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Show DAVIS COUNTY CLIPPER Tuesday, August 31, 1993 A5 Opinion In Our Opinion to School Safely. (toNfi UV -- CAtfT Tfe SOS VW SUtoU , CAWT AFfCRB IT.1,) Kids deserve safe passage to school no matter the cost t ' Monday was the first day of school and 58,599 Davis County students returned to the classroom. Some of them risked their lives to get there. There are not enough school busses and its the Legislatures fault. Elementary school children accounted for 31,097 of the Davis County total; 14,425 are in junior high and 12,386 are high school students. The Davis County School District provides 171 busses for the children. Thats about 12 more than the state requires, but fewer than the number needed to get students to school safely. Safety is not a factor considered by legislators when they decide how much funding a district will receive for school busses. The only thing that matters is how far the child lives from the school. Elementary students must live more than 1.5 miles from a school, and older students 2 miles from the school. The districts Transportation Director Jack Graviet said T die a thousand deaths every day when I think of some of those kids walking. But his hands are tied. He does not have any choice but to wring his hands and hope the children survive. How can this be? With UDOTs ability to label dangerous intersections and correct problems to avoid traffic accidents, why is the state not concentrating on correcting the more serious problem of endangered students? The growth in Davis County has been, and continues to be phenomenal. This years first day of school saw 1,029 more students than in 1992. That growth required nine new busses. Much of the growth is in areas that are not near the schools. The district has not been able to comply with a 1976 ruling that required all busses should not be kept in service longer than 10 years. Today the district uses 50 busses every day that of the districts were built in the 70s. Seventy-thre- e busses were built in the 80s. When new money is allocated to the district it cannot be used to retire old busses. It is needed to purchase new busses to keep up with the growth. Last week a meeting was scheduled by the district to consider eliminating funding for the 12 busses that are unnecessary according to state guidelines. The suggested meeting met with such an overwhelming public outcry it was canceled. The cost to the district for a new bus is $65,528. The cost per mile to run the bus, including driver, maintenance, etc. is $1.50 per mile. There are two million school bus miles driven in the district each year. But those two million miles are not transporting students who live in dangerous areas of Syracuse, West Kaysville or South Weber. The busses are passing the small children who while walking to West Bountiful Elementary must travel through a dangerous freeway interchange. Over 350 parents called to express their dismay that the district would consider eliminating busses. The district listened and the meeting was canceled until January. At that time the district hopes to convince the legislators that safety of a child should be considered when funding for busses is considered. It doesnt seem that should be a hard sell in Utah where we keep saying children are our most valuable resource. If they are so valuable why arent we protecting them. If there has to be a tradeoff, we should eliminate computers in the classroom before we eliminate children. Think about it. Published John Stahle, semi-week- Sr. publisher 1892-195- 4 R. Gail Stahle publisher Last week, Davis County lost a commissioner-a- nd I wasntthe only one. As novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote of Jay Gatsby, Jerry Purdy was a man of fundamental decencies, a man of no pretensions except to be the very best he could possibly be. Unlike Gatsby, Jerry ISSN: No. (USPS 1061-122- semi-weekl- y News Advertising Circulation Classified FAX 295-225- 292-202- And it must have worked, block-lontrail of people who waited outside the evidenced by the 295-304- Office Hours: 8:30-5:3- 0 DEADLINES Mon. TUESDAY 8 Kaysville City Hall to pay their last respects. As the former mayor of Kaysville, Jerry had been instrumental in construction of the building, and it was only fitting it be the site where hed last be honored. Hed been honored there before. thru Fri. PAPER Monday Noon Thurs. 5pm Display Advertising II Proof Required and Color 24 Hours In Advance News Articles & Photos Obituaries Public Notices DEADLINES Display Advertising Classified Ads POSTMASTER- Wed. 5pm Accepted Until 11am Mon. Friday 5pm FRIDAY PAPER Tuesday 5pm Wednesday Noon Send change of address lo Davis County Clipper, P O. Box 267, Bountiful, Utah 8401 10267 hes Davis running to County it was a promise... But when it, its a threat As the barbs continued, Jerry laughed. And that was nothing new. Jerrys face was always more suited to a smile than a scowl. return, Jerry says You cant take life too seriously, he once told me. After all, no one gets out of here alive. Unfortunately, neither did Jerry. One week before he suffered his fatal heart attack, he telephoned me to ask a question. During the conversation I asked him if he intended to seek another term of office. He told me it would largely depend on his health. Right now I feel pretty good, he said, and I really think Im making a contribution. But things could change and I wouldnt want to predict the future and if I did, you damn newspaper guys would put it in the paper. But I do want to stay active as long as possible. I'm not the type of guy to sit around and wait for closing time. And he didnt. When his heart finally gave out, Jerry was climbing into his car to drive to work. It was the work ethic that we survivors associated with Jerry Purdy. It was a work ethic that resulted in his 1965 Davis Darts winning the state football There were teams championship. with more talent that year, he once told me. But our kids prepared better and wanted it more. They simply refused to lose. So did Jerry Purdy. To him, a lack of So he himself prepared preparation. to become the first vice principal to failure came through I lost a friend. be elected president of the National Association of Secondary School PrincipaIs...He prepared himself to become a county commissioner. Of course, he didn't prepare for death. It wasn't a goal. Jerry Purdy liked goals. Jerry liked people. And, in the end, they responded. Davis County has seldom seen a more funeral or viewing. Even those who well-attend- barely knew him showed their respect: the Davis Dart varsity football team members, none of whom were coached by Jerry, have dedicated the 1993 season to him. In his latest novel (Gone South), Robert McCammon writes of a wrinkled black preacher who tells a fleeing murder suspect, God can take a man along many roads and through many mansions. Its not where you arc thats important; its where youre going that counts." Jerry Purdy always knew whore he was going. And I know, too. Jerrys going where the good guys go.. .After giving us the pleasure of his company. In Your Opinion City buses should have seatbelts , too Editor of the Newspaper, At school we talk about wearing a seat belt, But who ever takes a bus is being very unsafe becaus there is no seat belt so how can they be safe? My Grandma once was talk a bus home from school and when the bus stoped she knocked her tooth out on the seat in front of her! So thats why I think buses are unsafe in comrshalls people say keep our world clean by not smoking and you should ride a bike or take a bus but buses are just like a couch on top of a moving car so I think you should try to help by true story in the true Church can change Nothing Editor, In answer to viewpoint. By His crucifixion not asking to be in charge or for total control. Men seem to be. And if its not right for women to be in total control, what makes it so right for men to be? In the third paragraph, the God and His people. Perhaps Women are is impossible 4 Classified Ads . g on 2 veteran MacArthur announced 7 shall Purdy didnt seek wealth. Instead, he placed a value on fairness. Emily Maurine Meyers age 9 1 292-205- a Commissioner.. .When Douglas 1954-198- published is And now become 1990-prese- Friday except the week of Christmas and New Years at Bountiful, Utah. Second class postage paid at Bountiful, Utah. Address all correspondence to P.O. Box 267, Bountiful, Utah 84011-026Subscription rate: 50c per copy. Hand-delivere$20.00 per year, Mailed: $30.00 per year. Jerry looked like a football coach... Large and flabby.. .If Moses had seen his body, there would have been another commandment... teaching but they discontinued it when the mule died... 3 149-18- public schools: jerry Judy Jensen managing editor 1370 South 500 West, Bountiful, Utah 84010 Publication Tuesday and Several years ago, I had been invited to speak at a roast honoring his retirement from the educator... Old... Granted they started a drivers education program when Jerry began puting this newspaper! by Clipper Publishing Co., Inc. ' 9 John Stable, Jr. publisher ly CLU?P and resurrection Jesus earned salvation for all. In our personal journey toward salvation the Holy Spirit enlightens and guides as with the entire church. Certain souls are led to a shared service vocation not through or power seeking but in vanity order to be in the service for and to through such shared service many of the problems in Gods world and our world may be moved toward solutions. God lives and His church gives, through the working of the Holy author writes, The Catholic the church changes yet Church believes, and has taught for Spirit endures and down the years the centuries, that the priesthood will church will continue to endure and be held by men. Think back to the time when this was established. change. Nothing is impossible with God. Teresa F. Merritt Men had almost total control; they dominated government and politics, family matters, monetary matters. Some parts of the world still believe women are dirty because they bear children. Of members play volleyball instead. Women are not asking anyone to worship differently. Women aren't asking Catholics to let them in. The authors last sentence: All are equal in the sight of God. This I do not refute. But all are not equal in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church. Feminism docs have Chris McDonough Bountiful At the end of the same paragraph, the author states, ...But members of an organized religion should choose to live its teachings or find another congregation. No. I am Catholic. I dont believe in Editor, another religion, or even another I am writing in response to the denomination. I believe in the basic tenets of the Catholic faith. But I Aug. 13, 1993 In Our Opinion letter, Feminists have no place in do not agree with outdated religion." The reasoning and logic concepts held by the church behind this letter illustiutes exactly hierarchy. As stated before, these the need for feminism in religion, concepts and traditions were set by as well as elsewhere. I would like men. to counter the arguments presented. The fifth paragraph declares, In the first paragraph the author Some of the.. .most compassionate states, True Christians will not do service ever rendered. ..has been the work to get accolades from the offered by women, none of whom world, which implies women want held the priesthood. What does glory and fame. Sorry, but no. this argument have to do with Maybe in a small percentage of the holding the priesthood? Some of cases, individual women want the most compassionate service accolades and glory, but then this ever rendered has been offered by can also be turned around; why do men, none of whom held the men want so much to keep women priesthood. Docs this mean men from ordination? Maybe the same shouldnt aspire to hold the (or even larger) percentage of men priesthood? If one holds true, the other follows. want all the glory, the accolades. I introduce the concept of equality Near the end of the letter the here, as this is the basic clement for author writes, You do not join a women desiring ordination. basketball team and insist the 4 a place in religion. course the tradition of ordination of men was established; and those who taught that men are to hold the have been men. priesthood There is need for feminists in all religion play Methodist. To use the authors analogy, women arc asking for equal play time instead of warming the bench, knowing theyre good enough and praying the coach will 1 1 l Letters to the Editor Guide The ClipperKaysville Today welcomes letters trom our readers. Please submit letters to the following conforming guidelines: 1. Maximum length should be 300 words (approx. 1 12 dbl. spaced typewritten pages). 2. No letter will be printed that may be considered offensive to our readers. 3. All letters should include the author's name, address and a daytime phone number. No unsigned letters will be printed. 4. All letters are subject to editing for content or length. |