Page 4, The Herald, Monday, June 16, 1979
TERRACE/KITIMAT

daily herald

General Office - 635-8357
Clrevtation - 35-6337

GEN. MANAGER - Knox Coupland
EDITOR - Greg Middiaton

Published by
Sterling Publishers

‘CIRCULATION - TERRACE - 635-6357
KITIMAT OF FICE « 632-2747 .
Published every weekday a? 3212 Kalum Street,
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NOTE OF COPYRIGHT

The Herald retains full, complete and sale copyright In
any advertisement produced and-or any editorlat or
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Reproduction ts not permitted.

LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR.

Dear Sir:

Like all writing that
contains a small amount of
truth and a large amount of
error, Mr. Middleton's _
recent articles are likely to
command popular assent,
especially.in certain sections °
of the community. I would,
therefore, ask you for space
in your columns to comment
on some aspects of his
writing and to correct some
of the .fa¢teand miscon- .
ceptions [nherent in the first
two parts of his survey of ;
public education.

First some facts per-
taining to teacher
qualifications, about which
Mr. Middleton makes much

.play in his argument that ,
most teachers, being the
product - of university
education facilities, ‘don't
have the education they

_ should” to teach specialist
subjects. Whatever validity
there may be in this
argument, and its cogency is
certainly questionable, a
survey of the teachers
working in Caledonia High
School showed that 75 per
cent of ‘the staff had
graduated from adademic
facilities and had sub-
sequently taken the

Mecation year at university

hich entitled them to teach.

me had. : also.,: done.
ostgraduate research in
their particular specialist,
field. Although I have not
examined the credentials of
all people teaching in this
district or indeed the
province at large, it is
evident that In those schools
where specialist knowledge
is required (that is the high
schools) the large majority
is. mee than adequate)

: . It is perhaps wor
aiding, however, that the 25 °
per cent who graduated from

‘education facilities seem to
have no less success in their
teaching than the rest.

Mr. Middleton's facts, or

- his presentation of them, are
suspect. So indeed are his”

‘comments on language
skills. The two students he
quotes whe have come
through school without
having “written anytaing”’
and without having been

exposed to grammar may
have spent twelve years at
school, but they did not
succeedin graduating, not at
least from the school at
which Iam teaching. Every
teacher in the English
department devotes a
considerable (too much, in
my opinion). proportion of his
class time to instruction in
conventional grammar and
to practice in writing formal
essays. Rather than listen to
two random students, Mr.
Middleton is’ welcome to
come and see for himself.
in spite of the factual

inaccuracies and the
defective logic in Mr.
Middieton's | writing,

however, the most offensive
aspects cf his comments are
his tone and style. Among
the grosser aspects of his
slyle. are incomprehensible
remarks (‘‘the . final
examination this, year is...1
gather at least grade wide,
because the teachei didn’t
give the class formal in-
struction’) clusters
clumsy, asinine sentences
(“The example she gave me
of the things: done in this
class was that as one project
they did a poster’
and crude special pleading
(“if you wanted a gut course,

a mickey-mouser”). These -§j
and. many other faults were 5
pointed: out.to.me by some °

‘good grade 10 students I
have. Less sophisticated
members of the class found
several mistakes in Mr.
Middleton's punctuation,
There are things wrong
with the education system,

which most teachers are .

seeking to rectify. In doing
so, many at this point in the
term are suffering nervous
stress and fatigue, and, find
‘the task harder by being
assailed by the irresponsible
kind of journalistic twiddle-
twaddle produced
Middleton.

Yours truly,

. Tan Jordan

Editors note:-Ian Jordon‘s
son is not enrolled in the
tocal, public, elementary
school, but goes to a private
school.

GM.

«

CONSUMER |
COMMENT

“Get yours today! Order

a set of 25 china mugs not

of |

by Mr.

Copper

Dear Sir:

As two of the concerned parents that attended
the ‘meeting at Copper Mountain School to
discuss the problems being experienced there,
we feel we have to take exception to your com-
ments on the event. ,

to meet with the parents in the presence of the
" press it indicates his unwillingness to listen to
the concerns of parents. It should be pointed out
that Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Phillips met with the
majority of parents in the staff room, after Mrs.
Sandecki refused to allow the press to leave. At
that point Mrs, Sandecki indicated her desire
was to have her meeting with the press and not
with the representatives of the scheo! and school
district. We chose to leave because we could see
absolutely-no point in meeting to discuss school
problems, the procedures of dealing with those
problems, and possible methods of improving
the situation, without having the principal and
school district Superintendent present. What
could possibly be accomplished?

Every ‘parent there knew what the problems
-were, and from discussions with other parenta
thoughout the Terrace area the problems are not
unique to Copper Mountain School. Theft,
smoking, swearing, and disrespect for teachers
is as Common is every school in Terrace, ‘and
probably elsewhere as well. We certainly agree
that a return to the strap may be necessary, but

PROBLEMS-SOLUTIONS _
Mt. p

arent replies —

’ principals have been stripped of their power to:
You state that because Mr. Hamilton refused |

‘Hamilton she had every opportunity. The

there is no point in confronting the school with it, ”

those parents would be better advised to direct
their energy to forming a parent lobby to apply
pressure to the government to change thei.
policy. .

~ Yes, we are aware of the problems, what to do
about them is certainly another matter. School

exercise authority, thus compounding the
problem of dealing with disrespectful students.
Respect for, or lack of respect for, adults and
peers, is taught to children a long time before
they reach school age. It is therefore, a-
monumental task for teachers to try to cope with
once these children enter the school system.
We were sorry to see the confrontation at the
school, but disagree as to who was responsible
for it. Most of us were there to discuss the
problems with a view of helping to solve them.
‘There was no need for the press to be there,
having a television camera or a reporter
recording every word you say {s intimidating to
some, and not conducive to an open frank
discussion. If Mrs. Sandecki had wanted to
discuss the problems with Mr, Phillips and Mr..

najority of us did have our say. We also took the.
first step toward a solution by opening an avenue *
for dialogue between parents and school: staff.
What did Mrs. Sandecki and her group ac-
complish with their grandstand play? ~

" Sincerely, .
. Mrs. R. Clark
Marlene Monteith

DATELINE VICTORIA |

. our energy requirements." |

ST. JOHN'S, Nfid. (CP) —

‘By ED WALTERS

Say
avant
ey

Henk

‘Freesat Toute

You don't have a thing to werry about - the ambulance is parked just outside the door.

1
A
‘

IT’S THEIR 10th

Nfld. voters go to

polls

defeat and there had been

available in stores. Send the coupon below with a
cheque or money order for $50.00 to Box 666, Toronto,
Ontario.” .

Are you ever tempted by an offer like this?

Before deciding to order the mugs, here are a few
questions you should ask yourself.

First of all, would you normally want to buy a set of
twenty-five mugs?

Are you saving any money by ordering the mugs
through the mall? sti

Are you willing to pay return registered postage for
incorrect orders and merchandise that you don’t want
to keep after you've inspected it? Remember that the
Post Office doesn’t accept parcels unless the postage
is paid when it is mailed. ;

Can you find the same or stmilar mugs available
locally for the same, less or more money, without the
risks involved in dealing “long distance"?

Are you willing to accept that there may be delays in
delivery even though your cheque or money. order will
be cashed immediately? | ;

Are you prepared tophotocopy the order coupon and
keep records of when the order went, when payments
were made, when the articles arrived and were
returned and copies of any correspondence that you
had with the company? ’

If you answer “no” to four or more of these
questions, perhaps you should reconsider your in-
tention to purchase by mail.

If you have ordered products from mail companies
and have had difficulties with the order, you can
contact the following office to have the problem in-
vestigated: The Canadian Direct Mail and Marketing
Asaociation, 130 Merton Street, Toronto, Ontarlo M4S
1A4

Newfoundlanders go to the
polls today in their 10th
provincial general election
since Confederation. The
vote comes after six months”
of political developments.

The 323,000 eligible voters

‘have a choice of three

parties with a record 163
candidates in the running.
Polls open at Ba.m. and close
at 8 p.m..NDT (6:30 EDT).
Premier Brian Peckford,
who won his office with a
March 17 victory at a
Progressive Conservative
leadership convention, says
he is seeking a fresh man-
date for a five-year devélop-
ment period with no tax in-
creases. a
Don Jamieson has ap-
pealed to voters to elect his
Liberals on the basis of his
wide experience as a federal
cabinet minister. With the
exceptlon of a three-year
freeze on domestic elec-.
tricity rates and free drugs
for the elderly and
chronically ill, Jamieson
made ho promises . except
that of good government.
John Greene of the New
Democratic Party says he is
offering a new style of
government that will take
the province out of the tired
doldrums of the PCs and
Liberals,
* The PCs and Liberals have

candidates in each of the 52
districts. The NDP has
candidates in 51, having
failed to nominate a can-
didate in Torngat Mountains,
a northern Labrador coastal
district created by legis-
lation earlier this year.

In the last house there
were 51 seats, with 30 held by
the PCs and 21 by Liberals.

Same districts, such as St.
John’s Centre, have as many
as five candidates, one for
each of the parties and

various kinds of  in-
dependents,
The Liberal Reform Party,

which won four seats in the
last election in 1975, no
longer exists. The party was
created by former premier
Joseph R. Smallwood who
had failed in an earlier at-
tempt to regain the Liberal
leadership he relinquished
by resigning his government
in 1972,

Smallwood and three
others won seats on the
Liberal Reform ticket In
1975. The former premier
quit politics in 1876 and the
other three Liberal refor-
mers later moved back into
the official Liberal fold. -

Smallwood, 78, is nat a
candidate but was cam-

paigning on behalf of his sen.

Bill who is the Liberal in

Port De Grave.

Peckford, 36, a former
school teacher, was mines
and energy minister. when
Frank Moores announced
Jan, 19 that he would resign
as premier and from politics.

The: PC leadership con-
vention was ‘preceded by
heavy campaigning a8 nine

candidates sought the poat.
‘ |The new premier was

originally expected to call a
fast election after the
leadership race but he held
off, Peckford said at the time
he wanted to put his personal
stamp on the government
before going to the people.

The premier said May 25
when he called the election
that the outcome of the May
22 federal election gave him
a strong reason taseek a new
mandate, He said he wanted
to fee] he had the authority to
negotiate on Newfoundland's
behalf with Prime Minister

Clark's new PC federal

government,

On that same day some
loca). Liberals, who were
preparing for their
leadership vonvention July 6-
7, had started a draft-

, Jamieson movement,

Jamieson, 58, lost his
external affairs portfolio
with the federal Liberal

speculation he would try for
the Newfoundland lead-
ership, - ;

William N. Rowe, elected
Liberal leader two years:
-ago, was in trouble with’

some party members for his
handling of the leaking of
confidential police — In-
vestigation reports te the
hews media.

Rowe announced May 27

‘he was stepping down and

the party executive ap-
pointed Jamieson as leader.
Rowe is offering again in
Twillingate district,
Jamieson, well-known in
Newfoundland as a broad:
caster before he entered
politics, was first elected to
arliament in a 1866
byelection in Burin-Burgeo
and stayed there until this
year, .
Greene, 39, a teacher, is
pinning his hopes mainly on
the 31.4 per cent of the
popular vate the NDP picked
upin the federal election and
hopes the same strength will
show up in seats in today’s
vale, .
The NDP ha

Newfoundland provincial
elections, Federally, Fonse
Faour won Humber-Port au
Port-St. Barbe in a byelec-
tion last year and held it in
the May 22 election.

or.

’
1

“

by Marews Ry Davies
- Wednesday, June 6th marked the beginning of the

first session of the thirty-second Parliament of British. -
Columbia, the second parliament to be led by Premier. -

William R. Bennett.

4! . wot
The sitting was opened by Lieutenant-Governnr -
Henry Bell-Irving’s recital-of the‘ shortest Throne
Speech in the province's history, atwopagedocument -
which reiterates the main points from the speech of.
March 22. The only variation frém the original was the
government's expressed opposition to the develop-.
ment of nuclear power in B.C, ‘We are fortunate,” the
new speech states, “that we do not have to consider
nuclear power as one of the options necessary to meet

Highlights carried over from the original include the

~ introduction of the Denticare program, and end to

discrimination in ICBC rates, and the installment of a
Bill of Rights. i, : od

The mood in the buitdings on the first day of the new

‘| session was-more subdued and relaxed that it had

been previously, The politicians seemed relieved to
have the election out of the way, and can now “get”
down to the business of the province’, as Opposition
Leader David Barrett stated.
One got the feeling from observing the government
benches that there was more humility thanin past. It is
apparent that the people in B.C. have indeed taught
them a lesson, and with a difference of just four seats
between government and opposition that lesson shall,
not be easily forgotten. ae Pr
On the opposition’s side.of the House, where there is:
only one party for the first time since 1910, the NDP's
quiet confidence was obvious. Not wanting to flex their
new muscles too openly, the Loyal Opposition glowed .
silently at the introduction of their new MLAs. Much
valuable talent has joined the NDP caucus since the —

- last parliament, particularly in the persons of Frank-

Howard and Stu Leggatt, former Ottawa members for .
that party, and Gordon Hanson, the soft spoken ar-
cheologist who surprised pundits by being elected in
Victoria..All of these men will make welcome con-
tributions toa legislature which in past has resembled
a country carnival, . .
. The government’s benches have also been enhanced
by recent additions. The days of the used car dealer
are over as the government tries for a more polished
Hresentation. Newcomers expected to assist in that
project include Brian Smith of Oak Bay, who defeated
Tory leader Vic Stephens, and Peter Hyndman, for-
mer president of both the Tory and Social Credit
parties, There will certainly be room made for these
men in the cabinet.

The first session of this parliament js expected to
last just eight to ten weeks, with both sides determined
to stick to.business. The government: has had ample
tinge té formulate;the' strategy with which they wil]-
present themselves, and the opposition’ has adopted a
“wait and see” philosophy. The notion that the sitting
would be quiet, however, brought a chuckle and wink
from one of the new NDP members. “The sitting of the

. legislature,” he pointed out, ‘‘is'the opposition’s only
opportunity tomake headlines. We can’t be too quiet.”

It is not expected that the NDP will oppose the
Denticare program, or alterations in the ICBC rate “
structure, however there will likely be controversy
over departmental estimates when the budget is
brought down, In the past this has proven to be the

.most effective weapon for the opposition, “who

especially delight in debating the premier’s estimates.
If there are any moments of colour in this first session,
they will likely come during that debate. -

This sitting will also coincide with the distribution of
shares in the B.C, Resource Investment Corporation.
The NDP is waiting to see if the scheme is successful,
hoping to jump with both feet on any flaws in the
program. Fodder for many exciting question periods
could be found. ;

When looking at the new House, and new members,
British Columbians, regardless of political per-

’ suasion, should be pleased with what they see. On May

10th, the people elected the most responsible, most

* accountable legislature to sit in this province for more’

than twenty years. Both parties understand how close
they are to being on the other side of the Floor. Should

they not lose sight of this fact, the real winners will be —

the people of B.C.

Parting notes: NDP Leader Dave Barrett, contrary to

-yumour, is in no danger of losing his job. Members of

that party seem to want to give Dave ore more
chance, Any challenge that does happen will come at
the NDP’s annual convention on the Labour. Day -
weekend. ae

- New NDP MLA Stu Leggatt was openly pleased with
his change of jobs from Ottawa to Victoria, “This —
way,’’ the future NDP leader stated, ‘I don’t have to
fly DC-10s across the country.” =

TODAY IN HISTORY

never
elected a candidate in -

.

1812 — The United States
declared war on Britain,
142 — Beatle Paul Me-
Cartney was born ‘in Aller-

. June 18, 1979

Napoleon was defeated at
Waterloo 164 years ago today
— in 1815. Napoleon, who had

escaped from exilein Elba, ton, near Li l,
tad mere for 100 days England. verpoo
rou rance gathering -S
men and arms, The Duke of 15d Eevee was declared

Wellington met him on a % Tepubile.
Brussels road with his mixed te — Queen Elizabeth
allied army. Fighting lasted "4 Prince Philip arrived by ~

alr al. Torbay, Nfid., to begin

all day, and at dusk, the | oval tour of Canada,

allied line advanced and the
French disintegrated. The-
French suffered 40,000 cas-
valties. The defeat ended
Napoleon's hopes of
tedining power,

i971 — Maple Leaf Gar-
dens executives Harolc
Ballard and C. Staffor¢
Smythe were charged with
fraud and theft,