Delaware County Daily Times from Chester, Pennsylvania • Page 12

Delaware County TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1972 INSIDE SPORTS 14-16 CLASSIFIED 17-21 22, 23 girl, 4, has first celebration JBy FAZIO 'ally Times Staff Writer EjLUSWE DAY which tsvsorrie of yearly birthdays, by 24 hours single females the jpn to the male choice, dawned at 12 frtoday. jpbruary's delinquent child, comes home every four fes, Arrived tqday, bringing birthday to 26-year-old liafn Britt; of 823 Mary man, born 104 years ago. Chester and. one-year-old Carol JRalston of 701 Hawey Road, Clayrhorit, Ironically enough neither Britt nor Carol 'will; celebrate, their birthdays today, even though they've waited four years for its arrival, who was honored with a proclamation introduced into the state assembly Monday by State Sen. Clarence D.

Bell (R- 9th District), of Upland, in honor of his "26th birthday," was born 104 years ago today. BRITT, a widower and now lives with his granddaughter, Mrs. Smoak, Had a a 1 celebration Saturday consisting of cake and ice cream. When presented with the proclamation Britt told Mrs. Smoak "that's Jhe first lime I've ever met a 'senator." Carol has a century of living to go before she can match Britt's record had her first real party Saturday night also, according to her mother -Mrs.

James E. Ralston. "We've already had her birthday party Saturday. It was the one 'day when the whole 'family could get together." Mrs. Ralspn said her blonde- haired, bright-eyed daughter was "so excited about -the celebration that she set the table at 5 and the guests weren't expected until after 7 p.m." A younster's life will be very different from that of Britt.

At age seven, she'll be in school and stay there for at least-12 years. A age seven, Britt began working in the cotton St. George, Dorchester County N.C.- The spry, gentleman held many jobs during-his long life, including building a construction trades, the Pennsylvania Railroad and Sun Shipbuilding Dry Dock Company, Chester. A 55-year resident of Chester, Britt still takes walks and watches television. His favorite 26th birthday programs are Ihose involving sports.

He'll admit though: "Now I.really don't do much of anything." BRITT SEVERAL years ago attributed his long life lo never having smoked or drank and to hard work. "It's a tribute to me," he said proudly. One of his major joys is. his great-grandchild i Smoak, 4, whose antics seldom fail to bring a smile to his wrinkled face. Carol wanted a bicycle for her birthday Her mother Jeanetta, formerly of Doothwyn, said she "got oodles of dolls.

"We'll get her the bicycle in the spring when we have some place to put BRITT SAID he didn't really want anything for his birthday. But he said wistfully afer the interview: "I hope I'll live to see you again, next.year." BALLISTICS EXPERT Howard Montgomery People do, claims ballistics expert 'Guns don't hurt anyone' By S. FRANKEL Daily Times-Staff; Writer MEDIA don't hurt anyone. It's the people using them and it is ridicuious for persons who use firearms in non-criminal acts to be denied their use." The above statement may evoke an outraged cry from those who.would try to outlaw guns. But Tor a man Iffce Howard Montgomery, the.

county's ballistics expert, the reasoning is logical. is the first of several employes expected to''be hired by Delaware County DA Stephen J. McEwen to provide" professional crime laboratory service toi area police departments. 'Montgomery, 37, resigned as supervisor of the firearms laboratory in Philadelphia to come to Delaware County where he will be the firearms examiner and undertake thV building of a foaDistics lab. f'l FEEL MR, McEWEN is an able and progressive I consider it a challenge to 'establish part ofjtjh'e.

crime laboratory," Montgomery said. will all confiscated firearms and 'run ballistics tests against outstanding cases. He testify in court as an expert. Montgomery explained the lands and grooves on the inn surface of a rifle or a pistol barrel etch a unique character onto a rotating projectile in much the same fashion a mari's finger leaves prints. However, while fingerprints can be wiped clean, a sju.g.

almost invariably carries the tell-tale mark of the Weapon from which it was fired. i A DROPOUT FROM West Philadelphia Higli at 16, said there is no school or special training where one can learn toassistics. "It's something you pick "up through the years," he added. he 'has. conducted seminar classes in police '''science at Lehigh Valley Community College as well as 'refresher training courses to merribvj'rs of fihe State Police.

himself as an "expert marksman," Montgomery said he was given his -first gun at age 10 'by his family. However, his wife and four children (ages 2 to 10) have no interest in firearms. HE PLACES MUCH of the blame for the increase of violent crimes on judges who fail to impose sentences prescribed by law. "We have enough laws on the books pertaining to firearms, but they're not enforced and, of course, there is nothing to deter an individual from using a gun," he said. "The frustrating thing we are faced with is an upswing in general crime 'an'd there, is nothing we-can do.

about it. We're dealing with a segement of the population who do not care what is done to them. We could fill the county prison to the roof and still run out of space." ON CALL 24 HOURS a day, -Montgomery will be taking over the work previously handled 'by the FBI. In Philadelphia lie -had 20 people under him, with, a workload of 5,000 cases a year. In Delaware County he will be a one-man 'ballistics laboratory, handling a projected 200 cases in 1972, a sharp increase from 50 cases in the county in 1969.

He is working out of the courthouse but eventually will bri situated in a building donated 'by the county at Fair Acres in Middletown. The county has invested upwards of $8,000 for laboratory equipment. Democrats in county increase MEDIA COURTHOUSE -While democratic registration in the county continues to increase, the pattern of switchovers from Democrat to Republican seems to be leveling off, according to new voter registrations last week. During the week, a registration headquarters in Media and at eight places staffed by roving registrars, the GOP signed up 697 voters and the Democratic Party .411, the county's registration commission reported Monday. The pattern of switchovers to the Democratic Party, begun Dec.

5 when registration resumed following the Nov. 2 election, showed 69 changing from Republican to Democrat 61 from. Democrat to Republican. Within the past two months, the ratio of Democrats had maintained a 4-1 ratio in switch- ovens from the Republican Nine horipartisans shifted their allegiance "to Democrats while 14 other nonpartisans enlisted with -the Republican Party. Last the Constitutional 'ists failed to add any additional voters to their total of 235, while nonpartisans, socialists, American Independents and other par- signed up-only '18.

The. count for Constitutionalists, nonpartisans and all parties except the two major par- lies now stands at 9,233. Republicans i ea 104 years to be 26 MICHELLE SMOAK, 4, helps her great grandfather, William Britt, observe his '26th birthday" at 823 W. Mary Chester. Britt was born Feb.

29, 1868. 1st birthday, 4 years late week's figures 234,699 to 70,213, according lo Floyd J. Kraft, chief clerk of the registration commission who placed the total number of registered voters at 314,226. a outregisterecv Repubiians last week in Norwood. Following is the breakdown, with GOP listed first: Media.

Courthouse, 106-64- Prospect Park, 88-15; Folcroft, 59-58; Upper Chichester, 111-32- Norwood, Marple, 96-63 Darby Township, 117-68; Nether Providence, 62-25; Media, 29-24. Trainer offers lax assistance TRAINER All borough residents who are applying for property tax claims have'been urged to file a claim before April 29. Forms and assistance may be obtained from Tax Collector Vincent A. Fanelli, 916 Sunset St. of 701 Harvey a Claymont, is four years old today but she 11 be marking her first real birthday.

Guard Deshong Memorial from 'evil spirits 7 Chester has its Foo FOO DOG guarding entrance to Deshong Memorial, Chester, is examined by A. David SLenla. By CHARLENE CANAPE Daily Times a i CHESTER i Nixon's visit lo China has created a renewed interest in Oriental art. While the President arrd Mrs. Nixon toured historic Chinese cities, Americans paid visits to museums and art galleries learning more about the mysterious Orient through its artists.

On Friday, the Nixons stopped to admire a sacred Fop clog which guards a temple in the Forbidden City in Peking. The bronze dog bore a striking rcsemblan-ce to the two sacred Foo dogs which stand in front of the entrance to the Alfred 0. Dcsh'ong Art Memorial, on Edgmont Avenue. The Dcshong bronze animals, more than five centuries old. once guarded the entrance to a Japanese sanctuary.

he figures, believed to ward off evil spirits, seem to have lost some of their powers. "Evil spirits" took from the Deshong collection various pieces of Oriental art worth $750 in a robbery discovcrd on Thursday. A. David Stenta, arr instructor at Chester High School who has studied Oriental art, visited the Memorial to compare the Japanese Foo dogs to the one admired by Nixon. Stenta said the Foo dogs nrc cast from bronze with wax molds.

figures arc then hand chased to to remove any rough edges or demarcations," said Stenla. "The surface i smoothed out and the figure is given a flawless appearance." The Foo dog in the Forbidden of the Foo dog was painted and fired by hand, according to Slcnta. The Fno dog int the Forbidden City Is more than 1,000 years old, he said. dogs, too "The Forbidden City was almost a religious center open only to families of Chinese nobility," he said. "It was like their heaven and paradise and they lived in a state of near perfection, or Stenta said anyone not of noble birth who entered the city was executed.

Western culture, according to Stenta, has been influencing the' Chinese for the past 100 years. "I predict the President's visit will bring about an influx of Oriental fashions, furnishings, and art objects," he said. Stenta believes art will begin lo flourish in China during the present generation. "Discipline and organization tightens things up and allows for a greater expression in the arts," he said. "The grays and the dullness of the Chinese will soon give way to the bright colors they were once known for.".