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July 10 June 10 April 10 March 10 January 10 November 09 October 09 |  | September 2010 Baseball appreciation (09-07-2010) (hide this letter) Dear Editor: Baseball season is almost over in Pulaski and before the team scatters to the four corners, I would like to express appreciation to the 2010 Pulaski Mariners team, the Seattle Mariners organization and Pulaski Baseball, the local owners. The Pulaski fans appreciate the players for providing great entertainment since June. I've been a fan for many years and I believe this is possibly the best team we've ever had in the Appalachian League. They were well managed and coached and definitely improved during the season. Pitching, batting and defense were all of high quality. Most all games were exciting. Congratulations to the Pulaski Mariners and Seattle organization. We look forward to having you back for the next two years. Pulaski Baseball did an excellent job of promotion and provided us with an outstanding baseball setting. Pulaski Town Council also deserves a pat on the back for its support of Calfee Park and baseball operations. The baseball team is a real morale-builder for a small town. I thought members of the team conducted themselves in an exemplary fashion. I never saw a player act in an unsportsmanlike manner. They are very young men, but conducted themselves in a way to make us all proud. Manager Eddie Menchaca and his coaches provided great leadership to the team and we thank them all. We don't know what the outcome of the playoffs will be (the Mariners fell to the Elizabethton Twins 6-3 Thursday evening), but in any event, it has been a great season. We hope the pennant will fly in Calfee. Out best wishes go with the players. We hope you have benefitted from your summer in Pulaski. Sincerely, Alan D. Groseclose Pulaski SOL’s serve purpose (09-07-2010) (hide this letter) Dear Editor: I have a question for Angela Clevinger (teacher at Pulaski Elementary School, President of the Pulaski County Education Association, author of Are SOL tests beneficial?, August 22, 2010) … When was the last time that such drastic measures were taken – such as a pep rally – to coach the students for success on their SAT, PSAT or ACT scores? Don’t answer … I know the answer: Never. I also know why: the SAT’s, PSAT’s and ACT’s are all about the kids and their future – the interest in the SOL’s is all about jobs and taxpayer funding, and maintaining school accreditation. Teachers and schools have their feet held to the fire for the performance of the students on the Standards of Learning test. Why? Because the Standards of Learning does just that, it establishes a standard, a quality of education that each child in Virginia deserves, that tax payers make possible. The Standards of Learning have imposed a litmus on teachers and insure that basic education requirements are uniform – in other words no more lazy teachers using An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991), a Steven Speilberg cartoon (animated film) as a basis of teaching the history of westward expansion in the United States (yep, my fight with the schools began when teachers passed that off as teaching history to my son in the 8th grade). The dilution of the education system, the passing of children without the skills or knowledge to be passed on to the next grade and one teacher’s “authentic assessment” versus an actual yard-stick-measurement of required knowledge has resulted in transcripts meaning less and standardized tests meaning more when a student transfers to a different school or pursues an advanced education. What I have to say to you, your school and the Pulaski County Education Association is this: SHAME ON YOU for making kids so upset that they want to vomit before a test. The principal and vice principal, visiting your classroom to let the kids know that they have an awesome responsibility because 70 percent must pass … or there will be consequences to teachers and administrators alike. Did you tell the children that? Seventy percent of you MUST pass or the school will get in trouble? The parents of the children at your school should demand better from you and from your school administration. Teach them. Don’t just teach them how to take a test for your benefit. The kids should come first. Debbie Stevenson Pulaski Court lawn applauded (09-07-2010) (hide this letter) Dear Editor, I thank Pulaski County and the prisoners of the New River Valley Regional Jail for cleaning the historic courthouse lawn. Maybe if you would continue to do this, industry would come to our town. Catherine Humphrey Pulaski |
