Vol. 122 No. 1 THE BACK MOUNTAIN’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013 The DALLAS POST . WILKES-BARRE, PA. www.mydallaspost.com L AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER g Elmcrest development a happy home CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/FOR THE DALLAS POST Long-time Eimcrest friends and neighbors Susan Dauksis and Debbie Rowland meet to walk their dogs Sadie and Bandit. By CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Dallas Post Correspondent Elmcrest is the kind of neighbor- hood where neighbors like Susan Dauksis and Debbie Rowland, who have been friends for over 10 years, walk their dogs, Sadie and Bandit, every day and talk about how their children, who have long since left the Back Mountain, are doing. Walking around the peaceful streets today is easy. There are sidewalks and no visible utility poles, except in the back of the lots along the old stone walls and underground. The development was very thought- fully planned in the early 1950s by the late Bernie (Ben) C. Banks and today’s construction respects that tradition on Birch, White Birch, Brittany and Jac- quelyn Lanes. Banks son, Bernie Banks Jr. recalls his first job - raking grass and plant- ing grass seed at the development - as his father worked with the late Buddy Rothstein, a builder, to provide anoth- er housing option after World War II. It was all done on a gentleman’s handshake in those days. According to Banks Jr., the senior Banks said to Rothstein, “You build the houses and we'll find the buyers.” The street was originally thought to have been built to accommodate ex- ecutives who worked at Natona Mills (now Twin Stacks on Route 415) ac- cording to Tom Myers, whose parents built a house in 1949. The Banks’ de- velopment added one house to every two lots, leaving a vacant lot in be- tween for investment or resale. Hous- es cost around $10,000 in the 1950s. It’s where Jan Miller settled in 1970 to raise her three children, Marilyn, Phillip and Mark. They'd lived many places in Pennsylvania but found Elm- crest to be a great place to raise a fam- ily and to settle. “There are bridge and golf groups, it’s close to Wilkes-Barre yet in the country,” Miller said. “Everyone looks See ELMCREST, Page 7A round black glasses. “Matched” and “Hatchet.” the hall. perience.” Ross students dress up as favorite story characters CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/FOR THE DALLAS POST Aidan Kukosky dresses as Pinocchio at Ross Elementary School during Read Across America Week. Books COME TO LIFE By SUSAN DENNEY - Dallas Post Correspondent tudents dressed as their favorite book charac- ters paraded around Ross Elementary at the start of a special reading day on Feb. 28. The parade started with the youngest stu- dents from kindergarten and first grade and progressed through sixth grade. Some book characters were easy to pick out. Waldo may be hard to find in his famous books, but it was a snap to spot the student wearing Waldo’s red-and-white striped shirt, hat and Many students wore robes and school scarves from Hog- warts as they pretended to be characters from the Harry Pot- ter book series by J. K. Rowling. Other memorable costumes included Cindy Lou Who from “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss and Pippi Longstocking from the famous series by Astrid Lindgren. ' Older children were sometimes harder to identify as they were drawn to characters from young adult titles like “The Hunger Games,” Students carried their favorite book with them as they marched down Jennifer Ferkel, Title 1 reading teacher at Ross Elementary, said the reading day activities were planned by the reading committee which consists of herself, Jeanne Williams, Katie Mullins, Janna Kabosky, Co- rin Frey, Ray Poskoch and Lee Ann Bauer. “We wanted them to be involved in reading,” Ferkel said of the stu- dents. “Coming to school dressed as a character made it a personal ex- Students told why they had chosen a certain character. See BOOKS, Page 7A Alex Kane dresses as Sponge Bob and marches through the halls at Ross Elementary School during Read Across America Week. BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE DALLAS POST Dallas High School s¢cphomore Lauren Gallagher practices her Irish step dancing with the rest of Scoil Rince Na Connemara dancers ‘at Downtown Arts in Wilkes-Barre. Gallagher dances way to Ireland By SARAH HITE Dallas Post Correspondent Lauren Gallagher, 16, of Dallas, is a dancing machine, but it took her a few years and a few different styles of dance before she found her calling. “I started with ballet when I was 3 (years old) and I hated it,” said the Dal- las High School sophomore. “I've been doing Irish dancing for seven years and I love it.” And that dedication has paid off. The Scoil Rince Na Connemara dancer recently took third place in the Mid-Atlantic Championship held in Ridge- wood, N.J., which qualifies her to compete at the HOW TO HELP For more informa- tion about how to help Michelle and Lauren Gallagher All Ireland com- with fundraising or petition in Killar- to donate towards ney, Ireland. Lauren's trip to G 11 h Ireland, contact allagher \ichelle viae-mail said she’s always at shellie120@ wanted to learn frontiernet.net. Irish dancing be- cause of her heri- tage and now she’ll perform in the land from where her ancestors came. “My cousins used to make fun of me for it,” said Gallagher. “They just said, ‘Oh Irish step dancing, you just make it up.” But it’s different from any other type of dancing I've done. It’s kind of hard.” Gallagher’s mother, Michelle, has re- cently started fundraising to help pay for Lauren’s expenses to attend the trip as dancers must pay for each dance at each feis (pronounced “fesh”) or com- petition in which they participate. “It’s going to be expensive,” said Mi- chelle, who, along with her husband, Patrick, and 19-year-old son, David, plans to accompany Lauren. The competition will be held this summer for four days, June 28 through July 1. Other than the days and the place, the Gallaghers haven't been told much more about the details of the event. “I know it’s the CRDM (Cumann Rince Dea Mheasa) and we belong to the NAIDF (North American Irish Dance Federation),” said Lauren. All mysterious acronyms and lack of details aside, Lauren cannot wait for the chance to dance in Ireland. “It’s nerve-wracking,” she said. “I'm always practicing. When I'm at school I'm constantly tapping my toes under See DANCER, Page 7A 6 | 1502007989
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers