THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603220237
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
The adage regarding angels disguised as strangers certainly ran true for me, a kindergarten teacher, and one of my lucky students.
We were attending a play, ``Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' on March 15 at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base Theater, when it became apparent that one of my students was in a state of medical distress and required immediate medical treatment. My assistant, Sharron Hood, held and calmed the student as I searched for a telephone.
It seemed that virtually out of nowhere these ``angels'' made their presence. Charlene, a bystander, offered me the use of her cellular phone for which she wouldn't hear of my reimbursing her. She offered to help in any way we needed. It just so happened that Wayne Leonard working with the Encore Players appeared and disclosed that he is an EMT. He was wonderful in terms of his demeanor and professionalism and gave me money for the pay phone in the theater. A pediatrician who was there with his child to see the play did an outstanding job as well. I only regret that I wasn't able to obtain his name. The Little Creek base staff worked in top precision.
I also wish to thank my field trip chaperones, Drema Sergent and Jim Williams, who supervised my other 39 students. To all of these people I will remain deeply touched and indebted.
Beth S. Hall
Virginia Beach Don't buy board excuses
I have taken note of the fact that several of the Virginia Beach School Board members, after being severely criticized by the special grand jury, have defended themselves with the argument that they are only ordinary laymen and do not possess special expertise.
If this is the case, then I must ask what qualifies them to sit on this board in the first place? Neither a desire to perform public service, a desire for public or political recognition, a desire to improve education in our schools, nor a simple desire to participate in some form of activity, without the necessary expertise, qualifies a person to sit on the School Board. Let's hope that the School Board that we next elect will have both the desire and the experience to guide and oversee the administrative staff.
I believe that at least some of the criticized board members did possess necessary expertise, but have found it convenient to employ the ``ordinary laymen'' defense. In my own limited experience I have seen members of boards more or less blindly follow the lead of highly motivated board chairmen and staff, thereby giving the appearance of unanimity, without any desirable discussion. In these cases, a board loses the control it is empowered to exercise.
C.J. Carpenter
Virginia Beach City manager did his job
I'm compelled to respond to H.B. Baker's letter (Feb. 23 Beacon) criticizing the city manager for closing down Mount Trashmore during last month's snowfall - ``A few people got hurt, but wasn't it great to see the rescue people there?''
Maybe we as a city should have had scuba divers under the ice at the bottom of the hill; and maybe just to re-assure the parents, some standby coffins to box up the dead so we wouldn't ``rob'' any others from their ``memories.''
The memories that Mr. Baker refers to could have been grisly. Scenes such as crushed skulls from the fence and frozen children being pulled from the lake. Mr. Baker would be the first one to sue the ``Grinch-like'' city manager for the loss of his loved ones, and the lawyers on TV would be fighting bare knuckles to get the cases.
Mr. Baker's views make me puke, just like the lawyers' ads on TV. Your personal assassination of the city manager was uncalled for; and your comments on the safety issues were ridiculous.
Steve Miles
Virginia Beach by CNB