Why is it that all Grady students cannot beam with pride as they survey the conditions listed by Seventeen Magazine? True, most of these apply strongly to Grady. Our school stacks up pretty well with the best.
But what about those others? Why do so many students work only half-heartedly, if at all?
TEACHERS
The reason usually lies with the teachers. Far too few of our Georgia teachers
are inspiring. New York has some of the best teachers in the country; many
California high school teachers have Ph.D.'s Why not so in Georgia? The
answer is money.
We do not mean to say that we have nothing but underpar. teachers and that all young teachers are incapable. Fortunately, Grady has many excellent teachers and more pay will not increase their skill though it might mean more materials for its exercise.
The point is that many good teachers with high degrees from fine schools just do not think of teaching in Georgia high schools. They go into colleges or out of the state entirely.
MONEY ONLY
The possibility arises that higher pay will attract some for the money alone.
However, if salaries are higher, standards can also be higher, and replacement
for poor teachers will be more readily available.
President Kennedy has proposed a bill giving federal aid to education. The conservative South is screaming about states' rights and jurisdiction over its schools. The fact remains -- more money is needed.
Students have a nasty ungrateful streak. Most of them do not care where the money comes from, but it must come.
If Georgia is opposing federal aid to education, Georgia must give state aid to education. More funds are needed - - and now!
Reform's Successful So Far
Two of the SOUTHERNER's editorial campaigns this year have had generally
good results.
A school-wide clean-up campaign was really put into swing by Principal Derthick and a few interested clubs. The Inter-Club Council has tightened up considerably on its control of' social clubs by demanding monthly reports. Social clubs themselves are to be congratulated for their greatly increased work on projects. All these reforms have been objects of editorials in the SOUTHERNER since school opened this fall.
Good work has been started but it must not be forgotten that it has only started. There is plenty to do and plenty who need to do it.
You believe what you are told, If you are told something never happened, or that two and two make five, that is the truth. Individuality doesn't exist. The Party is the all-powerful unit--the ruler--the ultimate master.
Such is the world pictured in George Orwell's 1984, an idea of life in the world after the takeover of an element whose sole desire is power and whose means of getting and retaining it is submission of all others to complete conformity in thought and action.
REBELLION
Winston Smith, Mr. Orwell's main character, lives in Oceania, one of the
three super-states created after the takeover. He is an outer member of
The Party, does what he is told, and appears to think what he is told. But
in his mind he is beginning to rebel. He falls in love with Julia, another
rebellious party member, and together they join a society which fights against
The Party. The story of what happens to them may be shocking; certainly
it is no children's tale. But it should be read by everyone who has an honest
concern in the future of our society,
Mr. Orwell has revealed impressively and in no uncertain terms the threats to the future offered by conformity and slack in individual thinking. He has written an excellent novel and the thoughts it inspires in the reader are necessary, indeed mandatory.