BACKJ TO SCHOOL

SCHOOL DAYS, THE "GOOD 'OLE GOLDEN RULE DAYS," ARE UPON US AGAIN. OR ARE THEY? THE PRINCIPAL OF A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, REMINDED BY AN INTERVIEWER THAT SCHOOL HAS STARTED, IMMEDIATELY PLUNGED INTO A REMINDER THAT PRACTICE FOR TRACK AND FIELD BEGAN THIS WEEK. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC LITANY OF THE SPORTS' TEAMS FORMING UP AND THE ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR GOLF, BOXING, TENNIS, SWIMMING, SOCCER, WRESTLING, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND VOLLEYBALL. NO RADIO AIR TIME WAS WASTED AND NO WAS BALL DROPPED TO PREVENT HIM FROM INFORMING HIS AUDIENCE ABOUT EACH AND EVERY SPORTS ACTIVITY GEARING UP FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEAR. HOW MUCH CLASS OR STUDY TIME IS AVAILABLE FOR THE 3 R'S, MATH, SCIENCE AND HISTORY WHEN SUCH ACTIVITIES, SUPPLEMENTED BY MUSICAL ,DRAMATIC AND CHEERLEADING OFFERINGS, ARE HIGHLIGHTED ON AIR TIME, REPEATEDLY, THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR?

THIS PRINCIPAL MADE NO CONNECTION BETWEEN BACK TO SCHOOL AND ACADEMICS IN CLASSROOM. TO WHAT EXTENT DOES HE REFLECT THE MIND SET OF HIS COMMUNITY? TO WHAT EXTEND DOES HIS SPORTS OBSESSION REFLECT THIS COUNTRY AS A WHOLE? DOES THE 80/20 RULE OF PROPORTIONALITY HOLD? ARE 80% OF STUDENTS LOST DOWN THE BRAIN DRAIN? IF A COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA CAN OFFER A COURSE ON THE RAP POETRY OF THE LATE TUPAC SHAKUR, WHY WOULD ANY HIGH SCHOOL LAY A FOUNDATION OF LIBERAL, ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE SUCCESS? MY GOD! THE MOTTO OF ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL IN CONCORD, NEW HAMPSPHIRE ONCE READ, "LET US LEARN ON EARTH THOSE THINGS WHOSE KNOWLEDGE MIGHT CONTINUE IN HEAVEN." WHAT SPORT DOES GOD PLAY? UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS WISE ETCHING HAS LONG BEEN EFFACED AND REPLACED WITH A MORE APT REFLECTION OF THE STATE OF EDUCATION TODAY - "LET THE GAMES BEGIN."