The Independent-News, Volume 111, Number 29, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 19 December 1985 — Page 4

- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - DECEMBER 19, IMS

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THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS Publication Number 261460 ROBERT E. I RBIN, EDITOR SI NAN R I RBIN. ASSISTANT EDITOR INDEPENDENT-NEWS CO.. INC.. Pl Bl ISHER 601-03 Rooseselt Road. Walkerton. Indiana 46574-1294 1 elephone (219) 586-3139 Pl Bl ICATION TIME: Thursday of Each Week CITIZENS OF TOMORROW

Jesse E. Roach 111, 2 month old son of Penny Lowe and Jesse Roach, Jr., Walkerton. By yd v J Katherine, 7 month old daughter of John and Suzie Harness. North Liberty. pr Sri HE Duane Allen. 10 month old son of Allen and Carol Keehn. Walkerton. HE HBl jSgfls ^Hk Mattheu Hummel, 2%, son of Mr and Mrs Dennis Hummel, North Liberty.

Hr ■ Hn V £ Tk * gr| Greg, 9; Andy. 5; and Chasity, 3, children of Greg and Sharon Zellers, Walkerton. ' \ KT Tammi, 3 year old daughter of Patricia Paris, Walkerton. ba 4 Nichole. 3 ‘/a year old daughter of Larry and Gwen Heimer. Walkerton. Jennifer, 12. and Louis 111, 7, children of D»uis and Donna Richter. Walkerton

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE "Fine Performance" Since becoming a board member for the John Glenn School Corporation, 1 have had the pleasure of being in our schools, watching the staffs, (i.c., janitors, cooks, secretaries. teachers, administrators, etc.) perform their daily responsibilities with the professionalism and excellence all of us hope for. After attending the Walkerton Elementary School Christmas program on 12 December, 1985, I am reminded of a comment made in an article I had read in the past. The article made the statement ‘‘A g<xxi teacher will also show their professionalism outside the classroom". I believe we witnessed this Thursday night. This was a fine performance by al! students involved. A big "Thank You" to Sharon Klinedinst, Cathy VanDuyne. Marilyn Lightfoot and a special "Thank You" to Sherry Klinedinst for her assistance in providing a Christmas program we can all be proud of. David Hostetler Employees Running The Town I would like to let the people in Walkerton know what kind of Town Board members we have running the town. For one thing, the employees run the Town, not the Town Board. Just recently I went to four of the five board members and asked if they would vote me on as a town employee. They all said yes. and 1 had their support. Well, when it came right down to the hiring my name wasn't even brought up. they went right along with the Chiefs recommendation to hire a guy who lives out of town, out of the county, and who hasn't even been certified through the State of Indiana. I on the other hand, am certified, which would be a great savings to the Town, I have lived in this Town since 1967 (which I now regret) and 1 may not have five years experience on one department alone, but I have worked in a few towns, including the Town of Walkerton, as a reserve officer and I have also been a town marshal in another town for a year and a half. Isn't it a little strange that all of a sudden you have to have five years experience to be a Walkerton police officer? Was that the requirement when the current Chief was hired? These town board members have a lot of people fooled. They were nice as could be at election time, just to get a vote. Now, when the shoe is on the other foot, what do I get? . . . Nothing! These people want everyone to think that Ed Bracich and Art Heemer are the bad guys but in reality it's the other way around. Try going to a board meeting and watch WHO looks at WHO to see which wav he or she should vote. Well, maybe by the next town board election the town's people will have wised up like I have. The three stooges may have gotten my vote once but once is enough. AH these everyday friendly waves you get from these people turns out to be a knife in your back. All of the residents of Walkerton should be aware of who your friends are. You never know who has the knife until you get it in the back. David Palmer Think Before You Drink It was a night in October, as I was far from sober, as I was walking home with madly pride, and my feet began to stutter, so they rolled me in the gutter and a hog came up and laid down by my side. As we rumbled off fair weather like when old friends get together and a lady passing by was heard to say, "You can tell a man that boozes by the company he chooses". so the hog got up and slowly w alked away. Think before you drink. Annonymous

EDITORIALS

STILL SAYS IT BEST Time cannot take away from that which is good. As the good things in our lives pass, time only magnifies the quality of the good and will let the mediocre fad into the past. So is the case at Christmastime . . . when young minds have to have thoughts of the situation as they advance in years. This was the basis for one of these happenings. This happened back in 1897 but still lives today as favorably as ever because it is a classic and desipte the change of times, it still says it best. We quote: She was only eight years old, but she was troubled. Cynical young playmates had informed her that Santa Claus really didn’t exist. After asking her father’s advice, the little girl sat down and wrote a letter that was to immortalize her and the resulting resulting editorial. She wrote, ‘‘Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of mv little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says ‘lf you see it in The Sun it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?” One can imagine the busy, tough-minded editor reading that letter one day in 1897. Perhaps his features softened somewhat as he thought back to the time when he had eagerly awaited a visit from St. Nick. That the girlish inquiry struck a responsive chord was evident in the answering editorial that appeared on September 21, 1897 in the New York Sun: ‘‘Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas’ how' dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus’ You might as well not believe in faries! You might get your papa top hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. No Santa Claus’ Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay ten limes ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.” YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE Once again you, the public, have helped to make the Christmas season a little brighter for many people. This is the case locally and nationwide. It is only through your generosity and care that this can happen. We are talking about ihe many charitable happenings that enable many families and individuals to have a happier holiday. In Walkerton, the local Salvation Army drive once again is going to be a success. And it wouldn't be possible without two special groups of people . . . you the public who drop your coins and dollars into the kettles each year, and especially the volunteers who man the kettles and ring the bells for the local organization. The Salvation Army is a nationwide organization that does their work year-round. However, in our own local community, it is magnified at C hrislmastime. The committee strives, with the help of many, to bring a little added happiness to area families who have a definite need. It is a project that has been successful over the years and continues to be so here in Walkerton thanks to you. This year the committee would especially like to thank the volunteers and individuals from the Walkerton Chamber of Commerce, the Epsilon Chi chapter of Tri Kappa, the Walkerton Lions Club and the American Legion Post 189 for their time and help in manning the kettles. It is not a pleasant task to get out on the street corners in zero degree weather and ring a bell calling attention to the local drive to the few brave individuals that are on the streets. It is only an act of love and the desire to help that drives these individuals on in such a cause. It is with the greatest appreciation that this task is being done again this year. The local committee would like to extend not only their thanks, but their wishes for a very happy and blessed holiday season to all.