, or drop it off at our office at 607 Main Road, Dallas (across from Offset Paperback). Be Suro include your name, address and daytime phone number. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - Jan. 4, 1930. KT POLICE CHIEF An announcement was made this week of the resignation of Edward Avery, chief of police of Dallas borough, and of his ap- pointment as chief of police of Kingston Township. Mr. Avery's resignation was not unexpected as there had been considerable pressure by the Kingston To the police duties in that town- ship. There are thirty-six miles of paved roads in Kingston Town- ship to be patrolled, and it is believed by many that after the 1930 census is taken, Kingston Township will be a first class in- stead of a second class township. 60 Years Ago - Jan. 5, 1940 CARD FINALLY DELIVERED Two days before Christmas, Burt Jones of Pioneer Avenue, Dallas Township, mailed a Christ- mas card to his next-door neigh- bor Floyd Sanders. Six days later, Mr. Sanders received the card. It had been sent to Dallas, Texas, miles to go 100 feet. Aaron Searfoss, 93, Palmerton, who heads a five-generation fam- ily, died Dec. 24, leaving 271 sur- vivors; 10 children; 61 grandchil- dren; 179 great-grandchildren and 21 great-great-grandchildren. 50 Years Ago - Jan. 6, 1950 CONCERT BENEFITS CHURCHg CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Sponsored by Prince of Peace Episcopal Church Congregation, Lehigh University Glee Club, un- der the direction of Professor Wiliam Schempf, will present a concert on Friday evening, Jan 20, in Irem Temple, Wilkes-Barre. Proceeds will be added to the church building fund. You could get: Porterhouse steaks for 69¢/1b.; Heinz tomato soup, 3 cans for 31¢; Kleenex tissues, 2 pkgs for 35¢, Colgate toothpaste, 1.750z tube, 25¢. 40 Years Ago - Jan. 7, 1960 DALLAS GIRL SCOUTS CRAFT TOYS FOR ILL CHILDREN Dallas Girl Scout Troop 169 had a very happy holiday season making and distributing stuffed kittens to the children at Nesbitt Hospital. The toys, stuffed with nylon and covered with yellow flannel had a professional appear- ance with embroidered faces and satin lined ears. Now playing at Himmler The- atre “Anatomy for Murder” with James Stuart and Lee Remick. 30 Years Ago - Jan. 8, 1970 PSU-WB STUDENTS JOIN ORANGE BOWL FESTIVITIES Orange juice-the beverage of champions, flowed freely at a vic- tory celebration at the Wilkes- Barre campus of Penn State, Mon- day afternoon. second undefeated season of the Nittany Lions football team, as well as the second Orange Bowl trophy captured in as many years. The student body of the Lehman campus joined the faculty and staff in an “orange festival” which featured 30 gallons of orange drink; orange frosted donuts, and areplica of the sterling silver gt won by the Penn State team in their 10-3 victory over the Mis- souri Tigers on New Years Day. 20 Years Ago - Jan. 2, 1980 FUNDING QUESTIONS DELAY CROSS VALLEY PROJECT Construction of a vital link in the Cross Valley Expressway, presently held up because of tat matching share funding delays; can begin soon if substitute local funding sourced can be found, according to a spokesman for PennDOT’s Dumore office. With funding guaranteed, construction could begin in September. Advo- cated of the Expressway contend that the entire areas economy will benefit from its construction. You could get: Kraft mayon®) naise, quart jar $1.29; Golden bananas, 28¢/1b.; Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup, 24 oz bottle $1.33. EDWARD AVERY APPOINTED ship citizens to have him assume WELL TRAVELED GREETING® and returned, travelling over 3, Og v Celebrating the, I Ban oil SRR SE 1 y & ° 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers