The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, April 18, 2002 L EDITORIAL Let’s prepare our kids for a high-tech future While technological progress seems always to be slower than future thinkers predict, there’s no escaping the fact that computers are here to stay, and are the skills to use them effectively are essential to individual career success. That's true not just for those with dreams of writing the next Microsoft program, but virtually every line of work that makes use of mechanical or electronic equipment, from au- tomobile repairing to designing complex office networks. How well are Back Mountain schools preparing young peo- ple for their entry into higher education of work? Inconsis- tently, is probably the best answer to that question. While the Dallas School District has an extensive inventory of equipment and a roster of instructors, Lake-Lehman strug- gles with old technology and a limited curriculum. Dallas has been in the forefront of computer technology for many years, and has continually upgraded its systems, undoubt- edly a consequence of its superior financial position. Still, it's unfortunate that Lake-Lehman students don’t have com- parable opportunities to dearn about and become comfort- able with current software and hardware, and it’s fair to ask — as some school directors have — where the technology program is going. . It would be much easier for local school districts of varying fiscal strength to offer up-to-date technology instruction if the state helped more with the cost of education. A decades- long decline in state support has taken a toll on districts that lack a large property tax base, with the result that their students have less opportunity to learn the very skills that could improve their economic standing, and the financial health of the district. But the volume of spending isn’t the only issue; while Lake-Lehman students work on outdated equipment and are taught by only instructor, the district has plans to pour mil- lions of dollars into renovations of the sports stadium and construction of a fieldhouse. That seems to be a misdirection of priorities for students who are graduating into a rapidly changing world. Publisher’s Notebook Ron Bartizek One of the most popular — and curious — television shows on the current schedule is “The Osbournes,” which appears on MTV, the cable channel which in my experience is watched by 98 percent of Americans under the age of 30. The concept isn't startlingly new; it's been 20 years since public television presented “An American Family,” a show that ended with the disintegration of a household as the viewing audience peeped through the camera’s lens. It will be difficult to tell if the same thing happens tothe Osbournes, since so much of their lives seems to already be a chaotic stew of perversity and exaggerated self-concern, but appar- ently plenty of people would like to find out. Some background (not from direct experience, thank you): Ozzy Osbourne was one of the first “heavy metal” stars, as lead singer for Black Sabbath. He leaped with all his might into the role of drug, sex and rock ‘n’ roll icon, the effects of which are quite apparent in his rambling, obscenity-filled tirades. The rest of the family is equally whacked, if less practiced at offending everyone within earshot. The show's great success got me to thinking; what would a typical episode be like around my house? After all, most of us think we're as interesting as a drug-addled, has-been rocker and his crazy brood, so why not show “The Smiths,” or “The Bartizeks.” Let's take a look. ; Scene 1, camera pans living room. “Get over here and pick up these plates right now,” shouts the Mom to her pre-teen son. “I can’t, I'm doing homework,” responds the son, who has quickly grabbed a book he happened to find lying on a chair in the kitchen. Scene 2, in the basement. The Dad is finishing drywall. “This XXX, XXXing stuff is the work of the devil,” he mutters before noticing the camera closing in on his reddened face. “On the other hand, it’s easier than stripping bark from pine trees,” he continues sweetly. Scene 3, about 3 a.m. Saturday. Teenage daughter has just arrived home from a movie, along with 14 close friends. “How come there’s never any food in this house,” she com- plains, as her friends proceed to go through the kitchen clos- ets like a cloud of locusts. “Can they stay overnight?” she asks, oblivious to the sun peeking over the horizon. A second camera is in the parents’ bedroom and catches the Mom as she sits up to check the clock. “You know what time it is?” she curtly asks the Dad, who is trying his best to appear sound asleep so he won't have to answer. I don’t know about you, but I think these snippets of life in a typical suburban home contain as much drama as any washed up rock star and his witless family, even if we don’t have blue hair and nose rings . . yet. Q: Where do you find the most Back Mountain news each week? A: Only in The Dallas Post The Dallas Post TIMESeLEADER P.O. BOX 366, DALLAGPA 18612 * 570-675-5211 5 Ronald Bartizek GENERAL MANAGER William J. Dunn Jr. ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC. Timothy J. Raub REPORTER Ruth Proietto AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Darlene Sorber OFFICE MANAGER Terry Quinn PAGE DESIGN — < , ¥ TR ~ Ni iy ~ aa bi oh Th A AE IT I On ET A BW it roi RTH As ebm A MAI i A u Wi STN HAIR J ) i ir Sa i Sin Sov WIE: isa a a0. 4 ts iy i" i, RR HL Wii prriyk a IAN, Hb A Vy Xyy : hig Jy. li PEs y= arty i A lf i So RE bay LEX ; is rn k oh ; mm ; ; jot 4 i es i Lr i Hh ini i) “ 41%, hits i i i ‘| ie Ho x lid i 4 Se A ALAR cr A A foi i « A fo a ; CE ee i ir Beng 55h 4 fA Hf HL ar A HE Sb is ier” i pr Sf AA TEL of Fa Aik UA TRY] BRIBES #4: ay a % ih SFEEY ich pedal 3 Visit ii kr ed ; Ws pias FIFE E] i HITE: iar hE iii Faun ha ERR i ] fi y o # i Wy 4 foi Lo x i 8 ia ‘4 WA 14 " Pi ¥ 3 ASH a io iy ak : Me” i : hg TT . l Mi Wig he i J. fk : ig, fi! i A Ba 3 J, Schools out forever. Old Dallas Township High School. Photo by Ron Bartizek. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - April 15, 1932 TANNERS BANK OF NOXEN CONSOLIDATES WITH WYOMING NATIONAL The first consolidation of banks to the history of Wyoming county occured with the an- nouncement of consolidation of Tanner's Bank of Noxen and Wyoming National Bank of Tunkhannock. Some of the items you could get at your local A & P stores were: sugar corn, 4 cans, 25¢; butter, 3 lb., 67¢; cigarettes, 1 carton, $1.25; P & G Soap, 10 cakes, 29¢; Sunbrite Cleanser, 2 cans, 9¢; Camay Soap, 2 cakes, 15¢. At the Himmler Theatre, some of the movies that played: The Camp with Jackie Cooper, Wal- lace Berry’ Nevada Buckerroo with Bob Steele; Unexpected Fa- ther with Zazu Pitts, Slim Sum- merville and The Bit Parade with Karl Dane. 60 Years Ago - April 17, 1942 NEW REGISTRATION IS EX- PECTED TO DRAW 1000 FROM THIS REGION More than a thousand men of Dallas and vicinity, will register in the Fourth National Registra- tion under the Selective Service Act. The coming registration. which will include men between the ages of 45 and 65, is in the nature of an occupational sur- vey, designed to place older men in defense and other vital indus- tries an release the young and physically fit for service in the armed forces. Fred M. Keifer, Shrine View resident, was unanimously cho- sen director of Dallas Township Schools to succeed his neighbor, George Gregson, at a special meeting of the school board to fill Mr. Gregson’s unexpired term. Robert Fleming, son of Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Fleming of Dallas a class of 20 thefl_ground the Naval Arn sonville, Fla. 50 Years Ago - April 18, 1952 GIRL SCOUTS INCREASE TWENTY PERCENT Dallas District Girl Scout troops increased 20 percent during the last two months, ac- cording to a report given by mrs. James Edwards, chairman of or- ganization for - Dallas District. There are now 25 active troops in Dallas District. The opening of Trout season attracted thousands of anglers to Harveys lake. Folks with docks found them over-run. Al- fred H. Runstall, Point Breeze, said he couldn't get near enough to his won dock to fish. Airman 1st class Donald F. Shaffer, Airplane and Engine Mechanic flight D, 11th Air Res- cue Squadron left for Japan to compete in the FEAF Boxing Tournament. Shaffer is from Dallas, and has already won in competition for the lightweight championship of Andersen Air Force Base. 40 Years Ago - April 12, 1962 POST MANAGES CAMPAIGN FOR HAROLD FLACK James B. Post, formerly of Hanover Township who serve as a State Representative from the Second Legislative District an now resides in Dallas, will serve as primary campaign manager for the candidacy and re-elec- tion of State senator Harold E. Flack, 20th Senatorial District. Destruction of rural mailboxes in Dallas Township has reached a state where Chief of Police Frank Lange will call on United States Postal Inspectors to help apprehend the vandals. Several boxes have been destroyed in the Fernbrook and Overbrook Avenue areas. a Charlene Maker, Dallas, re- ceived a third place award at King’s College for the Science exhibit which won for second place and a silver medal at her own high school, West Side Cen- tral Catholic. 30 Years Ago - April 27, 1972 * ADEQUATE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY SUBJECT OF REPORT The assurance of adequate supplies of safe drinking water in the Back Mountain area dur- ing the next 50 years was dis- cussed at a public meeting. In a report prepared by Gibert Asso- ciates, Reading, the key recom- mendation was the formation of a Back Mountain Community Authority. Dallas Board of School Direc- tors and the Dallas Education Association have completed a contract agreement for the 1972-73 school year. Agreement for salaries and fringe benefits was reached. A petition protesting the ex- cessive noise of mini-bikes oper- ated in the vicinity of Machell and Sterling Avenues was pre- sented to Dallas Borough Coun- cil at a meeting by Mrs. Robert W. Brown, wife of one of the bor- ough councilmen. The petition, which was signed by 19 person, asked that mini-bikes be pro- hibited within 1,000 feet of homes. 20 Years Ago - April 14, 1982 WRESTLERS BRING HOME FIRST PLACE HONORS Charlie Roper, Jerry Ogurkis, Mike Richards and Carey Fal- cone brought home to Back Mountain Wrestling Club first place honors in the AAU Junior Olympic Regional Tournament held at North Schuylkill High School. The Philadelphia Eagles came to the Back Mountain to play members of the Back Mountain police departments in a basket- ball game for the benefit of the March of Dimes. Sgt. Donald J. Rollman, son of Bernard J. and Bette S. Rollman of Dallas, arrived for duty in Hanau, West Germany. New books at Back Mt. Library The Back Mountain Memorial Library, 96 Huntsville Road, Dal- las, announces the addition of the following books to their col- lection. FICTION ® “Warning of War’ by James Brady “The Viking Funeral” by Stephen J. Cannell “The Stone Monkey” by Jeffrey Deaver “Fallen Dragon” by Peter F. ~ Hamilton “Body of Lies” by Iris Jo- hansen “The Pursuit” by Johanna ~ Lindsey “The Passion of Artemisia” by Susan Vreeland “Stones of Jerusalem” by Bod- ie Thoene “Wild Ginger” by Anchee Min “Midnight Runner” by Jack Higgins ‘In the Forest” by Edna O’Brien “Three Fates” by Nora Roberts “Everything's Eventual” by Stephen King “The Nanny Diaries” by Emma McLaughlin “Oxygen” by Andrew Miller “Heaven and Earth” by Nora Roberts “Fox Girl” by Nora Okja Keller “Amazonia” by James Rollins “The Birthday of the World and Other Stories” by Ursula K. LeGuin NON-FICTION “My Stroke of Luck” by Kirk Douglas , “War in a Time of Peace” David Halberstam “Tour Eiffel” by Jean-Paul Lubliner “Harry Truman and Civil Rights” by Michael R. Gardner “The Fasting Girl” by Michelle. § SIACOY nant mt “Trust Me," Mom-Evi Else is Going” by Roni G Sandler ici | LS J ¢ Kapa asia Li EC ¥3 BE by “Better in the Poconos: the © story of Pennsylvanias’s vaca- tionland” by Lawrence Louis Squeri LARGE PRINT FICTION “Sarah’s window” by Janice Graham “The Sigma Robert Ludium Protocol” “Death on the Downs” by Si- mon Brett YOUNG ADULT “Ancient Civilizations of the Americas” by Antony Mason “Ancient Egypt and the Middle a East” by Rober Morkat REFERENCE “World Book Yearbook 2002” “World Almanac and Book of * Facts 2002” “How Do You Spell Haagen- Dazs” by Carl Hausman and Sherry Hausman AUDIOTAPES “Edge of Danger” by Jack Hig- gins “Death in Holy Orders” by P.D. James Q: Where do you find the most Back Mountain news each week? A: Only in The Dallas Post by
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers