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Show Wednesday, May THEi fl, 1371 Page 2 MRK CITY Mca4cac9oeaic9cMeacMcae9fcafe3cae9fe 9eacaeMcaeacaeacaeacae9eacacaeae Some citizens A MAJORITY OF ONE are dubious as to the projected needs of the school system. They are skeptical of projected population figures and the subsequent demands on our educational facilities. The urgency is an immediate reality, not an ominous statistical forecast. Our schools are overcrowded right now, today, and it does not require an IBM 370 to ascertain that the number of students is going to increase. The present school population is 523 students. A school district population projection conducted by Edwards and Daniels and Associates in conjunction with area developers arrived at a 1980 enrollment of 2,284 students. The numbers of school age children and Deer Valley developments alone exfrom the proposed Well, now seein as how the whole towns talkin' about a little police activity the other night, I reckon I ought to say somethin,' bein' the resident critic and all. And I gotta confess that it did a whole lot of good, yes sir. Now everybody has got somebody to hate. Some can hate the police. Some can hate the people who complained to the police. The officials who called in the police can hate the complainers. The can hate the people they complained about, and, of course, the can hate the whole bunch for gettin them out of their cruiser. The police com-plaine- rs kids can hate the geezers, the geezers can hate the kids, and those that ain't either can hate both the others. And those who ain't got anybody else can hate the resort or Nixon. Yep, that's unity. That's real communication. That's real cooperation. If it gets any worse, the whole bunch could choose up sides, apply for foreign aid, get a few 's and tanks and things like that, and really get it on (as the kids say). Then they could have Henry Kissinger come in and settle the whole thing. Now, I aint no Henry Kissinger, but I do think that the battle lines are bein drawn, and it's a damn shame that the incident is gettin blown up so. Why, there's no tellin' where itll stop. One day I might pick up the paper and read something like this : Hi-U- te F-4- ceeds the present school population. Studies conducted by the State Board of Education and the State Fire Marshal concluded that Park City High School is, at the present time, overcrowded, unsafe, and in need of extensive repair. A quadrupling of the number of students certainly will not ameliorate this situation. What will new facilities and improvement of the existing facilities cost the taxpayer? In effect, little or nothing. The School Board has already established a Capital Outlay levy of 18 mils and this levy will stand regardless of the elections outcome. The board is asking permission to sell bonds, not to raise the mil levy. If the bond issue fails to pass, between $300,000 and $400,000 will have to be spent to bring the high school up to Life Safety Standards. Thats a possible $400,000 to insure the safety of the present enrollment. Whats our alternative six years from now when we have four times as many students and no room for expansion on the existing site? What will it cost if the bond issue is not passed? The social costs are obvious, an educational system incapable of adequately preparing todays children for tomorrows world. But there are also financial repercussions. Based on U.S. Department of Commerce statistics, the current rampant inflation which is causing atrophy of the American pocketbook could result in a $450,000 construction cost increase in only one year. Put in the jargon of a bargin basement sale, If we snooze, we lose, and we will pay dearly for our collective unconsciousness. In the coming years, Park City will be deluged by the problems d with growth and progress. Seldom will a viable which go solution to these problems be as easily perceived as the one before us. Scrutiny of the facts and concern for our children dictate a resounding yes vote on May 14th. . MAIN STREET BUSINESS CLOSED DOWN Police officers last Saturday closed down a Main Street business for allowing its customers to loiter in front of the establishment. According to reliable sources, city officials received several complaints that the loiterers were disturbing the peace by yelling, jumping fighting, etc. The police were quickly dispatched to the scene, the loiterers arrested, and the business license of the establishment revoked. Appearing in court next Friday will be Sharon Jones, age 8, Julie Parker, age 9, and Johnny Wilson, age 8. According to the defendants, they were engaged in a game of jump rope, when Wilson assaulted Miss Parker. "He pulled my pigtails, explained Miss Parker, "and Sharon and I beat him up. Also appearing to show cause why her establishment should not be closed, will be Mrs. Ann Jones, the owner and operator of the DICK and JUNE shop. According to Mrs. Jones, Miss Parker and Miss Jones purchased a jump rope from her establishment, and began playing with it immediately in front of her shop. "I knew nothing about what was happening hand-in-han- - HIGH SCHOOL PROBLEMS nt un- til the police came in and told me they were temporarily revoking my license, said Mrs. Jones. teacher-administrati- Why, the possibilities are fantastic. With any luck at all, we could shut down all the businesses. That'd make it real easy for my friend and I to set up our shootin' gallery. Throughout the school year weve heard a number of complaints about Slings at the high school from concerned parents. Weve dismissed these complaints as isolated incidents, but for some reason they keep recurring. These complaints range from teacher-studedifferences to curriculum, organization, and implementation differences. Granted, complaints from parents and students represent only one side of the coin. Obviously there are two sides to every story. But somehow the side of the story is not reaching . the people on the street. We know the high school mediocore image isnt completely backed by facts, but, like it or not, the image is there. We also realize that a lot of people are working very hard to change that image, but such a change takes time and positive action. Starting a volunteer program, which has proved so successful at Marsac, is one good step in the right direction. These people are anxious to help in any way they can without pay. Another positive step would be an independent assessment of the schools problems to instigate impartial solutions. We dont mean to put down anyone, but a huge list of credentials and years of experience and tenure doesnt mean a thing if there are weak relations between the school and the student body and parents. Excuses of budget and faculty limitations dont hold much water under the circumstances. We commend Mr. Jack Greens recent letter in the Park Record for stating the Park City School Boards position on the matter. He backed his point of view with a lot of hither to unknown facts. We would like to see more of such responses ! But it will take more than facts and figures to sway emotions. It will take action ... and it will take working together: School Board, Administration, teachers, students, and parents. Lets open up the lines of communication and give our high school both the material s and manpower to be a educational system. P.C. SINIC THE CHILDREN DESERVE IT, THE FUTURE REQUIRES IT! Shall the Board of Education of Park City School District, Summit County, State of Utah, be authorized to issue and sell bonds of the board in the amount of $3,000,000 for the purpose of a raising money for purchasing school sites, for building or purchasing one or more schoolhouses, and supplying the same with furniture and necessary apparatus, and for improving school property under the charge of the Board of Education? So reads the official ballot of the special bond election to be held May 14th. Not found on the ballot but inherent in the situation at hand are the questions, Are the citizens of Park City cognizant of what recent history portends for the future of our community? and Are they prepared to successfully meet the ensuing challenges? A public answer to these questions will be provided by the bond election results. A rejection of the bond issue will be indicative of a community which has become impotent in the face of progress. on eye-openi- first-clas- ng |