European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Education tuesday july 25, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 7 by Edward . Wis. Not an official of education commission of the states s that the trend toward requiring mini us educational competency has spread 34 states and for the most part has won a Mular acceptance despite frequent oppo Ion from organized teachers groups Christopher Pipho. Associate director of a research for the commission also told a a a twp of educators and others last week at political problems associated with de ing diplomas to students who fail new meet ency tests have led states and t school districts to alter the focus of the  and legislators Are getting dared about reports of High failure rate some minimum competency tests Pho said. The growing tendency is totem As Early warning systems rather j devices that deny diplomas to sub Fott Tuil numbers of  began in 1975 he minimum competency movement began in 1975 when state Legislatures and j wards of education began drawing up lists educational standards that students in Public schools should meet at various tages in their education. Some called for dents to pass a test of Basic academic kills to graduate from High school. The trend reflects growing Public Dissat action with reports that High schools Are turning out students deficient in writing to calculating and other fundamental skills. Most of the impetus has come from non d educators said Pipho. The biggest advocates have been businessmen and the biggest opposition has come from the  Pipho said at a conference sponsored by e Johnson foundation and the National association of elementary school Princi als that the movement has spread to 34 totes 20 of which have a test for High Hool graduation. Situation in . In new York the test policy is to take feet for students who plan to graduate next june. A 1976 Law in new Jersey species standards for students beginning with third Grade but does not require a test graduation. In Connecticut the Issue is understudy. Pipho noted that four states Ken Lucky Kansas. Rhode Island and Massa insects have adopted minimum Nin Potency Laws this year and suggested at the movement is beginning to reach the saturation Point. Most of the states kith Strong Central authorities have Al Eady moved in this direction he said. In Minnesota and Wisconsin state offi recently decided not to adopt state Ide minimum competency standards j4j and in Maine it is widely assumed that in Wake of encouraging results from the first test of High school graduates last ear the policy will not be enforced in the future. Florida s experience much of the National controversy sur funding minimum competency has re pulled from the experience of Florida. A Are 81 percent of Lith graders passed be new English test the first time it was Ven but Only 64 percent passed the math Matics test. Most of those failing the test toe from minority groups and the data questions about whether the tests and the program As a whole were Dis Crimi trend of requiring minimum competency has spread of 34 states commission official says. � Ric ulum to these minimum competencies at a time when they recognized that Sci ence human understanding. Rood Litera Ture Art and music Are subjects of increasing  Ralph d. Turlington. Florida s commissioner of education responded by charging that the National education association had chosen to ignore considerable Posi Tive testimony about the program. He called minimum competency the most important improvement in education that we have Ever  the biggest single Impact has been at  he said. It his encouraged people to become More serious about Edu cation. Students arc working harder and the Overall result has been More financial support for  with the minimum competency move ment so new. No states have yet reached the Point at which substantial numbers of students minority or otherwise have been denied diplomas because they had failed a test. Joan Jaralz. Director of the Educa Tion policy research Institute in washing ton predicted that when this Point is reached the idea of using tests As a criterion for graduation would fall of its own Vul met " Pipho pointed out that legislation has recently Fik used More on Early testing and remediation than on exit examinations the policy adopted by the Massachusetts la nerd of education last month for exam ple is officially described As a program of Basic skill improvement and does not involve a test for graduation. The Board also made a Point of working with teachers on the design and thus coming up with something that teacher scan Call their  Pipho said. The National education association the by s largest teachers organization. A team of educators to Florida to hold wrings on its minimum competency pro Tom and issued a critical report on what a Learned. Ralph Tyler a consultant at 00 Pence research associates who chaired panel reported Here last week that the id Gram had led to an overemphasis in w y High schools on elementary Reading. 1 Nui Metic and some specific items in. Has resulted in neglect of High a Smool subjects such As science history. Grature. Music and the  Tyler said. Be of the teachers believed that the now required them to narrow the cur Beauty barely won the title Judy Portinga Center of Apopka fla., is the Winner of the 1978 miss nude world pageant that was held in Freel ton Canada. Becky Marie Neilson right of Eugene ore., is first runner up White Carlayne Gall of Waterloo Canada is the second runner up. Por Tinga 19, had previously won the miss nude Florida contest a photo says she s still learning growing Hearst tries to look at Good Side Chicago a i just try not to be bitter says Patricia Hearst from the fed eral prison where she is completing a term for armed Bank robbery. I try to look at the Good Side of this. A lot of things have happened to me that i Don t suppose will Ever happen to anyone else Hearst said in a copyright interview with columnist Bob Greene published in the Chicago Tribune on sunday. And because of that. I be grown the Busy Louisville burglar gets everything but the sink louisville1. By. Up ii a burglar at the new Home of John size More took every thing but the Kitchen . He tried to Lake police reported that Kitchen cabinets Light fixtures and a dishwasher were pulled out of the Home. Although pipes to the sink had been disconnected and the hot water was turned off. The sink itself re with about j4.400 in goods missing out of his new place. Sizemore has postponed moving 24-year-old newspaper heiress said. I m in prison now but i m still learning and i m still growing and i just try not to let it get me , who entered the Federal correctional institution at Pleasanton. Calif. In May to Complete a seven year sentence after losing All appeals says she no longer likes the nickname  s just something from a bizarre headline about her experiences with her sym ionese liberation army kidnappers she said. I Don t think it s me anymore i m someone else. And Patty. Well. Patty is just that person in the  she said that during her ordeal first As captive then fugitive and then defendant in a highly publicized trial it was hard for me to accept that there were so Many people who did t care. And yet if i take myself Back to when i was 19. Maybe i would l have been much different from  guess maybe i m trying to figure out a Way to see Why people did i care about  she said tart of it had to do with my Grandfather publisher William Randolph Hearst a lot of people just hated the Man. And be cause of Hal the hatred carried on to  of it came from people thinking i d gel off too easily. First it was of. Shell get away with this Shell never go to trial then it was of. Shell never go to prison then in was. Of Shell Beal in on Appeal then it was. Of. She s out on Bond Shell never go Back and now the same people Are saying. M never though plus would happen to you " two journalism magazines announce plans to merge new York u poll More a Magazine which reviewed Media performance and trends. Will merge Inlo inc Columbia journalism review the iwo  san bounced. The Columbia journalism review founded in 1961 and associated with the graduate school of journalism Al Colum Bia University in new York has a circulation of 32.000. More which was founded in 1971. Has a circulation of Between 15,000 and 20.000more cited financial difficulties As the reason for the merger