The Independent-News, Volume 106, Number 41, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 19 March 1981 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - MARCH 19. 1981

EDITORIALS

NEED TO WORK TOGETHER It is no secret that right now Walkerton, North Liberty and the Koontz Lake area are all being “wooed” by cable television companies for the right to enter into contract for those respective areas. For several years the cable TV firms have concentrated only on the larger metropolitan areas, but now that competition is so fierce and the larger cities and towns now have this service, their aims are directed at the smaller towns and areas where enough people reside to make it feasible. As long as all three areas, plus other surrounding towns, are getting the treatment at the same time, it might be to the advantage of all to work together. Cable TV, although a very popular thing in many areas, is not perfect and certainly isn’t an inexpensive thing if a person wants to take advantage of the various features offered. And, there have been complaints coming from all areas that have cabel TV, some problems that arise from time to time in different areas, whether it be servvice, installation, programming, or what. Our area can profit by these other experiences. If the three work together and not get too anxious to sign just any contract, some exploration and study of the fact might be a real benefit to the people involved. All of the companies presenting proposals to our area have track records that can be observed and studied. This would be a good area for the three governmental units involved to work together and plan before entering into a contract that maybe they might be sorry for later. It still will be up to the individual households. They are the ones who in the long run will have to sign up and pay for the service. We have offered to run the conditions of the proposals of the five companies in a future issue, we plan on next week, to let the public know what each one includes. The proposals are not short and simple, but we will be mainly concerned with cost, what services are available and simply just what the public will get for their entertainment dollar. POSTAGE INCREASES The most recent postal increase, three cents (or 20 percent) for first class letters and other increases all along the way are going into effect come Monday morning, March 23. This is really no surprise and it will not be a surprise once again possibly even later in the year when another increase is asked for. If not then, certainly in the not too distant future. The postal service may one of these days, just like all other services are being asked to do, have to cut back and find a way to get along with monies available instead of just going up and up and up. We are not questioning the fact that using the mail isn’t the most expensive factor of operating a business or even a household, but the constant increases and 300 percent jump in the past ten years is going to have direct effects on a lot of people that will not be easy to handle. It possibly seems longer than that, but just 10 years ago in 1971 we were still only paying 6 cents to mail a first class letter. Next week that will be 18 cents and all other classes arc scheduled to increase various rates as well. Postage increases has had definate effects on some businesses depending on their services, both second and third classes and a lot of former fourth class mail goes other routes these days. We need and depend on the mail, not just to send you this paper, but to handle the more aspects of our business than just mailing a paper. We will feel the effect as will a lot of others and feel that in the not too distant future some kind of compensation is going to be due other than just to raise the rates every time the money gets scarce. The private sector has to work their problems out in various ways ... it is time the U. S. Postal Service does also. RF^emembel^ when... JmM (Taken From The Files Os The Independent-News)

1971 The National Week of Concern will be observed here, March 21-27. This is a good time for all of us to write to our Senators and Representatives about the many Amer icans who are prisoners of war or are missing in action. Hoosier Boys State delegates and alternates from Orville Easterday American Legion Post 189, Walkerton, have been chosen. Delegates are Brad Gillies and Steve Wiktorowski and alternates are Jon Bor met and Alan Bachtel. The world famous “Texas Cow girls” will appear in North Liberty on Friday, March 26. This female basketball team and show is being presented by the North Liberty PT. A and they will be presented in the North Liberty High School

gymnasium at 8:00 p.m. 1966 Seventy students in the sixth and seventh grades of the Walkerton Elementary School will participate in a musical “Tom Sawyer”, to be presented Friday evening, March 25. in the school at 7:JO p.m. The North Liberty High School Chorus will present a Broadway musical entitled. “Cindy", the story of a modern-day Cinderalla, on Thursday and Friday. March 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m, in the high school gym. Tuesday. March 29. will be the date of an unusual basketball game in Walkerton. Coming to the Walkerton gym will be the “Tons of Run” team of women basketball players. This group is very good and comical.

Registration for the May primary election will be done until Monday. \pril 4. in Walkerton. I oca I precinct committeemen will register anyone and contact Lloyd Stephenson. Ras Nusbaum or Jim Taylor. 1961 A g<xxi Dixie land Combo, the Pine Creek Five", will add much to the entertainment offered you at the Lions Club Minstrel Fridaynight at the Walkerton High School gvm. The five who will form the group are all set to make the place rock as Don Weil, trumpet; Denslow Doll, piano; Jerry Storey, sax; Fred Webb, trombone; and Bob Balsley, on the drums, will provide the extra music. March 4 11 was set aside as National 4-H Week. This is the time which recognition is given to a group of young people who will develop into our better citizens of tomorrow. There are over 2.500 4-H'ers in St. Joseph County. The annual St. Patrick's School talent show was presented Friday evening at the school hall. "Talent Round-Up" was the theme and also the title of the song and dance number done by Donna Harness, Gloria Dalkc, Patricia Holland and Patricia Sullivan in the opening. I he girls were dressed as cowgirls. John Zboril was master of ceremonies. 1256 For several years the Church of the Brethren in North Liberty was grcatlv in need of more adequate facilities for the total church and Sunday School program in order to be able to do her part along with the other churches in serving the needs of the community. Early in 1952 the church began remodeling on its work as a church. Last Sunday the church was successful in an effort through cash and pledges to raise enough money to clear the debt. Now a mortgage burning service is planned for the near future. A new traffic ordinance No. 156, regulating the parking of cars in North Liberty, was passed February 1, deemed necessary for safety reasons. The new ordinance makes it unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street on the wrong side of the street or to the left of any street. It shall be unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street with the exception of the 100 block of N. Main, or the known business block of North Liberty in any manner other than parallel to the curb or curb line. At the market bacon was selling for 29 cents a pound; three pounds of hamburger for 89 cents; beef roast at 29 cents a pound; club steak at 49 cents a pound; round and T-bones at 55 cents a pound; 25 pounds of flour for $2.10; and a frozen cherry pie for onlv 55 cents. 1951 The Safety Essay Contest, "Safety On The Highway", started locally as a project of the Junior Women's Club several weeks ago, has been completed in St. Joseph County, and the essay of the first place winner has been forwarded to the 13th District president in Rochester for final judging. The 13th district consists of Elkhart, Fulton, Koscuisko, LaPorte, Marshall. St. Joseph and Starke Counties. Walkerton residents may be pleased to know that the essay written by Walter LaFeber was awarded first place in the county and John Cecrle placed second. Employment at the Kingsbury Ordinance Plant has reached 1,400 and another 400 production workers will be added in the next ten days. 1941 Declaring that the nation always needs to defend its agriculture so that agriculture may always defend the nation, C. J. McCormick, of Indianapolis, member of the Indiana Agriculture Conservation Committee addressed 135 farmers and businessmen at a Triple-A banquet held in the Center Township School in observance of Ag Day. Tuesday and Wednesday the four high school classes played off

the annual class tourney. In the draw . the first team game was to be between the sophomores and the seniors and the second game the freshmen against the juniors. Culminating a series of activities planned to raise funds for uniforms for the consolidated hands of the Liberty and Lincoln Township schools, was the variety show given Friday evening in the Walkerton gym to a near capacity crowd. Twelve clever acts, each one sponsored by a community group, provided an unusual evening of entertainment. 1931 Hope that State Road 6 will be pushed nearer its final completion this year was renewed this week when the announcement was made that the road had been definately routed across LaPorte County. A definite right-of-way over a large part of the present gap between Westville and Ligonier has been assured. Gasoline and kerosene took a two cent tumble this morning. Gasoline can now be purchased locally for 16.4 cents per gallon and kerosene at 10.2 cents per gallon. Assessments of the property of this township began Monday when Township Assessor. John F. Spencer. started the annual job of appraising. Northern Indiana, experiencing the worst snow storm of the winter season, was virtually snow-bound Sunday. Monday and Tuesday. March 8. 9 and 16. The Koontz Lake cottagers are up in arms because of their inability to get electric light service at the lake. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Great Entertainment I write these remarks following an evening of great entertainment. Last night I went to the John Glenn High School play and found it to be a terrific experience for my family. My compliments to the cast, the stage crew, and the directors. The result of their combined effort was an amusing evening of entertainment. Judging from the audience participation — clapping, laughing, gasping, and even moaning — one could sense that this was more than some expected from a high school drama presentation. I shall not review the script; Neil Simon’s brilliance is not my concern here. Let it suffice to say that the subject was tantalizing and stimulating both theologically and philologically. Ostensibly, what captivated me was the tremendous amount of time, energy, creativity and passion invested by these young people (not to mention the staff director, Mr. Mulligan). In a day where so many bad things are spoken relating to our youth, this event stands as the quintessence of youth creativity. To coin a phrase from NBC — "We’re proud!” Dr. Robert Gearheart United Methodist Church Appreciated Response On March 12,1981, the construction crew who is building our new addition at Miller’s Merry Manor, inadvertently set off the fire alarm signaling an active fire at the nursing home. Both the fire department and the ambulance service responded within three or four minutes. We would like to extend our thanks for this prompt action. Residents & Staff of Miller's Merry Manor Show Ratings This past weekend my children wanted to go to our local show. I asked them what was playing and they said "Private Benjamin". 1 then asked them what the rating of the show was. they said it didn’t list it.

Now I knew that this movie was starring Goldie Hawn and that told me it was going to be at least a “PG". I looked in the South Bend Tribune and this show was rated "R". I then called our local Rialto Theatre and inquired on the rating of this movie. The girl informed me that it was rated "PG". I told her that in all the other theatres it was rated "R” and this meant no children under 17 is to be admitted unless accompanied by an adult. She said this theatre didn't sign that agreement. Now "R" rated movies show complete nakedness, sexual acts and other pornography. Children as young as five years old arc going to this show seeing this! Many parents are not award of this be cause they are lying about the rating. Some people arc complaining about some of the “dirty books" in our schools, what about the show .' They arc seeing much worse! I only hope the Chamber of Commerce or other prominent organizations in this town can show some concern about this serious matter we have in our town. What can I and other parents do to get decent shows in this town? Our children have little entertainment, why does it have to he ruined by such poor shows? A Concerned Parent Extends Appreciation I would like to take this opportunity to express by appreciation, as well as my husband's, for the Walkerton Nursery School and its teacher., Ann Voth. As a parent and an educator myself. I find the type of curriculum that the nursery school is following has been marvelous for the development of our daughter. Years ago I could tell that she had a good iteilect. but I never pushed the issue of learning pre reading skills at too early an age. When she showed an interest I wojld expand upon it. but 1 never tried to teach her to read so she would have a head start in kindergarten. From my experience with first grade students and my understanding of Piaget’s developmental learning process of children, I know that many children are "turned off" to reading when they are pressured into too much academia during the preschool ages of 3. 4 and 5. I’ve seen many first graders who have been pushed out of tne safety of the home "nest" and into kindergarten at an age when they were not ready to handle the pressures of a pre-reading kindergarten program. These children learn; however, they suffer emotionally. socially, and sometimes even physically. They cannot listen, follow directions, or work independently. They develop stomach problems due to the extreme pressure they are under to perform consistent work each day. The curriculum of the Walkerton Nurscy School has been ideal for the needs of preschool children. They need to learn such things as self awareness, listening skills, vocabulary development, social skills, gross and fine motor development, and the ability to leave their parents without crying or tantrums. Preschoolers need to be exposed to various situations, take short field trips, have resource people come to speak with them. They certainly do not need to validate their learning by bringing home written work. They will do plenty of that type of work when they reach first grade and are more capable of handling written work. From my observations, this year’s nursery school teacher has keyed in on all of the really important and necessary preschool developmental skills. Our "hats are off” to the Walkerton Nurserv School and Ann Voth! Mrs. Arthur Heemer 120 Grissom Dr. Walkerton. Ind. 46574 The body is made up of about 60 parcant water.