MARCH 10, 1972
Readers Talk Back
I am not in Student Council nor have I ever been. In your last issue there appeared an editorial which let the readers of the Westerner in on all of Student Council's accomplishments. The Pancake Breakfast was worthwhile, but aside from this I did not find their achievements very impressive.
It seems to me that the smoking survey was perhaps their most meaningless "achievement." Are the students who desire a smoking lounge supposed to be impres-sed with the fact that Student Council may eventually get around to discussing the possibility of one? Before we know it, Student Council elections will be held; and the nominees will outline the same objectives as did last year's candidates - open campus, a smoking lounge, etc. It was stated in the editorial that Student Council is looking toward the future, but I believe as it is said that there is no time like the present.
Name
Withheld
Dear Editor:
In a past edition you had an article on Jesus Freaks. This is the first time that I have seen the Westerner take an interest in religion. I would like schools to provide more opportunity for religious expression.
This is especially important today because more and more people are turning to Jesus. Religion has always been a "no-no" in schools and yet it is impossible to deal with history, humanities, sociology, anthropology, and some English courses without at least mentioning God or religion.
Colleges provide religious freedom and opportunity, and I think high schools should too. I know there is a Bible study group meeting in the library before school. This is great and the first opportunity for Christians in Maine West to meet.
I would like to see courses offered in practical religion and Bible analysis. Band students can go to band, and drama majors have the drama depart-ment. Where can someone interested in religion go?
Jill Falstad
Dear Editor:
As a result of the defeat of the referendum the school board will have to make cutbacks in our curriculum next year if Maine West is to remain open. I understand this and know it is necessary, but my question is why does the school board consider the elimination of small classes first?
Certainly the fact that a class has fewer than 20 students does not make it less valuable. My language class is on this "endangered species" list, and it really angers me for it is one of my most worthwhile classes.
I am in my first year of this course; and if it were cancelled, I would have to start a new language to fill the language requirement of most colleges.
Juniors involved in this situa-tion would suffer the most for they would not be able to complete the two year college requirement without a summer school or other type of credit class at their expense.
Name
Withheld
Dear Editor:
Several months ago the Westerner published an article which I wrote concerning uniqueness and classification. In that article I stated that no one should be judged by their clothes or hair. Maybe I should have included the word occupa-tion in that statement.
The "Open Letter To Teach-ers" which appeared in the last issue of the Westerner was a very interesting poem. The girl who wrote it is obviously very talented. I felt she was really expressing her feelings about teachers in the most effective way she could.
The fact that this poem was addressed to "teachers" in gen-eral has caused much discus-sion. Not all teachers are guilty of the lack of feeling described by this girl's poem. People are different. Teachers are people. Some care and others don't. The teachers that this particular poem pertained to have had cause to stop and think, maybe feel guilty. The teachers that do care have also had cause to stop and think, maybe feel in-sulted.
I hope the teachers of Maine West realized that the poem was an expression of one girl's
feelings based on her experiences and not a condemnation of all teachers by all students. And I hope that those students who agreed with me about the classification of themselves agree with me about the classification of others. It can't be done.
Tina Labellarte
In "An Open Letter to Teachers" (The Westerner, February 25, 1972) teachers and education were made responsible for pregnant schoolgirls, shooting with dirty needles, the withering of minds, and numerous other atrocities. In the same issue, students listed in the "Wandering Warrior" said that education stinks, school is a prison, and education is a farce. These comments were probably spoken hurriedly or in jest. This I can understand. However, the "letter" was published, I assume, after deliberation and evaluation. This, I can't comprehend. The "letter" is badly written, loaded with propaganda techniques, irrational, and licentious. It is an insult to me, my profession, and most important, it is an insult to the students at Maine West.
Education is synonymous with learning. Some learning can be totally pleasant. For example, one learns that kissing is really neat. One can also learn much about life and the world through effortless conversation, films, and delightful travel. However, not all learning can be so. Many skills and much information simply cannot be achieved without practice that changes in time from fun to work, work, work. One learns the intricacies of the ellipse not through casual conversation, but through reading, study, calculation, and work, work, work.
Many people do not wish to learn by practice, study, and work. In a sense, they have decided to remain uninformed of the world's knowledge. People do have the right to be unskilled and semi-ignorant.
However, they do not then have the right to condemn those who do try to learn and to try to help others to learn. The author of the "letter" is guilty in this regard.
Norman E. Ladd
Dear Editor:
I want to comment on the February 25, 1972, poem entitled, "An Open Letter to Teachers." The young woman who wrote the poem is evidently bright and sensitive and obviously concerned about the indifference of people, particularly teachers. I believe that those of us who teach can sympathize, listen, and feel concerned about the problems of drugs, unwanted pregnancies, alcoholism, and alienation; but to assume that the teacher or society in general is totally and completely responsible for these problems forgets the responsibility that each of us has for the ultimate route our lives take.
The most important heritage we have is one of freedom - freedom to choose and to assume obligations for our decisions. A child expects his parents to solve his problems with the similar belief that ultimately the mature and responsible person will eventually be able to stand on his or her own feet to assume his own obligations - that is the ultimate end of education - to develop within each person the ability to understand, learn, and decide from a variety of options what is best individually and collectively to improve the world about us. To expect others, as the author of the article suggests, to assume responsibility for an individual decision is copping out.
The cafeteria or the outside world about us does not get strewn with garbage, paper, and waste because no one cares - each person who throws his garbage around for someone else to clean up is responsible here at school or in the greater society. Freedom can be enjoyed only if one is willing to pay the price for that freedom and the discomfort that may result from it. There are some societies in existence where the state assumes the responsibility for members of the group, but the individual must surrender his freedom to choose his individual goals.
At best what any student should expect from his teacher is someone who will listen, instruct, act as a resource, and work cooperatively for a common goal of education for a life of service.
Freedom is a painful process of growing up, making decisions and mistakes, suffering, helping others and learning to accept human limitations. Individual freedom is painful and a personal responsibility that each must welcome and assume for himself.
Eric U. Edstrom
Dear Editor:
In rebuttal to the article in the February 25 edition of the Westerner, "An Open Letter to Teachers," our second period English class does not agree with her article.
The author is trying to make excuses for students to fall back on. This will make the student and the parents free of guilt because now they can blame the teachers if a student-parent conflict is evident.
She is giving students an excuse to blame the teachers. The students in our class feel that when they do something wrong, it is their responsibility to take the consequences.
Teachers are not perfect, but they expect you to be willing to accept responsibility and do the things to make you a respon-sible student.
A lot of people who go out for a sport or work show responsibility because they have to make their grades or work on time. This is responsibility of a kind. When a person likes what he's doing, he is going to do the best he can. But when there is conflict over what he is doing, the responsibility seems to disappear. The person starts to blame other persons for his mistakes.
Mr. Kardasz's
Second Period
English L Class