PACE TWO ROGUE NEWS Fri , Nov. 5, 1971 Protest Of The Amchitka Blast President Nixon's announcement of October 27 that the "go-ahead" had been given to the nuclear blast at Amchitka has brought dismay to many, including the Canadian ambassador. Perhaps the tragedy lies not in the possible consequences of the blast itself, but in the fact that protest from seven environment groups has been useless. Also, a document containing the possible effects of the blast has been protected by executive privilege; J. R. Schlesinger, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has indicated that it should not be disclosed. The warhead, despite much protest, will be detonated by November 4. It will be just another case where action within the law has failed; one would hope in the future the government will be willing to wait and consider the arguments of concerned citizens. -D.W. Representatives By Grouping The 20-15 vote approving Lesli Peterson's proposal for election of Student Senators is a major step forward in student government. No longer will student elections be under the arbitrary control of the class-scheduling computer. Under the present system, students must vote from groups which they Tiad no say in choosing. Consequently, many students never have a chance to vote for the representative of their choice, but end up choosing the lesser of two evils. Miss Peterson's plan provides freedom of choice. Students will group according to their own wishes, and elect a Senator from their own group. Thus every vote would have equal weight, and large groups of students would not be denied a voice in their government. A second advantage of the Peterson proposal is that it may enhance interest in student government. Hitherto uninterested students (science, shop, or art specialists, and other special interest groups), when grouped together, would provide a healthy diversity in the field of interest involved in the Student Senate. Adoption of the Peterson election proposal, along with the rest of the new student constitution, should lead to a dynamic new era in student government. The student council should be lauded for its work to achieve this goal. -L.T. Regulations Violate Constitution City Ordinance No. 626, "An ordinance defining the meaning of the words 'park and 'park, and to regulate the use of the public parks of the City of Ashland, Oregon," is illegally vague and directly contradictory to the Constitution of the United States. A closer look at a few sections of the ordinance will expose this. Section 5 of the ordinance says, "No one shall make any political or religious address, or solicit fares or beg or publicly solicit subscriptions in any part of the parks." The First Amendment to the Constitution states that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances." Section S obviously curtails the freedoms of religion and speech. Two other sections of the ordinance circumvent the First Amendment right of freedom of expression. Section 8 forbids carrying any sign in the parks. The last part of Section 10 says that, "No one shall distribute any circulars, cards, or other written or printed matter in any park." Vagueness is evident in two more sections of the park ordinance. Section 16 declares that, "No person shall solicit the acquaintance of another in any park, or annoy or follow children, or distribute obscene literature, or in any way annoy another." The question is, what constitutes annoyance? To many people, long hair is annoying. Are long hairs barred from the park? The Supreme Court has ruled that the term loiter is unconstitutionally vague, unless defined within the statute in which it is used. According to Section 24, "No male person other than a child with its mother, or a park employe in the discharge of his regular duties, shall enter a public comfort station marked 'women', or loiter about the entrance of such comfort stations'. This is precisely the type of law struck down by the Supreme Court. Major sections of the city park ordinance are unconstitutionally vague or contradictory to the First Amendment. The City Council has no alternative but to repeal at least part of Ordinance 626. -L.T. Ti rui i"uiT' Comment Change History Dear Editor: The schools in the Ashland district need a change in the sequence in which they teach history now. A student history calss starts with Columbus discovering America and continues to, or just through World War I. By the time a student goes through his 12 years of public schools he has learned about the discovery of America by Columbus at least four times. History is no longer interesting to the students because after four years it is just memorization of dates and places. The sequence which history should be taught follows: In fourth grade, history classes should begin with the students inquiring about their state. They should spend one complete year learning when their state was admitted to the Union, why it was admitted, and why it was needed by the people of this country. Fifth and sixth grades should study the period from the crusades to present times, the first history that involves our country starts with the crusades. If the Arabs had not closed the overland passage to the east, causing the crusades, Columbus may not have had to sail west to get to the east and would not have discovered America. Seventh, eighth, and ninth grades should be engaged in a continuous three year course starting with the first historical recording of man and go to the discovery of America. In seventh grade a student is old enough to understand this material. Three years would be taken to cover the material well. 10th and 11th grades would be needed to cover the material from Marco Polo to present times. The reason for starting with Marco Polo is to reinforce the material about Columbus from the previous year, and with the students added maturity, to better understand the pressures behind the voyage. 12th grade would remain the ALA)T. I same as now a consideration of modern problems. Repetition cannot be completely abolished, but in a continuous nine year course, repetition is kept as a minimum. Susan Gross Unit Needs Vary Dear Editor: I am writing to complain about something that many other people (besides myself) have gone through, and many others will have to go through unless something is changed. I feel that there is a fairly simple solution to this problem. School systems throughout the United States differ a great deal, one from another. The requirements for graduation vary from state to state. The credits given for classes are not the same in every school, thus creating another problem. At the beginning of my junior year I moved from California to Oregon and therefore, was forced to transfer schools. Because of the difference in the requirements for graduation and the curriculum, I had to take one semester of World History and some type of science. But, unlike many other students have have transferred here, I am getting off fairly easy. I know that others have had to take many other courses because of the stupid ruling that requires certain courses to be taken before a certificate of graduation can be awarded to the student. I strongly feel that the school systems, or at least the requirements for graduation should be made the same throughout our country. If no change is made in the present systems of school-the requirements and curriculum, I think that some sort of alteration should be made in the new person's curriculum and requirements for graduation so that he would not be forced to take ad di tonal courses in order to graduate. I know what when these "special" cases are taken into consideration and the necessary alterations are arranged in the person's Curriculum, that the person J CIIOLJTIC J IfCCj THE ROGUE NEWS Published bi-weekly, during the school months, by the Associated Student Body of Ashland Senior High School, 201 Mountain Avenue, Ashland, Oregon 97520 Subscription cost $2.50 per year. Editor Lois Hill Managing Editor Larry Taylor News Editor Julie Harrison Feature Editor Rick Stanek Sports Editors Kevin Gandee, Mike Hocking Advertisers Shirley Deisman, Sharon Hill, Jeralyn Lewis Business Manager Mary Hoxie Photographers Harold Berninghausen, Walter Vait Illustrator & Cartoonist . Dale Nelson Reporter Willie Thompson Researcher Rosario De La Torre Guest Writers Janice Lynch & Pat Overand Advisor Clifford Brock appreciates the favor and their attitudes, toward the school and administration are more favorable. I really do think that something should be done about this matter as it becomes very irritating to many people. Signed, Lark Herrin School Pollution To the Editor: There is pollution all over the world. At Ashland High School, there is pollution. It comes in many ways and forms. For example, the students eat their lunches outside on the grass. When they go to their next class, they leave the papers and bags on the grass or they throw it on the ground. Another example of pollution is the incinerator. It blows black smoke and other little particles that cuase pollution. The last example of pollution I can think of is the cars. The majority of the students drive cars to school. Some of the cars pollute the air. The fumes coming out of the cars are polluting the air. Pretty soon we students will not be able to find our way to our next class because of pollution. Yours truly, Laure Barrus State Coverage To the Editor: This is to congratulate you on the improved coverage of Ashland High School's cross-country team this year. I know the member of the team have appreciated receiving some recognition. I know you are aware of the state meet which will be held in Eugene on November 6. If Ashland's football or basketball team was participating in a state championship, how much coverage would you give them? Could we hope that the cross-country team might receive equal treatment? The cross-country team has a good chance of bringing a state championship trophy home to Ashland. I know they would appreciate all the support you can give them. Scott Harbert