Image provided by: Charlotte Berkham; Portland, OR
About The Grantonian (Portland, Ore.) 19??-???? | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1968)
4 THE GRANTONIAN November 15, 1968 editorials of voluntary aóóemlty? The cast practices every day, before school and after. They are up late at night memorizing lines and gestures. On the stage, sets are ready; cast ready. Every person feels a plunge of anxiety—it’s going to begin. As the curtain opens, the actors start—they find at most 25 students in the audience. Why? The assembly is voluntary. Those interested may purchase a 25- cent ticket and be released from their sixth and seventh period classes. How many students are going to take advantage of this chance to get out of two classes and leave the building with no repercussions? The drama assembly is the beginning of something new and different. It could also be the end if taken advantage of. Why be the one to ruin the chances of choosing the assemblies you would like to attend? Has credits—'won't miss anything' Paul Esselstyn graduates early; believes 'human mind fascinating' by Martha Ojard Paul Esselstyn, junior, believes the “human mind is fascinating.” Paul, who will graduate with the senior class this year, feels “If I can do something in nine months rather than eighteen, why not? I have the credits, and I don’t think I’ll miss anything. “I DON’T BELIEVE high school will really prepare me for life in the outside world,” Paul continued. “I think all pub lic schools mold a person’s character, whether or not it is wanted. The prob lem is that the schools don’t ‘tell it like it is.’ I feel that it is the school’s respon sibility to arouse curiosity. . . . Rather than make thinkers of us all, the school is trying to turn us into computers. The school must make us think, not com pute!” Paul said. After graduation, Paul plans to attend night school until mid-July. He then plans to hitch-hike across the nation, and return in January, when he will enroll in Portland Community College, “to kind of get back in the swing of studying.” Sometime after June, he plans to enroll at Reed, where he will most likely major in psychology. DURING THE PAST summer, Paul worked for McCarthy, and worked far the “McCarthy and Kennedy Action Corps,” which emerged after Bobby Kennedy’s death. “I’ve been around a lot of college kids,” he commented, “and quite a few were from Reed.” PAUL SAYS HE decided to go to Reed because, “Reed has the air that I think is right. I view the high school as a ‘baby crib’.” At the moment, Paul does not know GJ he Grantonian how many hours he will carry at Reed, but does know he will apply for a schol arship. MORE RECENTLY, Paul has become an active member of the “Boycott Grapes” movement. According to Paul, three years ago, the United Farm Work ers of California had a “grape strike” on their hands. A group, headed by Cesar Chavez, executed the strike. The com pany hired thousands of Mexicans to break the strike and pick. “This was a violation—even the health service raised objections,” said Paul. Now, a labor-backed movement is aris ing to boycott California table grapes. The Portland Public School District buys California table grapes. PAUL AND A NUMBER of other stu dent protesters have gone to the school board and asked them to stop purchasing these grapes. The school board has re plied they “don’t want to become in volved.” “But this is becoming involved, be cause they are supporting the growers,” Paul asserted. “I feel that the school dis trict can’t sanction taking food from chil dren.” By holding the picket, which was staged last Friday, Paul says the boycot ters hope to make the issue known. “We ask the kids to refrain from buying any grapes, or salads. If you feel like sup porting poverty, then buy grapes. In ef fect, all society supports poverty,” Paul continued. “This is a totally voluntary move ment. . . . We force no one. We told sev eral people about it — they said they hadn’t heard about it, but would stop buying grapes. We simply tell the girls grapes are fattening and they stop. Grapes are really fattening,” Paul as serted. Published weekly toy the advanced jour nalism class of Ulysses S. Grant high school, room 203, 2245 N.E. 36th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97212. Phone 288-5975. Printed by Modern Typesetting company with a circulation of 3200. Second class The state A-l high school quarter postage paid at Portland, Ore. Subscrip tion cost $2.00 per year. finals game between David Douglas and Vol. 73, No. 10 — November 15, 1968 Grant will be carried live on KEX radio Editor...................................... Jan Kelley tonight, beginning at 7:55 p.m. Page 1.editor .. ...................June Ammon Page 2 editor............................... Marlene Feves Page 3 editor.................. Bruce Fishback Page 4 editor .................... Martha Ojard Reporters !... .Debby Liesch, Katherine McGregor, Kathi Robinson, Lisa Rose, Debbie Rovech, Gary Cogill A special election will be held Novem Photographer................ Joyce DeMonnin Advertising Manager ... . Kathy Walton ber 22 concerning the proposed constitu Circulation Manager . .Kathy McGregor tional amendment giving the General Circulation Staff ... .Margaret Hadden, Mary Ann Hutton Council all legislative power in the Advisor..................... ......... Willard Mohn Generalities school. When asked if he thought it had had any effect so far, Paul seemed to think it “had definitely had an effect.” “We aren’t trying to hog the lime light,” Paul concluded, “we’re just try ing to change society—we’re working for ¡a new and better world.” STAFF MEMBER Martha Ojard interviews junior Paul Esselstyn, who Will graduate this year because he has enough credits and feels if he “can do it in nine months instead of eighteen, why not?” Letters to the Editor To the Student Body and the PTA of U.S. Grant High School: Yesterday, November 6, I returned to my school as the proud sister of a Viet nam casualty and a proud alum (class of 1958). Many thanks to all of you who worked so hard toward the purchase of this me morial to those young men. I have found, since the death of my brother, L/Cpl. Stephen Krinke, USMC, there are few people this war really touched. You students are probably more aware of the war than anyone, other than families who have boys there. My reaction to this war and my broth ers death, August 25, 1968, have been many, but bitterness has been the hard est to live with. You have helped to ease a little, the bitterness I feel. My parents now live in Minneapolis and are very touched by your memorial. They were so unhappy they couldn’t be here for the dedication. They, also, thank you. Our prayers are for an early peace, so other families won’t have to carry the burden we, who have lost loved ones, are now carrying. Again, those inadequate words, THANK YOU ALL for my parents, my sister, my children and myself. Sincerely, Mrs. Bill (Judi) Johnnie Canby, Ore. To The Editor: Concerning the dress code: I ask—Why not eliminate it altogether? I feel that it won’t have lasting effects on the stu dents at Grant. The majority of students do dress well and appropriately for school, and the ones that do dress gaud ily will probably never change. (Not in high school, anyway.) I wish to say one thing concerning mainly the girls, and I’m sure many of the feminine sex will agree with me. I think that when the weather becomes cold (between December and February), we should be able to wear long wool pants to school. A majority of girls prob ably don’t drive or get a ride to and from school, and making this exception in the dress code would make a big difference comfort-wise. Thank you, Tya Lieuvietis