December 15, 2005 Issue
|
|
|
|
December 15, 2005 Issue
|
|
|
About Us Chestnut Hill Local Webmaster Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or ©2005 Chestnut Hill Local
|
From our readers…The fiscal problems of the Chestnut Hill Community Association could be solved if the association planned to spend only those funds that had been raised the year before. It might take a phasing in but many other organizations find that kind of a budgetary process to be very helpful. W.W. Keen Butcher
Better read than dead I was sorry to read about the recent dispute between the editorial staff and the Board at CHL. Knowing neither the details nor the individuals concerned, I can make no judgments. As a journalist and former freelance editor, I know that running a paper is one of the most difficult, demanding, and thankless jobs in the business world. Newspapers are no longer the great money makers they were in the days of Hearst and Pulitzer. Small newspapers survive but by the grace of God! The publishing world pairs the oddest combination imaginable — the crusading journalist, and the practical businessman. Both are essential to a paper’s success. Like the two hemispheres of the brain, one is lost without the other. And yet, their temperaments are so different, their responsibilities so divergent, that it is a second miracle — finances aside — that such couplings endure. Journalism has no attraction to complacent souls. It is a writer’s nature to be intensely interested, passionate, and even overly-opinionated about the never-settling swarm of events that constitute his world. From such a volatile combination of traits, amiable personalities seldom emerge; and the “prickly” journalist — though exaggerated — is more real than mythical. But without such qualities, where would writers get the intellectual and emotional thrust to write anything worth reading? Readers consume only what lifts them well above their mundane routines. No writer will gain even one ounce of readership interest without investing at least two pounds of journalistic fire and excellence! Such men and women are rare — perhaps thankfully! Taking account of the marginal incomes that are standard in this profession, it is remarkable that even this paltry few venture into the field. Genuine dedication to a personal calling is the only explanation! Those who oversee an editorial staff should understand this. What is hard to understand is why one would be so offended by an editorial, regardless of its content? Does the offended doubt that readers have sense enough to know that it’s just an editor’s opinion? Does anyone imagine that editors get their ideas straight from God? If a board member is offended by an editorial, the easiest remedy would be to write a rebuttal. I’m sure any editor — if he really is committed to truth and fairness — would grant that much. It is all too human to be offended by editorial slights. Those who have been offended may forgive themselves in conscience. Their critics — if worthy to sit in judgment — should understand and forgive the natural angst their targets will feel. It is so common for us to be more lenient with ourselves than we are with others, and so rare to rise to the standards we demand of the world. But the crusading journalist must also rise from his dreamy slumber and recognize that newspapers must meet certain financial demands, or perish. Rarely is it easy to blend realistic needs with idealistic fancies. Seldom will the twain even meet. But if success is to be had, they must! When that does happen, it is because the wise — even if adversaries — tough their way over obstacles that constrain lesser mortals, and hammer out solutions—not compromises, but real solutions! — that remedy the problem. Some call it diplomacy, leadership, or wisdom. Rather less lofty and quite human — but still remarkable — it is the maturity to swallow a little gall in order to gain another chance to renew the struggle for our principles.
Christopher Bachler
Paver did a favor Hooray! Hooray! The tracks have gone away! As a committee of one, I wish to state that I am so glad that SEPTA finally took a step to ensure a bit of safer driving conditions on Germantown Avenue between Allens Lane and Cresheim Valley Road. It’s a pity they didn’t go all the way up to Rex Avenue terminal. The cement along the stretch starting at CVS is gradually wearing away from the tracks. In time I’m sure this will be a big road hazard. I have lived on Germantown Avenue for 40 years and over those years I have seen many accidents on this stretch of highway, especially when it rains or snows. The former PSD and the now New Covenant Church have repaired the walls of their campus many times due to skidding cars crashing into them because of the uneven tracks and spotty sinkings of the Belgian blocks. Who remembers how many times this section of road was uprooted by the then Bell Telephone Company, the Electric Company and the new quick restaurants/diners that cropped up over the years? In my home I have had to replace three plaster ceilings due to the continuous vibrations of the swaying trolleys. You could always hear them coming and feel the house tremble as they clacked past. I am not saying that the street repair job is a work of art, but at least the ride is smoother and easier on the old and new car axles. And hopefully the topping will prevent further accidents. Everyone cries “historical” and “restoration.” If one really wants to get historical, why not unite for the restoration of the rutted dirt roads of Colonial Germantown/Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill. Teresa Pec
Pay to Park As users and lovers of the Wissahickon and the other treasures within Fairmount Park, we city taxpayers need to remain open to the possible betterment of our park system under the proposal to consolidate the Park Commission with the Recreation Department. But before we can support the proposed change, the case needs to be made for how (not why) one agency will assure greater resources for our depaupered parks because they need more than the status quo. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown writes in her message, “Bringing Fairmount Park into the 21st Century,” which appeared in the Dec. 1 edition of the Local: “This proposed change in and of itself will not transform our parks overnight. There are other reforms that need to happen as well. Finding increased dedicated funding is high on this list.” I suggest the establishment of a dedicated funding source for the city’s parks be coupled with the proposed management change, so we vote on one package next spring. Without linking both reforms, the consolidation of the two agencies simply will create a bigger bureaucracy with no assurance of a stronger future for Fairmount Park. William Hengst
Run down hill I commend Jim Gleason for writing to the Local about the deplorable situation of the commercial Snowden properties along Germantown Avenue. I commend the Local for printing the letter as it seems there has been hesitance in criticizing Mr. Snowden in the past. Surely those who care about Chestnut Hill will continue to question the motivation for many of his properties remaining vacant (is it five years now for the former “Under the Blue Moon” or is it 10 years?). Neglected, empty properties contribute to vandalism and crime; I sincerely wish that the CHCA and CHBA would get involved in this situation. B. Rosin
Some bodies to love After reading Jimmy Pack’s impressions of the Body Worlds exhibition [Body Worlds: great art or disgusting exploitation, [Local, 12/2/05], I thought about the comment books that allow visitors to record their opinions and impressions. A very small number of visitors, less than one percent, share Jimmy Pack’s opinion, but the vast majority of visitors have comments like these: “It has taught me to take care of my body … Awesome … It makes me want to use SPF 90 to preserve my skin … I am never going to smoke … Everyone should see this to develop a respect for the body … Makes me want to eat right, stretch, breathe and keep moving … Terrific … It surpassed my expectations … Thank you for the experience … This was totally amazing.” Long before the exhibit arrived, The Franklin Institute formed an Ethics Committee that was chaired by Arthur Caplan, Director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, with representation from Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths, African American Churches and respected ethicists. The committee studied the exhibition and ethical issues, and concluded that Body Worlds is a respectful, educational exhibit that would benefit our members and our visitors. Over 100,000 people visited Body Worlds at The Franklin Institute in the first 50 days and have found the exhibition brings information and experiences to the general public that has only been available to the medical profession. Body Worlds is a respectful view into the anatomy and physiology of the human body. To say that Body Worlds is only “full of preserved dead whose existence has lost its true meaning” unfortunately missed the point. The individuals whose full bodies are in the exhibit donated their bodies to the creator, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, before they died for a much larger and greater good — to help us learn about ourselves. This is the true meaning and purpose of the exhibition — to show how we are made and how we can take care of our complex systems to live the best and healthiest lives we can. I deeply respect these people who donated their bodies to science to give all of us an opportunity to learn about ourselves. I invite everyone to come to The Franklin Institute and experience Body Worlds and form their own opinion. The exhibition is in Philadelphia until April 23, 2006. For more information visit www.fi.edu. Jenn Hathaway |
