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22nd & J Streets 68510
Vol. 79 No. I
• by Nancy Gabelman and Chris Welsch .
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September 19, 1980 I
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A ban that would eliminate all student smoking on campus, is still under consideration this school ' )'ear for lincoln's high schools, The unwritten smoking policy at this point, tolerates smoking in designatea areas at Lincoln's high schools, even though smoking on campus is against school board policy. Lincoln High School Principal Sanford Nelson favors a student smoking ban which was brought to the attention of the school board last · spring by representatives of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Board. Nelson feels several problems have developed from the present unwritten policy. One problem, Nelson said, is a contradicition of information provided in LHS health classes. • ''Smoking is not consistent with what we teach in our instructional programs (health classes)," Nelson said. The principal has other reasons though, for wanting a ban enforced. ''I think some other reasons that come to my mind are that it is very hard to discern between those that are smoking cigarettes · and those that are smoking marijuana," Nelson said .
Kraft. He •believes just as many people litter in the building as outside of it. Mrs. Joyce Johnson, Gym instructor, .thinks the ban could be feasible, if
teachers and students cooperate. ''Smoking is linked to so many negative problems on our campus," said Johnson. "Some of the problems are
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smoking marijuana, extensive graffiti and ab_use of property," said Johnson. ''The west side of the building has become a place for meeting and illegal activities."
Litter is_factor The litter problem on the west side of the building where student smoking is permitted is, according to Nelson, another contributing factor in his support of a student' smoking ban. Nelson also ·feels if other schools such as Grand Island Senior High and Omaha Northwest can have a successful non-smoking policy, so can Lincoln High. According to Grand Island Assistant Principal Byron Moore, a non-smoking policy has been enforced by the faculty for ten years. If a student is caught smoking on campus a $5 fine is paid. On the seccond a $10 fme. If student is caught again he could perhaps be suspended for up to three days, according to Moore. . Nelson disagrees with using fines as a form of discipline. Another method of enforcement is a rehabilitation type program, where students are sent to a-non-smoking clinic. Nelson viewed . this program on an American Cancer Society ftlm from Los Angeles, where the John F. Kennt!dy High School experimented with this program. . Before any enforcement programs are planned, a decision on the ban will be made. A meeting is being scheduled for later this fall to discuss the smoking policy, according to President of Lincoln Public School Board, Louis Roper.
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"Under rug'' ''We either need to enforce the smoking policy or knock it off the books," said Roper. ''Up to this point it has been swept under the rug." • · Student and faculty support for the policy varies. The LHS Student Council is not backing the ban completely, but instead would like to see the present policy better enforced according to Kate Kopischke, Student Council President. ''Student Council is hesitant about supporting the - ban since · there is a question of who and how the ban would be enforced," .Kopischke said. · Mr. Bob Kraft, Social · Studies instructor, feels the ban would not only be a waste of time, but would be stupid also. , .. ''I believe allowing teachers to smoke and denying young adults (students) that same right is an old double standard," · said Kraft. The litter on the west side of the building is not a problem, according to
Student smokingis currentlyallowedon the west side of the school. (Photo by Dan Scanlon)
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by KenneyLoos On the second day of school (Tuesday,
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cause o
ire at
Mike Merwick. The fire started in a fourth floor room when a malfunction caused a fluorescent light fixture to overh,eat, ignite ·a ceiling tile and shatter as it fell to the floor, explained Sanford Nelson, LHS principal. · As soon as the office was notified of the incident, Nelson dialed 911. ''When we called and said we had a fire on fourth floor, we could have had every fire rig in the city here," he said. .The reason not every fire rig arrived, said Nelson, was because the fire inspector was right next door at PSAB and cancelled the other units after assessing the extent of the fire. However, one unit did arrive and as it
was entering the staff parking lot, on the east side of the building, it met a delivery truck trying to exit at the same time. Nelson now plans to submit a suggestion to the school board that another drive way, this one running parallel to the athletic field sidewalk, be installed in the faculty lot. ''The current drive will only be an entrace with the new drive being an exit on Randolph," he said. Merwick doesn't believe LHS really has an -accessibility problem. He compares Lincoln High to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and says that there is enough room to pull up in front of the building or between Lincoln High and the new track facility in case of a more severe fire. ''We can arrive at your (LHS') front door in under two minutes," Merwick said.
$250 .for un~forms
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August 26) Lincoln High experienced its first real fire drill in a.pproximately seven years, •according to Lincoln Fire Chief
He does, though, feel Nelson has a good idea. ''It makes our job easier when we can come from two different directions or in case one entrance is blocked," he said. Merwick also praised LHS students for evacuating the. building quickly. ''Lincoln High students offer no great prQblems. They are out of the building in three or four minutes, which I think is pretty good time," he said. Lincoln High's staff and faculty received some praise, too. Their praise came from a letter written by the fire· inspector complementing them on their handling of the situation. Even with the praise, Nelson plans to reaquaint LHS' faculty with emergency procedures during their next meeting. ''This is just staadard routine,'' he said.
Honorees --Many girls who m~y want to be a spirit leader, according to Varsity Cheerleader Leah Shaw, might not be able to afford it. Although things like clinics, spring ·uniforms, and t-shirts are not required items, squads usually purchase them regardless of the cost. , This •year, each member of a spirit . organization . ( drill - team, _varsity cheerleaders, and reserve ..cheerleaders) paid more than $250 for uniforms. This price does not include transportati9 _n to and from eveots or any other spending that may be needed throughout the year. All expenses for students involved in athletics are ..completely covered by a school budget. However, no money is alloted to students involved in spirit clubs. Any ~oney needed · for these
..activities must be provided by the · individual. Varsity Cheerleader · Lauri Cirksena said being a spirit leader is too expensive.· ''It seems like a waste of money when we buy so many things,'' she commented. This year's varsity sq,uad purchased two separate uniforms; one for spring sports and one for winter sports. The cost of the winter sweater and skirt was more than $70. · Shoes to go with this outfit were $25. Squad members also had to - , buy emblems, porn-pons, · outfits for clinics and briefs. Reserve Cheerleaders, according to Junior Sara Thomassen, spent more than '$50 on shoes. Winter shoes were $26 and .
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See spirit,page3
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Seven LHS graduates will be honored as Distinguished Alumni at an all-s<;hool assembly planned for October .
10. The
honored included: Forrest Behm, senior vice-president, Corning Glass Works; Alice Dittman, president, Cornhusker Bank; Leo Hill, chairman of the board, Northwestern Metal Co.; Robert Jordan, assistant editor, National Geographic; Wally Provast, sports editor, Omaha World-Herald; Louis Roper, vice president, First National Bank -and. president of the Lincoln Board of Education. The Advocate will feature Distinguished Alumni Day activities in a special edition of th~paper October 9.
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