Letters to the Editor July 14

Speedy reaction to library call for help with hot ballast

I have always felt fortunate to have grown up in Millerton. This past Friday night, I had one more reason to feel privileged to live here.

    A ballast at the NorthEast-Millerton Library overheated, making it necessary for Library Director Rhiannon Leo to call 911.  Both the Sharon and North East volunteer fire departments arrived, quickly assessed the situation and solved the problem.

I was impressed with their knowledge and the efficiency with which they were able to fix the problem, once again making the library safe for its patrons. They then checked the entire building to make sure the problem was confined to that one area.

The firefighters took time to explain the factors that led to the 911 call and informed us as to what steps were needed to ensure this would never happen again. After this conversation I felt relieved, informed and empowered to take the necessary steps.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to these individuals, ordinary citizens who volunteer to put themselves in harm’s way to serve as firefighters.

I experienced mixed feelings of pride and trepidation watching them enter the building, as many of them were my former students. While I am very proud that they are so selfless as to risk their lives for the sake of others, there was a part of me that didn’t want them to endanger themselves as I will always think of them as part of the fourth- and fifth-grade “family.”

I would like to thank all of you for becoming such fine citizens and going above and beyond to keep this wonderful community safe.

Diane Price

Millerton

Blot on happy Peace Corps reunion

This past weekend, we hosted a reunion of a group of Peace Corps volunteers who served in Ethiopia more than 40 years ago. It is a remarkable group of people who enjoy getting together.

We were happy that more than 20 of our group were able to get to Wassaic and were pleased that we were able to show our friends our beautiful area.

Unfortunately, though, sometime during the night of Saturday, July 9, the green, yellow and red Ethiopian flag, which was hung to mark our driveway on Bog Hollow Road, disappeared, pole and all. The flag does not belong to us and we sure would like to have it back.

Marilyn and Bill Unger

Wassaic

Reviewer missed the point

I was distressed to read Marsden Epworth’s review in Compass of the current TriArts production of “42nd Street.”

Her thinly veiled disdain for the “spindly backstage drama” completely missed the point. No one in his right mind would ever claim that this is a drama at all; the plot exists merely as an excuse for a plethora of intricate tap dances executed to some of the finest songs penned in the confident Broadway style, which has kept that institution healthy for close to a century.

She is correct to say the show has “no bite … no surprises,” but, when she says it has “no joy,” I have to quibble that she has no understanding.

I relish and, yes, prefer performances of the greatest musical dramas ever written, i.e., Verdi’s “Don Carlos,” Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps,” Weill’s “Lost in the Stars,” but I would never dream of turning up my nose at a well-directed production of “42nd Street” such as TriArts has mounted, especially when its performers deliver joy so consistently.

Stephen S. Sechrist III

New York, N.Y.

Sharon, Conn.

Fine production misreviewed

Where was [Compass Arts & Entertainment section’s] Marsden Epworth’s head the night she saw “42nd Street”?

Did she see what was happening on TriArts’ stage? Did she see the energy and fine direction upon the stage? Did she hear the upbeat of the excellent orchestra?

Did your critic see the same show I and the opening night audience saw? I think not.

James Silvia

New York, N.Y.