MAILBAG - Dec. 4, 1999

I want to thank Newport Harbor High School’s Gail Brower’s Drama

Department for their performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in early

November. I brought five students from our continuation school in Irvine

to see the play, since they are reading the novel in English class.

This was a superior production. It’s amazing to see teenagers portraying

adult roles with such depth. Martin Giannini truly became thane attorney,

Atticus Finch. My students could not believe how he was able to act,

speak and feel as a man a generation older. The freshman actress who

played Scout Finch was also outstanding. She was equally skilled at

playing a girl several years younger than her real age. Scout’s idealism

and innocence showed throughout.

The large number of lines the major cast members had to memorize was

impressive. Also, the scenes where Jeb, Scout and other cast members sat

in the audience added a powerful urgency. As it happened, we were sitting

directly by these characters, and were able to see and watch them on a

very personal level.

Finally, for most of my students, it was one of the first times they had

read a book prior to seeing it done as a play or movie.

“Now I understand this book,” one of them pondered. “Now I get it!”

The ramification of seeing “Mockingbird” went far beyond its content. Our

multicultural students were interested in why Calpurnia and Tom Robinson

needed to be cast with black actors, for example. Whether a Hispanic or

white actor had done the parts was one of our conversations on the ride

home. We were also inspired by your students’ obvious passion for drama.

When these experts on the play returned to school, we had many requests

to attend another play. Gail, thanks to you and your drama students for a

thoughtful and entertaining evening.

SUE CLARK

Counselor, Irvine Unified School District

Newport Beach

Abortion is greatest injustice

Regarding Judge Gardner’s column concerning the internment of Japanese

during World War II, (“One of America’s darkest moments,” Nov. 27) I

submit that the greatest injustice on the part of our nation is the

legalization of abortion. This measure has lead each year to the killing

of more than a million innocent unborn children with no consideration of

their rights. Abortion is the most prevalent and cruelest form of child

abuse in this country.

WAYNE and HELICE SUBCASKY

Newport Beach

Academic teams in need of funding

The Academic Booster Council of Costa Mesa High School encourages and

recommends that the district allocate the proceeds received from the

California State Lottery to support academic teams. Currently, the

district allocates role and recompense funds to each school that might be

used to support academic teams.

However, those funds are not adequate to pay for the sports teams that

have traditionally received those funds. A school principal would be

required to cut an existing sports team in order to fund an academic

team. Such an unpopular decision is unlikely to be made. For this reason,

we urge that funds be allocated and dedicated specifically to support

academic extracurricular pursuits.

Such academic pursuits, if funding was available, could support: academic

pentathlon teams, academic decathlon teams, science Olympiad teams, math

teams, computer programming teams, speech teams, debate teams, mock trail

teams, science fair projects and competitions, and United Nations

projects. Other academic teams and programs are available and could be

instigated with proper funding and student interest.

Our particular school has experienced the horrors from lack of funding of

these activities. Although we have fielded an academic pentathlon team

for the last two years, teacher-coaches have been volunteers. While a

teacher-coach for a sports team receives a stipend, equipment money and

transportation for the team, a teacher who helps an academic team

receives no financial remuneration or support. Students at other schools

began working with their teachers almost every day since September, but

our students met sporadically with a variety of teachers for the last few

weeks before the competition.

Our school has no academic decathlon team, science Olympiad team, or

computer programming team. Students that tried to start a United Nations

project were foiled for lack of a teacher to help them. Our school

started a speech team two years ago and now has a group of students that

are ready, willing and able to compete. However, without money to pay a

speech coach, no teacher has volunteered to devote the nights and

weekends necessary to coach the team.

A requirement of the mock trial competition is that the team have a

teacher/sponsor and a volunteer attorney coach. No teacher would step

forward to help with the team, probably because there are no funds

available to compensate the teacher for the time commitment. This meant

that the volunteer coaches shouldered the tasks normally performed by the

teacher.

While the Academic Booster Council understands the financial constraints

faced by the district, it believes that money spent in the pursuit of

academic teams would reap many rewards. It would ensure that the district

maintains its superior reputation among the larger academic community. It

would provide proof to our geographic community that our district is

serious about academics. It would lead to acceptance of our graduates to

elite colleges. Most important, it would excite students into the

pursuit of learning.

Isn’t that one of our ultimate goals?

GAY GEISER-SANDOVAL

President, Costa Mesa High School Academic Booster Council

Show some class, Fred!

I thought the bet between Fred Martin and Steve Smith was that Fred had

to write a column saying nice things about USC. My husband got both his

bachelor’s and master’s degrees from USC (with no financial help from

anyone but himself), so we are huge USC fans.

I could not find one nice thing about USC in Fred’s column. Instead all

he could talk about was himself and remind us once again about how his

house is on a lake. Sounds like someone from UCLA to me. How about it

Fred? A deal is a deal. USC is a great school with a lot of pride and

tradition.

Who do you think makes a better warrior in battle -- a cuddly teddy bear

or a Trojan? I think in real life, it’s the Trojans who prosper. Show

some class if you have any, and fulfill your end of the bet!

SANDI KATES

USC fan, Costa Mesa