4
THE GRANTONIAN
December 13, 1968
Young smokers
said not serious
about hazards
Editorials
“Public signs of affection are never in good taste.”
Outdated or not? Obviously many students think this
statement is obsolete.
Bundling, necking, or making out—under any title
the same action—becomes more frequent in our halls
every day. Why?
Is the basis of these expressions of affection the fact
that students can’t stand to be separated, even for as lit
tle as an hour? Is the exodus to a far-away math class
that earthshaking? Is the encounter of a flame in the
cafeteria so overwhelming that emotions are beyond
control—or is the need for these exhibitions only to
prove to others that those involved “belong”?
These scenes are created by students of all social
circles and races with no distinctions as to student body
officers, honor students, or athletes.
Besides being in conflict with school policy it is in
conflict with the rules of good taste. Halls, assemblies,
and school grounds can hardly be called the right time
or place for such expressions of affection. Our morals
are changing . . . but are they changing this fast?
Yuletide season
said 'busiest'
for shoplifters
by Carol Monroe
“Christmas is one of the busiest sea
sons for shoplifting: more than a billion
dollars worth- of merchandise is stolen
throughout the nation each year,” com
mented Sergeant Schwartz of the larceny
department of the Portland Police Force.
“ITEMS SUCH as jewelry, makeup,
scarfs, skirts, jackets and leather coats
are being stolen constantly throughout
our stores,” he continued. “Security
sources today estimate that more than
50 per cent of all shoplifters are rang
ing from ten to nineteen.
“Ten to fifteen shoplifters are caught
a week, and a good share are teenagers.
These people may be prosecuted and
charged with a felony offense, which can
cause colleges not to accept them, and
usually none of these people are hired
for governmental employment,” Sergeant
Schwartz concluded.
CONFIRMING THESE reports regard
ing teenage theft, clothes buyers and
clerks maintain that the majority of
their store thefts are by teenagers, be
cause of the emphasis on stylish clothes
and fashions today. ■
Thomas Mariconda, a New York City
social agent, said that there appear to
be two distinct stimuli for the trend. In
the low-income teenage thief, often the
drive represents a craving for possessions
that the parents can’t afford, or simply
won’t consider, buying.
During the Christmas season keep your
eyes open for shoplifters and do your
community a favor by reporting them to
the proper authorities.
Cub Edition
iati
Published weekly -by 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
postage paid at Portland, Ore. Subscrip
tion cost $2.00 per year.
Vol. 73, No. 13 — December 13, 1968
Co-Editors ................. Margaret Hadden,
Mary Ann Hutton
Page 1 Editor.....................Donna Lewis
Page 2 Editor................ Nancy Herman
Page 3 Editor................ .Steve Johnson
Page 4 Editor .................. .Jenni Raies
Reporters....... Sue Gottsch, Roy Greene,
Chris Hawes, Chris Heinrich, Diane
Knight, Mark Lowenthal, Georgean
Melonas, Carol Monroe, Jenni Raies,
Jeanne Taylor
Photographer.....................Steve Rooney
Advertising Manager .... Kathy Walton.
Circulation Manager . .Kathy McGregor
Circulation Staff . .. .Margaret Hadden,
Mary Ann Hutton
Advisor...............'............. Willard Mohn
There's a time ...
Affection draws frowns
... and a place
by Margaret Hadden
and
Mary Ann Hutton
To the dismay and disgust of many
students, teachers and administrators;
students have openly been expressing
affection toward one another in the
halls.
“These actions are
in very poor taste,”
commented Mrs. Mel-
va Anderson, girls'
vice-principal. She con
tinued, “The students
merely reflect the
training they have re
ceived at home.”
“In our society ex
pressions of affection are very private
matters and should not be displayed in
public,” pronounced Mrs. Constance Per
son, faculty member. “These scenes are
juvenile and immature. You never see
adults engaging in these exhibitions in
public,” Mrs. Person continued. “Iron
ically though,” she concluded, “the stu
dents may be trying to prove their ma
turity.”
“Bleh!” gasped Miss June Peter
son, junior girls’ counselor, when
asked her opinion of these students’
actions. She went on to quote,
“ ‘There’s a time and a place for
everything.’ The school halls are
definitely not the correct time nor
place for these actions,” Miss Peter
son explained.
In the past, Miss Peterson has con
fronted female offenders but she elab
orated, “It’s really up to the boy to stop
it, once they have formed the habit.” She
concluded, “It certainly cheapens a girl.”
“Standards may be changing but
I’m still embarrassed when I see a
couple being overly affectionate in
the hall. I feel as though I’m intrud
ing on something private,” revealed
a student.
“If you really respected a person, you
wouldn’t be ‘draped’ around them in the
halls where everyone snickers at them,”
was another student comment.
“With regards to
present moral stand
ards, I would consider
it in bad taste. How
ever, with the recent
sexual revolution
sweeping college cam
puses
and
today’s
youth, we may soon be
vnt I
III
finding it acceptable,”
emphasized a student futurist.
Another opinion voiced was, “If some
one wants to expose their feelings to the
whole school, then that’s their privilege
—it’s none of the school’s business.”
School policy does not state that dis
ciplinary action will be taken but it re
lates that public expressions of affection
are in very poor taste.
Grant
Dress Code
Popcorn, possible suspension
burden 'very humble pledges'
by Chris Hawes
Laden with bags of popcorn, love let
ters, and bearing last night’s humiliation,
“very humble pledges” enter Grant and
become the lowest possible form of life.
ALL THROUGH the day pledges live
in frustration and fear. At school they
are made to do all sorts of “funny”
things. But, many don’t know that these
“funny” things they do can result in
suspension from school.
When questioned, vice-principal Mrs.
Melva Anderson stated that, “Absolutely
no pledging is to be allowed in school.
People who are caught pledging at school
may be suspended along with the pledg
er and the club president.”
IN PAST years there have been many
people punished for violating this school
rule and there will be more. The social
clubs functioning around Grant used to
belong to the school and were school
sponsored.
Soon, things like pledging got out of
hand and the school was forced to put
these clubs out! Another main reason
that clubs were suspended was the social
pressure that was put on getting bids to
these clubs.
So, for those who didn’t know the rule
or the consequence, they are strict and
should be enforced.
by Jenni Raies
Caution: Cigarette Smoking May
Be Hazardous to Your Health.
THIS EXPRESSION is frequently
heard on television and is printed on
cigarette packages. But whether it has
been taken seriously by teenagers is an
other story. However, smoking among
students is obviously common and brings
up both legal and health factors.
But the law is very difficult to enforce
and students take advantage of this situa
tion. Thousands of teenagers all over the
country smoke illegally every day and
we see this demonstrated in our own
school.
THERE IS no apparent solution to this
problem because cigarette machines
make no distinction as to age, and—un
believably enough—some parents actual
ly contribute to the delinquency of their
children either by giving them cigarettes
or permitting them to smoke without
punishment.
There seems to be no one reason why
students smoke. Each person is an indi
vidual and has his or her own private
reason for smoking. Some smoke just to
be “in with the crowd.” It’s difficult to
pinpoint the basic thing that motivates
smoking. Nobody is the same and no one
has the same problem.
THE SCHOOL Administration is con
cerned about the smoking habit. They
feel that students should stop smoking
not only because of its illegal aspects, but
because of the harmful effects.
In interviews with several Grant High
staff members and students there were
many interesting remarks made about
teenage smoking.
MR. HUBERT Shovlin, boys’ vice
principal, explained that the lungs,
heart, and arteries aren’t fully developed
in the teen years so that smoking in
creases the possibility of a malignancy.
Usually, depending on the individual,
girls’ organs mature around the age of
18 or 19, Mr. Shovlin informed. Boys’
organs aren’t fully developed until about
21 years. These are the main reasons for
the smoking law—■'“it is a health law,” he
asserted. The law was formed for pro
tecting the health and not made to hin
der their means of trying to show their
maturity.
WHY DO teenagers smoke? Carol
Monroe, a junior, observed: “I can’t an
swer the question why people smoke, but
I think everyone should realize that it is
a proven fact that smoking leads to can
cer and bad health.” Carol further noted
that smoking affects the lungs and
makes one short-winded.
“I THINK that it’s everybody’s own
decision whether they want to smoke or
not,” Laurie Tuttle, also a junior, de
clared.
Yet warnings are being stressed more
and more now, especially since it has
been confirmed that much damage can
resulte to health from youthful use of
tobacco.
If young smokers would only realize
what they are actually doing to them
selves, and not worry about what others
would say if they didn’t follow “the
crowd” anymore, they might become
much happier and healthier persons.
Enjoy life while you have it! Remem
ber: Cigarettes cost money. And besides,
the best things in life are free!
“Next time you think you’re dying
for a cigarette—you might be right,” as
the TV announcement goes!
Memorial fund nears goal;
more names added to ‘list’
According to Mrs. Fred Kempe, at least
$831.03 will have been paid towards the
completed purchase of the Memorial Or
gan by January 1. “If more time is need
ed, an extension will be asked for,” Mrs.
Kempe elaborated.
She went on to say that the names of
two more alumni have been added to the
list of “gallant dead” who have given
their lives in Vietnam. Air Force Major
Thomas Laird Brattain, graduate of 1951,
was killed on November 28, 1968 —
Thanksgiving Day. Army Captain Arthur
Eugene Lewis, graduate of 1955, was
killed in action on May 17, 1966.