By PAULETTE JADOS

A few months ago, December to be more precise, I had the opportunity to see "Catch 22" at a local theater. Strangely enough, while viewing the picture, I was constantly reminded of the present attendance procedure at our school.

The point I would like to stress about "Catch 22" is the situation concerning the airplane pilot's desire to be discharged from the service. The only way a soldier, flyer, etc. could leave the service was to be discharged because his certificate declared him to be insane. The Board of Officials felt if any man was capable of stating he was insane, he must have had enough sense to come up with such a conclusion, therefore is sane, thus he stays in the service.

So it is with our present attendance system. This year students have been given the privilege to attend their classes or to "cut." The question at hand is this: where does one go if he or she decides to cut a class? This seems easy enough. How about PAR? Why certainly, no one would notice one more student

amidst 200! Ah, but you are proven wrong. A "para-professional" just happens to buzz over to your table and asks you if you are usually in PAR this period. Well, you could lie, but teachers are smarter than you think. So, the student hands over his ID., and his name is sent to the Deans' Office, and eventually a few detentions are assigned.

As one student commented, "This attendance policy is one big, vicious circle. It's just not worth cutting a class any more. All the fun of it is gone."

I feel this new policy is a convenience to the students, yet I also feel students should be forewarned of the consequences of cutting a class. Perhaps a certain room should be designated for the students who are not planning to go to their classes. If a student cuts a class and is able to disappear for 40 minutes, there wouldn't be any need for such a room. But this is not possible, to the best of my knowledge. Something should be done. Why did the administration make it possible to cut classes without punishment, if a student is still punished while caught in PAR? It just doesn't make sense.