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Show Send letters to Box 7, American Fork 84003 ntp.rs to the Editor damental school assignment. Citizens of the Alpine School District are urged to carefully study the information included with the "Alpine Happenings" and use the survey form to express their opinions. Laureen Jaussi Orem Likes Paper In my first grade class we are earning points by doing special assignments. My family likes to read your newspaper. I like the pictures and stories about things kids do in school. Thank you for your hard work. Sincerely, Justin Jense Read Newsletter Editor: Patrons of the Alpine School District will soon have the opportunity op-portunity to express their opinion concerning the establishment of fundamental schools within the district. The board of education voted to include a fundamental school survey in the May issue of "Alpine Happenings," to be mailed to each home in the school district this week . Fundamental Schools differ from the present schools in their increased emphasis xm the basics of phonetic reading, computational math and writing skills. The curriculum is supplemented with penmanship, art, music, science, history, geography and physical education. "A Fundamental School is simply a school where basics of education are stressed with little or no experimentation; ex-perimentation; where discipline reigns and patriotism flourishes." (Lompac, California, Record) Fundamental Schools are springing up all across the nation, but not without controversy and some opposition. op-position. One school superintendent expressed his concern: "If you teach only the basics, students lose interest in going to school." Other educators maintain that fundamental schools "teach to the tests," and therefore do not develop the skills of analysis and logical thinking. Proponents of fundamental education, on the other hand, maintain that only through phonetic reading, computational math, and development of writing skills does a student acquire the tools and discipline to become an analytical thinker. Fundamental schools were reborn in 1973 in Pasadena, California, the brainchild of school board chairman Dr. Henry Myers. At the John Marshall Mar-shall Fundamental School in Pasadena, a salute to the American flag begins each day. Respect - for teachers, for parents, for self and for others -- is an important part of the curriculum. Dr. Myers admits to "teaching to the tests." He says: "By that, I mean we teach the sort of things that are include don the tests that the test-makers test-makers think are important - the survival skills rather than those of the basket weaving variety .... I am not, of course, advocating teaching and memorizing exact test questions. But even this would probably be better than a lot of schools are doing now." Opponents suggest that the establishment of fundamental schools would create an "elitist academic group." Kent Beus, Orem, who presented the fundamental school concept to the board of education, emphasized that enrollment at the school would be entirely on a voluntary basis; even the teaching staff would volunteer for the fun- Dislikes Article "ifwncel the Citizen sub-S sub-S for Gary Grover, 585 East 50 Jb I. 2, American Fork, Utah particle of May 14 regarding j gromley hearing deserves criticism- or Beck is liberally quoted Lit the article. To my loHee he never commented ?Sfte meeting and there were Serably more than eight of us JortingBromleys. iit of the complaints were from 1 opposed to Rolanda Feeds, not i operation. It was never Tbd that the Bromley SdratoristhesameasRolandas. You also quoted a man who came Heber to complain about Unda you had a responsibility to J both sides of the issue, why rt't you quote Lorraine Sager who L across the freeway from romleys and defended their right to "Lite Mr. Beck says he gets Llaints on the weekend, if the Sorter or Mr. Beck had checked Z would have learned the iehydrator was not in operation. Mr Cordner's comments about the ick of cooperation from Bromleys was not appropriate and was irrelevant to the hearing. Mr Bradford also discounted some inaccurate remarks about licensing as being irrelevant. If your reporter had to make quotes from after the hearing, why didn't she report the concerns of those of us at the hearing who feel the odors are coming from the sewage treatment plant and the city dump and Bromleys are being targeted unfairly. un-fairly. I have no time for third-rate fiction. A newspaper has a responsibility to be professional and objective, whether the reader agrees or not. This article is neither objective or professional. I see no reason to continue my subscription. If at a future date you show more responsibility and professionalism I may consider re-subscribing re-subscribing to your paper. Sincerely, Ginger Grover American Fork EDITOR'S NOTE: Perhaps you should direct your criticisms to Mr. Cordner at the State Health Department Depart-ment or to Mayor Malcolm Beck. If they wish to retract their statements, we will provide space for them to do so. Meanwhile, the remarks of public figures in interviews remain as important im-portant as their official pronouncements; pronoun-cements; the newspaper is obliged to report them. |