The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 28, Milford, Kosciusko County, 26 August 1987 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., August 26,1987

Editorial

It's time to compromise The time has come for level heads to prevail, to work out a compromise in the knotty middle school problem that has been on the minds of many, if not most, patrons of the Wawasee School Corporation for some time. Nearly everything has been said on the subject, to the point where tempers and nerves have become frayed and old friends are refusing to speak to one another. It’s been a long time since a single subject has commanded the attention of so many in our school corporation, especially a subject that begs a solution as strongly as this one does. Most everyone who has addressed the subject has done so in good faith and with good intentions. All seem to want the same thing: the best possible education at the lowest cost for middle school students of Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek, Van Buren and the eastern part of Jefferson townships. The question is — how do we do this? We have favored keeping our schools in their home communities, in pointed editorials in this space during the past four weeks. Unofficial surveys lead us to believe that from 60 to 80 percent of the patrons of the three-community corporation favor keeping the community schools intact. Building two schools in the country — one between Syracuse and Milford and the other between Syracuse and North Webster — appears unwieldy and expensive. Ask plant executives of local industries what they think of keeping taxes in line. High taxes reflect on the cost of their products, which reflect in the marketplace, and could find local industry in a weakened position in selling their products. We have found all of these plant executives we spoke to favoring the best education for our middle school students. Yet we have not heard the first plant executive support building two middle schools in the country with all the high costs they would entail. All they want is a plan that is realistic — and the two middle school plan, with a sls-$25 million price tag doesn’t meet the criteria. Another vocal group would have the school board build a super middle school between Syracuse and North Webster, leaving the Milford school as it is. Even this plan has been denigrated^— shot down before it got off the ground. 7 What remains, then? More and more we’ve been hearing the word “compromise” — use the best of all ideas. And this seems to be leaving the Milford and North Webster schools as they are, with some upgrading of their physical facilities as needed, now or at some future date. Syracuse needs a new middle school — no one, not a single person we’ve heard from, has denied this. Our compromise plan would then be to build the super Syracuse middle school on ground the school corporation now owns near the high school. This new plant could tie into the Syracuse sewer system, and use the Syracuse police, fire department afid EMS that are already in place. Included in the educational new look should be accelerated classes in science, math and language arts, including foreign languages, programmed for college-bound students, even at this early stage. Such an accelerated program should be placed in a new middle school built in Syracuse. Students from Milford and North Webster who want to participate in the accelerated program could then be bussed to Syracuse. We want our middle school students to have absolutely the very best, and this plan would give it to them. Plans similar to this are working well in other school districts in Indiana. With two countryside schools, it would amount to double programming for these accelerated classes. This would not be fair to the teachers and would be more costly to the taxpayers. It would seem to us that educators and taxpayers would latch onto this plan for the benefit of the middle school students and in the best interest of their own pocketbooks. If some such compromise program is not put into place, education in the Wawasee School Corporation could mark time for a good many years. Any plan the school board adopts on Thursday night will be with us for years to come. The whole thing — this public debate as to what is best for our sixth, seventh and eighth grade students — has been heart- and nerve-rending for members of our school board. We trust they Will welcome a plan we can all live with. And this plan Os compromise seems to be just that. — A.E.B. School Discipline It’s well to take stock of our local schools every so often: the beginning of the new school year is a good time to review local conditions. Capable school administrators — from the superintendent and principals on down — are not so easy to find as some imagine. The really good officials.in this field are the object of much competition. Parents have an obligation to cooperate with school authorities in every way possible. That makes their task easier as they attempt to guide, train and educate the children of this community. Children must be disciplined as well as educated; if not disciplined they cannot be educated. Proper disciplining never hurt anyone and is a prerequisite in our social order. As this school year gets underway, we urge all parents to cooperate with teachers and school officials, and encourage their children to approach school with the proper attitude. They might also encourage school officials to emphasize the basics, and homework, in this atmosphere. Faith is a great help to men and women as they go through life but there is no synthetic substitute. The intelligent man learns from experience and is able to gauge the future by what has happened in the past. The human race is divided into three classes of people; wise ones, foolish ones and those who believe campaign promises.

Court news

City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Driving while intoxicated Marshall S. Minnick, 25, Syracuse, $270, 12 months in jaii suspended on condition defendant abide by all court orders, one year probation, pay user’s fees and countermeasures fees>. license suspended for 30 days, probationary license for 180 days’ attend DWI school , . County Court The following persons have paid fines and costs in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrette presiding: Motorcycle passenger without headgear (under 18 years) — Larry E. Manns, 28, Milford, $lO3 No registration plate — Ritchie Sloan, 29, Syracuse, dismissed Speeding — Carl Vanover, Jr., 39, Syracuse, $65; Brent J. Johnson, 17. North Webster, S6O Operating water craft without valid registration — Ernest E. Strickland. 44, North Webster S6O Battery — Donald A. Leemon, no age given, Milford, dismissed; Gregory K Wook, 30, Cromwell, dismissed; Steve Wow Hurst, no age or town given, $203 Driving while suspended — James R. Shock, 29, Leesburg, disihissed County Court Goshen Division The following fines plus court costs have levied and paid in Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding -- Michael A. Cannon. 19. Syracuse. SSB; George O. Snook, 40, Syracuse, SSB; Stephen R Lawrence, 25, Syracuse, SSB; Stephen E. Yoder, 43. Syracuse, $56; Thomas R Reschly, 16, Syracuse. SSB Driving twhile suspended tPaul Gregory Nelson, 27, Syracuse, $25 plus costs, 60 days* in jail suspended on the condition the defendant not commit a similar offense for one year, driver’s license suspended 60 days Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court. Judge Richard Sand presiding: Complaint On Account Northern Indiana Public Service Company vs Douglas Evans and Carol Evans, r 5 box 234, Syracuse, Plaintiff seeks judgment of $173.51 plus costs. Complaint Gene E. Conn and Kay W. Conn vs Harper Peck, r 2, Syracuse. Plaintiff seeks judgment of SBO,OOO plus costs. Complaint To Foreclose Mortgage And Complaint Upon Promissory Note Shipshewana State Bank vs William E Knowles and Patricia A. Knowles, P.O. Box 654, Milford, and Treasurer of Kosciusko County. Vicki Patterson, Kosciusko County Courthouse, 100 W. Center Street, Warsaw Plaintiff seeks in Count I — the amount due and owing under the rollover promissory note, interest, title search expenses. real estate taxes, costs and attorney fees, adjudged to have a lien on mortgaged property, lien enforced, equity of redemption be barred, the property to be sold, if not sold in amount sufficient a deficiency judgment, taxes, penalties, interests and costs; Count II — amount due and owing under the promissory note, interest, late charges and attorney fees Complaint First National Bank in Huntington vs John M. Pohl, and Carole Pohl, r 3 box 661, Syracuse Plaintiff seeks judgment of $5,654.90, interest of $649 44, interest to date of judgment, attorney fees and costs. Complaint On Note And To Foreclose Mortgage Tower Federal Savings Bank, formerly known as Tower Federal Savings and Loan Association vs Dallas E. Wente and Anna B. W,pnte, r 1, North Webster Plaintiff seeks judgment of $46,607.41, default interest, attorney's fees, costs, a decree foreclosing the equity, properly to be sold by the sheriff and personal money judgment against defendants in the event of a deficiency. Reciprocal Carl Glancy vs Randall Hoover, Pinecrest Trailer Court, Syracuse. Plaintiff seeks back support. Complaint On Account Richard Brungardt, D.V.M., doing business as, Lakeland Animal Clinic, Syracuse, vs Tom W. Swartz, r 3 box 484, Syracuse. Plaintiff seeks judgment of $268.88, prejudgment interest, attorney’s fees, and costs. Superior Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Judge Robert Burner presidin'';: Coinplaint On Account Rockhill, Pinnick, Pequignot, Helms and Landis vs Sheila Slower- r 2 box 34, North

Webster. Plaintiff seeks judgment of $360 plus costs. Marriage Licenses The following couple has applied for a marriage license in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Trump-Knafel Timothy Lee Trump, 26, r 5 box 466-C, Syracuse, and Tammy Jo \Knafel, 23, r 5 box 466-C, Syracuse. NIPSCO to dedicate new service centers Northern Indiana Public Service Company will be officially dedicating its new electric, gas operations and information services centers on August 27. The centers are located at 1500 165th Street in Hammond. These buildings house the company’s control areas for dispatching electric and gas throughout our service territory, and in the computer building, NIPSCO’s main computer is housed. The equipment in these facilities represents state-of-the-art technology for our operations. The dedication will include remarks by our chairman, Edmund A. Schroer, at 5 p.m. In addition, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott will be speaking. Refreshments and tours will be available from 4 to 6 p.m. You’re invited to attend this event. You’ll have photo opportunities as well as the chance to see the hub of NIPSCO’s operations and hear from our chairman about NIPSCO’s commitment to northern Indiana. Orville Bose new Fairfield superintendent Assistant Superintendent Orville Bose at Fairfield High School has been given a one-year contract as superintendent. Bose has been assistant superintendent for one year at Fairfield but has been with the school system for 21 years. He replaces Jess Harty, who resigned suddenly Monday. Bose said Harty resigned because of a difference in management philosophy. Bose has stated that the school board will evaluate during the upcoming school year whether a new superintendent should be sought or if Bose should be retained and a new assistant superintendent be hired. He stated he would like to be given the position but that applications for the position would be taken and each candidate considered equally. WPOA officers are re-elected Incumbent officers of the Wawasee Property Owners Association have been elected to serve for another year. Directors of the 750-member organization, this month reelected the following people: President — Wiley W. ("Bill”) Spurgeon Vice president — Jack DeHaven Secretary-treasurer and executive director — Robert Hampton Assistant secretary-treasurer — G. Sam Cole. Spurgeon, of Muncie and Wawasee’s north shore, first was elected president in 1973. DeHaven, of Fort Wayne and Ogden Island, also has served since 1973. Both are former members of the organization’s board of directors. Hampton, a permanent resident of Wawasee’s Cottingham Beach area, was first elected to his position in 1985. Cole, a permanent resident of Harborside, has also served for two years. Cole is a member, and Hampton a former member, of the association’s 12-member board. Other members of the board of directors ar Charles Beck, L.D. Hayner, Robert F. Myers, John Holdeman, Richard Boerger, V. Logan Love, David Grandstaff, Robert King, Cindy Brumbaugh, Jane Irmscher, and David Culp. THE MAIL-JOURNAL) (U.S.P.S. 3258 4000) Published by the Mall Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office at Syracuse, Indiana 46567. Second class postage paid at 103 E. Main Street, Syracuse, Indiana 46567 and at additional entry offices. Subscription. sl6 per year In Kosciusko County; $22 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of address forms to The Mall Journal, P.O. Box 188, Milford, Indiana 46542

"CRUZIN ' AROUND 'CUSE"

IL I: BILL FISHER to the rescue! Bill just happened by Bales Butcher | Shop in uptown Syracuse Friday morning when someone called his attention to a crippled Tiger cat stranded on the metal awning. How the cat got there, or how long it was there, no one seemed to know. However, the cat was desperately looking for away to terra firma. ‘ With the agility of a true reserve police officer, Fisher jumped up on a Coke dispenser to rescue the stranded feline. Fisher discovered the cat had five toes on each foot, instead of four, and had some injury to each paw. Fisher said he’d take the unfortunate creature to the local animal pound, but his wife Marsha, standing in the background shook her head and waved her arms “no.” Marsha is a true friend of the animal kingdom. WE’VE HEARD our share of complaints recently about the blind corners on country roads. The reason: the tall corn this year has grown close to the corners, making visibility difficult. But we’ve already seen farmers cutting corn, so this is a condition we won’t have to put up with for long. THE TOWN of Syracuse and Turkey Creek Township lost a good friend with the death at 4:22 p.m. last Wednesday of Louis Kuilema. His ■ death followed an accident at 10:10 a.m. last Friday. (Note: Full details of his death appear in this week's obituary column.) The 75-year-oid former town board member and township trustee, has been a Syracuse resident, along with his wife Jacqueline, for 30 years, coming here as owners of the Fish & Fun Resort at 812 South Front Street. Kuilema was a member of the Syracuse Town Board from 1972 until June 1,1973, and was elected board president in 1973. He resigned due to the pressure. In early December 1983 he was hospitalized in a Tennessee hospital due to a slight stroke. In May 1982 he said he planned to run for the trustee’s job. He did, and won, and went on to serve four very productive years. During this time as trustee Kuilema wisely used revenue sharing funds to build the south extension to the town’s Huntington Street fire station, and to see the establishment of the Turkey Creek Township Fire Station No. 11, on the east side of Lake Wawasee, in order to give those folks added fire protection. Local voluntary funds from concerned residents of that area were used in this project. But Kuilema was equally proud of the work he had done to several nearly abandoned township cemeteries. He had the grass cut, straightened a number of headstones, and fenced the cemeteries in. One of these was the Weybright Cemetery on the County Line Road. If Turkey Creek Township ever had a trustee dedicated to service, Kuilema was it. Fire chief Larry Hunter said, “Lou was a . real good friend and a friend of the fire department. He was concerned about our cause at the fire department, even after leaving the trustee’s office. We’re going to miss him.” Township Advisory Board President Jack Ridings called Kuilema’s death “quite a shock. He was a good trustee who continued to do things he knew he could accomplish. I wish the best for his wife and family. He spent a lot of time on the job, keeping things going between the fire department, township and EMS.” County Recorder Betty Dust, who preceded Kuilema as trustee, said, “Kuilema tried very hard to serve the community, the proof of this interest is his serving on the town board and as trustee.” WE’RE NOT going to let Tony and Connie Clouse get away with this. They observed their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 11, and tried to keep it quiet (or so it would appear, claim their many friends). Tony is a teacher in

WHAT DOES it feel like to be 40 years of age? This is a question you’ll have to ask attorney Steve Snyder. Steve is a busy one these days, but took time out Friday to properly observe his birthday. Someone — quite obviously from his office in the Pickwick Block — put a sign over the front door: “Steve’s 40 on Friday,” and on one end of the sign is a crudely drawn tombstone on which was drawn RIP. We can only guess that means Rest In Peace. His law associates from the Fort Wayne firm of Beckman Lawson Sandler Snyder & Federoff arrived Friday to engage the handsome young attorney in a golf scramble at South Shore Golf Club.

the Milford middle school and a consummate runner. The likeable couple are parents of two daughters, Carla, a senior at Purdue University, and Amy, a Purdue junior. >' !fe idlHl MARGARET MADELINE Covell Porter, of 404 No. Elizabeth St., Angola, wrote this column reminding us that her mother, Margaret Beck, taught in the one-room Moore School in Turkey Creek Township for seven years, and sent along the photo of her mother along with one of her classes, no date given. She said her uncle was the late Calvin Beck. She wrote, “My mother married my father, Jess Covell, and we always went back to Syracuse every summer to visit relatives. We always enjoyed our visits with Grandmother Beck, aunts, unclesand cousins.” Margaret Porter provided us with the above photo of her mother with her young charges. > —o— HOWARD E. (“RED”) Long — lots of friends call him “Bugsy” for his business, Ace Pest Control — is seen around town wearing a high yellow, styrofoam collar. He says it does wonders for his neck arthritis. For the way Red gets around, no one would ever suspect him of having neck arthritis. It has been enough to sideline Red in the operation of his growing business and his son, 35-year-old Greg, has taken over active management of the business. But don’t be fooled, Red’s wife, Rosemarie, still answers 856-2294 when you call. THE ARCHITECTURAL firm of Medlock/Call Architect is now doing business in the Pickwick Block after relocating from 400 West Brooklyn Street. However, John Call says there are still some things to get done before they can cohsider an open house. John’s partner, Chuck Medlock, is a main wheel in Venture Engineering, a computer firm located on the second floor of the old Vega building on West Brooklyn St. Venture Engineering specializes in computer graphics and has outlets in over 10 cities, thus representing one of the real success stories in this community. —o— NEW BUSINESSES are springing up like mushrooms in the Spring around this community. One of the latest we heard of is a boutique in the building occupied by Sandy Wappes and her Village Hair Trends. It’s name: Your Village Boutique, and it will be operated by Sandy and Betty Bultemeier. Expected to open November 1, it will carry a line of select, high quality merchandise. Hopes are, that if the little shop gets off the ground, they can open iirlarger quarters at a nearby location. Betty Bultemeier is the wife of Bruce Bultemeier, administrative assistant at The Mail-Journal. THE KEN Harkless home at 300 East Main St., has been sold, according to Todd Realty, agents for the transaction. The new owners are Mr. and Mrs. George Lutz of Springfield, 111. The Lutzes don’t plan to move in for a year or so, and will rent the property in the meantime, according to Mary Haq, who with her seven-year-old son, Farhan, has made her home with the Ken Harklesses for a number of years. Mary and her son will be moving to 631 South Lake St., and will keep house for the Omer Kropfs at their North Shore Drive home. Kropf is president of the Supreme Corporation at Goshen, manufacturers of truck bodies, and commutes to a number of plants he has in other states. Little Farhan was the apple in Ken Harkless’ eye, according to Mary, and made a real pal for aging Ken in his latter years. WHO PUT this on our desk?: Tahoe is an Indian word meaning “lake.” Thus Lake Tahoe means “Lake Lake,” and is therefore one of our lesser known redundancies, and Why don’t kids play marbles any more?, and How do you reply to an office memo written “From the desk of .. .? A guess: “Dear Desk of THERE’S LOCAL concern about the Syracuse Sesquicentennial plates . . . when will they arrive? A number of people have already paid S2O for their plates and are concerned. (Continued on page 5)