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     The Cadre +  10March 1998 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Why school is failing me. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I hate math, and that has me inexorably fated to detest pretty much everything else. 
     
     I’ve recently surmised that the Great Chain of Education moves in one direction only, and 
     
     that if you're not too giddy about at least three connecting links, you’re not going to like what 
     
     you're doing. I don’t. And it’s all math’s fault (see Eg.1). 
     
     Eg. 1. CRAp < math 
     
     They try to tell me that math is the universal language. Seeing as how I’ve seen so little 
     
     of the universe, I operate more on a local lingual language basis. I speak in sentences, and not 
     
     in equations, because I can do the former, and not so much the latter. | was considering the fact 
     
     that finding a universal language is rather important lately, especially since speaking with aliens 
     
     is a priority, and tried to assess the worthiness of a single language. | picked English, not because 
     
     it’s superior, but because it’s my mother tongue, and I can say its words fastly like an auctioneer. 
     
     Unfortunately, in my scheme of things, English is the polar opposite of math, leaving me 
     
     completely out of touch with the rest of the universe. 
     
     The following diagram may appear to be a little avant garde, but it explains the state of 
     
     our educational system today, in my most unworldly opinion (see Fig. 1). 
     
     Fig. 1. 
     
     English/Modern Languages 
     
     isreally 
     
     History 
     
     is really 
     
     Anthropology 
     
     is really 
     
     Sociology 
     
     is really 
     
     Psychology 
     
     is really 
     
     Biology 
     
     is really 
     
     Chemistry 
     
     isreally 
     
     Physics 
     
     isreally 
     
     Math 
     
    
   
   
    
     Philosophy 
     
     Fine Arts 
     
    
   
   
    
     Nutrition 
     
    
   
   
    
     Note that this is not a reversible reaction; it only procedes in one direction. I can't 
     
     guarantee that this is completely accurate, but a reasonable facsimile of the the flawed, linear 
     
     system of segregated subjectia. Also, realize that this does not in any way imply a hierarchy, but 
     
     rather a smooth and uncomplicated flow that puts things ata glance. Language is imperfect, and 
     
     math is so far away. 
     
    

    
     I hate math. 303 words. Thank you. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Stop the presses. IT'S A CORRECTION. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the Feb. 17, 1998 issue of The Cadre, a piece entitled “Free telephone usage barred” was 
     
     accredited to Ed Fobes. The editor wishes to make two corrections with respect to this work. 
     
     First, it was not intended as an editorial, rather an objective news story. 
     
     Secondly, the authorship to this piece was requested to be reassigned to Todd MacLean 
     
     and Karen Rawlines, as the original writer felt that the integrity of his writing was damaged 
     
     during editing. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Letter to the 
     
     editor 
     
    
   
   
    
     To the Editor: 
     
    

    
     My name is James White and I am a student attending 
     
     this university. I am one of the many who walk from Browns 
     
     Court to campus every day and must contend with the ex- 
     
     tremely dangerous stop light that intersects university avenue. 
     
     This area is meant for pedestrians 
     
    

    
     to cross the road safely and in some kind of an organized 
     
     manner. The problem is that the light only allows for one to 
     
     press the button and run for dear life. Not only is the time limit 
     
     for the light being red to quick but vehicle operators in 
     
     Charlottetown should immediately be 
     
    

    
     forced to attend some driver training school. On atypical 
     
     day you must wait for the light to turn red then wait for the 
     
     drivers who are racing the light to pass so that you can cross the 
     
     street. With only about 5 seconds of actual crossing time you 
     
     are forced after the way is clear to run like a maniac. Icy 
     
     conditions make this type of crossing dangerous. Also on any 
     
     given day you can expect the light to be broken in some way so 
     
     that you have to plead with traffic in order 
     
    

    
     to cross. Students and school administrators should join 
     
    
   
   
    
     | together to fight with the city to increase the time limit one has 
     
    
   
   
    
     to cross the street. It would sure make life a little easier for 
     
     some of us. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Thanks 
     
     James white 
     
    
   
   
    
     a 
     
    
   
   
    
     F>\at>)es 
     
    
   
   
    
     NEXT DUE DATE: 
     
     12 MARCH 1998, 5:00 PM