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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY,,MARCH 29,1978, WHITBY FREE PRESS whiOtby> Voice of the Cou nty Town Michael L The only Whitby newspaper'independently, owned and oper SERVUNO OVER 28,000 READERS an Burgess, Publisher-Ma naging Editor xated by WflitDy resicieits for Wflitby resiclents. Community Edlitor Published every Wednesday Contributing Editor Production Manager Print & Promotional by M.B.M. Publishingt Manager and Photography I ne.- Classif ied Ad Manager Phoneý- 668-6 11 1 Circulation Manager mailing Permit The Free Press Building, Member 121 Brock Street North, Better Business But P.O. Box 206. Whithy, Ont. Whitby Charnber ci -1Brianwinter -Jim, Ouai -Marie Burgess -Robin Lyon -S.:van Deelor' -Sharon Lyonl it No. 460 rof the: reau of Toronto c omrce l Than-ks I A&., ---I Dear 5Fr: As wintcr draws to a close, the Ontario Society for Crippled Childreri wants to express its very sincere appreciation to the participants and- sponsors in the 20 Snowaramna events held across Ontario this year. Snowarama brings' to- gether snowmobilers, members of service clubs, police, snow machine and equipmnent manufacturers and '.distributors, 'the media and the general public in an enormous community effort on be- haîf of physically handi- capped children. 'St. John's Ambulance and C. B. operators were also very heipful. Many thousands of men, women and young people made our 20 Snowaramas a huge success - more than $480,000 was pledged a- cross Ontario. We owe a special vote of thanks to Whipper Watson who has spear- headed Snowarama and many other activities 'of theSociety. Many people apparently do not realize that Whipper serves crip- pied chil dren on a purely volunteer basis and re- ceives no compensation of any kind for ail his efforts. He, gets no salary, com- mission or expenses.' In fact, he pays al l is per- sonai costs from his own pocket. Whipper seeks no other reward than that crippied children receive the help they need, and lie wouid be the first to give credit for the success of Snow- arama to other groups and individuals. Alex MclIntosh Peiet Belleville- invites former residents to centennial Dear Editor: An Authentic 100 year old Log Cabin rebuilt in Downtown Belleville, is the Headquarters-for ou'r City's Centennial1, being celebrated this year. Our City is Situated 1I'20 miles east of Toronto on the MacDonald Cartier Freeway, and is on the main! Canadian National Rail Uine from 'Toronto to Montreal. The Citizens of Belle- ville extend a friendl'y in- vitation to ahl former resi- denits to join with thiem for their Centennial cele- brations and especially Homecoming Week start- ing Juiy 3Oth. Home- coming Week will feature, exciting parades, moon-: liglit cruises on the beauti- ful Bay of Quinte, ethnic feasts and band concerts. 0f course, it wili ýalso be a* time of reunion and farnily gatherings. WhIVat "vandalism.is ail about andwhat you can'do about it Jon Jenkins, Chief of the Durham Regional Police, will address the Whitby Chamber' of Commerce onthe subject of Vandalism, April 10 at noon at the Chalet Restaurant. On April 2.5 at 8 p.m. in the Whitby' Pubic Library auditorium there will be a film and panel discussion on vandeli -n, sponsored by the Oshawa-Whitby Social Planning Counicil. Vandaiism is a very current and disturbing probiem in today's society, which is the subject of a special study in Whitby, conducted by the social planning council. The following is a summary of the costs of vandalism and what citizenàs can do about, prepared, by the Oshawa-Whtby Social Planning Council, and is.being distributed to parents through the schoois: VANDALISM: YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT! WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVE NT il' lihv did three littie boys aged, 8 - 10> go on a'rampage through their school, causing thousands of dollars damage? Who lias been shooting BB's and 22's through school windows? Why do snowmobiiers and dirt-bikers tear up fences, tracks, and parks, leaving you, to pay the repair bill? You paid'the bill, too, when "pranksters" tore urinais and sinks from the walls ini the washrooms in Witby's parks, leaving water gushing out. Vanïdalism is costinig Canadians over $100 million every year. To repair and replace the vandal's work, you pay in increased rents and house prices, higher taxes, and more mnoney for the products you buy. When our local 1977 vandalism bill was totalled, Durham Board of Education found the financial cost of schooi damage alone topped $1 00,000 in addition to the hidden costs: bigher insurance rates, inconvenîence, and Ioss of use of facihties. We are fortunate that our Whitby schools have suffered mnuch les% damnage than those in some other areas. The parents and students deservc credit for this. Hlowever, before we pat ourselves on the hack and shrug the miatter off, we should remiember that Hie cost of rcpairing even seemingly minur damage hlm ccalatcd aI;rmingly due to inflation. The replaiccienrt, of just one windo(w imay cou t p Lu S%100. or even mreI. A FEW FALiS: Atînst il chîol vndaisu i ()(rIld uiy si uensof the damagcdsho. Whcn adults living in .111 aea are exixericacîg Ihighlu aies of tension, vandalism increases. Only 10 - 15%X of vatîdals are caught - because witnesses don't bottier to caîl police. Up to 90% of children who break the law are estimated to have some form of physical or learning disability, usuaily previously'undiagnosed, and are flot perforrning as well as they should be at schooi. If the problemn had been caught earily, frustration and lack of understanding mfight have been prevented and the trouble with the law might not have oc- curred. Schools having higher proportions of students from families where. discipline is firni and consistent, suffer less property damage through vandalism. Vandalism is the most frequently committed crime among the "middle class". WHAT IS BEING DONE? The School Board is using a variety of methods for deterning vandals - lighting, police and staff surveillance of, schools, tagging of school property, use of speial construc- tion techniques and materials, alarm systems, and obtaining repayment froin parents whose children cause the damage. Flowever, the only sure way to cut cosîs is to prevent vandaiism, by removing its causes. -School rules and town by-laws cannot accomplish this alone. It is in the family that basic values are iearned, long before the child ever enters school. The chiid makes his adjustment to probleins in the way he has learned from adults around hlm. WHAT CAN YOU DO? (1) Know where your children are, and what they are doing, at al times. Remember too,the Child Welfare Act sets a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for all chîldren under the age of 16, and stipulates that no child under the age of 12 be left without adult supervision. (2). Know what they are watching on T.V. (Are they leamning that violence is exciting?) (3) Encourage your friends and neighbours to keep tabs on their children too.1 (4) Encourage a sense of social responsibility in aIl childrer with whom you corne into contact: your own, their friends, your students, the teain you coach. . . Tcach themn tfiat "public" property really belongs to us al, and that "social responsibility" is just another way of' saying "treat other people the way you'd like them to treat you.'" (5) Teacli your children the fluts about damnage aind i Cos(S. - ('hid(ren " tpksy" aI Colnstîtîclioli Sites, for exanuiLk without realizing that they are causing extensive damage, for which someone must pay. . Sehool roofs- are designed to keep out rain and snow, but not to be used as playgrounds. - A gamne of soccer or baseball on the school's front lawn may result in costly damage to grass, shrubs, or windows. But fields and bail diamonds are designed to withstand running feet. (6) Kecp your children busy at those high risk times - the hours of boredomn - spring and fall evenings and the long days of August. Teach them to compiete what they begin. The child who drops out of every activity he attempts and then complains he's "bored" and has "4nothing to do" is the one who is easily tempted to "do somei.hing" through vandalisin. Contact the Whitby Recreation Dept., the "Y"', local' churches, Scouts, Guides, or your school, for information about enjoyable activities for youngsters of ail ages. And, above ail, do things together as a family! (7) If your suspect your dhild may have a learning probiem write to The Ontario Association for Children with Learning Disabilities,88 Eglinton Ave., EastSuite 322, Toronto. (8) If the school or the public health nurse notifies you that your child may have a physical problem, however siigüt, follow it up with a thorough medical check-up. Don't wait until your child's hearing or siglit problenm becomes a behavioral problemn too. (9) A vacant building is more likely to be vandalized. So use your school în the evenings for a neighbourhood father-son basketball game, a "keep-fit" group, meet- ings, courses - (Just call the school or the Board office for information about permits). (10) Caîl police inimediately - 579 - 1234 if yoit suspect vandabisi or any other illegal activUjy is going on. however mincir. Police urge yoL Iolugive descriptionis. naines license numbers. You do îîot ieed Io ident ity yourself. (11) Mark this ate onr1your ça lendar: Tues., April 25ý. 8 p.mn. aIth[e Whtliy hLirarv Filin,,andiPalicli)Discussionî '*V;îlaýlisuni: lis C(':,ii ýs auJC(,(SIS,* Sipmilsoretyt 1w ()lle u luit liv Soci.uIl'Lmuîniîîg cnil*s Vzlndl;lisln IPîceiloinl'je Yours very truly, J. Ben Corke MAYOR. I 1