HOW TO GET THE LEADER =? Jusl Fill in the Form On Page 10 And Return It to Us! — Serving the Town Since 1890 — = 3 £ NJ. Itandir, Jam M, 19M 232-4407 FORTY CENTS WINTER SPECIAL ELECTION FOR BONDS EYED Floating of Large Bond Issue For Primary School Classrooms Set Forth by Administrators September 27 Set as Deadline for Board of Education Vote on the Matter Which Would Add 21 Classrooms to Four of the Six Elementary Schools By PAUL J.PEYTON Smith said, construction could begin Prior to the vote on the four recom- Sptclally V/rimnfarTht WrslfltM tsadir by next spring and conclude in about mendations by the committee, Df. A proposal to add 21 additional a year. catmuiD on ptat a classrooms at four of the town's six elementary schools at an initial cost of $4.9 million is still being consid- ered by the Board of Education as a meansof meeting what officialsdeem will be a "baby boom" over the next decade. School officials say the construc- tion plan is contingent on the ap- proval of a$4.5 million bond referen- LIFE HAS JUST BEGIN ...Dr. Robert G. Petit, WestlMe d Middi School Prindp.1p, mZotitecimtf dum that would be put before voters 1994 durindrigg commencemenct t exercisei s helhldd MondaMd y nighiht tt ththe icboolbl . PPlcul e aec Page 22 for more pictures ind the full in January. The bonds would be pay- text of Dr. Felix's speech on Page 24. able over20 years, and bond issues of this sort usually result in costs of about two and a half times the amount borrowed, or $ 12 or $ 13 mil lion, de- Robert L. Rooke, 103, Known Nationally pending on what the market deter- mines is (he going interest rate at the time of issuance. As a Philanthropist and Investor The board' also voted Tuesday to accept the construction plan as pro- GREASE IS THE \VOKD...M!ss Susan Wood, is starring as Sandy In the Gave Swimming Pool, His First Large Gift, to Westfield T' in 1928, posed by Superintendent of Schools, Broadway production of Givase! At left is her co-star Ricky Paul! Goldin who Dr. Mark C. Smith, in addition to plays Danny. Was Major Donor to Bucknell; Wife of 72 Years Died Last Year, Also at 103 previously proposed alternativeplans. Dr. Robert C. Rader, Business Ad- A nationally-known philanthropist Mr. Rooke oversaw the firm's ex- many institutions and charitable or- ministrator and Board Secretary, and investor, Robert L. Rooke, 103, change trading during the stock mar- ganizations, especially his alma noted the bond issue would increase Miss Wood Starring of Palm Beach, Florida, died Mon- ket crash in 1929, details of which he mater, Bucknell University," a fam- taxes by $28 on the average home in day, June 27, at his home there. His easily recalled this year. Later he ily spokesman said. town with an assessed valuation of wifeof72years,Mrs.AliceW. Rooke, opened an office for Merrill Lynch in In 1930 he was elected to the Board $174,000. This figure does not in- was also 103 at the time of her death Newark, though retaining his New of Trustees of the university and clude additional staff, utilities, main- In Broadway's Grease! in November of last year. York Stock Exchange seat. I HMHTuttil 1975 when he became tenance or furniture, as needed. He Born and raisedlhWfnfield, Penn- At the time of his death, Mr. Rooke Trustee Emeritus.Theuniversity con- said this numberwill begin todrop by, Plays the Part of Sandy in Musical Recalling the 1950s sylvania, Mr. Rooke received his pri- was the oldest member of the New ferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws 2000 when the school tax levy is mary education in aone-room school York Stock Exchange. Degree on him in 1950, and in 1976 expected to decline by $16 in the Miss Susan Wood, a ago when the two appeared to- in Winfield prior to attending On his 100th birthday, Merrill he was the recipient of the Stephen average tax bill. Lewisburgh, Pennsylvania High Lynch honored him by dedicating a W. Taylor Medal, the university's Westfield native, is making a gether in Godspell in summer School and then Bucknell Academy. The board will vote on its final plan new computer center at Bucknell highest honor. In 1992 the university at its September 23 meeting. The big splash this summer as a stock in St. Louis. In 1908, he entered Bucknell Uni- University in his name. named its new chemistry building construction proposal is in response cast member of Tommy Tune's She credits at least part of her versity and graduated in 1913 with a "Throughout his lifetime, he was after him to honor his devotion to to projections by school officials that revival of Grease! Cast as success to her former voice degree in electrical engineering. Fol- known for his tireless energy, his Bucknell. elementary enrollment will rise by Sandy, she appears with her coach, the Reverend Philip R. lowing graduation, he worked forthe unerring memory, his commitment Among his contributions to 3 86 by the 1998-1999 school year, or General Electric Company until he to physical exercise and his generos- Bucknell were the Rooke Chapel about 17 per cent. co-star, soap opera star Ricky Dietterich, at the First United joined the United StatesNavy in 1917. ity. He was a major benefactor to If the bond ordinance passes, Dr. Paull Goldin, who plays Danny, Methodist Church in Westfield. After his discharge in 1918, he was and comedian Rosie O' Donnell She will return to the area on employed by Public Service Electric who portrays Rizzo. August 7 to sing at the Rever- in New Jersey. end Dietterich's retirement In 1919, Mr. Rooke answered an Surveillance Videos by Investigator Miss Wood, a newcomer on advertisement for a bond salesman at Broadway, shares an apartment party. Merrill Lynch & Company. This be- in New York with actor Adrian Miss Wood has toured with gana life-long friendship with Charles Zoom In on ShopRite Trucking Patterns Zmed who she met five years the International Company in E. Merrill, founder of the firm. Mr. production of Grand Hotel. She Rooke started at a salary of $50 a Opponents Try to Show How Elizabeth Store Deliveries Would Spoil month and shortly thereafter ad- also has appeared with the Na- vanced to the position of research Town's Quietude; Summer Just Might See an End to the Saga of Hearings tional Company in Chess and analyst. In 1928, he was named a in David Henry Hwang's Face Merrill Lynch partner and its repre- By SUZETTE STALKER aminations. its, felt the stores in Livingston, Specially VfrlntKfariht West/lrltlLeadtr In a variation on previous testi- Bernardsville and Chatham were most Value. sentative on the floor of the New The Westfield Planning Board con- York Stock Exchange. mony, last week's meting featured similar to the proposed Westfield su- Miss Wood also appeared in tinued its public hearing Thursday two surveillance videos of the permarket in terms of customer de- the Off-Broadway production night of a controversial application ShopRite on West Grand Avenue in mographics. Opponents of the bid of Eating Raoul. She played by Village Supermarkets to build a Elizabeth, recorded by licensed in- have disputed this rationale, how- ShopRite on the current North Av- vestigator Samuel Gow in February ever, arguing that the Westfield store Diana Deveraux in Of Thee I enue site of the Westfield Lumber of last year on behalf of William would be located in a much more Sing at the Cleveland Playhouse and Home Center. Butler, the attorney representing heavily traveled area. which won her the Heefer The bid, which first came before Reilly Oldsmobile of Westfield, who The videos illustrated truck.traffic Award for Best Musical Per- the Planing Board iri February of opposes construction of the super- patterns and unloading facilities at formance. 1993, has drawn the ire of some market. the Elizabeth ShopRite, which at Westfield residents who fear a Mr. Butler, prior to playing of the 60,700 square feet is comparable to Her theater credits include ShopRite "superstore" will increase videos, recounted from a transcript the approximately 58,000 square foot Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus traffic volume to the levels typically the February 11, 1993 testimony of coverage earmarked for Westfield. generated by a shopping mall, dis- Enzo Pavese, architect of both the Recorded between 7 a.m. and 6 Christ Superstar and The rupting the suburban environment of Elizabeth store and the one proposed p.m. on Monday, February 8, 1993 Fantasticks. the community. for Westfield, in which the latterstated and Friday, February 12, the videos Board officials, along with Village that the Elizabeth ShopRite's floor Television and film credits Supermarkets and members of the plan, square footageand proximity to Miss Susan Wood include Silk Stockings and Ex- public, are anticipating a denouement a railroad were "approximately the cessive Force. She has also of the case by the end of the summer. same" to the one planned for performed as a vocal soloist in The ShopRite hearing has been Westfield: Robert L. Rooke stretched out over the past 16 months various nightclubs and studied At his graduation Village Supermarkets, in sample at New York University's Circle From Bucknell in 1913 while both sides submitted lengthy surveys of other ShopRite stores to testimony and conducted cross-ex- determine consumer shopping hab- in the Square theater program. Police Issue Warning DEADLINES HELP On Fireworks Use Members of the Westfield Police PAPERS SERVE YOU Department will "strictly enforce New Those preparing press releases for Jersey fireworks laws," announced submission to The Westfield Leader or Westfield Police Chief Anthony J.