PAGE TWO
ROGUE NEWS
Fri. Nov. 19. 1971
far )
National Merit winners seem pleased at the announcement of their
achievement. From left, they are Commended Students Larry
Taylor, Julie Engle, and Ray Bartley, and Semi-Finalist Dennis
Leyhold.
(Id)llH0U6ite
The Bicycle Commission
In answer to a cry by Oregonians, the state legislature and the
Ashland city planning commission have acted wisely. The legislature
has set aside one percent of highway funds for bicycle paths and the
planning commission has taken action in mapping out possible
routes for bikeways.
Since biking has become a popular means of transportation and
entertainment, it seems only natural to encourage this trend into
becoming permanent. Benefits of the bicycle range from invigorating
exercise to cheap, non-pollutant travel, and good available facilities
will enthuse current bike riders and entice others to join in.
Siskiyou Boulevard is first priority for planned paths. This is also
a wise move as Siskiyou is the main traffic route running through
Ashland, serving as a connection between SOC and southern Ashland
and the business district, Lithia Park and northern Ashland.
However paths should not end here. At the first bike commission
meeting, routes running along North Main, through Lithia Park,
along the Southern Pacific right of way, and possibly along the
Talent irrigation ditch were discussed. These suggestions should be
followed up as one main route will not meet future needs of Ashland
bikers.
Proposed bike paths are one right step in establishing a healthy
"free-wheeling" city. Let's support the city's bicycle endeavors.
-R.S.
"Stop AnTfrisk" Law
A law of dubious constitutionality has been forwarded recently
by the Ashland City Council. This is the so-called "stop and frisk"
ordinance.
The stop and frisk law would allow the police to stop a person
believed to be committing, to have committed, or to be about to
commit a crime. A person could also be searched or held in
detention for two hours.
The new ordinance is designed to replace an old "loitering and
prowling" law. That law declared it unlawful "for any person to
loiter or prowl in a place, at a time, or in a manner not usual for law
abiding persons under circumstances that warrant alarm for the
safety of persons or property in the vicinity." This law was declared
unconstitutional last month by City Court Judge Glenn Munsell, on
grounds of vagueness.
Supporters of the stop and frisk law assert a number of arguments
in its favor. They point out that, unlike the old ordinance, the new
law would not allow police to arrest "suspicious" persons. Detention
or questioning would be, they maintain, simply an investigative
matter. Thus, no arrest record would be involved.
Second, it is brought up that the new ordinance would require
police to accord detained citizens their constitutional rights, even
though no arrest is made.
Finally, as City Councilman Roland McCannon put it, "I don't
see how any law-abiding person can object to this. The police aren't
going to go out and pick up people at random."
These arguments miss the point entirely. The danger of the stop
and frisk law is that it could be used to harass citizens. The police
would have the right to stop and detain any person, since any person
could theoretically commit a crime at any given time. Anyone
raising the ire of the police or the city government in general could
be nabbed under this law.
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall
not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized."
The Founding Fathers forbade just such laws as the stop and frisk
ordinance when they wrote this amendment. How can someone be
secure in his person or effects when he can at any time be hauled to
jail, searched, and held for two hours?
There is a trend toward erosion of constitutional rights in this
country. "No-knock" laws, government wiretaps, and conspiracy
statutes are examples of this straying from the constitutional path.
The stop and frisk ordinance is a local instance of attempted
circumvention of the Constitution. If this nation is to preserve its
cherished freedoms, violations must be opposed on all levels of
government.
-L.T.
"New Hope" Fails To
Live Up To Reputation
By Rick Stanek
"New Hope", a pop music group that performed here last Nov. 4,
may have been "compared favorably with groups like 'Chicago' and
'The Association," but they sure didn't live up to the big name that
was given them by both high school promoters and abroad.
Probably the main reason for this was that half or more of their
show concentrated on various "humorous" dialogue and skits. The
music performed served only as a background to the humor, while it
seemed it should have been the other way around: a little humor and
fun added to a musical program. After all, "New Hope" is supposed
to be a musical group, isn't it?
"New Hope" started off the show with a rocking number. This
caught the audiences attention, and one might have thought, "These
guys are pretty good. This might be a good assembly." But that idea
was struck down several songs later as New Hope broke out of the
music and into the funnies, which at times even lacked good humor.
Audience participation is an excellent idea, especially in a musical
assembly, but the way New Hope handled it left something to be
desired. Instead of a student body sing-along, or something of this
sort, a soap opera imitation was staged with two students. What
happened to the music?
Altogether, about five or six songs were performed in a 50-minute
show. Afterwards, a sound man for the group explained that that
night at the SOC show, under about 17 would be played. He said the
reason for this was that high school students enjoy the type of show
they had just played, while their college show appealed to a slightly
older group.
What's the deal? Did this five song performance appeal to
Ashland High students, or was there something lacking?
J CIIOLAITIC J I JdGCI
( punas I vL2l3
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
Advisor Clifford Brock
HELP Center Run On
Volunteer Time Basis
If you feel helpless, hopeless,
or friendless, call the HELP
Center at 779-4357. This is a
public service that was set up
last January in Medford for the
purpose of helping individuals
with problems, any problems.
The HELP-line has a
multifold purpose. If the
problem dealt with is serious
enough, HELP will refer a
person to a particular agency or
organization that might be of
further help or counseling.
However, most calls that are
received at HELP are not in need
of referral, a spokesman for the
HELP-line commented.
Forty People Volunteer Time
The Valley's people have
responded to HELP with some
994 calls over an eight and a half
month period. About 300 calls
come in a month, and an average
of 12-IS calls are received a day.
There are forty different
people who volunteer time to
answering calls, with usually two
people available at the line.
There are not many crank calls,
the spokesman noted.
Numerous Associated Agencies
Different types of calls that
come into HELP include: drug
problems (202), boy-girl
(teenage) problems (279),
hitchhiking (156), pregnancy
(137), physical needs (102),
marital (56), alcohol (53),
runaways (39), legal (crime, etc.
(15), suicidical (24), general
problems (623).
Agencies that work along
with HELP in the case of
referrals are Open Door,
Alcoholics Anonymous, Health
Department , Welfare, Family
and Child Guidance Clinic,
J uvenile Detention, Blind
Center, Youth Center, Planned
Parenthood, Salvation Army,
Police Department and some
churches.
be VilVa-." -
Letters To
The Editor
The Rogue Newt
welcomes letters of comment
to the editor, but would
prefer if they were kept
under 250 words. Letters
must be signed. Letters
intended for publication
should be put in Mr. Brock's
box in the office.
Happiness Goal Of Life
By Rick Stanek
This is the first in a series of articles dealing with well known
philosophies.
The aim of life is happiness. It might seem otherwise, but
Aristotle states that, . . we choose happiness for itself, and never
with a view to anything further; whereas we choose honor, pleasure,
intellect . . . because we believe that through them we shall be made
happy."
Man is different from all other beings on earth since he has the
power of thought. To achieve happiness one must use this ability to
reason to the fullest?
What is the golden mean? It is living between the extremes in life.
Avoid "cowardice and rashness; stinginess and extravagence; sloth
and greed; humility and pride; secrecy and loquacity (excessive talk);
quarrelsomeness and flattery." and one will gain self-control and will
have taken a step towards happiness.
College Courses And
Credits Available For
High School Students
High school seniors can take
classes at Southern Oregon
College during the school year to
earn college credits. Students
who do this spend half a day at
high school and half a day at
college.
In order to attend high school
and college at the same time a
student must first get Mr.
Smith's approval, get a
recommendation to send to the
college's registrar's office and
talk to the professors whose
classes he plans to take. He must
also be able to handle the
required high school courses.
All college freshman classes
are available to high school
students. - In addition to or
instead of attending college
during the high school year, a
student may take college courses
during the summer term.
At this time, Toni Barnes is
the only high school student
attending college part time.
Morgan Sammons is there full
time.