European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vain tenders he stars and stripes dear Ann Landers i am one of thousands of mothers whose sons have been sent to j the persian Gulf. This is an anxious and fretful time for All of us not knowing what will happen next but it is much worse for those who Are in uniform. Here Are a few lines from a letter we received yesterday. It was addressed to mom and dad Gramps grandma Larry sue and Eddie a it s awful hot humid and Dusty Here. A we Are sitting in the Middle of a damned desert trying to keep one another a spirits up and it gets harder All the time. A the biggest problem we have is boredom. The Guys who have received letters from Home Are envied by everyone. I have seen these characters Reading and rereading a letter until they must have it memorized. A so far i have received two letters from you and dad one from grandma and one from sue. In a sure Eddie and Larrv have written but their letters Haven a got Here yet. A please folks write As often As you can. Send Board games pictures news clippings and Ann Landers columns. And Pray for us. A love to everybody Bill so dear Ann please let your readers know How important it is that we write to our men and women who Are half a world away serving their country. Ell Gladnor Pittsburgh dear Ella thanks for your great letter. And now a word to my readers so Many of us feel helpless unable to grasp the reality that about 200,000 . Men and women Are now serving in the persian Gulf. What can we do to boost their morale write if you done to know anyone who is serving a letter addressed to a dear Friend will reach some Man or woman who will be thrilled to receive word from the states. You done to need to be a great writer. Just put together some words telling who you Are what your life is like. Describe your hobbies your interests and what is happening Here at Home. Anything you choose to Tell will be of interest. I could be the beginning of a great Friendship or even a Romance. Give it a shot folks. You Are sure to brighten someone a Day and like All Good deeds it will make you feel terrific. In be checked with my friends at the veterans administration and these Are the Best addresses anyone in the army air Force or the marines operation Ann Landers desert shield Apo new York . 09848-0006 or anyone in the Navy or marines aboard ship operation Ann Landers desert shield Fpo new York new York 09866-0006 dear Ann Landers i had a Good laugh when i read that letter in your column about the woman who ran an and in the paper to sell a Brand new porsche for $50. Of course the first person who showed up got the car. When he asked Why she was Selling it for so Little she replied a my husband ran away with his Secretary and he instructed me to sell the car and Send him the  actually the first time i laughed at that joke it was a Packard for $20. You can imagine How Long ago that was. Cafe Sequi Texas c creators Syndicate Page 11 letters a Dodds Calendar for year discussed in looking Over the Dodds Calendar for the upcoming school year some questions need to be asked. A student can get out of school almost a month May 16 before the official ending Date june 13 Why does school Start so Early Why can to they begin after labor Day and end by memorial Day look at the Winter read Christmas a recess. Can anybody imagine a major school system in the states starting its Holiday on a wednesday Why done to classes go for the whole week and what about that Spring recess from thursday until a week from the following monday for elementary and High schools ridiculous while we re at it lets talk about other holidays. Many school systems done to take Days off on some of the minor Federal holidays. They keep the kids in school and try to teach them what the Holiday Means. Ill bet half of the students done to even know which presidents presidents Day honors. And one has to wonder Why someone in charge does t say a they lets save the government some Money. Well have teacher workdays on local National holidays so our transportation Bill will be a Little lower. And we will Only take our classes on Field trips once or twice a semester instead of every tuesday or you fill in the Day and spend More time in our classroom  know most of the questions asked above Are rhetorical since i was told at my local school a the Calendar was approved by the teachers Union and so it can to be  what we need is a parents Union but since we in the military Are too proud and dedicated to our profession we have a hard time acting like steelworkers or teamsters. A name and location withheld editors note a John l. Stremple director department of defense dependents schools replies each year we solicit input on the school Calendar from various groups. We have found Over the years however that it is impossible to construct a school Calendar that totally satisfies All interested parties. We provide accelerated programs to meet the needs of a very Small portion of our student population that must leave school Early. It is not feasible however to begin the Dodds school year after labor Day and end it by memorial Day for the Overall student population. There Are Only 189 weekdays including holidays Between labor Day and memorial Day. The Dodds school Calendar provides 183 instructional Days for Stu dents and 190 duty Days for teachers. To squeeze the school year into the time Frame the writer suggests we would have to forego holidays and school recesses hold classes on saturdays or shorten the school year. We do not believe any of these actions would be in the Best interests of those concerned. Traditionally the Spring recess has been one week. This is consistent with the practice in the United states. This school year the Spring recess for students will be extended an extra Day. It will include Friday March 29, a teacher workday with no school for students As Well As the following week. The third marking period ends March 28. We try to schedule a Day with no students after each marking period. Additionally March 29 is Good Friday a local National Holiday in Many parts of the world. As the author of the letter suggests savings can be achieved by having teacher workdays on local National holidays. A recess periods Are scheduled with local National and Federal holidays in mind. The thanksgiving recess of course includes thanksgiving. The Winter recess includes Christmas and new years Day. We schedule the Spring recess around easter when there Are Many local National holidays. A past efforts to compress the school year by shortening recess periods have been opposed by students teachers and parents. We also believe that students and teachers perform better with these recesses incorporated into the school Calendar. Winter recess in some Dodds regions will begin on a wednesday. The Dodds worldwide Calendar provides for a Winter recess beginning on monday. In two of our regions however the Winter recess was changed to begin on wednesday at the request of the military departments. The change was made in our Germany and Mediterranean regions to accommodate the military departments desire to have the Dodds Winter recess coincide with their Liberal leave period. It should be noted that the Union which represents most Dodds teachers objected to this change. Dodds is fortunate to have a dedicated and professional work Force that is willing to do what is necessary to provide a Quality education for Dodds students. We do not however consider that compressing the school year will improve the Quality of education provided to Dodds students. To the contrary we believe that the measures necessary to begin the school year after labor Day and end it before memorial Day would have a negative Impact on the Quality of education. Inmates get too much writer says the setting is a prison in Butzbach Germany. The subject the same As most other prisons that hold american inmates. Some of these inmates Are from the streets from broken Homes and from bad backgrounds. But others Are the sort of people that we looked up to that we were taught As children to Trust and respect a doctors policemen and yes even soldiers. A recent article in the stars and stripes told about eight soldiers visiting the prison in Butzbach. The soldiers were there to play basketball with the inmates. This prison offers an extensive sports program for the inmates to interact and socialize with the outside. The people in this prison Are there a for crimes like murder rape and dealing drugs a according to the stars and stripes. Wake up America these sex soldiers Are the same people who terrorized Hurt and sold drugs to our loved ones. These people done to need a sports program so they can interact with the outside world. It was the outside world they abused in the first place. I see an extreme double Standard. Our Laws Send them behind bars for punishment for crimes but once inside they receive three Square meals a Day to movies stereos books and As much athletic equipment As our local schools. And the sad part is that we give our tax Money and some even give their own valuable time to socialize with these criminals. Maybe if these same people gave As much time and concern to the americans who Are homeless poverty and hunger stricken As they give to the murderers rapists and drug dealers in our prison systems America might be a better safer place to live. A Staci Bretherick Hahn a German the so Ai ipes european edition circulation 190,000 col. Gene e. Townsend Usan commander editor in chief it. Col. Gayle w. Fix Usa Deputy commander editor in chief Marie Kominicki Bob Wicker Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager is newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for members of the 21. 7 vices overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes Are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or the . European command. Appear nce of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorsement by the department of defense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for Pur-1 us8 or ,rona90 without regard to race color religion sex National a a re a a a jew a Huwui i Thiu in i avio Vivi i i Unyi i i 22h. A a a marital status physical nand Cap political affiliation non Merit Factor of the purchaser user or Patron. Main office switchboard 06155-6010. Ets 348-5741 or 5823. 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