The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, March 28, 2002 I EDITORIALS Board’s secrecy casts veil of suspicion over township No game of charade was ever better played than the one acted out by the Kingston Township Board of Supervisors last week in appointing two replacements to their slate. The outrageous manner in which a new supervisor was appoint- ed, and then immediately motioned for the appointment of another by name, was an insult to the citizens of the town- ship. Two of the three openings on the five-member board were thus filled in a matter of minutes, with no public dis- cussion or participation. The final member will be appointed within the next 45 days, said Paul Sabol, Chairman of the Board. : Twenty-two township residents applied for the positions, many of them well-qualified by virtue of their experience and service to the township. One of them was the township man- ager for 12 years until late in 2001, others have demonstrat- ed their commitment by volunteering in various capacities. This is not to say the two men who were chosen are not qualified to serve as supervisors — but the lack of discussion leaves open the question of whether they were the best quali- fied applicants. As a result, they and the entire board are vulnerable to suspicion that they don’t operate on the up- and-up. The American system of government is based on open de- bate, not pre-engineered outcomes influenced only by a cho- sen few. By design or not, the Kingston Township Supervi- sors have opened the door to skepticism about their motives, and possibly to questions about the legality of their actions. It's more apparent now than ever before that citizens must pay close attention to the conduct of their local government; let's hope the people who turned out for the play-acting last week will continue to watch over their township. Service clubs prove their worth Last week’s 75th anniversary celebration of the Dallas Ro- tary Club brought with it reminders of the role service clubs play in our community and the wider world. Rotary and oth- er clubs like it fill many of the gaps left by government, churches and other institutions in ways that aren’t always visible. Food and clothing drives, civic improvement projects, medical care — all these and more have been conducted by volunteers who have banded together for healthy fellowship and community service. Unfortunately, many of these organizations and others like them are struggling to maintain their membership and vitali- ty. As more of us work longer hours to earn the income need- ed to sustain a higher standard of living, fewer people are left with time and energy to devote to clubs and charities that serve others. That is a loss not only for these groups but for the community as a whole. Americans have a unique history of volunteer service to their fellow citizens, with both the recipients and providers being enriched in the process. We will be a weaker society if our modern priorities allow individual desires to exclude that service. Publisher’s Notebook Ron Bartizek sli thls iad Carol King What is behind the human obsession with sports? Whether it's Americans gathered around the tube for the Super Bowl, Brits massing for a “football” match or Afghanis rooting on their favorite Buzkashi player (the game in which the body of a dead calf is tossed across the goal), most of mankind — and some of womankind —spends a substantial portion of leisure time watching someone else compete on a playing field. I don’t buy the old vicarious living argument. That may ex- plain a screaming Little League parent, but when our own kids aren’t involved, sport serves a much different purpose. No overweight 40-something guy who played JV baseball can seriously think it could be him out there hitting the game- winning homer, sinking a 60-foot putt or slamming home a thunderous dunk. No, I think the key to our fetish is a varia- tion on the “sport as life” theme. Only it’s the opposite; sport is anti-life, absent all the frustrating complications that make daily living such a struggle for most of us. Those whose life is sport probably don’t want to hear it, but we love their games because they're simple, despite attempts to elevate playbooks to the level of calculus. You want com- plicated? Take a look at the organization chart where you work, and then figure out who really runs the place. Sport also has another element noticeably absent from real life — everything is settled in a couple of hours. At the end of the game there's a winner and a loser, and you go home. Even playoffs last only two or three weeks, and at worst the season is six months. Compare that to raising children from birth to age 18, or sustaining a marriage across the decades! Sport even has a place for bullies; they can always root for the Yankees and other teams that dominate opponents with superior talent or money, or both. So, the next time someone tries to explain the intricacies of a swing pass or the difficulty of winning against the Lakers, tell them to give it a rest. We like sport because it transports us from the 95 percent of our lives that is messy and compli- cated to a place where simplicity and predictability reign, at least for a few hours. The Dallas Post TIMESeLEADER unity Newspaper Group P.O. BOX 366, DALLA PrA 18612 » 570-675-5211 Ronald Bartizek GENERAL MANAGER Bill Dunn ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC. Timothy J. Raub REPORTER Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER Darlene Sorber OFFICE MANAGER Ron and Charlotte Bartizek PUBLISHERS EMERITUS The Friends of the Library are looking forward to seeing you at the 14th Annual Spring Lun- cheon on April 18. You will en- joy good company and an excel- lent meal, and, this year, the ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - March 25, 1932 LOCAL TEAMS IN PLAY-OFF GAME Eight crowded buses and many automobiles carrying be- tween 350-400 students of Dallas township and Dallas borough schools left Dallas for Forty Fort high school to wit- ness the play-off game between Dallas borough and Dallas township basket ball teams for the championship of the Bi- County League. A.P. Keifer received a ship- ment of 120 pairs of New Zealand white rabbits in prepa- ration for the establishment of a rabbit ranch on his estate at Shrine View. The rabbit indus- try is new to the area but high- ly successful in many parts of the country. At the Himmler Theatre, some movies that played were: Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde with Fred- erick March,; Mother's Millions with Francis Dade, James Hall;’ Shotgun Pass with Tim McCoy, Pardon Us with Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 60 Years Ago - March 27, 1942 Silent sentinel of a bygone era. Photo by Ron Bartizek. Friends of the Library plan luncheon remarks of editor Esther David- owitz of Kingston, highly ac- claimed for her recent editing and publication of the words of the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. The event will be held at The Apple Tree Terrace, Newberry Estate, Dallas. It starts with hors d'oeuvres at 11:30 a.m., followed by the luncheon at 12 noon. Luncheon Chairman Nancy Brown asks that checks to confirm reservations be sent to the library by April 4. The cost is $17 per person: For more information, call the li- y LA] SEND SCARLET FEVER STRIKES . EIGHT CHILDREN HERE Eight cases of scarlet fever were reported in Dallas Bor- ough and Kingston Township alone, and one local physician is treating more than a dozen scattered throughout this sec- tion. So far there have not been enough cases to indicate that an epidemic is imminent here. The Dallas Red Cross Can- teen Unit, under the chairman- ship of Mrs. Wesley Himmler of Lake Street, was ordered by County Red Cross officials to make preparations for any emergencies that may arise. The bicycle business is reaching a new high in Noxen, due to the tire shortage. More than 40 new bikes are parked in the tannery lot during work- ing hours. Many of the men have stored their cars for the duration. 50 Years Ago - March 28, 1952 VETERANS ELECT WILLIAM GUYETTE William Guyette, prominent businessman and veteran, was elected president of Kingston Township Veterans’ Association at its annual meeting at the club house in Trucksville. Shavertown Volunteer Fire Department has set a goal of $1,500 for its annual member- ship and fund raising drive. The company will embark on a program for more fire hydrants and improvements to its facili- ties. Two students of Dallas Town- ship High have been selected to brary at 675-1182. Slightly Used Bookstore: Manager Fred Krohle an- nounces that the bookstore will be closed on Saturday, March 30, and Monday, April 1. Volunteers are still needed, especially for evenings and Sat- urdays. Leave a message at the front desk for Fred if you can donate some time. Addition to Reference Li- brary: “The Weiss Ratings Guide to Common Stocks” is a quarterly compilation of ratings represent Luzerne County in statewide competition spon- sored by the Pennsylvania Forensic and Music League. They are Marilyn Mosier and Bob Stair. 40 Years Ago - March 29, 1962 ROTARY HONORS JAMES BESECKER CHARTER MEMBER James F. Besecker, was hon- ored by Dallas Rotary Club at its 35th Anniversary dinner dance held at Irem Country Club. Besecker was a charter member, and Rotary’s third president. Approximately seventy teach- ers and administrators from the Dallas area were among the 400 educators who attended College Misericordia’s Third Annual Reading Conference. THis conference was designed to meet reading problems on three levels. Dallas’ new hardware store held an open house offering door prizes, refreshments and sociability. James Hutchinson, resident of Dallas personally supervised construction of the modern brick building . 30 Years Ago - April 6, 1972 MAYOR CONNELLY VETOES PLANNING BOARD REFORM A move to abolish harveys Lake's planning commission has been thwarted by Mayor William J. Connelly’s veto of two ordinances which had been approved unanimously by the community’s borough council. and analysis covering common stocks traded on the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ. It pro- vides information to consumers _ on tracking and evaluation of Kad their common stock holdings. It is also a tool to identify and monitor other stocks as poten- tial new investments. The guide includes an Investor Profile Quiz to help determine your level of risk tolerance and cate- gorizes stocks that will help achieve your specific investing goals. Ask at the front desk for assistance “in locating'?“this guide. The ordinances, called for the | dissolution of the Harvey's | Lake Planning Commission and | proposed the establishment of | a planning committee in its! place. Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy, re lege Manor, Dallas, headed a six-week seminar in Egypt for | the Wilkes College Education | Department. The program, had | been dubbed, “Project Egypt,” has as its objective develop- ment of curriculum on “The Modernization Process and Ed- | ucation in Egypt.” Navy Seaman Brian S. Rum- | | baugh, son of Mr. and Mrs. marshall U. Rumbaugh of Dal- | las, graduated form recruit training at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes. 20 Years Ago - March 24, 1982 SCHOLARSHIPS WILL EAST TUITION PAIN Wyoming Seminary in | Kingston has announced that! it will be offering two scholar- . ships - one full tuition and one! half tuition - for the 1982-83 academic year. The amount of | money to be awarded comes to! over $5000. : Marilda Rakiewicz, Harveys | Lake is the new postmistress | who had been employed as a | clerk at Harveys Lake Post Of-! fice the past 17 years. | J The Back Mountain Wrestlers had another impres- sive tournament showing ' at Valley View High School. Thirty | boys entered the competition and 27 boys brought home tro- | phies. : { Are you opinionated? * The Dallas Post is always pleased to hear from good columnists. If you have what it takes, we guarantee you a regular forum to write whatever you choose. (Unless it’s libelous or tasteless, of course.) If you are the one | person in 1,000 who can express ideas clearly and forcefully, send The Post a letter telling why you want to | be a columnist. Mail it 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). po a LSA
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers