William Penn Life, 1968 (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1968-12-01 / 12. szám
DANE WERT FIREARM SAFETY Safety conscious hunters shouldn’t drop their guard when they return home from a day in the field because nearly three-fifths of all accidental gunshot deaths occur in and about the house. This doesn’t mean that its safer to go hunting than it is to to stay around the house. There are many more households with guns than there are households with hunters. The typical gunshot victim is a teenage boy killed while he was cleaning, Joseph Vasas (Continued from page 5) greatest contribution was his untiring efforts in behalf of the Hungarian people, his Church, his Community, his Fraternal Societies, The St. László and The Rákóczi. His work was never for private gain but it was for ideals and the Spirit of Organization for the good of all and Love of his fellow man. His tremendous spirit, his unwillingness to accept mediocrity, his dedication to family, friends and Rákóczi Society and IFilliam Penn and to all that was a part of him shall be a challenge to everyone who knew him. And in his absence there will be many of us who will hear his gentle but strong voice from the wings, insisting on greater effort, greater dedication to the task on hand. If hen the leader falls comes the great test for those who must follow. It is the time when others shall put to use his guidance, his counsel, his courage, his wisdom and assume the role they have prepared to hold. Joseph Vasas has now been called by his Maker — His God in whom he had Great faith. His departure from us is a great loss — but because of his spirit, his work, his over all contribution, the world is Better off because he lived. So let us, his friends, family, children and grandchildren, sister, and relatives let us be comforted as we remember the promises of Christ: “Blessed are they who Mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth now they may rest from their labors for their works follow them. As we die, so shall we live after death, if we die seeking God—we shall find God. May the eternal light shine upon him; May his soul and the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of God Rest in Peace. Jenö Bartal, famous musician and his continental orchestra are featured for the musical entertainment at our Bowling Tournament Banquet on May 31, 1969 in New York City. repairing or “just playing around” with a firearm in or near the house. However, no age group is immune. More than one out of ten of the victims are under the age of ten. Four-fifths of the victims are males. The statements are based on the last year for which complete statistics on firearm accident deaths are available — 1966, when accidental gunshots killed 2,600 persons in the United States. Of these, 1,500 occurred in and about the house. The offending weapon was most frequently a rifle or shotgun with hand guns running a distant second. As expected, most persons who were killed believed that the gun they were handling was unloaded. In about 17% of the cases, the accidentally discharged firearm killed another member of the handler’s family. However shocking, such statistics do little more than hint at the misery caused but they should suggest ways of preventing that misery. Repeating the safety rules doesn’t seem to help because it is apparent that most persons who accidentally killed themselves or another person were aware of the rules but chose to break them. If you have a firearm in the house, your medical doctor suggests that you check right now to make sure that it is not only unloaded but that it is inaccessible to everyone not trained in its use and that it be handled at all times as a loaded firearm. SUB-TEEN SPORTS Competitive sports for children of elementary school age all too often stress winning instead of sportsmanship and physical fitness. There is a good, simple rule that is followed all too seldom: Athletics for children should be judged on the basis of their benefit to the child and not on the satisfactions of the coaches, the spectators and the community. Many persons believe that athletics for children under high school age should be limited to events within their own communities. The favorable publicity that a winning team can bring to the coaches, the school and the community should not have an impact on the type of sports program but it all too frequently does. Athletic programs are not good or bad in themselves. They are good or bad according to how they are managed. The programs are good if they are so conducted as to provide opportunity for play for many children without overemphasizing the special abilities of the stars. The programs are good if they avoid undue emotional tension and exaggerated competition. Young children may be severely upset emotionally by excessive tensions and too much emphasis upon victory for the sake of the community. The ideal sports program is one that treads a narrow boundary. Most children need to be stimulated to do their best but they must not be pushed and pressured for the attainment of goals beyond their capabilities. The goals dare not be too tough or too easy. Although these facts are well known, the Pennsylvania Medical Society observes that they are seldom followed — (Continued on page 8) 7
