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Show ' I Celebration is an ongoing process On Aug. 15 the Davis School District held a "celebration This was the official ground-breaking for the construction of a I new high school in the Layton area. On Aug. 27 the Davis School District will start a 180-day "celebration." This celebration is more important than a ground-breaking. It is the official start of a new school year. Usually we take the beginning of the school year celebration lightly. We prepare by purchasing new clothes, school bags, lunch boxes and latest fad items. Parents "celebrate" because for 180 days, they will not have to provide constant care and entertainment for their children. The students "celebrate" the return of daily contact with their friends, the opportunity to participate in many school-related school-related activities and the chance to advance socially. We should really be celebrating something much more I significant. Our public education system is the support system that holds our democracy together. We rely on the schools to educate the I young people so that they can be responsible, productive, ' respectful, caring and thinking citizens. ! I If the schools succeed, we will continue to enjoy more I freedom than any other society in the history of the world. If the schools fail, our country will fail. Most citizens will say the quality of the 1990-91 school I celebration depends on the Davis district administrative and I teaching staff. This is not true. 1 The attitude preparation for any celebration is the most im- 1 portant element. A student's attitude reflects the thoughts, ' I speech and actions of parents and of our society. I At the ground-breaking celebration, Ally Olson, Layton I High School studentbody vice president, quoted Walt Whit-I Whit-I man's poem, "There was a child went forth." In part Whitman I said, "There was a child went forth every day, And the first I object he look'd upon, that object he became, And that object became part of him for the day or a certain part of the day, Or for many years or stretching cycles of years." Whitman then lists poetically the many experiences mat go into forming a child into an adult. He concludes, "There became part of that child who went forth every day, and who now goes, and will always go forth every day." . For 180 days the children of Davis County will "go forth." i The experiences they have at home, with friends and at school will become "part of that child." It is critical that the 1 990-9 1 school celebration be one of the best in the history of public education. Our advanced, competitive, com-petitive, technological society demands top quality for survival in our one-world marketplace and melting culture pool. If we believe in democratic values, intellectual integrity and work ethics, these standards must be incorporated into the 1990-91 school celebration. If we don't care about these things, then we can just send our children, to school without preparation and support from home, hoping that the "celebration " will be "fun for them," but not really caring about the quality and the ingredients that go into carrying out the school curriculum. This apathetic attitude is widespread. If you have students in a junior high or high school, when was the last time you visited the school? Do you know the principal's and teachers' names? More important, do you know what material is being presented in the classroom and what your child feels and believes about what is being taught? It is time for all adults and students to get serious about the back-to-school celebration. This year, let's make the start of school mean more than a time to buy new clothes, to get the I kids out of the house or to socialize with friends. , Let's look at school as a celebration of learning and advancing, advanc-ing, a celebration of freedom, growth and development. Learning Learn-ing can be exciting, challenging and productive if the student comes to the "celebration" outfitted with an open mind, a positive attitude and complete commitment and support from home. |
