Sunset from PLC
A clear day in February in Eugene is always news A hint of spring fever lingered in the air over the city during Wednesday's warm temperatures
Drinking survey
polls undergrads
By Debbie Howlett
Of the Emerald
Students seem to know what they're drinking but they don't
know the laws or the dangers associated with drinking,
according to surveys taken at two West Coast universities
The results of those surveys have prompted concern from
some groups on this campus, enough concern that University
undergraduates are being polled about their drinking habits
The Alcohol Education Committee, a group of students,
faculty and physicians formed in January — anxious to find out
more about student drinking — approached the University's
sociology department A "survey methods" class is laying the
foundations for the committee s poll of 1,000 undergraduates
The survey, already in the distribution stage, will question
drinkers and non-drinkers about the role alcohol plays in their
lives
Under the direction of Patricia Gwartney-Gibbs. an associate
professor in sociology, the survey will survey to ascertain why.
when and who students drink with The survey includes a
section to poll non-drinkers
"The basic reason (for the survey),’’ says Gwartney-Gibbs.
"is that alcohol abuse is thought to be a big problem among
young people today. Nothing is presently known about
University of Oregon students and alcohol use "
Gwartney-Gibbs says that studies of student drinking have
been conducted at Washington State University, where there is
reported to be severe alcohol abuse and misinformation
problems and at the University of California at Berkeley
The survey is also the first step toward educating students
about alcohol regulation. Part of the survey is a section of
about 20 questions that tests students on their knowledge of
drinking laws.
"A typical question is one like 'is it illegal to move my keg
from my house to someone else’s?’ ’’ says Gwartney-Gibbs
Gwartney-Gibbs says that the survey will probably be ans
wered by about 75 percent of those who receive them
"I want to stress that the responses (to the University survey)
can in no way be connected to the respondents There is total
anonymity."
Gwartney-Gibbs and her class are doing the survey for
"$1,300 or $1,400, most of which is postage costs," she adds
The completed surveys may be returned through the mail, or
a drop box located in the ASUO offices of the EMU. The results
of the survey should be finished toward the end of spring term,
says Gwartney-Gibbs, but the answers and the results of the
"knowledge questions" will be finished within a few weeks
Page 12
Pioneer Montessori class
offers a total education
By Debbie Howlett
Ot the Emerald
The "parent’s handbook"
from the Pioneer Montessori
Children's Home reads more
like "Zen and the Art of Motor
cycle Maintenance," than a
rule book from a elementary
school.
"There are just too many day
care centers doing minimal
kinds of babysitting,” says Fred
Echeandia. founder and owner
of the Pioneer Montessori
"Were looking for more
academic and cultural types of
experiences "
On a recent visit to the school,
located upstairs in the Central
Presbyterian Church at 15th
Ave and Patterson St., the
children worked quietly
while a tour was conduct
ed
"Look at them," said
Echeandia "The one over there
school carry teaching creden
tials from Washington and
Oregon The eight staff
members have 16 years of study
between them in Europe at
Montessori colleges
"Each member of our staff
has two graduate degrees,"
class setting The children at
tending the school are involved
in much the same learning
processes that public schools
provide, but Echeandia is
careful to point out that the
children at his school learn
grace and basic skills before
Children are taught grace and basic skills
before other skills are learned.
says Echeandia
The "Montessori approach"
evolved from Dr Maria Montes
sori's philosophy of a ' univer
sal movement for human re
construction that follows
a single path " Montessori
"defines and redifines the con
cept of total education.' ac
cording to an introduction
pamphlet
Pictures of Maria Montessori
other courses are pursued
The children also must clean
up areas they've been working
in "A lot of children that young
don’t take the time to do those
things,” says Echeandia
In all three of the classrooms
plants, birds and fish occupy
space among the students as if
their natural habitat is the
second floor of a church
Echeandia says that fish are
one of his hobbies and that
they provide the students with a
knowledge and value of nature
The windows in the school
are made so that they are low to
the floor and easily accessable
to small children Echeandia
says that accessable windows
are requisite for a Montessori
schools "They let the child see
beyond the classroom,” she
says
The Pioneer Montessori Chil
dren’s Home is one of seven
Montessoris in Lane County
There are five in Eugene,
of which Echeandia says that
his is the only "AMI accredited”
one
Thursday, February 25,1982
'The approach is based upon the philo
sophy of Dr. Maria Montessori’s concept of
a more total education. ’
in the pinafore, she's only 3'/2
and she’s come such a long
way.”
The “Montessori approach,”
says Echeandia, is one of plac
ing the child in a "beautiful en
vironment" to learn and explore
the world at their own pace
“We want to balance the
European Montessori with
community needs," he
adds
The teaching staff at the
are hung throughout the class
rooms
Enrollment has grown from 28
children, three years ago when
the school was founded, to
about 75 now, says Echeandia
Currently, about 75 percent of
the children are pre-school
ages
The children progress from a
“pre-school,’' that stresses
grace and movement, says
Echeandia, to an elementary