Page 605 - Demo

EditorialsReport To Our ReadersA s w e a p p ro a ch o u r e ig h th b irth d a y th is year, The P h o e n ix is he ade d fo r a n o th e r year o f re co rd a d v e rtis in g g ro w th and e d ito ria l im p ro v e m e n t. M o re th a n 350 d iffe re n t m e rc h a n ts re g u la rly a d v e rtis e in o u r d is p la y a d v e rtis in g pages and w e have th e a re a %u2019s la rg e st and p ro b a b ly B ro o k ly n %u2019s m o st e ffe c tiv e c la s s ifie d a d v e rs tis in g s e c tio n s .A s year-end e ssa ys in th e c e n te r o f th e n e w s p a p e r th is w e e k c le a rly sh o w , th e p e o p le w ho g a th e r and c o m p o s e e d ito ria l p ro d u c t o f The P h o e n ix are a d ive rse and im a g in a tiv e cre w . W e are p ro u d o f every one o f th e m %u2014p ro u d o f b o th th e ir d iv e rs ity and th e ir e c c e n tric itie s , b e c a u s e they re fle c t th e in c re d ib ly d iv e rse m ix o f n e ig h b o rh o o d s , is s u e s and p e o p le th a t w e deal w ith each w eek as w e g a th e r th e fa c ts and o p in io n s w e p re se n t to you. U nder th e able le a d e rs h ip o f M a nag ing E d ito r Irene Van S lyke, The P h o e n ix has c o n tin u e d to be a n e w sp a p e r th a t fo llo w s th e h ig h e s t s ta n d a rd s in re p o rtin g and ne w s co vera ge. W e b e lie v e th is is s u e and th e p e rs o n a l e ssa ys c le a rly d e m o n s tra te th a t p o in t.In a d d itio n to o u r co ve ra g e o f th e ne w s each w e ek and th e fe a tu re m a te ria l w e p re s e n t, one jo b of The P h o e n ix, as it is o f m a ny o f th e b e st n e w s p a p e rs a n yw he re, is th e c re a tio n o f sp a ce to r a pa ge like th is one, w h e re rea ders have th e o p p o rtu n ity to sp e a k o u t to us and to ea ch o th e r. O ver th e year pa st, we have run m o re th a n 200 le tte rs to th e e d ito r on one lo c a l s u b je c t or a n o th e r and m o re th a n 30 C o m m u n ity F o rum p ie c e s on s u b je c ts ra n g in g fro m p o lic e p ro te c tio n in P ro s p e c t Park (th is w eek) to a c ritiq u e o f o u r c o ve ra g e o f c o m m u n ity is s u e s (%u201c T im e s Plaza Board: G u ard th e T e n a n ts , N o t th e O w n e r,%u201d Dec. 6). W e p re s e n t o u r ow n v ie w s here to o %u2014in th e c o lu m n la b e le d %u201c E d ito ria l%u201d , n o t d is g u is e d as fa c t in th e n e w s c o lu m n s o f th e paper.R eaders have m any g rip e s w ith us, so m e w e th in k are real and o th e rs w e c h a lk up as p ro b le m s th a t c o m e w ith th e te rrito ry . P ro b a b ly th e m o s t fre q u e n k re a l p ro b le m th o u g h , is w ith o u r c irc u la tio n . W ith a p a id c irc u la tio n th a t is g ro w in g each year, w e have had real g ro w in g p a in s. N ow , o ve r th e pa st fe w m o n th s , w e have s ig n ific a n tly im p ro v e d o u r e ffic ie n c y in s o lv in g th e s e p ro b le m s and m a k in g c e rta in o u r re a d e rs are g e ttin g th e n e w s p a p e r th e y pay fo r in th e m o st tim e ly p o s s ib le fa s h io n .L o o k in g b a ck ove r th e p a st year, w e are p ro u d th a t w e havebeen able to c o n tin u e to m ake The P h o e n ix re fle c t th e e x c ite m e n t and d iv e rs ity o f B ro o k ly n %u2019s b ro w n s to n e n e ig h b o rh o o d s . O u r g ro w th to d a te has p a ra lle le d th e g ro w th and re n e w a l o f o u r re s id e n tia l c o m m u n itie s . T he ye ar pa st has been an in te re s tin g on e, b u t it is to th e year ahead th a t w e lo o k w ith e x c ite m e n t and a se n se of a d v e n tu re . K eep re a d in g !The Easy Way Out?T he d e c is io n o f C o m m u n ity S c h o o l B oard 13 to vote ap p ro va l o f th e a d d itio n o f g ra d e s seven and e ig h t to th e e x is tin g e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l, P. S. 8, in B ro o k ly n H e ig h ts se em s s u s p ic io u s ly to us like a ca se o f p o litic a l e x p e d ie n c y . O ver the p le a s of its o w n p ro fe s s io n a l s u p e rin te n d e n t and a d v ic e fro m c e n tra l Board o f E d u c a tio n a d m in is tra to rs a b o u t th e a ctu a l p ro ce s s re q u ire d to in s ta ll th e a d d itio n a l tw o gra des, th e Board ch o se to vote fo r th e e x p a n s io n w ith o u t p ro v id in g any m e a n s to im p le m e n t th e d e c is io n . M a yb e it is ju s t a ca se of ta k in g the easy w ay o u t o f a c o n tro v e rs y -a c q u ie s c e and say yes w h e n you kn ow th a t you can th e n p a ss a lo n g th e p ro b le m to s o m e o n e else. Let th e m in s te a d ta ke the h e a t fo r sa yin g no.A New Era DowntownA s th e d e ca d e draw s to a c lo s e , in m a ny w a ys it a ls o s ig n a ls th e c lo s e o f an era in the re n e w a l o f d o w n to w n B ro o kly n . W ith the ste e l ris in g on th e A lbee M a ll and op en a c c e s s to th e s to re s on F u lto n S treet m in u s the tra ffic , w e ge t a g o o d p ic tu re o f ju s t ho w great th a t F u lto n M a ll is g o in g to be fo r d o w n to w n .The c o m m e rc ia l co re o f d o w n to w n B ro o k ly n is s till the p h ysica l hub o f a ll the b ro w n s to n e B ro o k ly n n e ig h b o rh o o d s , th o u g h you w o u ld n %u2019t know it if you live d here b e ca u se fo r years, even in c lu d in g no w , d o w n to w n has been a p la ce to a vo id and not a p la ce to go to . The years ahead w ill ch a n g e th a t.N o t lo n g ago, F u lto n F e rry w as a p la ce to avoid to o , and now th e lig h ts , th e a c tiv ity and th e p e o p le have c h a n g e d a drab w a ste la n d in to an e x c itin g v ib ra n t p la ce w ith m u ch , m u c h m ore to co m e . The sam e fu tu re is in s to re fo r F u lto n S tre e t, w e th in k , and 1980 w ill be th e tu rn in g p o in t in th e m o ve b a ck d o w n to w n as a p la ce to go fo r e n te rta in m e n t and fo r s h o p p in g . The fu tu re is a lm o s t upon us; w e ju s t have a hard tim e s e e in g it b e ca u se o f the %u201c d u s t.%u201dSound Off a%u2014Disturbing AssumptionsWe the UFT Chapter at John Jay High School want to respond to a point you made in your %u201c Open Letter to Robert Weinberger, Principal of John Jay,%u201d (Phoenix Community Forum, Nov. 15). You stated, in reference to our students%u2019 problems, %u201c Maybe that doesn%u2019t mean much to you, since you live in a different neighborhood,...%u201d .There are assumptions here that disturb us very much: that a principal who does not live in his school%u2019s district does not care about his students or their families, that he has perhaps deliberately chosen not to live in the neighborhood, and that this choice is an indicator of prejudice. Your analysis of our principal implies the same for our staff.We think you are wrong. We think you should know, since you place such a highvalue on statistics, between 40 and 50 of our staff either walk to work or live within John Jay's zone. But, so what? Are these people automatically the most concerned teachers in the School? Are they more involved with the students, or do they teach more effectively? Of course not. You cannot judge a person%u2019s dedication by his or her zip code.In addition, the paper war you have created is both diversionary and divisive. As teachers we are frustrated by the double session, by our overcrowded classes, and by our truant problems. We are especially frustrated because we do not reach the parents of our occasional students, nor do they reach us. Why don%u2019t you and the other community groups join with us to help educate the parents about the tremendous importance that regular attendance has for their children? It is almost impossible to teach youngstersthoroughly and effectively if they do not come to school regularly. We know as well as anyone what the drop out rate means and how low reading and math scores can hurt out students%u2019 future. We care very much, and we don%u2019t want to be distracted from the main goals of improving the quality of school life and academic achievement at John Jay. We welcome community support. We do not welcome your slurs and innuendos about our principal, our school, and ourselves.%u2014TheJohn Jay United Federation of TeachersChapter.Continuing Columbia St.We who have worked to assure that the destruction of the Columbia Street Community is not continued applaud your article. (Columbia Street Looks To Future Hopes. Phoenix, Dec. 13)We hope you will continue to report the events in this Community to assure that the people who have long lived here will not be pushed out in the effort to %u201c upgrade%u201d their community.This means, we hope that in the future you will continue to report our continuing efforts in working with the Building Department to assure the seal-up of houses which can be rehabilitated, working with the Department of Environmental Protection in their planning for the next phase of the Interceptor Sewer Project, which is still to be built North of DeGraw Street, and working with the Department of Transportation and the BQE Task Force to follow work being done on the BQE and its impact on the Columbia Street area.%u2014Jerry J.Amier, Cecelia Cacace [co-chairpersons],Anne Mazelia South Brooklyn Citizen%u2019scommittee, Brooklyn Waterfront Representative.Community Forum Views From ReadersBY MORRIS SANDLERIn 1973 the 74th Precinct, whose sole responsibility was the protection of Prospect Park, ceased to exist. At that time, the sixty police officers and three supervisors assigned to the Park fell under the jurisdiction of the 70th Precinct. Since that time, police protection in Prospect Park has been slowly and steadily declining. At present, the Police Department of this city has intentions of phasing out the Prospect Park Police Team by steadily declining its manpower.Currently the Prospect Park Police Team consists of twenty-four police officers and three supervisors. As of January 1, 1980, that figure will tie reduced by seven police officers which will leave the Park and its facilities inadequately protected. The public should be aware of the many problems facing the facilities and the visitors to the Park and how these problems will be affected by a decrease in police protection.T%u2019t-, n f ofo Wrtllmo%u00bbi l o o Clntino Dmlroperates six days per week from midNovember to mid-April. There areapproximately two hundred to three hunMorris Sandler is a member of theSociety For Old Brooklynites and liveson Argyle Road in Flatbush.dred children and adults attending the skating sessions during the afternoon and evening. Problems which are familiar to this facility are injuries to skaters, disputes, gang warfare, vandalism to the building, muggings and larceny of the concession stands. Prior to the last decrease in police personnel at the park precinct, a police officer was assigned during the operating hours of the rink on a daily basis.The Prospect Park Zoo, being the second largest facility of its kind in the City of New York, has in the past been constantly patroled by one or more police officers to stem the tide of muggings, child molestations, and the unique crime of animal abuse.NOT IMMUNE TO CRIMEThe Brooklyn Public Library, which is visited daily by thousands of people, is also not immune to various crimes being committed on its premises. Among those crimes are the larceny of valuable books,fllmc on/l Uictnr%u00abr>ol m o m rvroKJli'l P rtmocare not confined to the interior of the building. Outside of the library, automobiles are stolen, vandalism to the building occurs and people entering and exiting the facility are accosted.The Brooklyn Museum, which has beencalled the cultural center of Brooklyn, is visited daily by residents and tourists. Enshrined within are various valuable works of art. Visitors and objects of art alike fall prey to thieves.The Brooklyn Botanical Garden encompasses fifty-five acres of expertly manicured lawns and gardens. Muggings, burglaries in garden buildings and thefts of numerous rare botanical displays occur frequentlv.Charitable fund-raising events, walking tours sponsored by Prospect Park environmental groups, public and private school educational groups and various religious groups which hold meetings in the Park will have to turn to other locations to meet their needs because Prospect Park will no longer be safe.These are not the only problems the Park suffers. If you like to jog, ride a bicycle, fish, ice skate, listen to operas or the Philharmonic, enjoy Shakespeare, enjoy birdwatching, go horse-back riding or even Hisrn anH vnu intend to use the nark facilities%u2014BEWARE!! If the Park is deprived of adequate police protection, who will assist vour child when he or she is injured? Who will recover your lost or stolen property? In short, who will be there to help you?If the above is not enough to convince you of the importance of adequate police protection for Prospect Park, the following statistics might prove enlightening. In 1973, the Park Police Team consisted of sixty police officers. At that time, there were approximately two hundred forty nine reported robberies. In the years 1974 through 1977, with manpower remaining relatively stable, reported robberies decreased to approximately one hundred sixty-seven.At present there are only twenty-four police officers assigned to the Park and already the reported robbery figure has risen to two hundred five. What will this figure be like when the Prospect Park Police Team is decreased by further numbers? Will the Park remain a playground for children and a haven for nature lovers or will we be giving our park, your park, to muggers, rapists and vandals? The choice will be left to the community. If you are concerned aboutthic nmhlpm mntar4 R#\\rrujr%u00bbh ProcirlontGolden, Mayor Koch, Police Commissioner McGuire and your congressmen and assemblymen. Let your feelings be known. Help keep Prospect Park safe for yourselves and your children.December 27.1979, The PHOENIX. Page 11