By We can make it through

Due to the event of the hijacking and crashing of planes into the Twin Towers and The Pentagon, the whole nation has fallen to pieces. I just want to remind our community that we are a great, strong town and we can pull through this crisis together.

Before this tragedy I didn’t realize how important fire fighters, search and rescue workers, and even policemen were. I didn’t realize that they are willing to give their lives in order to protect our country and laws.

There were so many policemen on television who’s duty it was to patrol the buildings, work traffic and look for people. Never did they look tired or complain, but they simply said “Hey, this is my job and I’m going to do it the best possible way I can.” Nobody sat down or rested, and for this I want to thank them for their determination and bravery to do their job well.

Next I want to mention search and rescue workers. Teams from all over California flew over to look and care for people on the East coast. Most of them were volunteers and so many people were willing to or wanted to help out their fellow U.S. citizens. So I want to thank them for their helpfulness.

Last, but certainly not least, are firemen. I think these are the people I most admire for their importance to the U.S.A. All of them are willing to give their lives for other people. I know that everyone plays a role in the U.S.A. and I just want to acknowledge these people. In spite of everything, I know we can make it through.

Marissa ConwayBlach School, Grade 7

Make a difference in the community

After the terrible events last week we think, “What can I do to help?”

Whether or not there is a military response to this attack, and whether or not we agree with that response, it will not be given to most of us to assist or participate, pro or con, in that effort. Most of us will not be called to help clear the rubble. The blood drives and charity efforts are all meaningful, but blood can only be given occasionally and money at these times seems like a mundane response to a world-changing disaster.

For more than 10 years Community Impact has been striving one paintbrush at a time, one pickaxe at a time, one smile at a time, one hard day of work at a time to make our community the kind of place that we want it to be.

Nothing can be a more effective response to the forces of chaos than constructive, life-affirming work for our neighbors. A special day in our community is planned for Oct. 6. Our non-profit organization, Community Impact, is a group of thousands of volunteers from all around the San Francisco Bay area. We organize “done-in-a-day” volunteer projects of all kinds to make it easy for YOU to volunteer.

Please join us on Saturday, October 6 for Community Impact Day 2001. Our projects will be at local parks, schools and non-profit organizations in Mountain View, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and other communities surrounding Los Altos. Most projects will be from 9 am to 2 pm.

If you want to sign-up, go to: www.communityimpact.org/CIDay/index.htm or call Community Impact at 965-0242.

Audrey HemphillLos Altos

Raising funds helps with schools success

I must protest your characterization of local fund raising for schools as “holding out their hands to parents for money” (Aug. 15). Raising funds to insure Los Altos schools retain their excellence should not be compared to begging. In fact, test scores prove we clearly have the best schools in the state and among the best in the country, due in part to parents’ willingness to give both their time and, yes, their money to support education in our public schools.

In addition, it should be made clear that the Los Altos Educational Foundation has successfully raised funds and that without that success, classes in the Los Altos School District would be larger and many valuable educational programs would need to be cut. These include art, music, science, physical education and technology. In the 2001-02 school year, class sizes in grades 4 to 6 will be below 28 students (and as low as 23, not 20 as reported in the Town Crier). Without the fund raising, Los Altos schools could easily go up to 33 students. Given the makeup of our schools’ budget, this is the direct result of parents giving funds to pay for teachers and programs that the district and state cannot.

I look forward to the Town Crier reporting the success of our schools, our fund-raising efforts and the important role they play in enriching the schools’ programs.

Mark GoinesTreasurer, Los Altos Educational Foundation

Faith restored

I got a phone call from a guy named Jim, who came through the switchboard and began by saying you dont know me, but. As I was poised to give him the Ali Shuffle, he explained that he had purchased two 16 millimeter movie reels at a garage sale in San Jose involving Washington School in Burlingame, and that they were labeled 1946 and 1949.

I was prepared to be blackmailed over the phone, but was having some difficulty trying to come up what I could have possibly done at two and/or five years of age respectively, that could be damaging to my career at this late date. He explained that they seemed to be shots of the schoolyard, kids, teachers and all, and that he thought, since I had gone there in 1949, I might appreciate viewing them.

I asked how he knew that I was a Washington School alum, particularly since I had gone there only one year, kindergarten. He replied that he had surfed the net using google.com and, that because I had written an article for the Los Altos Town Crier featuring kids and referencing Washington School in Burlingame, the browser had related the two.

He delivered the films to my office, and asked only that I return them to him by mail when I was done. I floated the story at the boys bridge table and counted 3 out 3 who were more than a little skeptical. Well, absent some future dastardly deed, which at this point seems hard to imagine, it seems were stuck with just a technologically enabled, rare guy trying to do something nice for his fellow man. Chalk one up to faith restored.

Bill WalshLos Altos

Rosita history offers clearer picture

I’ve been reading complaints from Rosita neighbors about the propsed community pool for some time now. Let’s recover some perspective here.

Surely the long-time Rosita neighbors remember the traffic associated with St. Williams School at the “dead end” of Rosita Avenue. The Baby Boom generation had reached school age, and classes were huge, 40 or more students in each class. In addition, Covington School was stuffed to bursting, and CCD classes (religious instruction) for children attending public schools in Los Altos took place at St. Williams after school. Kids streamed in from Rosita for all of this.

Then, on the weekends and in the evenings, there were sports events and practices at Covington and St. Williams, and in the parish hall, there were Family Masses, First Communions, Confirmations, dances, rummage sales, and other activities.

People attending all the St. Williams activities drove or walked in from the “dead end” of Rosita, which was probably one of the most heavily traveled sites in town. Families also drove or walked in from Rosita and adjacent entrances to attend swim lessons and “Rec swim” from all over town in the Covington pool.

It was a wonderful resource for the community, centrally located, and I think our children deserve a similar opportunity to enjoy a pool near their homes.

Newcomers to the Rosita neighborhood may not have been informed by long-term residents of the historically “high traffic” nature of the spot. The proposed pool complex may generate less traffic than the old St. Williams school, playing fields, and parish hall. I just wanted to remind Los Altans that Rosita Avenue, aside from the anomalous past few years when St. Williams and Covington have been closed, has always been a busy street.

As far as members from other towns using the proposed pool complex, isn’t it only fair? After all, Los Altans have been swimming at Eagle Park, Rengstorff, Rinconada, the YMCA, and the JCC for years now.

Suzanne SchraderLos Altos

Biased editorial contrasts community interests

The Town Crier is the only newspaper in our city. We expect and deserve unbiased local news, public interest articles, and editorials that help articulate the conscience of our community.

Unfortunately you fall short. Your editorials are often filled with hypocrisy and self interest. The most recent one, Sept. 12, “Candidate apathy ruins council election”, is a perfect example of hypocrisy. Why complain about apathy after the filing period is safely past? If your concern is honest, then why didn’t you plea for challengers while there was still time to file. Secondly, if you want more discussion of city issues, why not propose opinion articles from Mayor Lear and Councilman Moss and then publish the public response letters to the editor?

You then continue your four year PR campaign for the unpopular hotel project on First Street by stating that Mayor Lear, in particular, is controversial due to his support of a theater. Mayor Lear did not support just a theater, he supported a mixed use concept that included a theater. The concept also included a free solution to our Downtown parking problem, eight new and unique retail stores, high quality housing including some affordable housing for city employees, teachers, and downtown workers. You should be supporting what the community wants and needs, not special interests groups.

Roger W. Anderson

Los Altos