WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1985, PAGE5 "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." - Thomas Jefferson THE CROW'S NEST by Michael Knell No wonder it's confusing I think I've found one important reason why only 33 per cent of the eligible electorate turned out to vote in the 1982 municipal election. Most of them were completely and utterly confused. They didn't know who they were supposed to vote for or for what office they were standing. Some evidence of this came to light a few days ago, when I prepared a story (see elsewhere in today's edition) concerning the qualifications of voters and candidates. The evidence is simply this: there are 19 separate and distinct elected offices up for grabs this Nov. 12. Depending on whether the voter is a public or separate school supporter he (if he or she wants to be a truly informed and dutiful voter) can cast his ballot 11 or 13 times. A public school supporter can cast 11 votes. He or she can cast one vote for a candidate for mayor; can vote for two candidates for regional council; for one candidate for area councillor; for four candidates.seeking election to the Whit- by Hydro-Electric Commission; and for three candidates wanting to be trustees on the Durham Board of Education. Meanwhile, a separate school supporter has 13 votes. In addition to those votes for mayor, regional and area councillors, and hydro-electric com- missioners they. also get to vote for four candidates standing for the Durham Region Roman Catholic Separate School and a separate school trustee to sit on the Durham Board of Education. That is confusing. I've covered three municipal elections during my career and I still don't get all the offices straight. So how can anyone expect the average citizen to know. After all, I'm more frequently exposed to the ins and outs of local politics than my readers., This confusion is worsened by several different factors. Firstly, many people aren't aware that they live in ward and, if they are, usually aren't sure of which one they live in. Often, people aren't even sure who their ward (or area) councillor is. A friend of mine, who leads a political career in addition to other things, did a telephone survey of Whitby residents. During this survey, he was astonished to discover that a great many people really didn't know anything about Whitby Town Council or who its members were. Another source of confusion, I feel, is that if there is no race for mayor - and there hasn't been one in Whitby since 1976 - many people feel that there is no election at all. The mayoralty race is often the highlight of every municipal election. People are generally more interested in the people running for the starring role rather than those seeking a position in the supporting cast. Yet another is the election held to determine who should sit on the Whitby Hydro-Electric Commission. Other than at election time, we generally hear little about the commission except for early each year when they increase the local hydro rates. I don't think that most people give much thought to the com- mission or its work. Many local residents I have spoken to over the years don't think it should be an elected body at al. Some feel, as I do, that the commission sbiould be a committee of Whitby Town Council and councillors should make up its membership.. I don't think assuming responsibility for the commission would add that much to the councillor's collective or individual workload. Perhaps the most confusing and misunderstanding municipal office is that of separate school trustee to the public school board. This person (who is, locally, elected at large by the residents of both Whitby and Ajax) is a separate school supporter who sits on the Durham Board of Education. This person is charged with representing the needs of Roman Catholic school supporters whose children attend public high schools in grades 11, 12 and 13. He has limited voting rights on the public board and is not a member of the Durham Region Roman Catholic Separate School Board. Mounting a campaign for this position must be a horrendous, even frightening task. Unlike provincial and federal elections, it would appear that municipal elec- tions are extremely complex affairs. At the provincial and federal levels, you are confronted with 'x' number of ridings being contested by 'x' number of can- didates representing 'x' number of parties. But they are all seeking one position, that being the local seat in the Legislature of the House of Commons. But at the municipal level, you have 19 elected offices on five separate gover- nment bodies being contested by who knowb how many candidates. And to get elected, each candidate has to make such a potential supporter know what of- fice he's running for. What is really needed, is some sort of program to inform and educate the voter about each of these offices and what the people who fill them do. In this way, hopefully, people will be better equipped to deal with that frightening ex- perience called voting. On this note, my readers can be assured that this newspaper will do everything in its power to ensure that each office is explained in detail. Another thing that might prove helpful, but expensive, is to hold the election for the school boards at a different time. This way the voters', the candidates' and the media's attention will be focused on one seat of issues at a time. Going through the various municipal offices gave me a headache and left me in a muddled and confused state. Maybe that's why 66 per cent of Whitby's eligible voters stayed home in 1982. They just didn't understand the process and why they tried to comprehend it, all they got was a headache. WITH OUR FEET UP By Bill Swan By the time you read this, I will already have met my fifteenth crop of college students, their expec- tant shiny faces primed for two years full of the joys of learning. Of the 100 or so students 1 will encounter directly in a classroom this year, grim statistics cloud the horizon. One third will not survive the first year. Each one, of course, will begin the year with high hopes. When entering college, a student plunks down more than $500 in tuition. For that money, the student has certain expectations. Overtly, many are gambling that two or three years in college will produce a job on graduation, And most would be right. And many hope that the enlightenment of college will change their lives mysteriously, and they will end up different people by graduation Most will be right about that, too But hopes and gambles are not enough. and discouraging numbers will drop out or fail Why? 1) Money. Spending all your resources on beer by Christmas will create certain stresses in the new year. College, and the attendant living costs, force budget maturity on young students. 2) Academic preparation: Very few have trouble in this category. But some still are graduated from high school with a poor grasp of English and math. Regardless of the course, weak skills in either area will catch up. Those who spent Grade 12 English class in the pool hall will be in trouble in college. 3) Parents, spouses or others: A college student (say at Durham College. which is where I teach) spends 26 hours a week in class. That may seem a trifle to a wife, or boyfriend, or father who is working 50 hours a week. But 26 hours in class means at least 26 hours of work outside of class. Everyone should be prepared for that 4) Work: Some bright students have been able to complete high school with little or no work. With at- titudes thus formed, some attack college, thinking the future will be like the past And all teachers say you can't pass without doing homework. But they've been wrong before, haven't they? 5) Beer: This is part of No. 4. Students quickly must learn how to deal with Pub Nights and the freedoms (many are living away from home for the first time.) 6) Motivation: More important than all other fac- tors, in my book, a student's motivation will not only determine classroom success but map out a career path following graduation. Skills, talent, high school grades, looks, poise, all mean little. A motivated student will succeed. If you want to do something badly enough, you'll hang in there and do it. For today's student, in either community college or university, a whole industry has grown up around providing help. Financial, academic, emotional and professional advice abounds at most institutions. All a student needs to do is ask. At Durham College, for instance, financial assistance is available through Ontario Student Assistant Program (OSAP). Last year 1,087 ap- plicants received a total of $2,628,789. In addition, scholarships and bursaries are awarded. Work student programs provide additional income for students. And budget counselling offers advice and plan- ning to the student who for the first time may be en- countering difficulties making ends meet. But despite the help that is available, many will find the going too tough. Many will simply stop coming to class. In such a case, there is little teachers, counsellors, administrators or even classmates can do. To make use of such help, one has to reach for it. If this sounds as though college rigors are too much for most, the impression is erroneous. But with the help available, it is a shame to see students who could and should complete the year suc- cessfully fall by the wayside. Perhaps the difference is best described as the difference between childhood and adulthood. Childhood is part of high school. There the help is available, often whether you want it or not. Atten- dance is mandatory; behaviour codes are imposed. In college, that doesn't happen. The help is there, but you have to ask, to reach out. To say, "This is what I want to do; can you help me do it?" In other words, grow up. Which is what college is all about. Those of us who work with post secondary studen- ts are fortunate. We get to work with the best and the brightest of our young people today. And don't let anyone fool you. Today's young people are living in a tough, unforgiving world. They're also brighter, more socially adept than most of us were a quarter of a century ago. Most will use the elaborate support system we have spun for them. and use it with class.