
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 21, 1995                   TAG: 9511210056
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

FLOOD CONTROL, AND GREENWAY IN THE BARGAIN

YOUR NOV. 5 editorial (``Re-examine the flood plan'') suggesting that Roanoke should stand ready to abandon the flood-channelization plan was right on target. We need an accounting by the city as to what has been done so far and what remains to be done of the original project. Then, the remaining costs vs. the remaining benefits need to be recalculated.

The one major factor not discussed in the editorial, however, was the potential impact of the sewer-line interconnect project along the river and its tributaries. Here is a once-in-100-years opportunity to not only provide a better flood-reduction project, but to finally create the main trunk of a valley greenway!

One side of the Roanoke River where the new interconnect will run must be completely rebuilt. What a perfect opportunity to top it off with a greenway path for bicyclists, hikers, fishers, swimmers, bird watchers, commuters and boaters, and at the same time provide more flood-reduction benefits.

City council and the city manager will be remiss if such an opportunity is lost.

BILL TANGER

Chair, Friends of the Roanoke River

ROANOKE

Treaty of 1929 set Vatican status

IN RESPONSE to Catherine O'Neill's Oct. 22 commentary, ``Pope used the wrong pulpit'':

I feel her basic premise is incorrect. A historic fact she overlooked was the signing of the Lateran treaty on Feb. 11, 1929. This treaty was initiated by Benito Mussolini of Italy and Pope Pious XI. Upon acceptance of the treaty, the Vatican did accept the loss of its papal states while Italy recognized the Vatican as a separate state and the sovereignty of the occupant of the Holy Sea with territorial guarantees of the state of the Vatican.

Through the treaty, Italy initially accepted the Vatican as a separate entity, and other countries have honored that treaty and also accepted the Vatican as a separate, unique state. As such, I feel the pope, as head of state, does have the right to be accepted in world conferences and to address the United Nations and the like.

JOAN KIHM

MONETA

Money wasted on merger mania

BEDFORD city and county taxpayers, together with all concerned parents, should now work to replace those ego-driven politicians and administrators who actively promoted the special-interest, costly and ill-conceived consolidation plan.

We ought to send the Garners a bill for the $150,000 of taxpayer money they're responsible for wasting because of their selfish scheme, which was forced to be put before the voters.

That's $150,000 down the drain. Yet our schoolchildren don't have adequate textbooks and resource materials, and the Bedford City Middle School's gym (not Forest's, of course) is unsafe.

Thanks a lot, Garners!

JOHN K. BOARDMAN

BEDFORD

Partnership won the recognition

AFTER READING your Nov. 6 article, ``Project puts job world in schools,'' I realized your staff writer hadn't received the whole story or chose not to reveal it. Please consider the following:

nWilliam Byrd High School was awarded the Southern Regional Educational Board grant in conjunction with the Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, another Roanoke County school. The project abstract states that they will work together, along with parents, business representatives and post-secondary institutions to create ``High Schools that Work'' at both sites.

Principles of technology were integrated into the program at the Burton center around 1983 due to Principal James M. Johnson's foresight. This program has been upgraded and refined since then to be comparable to any high-school physics course in the county. Students learn to use spreadsheets on the computer to integrate lab data and to analyze, chart and graph the data. Another hands-on lab-science program, Applications in Biology and Chemistry, has been implemented with excellent results.

The Burton center was asked to work with William Byrd in part because of its programs built on the premise that students in vocational causes can succeed in rigorous academic courses if expectations are raised, innovative teaching methods are used, and teachers work together.

The Burton center has always had and continues to have a close working relationship with business and industry. When evaluated by the Southern Regional Education Board, the visiting team noted that the Burton programs are closely tied to the needs of business and industry, and teachers are well-prepared for their areas of specialty. Business representatives serve as advisers, mentors and technical experts for in-class instruction and after-school training situations.

This grant has been an asset to both schools and to the county as a whole. It has allowed a partnership that would otherwise have been hard to implement. It is a partnership, with both schools working hard to make education better for all concerned.

ROBIN S. AKERS

Arnold R. Burton Technology instructor and High Schools that Work team member

DUBLIN

by CNB