1. — Weird, because Pedas gives so much of his own time and efforts toward making studies more exciting to students.

2. — Weird, because Pedas is unabashedly patriotic in rededicating himself to basic democratic principles in this Bicentennial Year.

3. — Weird, because Pedas believes in involving school programs with the community, such as the current, “Flight of the Eagle” planetarium programs which he voluntarily has developed and presented.

4. —Weird, because he is one of the diminishing number of volunteers who works with Boy Scouts and other youth groups.

5. —Weird, because in these days of prescribed work contracts, he follows the Biblical injunction by giving more than he receives.

6. —Weird, because he is willing to put his checkbook where his mouth is, as demonstrated by:
   

• Pledging 20 per cent of his income to contributions for education;

• His gifts of $1,776 (an appropriate figure this year) in cash and $2,500 in equipment for the planetarium in Farrell High School, bringing his total of cash or gifts-in-kind to $20,000 during the last years;

• His subsidizing of much of the expense of taking students to Cape Kennedy for several of the space launchings.

Ted Pedas may be considered “weird” in the distorted perspective on values held by some persons today. And unfortunately, he probably is unusual, for he has willingly bucked a trend of reduced philanthopic giving to education as reported recently by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel. While all philanthropic giving rose last year 6.5 per cent, contributions to education were down 3.5 per cent.

But instead of being weird, Ted Pedas is one of those all too rare individuals who sincerely believes that this Bicentennial offers Americans the opportunity to rededicate themselves to the principles set forth by out Founding Fathers.

“We must rededicate ourselves to the challenges and opportunities of the coming decades, ” he said at the meeting this week of the Farrell Area School Board.

“Some of our greatest challenges and opportunities are in education. If we turn our backs on the young people who will lead this third century — then we will have forsaken the lofty achievements of two centuries of national life …

“I do feel that in eduction we have the talent and the resources to enhance the character and dignity of future generations.”

Yes, Ted Pedas is different.