Lantern 31 March '82

23

March 1982 Cold Spring Even as the.crow fliei it is at least> two miles away, ypt like at nigh* when activity is at a hill and only the peepers are chortling, the sound of a car or truck going across'the grating of the Schellengei^s Landing bridge carries out he.re to the country. In the siim- ' m<;r, when the windows are open and the breeze is out of the west, the bell buoy in the bay can be Heard from our bedroom . Of course, the sound of the distant ocean surf whispers to us whenever the ■ wind is southerly, which if is a good bit of the time. I remember wondering after the Windsor Hotel fire, if we could have heard r the hammering as that j great hostelry was being j. built a hundred years ago ! — had we been living in this old house way back then. If oyr, research ih the county Records room is accurate, this country farmhouse was built before' the L850s. Just think ^f all the. ham- , mer blows arid sawing sounds the occupants must have been able to hear, ^back in Cape May’s heyday when- the resort was abuilding. . AN OLD HOUSE has its own sounds too, thp creaks and groans of ancient timbers, moved at their pegged joints by a heavyhanded wind. But more than even these gentle groans of age, the beauty of an old home is most reveal-

ed, of course,- by its appearance.. > In the old days, they seemed to have »ntqre regard for appearances than now The carpenter Gothic homes in Old,Cape '♦May were built-toy artisans

landscape, seascape or cityscape.' • > . ortp OF MY favorite features about our old country farmhouse is'the winding- staircase While its design is purely func tional ^ to provide access

Country N o te

following standard designs and gussied up with fretworfesave brackets, soffits porch balustrades —\,ail. from plans out of a catalogue. Today, most people taking the bid house tours probably vifcw such structures as the work of some great 19th century'architect. Those who have even a little understanding of archltectUk or local history, aren’f’sq easily

fooled

Not that the artisans of the.tlay wefe out to trick anyone. They were simply taking what amounted to a plain box of a house and making it attractive with popular designs of the day. That’s not done anymore, too expensive For my money, it’s another exam pie of being overty concerned with the buck. Afterall, why not spend extra for what to'most individuals is the investment df a lifetime. Besides, you not only live here, those who live around you must seC it too — every day of their lives. Any good piece of architecture should be in harmony with its surroundings, whether part of a

between . floors, with minimal space for stairs — it nevertheless has an intrigue and beauty about it, akin^to somewhat like the oft-pictured chambered jiautilus. Especially when the later afternoon sun streams in the upstairs and downstair windows direct ly opposite the stairwell Then the warm light bathes the. well-worn treads, the pumpkin pine responding to the sunshine with an aura wi\ich has an aural effect bn .mo I son/etimes sit in the, livingroom gazing at the win ding' staircase, wondering dbout all the people before my family who trode those stairs over a century and a half. I like; to hear the laughter of children as they scurry up the stairs," but I have also imagined in my mind’s ear the'slow, sullen footsteps of the bearer of bad news, perhaps bring ing down the message of death. And sometimes I just watch as Lleben, the family shepherd, makes her way up the winding stairs, seemingly a chore even in her young age. Just like the

countless people and pets before her^Lieben is leav- \ ing behind her mark on the stairs — in this case scrat‘ches from/her nails Perhaps s<!»me future owner’. \vil^-'wonder how those marks were ntade THE OLD staircase 1 always reminds me of that famous painting jn the Philadelphia Museum of Art, showing the artist about to ascend the winding stairs whilt a youngster peers around the left edge I was thinking about it the other day. and no one I knew could help me recall the artist A trip to the library reveals more than Mi£ painter was Charles* Wilson Peale. who was born in the mid-isth century in Maryland and died in Philadelphia in 1827 teven before all that building began in what was fast becoming fashionable Cape Island) The painting, done just before the turn of the 18th century, is entitled The ^Staircase Group and it is termed a trompc I'oel. That’s French for deceive/ the eye and 1 what iPmeanv is that the artist painted the picture, so that upon first • view, the beholder aCtunfly thinks there are two live people bn a real staircase . 1 HADN’T KNOWN that about the staircase painting before, but it got me thinking about the trompe I’.toel the owntor of one of the - grand Victorian homes in Cape May had painted On his porch ceiling The pic-

ture-is of the. sky! so that upon ,first glance, the. viewer believes he is'looking through a skyligltt A simple, old wlto’ding staircase has significance It has gi,ven me a hew understanding about a work of art I haye admired and helps me to see our home in Ihe perspective of history Now. when* 1 sit

and let mv mind soak in the beauty of ihe staircase, there is even more of ,i sense of oneness / of past and president and future drifting together momen tarily of times gone by anil yet to come touching the common trends and risers of a simple set tof stairs

A

NWF Poll Flunks Reagan

J HA

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Reagan Administration got a failing grade on its dnvironmental record during its first year in office in the National Wildlife Federation’s annual poll of its membership. Of the 36,010 members who responded in the postcard survey, 86 percent rated the President’s environmental record less than ’'good", the conservation group said. Sixty-three percent rated his record "poor’’, and 23 per cent called it "fair”, while only 10 percent rated it “good", and 4 percent said it was "excellent.’’. * •THESE FIGURES compare to 22 percent who rated President Carter’s environmental record "poor”, 51 percent who rated it "fair" and*a total of 2Zpercent who rated 'it either "good or "excellent" in a 1978 NWF’ poll after Carter's first year in office, the NWF reported

The question on Reagan's performance was among eight issues on which NWF’s members were asked to comment in the February-March issue of National Wildlife magazine, the Federation’s bimonthly publication On postcards mailed at their expense. NWF's members ex pressed their opinions on environmental regulations, qcid rain, wetlands, endangered species, population control and Interior Secretary Watt. THE PERCENTAGE of NWF members who think that Secretary Watt’s record is "too pro-development" has almost doubled since*last June, when the Federation find polled its members on Watt and then — based on that survey — asked for his removal from office. Eighly-three percent of the respondents in the new survey Said Watt’s record was "too extreme in promoting

The Corrections System

by SHERIFF BEECH N. FOX

Checking in at the County Jail

! F1 Wi

Pox

The Cape Mky County Correctional Center is in opertjon 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It must, by law, accept and process all persons brought there lawfully. This processing is a highly complex opertioq — prisoners are not merely admitted, sent to a cell and occasionally

checked.

In 1981 of, the 1,166 persons committed to the County Correctional Center, 111 were females. In 1969/ my first year as sheriff,,

total of 832 persons were committed with well under 10 per cent females. These figures reflect the continuing rapid growth of our county and parallel the growth in law en-

forcement agencies.

Processing a prisoner in or out of jail.is neither a speedy nor a matter-of-fact event. Great care must be taken that it be done properly. More than one prison system has inadvertantly released the wrong prisoner due to faulty or

careless processing.

WHEN A PERSON IS BROUGHT to the receiving area, the arresting officer makes a personal search prior to J igning a jail commitment form which lists the charges, fficer’s name, prisoners possessions and any other pertinent information needed for the records. The prisoner is searched by jail personnel and carefully examined for any apparent jnjtiries or medical problems. If such exist or arc suspected, the committing officers must take the prisoner to a hospital emergency ward or to a physician for examination and treatment. Further processing continues after the arresting officers have departed with the jail staff now assuming full responsibility Individuals to be held only temporarily are placed under careful observation. It is this stage when prisoners have their first opportunity to telephOnTFfcjir family assistance and bail arrangements. The prisoner is then interviewed by an experienced officer, photographed and fingerprinted. A physical examination is also recorded within 24 hours or less. The

confinements. A RECORDS CHECK IS MADE to ascertain whether the prisoner has been previously confined within the county system. If so, the earlier record can be used for additional information and for confirmation of personal ^history, criminal background, behavioral tendencies and the like. This along with current data is used to determine initial classification so the prisoner is properly assigned at the center. Reclassification may be necessary later on. A mental health evaluation is done with follow-up/care or referral if necessary, This is one of the biggest challenges in prison — What to do with the relatively high percentage of inmates who have, or later develop, mental conditions. The prisoner's entire personal property is-inventoried by two or more .officers. The condition and estimated value of items are.noted and a detailed receipt is issued to, and signed by, the prisoner retaining a copy of use upon release. He or she may la tef receive items selected from a restricted list — socks, underwear magazines and cigarettes. All iterruL are carefully inspected ’before distribution. OTHER THAN SMALI^ RELIGIOUS ITEMS, or difficult to remove rings, no personal property is permitfed the prisoners. Inmates' property is kept in a secure^ storage room outside of the living areas. Each prisoner receives a thorough hygienic check. A soapy shower is required and any necessary treatment for vermin is administered. Basic need items and supplies are issued and replenished as required. These include two uniforms, eating and drinking implements and personal hygiene.items. Bedding supplies are also issued at this time Special problem prisoners, including drug addicts, alcoholics and identifiable homosxuals, require additional supervision and arc segregated with appropriate treatment. Medical or legal requirements may lead to a prisoners transfer to another institution. The inmate may also request a transfer, which may be granted for good

development", compared to 44 percent who gave that answer in the earlier poll In the new poll 2 perrent said Watt was tffc '‘pro-environment" and 7 percent found his record "just right ", Only 8 percent said they didn't know enough about Watt to form an opinion - a sharp drop from the 44 percent that gave that arwwenlast June IN OTHER SURVEY questions, respondents showed strong support for federal ifivolvement in tour key on vironmental issues. More than 90 percent of those polled voiced support for federal legislation on acid rain, on dangered species and wetlartds problems Respondents also ranked each issue according to its relative importance F^nvironmental regulation was con sidered the top priority ;\nd federal involvement in population control ranked second. The results of the ques tion on environmental regulation, which were already released by the NWF?, showed that almost three fourths of the respondents felt that the United States has "too little" environmental regulation. THE NWF MEMBEltaHlP survey differs^frdm most public opinion studies in that it reaches about 2o times the number of people who usually take part irt newspaper polls In addition, it is the largest annual poll aimed not at the general public,.but at persons who have demonstrated an ipterest in environmental issues by joining a conser vative group. With its 4.2 million members and sup porters. NWF is by far the nation'* largest citi/ens cornier vation organization The poll's results nelped-guide the Federation insetting policy at its annual meeting in Milwaukee. Wk last week British Seagull 387— —‘ • From Page I2> 1 was feeling that <j^ay this morning as I snared high above the earth pretending I was a 747 I was feeling, gloriously alive and excited about this thing called life I headed out toward the bay The wind started humming alongside me and then moved on to shift a big cloud into a million particles Several other birds called a greeting, and a few’ people from the ferry threw out some bread I looked down in the water after gobbling some bread and watched the churning waters from the ferry as they whipped out.across the still waters ’Then 1 got an idea, a brilliant idna. and a way to share my feelings I FLEW IN SIDEWISE TO THE FERRY, and landed on the deck It was a difficult feat, but 1 succeeded .Then I sat on the shoulder df an old man Who was resting I moved nearer his face and looked into his eyes Then I flew off and away, leaving him with one of my best cries As I looked back. I saw him just for an instant His face seemed changed somehow, glowing and alive I flew back toward the ocean and felt a kind of sadness that the ex perience, the peak experience, was such a rare occur rence "It must be feah." I thought "KeaF of communication of sharing those deep thoughts we have about life and