MARCH 11, 2011
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Editor’s Prologue By Sandie Biddle, Managing editor editor@centrecountygazette.com
An embarrassment of riches. Whether the phrase was coined by Voltaire, Shakespeare, or author unknown (no one’s quite sure), it is a happy plight in which I find myself these days. After asking for experts, columnists, articles, and writers, I’ve been overwhelmed with kind and talented volunteers from the community. This issue features interesting facts and observations by Kitty Wunderly of the Centre County Library and Historical Museum. (Centre County Scrapbook), dog nutrition wisdom from pet expert Toni Duchi (The Practical Pet), a pair of Hometown Heroes discovered by Brian Bassett, another “I was there” installment from a long-retired Air Force pilot, more well-seasoned musings from an enthusiastic bread baker, a glittering gallery of seasonal photos from our talented photographer, Brian Baney, and student stories from Rose Hoover and other school news contributors. Meredith (Miller) Peachey is back on the Bellefonte beat with an article about a lip sync event at the school. Ebun Adewumi reports on a prom attire program for those who may not otherwise have afforded it. Sam Stitzer shares a success story about a phenomenal fund raiser for cancer. He’s also still hearing the shout, Bingo!, ringing in his ears. Kulsoom Khan enjoyed a banjo-pickin’ girl at Schlow. Don Bedell shined his spotlight on two Celtic musical groups, which both happen to be all female. (It’s hard work but somebody’s got to do it, right, Don?) Karen Dabney, our new-found entertainment reporter, promotes an upcoming event featuring the Art Alliance and the Nittany Valley Symphony. Bellefonte buildings are getting facelifts. The Red Raiders swim teams brought home plenty of medals. Millbrook Marsh invited about a thousand kids to visit. And I’ve included a page dedicated to business success stories, including a local jewelry designer who’s been published in a national design magazine. It’s also our pleasure to present the last word on the 2011 Home Show that starts today and runs through Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center. If you misplaced your guide, check inside for the exhibitors’ list, seminar schedule, and a complete overview of the show. It’s remarkable how the events and items are pouring in for What’s Happening and Group Meetings. From hundred-dollar-a-plate galas to pig stomach suppers, orchestras to bluegrass bands, from serious documentaries to The Wizard of Oz, take your pick, suit your style. There are so many good causes, charities, and service clubs in Centre County that next week’s theme is Salute to Public Service. I’ve already heard from many fine organizations, but have room for plenty more. Write me a description of your group, mission, and how others can join or help. Don’t worry about your spelling or grammar. (I’ll take care of that.) Pictures would be nice, too. Your deadline is Tuesday, March 15 at noon for the March 18 issue. As I continue to marvel at the increased commentary and contributions to The Gazette, I am tempted to say that our old-fashioned, local good-news focus may be the future of newspapers. You can find out about everything in the world in so many other ways. But who else will tell your neighbors’ stories? The Gazette is a very personal source of news for the good citizens of Centre County. Go the high-tech route if you like. Read entire issues of The Gazette online if ink on paper isn’t your style. Online, every page is in glorious color. And if we have extra photos, updates, or information, we’ll put it on our Facebook page. Our dreams, our images, our tales, our memories, our triumphs, our passions. These are the most precious riches of all. No political upheaval, economic challenges, or terrorist threats can take these riches away from us. Let others dwell on worldly problems. The Gazette offers news from the heart.
Upcoming Features in The Gazette March 18 – Salute to Community Service Submit articles, events, explanations, and goals of your club, charity, or church outreach – including Lions, Elks, Rotary, Kiwanis, Moose, Soroptimist, and other service organizations.
March 25 – Spring Cleaning Spiffing it up, indoors and out, tips, recycling, green products, cleaning services, and more
April 1 – Lawn & Garden Here’s a green thumbs-up to planting, pruning, aquascaping, growing veggies, adding flowers, mulching, composting, fertilizing, mowing, and more! Advertisers, choose the features that suit your business best Sales@centrecountygazette.com
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Letters To The Editor School Vouchers: Another View We would be remiss if we, as representatives of two Catholic schools in the Centre region (St. John the Evangelist and Our Lady of Victory), did not respond to Mr. Lumley-Sapanski and provide the public with the facts that he was lacking in his school voucher editorial. As it is not our desire to speak for another, the following information pertains to our two schools. St. John the Evangelist and Our Lady of Victory Catholic Schools hire only Pennsylvania-certified teachers, many of them holding Master’s degrees and all being held to the same standards as public school educators in regards to Act 48 and continued professional development requirements. While our teachers are more than capable of teaching in the public school system, they choose to teach in our schools, earning considerably less than their public school peers, because teaching is more than a job to them. It is a calling. Much like their public school peers, they work well beyond 3:15 p.m. all year long and spend hundreds of their own dollars on resources for their classrooms, because they choose to do so. It is our mission to teach all children. Our schools do indeed enroll students with disabilities: medical, educational, social and emotional. We make the necessary accommodations to meet their needs and we do it with a fraction of the financial resources provided to our public school counterparts. It is completely counterintuitive to think that parochial schools would close their doors to students who did not fit a predetermined mold. As it stands, the only thing preventing parochial schools from being a viable choice for every student is their family’s ability to afford tuition, something that Senate Bill 1 is working to eliminate. It may be of interest to learn that federal and state tax dollars already support many of the programs and resources in our private schools such as transportation, health services, learning support, remedial, and gifted programs. Parochial school students do not take the PSSA. However, they are assessed regularly and do take norm-referenced standardized tests. The focus in a parochial school is not “on the test,” as has been forced to be the case in public schools due to No Child Left Behind. Although we are not obligated to submit our standardized test scores to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, we proudly share our results with our school and parish community. Anyone is welcome to review our classroom, grade and building results in all test areas. Parochial schools continuously provide a high quality education with extremely limited funds. Parochial schools in Centre County spend, on average, $4,500 per student, as compared to an average of $11,364 per student spent by Centre County public schools (NCES, 2007). Parochial schools have been saving taxpayers money due to the sheer fact that our parents pay equal taxes without equal financial return when it comes to their own child’s education, simply because they choose a parochial school. As Mr. Lumley-Sapanski pointed out, “Today’s public schools must provide much more than a basic education.” This is true whether the school is public or private. It is imperative that schools do more than educate the mind. They must now, in LumleySapanski’s words, “ … test hearing, vision, and other health issues; provide psychological services; counseling; mentoring; programs on pregnancy, parenting, drugs, alcohol, cyber-bullying, harassment, financial planning and much more….” Add religious education and that sounds like a Catholic parochial school! In today’s society, it is clearly crucial that schools educate the body, mind and spirit; something that Catholic schools have been doing successfully for generations. Respectfully, Mrs. Kristina Tice, Principal of St. John the Evangelist Catholic School Mrs. Kathy Bechdel, Principal of Our Lady of Victory Catholic School
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The Gazette P.O. Box 679 State College, PA 16804-0679 Tel.: 814-632-6700 Fax: 814-632-6699 www.CentreCountyGazette.com PUBLISHER Arnie Stott GENERAL MANAGER Don Bedell MANAGING EDITOR Sandie Biddle BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Stott PENNS VALLEY BUREAU CHIEF Sam Stitzer PennsValley@CentreCountyGazette.com State College NEWS StateCollege@CentreCountyGazette.com SPORTS EDITOR Les Barnhart sports@centrecountygazette.com OFFICE MANAGER Patti Marshall GRAPHIC DESIGN Michael Malicki Ralph Boldin Brandy Ritchey Rose Ann Hoover ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Tom Orr Carol Walsh Vicki Gillette SUBMIT YOUR NEWS: editor@centrecountygazette.com ADVERTISING sales@centrecountygazette.com The Gazette is a weekly newspaper seving Centre County and is published weekly by Stott Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 129, Warriors Mark, PA 16877. Reproduction of any portion of any issue is not permitted without written permission from Stott Publications, Inc. Publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement for any reason.
Gazette Editorial Policy We i n v i t e c o m m e n t , rebuttal, or the expression of your own thoughts about matters you deem of public importance. We invite stories and photos about our community and its people. All submissions must be of the writers own creation and include contact information (which may be withheld upon request) The Gazette reserves the right to reject or edit any submission. Att: Editor, The Gazette, P.O. Box 679, State College, Pa. 16804
On The Cover
Thanks from PV Library The Valentine’s Day Spaghetti Dinner for the East Penns Valley Branch Library was a great success. The crowd seemed pleased with the dinner and its ambiance. We thank all those who provided the desserts for the dinner and everyone who helped make it a success. We did considerably better than last year in raising funds for the library and its programs. Thank you, Nick Brink, Corresponding Secretary, East Penns Valley Branch Library Association
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Spring Forward Sunday, March 13 A reminder of the time change Sunday, the Old Main clock tower photographed by Brian Baney, exclusive to The Gazette.