ssttaarr--nneewwss 4a The Goodland Star-News / Friday, March 30, 2007 opinion from our viewpoint... Competition answer to school overhaul How to solve the school mess? Mayor Rudy Giuliani has convinced us where Speaker Newt Gingrich never could: The solution lies in competition. That means a complete overhaul of our school system, but then why not? It’s a mess today. Everyone agrees on that. Let’s be fair. American schools, whatever their faults, remain among the best in the world. Government interference, first by states and then by the federal government, shackled them with an increasing burden. When it appeared they were dragging, the solution always has been more money and more rules. Neither works. Neither produced the kind of drive for excellence we perceived our schools as having a century ago. Part of the problem is expectations. For much of that 100 years, we’ve pushed every year to get more and more kids into schools. Out here in rural America, most kids succeed. Most graduate, al- most all of those go on to some kind of post-secondary education. In our cities, though half, even 75 percent of minority students still drop out. Without education, they face a bleak future of un- employment, poverty, crime, drugs and despair. The No Child Left Behind Act, supposedly President Bush’s crowning achievement, set even more regulations and spends even more money, but it won’t work. All men may be created equal, but not all of us have equal capacity for learning, at least school learning. But No Child may be the saving grace for our schools. It may finally make things so bad we see that More of the Same isn’t going Statuary Hall immortalizes our history to cut it. Thick books of federal and state regulations won’t teach kids anything. Teaching them to pass standardized tests won’t get Saints and sinners, rebels and kings, Ameri- 1810, and Thomas Starr King, California, and them a job. can citizens and those who came before state- cynthia William King of Maine. The solution, the mayor says, lies in creating competition, com- hood, all are immortalized in the National Kansas has Dwight D. Eisenhower, who re- petition among public and private schools, church schools, char- Statuary Hall at the Capitol in Washington. haynes placed former Gov. George Washington Glick, ter schools and for-profit schools. If every parent gets a voucher We were in Washington for the National and John Ingalls, a U.S. Senator and noted wit. to spend, and every parent shops for the best education for her Newspaper Association’s annual Government • open season Some Kansans hope to replace Ingalls with children, then soon, only the best schools will survive. Affairs Conference. The meetings give us a a statue of Amelia Earhart. Freed from burdensome regulations, public schools ought to chance to talk to our legislators, visit the em- explorer and Franciscan monk spread Catholi- Many names and faces were unfamiliar. I be able to compete. Teachers could teach again, principals could bassy of a foreign power and hear some inter- cism over Mexico and California in the 1700s. admit I don’t have a clue about the significance supervise and discipline. esting speakers. A couple of statues down is Huey Long, an in- of the statues of Lewis Wallace, Indiana; John Only the market will tell, of course. There’s no telling what This year we got a special treat, as Rep. Chet famous governor and U.S. senator from Loui- Wheeler, Alabama; or Jason Lee, Oregon. education would look like in 50 years, but it’d be far better than Edwards from the 17th District in Texas took siana, who was assassinated. The populist However, I recognized Texas freedom fight- the mess we have today. us on a private evening tour of the capitol. Rep. Long was both loved and hated, called a hero ers and pioneers Stephen Austin and Sam Scary? Sure. Edwards, a Democrat, has the distinction, if and a dangerous influence. Houston; Hawaii’s priest to the lepers, Father The education establishment — school boards, superintendents, you want to call it that, of being President A short walk around the hall brings you to Damien; Oklahoma’s own Will Rogers; Mis- teachers, everyone who draws a school paycheck — they won’t George W. Bush’s congressman. the statues of a couple of Confederate heroes: souri painter Thomas Hart Benton; Pennsylva- like it, not at first. We visited the Senate floor, looked at a two- Robert E. Lee, Virginia, and Jefferson Davis, nian and steam ship inventor Robert Fulton; Change scares people. But we’ve been living with change for man debate going on in the House, looked at old Mississippi — patriots who turned their back Colorado scientist Florence Sabin; and a years now, and even teachers agree it hasn’t been good. rooms and new rooms, antechambers and hall- on the Union in favor of their home states. couple of patriots, Massachusetts’ Samuel The old days aren’t coming back. We’ll have to jump into the ways. Each had a story — sometimes lots of sto- Another rebel statue is that of Po’Pay, of Adams and Virginia George Washington. future, and the American experience shows, time and time again, ries. Here were places where history was made. New Mexico, who helped lead an uprising Other names from history, famous orators, with airlines, trucks, railroads, cars, appliances, that competition The Statuary Hall held a special fascination among his fellow Pueblo Indians against the judges and leaders, include Utah’s Brigham is the way to make things better. Let’s get with it. — Steve Haynes for me. Spanish in the 1600s, before our founding fa- Young, Nebraska’s William Jennings Bryan, The hall was the meeting place for the House thers were even born. South Carolina’s John C. Calhoun, Kentucky’s of Representatives from 1807 to 1857. Now it Oklahoma’s Sequoyah, a Cherokee; Henry Clay, Tennessee’s Andrew Jackson, houses a collection of larger-than-life figures Wyoming’s Washakie and North Dakota’s Ohio’s James Garfield and New Hampshire’s of those who went before. Sacagawea, both Shoshones; and Nevada’s Daniel Webster. The statues, up to two per state, spill out of Sarah Winnemucca, a Piute, represent native It’s a strange place that brings all these people the large round room into halls on all sides. Americans. of different beliefs and backgrounds together By one door stands California’s Father Kings are represented by Kamehameha I, — in the heart of a country which believes in Junipero Serra with a cross. The early Spanish who established the kingdom of Hawaii in diversity and freedom. The Goodland Star-News Craving fame (USPS No. 222-460. ISSN 0893-0562) Member: Kansas Press Association I’ll wear a blond shag haircut, a leisure suit The result is that we’ve created a society of Inland Press Association Colorado Press Association and sing a syrupy Barry Manilow tune. If that tom young narcissists. National Newspaper Association doesn’t get me onto ‘American Idol,’ Simon We have? e-mail: [email protected] Cowell can eat his own head. purcell Five psychologists just released an interest- Ah, yes, you sum up America’s fascination ing study. It found that today’s college kids are Steve Haynes, President with fame and celebrity. Both are explored in commentary more narcissistic than previous generations. Tom Betz, Editor 20 06 2006 ‘Fame Junkies,’ an interesting new book by • Narcissists tend to lack empathy. They’re con- Erica Harlan, Copy Editor Jake Halpern. sumed with self-love. They crave fame be- Sharon Corcoran, Society Editor Fame Junkies? fame even more often. cause they want the adulation of millions. Pat Schiefen, Reporter Did you know that more people watch That isn’t a fair question. Fame has nothing I don’t need to be adored by millions. But a to do with intelligence. Isn’t that made clear Sports Editor ‘American Idol’ than all three major network few hundred thousand would be nice. evening news shows combined? every time Hollywood actors open their yaps? Freud had a term for what is going on: wish- Jordie Mann, Advertising Sales Our longing for fame is a recent phenomenon. Sheila Smith, Office Manager It’s no wonder. Things haven’t been as com- ful thinking. We’ve created a generation of kids pelling since Rather left the air. Consider: In 1963, according to Gallup, Ameri- who are lost in a fantasy world. They see them- Nor’west Press Did you know, according to a study by Har- cans most admired Lyndon Johnson, Winston selves as they’d like to be, rather than as they Jim Bowker, General Manager vard University and the Kaiser Family Foun- Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. In 2005, really are. You have to wonder what happens Richard Westfahl, DeLisa Allen, Betty Morris, dation, that 31 percent of teens are convinced Bono and Donald Trump topped the list. when people who crave fame fail to achieve it James Jackson, Lana Westfahl, they’ll be famous? They believe they’re en- Hey, common sense: You’re fired! – or when people who achieve it realize it Dana Huthansel, David Erickson titled to fame — that it will solve all their prob- Halpern told me there are two types of kids doesn’t solve their problems and ends up cre- lems. who long for fame most: the spoiled ones ating even more. nwkansas.com It’ll solve my problems. The waitress at the whose parents taught them they were the cen- Why don’t you ask Britney Spears? ter of the universe, and kids who were under- N.T. Betz, Director of Internet Services diner will finally go out with me. It makes me realize how lucky I was to grow Halpern interviewed 653 middle-school stu- appreciated by their parents. up as I did. We had only three television chan- ([email protected]) dents in Rochester, N.Y. When he asked them Talk about under-appreciated. My mother nels — no celebrity shows were on. And I was Evan Barnum, Systems Admin.([email protected]) if they’d rather be a personal assistant to a ce- used to hang a Budweiser around my neck so part of a big family. We had to learn how to lebrity, a corporate CEO, an Ivy League presi- the old man would read to me. share and laugh and be considerate. Narcissis- Published every Tuesday and Friday except the days observed for New The longing also correlates to the self-es- Year’s Day and Christmas Day, at 1205 Main Ave., Goodland, Kan. 67735. dent, a Navy SEAL or a U.S. senator, 43.4 per- tic behavior would have gotten us grounded. Periodicals postage paid at Goodland, Kan. 67735; entered at the Good- cent of girls chose ‘celebrity assistant.’ teem movement of the 1970s. By praising ev- Look, as delightful as this discussion is, you land, Kan., Post Office under the Act of Congress of March 8, 1878. I’d rather do chores for a celebrity than be a erything children did, adults unwittingly cre- still haven’t answered my question. You think POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Goodland Star-News, 1205 senator. Though I have to admit rubbing cream ated teens and young adults who can’t take the blond shag haircut, leisure suit and a syrupy Main Ave., Goodland, Kan. 67735. on Rosie O’Donnell’s bunions would get a little criticism and who demand the praise they think Barry Manilow tune will get me to the big time? TELEPHONE: (785) 899-2338. Editorial e-mail: star-news@nw- old. fame will bring. Why not. It worked for Barry Manilow. kansas.com. Advertising questions can be sent to: goodlandads@nwkan- Ah, the good old days. When we played sas.com When given the option of becoming famous, Tom Purcell is a nationally syndicated hu- The Goodland Star-News assumes no liability for mistakes or omissions beautiful, stronger or smarter, boys chose fame kickball, we weren’t permitted to compete, and mor columnist. Email him at Purcell@cagle- in advertising or failure to publish beyond the actual cost of the ad. almost as often as intelligence. Girls chose everybody got a trophy! cartoons.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: In Sherman County and adjacent counties: three months, $29; six months, $46; 12 months, $81. Out of area, weekly mailing of two issues: three months, $39; six months, $54; 12 months, $89 (All tax included). Mailed individually each day: (call for a price). Incorporating: Letter Policy where to write The Goodland Star-News encourages and The Goodland Daily News welcomes letters from readers. Letters U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, 109 Hart Senate State Rep. Jim Morrison, State Capitol should be typewritten, and must include a Office Building, Washington D.C. 20510. Building Rm. 124-N, Topeka, KS 66612. 1932-2003 telephone number and a signature. Un- (202) 224-4774; web address — roberts- (785) 296-7676; e-mail address — jmorriso- The Sherman signed letters will not be published. Form .senate.gov @ink.org letters will be rejected, as will letters U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, 303 Hart Sen- State Sen. 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Statuary Hall Immortalizes Our History Craving Fame
