From: Richard N. Hambleton
Annapolis
Only one person is worthy of consideration to become superintendent of the Anne Arundel County public school system, and that is the acting (career deputy) superintendent, Mr. C. Berry Carter II.
I have known and observed Mr. Carter during his career of over 30 years. No one knows as much about the county school system as Mr. Carter. His background, his high degree of intelligence and his ability to dealwell with children and adults alike mandate his selection.
When Mr. Anderson retired as chief deputy, Carter became acting superintendent until Mr. Rice was installed. After one four-year term of Mr. Rice, Mr. Carter again became acting superintendent after Rice's successor, Lorton, who also served only four years.
This disgraceful situation was allowed by the school board, as composed then and now, withabsolutely no excuse.
It may be that Mr. Carter did not, as a point of personal pride, apply for the job. No matter, your duty was andis clear to appoint him.
Again, the board will spend money in a nationwide search, needlessly.
Again, the board will ensure a long and awkward transition period.
Again, the board will install a stranger to our school system who will then immediately be captive to the very few people he or she can effectively deal with during the course of each day.
This is monstrous. if you think Mr. Carter is not fit to take the job after his many years in the system (and lately aschief deputy), then you are remiss if you do not withhold a portion of Anderson's, Rice's, and Lorton's pay for failure on their part to do what any executive is expected to do: groom a successor fully capable of taking over the duties.
You ought to be ashamed of yourselves for even thinking of looking anywhere else for the new superintendent than C. Berry Carter II.
Editor's note: The above letter was addressed to Jo Tollenger, president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education.
RESIST CALL OF THE KLAN
From: Vincent O. Leggett
Donald Aronson
Co-Chairmen
African American-Jewish Coalition ofAnne Arundel County
Newspapers reported on Feb. 23 that the Ku Klux Klan had formed a chapter in Anne Arundel County and plans were afoot to form a second chapter this summer.
The Ku Klux Klan is a racist, terrorist organization that has a long-documented history of racial, ethnic and religious intolerance. It is our hope that you will use your editorial resources to expose this organization and its methods and goals to this community.
Bigotry is subtle and pervasive, and we are particularly concerned that our youth not be tainted by the message of intolerance which unfortunately seeks to flourish in economic hard times. Therefore, it becomes even more important that attempts to plant the seeds of community polarization be met by identification and criticism of their existence and their complete isolation.
For bigotry and intolerance, no matter how seemingly widespread, are not some of the all-American ideals that helped to build our wonderful country.
The African American-Jewish Coalition, which was formed for the purpose of combating bigotry and promoting racial and religious harmony, is using this forum to express our strongest condemnation of all manifestations of the Klan.
We call on all leaders in our county, be they elected or appointed, governmental, civic, socialand religious, to take a strong stand of opposition to the Klan.
We have worked too hard for too long to allow a small fringe group toattempt to destroy what we have been able to so far accomplish in bettering race relations.
We are confident that your readership knows the Klan for who they really are and what they are and will not provide them with any support in their efforts to secure a foothold in our county.
WELCOME BACK, TED
From: David K. Guite
Glen Burnie
Go get 'em, Ted! If anybody can help this county get back on its feet, it sure is Ted Sophocleus.
As a resident of Glen Burnie and attorney, I take pleasure in welcoming former County Councilman Ted Sophocleus back into the political ring.
I wish Ted much success at his April 9th fund-raiser at Michael's 8th Avenue.
CHEAP SHOT AT BEER
From: J. P. Jauschregg
Millersville
Your Dialogue (cartoon),Page 10, Sunday, March 15, Anne Arundel County Sun, "Beer Drinkers Vs. Wine Drinkers" is a complete insult to all beer drinkers.
I do have a sense of humor, but I find the picture humorless and tasteless. You need to learn more about beer drinkers. Also, great beer is as complicated and varied as great wine.
SCHOOLS CAN'T DO IT ALL
From: Joseph DiNunno
Annapolis
Public school education is a problemof considerable citizen concern. Our schools are turning out too many poorly educated students. Poor results, however, are not so much the failure to provide opportunities for learning, but rather the effects of societal changes in recent decades and the role we are asking our schools to play.
Our society today is marked by a serious breakdown of family structure, rampant teen-age pregnancies, widespread drug use, violence and crime at home and in the streets, trash for entertainment on our screens, and the loss of parental and community emphasis on good work and study habits.
We look to the schools to counter the effects of this culture on children and to supply care and nurturing that we once regarded as the primary responsibility of parents.
A variety of social programs have been mandated for our schoolsin an attempt to counter the effects of an adult world gone awry. Pressures mount to enlarge such programs and to broaden the role of theschools under the guise of education. It is unrealistic to encumber our schools with such programs and still expect our educators to teach effectively the academic and related skills for which they were trained.
If improvement in the academic performance of our students is the goal, then it behooves us to insist that those charged with theupgrading of our educational process:
1. Quit masking social programs as "education" and attaching them to the public schools for implementation.
2. Free our educators to teach. Focus the public schools on the delivery of quality instruction in academic and related matters for which we hold them accountable.
3. Integrate the social and health services mandated for children and place responsibility fordelivery with those agencies/departments skilled in such services.
4. Emphasize "parental accountability" as well as school accountability.
THANKS FOR YOUR VOTES
From: Helen Delich Bentley
2nd District Congress
The 1992 Maryland Republican primary is now history,and I would like to thank the voters for choosing me once again to represent them and the 2nd Congressional District as our party's nominee in the upcoming fall election.
Your expression at the polls of your trust in me is very heartwarming, and I thank you for your vote.If I win again in the fall, I will continue to redouble my efforts to put all our people back to work and to create an industrial-based economy that will guarantee jobs to all who want to work.
29 CENTS IS A BARGAIN
From: Ron Newton
Baltimore
As a 30-year postal employee, including the past six years as a letter carrier in Glen Burnie, I wish to respond to two recent items appearing in The Anne Arundel County Sun.
The negative comments concerning the "Harvest For The Hungry" food drive may have been well intended, but were not at allaccurate.
Although participation in the program was strictly voluntary, all our carriers agreed to join in. Many of us had doubts about the outcome, but once we began to collect the bags and bags of groceries and appreciate the genuine and warm concern of our patrons, it was a joy to help make the program work, and work it did -- to over 60,000 pounds of food donated by our region.
I asked my manager howmuch extra time was used by carriers to carry out the program, and Iwas told there were no extra carrier or administrative costs used tofund the "Harvest For The Hungry."
On Deidre McCabe's article on Feb. 26, ("Postal service customers deserve their 29 cents worth"), Ibelieve she's looking to find fault. She states we had a problem andwe corrected it, but then she justifies finding fault with us because we corrected it.
Her overly simplistic solutions show she just doesn't know how mail is moved. It's easy to say we should hire enoughcarriers to give everyone their mail by 10 a.m., but the real world doesn't work that way. She is welcome to view our operation and to spend a day with a carrier so she might better understand exactly what to do.
Our carriers are dedicated and hard working, but not perfect. We have enough pride to want to do our job right, and we have the dignity and responsibility to say we're sorry if we make a mistake.
Ms. McCabe must recognize by all compiled data that the U.S. PostalService is far and away the most efficient and least expensive in the world. Twenty-nine cents (with no federal subsidy for postal operations) remains a real bargain for a first-class stamp, and we're constantly working to make it an even better bargain.
AMPHITHEATER ON JAILSITE
From: W. Ray Huff
Delegate, District 31
I was very pleased with the Anne Arundel County Council's rejection of the proposedjail site on Ordnance Road. However, I would like to make one suggestion.
I understand the county is considering purchasing a 100-acresite for $1 million to build an amphitheater. In this day and time, $1 million is a lot of money when we have an 85-acre site that would be ideal. I also understand that an additional 15 acres can be acquired with no problem.
The particular site I am speaking of is the Ordnance Road site that was considered for the jail. This site is closeto the airport, light rail, the Key Bridge, Routes 2 and 10 and the Beltway. You name it -- the site has access to every form of transportation and is one of the best sites in Anne Arundel County.
I strongly urge the county to look at this site when considering the building of an amphitheater. It might be good to locate something like thisin North County after all the years the citizens have been sufferingwith smoke stacks.
THANKS FROM CENTER
From: James Lyons
Principal
Anne Arundel County Learning Center
The staff of the Learning Center would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the concerned citizens of Anne Arundel County who contributed cash register receipts and double coupons from Giant to help us acquire new computers and other hardware. Without this community effort, we would not have been able to achieve the success that we did.
Once again, thanks to all those people who contributed their time and efforts in our computer drive.