1970-08-27

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FARMINGDA
tUrmin^ dalo Public Library
274 Main S t . -
l « amiingdalo, N. Y# Rt# l6
11736 IQc on nm¥ « timh
or $ 6 yearly
by mail locally
POWELL HOUSE 1700 FARMIN6DALE OBSERVER
WHERE THE HISTORY OF YOUR COMMUNITY IS RECORDED WEEKLY
An Offictaf Newspaper of The Incorporated Village of Farmingdale — Serving Greater Farmingdale, Bethpage and Melville
VOL. 8 No. 1 Second Class Postage has been paid at Farmingdale, N. Y. 11735- Thursday, August 27,1970
EXPECT 13,000 STUDENTS
WHEN SCHOOL REOPENS See Story on Page 5
Col. Merritt, Former State U. Dean, Dies In Florida
Col. Willis P. Merritt, long- time
resident of Farmingdale, who
served ten years as Dean of the
Evening College and Registrar at
the State University at Far­mingdale,
died last Thursday, at
his home, 14500 Southwest 291st
Street, Leisure City, Florida.
Born December 13, 1892, he was
78 years old. Service and in­terment
took place on Monday, at
Hamden, Connecticut.
He is survived by a widow, a
daughter and grandson and also
by two sisters, one of whom is
Mrs. Florence M. MacDougall,
who served as secretary to the
former College President Halsey
B. Knapp for close to 25 years.
Col. Merritt, who formerly
lived in the old Powell House on
Merritt Road in Farmingdale
built in 1700, came to the
University on January 1,1949 and
resigned ten years later January
12, 1959 to enter private em­ployment.
Prior to coming to the College,
Col. Merritt had wide experience
as an executive in business and
industry and as an officer in the
United States Air Corps. He
served in both World War I and
II. A former command pilot with
14,000 hours in th « air. he also
served in high administrative
positions at West Point,
Washington, D. C., and Fair­banks,
Alaska during World War
II.
An aerospace pilot during 1917-
19, Col. Merritt was recalled to
active duty in 1941, was a major
in the Air Corps Flying Training
Command and assigned to duty
at the Military Academy at West
Point. He served there as a
squadron commander teaching
basic and advanced flying to the
cadets.
While at West Point, he was
made a member of the Officers'
Qualification Board, Aircraft
Accident Board, Governor of the
Officers' Club and President of
the Post Exchange Council.
From West Point, he was
assigned to Air Force
headquarters in Washington,
D. C., during which time he in­spected
airspace installations in
activities of the Air Transport
Command in Africa and Indo­china.
Later he was assigned to
the Cold Water Test Command at
Fairbanks, Alaska, at which time
he was given the rank. as a
Colonel. He returned to the
inactive reserves December 12,
1945 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Col. Merritt was also President
of the Standard Meter Cor­poration
at Hartford, Con­necticut,
and for many years was
a member of the New York Stock
Exchange.
Upon coming to the State
University at Farmingdale, he
was responsible for the
organization and supervision of
evening courses.
Faculty Orientation At State U Sept. 8 S t a 9 e CoaA Exte" d s • " * • •
nlained " were purchased with 75
Dr. Charles W. Laffin, Jr.,
President of State University at
Farmingdale, this week an­nounced
that a unique Orien­tation
Program to familiarize 60
new members of the faculty and
staff with the aims, objectives
and facilities of the College will
be held Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday, September 8, 9 and 10.
The three- day program will get
under way at 10 a. m. on Tuesday
at Whitman Hall.
Other administrators who will
outline their respective
assignments on the campus
during the opening day program
include: John M. Purcell, Vice
President; Dr. James Nihan,
Vice President of Continuing
Education; Dr. Frank Cipriani,
Vice President, Administration;
Noel Palmer, Vice President,
Urban Center; Salvatore Bar-basso,
Chairman, Faculty
Council; Raynor Wallace,
Faculty Senate Representative;
Berthold D. Willenbrock, Vice
President, Student Affairs; and
Frank Elkins, Director of Public
Information.
A tour of the 380- acre campus
starting at 3 p. m. will conclude
the opening day's activities for
the newcomers to Farmingdale.
On Wednesday, the Orientation
Program will open with a two
hour and 15 minute session
devoted to discussing retirement
plans available to the faculty and
administrative staff. Making the
presentation starting at 9: 45 a. m.
will be Joseph Monaco, Associate
Vice President for Business
Affairs; and Michael J. Murray,
Director of Personnel Affairs.
Following a break for lunch,
there Will be presentations on
their respective operations by
Arthur H. Maybin, Jr., Director,
Campus Planning; Fred Walsh,
Director, Institutional Research;
Peter T. Witteman, Registrar,
Mrs. Dorothy Kavasch,
Librarian, Library Orientation;
and Dr. Eugene O'Neill, Dean of
Instruction.
The Orientation Program will
conclude on Thursday with a
general faculty meeting in the
Little Theatre, Roosevelt Hall,
Starting at 10 A. M. Following this
session, the newcomers will be
asked to report to their respec­tive
department chairman for
office assignment and depart­mental
orientation.
The annual President's
Reception and Buffet will wind up
the unique three- day program at
Knapp Hall Lounge starting at
5: 30 p. m. Dr. Laffin has extended
invitations to husbands and wives
of new faculty and staff.
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P. O. Closed Labor Day
The Nassau County Board of
Supervisors this week
unanimously passed an
emergency resolution to
authorize the County Executive
to provide immediate possession
of 15 omnibuses to reestablish bus
service for 90 percent of Nassau
riders who have been stranded by
the bankruptcy of the Mid- Island
Transit and Semke Bus Lines.
Presiding Supervisor Ralph G.
Caso over the week- end had
obtained an order from State
Public Service Commissioner
Joseph Swidler for the Hemp­stead
Bus Corp. of Uniondale,
Schenck Transportation Co. of
Floral Park, Stage Coach Lines
of Farmingdale and the Rockville
Centre Bus Co., to extend their
existing routes taking over
abandoned routes of the bankrupt
companies.
" These buses", Caso ex­plained,
" were purchased with 75
percent State money and 25
percent County funds. They
never got on the road and were
reclaimed from the bankrupt
companies because they were
unable to pay the required 25
percent back to the County".
Supervisor Caso told members
of the Board of Supervisors that,
" as many as possible of the
jobless employees of the two
bankrupt lines will be absorbed to
reestablish bus service over their
former routes". He pointed out
that, " a major problem still to be
solved is finding more buses to
cover the added routes servicing
all of those riders left without bus
transportation. Equipment
owned by the bankrupt com­panies
is mostly, obsolete", he
declared, " and is tied up in
litigation".
Labor Day will be observed by
the Post Office, and offices
around the country will go on
holiday schedules on Monday,
September 7, according to
Postmaster Leo J. Morgan said
today.
There will be no window or
delivery services, although
special delivery service will be
provided.
To give regular employees
some time off over the Labor Day
weekend, plans are in progress to
use as many substitute hours as
possible.
Mail will be picked up from
collection points on holiday
schedules, and post office lobbies
will be open to maintain access to
lockboxes and stamp dispensing
equipment in most cities.
Regular Saturday service will
be provided on September 5,
receipts and dispatches will
follow Sunday schedules on
September 6, and holiday service
will be used on Labor Day.
Back to School
Messages
See Page 5
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