Speak Out 09/04/03

Try speed bumps

HERE'S A solution for all the speeders along city streets where there's a 30-mph speed limit. How about some small speed bumps that can be felt at higher speeds than the limit?

Thanks for the meals

THANK YOU, senior citizens centers, for providing affordable lunches for our retired folks. I think it's wonderful for them to have a place to get a nutritional meal at a great price and to socialize with others.

Cost of education

WHEN I went to college a few decades ago, tuition at SEMO was less than $150 a semester, and I graduated with a four-year degree in four years. I didn't have any student loans and found a job in my field within a few months from graduation. A family member of mine graduated from a state college last year with over $10,000 in student loans. It took her five years to complete a four-year degree. For the past 10 months, she's been an educated waitress. Recently, she finally got a job in her field. I hate to think of what things will be like 10 more years from now.

Children's interests

SHAME ON the selfish-minded individual who complained about the Catholics taking over part of Ohio Street in Jackson. Let's do what's best for the safety of our children, regardless of their religion. Let's do anything we can to support the Catholic school's efforts in rebuilding from their tornado damage.

More photos, please

THE FOTO FEST contest was great. I think it should be held more often, even if it meant without the prizes. Some would like to just have the recognition.

Personalized service

MY MOM and I recently went to downtown Cape Girardeau to do some shopping for the first time in several years. We were pleasantly surprised by the awesome personalized service we received. It was really great to have service by friendly individuals who genuinely wanted to make you a happy customer. We'll be back.

Common courtesy

WHEN IT comes to car dings, there are two kinds of drivers: the dingers and their victims. I've been driving for almost 30 years and don't think I've ever dinged another car. I am also one of those people who always returns the shopping cart rather than leaving it sitting around the parking lot. It's called showing respect for another's property, or common courtesy. Try it.

It's public relations

IDEALISTIC YOUNG teacher Jason Bandermann need not fret over the fact that he didn't have time to give parents a feel for what happens in the classroom on Meet the Parents night. Meet the Parents Night has everything to do with pressing the flesh for PR purposes and, God forbid, nothing to do with informing parents about what actually goes on in the classroom.

Safer driving

I AM getting sick and tired of all these people talking about how bad speeding is. No one really looks at the real important issue: driving competence. People want more and more enforcement, regulation and lower speed limits, but they don't realize what that will end up doing: stiffer fines and lower speed limits. People will drive in fear and will look at their speedometer more than they look at the road. I would personally rather have a road full of people driving 90 mph looking at the road than a road full of people driving 60 mph making sure the speedometer doesn't creep above that.

A real issue

JACKSON HAS a bigger problem than where Homecomers will be held and whether or not you'll get to shoot your bottle rockets. Have you noticed that Jackson's classrooms are overcrowded? Can we please focus on issues of actual importance?

Blame legislators

A RECENT Speak Out comment bemoaned an overcrowded Jackson kindergarten classroom. The person stated that he "cannot believe that the administration does not support the teachers." The administration was forced to operate with fewer teachers this year thanks to our state legislators. Please place the blame in the proper place. Contact Scott Lipke, Jason Crowell, Peter Kinder and the others and ask them why they do not support the children.

Vietnam redux

THE UNITED States will never tame Iraq. Neither will the United Nations. It took 10 years and nearly 60,000 lives to understand that we could not win in Vietnam. This is only begun, but we can see where it is headed. How many lives will it take this time?

Meeting all the needs

IN RESPONSE to the comment about not raising taxes and sending your children to private schools, I would like to ask where you would send a child with special needs. I do not know of any local private schools that offer speech therapy, learning disability programs and at-risk programs, nor do they offer special help to those with physical handicaps. Public schools do a fantastic job providing these services to those who need it. If communities would support their public schools, they would come much closer to meeting their goals in providing the best education possible for everyone.

Keep it uptown

I THINK that having Homecomers uptown is the best thing that has ever happened to Jackson. It only lasts less than a week, and if it causes a little difficulty for businesses, I say take it in stride. As far as moving it to the park, where do you think people are going to park? Uptown is the best place for Homecomers.