LOCH SHELDRAKE - If you want to know more about witchcraft and sorcery, how baseball great Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier or about the limits of democracy, don't miss Sullivan County Community College's free lecture series. Presented by the college's Arts & Culture Team Sullivan and the New York Council for the Humanities, the series is open to the public with all lectures beginning at 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, September 14 the featured topic is "Jackie Robinson and the Politics of Race and Community in New York, 1947-1997" with guest lecturer Carl E. Prince, professor of History at New York University.

On Wednesday, October 11 Phillips Stevens, Jr., an associate professor of Anthropology at SUNY Buffalo, presents "Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: What's Really Going On?"

The series concludes with "The Limits of American Democracy: Racism as a Barrier to Attaining the American Dream," on Wednesday, November 8. Heather Parker, assistant professor of History at Hofstra University, will lead the discussion.

For information call Liz Gottlieb at 845/434-5750, extension 4458.

ALBANY - Registering for classes, buying books and moving away from home are typical worries the college-bound face each year. Today, students must also add theft to their list of worries. Theft is the number one crime on college campuses.

A 1998 survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education reported 13,745 acts of burglary at 481 colleges and universities with students of 5,000 or more.

Having adequate insurance can lessen the blow of a burglary. The New York Insurance Association, Inc. (NYIA), a trade association of property/casualty insurance companies which provides insurance coverage for autos, homes and businesses, offers the following advice to guard against theft on college campuses:

• Always lock your doors.

• Leave expensive jewelry at home.

• Engrave electronic items with driver's license number and state of residence.

• Don't leave belongings unattended on campus.

SULLIVAN COUNTY - Do you read and write as well as you would like to? Did you go through school hiding the fact that your reading and writing skills were not as good as everyone else's, always thinking that next month, next semester, even next year you would work harder and improve? If yes was the answer to these questions, then Literacy Volunteers of America - Sullivan County can help you.

Literacy Volunteers of America - Sullivan County is an adult literacy program that is totally confidential with respect to the learner. Services are provided free of charge. All learners are assessed and oriented to the program through individual consultations. It is the only organization that recruits and trains volunteers to tutor adults on a one-to-one basis in Basic Reading and Writing and English as a Second Language.

Tutoring is done in public places coordinating with the tutor/learner schedule. Call Literacy Volunteers of America-Sullivan County at 845/794-0017, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

HONESDALE - On Thursday, August 31, four new teachers completed their District Orientation in order to begin the new school year.

Michelle Curtis is a graduate of Long Island University and The University of Scranton and will teach the Gifted and Talented Education Program District-wide. Glady Goehringer is a graduate of Monmouth University and Rowen College and will be a Learning Support Teacher in grades six to eight at the Preston School. Amanda Jenkins is a graduate of Kutztown University and will be a Learning Support Teacher in Kindergarten to fifth grade at the Preston School. Jessica Roberts is a graduate of East Stroudsburg University and will teach fifth grade at the Preston School.