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Our Readers Write Face Reality Positive Way To The Editor; . The TV show "The Day After!” — in a sense just another horror movie — was really only a vicious eje ploitation of the fears of people. It offered nothing practical, served only to frighten people It left us with a dark cloud overhead with no' promise of the sun shining

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So what do we do to protect ourselves against the horrendous destruction of nuclear 'warfare? Certainly building underground structures (even though the Russians have many we are told) Has been discarded as impractical. There is no defense against those who are not able to build them. The present administration is offering increased military defense as a deterrent. But at best that can only l*e temporary. There is always the possibility the bomb could go off accidentally or fanatically deliberate So “The Day After” left us fearfully aware of the rubble and destruction of nuclear warfare. Should we fatajistical- . ly await our doom? Or pray that someone discover .a way to destroy the effectiveness of the bomb? Could we even count given time, on the accomplishments in space, surrounding ourselves in the’meanlime with the horrors of insecurity, fedr, anxiety and depression? WHAT DID PEOPLE do when religions threatened man with the end of the world (in my 85 plus years this has happened several times). Give up all our possessions and pray? That was not the way of Francis of.Assissi who, when asked what he would do if the w orld were coming to an end, replied "Work as if I would live forever. Live as if I would die tomorrow”’ That is decidedly a positive way of facing this possible reality, knowing that doing so is possible victory, doing - our very best in all we say and do to prevent the holocaust threatened by the TV movie.Make $very moment an unrepeatable miracle. Personally live as if life would continue forever. And I for one believe the possibilities of such are much much greater than those of total destruction , ■ W HAMILTON AULENBACH Claremont, Calif. (ED.NOTE: Aulenbach was rector of Christ Church and St. Michael's in Philadelphia, and a summer resident of Stone Hgrbor since 1937). Ignored Island To The Editor: A recent article in the Herald and Lantern under the headline “Island Chain,” authored by Dorothy D. Freas, contained a geographical error that civic pride forces me to bring to the attention of your many readers. Freas discussed the barrier islands of Cape May County and, evidently, was using one of those maps the state uses to obtain riparian claims. Freas placed Sea Isle City on the same island with Avalon and Stone Harbor, and completely ignored the island that actually contains Sea Isle - City, the vacation paradise of. Whale Beach and "Beautiful Downtown (and even uptown) Strathmere.” After reading Freas’ article, I quickly drove to Townsends Inlet to see if perhaps it had finally filled in with sand and actually attached Sea Jsle City to Avalon. It* hadn’t . The Bridge Commission can-still collect 30 cents for the .trip. There is another island between Avalon and Ocean City. That island not only makes the trip easier, but it also contains Sea Isle City, Townsends Inlet, Whale Beach and "Beautiful Downtown Strathmere." We residents are very proud of "our island,” (one of the most beautiful on the "Island Chain,” by the way). Should Freas wish to do some further research, I would be happy to pay her 30 cents toll to visit ouM^and. - dickXlliger “Beautiful Downtown c >^thmere”

opinion

Herald & Lantern 25 January '84

Lookin' and Listenin'

What Hapoers It Everybody In The World Calls OurBlutf At The Same Time 7 ' .

Chuckling In Sea Isle

To The Editor:

Anyone who has never attended a commissioners’ meeting in Sea Isle City has really missed out on an interesting experience. To set 'the scene of the Jan. 10 meeting, we have Dominic C. Raffa, the mayor of our little town, enjoying a chuckle with all of us; not, I’m sure, that we are all tuned into the same sorig. When a question is raised about the ’83 beach deficit, the mayor shrufs and remarks, “Poor management, I guess." When the subject is pursued, and the mayor is questioned as to a change of personnel next season, the answer is, “Maybe.” QUESTIONS on recycling, which is an extremely timely subject and one which our townspeople seem to be rather upset about, are treated much -too lightly by Commissioner Alan Gansart. He seems disinclined to investigate alternative plans for saving money. Suggestions made by one resident aroused an angry response from that commissioner. , ^ . The condition of'the town, dirty to say the‘least, mentioned by another townsperson. brought a response from the mayor of “Let’s have a big clean-up day in Sea Isle City, by the residents of course.” Chuckle, chuckle. Obviously, our commissioners are not too interested in seeking advice, or in accepting it when it is offered. We, the residents, are only interested in improving services and lowering costs. It’s our town too. ISABEL R. GILLESPIE

Sea Isle City

iWhat Do You Mean, 'Sir'?

Early Indians First Tourists

By DOROTHY D. FREAS Listening to my visitor one sub-freezing day and seeing. him shiver, 1 was amused as he said “We should give this territory back to the Indians.” Tbe Indians of the 17th century probably would not like it as it is now, for when they ownedit there were panthers, black bears, deer and wolves. Also thereV-as plenty of game and the fur-bearing animals — mink, ux, beaver — for trading with.the white man. There were skins for clothing, and the- meat of the animals for food, as hunting was easy in the forests of Cape May County. J THESE EARLIEST inhabitants of this area enjoyed the sun and the water plus the seafood. Here shells were abundant for the making of wampum. They ground out clam shells, the purple color inside the shell being higher in “money value.” Many years ago, The shell piles showed their money-making industry. Tbe excess abundance of fish and shell fish, the Indians smoked and carried bfick in the fall to their inland homes, thus providing extra food for the winter. These tribes lived uj the hills of New Jersey and of Pennsylvania near the Delaware River most of the year, but along both sides of the river they usually moved to the shore in early summer. THl "TRAILS they used, several well -known now as heavily trafficked roads, criss-crossing the state, then and now end at the water’s edge. One trail started where Burlington is now situated, and endfed in Cape May. Another, the Minisink Trail, in North Central New Jersey, cut in two the town where this writer lived for many years. That one began on the upper Delaware River and ended near Raritan Bay. Gradually, as tbe settlers increased and bought large plantations, the Indians were pushed back deeper into the interior lands. Although, happily, many records show that the majority of the early colonists of New Jersey did not steal the land from the Indians, but rather purchased the acres they needed for their farms. There are few records of individual Indian dwellers in the county. Although not too much is known of his life, one name is well-known, that of King Nummy, of the Kecbemeches Tribe. There are a few locations bearing his name, as Nummytown and Nummy’s * Island, near Anglesea. He did not leave the county with his tribe^for his sister had died, leaving several children and he remained to care for them. Although tbe Indians did not know of the wheel, or to make sails to augment muscle-power used to row their canoes, they had the knowledge -to travel, although on foot, to a “summer place” for sunshine, and good food, during the warm months.

Htral Ev*tj WcdacsJa) By . _ ■IW 8nw,*, Carfrf »tlec C«ye *Uy C—rt H—«, N J, lci« •Joseph ft. Zelnik : Editor Bonnir Hems General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunwoody Special Promotions Director Darrell Kopp Publisher WimmSm&SjZ fMBMnHBSi ferriMMtir* contonU •< rtU* pvl fy •< riw C«rp. Me k«r*of ■tlfcaiil prtmr wrttln K— DEADLINES “ " News & Photos Thursday Advertising Fridnj — 3 Mf. Classified Advertising. Fridiy — 3P.M. [ - U5-5»55 For News or Advertising Information ~] Neither •tfrtrtiMTt Mr the peWWhm ml the HERALD AND LANTERN will he ecspeaelhte or UaUe for nJtiararmaUee ■UajrtaU. lYpocrmphical error*, etc . hi may tetoe The editor rnervee the right U rilt .may letter or arOcleo uhmiucd for

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t’oblutierj Ever* WetfacodoY By j> O ^ The Seanavr Corpora tier, Cope May (owl Honor NJ. «Cie

Don’t Laugh and Look Younger

By JOE ZELNIK I’ve got a birthday in three days, a secret I share only with you close friends. Please don’t think I expect a gift. On the other hand, only thing worse than no present is one that doesn’t fit. So: I’m a 39-long suit, 34-35 pants. 15-35 shirt, ll-B shoe, and four-on-the-floor in sportcars ; In case some of you are running a raffle to buy mea car, the way Catholics always seem to be doing for parish priests, I recently had the occasion to drive t Nissan Stanza and was quite impressed. I would prefer the five-speed, fm radio, sun roof, and cruise control. Being more realistic, howe' er, if you’re going to send homemade cookies (to go with my bedtime glass of warm milk), stack the heavier ones at the bottom of the tin. ^\M NOT ABOUT to tell bow old I am, but I can report that the year t was born, people poured into tbe streets to cheer. Dancing and celebrati r 'os followed for days and in some places are still going or It was the year Prohibition was repealed. Those of you who are saying “What’s Prohibition?” should not be reading this column. You’re too young to understarxi it. Prohibition was aimed a* immigrants who lived in poverty and drank to escape their despair — my people. And they loved Prohibition. They created booze in bathtubs and wine in cellars and opened speakeasies and made lots of money. I KNOW YOU don’t care how old I am, but fm obsessed with it. I’m absolutely destroyed when I meet a woman in her late 20s and she says, “How do you do, sir." I’m constantly shocked at my age. I wrote a birthday column at the Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times li years ago. thinking then that I didn’t have much time left. And here l am, stUl clinging to life. • There are times when I wonder if it’s worth scheduling a haircut, let alone a six-month dental checkup. There is probably no sense in getting a vasectomy. Of course age is all point of view. For example, I look younger standing than sitting. But I’m also the oldest jnv mature person in the county IT’S NOT ALLyBAD news. At a recent party in Worthington, Ohio. (I love to aarnedrop), I was off in a corner

pondering what UT put on my tombstone when I was introduced to a professional woman — a cosmetologist with “Mary Kay.” Upon learning my age, she marveled at how young I look, swear to God. v She kept fawning over how “good” I looked until 1 began to wonder if she was merely surprised that I was still standing Ever modest, I pointed out that I do have some wrinkles and scrunched up my face in an imitation of Mother Teresa. “Those aren’t wrinkles,” she protested. “Those are laugh lines.” I didn’t argue with her, but 1 haven’t laughed in years. Well, that’s not quite true; I do laugh at everything I read about Earl Ostrander. ^ AT ANY RATE, if you don’t want wrinkles, be warned • don’t laugh. A lot of women are aware of this. Notice them in supermarkets, laundromats, rusty cars — definitely not laughing J If you could sneak into their houses, you’d see them at their dining room tables, the ashtray filled, the refrigerator empty, the kids finally in bed, the support check late, just enough wine for tomorrow’s spaghetti sauce, and a stack of bills in front of them. Tbey’renot laughing — just to stay unwrinkled. In fact, one of this county’s biggest shortages — right behind jobs and snowplows — is good-natured women who laugh. BIRTHDAYS MAKE ONE aware of the brevity of life and, just my luck, I had to read an article with suggestions for a long life. In your 20s, it said, cut down on alcohol and drugs In your 30s, start a low-fat, high-fibre diet. The same article also said the body’s “decline” begins, in tbe 30s. I guess I’m suffering from premature declination (one of several premature-related ailments); that is, my body must have started to decline before its 30s to get in this shape. In your 40s, the article said, stop smoking and stay physically active. And it called the 50s “the decade of sudden death.” Better have a checkup, itsaid. v * won’t tell you which decade I’ve reached, but l’-ve been avoiding sleep ever since I read that article for fear I won’t waken.