European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Eyes of texan blinded by sight of that ugly Tower by Joe Murray. Cox news service i be been looking at the Eiffel Tower Long and hard. Never mind that it reminds me of a Texas size Oil Rig. 1 Don t think i like it. Quot the Eiffel Tower close up or from a distance is not so different from a giant _ Iron ugly stick quartered and splayed so As to stand on end i Don t know Why the people of Paris put up with it being put up. That was Back in 1889 for the world exhibition celebrating the Centennial of the French revolution. My tourist Book says this engineering Marvel was accomplished by one Gustave Eiffel French Engineer viaduct and Bridge builder. I d have guessed Pierre the Bridge builder. The Eiffel Tower is almost 1,000 feet High built As the tallest Structure in Europe. By comparison the Washington Monument is 555 feet tall the Empire j state building 1,250. Neither dominates the Skyline the Way the Eiffel Tower does. Obviously the View from its observation deck offers the most glorious Vista of Paris. That May be because it s the one place in Paris where you can t see the Eiffel Tower t guess frisians have come to live with it. After a while they have even got to liking the whole idea of it. Bulat the time of its construction the Eiffel Tower was generally viewed As a monstrosity. Nothing about it has changed except the Way people look at it. They were going to tear it Down for its 7,000 tons of scrap Metal in the Early 1900s when the original Concession expired. They would have too if it had t been for radio. The Tower s potential As a giant radio Antenna gave it an acceptable purpose sometime Between then and now it has become a romantic Symbol of life in Paris not to mention the no. 1tourist attraction. Quot maybe that s part of the problem. I m not Here As a tourist. I m Here As a student. For a Short White i m attending classes at the sorbonne on the left Bank studying the literary life and times of americans in Paris during the 1920s Ernest Hemingway Ezra Pound Gertrude Stein Sylvia Beacht Scott Fitzgerald and others. Part of the lectures Are also on modern Art the works of Picasso Matisse Monet and a Bunch of other painters so famous i d never Evert heard of them. That s another problem i have appreciation of Art. Silly me i d rather look at a Flower than a picture of a Flower. I Hope i Don t say anything to Start an argument or worse a revolution. It s Vij a. A. A. R. Quot a. A happened before at the sorbonne a. University that dates Back to the. 1200s and a which served As the. Model for Cambridge and Oxford. A. The sorbonne is Why they Call this area of the left Bank the latin  talked and taught in latin up until the French revolution since then they be been talking French. They be been talking revolution As Well. A Quot the sorbonne was the Center of the student revolt of 1968, resulting in pitched Battles on barricades in the streets of Paris. That a the reason today the cobblestones of Boulevard St Michel have been. A asphalted Over a to prevent students from Ever again prying them up to hurl As. Weapons against police. A a. As for me i  to sit in the. Outdoor cafes under the plane Trees their Large Jval leaves edged with the Gold of autumn while sipping Cate Creme and puffing on a Good Cigar a after awhile i la stroll the Lovely Luxembourg gardens where from across the Way i can hear the winsome Lullaby of Organ grinder music. Children Are at pl2 v. Young people Are in love old people Are at peace i la try to fit in As Best i can. Joe Murray editor publisher emeritus of the Lufkin Texas Dally news la senior writer for Cox. Newspapers the Eiffel town Beauty is in the Eye of the beholder. Ass file if you re a Parent worried about your kids and drugs Here s a Battle plan. First recognize that part of being an adolescent is belonging then help your  involved in activities with other kids who Don t use drugs. Look for groups that set goals instill a sense of purpose and build self esteem. To keep your kids involved keep praising a encouraging and cheering them on. A nobody can guarantee that your kids won t use drugs. Even the boy scouts can t. But when there s something better to do chances a Ore kids wont do drugs. To keep boy scouting alive in Europe please contribute to Csc #0362, boy scouts of America overseas Council. See internal service agencies boy scouts of Ami Rica its Public scary ice or a  by  Al turn Coli. At secy october 6, 1994 stripes Mog Ine 15