Dear (?) Editor:

After reading your last issue of the Review I couldn’t decide whether I should use it to wrap the garbage or read it again just for laughs.  I decided to write to you instead and find out exactly what your are trying to prove.  After devoting two pages of the paper to repetitious discussion of the student activity fee which we are all well aware of, you complain about the expensive cost of paper!  One of those articles would have been sufficient.

A good idea was mentioned in Hal Arnstein’s “CON” Sound-off.  The Review should charge a small fee to those who wish to buy it.  I’ve heard of other schools who have been doing this for years.

Now I realize (after reading your articles) that the activity fee is a waste of time and money.  I never asked for a plastic covered, color picture ID card to carry around.  I haven’t used it once (and it’s just as well ’cause it’s a terrible likeness).

As for charity, it should be up to the individual on how much he wishes to give.  And the shows – well – it’s not necessary for me to say anything – you see the reactions of the audience.  Maybe that’s why the shows aren’t as good as they could be.  With a group like that “cheering” them on why should the performers try?

That leaves 25¢ for “Misc. Expenses.” That’s more like it.  I think everyone can afford a quarter.

One thing makes me laugh (Ha-Ha).  For a “purely voluntary” fee I must say I’ve been goaded and pestered enough to make me wonder what tactics would be used if it were compulsory.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Dear Bewitched:

We were not trying to “prove” anything by our stories on activity fees.  The purpose of our in-depth study was to (1) inform Roosevelt students as to where their money goes, (2) discover why the drive failed, (3) determine by those findings the fee’s importance and relevance to the school.

If similar dissatisfactions are found in next semester’s drive, a definite re-examination of the activity fee will have to be taken.

The answer to these questions could not be adequately discussed in a single article.  You say “we are all aware” of everything concerning the fee, and “one article would have been sufficient.”  Yet you then state “Now I realize (after reading your articles) that the activity fee is a waste of time and money.”  Obviously the study must have told you something that you didn’t know before.

Russ Hirai, Editor

***

Dear Editor:

The Student Council at this school is awful.  Being a representative, I find it very boring going to meetings.  Sitting at one of these meetings you find yourself listening to everyone talk at once.  The sergeant-at-arms sits up in front with his girlfriend and that’s all he does.  Chaos is not the word for these meetings.

When the attendance is taken, you’re lucky if you even see the sheet of paper.  People look up and down the attendance sheet writing obscene words next to people’s names.

The Student Council at Roosevelt is nothing to be proud of.  Something should be done to change the ways in which the Council meetings are held.

– A Student

***

Dear Editor:

My letter to you is not criticizing any one person, but all those whose crying complaint is “The Student Council never does anything!”

They probably don’t know when the meetings take place.  Because for them to complain so much I’d think they’d want to help our Student Council do something.  But they never show up at any meetings.

Every time it is announced in the bulletin that there is to be a meeting it also states that visitors are welcome.  The results of this are that only the representatives come.  If the complainers would use their mouths for giving ideas instead of complaining, maybe they could really help.

The Student Council is the voice of the entire student body.  That why they need more participants.  To voice an opinion they need to help.

– Barbara Heiman

***

Dear Editor:

I am writing to you about the dress code.  I think we should be able to wear what we want and when we want.

I don’t think we should be able to walk around the school barefoot, but I think we should be able to wear shorts, and even shorts for the boys (if they want to).

I think the boys and girls should be able to wear leather jackets and coats in class.  Does it bother the teachers any?  No, of course it doesn’t.  If the teachers just ignore it, then they would be fine.

It doesn’t bother anyone to wear shorts or jackets or to have long hair.  I think we should have freedom of the dress code and wear whatever we wish.

I do not wish to antagonize the teachers – I am just expressing my opinion.

– A student 

***

Dear Editor: 

I think Roosevelt High School has many great advantages.  We’re allowed to wear slacks and culottes which many schools are not allowed to do.  We have a Student Grievance Board where students are allowed to take many of their problems.  If the students want they can go and see Dr. Zimmerman on Fridays.

Roosevelt also has many outside activities such as football, basketball, swim team for the boys, cheerleading, Pep Squad and language clubs.  Also this year we had a winning football team that went to play in the semi-finals.

On the whole, our school is pretty good.

– A student

***

Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter to represent the feelings of the average and below-average student who reads the Rough Rider Review.

I feel that the majority of the students who read the Review feel that it absolutely stinks, with the exception of the sports section, which is well represented by a guy who has broad ideas on what the students would like to read.

In other words, who wants to read about grievance boards and especially those sick classified ads.  All you hear about is the students who continually send little ads to the same people and the same boring column.  That’s right – I’ve been here for four years and I still cannot give a good comment on the paper.

In all fairness, I feel that to put an end to this boredom, we should have other columns, that might have a greater interest for the average person.  Such as, how about movie critics who could give us their thoughts on the movies that we would like to see.  The ordinary critics in the newspapers today represent their points of views on a professional basis.  We don’t need that.  To correct this, we should have our own critics give their thoughts on the movies, on a teenage basis, so all of us could understand.

Well, I believe I am done giving my opinion of the Review and what I feel that we could do to have a more lively paper, instead of reading a paper as if it was reading an obituary of the school curriculum.

If this does draw any attention, I would personally offer my assistance as a movie critic for the Review.

For my lat words, I say, now, Review, get to work!

– A Student

Dear Student:

The reason that you continually hear about the same students in the Classified Ads is that the same students pay for ads.

I am sorry that you have been dissatisfied with the paper.  Any suggestions that you have for its improvement would be grealy appreciated.  We would welcome your assistance as a movie critic; however, we don’t know your name.  If you are serious about your offer, please contact Miss Strassman or myself.

Editor