The disease is everywhere. Students see it all the time; and there is no hiding the fact that it is spreading, right before everyone's eyes.

It may be in the form of a thoughtful glance, an inaudible whisper, a look through a purse, a drop of a pencil, or a cleverly concealed piece of paper attached to a thigh or arm.

The disease is that of cheating. It takes many forms, but there is no denying the fact that it does exist. And now, as we are nearing the time for final exams, it is even more important for action to be taken. The situation seems to be a big paradox: little can be done, but something must be done.

There are no excuses for cheating, yet some students try to make them. "It was only one answer," or "Nobody is going

to see me." But nine times out of 10, someone does see.

Also, there is really no cure for this type of disease. We cannot say that the fault does not lie in the student; it does. We cannot force or beg students, who do cheat, to stop. We cannot offer a cure, but we can offer a prevention against this sickness.

It is very simple. If teachers and administrators would take it upon themselves to emphasize the wrongness of cheating and work harder to take away the opportunity and lure of cheating and if students would be more careful not to promote it, the problem could be prevented.

Sometimes preventive medicine works better than antidotes; let's hope this is the case at Maine West this year.