The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 5

FIRST Mao oo Moon Gets National Eade Award. 1st s-Lx 1 left). Armstrong received highest scouting' award in Pool and Miller received awards. Hansen presented Armstrong with his awards. DISTINGUISHED EAGLES NeiJ Armstrong is flanked by Zenon C.R.

Hansen (right), Donald Miller (left) and Leonard P. Pool (second from By GLENN AIRGOOD Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, received boy scouting 's highest national honor, the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, last night in Bethlehem. The award is given by the National Distinguished Eagle Committee of the Boy Scouts of America to an Eagle Scout who has held the rank for at least 25 years and has made outstanding contributions to society. The award's presentation was a complete surprise to Armstrong, who was at the Hotel Bethlehem to speak at the third Minsi Trails Eagle Recognition Dinner. Armstrong, who became eligible for the award Dec.

24, was made Eagle Scout Dec. 25, 1947. He was given a solid gold eagle and an engraved plaque by Zenon C.R. Hansen, chairman of the national eagle committee and chairman and chief executive of Mack sTrucks, and Donald P. Miller, Lehigh County's first Eagle Scout and publisher of The Call-Chronicle newspapers.

In accepting the award, Armstrong told the 110 Eagle Scouts and each of their sponsors, "I didn't ever think there would be a reason I would be happy that 25 years had gone by." Hansen explained that approval of the award by the national committee had been "rushed through" so the lunar pioneer could be given the honor while in Bethlehem, i He said that Armstrong's name had been submitted to the committee several times for consideration since he first stepped on the moon July 20, 1969, "but each time, because of the 25-year restriction, he had to be turned down." The presentation highlighted a night of surprise and seriousness for the Eagle Scouts. Armstrong's half-hour speech provided most of the humor as he quipped about a hypothetical "camporee" by future scouts on the moon. I- Surprise came not only to Armstrong, but also to Miller and Leonard P. Pool, program chairman. Miller was given a special award in recognition of his community service to the Lehigh Valley.

Pool, who arranged for Armstrong to come to Bethlehem, was presented with a statue of a Boy Scout as a token of appreciation from the Minsi Trails council for his work Pool in presenting the council award to Miller, said it was "for his contributions to the community, which are quietly and unobtrusively not well known. The world Is a better place for his being here." Armstrong provided the serious note by quoting from Emerson "Not gold, but only men can make a nation strong." He asked, "From whence come these men these characters? This flock of Eagles has that potential," he -stressed. Continued on Page 7, Column 1 'Real' Neil Inspiring To Rest of the Eagles is' strong "for finding'time to associate with scouts. He showed that attaining. the rank of Eagle Scout could be the beginning of many important things." Bob Dayton, 17, of Summit Lawn, said the honor guest proved that "Eagle Scouts do get ahead.

Scouting really does During his address, Armstrong spoke of an imaginary space camporee, suggesting that scouts of the future might attend such events. One scout summed up most of the audience's feelings on the matter; "I don't know if I'd go right away, but I think would like to go." NEIL ARMSTRONG Men Make Nation Strong' 75 Landowners Decry Plan By LEONARD RIGHI Neil Armstrong, a contemporary legend, conveyed a "common man" image to many of the Eagle Scouts honored in Bethlehem last night. "At first, I thought he was some sort of god," said 16-year-old Joseph Celebuski of Bethle hem, "but he's just a real Joel Dalrymple, 19, from Sum mit Lawn, commented, "I was impressed with his clamness and his warm sense of humor. I used to think of him as just an other astronaut. But tonight, receiving the Distinguished Eagle Award meant as much to him as coming back from space." CHARLES J.

in Protest Voiced vORiji1 "'A 7 tion to clear across-the-board public acquisition of the South Mountain land, their objections did not appear to scotch the drive to preserve South Mountain. "Our objections are all to the same things," said Al A. Siess former president of the Sau-con Association for a Viable Environment (SAVE). "We're all against development on the mountain. We all want to preserve South Mountain.

Let's do it so the people who already are saving the mountain (through private. ownership) don't have to give up their rights tp enjoy their property." He drew a round of general 134th from his once-firm commitment to establishing a state park. "If yotf want to save South Mountain, you're going to have to do it through House Bill 3," Zeller said. The bill, 1 now awaiting the governor's signature, would set up a referendum in the May 15 primary on a proposed constitutional amendment to permit a real estate tax break for landowners who keep their property in open spaces and agricultural production. Messinger, however, said such an amendment wouldn't provide the protection it-needed on South Mountain.

"This, wouldn't prevent anybody from selling his land to developers," he explained. "It just gives him a tax break as long as he doesn't develop it." BREAKFAST CHATTER A 14-week course in sign language will be conducted 9-11 a.m. Thursdays in Sac red Heart starting next" week. It'll be cospon-sored by the hospital's speech and hearing center and the Eastern Pennsylvania Agency for the Deaf. For.

more info, contact the hospital. About 5,000 deaf-mutes in the Lehigh Valley will benefit because more people will be able to communicate with them. State Rep. Joseph R. Zel-ler of Emmaus has intro-duced' a bill to make it ilegal to sell or color chicks, duckling or bunnies except their, sale by breeders or' stores.

The idea of the bill. he says, is to prevent "the cruel misuse of these young creatures as novelties." Lehigh County Humane Society Auxiliary will have public showing of film, "The Animals Are Crying," at its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Mountainville Fire Hall Final registration for, Mountainville Little League baseball will be 1-3 p.m. Sunday. New boys, aged 8-12, must show state (not hospital) birth certificates Lehigh Valley Drug Abuse Services is seeking donations of carpentry, garden and kitchen tools for its rehabilitation work.

Call Counselor. John O'Neill at 439-8479 Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission wants to talk to anyone involved, directly or indirectly, in Western Pennsylvania's "Great Steel Strike of 1919." Write the commission at Box 1026, Harris-burg Lehigh and Northampton County Agricultural Extension offices have registration forms for the March 6 and March 20 clinics for persons planning to retire from farming. Clinics will be at barn on Muhlenberg Medical Center grounds. Pennsy's Ills Delay Decision On 1-78 Dispute Special to The Morning Call PHILADELPHIA The problems plaguing the Penn Central Railroad have delayed a federal district court hearing of the Environmental Defense Fund's suit against construction of Interstate 78 south of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. The case was to have been heard by Judge John P.

Fullam of the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia late last month. But Fullam also is overseeing operations of the bankrupt Penn Central. The labor problems which sparked a one-day shutdown of the railraod last week compounded the judge's involvement in the carrier issue. He hopes to hear oral arguments' from the federal and state departments of transporta-tion and the EDF later this month, and then decide whether to let the $200-million superhighway be built.

Laugh It Off Si' "Then you believe that this island is slowly sinking into the ocean, Doctor?" i Dennis Fritz, 19, of Macungie, characterized Armstrong as a "natural person, calm and easy to get along with." The former Eagle Scout impressed the boys, many of whom were armed with cameras, as a source of inspiration. "Armstrong inspired everyone here tonight," said Vincent Fac-cliiano, of Bethlehem. "We all hope to be in his position some day." Michael Udicious, 16, of Cop-lay, said, "He was the first man on the moon. Nobody else can claim that. He has set a real example for every scout in the world." Ronald Liskanich, 17, of Northampton, praised Arm HORVATH JR.

to re-enlist him even in Haiphong." The 24-year-old sailor is believed to be the first American serviceman to re-enlist at Haiphong. Maj. Gen. Daniel James of the Defense Department said the circumstances "will undoubtedly be a first of some sort." Horvath, a communications specialist, normally is assigned to the commander of the 7th Fleet. But he is currently serving with Charles D.

Snelling, City Council president, two weeks ago. Bartholomew yesterday said i the state has given tentative ap proval to the city plans to take the lead in acquiring the park land. Plans are under way to establish a 1 dHA-nnro ctata nrb- thfaf 1 1 I .1. An woum mciuae inose bu acres. A combination of state money and Trexler Estate funds would provide about 83 per cent of the acquisition funds for the 90 By AL HASBROUCK The first major opposition to converting South Mountain into public ownership developed last night during a public information meeting on the proposal to establish a South Mountain State Park.

About 75 South Mountain property owners seemed nearly unanimous in their opposition to giving up their land to the state. Most of them, however, said they favor some kind of public measure to prevent further development on the mountain's wooded slopes. "We chose (to live on) the mountain because we believe in ecology," said one mountainside resident. "We've been picking up beer cans ana planting irees up mere i since before the word 'ecol- the minesweeping force, whose staffers are meeting with North Vietnamese officials prior to clearing that country's harbors and rivers of underwater mines. His mother, Mrs.

Charles J. Horvath Sr. of 417 E. Fairview Bethlehem, said she knew her son was going to re-enlist, "but I knew nothing about how or where. "He loves the Navy very much and he's very happy," she said.

HBettfliilleEiienim the southern terminus of 28th Street S.W., is becoming the "front line" in the battle over South Mountain. It would be the next major piece of wooded land to be stripped for development. "I think we can build on the mountain and still protect the ecology," said Daddona, (no relation to. Allentown City Councilman Joseph S. Daddona).

Noting that the Allentown Village developers have asked the Lehigh County Conservation District to devise an erosion-control plan for the 13-acre development, Daddona said that problems associated with construction "can all be corrected. The answer isn't: 'don't build on the ''Develop The other unexpected development was the withdrawal of State Rep. Joseph R. Zeller, D- Winter's A Roller Remember the Palisades roller coaster across from Manhattan? The weather will be riding it into the Lehigh Valley next few, days. There will be considerable cloudiness today.

It will be colder, with the high in the low 30s. A few snow flurries are likely, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service at Allentown Bethlehem Easton Airport. It will be partly cloudy and very cold tonight. The low before morning will be near 10 degrees. $46,000 the state, and that eity money of that volume should go to a tax break or to other priorities.

The mayor- saia ne beueves the financing attraction he uncovered will remove most, if not all. resis tance. The impact of his study, he said, was nrsi io weign me merits of the plan, and then, if it should be determined acceptable, find out how to go about buying the properties IHE MORXIXG CALL, Allentown, said another. He also said that public ownership was unwarranted, because people who live on the mountain will resist developers. But he admitted there is very heavy pressure for developing the mountain.

He said a developer has offered him $400,000 for his tract along the summit. His tract, he said, is "in the heart" of the proposed state park. He said he refused the offer, despite the promise of $150,000 profit. The landowners were among about 200 persons who attended the meeting at Muhlenberg College. State Sen.

Henry C. Mes-singer, rLehigh, conducted the session which included a slide-lecture of the park proposal. Although the landowners presented the first unified objec- I Horvath married an Australian girl last November. Wyanda Slyp of Tasmania. His parents have not yet met his wife, but the couple is planning to visit Bethlehem in ApriL Mrs.

Horvath said she is "very anxious" to meet her new daughter-in-law. Horvath graduated from Liberty High School in 1967. He attended East Strouds-burg State College Vk years before joining the Navy. troversy. "I'm convinced we should buy the land.

The idea has strong merit and I whole beartedly endorse it." The tract involved is virtually all the undeveloped land remaining on South Mountain within city limits. Pointing out it is the area of the mountain now under greatest pressure for development, Snelling argued, "The city can't afford to wait." It lies in a wedge or triangle bounded by Route 309 on one A Bethlehem sailor has scored a "first of some sort" by being re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy on North namese soil in Haiphong. Yeoman 2.C. Charles J.

Horvath Jr. was sworn in for another four-year hitch by Rear Adm. Brian McCau-ley, commander of the Navy's mine-clearing task force in the Tonkin Gulf, on Wednesday. McCauley said Horvath is "a fine, hard-working young sailor and it was a pleasure applause. "This can be worked out," said Messinger.

He said it might be possible for the state to grant lifetime tenancy rights, so residents may continue to live in their homes even after their land is acquired for the park. One resident said she would be willing to grant the state a conservation easement a promise that she would not develop or build on her land. Such an arrangement would allow land to remain in private ownership, but would remove permanently the possibility of developing it. It would not require people to give up their homes. There were two startling developments during the 2-hour forum.

One was the first public appearance by Anthony L. Dad-dona president of the East Penn Contracting Co. and one of the developers of the proposed Allentown Village. Allentown Village, a 115-unit apartment development proposed on the mountainside at side, the Salisbury Township boundary on another side and, at its base, bv that area of the mountain already under devel opment. Sixteen privately ownea K-ooerties reportedly would ihave to be taken in the pur chase, costing Snelling at the time apparently was the onlv councilman for the proposal.

Some of his col leagues openly opposed the idea on the cost factor, insisting park acquisition should be left up to Riding Coaster Then it will be fair tomorrow. The high temperature will, be near 50. The probability of precipitation is 30 per cent today, 20 tonight. The extended forecast is for fair, very cold Sunday, and partly cloudy and milder Monday and Tuesday. The high temperature yesterday was 42 at 3 p.m.

Low was 34 at 1 a.m. It was 35 at midnight. There was .33 of an inch of precipitation. Winds were out of the west, averaging 9 miles per hour. The high was 15 m.p.h.

at 10 a.m. Temperatures Here are Thursday's high and tow temperatures and precipitation: High Lew Prtc. Allentown 42 34 .33 Atlanta 49 37 Bismarck 2 41 Boston 44 37 .5 Buffalo 32 23 .23 Chicago 25 20 Cleveland 32 22 Denver 44 19 Detroit 30 1 Duiuth 3 -t3 Kansas City 24 11 Los Angeles 68 4 Alemphis 3S 30 M'ami Beach B3 67 1.03 Milwaukee 16 13 Me Orleans 57 41 New York 47 35 Philadelphia 47 38 Phot nix 65 43 PittSiHjrgh 39 33 St. Uuis 27 23 .25 .65 .9 .17 .02 ICE SKATING AT ALBETH P-, Friday, February 16, 197J 5 Allentown's Cost for 90-Acre Tract May Be Allentown may have to provide only $46,000 of the estimated $300,000 cost for the first 90 acres of the proposed South Mountain State acres in the city, the mayor estimated. He said the outlook for acquiring the open land "the last of its kind" in the city at a min- Editorial on Page 22 imal cost to the city is "so inviting it cannot be ignored." Under the circumstances, he said, the city purchase idea is "logical and practical" as a solution to the environmental con jPark, Mayor Clifford S.

Bartholomew said yesterday. He cited the relatively low cost to Allentown taxpayers as a major factor in his endorsement of the proposal for the city to start buying" endangered moun-'tainside land. The proposal came from i 1.