• Friday Enter rtse September 27, 1985 Shreveport, La. Number 1 Volume XVI Captain Shreve High School, Bennett The merry-go-round visits Late • school aga1n • • • Although the only parts by Leslie Goldman of Shreve U.S. Secretary Page One Editor of Education William The time is 1:23. The Bennett saw when he with the visited the school in August halls are empty were the cafeteria and exception of one student auditorium and their -~ who runs through the hall­ foyers, he did recognize ' way, looking frantic, try­ and congratulate school ing desperately to find his and parish officials for the class. Another tardy to add school's Excellence in Edu­ to his list. This one will cation Award from 1983. reward him with one hour Superin­ Caddo Parish of detention hall along with tendent Walter Lee gave a phone call home. Bennett a warm welcome in the Shreve cafeteria as How many people would he introduced him to ap­ have believed that when proximately 200 area Captain Shreve first businessmen and politic­ opened there was no writ· ians. Lee said, "The great­ ten tardy policy? Teachers U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett spoke to a group of area businessmen in the est tribute we can pay to to deal with Shreve cafeteria on a recent tour of schools that have been awarded the Excellence in Edu­ were allowed him is to say that he is a cation Award. After Bennett left Shreve, he taught a class at Middle Magnet. late students at their own teacher." descretion . When Sandra McCalla became principal of Shreve in 1979, there was still no written policy to deal with Student leaders generally agree on national issues tardies. But, lo and behold, in 1983 one was put into school government leaders legalized abort ion in the fewer of the school's lead­ by Curt Brandao effect. According to who attended a convention country. ~rs, only 21 percent (and Editorial Editor there was no at the National Associa­ Are social needs more only 5 percent of the girls), McCalla, How do Shreve student tion of Student Councils in important than national either use or have friends perceived need for a policy leaders compare to other Pittsburgh this summer. defense? Shreve leaders that use marijuana or other until this time, when the school leaders throughout Do we need laws to did not agree with other drugs. Nationwide, the tardies became consistent the country when it comes control the use of hand­ students on this issue: students surveyed knew and frequent. to their ideas about issues guns? Nationwide, nearly Only 25 percent of those even fewer, only 15 per­ The first tardy policy of either social or political 70 percent of the students surveyed in this school cent. required teachers to call a support laws, while a larger social concerns are concerns? think Should certain crimes be mom or dad when a stu­ many issues, such as percentage of Shreve more important than a On punishable by death? dent got three tardies. Next handgun control, abortion, leaders, 88 percent, sup­ strong national defense, Both groups agree that the five tardies and one hour voluntary prayer in the port legislation that would while 69 percent of the death penalty is necessary detention. Eight and schools, and drinking, control the use of hand­ boys and 84 percent of the to protect society from Ten students agree guns. nationwide thought another phone call. Shreve girls those who do serious harm other students across Should the drinking age national defense and another hour in de­ with that to others. However, on be raised to 21? Shreve take a back seat to tention. Thirteen, a phone the country. should Should voluntary prayer issues of raising the leaders generally want to needs . call, fifteen, detention, the social be allowed in public age to 21 and the keep the legal age for being another call, drinking schools? Again, a major­ eighteen, of national able to purchase liquor at Is alcohol more popular importance ity of the student leaders in twenty, one day suspen­ over social con­ 18. Only 30 percent of those in high school than drugs? defense both groups, 67 percent at sion and on twenty-one, cerns, Shreve students' survey"ed think it should be Both sets of students say Shreve, tlelieve that their suspension pending a ditfer. raised to 21 . However, on it is. opinions ' friends who want to pray in school board hearing. Fifty students who are the national scene, 57 per­ Do you or afty of your school should be allowed to This lasted through either club officers or are cent of the students polled friends drink alcohol at do so. and easily recognized for their want it raised. least once a week? 77 school years 1983-84 Responses on a national to the school in Should abortions be percent of the Shreve stu­ 1984-85 and in 1985-86, a service level indicate that girls various capacities were legal? Students at Shreve, dents and 78 percent of change. Nothing major, seem to be more " liberal" surveyed by The Enter­ and those surveyed at the those nationwide say yes to just if a student is five than thier male counter­ prise so that their answers convention in Pittsburgh, this question . minutes or more late to any of your parts, but at Shreve, the could be compared to the are equally split over this Do you or any class after first hour, he use marijuana or girls generally held the answers of a Gannett News decision: half are pro­ friends cannot be admitteo to that choice and half are against other drugs? Substantially "conservative" viewpoint. Service survey of 793 high _ class. Students must take an unexcused absence for that class, and sit in room #114 , Assistant Principal John Harper named semifinalist in competition Don Horton's waiting room for the remainder of the by Sara Benecke more than one million juniors confirm a qualifying test Per­ period. News Editor took the test. formance on the Scholastic The tardy pol icy has been Senior John R. Harper was Harper will now compete Aptitude Test (SAT) and he must very effective overall, recently notified that he is against the other semifinalists submit information about his but what new, if any Scholar­ activi­ among 15,000 high school for about 5,800 Merit school and community changes will be in the ships worth nearly $21 million. interests, and seniors to qualify as a semi­ ties, personal future? If people continue finalist in the competition for If Harper, who tl1inks he has a goals. to be late, it will surely National Merit Scholarships. He good chance to become a final­ Of the 15,000 students, at be more strictly enforced, scored in the top half of one ist, does get a scholarship he least 13,900 are expected to p,ercent of the Louisiana senior hopes "to look into Baylor. meet the requirements but only and if people continue to be class on the National Merit To get to the finals, Harper about 6,800 (40%) of the final­ on time, it may someday Scholarship Qualifying Test must have full endorsement from ists will be awarded Merit disappear completely. (PSAT/NMSQT) last fall when Principal Sandra McCalla to Scholarships. Senior John Harper Enterprise September 27, 1985 2 Enriched phased programs LJH.4.T I~ ~1.$ j1B~~RISK ~ ~lfT~15 I 1M. ~'f. ~ LN.DE~)TN-IP I CAN'T ~r:AO tt-il~ NoTE. Hh)~ "'"~ Fl.l(MT IliA\ ltAt~~.:Ah~ATtoN ~ $£ should be questioned ~ HA"e. 'leu SEEN 3t\4. ~lou.~. A We>~ ~llT l,JE CAN'T If a public education system of any size devotes exceed­ ~ 1~E LAST ~11 z I wk;, ~ HcoT~ A4£-Ef'T IT AS AN E.~. ing energy and funds to enriched phased courses , using them ~ ~ Lie.I::S. as an intoxicating excuse for doing less for others, it is not a / public education system any longer. Showcasing an educa­ tion for fast students who already have the ingredients for / learning is no more, and possibly even less , important than cultivating those same characteristics in uninspired students. Gifted students do need special treatment and oppor­ tunities, but so do students in all other "categories" - ~ · perhaps even more so , because truly gifted students really don 't need that much help by comparison. The fortunate minority of students with the desire to learn also have the confident care in themselves to ask questions and study on their own , which, perhaps, is one of the best places for ad­ vanced studies to take place. More time and money should be shifted toward bringing out these abilities to learn in stu­ dents who do not already have them . It has been argued that one reason the enriched phased program was developed was to keep fast students from being held back. Still , enriched students may also be kept from important, but general , information in the name of advanced learning . For example, many students going through four years of enriched English, obviously a more advanced curriculum class than its general and basic counterparts, application . Learning how to fil l competition a job of have never even seen Metrics miles ahead out a job application is being taught now to many general English students. The argument of whether one is better to the pencil, you 're carrying it learn than the other could be debated for a lifetime. Surely Paperplay by Curt Brandao a bit too far. would be learning both, but the present system Curt the ideal The police have Clyde Fant impossible than it of phased courses makes that much more Parkway netted with so much Brandao I asked a rather older, should be .