\ViIT3Y l{~ I PLSS \EI)NESIAY. APRI L 22,11)81i PAÂCÎI 19 Between YouandMe By RUTH COLES L4J In most respects we live in a safe and well ordered country but will we be able to say that five or ten years from now? 1, on occasion hear the odd person say they will not walk alone at night and even a few refuse to drive after dark. Just or- dinary people who in the past took things as they came without carrying fear with them. We must maintain a high standard and somehow hold onto it which means using caution and not being fearful of our world around us. Public opinion, contrary to what some people will have you believe, matters a great deal and holds a lot of weight. Sometimes we hear people say, "Oh, I don't care what people say or t'hink about me," a common expression but not always too valid. Many times over the years I have heard business or professional men and women say, "that boy will amount to something, he respects himself" or "there is a good future for that lad, wait a few years, he will make his mark in the world," Clean cut, well groomed, well spoken children and young adults have an added bonus, something which sets them apart and in this sense is a distinct advantage. I remember talking with a well loved, much respected school principal years ago who told me he could size up most of his pupils at first glance. Nowadays this would be a no-no and frowned upon. "It's true you know," he used to say, "the youngsters who respect themselves show it in their actions, their manner of speech and their dress." No one expects boys or wants them to be little Lord Faun- tiroys. Boys are boys, rough and tumble which is all part of growing up and very endearing to those who love them. Everyone, boys and girls alike, adults too, all have a very special article of clothing, a well loved garment or garments, shabby and worn but hopefully clean and neat and most im- portant of all, worn at the proper time. So as it is in everything there is a happy medium. I like rather longish hair on boys if it is neat and well shaped. Shaggy dog boys leave a lot to be desired and most Dads feels the same way. Who doesn't like jeans, neat ones, even with patches? Pat- ches if neatly sewn can sometimes add something, just what I'm not sure. It truly is a proven fact that "clothes make the man," young person or adult, girl or boy. Impressions are long lasting and often if good well rewarding. I have never met a male teacher who dresses like a tramp or acts like one but I have heard about them. Maybe the school should play a role here. A good example should be set by all teachers both in behavious and dress because of their influence on the students. As part of the overall picture we add a few words about vandalism. Someone in authority in Durham should make known all the facts about the destruction and damage done to school properties in the region. Upset people, tell them the facts and then maybe righteous indignation will take over and it will cease to be. My sympathy goes out to the elderly especially, when after years of toil and raising a family they have to fork out money for this kind of thing. What is worthwhile about hard work, years dedicated to a young family and bringing them up to the best of your ability, scraping and saving only to be penalized later in life. If a lot of frills were cut out and we won't go into that here, those senior citizens could be exempt from school taxes. What a terrible burden it must be for many people as they reach a time in life when things should be easier for them. Not far from Durham I met a man, young and husky, who is a custodian in a high school. What he told me flabergasted me about the goings on in the school. On that day a large iron Spring has sprung The weeds are here! Visit 1HEe1'LeC <Mýa® at the Oshawa Home Show and put your name in for a free draw on alIawn care program. CALL THE DANDI-LINE 683-9589 Ajax, 666-3187 Whitby. Getting back to the basics grating or banister held to the floor with iron bolts was ripped out during school hours. This man said it was almost physically impossible for anyone or any group to accomplish this and added that no one will ever know how it was done. This was only one incident much of which happens during school hours. This has all been brought to mind by a press release I read last night. These troublesome things often have small begin- nings, in fact they always do. Now I have heard or rather read the ultimate. A curb for vandalism, allow students to bash a dummy principal. Mind you this has not happened so far as we know in Canada but news travels fast especially when words like this are related to educators at a conference. Hang up a dummy of the principal in the boy's washroom or rather a dummy with the principal's name on it, a tackling dummy and the kids will take out their frustrations on the dummy rather than clogging drains, defacing walls or pulling sinks off walls! Where do we go from here? Do we hang dummies in bathrooms with Mother or Dad written on them? How about a dummy of Grandfather at the front door? Violent crime in the United States is increasing at quite a rate, that is crime by kids, murder, rape, armed robbery and so on. Is it any wonder when we hear of "cures" such as this. This dummy affair caused vandalism to fall right off but is the cure worse than the original disease? What happens in its wake? "Bleeding hearts" I think cause more anxiety in this world than enough. The time is now when it comes to slowing up the vandalism before it is right out of control. I guess the welfare of children must be a shared responsibility between parents and the school authorities. Fortunately, the majority help to make the world a better place to live in but the minority are still with us. The behavious of a child is established in its formative vears by the example of those with whom it is usually in con- tact, educators and parents. This week, I have been caught short by the holiday weekend so at the last minute with only a short time to spare the article I read took over. It brought all kinds of things ta mind especially the thought that we might be wise to rethink a lot of things and get down to basics. d