1966-04-21

              SOUTH F'DALE PUBLIC LIBRARY*--^-. . » » • » * • * • .... „ „ . . . „ ^ « M 1 W M . „ ^ .... .*„ . ,„
HERRITT ROitf) AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FARMINGDALE
FAKilKGDALE, N. Y.
JfarmtngM? © temr
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31
POWELL HOUSE — 1 7QO
SERVING GREATER FARMINGDALE, BETHPAGE & MELVILLE
Vol. 3 No. 35 Second Class Postage has been paid at Farmingdale, N. Y. 11735 Thursday, April 21, 1966
GIN CAMPAIGN
FOR YOUTH CENTERS Farmingdale On List
Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay, Michael N. Petito urged
on Tuesday establishment of nine community centers throughout
the Town of Oyster Bay including one in Farmingdale.
Petito said that he would " c a r r y his campaign to every street
corner if n e c e s s a r y " , contending that the centers a r e needed to
halt juvenile problems including the use of drugs. His plan calls
for the Plainedge center to be the first one of the nine.
Petito attacked the Republicans for considering a $ 2,300,000
golf course in Plainview before the establishment of youth
centers. Councilman Edward Poulos said that the proposed
recreational facilities are separate issues and that the building
of a golf course does not rule out the creation of y » r# i •• ;
'• I intend to s t a r t a Town- wide campaign for these Community
C e n t e r s , " Petito told the Board, " which deserve top priority in
our Capital Planning Program for the coming y e a r s . I have asked
the Town Director of Finance, Morris C. Lipsman, to include in
the Town's first Capital Budget, a schedule for completing all
nine C e n t e r s . " Petito introduced a resolution which specified two
Centers in Hicksville and one each in Massapequa, Plainedge,
Farmingdale, Bethpage, Plainview, Syosset and the Locust
Valley- Glen Head- Sea Cliff area.
The Supervisor envisioned the centers as places where family
' togetherness* would become a " major method to prevent deter­ioration
of our young people."
He also said the centers would " stimulate projects and pro-sramb
for the Senior Citizens of the Town so that thev mav mrjW,-
' cVcive in Community life and would r a i s e the cultural level of the
people of the Town of Oyster Bay."
The Supervisor indicated that
each Center would include a year-round
swimming facility, a social
center, a cultural center and an
historical preserve., The cultural
center would include space which
could be used for theatrical pro­ductions.
" Community recrea­tion
is an essential service of
government," the Supervisor
said, " and as such, the govern­ment's
task is to provide rec­reation
through leadership, co­operation
and consultation and
present those recreation oppor­tunities
which may not be other­wise
readily available."
In another of the resolution's
paragraphs Petito said that
• there is within the Town of
Oyster Bay, as elsewhere, an
emergency situation which re­quires
the most immediate and
urgent action to stem the tide
of the anti- social behavior, the
rash of juvenile delinquency
and crime, the narcotics exper­imentation
and use by our young
people, all of which requires the
implementation of a crash pro­gram
by the Town of Oyster Bay
to stabilize the present unrest
and meet these Community
needs."
" In the last year- anda- half
I have traveled to every part of
Nassau County in connection with
the narcotics threat and I can
tell you that one of the major
causes of teenage experi­mentation
with drugs is the fact
that these young people have
nothing else to do with their
time," the Supervisor said. " We
must get the young people of this.
Township off the streets with
programs that will provide them
with wholesome recreation in an
appealing atmosphere,,"
The Supervisor estimated that
the cost of the first Center, site
included, would be in the neigh­borhood
of half a million dol­lars.
His resolution directed that
the Town Attorney confer with
13ond Counsel for the Town to
start negotiations for the authori­zation
and issuance of the neces­sary
bonds. It also included a di­rective
to the Town's Adminis­trative
Services Director and Re­creation
Director to " commence
and continue a search for proper
and suitable s i t e s ."
Petito's resolution also di­rected
the Town Attorney to " im­mediately
investigate all Federal
Aid programs including the
Federal Program of Neigh­borhood
Facilities Grant Prog­ram,
which may grantassistance
for the development of the land
acquisition and construction
costs of the recreational Com­munity
Centers. He also sug­gested
investigating all possible
sources of State Aid for youth
and Senior Citizens programs in­stituted
by local municipalities*
The Supervisor said he chose
Plainedge as the first site be­cause
it, among others, " does
not at the present time contain
any facilities of the kind that- are
necessary to combat the growing
and alarming problems of our
youth and other citizens."
the Town Board asked for a
two weeks period in which to
study Petito's proposal.
The youth center issue was
raised on Tuesday when a group
of seven men appeared before the
Board. The group was led by
Stuart Gordon, chairman of the
North Massapequa Association
who contended that youth centers
should be built before a golf
course is considered.
A Pre- School Profile In Courage
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Taylor,
48 Seholl Drive, Farmingdale,
had the usual problems any par­ents
encounter in bringing up
their three children until the
birth of blonde blue- eyed, lov­able
Todd on April 29, 1962.
Their happiness was dimmed
when they realized that this new
baby was different.
He developed slowly and some­thing
was wrong but there was
no definite diagnosis until the
Taylors were referred to
Dr. Leon Charasch who con­firmed
their fears. Todd had
Cerebral Palsy, which, in his
case, was caused by lack of
oxygen to his brail) m birth.
" We were fortunate," said
Mrs. Taylor, " in being referred
to the Cerebral Palsy Center in
Roosevelt where Todd was given
speech therapy and occupational
therapy. He was bright and
receptive and learned to con­trol
his constant drooling ; md to
make sounds. Six months alter
his treatment began, he said just
a few words, but he was making
himself understood. He was
so proud and we are all so vt'i v
proud of him."
" Todd's sisters, Kathy, who is
thirteen and Cheryl who is twelve,
simplv doteonhirn. He has8 most
unusual relationship with his
seven year old brother Scott,"
continued Mrs. Taylor. " They
just adore one another and are
more than brothers. They are
friends!"
" Todd attends pre- school
classes at the Cerebral Palsy
Center and eagerly awaits his
school bus each morning. He
has to be consoled on Satur­days
because he must wait until
Monday to return to4' his school"
where he is treated first as any
normal child and then as a
handicapped child. He is learn­ing
to live up to his capabil­ities
and has the advantage of
extra therapy three times a
week."
" Children love to ride their
tricycles," *;> id Mrs. Taylor,"
and Todd is working at it but
finds it difficult to keep up with
non- handicapped children of his
own age. He spends much of his
time working with puzzles, build­ing
blocks and playing in the sand
bo\."
Mrs. Taylor stated, " Todd maj
Begin $ 200,000 Alteration,
Modernization of College
never speak as well as you or
I, and he may never completely
overcome his handicap, but his
prognosis is good. He will surely
be enrolled in regular classes at
the Cerebral Palsy Center and
will probably be able to transfer
to a local school as IK? gets
older."
" We all thank the wonderful
people at the Cerebral Palsy
Center who are giving Todd his
chance to become a useful mem­ber
of society. We thank tliose
of you whose contributions have
made this help possible," con­cluded
Mrs. Taylor.
There is no known cure today
but the cerebral palsied can be
helped. Over 1,0( 10 children and
adults receive services at the
Cerebral Palsy Center in Roos­evelt,
it is maintained entirely
by voluntary contributions. Our
53- Minute March will lake place
on Monday April J. jth and end­ing
in a Rainbow Teen Tag Day
on Saturday May 14th. Your
Contributions will enable children
like J odd to live productive lives.
The State University Construc­tion
Fund announced that bids
are being accepted on a contract
valued at 8200,000 for alterations
and modernization of two existing
structures at the State University
Agricultural and Technical Col­lege
at Farmingdale.
Historical Society To Hold
Annual Meeting
" Northeast Farm Community", a documentary
film produced by Dr. Bruce Buckley of the New
York State Historical Society, will be featured at
the Annual Meeting of the P'armingdale - Bethpage
Historical Society to be held this Sunday, April 24
at 2: 30 p. m. at the South Farmingdale Branch
Library, Merritt Road, South Farmingdale.
Commentary of the film will be provided by
Peter Van Santvoord, a staff member of the Nas­sau
County Historical Museum at Salisbury. He is
also a Trustee of the Oyster Bay Historical
Society, a research- consultant of the Huntington
Historical Society; Glen Cove City Historian; a
member of the Underhill Society of America and a
charter member of the Farmingdale- Bethpage
Historical Society.
Election of officers for the coming year will also
be held.
Fireman Host Parade
The Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department
will again host the Annual Memorial Day Cere­monies
and Parade. Invitations and parade entry
( i. ontium'il on I'a^ e 12)