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
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