Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 31 )uly '85

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From The Principal By Stanley Kotzen Principal, lower Cape May Regional High School

jO ENGAGED — Linda Jean Pennington, daughter of Norma J. Pennington of North Cape May, is engaged to Richard E. Todd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Todd of North Cape May. Miss Pennington is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Gold, also of North Cape May. The couple are graduates of Lower Cape May Regional High School and plan a January 1986 wedding.

Being the newest and youngest kid on the block can be a tough experience. So. on Wednesday. Aug. 28, LCMR will welcome the class of '89 in a morning orientation program. The purpose of this gathering will be to make these newest of the Capers feel better about those first few days in a new school. There is no way that a brief assembly and tour of the building will answer all of their questions, but what we want to do primarily is to minimize some of their trepidation. AS THE FATHER of a youngster about to enter ninth grade in a big high school (I am sure at this

time they all seem big ) I am very conscious of how many of our students must feel at this time. It is more than a little overwhelming to realize that you will be the smallest and most insignificant being in an institution where everyone else appears to know just what to do and where to go. These anxieties get complicated by the fact that when school ended in June each of those freshmen was surrounded by friends and at least "knew" the faces and procedures around him or her. Each one of them had earned a special status. NOW THEY must start over building a reputation in

^ m Pet Patrol BY MARK W. LOGAN, V.M.O.

Have you looked inside your pet's ears lately? Most dog and cat owners haven't, but should. There is a multitude of diseases of the external ear canal which can be caught in their early stages if you inspect your pet's ears once in a while. Your veterinarian should be consulted immediately if you are surprised by the presence of debris, wax, pus, odor or unusual looking lesions in either or both of your pet's ears. IN THESE cases, your veterinarian will probably inspect the ear canals, assess the situation and probably start your pet on a regimen of ear treatment and long-term maintenance. In specific cases, a culture of the ear canal contents may be helpful in identifying the bacteria involved. If your pet's ears are simply dirty, your veterinarian or his staff can teach you how to keep those ears maintained a bit easier. PROPER and frequent cleaning of the ear can dramatically lower the incidence of bacterial infection and chronic irritation, particularly in dogs. Dogs with ears which easily get infected are those with the long pendulous flaps. Specific breeds include most spaniels, retrievers. and hounds. Ears with thick tufts of hair within the canal are also subject to infection. Breeds exhibiting this type of ear include the Poodle. Airedale, and Schnauzer. along with some other long and curly-haired dogs. CATS AND dogs with erect ears are less likely to have ear problems because the erect ears are more exposed to air and light and there is less build-up of moisture and warmth. Warm, humid, dark ears are excellent incubation chambers for bacteria. Signs of ear infection or discomfort are quite easy to observe in your pet. Simple intermittent scratching is probably nothing to worry about. Chronic scratching with obvious self-mutilation and ear redness due to the trauma is a different matter altogether. A foul odor emanting from either ear or both, may

signify a bacterial or fungal condition requiring treatment. INFLAMMATION of the ear canal can cause temporary or permanent closure of the pathway to the eardrum. Such a closure of the ear canal can limit hearing and create a chronically infective situation. Many times your veterinarian will prescribe antiinflammatory drugs to slow the itching while antibacterial ear medications slow the infective processes. EAR MITES are frequently thought by owners to be within their pet's ears, causing all the irritation, redness and itching. Generally speaking, ear mites are more often seen in caLs than dogs. These parasites are small, eight-legged creatures which live, mate and burrow in the surface skin of your pet's ears. They do/iot live well outside of the sheltered environment of the ear. Because of their burrowing and movements in the ear, mites are extremely itchy and demand diagnosis and attention from your veterinarian. THEY ARE easily seen on a microscope slide of the debris found in your pet's ear. This test can be done atyour veterinary office. Ear mites are usually treated by your veterinarian with an antibiotic-mitocide solution used in the ear at frequent intervals. Some periodic ear cleaning will also be required. Many stray or wild kittens at a young age will carry ear mites in their ears and will require treatment if adopted. OLDER CATS and dogs occasionally will have problems with their ears which are cancer-inducfcd. Small benign lesions in the ear canal can spell big trouble if they grow too large or become ulcerated or infected. See your veterinarian if you find something within your pet's ear which shouldn't be thej-e or apparently is causing bleeding. Many ear problems cam* be avoided if you clean your« pet's ears frequently. Many different liquids have been

mentioned as favorite ear cleaners by owners. IN MY VIEW, alcohol and peroxide are not overly helpful choices because they are irritative and may even cause ear canal inflammation with chronic usage. Baby or mineral oil is rather helpful to assist with ear cleaning. Lately, many drug companies have come out with ear cleaning solutions which are very handy for routine ear cleaning. These solutions are aqueous (waterbased) and act as an emulsifier to strip away wax. oil and bacterial debris from within the ear canal. Ask your veterinarian for information on how to use these solutions in routine maintenance situations ONE NOTE of caution: "Q-lips" are good for cleaning external surfaces of the ear, visible to the eye, but should not be used to clean the deep recesses of the ear A well-meaning pet owner with cotton swabs can cause build-up of debris near the eardrum and increase ear problems by cleaning the ears incorrectly. Learn howto clean pet ears properly under the guidance of your veterinarian or one of his staff. IN MID-SUMMER, black flies, gnats, greenheads and other pests ccan cause what veterinarians call "flystrike". The tips of dog ears become raw and sometimes bleed due to the excessive insect bites. The ear tips are most often affected, especially erect ears such as those found on shepherds. Application of a fly repellant, ointment or gel. applied every day will decrease erosion of the ear tips due to flystrike. Some pet owners do not think about their pet's ears until infection occurs and scratching starts. By remembering to routinely clean your dog's and cat's ears, according to your veterinarian's directions, your pet will have more trouble-free ears and a more comfortable life. Anytime there is something amiss with your pet's ears, contact your veterin- . arian immediately, and t have them examined. Many times, untreated ears only get worse.

curricular and extra-cur-ricular activities, and they must do it in a world of adults. Not only are the teachers all new but these youngsters will be walking the halls with some students who are adults ( legally, anyway ) — and who occasionally act like adults. The brutal web of word of mouth can be particularly upsetting as sophomores and juniors hint at the teasing that freshmen face in this rite of passage. Seniors generally are more remote from the ninth graders and participate less in feeding freshmen queasiness. FOR PARENTS to assure youngsters that they will be accepted with open arms in a school that is new to them is right up there with those guarantees that the visit to the dentist will be painless But, class of '89, you will survive and you will make us all proud of you. Try to remember that in those first days! It was June 14 that the class of '85 graduated and heard a moving, articulate valedictory address by Mark Ilalbruner, scho-lar-athlete and merit scholar. Listen to Mark and he will tell you he was so nervous as a freshman that he couldn't eat breakfast for the first two days of school. FORMER Student Council President Brady Bonner spent his first hours of high school "waiting to get stomped on in the halls" Betsy Craig, senior class president, was "overwhelmed, scared, and nervous" during those first few days They know and remember the feelings vividly, but they are now a part of their high school adventure that has ended Here is some advice to the class of '89 from the class of '85. As Mark puts its. "Graduation came so fast. The excitement and joy of learning and growing up together 1 built to a crescendo that ended so quickly . " •THE AMAZING part of LCMR was the closely knit friendships that we built there" says Brady. "It's hard to believe it's over " For Betsy it's most clear "These will be four wonderful years if you take advantage of the opportunities that are available." Such encouragement might not erase all the doubt that now floats around in the minds of many 14-year-olds about to set out on a very special four-year journey, but they can take comfort in knowing that their anxieties are very normal and will be overcome. Blackley Joins Global Shield NORTH CAPE MAY - Airman 1st Class Frank F Blackley. son of John R and Carol L. Blackley of 9 Sunnyside Drive, has participated inn Global Shield 85, an exercise involving U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard. Navy and Marine Corps uniLs, and elements of the Canadian forces. Blackley is a power line specialist with the 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base. N.D. He is a 1980 graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School.

, _ xsi . joy ride III fat. By Libby Demp Forrest \J JJ^J The last thing I heard the other night before I fell asleep was the sound of the hair dryer in the driveway As a mother, I'm used to most any sound, but this was a new one for me. I got up out of bed and dragged myself to the window "What's that I hear down there?" I shouted out the window. "Huh?" No. 2 called back. "What's that sound I hear down there?" I shouted down. "What sound?" No. 2 shouted back. "The waaaaaaaaa sound," I called down. ! "OH THAT," No. 2 called up. "That's just the hair dryer." "The WHAT?" I called down. "The hair dryer," No. 2 called back up. I pattered back to bed. I laid down, but then I got up again and went back to the window. "Why do you need a hair dryer down there," I shouted through the window. "What?" No. 2 shouted back. "Will you turn off that thing?" I shouted back down. "Why do you need a hair dryer out there on the jdriveway?" "BECAUSE I'm drying out my surf board." No. 2 shouted back up. "Oh," I said and went back to bed. I climbed into bed and laid down before the waaaaaaa started again. The Hubby rolled over. "What's that noise I hear out there on the driveway?" he asked. "It's just the hair dryer," I said. "The WHAT?" asked The Hubby "The hair dryer," I said matter-of-factly. The Hubby sat upright in bed. He poked me a little. "DID YOU SAY there's a hair dryer out there in the driveway?" he asked. "Uh huh." I said yawning. "I'm trying to get some sleep." The Hubby got up out of bed and went to the window. He shouted down, "Why do you need a hair dryer out there on the driveway?" No. 2 shouted up, "What?" "Why do you need a hair dryer out there on the driveway0" The Hubby called down. "I already explained it to mom," No. 2 shouted back. "Oh." said The Hubby and pattered back to bed He poked me again. '"Now what is it?" I asked. "Can't I get any sleep around this place?" ARIES: Friends enlist your aid in altruistic efforts. Financially speaking, you need to find a happy medium between luxury spending and thrift. Strive for harmony with a cantankerous relative TAURUS: You earn accolades for your creative abilities. ... especially with home decorating Young people become a part of your social circle If you suspect that one of them has a problem, try to help out. -f j GEMINI : Professionals continue to stir things up Focus on ways to channel your superflous energies. When it comes to earning money, trust your instinctive feelings as opposed to logical methods. CANCER: Venus entering your sign over the weekend • promises exciting contacts, entertaining diversioas and the opportunity to change your appearance Long distance contacts bring promising results. LEO: A retrograde Mercury in your sign prompts you to fall back and re-group in personal affairs. This is not a propitious time for new endeavors, but do not be afraid of sticking to your guns early in the week. VIRGO: Friends come to call with elevating news. Investigate the motives of someone who is supposedly providing you with secret help. Co-workers are especially trustworthy and loyal at this time LIBRA: Do not expect friends to be on time for planned « meetings or engagements. A "loving figure" at home creates an obstacle. Dialogue with a business partner brings startling, but helpful information SCORPIO: Issues are clouded with a close relative or neighbor, but your ability to get to the depths of things enables you to resolve some of the difficulties. Money flow continues in an erratic fashion. SAGITTARIUS: Lay low with major business moves uqHtav Mercury turns direct towards the end of August Joint finances improve. A journey allows time to re-evaluate the difficulties of a present relationship CAPRICORN: Venus in your opposite sign will attract others to you. A mate or partner becomes more civilized and loving. Use the beginning of the week to entrench yourself in a physical fitness program. AQUARIUS: You perfect a talent, thus improving your financial status. During this powerful period, an abundance of good things will unfold. Excessive habits must be cur v tailed, and be sure to adhere to proper diet PISCES: You will see people who have been out of your life for some time. Interpretative and psychic gifts are stronger than usual, so allow time for meditation to fully understand their meaning.