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^ReraI^^^anterrn57Xpril '82

editorial Who Goes; What Goes?

, It'»one of those Damned If You DoDamned If You Don’t situations, but nevertheless a decision that’s got to be made. And the members of the Lower Cape May Regional Board of Education will be gathering in special session tomorrow evening (Thursday at 7:30) in the high school library in Erma to render what for some will be more than an unpopular decision. \ Nobody likes to be unpopular. Nobody en- I joys making a decision which means someone's job. Yet the school board will be doing just that Thursday night when they decide which of at least five teaching positions will be eliminated and what program offerings reduced. Ironically, the hard decision is necessitated not because the school district’s budget was defeated, but rather because the $5.2 million fiscal measure — for the school year July 1 to June 30, 1983 — was pared to begin with; even before the tax levy question went to the voters,'it had been reduced to reflect the fewer teachers and course selec-

tions.

AS THE SCHOOL BOARD president notes in an article in today’s paper, the paring was necessitated due to the current economy, a decline in student enrollment, and the apparent change in the trend of student course selections. It is the final of those term reasons that we wish to address — the apparent change in course selections by students. One of the teachers in the high school (who as a departmental chairperson doesn't stand to lose her job) has alleged that declining enrollment next year for fine arts electives (especially arts and crafts) may have been the result of how the students were counseled by guidance department personnel. According to the board president, cuts will most likely come in the areas of fine arts, industrial arts, social studies, physical education and special education.'The president has acknowledged that, based upon the electives this year’s students are selecting for next year, there is a shift more toward home economics and business-related courses and away from the fine arts, especially arts and

crafts.

SINCE, ACCORDING TO the teacher, art electives have traditionally been popular with junior high students entering the high school, one wonders why this trend all of a sudden is changing. If students are opting away from the arts to home economics, the sudden shift would seem awfully coincidental. The teacher indicates it isn't coincidence; that perhaps the students are being subtly discouraged from taking specific courses. The allegation, we feel, is quite serious. If guidance counselors are making course » recommendations to students based upon pre-determined personnel and course offering decisions made by the administration — then the_eaucational wishes of the students are being subordinated by the management desires of the administration. All kinds of machinations occur in school systems, as in the administration of any large organization. We sincerely hope this isn't one of them. “I’d like to appeal to parents to at least look at their children's schedule," the teacher making the allegations told the newspaper last week. “Why pay for study halls," she said in alluding to suggestions by counselors to students that they scheduled study halls instead of certain course elec-

tives.

WE WOULD SUGGEST that the parents of students who are in the high school or about to enter it next year, sit down with their children and ask them how they came to select the course selectives they chose for next year. Find out if the,guidance counselor recommend your son or daughter take Home Economics or Study Hall instead of a course he or she may have preferred. If you feel the course selection of your child was effectively substituted by a choice which will be of less

nature & man by R. Leslie Chritmer -

The Mourning Dove

April, April Laugh thy girlish laughter; Then, the moment after

most of our country, the Mourning Dove could become extinct in the same manner as the Passenger Pigeon, whose flocks were once so numerous they blotted out the sun. In about 45 states, hundreds of thousands of Mourning Doves are slaughtered every year as "game birds." Such "sport" reminds one of a witless character in one of the plays of George Bernard Shaw, who exclaims: "Oh, what a beautiful day, Let’s put on our hunting clothes and go out and kill something!" R. Leslie phrismer of Cape May Is a retired phar- ■' macist and newspaperman.

For, lo, the winter is fast, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come; and (he volcdofthe turtle is heard In our land; IT WAS A HAPPY AND APPROPRIATE choice of the ancient English translators of the Old Testament to "translate” bird to one they knew and admired, the Turtle-Dove, one the Oxford English Dictionary says is "noted for its graceful form, harmonious colouring, and affection for its mate." Surely the ideal bird to identify with love and the loveliest of seasons. The soft murmur of our Mourning Dove was heard in and around Cape May occasionally during the winter, and often on sunny February days. But those were the songs of the few permanent residents. The chorus will be increased as the migrant Mourning Dove return, and in great number. Although now abundant over

OFT ASSOCIATED WITH the olive branch < doves are a common sight on the Jersey Cape, ’ company with the red-winged blackbird.

reader's forum

There's a Better Way than Seven Spray

by Susan Karaso & Carol Albrecht As sure as the Swallows return to Capistrano, the Gypsy Moth will return to Cape May County. As in years past the question comes to mind; To Spray Or Not To Spray? The State of New Jersey and the Township of ‘ ~iddle have chosen to spray the toxic chemical Sevfn. ic manufactures label clearly states the dangers of using Sevin; Harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Do not breathe the dust. Do not take internally. Avoid prolonged or

occurs — we breathe it, get it on our skin, and even ingest it. In the process of killing the Gypsy Moth, it kills other insects it comes in contact with such as the Honeybee, and the other wasps which are natural enemies of the Gypsy Moth. It runs off into our many marshes and creeks, killing fish and other aquatic life. WE FEEL THAT THE RESIDENTS of Middle Township should be informed of the alternatives to spraying these toxic chemical insecticides: • Consider the application of B.t. (Bacillus thur-

‘New Jersey already has more than its share of toxic chemicals in the environment’

repeated breathing of dust. Skin Contact May Be Harmful. Avoid Contact. Wash hands before eating. Take shower or bath after work. This product is highly Toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on crops. NOTICE: Buyer assumes all risks of use. storage or handling of this material not in strict accordance with directions given herewith. And yet, each time it is sprayed, this is precisely what

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John H. Andrus II Bonnie Reina Darrell Kopp

Editor General Manager ft Advertising Coordinator Publisher

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Lower

Township

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W P.O. Box «M CoM Spring. N J objtm

value to him or her, get on the phone and talk to other parents. And if a similar pattern arises — better show up for the Thursday night school board meeting and find out what’s going oh. Even if The allegation proves false, it would be a good idea to attend the special meeting to see and hear just how your elected representatives on the board deal with a very difficult decision. Concerned parents having a sincere desire to get the Best education affordable for their children attending school board meetings is one way to show your appreciation for the thankless, no-pay responsibility of being a school board member.

ingienis) sold as Dipel or thuricide. B.t. may be sprayed aerially or applied from the ground. It is a bacterium that occurs in nature. It adds nothing to the environment or ecosystem's food chain. B.t. does not build up in the soil or result in harmful run-off into water supplies. It does NOT kill wildlife, or other small'insects such as the honeybee, a natural pollenator, or various wasps, natural predators of the Gypsy Moth. B.t. is toxic to only the Lepidaptera species of caterpillars which includes Gypsy Moth, Tent Caterpillar, Cabbage Loopers, and Peach Twig Borer, to name only a few. When a leaf containing B.t. is eaten by the caterpillar the bacterium is ingested, releasing the toxin which paralyzes the intestine, causing the caterpillar to stop eating immediately and then die in several days. THE MONETARY COST OF B.t. may be higher in highly infested areas because two applications are required over the period of hatching, but the cost to our health and environment is nothing. B.t. can be safely applied by homeowners and, in fact is more effective if applied to the underside of leaves, from the ground rather than aerially. • Integrated Pest Management, IPM, a system where natural biological controls are encouraged, can be used in woodland areas. Releasing of own controls. IPM does not include use of chemical pesticides because this defeats the purpose by killing the insects that are • natural enemies. (At present, this is what is happening.) • Homeowners can educate themselves in the life cycle of the Gypsy Moth and take responsibility for interrupting the cycles so they can help combat the spread of infestation, and allow nature to exert her'own controls. In Winter and early Spring, search for and destroy all egg masses. After hatching begins in May, use B.t. on infested trees, hose caterpillars down and destroy them, by applying liquid detergent and diluted bleach, stepping on them, raking them up and burying them or drowning them in a bucket. IN THE LATER GROWTH STAGES the caterpillars come down the trees each day at dawn, and at this time you can tie a fold of burlap around the tree, flaps facing downward, so the caterpillars will collect under the flap and then can be disposed of daily Sticky tape, sold as Tanglefoot or Repel M can be attached to trees and will also trap them. ' In late June or early July the pupae are formed and the caterpillar begins the transformation to moth stage. These dark brown cases can be destroyed, when found, to prevent the hatching of the moth, whose sole purpose is to breed. Before the mot)is emerge, sex lure traps can be purchased. These traps give off the sex attractment of the female moth, lure the males and trap them, thus interrupting the breeding process (Page 35 Please)