Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 17, 1995 TAG: 9505170029
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Camp David Accords, the peaceful resolution of the Atlanta prison riots and many other recent events have helped establish conflict resolution as a new, professional and scholarly discipline. More than 25 universities coast to coast offer graduate degrees for this purpose, following the lead of my alma mater, Manchester College in Indiana.
The American Bar Association recognizes alternative dispute-resolution as a useful way to help our clogged court systems. In 1992, the NPF and four public education-oriented organizations secured provisions permitting the federal government to invest in conflict-resolution education for teachers and students in elementary and secondary grades.
I wish to highlight and commend the latter program. A survey of schools in a score of localities reports practical results from such efforts: reductions in expulsions, suspensions and truancy rates; increased orderliness in classrooms and on playgrounds; and personal skills that improve students' perception of their future potential.
School-board members, school administrators and teachers in our valley school districts would, I believe, find significant support for efforts to institute such programs in a timely fashion. They should have little difficulty in accessing information from public and private sources (beginning, if need be, with a phone call to NPF in Washington, D.C.).
NORMAN L. HARSH
ROANOKE
Nice to know others come first
WHEN I first glanced at your headline, ``Allen tries to ease feelings of rejection,'' on the May 4 article, I thought you were referring to his own! Silly me.
MICHAEL S. ABRAHAM
BLACKSBURG
Salvaging the value of the forests
IN RESPONSE to Sherman Bamford's April 21 letter to the editor, "Congress says go for the green":
It would be good if he gave the full story on the Omnibus Rescission Bill and its need. He didn't mention the billions of tax dollars of wasteful spending cut from this fiscal-year appropriation.
The increase in logging on national forests, mostly in the West, is salvage of dead and dying timber. Perhaps people aren't aware that timber mortality in the national forests has averaged 6 billion board-feet per year, and the Forest Service has only salvaged about 1.8 billion board-feet per year. That leaves a huge buildup of dead and dying material that should be removed. In fact, it's far more than the emergency salvage bill will remove, since the bill will only be in effect for two years.
Maybe Bamford wants to see timber burn up in wildfires as in the West last year rather than be used to meet people's wood and paper needs. Wildfires that occurred in managed stands of timber were easy to control, while those in large areas of dead and dying trees in unmanaged areas were next to impossible to control. Those fires cost the lives of several firefighters and many millions, which added to the federal deficit. At least the salvage sales approved in this legislation will move millions of dollars into the federal treasury rather than let that value go up in smoke.
I agree that no one in Congress should be able to hide on this vote. Reps. Bob Goodlatte and L.F. Payne should be congratulated on seeing and understanding that it's time to act responsibly, to direct the Forest Service to manage this public land, and not waste resources. Rep. Rick Boucher should have voted for what's right, and not with groups opposing sound and balanced management. The true science is that salvage will enhance forest health.
DANIEL B. DEEDS
Chairman, Appalachian Forest Management Group
COVINGTON
Snake-handling isn't condoned
REGARDING the May 4 Extra section article, ``Snake-handlers put faith in deadly test'':
It's understandable that you want to carry news that has a sense of excitement or even a bit bizarre, but it's also regrettable that you do it at the expense of some reputable churches in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas.
The article reported that most snake-handling churches are known as Pentecostal Holiness but are usually independent in nature. This statement is misleading and a reflection on the Pentecostal Holiness denomination that isn't a part of the snake-handling sect. There may be some isolated areas where they call themselves Pentecostal Holiness, but they are, by no means, a part of the denomination known as the International Pentecostal Holiness Church.
We have sizable churches in the Roanoke Valley, both in Roanoke and Salem, and this article was an embarrassment to our people. We don't practice nor do we condone the practice of snake-handling. We believe such practice is a misinterpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
WALTER L. WOOD JR.
Pastor, New Life Temple
ROANOKE
by CNB