Hide Article Text (OCR)
m]t !r*bmrk dostEttobliihtd 1910An Independent Niwipopei Devoted To Ftedeiwk and Neighbonng Counti**Rubli*hed Every Morning E*«*pl Sundof By The GREAT SOUTHERN PRINTING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY 200 East Patrick Stro«t. Frederick, Maryland 21701— Rhone Aroa Cod* 301, 662*1177 Montgomery County N«wt Bureau, County Office Building, Rockville, P O. Bo* 267, Rockville, Md 20850 On Newi Molten Phone 340-1510, On Adverting Phone 948-5145 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Moil Rale for Foreign State*. On* month $4 00; three month* $10 00. *ix month*; $18.00; on* year $30 00 Single Copy, 10lt;- By Moil in Marylond, Wa*hmgton, PC , Virginto,Weit Virginia, payable in advance — One month, $2 25; Three Month*. 56.00 Si* Month*; S11 50, One Year. $22-00-- By Motor Route or Carrier. 55'Per Week; $2 25 Per Month; $6.75 Three Month,, $13.50 Si* Month*, $26,00 Per Year Member Audit Bureau Of Circulation—Member Of The A»*ocrated Pre»*The Aiiociated Pte** i, entitled «*elu»iv*ly to the u*o foi publication of the local newt printed in thu newipaper a* well a* all AP new, ditpafthe*.(Second Oall Po»toge Poid At Frederick, Marylond)Page A-4 Friday, December 6, 1974 Frederick, Md.Parents pay the priceAgain, the horse is out of the barn before an attempt is made to close the door.And again, parents and taxpayers will have to pay for the oversight.It happens with such frequency that certainly it would be wise to demonstrate to everyone, starting in the primary grades, with frequent reminders through school and early adulthood that the cost of vandalism of public property is paid for by the taxpayers, usually the parents — all the parents — and all the taxpayers.An estimated $1,540 in wanton damage has been caused by vandals who destroyed 17 large safety-glass windows at Walkersville High School Tuesday night. Every effort is being made to apprehend the vandals who wreaked this senseless and costly loss on the school building.At best, the vandals will be found and made to make full restitution for their thoughtlessness and meanness. If the vandals turn out to be of school-age, that means the parents will have to foot the bill — or at least should be required to do so.At worst, they will not be found and all parents and all taxpayers will have to pay for the damage out of school revenue — taxmoney. If the windows are insured, then who pays but the people who pay for the insurance — namely, the taxpayers.Even worse, if the vandals eo unpunished and are never found out, the scars will be personally theirs forever — mentally, inone negative form or another.Destruction of “government property” — taxpayers’ property —- should carry a strong penalty for the wrongdoer, and should include full restitution for the losses and the inconvenience.Certainly, in the case of the smashing out of 17 window's at Walkersville High School, a great many persons were inconvenienced, and in addition to the loss of the windows and their cost, the wide-open school house on that cold night probably lost a small fortune in already scarce fuel if the heating system was made to run by the automatic thermostat.Such wanton destruction of property anytime, but especially now at a time when costs of building materials are at an all time high, is an insult to the taxpayers. The vandals should be made to realize that they, too, are or one day will be taxpayers and that this is a waste of their own money and resources.Criticizing this vandalism may seem like making a mountain out of a molehill, when people are being shot, killed, mugged, mutilated and criminally assaulted on our own sidewalks, but it is these minor incidents (and $1,540 is no minor sum) that, if left unattended and without invoking that inevitable penalty for wrongdoing, lead to greater crimes.Let these vandals step forward and face the music. It is the only way to meet the future walking upright among their fellow citizens.
Newspaper Details
The Frederick News Post
Frederick, Maryland, US
Fri, Dec 06, 1974
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Joyce G.
USA 17 May 2025
Other Publications Near Frederick, Maryland
The Frederick News Post
News
Frederick County Leader
Frederick News Post Journal
Frederick News Post Leader
