Page 4
. . . I'm thinking
It's good to see some letters to the editor this
week. I'm glad there are still a few opinions floating
around out there.
It's even better that there are opposing views on
different issues. It is important that people express
differing opinions to each other. In that way
discussion and information will lead people away
from ignorance.
• Speaking of ignorance, one of this week's
stories concerns the quality of incoming college
students. Over the past few years there has been a
noticeable decline in the level of basic skills, such as
English composition, mathematics, history and
geography.
College professors argue that it's not their
responsibility to teach basics that everyone
graduating from high school should have mastered,
and high school teachers and administrators say they
can't do their job 24 hours a day -- they need help
from parents and the community.
Clearly there is a problem, but no one group or
area is to blame -- and in the process a lot of people
are urging quick-fix solutions for symptoms to a
bigger problem.
There are people who are working on the
problem. Programs, such as Behrend's Diehl
Elementary School program and similar ones across
the country, are showing kids that a solid education
pays off in the long run.
It's going to take more than that. Parents still need
to get involved with their children's education, and
government -- both on the state and national levels --
needs to realize that funding our nation's future is
more important than funding high-tech planes that
cannot be seen by radar, but can't get off the ground
or "fact-finding" vacations for elected
representatives.
The Collegian
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Editor
Todd I Irwin
Business Manager
Christie Redmond
The Collegian's editorial opinion bd
determined by the editorial staff,
with the editor holding final
responsibility. Opinions expressed
in The Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or the
Pennsylvania State University.
Managing Editor
Mark Owens
News Editor
Lea Gotch
Entertahmett Editor
Robb Frederick
Sports Editor
John Musser
Layout Editor
Chris Kocott
Advertisement Layout
Kevin Polcovich
Postal Information: Th e
Photo Coordinator Collegian (814 898-6488) is
Jim Pierdomenico published weekly by the students
of the Behrend College; Reed
Photo Coordinator Union Building, Station Road,
Michael B. Schell Erie, Pa 16563.
Editorial
Letter Policy: The Collegia
encourages letters on news
coverage, editorial content an.
university affairs. Letters shoul.
be typewritten. double-space.
and signed by no more than two
persons. Letters should be no
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester and
major of the writer. All letters
should provide the address and
phone number of the writer for
verification of the 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. Letters should be
submitted to The Collegian
office no later than noon on
Tuesday prior to the desired
publication date.
Offke tanager
David Mahoney
Distribution limnafpr
Leigh Stanesic
Advisor
Dr. Mice Simmons
The Collegian
O p inion
Letters to the Editor
Twisted editorial
Re your editorial in the Nov.
15th issue of The Collegian: It is
a very typical example of
ignorance and short-sightedness
which I had hoped would bypass
anyone of your generation who is
getting a good education.
Instead, you sound more like
my generation - peace, love,
Woodstock, and pick and choose
and twist your facts to get your
point of view accepted.
American soldiers, as well as
British, French, Arabian and
many others, are not in the Gulf
area solely to protect our oil
interests as you implied
erroneously, they are there to re
establish the sovereignty of the
Kuwaiti nation, a principle agreed
to (the sovereignty of nations)
after WWII by the U.N.
Take a political science class
and check all the facts, please,
before you write another such
example of exuberant ignorance.
7th semester
General Arts and sciences
Uncovered poet
I was just wondering why no
one covered the dinner, reading
and lecture with Alicia Ostriker
last week. Now, I realize that the
paper doesn't have the space to
cover every speaker that comes to
13ehasxl.
However, given the fact that
The Collegian runs CPS stories
to fill space and there was a CPS
story on page 2, I figured you had
the space. So, I guess that means
it wasn't deemed important
enough.
Alicia Ostriker is one of the
most renowned poets in the
United States and there were
many people both on campus and
in the community who felt she
was important enough to come
and hear her speak.
Perhaps no one on The
Collegian editorial staff is
interested in poetry, but that
doesn't mean that no one else on
campus is interested either. Since
English is one of Behrend's few
four year majors and one of
Behrend's strong points, I think
that some consideration should be
given to the speakers that come
on behalf of the English
Department, especially the ones
of Ms. Ostriker's standing.
"Rainforest!"
The moment I heard that I
needed to do an environmental
paper, my mind shouted one
word: "Rainforest"! Why did my
mind shout. Because I often
ignore good ideas. Why
rainforests? Because they are the
most important environmental
issue of our age. Not only do I
hope to draw your concern, but I
hope you will become concerned
and then act upon it.
Why should people living in
the U.S. be concerned with
rainforests? I will tell you. No
other single issue topic can be
tied into so many world
environmental issues as the
tropical rainforest. Endangered
species, greenhouse effect, global
warming, disease and pest
control, and feeding the world are
all directly related to tropical
rainforests.
Pat Entley
Plants taken from rainforests
account for the production of 47
Thursday, November 29, 1990
Editorial
clinically useful prescription
drugs. The most striking
example: Vincristine, an alkaloid
isolated from the periwinkle plant
in Madagascar, is used to treat
childhood leukemia and
Hodgkin's disease. What was
once an 80 percent mortality rate,
is now an 80 percent survival
rate. There is also definite
evidence of cancer and diabetes
curing agents in certain tropic
plants. With all these known
facts, can we afford to just
blindly let the rainforest die?
How many cures for terminal
diseases are out there waiting to
be discovered?
There are many other
important aspects of the
rainforests that I would like to
mention, but can't due to lack of
space. I would like to encourage
everyone to read up on the diverse
resources that rainforests provide.
Help end their needless
destruction. Your life. and the
lives of those who come after
you will depend on what you
decide to do today.
Jennifer Mmwat
3rd semester
English
Ed. Note: Let us know what
you think. If you would like to
voice your views on an issue,
write a Letter to the Editor.
Read the Letters Policy in the
staff box on this page to ensure
that your letter will be printed.
Letters should be submitted to
The Collegian office, fust floor
of the Reed Union Building or
The Collegian mailbox located in
the SGA suite also on the first
floor of the Reed Building no
later than noon on the Tuesday
prior to the desired publication
date.
1\ t~.al iUi tr
George Hiegel
3rd semester
English