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Show School ( and -Vj Homo 1 by Dr. Daryl J. McCarty f t Executive Secretary L Utah Education Association One of the saddest things about these hurried times is that too many youngsters never get to know some of the most beautiful people in the world- people past the age of 70. TOO OFTEN, they live in different worlds. But I am happy to report that Utah is doing something to bring the two worlds together again. It all started with a man from Magna named Weldon' Matthews, and he calls it the "Seventy-plus in High School Day." THIS YEiXi the Utah State Legislature designated the fourth Wednesday in October as a day for Utah high school students to invite persons past the age of 70 to attend school with them. The students will provide transportation to and from the older folks' homes. The younger and not-so-young generations will share wha- tever school activities happen to be going on that dav- IT IS a beautiful blend of the energy of youth and the wisdom of age. Some of the participants who have seen more than 70 summers haven't seen the inside in-side of a school in 40 years. LAST YEAR'S experience was a big success. The activity ac-tivity did something to and for both young and old. Some formed lasting friendships. Some older people talked to teenagers- really talked- for the first time in years. It was a real lesson to the kids. The people who have been around more than seven decades got a feeling of action and spirit and le- .ling that many had forgotten. The activity was so successful suc-cessful that it's spreading beyond the borders of Utah. Members of Utah's congressional congres-sional delegation have introduced in-troduced resolutions that would designate the fourth Wednesday in October of each year as "Seventy-Plus; in High School Day" throughout the United States. WHO KNOWS? This could be the start of genuine appreciation between two generations that have been separate for too long. And it all started here in Utah. |