opinion—

Our Readers Write House: What Image?

He: Proposed Wawa food store on South Main Street in Cape May'Court.House . To The Editor: It is encouraging to see the revilalization of the business district on Main Street Many questions have to be answered *in order that a comprehensive and complementary environment is achieved Ask yourselves this question "What image comes to mind when you think of Cape May Court House?" l • History 2' Heritage 3 1 Center of County Government and -l i Municipal Government a Professionalism 5 » Old Houses and Shops 6i Colonial and Victorian ism. 7 1 Country Living. \ * «« Nostalgia and V — Character TIIKSE ARK but- a few of the images that come to mind Is there a plan'' II so. where is it and who is going to carry it out'' Who should be concerned? - Kveryone should Ik- concerned The governing body, the citi/.en»and the business community What is the attraction to Cape May Court House'.' A longing lor space and good workmanship A nostalgia for old fashihned style and grace A fascination with the decorative techniques and materials of a highly ornamental age TIIKSK DUALITIES play a major part in the revival of Cape May Court House, and spread beyond the boundaries of gentrification. Victorian and Colonial inspired motifs and materials have brought hack exuberance and warmth to the commercial scene Resourcefulness of classicdesigns are at hand to be used in new and inventive ideas, stylistic consistency is the order of the day. By ignoring these elements we are eroding the integrity of the neighborhood and' foreclosing on the basic fibers of affirmative growth in the business sector.

Victorian Town: Victorian Ideas To The Editor r I would like to express my displeasure at the chauvinistic treatment I received in Cape May. For instance. I applied at Steger's Beach Service, which informed me that the girls would work in the store while the boys would work on the beach. The boys are known as the "Steger boys." These "Steger boys" informed me that Coach Steger is just old-fashioned. I say he is a chauvinist and something should be done Cape May is a Victorian town with Victorian ideas Another example of this old-fashioned treatment is the Victorian Arcade where I applied and they said I would work in the kitchen However, the boys had a choice where they wanted to work Is it any wonder why it is called the Victorian Arcade'.' I am sure there are many other places such as the two I have mentioned Cape May. open your eyes This is the 80s 4 LISA RE ILLY Villas

Well known Washington architect Angelos Demitrio is quoted. "The architecture of a city serves as an historic commentary, a rich and complex slowly assembled museum embodying the growth and development of a city and its people It is the most powerful physical evidence of the aspirations and accomplishments of its residents. Respect and preservation is essential to the task of maintaining historic continuity. linking the past with the present." The Middle Township Planning Board carries the future on its back and has an obligation to provide the necessaryguidance One of the statutory purposes of the Planning Board under the Municipal Land Use Law (40:550-2) is: "to promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangement". THK , DEVELOPER in this instance has a unique opportunity to establish himself as a CORNER STONE for development on South Main Street by incorporating the basic character of the neighborhood into a Neo-Victorian or Neo-Colonial motif. He can achieve instant acceptance into the community as a leader and be a key element to encourage other businesses to follow in his footsteps. This analysis is paralleled in a study prepared for the Middle Township Community Development Office by Rick Cohen & Associates. Planners of Jersey City*, through a small grant for technical assistance provided by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Cohen observes that the challenge is to do what is necessary to bring to fruition the area's positive prospects The attractiveness of a shopping district is critical in the willingness of shoppers to patronize an area The point is to make the area a comfortable environment in which shoppers will feel motivated to stay and explore Cape May Court House would be strongly benefited by coordinated storefront designs resulting in a uniform appearance to stores in the district. One conclusion of the study is that many people believe that mandatory storefront design guidelines are the onlyworkable approach. . Cape May Court House Contains nearly one third of the total year-round population in Middle Township. Nearly 83 percent of the businesses in Court House have been founded here, rather than having moved here from another community Cape May Court House is the County Seat and should act like it. , AL KARASO. JR Cape May Court House (ED NOTE: Karaso is chairman of the Middle Township Sewage Commission J Do you have an opinion on this subject? Write a letter to the editor. Herald and Lantern. P.O. box 430. Cape May Court House. N.J. 08210.

f h sail lantern"] PvMMmnI t»Wf W«4»»*4ay By TIm Stmn Cwpsrattw r O. 430 c«»« May C<mrl Ho—. N J. 08110 Joseph R. Zelnik Kditor Bonnie Reina General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunw.oody Special Promotions Director Darrell Kopp Publisher Smvoh Co'p I9»J AH All p>«w, lo. 'V. «».<. „< p-bh»">' U>o* b^ilw P*op»"» 0» ">• S«o-o.« Cvp No po- Ko-ool mo, bo •op'od.iod DEADLINES News & Photos ThursdayAdvertising Friday — 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information J* CAPE MAY tiriraUt-Uispattfi hMM twry W«bt**4ay By TW 9**wM>a Cwrf >«»■■ / f.Q 430 C mpm Itoy C— rt How.. W.J. BMIB

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3 Occasions To Lower Flag To The Editor: As commander of Thurston Elmer Wood Post No. 198. American Legion, and Americanism chairman of their Auxiliary Unit, when asked to comment on the display of the American Flag. I felt obliged to present the part of the Flag Code concerning this, as follows : There are only three occasions when it is permissable to display the American Flag at the half-staff position. They are: 1. On Memorial Day. from sunrise to noon 2. By Proclamation of the President of the United States 3. By Proclamation of the Governor of a state, territory or possession. If a city, county, township, organization, business or other group wishes to signify the death of a prominent individual from their ranks, it is permissable for the Flag or pennant of that group to be lowered while maintaining the American Flag in its full peak position. In some areas Qf the country, custom has provided that a black ribbon be attached to the pole at its mid-point to indicate the organization is in mourning. CLARA A. FOSTER Cape May Court House

.-Hovering Over the Mail A Premature Moonlight Cruise *\

By JOE /.KI.MK Those who wonder how I put in such long hours and accomplish so little should understand that much of my time is occupied with what politicians call "constituent services." Last week, for example. I spent six hours on the phone reading the "Gemini" forecasts somehow omitted from last week's "Planetarily Speaking" column And you know how Geminis are Long-time readers who know I have the answer to almost everything are always writing to ask my help Take the county's three current crucial questions, for exi ample: taxpayer sponsored cat sterilization, new house numbers in Middle Township and over-crowded beaches On neutering-spaying. my position is that the cat should be asked and his-her views respected. AS FOR CHANGING house numbers. I reject the suggestion that requiring hundreds of persons to buy new letterheads has anything to do with Mayor Mike Voll's printing business On the other hand. I have found that no stores sell the four-inch-high house numbers mandated within 90 days. Now if the mayor should happen to have cartons of fourinch house numbers in his garage Sewage flows indicate either that tourism has peaked in August, or individuals are drinking more beer Whichever, locals are finding it impossible to get a clear view of the ocean. Since most tourists do not know the difference between a jellyfish and a clear plastic bag. I anchor about four large, clear plastic bags at the shore line and tourists give my view a wide berth DESPITE ALL the time 1' spend righting wrongs (typesetter, note, not writing wrong), readers continue to demand perfection. Last week's column had four typos, including a reference to "Chapter II" instead of Chapter 11. There's a helluva difference between 11 and 2: nine, to be exact. A note a few weeks ago told me that I put Chincoteague in Maryland instead of Virginia, which seems pretty petty. More recently, a post card informed me that my

reference to a helicopter "hovering over" was redundant since hover means to hang suspended in the air. See why I hover ("remain in an uncertain state") everytime 1 get mail"' THK LATTKK COMPLAINT especially worries me because my contract forbids redundancies They, plus worsening economic conditions, like a shorter tourist season, are grounds for dismissal. That's why I'm so disturbed by an invitation from the county Chamber of Commerce to a moonlight cruise Aug 21 "to unwind a little after a rather hectic summer." There's a premature evacuation if I ever heard one. If Aug 21 is AFTER a hectic summer, what the heck takes place between Aug 21 and Sept 23. the first day of fall" Isn't it bad enough I'm reading "back-to-school" ads when 1 haven't had time to acquire a summer tan yet? I try to think positive about what I call "the speeding summer " I've made it without any of the usual summer problems: no serious foot injuries from going barefoot, relatively few insect bites, no sunburn and no snake bites. ACTUALLY, when was the last time you saw a snake? Stone Harbor doesn't allow em. What few there were were simply graveled over, or is it graveled under? No matter; I'm not writing half as good as I can because my contract is due for renewal and I always hold back a certain percent of my talent for upcoming wage talks It's not money I'm after this year, but a real car telephone. I've been feeling foolish lately sitting at the Stone Harbor Boulevard-parkway traffic light faking conversations into my greeri frog extension. Let me assure the publisher that a car radio is not my first step toward requesting a company car. I could not give up my 1976 Oldsmobile, which has become a real money-maker. I'm getting $5 apiece from the Golden Inn and Windrift in Avalon and the Washington Inn in Cape May NOT to park in their lots. They apparently feel that the presence of my car would keep away the type of customers they're trying to attract I seq this as a business with unlimited potential. If you want me to guarantee I will not park at your place of business, please call and make me an offer