Letters to the Editor 09-20-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Education And Athletics - 4-H'ers Help Soldiers - Atwood Accomplishment - Sports Results - Homecoming Parade - Water Bill
Education And Athletics
Editor, Times-Union:There was a recent editorial in the Indianapolis Star titled, "Time Out On Push For Sports Palaces." Published on Aug. 28, 2004. Their position is: "The gold medal competition in high school athletics facilities calls for assessment of priorities and fairness."
The editorial states that athletics are important in our schools, but there are those who ask if the case has not been overstated. "Certainly, art and music teachers in Indiana and across the nation, whose programs have been cut in favor of 'hard curriculum' in recent years, would wonder about the need for dazzling stadiums, arenas and natatoriums of which Franklin Central's is just one local example."
The example is given in the article of Franklin Central High School's $4.3 million "Taj Mahal" of a football center. If they refer to a $4.3 million football center as a "Taj Mahal," and then what should Warsaw Community Schools call our $8 million football center? "Grande Taj Mahal?"
This is another example of the ridiculous spending by our current administration and school board.
November elections are rapidly approaching, and I would hope that the "Big Spenders" currently on our school board can be replaced, and then in turn either provide us with a rational administration, or at least have the guts to tell them NO once in a while.
Dean Harman
Leesburg
4-H'ers Help Soldiers
Editor, Times-Union:Ask yourself - What have I done for the injured soldiers who have been fighting for our freedom?
The Junior Neighbors 4-H Club recently learned that our injured soldiers who are returning from Iraq need help from us for whom they are fighting. Many men and women have returned with amputated arms or legs and require months of treatment and rehabilitation.
The soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Hospital are in need of several items since they come from the battlefields with no personal belongings, sometimes in only paper pajamas. The government cannot supply these personal items and many families cannot financially do so. They need phone cards of 30 minutes or more, small rolling luggage, totes and carry-on bags, individually wrapped snack foods (no homemade), magazines, books, pens, note pads, playing cards, games, sweat pants/shorts and T-shirts of all sizes. Letters of appreciation should be included (include thanks from Warsaw or your hometown, Indiana).
Please drop off at the American Legion Home on North Buffalo Street, Warsaw, before October 15 and the Jr. Neighbors 4-H Club will get it to the soldiers in the hospital.
Since we all need to get involved in the war effort, we hope that you can help. If you need items picked up, call 574-267-6314.
Jr. Neighbors 4-H Club
Jeremy Hendington
president
Kay Hatfield and Lorna Schori
leaders
Atwood Accomplishment
Editor, Times-Union:Congratulations to Mrs. Brandenburg, the staff and students at Atwood Elementary School on their recent Four Star School rating. The attainment of this prestigious award again begs the question, "What is Dr. McGuire thinking?" Perhaps a reminder of the recent history of Atwood Elementary is in order. When Mrs. Brandenburg was assigned as principal of Atwood, the school was on academic probation. Her predecessor, Dr. McGuire, was reassigned to Lakeview Middle School as principal. Through dedication, hard work, cooperation and communication, Atwood students and staff flourished under Mrs. Brandenburg's tutelage. During the 2003-04 school year, 100 percent of the Atwood third grade class received 100 percent on math and English ISTEP testing. 147 children in K-6 with an average class size of 21 worked tirelessly to make this happen. The Four Star Rating is not a fluke. In fact, this is the second time in three years that Atwood and Mrs. Brandenburg have received this honor.
One might ask what rewards are offered to the school corporation's lowest paid administrator after such outstanding accomplishments are achieved. With the closing of Atwood, surely a prudent school corporation would want to fully utilize Mrs. Brandenburg's skills and experience. Perhaps she could mentor less experienced administrators or assist other elementary schools in developing programs similar to Atwood's. Instead, Mrs. Brandenburg was "offered" a job as a permanent substitute, spending each day in a different school with a different class. Any class would be blessed to have Mrs. Brandenburg touch their academic lives, but is this an effective use of such a valuable resource? Is this how our school system rewards its top performers?
Three Warsaw Community School Board positions are up for election in November. Please investigate the issues and determine which candidates represent you, the taxpayer. It's time for Warsaw Community Schools to get back to the business of EDUCATING our children!
Paul Green
Claypool
via e-mail
Sports Results
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to publicly thank the sports editor for the prompt coverage of the middle school sports results this past week. I was pleased to see the sports results in the middle school round-up on Friday (9/10/04) with results from the Tuesday before. This was greatly appreciated by all. Thank you!
Skip Smeltzer
Athletic Director
Edgewood Middle School
via e-mail
Homecoming Parade
Editor, Times-Union:If you did not get out to the Warsaw Homecoming Parade you missed out on a wonderful time. The weather was great and seeing the families on the parade route was exciting. The Warsaw High School Men's Soccer Team would like to thank the community for their support. Also a special thank-you goes to the people and businesses that helped us with our floats this year. Last, but certainly not least, a special thank-you to all our wonderful soccer parents who gave their time decorating and riding on the floats during the parade.
WCHS Men's Varsity and JV Soccer Team
Laurie Churchill
Senior Parent Rep
Warsaw
Water Bill
Editor, Times-Union:I am writing this letter in regards to the article "Barber will get no relief from $1,372 water bill" published September 12.
As a previous business owner in a small local town and having read the article mentioned, it makes me wonder how the Mentone Town Board came to their conclusion to having Mr. Conley pay the excessive amount.
My concerns are the following:
1. What was the amount of the June bill?
2. What was the amount of the August bill?
Keeping that in mind, I called Mr. Conley, he told me that the June billing and August billings were comparable.
Common sense tells me that if the before and after bills were comparable and Mr. Conley found no leaks, in his research, then I would assume the meter was working properly all three months. So what is the problem? Perhaps the meter was tampered with, meter reading was read wrong or someone has hooked into Mr. Conley's water line.
Whatever the situation may be, it is my hopes that the town board will come to understand that small business owners structure a town, their tax dollars strengthen the community and working together on this issue would benefit both parties.
Becky Thomas
Warsaw
via e-mail
Crime Stats
Editor, Times Union:
Crime stats in this column indicate 22.6 of every 1000 Americans over age 12 was a victim of violent crime. 4.5 million violent crimes in this country? Say it isn't so.
With this amount of crime we surely don't need terrorists!
John Bumbaugh
Warsaw
via e-mail
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- Education And Athletics - 4-H'ers Help Soldiers - Atwood Accomplishment - Sports Results - Homecoming Parade - Water Bill
Education And Athletics
Editor, Times-Union:There was a recent editorial in the Indianapolis Star titled, "Time Out On Push For Sports Palaces." Published on Aug. 28, 2004. Their position is: "The gold medal competition in high school athletics facilities calls for assessment of priorities and fairness."
The editorial states that athletics are important in our schools, but there are those who ask if the case has not been overstated. "Certainly, art and music teachers in Indiana and across the nation, whose programs have been cut in favor of 'hard curriculum' in recent years, would wonder about the need for dazzling stadiums, arenas and natatoriums of which Franklin Central's is just one local example."
The example is given in the article of Franklin Central High School's $4.3 million "Taj Mahal" of a football center. If they refer to a $4.3 million football center as a "Taj Mahal," and then what should Warsaw Community Schools call our $8 million football center? "Grande Taj Mahal?"
This is another example of the ridiculous spending by our current administration and school board.
November elections are rapidly approaching, and I would hope that the "Big Spenders" currently on our school board can be replaced, and then in turn either provide us with a rational administration, or at least have the guts to tell them NO once in a while.
Dean Harman
Leesburg
4-H'ers Help Soldiers
Editor, Times-Union:Ask yourself - What have I done for the injured soldiers who have been fighting for our freedom?
The Junior Neighbors 4-H Club recently learned that our injured soldiers who are returning from Iraq need help from us for whom they are fighting. Many men and women have returned with amputated arms or legs and require months of treatment and rehabilitation.
The soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Hospital are in need of several items since they come from the battlefields with no personal belongings, sometimes in only paper pajamas. The government cannot supply these personal items and many families cannot financially do so. They need phone cards of 30 minutes or more, small rolling luggage, totes and carry-on bags, individually wrapped snack foods (no homemade), magazines, books, pens, note pads, playing cards, games, sweat pants/shorts and T-shirts of all sizes. Letters of appreciation should be included (include thanks from Warsaw or your hometown, Indiana).
Please drop off at the American Legion Home on North Buffalo Street, Warsaw, before October 15 and the Jr. Neighbors 4-H Club will get it to the soldiers in the hospital.
Since we all need to get involved in the war effort, we hope that you can help. If you need items picked up, call 574-267-6314.
Jr. Neighbors 4-H Club
Jeremy Hendington
president
Kay Hatfield and Lorna Schori
leaders
Atwood Accomplishment
Editor, Times-Union:Congratulations to Mrs. Brandenburg, the staff and students at Atwood Elementary School on their recent Four Star School rating. The attainment of this prestigious award again begs the question, "What is Dr. McGuire thinking?" Perhaps a reminder of the recent history of Atwood Elementary is in order. When Mrs. Brandenburg was assigned as principal of Atwood, the school was on academic probation. Her predecessor, Dr. McGuire, was reassigned to Lakeview Middle School as principal. Through dedication, hard work, cooperation and communication, Atwood students and staff flourished under Mrs. Brandenburg's tutelage. During the 2003-04 school year, 100 percent of the Atwood third grade class received 100 percent on math and English ISTEP testing. 147 children in K-6 with an average class size of 21 worked tirelessly to make this happen. The Four Star Rating is not a fluke. In fact, this is the second time in three years that Atwood and Mrs. Brandenburg have received this honor.
One might ask what rewards are offered to the school corporation's lowest paid administrator after such outstanding accomplishments are achieved. With the closing of Atwood, surely a prudent school corporation would want to fully utilize Mrs. Brandenburg's skills and experience. Perhaps she could mentor less experienced administrators or assist other elementary schools in developing programs similar to Atwood's. Instead, Mrs. Brandenburg was "offered" a job as a permanent substitute, spending each day in a different school with a different class. Any class would be blessed to have Mrs. Brandenburg touch their academic lives, but is this an effective use of such a valuable resource? Is this how our school system rewards its top performers?
Three Warsaw Community School Board positions are up for election in November. Please investigate the issues and determine which candidates represent you, the taxpayer. It's time for Warsaw Community Schools to get back to the business of EDUCATING our children!
Paul Green
Claypool
via e-mail
Sports Results
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to publicly thank the sports editor for the prompt coverage of the middle school sports results this past week. I was pleased to see the sports results in the middle school round-up on Friday (9/10/04) with results from the Tuesday before. This was greatly appreciated by all. Thank you!
Skip Smeltzer
Athletic Director
Edgewood Middle School
via e-mail
Homecoming Parade
Editor, Times-Union:If you did not get out to the Warsaw Homecoming Parade you missed out on a wonderful time. The weather was great and seeing the families on the parade route was exciting. The Warsaw High School Men's Soccer Team would like to thank the community for their support. Also a special thank-you goes to the people and businesses that helped us with our floats this year. Last, but certainly not least, a special thank-you to all our wonderful soccer parents who gave their time decorating and riding on the floats during the parade.
WCHS Men's Varsity and JV Soccer Team
Laurie Churchill
Senior Parent Rep
Warsaw
Water Bill
Editor, Times-Union:I am writing this letter in regards to the article "Barber will get no relief from $1,372 water bill" published September 12.
As a previous business owner in a small local town and having read the article mentioned, it makes me wonder how the Mentone Town Board came to their conclusion to having Mr. Conley pay the excessive amount.
My concerns are the following:
1. What was the amount of the June bill?
2. What was the amount of the August bill?
Keeping that in mind, I called Mr. Conley, he told me that the June billing and August billings were comparable.
Common sense tells me that if the before and after bills were comparable and Mr. Conley found no leaks, in his research, then I would assume the meter was working properly all three months. So what is the problem? Perhaps the meter was tampered with, meter reading was read wrong or someone has hooked into Mr. Conley's water line.
Whatever the situation may be, it is my hopes that the town board will come to understand that small business owners structure a town, their tax dollars strengthen the community and working together on this issue would benefit both parties.
Becky Thomas
Warsaw
via e-mail
Crime Stats
Editor, Times Union:
Crime stats in this column indicate 22.6 of every 1000 Americans over age 12 was a victim of violent crime. 4.5 million violent crimes in this country? Say it isn't so.
With this amount of crime we surely don't need terrorists!
John Bumbaugh
Warsaw
via e-mail
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