Comment Free Press - Thursday, September 7, 1989 - Page 2 Science show hurts air pollution progress in valley - In a three-rin- g circus last week, Geneva Steel removed its veneer of amiability and cooperation in an attempt to sway public opinion its way just before some crucial public hearings about Utah County's air quality. In the effort to win public approval, company officials may have done a great deal of damage to the fragile coalition now working on solving our valley's air pollution problems. At the center of the controversy were the findings of Dr. Steven Lamm, who in three short weeks tried to unravel the findings of BYlTs C. Arden Pope linking respiratory illness in children with high levels of fine particulate pollution in the valley's air. Pope's study found that during winters when the valley's pollution levels were high, more children were hospitalized with respiratory illness than during the winter of 1987. That's the year Geneva Steel was closed and valley pollution levels were measurably lower. What Lamm was able to uncover in three weeks and on deadline for this week's State Implementation Plan hearings that the illness pattern was related to a virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), not to local air pollution. "We're greatly relieved we are not causing a health hazard to our neighbors in Utah County," gushed Geneva Spokesman Geneva President Joseph Cannon was equally pleased with the results, and told members of the press that good policy comes back-to-schoo- Ann and Kent are back in Utah again, this time to install their missionary at the MTC. He'll be studying Japanese prior to his mission in Tokyo. They've really burned up the road lately, and that's kind of neat. Bill and Candy stopped in on their way to watch Dixie play Judge Memorial, and Janie called from Hurricane, just to report in. She said that Andy played on one side, and Kip the other side in the annual Hurricane-Dixi- e battle. What a thrill. She shed tears all over the phone. I could feel them. One can never visit enough when these brief vacations happen. We talk, talk and talk, fast and furious conversation, bringing everybody up to date on new events, but it never seems enough. We talk about what child is in what grade, the progress report of missionaries, students, and married kids. Then we really get down to the Recipes and what's the best way to can peaches. I'm thrilled that Sal's into can- ning. She even asked me if she could put up some peaches for me. But that's my ritual. I can't let anyone put up my fruit but me. Except Ann Shields., She made mustard pickles for me. Canning and getting ready for The two most important events of the year. So far, I've put up nine jars of apricot jam, and bought my granddaughter a few thing for back-to- nitty-gritt- y. back-to-scho- lie. Dr. Pope, a member of the Clean Air Coalition, was not informed of Dr. Lamm's review of his work until the review had been completed a breach of professional ethics. An attempt was made to keep the press out of the scientific meeting where Lamm was to first present his study, until the Utah Attorney General stepped in and said it must be open to the public. Pope was not even given a chance to see Lamm's data until after the initial presentation, and then he received a press briefing Friday. briefing shortly before a two-hoAfter months of appearing to work together, Geneva Steel was back on the attack with a press conference and secret "science." The challenge now will be to reforge that fragile compact that had been working to solve our air pollution problems. That solution requires a more substantial approach than simply denying any problem exists. Aside from any study by Pope or Lamm, our air is dirtier than the federal government will allow. It has to be cleaned up. Smoke screens like those presented last week won't change that. They just make it more difficult for both sides to get the job done. te ur sneak-up-from-bebi- dog-and-po- Michael Call. When it's appeared to be working with all sides sharing information. But the presentation of Lamm's study made all of that seem a from good science. Not everyone, however, felt that Dr. Lamm's study represented sterling scientific effort, even though it did come in on deadline. Dr. Pope was reluctant to comment, calling Lamm's research "crude," hastily put together," and not subject to adequate peer review. In fact, Pope pointed out, there is no study to contradict, since Lamm's findings have not been published. Dr. Lamm has presented his findings in a session with his peers at the University of Utah Medical Center, and before the press at Geneva Steel. But he pointed out that different data was used for his study and Lamm's review of the study, and that Pope had undergone a painstaking peer review and had his study published before his findings were released. Somehow that doesn't sound like the good science Mr. Cannon was so anxious to take credit for. show to which the press and public were But the treated last week did more damage to the credibility of Geneva Steel than it did to Arden Pope's study. For months, local clean air advocates and industry have forged a delicate association working to come up with a plan to clean up the valley's air. The plan isn't optional - it is mandated by the federal government, and if local and state government can't come up with one, the feds will do it for us. And this association of individuals with opposing interests Camping has always been part of my life everyone goes l, with their hands in the pockets of you better believe it brand new jeans, with their hair plastered to their heads with a prominent part down the middle, whistle through their missingfront teeth as they amble their way to school. They are so cute. And their parents. They shut the door after their fourth and fifth graders leave the house. They run to the bedroom, glance at the empty bed, and contemplate should I go back to bed, or go to the store. Then they head for the kitchen, pour themselves a drink, and wait for their friendly neighborhood koffee klatch (gossip session) sans kids. - ' C'mon, I know you do that. I used to do it. There's such a wonderful sense of freedom when those kids march to little school. It lasts until noon of the first day, and then we mothers have to get busy. Then, we get back to the real world of dishes, cookies, ... washing, canning and cleaning, Our strict Puritan " conscience won't let us bask too long in our new found peaceful world. We mothers have to get going on our projects. Already we're worrying about Halloween costumes or parties, making fruit cake, or getting to the store for early Christmas tow-head- By BETTY FOWLER school. She puts her books into her book bagor back packjWhicheyer ismost , convenient, steps imto her panties, and announces that she's going to school to learn to write. Ill never tire of watching the little ones each morning as they head for school. Some mothers cannot bring themselves to leave their little ones until they reach the school grounds, and I know just how they feel. The little girls keep glancing down at their new shoes, or their new dresses or pants. Little boys, ideas. Sometimes, we can't take the thoughts of more shopping. After all, weVe shopped till we've dropped at every back-to- - school sale in Utah County. The kids now have mated socks. That will last for all of two weeks, then we go back to single socks and that ugly mean monster of a washer that eats single socks. Teachers, too, are having to get back in the groove. They're putting gardens, fishing, baking and repairing jobs aside. That hurts. They're caged animals for awhile, suffering bouts of claustrophobia while they wrestle with 25 or 30 of our wild childs. We question our kids when they get home from those first days of school: Do you like your teacher? Is she good at math? Is he good looking? Is she pretty? Parents ask the dumbest questions. What did you learn today? Hey, I didn't know that, they say. We plan to go to football games. We go back to Monday night football, and we sniff the chili sauce smells in the air. Yes, folks, it's that wonderfulfall time of theyear. Ifs the time for ripe zucchini, tomatoes, Gene Kirkham's corn on the cbB,"and Bushels of juicy.'goTderr peaches and Bartlett pears. Ifs time for chrysanthemum corsages, and pumpkin pie, It's time for crisp juicy apples,.and more football. It's time for harvest moons and other forms of nostalgia. Get busy. Saw logs, stack logs, oh yes, wait a minute. Maybe they won't let us burn logs in our fireplaces anymore. Pretty stupid, huh? But before we get into the issue. Fd better shut up. I got quite a chuckle out of the camping exploits of our editor, Marc. If I didn't know him as well as I do, I would think he had lace on his underwear as a boy. Asforme, camping"outhasbeen a part of my life as long as I can remember. I was born in the hills of Wales. My mother told me that when she was carrying me beneath her heart, she had gone down to the village to buy some groceries. On the way home, while climbing the hill, her pains had started and she thought I was going to beborn right there on the hill. But she made it home and with the help of a midwife I was brought into the world. I was named Thomas but my mother called me Bryn which is Welsh for the hill. We lived high up on a hill and could look down into the valley. Within a short distance 1 don't remember how old I was when I learned the names of the trees. There were beech and oak and sycamore, and along the banks of the brook there was elderberry and hazelnut. Oh yes, and in the brook, there were trout and fresh water eels. My father was not an outdoors man. He had never camped out a day in his life. My mother knew I loved the hills and vales and the brook and she knew that someday I would want to sleep out in my beloved hills, so she made me a heavy quilt from scraps of mate- : Guest Editorial rial. Grades not related to purpose of schools By CARL J. MELLOR Your Aug. 30 Guest Editorial "Eliminate Letter Grades in the Elementary School" is in my opinion one of the most perceptive and timely editorials you've ever published. I have had 11 foster and adopted children live in my home and many of them have suffered from the "failure" e they developed from the grades they received in Alpine School District. There are many experts in the field who agree with the thinking of your writer William Glas-se- r, a nationally noted psychiatrist and school consultant and author of "Schools Without Failself-imag- ure" and "Reality Therapy" reports: "Better than 9 out of 10 delinquents are school failures... The average youngster senses very early, usually in the first grade that he is worth just about whatever grades he gets from his teachers. If he gets low grades and we hand out low grades liberally to little kids-- he gives up early.... When you are 8, 9, or 10 years old and you believe you are a failure, you may never try again in school. The rest of your school years are like being in jail.... For over 50 percent of children, school is failure." (U.S. News and World Report, April 27, 1970.) "Grouping students by ability...(and that is what we are doing when we grade students) is signalling to the lower level student a clear, devastating social message which will change his life. The message: Those guys are better than I am, I'm not going anywhere. "Grouping has the dangerous potential of forming an iron cast around a child's potential to grow." (Dr. Mark Labrum, Univ. of Calif, at Riverside) While most researchers agree that giving grades in elementary schools leaves lasting negative scars on most students, the present situation in Alpine District is a direct result of parents demanding letter grades. Alpine District was a recognized state and national leader for over 50 years in using more effective means of communicating students progress to parents. In the 70's a group of parents and a few BYU intellectuals calling themselves "Citizens for Better Schools" sought to improve education in Alpine District. They elected a new Board who administratively "cleaned house" and a very traditionally then selected a "new"-b- ut "old" superintendent. This superintendent proceeded to establish what many refer to as "The North Branch of the Riverside California School District" right here in North Utah County. One of the first accomplishments of this group of parents and "their" superintendent was to implement letter grades in selected Orem schools. Within three years the well-meani- Being the only Mormon boy in the village I had few real close friends, so I spent many hours roaming the hills alone. Across the valley was Rhysog Mountain and many a Saturday morning I would cross the brook on the stepping stones and follow the green path to the top of the mountain. I loved the view from here. In later years I often thought of the words of a song "God painted a picture and called it the world." There was that day after my mother died that some ugliness had crept into my life that I had climbed to the top of Rhysog Mountain. Above the houses was a field of gorse in bloom. It seemed as if a bit of gold had come to the earth. The reservoir was placid except when a trout would rise for a fly; then there was a circle that was touched by the sunlight, turning it to silver. I found it hard to retain bitter- practice was extended to elementary schools this rationale, but they are exceptions to the rule. throughout the District. This grand giant A bit of personal research over the years is step backwards in educational philosophy was the responsibility of parents and their elected quite revealing. At one school where I was principal I charted out representative! I predict that the most observable outcome of the stacking of sixth grade students as recorded establishing letter grades in the elementary schools on permanent school records. I then charted will be that Alpine School District's teenage suithose students as they had been stacked in first cides will double when youngsters now receiving grade. those grades reach teenage years. Drawing a line halfway between the top and The giving of letter grades in schools is based bottom students in both cases, I found that two upon two assumptions both of which are false: students had defied the system. One student had There is a body of identifiable knowledge moved from the top half to the bottom and one and skills applicable to a given age or grade level had moved from the bottom to the top half. that all students must acquire at a prescribed Nearly all of the students had remained in "their" place despite all the hard work of stutime in life. Parents and students need to know where a dents, teachers, parents, special programs and student stands in relation to grade level expectaour focus on "helping." I tried this same comparitions. Knowing where they stand will cause stuson again at another school, this time taking dents and parents to work hard and with effort nearly 700 students and traced their rankings achieve the desired expectations. through seven years at that school. Fourteen students had significantly changed (at least one Simple research tells one that with the amount of exploding knowledge in the world today, it is grade level) ranking position. Eight went down ' and six went up. ness at scenes like these. impossible to capsulize what is needed and exWhat is most amazing and significant about pected at a particular age or grade level. (What is There was that August when needed is to learn how to learn; to learn how and the above personal studies is that almost withschool was out that three of we out exception all students moved consistently where to find knowledge and to apply that knowledge and learning in solving basic problems in ahead each year. All children did learn. All living, and at the same time acquire a healthy children made progress and this despite their That is essential at all grade immersion in all the negative ramifications of positive levels.) grouping, labeling, and categorizing them. In the typical third grade or above there are If we used a system that recognized "success" more students "above grade level" and more stu- rather than "failure" we just might revolutiondents "below grade level" than there are stu- ize the system. The author of "Schools Without dents "on grade level" making evaluation of Failure" suggest: "In "reality therapy' the child is responsible Lehi's electrical department is grade level achievement a farce. It is just as reasonable to believe that we can for what he does; he has to judge his own behav- joining nearly 50 other public power utilities in sponsoring the third bring all children to a given body weight in a ior.... We never give up-- he will keep his commitspecified time as it is to believe that we will bring ment. That can give him a feeling of success.... annual Pedal For Power Bicycle them to the same level of achievement in a given Children have to feel the excitement of learning--hoTour of Utah, slated for Sept. to solve problems and discover things for, time. Bringing all children to a desired level of The bike tour highlights a stateweight or a desired level of achievement in any themselves.;.. 'I will not fail you. I won't give you subject may be desirable, but we defy the laws of credit for what you don't do, but I won't mark you wide celebration of Public Power human potential, human dignity and the laws of down as a failure.'.... Until we remedy the kind of Week, designed to promote the means chang- benefits of consumer-owneelecphysical and mental growth if we expect it to education they are getting-whi- ch come to pass. ing our educational philosophywe are not going tric power utilities, such as nonThe body of knowledge a teacher evaluates to do much about the social problems they are profit service, lower rates and local and grades a student on varies from teacher to creating...'. It isn't even a question of spending control. From the starting points at Glen teacher, school to school and district to district more money, but of spending time and changing and is universally inconsistent the philosophy of operation so that schools are Canyon Dam in Page, Ariz., and What is consistent is the way kids "stack" up. more responsive to children." (William Glasser) Flaming Gorge Dam near Vernal, The "A" students in kindergarten, with few exGiving letter grades to students at any level Utah, the tour routes will take ceptions, are the "A" students in sixth grade. has no relationship to the purpose and function cyclists through virtually every They will be the honor students in junior and of public schools. Schools exist to produce highly public power community in the state. learners capable of solvsenior high schools and the ones who receive motivated, The two federal dams supply Utah universito full and tuition in grants ing problems daily living. Why do we continue public power utilities with about scholarships to use an archaic system that only recognizes ties. half their power supply. Granted there are a very few exceptions to "success for less than half the students? Pedal for Power is the longest fifty-ye- ar - - - . - browsing M By TOM GRIFFITHS g neighbor kids built a cabin up in the hills. We found a spot by the old Roman wall where there were plenty of flat stones. It wasn't much of a cabin but we kids thought it was nice. The roof was some limbs of a Seech free and "at hightfyou could see the stars from your bed. I loved the quilt that mother had made foi me. It kept me warm and comfort able. Then I left home and the Welsh hills and came to America. New scenes emerged for me. Mountains, canyons, rivers, forests and deserts, and I loved them all. How well I remember my first deer hunting trip. I went with some friends down around Beaver. We had no tent so we built a backdrop of pine boughs to reflect the heat from the fire. This' worked fine until we went to bed and the fire went out. Early morning came with the cry, "Get up. It will soon be daylight." I had slept with my socks on, but my boots were frozen and stiff. I held them over the fire until they softened up. We cooked bacon and eggs over a smoky fire and with hot postum it tasted good. The ash from the fire mingled with the eggs and we couldn't tell the difference. This was no life for pantywaists or for kids with lace on their underwear. It was a weeding out time and I made the grade. I could write a book on my camping experiences, most of which were spent with a dear friend, a real outdoors man. Ray Hansen is 84 years old and is still alive and living in Provo. Some time I must tell of a pack trip we took through the Uintahs. It was the depression year of 1932 and we were out of work. We went for 11 days without seeing another soul. Someday I shall tell you about it. , Pedal for Power set for Sept. 0 self-imag- e. - w 23-3- 0. d self-direct- 23-3- fully supported bicycle tour in Utah. The eight-da- y ride from Glen Canyon covers approximately 550 miles; the seven-da- y trek from Flaming Gorge is 450 miles. Support vehicles will carry cyclists' gear to relieve them of extra weight on one northern and two southern routes. A third southern route from Page through southeastern Utah is unsupported, for cyclists who like to go it alone. Public power utilities in many communities are sponsoring meals and snacks for the cyclists, in addition to hosting other Public Power Week activities for local customers. Local cyclists interested in riding in the local area or from Pleas-ant Grove or Lehi to the Murray ; area should call Carol Ellis, 3 for registration information. 768-485-