Dear editor,
While speaking at See, Hear Iola, businessman Mark Burris commented, “If we as a company sit and do nothing, the world will pass us by. The school is in the same situation.” Our school district will be passed by if we don’t vote “Yes” on Nov. 4.
Susan Raines, the Bowlus Fine Arts executive director, is excited about a whole new aspect of broadening our students’ ability to expand their love for the fine arts, which now is totally different in this day of computers and electronics, and will continue to broaden in the future. We’ll have the ability to train technical abilities to students who are NOT interested in college. We’ll be preparing them for local jobs as well as professional jobs. These students will have hands-on training that most didn’t have that chance. Students will be trained to get a job. Even though students are college graduates, that doesn’t mean they are qualified to do a specific job. Each job requires learning the system, which should be in place in a technical facility.
One thing I found out about the Bowlus is that the only teacher who is in the building full time is the art teacher. The rest of the faculty is out of the building a lot. The jazz band plays there several times a week, but otherwise, the band teacher isn’t there much. The drama/speech teacher has a couple of classes there, but she, too, is at the high school for several other classes. The teacher for choir and symphony is there, but she teaches at the middle school. However, the big use of the Bowlus is used for performances by all area schools.
In addition, I’ve asked about the money to continue the technical equipment, and that, too, has been answered. This money comes out of the capital outlay fund, but has decreased yearly because of the necessary major repairs in old buildings. With a new facility, there will be problems, but not in the magnitude we have now.
One finally thought…my husband Ray and I love history, and no one appreciates the historic buildings in this town more than we do, but we know that change is hard, but good. We will be voting “Yes” for both issues on the ballet on Nov. 4.
Donna Houser,
Iola, Kan.
Dear editor,
I am wondering how many of our schools’ students are handicapped — in comparison to 50 years ago or so ago when polio was rampant and every parent’s nightmare?
When we first came to Iola in 1962 there were several students in that category and those who were hale and hearty vied to see which one got the honor of letting those less fortunate up and down the stairs and to class on time!
Thank God polio has disappeared in this and many other countries but compassion and concern should never disappear.
Phyllis Meredith Shetlar,
Iola, Kan.
