I was born a miner's daughter and by the sixth grade had attended five schools in four countries. This nomadic life, which continued until my move to this Valley of Heart's Delight in 1957, could have left me with a sense of rootlessness. It might have, except for Miss Betty and Saratoga.

I met Miss Betty in 1958 when I enrolled my two daughters in the Cupertino Co-op Nursery School. Miss Betty was the "afternoon" teacher for the older preschoolers.

At that time, although my home was one block north of Prospect Road and officially in San Jose, our activities centered in Saratoga: the Federated Church, the Quonset hut movie house, Buy and Save, Quito and Stu's markets, Tyler's Variety and Whitlow's Department stores. Yes, we had a busy downtown then.

In 1963 our family moved into one of the George Day houses backing onto Foothill School, and Saratoga truly became home.

Sometime during those years, Miss Betty moved to the newly opened preschool housed at the Federated Church, giving those lucky children the benefit of her warm and gentle teaching.

Last week Miss Betty came to see the dahlias in my garden and then over the weekend we had dinner together at the thank-you party for the docents of the Saratoga Historical Foundation.

That's how it has been for me. Over the years I am always delighted to see Miss Betty at Foothill Club teas, AAUW meetings, museum potlucks.

Sunday afternoon, with huge, old oaks at my back and the burbling creek at my feet, I sat at one of the four picnic tables filled with Saratogans on the Lyn Johnston property. Among those seated were Willys and Betty Peck, Louise Cooper, Shirley Guest and, of course, Miss Betty. All those folks who have, over the years, worked so hard to preserve Saratoga's historical buildings and lands and its history.

Sitting there, I was struck with the permanency and continuity of our lovely town, even through its many changes. And I, no longer the wanderer, had a warm feeling of belonging to a community and its enduring relationships. For that I say thank you to Saratoga and to my Miss Betty, Saratoga's Betty Hunter.

Nancy Anderson

Lomond Court

Right to free speech
has been violated

Some people may naively think that there are no worries or political threats to the citizens of Saratoga. They may be sadly mistaken. In today's superheated atmosphere of "terror and politics," some people have apparently forgotten that this is the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

My father moved to Saratoga shortly after the end of World War II, a war in which he bravely served his country. He enlisted in the Navy and fought in the South Pacific to keep the world free from fascist and totalitarian regimes. My father believed strongly in the ideals of the Constitution; he believed that all were the bedrock upon which this great nation was formed and prospered. He put his life on the line to protect them and to protect the lives of the American people.

Today my father has a yard sign in front of his house on Pierce Road. It announces his personal choice for the upcoming presidential election. Since the sign was first installed, it has been removed and destroyed three separate times. On one occasion a young 30-something-year-old man driving a black Jeep Wrangler, upon seeing a member of the family replacing the sign, screamed out at the top of his lungs an expletive. He then flashed the very well-known single-digit hand salute.

Thousands of brave American boys fought and died to protect our rights, but today it seems some citizens of Saratoga have sunk to such depths of hatred and viciousness that they would take away a man's right to free speech.

Whether you support George Bush, John Kerry, Ralph Nader or anyone else, that choice is yours and you should be free to express it. The young man who destroyed my father's yard sign at least once and cursed obscenities at the top of his lungs should count his blessings that men like my father fought to protect his rights.

My father also served the city of Saratoga as mayor and councilman for 12 years. I wonder what service the yard sign­destroying young man ever gave Saratoga or his country?

Today the sign has been replaced for the fourth time, and I'm proud to say the First Amendment of the Constitution is still thriving on Pierce Road despite the "Brown-shirt" tactics of some. Brave men fight to protect and keep our rights; cowards sneak around trying to destroy them.

Ask yourself, do you want to live in a society where the "good" citizen is the one who stops other people from exercising their freedoms, or is the citizen who stands up and fights for all to exercise their freedoms even when they don't agree with their choices?

Brian Glennon

Pierce Road

Removing redwood tree
was the right decision

I would like to commend the city council for making the responsible decision to approve the tree-removal permit for Ms. DuVall on Swarthmore Drive (Aug. 18, "Old redwood causes dissension in neighborhood and in city council").

It was the only acceptable decision any reasonable person could arrive at. The property damage, destruction and liability to public safety that the pine tree was causing were insurmountable.

It is sad to see how a few Swarthmore neighbors chose to harass Ms. Duvall during her time of plight. However, it is also a relief to see that one opponent's legal action to silence the supporting majority who supported the tree's removal was in vain.

Chris Wiles

Purdue Drive

Preservation of orchard
is essential to Saratoga

Some time has elapsed since any writer to the Saratoga News has revived a desire to eliminate one of Saratoga's most distinguished landmarks, the Heritage Orchard, and replace it with soccer fields.

In the past, Saratoga has been notorious for abolishing open space and greenery in favor of more housing, increased density, and less aesthetic appeal. Saratoga has less open space per capita than any community in the Bay Area.

The Heritage Orchard presents a beautiful entry to Saratoga. The need for beauty to justify Saratoga's reputation as one of the Bay Area's most desirable residential areas far outweighs the brief period of years in which a minority of our population would indulge in soccer. Adults are here for decades.

Many of us have fought long and hard to preserve the limited open space we still have. For the common good to prevail, the orchard must remain and be cherished for its beauty and its symbolism.

F.L. Stutzman

Former mayor of Saratoga

Serbian church concerns
are not due to intolerance

Regarding the recent article and subsequent letters to the editor regarding the Serbian Orthodox Church building plans, we find it disappointing that some immediately attack a neighbor who lives close to the proposed new structure as "intolerant." Nowhere in the article was there any statement made against the church, their beliefs, or the parishioners' right to worship. Rather the concerns raised are relevant concerns about any new structure proposed for the already very busy Allendale neighborhood area. If West Valley College or the Mormon church, who have existing structures adjacent to Allendale, proposed a new structure with increased usage like what the Serbian Orthodox Church is proposing, the very same concerns would be expressed: traffic impact; architectural integrity; noise concerns (new gonging bell tower?); setbacks; and, the frequency and nature of the new structure's usage. These issues and concerns exist regardless of the group who proposes them.

To immediately make the polarizing and inflammatory statement that neighbors with valid concerns are "intolerant" or somehow "anti-religion" is pure negative politics and is beneath an informed Saratoga community discussion. Let's stick to the valid issues expressed by Mr. Macauley and many others, work with the church leadership and neighbors who are directly impacted (everyone whose street opens onto Allendale), and find a way for both sides to negotiate a palatable solution.

D. and R. Huff

Harleigh Drive

Heritage Orchard is not
appropriate for fields

In response to Christine Gulrich's (Aug. 11) letter about soccer fields in the Heritage Orchard, perhaps some history would be helpful.

In 1984, the orchard was designated a historic landmark by the Saratoga City Council in acknowledgement of its importance to Saratoga's history.

In 2000, reacting to proposals to build playing fields in the orchard, local citizens rose up in protest. They did not represent a "not in my backyard" group, but lived in all regions of Saratoga. These citizens realized the importance of preserving, for current and future generations, what little we have left of the "Valley of Heart's Delight." Former mayor of Saratoga Marty Clevenger wrote, "The fact is that the land is a historical orchard. It is not something waiting to be developed. It is serving its intended use."

A group of citizens organized STOP (Saratoga Treasures Orchard Preservation). Based on their work, the efforts of the Saratoga Heritage Preservation Commission and the obvious fervor of the community at large, the city council unanimously passed a resolution in 2000 which states: "The Heritage Orchard is hereby recognized as a valuable asset to the community that should be maintained in perpetuity for the enjoyment of generations to come" (Ordinance No. 00-049).

The orchard stands as a tribute to our agrarian past and the importance fruit growers played in our city's history. Even our library building, surrounded on three sides by the orchard, was designed to represent a large fruit-drying shed.

Many letters, some including original and moving poetry, have been written expressing appreciation for the peaceful and reflective value of those beautiful trees in our historic orchard. It is truly an oasis in the midst of our town. Indeed, the Heritage Orchard is serving its purpose and our community very well.

Phyllis Ballingall

Saratoga Heritage Preservation commissioner

Proposed utility users tax
has several weaknesses

Doug Robertson's apologia letter for the actions of the revenue review committee and the city council regarding utility tax (Aug. 18) was interesting. However, there were some points he did not address:

1. If this tax passes, the money will go directly into the general

fund. Once in the general fund, it will be co-mingled with other revenues and spent as the powers that be at that time chose.

2. Even if there were an advisory measure on the ballot and it did

pass, it is not legally binding. Those who support this 10-year tax and the advisory motions might not be in power five or six years from now. Advisory measures are easily forgotten and/or ignored.

3. This proposed tax has already been reduced from 5 percent to 4 percent because the city council didn't think 5 percent would pass. What makes them think 4 percent will?

4. If the city did not perform due diligence in the past regarding maintenance, why will they now?

5. Why not word the proposed tax so that it must be spent on maintenance, etc., not just poured into the general fund? Is that because it would be more difficult to pass?

6. If this tax does pass and it results only in $20 per month, or $240 per year, that is $2,400 tax over the 10-year period will be taken from the citizens of Saratoga but is not deductible on their federal returns.

7. All government—federal, state, county, city—think they need more money and they might, but very few spend it wisely or prudently.

Example: the new city hall in San Jose.

Charles P. Shaw

Ravenwood Drive