School District Pondering Academics & Athletics-

by Bob Shill** ERMA — A policy that would have prohibited any more teachers at Teitelman junior high from coaching high school sports at Lower Cape May Regional met with strong opposition last week from school board members — killing any chani^bf its beitig presented for adoption at tomorrow’s (Del 17) regular school board meeting. The hour-long session also highlighted the continuing controversy over the relationship between academics and athletics in public schools, and touched on the statewide problem of. getting teachers to coach. The decision to scrap the policy- — originally introduced then tabled at last month’s meeting, pending Athletic Committee review and input from coaches — was made last Wednesday during.-q joint meeting of the board's Athletic, Pnlifcy, and Transportation Committees. All but two of the nine board members were present. • £

‘We’re trying to beef up our academic program’ — Schools Superintendent AS PROPOSED. THE NEW policy would have had no effect on the handful of junior high teachers already having coaching assignments in the high school. In spite of sharp criticism, especially from a ‘ couple of coaches, Regional superintendent Ephraim Keller contended the proposed policy wasn’t an attack on athletics. ‘We’re trying to beef up our academic program,” he said. The superintendent explained that for the last six or seven years, Teitelman teachers have been coaching at the high school. Problems arise, he continued, with away matches becaifee the Teitelman / school day ends at 3 p.m. while the high./ school concludes at 2:27. Coaches, from

‘Athletics is a big chunk of education today ’

— Athletic Director

Teitelman sometimes have to leave their classes as early as an hour before the scheduled dismissal. f Although emphasizing the problem isn’t as serious this year as in the past, Keller noted that over the yfea^s students of some teachers have been shortchanged in class time spent with the teacher. Plus, he explained, with stricter state mandated student attendance requirements, it’s more important than ever that teacheii be in class. > •IF STUDENTS SHOULD belmclass, so should teachers," he said. * But athletic director Bud Wilson strongly objected to any policy' that would' restrict inter-school coaching assignments

because of the problem already being faced by the district in finding qualified individuals interested in coaching. "It’s not only our problem (findingcoaches) — it’s a national problem," he noted. "Athletics is a big chunk of education today," Wilhon continued. "If we restrict coaches to the high school then we’ll have to go outside the dMtfict where we’ll have no corttrol." A check with other districts, he said, found that none have a policy restricting teachers in one of the district's schools from coaching at another Last month the state Board of Education declared a one-year coaching shortage emergency which will permit schools to "hire individuals as coaches with only 60 college credits (the equivalent of two . years of college). THE N.J. .EDUCATION ASSN, has blasted the policy, charging it to be a step toward replacing academic teachers with lower paid, less qualified instructors. It’s .(ftage 27 Please)

CAPE MAY COUNTY

BEIPINP HAND FOR THE HOLIDAYS Sea lisidi r

Vol. 16 No. 50 !WI t«owo*»C6fp All

December 16,1981

Rescue Units To Converge On Helipad COURT HOUSE - A first-of-its-kind-here joint training session to familiarize military and civilian rescue personnel with helicopter transport and evacuation procedures will take place Saturday morning at the Army National Guard armory, .- milepost 11 of the Garden State Pkwy. The program will begin following the 10 a.m. opening by the National Guard of its newly resurfaced helipad. The helicopter landing/take-off area was once an unpaved parking area for citizen-soldiers adjacent to the armory. 27 RESCUE SQUADS from Cape May and Atlantic counties along with Coast Guard representatives have been invited to participate in the training session. The training package was organized by Maj. Jefrey Pierson of Beesley’s Point, executive officer of the host 154th Supply & (Page 26 Please)

-n o T J q e

Next week's Christmas issue will be distributed a day earlier, on Tuesday, Dec. 22. As a result, news and advertising deadlines for that issue are today for news, and tomorrow, the 17th, for display advertising.

Doris Ward

INFANT SKEPTICISM is shown on the face of Jay SUefel, 15-month-old son of Mrs. Marie Stiefel of Cape May as the bundled babe receives a Mlypop from the bearded geat. Bob Grant donated his services on the Cape May Mall last Saturday. Would you believe,

Christmas is next week?

Jug-handle ‘Chicken’

COLD SPRING — Heading home from work along Rt. 109, you pull up in the lefthand lane to the light at the Rt. 9 jughandle. Momentarily you’re joined at the signal by another driver, in the right-hand lane, perhaps an out-of-stater heading for the ferry terminal in North Cape May. The light turns. And another Game of Chicken, unintentional or otherwise, is about to begin — a contest that will be repeated innumerable times today and tomorrow as it has for the many thousands of days since the jug-handle came into existence. Walter von Schlichten of North Cape May is among countless drivers who have

DUNE REBUILDING cuntfawed last week aiaag the sectiau *f Oec*a Dr. between First tti'Sefc ‘ ' — ‘ ‘ “ —

I Secood Ave. hi Wbale Beach, between Strai

rathmere tbesease

and Sea Isle CHy — one ef the

unwittingly been involved in this vehicular game of chance and wits, in which one of two motorists approaching the narrowing • roadway ahead must either yield or suffer

the consequences.

BUT VON SCHLICHTEN. unlike some drivers perhaps, doesn't relish }the challenge; does not like the thought of the

(Page 25 Please)

Blood Drive For Holidays COURT HOUSE - A hollda/blood drive will be held by the Red Cross 1-6 p.m. Dec. 21 at the National Guard Armory here, with the goaltDf obtaining ISO pints. There is a seasonal decline in the number of donors in late December and early January, noted Betty Clare Johnson, county bloodmobile chairman, and "we must not allow that to happen this year." SHE POINTED out that'patients in more than 100 hospitals, including Burdette Tomlin Memorial here, depend on the

bl£m collection.

Blood donated here is taken to the Red Cross blood center in Pleasantville, Where it ip tested, typed, and broken down ihto

different pairs.

"By separating the blood into different parts," she explained, "one donation can help restore three or four different patients to good health." To make blood donor appointments, call'

466-7382.

News-

The

Weeks

Digest TopStotl(>

Rail .Hearings Off Public hearings on N.J. Transit’s pro-

poul to eliminate passenger rail service

irrcape May County as of JAn. 31 have been postponed — guaranteeing Gov.-elect Tom Kean will be In office

when the final decision on the rail service

is made

Meanwhile service remains suspended with N;J. Transit continuing to maintain substitute bus service weekdays for commuter* traveling between the Cape and the Lindenwold high speed line. The hearing delay was requested by Several high-rankijig public officials if hearings had been held as originally, scheduled on Dec.' 17, Ihe Transit board of directors £ould have voted on the pro^ posal when they meet Jan. liand forwarded their action to the governor for his approval. The new governor takes office Jan. 19. 9 Injured in .Fire OCEAN CITY — A pre-dawn fire that . gutted three stores on Asbury Ave., left 14 people homeless and injured nine firefighters here Saturday, may be the work of an arsonist who has been setting fires in the resort for the last two years. The blaze — that took some 75 ' . firefighters from Ocean City, Atlantic Ci-/ ty, Linwood, Northfield and Somers Point most of the day to bring under cohtrol — damaged the building that housed Danny's Diggin's plant shop, and two adjacent buildings. Eight Ocean City firemen were treated for smoke inhala lion and one fireman from Somers Points was treated for an eye injury. Fire officials believe the fire may have (Page 12 Please)

rinside

ICING INTRICACY and lots more is behind this very special holiday gingerbread house.... P. 14 HOW SWEET IT IS may be the response to your Gift from the Kltchn if you follow the candy recipes. ...P. 16 YULETIDINGS. There are many ways you can mea ingfully express the spirit of the season to your fellowman, and the Helping Hand Page continue* with more Ideas. ...P. 13