The amplifier., October 01, 2009, Page 6, Image 6

6
October
isgâjægg*
From the Vault: Smoking lounge still has potential
This method of
prevention was quite
effective until recent years
when the lack of student
interest in such a committee
left the lounge unprotected
from the problems now
experienced by the
administration.
Rollins is now attempting
to re-establish such a
committee from among the
students using the area.
Originally a set of rules
governing the behavior of
the patrons of the lounge
was composed and a
committee was assigned to
see that those rules were
followed. The "lounge
constitution," as the set of
rules is called, set aside the
area. Provided that the users
maintain the area and keep
it clean of litter. This and
other parts of the original
agreements have, of late,
fallen by the wayside.
The smoking lounge
was originally Rollins'
brainchild. He came up with
the idea as an alternative
to the constant problem of
people smoking in the rest
rooms and other places on
the school grounds. As a
solution the area currently
in use was cleared out by
a group of students and
officially designated as a
smoking lounge.
Though there are no
state regulations against a
facility of this type on school
property, other schools have
not readily accepted the
idea. Hence, many are still
dealing with the problems
once encountered at West
Linn.
As a pioneer of the idea,
Rollins receives calls from
other schools regarding
the success of the lounge.
In response to the success,
many schools have followed
suit and established similar
facilities where smokers can
go during non-class time to
enjoy a puff.
The lounge is now as
much a part of West Linn
High as it has been for some
time, and even with the
problems experienced for
the past few years, it's likely
to remain, and hold its own
little niche in the student
society.
Though the lounge
has its problems it has
effectively done what it was
designed for, and because
of it, the student body no.
longer must deal with the
smoky rest rooms and other
problems of the pre-lounge
years.