SPEAKOUT

I AM a Southeast Missouri State University alumnus, and I think it's a bad move to replace natural grass with a rug. It's bad on the players, and it takes away depth of field. It takes away part of the game. Instead, why don't they replace the Board of Regents with synthetic regents? I'm for that.

A highway riddle

HERE'S A riddle. What does Fruitland have that Scott City doesn't have? Answer: A really nice interchange off of I-55.

Put Christ back in the mail

I'M DISAPPOINTED In the post office. No religious stamps in the machines around Cape. I couldn't find the religious stamps, only the deer stamps. So I called the post office. He said there was a mistake. They forgot some way or another to print the religious stamps this year. I said "You've got to be kidding. You can't forget to print religious stamps at Christmas. But you did print the deer stamps. We need Christ in Christmas. That's like forgetting your birthday." So please, next year, post office, print the Christmas stamps, my religious Christmas stamps. Put Christ back in the mail.

Education competition

THE GOVERNMENT has a dismal record of long-standing because of its monopoly in education. In the past 40 years alone, public schools have almost quadrupled per student spending while reducing the student-teacher ratio by nearly 40 percent. Yet overall student achievement has not improved while areas as fundamental as basic literacy and school safety have worsened. In the meantime, what happens to the children? To the defenders of the status quo, that is not the primary concern. The primary concern is not what happens to the child if he is forced to stay, but what happens to the system if he's free to leave. By this reasoning, no matter how bad the situation gets, they must not help the child leave, thus in leaving he makes a bad situation worse. Does this make any sense at all? Does the child exist to serve the system, or does the system exist to serve the child? The solution to the problem of education in light of this seems to be reduce the power of the monopoly, not increase it as the politicians and education unions want to do. The only remedy, one that has worked time and time again in American experience, is to encourage competition. That may come about through choice, other scholarship forms or private education improvement. Compete with the public schools directly.

All talk, no action

IF MRS. Clinton cares so much for the homeless, she has an 11-room bedroom house she's having redone for her residence. Why don't she take in a few of these unfortunate people? I think not. Let the taxpayers foot it. It sounds good. It's the thought that counts, you know.

Clinton has done more harm

I LISTENED to President Clinton on the news and all this about health care and the unnecessary deaths that were associated with medical care. I wonder how many deaths are going to be attributed to President Clinton's lifestyle and if he's concerned about that? He's only concerned about something that somebody does that he can get some highlights in the news media where he can speak and get his picture on television. That's the only thing he's interested in. He has done more to destroy America than anybody else including all the doctors and pharmacists.

Thanks to firemen, police

I WOULD like to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our firemen and policemen and thanks for being there for all of us. Have a happy and prosperous New Year.

Words were meant for all

IT MUST be a sad, sad day when liberals are forced to twist the words of JFK. His immortal quote was meant for all, not just those who raise the liberals' gall.

Do something for animals

Gandhi OBSERVED the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be determined by the way in which people treat animals. I would just like to remind everyone that Dec. 5-11 was National Animal Welfare Week. We can all do a little to make life for the animals in our community better by adopting a pet from the local Humane Society, by sponsoring to spay-neuter a stray animal or by paying for the spaying-neutering if the pet belongs to a family on a limited income, by reporting cases of animal abuse and neglect to local authorities and by joining an animal organization and getting involved in animal welfare issues. For example, the Humane Society of SEMO has an animal-welfare committee open to all members.

Thanks for senior treat

KUDOS TO the Jackson High School Student Council and National Honor Society for the lovely dinner the students served to the seniors of Jackson on Dec. 7. After the meal, which was delicious, we were entertained by the beautiful Jackson Chamber Choir. Later, the emcee of the evening kept us entertained with his wit and charming personality. The entire group of students was so bubbly and charming that seeing these young people giving of themselves renewed my faith in the younger generation.