Be seer ae ae: PAGE 2 MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 1967 THE HIGHLANDER End of Semester Brings Rewards, Penalties Do You Want The Right ~ To Vote? The Snide Ed By PAUL eo WILLIAMS Learn From My Mistake During my senior year, it has been my foremost ambition to produce a school newspaper su- Governor Calvin L. Rampton’s proposal that the State Leg- perior to any in Ben Lomond’s The results of 18 weeks of study, effort, and activity will be reaped by Ben Lomond students Friday. The oc- islature lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years deserves our history. In spite of many problems, I feel we have succeedcasion is the end of the semester, time for rededication careful consideration. ed. With the knowledge I gainArguments concerning the intellectual ability of an 18-yearfor the remainder of the year—and report cards. _ ed at college last summer and For most students, procrastination has been the old to make a good choice have received widespread acceptance. the loyal and enthusiastic supwatchword. It seems so easy to put off final studies in There is the old, but valid cliche that persons old enough to fight port of my staff, the Highlandfor their country are old enough to vote. the belief that there‘s plenty of time before exams. er has grown in respect as representative of our school. Last week, the realization came to many that the only share in adult legal responsibilities. Many persons are convinced that waiting three years after Being removed as Editor unpossible means of redemption was in burning the mid-| night oil or pleading with a teacher for a possible stay graduation is unwise. A student who has just completed high der such questionable circumbeing absent one school, and who is idealistic and eager, is much more likely to stances for of execution. day is a great personal misforThere’s nothing so comforting as deciding you have vote wisely than someone who has had three years with no voice tune. It seems ridiculous that mastered class material sufficiently and need only to in government and has become negligent to political activity. my taking advantage of my good At Ben Lomond, students are required to take two years of review before the test, when the teacher reveals the scope grades, near perfect attendance social studies. These courses usually include study of issues of record, and a free ride to the of the exam material. There’s no possible explanation of a “cramming ses- our national and local government. An eighteen year old is of- Park City ski slopes could lead sion” for parents whose son or daughter persisted in fall- ten better prepared with facts for decisions and responsibilities to such chaos. (It was lousy that go along with the privilege of voting than is an older per- snow, anyway). ing asleep at the breakfast table. In the school constitution, a Desperation overcomes the student who is convinc- son.. The questions seems to be, then, whether we idealistic, ea- list of “major officers” subject ed his grades won’t be good enough when he gets them to possible removal from office home. Last minute maneuvers have included warm greet- ger, well-informed, and responsible teenagers want to vote? Recently, students at Olympus High School defeated the for misbehavior does not include ings for teachers wherever they are spotted, smiles of the editor of the newspaper. I understanding and interest during boring lectures and proposal for lowering the age limit in a mock election held there. did not feel that my position in More significant, however, was the fact that only 68 per cent of last-minute extra credit projects. the Journalism Class could be But despite its bad effects, the end of the semester the student body voted. compared with that of an electThe vote came after a recent Salt Lake Tribune editorial, ed student officer, until Dr. has some good points. To the sophomore, it’s the beginning of the end of their get-acquainted and adjustment critical of the bill raised the ire of several Olympus students. Drechsel’s verbal amendment in eriod. To the junior, it’s the middle of his high-school The efforts were to refute the article’s claim that most 18-year- Council meeting made me a major officer. five And for the senior, it’s the first of the “last days.” olds are apathetic to politics. Because I had my parents’ ‘At no other time do minor irritations become maThe American Problems class where the issue was debated. permission, I was under the imThe “pro” side included the pression that the absent would jor problems. Life seems to fall apart for the student who students organized a campaign. attempts to complete a semester of work in two or three and staged a special assembly “old-enough-to-fight” routine as be considered “unexcused” ra- evenings of extensive study. VOICE OF It seems to me that a large majority of the studentbody at BLHS have become chronic moaners. To show just how true this statement is, all you have onen ears. to do is walk down the halls The remarks * tiid ore Sc11e | a major contention. The “wether than “truant.” I admit this don’t-want-the-vote” students rewas sheer ignorance of law and futed it by stating that military school policies, but I feel many service could be considered a other students and teachers are way of earning the voting privilikewise misinformed. I believe Dear Editor: lege. They also believed that the there is need for clarification A thought has just struck my mind as well three-year interim between the in this area. as that of over two hundred other social, activ- time a student graduates from The absentee system which ity-minded Scots in the infrequent number of high school and reaches age 21 equates parking lot sluffers, test | is necessary to develop sound THE SCOTS =, =the, _ bove named issues. I feel that one thing to be tearing down ideas all the losing a dollar. — Jance C1 an ca ds feel that they are | ‘ Vlemortum mum of four absences, more thoughtful approach. Its advocates claim fewer absences time, but another to offer constructive criticism, more reliable sources, the Dance Clan officers, |}A Fellow Scots, who died re- and truancy problems than in — with which we can better our school. I have heard such reasons as the faculty’s havprevious years. cently of leukemia The students usually list the moans under ing a meeting tonight,” “two dances can’t be Many students have asked | Live, that when thy sumthree headings: A-Rotten Teachers; B—Crumheld in one week,” and the most puzzling one why I didn’t avoid the whole mons comes to join my Student Leaders, and C—Crabby Adminismess by having my parents of all, a quote from the administration as sayThe innumerable caravan, write me an excuse claiming tration. Why do they moan? Because A—Those ing, “we can’t have Dance Clan every week!” which moves , sickness. Although honesty is Rotten Teachers usually have the gall to think You can ask any member of the Dance Clan and To that mysterious realm the best policy, I didn’t expect that the students should work a little for a grade they will tell you that a Dance Clan more than where each shall take to be railroaded out of my powhich will affect their future lives, B—Our once a month is more like the average! Reasons His chamber in the silent sition. I welcomed the opporCrummy Student Leaders have a combination such as the football team banquet involving the tunity to question our constiuhalls of death, of guts and pride to make B.L. a great school, Pep Club are understandingable, but the faculty Thou go not like the quarry tion, and our cloudy absentee and, C—That Crabby Administration has the having a meeting!!!!! Now everyone knows that policies. The last thing I wantslave at night, absolute idea that schools are a place one goes the faculty doesn’t dance at Dance Clan!!! ed or expected was a ‘trial’ beScourged to his dungeon, for an education and not to party. Why can’t we dance even TWICE a week? fore the Student Council and but sustained and soothed I think it is time the students really take eventual removal from my ediFor I’M very positive I won’t die of overBy an unfaltering trust, torship, but I suppose my exthe time to ask the question, “Where does the exhaustion ! ! ! Even our grades wouldn’t be approach thy grave, perience will serve as a warnproblem lie?” And then, they can come to only hampered by two hours of dancing! ing to other officers and stuone conclusion, that it lies with the students. My question as well as_ the rest of the Like one who wraps the dents. drapery of his couch After realizing this, can B.L. take on the look Dance Clan’ members is: “WHY DOES SOMEAlthough I think this whole About him, and lies down to of a united school. THING IMPORTANT APPEAR TO HAPPEN problem has been overstated alpleasant dreams. It all boils down to an old poker saying: EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM SEVEN ready, it will have little signifiEither put up or shut up. —Clark Taylor O’CLOCK TO NINE?” —Sincerely, Mike Tribe —Williams Bryant cance if it des not lead to changes in the Constitution and school policies. — I recognize a definite need for: about a little. Are our schools set up for the specialist? | (1) a clarification of the difference in ‘sluffing’ and ‘unexWhile you were day dreaming through an analytic No. Somewhere, our educational system is failing. absences.’ Geometry lecture, has the thought crossed your mind, What can we do to update our education? I don’t cused a specific list of all maj“What the h - - - am I doing here?” have a surefire answer, but I think the key lies in one or (2) officers and a more detailed For three years seniors have been filling groups in word, and that word is freedom. outline of the restrictions and an endless struggle to graduate. Ask the all-important Instead of forcing students to take a well-balanced obligations placed upon them. question: ‘““‘Why??” but wretchedly boring schedule, give them freedom to (3) consistency on the part Have you any interest whatsoever in the classes choose their own schedules. If a student wants six shop of the administration regarding you're taking, and have you learned a thing worth re- classes, let him have them. He might not become a math- the penalties for such offenses. membering? If your interest lies in writing or auto me- ematical genius, but at least he will learn something he In my first editorial of this school year, I stated that the chanics or football or whatever-you-please, then what is can use, and he’ll enjoy doing it. it is Getting most of my information from the - BLAINE BEUS Ben Lomond’s Curriculum Obsolete? the use of learning Newton’s laws of relativity or DesSchools should prepare students for the highly-spe- staff and I would attempt to incarte’s theorem for finding imaginay square roots? There cialized generation of tomorrow, not for today’s so-call- fluence school development and reform through editorial cam- — is none. |ed ‘“‘well-balanced” society. paigning and maximum publicToday we live in an age of hyper-specialization. Progress is a slow process, but our educational sys- ity to all controversial issues. There is no need to know a little about everything. So- tem is even slower. It’s time for education to wake up This, in addition to reporting ciety’s crying desire is for the man who knows a lot and catch up to the times. 3 current events. We have tried. Sk ie erie) \ a fi