Letters to the Editor June 23

Concerned about the future of the Little Scholar School

We recently heard that the Northwest Corner might be in danger of losing one of its least celebrated and yet most special institutions, Little Scholar School, because of low enrollment. This little school on Sharon Road in Lakeville has no admissions office, so we, as former and hopefully future parents, have decided to try to spread the word. If there were to be an article written about this school it could be entitled: “Learning through play: Little Scholar School does it the old-fashioned way.”

If you have never been fortunate enough to have visited it, please imagine a Norman Rockwell painting with the children today of the Northwest Corner. It is like a big barn that is filled instead with blocks, dress up, imaginative play figures, a home corner, a puppet theater, trains and low tables with lots of little chairs.  

The outside area has monkey bars, sturdy swings, a fort, a sandbox with buckets, shovels and more trucks than a 3-year-old can count.  Every day, when you enter the cloakroom you are greeted by two of the loveliest ladies you might ever meet, Leslie Allyn and Ginny Whalen. Ginny and Leslie both have the wisdom and kindness that springs from genuine love and appreciation for their fellow human beings.  

No matter what you look like (shirt on backward, hair a mess, child with only one shoe on)  or how late you arrive, you will be greeted with the same warmth and appreciation as if you were the only child and parent to come that day. As a parent, you leave calm and certain that your child will have a productive and busy morning.  

From a child’s perspective it is idyllic and it is not surprising that they love this school and their teachers. Leslie and Ginny are ever present to help navigate the challenges and celebrate the joys that arise in any shared community. They guide and help the children but don’t seek to solve their problems for them. From a parent’s perspective this unspoken curriculum of kindness and respect is a godsend because it translates directly into genuine good manners.   

Every child who graduates from Little Scholar School leaves with a treasure trove of invisible gifts. They understand that they are members of a community and that each of them is a  unique and valued individual with a positive role to play.  

Stop in and see this school, and Leslie and Ginny. Thank them for more than 25 years of dedicated, joy-filled teaching. Thank them for starting so many children on the path to grow up to be wonderful, caring and important members of our community.  We owe them both more than can be expressed in one short letter.  Thank you, Ginny and Leslie from the bottom of our hearts. We hope the door of Little Scholar School will remain open for a very long time.   

The Metcalf Family and the Hazelton Family

Salisbury

Too few make town’s decisions

The recent requests for bids on the old Lakeville firehouse resulted in one offer. As a result, the auction scheduled for the following Thursday was canceled.

I made a request of our first selectmen to see the bid. He refused my request, invoking Connecticut General Statute 1-210(b)(24), proclaiming that the “disclosure of the bid is outweighed by the public interest in the confidentiality of the bid.”

While I have no recourse via Freedom of Information, I must wonder why such a cloud of secrecy? This sale (should that be the outcome) must go to a public hearing and then a town meeting for approval. Why not let the details be known?

This is the property of the public and had the auction occurred we would have known the players and the terms (or so I think).

I fail to understand why Salisbury’s current administration operates under a cloud of special meetings and consistently gives the public the minimal details concerning public business.

This incident coupled with the writing off of my suggestion of workforce apartments (not to mention other incidents) has once again reinforced my belief that our town government is operating under an agenda that is controlled by a select few and the rest of us be damned.

Michael J. Flint

Lakeville
 

Poor response from CL&P

I suspect that there are a great many Salisbury residents who, like me, are upset with CL&P’s poor response to the June 9 storm. In my case, it took just over three full days for CL&P to restore power. This is unacceptable.  

Although we can’t change to another utility and thus avoid CL&P in future events, we can change suppliers and save money on our electric bills. Residents should go to www.ctenergyinfo.com to see the list of different suppliers and their rates.

Perhaps The Journal could do an article on this subject.

Jack Silliman

Salisbury

After tragedy, effort promotes well-being in our lives

On Tuesday, June 16, 2009, a tragedy struck the Northwest Corner that echoed around the country and  on the Internet to other countries as well: My son Kaelan Alexander Palmer Paton drowned while helping rescue three friends from the Housatonic River only hours after school got out for the summer.

None of the boys were using drugs or being intentionally reckless. They were celebrating the end of a successful school year.

Kaelan, at 16-and-a-half, had excelled academically and loved soccer, snowboarding and kayaking.

He pulled out two teens who were struggling, even considering diving in for one who had gone under. Then he did go in for a third and bought him precious moments by likely helping him to get to a rock he could hold briefly.

Both Kaelan and his friend went under, and Kaelan never surfaced until a week later, when his body was recovered down by the Covered Bridge, 7 miles away.

The heroic save by not only Kaelan but by a brave Skip Kosciusko, who used climbing ropes to secure the last teen, can be remembered by all. Such calamity can befall any number of people under much less dangerous circumstances, where trouble hits and quick, skillful responses are needed.

We have the time that Kaelan and others who want to help save lives do not always have. We can honor their sacrifice whether resulting in stress, injury or death, by taking extra care to have plans in place for all members of a community, perhaps on a statewide website.

Children and teens need supervision and accountability as they earn freedom and responsibilities for self-care. Those with special needs or concerns linked to illness or aging need prevention and intervention, as do any with substance abuse. Waiting until things are at a crisis level for intervention, arrests, or other measures is not a good game plan.

Remembering all those who have touched our lives in meaningful ways can be healing and helpful to the next generation. Let’s pull together as we can to promote safety with good signs, plans and practices in schools, courts, faith groups and communities.

The  Kaelan Paton  Memorial Service, which was held a month after his death, is on Youtube.com and can bring comfort to many when reflecting upon loss and our mortality.

Sincere thanks is extended to all who dedicate themselves to serving in both the care and protection of others, with special gratitude for all rescue workers. Let’s make their efforts worthwhile by promoting well-being in our lives.

Catherine Palmer Paton

Salisbury
 

Thanks to Relay for Life participants

As co-chairs of the cancer prevention study -3 at Housatonic Valley Relay for Life on June 4 and 5, we thank the 108 people who came out and participated in the cancer study. We thank our wonderful team of 10 volunteers who helped us in this event.

This cancer study is a long- term study that is looking at environment, lifestyles and genetics and how they are linked to different kinds of cancer.  

Again thank you to all that helped and participated to make this a successful event.

Daniel Wuori and Ashley Allyn, Co-chairs, CPS-3

Housatonic Valley Relay for Life 2011

Falls Village