The Collegian, Wednesday February 15
Opinion
Letters to the Editor
Childcare at Issue
Dear editor,
I'm an adult student here at
Behrend College. Lenjoy learning
here and I am sure I will become
a great asset to the community
when I graduate.
I am also sure that there
would be a lot more adult
students if certain services were
provided. I am a single parent and
have a major concern when I have
to attend classes that don't
coincide with my child's school
hours. Everything, for me, is
"covered" for this semester. So I
almost said to myself, "I don't
need to do anything about this,
it's not my problem." Then I
thought, "It was my problem." I
have three more years before I
graduate. It could be my problem
anytime before then. More
importantly, other people do have
that problem. Not just single
parents, but also parents who
both work. Whether we'd like to
admit it or not, when someone
Defends Press Freedom
Dear editor,
After reading the letters about
Love Rob's column on abortion,
I felt compelled to write.
First, I think many people do
not understand the function of a
newspaper's Op-Ed page. It is to
air opinions and editorials of the
paper's staff and writers. Rob
Prindle was performing that
function admirably when he
wrote his column stating his
views on abortion. The paper's
readers are free to agree or to
disagree with his views. What
they should not be doing is
attacking him personally for
fulfilling his function as an
opinion column writer: Opinion
Thanks for your letter. We appreciate hearing
positive things about the Opinion Page, or for
that matter, anything in the paper. But rest
assured that while we don't always agree with
Rob, we have no intentions of asking him -to
avoid controversy or sensitive topics. --Ed.
else has a problem, it's our
problem too. If I can't continue
in college, I may have to go on
welfare. So, when you graduate,
you will have to support me. I
can't make it without a college
education.
I hear there is no room for
childcare on campus. 'Yet, there
is room for pool tables. What
about a staff? What about
students; especially those
intererted in Early Childhood
Education, or even intersted in
being future moms and dads.
What experience! A service that
provides two functions. One, for
adult students who need care for
their children. Secondly, for
those who need to know how to
cm.
I don't feel this has to be a
problem; it just needs the proper
attention it deserves.
Sincerly, Kathy Stevenson
columns are meant to stimulate
discussion and debate, as this
one obviously has done. To
personally attack the writer for
airing an opinion that is contrary
to one's own, smacks of the
mindset that rules the Ayatollah's
Iran, where there is only one
"true way" to think.
I would hope the editors and
the faculty advisor would have
more sense than to try to get Rob
to " refrain from writing
controversial columns -- those are
what give any paper its sparkle
and life. Those who want plain
vanilla writing can read Erie's
Ipcal newspaper.
Cordially, Ron Shull
My friend Butch is not a particularly subtle
fellow even under the best of circumstances. You '
can imagine what he is like when .he gets a few
beers, or maybe a little rum into his system. He
loses all inhibition and says exactly what he
thinks. This past Saturday, Butch was in prime
form after two pitchers of Gennesse.
"Waitresses suck" screamed Butch. "They're
the scum of the Earth. In fact the only people
who bother me more than waitresses are the
people on the Cosby show. I hate those
Huxstables. The parents are superiorist skinhead
fascists who enjoy watching their children fail.
That may explain why their kids are all neurotic
brats who drop out of school. And am I asking to
much to expect a plot? Did you see it yesterday,
the whole story was about Rudy wanting to wear
her summer dress in the fall. Talk about
intricate."
"Oh yeah, waitresses;' Butch
yelped. "I hate those blood
sucking wenches."
Butch was obviously rambling, so I reminded
him that his original subject was the sliminess
of waitresses.
"Oh yeah, waitresses," Butch yelped. "I hate
those blood-sucking wenches. Extortionists is
what they . are. Who else but a waitress could
complain all day and still make a ton of money?
I went out with a waitress once. We sat down at
the restaurant where she worked on weekends and
she immediately began telling me that she made
$l7O in tips Saturday. That was more then I
made working all week and when I brought that
little fact up she told me that being a waitress
was hard work. She said that 'customers can be
so demanding.' Heck for $l7O a day you wouldn't
think that this broad would be complaining. I
work hard and take stuff from my boss everyday;
but he never tips me."
I told Butch that, so far, his story didn't make
waitresses sound too awfully terrible.
"Just wait till I get to the good part" Butch
snapped. "So I forgave herjor making so much
money then she asked what I was going to order.
I figured I'd tell her on account of she might
know what was good. I told her that I was gonna'
order a Bigboy and a strawberry milkshake. She
almost exploded. She turned all red and started
gasping. She screamed 'You can't order a milk
shake, don't you know how long those things
take to make?' Why the heck should I care how
long they take to make?"
I told Butch that in some restaurants, the
waitress people have large number of tables to
wait, and if they take too long with one table -
making a milk shake for example - then the other
customers' service suffers.
The Behrend Collegian's editorial opinion is determined by the editor, with the editor holding final
responsibility. Opinions expressed in the Collegian are not necessarily those of the Behrend Collegian
or the Pennsylvania State University. .
tTE. M.ias
<AmPtis
Letter Policy: The Behrend Collegian encourages letters on news coverage, editorial content and
university affairs. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and signed by no more than two
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letter. The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for length and to reject letters if they are libelous
or do not conform to standards of good taste.
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Behrend College; The Reed Union Building, Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
LOVE ROB
Butch Goes
by Rob Prindle
• I told Butch that Some waitresses probably
make much more, and a twerpy guy with a
phoney french accent who I know of works at
Michelino's and probably makes ten times that
much for much less work. I told Butch that he
really shouldn't condemn waitresses in general.
"Just the same," Butch said, "I'd advise
everyone to ask their waitress how much she
made last year before they tip. If she made more
then you then flip her a quarter and pat her on the
rump."
Editorial Policy
to Big Boy
Rob Prindle
"That's exactly what she told me," Butch
replied. "You aren't no Waitress sympathizer are
you Robbie?"
I explained to my friend that, so far, I was in
partial agreement with his disdain towards the
waitressing profession.
"That's good, but let me tell you the rest of
the story. I ordered the milk shake and my date
hid her face in shame and made her drink ice
water so as to make the waitresses job a little
easier."
"At the end of the meal, when it came time to
leave the tip my date stared at my wallet as I
pulled out a generous one dollar bill. She kept
staring until I pulled out another Washington,
then she sighed and pulled 50 cents from her own
purse and laid it down. Can you believe that
Bobby? A $2.50 tip ,for a $8.95 dinner? Heck, we
were only there for 45 minutes. If she was
waiting on four other tables that means that she
may have made $12.50 just in tips. For that
much money, I don't want to here no
complaints."
,Ae- - - • i '
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