- on 1] WINER MUGS FEDNS CHGS TONEDD SOREN SE med WEChS mUrSn RES SE SONS TRIE CUOND MEET SSR MRR eS 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, June 28, 2000 EDITORIALS Two reminders that public schools can be great Despite what you've heard, most people still value the public school system and think highly of dedicated individuals who make it fulfill its promise. That was evident in two events last week that touched the Lake-Lehman School District; the death of long-time athletic director and coach Rodger Bearde and the dedication of the high school in the name of a man many credit with leading the district to its present prominence. The two men were connected by more than a common employer. Each exemplified the spirit of a school system that has forged an uncommon bond between parents, students, teachers and staff. Rodger Bearde and Anthony Marchakitus both understood the role athletics could play in building school spirit and community support, but both kept sports in their proper perspective, as adjuncts to the educational process. When he responded to the friends, peers and associates who turned out to honor him Sunday, “Tony” Marchakitus repeated the credo he judged his progress by during his years as teacher, principal and administrator. “A good school is one that is always getting better,” he reminded them, showing that he hasn't lost the desire or ability to motivate and inspire a staff and student body. Rodger Bearde shared many of those traits. Yes, he had a volatile personality on the basketball sidelines, which some felt was out of place in recent years. But anyone who knew him off the court saw a man who cared deeply about all the students, not just the ones he coached, a teacher who instilled values of discipline, hard work and achievement in his charges. The best evidence of that was the connections Lehman graduates main- tained with Bearde years after graduation, with several coming back to praise him as commencement speakers. We are fortunate to have teachers and administrators like Bearde and Marchakitus in local schools. They remind us that discouraging headlines of violence and failure are only a small part of the story of our schools today, and that young people are in the care of decent and dedicated professionals who have as much to teach about life as they do about verbs or numerals. Publisher's notebook Ron Bartizek Uh, oh. It looks like Al Gore and George W. Bush are hitting some choppy waters as they sail to the nominations of their respective parties. Seems Algore’s little visit to a Buddhist temple in California a few years ago is getting more scrutiny, and a FBI investigator thinks the Veep may not have been completely truthful when he testified that he had no idea he was attending a fundraiser. Perfectly understandable, I think. Vice presidents pay courtesy calls on tiny minority religious groups all the time; or didn’t you know that? Meanwhile, W keeps getting dragged into those pesky execu- tions in his home state, at the same time careful studies of death-row inmates find the majority won appeals, often be- cause the lawyers who represented them had the courtroom skills of a parakeet. But, Dubya says, all the ones snuffed out in Texas were guilty, and besides, he has no controlling legal authority to keep the needle out of their arms. Now, I don’t know about you, but I think it's pretty rude to keep dredging up such trivia when both of these men want nothing more than to be left alone so they can promise eternal life and happiness to anyone with an open checkbook. I mean, ifwe had to pay a billion dollars or so for their campaigns, would we be happy about it? I don’t think so. We need every penny we can hang on to, or we won't be able to top off the tank in that SUV or take yet another trip to Disneyworld. Under our wonderful campaign finance system, that's ex- actly what we can do, as long as the fat cats and corporations keep feeding the big dogs. And, can you believe it, there are people who want to change things! In the latest foray against secret, uncontrolled campaign spending, some do-gooder has suggested that non-profit organizations set up specifically to funnel money to candidates be required to list their donors. Fortunately Rep. Tom DeLay, who is a patriot of the first order, spoke out against such foolishness, warning that the right to free speech was being attacked. Imagine making people actu- ‘ally stand up in public to voice support, instead of being able to deliver it so that only the candidate knows where it came from. Why, if they can get away with this infringement, newspapers and talk radio stations might feel compelled to identify the people who spread rumors anonymously. What's the world coming to. 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. 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 Ken Brocious : ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Bill Goodman REPORTER Joanna Cease OFFICE/TYPIST/CLASSIFIEDS Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER 7 ; PRINTED WITH PENNSYLVANIA Wary, but not really scared denizens of the forest. Photo by Monica Marzani. LETTERS New insurance for judges is taxation without representation Editor: Outrageous! Unconscionable! Taxpayers of Luzerne Country, are you as livid as [ am. Pennsyl- vania judges have given them- selves long-term care coverage that is paid not by them but by the taxpayers. How many of you can afford long-term care? A judicial perk oris it a judicial “pork.” This coverage is for all sitting judges and their spouses at the state and local level - retired judges, district justices - more than 2,500 indi- viduals across the state. The package is a “Cadillac” version; whereas, many hardworking tax- payers cannot even afford a “used- car clunker” version of long-term care. The estimated cost is over $3 million this year alone. Because the judiciary essen- tially governs itself, no direct leg- islation was needed to approve this perk (“pork”). Where are the checks and balances? Their idea is to take my checks and leave me with a paltry balance. Taxation without representation as far as | am concerned. I can see why the American colonists strongly re- sisted new laws, especially tax laws. Great Britain expected the colonies to serve their economic interests. Thus, the correlation of the judicial system expecting the taxpayers to serve their economic interests. Most states offer vol- untary long-term care coverage to state employees, as a payroll de- duction, not as a benefit.. The employee pays for it. When you consider the num- ber of Americans who cannot even afford minimal health coverage or are struggling with prescription costs (in many cases deciding whether to pay for their food or t their prescription), this infuriates me. Take the $3 million+ and aid our senior citizens or others in need. No wonder government of- ficials do not believe we have a national health crisis, they live in a Disney World which has a plethora of health benefits. Let's vote them out of office and let them cope with the real world. That is why term limits appeal to me. : Who will judge if this perk (“pork”) will officially be mandated. You guessed it! The State Su- preme Court (which consisted of the same judges to receive this benefit last time I looked) will have the final say on this matter. Wake up taxpayers. Put on your Indian costumes (Shawnee, Nanticoke and the like) and throw some tea in the Susquehanna as a symbolic gesture. (I can’t guar- antee the tea bags won't immedi- ately disintegrate. Maybe another _ $500,000 study for the dam will be necessitated. I shouldn't give our congressmen any further ideas.) Write to: Chief Justice John Flaherty, Suite 1020 Gateway Six, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (215) 560-2608, and register a com- plaint. Yes, I already did. If you don’t do anything, expect some even more elaborate extensions of their health care programs. Pleasqify don’t think your message will be unimportant. If enough of us write, and tell them we will not vote for their re-election, a signifi- cant message will have been de- livered. Clarence J. Michael Dallas <Q ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - June 27, 1930 BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE BUILT IN BEAUMONT A beautiful stone and cement bridge was built across a small stream that ran in front of the home of Dana Frear in Beaumont. The bridge was 30 feet long and constructed of reinforced con- crete. At each end there were ornamental field stone pillars with attractive concrete balls. Two larger field stone columns guarded the entrance to the bridge and were decorated with ornamental lamps. : Now playing at Himmler The- atre "The Rogue Song" with Lawrence Tippet. 60 Years Ago - June 28, 1940 DALLAS JWC SPRING DANCE The Dallas Junior Woman's Club held its Spring Dance with the Mount Greenwood Kiwanis Club at the Irem Temple Country Club. About 250 people attended. Library news 7 Carol King Children’s library All of the summer reading programs are under way now. There may be openings in some of them — call librarian Marilyn Rudoloph at 675-1182 to inquire about one for your youngster’s age bracket. Mrs. Rudolph announces the following schedule of special pro- grams for Readers 2000 — Mas- ters of the Millenium: Thursday, June 29: Family Game Night, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Open- (a The main dining room of the club was decorated like a boat deck with a gang plank and life savers with U.S.S. Dallas printed on them at each window. As the guests prepared to enter the dance floor via the gang plank they were pre- sented with small packages of life savers candy. You could get: ground ham- burger, 15¢/1b.; Pillbury's Best flour, 24 lb. bag, 89¢; Boscue coffee, 25¢/1b.; Peaches, No 2 1/ 2 can, 11¢; Carr's Graham Crack- ers, 2 1b. pkg., 15¢; Tomatoes, 3lbs., 19¢; Cherries, 15¢/1b. 50 Years Ago - June 30, 1950 TWO BOYS CAUGHT STEALING GOLF BALLS Two Dallas boys were appre- hended for stealing golf balls at the Robbins and Uhl Driving Range. When caught, one of the boys had 17 golf balls, and the other had 3. The boys managed to steal the balls by hiding at the edge of the woods that border the range, snatching the balls that came in their direction, and then riding away on their bicycles. A Dallas-Shavertown Water Company crew worked all night dropping the new DeMunds well 100 feet deeper in order to ensure a better water supply in the Fernbrook and Shavertown ar- eas. Work was done at night to avoid inconveniencing consum- ers. The recently drilled 300 foot well had been supplying an ad- equate water supply until it lost pressure when the Bloomsburg Mill started its air condition sys- tem. 40 Years Ago - June 30, 1960 FORMER LEHMAN RESIDENT MISS. PENNSYLVANIA Priscilla Mae Hendricks, 19, formerly of Lehman, was crowned Miss Pennsylvania. Instead of working the summer at Hillside Farms where she expected tolearn as much as possible about ani- mals from manager Charles Hemenway before starting veteri- nary studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Hendricks was caught in a whirlwind of personal appearances, ranging from pa- rades, to the Miss America Con- test in Atlantic City. Once she had won the Pennsylvania State crown, her time was budgeted and personal appearances could only be made under the sponsor- ship of Pepsi-Cola. 30 Years Ago - July 2, 1970 "BOOTHMOBILE" ON DISPLAY AT AUCTION Commonwealth's "Boothmobile"”, four portable payphones mounted on a two- wheel trailer was on display and in use, at the Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction. The unit was designed to provide ad- ditional telephone service needed for short periods of time at fairs, festivals and expositions. 3 Hundreds of rockets, flares andi) shells were expected to light up the skies over the Susquehanna River when the Gibbons Brewery presented its annual July 4 spec- tacular fireworks display. The program was to include aerial bombshells, and a large grand finale bombardment of fireworks. 20 Years Ago - June 26, 1980 &» 36th ANNUAL LEHMAN HORSE SHOW HELD The 36th Annual Lehman Horse Show, sponsored by the Lehman Volunteer Fire Company was held on the Lehman Horse Show Grounds. A parade marked the beginning of the Show as the Knights of Lake-Lehman's Band led the way for members of the fire companies and horse show queengsy. candidates. Expert horsemen on well trained horses exhibited speed, maneuverability, confor- mation and manners as they com- peted for cash, trophies and rib- bons. A few openings left for game night © ings still available, call today to register! Tuesday, July 11: Craft Day, 1:30 to 3 p.m. RegisterJuly 3 to 7. ~ Wednesday, July 19: Hot and Cold, Franklin Institute Traveling Science Show. Starts 10 a.m. at the Saxton Pavilion, Kingston. No registration required. Friday, August 4: Magic Awards Party. Keppel’'s Magical Reading Program. 1:30 to 3:30 p.m, Awards - rewards - refreshments. Register by August 3. Auction 2000 The count-down begins! The Back Mountain Me- morial library will open its 54th Annual Auction on Thursday, July 6, rain or shine, on the library grounds. Booths will be open at 5 p.m. The auction begins with the bang of the gavel at 6 p.m. (bring your own lawn chairs), and con- .tinues every evening till late on Sunday, July 9. Parking on the streets sur- rounding the library is limited. Shuttle bus service is being pro- vided from three parking lot loca- tions, starting at 4 p.m. on Thurs- day, Friday and Saturday; and 5 p.m. on Sunday. The lots are located behind the Dallas Bor- ough building on Main St., next to Dr. Cipollina’s office at the junc- tion of Rt. 309 and Center Hill Rd., and in back of the Dallas School District Administration building on Church St. & Be sure to take the opportunity to enjoy browsing, eating, social- izing, bidding and buying, during the four days, all in the spirit of helping the library to achieve its financial goals. It is a great com- munity effort, made possible by hundreds of man-hours contrib- uted by dozens of volunteers. Book Store The Book Store and the paperback room have closed, and will reopen in the middle of August. Be sure to patronize the book booth at the auction. Book discussion group Thegy, Monday evening book discussion = group will discuss A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, on July 17th at 7:00 p.m. Pam Oliveiri, the group leader, reported that the previous book, Animal Dreams, by Barbara Kingsolver, was found by everyone to be “very rich, full of good life philosophies, a great book all-around”. Contact Pam, at 675-9935, if you are in/~%" terested in joining the evening group. ¥) y L
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers