The-Leader_1989-10-19

              Freeport • Baldwin
THE LEADER 55th Year, No. 42 Freeport. N.Y. 11520 Oflicial newspaper of the Village of Frccpon-Freepon and Baldwin School Districts Thuisday.Oaobcr 19.1989 25s
Freeporter wins Nobel Prize
fey Katherine Kuckens
Dr. HttTold E. Vaniius, just
named as a winner of the
1989 Nobel Prize for Ms work
in cancer research, is
Freeport's own nati^'e son!
Dr. Vojmus, the son of local
physician Ben Vannus and
the grandson of the founder
of Borasch's Children's Store
on South Main Street,
attended Archer Street Ele­mentary
School. George
Coupe, now Atkinson School's
principal, remembers Hoitild
and his sister Ellen as "good
students from a wonderful
family.'
Mrs. Vormus WAS active in
the PTA and other eoromuni-ty
activities, and the family
involvement no doubt con­tributed
to the development
of the budding scientist.
Act fve at FHS
At Freeport High School.
Harold pla>-ed the alto sax in
the school band, chaired
Senior Prom Donee Commit­tee,
was a member of the
bowling and tennis teams,
and was sports editor of the
school paper. 'The Flash-ings.'
Fellow a a s s of 1957 mem­bers
Mary Ann Damo (nee
ViebrocV) and Fred Schmidt
were in touch with Harold
recently for the band reunion
concert. Mrs. Damo recalled
that the Varmus family home
on Merrick Road near Long
Beach Road had a large bam
in which schoolmates often
held weekend parties. She
also remembers popping com
in the Varmus kitchen and
splattering butter oil over the
ceiling. At school, Harold was
a dass leader with a low pro­file.
"Hard worker
"He was a hard worker ond
involved in ewrything," says
Mrs. Damo. Harold liked to
debate, and is remembered in
chemistry class for "arguing
about the ions." He was
'quiet but deep," although
not above taking a wfflir pis­tol
to band practice and aim­ing
it at choice tmgets.
Freeport Village Trustee
Victor Cohen and his wife.
Sheila, had the Nobel laure-at
«'« father as a family doc­tor.
He delivered their daugh­ter
Margie ot Freeport Hospi­tal
and son Jeff at Doctor's
Hospital, later called Lydia
Hall.
Dr. Ben Varmus was ahead
of his time also, Mrs. Cohen
recalls. Over 36 years ago,
long before the ctrrrent trend
to eat "heart healthy", he was
advising his patients to use
margarine instead of butter
to reduce cholesterol.
The younger Vormus had
planned to porstie his inter­est
in chemistzy by becoming
a doctor like his father, and
went on from Freeport High
to prestigious Amherst Col-
I'^ge in Massachusetts. In
1982, Dr. Varmus received an
award from President Rca-aUDDINQ
SCIEPimST Harold Varmus, second from left at rear.
was pictured with other FHS ••flashings" staff nwmbers in the
High School's 1966 Yearbook.
gan for breaking the genetics
code in human cancer. An
article obout his work enti­tled
"The Coming Conquest
of Cancer' appeared in the
September, 1987 issue of
"Scientific Ainerican.''
Dr. Vormus is married and
has two sons. He lives in San
Frandsco and is continuing
his w^rk on cancer and the
AIDS virus at the University
of California Medical Center
there.
Fire Expo a roaring success!
by Michael Goudket
BsllooRS. blue skies and smil­ing
children « Sunday's Fire
PreventioD Exhibition didn't
obscure the meuage: know and
prepare to defend against fire and
accident. Frecport's volunteer
nrefightcrs showed the fine
equipment and skills ibcyN-c
dn-elopcd to protect our com­munity.
The exhibition was
desi^ied to help us all to do our
share by bccomiog ioformed.
Many of the instructional
areas «-cre set up for chiklrcn.
The basic message to them is:
know what to do if there is a fire.
Know how to stop, drop and roll
off the bed and onto ihc Hoor.
Know how to get out of your
home and where to meet your
family outside the house. Fire­fighters
made learning a game,
but this skill can save a child's life.
To adulu the message is: be
prepared. Have a fire drill for
youf family. Install smoke deiec-ton.
Learn how to purchase and
use appropriate fire extin­guishers.
In case of fire: get out
aru) call for help. Don't go back
into a burning building after a
pel. possession or e\-en a lo\-ed
one. Fire is deadly. Leave the
rescue and fire fighting to the fire
depanroem.
Freeportcn are fortunate to
have dedicated people who will
drop whatever they are doing and
come to help in a fire or emer­gency.
There arc paramedics.
di\-ers to rescue drowning boat­ers,
and firefighters. Do your
share: be prepared aixJ call them
quickly in a real emergency.
Seconds can sa\-ie a life.
LAURIE FURNARI learns to dial 378-0400 to can fireftghters.
Mtcheei Walsh. SaKvtore Casaonetto and Daniel Moynihan of
Em^ne Company 1 offer encouragement.
RREFIOHTER Richard Rattan leeches Oer^dtne Abbey to stop, drop and roO... .wtule she holds
on to her baOoon.
JAMES'SCAVELU. age 2. shows his brother Robert that stick­ing
out your tongue helps to balance the heavy fire hetmet.