The business community in Levittown is at a crossroads. And we don't mean the corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Gardiners Avenue.
The community's biggest business challenge is overcoming an identity crisis. There's no classic "main street" on the level of Main Street or Mineola Boulevard in Mineola, or the Five Corners in Lynbrook. Levittown's main street is Route 24, and anyone who tried to do a shopping trip along the pike by foot would be tired before they're halfway done.
It's true that there are also the usual problems of high taxes and high rents, complaints which could be repeated in any town in Nassau County. With Levittown having no manufacturing industry, and with so many students to serve, a high burden is borne by both the residents and business people. And while Hempstead Turnpike is a business mecca, a substantial portion of the North Village Green shopping strip -- a neighborhood shopping area -- remains empty.
True, it's the mom-and-pop stores in the village greens, not the Nordstroms or Home Depots, that sponsor organizations like St. Bernard's and Levittown Little League. But people are not going to shop smaller local merchants out of the goodness of their hearts. Shop owners have to show through example that the kind of experience and personal attention they provide is worth the 20 cents to a dollar more they're paying at Joe's.
If Levittown's merchants continue to network, pick up ideas, stay dedicated to their customers, and maintain a firm balance between business needs and being good neighbors, then they'll hold their own in this era of the big-box store.
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the official holiday season is upon us once again. It's the time of year when people crowd into toy stores to search for that perfect gift for the youngsters in their lives.
Finding just the right gift can be a time-consuming and confusing experience. If you are a smart shopper, though, you will take the time to consider the safety of a toy, and how it will be used by the child.
It is a sad fact that each year, more than 150,000 children are injured in toy-related accidents. Government agencies and consumer groups have worked hard to ensure that toys on sale today are not dangerous. However, it is ultimately up to the consumer to decide whether a toy is safe for a particular child.
In an attempt to make your holiday safer, I urge you to follow a few simple guidelines compiled by the Nassau County Department of Health designed to assist shoppers in choosing safe toys for children.
For infants and very young children, toys with long strings or cords are unsuitable. Cords may become wrapped around an infant's neck and cause strangulation. Never hang toys with long strings, cords, loops, or ribbons in or above cribs or playpens where children can become entangled.
An infant or toddler should never be given toys containing small parts, since they can become lodged in the child's throat. When purchasing a stuffed toy, make sure it is well made, with eyes, nose and mouth securely fastened.
The toys you purchase should be well-constructed, durable and safe. Remember to check the seams on stuffed toys since those poorly constructed can break open and release small pellets that might easily be swallowed or inhaled.
Always explain to your child the proper way to use toys safely. Do not give older children dart guns or other toys which fire objects that could injure other children's eyes.
If a toy has a sharp edge or point, do not purchase it. Toys made of brittle plastic or glass can be broken easily, forming dangerously sharp cutting edges. Also, avoid toys that produce extremely loud noises that might damage a child's hearing. Parents should examine toys periodically. Repaie broken toys, and discard those that cannot be fixed.
For more information on selecting safe toys for your children, write to Toy Safety, P.O. Box 2000, Albany, NY 12220.
A little caution goes a long way. On behalf of all the members of the Hempstead Town Board, I wish you a happy and safe holiday season.
Gregory P. Peterson, Supervisor
Town of Hempstead
"Mr. Ward, I'm not going to debate with you," roared Ken Aueri, president, of the Levittown School Board during the Public Be Heard segment of the school board's special meeting on Nov. 19. He even denied responsibility for placing the item of my interest on the evening's agenda. Another board member, who seldom participates in the board's public dialogue, appeared startled when he realized, possibly for the first time, that the board was scheduled to adopt a number of new Policy Statements that evening.
Repeated questions to the president regarding his understanding of Values Education (Proposed Policy Statement #4311.2) were met with silence. Finally, Dr. Herman Sirois, superintendent of schools, responded to my question. He also apologized for the board's failure to make the text of this policy statement, along with several others, available to the public prior to the meeting.
Dr. Sirois explained, for example, that the proposed Values Education policy statement was actually drafted by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA). Its adoption is intended to reflect community values and highlights such virtues as honesty, integrity, personal responsibility, hard work and respect for others. School board members, administrators and staff are expected to serve as role models for our student body.
"Values Education," I advised the board, has been a hot button topic since the 1960s. "Values Clarification," as it was formerly known, taught that our schools should not take part in the task of reinforcing the sound moral and civic virtues learned by our children in their homes and religious institutions. Children should be allowed to clarify their own values according to its exponents. None of our cherished moral or civic values were right or wrong; each student had an equal right to their own values which were subjective and personal.
The Levittown Board of Education should be congratulated for taking this first step, innocuous as it appears, attempting to implement several of the civic values which have been the hallmark of our society. The question remains, however, whether the New York State School Boards Association or the Levittown community will be the arbiter to determine what values should be taught in our schools. How, for instance, can the president of the Levittown board of education assume the position of role model when he clearly has no insight into the nature of Values Education?
I suggest our school board scrap the New York State School Boards "one size fits all" statement on Values Education and in its place engage in a community dialogue on civic and moral values. No dialogue would be complete without a thorough discussion of the principles laid down by our Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States. Equally important to the discussion would be our Bill of Rights; Federalist Papers urging ratification of the Constitution and Abe Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. The Ten Commandments, recorded in the Book of Exodus, should serve as the starting point of their dialogue.
James P. Ward
