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Page 4 Gouverneur Tribune Press Thursday, December 11,2008 ( —( editorial page )—v tribune $retftf The Gouverneur Tribune Press (USPS) 640-300 is .published every Thursday by Gouverneur Tribune Press, Inc., 74 Trinity Avenue Gouverneur, New York L3642 Subscription rate: $33 per year Periodicals: postage paid at Gouverneur, N. Y. Postmaster: send address changes to: Gouverneur Tribune Press, Inc., 74 Trinity Ave,, Gouverneur, N.Y. M.Dan McClelland-Publisher Dick Sterling - Editor/General Manager Bobbi Jenne - Circulation/Billing Lisa LaVancha - Advertising Representative Sandy \Wyman - Reporter (315) 287-2100 Who's going to bail out your boat? One of the fust actual jobs... or is the word chores, that I can remember having to do was to bail out the boat. I was about six or seven at the time and the Sterling family called Black Lake home from Memorial Day until Labor Day. From the moment my father arrived home from work I would pester him to take me out in the boat fishing. It wasn't enough that I could fish from shore from sunup until well after dark, but there was something adventurous about heading out in that 14-foot aluminum boat with the seven-horsepower Johnson outboard motor. Often I was allowed to steer the boat, which, when you're seven, is equivalent to driving a car. But before I could get my fishing gear and help push the boat from the gravel beach area into the lake, I was always asked one simple question. \Did you bail out the boat?\ Apparently this task was always reserved for the youngest member of the family. The boat would require bailing for a number of reasons, obviously rain was the biggest factor. A good thunderstorm would mean that the bailing chore would take at least 30 minutes. But choppy waves and youngsters playing were also other factors in getting enough water in the boat to get my dad's socks wet... which always ended the fishing trip a few minutes early. So I would gather up a coffee can, which was the easiest to handle device for bailing, and start the tedious task of putting water from the boat hack into the lake. Once you reach the age of 12 you realize that the easiest way to bail the boat is to simply tip it up far enough for the water to pour out... but why offer that bit of advise to a seven-year-old kid when it was so much fun to watch him dump one coffee can of water after another back into the lake. Until a couple of months ago whenever I heard the words bail out, I would think back to those special times at Black Lake... and remember that for five years I was the stupid little kid who bailed out the boat, while older siblings, friends and relatives simply watched with huge grins on their faces. Since the collapse of Wall Street earlier this fall, bail out has taken on a whole new meaning... but the more I think ahout it... maybe the meaning is still the same. The stupid are going out of their way to do something to benefit those who feel like they are owed something... whether it's a free fishing trip, or several billion dollars! Our federal government has gathered up a huge coffee can, and is bailing out a boat that we simply called Wall Street. They also agreed to bail out a few choice insurance companies and, along the way, maybe even a state or two. Up next... the auto industry. Apparently, when the greedy folks that controlled the money on Wall Street began to feel the financial pinch, they came after us. They wanted those who had borrowed from them to pay more. They were handing us a coffee can, but the boat was leaking too badly to get all the water bailed out... so the American homeowner sank... no big deal, who's going to miss a few bailers along the way anyway? So the average Joe was suddenly poor. No credit, no big home, and, in some cases, no job. Certainly the last thing Joe was going to do was to buy a new car. In no time flat the auto industry began to collapse. Corporations that were paying their executives millions, and their workers $70 or $80 an hour, were quickly running out of money. So now they too are looking to the government or a quick bail out... just a few billion to see them over the next couple of months. Like it or not, the guys and gals doing the bailing out is us. Government money is actually our money. We pay the government each week by working, and giving up a cut of our hard-earned pay. Shouldn't we have more of a say in who has their hands in our pockets? Why should we just throw billions and billions of dollars at huge corporations that, due primarily to greed and mismanagement, are beginning to crash. Shouldn't these industries work hard to pull themselves up by the bootstraps? Shouldn't they be looking for cheaper products that the struggling American can afford? But it's so much easier to run to Uncle Sam with your hand out. This bail out scenario is taking place all around us. All you have to do is step back and take a close look. Monday the Gouverneur Central School District's Board of Education was given a \here's how we can save money,\ presentation by Superintendent Christine LaRose. Schools across the state are scrambling after Governor Paterson announced that funding cuts are unavoidable in the coming year. So guess who the school district is handing their coffee cans too. Is it the teachers? No, they can't buck that contract. Is it the Administrators? I don't think so. It's hard to get by on $125,000 a year in Gouverneur. And it would be foolish to give any of that money back. So... it must be the students. After all, isn't it always the students who pay the biggest price when budget issues are at hand? Ms. LaRose presented the board with 14 ways to save money. The list included: Cutting hack on field trips, especially for elementary students; canceling any sporting events involving modified teams that are snowed out. Apparently, this years kids will actually be praying for no snow!; cutback on hardware, software and textbook purchases; eliminate late bus runs two nights a week. So Johnny has to walk home to Spragueville... think of the money they'll save. Other cost-saving ideas included: Lowering the temperature in the classrooms by a couple of degrees; scheduling marching band trips much closer to home; making sure that the building is closed by 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Maybe I'm wrong... but I thought school was primarily for the students. Why should they have to make so many concessions? If the Governor's budget ax is going to fall heavily on the school districts, then isn't it prudent of those in charge to look at making some real money-saving reductions? Seeing that seven and eight year old basketball players are out of the building by 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, is not going to save this district enough money to idle a bus for 15 minutes! -VCch SterU*i# By Sandy Wyman December 12,1962 Old man winter struck hard in the North Country during the last 48 hours bringing an abrupt end to the spell of unusually good weather that has blessed the area for the last two weeks. Up to late Tuesday afternoon more than a foot of snow had fallen in the village and it was still coming down. An emergency reporting service to improve fire protection in the Richville area and being installed by the fire department is expected to be completed by December 27. The department at a special meeting on November 27 voted tp install the system comprised of four phones placed at separate locations that will rung simultaneously when a fire is reported. Assistant Postmaster Donald Homer reminds Gouverneur residents that unsealed cards without messages require a three-cent stamp. Should these cards be addressed improperly they will not be forwarded. Sealed cards containing a message require a four-cent stamp and will be forwarded without additional postage. December 10,1947 A sharp decrease in the number of polio cases in the three county Gouverneur Health District is shown in the summary of reportable diseases listed during November issued today by Dr. Terry S. Montague, acting district health officer. Only five cases were listed during the past month compared with 11 for October. There have been no cases reported so far for December. With Spragueville residents contributing generously of the time, skill and money, rapid progress is being made in the conversion of the former Baptist Church into a community center. Decision on the practically of a spring community concert series following a January or February concert, an association membership campaign will be taken at a at yesteryear. •••• meeting \in the high school on It is in reference to the Tuesday December 16 at certain features outlined and 7.30p m . also will take in the approval December 13, 1922 of the state prison commission The regular meeting of of the approval of jail the village board was haled in accommodations that will be the office of the clerk, A. M. Jason last evening. The revised set of plans •for the new municipal building on Clinton Street prepared by architect Skinner of Watertown were presented and discussed at length. No definite action will be taken on the plans until they have been submitted to the state department. included in the hew building. Hail fell in DeKalb all day last Friday and about 4:30 an earthquake was felt quite forcibly as it shook buildings and made things rattle in stores and houses. The tremors lasted for several seconds. The trappers are not reporting much game at present however what fur has been sold has brought a good price. DATELINE - DECEMBER 1966 The 1966-67 edition of the Gouverneur Wildcats basketball team has put on the floor one of the tallest squads in the Northern League since December 6 when they launched their home season against the Massena Red Raiders. Eight returning veterans head the squad that boasts seven players over the six-foot mark. Kneeling left to right are Mike Perrault, Captain Dave Appleby, Gary Peck, Dave MacTurk, Bernie Hall, Tom Grow, Larry Kraker and Ed Moses. Standing from the left are manager Scott Reber, Tobey Bunch, Steve Rouse, Rick Jennings, Bill Harron, Doug MacQueen, Gale Ferguson, Scott Hay and manager Mike Terrillion. (Tribune Press photo) Mr. Smith goes to church By Rev. Connie Seifert \Mr. Smith Goes to Washington\ was a controversial comedy which came out in 1939 and made Jimmy Stewart a star. In my fictional version, which I create today for teaching purposes, Mr. Smith is a tourist who decides to visit Washington, D.C. He calls the President and says, \Mr. President, the wife and I will be visiting the capitol next week. But we have asked Gov. Paterson to come along and act as President for the time we are there.\ There's an awkward silence. Mr. Smith continues, \Mr. President, are you still there? Did I say something wrong?\ The President replies incredulously, \You don't want to see me?\ \No answers Mr. Smith matter of factly. \We don't need to see you.\ This whole scenario sounds laughable and funny. No one would actually do such a thing. Well, no one would intentionally do such a thing. Unfortunately, a similar thing happens frequently to parish pastors. It is rarely intentional. Many folks simply do not know the basic protocol for bringing another pastor in for baptisms, weddings or funerals. Before I was a pastor, I didn't know. I wanted my Uncle Reuben to baptize my daughter. He is a retired UMC pastor. He was living in NYC. My daughter was named for his wife, my aunt Frances, who had died in 1970 while I was living in France. It was two years later. I had married and was living in Norwood. I wasn't attending a church at this time. My family attended, as always, the United Methodist Church in Vernon. We began to make plans to have the baptism there. I did not understand pastoral protocol. I did not understand the meaning of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. First thing I discovered, if you want another pastor to participate in a service or a Sacrament, one is supposed to ask the current pastor of that church. It is up to them whether or not another pastor will be invited and what role they will play. Most of us who are pastors are open to having others assist us, and within reason, will move heaven and earth to accede to a family's wishes to make their special moment more spiritually meaningful. Rev. Nelson, the pastor in Vernon at the time, invited me to meet with her. She was fine with Uncle Reuben assisting her with the baptism. She also explained to me what it meant to have a child baptized in the United Methodist Church. It is the same thing I tell people who come to me today, My request for the baptism to take place in Vernon and for Uncle Reuben to officiate were honored, even though unorthodox. I did begin attending the local church in Norwood when Fran was a toddler. But I, like many people who come seeking baptism for their children, was quite oblivious to the way things ought to have happened. I only knew what I wanted and what would be convenient for my family. I was asked to officiate at the wedding of a young man from Churchville, N.Y, I had watched him grow up. I was his pastor from 1986-1994. I had spoken at and attended his Eagle Scout ceremony. I was honored to be asked. But I told him that he must contact his pastor and get permission. He must find out if his pastor wanted to have me assist him, or if he was okay with my performing the wedding ceremony solo. This took time. But permission was secured. I was able to be the officiating pastor . But it was his current pastor who made the decision, not the young couple seeking to be married or myself. I have been asked many times to return to Edwards to do funerals. Every time either I or the family call Rev. Hart, the supervising pastor, and make sure that it is okay with him. The initial decision as to whether it is okay for me to return, is up to Rev. Hart - not the family, not me. In my little fictional drama at the beginning, it is obvious that no one would think of bringing their own President to Washington. We can rest assured that Gov. Paterson would be quick to point out the error of his ways to Mr. Smith. This little parable was meant to illustrate the invisible boundaries that exist around a position of authority - whether it be a sitting President or a current Pastor. There are often compelling reasons for asking another pastor to do a baptism, wedding or funeral. It is usually up to us, the pastor being asked, to point out the proper protocol and direct the family to approach the current pastor. There are rarely refusals though. Most of us are more than happy to accommodate the wishes of a family. The family needs to clearly state their wishes, understanding that the current pastor may or may not agree to their terms. The pastor being asked to come into another pastor's parish needs to clearly communicate that they can only participate at the invitation of the parish pastor. It doesn't always happen this way. It is not the end of the world when it does not. Hopefully, this will prevent my readers from trying to take their own President to Washington in the near future. FROM THE SENATE FLOOR Aubertine named chairman of Agriculture Committee State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine said today that he is excited about his opportunity to serve in a key position within the new Senate leadership team as chairman of the Agriculture Committee. \I'm extremely pleased that our incoming Senate president has chosen me to head the Agriculture Committee,\ Sen. Aubertine said. \The work of this committee is important to me both because of my experience as a farmer and its impact on the economy of our district. I'm glad to be able to bring my personal knowledge and experience to this committee.\ Sen. Aubertine owns and operates his Cape Vincent farm on which he milked cows for more than three decades before he was elected to serve in state government. In the Assembly and in the Senate he has been a vocal advocate and recognized leader on agriculture issues. Sen. Malcolm Smith, the incoming President Pro Tempore, recognized Sen. Aubertine's experience by selecting him to serve in this key leadership position. \Agriculture is at the center of our upstate economy, but it is also crucial to the health and stability of our state's economy as a whole,\ Sen. Aubertine said. \Farms generate wealth and through farm to fork programs and other efforts to put Upstate New York produce on the plates of people in New York City and other markets, Agriculture will continue to be a driving force in our state's economy. I'm excited to be in this vital leadership position within our new Senate team.\ • Letters To A Home Town Static... an electric cat tale! By Angel Thompson-Georges \Watch this!\ He pet the full length of our old fat cat a few times, then held his fingertips. Like an episode of America's Funniest Home Videos, the cat touched her nose to his hand and ZAP! A tiny spark of static arced between them. She shook her head annoyed, but within moments was happily purring again. Ah, the joys of dry winter air -the heat and static! Today I made the mistake of wearing corduroys. The coldest day we have had so far, it seemed a logical choice. My thighs brushed lightly against each other as I walked. It made me feel like a static generator with sound effects! No doorknob or metal appliance was safe! Kissing the kids goodnight was an electric adventure! They made me ground myself on the bed frame before I tucked them in. My daughter and I both have long hair. This time of year the static makes it stick to our cheeks as though we'd been eating chunks of watermelon and forgotten to wash. Pulling off winter hats, we look as though we've been playing with a Van de Graaff generator! She tells me she is thinking she might want to cut her hair and as much as I want to discourage her, I can relate. I remember winters at her age, crawling under blankets so filled with static that I could see sparks. It was great fun at a sleepover to turn out the lights, duck under the blankets and make our own light. No fun was brushing out the snarls, or rat's nests as Grandma called them, the morning after. Before they got a humidifier Grandma kept a pail of water hanging in the floor register to moisten the air. Sometimes it was my job to fill it. My dad kept a pan atop the wood stove to do the same. Here I have baseboard heat, which makes it hard to mimic the simple techniques I learned from them. Though not as dry as wood heat, still I wake with the tell tale signs of winter. My hair has more trouble pulling itself from the pillow than my head. It clings to the pillowcase as if to say, \just five more minutes... Please!\ The aquarium for the turtles serves as our primary humidifier, along with steamy showers. With no place to hang my clothes outside, I've also learned that those static sheets for the drier really do help. Sometimes I swear that the static goes to the cat's head, making her winter crazy. Far from a kitten and even further from svelte, winter nights she just goes nutty. As soon as the lights are out, she comes and rubs at my feet, then gallops from one end of the apartment to the other s then back to rub before shooting off again. I wonder if she is trying to make sparks herself, or maybe she's found the secret; how to harness static electricity and convert it into her own energy. I wonder if she'd share the secret. I hope this letter has found you and yours in good spirits and good health. Until I write again.,,
