The Mail-Journal, Volume 28, Number 19, Milford, Kosciusko County, 21 June 1989 — Page 4

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., June 21, 1989

4

Editorial

Recapturing the magic Originally cast as away to mark the opening of the fishing season, the North Webster Mermaid Festival has witnessed a kaleidoscope of people and events in its 43 years and hopes to add to that magic in its 44th year. Nevertheless, the festival is not the grand event it was in 1961 when a record high of queen candidates took part in the “Queen of Lakes” contest. The early and mid-1970s saw visitors from throughout the state, as popularity grew with such “King of Sport” pfersonalities as Mark Spitz, who participated at the height of his career. Chances of Larry Bird taking part in this year’s festivities, as the festival committee had hoped, are slim. Bird will be participating in a festival, of sorts, of his own doing Sunday when professional basketball players congregate in Indianapolis for “Larry’s Game” —a benefit to provide scholarships for Indiana students. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, a back-up hope for the festival committee. is also slated to participate in “Larry’s Game.” Earlier planning may have avoided the likely absence of a “King of Sports” this year. However, that won't be the only absence. The parade goes without a theme this year, although that circumstance may encourage even more creative entries. Aside from the drawbacks, the North Webster Mermaid Festival remains one of Indiana’s best attended small town events, with a carnival, various contests, games, crafts, exhibits and shows providing something for even the hardest to please. The magic of the 1960 s and ’7os hasn’t been wholly lost. Is tomorrow better off going back to yesterday? Ground has been broken for a new middle school that will “reflect the education of tomorrow", according to Wawasee School Superintendent Dr. Roger Thornton. However, tomorrow may be better off going back to yesterday when it comes to educating the youth of today. According to a recent report by a task force of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, middle grade schools could be a strong positive influence on adolescents as they face a world in which they are tempted to experiment with alcohol, sex and drugs. However, most middle schools are too large and impersonal to meet those intellectual and emotional needs. . While the Wawasee Community School Corporation endorsed the idea of supporting a central middle school (between North Webster and Syracuse) that has the potential of serving 900 students, studies continually support the idea of a small school setting. The Carnegie study suggested dividing schools into smaller communities of 200 to 500 students who would be teamed with a set of teachers who would work together to provide a more unified learning environment. Smaller environments, where children know each other and their teachers better, are believed to help form a stronger base for students to grow. According to the study, which has also been supported by the presidents of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, some classes should be longer than the 40- to 50-minute norm and each student “should be well known by at least one adult.” This adult could provide counseling and academic help. The new middle school has the potential to avoid becoming impersonal if it maintains a plan of action to provide one homeroom teacher per 18 students. A letter to prospective students - parents maintained that all staff members would be responsible for a mixed homeroom of 18 students. Each year, six sixth graders will be adopted to join six seventh and six eighth graders and will remain in that same homeroom for three years, affording the opportunity for each student to have someone to help guide them as a mentor However, it should also be assured that other classes maintain a similar ratio. The Carnegie Study suggests dividing larger schools into “schools within schools." With 621 of 783 parents indicating in a recent survey that their child will attend the new middle school, it’s-imperative that the small school setting, with which they were formerly accustomed, not be set aside. Hindsight may tell us that the community setting of separate Milford. Syracuse and North Webster schools are best in the long run, but the communities have spoken in several public meetings on the matter and we must now proceed to assure that the new, larger middle school remains focused on individuals rather than groups. Summer June brings us the year’s longest days. Summer arrives today (June 21) and extends to September 23. The freshness of June is special. New leaves and growth are fresh and bright. , , . .... , Because it’s the first summer month free of school for millions of youngsters. June has a special exhilaration. Because so many are married in this month it is a time of hope and idealism June offers the first of the new crop of many vegetables and, fruits. And so it may not be mere fancy when writers claim nothing is so rare or splendid as a night in June. . June nights (and days > come but once a year; go out and enjoy them.

What others say — The odds — slim and none For Hoosiers eager for a state lottery, a numbers expert has some bad news. Your chances of a big win are slim and none. Jeane Lemaire is a professor of actuarial science at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is an expert in figuring the odds. He has calculated some interesting statistics about the chances of winning the recent SIOO million jackpot in the Pennsylvania lottery. For bridge players, he notes that they would be more likely to be dealt a perfect hand after receiving 120 hands. For car drivers, the odds of dying in an accident are better than the chances of winning the big jackpot, assuming you drive five times a day. For anyone else, playing once a week, you would win a jackpot once every 184,615 years. Chances are better, he adds, that you might live past the age of 115 years. ' “The inescapable conclusion,” he writes for The New York Times, “is that lottery madness is based on people’s misperception of the chances that rate events will occur. ” “It might not be the smartest idea in the world,” he adds, “to spend a whole lot of money on lottery tickets. ” It might be quite smart, as a matter of fact, not to play the lottery in Indiana once it starts. Put the money in a savings account instead. — INDIANAPOLIS NEWS

9 r If-’ ft Mis Carrie Sloan, 1988 Queen of Lakes' will crown the new 'Queen of Lakes' on Saturday evening as the 1989 Mermaid Festival draws to a close. Court news

County Court The following persons have paid fines and costs in Kosciusko County Court. Judge James Jarrett presiding: Speeding — Richard Matthew, 42, Syracuse, $65; Debbie Sweazy. 26. Syracuse. $65; Robert Carmichael. 52, Syracuse, $65; Robert White, no age. North Webster. $80; Cynthia Hapner, 21, Syracuse. sßo>Richard Zyder, 33. North Webster, $80; Michael Julian, no age. North Webster. . SBO. Seatbelt Violation — Lisa Avery, 18. North Webster, S2O. No Valid License — John DeWitt. 62. Leesburg. $55. Expired Semi Trailer Plate — Rick G. Bowling. 32, North Webster, S6O. Failure To Yield — Pamela L. Clark, 40, Syracuse. S6O. Operating While Intoxicated — Melani K Clayton. 25. Syracuse. $453, driver's license suspended 180 days. K.C.J. 12 days. City Court The following fines have been" levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Failure to appear — Pamela K. Myers, 40, Syracuse. $603. SSOO suspended, one year in jail suspended on condition defendant abide by all court orders and not commit a similar offense for one year, make restitution to victim and show proof to probation officer. one year probation Violation of seat belt law — Sandra L. Razer. 35, Syracuse. $25 Driving while license suspended — Sandra L Razer. 35. Syracuse, dismissed Proof of financial responsibility required — Sandra L. Razer. 35, Syracuse. $l2B. 10 days in jail suspended on condition defendant not commit a similar offense for 180 days County Court Goshen Division The following fines have been levied and paid in the Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding — Jason D. Brooks. 17, Milford, $63; Phillip E. Stump, 38, Syracuse, SSB; David R. Neterer, 18. Syracuse. SSB; Timothy A. Shear, 27, Syracuse, SSB Obstruction of driver’s view — Stephen M. Graff. 24. Syracuse. $54 Superior Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Judge Robert Burner presiding: Complaint To Foreclose Mortgage Standard Federal Savings Bank, formerly known as Standard Federal Savings and Loan Association, no address given, versus James L Spitler a/k/a James Lee Spitler, and Evelyn E. Spitler a/k/a Evelyn Spitler, r 1 box 288, Syracuse. Petitioner seeks $36,087.82, interest, attorney fees, costs, foreclosure of mortgage. Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand presiding: Complaint To Foreclose Timothy J. Beer d/b/a T.J Construction, no address given, versus Steve FiedeKe/ r 1, Leesburg. Petitioner seeks: Count I — $11,758.67, interest, at torney fees, foreclosure of mechanic’s lien; Count II — $11,758.67, interest, attorney fees, costs. Complaint For Damages Ist Source Bank versus Agri Genetics International Corporation. PO Box 7, Syracuse, and Universal Leasing Company. Inc . Michigan Petitioner seeks $23,000, attorney fees, interest and costs on each of two separate counts. *

Marriage Licenses The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Alcott-Johnson Rudi John Alcott, 21, r 6 box 51, Syracuse, and Angela Sue Johnson. 20, 313 1 S. Harrison St., Syracuse. Kalich-Willard George Edward Kalich, Jr., 27, 19107 Oak St., New Paris, and Judith Elaine Willard. 29. 107 Wood St.. Syracuse. Schmitt-Laßue Joseph H. Schmitt. 39. r 6 box 191. Syracuse, and Susan J. Laßue. 31. r6box 191. Syracuse. Lee-Green Charles R. Lee. 59, r 9 lot 191. Suburban Acres. Warsaw, and Marilyn Y. Green. 49. r 1 box 602. North Webster. Kann-Setser Russell A. Kann. 43. r 3 box 524 D. Syracuse, and Wrenay K. Setser. 33, r 3 box 524 D. Syracuse. Duncan-Poort Jeffrey James Duncan. 29, r 1 box 102, Milford, and Cynthia Ann Poort, 18, r 1 box 124, Milford. Rich-Coon Brian Edward Rich. 28, r 4 box 248, Syracuse, and Teresa Joyce Coon. 26, PO Box 123, Syracuse. Heckaman-Rigterink Rex Edward Heckaman. 22. r 1 box 468. North Webster, and Dawrn Ellen Rigterink, 21. r 1 box 468. North Webster The following couples have applied for a marriage license in Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Murray-Bohn Michael Thomas Murray. 26. r 4 box 109, Syracuse and Linda Louise Bohn,' 27, 25517 CR 24W, Elkhart Marriage Dissolutions The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in the Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts: Linville — Jennie Linville, r 1 box 6. Milford, and Richard A. Linville, Mason’s Health Care, Warsaw-. The couple was married July 23, 1966. and separated Aug. 20, 1986. Stocklin receives seven years at IDC Robert W. Stocklin, 21. S. Huntington. Syracuse, was sentenced Thursday. June 15, in Elkhart Circuit Court to seven years at the Indiana Department of Corrections. He plead guilty to two counts of forgery, a Class C felony. He was charged with three counts. Stocklin admitted he attempted to cash one unauthorized check on December 11, 1987. for $lB5 and another for $165 on December 15, 1987. His sentence will run concurrently with a sentence from Kosciusko County for similar crimes.

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"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE"

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PAVING IS well underway in Syracuse as crews started Monday on East Main Street. Other streets that lave been observed as being paved include North Harrison, the alley behind the town’s lower parking lot and Henry Street. The photo above shows workers for Phend and Brown, Inc., Milford, working in the uptown area. By Monday evening, Main Street, from SR 13 to W.E. Long Drive, had been completed. —o— WITH THEIR first concert just a week away, the Lakes Area Symphonic Band now has 48 members. The group's first concert will be with the Elkhart Municipal Band, Thursday, June 29, in Lakeside Park. The local band will play several selections with the Elkhart band. No date has been set for their second performance in August. —o— ! DON'T FORGET the annual pancake breakfast of the Wawasee Property Owners Association Sunday, June 25, from 8-11 a m. The breakfast will be in the pavilion of the South Shore Golf Club. This event is open to members, prospective members and their guests. —O’SPEAKING OF the WPOA. volunteers within the association are busy this week distributing nearly 2,000 copies of their 1989 Wawasee Directory. This is an 88-page book listing all residents of Wawasee, addresses, pier numbers and much more information. —o— WE MENTIONED sometime ago that the Syracuse-Wawasee Garden Club planted flowers in the uptown area, but failed to note this group also planted flowers at Lakeside Park as well as at the town hall and Syracuse Fire Station. —o— LOCAL NATURALIST Don Kime was featured recently in the Sunday edition of the South Bend Tribune. Kime is a retired United Methodist minister who resides in Syracuse. —o— PIZZA HUT’S coming to Syracuse is getting closers The company is looking at a piece of property in town, but is waiting for several things to happen before going much farther. Two of these areas are results of drilling tests and approval from Pizza Hut. Inc. —o— SYRACUSE RESIDENTS Damien Carboneau and brother, Victor, and Brad Weisser of Milford recently returned from a vacation trip to Beale Air Force Base, Calif., home of the soon-to-be retired SR-71 “Blackbird” spy plane. They were guests of Staff Sgt. Scott Bradley. While serving in the United States Air Force, Damieh Carboneau, shown at right, was crewchief with the SR-71 program. Weisser is pictured at the left. Beale AFB, located near Sacramento, has been home to the SR-71 since 1966, but will lose the fleet as early as October. It is one of three bases in the world to house the spy plane — the only one located within the United States Damien, who now resides at Papakeechie Lake with his wife. Ginger, and young children. Cameron and Andrew, notes that the SR-71 is the world's fastest aircraft, flying at more than three times the speed of sound and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet. —O'BACK AGAIN as the Mail-Journal's reviewer for productions at Enchanted Hills Playhouse is Wiley W. (Bill) Spurgeon. Executive editor of The Muncie Star and

Muncie Evening Press, he has been a seasonal resident of Wawasee’s North Shore since 1938. He began to review, plays in 1953 for The Syracuse-Wawasee Journal, a M-J predecessor, and was that paper’s editor and publisher 1955-61. His theatrical experience has pre-natal overtones; his mother had an acting part in Muncie Civic Theatre the year he was born. His voluntary stage experience dates to Ball State University’s Spotlight Theatre in the 19405, when he was still in elementary school. He’s also been in a handful of Muncie Civic Theatre plays and was on stage in 1953 for Douglas Cramer’s Wawasee Playhouse, a tent theatre at the Crow’s Nest that was an Enchanted Hills Playhouse predecessor. He has served Muncie Civic Theatre six terms as president, six as corporate secretary, two as treasurer and some 21 years as a member of the board of directors. He’s a former member of the Enchanted Hills Playhouse advisory board and is in his 16th year as president of the Wawasee Property Owners Association. He has written two history books and is thinking about, doing one on the Syracuse-Wawasee area. —o— DR E.L. and Mary (Lib) Fosbrink of Syracuse are quite proud of their two grandchildren. Scott and Diane West, who recently achieved academic honors. Scott, a junior majoring in accounting at Arizona State University, Tempe, has been selected as a new member of the Outstanding College Students of America. Having graduated in May (with honors) with a degree in nursing from George Mason University, Fairfax. Va., Diane will begin her new duties with the National Institute of Health, Washington, D C., in July. The parents of Diane and Scott are David and Susan (Fosbrink) West, who reside in Scottsdale, Ariz. —O'BONNIE BJELLA recently resigned from her position as head of the children’s library. Bonnie worked with the children and served the public for 28 years. She can now be seen working part-time at Country Corner Gift Shop. Replacing her as children's librarian is Carol Swartzendruber, a member of the Wawasee Community School Board. Assisting part-time in the children’s department is Gerry Bauer. Carol stated that the Summer Reading Club is going on now through August and wants parents and kids to know that it is not too late to sign up. All children interested in reading are welcome. The club has 285 members signed up already. The children get a sticker on a “suitcase" card each time they finish a book, as the theme for this summer’s program is “World Traveler. ’’ Carol suggests to parents that "this reading program is valuable to help the children keep their reading skills up to their grade level during the summer. ” —o— RALPH THORNBURG, member of the Lions Club, informs us that unforeseen circumstances have caused cancellation of the Lions Fish Fry. usually held over the Fourth of July weekend. The Lions have been holding this event for 17 years, and Ralph wants the public to know that it will continue as usual next year. —o— APPROXIMATELY 1 1 2 acres of land await approval by the town board to be rezoned commercial —a small plot of land east of G.L. Perry Variety Store on Pickwick Road. Plans by Rick and Cinda Eyer. of RC’s Pier, are to rebuild in that area, which will be catty-cornered from where they are presently located. They want to build a larger bar and restaurant with a family room, which will allow for more people. This new area will also give customers more parking space. Cinda said they’ve had lots of compliments on the food since they have a new chef in the person of Tom Stametz, who, used to own Tom’s Place in Millersburg. —o— DR. E.L. FOSBRINK noted that North Huntington is one of the worst streets in town, but we don’t see it on the list of streets to be repaired. —o— A BLUE jumpsuit direct from “Your Village Boutique ” was spotted on national TV during the Memorial Day Indy 500 Races. The outfit was recognized by a customer on the wife of a racecar owner as they were being interviewed during this exciting event. Seems this couple visits the lakes every summer, and Sande Wappes and Betty Bultemeier, ’ cd-owners of the boutique, recall her purchasing the "now famous” jumpsuit. —o—(Continued on pages)