This is Charles' last Free Press column

Free Press – October 30, 2008

Potpourri: Bob Kidney QHS Fifty Fifth, Geissinger Farm, Richland Park Board

Dear Friends,

Good morning. Next Tuesday may be one of the most important presidential elections in 60 years. America is fighting two wars and facing the worst economy since the Great Depression. On Wednesday, November 5, we’ll know who’ll lead us. Let us pray that we pick the right senator.

A record turn out at the polls is predicted so it makes sense to vote in the off hours…probably between the morning and evening rush hours.

Because Free Press policy prohibits endorsements less than two weeks before an election, I won’t divulge my choice…but I’ll let you know how I voted (and why) in the November sixth edition.

Today, I have three topics. The first concerns the Bucks Commissioners who’ve preserved the Geissinger Farm in Milford; the second addresses Richland’s decision to hire a professional to run its park and recreation program. Interesting news from my 55^th high school reunion is the third.

The Free Press reported that the Geissinger Farm on Rosedale Road in Milford Township will remain as open space. The County Commissioners approved the purchase of the farm for $1,007,280 even though its market value is $1.7 million. The state and Bucks County will pay $758,104 and $249,176, respectively.

Those 86+ acres will stay unchanged forever. Bravo!

And speaking about parks and the like, Richland Township has decided to hire a full-time professional to head its Park and Recreation Board. Richland expects to pay a $50,000 salary for the new employee and will apply for a four-year state grant to start the program. If Richland’s request is approved, Pennsylvania will pay the first year’s salary but will gradually reduce its contributions to zero after the fifth year.

Carla DeMuro-Mercon is the co-chair of Richland’s Park and Recreation Board. She believes that its park system can become self-sufficient. "We want to see it pay for itself, give back to our community and continue to grow without an impact on tax dollars," she said.

That’s a great wish…but unlikely, in my opinion. Still, it’s worth trying.

Finally, last month, Mighty Betsy and I attended the 55^th reunion of my class at QHS. I enjoyed seeing those faces from yesteryear. One of our classmates is Robert Kidney who grew up in Haycock Township.

Bob’s career has been fascinating. After his days at QHS, he graduated from Lehigh University and became an engineer. He’s a construction manager for mega projects all over the world and doesn’t expect to retire anytime soon. When you see pictures of skyscrapers in Russia, Japan, Dubai, Chile, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Turkey, Germany and the Middle East, you’ll find his influence on those structures.

I look back at the 1950’s with fondness. They were so tranquil. The Korean War had just ended; Dwight Eisenhower was our President; there was zero inflation; and gasoline was just 20 cents per gallon. My first year at Penn cost $1,850, the price of a mid sized Buick. That tuition seems like a bargain until you look at inflation. Today, the price of a mid sized Buick is pretty close to the cost of a year at Penn.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. I remember that expression from my days in the French classroom. "Le plus de meme chose," I think it said. One of you scholars will set me straight.

By the way, there’s a fascinating book about the 1950’s. The title is "The Fifties," by David Halberstam. The decade produced epic changes, which continue to influence America to this day. Brown versus the Board of Education, Holiday Inns, the Kinsey Report, McDonald’s fast foods, and the Pill are just a few of Halberstam’s 46 topics. It’s a must read.

Sincerely,

Charles Meredith