The Mail-Journal, Volume 18, Number 4, Milford, Kosciusko County, 11 February 1981 — Page 4

THE MAIWOURNAL — Wed., February 11,1981

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Editorials

Fun in Webster Saturday Valentine’s Day will be a. special day in North Webster as the Lakeland Snowmobile Club sponsors a Winter Wonderland Carnival. Snowmobilers from all over Indiana have been invited to the Snowmobile Capital of Indiana to participate in the planned activities. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and activities will continue until midnight. Activities include junior and adult games, drag races, a treasure hunt, poker run, torchlight parade and a sweetheart dance, so even if you don t have a Snowmobile why not visit North Webster on Saturday and join in the fun. Proceeds from this year’s event will go towards local charity work. * » , J Support the Phon-a-thon The Mental Health Association of Kosciusko County will conduct a membership Phon-a-thon evenings, February 16 through February 19. Volunteers will be calling residents of this county, inviting them to join the MHA. It is a fact that 15 per cent of our population, about 32 million people, have required or will need treatment for mental illness this year. Hardly a family will be untouched by this tragedy. Mental illness is the nation’s number one health problem. No one. regardless of age or position, is immune to the damaging stresses of life. TFfe Mental Health Association is the only voluntary, charitable organization devoted entirely to the prevention and treatment of mental illlness and to the cause of mental health You who pledge your membership will be benefiting yourselves, those you care about and your community Saint Valentine's Day There were three Saint Valentines, all living in the second half of the third century; one is thought to have been a priest of Rome. Another was a bishop and little is known of the other But they were all martyrs and were connected in the popular mind with the people. Later, in Middle Ages in Europe 1 , the day known as Saint Valentine’s Day was associated with lovers. In the fifteenth century English writerKrefer to the dav as one when birds (and maybe humans!) choose mates Costume balls are a feature of Valentine's Day. and in countries where Mardi Gras or Fasching celebrations are extravagant, there are always gala celebrations that day or night. , However it came about, boys and girls soon began exchanging valentines. And hearts still beat faster when one’s best girl, or best beau, sends an especially lovely valentine. The custom has spread to husbands and wives and others, and isa nice one —even if over-commercialized It’s good to be remembered and to be loved, and Valentine s Day prompts such expressions. The World unquestionably needs more love, and less hatred, and that is. in part, the message of February 14. Lincoln Most historians rate Abraham Lincoln 'born on the 12th in Hardin County. Kentucky, in 1809) ope of the greatest American presidents. Understandably, this view is not universally held in the South, for Lincoln was firm in ordering his armies to invade that region when it sought to secede from the Union. Lincoln was a master politician and a public relations genius Perhaps his greatest stroke of far-sightedness in the war which erupted when he was elected was in maneuvering the South to fire the first shot. South Carolina cadets did so, » at Fort Sumteri in 1861. Without this successful maneuver, it is doubtful if the people of the North would have generated the will to pursue and win the long’and bitter war. Even with this advantage (Lincoln had been warned by the Union command at Fort Sumter that to send ships to provision it would mean firing), the North was racked with misgivings about the war and there were riots in Baltimore and New York and in other cities. The next master stroke in international and public relations was in turning the war into a crusade against slavery Although this was not his position at the beginning, and though he didn’t free slaves in non-southern states with his famed Emancipation Proclamation, the call for freedom in the South was so appealing and morally just that this doomed the Confederacy’s chances of obtaining recognition from England and France, which were then leaning toward recognition. . Lincoln was a kindly, outdoor, folk-hero type and had he lived the Recon- * struction, which brought such terror and vindictiveness to the South, would surely have been, to a large extent, avoided. Ironically, had he lost the war. he probably would have gone down in history as a most unsuccessful President, having fought and lost a Civil War. But he won the gamble and history rates him along with George Washington as one of the greatest Presidents in American history, for the results were the feeling of the slaves and the preservation of the Union Smoking and dying I The American Cancer Society has just published a new booklet clearly outlining the risk from smoking. On pages eight and nine of the booklet, risks and benefits from quitting are included in an easy to read table. . For example, under smoking risks is this statement. “Twenty-five-year-old, 2-pack-a-day smokers have a life expectancy of 8.3 years less than nonsmokers.” The frightening part of this is that since the 8.3 years is the average, many smokers cut far more off their lives. Under risks, one also finds the warning that cigarette smokers have 7 to 10 times the risk of getting bladder cancer.' They have 2to 5 times the risk of getting pancreatic cancer! Cigarette smokers also have 3 to 10 times as many oral cancers as nonsmokers. The risk of cancer of the esophagus is much greater for all smokers — including pipe and cigar smokers — than for non-smokers. Likewise, larynx cancer is from 3 to 17 times as high for all smokers (including pipe and cigar smokers) as for non-smokers.

What others say — Breathing space Events in Poland reached a temporary breathing space, as talks between the Solidarity union and the government reached agreement on some points, and Solidarity called off a planned strike. But labor unrest is far from resolved. The situation appears more precarious than ever. What has already happened is unprecedented in a Soviet-bloc country. Solidarity has established itself as the workers’ representative, a role that before was claimed exclusively by the Communist party. Solidarity’s gains were underscored by the government’s decision to try to deal with unrest by sitting down with the union. Meanwhile Soviet troops at the borders of Poland have been held back ■ But events have gone far beyond the shipyard strikes that formed Solidarity last fall. Agitation has spread to farmers, students and workers in smaller places. These seem to be outside Solidarity’s control. Though the government has done a revolutionary thing in recognizing a workers’ union, it hardly will tolerate contagious unrest without resorting to some means of control. Soviet intervention, expected months ago by many observers, would appear to be an even greater threat now, unless Solidarity can quickly consolidate its new role and channel the spreading forces of discontent safely past a disastrous outcome. — THE ELKHART TRUTH

LB 2

0 Remember your Valentine. Voice of the people A column on the opinions of the people of the Lakeland area ... j • QUESTION: "What special thing are you going to do for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day this year?"

■ 1 donna ■ • A ■ LONG .L - B Leesburg (teacher) JL “My sweetie just had a birthday and I took him out to dinner, so that kind of takes care of his Valentines Day. Maybe he’ll takemeout this time.’’ ei i)< >k \ y HIRD Milford (secretary) J* rJ “Maybe I'll take him out for dinner That’s something we both enjoy ” BETH BANGHART Syracuse (secretary) “He'll work all day Probably I’ll have a special dinner for him whep he comes home ”

Court news

MARRI \GE DISSOLUTIONS The following couples have filed for dissolution of their marriages m Kosciusko circuit and superior courts: Hollingsworth Darlene Hollingsworth, r 1 box 388 North Webster and Richard Hollingsworth. Warsaw The couple was married on August 26. 1979, and separated January 26. 1981 The petitioner herein prays the court to enter a decree4of dissolution of the marriage and to restore the parties’ to the state unmarried persons, for the equitable division of the property of the parties’, proper disposition of custody and support for the minor child of the parties and all other proper relief in the premises Alford — John R Alford. 2053 N. 1 Detroit St . Warsaw and - Connie K Alford. Syracuse The couple was married on November 29. 1963, and separated on January 23. 1981 The petitioner prays that said marriage be dissolved; and that the custody of the seven minor children of the parties be determined according to their best interests and as requested in the petition herein, that the court on final hearing make a deter mination of support for said seven minor children of the parties’; that the court make an equitable dixision of the property of the parties', for the costs of this action and for all other relief proper in the premises

Letters to the editor Carnival a success Dear Editor (Congratulations to ail the people who helped to make the Syracuse Winter Carnival a success It was a very enjoyable day. The torch light parade at the end was particularly impressive It took many hours of work on the part of those who helped on the committee for this event. The entire community owes them a vote of thanks We hope this will become an annual affair. Ted and Marge Rogers (Continued cm next page)

WRIGHT - Milford Q '' C W (factory ■k worker) “I got him a big post card.” Fl LISA V JONES ?. Syracuse j HL v .* jH department» “If I do what he did for me last year at Valentines day — Nothing'" i MARILYN CURTIS Warsaw (WHS guidance counselor) » • I ... "I would take my sweetheart to the YMCA state optional qualifying meet, because I'm the chairwoman of it. " 808 P ATON Leesburg (accountant) "Probably goout todinner ”

COUNTY COURT Traffic Violations The following violations have had fines assessed and paid in Kosciusko County Court. James Jarrette, judge: Leaving scene of property damage accident — Linda S. Wine. 32. Syracuse. SB2 and driver's license suspended 60 days Disregarding stop sign — Julie A Smoker. 19. Leesburg. $35 -> Disregarding automatic signal — Mark S Emmons. 19. Milford. $35 Park improperiv — Eugene.A Arrington. 23. Syracuse. $35 Operating snowmobile without driver’s license — Ray J. Mabie ■ 37. North Webster, S3O Speeding — Janet A. Chiddister. 40. Milford. $35; Kathy A. Brouwer. 20, Syracuse, 140; David L Carey. 37. North Webster. S4O. Steven H. Wright, 36, Leesburg. S4O. Nicholaus T. Hicks. 18, Leesburg. $35; Jan Moore. 22, Syracuse. $35; Richard A. Hollingsworth, 18, North Webster. S4O Small Claims The following claim has been filed in Kosciusko County Court. James Jarrette, judge Robert Hecht vs Glon Furniture and Carpet. Inc , Syracuse Plaintiff demands judgment against the defendants in the amount of $1,500. for the costs of the action and all other relief proper in the premises

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tfiUZIN AROUND CUJfe

By BARBARA SCANTUN (EDITOR'S NOTE Mrs Sconf/in. who recently remodeled ond restored her home ot 301 West Main Street. Syracuse, has on Interest in herbs, ond would like to interest others in a subject that appears to be catching on.) As guest writer this week I have the privilege of writing about anything I want to, so here goes ... After almost a year in Syracuse. I'm finally becoming acquainted with the ins and outs, ups and downs of Hoosier . Lake living. 1 miss much of the Detroit area but have met many fine people, who have made me feel right at home. There are several who are helping me research my home at 301 W. Main St., and one of these days I hope Io have the complete history of this old house. And so on to w hat I’ve chosen to write about Now that the hostages are safely home, a new president is in place, what comes next but spring planting I’m not thinking about the large farm acreage which is pre-planned each year, but the small vegetable and flower garden that is planted for use and delight ... So why not add to your garden plans this year plants that are not only a feast to the eyes, fragrant to the nose, but valuable for your health and delicious in cooking? I'm talking about herbs, of course. W hether you pronounce it herb or 'erb, there should be several in your garden this year. I guarantee continued use once you try them. Before discussing the benefits, let’s review a bit of the lore and legend of those enduring plants. Herbs are the oldest of recorded plants, having been used by the Egyptians. Chinese. Mesopotamians and other cultures mainly for magic and medicine The Greeks and Romans were the first to organize medical schools, and most of their prescriptions where made from leaves and roots of herbs grown by them. In the First Century AD a Roman by the name of Dioscorides. physician to Nero's army, listed for the first time, the 600 medicinal plants in use at that time. This list called the Materia Medica. was referred to by the great philosophers and physicians of the next 15 centuries During the Barbarian invasions of southern Europe, gardening and agriculture in general almost disappeared. People in walled cities situated on the crest of hills for protection, had no desire to venture forth to engage in growing produce. It wasn’t until the sixth century that the growing of fruits, staples and herbs was revived by Saint Benedict, a monk living at Monte Casino. Italy. Today tn Padua. Italy, there is an herb garden designed in 1545 that is still producing a supply of medicinal herbs for the medical faculty of the University of Padua The design of this garden has not been changed and we are fortunate to have exact replicas of Medieval gardens throughout the world, and many in the USA One of the post popular is the Cloister garden in New York city. We are also fortunate in having had the trial and error research done for us as many of these plants proved less than beneficial to the health. Greek mythology, the Bible, old herbals and Shakespeare have helped to romanticize and keep alive the history of these marvelous plants. Their habitat was mainly the area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and most of the Middle East. The Roman armies took with them plants and seeds on all their journeys. introducing them wherever they were not naturally grown. When the colonists arrived in the new world they brought with them their knowledge of herbs used in cooking and medicines, and in some cases those used in witchcraft. They were pleasantly surprised to find that the native Indians had been using herbs as far back as they could recall. There were plenty of exchanges of plants and directions for their use, some species being found in both Europe and America. Old diaries of colonists and "stillroom'* recipes recorded use of herbs for keeping moths out of clothes, flies away from cabin doors, witches away from homes, and many to use for the dyeing of cloth. Some were used for cosmetics, some to quiet babies with colic and others to make ink for letter writing. So it would

seem that a proper garden was just about all a pioneer needed to survive, if this also included fruit trees and vegetables. Many people today think of herbs as the few that are mentioned most often, such as parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano. The latter was made popular by the pizza crowd. These are only five of the hundreds of species used not only in cooking but those used for medicine, many for fragrance, in cosmetics and decoration. —o— LET'S START with parsley . .. mostly used as garnish on your plate in a restaurant. Most people leave it on the plate and when the waiter removes it he is taking away one of the most valuable of all herbs. It has been used as an aid to digestion, a facial pack for oily skin, a breath sweetener after eating garlic, and one of the main ingredients in gourmet cooking The Greeks crowned their victorious athletes with parsley. -O’SAGE IS best known as the herb used in turkey stuffing and being very strong in flavor must be used with discretion. The ancient Greeks and Romans drank sage tea to invigorate the brain. It was a tonic for mind and body, thus promoting longevity. Sage tea was given to tuberculosis patients to reduce the night sweats they suffered. It has long been used as a gargle, as first aid for insect bites, and even used for making beer and ale. -o— THYME. ANOTHER culinary herb used as a seasoning, has always been associated with happiness, courage and well being. Roman soldiers bathed in thyme water for vigor. Courage and strength. It too has been used medicinally in many areas. —o— I WOULD say. before I go further, that although these plants have been used as medicine for thousands of years they are not recommended for use today unless specifically prescribed by a physician Through trial and error over the years many have been found to be perfectly safe, but the (jjantities were drastically out of proportion, making them fatal. -o‘4. ROSEMARY. A very popular herb, was used by the Greeks to refresh the memory. To quote Ophelia in Hamlet. "... there's rosemary, pray you. love, remember." Act IV. Scene V . . . Today rosemary is used as a delightful seasoning, especially for chicken. The ancient Greeks and Romans burned the leaves as incense and later on it was used as a disinfectant. It was also used as a strewing herb on floors of prisons and courts of law Leaves were also put under pillows to prevent nightmares. Even this lovely herb bears the endless stories that have lasted for centuries, including the one about Queen Elizabeth of Hungary . It is told that a hermit gave her a recipe of the now famous Hungary Water. She used it every day and was supposedly cured of paralysis. —o— OREGANO. ALSO called wild marjoram, a relative of sweet marjoram, is another culinary herb used in a number of recipes to season meat, salads and vinegars, to name a few Wreaths made from m—joram were placed on the of bridal couples in ancient Geece and Rome. The Greeks also believed that marjoram growing on a grave was a sign that the soul of the deceased was content. The taste of the pizza herb is that of the Mexican variety, which tastes nothing like the domestic variety, just to make everything more confusing. This is one example of the complication of identifying herbs that are closely related. *-o— WELL I’VE only mentioned five of the well-known herbs, and five more would include dill, lavender, mint, bay leaf and basil, my favorite. Both dill seed and dill weed are successfully used in cooking at the present time. The word comes from the Saxon and means “to lull,” therefore was given to induce sleep. It has also been taken for aid to indigestion since early times. Dill seeds were eaten during the long Sunday church worships and were nicknamed "meeting seeds.” They are also chewed to sweeten the breath. Lavender has been used for

centuries as a perfume, in sachets and soaps, in tobacco and medicinally in salts as a preventive to fainting. It is one of the loveliest of all herbs. No wonder the Greeks used it as a bath scent. Being a native of the Mediterranean area it grows in great quantities and used in combination with other herbs its uses are many. —o— IT IS said that when you plant mint, jump back out of the way, as its growth is so rapid. The cool tasting leaves and heavy scent are a pleasure on a hot summer day in iced tea or in fruit cups. It was used to heal diseases of the skin and as an appetite stimulant. The Greeks crushed mint leaves on their tables to signify hospitality. Modem use of mint flavoring covers many products including mouth wash, tea and in potpourri, as well as in cooking. -oBAY LEAVES are used mostly in European cookery with fish, stews, marinades and pickles. This is the herb most frequently mentioned in Greek mythology. The word “baccalaureate" comes from bay laurel, as it is called. The victors of the Isthmian games were crowned with a wreath of laurel leaves, hence the phrase, "winning your laurels.” -O- o THERE ARE many more herbs that are not familiar to most people, but they have also played an important part in the history of medicine and cooking. The common white yarrow that grows along the roadways was used in incantations by witches. It was so feared, that in the 17th century a witch was burned at the stake for using it. In more recent times a tea was used to build up the blood, and increase the appetite. ,Now r we use it in dried arrangements. -oTARRAGON IS one of the most prized of herbs, for its superb flavor. The French variety is superior to. the Russian as the latter has a greatly inferior flavor. It's good with fish. meat, poultry and is excellent for vinegar. -o— BASIL HAS a most interesting history, much of it contradictory. t It is sacred to the Hindus, and is grown as protection against misfortune. It has been used by them in place of a Bible to signify honorable intent. Other groups believed it would breed scorpions and western Europeans regarded it as the sovereign power against witches. Basil was brought to America in 1610. and was grown commercially in Virginia in 1774. It was also listed as one otf the herbs grown in George Washington’s garden No matter what the background, basil is one of the most popular of herbs today, being especially good with tomatoes. —ODOWN THROUGH the ages herbs have remained constantly in use, especially in Europe, although in England the use declined for about 150 years. ( Now. some of the best books on< herbs are published there. -oWELL THIS could go on for 100 more pages but I'll conclude with a few ideas and recipes to interest you further in the growing of herbs. Those on salt free diets may be helped to enjoy food more by adding herbs. Try a few of the following: Add parsley, chervil, tarragon to lentil soup. . Add mint to pea soup. Add basil to tomato soup. Add fennel to fish dishes. Add parsley, onion, dill, basil to brown rice. Add mint, parsley to beat balls; same to carrots. Add dill to zucchini. Add rosemary, garlic salt to potatoes. Add dill to cole slaw. * Add parsley, dill, tarragon to chicken. —o—- . SPLIT PEA soup with mint and tomatoes 2 T butter 1 medium onion, chopped 4 medium tomatoes, skinned. • (Continued on page 5)