The-Leader_1971-03-25

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The LEADER "NASSAU'S LARGEST WEEKLY"
FREEPORT
Zin Cod* 11S20
BALDWIN
21o Ci)4« 11S10
MERRICK
Zip Code 11 MS
ROOSEVELT
Zlo Code llbTi
35th YEAR, No. 48 FREEPORT, NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1971 PRICE: TEN CENTS PER COPY
Village Welfare
Storm Looms
Nassau County Executive Ralph G. Caso and Freeport Mayor Robert J. SHveeney (r) were among the
public officials who attended kick-off dinner and building fund drive of the Bethel AJVI.E. Church,
59 Helen Ave., Freeport. Flanking Caso at dinner held at Cart Hoppl's restaurant in Eisenhower Park
are Rev. S. Frank Emmanuel (I), pastor, and Bishop John D. Bright, ST., First Episcopal District.
Kenken Blasts Lritics
51 Florence Avenue
Freeport, new York
^ March 20. 1971
The Kditor
The 1. I Graphic
W) Church Street
Freeport, New York 11520
Dear Marie Miller and Friends.
Afler reading your reeeni
aUack upon my candidacy Tor the
position of Superintendent of
Schools. 1 finally realized thai
'•("alumnies are nol answered
test by silence." A program of
overt libel, slander, innuendo,
and threats of political and
}rfiysical assassination have been
directed toward me over a period
of two years This campaign has
Ijeen fired by a reign of fear and
unvei ed threats
You have impaired my
credentials and have deliberately
omitted concrete facts by not
contacting a primary source
Me'
You allege that a close personal
friendship has existed between
Tom Moore and myself. The limit
of this friendship has extended to
the d^ree that the normal
jMirenl-school official relation­ship
permits. We have mutually
attended three social affairs in
our lifetime. This myth has been
reinforced as a fact by you
without investigation. Hearsay is
nol fact.
You further .stale that 1 did not
recognize the symptoms of
school community unrest or
could not cope with the
developing situations It might
inleresl you that for a two year
period of time prior to the initial
incident and after it, I presented
a multitude of written and verbal
recommendations to my
superiors and professional
colleagues These were received
with timidity. reluctance,
apathy, and an unwillingness to
act m anticipation of a pending
cnsis These were made far in
advance of the syndrome of
"Demands" and included: 1. The
recruitment of minority group
teachers, counsellors, and ad­ministrators.
2. Kxtensivc
remedial programs for the
educationally disadvantaged; 3.
Culturally oriented curriculum.
4 Recognition of minority groups
in the school calendar; 5. Bi-racial
community involvement in
school related problems; and 6.
Programs for the socially
disturbed younpter.
You raise the question of my
sabbatical leave, i made a
request for this leave two con­secutive
years prior to the
problems you allude to and was
told that I was "indispensable"
during our expansion and
reorganization. The fuQ details at
this "scapegoat" event have been
deliberately liathed in .slander
Your memory can not be so short
not to remember that I did return
to Freeport High School, it
headlined the Graphic last
spring, and you were sure "FHS
was in good hands "
My "lack of experience" in­cludes
actual experience in the
complete educational spectrum
I Elementary, Junior, and Senior
HighJ. 1 attained permanent
status in each administrative
post mcluding the area where
"troubled water" exists
currently My professional
evaluators acknowledged my
.service as being "outstanding" in
this community.
Your third assertion is not valid
since I filed my credentials and
application with the "Screening
t^mmittee*' and did not seek nor
receive preferential treatment. I
received confirming notice as to
the pn^ress of my candidacy
through the same official sources
all other candidates utilized.
Your fourth and final objection
is the result of a scurrilous attack
leveled at me reminiscent of the
"McCarthy Era." For ymi to
establish this as a criteria is
paradoxical since you have
reported to the public on a
number of occasions that I was
(Contiimad on Page U)
County Executive Ralph Ca.so's plan to engage a Hemp-
.stead real estate firm lo provide professional help in
finding permanent housing for welfare familie.s now living
in motels brought quick angry respon.se and action from
Freeporters who fear the plan will result in more welfare
people being moved into the Village.
Mayor Robert Sweeney sent the following telegram to
Caso on March 16th, saying; "Please d o not include Free-port
in any plan to find homes for welfare families through
the office of McLelland Metz Inc.
"Newspaper stories indicate signing of a contract may
be imminent.
"Our Village Board strongly opposes any activity that
will increase welfare cases in Freeport. We urge you not
to sign the contract until we have an opportunity to
discuss it with you."
Petitions demanding that "under no circumstances
should any listing of any Freeport house be accepted by
the Social Services Department from any Freeport land­lord,"
have been circulated by Mrs. Frank Lamb of 143
Pearsall Avenue, Freeport and friends. At this writing,
approximately 1000 have been presented to Executive
Caso's office.
A spokesman for Caso's office told The Leader repre­sentative
that "there is no reason (o believe that Ihe plan
will locate more welfare families in Freeport than usual."
He went on to explain (hat McLelland-Metz, the chosen
realty firm will be in contact with private real estate firms
all over Nassau County. The private firms will notify
McLelland-Metz of any available apartments or houses in
their area where the landlord has agreed to accept welfare
tenants. McLelland Metz estimates they already have
enough units of their own to house 30 or 40 families per
year,
(Continued on Page 11)
THi CHAI#-AI B. White {ri*t> peMfits hb ifWcW tropliy
to Carmlnii Abbstieilo nt Roosevelt Recenray lor teadino diivine
honors at Roosevelt during 1970. it marks ttie thini suooeasive
season that Abbatielio has captured the Roosevelt drMng cham­pionship.
The presentation was made durins a recent meeting of
the NY Chapter of the U.& Harness Writer's Association.
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