Letters to the Editor
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‘Color Me Orange’
Henry J. Stern’s “Color Me Orange” [Opinion, February 15, 2005] is a wonderful piece. Having seen “The Gates,” however, I think he does a disservice to the term “schmata.” My view of that spread leads me to conclude that the pithy comment attributed, I believe, to Andy Warhol that “Art is what you can get away with” certainly applies here.
The display is a debacle reminding me of a cross between my mother’s (may she rest in peace) laundry-ridden clothesline strung across the courtyard of the tenement of my childhood days, and a low-cost construction site. Come to think of it, the items on my mother’s clothesline were decidedly more colorful and imaginative than Christos’s display.
The historic natural beauty of Central Park is jarred by these interruptions and despoiled by the resulting defacement. No doubt a vulgarian (George Soros perhaps?) or group of vulgarians bankrolled the event. Thank you Mr. Stern for your sound judgment. Pity the park is no longer in your care.
A. A. STAHL
Manhattan
Learning From Left Coast
Re: “Learning From the Left Coast,” Andrew Wolf, Opinion, February 11, 2005. I agree with Mr. Wolf regarding his basic philosophy of education and his pieces that criticize the current learning model in New York City schools. However, I must disagree with his position regarding bilingual education. He speaks of the way it was 50 years ago in this city with regard to students who could not speak English. Today, we have the resources to design programs that I believe are more effective than “dropping (them) into (an) all-English-language classroom environment.”
I pondered what it would be like if I were a young student taking history, geography, science, or math classes in France. The instruction would be in French, so I would have the parallel difficulties of understanding the language as well as the subject matter material. I would be completely lost, and I believe I would be doomed to failure and horrific frustration.
Bilingual education is designed to give students curriculum instruction in their first language. During other periods of the day, they are taught English. This ensures that they do not fall behind and that they remain on grade level. They are supposed to be mainstreamed out when they are competent in English. I believe that throwing students immediately into classes where they do not speak or understand the language will result in scholastic failure.
MARJORIE J. LEVINE
Manhattan
‘Activists’ Trojan Horse’
Steven Milloy praises the Securities & Exchange Commission’s allowing Qwest and Halliburton to keep off their proxy ballots proposals that would allow shareholders to nominate directors [“Blocking Activists’ Trojan Horse,” Steven Milloy, Business, February 11, 2005].
Shareholders own a corporation, the civics books tell us. They elect directors who are supposed to represent their interests. But the books don’t tell us that the owners may not ordinarily nominate the directors who represent them. Instead, they may vote for or against a board-nominated slate – whose selection a corporation’s management (never voted on by shareholder-employers) at least influences.
Mr. Milloy believes the SEC’s approval of continuing singles late elections “a small but necessary victory in the battle to protect the free-enterprise system.” Voters in peoples’ republics past and present know this form of election all too well. And, it puts the lie to the equation of free enterprise with freedom.
PETER D. KINDER
Boston, Mass.
Only Two Decades Late
Re: “Only Two Decades Out of Date,” James Gardner, Arts & Letters, February 14, 2005. In Mr. Gardner’s didactic spin on the new Staten Island ferry, the Molinari, he refers to the “archeological” style of the new vessel as being understated and tacky. Truth be told, this new ferry was designed per rider’s desires. I know firsthand as a member of the consultant design team some 10 years back in charge of surveying close to 20,000 peak hour riders on what key features they wanted in new-vessel designs.
In true egalitarian style, commuters wanted commodious benches, not bucket seats; more windows to get a sense of space, and higher decks from which to peer over Lower New York Bay. For some reason, Staten Islanders, I among them, have a visceral connection to the much older, more airy – and perhaps tacky – vessels of yore, with wraparound outside decks and rows upon rows of gritty seating. Why is that? We don’t know and don’t care for that matter.
Must we be made to feel abject ordinariness on our quotidian commute? And must every single new entry in our world be an architectural fanciful statement of some deep mystical meaning replete with affectations of some designer’s esoteric mind? Leave us alone to our contemplative quiet to enjoy a cup of coffee before entering obstreperous chaos in Manhattan.
STEVEN P. SCALICI
Staten Island
Mr. Scalici is a transportation engineer.
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