The Independent-News, Volume 106, Number 18, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 9 October 1980 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - OCTOBER 9, 1980

EDITORIALS

LOOK AT BOTH SIDES There is an old axiom that tells of two men setting at a bar and one says his "glass of beer is half empty", while the second says his "glass of beer is half full". This pessimistic approach by the first is one side of life while the optomistic look of the second reveals the other side of life. To quite some extent, this is how many people in the PLJ School District are looking at the possible merger of Liberty Township with the Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Corporation. The only thing they look at is "how much is it going to cost" and even when the facts that are available to date have been studied, they still see only what they want, the disadvantages of such a move. Looking from an optomistic view, one will state, "look at what we can gain by such a move". It is true, another axiom tells us that "You don’t get something for nothing". A lot of people are fooled by different gimmicks of advertising and telling a story that let them overlook this, but it is true and it will be true in any merger that may take place. Right now the PLJ School Board is seeking more outside help on this matter, looking for what the costs of a LibertyPLJ merger might be now and down the road a few years. However, they are not looking at what the cost of running the present PLJ School Corporation as it stands today, may be a few years down the road. We strongly feel that the PLJ Board should include in this study, made by outside people, both sides of the street. It is a known fact, and very seriously known by the School Board and superintendent, that the PLJ enrollment was down a very large 7 percent plus this year. This shocking figure is going to cost the school state aid as this is the basis for receiving state money for education. In addition, the PLJ Board approved a deficit budget this year hoping, as did many schools and governmental agencies, that the State Tax Board will be a little lenient with the frozen rates and extend a little more money to them. The combination of the two, plus facts and figures that disclose the area’s census count as certainly not growing and even in much of the area, diminishing, it can present a very serious future for the PLJ School Corporation. There would be a lot of plusses and some minusses to the Liberty-PLJ merger. However, we feel that in many instances, this move must be looked at in a much deeper manner than just dollars and cents. It is also known what an improved tax base the school district would have. They presently have an approximate s2l million assessed evaluation from which the property taxes are paid that is the main support of the schools. With the new corporation, at present figures, it would expand to close to $39 million and certainly this has to be a big concern of every taxpayer in the area. The study compiled by professional people for the LibertyGreene Committee, brought this and many other facts out. It did not go into future building, remodeling, etc., which is the main thing the PLJ Board is seeking to find out now. However, if this can also be proven a solid base for the future of the school system on more than a dollar and cents situation, as it is well known this would offer the students of PLJ a better education structure, one must not just look at the dollars and cents alone. It is a known fact that if the merger should take place, work would have to be done on present school buildings, both in Walkerton and North Liberty. However, remember, some of this work is going to be done anyway in the Urey Middle School and is going to go on top of an already large debt of the PLJ school corporation as the debt service for the high school and elementary school additions will not expire for quite a few years yet. One needs to look at all these sides, look at what else will be gained in the form of educational benefits, a more solid future for the school corporation, and let the petty feelings and jealousies be forgotten. It has been stated by some pessimists thpt ‘‘big is not necessarily best". This is true, but how do they define big. If must be a big misconception of what type of school would result from this merger. The new enrollment figures for the entire corporation, and single out the high school as this is the area where the largest change will be noticed: the new school enrollment would not be nearly as large as New Prairie, not nearly as large as Plymouth, North Wood, even Rochester. It would be more of the size of LaVille, possibly Tippecanoe Valley, a little larger than Knox, to name some that area people should be familiar with. These are not known as large schools by any means. We realize the board is concerned about the merger, we also realize they want public opinion. However, public opinion will mean very little if the public isn’t properly informed, about the situation . . . the entire situation. There are two sides to this question . . . the new corporation should Liberty be accepted now that they have been issued a release by the South Bend Community School Corporation, and the side that would be if PLJ remained as it is ... a dwindling enrollment in an area that is showing no growth and certainly no abundance of young in the present households. Both sides must be fully studied to be a complete report. As always, our column are open for the facts ... we hope all the facts in this very important situation. Make Someone Happy With A Happy Ad

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE From the home of a Democrat and damn proud of it: Io the person or persons that tore down all the Democrat signs. I his is suppose to he a g<wd town to live in. I his will probably he blamed on children, but you know and 1 know that children will not ( pick out one color of signs alone and tear them down, the children ; will tear down all signs. This was done by some one that ( is very small in mentality with no ( respect to other persons belief as to whothev want to vote for in the upcoming election. ( If this person or persons think that this act will change my political thinking, they are crazy. ( It will make me stand stronger in mv thinking. Nobody, hut nobody . will force me to think otherwise. This is a very petty thing of the person or persons who did this to the Democrat believers. Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Taylor 614 Washington Street Walkerton. Indiana 1 P-L-J SCHOOL ; BOARD NEWS The Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Board met in regular session Tuesday evening. The superintendent reported that the average ' daily attendance for the 15 day grading period was 1.063 students, or 96 percent. He was encouraged by this high percentage of daily attendance. Mr. Muncie also announced that the corporation received a Title IV B grant of $3.678 to be used for instructional materials. The board authorized to advertise tor an additional appropriation of $5,805 to be used in the general fund for special education costs. Pam Pearish was appointed as gymnastics coach at John Glenn High School for the 1980-81 season. Mrs. Pearish graduated from Ore-gon-Davis High School and received a degree from Indiana Universits this past spring. They also approved for the sponsors and members of the Sunshine Society to attend the state convention at Princeton, Indiana, on April il. Due to the distance, the board approved the staying of two nights. The next meeting of the board will be on Tuesday, October 21. at ":00 p.m. in the administration building. Trucks, in fact, have reduced their empty miles to one-half that of railroads. By voluntarily adopting more fuel-efficient options for their trucks, the American Trucking Associations reports, operators are saving $5,000 in fuel costs per 100,000 miles traveled. I j This remarkable tablet gives aspirin relief, yet protects against stomach upset. Ecotrin OUENTRIC COATED ASPIRIN ••'arthritis —III ■ HI 1..1 .I.l—l. I —

f^remember^^ vMy WHEN... (Taken From The Files Os The Independent-News)

1975 Ihe 100th edition of the Independent News was issued on ()c tober 9th. in celebration of the 100th anniversary of this weekly I new paper. Found in the issue was a brief history of the founders and owners; a brief history of Walkerton; first house erected in town; i about the early settlers; the woman's role in pioneer days in Walkerton; heroes of 1861-1865 and 19|7-|918; small pox epidemic; Koontz I ake Sea monster; about Custer's last fight; what made Walkerton 50 y ears ago; short story on Col. John Glenn, first man in Space from the U. S.; Walkerton Schools shoyy progress; interesting items from our files dating back to 187 7 ; lots of old pictures; many wonderful advertisers that helped make this issue possible; about Potato Creek site; the first International Space Flight; a little on the hxal industry; and of course, the local news including the erection of the flag pole in downtown Urey Park; John Glenn band w ins first at contest; Junior Miss plans; etc. In all this 56-page issue of “The Independent-News” was well received by the public and is chcriscd bv many. 1970 The John Glenn Falcons and the North Liberty Shamrocks met on the gridiron Friday night in their traditional battle and after the dust had cleared, a 12-12 tie was the result . A surprise farewell to Mrs. Glen (Zoa) Walz kept the Studio Dress Shop. Walkerton, humming with activity on Wednesday morning. September 30. when friends dropped in to wish her a "Happy Retirement." Mrs. Walz has been in the dress and accessories business since April 22. 1940, marking 30-years when she closed the door Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Jacob. Walkerton, will be the new owners with Mrs. Jacob as manager. At the market whole fryers were selling for 29 cents a pound; T-bone steaks or sirloin steaks at $1.29 a pound; a five-pound can of Agar ham at $4.59; smokie links. 12 ounce package for 79 cents; minced ham at 89 cents a pound; a half gallon of ice cream at 65 cents; a pound box of crackers for 29 cents; seven cans of Campbell's chicken noodle soup for $1.00; four bars of Ivory soap for 29 cents; a six pack of 7-Up for 69 cents; 25 pound bag of Gold Medal flour for $1.99; celery at 29 cents a stalk and a two pound bag of carrots for 19 cents. 1965 The North Liberty High School was again broken into sometime on Monday night or Tuesday morning with considerable damage being done to the building in gaining entrance to the office vault, but very little being taken. The break in featured the use of a sledge to pound a hole into the cement block wall to gain admittance to the vault. A last minute drive fell one foot short and the North Liberty Shamrocks had to absorb the first blemish on what was a perfect football season thus far. A tie game resulted with Howe Military on Saturday afternoon as the teams each scored one touchdown. North Liberty's coming early in the game and Howe's late before the two teams settled for a 6-6 deadlock. At the market Smuckers preserves and jellies were selling at five for $1.00; grapefruit at 8 cents each; Kleenex, four boxes for $1.00; two pound can of Folger's coffee for $1.29; a cherry pie for 39 cents; pumpkin at IM cents for a 2‘ ; size can; two heating pads for $5.96; two boxes of cotton swabs for 40 cents; 100 buffered aspirin at

two for 99 cents and a pair of sheet hose for 50 cents. 1960 Iwo signs with flashing caution lights have been purchased for use in the area of the Elementary School on Indiana 23 and are now in use. I hesc signs, costing $97.50 each, were purchased for the school by the Walkerton Lions Club and Arrowhead Engineering Corp. At a meeting Monday night in South Bend, the St. Joseph County School Reorganization Committee completed the preliminary plan for school reorganization for St. Jos eph County Schools. At the market sirloin steak was selling for ’’M cents a pound; pork roast at 29 cents a pound; round steak at ’’M cents a pound; cube steak at 69 cents a pound; pork chops at 39 cents a pound; fryers at 89 cents each; longhorn cheese at 49 cents a pound; potatoes at 10 pounds for 39 cents; a half gallon of ice cream for 49 cents and three pounds of Jonathan apples for 25 cents. 1955 The local Post Office reported brisk business in U.S. Savings Stamps. .A delinquent 16-year-old girl listed as a runaway from Chicago was apprehended Sunday by Marshal Hanley and also a 15-year-old girl wanted bv the St. Joseph County Welfare Department, who ran away from a girls' school, was taken into custixfy. A stale-wide campaign to increase participation in organized safety activities by the Indiana Traffic Foundation is launched. A statement issued by the Foundation points out that traffic accidents affect everyone either diretly or indirectly and that everyone wants to do something about them. The world's biggest pumpkin will be on display during the Northern Indiana Muck Crop Show this week. 1950 Walkerton's brand new self service laundry opened for public inspection last Saturday. October 7, and over 100 interested residents of the area attended in spite of the rain. The tax rates in most of the taxing units in St. Joseph County will take a drop for next year, according to the figures released by the Counts Tax Board. Liberty Twp.. 1950. $2.50 and in 51. $2.42; Lincoln Twp.. 1950. $3.00 and in 51. $2.50; North Liberty. 1950. $3.96 and in 51. $3.60; Walkerton. 1950. $3.90 and in 51. $3.28. The John N. Dare property, corner of Harrison and Virginia Streets, Walkerton, is being torn down by Donald Northam, on order of the state fire marshalls office. Mike Douglas says:“l(yoiu know Crß",you never know when youll save a life? X ardiopuimonan resuscitation training is available through wur local Red Cross Chapter. Call. ♦