THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, January 17, 1997              TAG: 9701180015
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   21 lines

DON'T GAMBLE ON THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY

I used to purchase lottery tickets once in awhile since I naively believed the money would be used for education even if I didn't win - a worthy cause.

I no longer participate. I was appalled to learn that very little goes to the education of Virginia's children. Instead, the lottery seems to have opened the door to permit all kinds of gambling and a state dependent upon gambling proceeds in order to fiscally function.

Will our state of Virginia, with its heritage as ``Mother of Presidents,'' now become the ``Cradle of Sleaze''?

It's time to get rid of state-sponsored gambling. We tried it; it didn't work.

ROBERT M. WINGFIELD

Norfolk, Jan. 9, 1997