Mailbag - June 24, 2001

Amazing teacher deserves his honor

How lucky and blessed I was to get the opportunity to work alongside

Buzz Amble at College Park Elementary School (“He was all the Buzz,”

Tuesday). It was one of the best learning experiences that a new teacher

could have hoped for.

While somewhat unorthodox in his teaching, Buzz always made learning

fun. He brought in firsthand experiences, oral histories, storytelling

and, most of all, humor to capture students’ attention and imagination. I

saw him turn shy students into blossoming speakers, apathetic children

into empowered learners, straight-laced and serious students into fun

(and funny) academic explorers, turn doodlers into artists, couch

potatoes into athletes, and turn an insecure new aide into a fun and

confident teacher.

As covered in the Daily Pilot, Amble’s College Park colleagues honored

him by throwing him an “Aloha” party, which was attended by scores of

students from the past and present who offered up story after story about

how Buzz had influenced their lives. Thanks, Buzz, for all the years you

dedicated to thousands of children and for helping them each to grow

personally, morally and academically. And thanks for being a role model

and mentor to teachers as well.

LISA LAWRENCE

Costa Mesa

Coffee extremely unnecessary at the library

Your editorial suggestion (“Hold the Shakespeare and pass the mocha,”

June 17) to set up just one more coffee stand -- in the central library

yet, where Peet’s Coffee & Tea and several other great coffeehouses are

just a few steps away -- is surely shortsighted.

Not only is it absolutely unneeded, but indeed the library management

is complaining about too little parking as it is. Your further suggestion

about encouraging kaffee klatches so people can talk together is an

outrage to those of us who go to the library to read and to study and to

learn -- it is the last refuge for the general public who just wants to

be left with the peace and quiet the libraries afford to us. If the

libraries think we need another place to meet and talk, a tree with some

shade and a bench under it would help.

Surely, to have the libraries competing with what has always been a

private institution is carrying this so-called public-private partnership

too far.

By the way, I own no Starbucks or Diedrich’s stock, but I imagine

those who do would be even more displeased at the unfair competition.

IRYNE BLACK

Newport Beach

Dogs are indeed a bundle of trouble

Thank you, Judge Gardner (“The Verdict -- Living a dog’s life can be

worse than living alone,” Tuesday), for sharing the trials of living with

a beagle. We have one. Still more behavior to cope with.

For instance, twice a day we take ours for a walk. Well, actually, she

takes us, and we have very little to say or do about what happens at her

end of the leash. She is ruled by her nose. If it takes her to the scent

of anything remotely edible -- such as an ant-ridden sliver of chicken

bone -- she locks her brakes and won’t budge.

When she sees a dog she wants to confront -- no matter the size -- she

goes into overdrive and drags us in that direction. She is useless as a

watchdog. She’s never met a human being she doesn’t love.

On the other hand, there are some dogs she can’t stand. She can sense

their approach a block away and set up a deafening screech unbearable to

us and probably the neighbors.

Why do we tolerate all this? That’s a good question. A neighbor says

it’s easier than teenagers. True, and after the kids are gone, there’s

still a net benefit from having this cute bundle of unconditional love

around.

ROBERT AND BARBARA SHELTON

Corona del Mar

8-year-old offers electricity solution

I am 8 years old. I am writing to you to tell you what I think the

city of Costa Mesa should do about our city’s energy problems. I think

they should make their own electricity like some other cities do.

CRAIG TOZER

Costa Mesa

Mayor right in calling out school district

It’s about time someone got upset over the fact the children have been

shuffled for years from using the Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center pool

(“City, school district fired up over heating pool,” June 15). I can

remember when my children were little and I was so looking forward to

swim lessons at Corona del Mar’s brand new pool that summer.

We were told lessons for young children were conducted at Newport

Harbor’s pool and that the depth was designed for lap swimmers only.

However, this information was never disclosed when they were soliciting

for donations from the community before this pool was built. This

infuriated me then and struck a chord with me this morning. I am happy to

comment on Mayor Gary Adams’ fury. Go, Gary.

SUSAN PROSTOR

Balboa Island

* EDITOR’S NOTE: The city of Newport Beach has agreed to keep the

Corona del Mar High School pool heated until early August.