The Independent-News, Volume 112, Number 3, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 19 June 1986 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS — JUNE 19. 1986

| EDITORIALS

THE EFFORT CONTINUES The efforts of several families living in the southwest portion of Greene Township to have their children attend the John Glenn School system continues ... but one has to wonder to what an obstacle they are facing. In a land where freedom is the outstanding virtue, freedom of so many things, these few families do not have the freedom to send their children to the school system they prefer, both because of proximity and for social and environmental reasons. The latest step, seeking the State Department of Education to mandate the South Bend Community School Corporation to pay tuition for these 45 students, faced a long and tedious hearing last week in which a ruling will be made in the near future. This latest step is one made possible under law, but is one that is very touchy in its restrictions. To make this move, there are five reasons for seeking this type of transfer, this possibly could be the stumbling block, as these reasons may be justified for one student and not another. It is not a case of the group getting a ruling, but each of the 45 students as individuals. This long and emotional battle has been so complicated by the South Bend Community School Corporation Board of Trustees after first granting permission for this section of Greene Township to join the John Glenn School System last August, only to reverse the decision later that year. The problem was that some of the families had paid tuition on their own for what was expected to be the first semester, but the recinding of the order left these people paying tuition to a system they thought would be declared their school district, when it no longer was. Tuition is expensive for an individual and such a move as this also seemed to put another hurdle in the path of settlement that some apparently resented. It was ironic, however, that in last Friday’s “South Bend Tribune’’ the story of the hearing by the State Department of Education went into a lot of details about the five factors, one being the certified quality of the two school systems, and it was stated that this was not a point of consideration. However, in that same issue, on the same page, was a chart of percentage of competent students (needing no remedial assistance) for St. Joseph County school systems, and low and behold, in tests for the 3rd and 6th graders, the John Glenn School system ranked just one point behind the Union-North system at the top of the list in St. Joseph County. It stated 90 percent of the JGSC students in the 3rd grade needed no remedial assistance and 95 percent in grade 6 fell in this category. It was of interest that the South Bend Community School Corp, students ranked dead last, only 78 percent of the 3rd graders and 80 percent of the 6th graders falling into this category. In fact, comparing the figures for some 52 school corporations in the Tribune area, only the Elkhart School system students ranked lower! A couple of schools were lower in one grade level, but much higher in the other. This simply placed South Bend next to the bottom of all the systems combined. This has to say something about the quality of the smaller school corporations and the fact that big isn’t necessarily better .. . in fact these figures point out that big isn’t nearly as good. We wish these families in Greene Township success in finding what they seek and peace of mind in this emotional situation after a long, hard effort to achieve their goal. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

“Emergency Number” Although I am no longer a Koontz Lake resident, I still have family and friends who are, and 1 am gravely concerned for their safety. On June 14th, we all witnessed a tragic death and we all found ourselves in the same helpless situation. The emergency phone number provided to the area residents was useless. The lady answering the emergency phone number wouldn’t take the information from my mother. She kept putting her on hold. My neighbors were unable to get through on this number, as the additional numbers provided were not in service. Is this a proper way to run an emergency line? We will never know if this gentleman who died, a victim of an auto accident, would have lived or not with timely medical attention, but it certainly makes you wonder what will happen in future emergencies when timeliness is a factor. Elizabeth Dini Aelick “EesergMscy Number LaeAeM” A death occured that could have been avoided on Circle Dove and Dogwood, Koontz Lake, on June

14, 1986, at 2:30 p.m. I was dialing my phone within 30 seconds of the accident while the victim was still alive and I couldn’t get through to 1-800-552-2403. I had the number posted by my phone. Since it is not a 586 exchange I had to wait to give my number to the operator. Then when I was connected, the line was busy. Why can’t we have a 586 exchange emergency number for the Koontz Lake area? My neighbor, Mrs. Dini, did eventually get through only to be put on hold while she listened to the operator take other calls. If an “emergency number’’ doesn’t work in a real emergency, what good is it? It's our grave concern that this will be repeated and another life will be lost if nothing is done. Cynthia Kos R. R. 3, Box 632 Koontz Lake, Ind. “Ei^oy The Flowers” To whoever stole the flowers off of our loved one’s grave at Walkerton. We hope you enjoy the flowers that were supposed to be in memory of our loved ones. But

how could you after stealing them from the graves. That’s about as low as you can get. Disgusted “To Charles F. Albright And Family” 1 attended your sale on June 14 and to me it was a trip back in time. I am a newcomer to the area, only been here three years, but I come from a fourth generation farm background. Due to circumstances I never had the opportunity to farm for myself. All the machinery with the exception of the buzz saw, we had on our family farm 20 years ago. Our first manure spreader was a different make, but the same type. Never have I seen old machinery in such mint condition. Your barns and out building, although Did, show the love and care only a true fanner can give. I looked off in space with a lump in my throat many times that day. Thank you for a member revisited. Dave Ferguson 407 Roosevelt Rd. Walkerton “Referendum Vote” Having read the recent editorial in The Independent-News, and the Voice of the People article appearing in another issue of the same publication, both discussing the proposal for a referendum vote to remove the Town of Walkerton from the regulating control of rates by the Public Service Commission, it occurs to me that this could be a proper and economically beneficial action. I attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting alluded to in the articles, and found it informative and instructive in what the Town should be prepared to do, should the people elect to withdraw from the rate control of the PSC. Hearing the favorable experiences of our neighboring town, Bremen, during the past ten years, and realizing they have been most fortunate in having a town government system that acquired a qualified, dedicated, erudite individual to direct their town services departments, I gave further thought to the needs of our Town. Certainly, we, the rate payers of the Town, should not be paying $33,000 for Bureaucratic errors! The charges for such “dis-service” are outrageous, costing all of us varying degrees of economical pain! Further thought and investigation led me to sign the petition for the withdrawal referendum. I would urge all those interested in reducing their monthly service bills to do the same. Should the petition be successful, and the referendum appear on the November ballot, I urge an affirmative vote. It could be a vote for local control of our rates and the ability to adjust to any changes that might occur, so that we can maintain the optimum rates possible. I most urgently suggest that there is much work needed before the Town takes over these rate propagating duties! As was mentioned before, a person of integrity and long dedicated service has served the town of Bremen in the capacity of services department manager. He has, single handedly, propagated rates and presented them for approval to their Town Board for the past ten years. That could present problems for them in the future, when he will have to retire, and there may be a lesser qualified person taking his position. Keeping this in mind and reviewing the most recent history of Walkerton’s Town Board fractionization, it becomes apparent that there is a definite need to have IN PLACE, some control body, possibly an Advisory Commission, to oversee and approve any rate change proposals that might be generated by the Town. Such a commission could be appointed by the Town Board. It should con-

THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS Publication Number 261460 ROBERT E. URBIN, EDITOR SUSAN R. URBIN, ASSISTANT EDITOR INDEPENDENT-NEWS CO., INC., PUBLISHER 601-03- Roosevelt Road, Walkerton, Indiana 46574*1294 Telephone (219) 586-3139 PUBLICATION TIME: Thursday of Each Week Second Class Postage Paid At Walkerton, Indiana 46574 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 15* Per Copy; $5.00 Per Year (SI.OO Extra If Mailed Out Os State)

sist, it seems to me, of an individual from the Board and one person each, representing the Industrial, Commercial, Residential, School and Agricultural sectors. It should be non-political in composition and consist of qualified personel with proven past performances. This is a suggested approach to control of the rate making process to ensure fair and proper rates for all sectors of the community! The proper rates and their ensured control is of major interest to all who live and work in Walkerton. Our continue success in encouraging new industries and businesses to locate in our community will be aided immensly by having service rates at favorable levels and with insured responsible control of the rate making process! Therefore, I urge all to sign the petition for a referendum on the withdrawal from the PSC rate making control. In the meantime, I most urgently suggest definitive action be taken to implement control of the rate making process at the Town Government level. Such control must be in place BEFORE the withdrawal from control of rates by the PSC. Sign the petition today! But let’s get busy on a control commission at the Town level to be sure our rates are fair and proper! An all electric home owner, Roman Brehm RFD#S, Box 417-A Walkerton, Indiana ^^EMEMBET^^ 1981 Traub and Company, Inc., of Indianapolis^ purchased $445,000 Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Corporation School Building Bonds of 1981, of Walkerton, Indiana. These bonds mature 1-1-83/99 and yield 8.25 percent 1; 11.00 percent. Coupon rates are 10.80 and 11.00 percent. Said bonds are being issued for the purpose of procuring funds to be applied on the cost of renovation and remodeling of Urey Middle School and for construction of a classroom at John Glenn High School, together with incidental expenses in connection with said project and the issuance of bonds on account thereof, in said school corporation, payable out of unlimited, ad valorem taxes to be collected on all of the taxable property within said school corporation. The bonds are non-rated. The Walkerton-North LibertyKoontz Lake are Coupon Days begin this week in the Walkerton Shopper and the IndependentNews. This year there are 50 participating merchants with a total of S7OO to be given away on June 29 at the Walkerton Chamber of Commerce meeting. First prize is $100.00; second prize of $75.00 will be given to two different people; four third prizes of $50.00 each; and 10 fourth prizes of $25.00 each will be given away. Each store will draw a winner from their coupon box to be placed in the big drawing box at the Chamber meeting for the free cash. 1971 Mr. Robert Mulligan, English and Drama Department at John Glenn High School, has been appointed by the American Institute for Foreign Study to chaperon a group of high school students on a

European study tour which will take them to Scotland, Sweden and Denmark. A summer general recreation program will begin on Monday, June 21, at 9:00 a.m., at John Glenn High School, with activities including group games, individual instructions and swimming. 1966 Pre-poured roof slabs are placed on the Jacob Drug Store building as the new store progresses toward completion. The outside work is nearly finished on the construction of the addition and modernization of the Independent-News building on Roosevelt Road, Walkerton. Rapid progress is made also at the Lincoln Terrace Apartment buildings, comer of Ohio and Jackson Streets. The opening of the Wagon Wheel miniature golf course was held on Friday, June 17, with an added attraction of shuffleboard courts. The course is % mile east of Road 23 on Road 600 North, 1 mile north of Grovertown. The recreation area received a blacktop coating to prepare it for the completion in Walkerton. The area will be used for tennis, basketbail, ice skating or roller skating on Washington Street. State Road 23 and local streets in North Liberty received a new coating this week. 1961 The stalemate in the waterworks improvement has finally been broken by agreement reached by the Town Board and the citizens group which has effectively blocked the program since February by litigation. This agreement involves two apparent concessions by the Town Board. The first is that the water storage tank will be moved from the park area to a tract along the New York Central tracks adjacent to the north edge of West York and west of Washington Street. The second concession by the Board made in order to obtain the dismissal of the pending litigation so that the waterworks improvement program can go forward as soon as possible is that the Town Board has reassessed the situation, in that a referendum of the water users will be held. Sending of a short fact statement as to the water improvement program which the Board has been attempting to follow and an alternate plan which has been proposed by the opposing group. With this statement is to be sent a postal card addressed to a post office box on which the plans are briefly stated and a square is provided in which each holder of a water meter may make and X to indicate his preference on the plans. 1931 Two years before the formal opening of A Century of Progress — Chicago’s 1933 World’s Fair — — first exposition building has been thrown open to the public. It is Fort Dearborn, an exact replica of Chicago’s birthplace, the long stronghold built in 1803 byh Captain John Whistler and burned to the ground by savage Redskins on August 15, 1812, after the evacuating garrison had been massacred. Kizer and Goppert, operating a general retail store, in Walkerton, will observe their first anniversary in business with a store-wide sale commencing Saturday.