WATCH IT! Letters To The Editor
SCHOOL'S OUT
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL - Vacation play and
a speeding automobile can be a deadly combination. With
the annual exodus from schools, new drivers in particular
should be alert to signs of children playing near streets
without the close supervision of teacher.
Evidently the residents who are purchasing homes
in the new Fairway Estates development are fighting
a losing cause.
Their recent petition asking village officials to
allow them the privilege of ' no sidewalks please*
does not sufficiently impress the village fathers.
Their strongest points seem to be that they
would want to preserve the beauty of the
hilly- wooded area.
The law calls for sidewalks. The only hope that
remains would call for a set of detailed plans that
would outline the petitioners request. So far none
have been presented, at least, not good enough for
serious consideration. Even then the village engineer
would have to make a determination and
recommendation to the Mayor and board of trustees.
One big factor in the picture. That's the problem
of pedestrian safety. In short, safety over aesthetics
- that's the way the board sees it.
* * *
The High School graduation ceremony last Sunday
afternoon was an impressive event. The time of
day was an excellent choice when the heat of the
sun was down. .
A crowd estimated at over 4,000, paid tribute
to the nearly 800 graduates who were bidding
farewell to their high school days.
Three 1918 graduates were made official members
of the graduating class and were presented
with honorary diplomas. What a nice idea!
* * *
The entry of a fine supermarket at the Cross
Roads Shopping Center at Fulton Street and Merritt
Road has proved a boon to the area in several
respects.
The decline of the center, with most of the
original tenants moving out did not augur well
for it's future. Then too, the parking field was
slowly deteriorating. For awhile, it looked like a
sure bet that the owners would soon be seeking
an assessment reduction to lower their taxes.
But along came a wide awake supermarket
operation. The parking lot was completely resurfaced.
Business seems to be on the u p r i se
and it looks like everybody's happy.
Another good reason to spend your money
right here. Spend it elsewhere and you may
very well wind up paying a portion of some
business area tax reduction, because you helped
contribute to that businesses downfall.
The same holds true for businessmen who don't
advertise in their local newspaper but spend their
money on shopping sheets, classed as junk mail,
printed I by out of towners who have no interest
in the community whatsoever, except to grab the
advertising dollar.
Poge 4
To the Editor:
As much as it is necessary
to rebut the insidious misrepresentations
meted out by Mr. Gorton
and his friends by proving
them i s such, a vulgar satire
as that written by Messrs. Boss
and Gerson can only serve to
heat tempers and to continue division
in community that needs
unity badly.
Albert Meyerstein
To the Editors:
With full realization that this
letter will most likely hit the
trash basket, I nevertheless patriotically
submit:
With all the important news
facing our country and community
today, the latest bilge by Boss
and Gerston is an afront to any
reader of your weekly and to all
Americans. Out of this hallucinatory
message, the following
bits are about all that are worth
commenting on. That Boss and
Gerston have the audacity to write
so disrespectfully concerning the
flag of our country classifies them
in my eyes with the draft card
burners and others of their ilk.
As to their suggestion that we
Buy American. Is there a better
country to support? Aren't the
liberal contingents always
screaming that there isn't enough
productive work for our poverty
stricken brothers? Messrs.
Gerston and Boss evidently believe
in aiding and abetting the
enemy in every scope of living.
The rest of this " trip" is so
ridiculously vindictive that it
taxes one's patience. The bright
spot of this fantastic voyage is
the happy ending with all the liberals
leaving town. The pure
leftist propaganda that Gerston
and Boss are fostering is a totally
undisguised effort to discredit
all patriotic groups, our
school and library boards and all
of us who respect and cherish
America, Farmingdale and the
flag that flies over us all.
Milena Stoll,
Dear Editor:
To be able to laugh at oneself
in times of adversity. Ah! that's
the measure of a man.
In his brief remarks on acceptance
of a plaque from his
colleagues on the School Board,
in recognition of many years of
valuable service, Bernard Lang
alluded to the fact that- this year,
apparently, he had personally
helped solve the problem of disinterest
and non- attendance of
School Board Meetings.
Underlying this humorous r e mark
was, of course, the very
sad truth that Bernard Lang was
" retired" from the School Board
because he dared espouse the
cause of - shhh! - brotherhood.
( What a strange and novel concept).
He also, quite publicly, ( mind
you) stated a preference for integrated
schools. ( Another new
idea).
He dared recognize ( and this
is the law of the land) that
" separate but equal" facilities
in education is a myth. It just
does not exist.
In many another American town
today, Bernard Lang would be
( merely) an eloquent spokesman
in behalf of these changing times.
In Farmingdale, apparently, he
has outdistanced many of his
contemporaries in his understanding
of the social and educational
needs of people - all
people!
The dreams and aspirations of
the forgotten are going to be
realized much sooner than many
would care to believe. Let us help
them fulfill their dreams in a
climate of mutual respect, compassion
and understanding. That
is the only real way our community
can begin to " bind up its
wounds".
Joan Bergman
To the Editor:
On the eve of my retirement
as chairman of the Oyster Bay
Republican Committee, I want
to express my thanks to you and
your staff for news coverage of
Republican politics in our town
that in my opinion was fair and
thorough during the past three
years.
The temptation to scoff at the
apparent pettiness of local
politics and govenment is a strong
and often irresistable one for
members of the Fourth Estate;
certainly there is much to
criticize and improvements are
needed on every level of local
government.
However, we have attempted
to work towards providing a higher
quality of social goods and
services by nominating qualified
Republican candidates for public
office, and through constant attention
to the changing conditions
that make suburban life desirable
and increasingly difficult to
maintain.
Let me thank you again, personally
and in behalf of the com-mitee,
for your interest and sympathetic
treatment of our efforts.
Michael M. D'Auria
Chairman
Dear Editor:
The intelligence of many Farmingdale
residents was insulted
last week by a mailing from the
John Birch Society. This mailing
in effect told its recipients that
they had been acting like B ire tiers
so why didn't they pay up
and make it legal.
This mailing raises at least
two questions. While it purported
to be from the Farmingdale chapters
of the Society why was the
only name appearing on the mailing
that of an unknown, out- of-town
character using a Locust
Valley box number? Was there
no Farmingdale stalwart of the
Society who would permit his
name to be associated with this
mailing? Why do they use a name
which could be fictitious as far
as Farmingdale residents are
concerned?
Another and related question
is raised by this mailing procedure.
Is this drive for recruits
really financed locally or is it
being supported by outsiders ? The
mailing is bound to raise this
question in the minds of the
recipients of the mailing.
This is particularly true coming
so soon after the recent
meeting sponsored by a group
called TRAIN which had been
billed as a local group. Several
weeks ago in your editorial as
well as in the column, " As We
See It," the suggestion was made
that this was not a local organization.
No one has challenged this
suggestion so it appears safe to
assume that
were correct.
your assumptions
Paul Tilford
Massapequa Park
To the Editor:
Some weeks ago, in his column,
" Capitol Report", Congressman
Grover expressed concern over
the lack of pride in America'
shown by many citizens. As a
first step toward remedying this
situation, he suggested that citizens
take the opportunity of Flag
Day to display the American flag.
In a column on the same page,
Senator Javits urged that more
effective action be taken to assure
housing, employment and
educational opportunities for Vietnam
veterans from economically
depressed areas.
We sent the following letter to
Congressman Grover.
Dear Mr. Grover:
We were disturbed to read
your column in the Observer of
June 6, 1968. As citizens who
have great pride in America,
we can only applaud others who
feel the same. We takepride in
all the great civic, artistic and
humane enterprises which the
United States has spearheaded
and with which it allies itself.
We do not take pride in the
alliance of our c o u n t r y with
Fascist dictatorships simply because
they are not Communists.
We do not take pride in the fact
that even today we have second-class
citizenship based upon race.
We do not take pride that in the
fight of certain groups against
issues such as open housing,
they place property rights above
human rights.
We need not remind you that
our nation must cope with many
profound internal and international
problems. It is to these
problems that our elected officials
should be addressing
themselves in public utterances
and publications. We are sure
that you will understand that waving
one flag or one million flags
will have no effect whatsoever
on those actions and policies in
which loyal United States Citizens
can not take pride.
By way of contrast to your
own column, we are including
a copy of Senator Javits' column
which appeared on the same page.
As a patriot because of his effective
action for attainments of
which Americans can be proud,
Senator Javits sets an example
worth following.
Seymour M. Weinstein
Pearl Weinstein
Announce Mill Lane Honor Roll
The Honor Roll was announced
this week by the Mill Lane Junior
High School Guidance Department
for the sixth marking period.
GRADE 7
Nina Aleshin, Bruce Altschuld,
Barbara Carter, Susan Chapman,
Susan Chin, Lyle Ciapetti, Jennifer
Dunn, Toby Elbaumv Dawn
Franits, Ellen Germain, Laura
Greenfield, Howard Hoffman,
Natalie Karmel, Kevin Klutchko,
Gary Lederman, Anna Manthos,
Susan Moll, Michele Morgenheim
Jeffrey Newman, Kathi Paige,
Edward Pawlak, David Rabkin,
Marie Riccio, Pamela Roehrig,
Christine Rugino, Francis San-giorgio,
Ira Schlitt, Fred Schlof-sky,
Daniel Schwartzman, Donna
Serniak, Alan Solomon, Joseph
Stasio, John Suler, Margaret
Thannhauser, Richard Vitolo,
Seth Zarney.
GRADE 8
Diane Aba to, Steven Botkin,
John DiGaudio, Jamos Johnson,
Nancy LaChase, Lynn Levitt,
Dale Licata, Mona Margarita,
Roni Pelzman, Robert Pleva,
Marsha Resnick, Robert Row-man,
Barbara Sagar, Steven
Schuster, Vicki Schwartz, Fallen
Seeberger, Jeffrey Seigel, Jane
Siege1, Joann Singer, Jeanne
Staugaitis, Stephanie Warta.
GRADE 9
Randy Abrams, Claudia Ah-rens,
Claudia Albers, Caryn Atlas,
Jeff Baraban, Richard Civil,
Ileen Crestol, MaryEUen DiGia-cinto,
Paul Dinas, . lanet Dodds,
Richard Fasanello, Joseph Fioc-cola,
Diane Godfrey, Joel Hen-ner,
John Holmes, Judy Jorgen-sen,
Debra Karlan, Richard Kas-sler,
Ray Kremer, Barbara Lef-sky,
Frank LoManto, Marguerite
Luck, Alan Robbins, Robin Roth-man,
Marc Schwartz, Sandy Simon,
Deborah Woodford..
Published every Thursday by
THE OBSERVER, INC.
MYrtle 4- 6367
Frank J. Klesh — Caroline B. Klesh
Editors and Publishers
Vol. 5 No. 45
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Farmingdale OBSERVER Thursday, June 27, 1968
