Letters to the Editor 11-08-2001
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Spooktacular Success - School Questions - Purse Stolen - The Future Is ... Football! - Committed To Community - Good Samaritan
Spooktacular Success
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to thank everyone who assisted with our Downtown Halloween Spooktacular on Oct. 26. Special thanks go to the downtown merchants and others for opening their doors and passing out treats to almost 500 area kids and to those who volunteered their time to make the event possible.
It took everyone working together to organize and provide everything needed to help the kids have a fun and safe Halloween.
Most of all, thanks to the kids for providing all the fun of Halloween.
Carmen Lock
Executive Director
Warsaw Community Development Corp.
School Questions
Editor, Times-Union:I would first like to say that I am a graduate of Warsaw Community Schools. I attended both Silver Lake (1st - 5th grades) and Claypool (6th grade) elementary. I also attended Edgewood Middle School (there was only one middle school at that time). I had the honor of being a member of the Freshman High. I also made the move to the new high school and graduated from this fine school.
I understand why people from the Silver Lake area are upset. I have also noticed that those who opposed the closing of Atwood are now not as numerous. Why is this? Do you find it easier to take that your kids will go to a new, bigger school? Could it be because the proposal now suggests you get a new $13.2 million "three-section" school. I find this concept very interesting, because at the time of the survey, Atwood was the smallest school in the district. Now the proposal says they will build a new school here and filter in kids from an overcrowded Leesburg and a newer Harrison. Why was Harrison built in the first place? They are currently around 570 students in Harrison Elementary school. Are they now becoming overcrowded at this school also?
What about Claypool Elementary School? I remember when they rebuilt, remodeled, added on or whatever you want to call it. Where was the planning then? I would like to know how much was spent on this project in 1984. Why didn't they plan for increased numbers back then? Could it be because at that time, money was not a worry? Maybe it was because they were not taking the school away, but building a bigger and better school. They now want to spend $9 million to make Claypool big enough to house students from Silver Lake, Jefferson and Eisenhower. Why Claypool? What about Silver Lake, ship kids from Claypool suburbs, move kids down from Eisenhower, move kids from Jefferson to Eisenhower. This affects a lot more people, how many of you are now ready to complain about this option? Do you now understand how Silver Lake people feel?
Jefferson parents, do you want your kids shipped down to Claypool? According to Dr. Harman, that is what will happen. I have a hard time believing that kids that go to Jefferson will really attend Claypool. Then we find out that some Eisenhower kids are going to go to Claypool. When Eisenhower was built, did the lines not change so that some who had attended Claypool went to Eisenhower? Now are they going to change it again?
Please start listening to the people. Don't listen to those people who are not affected by the decisions you are making. Think about everyone who is affected by those decisions. Silver Lake can have a new "two-section" school (300 students) for $10,615,000. Leave Claypool alone. Build a new school in Prairie Township ($13.2 mil). The difference is less than $2 million. You save a town, a community, jobs and children.
Jennifer Day
North Manchester
via e-mail
Purse Stolen
Editor, Times-Union:To whom it may concern on Nov. 3 at 3593 W. Old Road 30:
When you broke into my garage and into my car and stole my purse you took many cherished, irreplaceable items that hold many memories. I am sure they mean nothing to you. So if you could find it in your heart to return it or to anyone who might find it, I am sure God will richly bless you. All I want out of this is these items back.
Waiting on you.
Diane Lindenmier
Warsaw
The Future Is ... Football!
Editor, Times-Union:In a stunning example of brilliance and foresight, the collective minds of administration at the Warsaw Community Schools have come up with a plan to protect our future and the future of our children.
The proposed addition of nearly $10 million in new sports facilities clearly paves a path to limitless local prosperity. We have seen the future, my friends, and it is football.
Without a full complement of sporting opportunities, how will we train the next generation to be competitive in an ever more challenging world market?
Arts and letters are clearly and fundamentally overrated. Those who sit in ivory towers pondering philosophy or geometry are missing the point. Don't let these eggheads befuddle you.
Only a strong football program, backed by a multi-million-dollar publicly-financed stadium, can guarantee that the local workers of tomorrow will hit the ground running with the skills they need for the job market of the future.
Great jobs in light assembly, photocopier repair or perhaps even working at an establishment offering payday loans await our accomplished athletes. Take hard-earned money away from taxpayers and spend it on books about "physics" or "literature" instead of this essential athletic job training? Common sense tells me that silly ideas like that are simply hogwash.
Those experts out there may say things like "you, the disinterested, taxpaying non-voter are paying big money for this garbage every day, even though it is destructive, stupid, pointless, worthless and supported by only a tiny fraction of the population."
It may be tempting to ignore them. But instead of ignoring them, I ask you to try to imagine a world without high school football and other important sports. (It may make us shudder to think of it, but I ask you to try anyway.)
Without a big-time, state-ranked football powerhouse, and the expensive, non-self-supporting athletic department it requires, who is around to commit academic fraud to keep a star player in the big game on Friday? In this vacuum, who is here to "muscle up" on those pansies from the Academic Super Bowl Team in the hallway, so everybody knows who's really in charge of the school?
Without the big game, where do those sad adults, who still care deeply about the fate of the Tigers even though they have no kids left in school, spend an evening acting like an idiot for only $4?
Without hazing, random violence and sexual assault, how will we work the phrase "boys will be boys" into conversation?
No time-wasting pep rallies? No disfiguring injuries? No cheerleaders? What has happened to the natural order of things? Where does this madness end? I feel a little sick.
Chilling, isn't it? Forgive me this crazy hypothetical example, but understand the point it demonstrates - we must build on our local high school sports foundations to continue the traditions we all hold dear. Traditions like ever-decreasing standardized test scores, the production of a steadily less-skilled workforce and the perpetual decline of elementary school facilities may wither without your support.
Help keep sports strong. Me? You can put me down as a "YES" vote for the big sports stuff and let me know where I can send my check.
Join me, won't you?
Jerry Richardson
Warsaw
via e-mail
Committed To Community
Editor, Times-Union:I was impressed with the number of people that turned out for the public work session on Monday night, thank you. Also, Lisa McCoy, great job and many thanks to the others that voiced their opinions. This proves that Silver Lake and the people are strong and committed to their community and school. We need to stay strong, it is important for each and every one of us to attend these meetings and show the school board we want our school to stay in our town.
We still have very few answers as to why they want to close our school, except for money reasons. We should get back to the education issues, not money. The technology issue Dr. Harman mentioned is not a good excuse to close our facility. Old buildings are able to be renovated and updated to bring them into 21st century technology and it seems that Silver Lake Elementary is on its way. We have a beautiful new computer lab. It would take far less than the proposed $9 million spending on Claypool School to do this to our building. Silver Lake Elementary is beautiful and in a great location it should be upgraded and maintained as is. There are many other ways to reduce the burden on the general fund. Randy Thorpe, do you need help to figure this out? Don't use Silver Lake to balance the budget.
Kathy Lokotar
Silver Lake
via e-mail
Good Samaritan
Editor, Times-Union:On Mon. evening 10/29/01, at approximately 5:30, two young men stopped to help a "woman in distress." I had just run over a bungee cord and my tire was "hissing" and going flat. Jacob (red "Expresso" car with yellow trim, junior at WHS) and Scott (BIG red truck - works for Climate Control, Leesburg) came to my assistance. I would like to formally THANK them for stopping and helping me and to let the citizens of the Warsaw area know that teen-agers make very GOOD Samaritans!
Barb Hetrick
Leesburg
via e-mail
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- Spooktacular Success - School Questions - Purse Stolen - The Future Is ... Football! - Committed To Community - Good Samaritan
Spooktacular Success
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to thank everyone who assisted with our Downtown Halloween Spooktacular on Oct. 26. Special thanks go to the downtown merchants and others for opening their doors and passing out treats to almost 500 area kids and to those who volunteered their time to make the event possible.
It took everyone working together to organize and provide everything needed to help the kids have a fun and safe Halloween.
Most of all, thanks to the kids for providing all the fun of Halloween.
Carmen Lock
Executive Director
Warsaw Community Development Corp.
School Questions
Editor, Times-Union:I would first like to say that I am a graduate of Warsaw Community Schools. I attended both Silver Lake (1st - 5th grades) and Claypool (6th grade) elementary. I also attended Edgewood Middle School (there was only one middle school at that time). I had the honor of being a member of the Freshman High. I also made the move to the new high school and graduated from this fine school.
I understand why people from the Silver Lake area are upset. I have also noticed that those who opposed the closing of Atwood are now not as numerous. Why is this? Do you find it easier to take that your kids will go to a new, bigger school? Could it be because the proposal now suggests you get a new $13.2 million "three-section" school. I find this concept very interesting, because at the time of the survey, Atwood was the smallest school in the district. Now the proposal says they will build a new school here and filter in kids from an overcrowded Leesburg and a newer Harrison. Why was Harrison built in the first place? They are currently around 570 students in Harrison Elementary school. Are they now becoming overcrowded at this school also?
What about Claypool Elementary School? I remember when they rebuilt, remodeled, added on or whatever you want to call it. Where was the planning then? I would like to know how much was spent on this project in 1984. Why didn't they plan for increased numbers back then? Could it be because at that time, money was not a worry? Maybe it was because they were not taking the school away, but building a bigger and better school. They now want to spend $9 million to make Claypool big enough to house students from Silver Lake, Jefferson and Eisenhower. Why Claypool? What about Silver Lake, ship kids from Claypool suburbs, move kids down from Eisenhower, move kids from Jefferson to Eisenhower. This affects a lot more people, how many of you are now ready to complain about this option? Do you now understand how Silver Lake people feel?
Jefferson parents, do you want your kids shipped down to Claypool? According to Dr. Harman, that is what will happen. I have a hard time believing that kids that go to Jefferson will really attend Claypool. Then we find out that some Eisenhower kids are going to go to Claypool. When Eisenhower was built, did the lines not change so that some who had attended Claypool went to Eisenhower? Now are they going to change it again?
Please start listening to the people. Don't listen to those people who are not affected by the decisions you are making. Think about everyone who is affected by those decisions. Silver Lake can have a new "two-section" school (300 students) for $10,615,000. Leave Claypool alone. Build a new school in Prairie Township ($13.2 mil). The difference is less than $2 million. You save a town, a community, jobs and children.
Jennifer Day
North Manchester
via e-mail
Purse Stolen
Editor, Times-Union:To whom it may concern on Nov. 3 at 3593 W. Old Road 30:
When you broke into my garage and into my car and stole my purse you took many cherished, irreplaceable items that hold many memories. I am sure they mean nothing to you. So if you could find it in your heart to return it or to anyone who might find it, I am sure God will richly bless you. All I want out of this is these items back.
Waiting on you.
Diane Lindenmier
Warsaw
The Future Is ... Football!
Editor, Times-Union:In a stunning example of brilliance and foresight, the collective minds of administration at the Warsaw Community Schools have come up with a plan to protect our future and the future of our children.
The proposed addition of nearly $10 million in new sports facilities clearly paves a path to limitless local prosperity. We have seen the future, my friends, and it is football.
Without a full complement of sporting opportunities, how will we train the next generation to be competitive in an ever more challenging world market?
Arts and letters are clearly and fundamentally overrated. Those who sit in ivory towers pondering philosophy or geometry are missing the point. Don't let these eggheads befuddle you.
Only a strong football program, backed by a multi-million-dollar publicly-financed stadium, can guarantee that the local workers of tomorrow will hit the ground running with the skills they need for the job market of the future.
Great jobs in light assembly, photocopier repair or perhaps even working at an establishment offering payday loans await our accomplished athletes. Take hard-earned money away from taxpayers and spend it on books about "physics" or "literature" instead of this essential athletic job training? Common sense tells me that silly ideas like that are simply hogwash.
Those experts out there may say things like "you, the disinterested, taxpaying non-voter are paying big money for this garbage every day, even though it is destructive, stupid, pointless, worthless and supported by only a tiny fraction of the population."
It may be tempting to ignore them. But instead of ignoring them, I ask you to try to imagine a world without high school football and other important sports. (It may make us shudder to think of it, but I ask you to try anyway.)
Without a big-time, state-ranked football powerhouse, and the expensive, non-self-supporting athletic department it requires, who is around to commit academic fraud to keep a star player in the big game on Friday? In this vacuum, who is here to "muscle up" on those pansies from the Academic Super Bowl Team in the hallway, so everybody knows who's really in charge of the school?
Without the big game, where do those sad adults, who still care deeply about the fate of the Tigers even though they have no kids left in school, spend an evening acting like an idiot for only $4?
Without hazing, random violence and sexual assault, how will we work the phrase "boys will be boys" into conversation?
No time-wasting pep rallies? No disfiguring injuries? No cheerleaders? What has happened to the natural order of things? Where does this madness end? I feel a little sick.
Chilling, isn't it? Forgive me this crazy hypothetical example, but understand the point it demonstrates - we must build on our local high school sports foundations to continue the traditions we all hold dear. Traditions like ever-decreasing standardized test scores, the production of a steadily less-skilled workforce and the perpetual decline of elementary school facilities may wither without your support.
Help keep sports strong. Me? You can put me down as a "YES" vote for the big sports stuff and let me know where I can send my check.
Join me, won't you?
Jerry Richardson
Warsaw
via e-mail
Committed To Community
Editor, Times-Union:I was impressed with the number of people that turned out for the public work session on Monday night, thank you. Also, Lisa McCoy, great job and many thanks to the others that voiced their opinions. This proves that Silver Lake and the people are strong and committed to their community and school. We need to stay strong, it is important for each and every one of us to attend these meetings and show the school board we want our school to stay in our town.
We still have very few answers as to why they want to close our school, except for money reasons. We should get back to the education issues, not money. The technology issue Dr. Harman mentioned is not a good excuse to close our facility. Old buildings are able to be renovated and updated to bring them into 21st century technology and it seems that Silver Lake Elementary is on its way. We have a beautiful new computer lab. It would take far less than the proposed $9 million spending on Claypool School to do this to our building. Silver Lake Elementary is beautiful and in a great location it should be upgraded and maintained as is. There are many other ways to reduce the burden on the general fund. Randy Thorpe, do you need help to figure this out? Don't use Silver Lake to balance the budget.
Kathy Lokotar
Silver Lake
via e-mail
Good Samaritan
Editor, Times-Union:On Mon. evening 10/29/01, at approximately 5:30, two young men stopped to help a "woman in distress." I had just run over a bungee cord and my tire was "hissing" and going flat. Jacob (red "Expresso" car with yellow trim, junior at WHS) and Scott (BIG red truck - works for Climate Control, Leesburg) came to my assistance. I would like to formally THANK them for stopping and helping me and to let the citizens of the Warsaw area know that teen-agers make very GOOD Samaritans!
Barb Hetrick
Leesburg
via e-mail
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