The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

FIFTY CENTS (908) 2324407

Scotch Plains – Fanwood THE TIMES

OUR 42ND YEAR – ISSUE NO. 3742 Published Every Thursday USPS 485200

Periodical – Postage Paid at Scotch Plains, N. J. Thursday, September 14, 2000

of

— Serving Scotch Plains and Fanwood Since 1959 —

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

INDEX

A& E............... Page 22 Business ........ Page 19 Classifieds ..... Page 21

Editorial ........ Page 4 Education...... Page 10 Obituary ........ Page 12

Political.......... Page 3 Social ............ Page 6 Sports ............ Page 15

Boro Council OKs Lease Pact For Victorian Light Fixtures

By SUZETTE F. STALKER

Specially Written for The Times

The Fanwood Borough Council voted 5 to 1 at a special meeting September 6 to approve a lease agreement with Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE& G) for 61 Victorian light fixtures, which will be installed along South and Martine Avenues as part of a new streetscape theme.

Under the terms of the pact, known as a “lease buy down” agreement, each light will cost approximately $2,035, to be paid for with a portion of the $400,000 in state and county grant money which was received by the borough last year for downtown improvements.

Over the summer, officials had weighed lease versus purchase options for acquiring the lamps. Purchasing the lamps would have cost the borough between $6,000 and $8,000 each, with maintenance costs incorporated into the annual municipal budget.

A straight lease agreement would have meant no money down for the lamps, but would have cost the borough $63 each month to cover installation and maintenance expenses.

Through the lease buy down arrangement, the borough will pay about $32 per fixture every month to cover operating costs. The monthly charge will be factored into the borough’s annual municipal budget.

Manufactured by Hadco, an outdoor lighting wholesaler in Littlestown, Pa., the lamp will be known as “The Fanwood” in the company’s catalogue.

The design of the light fixtures, called a bishop’s crook with scroll, will be a replica of the kind which decorated many area train depots in the 19th century, including the Fanwood station. They will provide pedestrian lighting in the downtown but will not replace regular light

fixtures. Democratic Councilwoman Cynthia Swindlehurst was the only member of the governing body to vote against the lamps. “I don’t think it’s a tax burden this town can afford,” she remarked.

Ms. Swindlehurst’s colleagues on both sides of the political aisle, however, felt the new lamps were an important step toward downtown revitalization.

Republican Council President Joel Whitaker said the lamps would help provide the downtown with “a unifying identity” and called the project “an investment in the future.”

He also predicted the Victorian streetscape would lend a unique flavor to the downtown that would at tract more tax ratables to Fanwood.

These ratables, he anticipated, would “more than cover” the annual cost of operating the light fixtures.

Democratic Councilwoman Karen M. Schurtz said the addition of “The Fanwood” along South and Martine would provide “a consistency across the community” by linking the downtown with the Fanwood train station and the Pocket Park currently being developed on Watson Road. Several of the Victorian lamps will be located at the park.

Observing that downtown revitalization has been a topic in the borough for some two decades, Democratic Councilwoman Katherine Mitchell emphasized that similar

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Fanwood Memorial Library Welcomes Back Patrons With New Look, Materials and Services

By SUZETTE F. STALKER

Specially Written for The Times

Brilliant sunny skies made a perfect backdrop Saturday morning for the grand reopening of the Fanwood Memorial Library at North Avenue and Tillotson Road, which had been

closed for several weeks while final renovations took place over the summer.

Library Director Dan Weiss and members of his staff welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of elected officials, families and others for the event,

which commenced with a flagraising ceremony in front of the library, conducted by the Honor Guard of the Scotch PlainsFanwood High School Air Force Junior ROTC.

The official ribboncutting followed at the library entrance, after which visitors were treated to their first look at the refurbished facility. They also enjoyed refreshments provided by local merchants and music performed by musicians Barry Mitterhoff of Scotch Plains and Joe Seely of Tenafly.

Since taking the helm as Director in 1997, Mr. Weiss has been the guiding force in bringing the library up to date in resources, equipment and appearance. Library Assistant Gloria Rusnak described how he “put his heart and soul” into the library, sometimes staying long hours to see the goals for the facility come to fruition.

Upgrades over the past three years have included physical improvements to the facility, enhanced operations and services and the library’s transformation to full automation through its membership in the Libraries of Middlesex Consortium.

This summer, the library completed its final renovation phase with new carpeting and painting in the Adult

Section and new main entrance doors; new work and study tables; updated displays for periodicals and audiovisual materials; new computer areas and new shelving that has increased space for library materials by 15 percent.

Other additions expected to arrive soon are a new Children’s Department Service Desk and a new Circulation Desk.

The Young Adult area, located in one corner of the Adult section, has also been enhanced. It features a new study area; twoposition chairs which encourage relaxation, and books, magazines and other materials geared specifically toward adolescents. A computer for that section is expected to arrive in the future.

Among those on hand for the reopening were Mayor Louis C. Jung and members of the local governing body; former Mayor and Democratic Seventh Congressional District candidate Maryanne S. Connelly and Assemblyman Richard H. Bagger (R22nd).

Also present was Bill Shepherd, a Fanwood resident who, along with his family, was instrumental in the successful campaign to bring the battleship New Jersey home to the Suzette Stalker for The Times GREAT DAY FOR THE LIBRARY… Mayor Louis C. Jung, left, and Steve

Clark, President of the Fanwood Memorial Library Board of Trustees, cut the ribbon last Saturday as some young visitors watch during the grand reopening of the library. The event followed completion of the final phase of renovations at the facility. Looking on from the rear is Library Director Dan Weiss, who shepherded three phases of improvements since 1997.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Rats Trouble Neighbors In Fanwood

By SUZETTE F. STALKER

Specially Written for The Times

A group of Fanwood residents appealed to officials for help last week in dealing with a rat problem which has recurred in their neighborhood for the past three years, despite diligent efforts to rout the creatures.

Some 20 neighbors of the affected area, a residential “island” bordered by Beech, Laurel, LaGrande and South Avenues, turned out for the Borough Council’s agenda session September 6, seeking answers to what has become an increasingly frustrating dilemma.

Robert M. Sherr, Director of Health for the Westfield Regional Health Department, and Pam Agovino, a registered environmental health specialist with his office, were also in attendance. Their department serves six communities, including Fanwood, Westfield, Mountainside, Garwood, Springfield and Roselle Park.

Ms. Agovino told The Times of Scotch PlainsFanwood that after complaints were received by her office, 21 properties in that area were investigated this year. She explained that when rats are reported on one property, adjoining lots are also investigated to determine whether a problem exists there as well.

Of the properties she investigated, Ms. Agovino revealed that evidence of rats or conditions which might invite infestation were found at 11 of them. These homeowners were sent notices of violations and told they needed to hire an exterminator.

Owners of the remaining 10 properties, where no evidence of a problem was found, received advisory notices informing them that a problem exists in the area and what precautions they should take to prevent infestation.

She confirmed that virtually all of the homeowners who received notices of violation have cooperated in taking the appropriate measures.

While the problem primarily involves a oneblock area at Beech and Laurel, health officials have been unable to pinpoint the exact source of infestation in the area, according to Ms. Agovino.

During a twohour discussion at the council meeting, the environmental health specialist noted that rats seek out sources of food, water and harborage. She observed that eliminating these factors “go a long way in reducing and eliminating the rodent population.”

She said that although there is “no obvious” food or water source in the vicinity of Beech and Laurel, rats can also be drawn by such elements

Cheri Rogowsky for The Times SLIP SLIDING AWAY… During the Italian Festival in Scotch Plains, residents Melissa Helock, 10, and Kelly Wisinger, 11, were all smiles while whooshing down a giant pink slide at the townshipwide celebration.

Cheri Rogowsky for The Times SERVING AND PROTECTING… Scotch Plains Police Officer Matthew Hoelzel of Middlesex helps to keep the peace while directing traffic during a hectic afternoon.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Public, Politicians Demand Smaller Classes While Maintaining Quality

By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Times

The call to reduce class size rings loud and clear from parents at local board of education meetings and from politicians on the national scene. But class size reduction (CSR) in and of itself is not a cureall for poor student performance in public schools.

Smaller classes make common sense to their proponents. They allow for more personal interaction between student and teacher. There is evidence they reduce discipline problems.

They are, however, one of the costliest forms of education reform around, as California’s fouryearold CSR program has demonstrated.

California Plunges Billions in Small Classes

In 1996, California introduced a voluntary, statewide, multibillion dollar program to counter poor reading scores and overcrowded classrooms. The cost was projected at $1 billion the first year, $1.5 billion annually thereafter.

California offered public schools $800 per student for every child in a class of 20 or fewer in grades kindergarten through three.

School districts sprang into action. By the end of the 199899 school year, 92 percent of 1.7 million K3 students were part of the program. Schools hired 28,500 new teachers in the first three years (29 percent with under three years of experi ence). They struggled to find 18,000

new classrooms. After taking over libraries, special education centers, child care facilities and computer labs, schools were forced to purchase portable classrooms.

Students in the California program have showed small improvements in academic achievement that appear to carry over into higher grades. But some educators worry that teachers’ professional qualifications have declined in the rush to hire more and more of them and that this decline persists not at the elementary level, but in middle and high schools as well.

Westfield Digs For Good Teachers

Finding qualified teachers is also a challenge closer to home, said Westfield’s Superintendent of Schools Dr. William J. Foley, who

SP Council, Utility Reach Agreement

To Install Lights By FRED ROSSI

Specially Written for The Times

At the Township Council meeting Tuesday night, officials passed a resolution authorizing the municipality to enter into an agreement with Public Service Electric & Gas to buy utility poles and lamps in connection with the downtown streetscape plan.

Councilwoman Geri M. Samuel said 93 lights will top about 80 new poles in the central business district with some poles containing double lights. The design of the greencolored poles will be the same as those now located on the Village Green, she said. The cost of the new fixtures will not exceed $161,500.

“If all goes as planned,” Mrs. Samuel told the council at its regular meeting, “they should be in place before Thanksgiving.

“Hopefully,” she added, “with as little disruption as possible” to local

businesses and traffic. In other business, Mayor Martin L. Marks, responding to a telephone call from a local resident, said that township officials have held discussions about the state Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposal to build a new bridge linking Park Avenue with Bonnie Burn Road on the northern side of Route 22.

The Mayor said that, at some point, there would be “a public airing” of the proposal that would give residents a chance to voice their concerns. Some homeowners near Bonnie Burn Road have said a new bridge would increase car and truck traffic near their neighborhoods.

Mayor Marks said township officials still want to meet with officials from the state, as well as from Union and Somerset Counties, Watchung, and possibly Fanwood, to talk about

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Texas Truck Driver Called Suspect In Murder Of Scotch Plains Woman

By MELISSA BETKOWSKI

Specially Written for The Times

Arkansas investigators trying to find the killer of 25yearold Kristin Ann Laurite, a Scotch Plains native, are said to have a suspect in the case.

According to press reports, authorities are focusing their probe on 48yearold Robert Ezagui, a truck driver from Harker Heights, Tex. Mr. Ezagui became the focus of the investigation following his August 29 arrest near Henryville, Ind. on rape charges.

Mr. Ezagui allegedly bound, gagged and raped a 29yearold woman and told her that he had killed before. The victim escaped from Mr. Ezagui, naked and screaming, and was able to alert police.

DNA tests comparing Mr. Ezagui’s blood to semen found on Miss Laurite’s body were negative for a match, but authorities insist he is still a suspect.

According to reports, Detective Cleve Keeling of the Conway County,

Ark., Sheriff’s Department, Mr. Ezagui lied to investigators about his whereabouts in Arkansas at the time Miss Laurite was murdered.

Mr. Ezagui claimed that he drove through Arkansas without stopping, Detective Keeling said. However, receipts and the driver’s logbook showed different.

According to his records, Mr. Ezagui stopped at least twice while in Arkansas: once to pick up his load of frozen food in North Little Rock and then to get gas in Little Rock, about 45 miles from the I40 rest stop where Miss Laurite was last seen.

Authorities have said that with Mr. Ezagui leaving the gas station at roughly 1: 15 p. m., he would have arrived at the rest area at approximately 2 p. m.

It was at 2 p. m. that Miss Laurite telephoned her mother in New Jersey, reporting problems with the 1971

Page 14 Thursday, September 14, 2000 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

Cheri Rogowsky for The Times SCOOBY FINDS A HOME… Catherine Filipkowski, 7, was the proud winner of a plush Scooby Doo at the Italian Festival in Scotch Plains. Scooby Snacks were not included.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Rats Discovered

as uncovered garbage, vegetation, compost sites, food left on the ground for animals, a bird feeder where food has spilled over onto the ground and dog feces.

The health department representative observed that rats typically travel no more than 100 feet between their dwelling place and a food source.

Ms. Agovino told The Times she does not believe that any food establishments in the vicinity are responsible for the problem, noting that all restaurants in the six towns served by the health department are required to retain the services of an exterminator and undergo unannounced inspections twice a year.

She said rat sightings in the area have typically involved one animal or a few, but that health officials are attempting to resolve the problem before the rodent population expands. “We try and eliminate the problem before it gets in higher numbers,” she explained.

Neighbors, nevertheless, remained clearly distressed by the situation.

“There is something beyond our backyards that is causing this to happen,” said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous. “This is not acceptable and it has to end.”

John Reilly of Beech Avenue, who also spoke at the agenda meeting, concurred. “It’s very frustrating,” he said.

Mr. Sherr revealed the health department has had a contract for the past several years with Pestgon, a Middlesex pest control firm, to treat problems on municipal properties, in storm drains and on other public properties which the regional health department is referred to by the local Board of Health. The contract does not cover private properties.

The Director said his office is looking at several options for tackling the problem before next spring, including continued investigations of the affected area; bating storm drains there with poison on a quarterly basis between late spring and late fall, and distributing educational flyers.

Mr. Sherr advised residents at the council meeting that similar problems exist in other area communities as well. He also cautioned that, although residents can take preventative measures and be more diligent, “there is no 100 percent guarantee” that any of the proposed tactics will eliminate the problem.

Council President Joel Whitaker recommended that Mr. Sherr’s office work with the Fanwood Board of Health in implementing strategies for dealing with the rodent problem, and that updates on the situation be included in the council’s monthly committee reports.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Victorian Lamps

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Fanwood Library Renovation Includes New Look, Materials and Services

Garden State. Inside the library after the ribboncutting, Mr. Weiss gratefully acknowledged the many people whose contributions made the renovations possible, including Children’s Librarian Susan Staub and Library Assistants Mrs. Rusnak and Kerry Maione, as well as eight parttime employees and six high school student “pages.”

Mr. Weiss additionally thanked the library’s Board of Trustees, headed by Steve Clark, for having been “extremely supportive of me through this effort.”

Saying Fanwood has “a wonderful track record for volunteerism,” Mr. Weiss lauded the more than 70 volunteers who prepared the library for its brand new look.

Participants packed books, furniture and shelves and stored them in two, 45footlong trailers in the library parking lot. They then unloaded and unpacked the items after the renovations were complete.

Mr. Weiss gave a special nod to Jon Lorenzini, a 13yearold Scotch Plains resident who organized and coordinated the volunteers as his community service project to become an Eagle Scout. Jon’s mother, Bonnie, and brother, Wes, pitched in as well. All were in attendance at the library Saturday.

Jon, who said he wanted to give something back to the library for the valuable resource it has been to him throughout his school years, remarked that he hoped local residents enjoyed the enhancements to the facility.

Mr. Weiss also honored the Friends of the Fanwood Memorial Library, represented

at the celebration by Vice President Carol Campell, for their fundraising efforts on behalf of the library. The Friends recently presented Mr. Weiss with a check for $7,000 to benefit improvements to the library.

Mrs. Campell likewise commended Mr. Weiss and his staff for their success in modernizing the facility. She presented the library Director with a plaque bearing the names of major contributors to the improvement effort, saying the upgrades marked “a very exciting time for the library in this town.”

Mr. Weiss additionally acknowledged Fanwood’s Director of Public Works, Raymond Manfra, and his department for their contributions.

Public Works personnel dismantled and assembled shelves, carried things back and forth and removed wall units from the library’s interior.

The library also saluted TV35, Fanwood’s cable access channel, for helping to publicize the library upgrades and for having gifted the facility with several community videos for its collection. Producer George Weiss was among those in attendance Saturday to capture the festivities on camera.

The library has resumed its regular hours for the school year. It is open from 10 a. m. to 9 p. m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The Children’s Department is open until 9 p. m. on Mondays only and the library is closed on Sundays.

Ingrid McKinley for The Times

RESIDENTS FEAR WEST NILE VIRUS, CRITICIZE LACK OF TOWN RESPONSE

Five Dead Crows Discovered On Tudor Oval, E. Broad Street

PAUL J. PEYTON and LAWRENCE HENRY

Specially Written for The Times

WESTFIELD -A Tudor Oval resident found two dead crows on his property within 24 hours late last week. Fearing that the birds might have died of West Nile Virus (a disease spread by mosquitos), George Bogatku was less than thrilled with the response he received when he called authorities, including Westfield’s health officer and the Union County Health Department.

“Friday my wife calls me up and says, ‘I just saw one (crow) die, ’” said Mr. Bogatku. His wife, Alice Hunnicutt, said she observed the first crow at about 9 a. m. on Friday in her yard, staggering. A little while later, the bird succumbed.

By Monday, the number of dead crows had risen to four in the BogatkuHunnicutt yard. There was an additional dead crow in front of the Westfield Memorial Library on East Broad Street.

Mr. Bogatku made several calls, but believes he is getting the runaround from Union County and local authorities. Ms. Hunnicutt alerted the Westfield Health Department, who (she said) said they would immediately have the bird picked up. The birds, however, were never moved. Ms. Hunnicutt then called the Westfield Police Department who indicated they would contact the Health Department.

Mr. Bogatku has called Union County’s Dead Crow Hotline and even the state health department. Officials, he said, gave him conflicting answers on how long a bird can be dead and still provide health officials with credible information on whether the birds carry the West Nile Virus. Mr. Bogatku was told the birds should be put on ice to preserve them long enough for the West Nile test.

One of the crows was bagged and placed at curbside while the others are still in the yard.

“One wonders if this is a serious issue,” Mr. Bogatku told The Westfield Leader. “It kind makes you nervous to know it (West Nile) might be prevalent in the area and we do not know about it,” said Hunnicutt.

There are indeed seemingly contradictory reports about West Nile Virus occurrences in New Jersey in general, and in the local area in particular.

Prof. Holly Gilroy of the Rutgers University Agriculture Department said, “Rutgers is involved in tracking the sentinel chickens,” test bird placed throughout the state to detect the virus. “We also do mosquito trappings and test blood samples.

“There have been no sentinel chickens testing positive in New Jersey,” said Prof. Gilroy.

Dennis McGowan, public information officer for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, has a different story based, to be fair, on a totally different testing procedure.

“We do have our first human case (of West Nile) on September 1, a gentleman in Hudson County,” said Mr. McGowan. “We have about 585 dead crows tested positive in 14 different counties, including Union. We have 59 crows that have tested positive in Union County.”

As for the disparity between the results of the state’s crow testing program and Rutgers’ sentinel chicken monitoring, “That’s a little hard to explain,” Mr. McGowan said. “We don’t know. We do have it in

crows. We found seven pools of infected mosquitoes in Bergen, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties.”

As for the Bogatku and Hunnicutt frustrations, Mr. McGowan explained that, “People who find a dead crow should contact their local health department. The local health departments will come out and take a look at the crow and collect it. They determine whether or not it’s a good

sample. If it is, they’ll send it to us for testing.”

However, “In some communities that have had five or more crows that have tested positive already, the state lab is not testing any more crows for the time being. We’ve asked the local mosquito control and health officers to consider any crows they find in those towns to be positive and react accordingly.”

The “no more testing after five positive crows” policy, Mr. McGowan said, was established by the national Centers for Disease Control.

“Additional testing would not be a good use of resources,” he said.

Locally, Westfield’s health officer, Robert M. Sherr, denied receiving any call from Mr. Bogatku or Ms. Hunnicutt late Friday about a dead

crow. He explained the local procedure this way:

“If we get a report of a dead crow in viable condition, we refer Associated Humane Society of Newark, then they attempt to pick up the crow. If it’s considered viable for testing, they send it down to the state department of health.”

Associated Humane is overloaded, however, and, according to W. Jubb Corbet, Jr., President of the Westfield Board of Health, the organization is unreliable, too.

“We already know they do a bad job,” he said. “And there is no alternative to them.” Discussions are underway, Mr. Corbet said, to develop a county animal shelter to handle all animal related services.

Mr. Corbet poopooed the public worry about West Nile.

“The bottom line,” he said, “is that this whole crow business is being grossly overplayed (in the media). They (health officials) are not overly concerned about this situation in New Jersey.” The one person who contracted West Nile, he said, probably got the disease outside of New Jersey.

“At this point, there is no health risk from this,” Mr. Corbet asserted.

“The latest report from the state department of health lists positive (West Nile tested) birds from May 30 all the way through August 24, the last date (on the report),” Mr. McGowan said. “And I don’t see anything positive for Westfield.

One crow that tested positive for West Nile was found on Boulevard in Wesfield, Mr. McGowan said. “But that hasn’t been issued to us as a formal report by the department of public health.”

initiatives have already taken place in Westfield and Plainfield.

“I think if we don’t make some progress, we’re just going to be dangling out there,” she stated.

Republican Councilman Thomas P. Ryan, Jr., who also advocated approval of the agreement with the utility company, anticipated annual operation of the lamps would equal out to $10 per household per year.

The governing body recently awarded a contract to Viola Contracting Company of East Orange for accompanying streetscape work, including construction of lighting foundations, electrical conduit placement and concrete and decorative paver block walkways.

The streetscape work was expected to take place within the next several weeks, to be followed by installation of the lamps in the downtown.

Planner Proposes Ideas For Downtown Fanwood

By BRIAN JOHNSON

Specially Written for The Times

Professional planner Richard Preiss spoke to the Fanwood Borough Council during a special meeting last Thursday evening about opportunities for downtown redevelopment.

Mr. Preiss, of the New York firm Abeles, Phillips, Preiss and Shapiro, was awarded a professional service contract by the governing body several months ago to perform analyses of the commercial district to determine the best avenues for revitalization.

Although no final plan has been approved, Mr. Preiss offered elected officials, local merchants and the public various options available to the borough and discussed their economic feasability.

He also emphasized the importance of adopting a particular architectural theme for the borough’s revitalization.

By filling vacant areas between stores with new retail businesses off South and Martine Avenues, providing handy shortterm parking and implementing a Victorian streetscape initiative, Mr. Preiss said, the borough should be able to create more “shopper interest” in the downtown.

He noted that the arrangement of the retail businesses closer together would create a “window shopping effect,” allowing customers to feel comfortable walking and browsing from store to store.

He cited the current gaps between businesses, which, he said, discourage shoppers from walking.

To bring more business to downtown, Mr. Preiss proposed a 40,000squarefoot supermarket or retail strip with easy pedestrian access, an idea that would require four acres of land.

Preiss also proposed a single common parking lot for easy access to to the entire downtown.

Mr. Preiss also envisioned apartments or townhouses near downtown the train station along LaGrande and Martine Avenues.

Commuters who live in these units would be able to leave their cars at home and walk to the station.

Mr. Preiss said such townhouses could sell for $250,000 to $350,000.

said the district used to get 1,000 applications for a job. Not any more.

It was only through a “personal connection,” he said, that Westfield was able to find an experienced teacher for a newlycreated thirdgrade section at Franklin Elementary School — this in a district whose starting teacher salary ranks third highest in the state.

When asked how class size factored into raising student performance, the superintendent said there are two keys to achievement: “The preparedness of the students coming into the classroom and the strength of the teacher there to teach them.”

Given a choice, Dr. Foley said he would prefer “a large class with a stronger teacher to a small class with an inexperienced, weaker teacher.”

Westfield Board of Education member Annemarie Puleio advocates smaller classes whenever possible. She pointed to the Franklin School situation, where third grade classes were up to 24 and 25 students, the maximum allowed by board policy.

“The class size policy is a reasonable policy that takes into account the optimal learning situation and the resources we have in the district,” said Ms. Puleio.

“In this instance, we had the resources to try to do better. We had a classroom available. We had to find a teacher. If you can get a good teacher, go ahead and do it.”

“It’s great to keep class sizes down if you can,” said Diane Bakst, a Franklin School parent who appealed to the board to add the teacher. “We were really pleased to get an experienced teacher.”

At Jefferson Elementary School, where fourth grade numbers are high, it is a different story. There are no classrooms available. “The possibility didn’t exist,” said Ms. Puleio. In accordance with board policy, an instructional aide will assist the Jefferson School teacher whose class size reached 26 students.

Veteran Teacher Says 1535 Classes Can Work

Social studies teacher Ed Leonard, a 29year veteran who taught at the elementary level and now works with middle school students, agrees that smaller classes in the early grades are important.

“When you try to teach the basics to a group of children, the more oneonone you can get, the better,” said Mr. Leonard, who is President of the Scotch PlainsFanwood Education Association.

At the middle and high school level, however, he said, “People almost place too much importance on it (class size). I’ve had 15 to 35 in a class. You do what you always do. You teach to the general group, make enrichment available, and make yourself available before and after school to students who need help.”

“Small classes in the very beginning grades, coupled with experienced teachers, may be extremely helpful with getting kids off to a good start,” said Sandra Stotsky, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs in the Massachusetts Department of Education. “You don’t need small sizes all the way through.” In

studying class size research, Commissioner Stotsky found the greatest gains in first grade when experienced teachers focused on reading.

Tennessee Program: Teachers Count

She also noted an important distinction between the CSR program in California and the Student/ Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) program in Tennessee, a fiveyear study often touted by champions of class size reduction in primary grades.

While “there were legitimate gains in Tennessee,” Ms. Stotsky noted Tennessee’s highlycontrolled study utilized teachers with an average of 10 years of experience, implemented CSR using less than 10,000 students, and had adequate facilities.

“It’s not just one variable, it’s a combination of things,” agreed Scotch PlainsFanwood Schools Superintendent Dr. Carol B. Choye. “Especially in the primary grades, you want to keep your size down. Primary teachers want to get around to every child.”

The next variable is “the teacher experience and professional development factor,” said Dr. Choye. “I’m pleased with the new teachers we’ve hired, coupled with the experienced teachers already on board.

“We have a very good professional development program,” she added. Part of that program includes teacher training in the 4MAT System, a program designed to help educators meet children’s individual learning styles.

Dr. Choye said facilities, parent involvement and the community are other variables in the “total package” that is a child’s education.

In Mountainside, while class size numbers are not set in stone, Superintendent and Deerfield School Principal Dr. Gerard Schaller said, “At the primary level, we keep (class size) as low as we possibly can.” At press time, he was keeping tabs on Deerfield’s three first grades, which were up to 24 students. Second grades have 18 students apiece; third grades range from 1922 students.

Dorothy Lusk, President of SPF’s ParentTeacher Association Council, said, “As a whole, the district is pretty sensitive to higher numbers in grades K3. As a parent, when you go into the schools, 1819 (per class) is much better than 2324.”

Mrs. Lusk added that it is unfortunate that both of the district’s south side elementary schools, Coles and McGinn, lost their art rooms this year due to high enrollment in first grade. Brunner Elementary, on the north side, may still lose its art class to a cart if first grade numbers continue to rise.

According to Dr. Choye, if teachers do things “the same old way,” there is no need to make changes.

“If you lecture, there’s no advantage to smaller classes,” she said. “If you change the way things are done, (using) small group instruction (and) handson learning, you can’t have that without the other (smaller classes).”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the proposed project. He added that the DOT has not yet responded to his written request for a meeting.

In another matter, the Mayor said that a structural engineer has visited the historic Frazee House, situated on the former Scotch Plains Zoo property, “to evaluate what, if any, part of that building can be salvaged.”

Noting that the Revolutionary Warera house is “in a great state of disrepair,” he said that, if the building can be preserved, an architect will be hired to draw up plans.

Mr. Marks also said that an initial environmental evaluation of the property itself has been done, with a final report yet to be issued. He warned that an environmental cleanup could possibly cost “several tens of thousands of dollars.”

But he said it was the township’s intention in the end to convert the sixacre property into a passive park.

The council also approved a resolution to allow Scotch Plains and Westfield to use each other’s disposal facilities during the two towns’ leaf pickup efforts this fall.

The council also appointed Christian Abeel and Patricia Sigmund as alternate members of the Board of Adjustment through the end of next year.

Mayor Marks announced some details of Scotch Plains Day, which will be held in the downtown business district on Saturday, October 7.

The day will kick off with a fivemile road race. There will also be a flea market, music on the Village Green, sidewalk sales, a farmers’ market, pony rides and a petting zoo.

Mayor Marks said the annual health fair will be held, but noted that flu shots will not be available at that time, due to delays elsewhere in getting the vaccine ready to be administered.

The council’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 26.

Public, Politicians Demand Smaller Classes While Maintaining Quality

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SP Council

We welcome your input: press@ goleader. com

Volkswagen van she was driving on her journey to McKinleyville, Calif., where she planned to sign a lease on a house. Miss Laurite was traveling alone except for her two dogs.

It was Miss Laurite’s dogs that led police to her body, which lay naked on the banks of a pond 300 yards from the rest area. Her throat had been slashed 10 times with a hunting or fishing knife.

Authorities are now trying to determine whether Mr. Ezagui is re sponsible for a series of unsolved

murders involving women across the country.

According to press reports, David Makowsky, a detective with the Indiana State Police, said that the driver’s logbook puts him in several locations at the same time that murders occurred.

Charged with rape, criminal confinement and battery in the Indiana case, Mr. Ezagui remained in custody Tuesday at the Clark County Jail on $50,000 cash bail.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Texas Truck Driver Named Suspect In Murder of Scotch Plains Woman

Silk Flower Program On Tap at Library

SCOTCH PLAINS – The Friends of the Scotch Plains Public Library will host a free session on arranging silk flowers and plants this Saturday, September 16, between 10 a. m. and noon at the library. All area residents are invited to attend.

Conducting the lecture will be North Plainfield resident Nancy Connor of Nancy Connor Design. Ms. Connor is a professional designer and floral arranger.

Ms. Connor said her talk and demonstration will focus on choosing

the right flowers, greens, colors, heights and styles for creating attractive arrangements.

The program is the first of several that are planned for 20002001, according to Friends President Ted Czarnomski.

Individuals wishing to become a member of the Friends of the Scotch Plains Public Library may pick up an application at the library, located at 1927 Bartle Avenue in Scotch Plains.