CASTLEGAR NEWS, Thursday, March 29, 1979

POWER PLAY, a Theatre Energy production, will play this
evening and Friday at the Regional Recreation Complex here
in Castlegar. On Saturday and Sunday It will moke a two-
evening appearance at Winlaw in the Winlaw Hall. This
growing company is only tvo years old but has already collec-

tively created three original plays ‘about Kootenay life as well.
as theatre worksh

and the Theatre

Synergy Festival. Many will remember last year’s production,
“Muck Millie Virgil."—Ron Woodward Photo

- Voice of the People

~” Concerned About Cut-Back

.,. Editor, Castlegar News:

2+ Asa parent of two children
attending elementary schools in
the Castlegar school district, 1
am deeply disturbed by the
implications of the school
board's policy of putting finan-
cial considerations ahead of
educational quality.

“I do not know what the
ejimination of four teachers due
tp: jini ! will do

Ms. Jones suggested that
ion time

possibility of severely reduced

for ear-

ks

was on trial. Was it on trial for
its educational value? Has the
trial been evaluated for edu-
cational benefit? What were the
results? What has preparation
time been found guilty of, that
it must be eliminated?

We are given no infor-
mation — our board is evidently
d with monetary'value

to: ig
to the pupil-teacher ratio in the
.. district, because I do not have
the figures, I fear, however,
that it will result in larger
classes (what is the average
* elementary class size now?). I
predict a reduction in the
‘present programs for children
‘with learning difficulties. I see
no hope of programs for gifted
children,

Why doesn't the board look
upon declining enrolment as an
opportunity to reduce class
size, in order to make individual
assistance more readily avail-

- able to children? Why don't
they look upon declining en-
*- rolment as an opportunity to
“expand special programs for
children with learning diffi-
culties? Why don't they look

only.

There are suggestions that
elementary librarians are to be
cut out. If so, then that, too, is
unconscionable. At a time when
the focus of education is on the
improvement of reading and
writing skills, it is absurd to
reduce library services. In
order to read, children must
have books. Books are most
easily accessible ‘in libraries.
Libraries without librarians
might as well be broom closets,

It is alarming to see edu-
cational cutbacks being so
casually confirmed by the chair-
man of the education com-
mittee. Why, rather than an-
nounce a fait accompli in March,

did the board not raise the

lier public discussion?

The public might take the
view that more appropriate
places to make cuts would be
such things as extravagant
travelling expenses for trustees
and their spouses, and BCSTA
membership fees. (In return for
the latter, remember, the board
was aided and abetted in its
wilful disruption of education
for six weeks last fall.)

Isn't it the education com-
mittee’s job to promote edu-
cational programs rather than
reductions in programs? Or is it

the entire board's educational .

policy to eventually jam as
many children into as few
classrooms as possible? That’s
no way to guarantee children’s
right to education. '

Tsubmit that the board has *

a responsibility to see that the
taxpayers of the district get the
best value for their money.
That is not achieved by making
major educational reductions in
order toachieve minor financial
savings,

Money that fs not invested

upon declining as an
opportunity to institute pro-
- grams gifted children?
The elimination of ele-
-mentary. teachers’ preparation

time is unconscionable, It will
inevitably mean that teachers
will have to use more of their
own time in which to prepare
lessons, will therefore be less
rested and less prepared, and
the quality of their teaching
will suffer accordingly.

As a result, we can expect
more, not fewer children who
cannot read, write, or compute.
They will grow into adults who

cannot read, write, or compute, *

and many will be unemployable
and therefore a burden upon
society.

Our readers are In-
vited to express thelr
views freely In letters to
the editor. All letters dis-
cussing timely issues will
b Hiished

in now will surely
have to be spent, many times
over, in the future: on welfare,
on unemployment benefits, on
policing, on all the other costs
that society must bear when its
jon system turns out

e Pp
they are within the laws of
libel. Although noms: de
plume may be used when
necessary, letters should
be short and carry the
name and address of the
writer. The editor retains
the privilege to edit letters
for brevity, style, legality
and taste. Address your
letter to: The Castlegar
News, Drawer 3007, Cas-

people who are too illiterate
and too unskilled to obtain
work,
Additionally, the board has

a responsibility to the children
— to see that they get the best
lifetime opportunities that the
public schools we compel them
toattend can give them. Giving
them less than the best, in a
society which can afford the
best, is mean and deceitful,

Robert Jackson

Castl B.C.

tlegar, B.C. VIN SH4

three years they have been neig| Ss, t
ond dogs with a loud hello, kiss and hug and a ‘goody’ just made.” In addition to
maintaining a “big enough garden to supply the neighborhood,” the Houghtons
help neighbors with their gardening and “are always there with o rose, advice,
an extro set of hands or just a flower.”

The Castlegar News/ Mid-Week Mirror
In co-operation with Sam's Nuraary & Florist

presents:

Good Neighbour
Salute

Do you have an exceptional neighbour?
Someone especially good, kind, and
thoughtful? Has someone recently gone out
of his or her way to help you?

Write and tell us about It.

2 The selected Good Neighbour of the Week will receive a plant of thelr choice,
> courtesy of SAM'S NURSERY & FLORIST, along with the ''Good Nelghbour’’
"certificate from the Castlegar News/Mid-Week Mirror. i

Send your letters-to:

THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR SALUTE
c/o Castlegar News/ Mid-Week Mirror

Drawer 3007
CASTLEGAR, B.C.
VIN 3H4

jave wel

™

The

- This week's Good Neighbor Salute goes to Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Houghton of 4
1105 Ninth Ave., S.. in Castlegar. Terry and Karen Hughes write thai during the
© ahh

1 “stray kids

J

2 About Crossing :

I's and Dottin

On top of my
thls morning, I'found a-note
from my husband that. read,
“Walrunch Hnchinty. ~ Sol,
Quea?????Ine 17,"

“What's this mean?" I
asked, 2

\ “Can't you read my hand-
writing?” he snapped. It. says
National Handwriting Week,
Column idea????? I thought
maybe there is something in
the fact that one day is being
set aside to improve the writing
habits of Americans and you
eould do a column on it.

“What's that supposed to
mean?”

“It -means if. you had
penned the Declaration of In-
dependence, the United States
today would stand for "Ifn,
liverte, and the prsut of hapi-
nes.”

“ “Phat's a fine way for
someone to talk who makes her
sevens look like ones.”

“Says who?”

“Says the wrong number I
got the other night from a
phone message you left me."

“You try writing a phone
message on a piece of waxed
paper with a steak knife.”

“I still think you could
make a funny column about

Erma

-Bombeck

how you flunked ovals in the
first grado and went on to give
birth to children whose 8's look
like 3's and who forget to close
their G's.”

“Don't forget they were
sired by a man who loops his
O's and who once wrote a
cheque to the’ paper boy for
$8,000!"

“At least I didn't write a”

note te the school when one of
the kids was sick and have the
nurse call to see what it was we
had under control... his

‘diarrhea’ or his ‘drain.’ "*

“You know, it might be

nice to have just one day when
everyone took the time to write
legibly ... dotting thelr I's and
crossing their T's, I bet millions
of dollars are spent each year
on people making mistakes and

y' i
q ee:
pea
not saying’ what they -reblly
mean. I'm sorry I snapped-at
you, I'm going to file this 4déa
until next June 14 and maybe
gat the country to obsertg a
day when we.could all rgad
what one another is writing<"
“What June 14?" asked

husband. “National Handwrit-
ing Day was Jan, 28, See?
That's an A which you mistook
for a U and the 4 is a 3.and is
nowhere near what youthought
it was and who would listen toa
woman who can’t even read
English anyway?"

_ KINNAIRD TRANSFER LTD.

EXCAVATION — HAULING — BACKHOES }

" CONCRETE GRAVEL — PIT RUN GRAVEL

* TOPSOIL — 7/8 CRUSHED ROAD GRAVEL
DRAIN ROCK — MORTAR SAND

PHONE 365-7124
CASTLEGAR
UNION SHOP.

West's is your Fashion Centre. . a

for the warm days ahead. —

e Golf, tennis, swimming, or gardenin:
in assorted styles and fabrics. °

SLIMS

Cotton & polyester gabardine .
2-way stretch. :

GATHERED
SKIRTS &
TANK TOPS —

by Kates .

SDeess

New arrivals!

BATHING SUITS- | canvas & Terry Cloth

* Sea Queen

Robby Len

© Lady Christina

Sp rin

Your

LINK

Hardware

ig, you'll find your action clothing at West's

SHORTS

Cotton knits & blends.

COTTON
BLOUSES

Variety of prints.

Sun Hats

‘viser & brim styles

eanup —

Now is the time to apply an All-Purpose. '

- Lawn Fertilizer

° Fertilizer Spreaders

Department Store

Dormant Fruit Tree Sprays & Sprayers
Pruning Shears & Saws ©

Bamboo & Metal Lawn Rakes

Wheel Barrows

Garden Hoses & Reels

Buckerfield's Lawn & Garden Seeds -

Peat Pots & Potting

Hash, Wrangler,
-and Tribal

Air Travel Agents for
ALL. AIRLINES

© ACCOMMODATIONS
© RESERVATIONS

© TOURS

J Telephone 365-7782