THE PUBLIC MIND: EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS, MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCEPT ARE REASONS TO VOTE FOR BOND ISSUE

To the Editor:

The first issue we would like to address is the proposed new elementary school.

Many times when we send our youngest child off to Washington School, we worry about the danger of the earthquake potential. If a strong earthquake should occur, we don't feel the survival rate would be very high at Washington, May Greene or Schultz. We would hate to realize that the non-passage of the bond issue on April 6 allowed a situation to exist that could have been lessened greatly by safer buildings, whether they be new or not. We would hope that people in general would care more about each other's children than to allow this to happen.

The second issue we wish to address is the proposed new middle school.

Our family experienced the middle school concept firsthand in the mid-1980s in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

Middle school is an excellent concept and served our two older children well.

Grouping students in the age group of sixth, seventh and eighth grades seemed to be beneficial to all the students. The students newly entering into the system were mentored by the students that had already succeeded in progressing through the subsequent steps. Growing up became a little less traumatic.

This particular middle school had its own sports teams, band, clubs, social events and Junior National Honor Society. Upon completion of the eighth grade, a graduation ceremony was held to celebrate the finish of middle school. Graduation created an air of excitement and anticipation of the coming high school years, nine through 12.

In our opinion, the middle school concept should be embraced by parents of all future sixth, seventh and eighth grade public school students.

Jean and Mike Davis

Cape Girardeau