The Independent-News, Volume 112, Number 44, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 2 April 1987 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - APRIL 2, 1987

| EDITORIALS

SPRINGING AHEAD EARLY There is an old saying to remind people just how to move their clocks when time changes in most of the land twice each year. It goes, “Spring Ahead, Fall Back”. Well this year we are “springing ahead” three weeks earlier than normal as a change of mind in Washington has called for the clocks to be set forward one hour on the first Sunday in April as opposed to the last Sunday as has been the case for so many years. Most of Indiana does not change, but the border sections that do change as well as all our surrounding states, will be setting their clocks forward to Daylight Savings Time this Sunday, April 5. What it simply means is that Indiana will all be with Chicago timewise for the next half year plus instead of with New York. The earlier date does a favor for many, but still is only a temporary answer to the problem that besets those who live right on the time line such as our immediate area. At least activities for the busy month of April will be coincided unless one has to cross the line into Michigan where they will again be one hour ahead of us. At any rate, wherever you are, and whatever your ties in the different time zones, this Sunday, April 5, is the day to turn your clocks one hour ahead for 1987. Maybe, just maybe, someday, Indiana will once again get to be on the same time throughout the state year-round instead of being divided inside the state borders for several months each year. WTrbmember'W , when...

1982 The Zeta Pi Chapter of Tri Kappa announces the Easter Bunny will make an appearance Saturday, March 27, at the North Liberty School cafeteria. All North Liberty children, pre-school through 4th grade, are invited to join the Easter Bunny for donuts and juice and a Walt Disney film. Breakfast will be served at 10:00. Thanks to several organizations in town, this event is free of charge. On Palm Sunday, April 4, the Walkerton United Methodist Chancel Choir will present “Love And Kindness'* during the 10:30 a.m. worship Service. On April 2, the GFWC Woman's Community Club will have a ‘Style Show’, featuring spring fashions from Her Place. 1972 The Walkerton Chamber of Commerce announces that Mr. Fredrick K. McCarthy, administrative vicepresident of Tax and Government Affairs, will be their guest speaker at the April 13 meeting to be held at Heil's Restaurant at 12:00 noon. Two area growers have been named to receive special awards for their excellence in corn growing from Funk's G-Hybrids. Growers named were Lawrence Snyder, North Liberty, G-444, 127.8 bushels per acre and John G. Cowger, Walkerton. G-4252. 149.7 bushels per acre. Yields gained by these outstanding farmers are being entered in the nationwide record books of Project: 200. Every home in Walkerton will be visited Sunday afternoon in a fund raising drive which will save many lives in St. Joseph County. More cancer is detected the last of April and the first of May than any other time of the year, as a direct result of the annual crusade by the American Cancer Society. Members of the Lincoln Township 4-H Comrads Club will be calling at your door on Sunday afternoon for the American Cancer Society drive. At the market this week round steak was selling for $1.19 a pound; rump roasts at $1.19 a pound; beef shanks at 59 cents a pound; Eckrich fun franks at 79 cents a pound package; bacon at 79 cents a pound, pork hocks at 49 cents a pound; pork roasts at 39 cents a pound; butter at 79 cents a pound; three pound can of Folger's coffee for $1.99; 8 bottles of Coca-Cola for 79 cents; a half gallon of ice milk for 69 cents; cabbage at 10

cents a pound; and Maine potatoes at 20 pounds for 99 cents. 1952 The State Highway Department has included a 12-mile strip of black top resurfacing for U. S. 35 at Kingsbury to the LaPorte-St. Joseph County Line, two miles west of Walkerton, to be done this spring and will take around 60 days to complete. Sometime next week’ there will be a knock on your door. You will be asked to pledge a pint of blood to save the life of men wounded fighting for American democracy. He offers his life for preservation of the U. S. ideals and way of life. You will not miss a pint of blood, but that boy will thank you all his life for his second chance at life. The bloodmobile will be in Walkerton on May 2 with 150 pledges needed. A public sale will be held on Saturday, April 5, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Nusbaum Furniture Store. They are going out of the furniture business and will devote all of their time to the undertaking business. From the advertisements appearing in this issue of the paper, there were man car dealerships in Walkerton and here is a list of them: Walkerton Ford Sales. Lambert Buick Sales, Solmos Pontiac Sales, Walkerton Motor Sales, and Gates Chevrolet Sales. 1942 The Federal Government thru its agencies, has leased an additional 27 acres of ground from Frank Clark, on the Tyner Road, upon which is to be erected a second trailer camp, accomodating 385 standard trailers. This camp will be located across the road from the John Clark farm, where the government has already contracted for 210 trailers and eight dormitories. The Walkerton Motor Sales at 409 Illinois Street, has installed a new wheel-balancing machine that will be used to check car wheels. America's war factories need waste paper, old rags, scrap metal and old rubber. In attics, cellars, back yards, garages, in stores and farms are waste materials that can help make ships, tanks, guns and ammunition. So let's go America! Salvage now . . . for Victory! 1937 Maple syrup makers welcome the month of March each year, the season when the sap is flowing, and the sugar camps are busv

“Sign Your Name’’ I'm really sorry that the person who wrote in “Voice Os The People" two weeks ago didn't sign their name. I think if you're going to make “those kind of comments", you should be adult enough to forget the anonymity and sign your name. An interesting quote from their artical . . . “what you put into the lives of others comes back into your own”. Judging from our own basketball athlete, who never missed a practice, saw little playing time, and on the spot would do it all over again for coach Mosson. Well, let’s say coach will be well rewarded. It says quit a lot for coach to receive this kind of dedication. We thank him. Mrs. Betty Hostrawser “Fire b Tragic, So b Violence” As I sat in my van a couple of weeks ago watching the smoke thicken and blow as Father Letko’s house was burning, I couldn’t help but feel the pangs of pain inside of me as I thought of the loss of irreplaceable treasures . . . items signifying fond memories, perhaps a gift once given, a pciture of that special person or event, grandmother’s pitcher given in love, an interruption of comfort and security, loss of a home. 1 recalled the tragedies of home fires I had experienced in my own life as a child and after I had a family of my own, and those memories surfaced painfully. As I sat there watching with my window lowered, I heard some neighborhood children chanting “bum down, bum down, bum down". It was as if they were cheering on the tragedy that was taking place as well as the potential of someone possibly overcome with “boiling down”. Many thousands of pounds are marketed annually, from Indiana woods, while much more is used at home, the sweet half of the team of hot cakes and syrup. Maple syrup in pure form is a clear amber liquid, containinbg 65 percent sugar, and weighing 11 pounds to the standard U. S. gallon. It is made entirely by boiling pure maple sap, adding nothing, and straining to remove sugar sand or other solids. The delicate flavor of the real syrup is unique as an country boy will remember, if he has ever been fortunate enough to help with the work, of “sugaring-off". Careful producers observe a number of rules in gathering sap and making syrup, in order to give the purchasers a clear, well-flavored maple syrup or sugar. Sap buckets are tended daily to guarantee collection of fresh sap. Many makers also use bucket covers to keep out rain or snow water. In boiling down, the syrup is finished as rapidly as possible in order to avoid darkening of the product. Finished syrup is tested with thermometer and hydrometer to insure full weight to the customer. Careful straining with heavy felts removes undersirable sugar sand and the hot syrup is canned and sealed to guarantee its keeping qualities. The New York Central "Spark Plug" run from South Bend through North Liberty, Walkerton and other points southwest, continues to maintain its old schedule as used for the last several years. In spite of an order to change both the train and schedule, which was issued last week, no change was made. “Caboose gossip” has it that the Order of Engineers raised an objection and an injunction wass filed against the action. An ordere came through Saturday that the new schedule would not go into effect now, but that the old one would remian until further notice. Arrangements have been completed by the Bob & Hazel Case to handle Western Union money service for Walkerton and territory.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

smoke and dying inside the house, or possibly a firefighter being overcome with smoke or severely burned. I realized that the violence we expose our children to is another kind of tragedy. These children were elementary-aged. I knew that they couldn’t even realize what it was that they were cheering about. . . not unless they had been exposed to the concept that violence is desired and exciting. My wish is that parents spend time teaching their children that the greatest “high” is in helping another in need, and that violence is painful and doesn’t resolve anything. It is simply a temporary source of demented excitement, yet how many of us adults, ourselves, seek out blood and gore to entertain us. Does it fit you or your children? Are you willing to make a difference? Barbara Rohrer “Editorial Response” In response to last week’s editorial we feel not only Mr. Urbin but the taxpayers in the Town of Walketon should be aware of some facts, not speculation due to lack of investigation. The Walkerton Fire Department has had a truck specification committee for two years. This committee is composed of five firemen with a combined fire fighting experience of 64 years. The specific job of this committee was to develop specifications for the replacement of our current equipment van, an important fire apparatus. The equipment van carries generator, air cascade system, Lucas tool and extraction system, many extraction tools, breathing apparatus and spare bottles, misc. hand tools, exhaust fans, lighting equipment, and much, much more. The editorial points out that the John Glenn School Corp, purchased a $17,000 van. Let’s compare apples to apples, not oranges to grapes. John Glenn purchased a one ton van with 10 foot body and 6 cylinder engine that carries approximately 1,500 pounds of equipment. The Fire Department is looking at a 16,000 pound GVW van with 14 foot body and V-8 engine that will carry approximately 5,000 pounds of equipment, plus firemen. We find it very strange that a leading truck dealer would consider guessing at so many facts and figures to quote prices. Let’s talk about money now. All firemen pay taxes too. We consulted many companies in reference to this truck and were quoted figures in excess of twice the $45,000 figure. I hope the general public doesn't feel the fire department is this irresponsible. Those high fitures are why it has taken this committee two years to write a specification that would not only do the job safely, but be at a reasonable cost. We can only assume by your editorial that you believe an ambulance is only a square box with wheels that costs 50 or oO thousand dollars. In regard to the Town Board, most of whom are familiar with our fire equipment. Should they be criticized for understanding the need to replace a worn out truck? Should they guess at financing cost? If the public is against replacing this van it was not evident to us at the town board meeting when it was proposed. Not one comment or question came from the public audience present. Incidently, we didn’t see Mr. Urbin at that meeting. In closing we can only say that the men on this committee have never seen you, Mr. Urbin, at a vehicular addicent in the middle of the night with injured and or trapped victims. There at the emergency scene you could have seen how this particular piece of fire apparatus is used and what payload it carries. We are all sure you could call the fire department if vour home or

business was on fire. What we cannot understand is why you talked to a leading area dealer instead of contacting Walkerton’s fire chief or any fireman. You would have had the opportunity to ask questions and yes, even look at the truck. Walkerton Fire Department Truck Spec Committee David McKesson Dick Awald John Rizek Gene L. Brem Chuck Baker (Editor’s Note: Apparently the committee responding to the editorial missed the entire point intended to be conveyed. There is a proper (and legal) method to purchase with taxpayers' money. Perhaps we dwelt a little too much on the price of the vehicle, but until the legal advertising is done, the bids (or bid) is in, then do we establish the purchase price. Competitive bids do have a tendency to govern prices over an outright purchase. The Town Board IS NOT BOUND by the lowest bid, they can accept or reject any the choose. If the price is established at $45,000, it could be less, it could be more, then let the purchase be completed. In no way did we criticize, comment or discuss the work done by firemen. We have the greatest respect for the certain kind of individual who fills this role. We will conclude with a direct quote from the last paragraph of the questioned editorial. We quote: "We are not criticizing the fire department and we don’t want them to feel that way. The need is there, and we hope it can and will be fulfilled in a satisfactory manner”. End quote.) “J.G.H.S. Scholarship Fund News Community Support” We at John Glenn High School are finding it necessary to establish alternative methods of raising funds to financially assist our students with post-secondary education. In years past, the costs of financing educational plans were nominal and somewhat proportional to the standard of living. In addition, many students could bear the greatest responsibility for their schooling through summer employment opportunities. Just five years ago, the average annual cost of post-secondary training was approximately $4,000.00. Currently, the opportunities for students to go on to further educational endeavors are seriously hampered by rapidly rising costs and the limited ability of students to supplement incomes of parents through summer jobs. The average annual cost today is about $7,500.00. We are hopeful of bringing the many resources of our school community together to collectively provide a wider financial base with which to further enable our students to go on to post-secondary possibilities. We would like to invite you. as a member of the John Glenn community, to help us establish the John Glenn Scholarship Fund. We are hopeful that you will see the importance and plan to contribute what you can financially to the fund. Please call 586-3195 if you have questions. Please consider our idea seriously as the future of our young people rests upon the opportunities available that we may be able to provide. Mike Shuler, Principal John Glenn High School WOMEN’S SOFTBALL LEAGUE NEEDS TEAMS, PLAYERS AND COACHES Th Walkerton Women's Softball League is looking for teams, individual players and coaches. For more information contact Connie Knowlton, 586-3086, or Tammy DeMetz, 586-3137.