• ("' L-1 • .: ,t 1Bttnrb J () {J \ • ., (J ," I'\. • j • \ \ J • ) ~ , :' .~ J ) , <' WAYNE COUNTY'S OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ... ESTABLISHED 1869 I t01_~ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 198&-NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN Vol. 117, No. 30, Three sections, 32Pages, Plus Supplements !;NTS J 0) • ) Semester begins at renovated high schoo ) By MICHELE M. FECHT nown over the national Capitol with Geake providing a brOUghtpeople out," Superintendent George Bell told the boxes of books and materials. ) \ state nag nown over the Capitol in Lansing. board of education Monday night. Staff members disgruntled last 'aclli· Following a marathon community c1ean·up last Following a very brief nag-raising, officials toured the In addition to the entire custodial and maintenance ty's appearance, seemed In awe Mth. weekend, a renovated and enlarged Northville High • new faciJity with school adIpinistrators. staffs, administrators and staff members, Bell credited SChool proper opened its doors Monday to staff and Though a few construction and maintenance workers parents, students, spouses of staff members and concern- "It hardly looks like the same place," Det.... ligan students. mingled with students Monday and Tuesday mornings, ed residents with making Monday's opening a reality. observed while standing outside his new classroom. After nearly five months of split scheduling at the the familiar pounding of hammers had been replaced by Lois Hoffmeister, co-chalrperson of the original "It's fantastic," said math teacher Paul Osborn, noting former Cooke Junior High site, freshmen and sophomores the sounds of students rushing to classes and slamming feasibility study for renovation of the high school, con- that he has considerably more room than in the former joined upperclassmen for the start of second semester. locker doors. veyed similar sentiments to the board. facility. Despite sub-zero temperatures, little seemed to dampen For school administrators and staff members, Mon- "I thought it was the most wonderful community and StUdents seemed equally as. enthusiastic about the the spirits of school officials gathered at the high school day's opening seemed nothing short of a miracle. staff effort I've ever seen," Hoffmeister noted. "It made renovated building. Monday for a nag-raising ceremony. The buffed noors, clean carpets and neatly arranged me so proud to be a part of this district." "Check this place out," said one stUdent to a fellow Congressman Carl Pursell and State Senator Robert furniture which greeted students at 7:30 a.m. Monday Dolly McMaster, director of curriculum instruction, classmate heading for the cafeteria. "It is absolutely Geake (R-Northville), along with Township Supervisor were a far cry from the 15truck loads of boxes and debris who supervised clean-up and organization In the new awesome." Susan Heintz and Mayor Paul Vernon joined school of- scattered throughout the building last weekend. media center, said that as many as 30-40 parents were • ficials for the nag presentation. Pursell offered a nag "I can't say enough for the spirit of the community that available at any given time to help unpack hundreds of ContinUed on 8 Students criticize board's revision • to lunch policy By MICHELE M. FECHT the board of education Monday gave its stamp of approval to close lunch Despite a student request for recon- periods. sideration of a proposed change in the The board's action - effective this lunch policy at Northville High School, semester - disallows students from leaVing Northville High School proper during the lunch period. The revision, Which reverses a 1971 • Seniors meet polley allowing students to leave the school premises during lunch, has sparked criticism from some students. with council Tim Munsell, a senior at Northville When Northville City Council learned High School, told the board of education that students in a "Current Issues" Monday that "there is overwhelming class at Allen Terrace were Interested support from students" to retain the old.__ In "sitting in" on a council session, It polley. obligingly decided to move the "Of all the restrictions that have been February 3 session to the senior citizen implemented this year, this has complex. angered students the most," he noted. In a letter to Mayor Paul Vernon, The board approved a first reading of • however, the "Current Issues" students the polley at its January 13 meeting said, "we appreciate your offer to move upon the recommendation of the ad- the location of the meeting to Allen Ter- ministration. race. However, we prefer to attend the Administrators pointed out that the regular council meeting in council "open" lunch hour presented a number chambers at city hall." of problems similar to those experienc- Therefore, the meeting will be at 8 ed before the administration closed the p.m. next Monday at city hall. high school campus. On the agenda will be a public hear- Among the problems cited were a Ing for uses for the Wayne County block higher Incidence of unexcused absences grant funds for 1986. and unexcused tardiness In classes im- At a special session Monday the coun- mediately following the lunch period, a • ell voted to call a hearing to Ilelete the higher Incidence of traffic accidents, reqUirement of a physical examination careless driVing and vehicle damage , Record phoro by STEVE FECHT to obtain a license to operate a taxi cab during the lunch period and excessive Northville High School students head upthe ramp inthe new cafeteria Monday morning business In the city. The hearing was littering on the high school grounds im- set for February 24. Because of the mediately following lunch. Washington Birthday holiday on Administrators also pointed out that February 17, the council's second ses- the old policy was established to sion of the month will be a week later alleviate the then overcrowding pro- Auditor says city on sound basis than usual. blem at the high school. The council approved deleting the re- Munsell, who talked to each board City officials received praise from adding that his firm had outstanding counted for half the revenues, Inside: quirement of a physical examination member prior to Monday'S meeting, the city's independent auditor Monday cooperation from Betty Lennox (city $1,344,000.Eagon noted that while state after city manager Steve Walters suggested the administration work with night for "getting the city back in the finance director) and all city equalized values actually declined, Calendar • reported that the cities of Farmington, Student Congress members to reach a black after a 'klunker' a few years back employees. taxes were up $76,000due to the mill In- 2A Farmington Hills, Livonia, Plymouth, compromise. It was suggested that with the loss of race track funds." He said the city's accounting pro- crease. Novi and Westland do not have the re- students could have their parents sign Kenneth J. Kunkel of Plante % Moran cedures met national, but not state Transfers and reimbursements Classifieds 36 qUirement. permission slips allowing their children complimented council at the special standards, and explained that his firm (overhead) accounted for $680,000or 25 Mayor Paul Vernon noted he felt the to leave campus during lunch. session for "legally getting to a plus." has been working with the government percent of revenues, up $37,000 from Editorials lOA applicant for a taxi license who said the "I don't think it's the open lunch He said the city has recovered from its accounting standards board to have na- 19Q.YFederal and state revenue sharing requirement would cause a hardship polley which got kids dropped from loss of race track returns and the tional standards accepted .•He said it accounted for $430,000, or 16 percent Obituaries 9A "had a point" In saying that people class," Munsell said in reference to the economic recession. was his opinion that the national ones compared with $364,000In 1984.Eagon working in stores are not required to high Incidence of absences and tardies He added that he could "see the fruits were the correct procedure. noted, however, that federal revenue prove they do not have a communicable immediately following lunch. "I think borne from the DDA <Downtown James Eagon, also from Plante & sharing Is due to terminate after the Our Town lC disease and that they have as much It's the kid." Development Authority) captured Moran, graphically showed council September, 1986,payment. contact with the pUblic. SChool Superintendent George Bell taxes" and suggested that, as develop- members general fund revenues and Completing the revenues were PTANews 4A He and council member Paul Folino told Munsell the administration ment continues, the city will be able to expenditures for 1985 and compared charges for services (court fines and I.I both commented that they were more "recognizes the feelings of stUdents In pay back public improvement fund them with those for 1984. costs and permits) of $122,000,or 4 per- Sports 12A surprised to learn that Wayne County this issue" and complimented the high monies. Revenues for 1985totaled $2,713,000, cent. Other revenues <Interest earn- no longer reqUires physical examina· "Your continued development is go- an Increase of 11 percent from the 1984 tlons of food handlers. Continued on 3 ing to continue to pay fruits," he said, total of $2,439,000.Property taxes ac- Continued on 9 Suzuki pianist5 find the right key By MICHELE M. FECHT more than three decades, McIntosh the process. "With younger stUdents you have to began offering the Suzuki method three "The more they listen, the easier It go slOWly," she says. "You don't want • The tiny pianists tinkling the Ivories years ago after training If! Ann Arbor Is," she says. "We have to help children to overwhelm the child." each weck at the horne of NorthvUle and at Western Ontario University.