The Mail-Journal, Volume 19, Number 36, Milford, Kosciusko County, 22 September 1982 — Page 4

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., September 22,1982

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Editorials

School's open, drive carefully School’s open, drive carefully — those four words are often heard during the month of September and we feel they are worth repeating. With the Milford Elementary and Junior High Schools both located east of SR 15, the North Webster Elementary and Junior High Schools located on SR 13 and a number of Syracuse students crossing SR 13 to get to their school buildings, caution is needed Crossing guards have been hired by all three towns to protect youngsters who are urged to cross the street only where these guards are on duty. In spite of all the precautions youngsters are youngsters and they fail to realize how important and lifesaving these instructions are. They dart out from between cars without looking. They are often pre occupied with something they consider more important — therefore drivers must take the initiative and drive carefully now that school is open. About colors A recent book tells how color can be used in healing various diseases. Now comes a psychologist who tells us that when an individual selects a certain color —for instance from a jar of jelly beans —it tells a lot about his or her personality! At a recent meeting of the American Psychology Association in Washington, Dr. Elizabeth Bard, of Akron, Ohio, suggested the color (flavor) one chooses (from a jar of jelly beans or something else) indicates certain traits. You are one of great personal charm, supposedly, if you’re a woman and pick red or a man and pick black. Bard’s testing of 101 people involved fellow psychologists — who mostly picked black first and then red. The other colors? Orange denotes sensuousness in males, a need for security in females. Yellow denotes power-seeking by males, an urge to be charming in females. Etc., etc. Marvelously simple way to analyze personality — and to eat jelly beans. Psychological science marches on! Happiness The struggle to enjoy life, to be contented and satisfied, is a constant one. In recent years crime, corruption and crises of life, added to the fast pace of modem living, have made realization of contentment, peace of mind — true happiness — even more difficult to achieve. The secret is still the same, and it lies in the mind. Those who are able to limit their goals, desires and dreams to reasonable ones, who will keep in mind the lot of those less fortunate than they are, can still find serenity. The key to inner happiness, then, is not to be found in position or influence over others. It’s to be found in one’s mind, in viewing life relatively, with a realistic sense of proportion, thereby achieving an inner peace (faith can help here) neither human beings nor daily events can threaten. Fall's tug September brings with it (in most parts of the country) the first cool winds, school, football, burning leaves and nostalgia. Why is it autumn tugs so on our memories? Perhaps it’s because growth and summer die. the end of a life cycle. It’s a beautiful death — red, yellow, brown and orange in fields and forests At the end of a summer season, one naturally looks back, all of which is good in our fast-moving world, when so few of us take time to remember the old days, good friends, the great moments and dear ones gone. Old? Who is old? One expert says age doesn’t necessarily make one old; there are young-old and old-young, it’s argued. Some say we should discontinue to use the word “old,” since there are those who are young-old. It depends on the person’s vitality and health, not age alone, critics of the standard measurement say. In any event, the experts say elderly people today are doing things never done before. One expert on aging says we are moving to a society where age is almost irrelevant, enabling those who are 70 or even 80 to do things which never would have been done a generation ago. All of which is good news for millions of Americans. Our children Many Americans are dismayed at today’s high level of violence and crime — the lack of kindness and compassion exhibited by many Americans. Yet,they allow their children to go to films which degrade every traditional virtue and moral standard. They allow them to spend hours and hours watchinga cold-blooded, commercial television devoted primarily to selling, by attracting the largest possible audience with crime, shock, violence, etc. Inevitably, children are influenced by this deluge. In this connection, the moral teachings of our churches are highly desirable in building character. And examples set by parents are equally important.

What others say — Still current today At a time in our nation's history when Americans are faced with pressures from within and without our government, it is well to consider the glue which has held this nation together for 195 years. September 17-23 is Constitution Week —a week in which more attention needs to be focused on this historical document which remains as currant as today’s newspaper. “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” This Preamble to our Constitution says it all. This document continues to provide the challenge to preserve the rights established 195 years ago. Our dream remains to “form a more perfect union” despite the differences which divide us. We still yearn and hope to “establish justice” for all people, and certainly we want the security of a strong defense to “insure domestic tranquility.” Our goal remains a dedication to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” Hendricks County DAR Chapter calls attention to Constitution Week, and recommend teaching our youth the virtues of and a dedication to the preservation of our American heritage Jo preserve our heritage, we must rely on the youth of today to perpetuate what was started 195 years ago. — DANVILLE GAZETTE /

* X MXu* Ml [speed' J a LIMIT £ < 2.0 i ' 1 iff ™ I* — JHk . - . w*-’ •*" I mm SCHOOL | Ron Conley. Milford Street Superintendent. has completed erecting speed limit and school zone signs on all streets leading to the Milford Elementary and Junior High Schools. Conley said 20 mph signs were erected prior to the opening of school but the slow school zone signs have just been added. The photo was taken at Elm and Emeline Streets. Other signs have been posted on Emeline Street, SR 15 and on Fourth Street.

Unsung heroes —

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Town board president is also Milford fireman

Milford fireman Steve Miller knows his volunteer job is dangerous. He sometimes ponders all of the close calls he’s had during his five years with the department and when he reads about the tragedy that happened at Plymouth recently, his worries compound. Miller is a very community minded citizen and is currently also serving as president of the Milford Town Board. But despite his concerns, he still believes in the public service he provides for his community. “I like helping people... it takes a lot of dedication, there are a lot of risks," he said. Today's houses are made up mostly of synthetic materials which when they are on fire give off dangerous gases. Many times, firemen are forced towear an air-pack and whenever an airpack is needed, the danger is increased said Miller. Miller likes to work with the Milford community because “they treat us with a great deal of respect” He said his involvement with the department

STEVE MILLER

satisfies his sense of public responsibility. 'There is always the thought of injury,” said Miller about the recent Plymouth incident. “It bothers me ... you got to know how to handle them (fire trucks), they can be very dangerous.”

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"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE"

(EDITOR'S NOTE — Kip Schumm Is on ambitious young takes' area man with seaming Inexhaustible energies His good works have to do with the Syracuse Pork Board, of which he is currently serving as vice president.) WHEN ARCH called me a week and a half ago and asked if I would like to use Cruzin’ this week to tell about the Syracuse parks I said sure. But then I had to figure out how to begin. Let me start out with a little history of our park system and proceed toward our present and future plans and goals. Syracuse is very fortunate to have five park sites, four of which are on water: Hoy’s Beach located on Front Street. Crosson Mill Park located on SR 13 with the Scout Cabin, the Railroad Park with a boat launch on Medusa Street. Lakeside Park with a swimming beach on Syracuse Lake and W.E. Long Drive, and an undeveloped 8.8 acres of land behind Calvary United Methodist Church. Much credit should be given to our past citizens for their instrumental help in planning and preparing many of our present parks. FOR INSTANCE: Lakeside Park was a city dump during the depression years with tin tans, ashes and refuse strewn across a mosquitoinfested swamp from the pavement to the lake. With tireless efforts W.E. Long enlisted the help of many area residents to transform this area into Lakeside Park. These people and their contributions were: Elwood George — property owner of the land where Lakeside park is now located. He agreed to deed the property to the town for park purposes; C. C. Bachman — owner of the farm adjoining the George property. He donated a strip of land adjacent to the park area; Fred Hoopingarner agreed to allow the hill across the street from the park to be leveled and the dirt used as fill (this area is now the parking lot); Roscoe Howard and Ross Osborn who helped secure a WPA appropriation for labor; Ladies of the Roundtable who made it possible for city water to be brought to the park by securing enough piping to run the lines; Henry Beer for the grotto plantings and the Edgewater Nursery of Goshen for the trees and shrub plantings. ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Crosson Mill Park was a Business and Professional Women's Club sponsored project and was encouraged by W.E. Long. This park area was originally covered by machinery parts, sewage and drain pipes and much debris. You now recognize this area as a well maintained park and picnic area. HOY’S BEACH is a small park that was named after Dr. Clifford Hoy. Dr. Hoy was a resident of Syracuse and lived in the home that is now the John Kroh residence which is adjacent to to Hoy’s Beach. ANOTHER TRANSFORMATION took place at the Railroad Park. This too was formerly a swamp infested area on Medusa Street. The town leased this land from the railroad company for $1 a year and used it for the dumping of non-garbage items. After several years the area was filled in and the railroad decided to sell the land to the town of Syracuse. Syracuse purchased the land and resold a portion back to the state with the understanding of the state installing a boat hunch. THE LAST park the town owns is the undeveloped 8.8 acres behind Calvary United Methodist Church. This land was purchased in 1976 with funds from the Jethro Greider Fund. The Greider family specified that the money in the fund be used to develop parks in the Town of Syracuse. * IN 1979 the Syracuse Park Board was under re-organization and 1 was appointed to the president's position. 1 took office in the spring of 1980. All new park board members were appointed at that time and we plunged forward to try to improve and maintain oar park system. Our first course of action was to become a state recognized park and recreation department. This was accomplished through the passing of a town ordinance. (State recognition was and is important because it allows the board to petitions the state for matching park development funds.) Members of this park and recreation board were: myself. Tony Clouse as vice-president. Dianna Walker as secretary. Pat Bartow as treasurer, and Ex-officio members: Bob Knudsen from the Library Board and Tim Caldwell from the schools: and an advisory board composed of Alan Kitsan, Dave Gargett and Bud Kline. As a new park board we needed a starting point so we put together and distributed a recreation survey. Our goals were to develop and maintain a quality park and recreation program, to develop community awareness in wise natural resource use and management, and to develop the 8.8 acres of land behind Calvary Church Our objectives were: to identify recreational needs, to enter into a cooperative agreement with organizations and agencies for joint facility use, to meet a portion of the existing recreational needs and to identify useful methods of financing the park system. Results of the survey indicated the desire for preseat park maintenance, softball diamonds, ice skating facilities and other recreational activity areas. This survey helped guide us in the direction of fntnre objectives and goals. We started to work immediately in park maintenance and facility use. THE SUMMER of 1980 saw a new flower bed and shrubs planted at Lakeland Park which is maintained seasonally by the Syracuse-Wawasee Garden Chib, telephone pole sections lining the Lakeside Park parking lot were installed, trees planted at Lakeside and Railroad Parks were donated by Bill Cable and planted in celebration of Arbor Day. The tall of 1989 the Park and Recreation Department was asked to help with the organization of the Whiter Carnival. We took the chalenge and were able to raise enough money

through donations to put fireworks in the sky on a cold night in February 1981. The same park board members are still involved in the Winter Carnival Committee. They are Kitson, Gargett, Walker, Bartow, myself and a representative of the retail merchants Jeanne Gardner. The 1981 Winter Carnival was a one day event and the weather man co-operated with us in making the day a big success. The spring of 1981 found many area volunteers in all the parks helping with the annual clean-up. SUMMER 1981 was approaching and Dick, Wysong of the Area Vocational Co-Op brought to our attention a proposal to utilize some area youth employed in the YETP program. These young people would be hired by CETA and work in our park system during an eight-week period in the summer. We accepted his proposal and we owe a lot of thanks to supervisor Barb Brouwer and her YETP group for a job well done. They were responsible for mowing, trimming, weeding and general park maintenance. When the YETP program ended board members volunteered their time to mow and maintain the parks. This jont effort saved the board approximately 11.500 which was used to purchase new picnic tables. Other 1981 park board projects for the summer months were: July 4th celebration in the park held in conjunction with the Flotilla Festival, the first Winter Carnival fundraising Old Fashion Park Day on Labor Day week end. reworking of the beach at Lakeside Park and the addition of new equipment at both Lakeside and Crosson Mill Parks. The Syracuse-Wawasee Garden Club donated and planted a pine tree near the flower bed at Lakeside Park. THE WINTER of 1982 began with the board consisting of Kitson as president, myself as vice president Mrs. Walker as secretary. Mrs. Bartow as treasurer, and Gargett as a township representative. The Winter Carnival grew to a two-day event in February. In 1982 it was complete with dogsleds, snowmobile races, sleigh rides, a road race, a hot air balloon, a torch parade around the lake and the ever-popular fireworks. Everyone at the carnival had a good time and looks forward to another one this coming February. SPRING CLEAN-UP 1982 was again a community event with several groups volunteering a day to help pick up the parks. We were able to hire several summer employees, Jim Garner was hired as a full-time maintenance supervisor and was in charge of mowing, painting and other necessary repairs. Garner did a super job. You may notice new paint inside and outside the restrooms in Lakeside and Railroad parks, new paint on the pavilions and concession stand, neatly mowed and trimmed grass in all parks, daily garbage pick-up. etc. Thanks Jim Garner!!! Teresa Welborn was hired as a lifeguard supervisor, program director and restroom maintenance. A big thanks to Teresa for the fine scheduling of lifeguards at the beach and for clean restrooms. Our lifeguards were excellent this year. We had several to choose from and found quality in Jeff Winter, Teresa Welborn, and Tammy Welborn. Equipment money in 1982 was used to purchase II new picnic tables, grills and a slide as well as the addition of privacy panels on the concession stand restrooms at Lakeside Park. During the summer months Dr. Howard J. Hull became an active member of the board representing the school’s interest and Jim Hughes replaced Carl Myrick as the park board’s liaison member from the town board. THE JULY 4th day activities were another successful park activity in the summer of 1982. ft LABOR DAY week end was again the time for the Winter Carnival fundraiser “Old Fashion Park Day’’ but this time the weather men weren't very co-operative and rain was part of the daily plan. Rick Baker and Gary Ringler took advantage of the morning crowd to donate and plant a big 18foot Red Pine Tree in Lakeside Park on Labor Day. THE FUTURE of our park system looks encouraging. Yet this year we anticipate the acquisition of several new picnic tables. We hope spring of 1983 meets us favorably and we have the ability to purchase new playground equipment and continue our restroom remodeling. The Winter Carnival will again be held in February and other park activities remain scheduled. Short-term goals of the present park and recreation board are to build a pavilion at Lakeside Park, continue to upgrade our present park system (by daily maintenace and new beautification programs, and yearly equipment replacement), and encourage more park usage by families and groups. Long range goals are to develop the acreage behind Calvary Church and the formation of a town-township park and recreation board. The interest in this new board stems from the possible development of the Old Fish Hatchery She into a park by the state. Suggestions have been presented in favor of this new board because we would then help govern the future park. The realization of these goals depends on community involvement and budget situations. Presently the park and recreation board has $9,197 to work with from the town and an additional 83,000 from township funds. This money must be divided into salaries for lifeguard and maintenance supervisors, mowing, insurance, supplies, utilities, repairs and equipment. There is no additional money available at this time for development of a new park site. Our long range goals cannot be realized until some additional money becomes available at the local and state government levels. I would personally like to thank several people for their help and support: all the past and present park and recreation board members for the many (Continued on pages)