Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 23, 1993                   TAG: 9310150351
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PRESERVING A TREASURE FOR THE FUTURE

In recent years, there have been efforts to commercialize areas adjacent to it that would harm or destroy its intended use. We are stewards of these treasures for only a few years, and we have an obligation to leave things such as this for future generations to enjoy.

The latest efforts by groups to commercialize areas adjacent to the parkway north of Roanoke should be soundly defeated.

EDWARD L. CLARK JR.

STUART

Concern for schools is increasing

AS THE BIG yellow school buses rolled again on the first day of school, I reflected on last September when my grandson began his first year in the public- school system. At that time, I wondered what the next 12 years held for him in public education.

Now, one year later, I'm more concerned than ever about what awaits our children and grandchildren unless caring, concerned people come out of complacency and make their voices heard. With the confirmation of Jocelyn Elders as surgeon general of the United States, and with outcome-based education on the horizon, we are headed for even deeper trouble in our schools.

Christians and private-school parents should not think that they will be immune from OBE. This will effect public, private and Christian schools. To the winner of this battle will go the prize of our precious children, who are the victims.

JANE S. NEWTON

Roanoke

Supporting the cable company

WDBJ will lose many local viewers when and if it decides to cut its signals to local cable companies. Have station officials stopped to think about the number of local ads we will miss and how much money they will lose when we no longer see their signals?

Thanks to our cable company, we have many other stations available to us.

No one should submit to blackmail. So go ahead, WDBJ, and cut your signal; then figure out how many viewers you have lost. As you can see, I'm 100 percent in support of Salem Cable's stand.

CATHERINE L. GEORGE

SALEM

Figuring price but not value

FOLLOWING THE logic of the Sept. 14 article, "Professors Not Often in Class," wherein it is noted that many university professors are paid more than $300 per class-hour taught, I applied it to my situation as a minister. I discovered that I'm paid approximately $3,000 an hour for the time I'm in the pulpit preaching.

That is, I am being paid that much, if one chooses to devalue the 40-to-60 hours a week I spend in other ministerial responsibilities, a portion of which includes sermon preparation.

How sad that leaders of other nations recognize the value of American higher education - how such education has contributed mightily to our national well- being and strength - and thus send their students here to learn so that their nations might prosper similarly, whereas so many of our own political leaders and media folks isolate a fact like the number of hours a typical university faculty member is in the classroom each week and use that fact illogically to tarnish the image of American, and specifically Virginian, university education.

I'm afraid the article reveals a lack of understanding of the importance of the day-to-day activities of our university faculties - not only in the classroom, but also in preparation for the classroom, in advising, in research, in extension, and the like.

Logic of this article is as flawed as the thinking of the person who says to me, "Boy, you ministers have a cushy job. You only work one day a week."

HUGH B. SPRINGER

BLACKSBURG