Children Learn Grown-Up Tips on Being Alone by SHAWN KVANS Acces•Xwmsse T>O„ Phonnh,Lnli E Number,,,,«,K.,«S
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Mountainside Ech County leader TXeivtpapers VOL.27 NO. 25 MOUNTAINS! BE, N.J, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1985= 3 # Two icctions Children learn grown-up tips on being alone By SHAWN KVANS acces•xwMsse t>o„ phonnh,lnli e number,,,,«,K.,«s. shoul,.k dM ^^^ A program, called •'Home Alone" they need them has been developed for Westfield A group of provisional members of children in kindergarten through the Junior Uaguc of Elizabeth- sixth grades who have to be left Plainfield assisted the chapttT by alone at home for any reason producing u slide presentation to Recently introduced by the accompany the program Westfield.Mountainside Chapter of Funding for the project was the American lied Cross, Home contributed by the Parent/Teacher Alone's intent is to educate' children Organization Council of Westfield on safe practices as well as and Junior Women's Club of responsibility, the program's Westfield organizers explained "The assistance of these Gertrude Elster, executive organisations helped make this director of the Red Cross, explained progam possible, 'Goodale said this is just one example of many new G ooda 11' v x p I a med the-slides begin programs being deyeloped^h>~th< Irsetioui children being dismissed chapter. from school, as the clock indicates Accordinn to Patricia Goodale, the 3 o'clock hour director of Community Health and "The slide shows the kids leaving Safety Services for the Red Cross, in a very large Mroup_- the message^_ who ^implementing the program, -hereis-*pliry"rr¥a fuTcltin'T wa !k a lone "it is intended to open the lines of — walk with a friend when you go comunication between the children home,' " she said and their parents on the subject of Goodale tries to get student input being safe and responsible should and feedback by asking them the occasion ever arise that the child questions, like, "why do you think must be home alone " it's better to walk home with- a Along with Goodale, the program friend1'" is taught in Westfield in cooperation "The students usually tell me with Sgt. Earl Lambert of the things like, 'because if you walk Westfield Police Department by alone, somebody might take you.' using slide* presentations in con- But I try to make this program very junction with activity books and positiive, rather than frightening," emergency phone stickers she said, "So 1 tell them, 'well, it's But Goodale, along with Police Lt more fun to walk with your friends,' Joseph Mazur of the Mountainside Police Department, recently in- "Then, we talk about strangers troduced the program to borough and most of this us repetition and students at Our Lady of Lourdes reinforcement because they've Catholic School. already learned this from their The program, which has been parents, We then talk about who you going on since March, teaches can turn to for help," she explained students safety tips and other For the lower grade levels, practices through assembly-type Goodale said coloring books are programs, for grades kindergarten given out which enforce the rules of through third and fourth through safety, and safe places to keep a key f ixth grades, Goodale said. "I reinforce that you don't tell It is estjmated that more than anyone or show anyone where your key is — then, we move into the area LISTEN TO THE MAN WI^H THE BADGE—Mountainside ALL EYES—David Hamlet and Nicole Capece, along with 4,000 students in the state — in- Police Lt. Joseph A/\azur provides safety tips to students at fellow students at Our Lady of Lourdes School are all eyes as cluding 1,000 in Westfield — and of what to do when the student some 35,000 students nationwide finally gets home," she said. Our Lady of Lourdes School during a recently assembly held they view slides presented during an assembly on safety, She said alj through the program to introduce them to the WestfieldAAountainside Red Cross (•Photo.by John Boutsikaris) have be«n trained by the Red Cross Chapter's "Home Alone" program^. on being home alone she talks about now to keep open communications with the parents (Photo by John Boutsikaris) Goodale explained the program The students are also taught home originated in Kansas City, Missouri rules, such as how to properly use New jail on agenda and was introduced in the New the telephone and other safety Jersey area by the Morris Area Council to move house The Board of Chosen Freeholders requirements," Malgran said. measures. By SHAWN EVANS According to County Manager Lou American Red Cross. "The children are very receptive wanted it to be, and it was just a is scheduled to meet tonight with Time seemed to race against the matter of changing one word from representatives from Grad Part- Colettl, renovating the existing "When I saw the program, I to this and I'm happy that this decided it was something that I 230-year-old Deacon Andrew Het- perfect to good, "Post said in nership of Newark, thearchitectural space would require that the entire program is growing,"•she said field House, which lies among jail be brought up to state standards would like to see done in our area," Goodale said she plans to also visit regards to the condition of the work firm retained by the board to bid for mounds of topsail on 1260 Route 22 expected a year from now the construction of the proposed new for correctional facilities. This Goodale explained, Mountainside's Deerfteld School West would include the widening of cells Children were given workbooks to soon, as well as a group of retarded The second area called for a county jail. The mounds, created from ex- change in the schedule of payments, Just last week, the freeholders in the current facility to the 75- do at home with their parents and children at Edison Junior High were urged to talk with their parents cavation on the land in preparation which, includes $15,000 when the .were expected to meet to discuss the square-foot standards, which would School in Westfield. for other uses, temporarily brought result in a significant decrease in the about safe guidelines for time spent Other Red Cross chapters offering contract is signed, another sum in feasibility of renovating the a desolate look upon the Georgian that amount when the house is exisiting courthouse space as- an jail capacity. alone. the home alone program include Emergency stickers were colonial style house which would moved to the .site and an additional alternative to building the 215,000 Plans to construct the new facility Raritan Valley, Princeton and have been destroyed by razing if the provided to give children quick Eastern Union County sum when the house is placed on the square-foot, eight-story jail and have been delayed for almost a year building could not be successfully foundation, with the balance to be parking facility. after the board learned the initial moved paid upon completion, officials But Freeholder Chairman : G. price of the new jail had drastically But time was on the side of noted Richard Malgran said that idea has Increased from $18 million to a tab of members of the Mountainside """Finally, an area pertaining to a ^been scratched after County almost $40 million. Jail architects Historic Preservation Committee, a penalty fee was cleared up Engineer Armand Fiorletti deter- informed the board last summer of group which has spearheaded the • After the signing of the contract, mined it would be more costly to the increase. drive to save the house, commonly Welsh has IT days to move the house, renovate the existing courthouse "I want to talk to them (Grad dubbed the "Dutch Oven ' with the work substantially com- space, Partnership) to find out why the cost The . Mountainside Borough pleted within 30 days "We held a meeting last Thur- has escalated so much," Malgran Council at its Tuesday night work Post said that Welsh preferred not sday, and the county engineer said said. session by a vote of 3-1. approved the to sign the contract until he can the plans for renovating the space Thus far, the county has spent authorization of a contract to move speak with the utility company to would cost much too much," some $1 million on architectural fees the house from its present highway coordinate its schedule with his Malgran said, "There's no alter- and is presently awaiting the results location to a spot adjacent to the In other action, the council heard native. of a study on what should be done Mountainside Public Library opposition from residents regarding There are several apparent with the existing jail if the inmates Borough Administrator Jim the loud noise from the fire horn, problems involved in renovating the were moved to a new facility, Roberts said the contract has been which is attached to the Volunteer space, including the need for larger DeFilipposaid. awarded to the firm of R Welsh and Fire Department on New cells as well as more space for Officials noted that the inmate Son of Florham Park for $66,8M Providence Road recreation. population at the county jail in Welsh was one of two bidders Elizabeth has increased from bet- Residents pleaded with the council "What I want to know is to what formerly rejected on two separate to have the horn removed, extent we can build a new facility ween 430 to 450 over the last four occasions, because his bid was years. Those figures are double the preferably to Borough Hall. and the nature of reducing the size "legally insufficient " Another bid Mayor Bruce Geiger told the and expense but still provide the amount the facility was originally of $183,000 by another contractor built to hold.