Democrat and Chronicle du lieu suivant : Rochester, New York • Page 62

TOWN TALK TOWN TOPIC S'zoiZd students be allowed to pass out condoms at area high schools? A Jerry Couch Fairport There isn't any reason to give out condoms in school, high schools or otherwise, They are not safe They give an illusion of safety that isn't there. Their failure rate is way too high. The question is if you knew the person you were going to have sex with had AIDS, would you feel safe by having a condom on and still do it. The answer is no one is going to take that chance. We are encouraging them to take that chance by passing out condoms.

It doesn't make any sense to me." Rose Calabria Costa Penfield "What is happening to our society when we allow our children to pass out condoms? What happened to teaching our children to abstain. I am ashamed of these Penfield parents who allowed their children to do this. There are so many ways you can show love for one another without having to have sex. We are teaching our kids that sex and violence is a way of life and it is all OK The number of cases of AIDS would drop MarceSa Wood Penfidd The topic is inflammatory. No, students should not be passing out condoms, but that is too trite a question.

The fact is that the students need education and more than education. They need to have as much information as is available on all matters, especially sex, their bodies, minds, their psychology and emotions. And certainly all the information regarding AIDS. They need factual information and personal contact with young girls and boys in similar situations." Eunice Hartmann Penfield "No. There is a distinct difference between a student giving a student a condom, vs.

an adult who can provide counseling and then condoms if that is appropriate. A student is apt to say to another student 'If you don't do it you're a geek' Adult to student boh at the entire spectrum of why the decision is being made to need a condom." Grace Kinscjand Penfield "Yes. If only one life was saved by this generous offering it would be worth it." Roberta Dubeshter Brighton "As bng as parents and school administrators refuse to pass out condoms then the students have no alternative but to look for someplace to get condoms and I am pleased that some students can at least Campbell, left, and Ryan Murphy, both for distributing condoms on campus. FLOYD KING Glwst of the night could be a gentle pet ne of the cutest wild pets a person can have is a flying squirrel, but there are many problems along the way to this enjoyment. To begin with, it's strictly against the law.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation frowns on people keeping any kind of wild creature. Second, you have to be a night owl to enjoy the antics of this babe of the woods. I Finally, unlike most creatures that enjoy a snooze in full sun, a flying squirrel shuns I daylight. It stays curled up in its tree den until the blackness of night cloaks the land. j.

Ihen it joyously sallies forth to "fly" around almost like a bird. FORTY YEARS ago, when people had different ideas about wildlife pets, my son captured a flying squirrel in a screened-in cabin porch in Pennsylvania. Kirke pleaded for permission to keep it Since the little one showed no tendency to bite and had actually curled up contentedly ji in Kirke's hand, I agreed. i We ran into some difficulty when we 5 reached home. Kirke's mother wanted no I5 part of keeping this rat-like creature in the house.

When we pleaded she would never it because it only appeared at night and Kirke's bedroom door would be kept closed, she grudgingly relented. Kirke built a tiny box home for his new friend and placed it on the mantel of his room. When the little one was put inside it instantly curled up and went to sleep as if it i had reached home at last AT NIGHT when Kirke went to bed and switched off the light the squirrel would come out and sail from window curtain to window curtain. Kirke got a big watching his pet flee back into its home. This would continue until Kirke fell asleep.

This adoption continued for about two years until Kirke's interest seemed to lapse and I convinced him it would be nice if he released the squirrel so it could find a mate and be happy. I noticed Kirke wipe away a tear as his playmate scampered up a tree. This ended mv association with flvinir aquureis uuu uiu unrata iutuiy tu my i ii -i. i wildlife farm in Livingston County by nail ing up birdhouses of varied sizes through our woods to attract songbirds. Then I would go around in mid-summer with a ladder to see what birds had used them.

IN SEVERAL instances the birdhouses were occupied by flying squirrels. In one case I almost fell off the ladder when six flying squirrels erupted out of the house uinto my face. Fortunately, my farm is located where Vthe habitat of southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) and the northern fly ing squirrel (G. sabrinus) overlaps. It is difficult to identify which one you are see ing, although sabrinus is somewhat larger and more brightly colored.

Reference books agree flying squirrels make excellent pets because of their gentle "disposition. However, the books caution if you want to watch them during the hours they frolic you will have to nap during the day. It is possible, though, to watch them at night by having two people armed with strong flashlights and locating a nesting box in advance. Tapping a tree after night falls will cause the squirrels to leap off into space. Two people will be able to keep one in a flashlight beam.

A FLYING squirrel actually sails in stead of flies. A loose fold of skin extends from wrist to ankle and a broad, flattened tail acts as rudder. Fur is mostly a soft gray with underparts a pure white. The white will gleam in your light The squirrel scampers up a high tree and hurls itself into space. Those loose folds of skin catch the air so the little creature is really sailing.

The tail holds it on course. It lands softly on another tree because those membranes catch the air and act as brakes. This whole sequence is repeated over and over. Naturalists estimate a flying squirrel covers 150 feet in a single glide. One thing about flying squirrels is really different.

As you walk through the woods you may catch a glimpse of a deer, flush a grouse or see numerous red and gray squir rels but you never see a flying squirrel. It's a true ghost of the night seen only in the wavering gleam of a flashlight Floyd King's column appears each week in Our Towns. Write to hm at 55 Exchange Rochester 14614. HOW TO REACH US EDITOR Art Coulson, 258-2721. ADVERTISING Manager Denny Bruen, (716) 262-7660.

WEDDINGS 258-2282. LETTERS Our Towns will not print copies of letters sent to other publications. Please include a phone number for verification. SUBMISSIONS Please send items to Our Towns 10 days before publication. Send to: Our Towns, 55 Exchange Rochester 14614.

NEWS FAX NUMBERS: (716) 258-2487 or 258-2691. 4 1 --V Penfield High School students Gabe juniors, were suspended last month upset if the cost came from school taxes." Chris Hutchinson Webster "Yes. We're operating on two old assumptions here. One is that students are children, not adults, and the other is we would like to believe that none of them have sex. Meanwhile we're teaching them about safety and AIDS and we're not allowing them to pass out condoms.

The schools should be passing them out" Frances Fletcher Rochester 'The question is ridiculous. What possible difference does it make? If they are not selling them it's nobody's business whatsoever. Students are distributing a lot worse than that. The question is ludicrous." Chris PospisB Fairport "Distributing condoms at school makes a statement but it isn't a statement with the entire message. A flier may have had the same effect and not caused suspensions.

It's the 1990s. Condoms are easily available in most stores. If the school system feels it's necessary, they can be made available in gym locker rooms or other 'common areas' of the school Teaching about the effects of unprotected sex will be far more effective rather than saying ise these' but not providing the necessary information for their use. It is in poor taste to say the very least. If the students want a course on sex education or on AIDS protection ask for it.

Or protest in a much more productive way." FROM prised or concerned by her pregnancy, but just told her they would have to observe her. She noted that she had not had any episodes of rejection or infection, which often plague organ recipients. Sullivan, who works at Eastman Kodak was diagnosed in 1983, at the age of 23, with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an unexplained growth of extra tissue in the lung, her husband said. neighbors that lesson when he first tried to purchase his home back in 1960. Tolliver, his wife, Yvonne, and their young son, Peter were to be the first black family in the neighborhood.

Tolliver had a verbal agreement to purchase his home when two neighbors arranged to purchase the house for $500 more before the deal was closed. After threatening a lawsuit, the Tol-livers settled the case out of court with the help of Gordon Howe, Monroe County manager at the time. One of those neighbors still lives next door to the Tollivers and Tolliver said they do talk from time to time. "They live their life. I live mine," he said.

Tolliver's friend Benjamin Richardson, Library ELI WZkinson Irondequoit "No. It would be an offense to many parents. If a child has the courage to have sex out of marriage, he also has the courage to go to a drug store and buy a condom." Sharon Weinstsin Rochester "No. The schools should be passing out the condoms. It's great the students are taking this effort but the school should be actively participating in this also.

We need to save our children's lives and this is a good way to do it." Edward Klesncnt Irondequoit "It is important to look at the end results of such practices. Using condoms has the opportunity of getting pregnant and AIDS at the same time resulting in abortion and two deaths. The manufacturers of condoms do not give any guarantee of safety. Why should any doctor or organization promote such a product? To encourage the use of sexual intercourse for non-responsible people, whatever their age, is a crime against their Rosesnarie Eskes Rochester "Of course not. High school students should not be able to purvey any kind of medical treatment at all Furthermore, such distribution would certainly constitute harassment of students who are embarrassed by this public reference to their sex lives, or lack thereof.

Surely these students have some right to privacy, including the right not to be approached offensively." PAGE 1 Her condition grew steadily worse. After giving birth to Sheila in 1989, Eileen Sullivan looked into the possibility of a transplant. However she was not considered for one at that time because hospitals only consider patients with a life expectancy of less than one year. Then in 1991, Sullivan's life expectancy had reached the minimum requirement and a transplant was the only way a former Rochester City Schools superintendent and current sociology professor at Finger Lakes Community College, said Tolliver is a "very likable person." And added that he's brilliant to boot. "He and I share a lot of similar ideas in terms of education.

He's like a Renaissance man very philosophical." It's not enough that Tolliver thinks deeply. He must share his knowledge. On any given school day, he can be found substitute teaching in Brighton or Rochester city schools. He has also taught at Monroe Community College, the American Technical Institute, Bryant Stratton Business Institute and Rochester Institute of Technology. "I like teaching anyone that's interest if we had just said no to sex and drugs.

What is wrong with saving sex for marriage? We would not have the problems of AIDS if we did this. Let's leave passing out condoms to parents to do with their own children And let our children be children again." Jeana LaDeTia Fairport "No. If students think they are responsible to have sex then they should be responsible to get condoms on their own instead of having them given to them." Bonnie Harter Rochester "Yes. AIDS is going to ruin the future of our children if it is not stopped now." Lynn Felix Henrietta "Yes but with class. Today's students need to know more about the dangers of AIDS.

If they had mandatory classes and seminars that gave the facts of AIDS and teach them what AIDS really is, then they could offer them condoms. But if you just give them out. without the information of AIDS and other diseases there will be a lot of unsafe sex." Peter Autovino Henrietta "Students should not be allowed to pass out condoms. If they are allowed to pass out condoms, where does the cost come? From the school budget? What happens if the condoms fail? Is the school board or the school district responsible for any liabilities? The next topic students will want is a room where they can practice how to use these condoms. They are freely available at the drug store anyway.

If the students want to use them, go buy them, like anybody else. The cost of education is too high and we shouldn't add to it by passing out condoms." to save her life. Sullivan received one new lung during the operation. "The message of organ donation is important I'd love to be the messenger to tell people that organ transplants do work and work very well. It's very simple for people to donate their organs," Sullivan said.

"It could mean the gift of many lives to many people." ed. College students are usually more interested." To relax, Tolliver enjoys hunting, fishing and playing bridge. But his analytical mind never takes a break. He constructed a holster to support his long gun out of belto, wood and steel-reinforced leather. He invented a fish hook that uses the fish's act of biting to help set the hook.

And he's currently writing a book to explain the bridge scoring system he developed 20 years ago. All this is exercise for his inventive mind. "The thing that brings the idea is the challenge of the problem. When I'm not challenged, I don't produce." understand what is going on in our society. Sharon Ruth Rochester "Yes.

Most young people are affected by peer pressure. Young people do what others do because it is the thing to do to be cool If the in' thins is to wear condoms and become aware of what can happen to you if you don't, then other students wiu do it too because it is the In' thing. Adults want our young people to be responsible. Isn't this being responsible? The best thing to do is what I do. I keep condoms in the house and I tell my son if you need one then this is where they will be.

And you better believe I keep account of them too. Most young people are afraid to ask their parents for condoms. Give them a little credit and watch them earn a lot of credit." Judith MonteJSo Irondequoit 'The students shouldn't distribute them but they should be made available by the schools to the students for their own safety." Grace Biedenbach Irondequoit "No. This is the responsibility of the parent. If condoms were distributed who pays for them? I would be really Lung transplant first to give birth From page IE In Sullivan's case, only her new lung is operating properly, although the other lung is still functional, he said.

Sullivan said the doctors were not sur Inventor's latest idea cleans up From page IE Cultural Racism, Tolliver said: "This is how deeply my feelings went on the issue." Tolliver, who was bused 15 miles to at tend a two-room grammar school for black children while growing up in Nash ville, said he is disturbed by activ ists who are calling for a return to segre gation. "I think what happened is they kind of gave up. It's the idea you don't want me, I don't want you. But we're all citi zens and we have to work together." lolliver taught some of his Brighton.