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Show T Afinron)tf Press - Wednesday, March It's time to bite the bullet Or why I recommend new school construction By STEVEN C.BAUGH Alpine School District Superintendent schools at all levels, because we're overcrowded at all levels. But times being what they are, I recommend a $30 million bond issue which would allow us to build two junior highs, one in the north end of the district and one in the south. It will also take care of some renovation needs around the district. And I recomvoted leeway to provide mend a two-mi- ll the operational monies for the two proposed schools. In fact, it won't do us much good to build the schools if we don't have the money to staff and operate them, so it would be nearly as bad to lose on one of them as to lose on both. I suggested that we build at the junior high level for two reasons: first, the overcrowding is especially acute there. Both American Fork Junior High and Canyon View Junior High will be over the 2,000 mark this coming fall; and all but Lehi Junior are way over their origi- There's a time in every person's life when he or she has to overcome fear in order to face the ominous: Socrates had to face the court at Athens, where he was finally executed; Joan of Arc appeared before the Magistrates of France who sentenced her to be burned at the stake; Luther confronted the council at the Diet of Worms, where he was excommunicated and I have to face the patrons of the Alpine School District after recommending a tax increase. The mere thought of this has robbed me of sleep for several weeks now, and it wasn't just the fear of letters to the editor, obscene gestures at stop signs, or tomatoes at board meeting which made me hesitate - but it was the valid thought that people would be hurt by a tax increase, even a small one. The truth is nal capacities. there are lots of people out there: senior It's true, we've helped the situation citizens on fixed incomes, newlyweds with portable classrooms. But portables living on "mush" with no incomes, and are not the total answer; they provide no students on limited incomes who can't more hall space, do not increase the size afford even the $35 to $40 a year this of the lunchroom, do not provide more seats in the auditorium, do not bring in increase will cost the average household. But as Luther said at the court which more gymnasiums or band rooms. And convened against him: "Here I stand; I so the schools remain drastically overcan do no otherwise." Nor can 1. 1 cannot crowded despite the use of portables. The second reason is that 2,000 stuwitness day after day what is happening to the students of this district without dents in a school is too many anywhere, recommending the construction of new but especially at the junior high school. schools. It's true, the tax increase may Junior high students are extremely vulhurt some people some; but right now, nerable people puberty is a time to we're hurting a lot of students, a lot. develop self identity and confidence. You It has been seven years since we built become a nobody fairly fast in a school of our last school, and we were overcrowded 2,000 students. And nobodies don't learn then. And every year we gain enough well. There's one other thing to say about new students to fill an entire school. So, we've been sticking them in portable the upcoming bond and leeway elecschedtions: after I recommended it to the units, adopting new ules, and looking for more flexible proAlpine District Board of Education, they all voted for it all five of them . And they grams at the senior high school level. In fact, right now one in five of our represent the people. There are two housewives on the students attends classes in a portable unit; 15 of our elementary schools are on board, one of whom teaches part time; extended-daor extended-year- ; more the other sells insurance to help make than half of our schools exceed their ends meet; the rest of the board is composed of a dentist, a farmer and a local original capacity by an unhealthy percentage; quite a number of our junior and businessman. The only interest any of them has in senior high schools will exceed 2,000 this election is the welfare of the stustudents by next year; and our enrollment keeps increasing with no signs of dents. Not one will have his or her salary increased if this thing passes (in fact, letting up. What I'm saying with all of this is that board members don't receive any salary for their work on the board); and every wehave already exhausted measures to deal with the problem of one of them will have their taxes inovercrowding; and now, it's time to bite creased if the bond and leeway go the bullet and build some more schools. through. If possible, and if we had the money to They voted for it for the same reason do it, I would recommend the building of I recommend it it has to be done. - space-savin- g - y space-savin- g 25, 1992 ehi Page 2 We have some of the prettiest, most talented girls in the state living right here in Lehi -- but, tell me why they don't want to participate in the Miss Lehi Pageant. Last year I was amazed at the loveliness and talent portrayed at the Pageant, any one of the girls could have been a gorgeous Miss Lehi. The judges could only choose three, and they had a tough time choosing which three. Everyone of those girls was a winner in her own right. They all admitted that the pageant was fun. They thought it was a wonderful opportunity to improve their talents, and to learn modeling, interview and speaking skills that would stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. This year, the committee is having a difficult time persuading girls to enter the pageant. Why? Is it the cost? That's not a good excuse. Any girl wishing to enter may seek help from the committee. If they need a swim-suia swimsuit will be found for them. Committee helpers will help girls find evening gowns, and experts will help prepare girls for the interview category of the pageant. t, Browsing By TOM GRIFFITHS telephone. They were getting by with the wife working until one day they were notified the house they were living in was now up for sale and they were told they must move in 30 days. I mentioned the word heartache. Can you even be gin to understand theheartache this poor woman is suffering? I know I must sound like a deluded Democrat, but it grieves me to see our lovely America lose groun d we have gained through the years, perhaps what we need is a president who was born and raised in a log cabin with a dirt floor rather than a president who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Through the past years we have borrowed many things from England such as laws, etc. Some good, some not so good. But I pray that conditions that existed there will never happen here. For example, my address when I lived in Sometimes it's nice to be noticed by your peers. Sometimes it's not. In the most recent issue of "Pressing Issues," a publication of the Utah Press Association, the new president noted some of our editorials and comments in a positive way. The notice was appreciated. A few years ago, the "Publishers Auxiliary" reprinted one of my columns which spoke about not giving in to pressure from city officials and others to hide what was happening. I was flattered when the publication called and asked if they could reprint my column, since the trade journal is distributed and read nationally. And earlier this year the Spanish Fork press asked if they could reprint an editorial I wrote giving advice to city officials. I was flattered and said they newly-electe- d could. Part of the advice given, as I remember it, was to conduct the public's business in public. It is a cause to which I am deeply committed. But the notices aren't always positive. A few weeks ago the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists released their list of 1991 Black Hole Award "winners" certain public agencies and other groups which had seriously abused Freedom of Information in Utah during 1991. There were eight winners, including the Alpine School Board. American Fork's City Council received an honorable mention. Our newspapers received a mention, too, Wales was 95 Gwyddon Road. Gwyddon Road was a street with over 100 houses and of those 100 houses only one was privately owned. It was owned by a man named Jimmy Edmunds, Jimmy the Miser he was called. One thing I remember so well, it was the rent book. When you rented a house you were issued a rent book. Each month a collector would come to collect the rent money. He saw it was properly entered in the book. If you failed to make the monthly t you were evicted and your rent book so Paul Harvey News C 1991 Los Angela Time Syndicate wet-nurs- 1 tenth or more of their income had a cushion to fall back on during lean times. Thus, the inevitable ups and downs of a free market economy were less painful. Recently, Americans have put themselves so deeply in hock to the credit card companies that when the pinch comes we broke and blame the government. If we could learn from the experience of our neighbors it would save a lot of periodic anguish. Five years ago, Britain was prospergo ous, euphoric. But borrowing from the bartender will keep you happy just so long. Today, the hangover. Today the bills Vou'cQ DDettfcei? believe 02 By BETTY FOWLER I saw a bunch of beautiful girls participating in drill team activities at the high school - why won't more of them enter the -- pageant? I know talented and wonderful girls who won art and poetry contests at the high school why aren't they taking this opportunity to win scholarships and honors for their community? I promise you girls we can help you so it won't cost you any more than a few hours of practice time. What's wrong? Haven't any of you gals wanted to be a queen? Haven't any of you wanted to im prove your looks, your singing and dancing talents? Haven't any of you wanted to do a rap number, or play an instrument for your peers and your parents? C'mon gals. Lets give it a go. Our boys basketball team excelled this year. They won the Region crown! They're doing great in baseball and soccer. Where are our girls? Oh, by the way, congratulations to Kodie Francom and Kristine Holbrook for being named finalists in Sterling Scholar competition. We're very proud of you. We're also proud of each and every student who represented our high school. We're sure you're all aces. Keep it up. We're also proud of Cole Cooper for being named All State. Good going to each and every member of the team. Each Lehi player is on MY all state team! Remember gals, nothing ventured nothing gained. Contact Renita Revill and just say, "Yes." You won't be sorry. Remember, without interest, all good things fade away. We don't want that to happen to our Miss Lehi Pageant. Come on moms and dads, coax a little. The Editor's Column By MARC HADDOCK in the case of the school board issue and it wasn't positive. Here is the text of the district's citation: The Alpine School Board met with the district's attorney in closed session to file an amicus brief in the Rhode Island graduation prayer case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The only problem was the district forgot to tell the public about it. The board justified the action because of the district's involvement in the Utah suit concerning graduation prayer. It was months before the press or public learned of the action. The district said it acted appropriately because it was a strategy session with respect to litigation. However, they moved beyond "strategy" when they took final action in closed session, 'adly, three local weekly newspapers supported the board in the action. The Pleasant Grove Review, The Lehi Free Press and American Fork Citizen all abdicated their watchdog role when they editorialized that government agencies have a right to discuss specific matters that "might damage these agencies ifdiscussed in public.'' The public had a lot more to lose by closing this discussion than did the local school board. So there you have it. And lookingback at the event, I think the SPJ citation is right on the money. The citation is necessarily brief and fails to put the district's action and the editorial in its proper context. We were taking issue with the ACLUs threat to sue the district as a tactic in its suit to halt prayers at Alpine District high school graduation ceremonies. We have supported, and will continue to support the board's right to pray at graduation exercises, the ACLU notwithstanding - and when I wrote the editorial, I was writing as an extension of that support. But looking back, I think I failed in the editorial by relying too much on context and not enough on principle. All of the actions of our governmental agencies should be conducted in public. It's just the best way to do the public's business. In Utah, it's the only way to legally conduct the public's business, except under certain, -- limited circumstances. Unfortunately, too many of our public officials use one or another of these limited reasons as an umbrella to justify a closed meeting for anything they want to deal with under the table. Alpine District's actions probably met one of those reasons - but that is all context. As a matter of principle, we should have opposed the closed session, rather than condone it. Because once the door starts closing on these kinds of meetings, the public is kept in the dark more and more. I wish the SPJ"s citations could have included our better performances as well - when we urged Highland to not close its meetings earlier in the year or when we reported on American Fork City's attempt to close its meeting to discuss "sensitive areas" of the budget. After council m embers were told they couldn't close the meeting for that purpose, they chose one of the six limited reasons as an umbrella and went into closed sessions anyway. But it is our job to let our readers know when public bodies close their doors, and then to work to get the doors opened if possible. In those other cases, we were just doing what we were supposed to do. In the case of the school district, I have to admit that in my zeal to criticize the ACLU, I supported an act that I abhor in -- principle. It's good for the watchdog to have a watchdog. Letters (to fthe editor pay-me- n noted. To find another house to rent without a paid up rent book was a difficult task. I saw people sent to jail for illegally changing the entries in a rent book. It was an important document. Mother kept ours in a box in her bedroom. Perhaps I am unduly concerned, yet when I read of the scandals in our Congress I wonder in what direction we are headed. The report in the Wall Street Journal is upsetting. It states, "The House check kiting is worse than originally thought." It points out that if a major U.S. company had its executives involved in half as many scandals, it would have the Justice Department on its neck. Indeed, it is a matter of concern. We get the government we deserve Let's not blame politicians for what ails us. We've all known spoiled brats, overindulged by doting parents, rebelling mostly against boredom. Society collectively is similarly vulnerable. Americans are presently paying for a generation's accumulation of plastic heroes, plastic money and houses on wheels. Recessions are inevitable in a cyclical economy largely because industrial prosperity diminishes industriousness. If we will elect only the politicians who e us, the fault is ours, promise to not theirs. Richard Breeden as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was a principal architect of the savings and loan rescue. Now, with all the influence at his disposal, he is trying to stabilize financial markets and concert all of us Americans from our spendthrift ways. "I believe very strongly that America's economic future requires that we create a nation of investors, not a nation of credit card debtors." He says, "Equity capital is one of the most important shock absorbers." In lay language, that means that Americans who formerly diligently set aside a J Criticism of paper's failure deserved It costs too much to elect someone Soon there will be an election. We will be asked to vote for a president. It bothers me to no end to realize how much money has to do with electing someone to office. Already our president is boasting that he has several millions of dollars in his fund. One of the weaknesses of our election system is that it takes money to be elected. So the poor man without money doesn't stand a chance of being elected. Our station in life affects our thinking. If you are wealthy you don't worry about a medical and hospital program. You are your own insurers. Then there is the middle class whom I consider the heart of America. They are where they are because they have worked hard. They have been thrifty and acquired a home to live in. But many of these middle class are now worried. For example, in many cases of extended illness it takes all of their savings, and in some cases, it becomes necessary to mortgage their homes. At the present time, there is a lot of heartache in this country. Let me tell you of a family I know. The man and wife are divorced. The woman with several young children rented a small home. They could not afford a 1 full of potentiai raeeani queens 1 1 CI are coming due on all those credit cards, bank loans and mortgages. The British economy this past year shrank faster than any time since the depression of the '30s. Unemployment, on the rise for 22 months, is the highest in the industrial world. "We are paying for our own excesses," says Prime Minister John Major. Yet, Major must call for an election no and neither he nor later than the Socialists dare demand austerity. And our country, up for auction in November, may also go to the politicians who, with our own money, bid highest for our votes. As recently as this year, made wary by recession, Americans individually have been relearning to use what money they have to pay bills, to reduce debt and to save. In January, for the third month in a row, Americans reduced their indebtedness. If government will not be a proper example for us, perhaps we can be a better example for the government. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says, "Paring debt, public and private, though painful, is necessary for the long-terhealth of our economy." mid-Jul- Police give outstanding service Editor: How fortunate our community is to have such an outstandingpolice force. Chief Gibb and his officers have rendered valuable services to our school, Sego lily Elementary. We appreciate the time they have spent educating our students in various activities such as the harmful effects of drugs, participating in safety programs, sen ding Officer Friendly twice a year to talk to the young students and comingquickly to the school when their help is needed with various problems. It was particularly gratifying to see a beaming little tyke run up to a police officer who was visiting in the school and tell me excitedly that the officer was his coach. It was obvious the officer was also a hero to him. We appreciate their support and their example. In addition to the police force, many other public service employees have helped our children to become better citizens. Members of the Fire Department were gracious in letting the kindergarten students come to the fire station to see the trucks and hear a presentation on fire safety. The post office staff will soon be instruct- ing our younger students about safety procedures when the mail is being delivered. The library director has been to our school to acquaint the teachers and students with the availability of materials in the Lehi Library. The members of our community service employees are truly our partners in education. We appreciate them. -- Linda K. Perkins Principal Sego Lily Elementary Help our youth become Editor: Free Utah staff, an issue related to tobacco sales has come to our attention. Retail stores are not properly determining the age of tobacco buyers prior to selling tobacco products, and these products are being sold to minors. It is against the law to sell tobacco to anyone under age 19. The prosecution of these businesses violating this law does not appear to be a priority by some judges. It concerns us when these businesses are being fined very little for breaking the law. This makes a mockery of the law and is not sending a consistent message to all conAs Tobacco cerned. Kids who are 18 years old (or often younger) who are buying or possessing tobacco are also breaking the law. Ninety percent of all tobacco users start before the age of 19. One purpose of this law is to Woke free prevent kids from becoming addicted. The Division of Health Promotion at Health Department of Utah County is here to protect the health of our youth. This is a difficult task when the message sent to businesses and youth is "it doesn't really matter." We are encouraging judges and businesses to put a higher priority on these laws. Education alone to encourage voluntary compliance to tobacco laws has not City-Coun- ty been enough. We commend the Juvenile Court System for their work with youth under the age of 18 and their support of tobacco laws that affect their health. We ask that others make this much commitment as well. Swen son Director, Health Promotion Pat Tucker Coordinator, Tobacco Prevention Policy on letters to the editor Wt wtJcoiTM Isttsri to lh editor. AN litters should bt typewritten ind double spaced. Latter mutt altobs signed, and must Include ths writer's name and telephone numbar. Ptaaaa sand letters to Editor, Nawtah Nawa Group, P.O. Box 7, American Fork, Utah, 84003. |