The Times

6 TIMES/GUIDE Weekend of November 6/7, 1976

opinion • editorials • commentary • letters Dropout study welcome start

A study made at Coral Gables High School on the high incidence of student dropouts, has been a long time in coming and perhaps might not have come at all were it not for occupational specialist Thomas Hammontree who is based at that school. His timely study reveals what most of us have probably known all along. That most of the youngsters who cannot cope with the day-to-day problems and obstacles of high school, are the same young people who had difficulties with reading while in lower grades. One of the unbelieveable but true aspects is that teachers have recorded comments at the end of a particular school year about those students who were having reading difficulties. But was anything done about it to prepare the child for his next and more demanding school year? In some cases, yes. In others, no. The child just kept passing on up and finally when his school work became more involved and related to heavy reading assignments, he just couldn't cope. And he dropped out. Poor reading abilities however, are not the only answer to why high school students are dropping by the wayside. Many students have short attention spans; they don't apply themselves; problems at home; poor work habits at an early age that carry over. All or some of these things arise somewhere along the line in a potential dropout's cumulative record. The fact remains that students continue to drop out and are faced with a world that hesitates to accept them without the usual and, what most consider to be, the essential credentials. Now, thanks to Hammontree, there is this beginning. Using his statistics on the dropout problem at Gables High, administrators and teachers have been working for more than a year, making evaluations, delving into the potential dropouts' records, trying to discover how he can be saved. And it's working. And schools other than Gables should also benefit from Hammontree's study. For far too long, there have been students who have suffered academically merely because at the beginning of their school years, someone passed them up without making certain they knew what it was they were supposed to know. We hope this valuable study is the beginning of an end.

Showing off

Patty Malozeski was another of the talented artists who displayed their handiwork at the South Miami Art Show. Here she sits by a variety of macrame, weaving and needlework.

reader response Halloween article was significant

EDITOR: I praise you for your significant article (Oct. 30) on the Halloween Haunting problem. It was outstanding to note in our area the marked reduction in the pranksters and the smaller children of "Trick or Treating," as compared to previous years. I hope you will repeat it next year. Until we can catch a better handle on our crime level and our juidiciary salvationists stop their present attitudes of turning maniacs back on the streets, there will continue to be a chilling danger of these kiddies to be on parade after dark. The recent Fort Lauderdale child being another classic example. KENNETH PHILLIPS

'Cobra Beat' should follow school guidelines..

EDITOR: After the first issue of the "Cobra Beat," Sept. 21, it was temporarily denied of publishing another issue. When arguing over the so-called "banning" of Cobra Beat, all the facts should be known. On Aug. 31 a formal request for publication of the Cobra Beat was presented at a meeting. Attending this meeting were: Dr. Warren Burchell, principal; Mrs. Phyllis Salesk, advisor of Serpent's Tale; Mr. Calixto Perez, advisor of Cobra Beat; Mrs. Boggio, activities director; and the three South Miami assistant principals. As an outcome of this meeting the Cobra Beat editor and sponsor were given a framework from which to operate. The framework consisted of the following items: 1. Cobra Beat take the format of a magazine. 2. Cobra Beat would use feature and investigative reporting, rather than relying on timeliness. 3. Articles in Spanish would also appear in English, rather than just in Spanish. 4. A list of advertisers to be contacted during the year be placed on file, and excessive solicitation of Serpent's Tale advertisers prohibited. The Cobra Beat issue of Sept. 21 did not conform to these four articles. The Cobra Beat editor was told that if he followed all these conditions, he could then proceed with the second issue. The issue would be submitted to Mrs. Elizabeth Henry, assistant principal, for approval. The Cobra Beat editor and sponsor replied that they could not operate under these conditions. We at the Serpent's Tale, have to follow certain guidelines to stay in publication, and the same for the Cobra Beat. So now it's plain to see why the Cobra Beat hasn't come out since issue one. ERIC WICKSTROM Co-Editor Serpent's Tale 6900 SW 75th St.

the gables publishing company

serving south dade and coral gables since 1926 jim storey general manager bea moss managing editor address: 4627 ponce de leon blvd. coral gables, fla. 33146 bill mc hugh circulation manager telephone: 666-7981

Letters welcome

The Times/Guide welcomes letters and commentary on matters of local interest and import. Letters submitted must be signed to be considered for publication, but names will be withheld upon request. Letters may be edited on the basis of space considerations.