LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Doctor O'Neill's Views Shared By Teacher Editor: peared on Jan. 20, 1992, and the topic edge, he is always cheerful, hopeful, Last week, President Clinton got around to the assassination and his helpful and encouraging. opened his State of the Union address book. Mr. O'Neill said, "So from that I was one of his first patients, by praising former House Speaker Tip time on I always believed that there in Chatham, and have remained his O'Neill. It was a fine gesture, but the was a conspiracy and I always believed patient for 19 and a half years, about a president stopped too soon. It would that there was somebody else." quarter of my lifetime. have been appropriate if he revealed to Tip O'Neill is not alone. A re- Over this time he has consis- the nation what Mr. O'Neill had been cent CBS poll shows that 91 percent of tently kept me in (or returned me to) publicly saying for a long time now. the best of health, through sound ad- Americans do not believe the Warren Speaker O'Neill spoke fondly Commission Report. President Clinton vice, wise medication, and suggested ofhis friend PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. regimen. can force the United States Congress, Once upon a time, he even believed the which found a conspiracy in its own I expect there are many others Warren Commission finding that one investigation in 1976, to act upon a law who have also benefited from Dr. Mees, Ione assassin was the culprit in Dallas recently passed by both houses of Con- for "Lo, these many years." on Nov. 22, 1963. However, his belief gress (S 3006) mandating the release of George F. Bigelow about the events on that tragic day all files currently being kept secret from Chatham changed, and he went public with his the American people. Tip O'Neill would thoughts. be proud, as he called for full disclosure In his book, The Man of the before his death. setter House, Mr. O'Neill tells of how two William Cheslock else's gain. For this is a man that grants friends, Ken O'Donnell and Dave Pow- Chatham gain wherever he goes. ers, who were in Dallas with the presi- (Mr. Cheslock teaches a dent, told him that shots came from the course on the assassination, and has Dallas Jones front of the limousine. South Chatham been researching the events in Dallas On the syndicated television for the past 28 years.) talk show, Larry King Live, he ap-

Correction: Examining DEIR Analysis

A letter to the editor Editor: 3. Joshua Nickerson relates in in last week's paper Dr. Lee Weishar's dismissal of Days To Remember how CBI dug a was signed by my comments on the DEIR does not channel across the outer beach turning stand up to analysis. His comments do the north end into an island. Hattie and Ev. Hanlon point out the central problems of the 4. John B. Paine bought the of West Hartford, Conn. report. land north of the fish pier in 1912. The "Hattie our apologies" Ed. An examination of the avail- deed included beach and flats adjoin- able coastal charts and additional maps ing the bluff plus 'right and title to any for the period 1850 to 1914 support other land beach and flats beyond, if several conclusions concerning the any, to the sea." Paine sold his rights movement of South Beach and the har- ("if any") to the other land, by then bor inlet. known as Tern Island, as a bird sanctu- For the period.1850 to 1868: ary in 1926. 1. South Beach decreased in The DEIR is grounded on the width 50-70 percent the length of the argument that South Beach will break beach- up into islands which will migrate to 2. The majority of the western the west and weld onto the mainland. shoreline of the beach did not move The report predicts the destruction of indicating that the erosion moved east the north end of the beach exposing the to west. Little Beach area to the open ocean 3. The north end of the beach,- resulting in devastating erosion. became established as a northwest spit If the DEIR's analysis is cor- as it has done since 1987. rect, then the Aunt Lydia's Cove shore- 4. The area between the north line should have suffered heavy erosion day with commercials you may have end of the beach and Aunt Lydia's Cove as the north end of South Beach broke missed One will feature every movie filled with shoals covering an area 2700 up and North Beach moved south. The Tony Curtis was ever in. There will be feet e/w and 3700 feet n/s. historical charts indicate a different one that explains in detail how to build course of events. For the neriod 1868 to 1886: :-.F.**Re •

. LETTE_Rsiro

*Vi-.1440,4 4 )r Patient Questions '10. er s on most. Most people agree that Dr. Mees Editor continuing responsibility. has been a caring and good doctor to I read with interest William A test of Mr. Cheslock's fair- them. But his abusive behavior cannot Cheslock's peculiar letter of Feb. 3, in ness would be a review of the reading be condoned, no matter how "good" he which he suggested that while Presi- list he assigns his students. If it does has been with everyone else. I wonder if dent Clinton was praising Speaker not include such effective challenges to Mr. Ellis would be so supportive of Dr. O'Neill during his State of the Union the far-fetched as Gerald Posner's "Case Mees if the young lady who was abused address, he should have included specu- Closed" or Jacob Cohen's work in Com- were his daughter. I doubt he would lation about President Kennedy's as- mentary, there is cause to worry. To then consider the doctor's actions "a sassination. quote from Mr Cohen's essay: mistake." Mr. Cheslock is described as "For nearly thirty years, pla- When considering allegations one who has researched the assassina- toons of conspiracists have concertedly of abuse, the "medical fraternity" is tion for 28 years and is teaching a scavenged the record, floating their required to review just that — the al- course on this topic. If he is doing this appalling and thrilling might-have- legations. It is not obliged to question instruction in Chatham High School it beens, unfazed by the contradictions his other patients, his behavior as a is probable that he is wasting our tax and absurdities in their own wantonly single parent, his contributions to the dollars in a harmful exercise at a time selective accounts, often consciously, town. !fit has been determined that the when every penny is needed for signifi- cunningly deceitful. They have refused rules of that organization have been cant educational programs. In decades to let go of any shred of their earliest violated and the rights of the patient/ of dealing with persons who have col- suspicions, even when these have been client have been violated, the medical lected notoriety and dollars by promot- demolished by decisive scientific find- fraternity indeed has the right to take ing a variety of speculations regarding ings... Small wonder that 85 percent of the action it did. They are judge and the events in Dallas, archivists at the the American public thinks there was a jury, as are the review boards of the Kennedy Library have encountered only conspiracy of some sort." legal, psychological, and religious pro- rarely such a specialized course being Another cause for worry about fessions. The proper authorities have taught thoughtfully and fairly. Mr. Cheslock is his call for President fulfilled their obligation, and it is up to There are those who justify Clinton to force the United States Con- us to accept their decision, whether we teaching this subject by claiming it is a gress to act upon a law mandating the think the punishment was too severe or device to stimulate the use of original release of secret files. Force the Con- not severe enough. My hope is that Dr. source documents. Almost invariably gress to do what? Congress passed the Mees uses his "time out" to reflect on this is nonsense because the zealots law and it is being obeyed. his misdeeds. More importantly, I hope steer students toward highly specula- If Mr. Cheslock's letter is any that his former patient finds support in tive and even absurd papers rather indication of the quality of his misdi- this community to encourage her ongo- than studies leading to the sad, logical rected teaching, we and his students ing healing. She has mine. but less sensational conclusion that are in trouble. Margaret G. Burroughs there was no great conspiracy. To make Charles U. Daly Chatham matters worse, in many cases students Chatham are indoctrinated to have more faith in alleged plots than in the government (Charles Daly is director of the John that is, in the end, our own creation and F. Kennedy Library). Be Aware Of Bat House Sales Editor: ting yourselves and your pets at risk It is the season for gardening from these notorious carriers of rabies. catalogues and many advertise BAT George T. Bernard HOUSES. May T remind those who are old Bedouin woman' who wea raped at ,:re-edit for bringing forth this conceP In ' knifepoint at age 11 by her ()basina vit:4!her letter Feb.17 ' : reviled as 'dirt' about whom`pioPIe- ": Juliet R. Bernstein were "gossiping. by her own mother. Cape Cod Chapter The 1989 statement of rape Fellowship of Reconciliation Student Defends leacher. Editor: class. He gives us both sides of the FORDS I read with even more interest, story: the conspiracy and the Warren Charles U. Daley's letter of Feb. 17. Mr. Commission's version. Unfortunately, Daley suggests that classes instructed Mr. Daley, you can't speak of the truth on the assassination ofJ.F.K. are "mis- on Mr. Cheslock's classes because you directed", and that if Mr. Cheslock's haven't come into one; you can only letter is a reflection of his classes, "we speculate. The real unfortunate part of )USt1CS? and his students are in trouble." Well, the assassination is that our govern- Mr. Daley, I'm a student of Mr. ment says, "We've got nothing to hide," Cheslock's one-year course. For five but yet they won't open the files until bull, cow. Or ox." We have steers, bulls days a week and approximately 45 min- 2039. If I can present by the end of this and cows--so where do we get "oxen"? I utes each day, we look over, official year two sides to the assassination of dunno. documents, and rust-person witnesses J.F. K., Mr. Cheslock has presented his But back to acoustics. Which is telling us on tape what happened. Mr. point, "Case Closed." AC-DC. Here are some that are strictly Cheslock checks at least two sources, Alison Gage AC: which are thoroughly researched, be- South Chatham Politics IS a field for frequent fore presenting his information to the fraud. Ethics. This poi's ethics IS non- existent. Classmate Agrees Summons. The politician got A Editor: Case Closed in our curriculum! summons. I read with a great deal of dis- • For a man who has never seen Mumps. I had IT when I was a gust Charles U. Daly's rebuttal to my Mr. Cheslock teach he sure seems to kid. (One mump was insufficient?) teacher William Cheslock's letter! Not think he knows a whole lot! I for one Molasses. Molasses is in the only did he outright insult my teacher could never say something as zealously bottom of the barrel. but he insulted me and each of my as he does about students and a teacher Physics. Physics IS a field in classmates. To insinuate that students he has never even met. If Mr. Daly feels which I am a dummy. And astrophysics of our age are as easily led as he be- so strongly that Mr. Cheslock's stu- too, only more so ( if possible.) lieves is to say that we cannot think for dents are being led under false pre- (Government) Customs. Cus- ourselves! Mr. Cheslock presented us tenses perhaps he should sit in on one toms IS a pest. THEY confiscated my with all of the facts from each side and of our classes! drugs. How can Customs be both an IT let us come to our own conclusions. I Sarah Israel and a THEY? Well, of course IT refers would also like to point out that Mr. Chatham High School Junior to the Gov't office and THEY are the Cheslock has included Gerald Posner's noble souls who work there. Still and all, we're sort of lucky. Whether we use the singular or the plural, we say 'the.' The ox or the oxen. Many other lan- guages change the 'the' to suit the noun that follows. Le jour. Les jours. Der tag. Die tagen. (And German has das and Letters lb The Editor den und... wer weist?) Just thought of another cutey. The talk is about musicians. You say Deadline that the string quartette IS rotten? Sure is, and that's because THEY don't Monday At Noon pray together. It's EACH man for HIM- SELF. And you can also blame the acoustics. Todays words to ignore: 'Toys 'R' Us: (A singular company.) The Cape Cod Chronicle February 24, 1994 Page 15 west uenrus ann wnitman & Howard, no control over tnese mandatory regu- ters of general concern or interest are Inc. Of Wellesley. Since Whitman & lations. expected to be acted upon should be Howard is the consulting engineer for James Cooper announced well in advance; the pro- the water department and was the Robert Snow posal should be available to any inter- higher bidder, the board chose to award Robert Geist ested citizen in advance; and the mem- the contract for the study to Consult- bers of the appropriate board or com- Board of Water & Sewer Commis- ants to Management, Inc, ensuring that mittee should be present in sufficient results of the water and sewer rate sioners numbers to present the subject pro- study were based strictly on practices Chatham posal to those in attendance. Furthermore, anyone giving testimony at such a public meeting Teacher Dutifully Instructs Students must be accorded the respect and cour- tesy due any person in everyday af- Editor tory class. Mr. Cheslock could see right fairs; and those who violate such stan- Twice, once in each of the past away how the Dallas incident would fit dards of conduct should be properly two years, Mr. William Cheslock has into a workbook which contained all of invited me to participate in his these historical "puzzles" and more. An More Letters On Page 18 Chatham High School class about the unfair professional educator who was assassination of President John F. out to waste our tax dollars would not Kennedy. My task was to provide back- even entertain the idea of broadening ground information about what it was the scope of source material which like to live in Hyannisport, as a visitor, would reduce the object of his primary SPEAKING OF WC at the head of the Kennedy Compound interest to but one in a series of histori- during the years ofMr. Kennedy's presi- cal items to be studied. However, Mr. by Henry Morgan de n cy , summer by summer. Mr. Cheslock's primary concern is the in- Cheslock wanted his students to get a tellectual growth of his students and feel for the excitement and the hope of not the promulgation of his view. that time and to have some idea of how thoroughly human the Kennedys have always been. Mr. Cheslock wanted his Abraham Lincoln, when a Con- Hi, Ma! students to experience, as best they gressman, did not have much faith in could, the setting against which the the official version of the government of ell, the time has come. This calamity occurred. His approach was, the United States about the start of the country, at last, has rec- and is, completely rational, objective, war against Mexico. His "Spot Resolu- ognized that a one-parent balanced, as scholarship should be, es- tions" of Dec. 22, 1847 make interest- family isn't necessarily a pecially in a teaching situation in a ing reading. The recent revelations of dreadful thing to contemplate. There- high school classroom. At no time did I the use of United States citizens in fore, we now can say right out loud that, ever hear Mr. Cheslock voice his own medical experiments during World War uh, (00 ps—I almost lost my nerve)...we opinion about the murder in Dallas; II make interesting reading, too. Stu- can say OUT LOUD that Mother Na- but I did hear him tell me not to reveal dents need to be encouraged to have a ture never got married: This is not to his view. Personally, I do not share Mr. healthy skepticism about "the govern- say that she didn't have a, weall, col- Cheslock's conclusion; but I have lis- ment that is, in the end, our own cre- laborator... we just don't know much tened to his reasons carefully. He is not ation and continuing responsibility," about it. Nothing, in fact. I mean, you the kind of person who would assault as Mr. Charles U. Daly put it in his never heard of Papa Nature, right? So anyone with his view, nor would he letter of Feb. 17, 1994 in The Cape Cod in other, (maybe shocking) plain words, insist that a student accept his bias, He Chronicle. Mr. Cheslock, who is one of just about every tree, plant, thunder- is not that kind of a scholar; he is not the world's most kind, considerate, de- storm and drought is the child of a that kind of person. cent people, surely has the implanta- single parent. This tireless person tion of such skepticism as one of his Mr. Cheslock does want his carved out the Himalayas, dug a six- students to explore primary source goals in his teaching of high school mile deep trench off the coast of the material, to the extent that such is students, for which the community Phillipines, created the Sahara and the available. He does use the murder of should be grateful. • Gobi and gave birth to mosquitoes. John F. Kennedy on a street in Dallas, What a Mom! Texas, as a means to have his students One way in which to assure – Next problem. Fella says, "I'll do so. He and I have discusssd ways in balance in the academic consideration be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail." which to broaden the source material of such items as the murder of Presi- Lambs were created by Mother N. so I in order to achieve that educational dent Kennedy is to present the other became interested. Two shakes of a goal. There are quite a number of side of the case. Mr. Charles U. Daly lamb's tail, eh? Well, I went to a farm puzzles in the history of the United could volunteer to do just that presen- that's not far from where I live and States of America about which there tation and add to the intellectual ex- asked could I spend an hour with a are opposing views: the election of 1824; citement of the study of history which lamb. I had a stopwatch with me and I the election of 1876; the battleship study is often equated with a long sleep was able to time what went on. In that Maine incident; the Panama incident in a graveyard. I wish that Mr. Daly whole hour the lamb shook its tail, or of 1903; the entry of the United States had done so – by a quick telephone call. wiggled it, only once. I am the first to into World War I; the Pearl Harbor What Mr. Ches lock is doing is not a admit that testing only one lamb isn't incident; the use of nuclear weapons "harmful exercise" nor is he "wasting very scientific and this particular iamb against Japan; the Bay of Pigs inci- our tax dollars." Mr. Cheslock is trying turned around a lot and it would seem dent, and the Gulf of Tonkin incident - to coach students to think just as they that to get a good timing by watching, - to name but a few. Most of these are of an age to become voting citizens say, a hundred turning lambs would "puzzles" have been studied extensively, Robert L. Hyde take at least a hundred scientific types. but retain their capacity to Well, I called both my friends and nei- stimulate Chatham students to think in a high school his- ther seemed to be terribly interested in The Cape Cod Chi 1 THE BOSTON HERALD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1994 NIGEL HAMILTON

VeQA. rlieelk:VOtAi. 4 41 -

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JFK Library nee ■•■ ■■•: • . reconstruction of his life and he resignation of Charles payers' money been so 'wasted. Embarrassed by accusations of times. As veterans of the Ken- Daly as director of the nedy administration pass away. John F. Kennedy Library Kennedy-family deification, Daly decided to recast it in a and even those of us adult at the ends a volatile reign at Colum- time of his assassination thin bia Point. more sober, even somber style. Visitors are now treated to out, the task of projecting JFK's Daly was not a man of many extraordinary charismatic and words. When he did speak it flickering screens playing end- less black-and-white tapes of challenging leadership becomes was often hard to catch what he more and more difficult. Older said, for he tended to spit words yesteryear. The soul of the youngest-ever elected president people cling to their shibbo- (and expletives) in a manner leths, while younger folks find that reflected his service in the is entirely missing. Why? The problem — and it is a the one-sided banging of JFK's Marines: testy and uncomforta- drum unreal. Thus, the Ken- ble in the world of scholarship. problem the Kennedy Library must address — is one of one- nedy Library has become In- He let me down badly by ta- creasingly out of tune with the citly approving the breaking sidedness. Without debate, there is vacuity. The John F. vibrant interplay of ideas and open of my mail at the Kennedy opinions that make the United Library: he sought to exclude Kennedy Library is an insult to the nation because it conveys States the most exciting democ- me from an international gath- racy in the world. ering of Kennedy scholars: he nothing of John F. Kennedy's personality, his love of ideas Charles Daly's unhappy ten- has for a year and a half banned ure as director of the Kennedy my book at the library — even and argument, or the difficul- ties and trials which made his Library marks the last act in an though it was being read by overlong defiance of democracy millions of Americans and be- life so genuinely heroic. The idea behind the presi- — the attempt to stop the li- came an ABC mini-series. brary from becoming accounta- From an uneasy modus vi- dential libraries was to devolve archival records and artifacts ble to the taxpayers who fi- vendi, we drew further apart nance it. until we were separated by an away from Washington, D.C., the seat of the National Ar- A new director is wanted iron curtain: he the spokesman who will not feel required to lick for the Kennedy family and its chives, and to make each White House administration's records Kennedy family boots. By open- interests. I the revisionist his- ing the doors, there is a chance torian, attempting to blow away more stimulating and more accessible by creating an ar- the library will fulfill the hopes the mythic Camelot cobwebs that Jackie Kennedy invested in he really chive in the "home" town of and depict JFK as it 30 years ago: "Fermenting. was: that strange mixture of each former president. The JFK Library has, sadly. and alive and attractive above charismatic brilliance and all to Youth." haunted, suffering addiction. sunk to the bottom of the presi- Daly's last contribution to dential library pile. Its problem has always been the traumatic Nigel Hamilton is a fellow of the library was the remodelling the John W. McCormack Insti- of its museum, dedicated by nature of his death, and the bur- den of a Camelot legend that tute at UMass-Boston and au- President Clinton last October. thor of JFK: Reckless Youth. Seldom has $4 million of tax- osbcures any real discussion or