Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 08, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 23, 1984 Page: 2 of 16
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Editorial
P*g^A^Eurs3iJ^ebfuIr^5^984^out^ett^^
Spin off
by Mary Henkel Judson
ABOUT 10 BRIGHT-FACED
students with ideas and questions
was -the pleasant surprise I encoun-
tered last week when I participated
in Port Aransas High School’s
“Career Day”.
The afternoon was set aside for
students to listen to and ask
questions of people involved in
nearly 30 different careers. It was
sponsored by School Counselor
Heather Miller.
Based on past experience I
expected about three students to sit
glassy-eyed and silent while I spoke,
then look meekly at their desks when
asked it they had questions. I
considered taking the office “laugh
box” to brighten things up. It was no
problem that I forgot it last week. I
didn’t need it.
I faced a group of students who
were alert, offered ideas, asked
questions and wondered about the
policies and procedures followed at
the South Jetty, ft was a productive
afternoon for me, and I hope equally
as beneficial for the students.
’’Career Day” itself is an excellent
idea. Mrs. Miller should be com-
mended for it and for opening it to
all high school students, not just
seniors. I was lucky and accidently
on purpose fell in love with the field
to which r d been exposed all my
life. It was, of course, against my
better judgement and I fought it But
printer's ink is thicker than blood
and when the two are mixed there is
no separating them.
Most kids, though, aren’t that
fortunate. I would venture that better
than half the college graduates take
their degrees still not knowing what
they really want to do with their
lives. Worse than that is that most
students 'don’t even know what
careers exist' in the world, Hiat’s
where a “Career Day” offers so
much. The careers^ that were
featured at PAHS last weak included
the usual and the unusual, and that’s
where I’ll tip my hat to the
counselor. She’s probably pulling her
hair out now over all the hassles
involved in putting it together, but I
sure hope she plans to do it again.
The world is a big, unfair and
competitive place - our kids need
every advantage we can give them to
stay even, get ahead or succeed in it.
So far my exposure to the PAISD
student body tells me we’ve got a
bright, aggressive and eager bunch
of kids on our hands. They need our
support in academics as well as
athletics. Can you be there for them?
^ Tidemarks
by C. M. Henkel Jr.
MORE THAN THREE SCORE
years have passed since I sat at my
mother's knee and listened as she
read from the childhood poems of
Eugene Field. I have the book from
which she read, its binding rather
battered, not so much from use as
age. I have dug it from my library
shelves because despite the bridge of
years a single line from one of the
poems has lately intruded my mind.
An old man sits and remembers
his past and dreams of “The
old-time honesty and truth.” Now
dreaming, nostalgia make for a very
pleasant stance, and not that there is
anything shameful about it; it is an
admission of declining years. More
important however, Mitt less lauda-
tory is that dreams of old-time
honesty and truth represent intellec-
tual indolance, scarcity of knowledge
of mankind and his history.
Here I do not ridicule Field, nor
the integrity of my father and my
father’s father and so on back
through the generation because they
were all, as are those of us of today,
as much victims as anything else--of
their times. They were noble and
kind as well as brutal and ruthless,
even as we. Were the not infrequent
tarring and featherings of people
who did not adhere to local mores
any worse than the vicious confronta-
tions of today by the Moral Majority
of fanatics amongst Right to lifers? I
think not.
ON THE MATTER OF HONESTY
I shall recite a personal experience,
prefaced by the observation that
today people are more open about
dishonesty than in generations past,
the "I might as well get my share,
everybody else is doing it attitude.”
Or consider the circumstance of
people living together without benefit
of clergy. Today people are at least
forthright and honest. Compare that
with the old-time sneaking around
and form your own decision.
As a youngster I attended a school
that was entirely for boys. Discipline
was maintained on what was know as
the “honor system”. I must wonder
how well, if at all, it would work
today. The system pledged that boys
were honor-bound to adhere to a
variety of rules and violation a
disgrace. One rule involved smoking.
We were allowed to smoke during
certain hours, if we had parental
consent. Violators on one occasion
involved four of the most capable
members of the school football team
and as a consequence they were
“shipped”, that is to say, dismissed
from school, a decision made by the
honor council, composed of students.
I can still see, in memory, that
foursome, at their own request
standing before the entire student
body and tearfully apologizing. A
father who might read this account to
his son today would find his son not
much impressed. Rather to the
contrary I suspect.
There were humorous aspects to
the honor system which were
nevertheless treated seriously. If
students were disruptive enough and
the culprits not caught, the entire
school was checked off before the
headmaster. Individually we admit-
ted, on our honor, that we were
guilty or not guilty. On one occasion
some half dozen of us invested a
sizable portion of our meager
allowances in cheap alarm clocks and
at an opportune time sneaked them
into the inverted half globes of the
study hall lights. (All but the rare
honor students were required to
spend two hours in study each
evening.) The alarms were set to go
off at minute intervals. That evening
we managed to slip through the
study hall windows without being
caught, a tribute to the concentration
of our student body. About the time
the alarms were in the course of
disrupting the room about a dozen
piglets were tossed through the
windows. In all the commotion it was
easy for us to get back to our desks
without being caught. A day later the
school was checked off and we
“honorable young gentlemen” con-
fessed our guilt.
The penalty, 15 demerits and
bounds, in school parlance. Or
walking four miles around the
running track for each demerit, and
confinement to campus for 30 days.
Also, something like $3 in compensa-
tion to the fanner whose pigs we’d
borrowed, payment of the estimated
weight lost by the beasts in the
course of their abduction. I don’t
recall any of us much minding the
penalty. It was worth becoming a
sort of campus hero.
I HAVE PURPOSEFULLY LN
dulged myself in a column of the sort
you have just read in order to be
brief as possible with comments
regarding Lebanon. Gauche, hard-
headed, are the only two words I can
think to use with respect to the
President’s plan to withdraw our
marines. I much doubt that whatever
his intentions there will be no way to
keep them in Beirut for another four
months. In the 17 months the
marines have been there, through no
fault of theirs, they have accomplish-
ed nothing, in fact rather the
contrary. And pray toll, what good
was accomplished by shelling the
hills from the battleship New JerteyP
Letters
to the editor
Still more,**
My name is Mrs. Iva Mae
Carpenter. I have lived in Port
Aransas for the past 10 years. I am
writing in reference to the letter
James Walls had published in your
paper Feb. 16. The trailer house he
refers to on Tarrant Street was under
my control, and I personally know
about the statement Ben Cash^made.
In reference to it, I not only testified
in court about the event, but I saved
the article that was published in your
paper. I quote, “Kenneth Walter
Adrian was found guilty of arson in
Judge Walter Dunham’s 28th District
Court, on May 9. Adrian was
accused of burning a mobile home in
Port Aransas in May 1975. Judge
Dunham assessed a jail term of three
years. Adrian has until May 23 to file
an appeal in the case.”
I was told by Mr. McGuire, who
prosecuted the case for the District
Attorney’a office, that Adrian was in
the penitentiary i» Colorado. I expect
when he is released from there, he
will serve his time in Texas.
A Concerned Citizen,
Iva Mae Carpenter
Port Aransas
Costly action
A number of people in Port
Aransas remember back in August of
1962 when Tom Carlin purchased a
trailer located at Mustang Trailer
ftark and moved it to its present
location at Sea A Sand Cottages on
the comer of 10th Street and Avenue
E. One and a half yean later, the
City of Fact Aransas sued Carlin
saying that all permits issued to him
by the City were Invalid and that the
A jury of 12 taxpayers found Tom
Carlin not guilty and Trailer IB can
remain at its present lnrutinn Tha
lawyer fees and court costs are over
$20,000 and you taxpayers are
footing the bill.
I for one wonder how this city can
afford these legal fees. And I have
heard a rumor that a city official
wants to take this issue to a higher
court. How much more money needs
to be spent? Soon this trailer will be
aa expensive as a condominium!
Colleen Carlin
Port Aransas
have to pray when we get on a ferry
or can we rest peacefully while on
iL - - - U - . , «
U1C3C UUAUU
It is time the ferry system started
acting like a state agency, instead of
a family operated business. We as
taxpayers demand safe operation of
these boats while we foot, the Kill for
keeping relatives on the payroll.
Apprehensively yours,
Joe Vssquez
Corpus Christi
Spring Break-—-
continued from page one
Ferry folly
I would like to take this opportun-
ity to commend M.C.F.C. Roger
Mackie for saving Texas taxpayers
countless thousands of dollars in
lawsuits through his quick thinking
and fast actions.
On two consecutive days, Friday
and Saturday, Feb. 10 and 11, a
captain on the Port Aransas Ferry
System, apparently assumed that
everything on his boat was ship-
shape. I believe this action jeopard-
ized the lives of two boatloads of
people, who trusted the ferry system.
A faulty valve was blamed in this
instance instead of putting the blame
on the captain responsible.
On Saturady, Feb. 11, this incident
was handled quickly and efficiently
by Capt. Mackie who pulled the
stricken boat a few feet short of
ramming into barge 375 which was
tied to Brown and Root dock on
Harbor Island.
How many more episodes do we
have to endure before we have an
accident which could cause loss of
life and property before this problem
is corrected? Do we as taxpayers
Proceeds from the games will go to
the beach improvement fund. Funds
are being raised to assist in the
construction of a permanent beach
facility which would house showers
and restrooms.
Registration for the event will be
from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Sunday,
March 11. Registration fee is $5.
Registrants will receive a “goody
bag” from Tecate which will include
a T-shirt, a hat and several other
items.
Hie games will consist mostly of
team events, including volleyball,
tug-of-war, sandcastle building,
swimsuit competitions, three-man
frisbee and a four man relay.
Tecate is expecting about 150
participants in the games which will
take place lk-mile south of Mariner’s
Inn on the beach.
Hie awards ceremony will be held
on Monday, March 12, at 4 p.m.
Winners will receive first, second
and third place ribbons as well as
gifts including nylon ice chests and
coozies (cold drink holders).
Volunteers interested in assisting
the committee can contact Faith
Slagle at 749 4264.
The Port Aransas Emergency
Medical Service will receive proceeds
from a dance sponsored by Miller
Brewing Co. to be held at the Civic
Center on Monday, March 12.
From Austin, Joe King Carasco
and the Crowns will headline the
event with their high-energy dance
music. Opening for Joe King will be
Secret Six also from Austin.
Hie E.M.S. will also benefit from
a recycling center Miller will
establish during the heaviest week of
Spring Break.
Miller will donate to the E.M.S.,
T-shirts, caps and coozies that they
will exchange for aluminum cans
from the public. The E.M.S. will
receive the money from the recycled
cans. Last year the E.M.S. made
between $4000 and $5000 from the
reclamation center.
Make Money
The Fast, Easy
Way With A
Classified Ad
'The two greatest stimulants
in the world are youth and
debt.” Beniamin Disraeli
Prometiieua Bound: Nuclear Power
at the Honing Point. This is the title
of a private report made by a
research group specializing in the
analysis of current energy issues and
basic energy trends.
Dated November 1983 this impres-
sive document has been lying
dormant on my messy and over-
crowded desk for about two months.
Mainly because I didn’t know what
to do with it and couldn’t find time
to investigate the relation of Pro-
metheus to nuclear power.
Prometheus, according to my little
desk encyclopedia, is a demi-god of
Greek mythology, one of the Htans
and a brother of Atlas. You know,
the body-builder.
Prometheus, it is legended, stole
fire from the gods for the benefit of
mankind. For this he was punished
by Zeus, who had him bound to a
rock, where his liver was eaten by an
eagle. Ughh!
Surveying the condition and cost of
all nuclear reactors under construc-
tion, as well as reviewing those that
are already in operation, the report
insists that management experience
and expertise are crucial to the
future of nuclear energy.
The 20-year experience of U.S.
nuclear power plant construction falls
into a three-stage development, says
the report, and the result is nuclear
power that is at once among the least
expensive and the most expensive
sources of electricity in the United
States today.
The first wave of “commercial”
plants entered service by the early
70’s and produced - and will continue
to produce - electricity for 1 to 3
cents per KWH. A second wave
entered service in the mid-to late
70’s and produces electricity costing
between 3 cents and 6 cents per
KWH.
That’s a review of what has
happened. The third wave of plants,
scheduled to enter service in the
80’s. is another story.
To help us have a better idea of
what jvc’rc talking about, note that
electricity costing in the 5 to 6 cents
per KWH range is roughly competi-
tive with oil priced between $25 and
$30 per barrel. For 10 cents to 11
cents electricity to be competitive, oil
would have to be priced in the $50 to
$60 per barrel range; and for 18
“A civilized man can remain
his own company.”
cents per KWH, almost $100 a
barrel.
What does this mean to us?
According to this study, the plants
entering service in this decade will
produce electricity costing from 5 to
6 cents per KWH, at one end of a
wide range, to 18 to 20 cents per
KWH at the other end. Basically,
this difference depends on the cost of
building the plants.
For example, if a plant costs
$1,000 per kilowatt of capacity, then
the electricity it produces will cost
about 5 to 6 cents per KWH. And a
plant that costs $4,000 per KWH to
build will generate electricity at
about 18 cents per KWH.
u Thus, these researchers point out,
if you live near any of the nuclear
power plants built by Commonwealth
Edison of Chicago, you’ll be able to
buy electricity at the lower end of the
spectrum. Hiis company has been
plants.
On the other hand.
Let me quote what the report says
about the South Texas project, the
one that directly affects electricity
consumers in this part of the world.
This is the project jointly owned by
CP&L of Corpus Christi, Houston
lighting & Power Co., and the cities
of San Antonio and Austin.
“Serious safety-related quality
assurance problems led to the firing
of the original architect-engineer,
Brown and Root, and their replace-
ment by Bechtel. Because of this the
construction schedules of both units
have been significantly Stretched out,
introducing considerable uncertainty
into the most recent cost estimates.
Even if correct, these estimates
mean that electricity from the South
Texas units will cost 13 to 15 cents
per KWH, roughly equal to electric-
ity from oil at $80 a barrel."
A member of the Austin City
Council has recently suggested the
South Texas nuclear project be
converted to a coal-using plant.
It’ll never happen. And besides
what wouid we do when we, our
children’s children, used up all the
available 103311 fuel?
If you have the idea I’ve raised a
question and offered no answers,
you’re absolutely right.
Punish me if you must, but don’t
tie me to no rock!
in one place and linger in
— Seneca
Southern Publishing, Inc.
749*5131
P.O. Box 11_16 Port Aransas, Tx. 78373
141 W. Cotter
Co-Publishers
Murray and Mary Judson
Advertising Manager Managing Editor
Murray Judson Mary Judson
Reporter/Ad Sales office Manager
James Simmons Va,erie Crofoot
Office Supplies/Classified - Composing
Becky Floret _ Marsha Nesbit . ,
Proofreading
. Joe BicknelL
--■*-
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
- 1982
Hie South Jetty is published every Thursday by Southern
Publishing, Inc. at 141 W. Cotter Avenue in Port Aransas. Any
erroneous statement regarding corporations, firms or individuals
will be gladly corrected when called to the attention of the
editors.
Second Class Postage is paid at Port Aransas, Texas 78373.
Publication Number 946-020
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 08, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 23, 1984, newspaper, February 23, 1984; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840465/m1/2/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.