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Show Comment Citizen - Wednesday, July 3, 1991 - Page 2 Editorial Ideas of Indepence catching hold all over This year's Fourth of July should have a special meaning for all of us. Although the day was set aside to commemorate the signi ng of the Declaration Dec-laration of Independence, our Independence Inde-pendence Day holiday is the celebration celebra-tion of an idea, or set of ideas, as much as the remembrance of an event. The ideas are simple ones -- ideas we now take for granted. They were: That God made all people equal and had given them the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That the main business of government gov-ernment was to protect these rights. That if a government tried to withhold these rights, the people were free to revolt and to set up a new government. They were not new ideas, either. But the famous Declaration set off the chain of events that created a nation dedicated to the basic philosophy philoso-phy that government receives its What's in a name? More than you think Well, folks, another expert has been heard from. He is Leslie Alan Dunkling, a former teacher and now one of the great experts on names. He makes this statement: "Our first names are not merely names, frequently they act as our ambassadors, representing us to the outside world. They are a part of our personality as others see us, often as we see ourselves." I have always believed with Shakespeare who wrote, "What's in a name," but now I must change my thinking. For example, my father was a religious man. His oldest son he named after an Old Testament prophet. The next two he named after leading lights in the New Testament. I wonder what he was thinking of when he gave me a New Testament and an Old Testament name. My second name is Joseph, Jo-seph, after he of the many colored coat. Then he gave me my first name, Thomas. What was my dear old dad thinking of when he gave me this name? For the Thomas of the New Testament was known for one thing, a characteristic to doubt. I realize that first names in some instances in-stances can affect our lives. I have written about my boyhood friend whose parents named him Chumley. All of his life he was called Scrummy, and the name fitted his personality and physical appearance. I can't help but think that if his parents had given him some sexy or glamorous glam-orous name it would not have changed old Scrummy. I once had an acquaintance with the name of Algernon. With a name like that you would expect to see a little gentleman, but Algernon was the meanest, toughest kid you ever saw. Now, was it the name his parents gave him that shaped his personality or was it because his father was a boxer and loved to visit the village pub and quaff the ale? There is a possibility that a first name can give you confidence. To illustrate. A young boy was applying for a job. "What's your name?" asked the store manager. "Ford," replied the lad. "And your first name?" inquired the manager. "Henry." "Henry Ford, eh," said themanager with a smile. "That's a pretty well known name." The boy looked pleased. "Yes sir, it should be," he replied proudly. "I've been delivering deliver-ing groceries around town for two years Racing helps Homer MeKee, the Hoosier philosopher, philoso-pher, once wrote an essay relating to the Indianapolis Speedway and the "Big 500" race. One year his essay was reprinted in the program for that event, but I've long since misplaced my only copy. I do remember his near-poetic analogy relating to how daredevil drivers would purposely expose themselves to the potentially po-tentially deadly germ of danger, thus to test which component parts could survive the extreme stress. That way they demonstrated which brake bolt, cotter pin or lug nut was "safe for you and me" in our passenger cars. It was a romantic notion, but it appealed ap-pealed to a youngster enamored of cars. One of the memorable thrills of my life was when, as a school-ager, I reworked a stripped-down Chevy, refitted rings and ground valves and rebuilt the carburetor and -- on the first flip of the crank - it sprang to life. No symphony since ever sounded more majestic! So when the Indy race was described as a provingground for automotive parts, it gave the inherent danger a nobler purpose. authority from the governed. The rest, as they say, is history. And our nation's history has proven that the ideas are valid. Throughout the world, members of the human race are embracing these ideas as despots are deposed and totalitarianism is smothered by the individuals who are now claiming claim-ing the right to determine how and by whom they will be governed. The recent events in the Persian Gulf have only added to the luster of our dream of independence and self government - as we have seen the desire among the peoples of the world to share the dream. As we celebrate this Independence Day, let's remember that our freedom free-dom comes at the cost of constant vigilance, but it is our inherent right. That's why we are willing to die for the idea. And why we celebrate the Fourth of July. browsing (3 By TOM GRIFFITHS B now. So, what's in a name? The experts might say that a name can influence our lives, but I say there are many more things that can affect our destinies than a name. As I write this bit of nonsense there is a thunderstorm going on outside. Priceless, God-given rain is falling. Thunder is echoing echo-ing through our valley. One cannot escape having a feeling of gratitude. I must walk outside and feel the rain on my face. As to the thunder, when I was a young boy I was afraid of it. One time when there was a particularly bad thunder storm going on I went to my mother for comfort. "Mam," I said, "What is thunder and why does it frighten me?" Her answer was not the least bit scientific, scien-tific, but I have thought about it many times. "My son," she said, "Thunder is the method by which God talks to the wicked people. First comes the lightning from the heavens to show his power, then he speaks with a loud voice. She went to a cupboard and brought out the family Bible. She turned to Psalms 18 and read: "The Lord thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sen t out his arrows and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomforted them." "So, you see," she said, "If you are not wicked there is nothing to be afraid of when it thunders." The hills and trees are washed clean. The raindrops dripping from my trees look like tears of joy. Indeed the world is good even if you do have an odd name. make better Paul Harvey News 1991 Los Angeles Times Syndicate It was all true. It still is. Inautoracingthereatonforwinningis less significant than theWason for losing. From the loser we learn what broke first. In cars as in horses, racing improves the breed. Motor sports are an accelerated, intensified inten-sified testing program. From the losers we learn what modifications to make on the assembly line. From drag racers in the 1960s our petroleum industry learned how to make a better motor oil. Tire m akers h a ve u sed the racetrack to refine their construction and moldingtech-niques. moldingtech-niques. While the Chevy Indy V-8 will Training School now Developmental Center As of Monday, the Utah State Training School is no more. The official name of the state institution that still exists in northeast American Fork is now the Utah State Developmental Center. Cen-ter. And that is how we will refer to it ir future news stories. Because sometimes a name change is a good thing. For example, the Utah Technical College and ProvoOrem really needed a name change to fit the institution's changing identity. iden-tity. The old name showed an institution that couldn't even decide where it was from -- a split personality with two campuses miles apart. The new Utah Valley Community College Col-lege is a pleasant name, and as the name has caught on, the image of the institution has improved. It's not just for vocational education any more. Oh, some folks still call it "The Tech," but more and more we are coming to accept the other educational aspects of the school. And Utah Valley Hospital wanted everybody every-body to know they were more than a hospital. hospi-tal. So they changed the name to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. The name reflects the leadersh ip role the faci li ty plays with other IHC hospitals like American Fork Hospital. It sets the medical center apart from regular hospitals. Another successful change. We've adopted that name with little problem. Timpanogos Mental Health had a different differ-ent image problem created by scandal and mismanagement of funds. So they changed its name to the Wasatch Mental Health and, for the most part, no one is the wiser. The stigma attached to the old institution institu-tion is left behind and the center can get on with the business of helping people. The Training School name change must Camping with kids can be It sounded like a really good idea at the outset. Usual obligations had been removed, and a two-day break from the telephone while relaxing outdoors was appealing. Unfortunately, long winter months tend to give me a romanticized view of camping out and gloss over those little "dirt under the nails" kind of details. For example, packingup for a short, two-day two-day trip takes nearly as much stuff as a week-long trip. You need all the same things for one night that you need for four or five, just not quite so much of it. You still need sleeping bags, a tent or foam mattresses, you need a stove or firewood, fire-wood, pans to cook in and utensils to eat with as much for one meal as you do for twenty. You still have to remember food, drink in large quantities, and little things like soap and toothbrushes. I'm still unpacking this past jaunt. Also I tended to forget that children become very dirty when they are camping. They have lots of fun, but they do get very dirty doing it. We did decide that we should just get the Letter to the editor Crittenden deserves better Editor: An open letter to the Alpine School District Dis-trict and those they represent: In a day when we have been admonished as a people to be a "kinder, gentler nation," nowhere in the land is this advice needed more than here in our own area. It almost seems as if head hunting is in vogue, especially espe-cially for those in public affairs. True, if a wrong-doing is perceived, it should be addressed and corrected, but always with an eye toward understanding of circumstances and intent. The corrective action should be taken in a manner which can correct a given error without grinding to mush the person in error. As we increase in number, I suppose it is necessary to implement more and more rules and regulation of police to make sure we do not step on one another's toes. It also becomes easier to be found in violation of "policy" as this process expands. A simple old-fashioned "pardon me" or "excuse me" to someone found standing on autos never be under the hood of any Corsica, parts of it will be. One lesson Detroit is slow to learn is the advantage of methanol fuel, but it's coming -- and the methanol fuel injectors have already been developed at AC Rochester Roch-ester and proved at the Speedway. You and I are able to get more-than-ever power from the smaller-than-ever engine of the stock -block V-6inour Buick -because that engine is a hand-me-down from the race course. Not that you and I will drive 200 niph, but we will drive 55 mph "more efficiently." effi-ciently." From race cars in the wind tunnel we've learned tricks applicable to passenger passen-ger cars. The tube-chassis, rear-drive Trans-Am cars are the source of the Pontiac silhouette. Joe Negri of Buick says, "Many people have the feeling that racing is sort of a Toys-R-Us' kind of affair. On the contrary, con-trary, race engineering is a demanding discipline. It develops better machines and it develops the better engineers and designers our industry requires." And, he might have added, we're in a race with the world, and without better engineering we can't compete. Tlie Editor's Column Bv MARC HADDOCK also have a purpose, although I can't see the problems there. After all, the Training School name has always been a safe one, since it made no mention of the words that have become so sensitive in this area - words like retarded, or han d?capped, or disabled. Over the years all of these terms have become labels and then stereotypes which tend to have a limiting lim-iting affect on how we view and treat those who suffer such disabilities. The trend of words to become labels puts the professional people in a constant race to rmeu p w ith new words that can get people beyond the stereotyping stage. The name "Developmental Center" also satisfies the individuals who think the more obscure and lengthy a word is, the better it is. Working at a developmental center is better than working at a training school, just like working at a medical center is better than being employed in a hospital, I guess. There is a problem with headlines, but then there always has been. "Training School" has too many letters to fit conveniently conve-niently in a headline. I've often used the abbreviation "USTS," but it's ugly and I'm not sure if many folks understand it. But Unfortunately, "USDC" isn't any better, Discoveries By RACHEL C. MURDOCH boys a pond with lots of rocks to throw in it, rather than buy them any more toys. (They're entertained with the rocks for longer than any toy they own.) A nice thing about camping out is that you can use lots of paper plates and don't have to wash a lot of dishes. When you get home, you have to wash a lot of clothes, but you are spared the dishes. Now I know I'll sound really hard to please, but w hen I'm camping out, I like to be a way from lotsof people. Campingdoesn't have quite the "back to nature' feel when you're surrounded with dozens of boats and waterskiers and lots of loud music. However, I do like to have a bathroom nearby, preferably with running water, and a table for eating on outside. It's not really a policy legal toe would seem sufficient as a corrective measure. What one of us hasn't breathed a huge sigh of relief when a traffic officer has said to us, I'm going to give you a warning this time, but please slow it down." I am going to refer to Jim Crittenden, who I understand was caught standingon a legal toe. I know this man. A simple admonition admo-nition of any kind would correct Jim Crittenden of wrong doinginstantaneously. I personally have seen him admit error privately and publicly, when it would have been easier to do otherwise. My association with Jim has been both professional and personal. His administrative administra-tive sty le is strong and may at times seemed heavy handed, but extremely successful. As a former president of the Bus Drivers Association, I have watched him agonize over driver's actions and his charge as Transportation Director. Always, always his decisions have come down on the side of compassion and fairness. Tochew someone out, he is capable. To crucify someone un- Seniors can pick own photographer Editor Yearbook photographs can be confusing to this years high school seniors, class of 1992. High school students have always had a choice to go anywhere they want for quality portraits they can hang in their homes and give out to friends. Many students choose U) get their yearbook year-book photo done with the contract photographer, photog-rapher, then go to a studio for their senior portrait. Someone has been calling local seniors Policy on letters to We welcome letters to the editor. All letters should be typewritten and double spaced. Letters Let-ters must also be signed, and must include the wri ter's name and telephone number. Please send letters to Editor, Newtah News Group, P.O. Box 7, American Fork, Utah, 84003. and Developmental Center takes a lot more letters than Training School. At least, with some work, we can get people to stop calling the place the "American "Ameri-can Fork Training School" and give the state its due in the matter. For sure, some folks will call it the American Fork Developmental Devel-opmental Center, but what can you do? However, we can only hope that the trend to highfalute an institutional name will not spread too quickly. I mean, we wouldn't want the local high school to become the local Juvenile Education Educa-tion Center, would we. Or, as some students stu-dents might point out, the local Juvenile Education and Citizenship Training Center. Cen-ter. I can hardly imagine the confusion of "AFJETC" in a headline, as opposed to "AFHS." The school board might also be prone to this kind of change. Why, instead of the Alpine Board of Education, we might have the North Utah County Board of Instructional Administration Administra-tion and Resources. It says more, is more specific as to location and longer - meeting all of the requirements of a new name. But it sounds a bit inflated, and can't be abbreviated except as Board or "NUCBIAR." Other government agencies might also want a name change. Why, politicians already al-ready have a bad name - a negative label. They might prefer a less labeling title as well. The changes could go on and on. Frankly, I prefer many of the old names. They contain so much more meaning than words we haven't had time to absorb. Oh, well go ahead and call it the Utah State Developmental Center and hope you all catch on as soon as possible. In the meantime, we promise not to change the name of the newspaper. ordeal rustic, but I don't need to get back to nature that much. Speakingofgettingback to nature, when you're outside most of the day, enjoying the sights of the great outdoors, you're also in the sun a lot. During the winter and soggy spring you may forget the sun. You may forget how red it can make your skin. You may also forget, as I did, that children chil-dren need approximately 10 times more band-aids per day when they are away from home as they do when they're nearby. And all the hiking and fishing and just looking tend to be tiring. It's a good kind of tired, not a stress kind of tired. But one th at requires sleep. And sleep is sometimes h ard to come by with a rock in your back or sand in your sleeping bag. It is the kind of tired that, once you get back from getting away from it all, you want to get away again. But not too soon. We had another camping camp-ing trip planned for the weekend of the Fourth, but we've postponed that for a couple of months. We can stand only so much relaxation at a time. treatment justly, he is not capable. He has pleaded, chewed, prodded, cajoled and counseled three generations of Alpine School District people through school and he has done it to the best of his ability. You may disagree with him, and I have at times, but count on it, you as a district and students got his best. If, in your judgement, a new Transportation Transporta-tion Director's time has arrived, then so be it. All of us have to move over sooner or later. But for heaven's sake, don't take away the earned retirement benefits of Jim and his wife after a lifetime of service to us here in the district. The eye for an eye mentality was repealed re-pealed long ago. Really, let the "kinder, gentler nation" be alive here in the Alpine School District. Jim standing on a legal toe? I promise you a "pardon me" would correct any situation. situa-tion. You don't need his "head on a platter." -Ken Greenwood and 46 others and bullying them into thinking they have no choice. There is nothing illegal about choosing a different photographer; it is called free enterprise! However, students need permission from some schools to allow "non-contract" photographs in their yearbook. year-book. Please, let your school yearbook advisors know your feelings about how important your yearbook photograph is. -Rachelle Bennett Former high school student the editor if c If c i |
