Bethpage-Tribune_1973-08-16

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VOL. 7 No. 39
FOR ECOLOGY...Na4sau County Executive Ralph G. Caso (left)
prepares to hoist an ecology flag in front of the Long Island National
Bank s main office in Hicksville, with some help from bank president
,*im?ZcrPlBkelacker (Renter) and Assemblyman Stuart R. Levine
(right). The ecology flag, believed to be the first of its kind flown on
M»ng Island, will be flown during a month-long campaign to
demonstrate how business and industry can encourage greater c ? m i"u n l t y awareness of urgent national and local conservation
needs. Caso spoke at the ceremonies, expressing his strong support
JtCi*b»iiWil!IMU>>llMMMiilMIWMnii^^'lirr~"r1"n from environmental
groups,
TRAINING TO HELP . . . Ernest Germano of Bethpage, working
with social services at the Hillside Division of Long Island Jewish -
Hillside Medical Center, is one of five young people working at the
Medical Center this summer under a federal grant. The Student
Work Experience and Training Program (SWEAT), awarded to LIJ
for the second year, is designed to encourage students to enter
careers associated with the mentally retarded or emotionally
disabled.
Thursday, August 16,1973
10 cents per copy
Bethpage School Board Report
BByy MMaarryy MMccCCuuttcchheeoonn aanndd Lorraine Carley
\PAST HISTORY: Terrance Hunt of Bethpage presents a copy of his
history of Bethpage to Town Supervisor John W. Burke and Town
Clerk Ann R. Ocker. The history, which covers the period from 1840
to 1910. was 5 years in the works. Hunt is a museum assistant at the
Old Bethpage Museum Restoration.
The Bethpage Board of
Education held its regular
monthly meeting on
Tuesday, July 31,1973 with
Board President Herman
Slavin, Vice President
Anthony Cotton and
Trustees Harold Resnick
and Elizabeth Regan in
Attendance. Messrs.
LoFaso, Iannello and
Gorman were absent.
Approximately 20 people
attended the meeting.
Parents appeared before
the Board to discuss ten
4th and 5th grade level
students attending a
special class in the.
relocatable classroom.
Because the relocatable
classroom will not be used,
the students were
scheduled to attend Pine
Avenue School. in Sep­tember.
The parents felt it
would be advantageous to
the students to be placed at
Kramer Lane School
rather than be with the
younger students at Pine
Avenue. It was suggested
that the children be trans­ferred
to a larger class- -
room in Campagne
School but, two parents
said it was not acceptable
to them although, they did
not know the feelings of the
other parents. They
personally wanted their
children kept in Kramer
Lane where the students'
previous teacher could be
in close contact with them.
The Board informed the
parents they would con­sider
the request and work
out a suitable arrange­ment
in the best interest of
the children and the
parents would hear from
the Board in approxi­mately
two weeks.
Open Campus Committee
Representatives from
the Open Campus Com­mittee
appeared to give
their final presentation to
the Board. Spokesman
John,« Murphy sum"
marized, "The open;
campus program would
create high educational
value, affording students a
sense of responsibility
which cannot be taught in
the classroom...when one
considers that high school
is a preparation for life
and a stepping stone for
college or a career, it is the
duty of the Board of Edu­cation
to help develop res­ponsibility."
He continued,
"...study halls and cafe­terias
have no educational
value - responsibility is
not developed, it is
restricted...give the
students a chance to leave
the building and prove
themselves responsible-
...we hope this program
(open campus) to be" a
model to other districts but
we need the chance."
Categorically, Mr.
Murphy answered some of
the comments made by
Board members at the last
meeting regarding the
open campus program.
Referring to tension he
stated, "...the students
spend 36 hours a week in
school, those who work put
in 20 hours a week, plus
homework. .many
American corporations
are decreasing their work
week to four days. Surveys
show that by thusly releas­ing
tension, there has been
an increase in productivity
and a decrease in ab­senteeism."
Regarding
class cutting, he said,
"...the problem is created
by the same percentage of
students who are always in
trouble." As far as the
possibility of drug in­crease
related to open
campus, John Murphy
said, "...this is not a valid
point— pushers can reach
any student at any time
during and after school, if
you are going to stop open
campus for this reason,
you will then have to
abolish weekends and
summer vacations." A
student concluded that
they had presented several
open campus plans for the
Board of Education to
s*ady.
• Mr. Slavin thanked the
committee for a very fine
presentation and then pro­ceeded
to read a memo
from the High School Prin­cipals
and Assistants as
follows:
"Bethpage High School
is somewhat unique in that
we have certain physical
factors that would inhibit a
successful Open Campus
Program. It is apparent
from the student proposals
that they recognize some
of these limiting factors."
"Severe limitations of:
1. Areas for students to
congregate on school
grounds. Our physical
education staff makes full
use Of the south and east
4)C$as of our school
^* Touted facilities for
feeding students in close
proxinaity to the school
building.
3. Inability to cover all
exits and entrances to
check I.D. cards.
4. Disruption caused by
constant movement in the
halls (particularly on days
of inclement weather when
students are not inclined to
leave the campus.)"
"Our Seniors have
finished the third year of
an open lunch program.
There are still many
reservations that we have
regarding this program.
Some of these concerns
are listed below."
1. Some members of our
senior classes, whom we
consider our more mature
students have been unable
to handle the privilege.
2. Increased cutting and
lateness to classes.
3. Since having-this
program our senior ab­sence
rate has increased.
4. Increased campus
traffic problems.
5. Illegal parking and
damage to cars during
lunch hours.
6. Tremendous increase
in letter and garbage
around the parking areas
perhaps leading to an
increase of the rodent
population around the
school.
7. Disruption of classes
with cars going in and out
constantly.
(Continued on htft 3}