Albany Open Line
by Alex Rankin
Lang Challenges Potential Candidates
To Examine School Curriculum
Compulsory health insurance
appears to be dead for this year.
Indeed, there are those who
say it was never alive in the
first place.
Gov. Rockefeller trotted out a
new version of last year's bill in
a recent speech in Albany. He
has yet to put it in bill form.
It is dead because labor leaders
don't think it is liberal enough
and upstaters think it is too liberal.
Last year the bill covered anyone
with three or more employees.
This year Rockefeller said
he wanted it to include everyone
with one or more employees.
The subject Is getting to be a
standing joke with reporters at
press conferences with Rockefeller.
" How is compulsory health
insurance?" someone will ask
the governor.
Rockefeller than wiggles his
eyebrows and stares at the reporter
for about 30 seconds.
" The name of the program,"
replies Rockefeller, slowly over
every word but with the smile
still on his face, " is universal
health insurance."
Rockefeller keeps reminding
reporters, who still insist on
calling it compulsory.
There are those who say the
whole thing is a bag full of hot
air — the kind presidential a s pirants
throw up in the air every
so often to « strengthen the national
image."
Without going into details, the
governor has a habit of trying to
beat the federal government to
the punch on new programs.
A case in point might be his
urban development corporation.
This is a program that looks
good from the national point of
view.
But looking at it from inside
New York State, it is extremely
difficult to see how the governor
could have done more to see that
the program gets killed than he
did, by including the section a l lowing
the state to ignore local
zoning regulations.
The average person is perhaps
not aware of it - probably because
zoning board meetings are
scarce on dramatic headlines -
but local zoning boards wield t r e mendous
influence and power.
That, for example, is why there
is a law on the books now that
says the state cannot fiddle with
any local zoning rule unless it
passes two different sessions of
the state Legislature - almost
like a constitutional amendment*
School District 22 incumbent
candidate Bernard Lang, who has
served as Curriculum chairman
for six of his nine years on the
board, this week issued a challenge
to potential candidate to
evaluate the curriculum in the
Farmingdale school.
" The curriculum is the basis
for the operation of the schools
and there is no other way to deal
with the cost of an educational
system or its accomplishments,"
Lang said.
" By every possible yardstick
- every means of evaluation -
the educational program in
Farmingdale has been found to
be superior. The program is
designed to meet the needs of
all of our children. The curriculum
meets the needs of the
student going to college and prepares
the student whose education
ends with high school. There are
special programs for advanced
students. The curriculum provides
special courses in small
classes for the slower learner."
Lang asserted that by far the
largest part of a school district's
budget went for instructional
services. The importance of getting
full value for every dollar
spent is most important in the
educational program.
Lang is president and chairman
of the board of directors of a large
shipping firm in New York. Two
of his children have graduated
from the Farmingdale schools
and a third is presently in elementary
school. No opposing candidate
has appeared as yet although
Lang announced that he
was in the race two months ago.
Capitol Report
By RepJames Grover
Lest this nation's trade deficit
distract you from problems at
home, I would like to call your
attention to an infamous milestone
which we only recently
passed. Our national debt passed
the $ 350- billion mark and the
President has made it quite plain
that his budget will include another
major deficit, thus continuing
to add to the debt.
Great Society economists will
tell you that there's no reason
for concern. The national debt,
they will tell you, means nothing
because it's money that we owe
to ourselves. It means so little
that we are now paying more than
$ l5- billion a year in interest
and are paying a heavy price in
inflation, which is watering down
the value of a dollar.
The answer to the problem is
twofold - restraint at home and
more cooperation abroad by our
allies. What President Johnson
has been doing since 1963 is to
ask Americans to spend less
while their government is spending
more. The federal government
should sharply slash its own
spending programs and set up a
system of priorities. The President
only last week admitted,
finally, that we can't have both
guns and butter.
Then, we should begin planned
Daler Dateline
By Robert Perinetti
Volunteens! This is what the
59 girls from FHS who are working
at Mid- Island Hospital are
called. The program was organized
by Mr. Schloesser, coordinator
of work- study at FHS,
and the Red Cross. The aim of
the program is to give the girls
experience in working in a hospital
and in the care of patients.
The program will also give the
girls an insight as to whether
or not they would like to do this
type of work in the future. A
second program will be offered
in May if the first is successful.
After completing 50 hours of
work each girl is presented with a
cap. They then take part in a
candlelight capping c e r e m ony.
The girls work after school and
on weekends, and are giving up
their free time. While they
enjoy their work, they are also
performing a valuable service to
Dopslaff Will Not Seek Reelection;
Irwin Pushes For More Aid
cutbacks in the forces we maintain
abroad. If the South Vietnamese
can't produce the manpower
needed to defend them-sleves,
then perhaps they don't
deserve defending. And it might
be interesting to see how friendly
France and Russia can be if several
hundred diousand U. S.
troops are moved out of Western
Europe.
Major cuts can be made in
federal public works programs.
Even " pork barrel politics" can
be made to conform to a system
of priorities. Federal research
programs can be cut back, in view
of the desperate situation we are
facing. Poverty funds should be
concentrated in areas which could
bring private industry into the
picture to provide real jobs for
the unemployed, rather than
make- busy work. We should provide
the funds needed to control
crime and to control air and water
pollution. Lady Bird's highway
beautification program can wait.
I've outlined programs which
could save tax money and bring
us closer to a balanced budget.
There is no provision for buying
votes through the outpouring of
federal funds. But the President
has tried that route and look
where he is today.
the community. They certainly
deserve a lot of credit. In this
day and age when we see groups
protesting, groups rioting, etc.,
it is extremely gratifying to see
a group organized for a constructive
purpose rather than a
destructive one. I think that most
people would rather read about
this type of work than about
murder , crime, protesting and
drugs. An article on these girls
would probably never appear in
a big newspaper, or if it did, it
* would most likely be placed in a
small corner of a page. Yet, on
the front page, spelled out in big
letters would most likely appear
such words as murder, crime or
the like. I feel that we would be
better off if the big daily newspapers
printed stories, ( such as
the girls), more and the other
sensationalist stuff less often.
But I doubt if they will ever
Dr. Gerald Irwin, candidate
for the seat held by Gus Dopslaff
on Massapequa School Board
this week urged taxpayers to start
a massive write- in campaign for
Legislative increase in State A id.
Dopslaff told the OBSERVER he
will not seek reelection.
" Our legislators in Albany
have so far failed in their r e sponsibility
to the Massapequa
tax payer. Our school district
faces a substantial rise in school
taxes this year, regardless of
any current negotiations between
the teachers and the Department
of Education. These taxes have
become unbearable and our representatives
in Albany must be
made to realize their obligations
by raising the allowance to at
Woman's Club
Will Host
Nassau Conference
The Woman's Club of Massapequa
will be the Hostess Club
of The Nassau County Conference
of the Long Island Federation
of Women's Clubs on Friday
March 29 beginning at 9: 30 a. m.
at the Coral House, Baldwin.
Mrs. Edward Briggs, President
will be in charge. Mrs. Clifton
Bogardus of Massapequa, Nassau
County Representative will
preside.
Walter Scott, Director of
Grumman's Ocean Systems Department,
will speak about underwater
projects.
Reservations may be made by
calling Mrs. William Mindlin at
799- 7778.
Young Boatmen
Offered Course
New York State's new Young
Boatman's Safety Course will
be taught at the Biltmore Shores
Club House, Massapequa beginning
April 12 by R. J. Poulson
of 55 Park Lane Place, Massapequa.
Youngsters between the ages
of ten and 14 must take the
course and earn a safety certificate
before they may lawfully
operate a mechanically propelled
boat alone on New York
State waters this year.
The course consists of eight
basic units to be taught in half
hour sessions. All course material
will be furnished free of
charge.
Safety requirements and precautions
will be taught from the
handbook " Make Sure- Make
Shore."
Further information may be
had by calling 798- 5142.
least the $ 726 per pupil recommended
by Gov. Rockefeller,"
Irwin said.
He stated he felt this amount
was still short of our needs,
and that $ 800 per pupils would
be a more realistic amount. He
strongly urged the Legislature
to raise the Aid Formula to the
minimum requested by the Governor
and suggested every taxpayer
take the short time necessary
to write to their representatives
in Albany stating their
views. " This would put tremendous
pressure on them to realize
their responsibility to the taxpayers,"
he said.
Irwin also urged passage of the
proposed Curran Bill concerning
vandalism. " The recent fire at
Parkside School dramatically
points out that parents must
take responsibility for the actions
of their children. Children must
be made aware of their obligations
to society. An act of vandalism,
such as this, costs our taxpayers
large amounts of money
despite insurance coverage and
shows disregard for the rights
and property of others. I firmly
endorse the proposed Curran Bill
to make parents legally responsible
for the actions of their
children in matters such as vandalism,"
he stated.
Irwin stated that while these
problems are of great importance
to our district, in common with
other school districts, they are
not specifically related to Massapequa.
Home Economist To Address
Park Extension Unit
Mrs. Jessie Middlemast, an
Extention Home Economist, will
speak on the topic of " For Women
About Men," at the Massapequa
Park Chapter of the Nassau
County Homemakers Council
luncheon meeting on Thursday
April 4,11: 45 AM, St. David's
Lutheran Church.
Classes for the month include
" Antique Plaques" taught by
Mrs. Pearl Wilson and Mrs. Saul
Levkoff; " Color in the Home"
by Mrs. Charles Breem and Mrs.
K. G. Drummond. " Jewelry
Repair" by Mrs. James Pfeif-fer,
Mrs. Edward Pisano and
Mrs. Seth Hubbard and " Cake
Decorating" hy Mrs. James
O'Neill and Mrs. Anna Reisinger.
CP Sponsors ' Masked Ball'
The opera, " The Masked
Ball," performed by the Italian
Opera Showcase under the sponsorship
of the Cerebral Palsy
Auxiliary of Massapequa will be
presented at Berner Auditorium
on Unqua Road, Massapequa on
Saturday, April 6 at 8: 30 p. m.
Ticket information may be had
by calling LI 1- 9055.
Childrens Theatre Slates
' Talking Drums' Production
The final production of the
Massapequa Children's Theatre,
set for Saturday, March 30 at
2 p. m. at the Massapequa High
School will be about Africa en-titled,
" Talking Drums."
change.
I don't think that the girls mind
this too much though, for they
are looking for no reward other
than the personal satisfaction
that comes with helping others.
Yes, the girls are a credit to
themselves and to the school.
These are the type that typify
our generation.
Broadlawn Manor Nursing Home
spitai Affiliated
We Invite Your Inspection At Any Tit
400 Broadway fraC y H Logon
AMityville 4- 022? business Manager
Farmingdale OBSERVER, Thursday, March 28, 1968
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